Spring 2019 Issue 5 by Pipe Dream

transforms bedrooms for children in need See page 4

Thursday, February 7, 2019 | Vol. XCV, Issue 5 | Binghamton University | bupipedream.com

The Free Word on Campus Since 1946

Marijuana legalization challenges BU policies

‘Use your voices’

Proposed changes to state law could contradict Code of Conduct Laura D’Angelo news intern

In December, Gov. Andrew Cuomo confirmed what many may have already suspected — New York state is moving toward legalizing recreational marijuana, a policy shift that could impact Binghamton University’s rules and practices regarding marijuana. According to BU’s 2018-19 Code of Student Conduct, possession, personal use or purchase of marijuana is prohibited on campus. The possession of drug paraphernalia, such as bongs, bubblers, bowls and pipes, is also banned. If a student fails to comply with these regulations, they could face disciplinary sanctions. According to Ryan Yarosh, senior director of media and public relations at BU, the University is currently required to prohibit the use of marijuana by the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act Amendments of 1989 (the Act), which states that schools receiving federal funding must impose consequences for illicit drug use on campus. “Cases not prosecuted are automatically reviewed by Student Conduct, who can choose what action is to be taken,” Yarosh said. “We do not separate marijuana as a separate category since it is still illegal in New York state and is included in the larger category of drugs and marijuana.”

Black History Month kicks oﬀ with keynote speaker Suezette Robotham

kojo senoo pipe dream photographer Keynote speaker Suezette Robotham, a diversity, equity and inclusion program manager at Google, speaks about the obstacles she overcame as a woman of color in the technology industry.

Lakhsmi Chatterjee

at Google. Tanyah Barnes, assistant director of the MRC, said the center invited Robotham to speak at the kickoff event because her experience in technology makes her relatable for students. “Historically, our big speakers are celebrities, but

Robotham discussed the challenges of entering the technology industry as a black woman and said she believes everyone ends up where they belong Roses set in concrete stones lined tables in Old despite the obstacles that arise. Union Hall on Monday, paying homage to Tupac “I’ve never gotten the job that I applied for, but Shakur’s poem “The Rose That Grew from Concrete,” I’ve always ended up where I’m supposed to be,” as the Black Student Union (BSU) and Robotham said. “The thing that I the Multicultural Resource Center learned is that, I’m not trying to (MRC) held their 50th annual Black be religious, but when you allow History Month kickoff event. the higher order to be, you’ll The event, titled “Resilience: always end up with every single Suezette Robothom, diversity, equity and inclusion program manager at Google Achieving Black Excellence in All wish you could dream of.” Aspects,” aimed to empower students to overcome how do you get students to feel pride when they can’t She also encouraged students to take pride in their their struggles and embrace diversity by celebrating see themselves in that?” Barnes said. “With Suezette, heritage and said although black voices often aren’t achievements by black people in different industries. students see what they can achieve in an industry valued, they should be. It featured keynote speaker Suezette Robotham, other than entertainment, which is where most of see speaker page 3 diversity, equity and inclusion program manager them are going.” arts & culture intern

“I have a confession, though — the world has never had the option to never hear my voice.”

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New system to critique resumes Alumni talk diversity, inclusion in business Fleishman Center introduces VMock to give resume reviews Erin Kagel

Annual diversity panel promotes discussion of industry progress

pipe dream news

Students looking to improve their résumés will now have access to VMock, an online program sponsored by the Fleishman Center for Career and Professional Development, which provides résumé reviews and critiques 24 hours a day. The Center regularly provides inperson appointments for students to meet with consultants who help edit résumés. However, those time slots are only available during the Center’s business hours, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays, and are made on a first come, first serve basis. The new VMock system will allow students to log in with their PODS account and receive feedback on up to 10 uploaded résumés per semester. Erin Cody, associate director of enhancing student experience at the Center, said VMock searches for and analyzes specific components of a résumé once the document is uploaded into its system. “When you upload a document, VMock assesses components like action verbs, format and the level to which five ‘core competencies’ of a potential employee — analytical, communication, leadership, teamwork and initiative — are reflected,” Cody wrote in an email. “Using a scoring system, VMock analyzes the strength

Leora Schwadron pipe dream news

sidney slon pipe dream photographer VMock will allow students to receive feedback on their résumés before meeting with a Fleishman Center staff member to discuss additional steps.

of a résumé or CV and places it in either a green, yellow or red zone, then provides recommendations to achieve green zone status.” Binghamton University is the first school in the SUNY system to provide VMock to students, and making it accessible has been a goal of the Center since the 2017-18 academic year. To customize the platform specifically to BU, the Center worked with Watson School of Engineering and Applied

ARTS & CULTURE

Sciences, School of Management and College of Community and Public Affairs to compile résumé templates specific for each student’s intended job market. “When students first log in, they are asked to choose their program of study,” Cody wrote in an email. “VMock will then offer templates and feedback that are appropriate for that

see vmock page 3

In an effort to increase dialogue on the changing role of diversity and inclusion in the business world, professionals from a variety of accounting and financial services firms came together for the annual “Diversity Panel” on Tuesday evening in Old Union Hall. Hosted by Binghamton University’s chapter of Ascend, a professional association for enhancing the presence and influence of Asian and Pacific Islander leaders in business, the Bert Mitchell Minority Management Organization (BMMMO) and the Association of Latino Professionals for America, the event invited professionals from firms such as EY, KPMG, Grant Thornton and Deloitte to discuss the state of diversity in their respective firms. Madeleine Zhang, vice president of internal affairs for Ascend and a sophomore double-majoring in accounting and psychology, said the event intended to showcase diversity in a variety of ways. “It’s not only limited to race or ethnic background — we also aim to include discussions involving the LGBTQ community, gender — so it goes beyond race,” Zhang said. “By hearing employees’

OPINIONS

perspectives and their experiences of dealing with diversity in the workplace, we want students to be able to see themselves in the workforce even if they are in the minority.” During the panel, professionals described diversity as an aspect the business world is continuously working to emphasize. Professionals emphasized the push in firms for diversity so employees recognize the value of all different cultures of their colleagues. Laura Aversano, ‘17, an assurance experienced associate at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC), discussed the progress toward diversity in the workforce. “A lot of people are really valuing diversity, more so than they ever have — this generation is a lot more inclusive and accepting of different ways and organizations than ever before,” Aversano said. “I see that the incoming generation is going to be the one leading that change, but I think that it’s really hard to change someone’s opinion and I don’t entirely believe that all these issues will be solved just by instituting policies about diversity.” Many of the representatives explained the different actions their firms have taken to promote diversity. Fredmary Vargas, ‘17, an international tax associate at KPMG, said her company’s CEO recently signed a new pledge to increase

see diversity page 3

SPORTS

Tamasha to showcase South Asian-style performances,

Film series tackles current social issues,

The Editorial Board discusses the lack of adequate on-campus housing,

Women’s basketball falls short against Stony Brook,

Former Olympic marathon runner Joan Benoit Samuelson speaks at BU,

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SEE PAGE 6

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PAGE II Thursday, February 7, 2019 Thursday, Thursday, Monday, Monday, September October October April 3,2,5, 2017 28, 2017 2017 2017

ADDress: University Union WB03 4400 Vestal Parkway E. Binghamton, N.Y. 13902 phone: 607-777-2515 FAx: 607-777-2600

Stand in solidarity

weB: bupipedream.com

SPRING 2019 eDitor-in-ChieF* Emily Kaufman editor@bupipedream.com MAnAging eDitor* Bridget McCusker manager@bupipedream.com

news eDitor* Sasha Hupka news@bupipedream.com Asst. news eDitors Amy Donovan Gillian Kenah Yuri Lee opinions eDitor* Sarah Molano opinions@bupipedream.com Asst. opinions eDitor Savanna I. Vidal Arts & Culture eDitor* Katy Wong arts@bupipedream.com Asst. Arts & Culture eDitors Gabby Iacovano Nikkolette Sather sports eDitor* Samuel Ditchek sports@bupipedream.com Asst. sports eDitors Evan Cole Justin Zion photogrAphy eDitor* Rebecca Kiss photo@bupipedream.com Asst. photogrAphy eDitor Ariel Kachuro

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A mural hangs in Glenn G. Bartle Library in support of refugees. The sign reads, “Refugees Resiliency 2019.”

Fun eDitor* Nate Walker fun@bupipedream.com

Design MAnAger* Cory Bremer design@bupipedream.com Design Assts. Khaled Pendleton Gaoming Lyu Copy Desk ChieF* Lia Berger copy@bupipedream.com

“So even as I am very disappointed by the president’s approach to our problems, I still don’t want him to fail. But we need him to tell the truth, and to respect his duties and respect the extraordinary diversity that defines America.” — Stacey Abrams, former Georgia gubernatorial candidate, delivering the Democrats’ response to President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address Tuesday night. Abrams is the first black woman to ever deliver a State of the Union response.

Asst. Copy Desk ChieF Valerie Puma

This Day in History Feb. 7, 1926 Historian Carter G. Woodson and the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History launches “Negro History Week,” which became “Black History Month” in 1976.

DigitAl eDitor* Jillian Forstadt digital@bupipedream.com newsrooM teChnology MAnAger* Michelle Tan tech@bupipedream.com eDitoriAl Artists Annabeth Sloan Max Samson

Business MAnAger* Maryam Soomro business@bupipedream.com Business AssistAnt Samantha Agnoli DistriBution MAnAger Laura Staff distribution@bupipedream.com

Pipe Dream is published by the Pipe Dream Executive Board, which has sole and final discretion over the newspaper’s content and personnel. Positions seated on the executive board are denoted by an asterisk. Pipe Dream is published Mondays and Thursdays while classes are in session during the fall and spring semesters, except during finals weeks and academic breaks. The content on the Opinions page with bylines represent the views of those authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Pipe Dream Executive Board. The content of advertisements do not necessarily reflect the views of the Pipe Dream Executive Board. We reserve the right to reject ads for any reason. All letters submitted for publication must include the author's name, year and major. Please limit letters to the editor to 400 words and guest columns to 750 words. Pipe Dream reserves the right to edit submissions, and does not guarantee publication. All submissions become property of Pipe Dream. Guest column submissions may be emailed to the opinions editor at opinions@ bupipedream.com, and all letters to the editor may be sent to editor@bupipedream.com. © Pipe Dream 2018

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Police Watch

LOCAL NEWS

The following accounts were provided by Investigator Dennis Bush of Binghamton’s New York State University Police. Put away your pipe FRIDAY, Feb. 1, 1:40 p.m. — Officers responded to O’Connor Hall of Dickinson Community after a Residential Life employee found a glass pipe during a fire safety check. Officers noticed a green substance in the glass bowl of the pipe, which they determined was marijuana. Officers arrested the resident of the room, a 21-year-old male. He will appear in Vestal Town Court. Room checks FRIDAY, Feb. 1, 4:04 p.m. — Officers responded to Digman Hall of Dickinson Community after a ResLife employee located a marijuana cigarette during a fire safety check. After speaking with residents of the suite, officers were unsure who the cigarette belonged to. The suitemates were given a warning and the marijuana cigarette was confiscated.

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Too cold FRIDAY, Feb. 1, 4:13 p.m. — Officers responded to Glenn G. Bartle Library after receiving reports of a student skateboarding in the hallways. The officers entered the building on the ground floor and located the suspect, a 20-year-old male, in a hallway near the building’s loading dock. The suspect appeared out of breath and had a skateboard under his arm. When questioned about why he was skateboarding around the building, the suspect told officers it was too cold to skateboard outside. Officers asked him to refrain from skateboarding indoors. Fake ID FRIDAY, Feb. 1, 4:18 p.m. — A ResLife employee approached officers in Digman Hall of Dickinson Community and asked for their assistance with a forged ID. The employee led the officers to a room and showed them a Pennsylvania state ID in plain view on a desk. The ID was determined to be fake, and the officers confiscated it.

Johnson City Police Department investigates death of local 11-year-old Around 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, an individual from an undisclosed address called police to report the death of an 11-year-old child, according to WBNG. Authorities say the cause of death is still unknown and they are awaiting autopsy results. The New York State Police, the Broome County District Attorney’s Office and Child Protection Services are assisting in the investigation of the incident. Broome County Sheriff’s deputy injured in drunk driving crash in Vestal On Friday morning, Daniel Butash, 34, of Endicott, collided with Deputy Kristy Botsford, 32, breaking her femur and ankle, according to WBNG. Police say Butash, who faces charges of driving while intoxicated and vehicular assault, was driving on the wrong side of Route 17 when he crashed into Botsford’s vehicle.

Cortland County man found guilty of murder of 2-year-old girl On Monday, a jury in Cortland County Court found Dorain Bohn, 30, guilty of second-degree murder in the death of Kassidy Dains, his former girlfriend’s daughter, according to the Press & SunBulletin. On the night of April 19, 2018, Bohn was babysitting Dains, 2, when a second-floor neighbor heard a loud noise that rattled the dishes in her kitchen. According to investigators, Dains was killed by a head injury. Bohn has been jailed while awaiting sentencing. He faces a maximum penalty of 25 years to life in prison. Former mayoral candidate calls for investigation into tax cuts Tarik Abdelazim, former mayoral candidate, is calling for a bipartisan and transparent review of Binghamton Mayor Richard David’s taxes after receiving a tip from a City Hall employee that David’s property taxes were cut by 27 percent last year. According to Abdelazim, David never filed the appropriate documents to secure a reduced assessment of his property at 45 Court St. in Downtown Binghamton. Abdelazim ran against David in the 2017 Binghamton mayoral election.

Corrections Pipe Dream strives for accuracy in all we publish. We recognize that mistakes will sometimes occur, but we treat errors very seriously. If you see a mistake in the paper, please contact Editor-in-Chief Emily Kaufman at editor@bupipedream.com.

bupipedream.com | February 7, 2019

NEWS

Representatives from various auditing and accounting companies discuss the changing role of diversity and inclusion in the business world at Ascend’s annual “Diversity Panel.”

rose coschignano pipe dream photographer

Professionals gather at annual diversity, inclusion panel diversity from page 1 more diversity and inclusion at the firm. “This is something I’m excited to see, especially as someone of color,” Vargas said. “I’d like to see more people who look like me.” Kandace Keating, a tax intern at PwC and a first-year graduate student majoring in accounting, also described the steps that her firm is taking to promote diversity. “There’s a huge emphasis on

diversity at PwC,” Keating said. “We have inclusion networks so that people can feel more welcome and hear about similar experiences to each other while seeing people in such high positions. When I went to these, the fact that I saw so many people who were women, who were people of color, it made me think that I can be that one day.” Keating also gave students advice about challenges they may encounter.

“There are still some people who aren’t as educated in different topics, so just being aware of that, and remembering that some people grew up in a different time, so they might not think the same way,” Keating said. “But if you can, try to educate them and not take something minor, like a microaggression, to heart.” Following the panel, students were given the opportunity to ask questions and network with the professionals.

Steven Lewison, educational coordinator of the Bert Mitchell Minority Management Organization (BMMMO) and a junior majoring in economics, said although he originally came to the event to support the BMMMO, he also learned a lot about diversity by the end of the program. “I expected a few professionals just talking about their everyday experiences, but I got so much more than that because I was able to hear different stories and

different outlooks,” Lewison said. “The different diversity committees and groups the firms have really stood out to me. The only way these firms could improve would be by doing more outreach to not just colleges, but also high schools and other areas that don’t have representation of all of these types of people so that even younger students can see all the opportunities there are.” Ninci Mathew, a sophomore majoring in business

administration, said she attended the panel to hear about the different opportunities available to minorities in the business world. “I liked hearing about real-life examples and real-life issues that people who are a minority actually have to go through and I feel like not a lot of people really talk about it,” Mathew said. “The panel showed me a new perspective on letting people know about a problem instead of just getting offended by it.”

Robotham discusses resilience, speaking out VMock offers resume reviews speaker from page 1

kojo senoo pipe dream photographer The Black Student Union and Multicultural Resource Center kick off Black History Month with keynote speaker Suezette Robotham.

“In a world that is just now familiarizing itself with the dopeness of Wakandans and our vibranium magic, we’ve reveled on a daily basis since our first ancestors set foot on this planet,” Robotham said. “And yet, our voices are often the last to be sought out and heard. I have a confession, though — the world has never had the option to never hear my voice.” The event also featured a backdrop of newspaper articles from the past 50 years, showcasing African Americans winning awards and accomplishing goals in the workforce. Jonah Liautaud, vice president of the BSU and a senior majoring in sociology, said the backdrop showcases the struggles African Americans had to overcome. “It was never easy, but the people in these headlines helped pave a path that we need to keep carving,” Liautaud said. Robotham said African Americans have historically used their voices to speak out against injustices and should continue to speak out to create change in society. “One of the biggest risks you will take in this life is raising your voice in support of yourself and in support of what is right,” Robotham said. “As our next generation of leaders, you stand as

representatives of thousands of people in our community with a variance of access to opportunity and power. It’s your responsibility to stand in the gaps and use your voices in support of all that is magic, is black.” Andy Jean-Baptiste, Student Association vice president for multicultural affairs and a senior double-majoring in economics and philosophy, politics and law, said he recognized the courage it took for Robotham to speak about the experience. “It’s pretty fantastic, especially considering how she talked about speaking up and using her voice,” JeanBaptiste said. “In society, the group that’s most suppressed is black women, so for her to go up and use her voice was fantastic.” Like the roses in cement, Janiera Headley, president of BSU and a junior majoring in economics, said that the event successfully showcased how far African Americans have come through resilience. “We like to relate it to us and how we grow from all our struggles,” Headley said. “We feel like it best symbolizes what we want to go into this month embracing, because we are all roses and this is a concrete jungle out here. We’re growing, we’re trying.”

Legalization could change policies, UPD protocol marijuana from page 1 However, if New York state legalizes recreational marijuana, it is unclear what University policies might change. Under the Act, the University will be expected to continue to impose sanctions if students are caught using or possessing marijuana because the drug is classified as a Schedule I controlled substance by the federal government. The biggest changes may be seen in how campus law enforcement handles situation involving marijuana. Currently, Binghamton’s New York State University Police Department (UPD) has the authority to arrest and ticket those caught with marijuana. They also may refer offenders to Student Conduct. UPD Chief John Pelletier wrote in an email that it is up to the

officer’s discretion to decide whether or not to arrest a student in possession of marijuana. “Our officers use their discretion on most marijuana calls and may arrest, or not, based on the situation,” Pelletier wrote. “If someone has a pound compared to someone with a joint, that may push the officer to arrest.” In 2018, UPD took 262 reports of illegal drugs or marijuana on campus, resulting in 91 arrests. But if New York law changes to allow recreational marijuana, UPD may find itself in a situation where the state law contradicts University policy. Officers also would no longer be able to arrest those caught with marijuana, although they could still refer them to Student Conduct if the University’s policies have not changed.

Elizabeth Nutig, a sophomore majoring in philosophy, politics and law, said if marijuana is legalized it should be treated the same as alcohol, which students are permitted to have on campus, provided it is in limited amounts and the student is of legal age. “I think it’s a similar principle to alcohol,” Nutig said. “It’s a drug. Alcohol is a drug. Smoking cigarettes causes cancer, but marijuana doesn’t.” According to Yarosh, the decision of how the University will handle legal recreational marijuana will ultimately lie with the SUNY system. Jasmin Randhawa, a sophomore majoring in business administration, said she thinks BU’s current policy on cannabis use is too severe, and if marijuana is legalized, it should be changed.

sidney slon pipe dream photographer BU may be forced to re-evaluate its policies on marijuana use if New York state legalizes recreational marijuana.

“Realistically, the school would have to ban the use of cannabis on campus because we are smoke-free,” Randhawa said. “I do think, though, that being caught on campus with minimal

amounts of marijuana shouldn’t break your future. Instead, maybe BU can take precautions like warnings instead. It shouldn’t be made into a big deal, especially if it’s legalized in New York.”

vmock from page 1 specific student, so the freshman exploring majors will get different feedback than a Ph.D. engineering student, and so on.” Students book roughly 7,200 individual sessions annually with staff at the Center, and approximately 30 percent of these meetings are focused on improving cover letters or résumés. Cody also wrote that after uploading and editing their résumés on their own, students are encouraged to meet with Fleishman Center staff for further consultation. According to Cody, VMock is not meant to decrease the number of students that come to the Center for résumé critiques, but give students the chance to make baseline edits on their own, so consultations can focus on more in-depth advice. “We expect to continue to see the same number of students, if not more, for career consultations,” Cody wrote. “When students take advantage of VMock, the individual consulting sessions can focus on more advanced conversations and move to other topics such as conducting a job or internship search, tailoring the résumé or a cover letter to a specific job or preparing for an upcoming interview.” Rabi Ibrahim, a senior majoring in systems science and industrial engineering, said she was impressed with the system and the work that it does. “My favorite part was the overall résumé score that gives you a percentage on how well you’ve followed the recommended guidelines,” Ibrahim said. “VMock is essentially an efficient and easy-to-use online résumé consultant.”

‘Amazing China’ rings in the Lunar New Year rose coschignano pipe dream photographer

The “Amazing China” opera show was held at the Watters Theater on Sunday, Feb. 3 in celebration of Lunar New Year.

The cultural performance featured acrobatics, music and opera excerpts Lily Tang

Arts & culture intern

In honor of the Lunar New Year, Binghamton University hosted “Amazing China,” a Chinese opera show in collaboration with the Confucius Institute of Chinese Opera on Sunday, Feb. 3 at Watters Theater. The Confucius Institute of Chinese Opera (CICO) at Binghamton University is a nonprofit organization formed by both the University and the National Academy of Chinese Theatre Arts in sponsorship by the Confucius Institute Headquarters in Beijing. Their purpose is to teach Chinese language and culture and hone its focus of promoting Chinese opera and music. The night was filled with Beijing opera excerpts, Chinese folk songs, tales, acrobatics and traditional Chinese instruments such as the guzheng and the lute, two ancient string instruments. Performers also wore authentic face paintings and intricate costumes. These components of the Chinese opera show separate them from what is often seen in popular American entertainment. To start off the show, the audience was taught to say “H o,” which means “good” in Mandarin, and they were encouraged to chant this whenever they enjoyed the performance. The theater was echoing “H o!” throughout the entire night. Sally and Curtis Hartwig, a senior

citizen couple, expressed their joy from the performance at the end of the show. “It was amazing, really,” Curtis said. “The costumes and the performance is something you just don’t see here in this country … [it’s] very different.” Sally also mentioned that they’ve been to other Chinese opera shows at Binghamton. “I loved it. I absolutely loved it,” she said. “When they were twirling their staffs — I used to twirl a baton, and that’s exactly what it looked like to me, as if they were twirling a baton. They went fast! Oh my goodness, this whole thing was just amazing. I’ve been to other ones, here at Binghamton, but I’ve never seen this one before. This was fantastic, I would love it to come back again.” The Chinese opera performed was a form of entertainment many Chinese American students’ grandparents found pleasure in. Students were also seen taking photos or recording the show to send to their parents. While some of the audience members were students who were encouraged to attend the event by their Chinese professors for extra credit, many left the theater benefiting more from the experience than just a few points. Rina Weng, a freshman majoring in human development, appreciated how authentic the show was. “It was a surprise to see that we have an institution on campus that tries to deliver authentic Chinese culture, even if many Chinese Americans this generation cannot connect with it,” Weng said. “I’m glad that the Confucius Institute of Chinese Opera still puts in [the] effort to maintain traditions.”

Nonprofit transforms bedrooms into healing spaces ‘A Room to Heal’ was founded in Binghamton Gabby Iacovano

assistant arts & culture editor

Since 2005, Binghamtonbased nonprofit A Room to Heal has married the art of home decor with a uniquely compassionate goal. Founded by Vestal community member Laurie Abess and Binghamton University’s parent, family and events coordinator Linda Salomons, the organization strives to comfort children with severe illnesses by giving them their dream bedrooms. Salomons’ son suffered from leukemia as a child and, once he recovered, she gathered some friends with the intent of starting a group to support children with illnesses. The organization has since renovated over 110 rooms since its first project in 2006. Operations are run by a team of about 100 active members, some of whom are parents of former room recipients. One former room recipient, a young man who also suffered from leukemia as a child, now volunteers with the organization as a college student. Linda Snyder, former president of A Room to Heal

rose coschignano pipe dream photographer A Room to Heal is a Binghamton-based nonprofit organization that provides comfort to children with severe illnesses by giving them their dream bedrooms.

and a Binghamton community member, said the organization was founded on the belief that the right environment can offer not only comfort but also a faster recovery when possible. “The idea is we all feel better when we’re in an environment that is comfortable, beautiful, fun, safe and clean, and there’s a therapeutic benefit from that,” Snyder said. Qualifying families who live

within an hour of Binghamton can apply for a room on the organization’s website. Volunteers base room designs around discussions with the family, gauging both the child’s interests and their medical needs. Snyder said the organization sometimes makes modifications for the child’s health and wellbeing — air purification systems, for example, or wood floors for children with wheelchairs

or walkers. “It’s all about giving them that healing space and giving them the best chance they can,” Snyder said. Volunteers try to finish each renovation in just a few days, paying for the families to stay in a hotel or sending them to live with relatives. Renovations are sometimes done while a child is in the hospital so they can come home and be surprised with a

brand-new room. In addition to the bedrooms, A Room to Heal has done projects at several community organizations, including the Parents As Leaders (PAL) Family Resource Center, Family Enrichment Network, and Lourdes Center for Mental Health children’s clinic. Snyder said these projects reach a greater number of children, which maximizes the group’s impact and helps fundraising efforts. “A lot of the time we get grant opportunities from companies that say ‘We’d love to help you, but you’re only helping 15 kids in a year’,” she said. “Now we can tell them we’re impacting a lot of kids and families.” A Room to Heal’s office space is donated and there are no paid positions, so all money raised goes into funding projects, each of which is allotted about $5,000. The group has found support in the Binghamton community, with local companies offering free services, donating raffle baskets and holding their own fundraisers. The nonprofit’s third annual “Hearts for Hope” event, which features a live auction, appetizer stations and over 100 raffle baskets, will be held at the Holiday Inn Binghamton on Feb. 8. Raffle baskets and prizes

were sent to Binghamton native Merces Brunelli, a high-profile handbag designer, by donors from SeaWorld. “The more we’re out in the community and the more rooms we do, the more people find out about us, so that exposure just travels,” she said. “We have such a great community, people have been so good to us.” Amber Chowdhury and David Feldfogel, both seniors majoring in business administration, are currently working with A Room to Heal to strengthen the organization’s volunteer database. Feldfogel said the pair was interested and moved by the organization’s story. “We were impressed that they help with the healing process in a unique way,” Feldfogel said. “It’s not something you would normally think about.” Although volunteers have been pushed to their limits in the past two years, Snyder said they have never turned away a child due to lack of funding. She said that while the process can be hectic, the final result is well worth the chaos. “It’s a life-changing thing when you work on a room or go to a room reveal — you get goosebumps,” she said. “When they see that room, all the hard work and craziness is worth it.”

bupipedream.com | February 7, 2019

ARTS & CULTURE

Tamasha 2019 to cast spell with ‘Harry Potter’ theme The annual event returns to Chamber Hall Feb. 9 Marcus Budashewitz arts & culture staff

Binghamton’s campus has cultural resources for nearly everyone, and the Indian International Student Union (IISU) is just one of those. This weekend, the IISU’s presence will be felt as the annual Tamasha show provides an opportunity for students of all cultures to get a taste of the talents around Binghamton. The event will include professional photography and music accompanied by Indian cuisine catered by Royal Indian in Vestal. The Tamasha show will display a number of performances that span across many genres and all pay homage to the South

Asian culture. The night will feature both onand off-campus dance teams and a fashion show showcasing popular South Asian fashion. Several Binghamton dance teams will be performing in the Chamber Hall, including Binghamton Masti and Black Dance Repertoire. While Tamasha is organized by the IISU, the hope of the organizers is to introduce the rest of BU’s campus to the hard work and talent of the South Asian community. Samragyee De, co-cultural chair of the IISU and a sophomore double-majoring in economics and political science, said that students can enjoy a variety of dances at the event. “Tamasha features several dance acts choreographed by our club members ranging from traditional classical to modern styles,” De said. Tamasha will also feature

Macaulay Deewane, a co-ed Bollywood fusion dance team from the Macaulay Honors College in the CUNY system that will be traveling to BU. “Tamasha and other cultural events give Binghamton students the opportunity to experience even just for a night, what traditions shape their fellow students,” De said. Each year, the Tamasha event takes on a theme to provide continuity between the performances. The theme for this year’s Tamasha is “Harry Potter and the Cursed Tamasha.” Tiara Roy, president of the IISU and a senior majoring in integrative neuroscience, explained how this will be incorporated throughout the night with skits composed by IISU members. “The skit this year is about Harry Potter joining Binghamton’s ‘School of Magic’

(SOM) and saving the Tamasha from the curse of Voldemort,” Roy said. “It’s a fun and cute way to make the theme more interactive with the audience.” For those involved with the event, Tamasha provides space for students of South Asian descent to feel like they aren’t losing their connection with their roots when they leave for college. “Events like these are really important,” said De. “Rather than feeling like going to Binghamton means leaving a part of your culture at home, these showcases give us an opportunity to not only bond with people from similar backgrounds, but also showcase our pride in our heritage.” The Tamasha cultural show will take place at 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 9 at the Chamber Hall on BU’s campus. Tickets are sold out as of now.

provided by indian international student union (iisu) “Harry Potter and the Cursed Tamasha,” hosted by the Indian International Student Union, will take place on Saturday, Feb. 9 in the Chamber Hall.

Green Party chapter hosts social justice film series The movies will be shown throughout February Kyle Reina

contributing writer

Over the course of the month of February, the Bundy Museum of History and Art will be hosting a social justice film series, sponsored by the Broome-Tioga Green Party at the Bundy Museum Annex. The films being shown are “Requiem for the American Dream” on Feb. 7, “Frederick Douglass and the White Negro” on Feb. 14, “Sorry to Bother You” on Feb. 20 and “Trudell” on Feb. 28. The Broome-Tioga Green Party is a chapter of the Green Party of New York. The Green Party, largely a left-wing group, selects films that provoke questions relevant to their causes such as social reform of racial issues, the reduction

variety.com The Social Justice Film Series, which features movies that tackle social issues, will be held at the Bundy Museum Annex throughout the month of February.

of capitalist principles in the workforce and political reform. Each film in the lineup tackles a different social issue,

but they all address a common theme of abuse or failure of power. According to Rick Sprout, chairperson of the Broome-Tioga

Green Party, most of the films being shown deal with issues with a rigorous and intellectual style and consequentially are not conducive to screenings in mainstream theaters. “These are films we normally watch in isolation, so this is a chance for people to watch them with others and discuss the films,” Sprout said. “Requiem for the American Dream” is a collection of interviews with Noam Chomsky, a 20th-century philosopher and political activist, that discusses the concentration of power that Chomsky believes plagues the modern world. “Sorry to Bother You” pits actor Lakeith Stanfield against the vices of capitalism as he climbs the corporate ladder. “Frederick Douglass and the White Negro” recounts the congeniality Douglass

encountered when he fled to Ireland in the 19th century and the phenomenon of white people during the Great Famine living in worse conditions than black people in America. “Trudell” recounts the life of American Indian activist John Trudell, who was the chairperson of the American Indian Movement. The Broome-Tioga Green Party tried to align film screenings with relevant dates in the context of the film. “Trudell,” for example, is going to be shown on the 46th anniversary of the occupation of Wounded Knee, the 1890 massacre that killed 300 American Indians. “Frederick Douglass and the White Negro” will be shown on Valentine’s Day, the birthday Frederick Douglass chose for himself since he had no record of his actual birthday. The goal of the film series is to bring people together who may

have not originally had a chance to watch these films. As a result, if a group of five or more are interested in the film, then the Green Party is willing to bring the film to them. “We try to emphasize the communal experience of watching a film so allowing people the chance to see films they usually don’t get to see is what we try and do,” Sprout said. The revolutionary nature of the films encourages viewers to come away with an opinion and it raises questions in the minds of the audience. The party intentionally chooses films that force the viewer to think and question. “We try and show films that we think put forth engaging themes and questions that challenge the viewer,” Sprout said. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the films start rolling at 7 p.m. Admission to the viewings is free but donations are encouraged.

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OPINIONS Thursday, February 7, 2019 Thursday, Thursday, Monday, Monday, September October October April 3,2,5, 2017 28, 2017 2017 2017

WELCOME TO BINGHAMTON. HERE’S YOUR LOUNGE. As Binghamton University continues to admit an increasing number of students, the abundance of oncampus housing has not enjoyed similar increases — or really, any at all.

above: max samson editorial artist; below: taylor hayes editorial artist

At the start of the spring semester, 28 students were housed in converted lounges in Hinman and Newing Colleges due to an influx of transfer students and spring admits, many of whom are freshmen. For these new students, move-in day did not entail meeting their roommate or suitemates and decorating their living space for the semester. Instead, they were given temporary housing in converted lounges that could potentially house four to six students, who were each given a bed, a desk and a wardrobe. These lounges were closed to the rest of buildings’ residents as a privacy measure. According to Ryan Yarosh, senior director of media and public relations at the University, all but four people have since moved into permanent housing as of Feb. 5. Donald Nieman, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs, wrote in an email that all students will move to permanent housing within two weeks. The Editorial Board maintains that there should not be any situation in which there is not enough on-campus housing, especially since the

University has dealt with overcrowding in the past. Nieman wrote that the University does prepare for an increase in students, but sometimes that preparation falls short: “We are very accurate in calibrating admissions decisions to campus resources, including space in residence halls. However, we’re not perfect. Because Binghamton is so popular, we sometimes have more students accept admissions offers than our statistical models indicate.” Given that the University’s models failed to foresee this housing problem, the Editorial Board wonders how the administration can be sure that the remaining students in converted lounges will be moved to permanent housing within two weeks. Furthermore, fall 2017 saw 200 students in forced triples at the start of the year, and fall 2016 saw 160 students in temporary housing with an extra roommate. This indicates that the University

clearly has a history of issues with providing adequate housing for its growing student body. With this experience, it should not have been a surprise that on-campus housing problems would persist, especially since freshmen are required to live on campus. If more and more freshmen are admitted, it should follow that more on-campus housing is necessary. At the very least, new students should be prioritized. No matter how the University got into this position, the Editorial Board’s main concern is how unfair the situation is for the students affected. For those in converted lounges, it is unclear how students’ personal privacy is preserved in an open space with more than one roommate. Fire safety may also be a concern. Keep in mind that the students in converted lounges are new to BU; it is already hard enough for them to adjust without

the added stress of being in housing limbo. Once they are placed into permanent housing, they must again move all their belongings to a new location. Moreover, the impacts extend beyond the students in temporary housing. This use of lounges prevents other residents in a building from using that communal space to study or socialize. Additionally, the bathroom situation is less than ideal, with more students being forced to use a fixed number of bathrooms, and students living in temporary housing needing to walk to the nearest communal bathroom, whether it be down the hall or on an entirely different floor, just to shower. The bottom line is that the on-campus housing crisis is consistently neglected by the University. It is only right that the impacted students will have their housing costs reduced, but that is not enough. This entire situation stems from the University’s desire to make more money with the admission of more students every year. The Editorial Board looks forward to the day when BU prioritizes its students’ safety and comfort over its profits.

Views expressed in the opinion pages represent the opinions of the columnists. The only piece which represents the views of the Pipe Dream Editorial Board is the Staﬀ Editorial, above. The Editorial Board is composed of the Editor-in-Chief, News Editor, Opinions Editor, Sports Editor and Arts & Culture Editor.

Are employers doing enough to prevent sexual misconduct? Some attempts to curtail workplace sexual harassment are actually harmful Annick Tabb Columnist

For far too long, victims of sexual harassment and assault in the workplace have not been guaranteed clear avenues to report the misconduct committed against them. The mainstreaming of the #MeToo movement has forced companies and corporations to dedicate more time to the issue of workplace harassment. At least 200 prominent men publicly accused of sexual harassment have been fired or have resigned from their positions. Over 43 percent of these positions are now held by women.

Still, simply hiring women to replace men is nowhere near a foolproof solution. We have seen that women in powerful positions have both harassed and have been complicit in other people’s harassment. Recently, actress Lena Dunham publicly apologized in a letter in the Hollywood Reporter for defending her friend Murray Miller, a writer on the show “Girls,” who was accused of sexual assault by actress Aurora Perrineau. Dunham acknowledged that the “insider information” she claimed she had was actually “blind faith in a story that kept slipping and changing and revealed itself to mean nothing at all.” However, research by Pew Research Center has reported that many find women leaders

to be better at creating safe and respectful work environments. This is a start in eradicating the “boy’s club” environment that often pervades sections of universities, workplaces and social clubs, contributing to the culture of silence and repression that often makes it difficult or impossible to successfully report sexual misconduct. On paper, it seems that steps are being taken to ensure that people feel safe from harassment at work. But despite the movement forward, a new problem has arisen. In attempts to reduce the risk of potential sexual harassment, companies appear to have started consciously minimizing the amount of interaction and mentorship between female employees and men in senior

executive positions. This implies that companies would rather invest in male employees who may be potential abusers while simultaneously depriving women of crucial networking experience. Policies like this also make the broad assumption that only women are subjected to workplace harassment, which is far from the truth. A survey done by LeanIn. org and SurveyMonkey reported that almost half of male managers reported that they felt uncomfortable “participating in a common work activity with a woman, such as mentoring, working alone or socializing together.” They also reported that senior men are “3.5 times more likely to hesitate to have a work dinner with a junior-level

woman than with a junior-level man, and 5 times more likely to hesitate to travel for work with a junior-level woman.” This information begs the question: What are these men so afraid of? A Forbes article listed several diagnoses. One was that men are worried that women emboldened by the #MeToo movement will falsely accuse them of harassment or misinterpret their behavior due to hypersensitivity and a lack of sense of humor. Another was that men are incapable of controlling their sexual impulses and are unable to distinguish between what is appropriate and inappropriate workplace behavior. These excuses are frankly pathetic. Men can surely get through a workday without emailing

pornography to a coworker or making vulgar comments about someone’s clothing or body while still interacting with women on a professional level. The crusade to end workplace sexual harassment is a noble one. However, men refusing to mentor and interact with women in the workplace is a terrible solution. It is unfair to deprive deserving employees of the chance to advance their careers because their superiors cannot be trusted to not objectify and/or assault them. A man who is unable to work with a woman without wanting to have sex with her has no business steering anyone’s future. — Annick Tabb is a junior doublemajoring in political science and English.

Students must acknowledge how we shape the community Off-campus housing and businesses are often tailored to the student population Theodora Catrina Contributing Columnist

Binghamton University is regarded as an impetus for the revitalization of the city of Binghamton, Johnson City, Vestal and the surrounding areas. Recently, the city of Binghamton has been set on the path toward becoming a prominently health care- and education-focused city. Moreover, BU is the primary factor contributing to the surrounding area’s recent economic progress. According to statistics provided by the city of

Binghamton, higher education in Binghamton, both on a public and private scale, accounts for around one of every 12 jobs in the area. More specifically, each year, the University has an influence of over $1 billion on the region, produces over 250,000 visitors, provides approximately 12,000 employment opportunities and contributes to 12 percent of the region’s gross domestic product. The effect of BU on the surrounding regions are not understated, and consequently, the city of Binghamton has become colloquially known as a “college town.” Towns in close proximity to large higher education institutions frequently prioritize and cater to the

needs and wants of the student population, with businesses, real estate and nightlife being centered around student life. The city of Binghamton is no exception. Despite the economic upturn that higher education may bring to a region, the negative impacts of such a prominent influence from local universities and colleges are often trivialized. For example, at BU, most students between their sophomore and junior years move out of the dorms and live off campus to the West Side and Downtown areas of Binghamton. Despite rent usually being considerably cheaper than living in a dorm or Universitysponsored apartments, real

estate prices are often inflated far past their market price. Because the real estate market is so focused toward students, and landlords are able to charge higher rent, these hiked-up prices can negatively impact the surrounding community, who are also forced to pay these prices. Not only is the rent for residential houses increasing, luxury apartment complexes geared specifically toward BU students are becoming increasingly popular in the Downtown area. According to friends living in these apartment communities, such as 20 Hawley Street, Twin River Commons and The Printing House, they can charge approximately $1,000

a month for a one-bedroom apartment. These price increases make Downtown Binghamton nearly uninhabitable for native Binghamton residents, thereby reserving the area exclusively as a social haven for students. Similarly, businesses frequently allocate financial resources and physical space toward the preferences of students, such as restaurants and nightlife. While such establishments are central to social life in college, especially at universities located in small towns, we must ask ourselves if businesses prioritizing the social life of students (for the sake of making money) is worth not catering to the basic needs of

the non-student population. In Binghamton, the West Side and Downtown areas are particularly devoid of grocery stores and restaurants that offer cheap, healthy options. Yet empty storefronts are consistently filled by trendy restaurants like Dos Rios Cantina and The Colonial. Despite the conspicuous benefits that this provides for students, it must be noted that allocating financial resources solely toward temporary residents is unjust, and we must prioritize formulating solutions to combat this issue. — Theodora Catrina is a sophomore majoring in mathematics.

F UN

Thursday, February 7, 2019 Thursday, Thursday, Monday, Monday, September October October April 3,2,5, 2017 28, 2017 2017 2017

Boxknife

Daniel Eisenhower Horoscopes

Hannah Nathanson

Cancer: This week, you will go hiking. You will think every plant is poison ivy. Only one plant is poison ivy. It’s safer to just assume them all dangerous, though. Your mom will go grocery shopping but forget the milk, no matter how many times you remind her. Everything about that conversation will be weird, just for a warning. Leo: You better wake up soon! You’re running late! Every morning for the next week, when you brush your hair, think of opposites for whatever word pops into your head. It’s a good exercise in vibrant imagination. The opposites don’t even have to make sense! Opposite of apple? Cubic meter. Opposite of light bulb? Steakhouse. Virgo: This week, you’ll ace your math test. Not taking math? Ace it for someone else! You’ll have plenty of practice being analytical between your best friend becoming a lightning bolt and the constant wondering about who will be the first person to see you not-alive. It’s worth it for the math exam.

Sudoku

By The Mepham Group

Level: 1 2 3 4 Solution to last issue's puzzle

You matter

Annabeth Sloan

Release Date: Tuesday, February 5, 2019

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis

Ebb and Flo

Annabeth Sloan

ACROSS 1 Ring ref’s decision 4 Hindu division 9 Rig up 14 Hankering 15 Aquaman’s realm 16 “Grey’s Anatomy” staffer 17 Immigrant’s ID 19 Extend the library borrowing term 20 Tries to hit 21 Low singers 22 Blackjack elevens 23 Not fitting 25 Title for Jose or Diego? 27 Tuition-paying aid 32 Rude and crude 34 “Begone, feline!” 35 Unsubscribes, with “out” 36 Jazz trumpeter Al 37 Indian prime minister mentored by Gandhi 38 Eric Carle’s “The __ Hungry Caterpillar” 39 Viral internet item 40 Improve text 41 Porto-Novo’s land 42 Competitive swimming venue 45 Cul-de-__ 46 Sniffling maladies 47 Mother’s Day gift holder 49 Old phone company nickname 52 Biblical opening 55 Food recall culprit 56 Emmy-winning reality series for entrepreneurs ... and a place for the ends of 17-, 27- and 42-Across? 58 Biblical verb 59 Fictional Swiss miss 60 “Excusez-__” 61 Frankfurt’s state 62 How ballerinas dance 63 Sinus doc DOWN 1 Rapper whose name sounds like an endangered cat

2 “The Americans” co-star Russell 3 Many an action film hero 4 Admit 5 Greet aggressively 6 Burn a little 7 Road covering 8 Conclude 9 Fascinated 10 The Roots’ frontman on “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” 11 Big coffeepots 12 “Noted” 13 Church rows 18 PC panic key 21 African language group 23 Tracking implants, for short 24 A few feet from 25 Blockhead 26 Princess who gives up her voice to be human 28 Vintage music purchase 29 Magical access words

30 Glass-roofed lobbies 31 Timberlake’s former band 33 Biological building blocks 37 Sam of “Peaky Blinders” 41 Tot’s comforter, affectionately 43 Not at all 32-Across 44 Work too hard 48 Opposite of rise

49 Screen door material 50 Aleve target 51 Jungle squeezers 52 Canter or gallop 53 A party to, as a private joke 54 Classroom acting 56 “Shameless” network, briefly 57 Egg layer

ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE:

02/07/19 02/05/19

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Pipe Dream Bearcast FOR INTERVIEWS AND ANALYSIS

Thursday, February 7, 2019

Women’s basketball falls late against Stony Brook Despite Wasco’s 14 points, BU shoots 36 percent Michael Steinberg pipe dream sports

The Binghamton women’s basketball team dropped its second game in a row after surrendering a fourth-quarter run to the Stony Brook Seawolves. Impressive 3-point shooting kept BU (9-14, 4-6 America East) in the game for the first half against SBU (17-6, 6-4 AE), but buried them in the final period as the Bearcats fell, 68-53. The game marks the first time Binghamton has lost backto-back games to AE teams all season as it slides even further down the conference standings. “This is a tough loss and an opportunity that we let slip away,” said BU head coach Bethann Shapiro Ord. The Bearcats did start the game off strong, leading the Seawolves 30-27 at the break. Binghamton scored the majority of its points from deep, notching 18 points from six-of-nine shooting behind the arc. Every time the Bearcats looked like they were about to pull away, however, Stony Brook found

sidney slon pipe dream photographer Sophomore forward Kaylee Wasco posted a career-high 14 points in a road loss against Stony Brook.

its way back in the game. The Seawolves even managed to tie the game up heading into the fourth quarter on a last-second 3-pointer by senior guard Shania Johnson.

Then, in the fourth quarter, everything changed as Stony Brook took over the game. The Seawolves outscored Binghamton 27-12 in the final quarter.

“This one hurts because we played a great first half and again, it’s got to be four quarters,” Shapiro Ord said. Stony Brook dominated the boards, recording 15 rebounds to

Binghamton’s six and managing to outscore BU 9-0 on second chance points in the fourth quarter. Everything seemed to go wrong for the Bearcats in the fourth as they trailed in nearly every major category. The dagger for Binghamton was Stony Brook’s five 3-pointers in the fourth period alone, four of which were scored by senior guard Jerell Matthews. Based on Shapiro Ord’s postgame comments, a lack of aggressive play hurt the Bearcats in the fourth quarter. “[We] should shoot a lot more than 53 times,” Shapiro Ord said. “But we were, for whatever reason I’m not really sure, but I’m gonna find out.” The game in many ways was a microcosm of the Bearcats’ season so far. They fought hard for the first few quarters but looked like another team in the fourth quarter. This team has been up and down depending on the game, alternating between wins and losses in AE play until last night, when they fell for the second time in a row. Binghamton has routed impressive teams like Maine and rebounded to take down equally impressive AE opponent Hartford. They have shown they

can play at a high level against solid teams, but have not yet been able to find consistency. Two players who will need to continue improving to bring this team that consistency are junior guard Kai Moon and senior forward Rebecca Carmody. Moon has only played a few games since coming off an injury and is still working herself back into the mix, scoring seven points last night. As she gets back into a rhythm, she will be an important piece for the Bearcats moving forward. Carmody recorded 14 points on the night, moving her career total up to 980 points. She stands just 20 points away from becoming the 17th player in program history to score 1,000 points. A career-high 14 points by sophomore forward Kaylee Wasco marked another positive showing for BU. Binghamton currently sits at sixth in the AE following the loss, as it looks to get back on track against New Hampshire this Saturday at home. New Hampshire (5-18, 2-8 AE) currently sits at eighth in the conference. Tipoff against UNH is set for 2 p.m. from the Events Center in Vestal, New York.

Seawolves pummel Olympic medalist featured men’s basketball at home at annual luncheon Stony Brook completes season sweep of Bearcats Kyle Reina

contributing writer

The Binghamton men’s basketball team faltered offensively against the Stony Brook Seawolves in a tough 8559 defeat. Despite the shortfall, junior forward Caleb Stewart continued his aggressive play, as he recorded his fifth straight game with 10 or more rebounds to tie the school record set by Mahamoud Jabbi in 2010-11. He finished with 16 points and 10 boards, his third consecutive double-double. “In the first half it wasn’t really falling for me, so I had to get out of that rut, but my teammates believed in me that so helped a lot in the second half,” Stewart said. Stony Brook (19-5, 7-2 America East) was lethal from beyond the arc, converting 13 of 25 attempts. Freshman guard Miles Latimer was especially crucial to the Seawolves’ 3-point efficiency, as he finished five-ofseven from three, three of which came consecutively early in the second half. Freshman guard Sam

Sessoms finished with 15 points on 6-for-18 shooting, well below his season average of 45 percent shooting from the field. Sessoms and Stewart combined for 31 of Binghamton’s 59 points. Binghamton’s offense was largely patient, settling into their half-court offense more often than not and getting into a system based on dribble hand-offs and pass-and-cut-away motions. Sessoms was dynamic and drew the Seawolves’ attention constantly, despite his poor night from the floor. He was able to consistently penetrate on drives against Stony Brook’s defense and force the defense to slide early, which the freshman guard exploited with five assists. Stewart, Sessoms and senior guard Everson Davis led the Bearcats’ defense, as Stewart recorded four blocks and the two guards combined for seven steals. They also contested shots well at the rim, but the Seawolves were able to secure second chances on 16 of their 36 misses, scoring 22 points on extra opportunities due to the Stony Brook front court that towered over Binghamton (6-18, 2-7 AE). BU operated out of a 2-3 zone, bolstered by a soft press focused on forcing the ball handler into a double team. The Seawolves

sidney slon pipe dream photographer Freshman guard Sam Sessoms registered 15 points and contributed five assists in a blowout loss against Stony Brook.

were able to feed their big men, sophomore forwards Elijah Olaniyi and Jeff Otchere. Olaniyi scored 17 points on an efficient 7-of-13 shooting and Otchere added 11 on a perfect five-for-five shooting performance. “It’s tough because they have that one big dude [Otchere] who they can throw it up to, and that’s just tough to defend,” Stewart said. The Bearcats gave the Seawolves a scare toward the end of the first half, closing the gap to nine points for a short while before Stony Brook pulled away and never looked back. During this stretch, the Bearcats’ front court of Stewart and graduate forward Chancellor Barnard were key defensively as they contested attempts at the rim. Barnard was also effective on the boards, finishing with nine, six of which were on the offensive end. “We made a couple of pushes, one in the first and another to start the second half, but they’re 19-5 for a reason,” said BU head coach Tommy Dempsey. “When they come in and score, you have to be able to answer and we weren’t able to match them, even though we persevered a couple of times. We just didn’t get our job done on the offensive end.” The Seawolves’ offense was based in quick ball movement around the Binghamton 2-3 zone, often working from the wings where they could either get a decent look at a three or feed it into the corner and drive baseline. They had a balanced offense, with five players in double figures and a 19-point game from Latimer. “I thought our kids fought hard, we worked ourselves back into the game, but just couldn’t capitalize,” Dempsey said. “They had the answers, they had some long threes that were crucial to them getting separation they needed and we didn’t have that last push…They played very well, they’re big, strong, make threes and like I said, I had no issues with our effort tonight.” The Bearcats will look to put an end to their three-game skid when they take on New Hampshire on Saturday, Feb. 9. Tipoff is slated for 1 p.m. from Lundholm Gym in Durham, New Hampshire.

Joan Benoit Samuelson speaks to athletes, alumni Edward Aaron sports intern

On Monday afternoon, the Binghamton Athletics Department welcomed former Olympic marathon champion Joan Benoit Samuelson as the featured speaker at the 14th Annual Celebrating Women’s Athletics Luncheon. Benoit Samuelson was the first ever women’s Olympic marathon champion, taking the gold medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. Additionally, she won the Boston Marathon in 1979 and 1983, setting a record time for women in 1983 that held for 28 years. “I’ve seen a lot of banquets for both men and women at the university level,” Benoit Samuelson said. “But to break out the women individually I think is something very special. And I think there should be more of these events because if you look at the history of sport, women really didn’t have the opportunities until 1972, and then it took a while for those Title IX scholarships to kick in.” The first Celebrating Women’s Athletics Luncheon was held in 2006, with 75 attendees. The event has developed into one of the athletic department’s largest fundraisers. This year’s 780 attendees represented the highest total in the luncheon’s 14-year history. “I was really impressed with the turnout and the young student-athletes coming from surrounding neighboring schools,” Benoit Samuelson said. “The middle school athletes, the high school athletes, the Binghamton [University] athletes, the support from the community, the alums. It was a hard group [to] address because there were so many different cohorts of people, […] but a very enthusiastic environment.” During her speech, Benoit Samuelson emphasized to the athletes in attendance the importance of devotion. “Follow their hearts and dreams,” Benoit Samuelson

rose coschignano pipe dream photographer BU welcomed former Olympic marathon runner Joan Benoit Samuelson as the featured speaker at the 14th Annual Celebrating Women’s Athletics Luncheon.

said. “Dreams can come true as long as you’re willing to work hard enough to fulfill those dreams, and if you have a work ethic and a passion, anything’s possible.” Another major theme was the significantly improved culture surrounding women’s athletics that exists today, as opposed to when she was young. “I grew up being told that if a woman ran any longer than a mile, she’d do bodily harm and never bear children,” Benoit Samuelson said. “Well, two children later and 150,000 miles later, I’m still running and loving it as much as I did when I took my first two steps.” Other speakers from the event’s illustrious history include former United States women’s soccer midfielder Shannon Boxx, Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame inductee Rebecca Lobo and former softball Olympian and current ESPN baseball analyst Jessica Mendoza. The luncheon was not the only event Benoit Samuelson took part in during her visit to Binghamton. At 7:30 a.m. Monday morning, she joined BU President Harvey Stenger for a run around campus, along with members of Binghamton’s track and field and cross country teams. Open to the public, attendees included BU alumni and staff members,

among others. This year’s event raised over $50,000 to support the Binghamton Bearcats Athletic Association Women’s Scholarship Fund. Senior outside hitter Erin Shultz, a four-year starter on the Binghamton volleyball team, is one of 10 recipients of this year’s scholarship. Shultz was selected as this luncheon’s student speaker. “This is a phenomenal event,” Shultz said. “We love hosting it every year at Binghamton University. It does a lot for women’s athletics and the scholarship funds that they provide.” In her speech, Shultz stressed a similar message as Benoit Samuelson. “Don’t put your identity in the things that you do,” Shultz said. “I think sometimes as an athlete or even as [a] perfectionist, if you’re in academics, whatever, you might want to put your identity in that. But just chase your dreams.” The overarching theme from both speakers was that in today’s day and age, with hard work, anything is possible for female athletes. “The road isn’t always easy,” Benoit Samuelson said. “But as long as there’s passion, there’s fire. And with fire, you can ignite anything in the world.”