Spring 2020 Issue 15

Pipe Dream’s Student Association endorsements, See page 5

Monday, March 16, 2020 | Vol. XCVII, Issue 15 | Binghamton University | bupipedream.com

The Free Word on Campus Since 1946

LETTER FROM THE EDITORS As Binghamton University and schools across the SUNY system prepare to move to online classes on Thursday, March 19, we here at Pipe Dream have been discussing the best way to continue to serve our community and provide students, faculty and staff with accurate, up-to-date information.

Through the end of this week, we will continue with our usual print schedule, producing an issue on Thursday, March 19 and Monday, March 23. After that, Pipe Dream will transition to printing once per week on Mondays through the beginning of spring break. This schedule will allow us to continue to serve those who remain on campus and in the Binghamton area while accommodating interruptions to scheduled events and our print advertising revenue. Throughout the week, we will continue to update our website, bupipedream.com, with breaking news and coronavirus coverage.

During spring break, our editors will work to determine whether printing Pipe Dream for the remainder of the semester is a viable option. No matter what, we will still be producing content and updating our website and social media channels. We will keep readers posted as we make decisions in the coming weeks.

Right now, many in the University community are understandably worried. In times of crisis, access to reliable information is more crucial than ever, and we pledge to continue reporting on our community, even in the darkest of times. As BU continues to navigate the transition to distance learning, we hope our readers stay safe and healthy.

jo myers pipe dream illustrator

As COVID-19 spreads, Asian students at BU see racism Asian students report experiencing racism, xenophobia on and off campus Sasha Hupka editor-in-chief

Last week, Brittney Ye opened up a Google form to track responses for her sorority’s semesterly Philanthropic Juice Pong Tournament. She was met with a racist submission from someone

who listed their name as “ching chong ma,” their organization as “ling long,” their Venmo username as “coronavirus” and called Ye and her sorority sisters “fat c****s.”

Ye, philanthropy chair for Kappa Phi Lambda and a sophomore majoring in biology, wrote in a message

see racism page 3

Sasha Hupka, Editor-in-Chief

Katy Wong, Managing Editor

Tips for SA forum to discuss BU chooses Zoom for slowing advising left empty online class transition spread of COVID-19 ‘SA Let’s Talk: Harpur Academic Advising’ sees no attendees Mark Kotowixz

contributing writer

Students had the opportunity to raise their concerns surrounding Harpur Advising during the “SA Let’s Talk: Harpur

Staff Reports

pipe dream news

According to the World Health Organization, COVID-19 is a new strain of the coronavirus family that causes mild to severe respiratory illnesses that may result in death in those with underlying conditions.

Typical indicators of COVID-19 infection include coughing, fever, shortness of breath, pneumonia and severe acute respiratory syndrome.

Here are some tips to protect yourself from the pandemic: — Engage in frequent handwashing with either soap and water or an alcohol-based hand cleanser.

— Avoid making contact with your eyes, nose and mouth.

— Practice social distancing and avoid crowded spaces, including bars and parties.

— Practice proper hygiene by using tissues and covering your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing. If you need to cough or sneeze, do so in your elbow or a tissue.

— If you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, seek medical care immediately by calling the health facility before you go and following their instructions.

— Continue to inform yourself on the outbreak and follow your health care provider’s advice. For more information on COVID-19, you can visit cdc.gov/coronavirus.

Academic Advising” forum on Thursday, but not a single one showed up.

On March 12, the Student Association’s (SA) presentation and public forum saw empty chairs. The event aimed to allow students to discuss problems and concerns with the advising center.

“Let’s Talk” is a series of regularly held

see advising page 3

Platform features include video, audio conferencing Valerie Puma

assistant news editor

After Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that New York state was declaring a state of emergency on March

12 because of the coronavirus pandemic, he required that SUNY and CUNY schools transition entirely to an online format by Thursday, March 19. In light of the announcement, Binghamton University chose to use Zoom Video Communications to connect students with their instructors and classmates

see zoom page 4

New mentoring program pairs students, alumni ‘Mentor Match’ structured on ‘career clusters,’ not majors jackson Galati news intern

Each spring, thousands of graduating students prepare for life after college. Through Binghamton University’s new Mentor Match program, students now have the opportunity to navigate those postgraduate times with the help of BU alumni.

Mentor Match launched in February 2020 and is a program offered by the BU Alumni Association and the Fleishman Center for Career and Professional Development. The program aims to connect students with alumni to foster a personal relationship in which students can learn directly from someone in the workforce, according the Mentor Match website. Steve Seepersaud, advancement communications manager for BU communications and marketing, said he sees unique potential in Mentor Match to benefit both students and alumni.

“Although the Alumni Association, Fleishman Center and campus part-

ARTS & CULTURE

ners provide a wide variety of events at which students can network with alumni, many students would like to develop sustained and meaningful connections,” Seepersaud wrote in an email. “Through Mentor Match, students can form relationships with alumni mentors who can help to prepare them for a successful future, navigate their careers and, perhaps, explore new career paths. In addition to meeting the students’ need for mentoring, Mentor Match engages alumni as volunteers in a fulfilling way.”

The new program evolved out of BU’s distance mentoring program, which launched in fall 2018. The original program was divided into three separate tracks for the Watson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, the School of Management and Harpur College through the Harpur Edge office. This meant students could only connect with alumni from their respective schools under the previous structure.

With Mentor Match, users are categorized by “career clusters,” which is the new model used by the Center to show “majors don’t dictate career paths,” according to their website.

provided by binghamton university Mentor Match is an online platform that pairs students with alumni mentors from various backgrounds and industries to provide career-building experiences.

There are seven career clusters — arts and communication; business and entrepreneurship; education and human services; engineering and information technology; government, policy and law; science and health care and exploring.

Seepersaud said the goal of the new mentoring program is to further the idea of less structured career paths.

“We rebranded and changed the program so it can be more inclusive,” Seepersaud wrote. “A challenge of the program’s previous iteration was that students from different schools were limited to which alumni they could connect with. We know a student’s

OPINIONS

career choice is not limited to their school or major, and we want them to have an opportunity to explore career paths that might differ from their academic studies and open their eyes to new opportunities.”

For the month of March, Mentor Match is having a “Match Madness” campaign to increase its users — around 1,000 at the beginning of the month. According to Seepersaud, the campaign has been going well so far.

“It has been very successful,” Seepersaud wrote. “And we’ve attracted more than 600 new mentors and about 200 new mentees, and we see [these numbers] continuing to grow.”

SPORTS

The African Student Organization hosts its annual fashion show,

Brush up on New York state’s regional cuisine,

Columnist David Hatami criticizes the Trump administration’s response to the coronavirus pandemic,

America East cancels all athletics for remainder of the spring semester,

franchises to compensate their workers for

SEE PAGE 7

SEE PAGE 8

SEE PAGE 6

SEE PAGE 10

SEE PAGE 10

Sports editor Justin Zion urges sports lost hours due to the COVID-19 pandemic,

PAGE II Monday, March 2020 Thursday, Thursday, Monday, Monday, September October October April 16, 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

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news eDitor* Jacob Kerr news@bupipedream.com Asst. news eDitors Valerie Puma Leora Schwadron Jeremy Rubino opinions eDitor* Evan Moravansky opinions@bupipedream.com Asst. opinions eDitor Elizabeth Short Arts & Culture eDitor* Gabriela Iacovano arts@bupipedream.com Asst. Arts & Culture eDitors Calendra Scahill Patrick Earns sports eDitor* Justin Zion sports@bupipedream.com Asst. sports eDitors Edward Aaron Samantha Marsh photogrAphy eDitor* Ariel Kachuro photo@bupipedream.com

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Students utilize the University Union Undergrounds on Sunday evening.

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Daniel Eisenhower

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LOCAL NEWS

Binghamton University to reimburse students who leave dormitories On Sunday, Binghamton University President Harvey Stenger announced in a message to all on-campus students that the University will refund and credit students who choose to leave their on-campus housing. Students who return next semester and live on campus will have a credit applied to their account for next year. For students to qualify, the University will need to know their plans by March 24. The University plans to refund costs for both housing and dining. The announcements marks a shift from Stenger’s statements at a March 11 press conference where he said the University would not reimburse students who leave.

LOCAL NEWS

Broome County in state of emergency

On Saturday, Broome County Executive Jason Garnar declared a state of emergency in Broome County during a press conference as a proactive response to the coronavirus, according to WBNG. The last time a state of emergency was declared in Broome County was in March 2019 in response to a series of drug overdoses. As a result of the recent declaration, K-12 schools in the county will be closed until April 13. Day cares will not be affected. At the conference, Garnar said there are not currently any confirmed cases of the coronavirus in Broome County.

STATE NEWS

Long Island, New York City, Westchester schools close On Sunday evening, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced the closure of Long Island schools for two weeks starting Monday, March 16, according to Newsday. The measure aims to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Cuomo also said New York City and Westchester schools will

close this week. The announcement comes after New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio repeatedly said he opposed closing public schools in New York City, the largest school district in the country.

NATIONAL NEWS

Biden, Sanders face off at D.C. debate Sen. Bernie Sanders and former Vice President Joe Biden met one on one in Washington, D.C. for the latest democratic debate. The debate was moved from Phoenix, Arizona amid concerns over the coronavirus and there was no studio audience, according to The New York Times. This is the first time the two candidates shared the stage alone, as all other candidates dropped out following the Feb. 25 debate.

Biden, Sanders face off at D.C. debate Sen. Bernie Sanders and former Vice President Joe Biden met one

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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:mcdonalds

unhygenic:destabilizing

“With regard to domestic travel bans, we always talk about it, consider everything. But I can tell you that has not been seriously considered, doing travel bans in the country … I don’t see that right now or in the immediate future.”

— Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health, at a White House briefing last weekend regarding future containment plans for the coronavirus.

This Day in History March 16, 1966 NASA launches Gemini VIII carrying astronauts Neil Armstrong and David Scott. The launch marked the first time a space craft docked with another space craft while in orbit.

on one in Washington, D.C. for the latest democratic debate. The debate was moved from Phoenix, Arizona amid concerns over the coronavirus and there was no studio audience, according to The New York Times. This is the first time the two candidates shared the stage alone, as all other candidates dropped out following the Feb. 25 debate.

Fed drops interest rates to near zero On Sunday night, the Federal Reserve voted to lower interest rates a full percentage point to the zero to 0.25 percent range, according to The New York Times. The interest rates set by the Federal Reserve act as the standard for credit card, bank loan and mortgage interest rates. The Federal Reserve also announced its economic aid plan to buy up to $700 billion in government and mortgaged-backed debt.

The moves come in an effort to ease market panic caused by the uncertainty surrounding the global coronavirus outbreak.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Second person to be cured of HIV reveals his identity One year after it was announced that a second person was cured of HIV, the patient revealed his identity, according to The New York Times. Forty-year-old Adam Castillejo, previously known only as the “London Patient,” went through a decade-long process of various treatments before officially being cured of HIV following a bone marrow transplant for his lymphoma. Castillejo’s donor had a genetic mutation that prevents HIV from entering cells, so the transplant essentially cured his condition, though it was only originally intended to cure his cancer. Although this is not a typical or practical option for most people, confirming that a cure for HIV can be possible is an important step for the medical field, researchers say.

Castillejo said he now intends to use his story to carry a message of hope and optimism for others.

bupipedream.com | March 16, 2020

NEWS

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haley han pipe dream illustrator

Director of Harpur Advising speaks on student complaints advising from page 1 forums that discuss pertinent topics around campus, with previous talks this year including mental health and textbook affordability. The presentation focused on addressing appointment scheduling, wait times and lack of assigned advisers, and featured Michelle Jones, director of Harpur Advising.

There are four academic advising centers at Binghamton University: School of Management Academic Advising, Decker College of Nursing and Health Sciences Academic Advising, Watson School Advising and Harpur Academic Advising, with the latter focusing on assisting Harpur College undergraduates. The advising centers help students explore academic and co-curricular interests on campus, create plans to meet degree and major requirements and offer connec-

tions to other campus resources.

Harpur Advising, aside from general advising, offers prelaw and prehealth advising, giving prospective law and medical school students resources and guidance to meet their personalized goals.

Harpur Advising allows both walk-in appointments and scheduled appointments via Starfish.

The “SA Let’s Talk” series was spearheaded in the 2019-20 academic year by SA Vice President for Academic Affairs John Santare, a senior double-majoring in biology and comparative literature. He said he believes it is important for the SA to create a platform for students to voice their concerns on hot button issues and give ideas on what to help facilitate reform on campus.

“One of the things I ran on and wanted to improve during the campaign trail was outreach and how we connect with students and get feedback from

them,” Santare said. “For a few other members of our staff and I, it’s very hard for us to develop new ideas when it’s just us here without students constantly getting feedback, so we developed the series called ‘SA Let’s Talk.’

[It] pretty much sprung from a lack of outreach and feedback.”

Although Santare said he commonly hears complaints about Harpur Advising from the student body, there was no one in attendance at the event. He credited the poor turnout to recent events relating to the coronavirus. Nevertheless, the presentation continued and addressed issues that students have brought up to the SA in the past such as wait times, making appointments and quality of help.

Noah Axinn, an undeclared freshman, missed this “SA Let’s Talk” event, but said he’s had several experiences with Harpur Advising. He said he needed help to

reorganize his schedule and decide a track for a possible major following his first semester. He sought help from Harpur Advising and described both positives and negatives from his experience.

“They were kind of helpful as they have helped me reform my schedule when I needed to switch up my classes at the beginning of the semester,” Axinn said. “When I was talking to the adviser, however, they were very pessimistic about my situation at the time, and somewhat hinted that I would have to leave [BU] to get the degree I wanted due to my academic and financial situation.”

Axinn said he hopes to see some improvements in scheduling and wait times for academic advising in the future.

“I hoped they were better about making appointments,” Axinn said. “I found it difficult to

find information on when I could schedule an appointment. They mostly just had walk-in hours, and it took almost an hour to actually talk to an adviser.”

Jones wrote in an email that her time at Harpur Advising has made her well aware of certain issues that exist in the advising center. She wrote she is continuously working with the Harpur College Dean’s Office and the Office of the Provost to resolve them.

“I know wait times have been an issue in the past and that is something we’ve been working on,” Jones wrote in an email.

“Our current student to adviser ratio is roughly 670-to-1, which is still too high for us to be able to help all of our students navigate our complex and exciting academic world. With strong support from the Harpur College Dean’s Office and the University, we plan to continue to expand

our advising team and operations to provide high quality service to our students.”

Jones wrote that feedback from students through daily and annual surveys, as well as Harpur College student focus groups and lunches, is an essential part of Harpur Advising. Jones wrote that the feedback allows the staff to learn new ideas and develop programs to make advising more effective and efficient for students.

“The entire Harpur Advising team takes great pride in assisting our students and being a part of their BU experience,” Jones wrote. “We have a number of initiatives underway that we know will increase advising accessibility and will also continue to help enhance our student experience.

I’m proud of the innovative and thoughtful ideas they come up with every day that stem from working with our students.”

Asian students voice concerns as COVID-19 gains public attention racism from page 1 that she was deeply upset by the response, and noted that the Philanthropic Juice Pong Tournament is a philanthropy event that benefits Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere (CARE), a nonprofit organization that fights poverty and encourages women and youth empowerment. This year, Ye wrote that CARE is accepting donations to help families fighting against the coronavirus.

“When I saw that, I was so taken back by the fact that someone would go out of their way to make an email for the sole purpose of sending it in,” she wrote.

“On top of that, it saddened my chapter that this was what we received in return for trying to raise money for a nonprofit organization through a philanthropic event.”

As fear surrounding COVID-19 continues to grow in Broome County, Asian students at Binghamton University are facing a spike in racism and xenophobia. One international

student from China, who wished to remain anonymous, reported that a young child approached her while she was shopping at Walmart and harassed her.

“There was a whole family in Walmart … There were two little girls, and one of them saw me,” the student said. “She jumped right into me and then she started rais[ing] her clothes in a really dramatic way to cover her face.

She’s doing this to show me, and then pointing at me and giggling and whispering to her sister. She wanted me to see it. I was like, ‘What the fuck?’”

The child’s parents were nearby while the little girl was making gestures at the student, but they didn’t step in.

“I keep telling myself, ‘Don’t keep thinking about that. Forget about that. It’s a little 7-year-old girl, she has no idea what she’s doing,’” the student said. “But the thing that worries me, is if she doesn’t know, then who taught her that?”

The student said before the incident, she was aware some Asian people were facing dis-

crimination and even physical attacks in other areas of the United States. Still, she never imagined it happening to her. Now, she said international students are discussing what measures they can take to defend themselves, including what self-defense tools they can legally possess.

“Ever since three weeks ago, we started having this conversation about how we cannot go supply shopping alone,” the student said. “They even said you probably want to go by midnight if you are wearing a mask or you just look Asian. I had already heard of issues happening in cities … but Binghamton was such a little town and so much of our population is students that I thought they understand.

I thought we were in a relatively safe place.”

The student isn’t the only person to experience racism off campus. Another Asian student, who also wished to remain anonymous, said a woman sitting next to her in a United Health Services waiting room assumed she had COVID-19. At the time, the

student was vomiting into a bag because she had the stomach flu.

“I don’t think vomiting is a sign of coronavirus,” the student said. “Nobody in my family has gone back to China in decades.

I’ve never been there, so when people assume that because you’re Chinese, you have this — I’ve never been to the country, so how could I possibly have this?”

Since then, she and many of her friends have made efforts to avoid sneezing or coughing in classes and other public settings.

“It feels like it’s only being blown out of proportion because it’s connected to Asian communities,” the student said. “A lot of my friends, who are Asian, we’ve been doing this thing where we try not to cough or to sneeze anymore in public, even if it’s just because you have a cold or your nose itches or you have something caught in your throat. We try to avoid doing that stuff just because we kind of are worried about getting outcasted or seen as weird or infectious by the rest of the people around us.”

Like the anonymous inter-

national student, the student said she heard several reports of Asian people being assaulted in New York City and other metro areas around the country. Now, she said she worries about her mother and other members of her family.

“My mom, she works in Queens,” the student said. “She works as a cashier in a pharmacy so she’s exposed to all the people going out to buy things they think they need. I don’t know if any of her customers are going to turn on her and say ‘Hey, you’re part of the problem.’”

Even Asian students who have not been personally targeted say they know racism and xenophobia will continue to be a problem as COVID-19 continues to spread in the United States. Nevertheless, Michael Messina, president of the Asian Student Union and a junior double-majoring in physics and political science, wrote in an email that his community will demonstrate solidarity in the face of hatred.

“The situation shows how willing society is to slip into ex-

tremely aggressive acts of hatred and racism,” Messina wrote. “The uniquely problematic aspect of coronavirus racism is that there are statistics for people to point to and justify their actions with; these are illogical excuses to give in to fearful and harmful behavior. But there is also an opportunity here for various multicultural communities to stand together against these acts.”

Ye wrote that she hopes BU students and faculty make efforts to educate themselves and recognize that Asian students are not to blame for the virus.

“As one of the Asian-interest Greek organizations on campus, we are extremely proud of our culture and Asian identity,” she wrote. “It has been difficult for all of us to see so much racism and xenophobia toward our community because of coronavirus and we can only hope that our campus would serve as a safe space for us. As a chapter, we hope that everyone takes the time to educate themselves on how to stay safe during this time.”

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NEWS

bupipedream.com | March 16, 2020

Move to online classes to take cooperation, BU community says zoom from page 1 remotely.

According to a B-Line announcement sent to the campus community on Monday, March 9, the University purchased an enterprise site license of the webconferencing software to accommodate everyone needing to complete the spring semester online.

Every BU student, faculty and staff member has access to a Zoom account by visiting binghamton.zoom.us, or by receiving a link for a scheduled meeting.

Logging into Zoom uses the same username and password as a University Pods account, so students do not have to create a new account. Once a Zoom meeting link has been clicked, the user will be prompted to download the Zoom application to their desktop. The app includes video and audio calling from both computers and mobile phones, conference calls that can accommodate hundreds of users at once, screen sharing, event scheduling and more.

Previously, BU utilized Cisco Webex web-conferencing software, but in Monday’s B-Line announcement, Webex users were told they would need to transition to Zoom no later than April 15. The announcement included a number of resources for troubleshooting, including the University Center for Training and Development, the Information Technology Services (ITS) help desk and the Center for Learning and Teaching (CLT). When students log into their BU Zoom accounts online, the left-side panel includes a link labeled “Video Tutorials” that can further help users navigate video conferencing.

Students are also able to visit a support page at www.binghamton.edu/students-online/ that includes study strategies, technical challenges and instructions on how to access online tutoring and more, according to a separate BLine announcement sent on Sunday, March 15. In the announcement, Donald Nieman, provost

sidney slon assistant photo editor Binghamton University faculty have begun transitioning to Zoom, an online classroom platform, after Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that classes at all SUNY schools would move to online by March 19.

and executive vice president for academic affairs, said University administrators recognize this transition may not go perfectly.

“The disruption to our normal semester is completely unprecedented for all of us and I know that the changes and cancellations, combined with the greater uncertainty about the impact of the coronavirus outbreak in your home community as well as here, have had a tremendous impact on you,” Nieman wrote in the B-Line

announcement. “We understand the fear, disappointment and anxiety that can set in with disruption of this magnitude.”

Dan Gottlieb, a first-year graduate student studying biology, is optimistic about the transition to online conferences.

“Obviously the communication will be a little bit difficult, but as long as people put in the effort you can still absolutely learn,” Gottlieb said. “It will be effective as long as students co-

operate and put in the effort.”

Julie Johnson, a lecturer of romance languages and literatures, initiated the transition last week as she worked with her classes to learn the functionalities of Zoom.

Johnson said some difficulties will arise due to a lack of preparation time, but is hopeful that the transition will be smooth.

“There will probably be problems synchronizing with all members of a class, especially the larger ones,” Johnson said.

“This process requires cooperation and collaboration between instructors and students. I think the student generation is more knowledgeable and experienced with technology than a good number of instructors, myself included.”

Nieman wrote that to get through these unforeseen circumstances, students and instructors must cooperate with one another.

“Your instructors are do-

ing their best to change their accustomed teaching methods in ways that most of them had never imagined and in a time frame that is extremely challenging,” Nieman wrote. “Making the transition will need to be a team effort — I would ask that you work together with your classmates and your instructors as we make this big shift. Together you can help each other find ways to make the rest of this semester as meaningful as possible.”

OPINIONS Monday, March 16, 2020

EDITORIAL: SA E-BOARD AND BU COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE ENDORSEMENTS

Khaleel James President

Although James is running unopposed this Student Association (SA) election cycle, the Editorial Board believes he can be a successful leader for next year’s e-board. In the wake of a high-friction year between students and administrators, James’ personable and welcoming approach to the position could be beneficial. During his time as vice president for multicultural affairs (VPMA), he has made it a point to be transparent with the student body, and it appears he will continue to focus on transparency in the presidential position. Given that this has been one of the SA’s most prominent issues in the past, his commitment to continued progress with communication and honesty in the SA is admirable.

Furthermore, James seems to understand the limitations of being in SA leadership, and having a year already under his belt as an e-board member is sure to serve him well in his dealings with administrators. We liked his ideas about increasing student interaction with the Binghamton community, and feel this could be

Joshua Dorfman

Vice President for Academic Affairs The vice president for academic affairs (VPAA) position requires someone with both a commitment and vision for the student body they seek to represent. Dorfman, an EVP office coordinator and B-Engaged adviser and administrator, is the man for the job. Having already established himself within administrative circles, Dorfman appears well equipped for the kind of work the VPAA office demands. His platform, though ambitious in some respects, can be boiled down to three components: mental health, academic advising and physical well-being. Solutions to issues in these fields vary, but much

None

BU Council Representative Pipe Dream is choosing not to endorse a candidate for the

an interesting new area of focus for the SA — one that is necessary as Binghamton University continues to grow and expand into new frontiers outside of its main campus.

Nevertheless, the Editorial Board does have some reservations about James’ candidacy. We feel that James’ platform is relatively vague, and we are disappointed that he doesn’t appear to have reflected more on some of the issues he encountered as VPMA. Some students of color have expressed they haven’t felt particularly heard or well represented by James in his role as VPMA, and we do have concerns that James’ lack of understanding and interest surrounding certain student groups could continue if he is elected president. Furthermore, we question how effectively he will be able to communicate with administrators. While he does have some experience, he seems to think having the presidency will force administrators to listen to him more carefully, and that might not prove to be the case. If he wants to accomplish his goals and create change, he will need to find ways to compromise with administrators, make his goals beneficial to them and create opportunities for leverage. Still, we think James has good things to offer, and if he can narrow his focus a bit and take opportunities to receive feedback and criticism, he will prove to be an excellent choice for president.to receive feedback and criticism, he will prove to be an excellent choice for president.

of what Dorfman brings to the table is fresh and builds upon the good work already done by the VPAA office in the 201920 academic year. These plans include exploring methods of bringing off-campus advisers to campus, increasing accessibility to healthy food options and the gym through changes to fees and improving students’ educational experience through specialized workshops and better auxiliary services like printing.

The Editorial Board does have concerns about Dorfman’s already-packed schedule and wide-ranging platform. Although it suggests that he is well experienced, overcommitment can become an impediment to serving the duties of any SA role — especially in the VPAA position.

As for his platform, it seems unlikely all of his ideas would be successfully implemented in the course of a year. Still, we see ambition in Dorfman, and should he narrow his focus while in office, that attribute could prove helpful for students across the board. He demonstrates an exceeding important willingness to learn and adapt as is necessary, and appears more than capable of rising to the occasion.

BU Council representative seat this year. Both candidates, Willa Scolari and Dante Turnbull, lack the experience necessary to effectively advocate to administrators on the behalf of the student body.

Turnbull does not seem to be heavily involved on campus and while his goal of giving a voice to students of color on campus is laudable, his overall platform seems extremely narrow. He aims to address mental health services and the political climate on campus, but seems to lack understanding of the scope of

Michael Messina

Vice President for Multicultural Affairs Although Messina has no prior SA experience, we firmly believe he is well equipped with the essential leadership and communication skills that would make him an effective vice president for multicultural affairs (VPMA). In fact, his lack of SA experience would help bring outside experience and knowledge into his wider goal of transparency.

Messina’s five-part platform includes mental health, food policy, improving relationships between Binghamton’s New York State University Police and BU students, communication and solidarity. The highly detailed platform is ambitious and most of the projects he proposes will likely not get finished during the academic year, but we believe getting any of it done is an accomplishment in itself, and if his successor can finish what he starts, BU’s multicultural communities will be well served

going forward.

Messina is also highly active in the multicultural community on campus, which is crucial to the representing multicultural groups at BU. Currently, he’s the president of the Asian Student Union (ASU), a podcast host for Asian Outlook and the professional chair for the Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers (SASE).

Aside from holding positions in Asian organizations, Messina also makes an effort to connect with the multicultural community as a whole by attending different cultural events and reaching out to other organizations.

Even though David Hatami has experience working in the SA as vice chair of the Internal Affairs Committee, we feel Hatami’s platform for VPMA is not fully developed as Messina’s.

In addition, Hatami has fewer connections to the multicultural organizations he would oversee.

The Editorial Board is concerned he will not be able to appropriately represent the community’s needs accurately or effectively, which would be his main job as VPMA. With the tensions from last semester, we believe Messina has the confidence and awareness to represent BU’s multicultural community and work with administration toward improving these issues. We are confident his experience working with the SA’s multicultural groups and his commitment to his platform make him the best fit for VPMA.

Having been part of the SA Programming Board (SAPB) since her freshman year, Cavalluzzi has a good idea of the department’s challenges and triumphs in years past. Her platform focuses on communication with the student body, which she considers one of the most important elements of the vice president for programming (VPP) position. While her plans aren’t

groundbreaking, her openness to student feedback and attention to the obstacles faced by her predecessors are good indicators she’ll carry out her duties with confidence and consideration.

She’s already made an active effort to learn from the mistakes of VPPs and learn the intricacies of the role, and she seems prepared to think on her feet in the case of any last-minute upheavals.

She also hopes to grow smaller SAPB events by collaborating with student organizations and catering to diverse interests.

We think this is a great step toward expanding the SAPB’s range in meeting the varied needs of our campus’ many cultures, so long as Cavalluzzi ensures that collaborating organizations aren’t suffocated

by SA involvement in their events. Overall, Cavalluzzi seems organized, experienced and open to expanding her role to meet the needs of students.

the BU Council representative role beyond those two issues.

Additionally, it’s unclear how he plans to get administrators to listen to him to address these issues. He seems to tread a similar path to current BU Council Representative Franklin Richards, who has not been particularly outspoken during his time on BU Council and has not managed to effect any significant change.

With Turnbull’s narrow focus, we worry he would have difficulty addressing issues that affect a variety of populations of students on campus. Additionally, Turnbull

doesn’t seem to have much of a plan to communicate his progress back to students or solicit their opinions. He cited the SA as a way to stay in contact with the student body, but it’s worth noting his position is separate from the SA E-Board for a reason.

On the other hand, Scolari’s platform demonstrates a lack of focus. Her ideas are wide ranging but nowhere near fleshed out enough to promise effective change and leadership. She is involved in multiple student groups on campus, but doesn’t seem to have any leadership

Sophia Cavalluzzi Vice President for Programming

Jacob Eckhaus

Vice President for Finance The vice president for finance (VPF) position typically has a clear line of succession, but this year, the office’s head assistant is a senior, and that left the seat up for grabs. Eckhaus was the only one brave enough to throw his hat in the ring, and overall, the Editorial Board was pleased with his platform. Given he has slightly less experience than the past several VPFs, we hope he will surround himself with people well versed in the SA’s financial policies and running of the office, but we are heartened to see that he, like many of his predecessors, isn’t trying to substantially revamp the position. While that might be considered a downside in some SA E-board roles, it’s a good thing in the VPF seat — if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

Instead, Eckhaus is proposing some changes in the advisory program, asking advisers to extend their roles to provide greater outreach and support to student groups outside of budget

season and preparing to face the SA’s Financial Committee. He is currently a general assistant in the VPF’s office and he has experience with the advisory program. The Editorial Board feels this plan could provide beneficial support to organizations with less experience handling their money and dealing with the SA’s financial policies. However, we are troubled to hear that Eckhaus does not plan to expand the number of advisers available to provide this new assistance to student groups, and we worry that if the office becomes overwhelmed and cannot live up to its promises, it will erode student groups’ trust in the VPF. Therefore, we encourage Eckhaus to develop a contingency plan and carefully consider the risks of implementing a half-baked idea — even if it has the potential to be a good one.

Furthermore, the VPF’s office has experienced several dashboard issues over the past several months, and the Editorial Board urges Eckhaus to take measures to try to prevent issues before they arise. While we know he will work to fix things quickly and communicate clearly with student groups in the event of a dashboard crash, we fear he could be overconfident about the chances of a technological malfunction occurring again.

Nevertheless, we believe Eckhaus can make some beneficial changes and continue Alec Somerstein’s solid work in the VPF office.

The Editorial Board believes that Koekkoek’s prior SA experience and platform positions will make her a good fit for the executive vice president (EVP) post. Her many semesters working in the SA, including at the reception desk, has made her well versed in the operations of the office. Furthermore, by interacting with many student groups on a daily basis, Koekkoek has developed a nuanced understanding of the SA E-Board’s pitfalls, and we believe she will

help the e-board become more transparent and open to feedback from SA-chartered organizations and the general student body.

Koekkoek will bring a loud and authoritative voice to the e-board, which counterbalance James, who is running unopposed. This will make her crucial in talks with administrators, and we believe she will be effective at negotiating with them and finding solutions that benefit everyone. As EVP, Koekkoek will seek to reform the SA leadership conferences, which are in desperate need of a restructure, and will look to implement plans to help the e-boards of clubs transition from year to year. While we feel that Koekkoek could do a better job recognizing that different club’s e-boards work in different ways, her overall plan is sound. Based on her platform, we feel she has a good sense of the current issues on campus and that, should she be elected EVP, she will be in a good position to help the SA respond to them.

experience in any of them, and like Turnbull, she doesn’t possess a strong plan for communicating with administrators, determining when to compromise on issues and finding areas to exact leverage to achieve her goals.

In short, neither candidate is prepared to step into the BU Council representative role.

This was especially apparent in their timeliness regarding their endorsement interviews. Turnbull missed his first endorsement slot and later had to reschedule with little explanation. Scolari was understandably forced to

reschedule her endorsement interview because of illness, but ended up calling in 15 minutes later than she was scheduled to speak with Pipe Dream’s Editorial Board. While we’re willing to be patient with candidates, BU’s administrators most certainly will not take them seriously if they have to wait around for them to show up. These candidates could both be viable with better platforms, more professionalism and a plan to communicate with administrators, but for now, we aren’t convinced they are serious options.

Maggie Koekkoek Executive Vice President

Editor’s note: Willa Scholari and David Hatami contribute to Pipe Dream’s Opinions Section. Neither candidate was involved in the writing of this editorial.

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, Arts & Culture Editor, Sports Editor, Photography Editor, Copy Desk Chief, Design Manager, Fun Editor, Digital Editor, Newsroom Technology Manager and Business Manager.

6

OPINIONS

bupipedream.com | March 16, 2020

The United States’ response to the coronavirus has been apathetic and dangerous Previous and current actions of the Trump administration leave citizens vulnerable David Hatami Contributing Columnist

It’s the latest buzz on the streets. Everyone’s talking about it and it’s not getting any better.

The coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, has now spread to every continent on Earth except Antarctica, with more than 169,000 confirmed cases and 6,500 deaths worldwide as of writing this column — and those numbers are steadily increasing.

While daily cases have begun to slow down in China, where the first victims were infected, cases continue to rise exponentially in the west, with Europe being considered the epicenter of the current outbreak. Despite this, it’s not too radical to predict that the epicenter will soon move from Europe to the United States.

The truth is that the U.S. federal

government has failed to take common sense actions necessary to curb the coronavirus, and incompetencies in governance and crisis leadership continue to this day. The Trump administration should be praying for a stroke of luck if they hope to avoid the mass carnage the virus has brought to Europe.

When early signals of alarm were evident in January and February, the U.S. government initially sought to quell fears by nonchalantly downplaying the whole outbreak. In late February, President Donald Trump assured Americans that the coronavirus was a “problem that’s going to go away,” and that the situation in the United States was “under control.” By this time, Italy had already seen major spikes in coronavirus cases and had begun shutting down entire towns. Trump most likely sought to downplay the outbreak because of its major effects on the stock market.

During times of public health emergencies, business and profit should be the last concern of a world leader.

As of late, Trump has claimed the United States was one of the most prepared nations in the world in the face of pandemic.

This, unsurprisingly, just isn’t true. According to Laurie Garrett, a former senior fellow for global health at the Council on Foreign Relations, through actions taken by the Trump administration in 2018, the government has “intentionally rendered itself incapable.” This is because, as stated by Garrett, “the Trump administration fired the government’s entire pandemic response chain of command, including the White House management infrastructure” in 2018. This left the federal government with almost no concise plan with what to do in case of a pandemic and no specialized team assigned to tackle the problem.

Not only this, but following the globalization of the outbreak in early February, the president argued for significant cuts to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In late February, the White House must’ve realized the severity of the coronavirus, because they then requested $1.25 billion in aid from Congress. This, in hindsight, was still an act of apathy, for on March 13, Trump declared a state of national emergency, allowing the government to spend as much as $50 billion to combat the virus.

Trump has called concerns regarding the virus a “hoax” promulgated by the Democratic Party in an effort to indicate that American media hysteria has been unjustified. This dangerously implies that Trump is taking an issue of public health and making it an issue of party partisanship.

However, he is not the only national leader to blame. For

days now, Congress has been trying to pass an emergency coronavirus bill, which is meant to address some major aspects of society that will be affected by the virus. The Congressional recess was even postponed in an effort to pass a bill as quickly as possible. However, for the past week, Republican lawmakers have voiced opposition to the proposed bill, further extending the time any law would take to be put into place. According to NPR, a deal would include “free coverage for coronavirus testing, extended unemployment insurance, paid sick leave and expanded food assistance as the pandemic takes a larger toll on the United States and global economies.” A deal was finally reached Saturday morning, only after another 277 new cases were confirmed in a single day. While the ultimate deal provided all that was promised, the paid sick leave only applies to employees working for businesses with

fewer than 500 total employees — leaving millions vulnerable still.

It’s become obvious in the past few weeks that the United States needs to begin taking this virus much more seriously.

There is a strong lack of general concern among leaders, and this lack of concern is visible through the lack of test kit availability and institutional action. It is much smarter to tackle an issue like this through preemptive means instead of when the issue has expanded beyond measure. If the virus is curbed early on, it means fewer infections and ultimately fewer deaths. Despite this, even as I write this article, BU classes continue to be conducted in person, and administrators say an early cancellation only would occur if a case is confirmed on campus. For now, just wash your hands and hope for the best.

David Hatami is a sophomore majoring in political science.

Reducing food waste is key to combating climate change While institutions like BU have made efforts to reduce waste, more could be done by everyone Sophia LoBiondo Columnist

I do not think twice when I dump half a plate of food in the garbage or consider how much food I waste over the course of a week, and you probably don’t either.

Food waste is a serious issue in the United States that is causing a cascade effect on the environment, contributing to climate change and rising temperatures. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), 30 to 40 percent of food served in the United States is wasted every year. Some of this food waste occurs at the consumer level, which includes us college students. Fortunately, Binghamton University and Sodexo have implemented sustainability efforts to reduce waste, but students should still try to be more conscious of the food they are throwing away when thinking about the longterm impact our actions have on the environment.

It’s quite shocking to hear that a head of lettuce can take up to 25 years to decompose in a landfill. Unfortunately, mountains of rotting food do not decompose like they would in a compost bin or on their own. This organic material in landfills also creates landfill gas, which is about half carbon dioxide, half methane and a small percentage of nonmethane organic compounds. The high concentrations of methane released from these landfills have detrimental effects on the environment. According to

the World Wildlife Fund, about 11 percent of greenhouse gas emissions caused by the food system come from wasted food.

Methane is a greenhouse gas that works extremely well at trapping heat in the atmosphere, thus contributing to rising global temperatures. Methane is at least 84 times more potent than carbon dioxide when in the atmosphere for two decades, which is why efforts should be made to reduce its concentration in the atmosphere now rather than later when it could pose a much greater threat. While food waste may not be the first thing that comes to mind when we think of causes of climate change, it is clear that it is a significant contributor to the problem and is something we could easily work to reduce by changing our daily habits.

According to the USDA, 31 percent of food waste occurs at the consumer and retail level.

Food at the consumer level is wasted when we throw away unfinished food, such as what is left on our plate after meals or leftovers from restaurants.

Waste also accumulates from buying in bulk and letting excess food go bad or throwing away food that has passed the sell-by date posted on the package. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommends avoiding buying in bulk to avoid having to throw away food when it becomes inedible and to cook with produce that may be past ideal freshness. People should also be wary of “sell-by” and “useby” dates posted on food, which can often be misleading. For most foods, these dates indicate maximum quality and taste, and are not indicators of the food being unsafe. It is important to

shutterstock

be mindful of how food is wasted in our daily lives and find ways to reduce this waste.

Both BU and Sodexo have been working toward reducing waste and operating sustainable campus dining services. Some initiatives already in place include composting leftover food, which works to reduce food waste in landfills and recycling fryer oil to be used as biofuel. Food

scraps are composted at a local farm, and the composted material is returned to the University and distributed throughout campus grounds. Our campus also purchases food from local vendors. These efforts help to reduce the University’s negative impact on the environment and provide a model for other institutions to do the same.

While the University has

implemented methods to reduce waste, some may argue there is always more that can be done. Perhaps some additional changes can be made such as including a compost bin in trash rooms in each dormitory. Many residents make their own food in their rooms or take dining hall food back to the dorms, thus continuing to contribute to the food waste issue by throwing food

away in the garbage. Compost bins are a simple solution to continue to move toward sustainability. This, paired with each individual’s efforts to reduce food waste in their personal lives, are feasible ways that we reduce our contribution to climate change.

Sophia LoBiondo is a sophomore majoring in political science.

Letter to the Editor: Statement from the Vice President for Academic Affairs John Santare and Maxwell Hisiger Guest Columnists

On March 11, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that all SUNY and CUNY schools must transition to distance learning models by this coming Thursday.

Binghamton University approved its own COVID-19 response plan — one that sought to keep courses on campus for as long as possible — just one day prior to Cuomo’s sweeping ultimatum. It is an unfortunate but necessary situation that brings about more questions and concerns t han answers.

Upon hearing that all courses would move online for the remainder of the semester, several students reached out to the Student Association (SA) with a variety of issues such as:

“How will students obtain credit for health and wellness studies courses, labs or other classes that are dependent upon an in-person element?” and “Will this impact a student’s ability to graduate?” In speaking with administrators, who went on to broadcast these answers, we found that students will receive necessary credits and seniors will graduate uninhibited. While we commend the administration for their responses to such questions, it is imperative they take the mental health concerns that come out of our current predicament as seriously as they have the academic ones. The immediate future is still vague to all parties: administrators, faculty and students alike.

As the March 19 deadline approaches, the SA has been notified by multiple students

that their professors are moving up exams. These accounts state that exams originally scheduled for after March 19 were shifted to just before the transition.

One student noted that their professor would distribute the original exam despite the lack of instruction on some of the content; moreover, the professor would attempt to make up for lost time by supplying students of the course with an “upgraded” study guide. While we are pleased to see Provost Donald Nieman’s March 15 B-Line message indicating that tests cannot be moved up to a date before classes go online, professors should still consider how the current situation may be affecting their students’ mental health and respond accordingly.

We are currently faced with what may be the most stressful period in modern academic

history. COVID-19 has thrust the United States into a state of national emergency. Such sentiments are not lost in the BU community, where students are faced with threats of a pandemic that has already drastically altered their learning environment. It is difficult to “unwind” and “connect with others,” as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests, while practicing social distancing and acclimating to an unfamiliar model for coursework.

In times of such crisis, the University can show it cares about mental health.

We implore the faculty at BU to consider the strain that a sweeping online transition will place on the student population — to consider the well-being of students overall. It is understandable that professors would make amendments to syllabuses

in response to the upcoming conversion. Yet, we strongly advise against arrangements that add undue anxiety before the switch, of which the sole purpose is to avoid certain inconveniences of distance learning. There is no acceptable reason why a student should balance adjustment to current health standards and online academic tools with unexpected examinations.

Furthermore, we call on the administration to address concerns related to the mental well-being of the BU community.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has compiled a comprehensive list of mental health considerations that range from the general public to those in isolation. A step in the right direction would be to mimic — or even adopt and promote — this wording in a University-

wide announcement. Although BU prides itself on academic achievement, it is essential that we prioritize health and safety over collegiate endeavors. As such, we must adopt a campuswide mentality of leniency as to not compromise on our promise of protection.

While it is increasingly apparent that this pandemic weakens both physical body and social order, we encourage all appropriate entities to collaborate on proactive measures to contain a mental health epidemic.

John Santare is the SA vice president for academic affairs (VPAA) and a senior doublemajoring in biology and comparative literature. Maxwell Hisiger is the chief of staff for the VPAA and a senior doublemajoring in economics and mathematics.

ASO’s annual fashion show returns to the Mandela Room This year’s styles find inspiration in the divine Gaelle Alcindor

contributing writer

On Saturday, Binghamton University’s African Student Organization (ASO) offered a glimpse of African culture with “Threads of the Motherland: Garden of Divinity.” The annual fashion show included a performance and a variety of interactive moments with the host.

The fashion show emphasized a theme of divinity by dedicating each scene to an African god or goddess that lives in the Garden of Divinity, highlighting African music, humor and spirituality.

Host Young Prince, a comedian and emcee, also made sure to include non-African attendees by calling for short dance breaks throughout the night, where music from various Caribbean islands was played.

The show provided a place for African students at BU, such as Abigail Obeng, a sophomore majoring in biochemistry, to see their culture represented.

“I actually feel like I have a place I belong to,” Obeng said.

The event also served as a fundraiser for Iban Ifiok, an organization run by BU alumni that invests in girls in Africa.

At the fashion show, Iban Ifiok was presented with an award for positively impacting girls in Africa.

“They have done a lot of things to help women back home in Africa that don’t have sanitary pads or supplies to go to school,” said Nanayaa Amponsah, president of the ASO and a junior double-majoring in Africana studies and women, gender and sexuality studies.

Aside from seeking a community of inclusion and representation, fashion show attendees came out to see the diverse styles that were showcased throughout the night.

The pieces ranged from formal wear to casual streetwear, even including a swimsuit line. The seven designers who participated were each assigned to one of the seven “gods” and “goddesses” of the garden. Designer Danielle Christian, ’19, who started DJené Designs, styled her models as a tribute to the god of war, Anhur.

Other models were styled by other black-owned brands, including KD Collections, Jiggy

By Nature, Ataria, Omooba Fashions, Aude Swim and Heritage Links.

Amponsah pointed to African royalty as an inspiration for the event, and emphasized the importance of showcasing many different styles of African clothing. “[We were] able to show the different scenes and genres,” Amponsah said. “I think it was really good. [BU] lacks a lot of culture and we [are] able to showcase that every year. So, I feel like today was a really

amazing day.”

Mercedes Yeboah, a member of the ASO and an undeclared freshman, also said she felt the fashion show did a good job of showcasing different types of African cultures. Yeboah, who attends ASO meetings, said she feels that the group allows her to have representation in the BU community. “[The ASO is] very important to just be a safe space for not just African Americans, but Africans in general, to … be a comfortable, safe space to let the world know about our culture, like our fabric prints and designs,” Yeboah said.

The African Student Organization’s “Threads of the Motherland: Garden of Divinity” fashion show highlighted African culture.

alex gross staff photographer

8

ARTS & CULTURE

bupipedream.com | March 16, 2020

A guide to New York state’s Driftwood explores folk hidden regional dishes history at campus concert Pipe Dream’s list of foods downstaters should try

Local band shares traditional music

Blanca Perez

Lakhsmi Chatterjee

From spiedies to salt potatoes, New York state’s culinary landscape has a wide range of regional quirks. While most Binghamton University students hail from New York City and its surrounding suburbs, many are from other New York cities and towns, where these unique terms simply roll off the tongues of socalled “upstaters.” If you’re part of BU’s “downstate” majority and you’re curious about what the rest of the state has to offer, check out Pipe Dream’s guide to New York state’s regional delicacies.

Binghamton Binghamton is known for its carousels, First Friday shows and “The Twilight Zone,” but also for its beloved spiedies and city chicken. Marinated in oil, vinegar and herbs for one to three days, spiedies are lamb, venison, beef, chicken or pork sandwiches served on Italian bread. Additionally, city chicken is a playful misdirect for Binghamton residents who know very well that this dish is not chicken. Marinated, deep-fried and then baked, this mixture of pork and veal is a town favorite.

Found in many Binghamton delis, restaurants and homes, these dishes are an integral part of Binghamton culture.

Donna Seidel, 54, of Johnson City, first tried a spiedie when she was 5 years old and explained that cooking this dish came “right down the line” from her family, becoming a generational delicacy.

“My mother used to cook all the time and that would be what she would make,” she said.

If you want to try a spiedie, head right down the road on Vestal Parkway to Spiedie & Rib Pit, a restaurant Seidel praises for its great spiedies.

Utica A little further north in the city of Utica, wholesome greens are a local delicacy. The dish, known as Utica greens, contains breadcrumbs, prosciutto, cheese and hot peppers. Mio Sakai, a third-year graduate student studying business administration, said the greens have a salt-like taste, but are very good. Along with prosciutto, Sakai said the dish can be cooked with pork or chicken and pairs very well with soul food. If you’re looking for some Utica greens, Sakai suggests you head to Italian delis and pizzerias in Utica.

Albany In Albany, you’ll find a

In a dimmed Casadesus Recital Hall, a picnic basket and two acoustic guitars lay in the front of the room. After a few minutes of the crowd shouting out adjectives and nouns, prompted by host René Neville, assistant to the chair of the music department, the set was named “Beautiful Dog Park” and became the scene for a peaceful night of folk songs.

“Americana Concert” was performed on Friday, March 13 as part of a series that brings in artists, poets, dancers and musicians from the campus community and provides a venue for them to perform and encourage liberal arts studies.

Neville put the series together and explained its importance to the student community.

“The artists that we bring here, they are difference makers in their own communities, and the … series serves to show and act as a road map so liberal arts students can see how they too can make differences in their own communities,” Neville said.

“It’s just a little snapshot of what you can do with a liberal arts education.”

The concert was performed

by Dan Forsyth and Joe Kollar, two members of the nationally touring folk band Driftwood.

Forsyth is the primary songwriter and guitarist for the band, which originated in Binghamton and has played on shows for NPR and music festivals such as FloydFest, AMERICANAFEST and the Finger Lakes GrassRoots Festival of Music and Dance.

Kollar is the concert manager for BU’s music department and a

contributing writer

arts & culture

Spiedies are an integral part of Binghamton’s food culture.

peculiar application of the sweet tooth by pairing melba sauce with mozzarella sticks.

Melba sauce is a combination of pureed cranberries, currant jelly and cornstarch. This sweet concoction, usually used for desserts, has found itself the love of Capital District residents as the go-to mozzarella stick sauce.

Although it may seem like an odd pairing, Mia Sager, ‘19, said the contrasting tastes complement each other.

“I think it’s the sweet and salty that attracts people, because cheese and fruit are often appetizers that are served together,” she said.

Sager said she grew up eating melba sauce and that it’s a lot more common in New York’s upstate areas. If you want to try melba sauce and mozzarella sticks, Saratoga suggests an Irish pub called The Parting Glass where you can order this savory delight.

Syracuse If you don’t have much of a sweet tooth, don’t worry — Syracuse, the home of the salt potatoes, has you covered. The dish was first created in the 1800s when local salt miners made an inexpensive dish for lunch by soaking small potatoes in salt brine. Fast forward a few centuries and you can now easily spot these Syracuse favorites at state fairs and barbecues. Maddie Murray, a sophomore studying business administration, said she is shocked more people haven’t heard of the Syracuse staple. “[It] seems like such a normal

instagram

thing,” she said.

Murray describes salt potatoes as a summer food that you eat at barbecues right alongside your hamburgers, hot dogs and corn. Murray suggests people try the dish at Dinosaur BarB-Que or any Syracuse diner.

Ripley Hoffman, an undeclared sophomore, was born in Syracuse and said she most likely had salt potatoes when she was a baby.

“People make them at family gatherings like you’d make mashed potatoes,” she said.

“Sometimes they’re mashed themselves.”

Hoffman said she was surprised to know salt potatoes were specific to Syracuse and always thought they were a norm everywhere. If you can’t wait to try salt potatoes, Hoffman said you can find them at Wegmans.

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rose coschignano pipe dream photographer Driftwood, a Binghamton-based band, brought American folk history to Casadeus Recital Hall.

founding member of Driftwood.

The show consisted of a mixture of traditional Americana folk songs, including songs from Doc Watson and Townes Van Zandt as well as songs that were passed down by generations with no known creator. Forsyth and Kollar discussed how these songs and artists inspired them with their stories, including one about folk singer Van Zandt.

“The first song [Van Zandt] wrote, when he was married at a young age and came from a pretty rich family, he sort of just decided that he was going to be a songwriter one day and turned his closet into a space to write songs,” Kollar said. “He went into the closet and worked and worked and worked until he came out with a song. His wife was pretty excited because she probably assumed it would be a love song about her and he said the song was called ‘Waiting Around to Die.’ The marriage didn’t work out, but he ended up writing some beautiful love

songs.”

Kollar also mixed in a few original songs into the set, explaining that his mother chose what songs they should play.

He performed one called “The Moon” at her discretion.

“I played this entire set for my mom, who, believe it or not, is quite the critic,” Kollar said.

“Very supportive, don’t get her wrong, but if we’re not on fire, she’ll let us know. So I tried all these songs out and I wasn’t going to play this one because it’s brand new, but she said it was good, so here you go.”

Allison Suttenberg, a sophomore majoring in psychology, said she enjoyed the show and that it was an escape from the stress of the current coronavirus (COVID-19) concerns on campus.

“I’m not the biggest Americana music fan, but I really enjoyed the songs that they played,” she said. “It’s been a stressful week so it was nice to go to something relaxing.”

F UN

Monday, March 2020 Thursday, Thursday, Monday, Monday, September October October April 16, 3,2,5, 2017 28, 2017 2017 2017

Have a zeppole on me

Cats (2019) changed my life for the worse

Daniel Eisenhower Horoscopes

The Cosmos

Sarah Teper

Sudoku

By The Mepham Group

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

© 2020 The Mepham Group. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency. All rights reserved.

Release Date: Monday, March 16, 2020

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

Please wash your hands!

Tara Regan

Spencer Lubell

ACROSS 1 Potentially insensitive, briefly 5 Police 9 ABBA’s “__ Mia!” 14 Vidal’s Breckinridge 15 Pequod captain 16 Native Nebraskans 17 Plenty 18 Islamic branch 19 Transports by truck 20 Winding, hilly thoroughfares 23 Gandhi’s land 24 Like oysters on the half shell 25 French water 28 Not kid around 33 IV amounts 36 List-shortening abbr.

37 Italics feature 38 Walter White shaved his off 40 In contention (for) 43 On the house 44 Aimée of “La Dolce Vita” 46 Dmitri’s dissent 48 In low spirits 49 Traitorous spies 53 Driver’s license info 54 Wayside stop 55 One-up 59 Halloween discards, and what the three sets of circles represent?

64 “Dallas” surname 66 Solid precipitation 67 Backside in a fall?

68 Long-shot ragsto-riches enabler 69 Ices, mob-style 70 Girl in a Salinger story 71 Enter on a laptop 72 Italian eight 73 Sweetheart

you here!”

7 “No __, no gain” 8 Mall pizza chain 9 Goth hairstyles 10 Opposite of 17-Across 11 Headpiece for kids in Mickey’s TV club 12 Filmmaker Brooks 13 Biblical beast of burden 21 Yarn 22 Boating blade 26 Sleep concern 27 “¿Cómo está __?”

29 Dune buggy, briefly 30 “We did it!”

31 Throw wildly 32 North Pole toymaker 33 “Hanging” problems in the 2000 election 34 Algonquin transport 35 Iowa port on the Lewis and Clark Trail 39 Coax (out), as a genie 41 “Science Guy”

Bill 42 Title for DDE 45 Fictional language spoken by Sheldon and Leonard on “The Big Bang Theory” 47 Sporty car roof 50 Wind up 51 Slangy “Movin’ right along ... “ 52 Had a late meal 56 Not long-winded

57 Daytime soap, e.g.

58 Big name in blenders 60 Opposed to 61 Float like a feather in the breeze 62 Breakup 63 “Let me add ... ” 64 Yellowstone grazers 65 Misery

ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE:

DOWN 1 Savory taste first identified in Tokyo 2 Carpet synthetic 3 __ as a peacock 4 Tabby stimulant 5 José’s house

By Ed Sessa 6 “Fancy meeting ©2020 Tribune Content Agency, LLC

03/16/20

03/16/20

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@PipeDreamSports FOR UP-TO-DATE COVERAGE

Monday, March 16, 2020

CANCELED

sidney slon assistant photo editor

America East shuts down spring sports amid coronavirus concerns Edward Aaron

assistant sports editor

As concerns surrounding the coronavirus (COVID-19) continue to grow, the NCAA has canceled all winter and spring championship events, including March Madness, and the America East Conference (AE) quickly followed suit, announcing Thursday evening that all AE competitions were canceled for the remainder of the academic year. With that, Binghamton’s spring sports seasons are over, and there will be no more BU athletics events for the rest of the semester.

“Effective immediately, all competition and practices for all teams and individual student-athletes at America East Conference institutions have been canceled for the rest

of this academic year, including any spring sport events that occur beyond the academic year,” read a statement from the AE. “The decision was made in light of the recent developments, including the cancellation of all NCAA winter and spring championships, regarding the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19). This is a proactive decision to protect the health, safety and well-being of everyone.”

The decision meant that 10 of Binghamton’s teams saw their seasons come to a premature ending. Baseball, softball, men’s lacrosse, women’s lacrosse, the track and field teams, men’s tennis, women’s tennis, golf and wrestling all had their competitions canceled.

“The welfare of our studentathletes, staff and fans remains our top priority,” said BU

Director of Athletics Patrick Elliott, per bubearcats.com.

Prior to the AE’s announcement, all the road games Binghamton’s teams were scheduled to compete in this weekend were canceled as a result of decisions made by various schools and conferences.

No home games were scheduled to be played.

In the short term, wrestling may be the team most affected, as redshirt sophomores Lou DePrez and Zack Trampe were set to compete at the 2020 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships next week. After winning Binghamton’s secondever Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA) individual title last weekend, DePrez was set to enter the tournament seeded fourth in a wide-open 184-pound race. He was among the favorites to win

and had a legitimate chance to become Binghamton’s first-ever national champion.

Among the spring sports, both baseball and softball were expected to be in competition for a conference title. Baseball was picked first in the AE coaches’ poll, and softball was among the favorites and had been selected to host the AE tournament.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Wednesday that all SUNY schools will move to distance learning by Thursday, March 19. The state also decided to allow athletics events at SUNY schools to continue as planned for the immediate future without spectators. Although no official state government or SUNY policies have changed regarding athletics, some schools and conferences had made their own decisions on the matter prior to the AE announcement.

Several geographically similar mid-major conferences have called off athletics events in the past few days. The Ivy League was the first conference to suspend all of its spring sports; thus, the Binghamton women’s lacrosse team’s scheduled road trip to Harvard was the first BU athletics cancellation resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Patriot League also canceled all spring athletics competitions on Thursday morning, and several other leagues and schools followed suit throughout the day.

UMBC was the first AE school to suspend competition.

Prior to canceling all sports for the remainder of the semester, the AE, along with every league in the country with basketball tournaments still in progress, canceled its conference championship games. The games were set for Friday, March 13 and

Saturday, March 14. The league initially announced its plans to hold the title games without spectators but made the decision to cancel just hours later in the midst of a flurry of cancellations from conferences around the country on Thursday morning.

“The decision was made in consultation with the conference’s leadership in light of the recent developments regarding the spread of the COVID-19 virus,” read a statement from the AE at the time. “This is a proactive decision to protect the health, safety and well-being of our student-athletes, coaches, staff and everyone on our campuses.”

In addition to the NCAA, the NHL, NBA and MLB all suspended competition indefinitely due to the coronavirus outbreak. The suspensions are unprecedented in America’s sports history.

Sports teams should compensate suspended employees Workers face loss of wages amid COVID-19 outbreak Justin Zion Sports Editor

In the span of 36 hours, the sports world came to a screeching halt because of the coronavirus (COVID-19). The NBA, NHL and Major League Soccer suspended their seasons. The MLB delayed opening day for at least two weeks and scrapped spring training.

The Masters Tournament was postponed and the Association of Tennis Professionals and Women’s Tennis Association canceled competitions. Virtually all Division I athletic activity came to a

stop, and March Madness, along with every other NCAA winter and spring championship, was outright canceled. In Europe, the top five domestic soccer leagues suspended play, as did the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) Champions League and the UEFA Europa League.

Ultimately, the decision to postpone or cancel these sporting events is the right one, as the safety of athletes, coaches and fans is paramount. Yet, that doesn’t mean these developments haven’t been a gut punch to the sporting world. Sports are arguably the most popular aspect of our culture, and when they got taken away so suddenly, a lot of people were left in a state of sadness, and rightfully so. Sports are such a big part of people’s lives, including my own, and it’s okay to struggle with how to deal without

sports for the next month or two.

What is in danger of being lost in the aftermath of these suspensions and cancellations is the economic impact it will have on a lot of people who work in the sports industry. I’m not talking about big corporations like the NBA and the Premier League, which will likely suffer some significant loss of revenue but will ultimately recover. I’m referring to all of the hourly staff whose work helps the leagues run so smoothly. All of these people and their families are likely to suffer immensely tough times under these conditions.

So many of the thousands of people who work in the sports industry will have no work to do while the suspensions remain in place. The people who staff stadiums and arenas during games will obviously lose out on paying

hours, as will those who maintain the grounds at baseball and soccer stadiums and the ice at hockey arenas. This includes those who manage and maintain facilities at colleges and high schools. Even those who work higher-paying jobs, such as those in ticket sales, are potentially at risk of losing out on some wages.

Local businesses and restaurants are also likely to suffer under these suspensions and cancellations. Hotels, restaurants and bars in cities that were scheduled to host March Madness games, for example, will suffer a hit because of the tournament’s cancellation. Sports bars across the country are also facing a substantial loss of revenue, since the number of patrons coming to these establishments will inevitably decrease because there simply are no sporting events

to watch.

It is imperative that the leagues that have shut down, as well as all the teams that make up these leagues, develop a plan to provide compensation and economic relief to their workers who otherwise can’t earn their wages. Mark Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks, has already announced a plan to compensate the team’s hourly workers who are impacted by the NBA’s suspension. Similarly, Zion Williamson, a forward for the New Orleans Pelicans, has pledged to help the employees of his home arena through this rough time.

Since then, more teams and players have pledged their support, but others have thus far refused to do so. Leagues and teams across the world must follow the lead of Cuban and the Mavericks.

The federal and state governments should step in where they can, especially for workers in state universities such as Binghamton University, who are technically state employees. However, since COVID-19 is impacting the economy in so many different areas, it is unclear how much assistance government can provide. That is why it is even more important that the private sector get involved however it can.

As fans, our recognition of greatness in sports is often limited to players and coaches, and we often forget how many people are involved in making the sports we love happen. Now that they are in a time of need, we cannot forget them. We have to recognize their plight and push the leagues and teams we love to assist them until the day comes that sports can resume worldwide.