Monday, May 6, 2019 | Vol. XCV, Issue 25 | Binghamton University | bupipedream.com
The Free Word on Campus Since 1946
PLAYBOI CARTI Flipp Dinero, Overcoats and The Groovy Boys opens concert Makoto Toyoda
contributing writer
This Saturday, Spring Fling brought on the hype with openers The Groovy Boys, Overcoats and Flipp Dinero, as well as headliner Playboi Carti. Students swarmed the Events Center at 7:30 p.m. to take part
in one of Binghamton University’s most anticipated events of the year. During the day, student organizations lined the Spine and Peace Quad with tables as attendees partook in the usual rides, games, food and live music on campus during the day. Others lined up in the University Union basement, waiting to secure their tickets to the evening concert. Student band The Groovy Boys opened the concert, having won a performance slot in this
see headliner page 6 kojo senoo pipe dream photographer
Rapper Playboi Carti performs for a lively audience at Spring Fling.
Girls Who Code celebrates first graduating class Charity walk raises suicide awareness Ceremony highlights club projects, women in STEM Sheila Kirsche
contributing writer
Highlighting the coding achievements of local high schoolers, Binghamton University’s Girls Who Code held its first graduation celebration on Saturday afternoon in the Smart Energy Building at the Innovative Technologies Complex (ITC). The organization hosted a ceremony to award certificates of completion to its high school students for coding their own websites. BU’s chapter of Girls Who Code
was established this academic year by co-founders Kasey J. Hill, a first-year graduate student studying business administration, Caitlin Hall, a senior majoring in systems science and industrial engineering and Fiona Liang, a senior majoring in systems science and industrial engineering. Looking to give women the support needed to pursue their interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and fulfill the founding mission of the organization of empowering women, fostering diversity, acting with integrity and striving for excellence, BU’s chapter teaches girls from local schools in the greater Binghamton area to advance their
understanding and ability to code. Hall, who plans to continue working with the Girls Who Code program as she obtains her master’s degree at BU, said she is excited for the future of the organization. “It’s turned out better than we expected,” Hall said. “We have 16 girls from six different schools across Broome County — it was very successful for the first round, and we plan on expanding even more and adding classes next semester.” Hall said she and her co-founders wanted to create an environment for women in STEM fields. “We really just want to provide that support system for women in
engineering and lessen the gender gap,” Hall said. The ceremony began with an introduction from Hall, Hill and Liang. They were followed by speeches from BU President Harvey Stenger and Mary O’Malley-Trumble, an adviser of the program, the IBM global sales management support leader for IBM Watson Health and the senior location executive for IBM Endicott. The high school students also had an opportunity to present their projects, explaining the creation of their websites which focused varying topics, including paranormal activity and pet education.
see code page 3
Kimberly Gonzalez contributing writer
Financial aid, grants and transfers: All are devices used by students and faculty which depend on accreditation, an eight-year process beginning this spring for Binghamton University. The Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) is one of seven regional commissions in the United States that can grant accreditation to a university. This process for BU will be led by Ellie Fogarty, vice president of institutional field relations for the MSCHE, who was a liaison for BU’s latest accreditation in 2010. Since 2014, in order to uphold innovation to constantly support institutions’ improvement, the Commission’s standards have been revised to place a bigger emphasis on the learning experience of students in a university. The process begins with a selfstudy led by three co-chairs of the BU steering committee, including
Michael McGoff, senior vice provost and chief financial officer for BU, Pamela Smart, an associate professor of art history and anthropology and Nasrin Fatima, accreditation liaison officer and associate provost for institutional research, effectiveness and planning. Brian Kirschner, director for communications and public relations for the MSCHE, said the self-study aims to allow administrators to honestly evaluate their progress and areas of improvement. “It usually takes about two years from when an institution is invited to what we call the ‘self-study institute,’ which Binghamton attended this fall,” Kirschner said. “The self-study evaluation is a process where we are asking institutions to look for opportunities for improvement and innovation, and it’s an opportunity for self-reflection — to evaluate themselves and look for those areas.” The steering committees must employ tasks which involve regular meetings, collecting information and data to analyze, using appropriate tools to check the University’s priorities and review the overall standards for accreditations while looking at the
ARTS & CULTURE BU’s Photography Club displays student work at First Friday, SEE PAGE 7
contributing writer
the commission decides whether the University is in compliance. “The principal reasons that we want to keep our accreditation status [is]
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University’s current standard. After the self-study report is handed to the MSCHE, a peer review is conducted, which allows the commission to ask for clarification or context on data where needed. By the end of the eight years,
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On Saturday morning, students, faculty and community members walked the perimeter of Binghamton University’s Brain, the main road that circles campus, for the Out of the Darkness Walk, a fundraiser for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). The Out of the Darkness Walk aims to raise awareness of suicide, especially on college campuses, and to educate the community on the resources available for people struggling with mental health. Mar Santos, co-chair for the walk and a first-year graduate student studying social work, wrote in an email that the walk fosters a sense of community on a college campus. “The walk is an opportunity to connect people who may have experienced their own thoughts of suicide,” Santos wrote. “Or who have lost a loved one to suicide. It’s an event to remind you that you are not alone.” The Out of the Darkness Walk was first brought to BU in 2013 by a student who lost their father to suicide. Joanna Zhang, co-chair of the walk and a senior doublemajoring in sociology and anthropology, said she has always supported the cause of better mental health, but recently felt the difficulties firsthand. “I was a big advocate for mental health, and I like doing things regarding up keeping mental health, like educating people on it,” Zhang said. “But I didn’t
University begins process for reaccreditation BU forms faculty team to conduct self-study
Proceeds to benefit mental health foundation
OPINIONS
SPORTS
Jamila Woods headlines the semester’s last BUMP show,
Contributing columnist Theodora Catrina questions politicians’ use of social media,
Softball prepares for America East Championships,
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SEE PAGE 9
Baseball sweeps doubleheader over UMBC, SEE PAGE 10