Spring 2018 Issue 23

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‘Castle on the

Hill’

Thursday, April 26, 2018 | Vol. XCIII, Issue 23 | Binghamton University | bupipedream.com

opens the curtains on Binghamton’s history See page 5

The Free Word on Campus Since 1946

BU to implement new alert system, more cameras Stenger talks safety changes at SA Congress Sasha Hupka News Editor

Binghamton University President Harvey Stenger announced BU will be implementing a new campus alert system in a Student Association Congress meeting on Monday evening, . According to Ryan Yarosh, BU’s director of public relations, the Alertus Emergency Mass Notification System will work

Jacob Hanna Staff Photographer Students and faculty gathered at the Mountainview College amphitheater on Monday night to honor Joao Souza. The vigil featured speeches from Binghamton University President Harvey Stenger and several of Souza’s closest friends.

Remembering Joao Souza Sasha Hupka News Editor

Candlelight flickered over the faces of hundreds of students as they honored the life of Binghamton University student Joao Souza on Monday night. The students, holding red roses and gold and black balloons, listened as some of Souza’s closest friends shared their memories at a vigil outside of Appalachian Collegiate Center. Roughly a week ago, Souza, 19, was fatally stabbed in Windham Hall of Moutainview College. He was a freshman majoring in engineering and a member of the Zeta Psi fraternity. The vigil opened with remarks from University President Harvey Stenger, who expressed his condolences to Souza’s friends and described Souza as smart, caring and captivating. “I’m sorry that I never met Joao,” Stenger said. “But I know from all of you being here, and the many people who told me about him, that he was

Students, faculty gather at vigil in Mountainview College to share memories

someone special.” As students began to light candles, Oliver Schoenfeld, a sophomore majoring in art and design, became emotional while discussing Souza’s personality and his memories of him. “He wouldn’t want us to be dwelling on all the questions we have about his passing,” Schoenfeld said. “He would want us to be remembering all the good times.” Schoenfeld said Souza was his best friend. “I can’t put into words how much we’re all going to miss him,” Schoenfeld said. “[He] will always be in my heart as a friend.” Daniel Greenberg, a senior doublemajoring in integrative neuroscience and business administration, also spoke at the vigil. He said he was also friends with Haley Anderson, who was found dead in a residence on Binghamton’s West Side on March 9.

SEE VIGIL PAGE 2

in conjunction with the current B-Alert system to electronically message students about potentially dangerous incidents on campus. The change comes after last week’s fatal stabbing in Windham Hall of Mountainview College. The first alert about the incident was sent at 11:14 p.m., roughly 45 minutes after Joao Souza, 19, was stabbed multiple times and the suspect, Michael Roque, 20, fled on foot. The new system is currently being used at several schools across the country, including

SEE ALERT PAGE 2

Campus finishes guidelines for health initiative University joins 50 other schools in program Conner Torpey

Pipe Dream News

Signs encouraging students to “B-Healthy” can be found at almost every corner of campus. From advertising the number of steps from Smith Hall of Hinman College to the Marketplace in the University Union or simply indicating where to find a water fountain, the signs are designed to help students make healthy choices. The signs are part of the Healthy Campus Initiative (HCI), a program Binghamton University began roughly four years ago and completed this past week.

The HCI is one of many initiatives offered by Partnership for a Healthier America, a national nonprofit dedicated to ending childhood obesity by working with the private sector. Its initiatives are designed to work in conjunction with former first lady Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move!” public health campaign. BU started working with Partnership for a Healthier America to complete the HCI back in 2014, joining over 50 other colleges in the initiative, including George Mason University, Florida State University and George Washington University. Colleges participating are required to complete 23 of a possible 41 guidelines to

SEE HEALTH PAGE 2

Students hold walkout, protest against racism on campus Demonstrators criticize administration, CCPA Valerie Puma

Pipe Dream News

In the drizzling rain, nearly 40 students gathered around the Pegasus Statue outside of Glenn G. Bartle Library to participate in a walkout against racism on Wednesday afternoon. Students silently marched across campus to take a bus to the University Downtown Center (UDC), where they were joined by over 60 fellow protestors. Hosted by the Human Development Emancipatory Activist Task Force (HEAT), the walkout aimed to draw awareness of racism on campus and Binghamton University’s response to several recent incidents. According to Sunja Joseph, a member of HEAT and a senior majoring in psychology, the activist group is composed of

students who are tired of the administration’s apathy toward issues that affect marginalized communities within BU and the College of Community and Public Affairs (CCPA). HEAT first began in response to incidents that occurred during this academic year, chiefly the discovery of multiple racist drawings in residential halls last fall and an incident in which students were threatened with arrest for unlawfully posting flyers in the UDC on March 28. “It created a lot of hysteria and upset among students of color who had legitimate fear over their living areas being violated,” Joseph said. “Since, nothing substantial has been done to make sure that our university is a welcoming space for students, staff and faculty of color. We [came to] the College of Community and Public Affairs because this school claims to be the college of social justice.” According to Kalissa Sawyer, a member of HEAT and a senior majoring in human development,

and voices by the University. Students had the option to place duct tape over their mouths as they marched. After walking the four floors, the group returned to the UDC lobby to commence a speakout, where students such as Briana Jones, a member of HEAT and a senior majoring in human development, were able to read open letters to Laura Bronstein, dean of the CCPA and executive director of the Institute for Justice and Well-Being. Bronstein was not present in the building during the event. “The original plan was to call Dean Bronstein down to listen to our concerns and hear our voices,” Jones said. “The fact that the dean was conveniently not in the building, and her door closed, Kojo Senoo Staff Photographer says a lot about her cowardice and CCPA students protest Binghamton University’s inaction regarding racial incidents on campus at the University her fear of her students and fear Downtown Center on Wednesday. of retribution. [Part of] what I the goal of the event was to vocalize within BU. The event included a to the fourth floor of the UDC, would have liked to share to Dean the silence, oppression, lack of silent protest of students marching meant to symbolize the silencing SEE PROTEST PAGE 4 action and racism that exists up the stairs from the first floor of marginalized groups’ concerns

ARTS & CULTURE

OPINIONS

End National Day of Silence with a Night of Noise,

Spring drink recipes to get you in a sunny mood,

Contributing columnist Elizabeth Short discusses the importance of bee conservation,

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SPORTS

Earl Monroe talks Knicks at Greater Binghamton Sports Hall of Fame induction,

Softball’s losing streak extends to five with loss to Syracuse,

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See page 10


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