Participants of the fifthannual Drawing Marathon discuss their work, See page 8 Thursday, February 27, 2020 | Vol. XCVII, Issue 11 | Binghamton University | bupipedream.com
The Free Word on Campus Since 1946
Advertisement policy changes on OCCT buses Professor publishes research in NYT Anne C. Bailey focuses work on history of slave auctions Jacob T. Kerr & Sara McCann pipe dream news
tisements on an OCCT bus. Birthright International aims to provide a nonjudgmental confidential zone to pregnant women seeking help, according to their website. However, some student groups at BU argued that it is a threat to people seeking helpful clinics, pre-
On the 400th anniversary of the first presence of African slaves in colonial Virginia, The New York Times published “The 1619 Project,” a compilation of essays related to American slavery. When the project was first published in August 2019, Anne C. Bailey, a professor of history at Binghamton University, contributed an article on what slave auction locations look like today. On Feb. 12, Bailey expanded the article, publishing an essay on all of her historical research identifying where these auctions occurred throughout the country and sharing the stories of some of the people sold during that time period. “At that time, during much of the period of slavery, the voice of the enslaved would not have been honored, would not have been something documented in any important way,” Bailey said. “Their experience would not have been worthy of documentation or worthy of giving any kind of substantial attention to. It is incumbent upon us here in the pres-
see occt page 4
see 1619 page 3
lauren cruz contributing photographer A new Student Association policy will prevent organizations unaffiliated with Binghamton University from advertising on Off Campus College Transport (OCCT) buses.
Only BU-affiliated groups allowed to use posting space Hamza Khan & Mark Kotowicz pipe dream news
Groups unaffiliated with Binghamton University will now face difficul-
Campus sees rise in online phishing UPD cautions community against fraudulent emails David Julien news intern
Online scams are nothing new on the Binghamton University campus, but recently, scammers have been amping up their efforts. Faculty, staff and students have fallen victim to fraudulent promises of earning more wealth, losing upwards of $34,000 in some cases, according to Binghamton’s New York State University Police (UPD). Of the many potential scams propositioned toward the campus community, there are three common ones that have proven to be the most successful, two of which are phishing scams. According to BU’s Information Technology Services (ITS) website, phishing is a technique in which users are directed by an official-looking email to provide personal information under false pretenses. The message may appear to come from a bank, police agency, friend, coworker or other legitimate entity, and requests a credit card number, social security number, ATM PIN number, password or other personal information. The first phishing scam is known as the “personal assistant scam.” Typically, the scam involves the recipient receiving an email from someone claiming to be an actual person, such as a distin-
ties advertising on Off Campus College Transport (OCCT) buses, following a change in policy from the Student Association (SA). The change in OCCT’s advertisement policy will exclusively allow advertisements from groups affiliated with the University or the SA, while nonaffiliated groups will need to be
sponsored by a student organization. Additionally, on-campus organizations that sponsor nonaffiliated advertisements must be clearly labeled as sponsors on the advertisement. The change in policy occurred four months after an incident in which a BU student was arrested for taking down Birthright International adver-
Truth Pharm hosts Stenger says baseball 10-week talk series donor is not finished Group aims to combat local issues of opioid use disorder Jane Mou
pipe dream news
people how to fight against it with “Clearing the Confusion,” a new 10week series. The series will be hosted by Truth Pharm, a nonprofit organization that was founded in February 2015 by Alexis Pleus and located at 42 Chenan-
A local organization is exploring substance use disorder and teaching
see addiction page 3
BU president hints at nonathletics donation to come Jeremy Rubino
assistant news editor
Stenger asserted that the recent $60 million baseball complex donation includes provisions currently unknown to students, suggesting that another announcement is soon to come. The discussion at the Feb. 21 meeting came about a week after Stenger’s
At Friday’s Binghamton University Council meeting, BU President Harvey
see donations page 4
Men’s basketball moves into playoff spot Sarr’s late three propels Bearcats to win over UMBC in penultimate matchup Justin Zion
sports editor
In the final minute of the Binghamton men’s basketball team’s game on Wednesday night, the Bearcats’ season was on the line against UMBC. Down by two points with the ball in a back-andforth game, a loss would have put the Bearcats’ chances of qualifying for the America East (AE) postseason on life support, but the team found a way. Senior forward Pierre Sarr received a pass from freshman forward George Tinsley, dribbled to the 3-point line and drained a shot from downtown to give Binghamton the lead. After gaining the onepoint advantage, the Bearcats then defended it, with Tinsley getting a block on UMBC senior guard K. J. Jackson to seal a 76-74 victory. Though it’s still up in the air, the key win greatly increases the Bearcats’ chances of making the playoffs. “I think everybody had us dead and buried except us,” said Binghamton head coach Tommy Dempsey in an interview on ESPN+. “I’m just so proud of my players. We had one of the toughest
see phishing page 3
see basketball page 10
ARTS & CULTURE
ariel kachuro photo editor Senior forward Pierre Sarr nailed the game-winning 3-pointer against UMBC to keep the Bearcats in America East playoff contention.
OPINIONS
SPORTS
Binghamton Theatre Organ Society preserves the past,
Media to get you through midterm stress,
The Editorial Board criticizes the lack of student participation in Student Association elections,
Women’s lacrosse picks up season’s first victory,
Women’s basketball clinches home game in America East playoffs,
SEE PAGE 8
SEE PAGE 8
SEE PAGE 5
SEE PAGE 9
SEE PAGE 10
PAGE II Thursday, February 27. 2020 Thursday, Thursday, Monday, Monday, September October October April 3,2, 5, 2017 28, 2017 2017 2017
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Police Watch
‘Spring into action’
Melanie Gulbas Pipe Dream News
The following accounts were provided by Investigator Mark Silverio of Binghamton’s New York State University Police. Taking one for the team FRIDAY, Feb. 21, 10:09 p.m. — Officers responded to Hunter Hall of Mountainview College for a marijuana complaint. Officers first spoke to a 21-year-old female Residential Life staff member who reported the odor of marijuana coming from a dorm room. After officers knocked on the resident’s door, they detected an overwhelming odor of marijuana and Febreze. The residents granted officers permission to enter the room and they noticed many people in the room along with the residents. The officers explained that the residents could get in trouble and an 18-year-old male, who is not affiliated with the University, produced a small baggy with 1.6 grams of marijuana from his backpack. He claimed ownership and said he was the only one with marijuana. He was issued an appearance ticket and the marijuana was confiscated. “Just come on in, nobody will notice” FRIDAY, Feb. 21, 11:44 p.m. — UPD was dispatched to the University Union bus stop for a disturbance. Upon arrival, officers spoke to an Off Campus College Transport (OCCT) driver, a 19-year-old male student. The bus driver explained that he parked his empty bus at the University Union bus stop to use the restroom inside. He told everyone to wait until he returned from the restroom and shut the bus door. When he returned, he said it was overfilled with students. The bus driver tried to get everyone to exit the bus, but they refused. Officers asked what he wanted done and he said he needed the bus emptied so he could get a head count. The bus
holds 36 passengers and 50 students were on it. Officers emptied everyone off the bus, reloaded the bus in an orderly fashion and allowed only 36 people on the bus. Not a trampoline SATURDAY, Feb. 22, 3:00 a.m. — Officers responded to Digman Hall of Dickinson Community for an elevator entrapment report. Five suspects — four 18-year-old males and a 19-year-old female student — were stuck between the second and third floors. Officers made sure that nobody was in medical distress and contacted the elevator company. The company responded and a technician was able to get the doors open to extract the five students. The students confessed to jumping up and down inside the elevator to see if they would get stuck. They apologized and were not charged. Just hanging out SATURDAY, Feb. 22, 10:00 p.m. — A 20-year-old female Residential Life staff member contacted UPD to report a bat in a dorm room. Officers were dispatched to Rafuse Hall of Dickinson Community and upon arrival, they met with a crowd of students standing outside the room. The students explained that the bat was inside the common area and the residents barricaded themselves in their bedrooms. Officers made contact with pest control, but because it would be a bit of time before they arrived, pest control provided steps on the best way to capture the bat and UPD proceeded with their instructions. They walked into the common area holding a tote container and lid. They noticed the bat hanging upside down on the ceiling and, using an empty pizza box, were able to trap the bat inside the tote container. They set it down and put a chair on top of it. When pest control arrived, they removed the bat.
tyler gorman pipe dream photographer The Dean’s Team hosted the Spring Involvement Fair on Monday, Feb. 24 for students interested in creating or joining a group on campus.
Pipe Line LOCAL NEWS
Binghamton mayor holds State of the City address On Wednesday, Binghamton Mayor Rich David spoke of his future plans for the city in his State of the City address, according to FOX 40. The speech, which was held in City Council Chambers, listed off a variety of projects David hopes to accomplish, including a new fire headquarters in Downtown Binghamton. David also discussed his continued efforts to preserve Minor League Baseball in the Southern Tier and better enhance the city’s flood protection. He confirmed
he is seeking to cut city taxes before the 2021 budget, which would mark his fifth year doing so. Syracuse University recalls its Italian study abroad program as concerns over coronavirus grow As the coronavirus continues to spread in Italy and across Europe, Syracuse University officials have decided to recall a study abroad program there, according to The Post-Standard. The announcement came on Tuesday, with the university stating it will immediately begin to assist the 342 students studying at Syracuse University’s Florence campus in returning to the Unit-
Word Street on the
ed States. According to international health officials, there are currently 283 confirmed cases of the coronavirus in Italy, and in a press release, Syracuse University noted that one of these cases is in Florence. Syracuse University officials also said they came to the decision out of concern for students’ safety, along with restrictions on their movement in Florence, noting that Italian government officials are restricting access to public areas and have already temporarily closed the University of Florence. The university will be working with those who want to return to Syracuse University’s main campus to mitigate the effect the change will have on their schoolwork.
What on-campus extracurriculars are you in or interested in joining?
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Joseph Mele
Noah Arre
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“I’m on an intramural basketball team and it’s really fun. But I’m interested in joining a business fraternity so I can get more connections toward my career later.”
“I’m the vice president of the Outdoors Club and I’m really trying to join the fly fishing club.”
“I’m currently a part of the First Year Students of Hillel and I want to join [Binghamton University] Mock Trial.”
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an undeclared freshman
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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 2019
stabilizing:humpday
life:destabilizing
Zoë Handelman
a sophomore majoring in business administration “I’m currently very involved with Hillel and I’m looking to get more involved in fitness and Campus Recreation.”
Adam Cieszkowski an undeclared freshman
“I want to join the club rugby team because it sounds fun.”
bupipedream.com | February 27, 2020
NEWS
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john atkinson pipe dream photographer
Alexis Pleus, founder and executive director of Truth Pharm, speaks at one of the 10 ”Clearing the Confusion” events.
Advocacy series aims to educate locals on addiction addiction from page 1 go St. The organization aims to raise awareness, reduce stigma, educate the public and advocate for policy change to reduce the harms caused by substance use, according to their website. Truth Pharm recently developed the series to support families impacted by substance use disorder and to educate the public about the mysteries associated with it. Some of the topics this series aims to cover include recognizing signs and symptoms of substance use, learning
about the science of addiction and about the types of treatment that are available. According to the Facebook page for “Clearing the Confusion,” the sessions are designed to be flexible so individuals can pick and choose which ones they want to attend. Sessions are held in the Voices Recovery Center, located at 340 Prospect St., from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. every Tuesday until April 14. Louisa Holmes, an assistant professor of geography and environmental studies at Binghamton University, said she consid-
ers health education important in communities, noting that programming like “Clearing the Confusion” plays a crucial role in public health efforts. “Health education is important for a host of reasons, including making people aware of their own risk potential, making people aware of accessible health services that may be available in their communities and destigmatizing diseases, such as addiction or mental illness,” Holmes wrote in an email. According to New York’s 2019 Opioid Annual Report,
Broome County scored in the highest quartile for opioid burden in 2017. The report includes instances of hospital discharges for nonfatal opioid overdose, abuse, dependence and opioid overdose deaths. Opioids are a class of drugs that work in the brain to produce a variety of effects, including pain relief, and are extremely addictive. Some of the most commonly used opioids are prescriptions, such as OxyContin, Vicodin and fentanyl. Community-based harm reduction services have led to a
reduction in morbidity and mortality in Broome County. Some of these services include syringe exchange programs (SEPs) that train people in the community to recognize overdose risks. Truth Pharm also holds weekly recovery meetings where participants help one another resolve problems with any form of addiction, including drugs, alcohol, gambling or overeating. The meetings are held every Wednesday from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. until May 27 and are led by two Self-Management And Recovery Training
(SMART) facilitators at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, located at 1 Church St. Holmes said she appreciates attempts being made by Truth Pharm to solve the local issue. “I particularly appreciate attempts to destigmatize substance use disorders and recognize them for what they are — chronic disease,” Holmes wrote. “Addiction has well-established biological and genetic components, just like heart disease and cancer, and should be insured and approached in [a] similar fashion.”
UPD reports students fall for scams, can lose thousands phishing from page 1 guished professor from another school. The scammers mass send an email out to BU students asking for a personal assistant in the area. Once they find a willing participant, they exchange numbers and ask the participant to perform menial tasks such as buying cleaning supplies from department stores. The scam generally ends after the scammer “pays” the recipient, claims to accidentally overpay them and requests a return of the money in the form of gift cards. The second phishing scam most often afflicts faculty members because the scammer impersonates the head of their department and asks them to send money in gift cards as a favor with a promise of being reimbursed. Believing the scammer to be a colleague, many faculty members fall victim to the hoax, with some losing thousands in the process. “[ITS] is doing their best to restrict these emails, but it’s impossible to block them all,” said Investigator Mark Silverio of the UPD. “Unfortunately, with both of these, because of the gift cards, it is really, really hard for us to follow the money and see where it went.” The latest major scam afflicting BU students starts with them receiving threatening calls, telling students that if they refuse to comply they will face legal prosecution. The scam has caused students to
lose hundreds to thousands of dollars, with one individual losing $34,000 with little to no chance of recuperating their funds. The scammers mostly target international students, according to Silverio. “In any of the ones where the student is getting that threatening ‘You’re going to go to jail’ [message], have them come to us,” Silverio said. “If you haven’t done anything wrong, we can run it down and see if there truly is a problem, which 99.9 percent of the time there is not — it’s a scammer. Nobody is ever going to ask for gift cards to pay for legal fees ever, so that should be the first indicator. Anything involving gift cards is more than likely a scam.” Ryan Yarosh, senior director of media and public relations, echoed Silverio’s warning and said students need to stay up to date on the latest scams to stay safe. “Take a step back and think [or] analyze anytime they think they’re being scammed,” Yarosh wrote in an email. “UPD is currently working on a website as well to help people on campus stay up to date on the most relevant scams impacting the University. The University has also been working proactively to inform students about the most current scams and frauds.” Silverio said he encourages any students, faculty or staff members with questions or concerns regarding potential scams to call UPD at (607) 777-2393 or stop by the UPD station.
miya carmichael pipe dream photographer Binghamton’s New York State University Police Department is urging students to take cautionary measures when dealing with possible phishing scams.
BU professor publishes essay as part of ‘The 1619 Project’ 1619 from page 1 ent to go back and restore that perspective lost from history.” As the reader scrolls through “The 1619 Project” page, essays on other topics relating to American slavery emerge, such as “Myths about physical racial differences were used to justify slavery — and are still believed by doctors today,” by Linda Villarosa, and “Our democracy’s founding ideals were false when they were written. Black Americans have fought to make them true,” by
Nikole Hannah-Jones. Bailey’s essay is titled, “For hundreds of years, enslaved people were bought and sold in America. Today most of the sites of this trade are forgotten,” and is published alongside a photography gallery by Dannielle Bowman. Bailey said she finds inspiration for her research in the necessity of it. “I am certainly honored to be a part of this project,” Bailey said. ”I say to students and to others, ‘Just do the work you think needs doing and you let the rest take
care of itself.’” Bailey did not compile the information entirely on her own — she worked with research assistants Morgan Rachlin, ‘19, Mone’t Schultz, ‘18 and Kelly Wu, a sophomore majoring in biology, at the Harriet Tubman Center for the Study of Freedom and Equity. Bailey and her research assistants used primary sources from the Civil War era to document both marked and unmarked slave auction sites in America, and her research expands upon the historical record of these sites.
Kent Schull, chair of the history department and an associate professor of history, said Bailey’s work advocates for the awareness of inequalities and diversity throughout history. Schull also said he is fortunate to be her colleague and that her accomplishments will positively impact the department. “Having our faculty publish in such a well-known platform always raises the department’s profile and demonstrates to a broader audience the need for a historical perspective for under-
standing past and current issues, challenges and successes,” Schull wrote in an email. “Bailey’s piece is doing this same thing for our department.” Bailey’s history of researching slave trades and auctions in America extends beyond these articles. She also published two books on the topic: “African Voices of the Atlantic Slave Trade: Beyond the Silence and the Shame,” and “The Weeping Time: Memory and the Largest Slave Auction in American History,” in 2005 and 2017, respectively.
Bailey highlighted the importance of recognizing auction sites and other significant locations. During a recent trip to Richmond, Virginia, she said she was walking across a bridge and found a small marker stating that the bridge was built by slaves. “It’s a simple thing, but here that bridge stands 150 years later and we are driving across it,” Bailey said. “The very infrastructure we all use was built by people of African descent, built by slaves. How can you not acknowledge that contribution?”
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NEWS
bupipedream.com | February 27, 2020
President Stenger says conversation with donor is not over donations from page 1 announcement of the historic donation. The $60 million donation, gifted by an anonymous donor family, seeks to fund the construction of a brand-new baseball complex that would increase seating capacity and provide an indoor training facility for players, among other projects. However, many students have reacted negatively to the donation, arguing there were other facilities and programs that required more attention, such as improving student mental health resources. “We’ve been criticized by some people to say that, ‘Gee, we probably should have told this donor we don’t need a baseball complex. We need scholarships, we need more support for student’s mental health and we need other things,’” Stenger said. In response to criticisms, Stenger said there is more to come from the anonymous donor. “I have said to people if this family came to me and said ‘I’m going to give you $60 million and I want you to build a baseball complex’ and that was the end of the conversation, I would’ve said no,” Stenger said. “So, the conversation has not ended and there’s a lot more to the story. But, we will wait to tell that at a future date.” University officials did not respond to requests for comment.
you-wha kim design intern
SA changes advertisement policy after student arrest occt from page 1 senting pregnancy options with an anti-abortion view and misleading the public with their advertisements and website. SA President Emma Ross, a senior double-majoring in political science and psychology, attributes the policy change mainly to legislation from SA Congress. “This change is not directly related to the Birthright [International] poster,” Ross said. “This change came out of [SA] Congress legislation. Our goal here is not to bar any particular organizations from advertising on our buses.” Ross said the amendments were made to emphasize connections between students and the advertisements displayed on OCCT buses. “Our goal with this is to make sure that any organizations that are advertising on our buses
are based on student interests,” Ross said. “That way it is not just some random organization [from Downtown Binghamton] that has an event, but if it is an event that has student interest or an organization that has student interest, that’s what our students are seeking.” Alec Somerstein, SA vice president for finance and a senior double-majoring in business administration and mathematics, said the policy change will likely cause financial losses. He estimated OCCT could lose several thousand dollars each year. “Just from outside vendors, anywhere from $3,000 to $5,000,” Somerstein said. “That can be recuperated if an on-campus or University-affiliated organization has access to the flyers given. So if one of those outside vendors that are already advertising wants to advertise again, they can go through a University-affil-
iated organization. The thing is if they end up doing that, there are some money losses because the on-campus affiliates have less and are charged less for advertising on blue buses.” Prior to the incident with Birthright International advertisements, multiple on-campus organizations had been advocating for a change in policy, including the Women’s Student Union (WSU), an SA-chartered group that aims to support the rights of marginalized identities and discuss women’s issues. Alexandra Miranda, vice president of WSU and a sophomore triple-majoring in sociology, human development and Latin American and Caribbean Area studies, wrote in an email that the organization voiced its discontent while trying to work with the SA on the policy change. “The process of working with OCCT and the SA to bring about
these policy changes was incredibly difficult and frustrating,” Miranda wrote. “We were consistently ignored and our concerns were not taken seriously. Our members and students outside of our organization reached out to us multiple times expressing their concern about these advertisements, yet OCCT and SA chose to neglect making a change for over a year.” Despite the changes that have recently been made, Miranda said she and other members of WSU are still dissatisfied with the changes instituted by OCCT. “WSU is happy to see the posters taken down,” Miranda wrote. “However, this policy does not advocate for establishing a screening process or review of future advertisements, so that something like this does not happen again.” Dheiva Moorthy, vice president of College Progressives and
a sophomore double-majoring in environmental studies and sociology, said she also has concerns about the new policy. Moorthy was the student arrested in October for allegedly tearing down the Birthright International advertisements. She said there are too many loopholes around the advertisement policy and argued that it should use more specific language to bar problematic organizations. “The politicization of the act was not that it was just a pro-life poster — it was literally a wrong poster,” Moorthy said. “[Birthright International] doesn’t provide confidential services. They don’t make the best possible decision for you. They don’t address women of color, especially poor women of color. What the SA should have said is, ‘We are not going to put up harmful, incorrect information and advertisements anywhere on campus.’”
Moorthy also emphasized that several campus groups came together to voice support for the policy change. “[WSU], College Progressives, the Frances Beal Society [and] DIVEST BING all share the same goals, which is liberation,” Moorthy said. “[College Progressives] did advocate for this change, along with WSU … Although club names are irrelevant, anyone that wants to work on a project needs to work on a project.” Ross said the finalization of the new policy is in the works and the SA is organizing the legal framing of the change. “We’re currently working on official language with our attorney to make sure that all new language is up to code with regard to these new policies and hopefully that should be up and running within the next week or so,” she said.
COMIC CLUB
A place For Everything Comics! everyone is welcome! comicclub@binghamtonsa.org
SA CHARTERED
Looking to stay fit this semester and be a part of a great team sport? Join Binghamton Rowing Club! No experience necessary! Men’s and women’s teams
Email: publicrelations@binghamtoncrew.org Instagram: binghamton_rowing club sports
OPINIONS Thursday, February 27, 2020 Thursday, Thursday, Monday, Monday, September October October April 3,2, 5, 2017 28, 2017 2017 2017
EDITORIAL: A LONELY BALLOT The SA is a unique and important form of student governance, but student interest is crucial to its efficiency and survival On March 17, Binghamton University students will see fewer options than usual on their ballots when they vote in the 2020 Student Association (SA) E-Board election. Each of the six open positions on the SA E-Board are uncontested, meaning that unless a writein receives more votes than the name on the ballot, the positions will be filled by whoever’s name is already there. The SA is a unique and important part of how campus is shaped year to year. A governing body of undergraduates, the SA ensures that student groups can function with substantive funding, advocates for the interests of the student body through their relationship to BU’s administration and tries to give students as many opportunities as they can afford. Not every university has its own SA, and not every university that does has the same power to effect change that we have. All in all, without the SA, campus life would likely be much less exciting and fulfilling. It’s for this very reason that it’s so disappointing to see participation in our student government decline dramatically in recent years. Elections for the 2019-20 E-Board saw a 33 percent decrease in votes from the year prior, landing at just 2,062
votes in total. BU students are aware of this, with some students saying they might not vote at all because they feel like their vote won’t impact the election. Worse yet, this diminishing interest in the SA elections is reflected in the extremely limited number of candidates running for SA E-Board this year. The SA made a number of honorable attempts this year at increasing student interest in their elections, but unfortunately, it appears it may have not been enough. Despite posting advertisements throughout campus and extending the letter of intent period, the SA only saw a modest improvement in the number of candidates on the ballot. With this extension, one vice president for multicultural affairs candidate was able to qualify for the ballot. Two candidates for the BU Council Representative position, which is not part of the SA E-Board, were also added. This, however, meant the SA Elections and Judiciary Committee could not finalize the ballot until after its formal deadline. The main reason students cited for not running in this year’s election is a concern about making a time commitment to the SA. While this is certainly not irrational, it’s worth noting that the minimum hours the SA E-
Board works are generally close to 20 to 30 hours a week, which is equivalent to the time commitment one would make to a parttime job. Additionally, whereas most student leaders receive no compensation for their time, the SA E-Board does — roughly $6 an hour for the minimum hours they’re expected to work. This also includes access to private offices and SA resources which are not accessible to most students, not to mention the invaluable experience of being a representative for a body of about 14,000 undergraduate students. SA President Emma Ross wrote in an email that the most valuable part of being in the SA’s leadership “is the level of responsibility we have. It promotes a lot of lifelong skills and requires a lot of dedication to the job and teaches you how to prioritize. You also get to interact with an incredible amount of people that you never would have met otherwise, from student leaders, community members, committee heads and administrators.” Ross also noted that leaders learn “so much about our campus.” Although it’s too late to apply to appear on the election ballot, every position allows for writeins. Just because there is only one person running for each position, each and every undergraduate is
stephanie chin pipe dream illustrator
eligible to be a candidate come election day. If you feel like you might be the right person for an
SA E-Board role, the Editorial Board suggests you start canvassing and campaigning right away
— otherwise, the elections on March 17 will be marked by a historically lonely ballot.
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, Managing Editor, News Editor, Opinions Editor, Sports Editor and Arts & Culture Editor.
Marvel’s superhero blockbusters do not classify as true cinema While engaging and popular, the MCU falls into a separate category of film Justine Price Guest Columnist
Earning 10 nominations at the 73rd British Academy Film Awards and five nominations at the 77th Golden Globe Awards, Martin Scorsese’s star-studded film “The Irishman” hoped to add an Oscar to its collection, but failed to do so despite receiving nine nominations at the 92nd Academy Awards. The film’s unfortunate outcome has since been viewed as one of the biggest snubs in Oscars history, but in the midst of all the praise being received by Scorsese, one can see how easy it is to forget that mere months ago, he found himself in hot water. When asked for his opinion regarding the blockbuster Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) films in an interview with Empire, Scorsese responded with
an honest “I don’t see them. I tried, you know? But that’s not cinema,” and even went as far as to compare the franchise to a theme park. Not being a big fan of the MCU myself, I figured his opinion was rather justified, and frankly not a big deal. However, the blowback from these statements was rather, one might say, marvelous. Rather than contribute to the promotion of “The Irishman,” whose release was approaching, big-name publications like The New Yorker, Vox, The Guardian and The Washington Post chose to partake in the “anti-Marvel” discussion. Doctor Strange screenwriter C. Robert Cargill even weighed in on the controversy, tweeting, “Anyone who thinks Marvel is only trying to make theme park rides is being unjust and cynical.” In an effort to quell the blowback from his controversial words, Scorsese took to The New York Times. Doubling down in an op/ed, Scorsese said, “cinema
[is] about revelation — aesthetic, emotional and spiritual revelation,” as opposed to solely entertainment. Admittedly, the MCU films lack this element of “revelation” and instead are products of supply and demand — more about pleasing the consumer and maximizing revenue. Marvel knows that most fans hold onto the original team of Iron Man, Captain America, the Hulk, Thor, Black Widow and Hawkeye and are sure to place these characters in the spotlight, especially when it comes to promotion. By sacrificing novelty for nostalgia, Marvel is tactfully maintaining a stable fan base, one sure to reach into their pockets to see installment after installment. At one point, I thought that Scorsese was just an overzealous cinephile providing unwarranted complaints about the popular media enjoyed and consumed by younger generations, but he does have a point. As an acclaimed film director who has been nominated for numerous
prestigious awards, Scorsese must have some inkling of what a good film is comprised of. A good film, one which he labels as “cinema,” should keep the audience on their toes. Specifically, Scorsese contends that the film should give its audience “thrills and shocks” and most importantly, it should take a risk. Yes, Marvel movies do contain some element of shock value, but such dramatic elements do not last for very long. In fact, I noticed that each MCU film follows the same general guideline: First there is a recap of the last film, followed by a moment of normalcy, then something “big” happens, leading to an ongoing fight scene, one in which the Avengers, of course, emerge victoriously. Perhaps there are one or two injuries and maybe even a death. Sprinkled in the midst of all of this action are a few painful jokes and halfhearted attempts at character development. As Scorsese says, films are meant to “confront the
unexpected,” so if I just described the plot of your favorite Marvel film, it is clear the MCU falls short of being unexpected. Another thing that remains stable among the MCU is its cast. As previously mentioned, the original Avengers consisted of Iron Man, Captain America, the Hulk, Thor, Black Widow and Hawkeye — all of whom are white. As a whole, 61 percent of MCU actors are of Caucasian descent. Given the boundaries it has surpassed in terms of gross and special effects, such lack of diversity is appalling. As a film phenomenon viewed by those worldwide and of all ages, the MCU should strive to represent a large breadth of viewers in each of its films; simply releasing “Black Panther” is not sufficient. Scorsese’s words should be taken with a grain of salt. While he argues that the MCU’s repetitious plots and excessive lengths contradict what cinema is meant to be, “The Irishman” clocks in at 209 minutes and draws simi-
larities to all of his other gangster films — like “Goodfellas,” “Casino” and “The Departed.” Is Scorsese’s work really that much different from the movies he condemns? Perhaps he should practice what he preaches. Now, I’m not telling you to stop going to the theater and seeing Marvel films; they’re practically unavoidable. Just know that as you purchase tickets to the midnight showing of the next MCU installment and settle in an uncomfortable seat with a bowl of greasy popcorn in one hand and an oversized drink in another, this film will not be very different from the last. Instead, consider this: For every franchise film ticket you purchase, perhaps take a trip down to your local independent film theater. Even better, simply acknowledge the fact that we, as moviegoers, do not live in the MCU — independent and well-written films like “Parasite” currently reign supreme. Justine Prince is an undeclared freshman.
The traditional eight-hour workday is detrimental to employees’ productivity Reducing the length of the workday can benefit worker efficiency and prevent burnout Sean Morton Contributing Columnist
There’s something to be said about the current eight-hour employment routine; it’s a workday time frame so uniformly shared among employers that the term “9-to-5” has established itself within our vocabulary. After the tantalizingly short taste of freedom we call a weekend, you’re either spending your Sunday evenings dreading the next five days of waking up at 7:30 a.m. or you’re lying to yourself. And yet, every morning, everyone rises
from the dead and pounds their stimulant of choice to remain mostly conscious for the next eight hours without a second thought. Somewhere along the way, this arbitrary frame of hours was set on the better part of the majority of our working population, and everyone just kind of begrudgingly accepted it. As it turns out, the 9-to-5 system feels overly grueling for a reason: It is. Studies show that on average, people spend more than 40 percent of their daily work hours not actually working. Among the biggest culprits of wasted work time are checking emails, web browsing and meetings. This means that nearly half the time spent during a 9-to-5 pe-
riod, theoretically, might as well have not been spent working at all. It’s wasteful of both the employers’ and employees’ time, not to mention company resources. Studies indicate that the average human is only productive for about three hours a day before burnout occurs when performing mentally based tasks. This makes sense, as it correlates with the fact that on average, only about four out of eight hours of each day are spent working. Yes, one can make the argument that reducing the workday would result in the same levels of procrastination proportionate to the revised time. But having such disproportionately long work hours compared to realistically
achievable levels of productivity can be discouraging toward one’s work ethic to begin with. Clearly, if 100 percent of work hours were truly spent working, the fact that the average person wastes nearly half their work hours would be an unsustainably low statistic for employers to face. This should be damaging companies, but no one’s being fired for it. Companies surely must be acknowledging the gap between hours and productivity, yet nothing’s changed. So why do we still blindly follow this arbitrarily imposed work schedule? How did the 9-to-5 system even come about in the first place? As it turns out, the reasons are a lot more socially charged than practical. Historically, labor
hours were actually a lot worse, as there used to be no regulations at all. It wasn’t until 1938 that eighthour workdays were officially implemented by Congress, which were actually modeled after Ford’s labor schedule, which was seen as a game-changing first step toward a better balance between hours and productivity. The problem is that since then, there hasn’t been a second step. Essentially, the 9-to-5 model is a product of Congress making a single attempt at mandating a universal work schedule entirely based off one company’s nearly a century ago. It doesn’t exactly sound like it has to be a be-all and end-all labor regime. If daily work hours were re-
duced to even five or six a day, and started even an hour after nine, I believe it would actually promote higher productivity. Employees would be allowed more sleep for a better mental performance, and the crunching of work time would pressure workers to get more done instead of instilling the procrastination-perpetuating mentality that workers have a full eight hours to complete their daily tasks. I am not necessarily pushing for four-day workweeks, but I believe even reducing daily work hours by a two- or threehour margin would be a much more efficient use of productivity and company resources. Sean Morton is a senior majoring in English.
F UN
Thursday, February 27, 2020 Thursday, Thursday, Monday, Monday, September October October April 3,2, 5, 2017 28, 2017 2017 2017
Fire Man: A song of fire and fire
Daniel Eisenhower Fall 2020 is canceled
Sudoku
Cherie Litvin
By The Mepham Group
Level: 1 2 3 4 Solution to last issue's puzzle
And all I got was this comic
Sarah Teper
© 2020 The Mepham Group. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency. All rights reserved.
Release Date: Thursday, February 27, 2020
Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis
3 a.m. in the morning
Daniel Eisenhower
ACROSS 1 Ottoman bigwigs 5 Wildly 9 Peaks 14 At hand 15 Animated explorer 16 Patterned fabric 17 Authentic piece of a holy relic? 19 Comedian Izzard 20 Sound investments? 21 Like some deliveries 23 Indy guide 25 She walked into Rick’s gin joint 26 Disastrous 29 Comedian Garofalo 31 Folk legend Phil 32 __ Jose 33 Connects with 36 Arles article 37 __ West Records: Nashville label 38 Rosy-fingered goddess who rises in the east 39 AirPod spot 40 Get back in business 42 Product prefix that evokes winter 43 Die down 44 Herbie, in Disney films 46 Outset 47 They don’t last 49 Part of Curaçao 51 Rather 53 Apparel brand with a spinnaker logo 57 Mesh 58 Biblical pronouns read by James Earl Jones? 60 Red-pencil 61 December 24 and 31 62 “At Last” singer James 63 Georgia team, in sports headlines 64 Take a chance 65 Hoarse laugh DOWN 1 Tiny colonists 2 Structural engineering piece
3 Chills and fever 4 Tibetan leaders 5 Specially formed 6 Saskatchewan city with a 34-foot animal statue named Mac at its tourist info center 7 NHL great Bobby 8 Dodge City native 9 “Up and __!” 10 Cough medicine ingredient 11 Place reserved for one reconciling a dispute? 12 Inventor Howe 13 “Peace out” 18 Marsh duck 22 Schoolyard retort 24 U.S. neighbor to the north 26 One of two in Hank Aaron’s uniform number 27 Proactiv+ target 28 Unwelcome leftovers? 30 First words in an alphabet book 32 Largest of New
York’s Finger Lakes 34 Tart taste 35 Mega Stuf cookie 37 Great Basin st. 38 One may be civil 41 Message board item 42 South, in Avignon 43 Local news segment 45 Settled in for the
night, with “down” 46 Surfeit 47 Fluted on the march 48 Jungian inner self 50 Momentary error 52 Fades to black 54 Bit 55 Stops shooting 56 “Stat!” 59 Gabor of “Green Acres”
ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE:
By Debra Hamel ©2020 Tribune Content Agency, LLC
02/27/20
02/27/20
bupipedream.com | February 27, 2020
Horoscopes
Love is universal
FUN
7
The Cosmos Giving back to BU
Kayla Pryce
Annabeth Sloan
A typical Saturday
Spencer Lubell
Artist spotlight: a first look at Drawing Marathon 2020 This year’s participants share their expectations Jamie H. Nguyen
contributing writer
As the fifth-annual 24-hour Drawing Marathon approaches, roughly a dozen artists are preparing to sketch a live figure on a life-size canvas at the Binghamton University Art Museum. Given few breaks, they must be prepared to draw for the duration of the 24 hours. Pipe Dream interviewed five participants to learn more about how they started drawing and what they’re hoping to experience at this year’s event. Sara Watson is a senior majoring in environmental studies. Pipe Dream (PD): What made you decide to apply for the marathon? Sara Watson (SW): I’m an art minor, and the professor I have for [Studio Art 372: Life Drawing], Blazo [Kovacevic, art director of the BU Art Museum and an associate professor of art and design], told me to apply. PD: Is drawing something you’ve always been doing? SW: I drew a lot when I was younger, and then I didn’t draw at all until my sophomore year. I took [Studio Art 171: Drawing I] and liked it a lot, so I kept going. PD: Are you familiar with the medium used in the marathon? SW: Yes, it’s all charcoal for the marathon and that’s pretty much the only medium I use. PD: How are you preparing for this? SW: I have been sketching my friends just a little bit, but nothing too intense. PD: Do you want to gain anything from this experience? SW: It’s a personal challenge, to be able to finish a piece in 24 hours. Even just getting accepted is an achievement. Meg Reynolds is a first-year
graduate student studying biomedical anthropology. Pipe Dream (PD): What made you decide to sign up for the marathon? Meg Reynolds (MR): I’ve been hearing about this since I was a kid, and I’ve always wanted to do this. It’s open to the community but I didn’t know that, and I waited until I [was] a student to apply. I think it’s cool to get a model for 24 hours since you never get them for more than one or two hours. PD: Have you always been interested in drawing? MR: Yeah, I’ve been doing it since forever. Both of my parents paint and [it] encourages me. PD: Is the setup of this marathon similar to what you usually do? MR: I did one life-size drawing, but with black crayons instead of charcoal. It was a portrait of my little sister and I use[d] spray paint, too. It was really fun. And I’m bummed because the drawing went missing. PD: Are you doing anything to prepare for the marathon? MR: I’m going to draw my roommate later today if I don’t have work. I’m actually doing [Anthropology 480H: Graphic Anthropology] that lets you draw a little bit, so it’s some practice. PD: Do you expect to learn anything from this? MR: I think you can get into a new state if you do something for 24 hours, so I think it’ll be a cool experience. It can teach you how to focus, and most of the time lifesize works stay as sketches because you don’t have enough time. Most of the drawings I’ve seen from the marathon have a lot of work going into them, and they have a different feeling than drawing from a photograph even if you spend 24 hours on that. Halle McMahon is a senior majoring in art and design. Pipe Dream (PD): Why did you enter the marathon? Halle McMahon (HM): I’ve
pipe dream archives Artists compete in the second-annual Drawing Marathon, sponsored by the Binghamton University Art Museum.
heard about it since I became a BU sophomore, and I really wanted to do it but could never fit it in my schedule. And I’m graduating this semester so it’s the last chance, so why not? PD: You’re an art and design major, so does your usual style differ from the marathon? HM: Well, I started out as more of a fine artist. When I was in high school I also majored in art, so I’ve been doing this style for a while. I started to do digital works for designs when I [went] to college. PD: Have you been drawing since you were little? HM: I grew up doing art. My mom also did a lot of art. I start[ed] art classes when I was nine or 10, and I went to Fiorello H. Laguardia High School [of Music & Art and Performing Arts]. PD: Do you want to gain anything through this experience? HM: Maybe not to gain anything, but it’s more of a mental test to see how my style changes and how time affects the art that I make. I definitely want to make something out of it and I’m curious
to see what it will be. PD: Are you used to drawing in a public environment like this one? HM: No, I’ve never been in such a space. I’ve had people watching me while I work, but not while people are voting and commenting on your work. PD: How do you feel about that? HM: I’m more excited — I didn’t think about this when I applied. I didn’t think about the competition aspect of it. I’m not going into it really wanting to win. I’m more curious about the outcome of it. Menkaure Umoja, 25, of Binghamton Pipe Dream (PD): What made you decide to enter the marathon? Menkaure Umoja (MU): My friend Meg asked me to apply with her and I usually say no to everything, so [I said] yes for once and [applied] last minute. And I got invited which is pretty cool. PD: Is art your usual thing or did you just want to try it out? MU: I’ve been drawing since I was 15 — about 10 years. I’ve never been in a gallery or pursued it pro-
fessionally, just on the side. I never finish things in time. I draw really slow and I feel like that’s what stops me. I wish I could be really fast and consistent, which is why I’m interested in the marathon. You just have 24 hours and that’s it — you can’t go back and touch up. PD: Is your usual artistic style similar to this marathon? MU: I like to do portraits, so it has a person’s face too, and I practice figure drawing to keep my hands going. People posing in pictures for reference are super easy to draw, and I also like superhero stuff where it’s important to understand the human form. So I guess it’s pretty similar. PD: Did you practice especially for the marathon? MU: I was already working on some stuff, but I wanted something to focus on specifically, and I’ve been practicing for this. It’s like a goal now because I’ve never had a deadline for anything. PD: Are you nervous or excited for the event? MU: I just like to go with the flow, not get nervous. I’ve never drawn in front of people so that’s going to be really different. It’s going to be cool — I’m excited. I heard an expression that means “don’t fight the current,” go with life and things will work out. Just trying to draw a good picture and not freak out. PD: Is there anything else you want to gain? MU: To be able to work faster and more confidently, especially around other people, and not be so shy. I like the social aspect and the time crunch, so this is actually a perfect challenge. I’m excited to see what I and other people can do, you’ll never know what you see. It’s a nice thing to add to my portfolio, a whole, hopefully complete drawing. My mom died recently, and she was an artist. She wanted me to do this and be good, so I’ll use it as my motivation. Ken Weir, 66, of Endwell Pipe Dream (PD): Are you fa-
miliar with the environment and work size of this project? Ken Weir (KW): Sure, I’ve done a lot of portrait drawings and I often work large. My admission piece was a drawing of a figure and it’s life sized. PD: Do you draw in any other style? KW: I pretty much only draw realistically. Sometimes I draw patterns alongside figures. Originally my training is with realistic figure artists when I went to the New York Studio School [of Drawing, Painting and Sculpture] in Manhattan. We paint from the model for three hours every day. PD: So what draws you to this kind of art? KW: I can be called a humanistic painter, and sometimes I paint figures in dramatic situations. I’m specifically focused on portraying a human being’s figure sympathetically. PD: Is drawing something you’ve always been doing? KW: I didn’t draw until I took a class in my senior year in college. After that, I draw both as exercises and as an art form. PD: Do you have any tactics for the marathon since it’s a big block of time? KW: I’ll do what I normally start for figure drawings. Start with a small sketch to understand the relationship of structures and space, and to practice the shape. Then I’ll just draw the outline and do the shading. PD: Do you have any personal goals going into this? KW: Well, I have a show at Downtown Binghamton. If the drawing comes out good I’ll exhibit it with my other works, so that’s a personal goal. The Drawing Marathon will take place from 10 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 28, to 10 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 29, in the Binghamton University Art Museum. The event is free and open to the public. Attendees should be at least 18 years old.
For theatre organ preservationists, history is key A look at the Binghamton Theatre Organ Society Gabriela Iacovano
arts & culture editor
For a group of local volunteers, a relic of the past has proven to be a unique aspect of Broome County’s cultural present. Founded in 2004, the Binghamton Theatre Organ Society (BTOS) is a nonprofit dedicated to preserving the two publicly owned theatre organs in Broome County. While one of the organs, housed in the Roberson Museum and Science Center, is no longer in use, the Broome County Forum’s Robert-Morton IV/24 theatre organ is one of about 300 operating theatre organs in the world. “We want to keep the instrument because of the volunteers that came before us; we don’t want to let it slide because a lot of people enjoy it,” said Nancy Wildoner, ‘83, resident organist for BTOS. Starting in the 1910s and con-
tinuing through the 1920s, theatre organs were built so movie theaters wouldn’t have to hire entire orchestras to accompany silent films. Equipped with unique effects like bird calls and train whistles, they became obsolete with the advent of the “talkies,” movies with sound. The Robert-Morton IV/24 originally belonged to a theater in Denver, Colorado in 1922, becoming obsolete when a sound system was installed in 1927. The organ was sold to a church, later being sold again and kept in storage in a Michigan chicken coop. In 1972, Robert Nash, then president of the former Binghamton Savings Bank, found out about the organ and purchased it for the Tri-Cities Opera. Sent in pieces, the organ was rebuilt by a team of local engineers working in conjunction with organ builder Albert Emola. Because the pipes of a theatre organ are built into the venue itself, it couldn’t be installed in any theater. Luckily, the historic Broome County Forum Theatre, built in 1919, fit the bill.
provided by bill wandling Nancy Wildoner, ‘83, resident organist for BTOS, plays the Broome County Forum Theatre’s organ.
“For a small town like this, this is a lot of organ,” said BTOS President John Demaree. “When they rebuilt it, so many of the pipes that came in were scrapped and had to be replaced or repaired, and it’s got a different personality to it than it did when it was born.” Dennis James, one of many theatre organ artists who tour with silent films, performed at the organ’s 1976 debut. James returned to the Broome County Forum Theatre
this past weekend with “Love,” a silent film based on Leo Tolstoy’s “Anna Karenina.” James’ performances are interactive; before screening a film, he provides background on its history, and screenings include an intermission. When James tours with “Love,” he always asks audience members whether they’d rather see the ending true to Tolstoy’s novel or the alternate “happy ending” crafted by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios.
Wildoner studied on the Robert-Morton IV/24 under the late M. Searle Wright, a professor of music at Binghamton University in the early 1980s. A pianist since childhood, Wildoner started lessons on the organ before going to college. “There were way too many piano majors, so I thought, ‘I’ll play the organ, not as much competition,’” Wildoner said. During her time at BU, she was awarded a scholarship to work specifically with the theatre organ. While Wildoner academically studied classical and church music, organs were prevalent in the pop landscape of the ‘70s, so she also learned contemporary music in her free time. BTOS’ next event, “Pop Pipes: Women,” will feature Wildoner playing pop songs revolving around women in celebration of Mother’s Day. According to the group’s website, BTOS will need to raise $250,000 over the next five years to restore the Robert-Morton IV/24 and an additional $250,000 to help rebuild the Link III/19 or-
gan at the Roberson Museum and Science Center. Wildoner said the organization is looking to expand its volunteer and donor base by offering membership packages, where frequent attendees will get reduced tickets to events. Marcia Blackburn, ‘09, an instructor of communications at Broome Community College, has been attending BTOS events for the past few years at both the Roberson Museum and Science Center and Broome County Forum Theatre. Looking back on her childhood, Blackburn remembers similar events at Radio City Music Hall, which were marketed as a novelty even in her parents’ time. “This is something everyone should see because you don’t get this kind of experience anymore,” Blackburn said. “Most of the time people are streaming things, so you don’t get that experience of being with people in a theater reacting to a film. It’s a slice of life that doesn’t really exist anymore except in this special, rarefied location.”
Section picks: the media getting us through midterms De-stress with our favorite songs, podcasts Staff Reports arts & culture
Sean Carr, Contributing Writer For midterms, I usually make an absurdly dense playlist of just the most relaxing songs I can think of. It gets pretty weird because it ends up being a[n] eclectic mix. It’ll go from Rex Orange County, Real Estate, Beach House and Arctic Monkeys, then “Marvins Room” by Drake will just come on out of nowhere. Right now, I’d recommend the new Tame Impala album for someone trying to take the edge off. Lakhsmi Chatterjee, Arts &
Culture Listening to an episode of a podcast while lying down in your bed and staring at the ceiling is one of the most relaxing ways to tune out the world and stresses of exams. Since all you have to do is listen, you can close your eyes, so it’s really easy to zone out and fully immerse yourself into the story. Whether it be a comedy, politics or a relaxing unsolved crime, it’s 45 minutes to an hour of escape. And most podcast episodes are stand-alone, so you won’t be pulled into a season of cliffhangers like you would with a TV show. Instead, it’s a small break that will leave you satisfied and ready to go back to work. Some recommendations are “The Daily,” “Radiolab,” “Crime Junkie” and
“Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness.” Patrick Earns, Assistant Arts & Culture Editor While I generally prefer to marinate in the stress in order to unlock the special, advanced version of myself that doesn’t require any sleep to function, I’ve been listening to Car Seat Headrest’s new single “Can’t Cool Me Down” on repeat. It’s groovy and fun in a way that you don’t expect from the mediaproclaimed saviors of guitar rock, with a dance-friendly synth beat pounding over muted vocals. Will Toledo’s declaration of “Cool water on my brow / Can’t cool me down” rings true to me, a person whose brain is currently on fire. Krishna Patel, Arts & Culture
Whenever I’m stressed or feel overextended while studying and doing homework, I love to turn on the “Stuff You Should Know” podcast. Hosted by two HowStuffWorks writers, Josh Clark and Chuck Bryant, [there’s] a new topic to discuss every episode ranging from Mexican jumping beans, Genghis Khan, Spam and much more. Their soft voices help me feel at ease while studying. The two bounce off one another very well and make you feel as if you’re just having a thoughtprovoking and informational conversation with friends. “Stuff You Should Know” approaches every topic with sensitivity and does thorough research on everything they say, making their podcast informative, interesting, reliable and
entertaining. Sydney Witkowski, Contributing Writer Whenever I’m feeling stressed, my go-to television show is Rebecca Sugar’s “Steven Universe.” Some may say that I should have grown out of my cartoon phase by now, but there is nothing like a cartoon to help me de-stress. “Steven Universe” is a show that delivers, providing all you could want from a television show — developed characters, detailed world building and, most importantly, consistent storytelling — with the added bonuses of gorgeous, pastel-themed art and the promise of a happy ending, which is so often overlooked by “adult” media; all the while it provides meaningful insight into the
complexities of the human condition. At a time like midterms week, when my days are filled with stress and uncertainty, there’s nothing I would rather do than retreat to the familiarity and lightheartedness of “Steven Universe.” Calendra Scahill, Assistant Arts & Culture Editor Although I don’t usually have midterms, I like to de-stress by binging my favorite TV shows on Netflix. There’s nothing better than lying on the couch or in bed watching a lighthearted, engaging show. Recently I’ve been obsessed with “The Good Place,” which is witty but also includes a surprising amount of twists. Since the episodes are only 20 minutes long, you’ll easily be sucked into the crazy plot.
bupipedream.com | February 27, 2020
SPORTS
9
Women’s lacrosse defeats Lafayette in defensive battle Volkmann nets hat trick in 9-7 win for Binghamton Lance Kim
pipe dream sports
Behind strong first-half offensive play and airtight defense in the second half, the Binghamton women’s lacrosse team earned its first win of the season on Wednesday night against Lafayette. The Bearcats (1-3) defeated the Leopards (2-1) in a 9-7 victory in Easton, Pennsylvania. “I’m just really proud of both sides of the ball, really working together and fighting for one another,” said Binghamton head coach Stephanie Allen. “Our defense had such an outstanding second half and [was] really locking things down on that end when we needed some big stops to preserve the lead.” The scoring started quickly, as junior attack Paige Volkmann netted her first of three goals 80 seconds into the game, weaving in between the defense and slotting it into the back of the net. However, Lafayette answered quickly with a goal 26 seconds later. After the Leopards took a 2-1 lead, Volkmann responded with an equalizer. Two goals by sophomore attack Sidra Morchower and a hat trick goal by Volkmann added to the Binghamton scoring line, and at the end of a furious first half, the Bearcats held an 8-5 lead. The second half was dramatically different, with only three goals scored. In the second minute, junior midfielder Alyssa Sanchez scored Binghamton’s lone goal of the half. The Leopards responded with two goals, cutting the Bearcats’ lead to 9-7 with 23 minutes remaining in the game. From that point forward, with neither offenses flowing, Lafayette was frustrated by Binghamton’s ability to press and make big defensive stops. “The things we needed to do to secure this win were to get
miya carmichael pipe dream photographer
Junior attack Paige Volkmann converted three of her four shots on goal in the Bearcats’ first win of the season.
them uncomfortable on their offensive end,” Allen said. “Every time we put the ball on the ground, it needed to be a Bearcat ball.” The Bearcats outshot the Leopards 29-21, forcing 11 caused turnovers. Other goal scorers included sophomore midfielder Sofia Afkham, freshman attack Rebecca Korn and
freshman midfielder Isabella Meli. “We had six people get on the board today, which is key,” Allen said. “If we can have more than five or six people putting up shots and putting the ball in the back of the net, we’ll be in good shape.” Leading the charge for Binghamton was Volkmann, whose
hat trick raised her team-high season goal total to eight. “I think [Volkmann] stepped up again today, and it was nice to see her rebound from Saturday’s game [against Mount St. Mary’s] where she had some good shots and looks and just wasn’t finishing to her ability,” Allen said. “I thought she worked well with the defense that she was seeing
out there today and really exposing some holes. We’ll continue to look to her.” The team relies on early nonconference contests to identify where they need to improve before beginning conference play. With a quick turnaround before their game this weekend against Marist, the Bearcats have a limited amount of time before they
hit the road again. “We’re happy to have one under our belt and to continue to get back tomorrow and get after it so we can secure a good game plan for Saturday,” Allen said. First draw control against the Red Foxes (0-4) is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 29 at Tenney Stadium at Leonidoff Field in Poughkeepsie, New York.
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BU downs Lafayette SEE PAGE 9
Thursday, February 27, 2020
Women’s basketball clinches home quarterfinal game Moon scores 31 points as Bearcats outlast UMBC Ryan Giglio
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The Bearcats’ home crowd cheered loudly on Wednesday as sophomore guard Annie Ramil dribbled out the final seconds on the game clock. When the clock finally hit zero and the Binghamton women’s basketball team secured a 66-58 lead over UMBC, the fans were celebrating more than just a regular season win. Wednesday’s victory marked the team’s 20th of the season, tying the program’s best win total in its 19-year Division I history. It also meant that BU (208, 9-6 America East) clinched a home game in the first round of next week’s AE Tournament. “I’m just ecstatic for this group of young ladies,” said BU head coach Bethann Shapiro Ord. “They worked so hard all season.” Though the score was in Binghamton’s favor for most of the game, UMBC (10-16, 6-9 AE) came out of halftime with great intensity after a lackluster second quarter. The Retrievers rebounded from shooting 18.2 percent on field goals in the second period by shooting at a 41.2 percent success
rate in the third. BU senior guard Kai Moon summed up the change with two words: “Te’yJah Oliver.” “Their best player [senior guard Oliver], who is a very good scorer, was lighting it up,” Shapiro Ord said. “We were also giving them too many second-chance opportunities. That was hard. You can’t give a team second-chance opportunities.” UMBC scored 12 points off Binghamton turnovers and eight from second-chance opportunities. Oliver scored 18 of her 26 points in the second half, joined in double digits by junior forward Janee’a Summers for UMBC. However, BU managed to hold Oliver scoreless in the game’s final few minutes thanks to lockdown defense by senior forward Karlee Krchnavi. “Once [Oliver] started getting comfortable with the ball, she was making shots,” Krchnavi said. “I think we just got her out of her groove of things and that’s what we wanted to do. We wanted to disrupt her.” Krchnavi’s dominant defense was complemented by her 13 points, eight rebounds and three steals. The Bearcat victory was also fueled by Moon’s 31 points, 11 of which came from her 12 free-
throw attempts. With four successful 3-pointers, Moon became the fifth player in Bearcat history to make 200 career shots from beyond the arc. “It’s so funny because I remember I came in as a freshman and I was a garbage 3-point shooter,” Moon said. “I just think that’s a testament to the work I put in.” BU also received double-digit scoring from junior forward Olivia Ramil, who scored 11 points to go with eight rebounds. Other notable contributions included Annie Ramil grabbing six rebounds and freshman guard Denai Bowman following up her career-best game on Saturday with seven points and four rebounds. Moon and Krchnavi both said they were excited about the team’s accomplishments this year, and Moon called the 20-win milestone “huge,” especially after last year’s 12-win campaign. “I think that’s a product of the work that we all put in from first man to 14,” Moon said. “I think this is a great opportunity for us to make a push into the playoffs and we’re all very excited about it.” Though Shapiro Ord stressed that her team is focused on the regular season finale on Saturday, she didn’t deny the significance of clinching a playoff home game.
david grinberg staff photographer Senior guard Kai Moon netted 31 points during the Bearcats’ 66-58 win over UMBC on Wednesday night.
“It means something to us,” Shapiro Ord said. “It means something to this team. It means something to this community and the girls want to preform
really well for them so it’s awesome that we’re able to protect our home court and get this win tonight.” Prior to the postseason, Bing-
hamton will play its regular season finale at home against New Hampshire on Saturday. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. at the Events Center in Vestal, New York.
Men’s basketball sweeps season series against UMBC basketball from page 1 losses I’ve experienced in a long time on Saturday. We needed a win tonight, and to rally like
we did — it was a big program win for us and [it] showed a lot of character to come in here and win in this environment.” Throughout the 40 minutes,
the game took many twists and turns. In the first half, the Bearcats (10-18, 4-11 AE) were ahead by as many as seven points. In the second half, UMBC
ariel kachuro photo editor Sophomore guard Sam Sessoms scored 24 points in Binghamton’s close 76-74 win over conference rivals UMBC.
(14-15, 7-7 AE) was ahead by as many as eight points with under 13 minutes remaining. The Bearcats then put together the game’s last large run, an 11-0 run fueled by 3-pointers from Sarr and senior guard Richard Caldwell, Jr. that brought BU back into the game. From there, the team did not trail until right before Sarr’s game-winning shot. Sophomore guard Sam Sessoms also put in key contributions in the second half. The majority of his points came in the first, but he converted a 3-pointer and a 3-point play down the stretch that kept BU a step ahead of UMBC with only minutes to go. Sessoms finished the night as the game’s leading scorer, with 24 points to go along with four rebounds and six assists. “He’s a guy that you want in the foxhole with you, and tonight was a foxhole game,” Dempsey said. “He showed up and he got us off to a great start. Everybody thrives off the confidence that he provides, and he came ready to play and every-
body else followed suit.” The Bearcats did not get much scoring from their bench, but four of their five starters reached double figures in scoring. Behind Sessoms’ performance, Tinsley and Caldwell, Jr. each scored 16 points, while Sarr tallied 11. Each of those four players hit at least three shots from downtown, with the team as a whole going 14-for-33, or 42.4 percent, in that category, a major reason why the Bearcats pulled out the win. The Retrievers, by contrast, only hit 26.9 percent of their 3-pointers. Another critical point of separation between the two teams was at the free-throw line, where BU’s efficient shooting proved pivotal. The Bearcats hit 92.3 percent of their free throws, missing only one, while UMBC only made 58.6 percent of its attempts from the charity stripe, missing 12. Despite the poor performances from the line and from beyond the arc, two UMBC players managed to reach the 20-point mark. Jackson accounted for
nearly a third of the Retrievers’ field goal attempts, tallying 20 points in the process, while junior forward Brandon Horvath led UMBC in scoring with 23, hitting 8-of-14 field goal attempts. Although that was enough to keep the game tight, UMBC still fell short. In addition to the seasonsaving win, the Bearcats benefited from Maine’s loss to New Hampshire on Wednesday night. Maine (7-21, 3-11 AE) had a second-half lead against the Wildcats (14-13, 7-7 AE), but let it slip away, allowing BU to leapfrog them in the standings. Maine still controls its own destiny, but one loss in its final two games allows BU to clinch a playoff spot with a victory in its last regular season game. Two losses by Maine will send BU to the postseason no matter what. Binghamton will play its final game of the regular season on the road against New Hampshire. Tipoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 29 from Lundholm Gymnasium in Durham, New Hampshire.
Men’s lacrosse blown out by Bucknell at home, 16-4 Binghamton held to just one goal in second half Kyle Reina
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The Binghamton men’s lacrosse team fell to Bucknell on Tuesday night, as the Bison overpowered them for the majority of the game, ending in a 16-4 final score. The Bearcats (1-3) were led by sophomore attack Kevin Winkoff, who had one goal and three shots on goal, and came into the game following a tense triple overtime win over Lafayette. Junior defender Tom Galgano put the Bearcats on the board to start the game with a full-field send that energized the Bearcats in the first quarter. It was Galgano’s first career goal and continued his contributions on the defensive end, as he forced five turnovers by the Bison and collected seven ground balls. Senior defender Dan Mottes added another three caused turnovers. The Bearcats struggled to maintain possession at times,
as they recorded 27 total turnovers. Binghamton struggled with sloppy play in its settled offense as well, contributing to its lack of shots. Bucknell continually found scoring opportunities off failed clears. BU had 13 failed clears in the contest. “We had nine failed clears in the first half, and that’s going to take a toll on you,” said Binghamton head coach Kevin McKeown. “In the second half, we tried to do better with clearing the ball. I think we did a little better, but we still had too many failed. Their 10-man ride got to us and that was the story of the game. We were sloppy in the clearing, and due to their ride and the pressure they put on us, we threw the ball away a lot.” The Bison, as a result of Binghamton’s struggles to establish possession, were able to create a wide disparity in shots on goal. Bucknell finished with 36 shots on goal as opposed to the Bearcats’ eight. On the other end, the Bearcats’ defense was able to force Bucknell turnovers, but struggled to keep Bucknell se-
nior midfielder Grayson Burns and senior attack Will Yorke off the wing positions. Redshirt freshman goalie Teddy Dolan had a solid outing against Bucknell, securing 18 saves and allowing 10 goals by the Bison. The Bearcats are currently first in the nation in saves per game with 21.33. Junior goalie Robert Martin relieved Dolan and added two saves for Binghamton, but allowed six goals in the fourth quarter. “I think [Dolan] played really well — he had 18 saves in just three quarters,” McKeown said. “We pulled him because he was seeing a lot of rubber out there and we gave [Martin] the last quarter. I thought he did outstanding, and if he told me he was going to play that well, I would’ve thought it would have been a much closer game.” The Bison connected on 16 of their total 53 shots for a 30.2 percent clip on the day. Bucknell showed balanced scoring and found opportunities from all over the field. Ten different players registered a goal, with Yorke leading all scorers, as he netted
ariel kachuro photo editor Junior defender Tom Galgano scored his first career goal during Binghamton’s loss against Bucknell on Tuesday.
four goals and added three assists. Bucknell sophomore faceoff specialist Nick Crovatto was a force for the Bisons, going 12-of-
18 against redshirt freshman faceoff specialist Brandon Rizzuto. Crovatto is 26th in the nation in faceoff win percentage at 58.3 percent.
The Bearcats will look to rebound against Army next Tuesday. Faceoff is set for 3 p.m. on March 3 from Michie Stadium in West Point, New York.