Thursday, February 13, 2020 | Vol. XCVII, Issue 7 | Binghamton University | bupipedream.com
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alex gross staff photographer Binghamton University President Harvey Stenger announced a $60 million gift from an anonymous donor to fund a new baseball complex on campus.
Anonymous donor gives Donation evokes negative $60M for baseball facility response from students Complex to include indoor training facility Justin Zion
sports editor
An anonymous donor family has made an unprecedented $60 million donation to the Binghamton University baseball program, BU President Harvey Stenger announced on Tuesday. The donation will fund a brand-
new complex around the current baseball field, increasing seating capacity and establishing an indoor training facility. Stenger announced the donation in the Events Center alongside SUNY Chancellor Kristina Johnson, Director of Athletics Patrick Elliott and baseball head coach Tim Sinicki. All three gave remarks at the event. Other University officials, including numerous BU coaches, were also in attendance.
Startup aims to connect with BU Nearly half of Bandalier’s workforce is students Leora Schwadron
assistant news editor
A startup sales company called Bandalier, located in Binghamton, may provide an opportunity for Binghamton University students looking to get involved in entrepreneurship. Bandalier began and still operates as an in-house startup at the Koffman Southern Tier Incubator (KSTI) in Downtown Binghamton. It is a businessto-business (B2B) sales company that connects sales workers with remote opportunities. According to the company’s website, “Bandalier’s teams help technology and professional services companies connect with their customers.” The company was launched in 2017 with funding from the KSTI, and the first four team members hired were BU students. Since then, the company’s link to the University has expanded, and
see startup page 3
“Excellence begets excellence, so when you get a gift like this it recognizes that [BU] is a world class University, worthy of world-class contributions and transformative gifts,” Johnson said. “I think this is setting the stage for all the other campuses to come forward and to really step up to support the State University of New York.” The $60 million donation
see donation page 10
Complaints cite other areas in need of funds David Julien news intern
On Tuesday, Binghamton University President Harvey Stenger announced that an anonymous donor family contributed a record-breaking $60 million toward the construction of a state-of-theart baseball complex. However,
the news wasn’t met with excitement by all, and some students have mixed opinions on the matter. The new facility will be equipped with a number of amenities including an indoor training area, a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) space, a study lounge and new press suites. In the announcement, Stenger emphasized the significance of the donation not just for the athletics department, but for BU as a
whole. “A gift like this will obviously benefit our baseball team, but we also think that it will have an impact on our athletics department and the entire University,” Stenger said. “Gifts like this get headlines … But equally important is the impact it has on our other current and future donors. It helps generate pride among friends and alumni who will, in
see response page 3
BU roommates become real estate partners Alumni bought property after graduation, now rent to students Melanie Gulbas pipe dream news
From roommates to business partners, three Binghamton University alumni have teamed up to take on the student rental industry in Binghamton. The company, 4Cproperties LLC, was founded in 2017 and is named after their former suite, 4C, in Seneca Hall of College-in-the-Woods.
Nicholas Catrone, ‘16, Cory Zelniker, ‘17 and Antony Haines, ‘16 became cofounders of 4Cproperties LLC after buying their first property in 2017 and now own three houses. Catrone said the idea started in 2016 when the group was discussing BU’s new School of Pharmacy and Phar-
maceutical Sciences (SOPPS) and started looking into houses in the area to see if they could rent properties to pharmacy students. “We figured buy now before the prices
see rentals page 3
Science Pub BING starts discussion on research Seventy attendees went to Lost Dog Cafe to hear about amphibians Jacob Kerr news editor
As customers dined in Lost Dog Cafe on Tuesday evening, more than 70 people gathered in a private room at the back of the restaurant to hear Binghamton University researchers speak on amphibians. The age of the crowd was diverse — attendees ranged from a toddler to a few elderly couples, with a group of BU students in the middle. Science Pub BING aims to connect BU research with local community members, regardless of their age, to teach science in a more casual setting, according to Julie Weisberg, one of the event organizers and director of public communications at Family Planning of South Central New York. “Just as there is a thirst for arts, culture and music [in Binghamton], I bet you people are interested in science topics,” Weisberg said while explaining how she got involved with the event. “And not just for science folks — for everybody.”
see amphibians page 3
john atkinson pipe dream photographer Jessica Hua, head of a wetlands ecology laboratory and an assistant professor of biology at BU, spoke about her research on amphibians at Lost Dog Cafe on Tuesday as part of the first Science Pub BING event.
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Pipe Dream’s 2020 Sex Issue is here.
PAGE II Thursday, February 13. 2020 Thursday, Thursday, Monday, Monday, September October October April 3,2, 5, 2017 28, 2017 2017 2017
ADDress: University Union WB03 4400 Vestal Parkway E. Binghamton, N.Y. 13902 phone: 607-777-2515 fAx: 607-777-2600
SPRING 2020
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zachary canaperi photo intern Students participate in a yoga session hosted by Campus Recreation and International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) in the East Gym on Monday.
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Police Watch The following accounts were provided by Investigator Mark Silverio of Binghamton’s New York State University Police. A bad trip TUESDAY, Feb. 4, 10:45 a.m. — A 61-year-old male reported that he noticed a disoriented and confused person kicking the exterior doors to try and get into Bingham Hall of Newing College. Officers responded to the residential hall and found the 18-year-old male suspect on the fifth floor of the building. The suspect said he was a Pennsylvania State University (PSU) student visiting friends. The officers located his friends and returned the suspect to their room. About three hours later, UPD was contacted again about the same male suspect. He
was found wandering around and complained to officers about the pain in his foot from kicking on the door. He was still disoriented and having a difficult time answering officers’ questions. He said he thought he was back in his dorm at PSU. He was taken into custody for trespassing and upon searching him, officers found 3.3 grams of psilocybin mushrooms, also known as shrooms, and 10 Xanax pills. The suspect was brought back to the station for processing and the drugs were confiscated. The suspect said he wanted to go back to his college and was given a courtesy ride to the bus station. He was issued an appearance ticket for criminal possession of a controlled substance and criminal trespassing.
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University at Albany, Buffalo Student Association presidents face impeachment trials
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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
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Just use your turn signal WEDNESDAY, Feb. 5, 2:00 a.m. — Officers observed a vehicle traveling on East Access Road fail to use their turn signal. Officers initiated a traffic stop and noticed a strong odor of marijuana coming from the inside of the vehicle. When asked about the odor, the suspect, a 20-year-old female, produced a bag containing about five grams of marijuana. Officers searched the vehicle and found another 9.3 grams of marijuana, a grinder, a bowl and a mason jar with marijuana residue. The marijuana was confiscated and the suspect was issued a traffic ticket for failure to use her turn signal. She also received an appearance ticket for Vestal Town Court.
Forgot to inspect weapons policies too SATURDAY, Feb. 8, 8:30 p.m. — Officers initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle traveling on West Drive for not having a updated inspection sticker on its windshield. While speaking to the driver, a 34-yearold male, the officer observed a pellet gun in the vehicle. The male suspect said the pellet gun belonged to his brother-in-law and that he had not given it back yet. The officer asked if the suspect was aware that he could not have a weapon on campus grounds and the suspect said he was not aware of this policy. The pellet gun was confiscated and the suspect was charged with unlawful possession of a weapon. He also received a ticket for driving an uninspected motor vehicle.
Lock it up SUNDAY, Feb. 9, 6:45 p.m. — Officers responded to the East Gym for a larceny report. Upon arrival, they spoke to the victim, a 21-yearold male, who said his sweatshirt was stolen from a locker. At around 5:30 p.m., he put the sweatshirt in a locker but did not secure it. He returned to the locker room around 6:45 p.m. and noticed the sweatshirt was gone. He said he checked every locker and the shower area but could not locate it anywhere. He showed the officer an image of the sweatshirt and the officer reviewed camera footage from outside the locker room, but did not observe anyone wearing it or carrying it when exiting. The case remains under investigation.
Broome County unemployment rate since 2017, a continuously dropping crime rate within the area and his continuation of work on the child care crisis in Broome
County. His speech also included a discussion on Broome County’s infrastructure and how buildings such as the Oakdale Mall could be improved.
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Following investigations by the Student Association (SA) at the University at Albany and the SA at the University at Buffalo, Desann Chin-Carty, SA president at the University at Albany, and Yousouf Amolegbe, SA president at the University at Buffalo, were found to have violated SA policies that threaten their executive positions, according to The Daily Gazette and The Spectrum, the University at Buffalo’s student newspaper. At the University at Albany, ChinCarty was accused by other student senators on the finance board of spending more than $1,000 on personal and unnecessary purchases with the SA’s credit card. The money stored on the SA’s credit card comes from a $110 student activity fee mandated by the University at Albany. The SA voted to move toward impeachment on Feb. 2 with a trial date set on Feb. 17, two months after the investigation into Chin-Carty began. At the University at Buffalo, the investigation into Amolegbe began in November when the SA was notified of alleged misconduct. Based on the report, Amolegbe selected musical acts for the University’s Fall Fest concert series through an entertainment company called RAGE Boyz Entertainment, where he holds a co-CEO position. Amolegbe chose Michael Dare, his roommate and co-CEO of RAGE Boyz Enter-
tainment, as one of the concert’s featured acts. Additionally, Fivio Foreign, another act booked for the series, was contacted by Amolegbe and paid by RAGE Boyz Entertainment for another show on the same night, a move that would have saved the company money on transportation costs that would have been covered with SA funds. Consequently, Amolegbe has been temporarily suspended from his duties and the SA remains in gridlock on the decision to remove him from office.
LOCAL NEWS
Jason Garnar gives 2020 State of the County address In his State of the County address on Tuesday, Broome County executive Jason Garnar emphasized more than 100 initiatives his office has been involved with over the last three years, according to WBNG. He specifically highlighted the decrease in the
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A place For Everything Comics! everyone is welcome! comicclub@binghamtonsa.org
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bupipedream.com | February 13, 2020
NEWS
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Binghamton incubator hosts new sales startup company startup from page 1 roughly half of the company’s 70-member workforce is made up of BU students. Jeremy Ruch, CEO and founder of Bandalier, wrote in an email that one of the main inspirations for the company was his interest in creating jobs for people. “I was looking, at the time, for a solution like the one we offer now, that is, a company that provided on-demand, U.S.-based inside sales teams to growing tech[nology] companies,” Ruch wrote. “Talking to other folks who’d been in a similar situation, I became convinced there was an opportunity to solve this problem for startups while creating hundreds of jobs in different communities across the country.” Ruch wrote that Bandalier’s hiring process differs from many other companies. “We’ve found that a lot of sales organizations rely on oldschool heuristics to make their hires,” Ruch wrote. “Because our process is data driven, and we evaluate our rubric every few months to ensure that it is, in fact, predictive, we believe in the long run we’ll have more success identifying folks who are, in fact, a good fit for these roles. Generally, we’ve found the characteristics most predictive of success to be grit, strong communication skills and coachability, and I’d say our group of BU students by and large exhibit all three of these.” Per Stromhaug, assistant vice president for entrepreneurship and economic development at the KSTI, wrote in an email that Ruch has always been interested in using students to launch Ban-
sidney slon assistant photo editor Jeremy Ruch, CEO and founder of Bandalier, started the company in an effort to help technology and professional services companies connect with their customers.
dalier. Stromhaug also encouraged BU students to continue to increase their involvement with the startups at the KSTI. “We host, facilitate and support a wide range of events that
are open to students and facilitate internship opportunities in companies,” Stromhaug wrote. “We would very much like to see more entrepreneurship education and activities.”
Work and internship opportunities like the ones at Bandalier and other startups in the KSTI can be hard for students to find, according to Jonah Maryles, a sophomore majoring
in art and design. Maryles said he would be interested in gaining experiences like this one. “Even though I am not a business [administration] major, I think working at a startup
like this one or something similar would provide me with great experience, as I would get to see what it takes to start and build a business,” Maryles said. “I also think local companies like this can make it really convenient for BU students to gain realworld job skills.” Daniel Pressman, ‘18, associate sales manager of Bandalier, said the company hopes to continue its connection with students. “A lot of times at companies, college students are viewed as being useless, but at Bandalier you’re treated like everyone else at the company and you’re going to have just as many opportunities as anyone else,” Pressman said. “We have a big initiative to reach out to clubs and organizations on [BU’s] campus to recruit students and we are working on turning more part-time BU students into full-time employees.” Pressman added that working at Bandalier can be a good way to gain experience for any career. “Bandalier is good to grow your career with because it’s not open to only one kind of person,” Pressman said. “It is good for giving entrepreneurs a lot of experience with what goes right and wrong with businesses, and we also help a lot of people who aren’t as interested in business build up transferable skills that can help with any path they want to go on. Working at Bandalier can even set some people up for jobs and we encourage our clients to hire our representatives, who often then go on to work in major cities.”
Students say donor should have considered other facilities response from page 1 turn, will look for ways to engage with their passion on the campus.” Although Stenger holds high hopes for what the new facility can provide for the University, others are less optimistic. Craig Specht, a senior double-majoring in history and philosophy, politics and law, said he is happy to see donors willing to donate to BU but feels that the funds could have
been allocated elsewhere. “I am appreciative that someone is willing to donate such a large sum of money for our school, but I do feel the donation is a bit misguided,” Specht wrote in an email. “Students have been asking for better mental health facilities for years, which has been ignored by the administration. Just last semester, [the] administration expressed interest in renovating the Fine Arts Building and possibly introducing a School of
Fine Arts for the University. Additionally, just yesterday it was announced that the 20:1 program would be eliminated from orientation. I believe that the money would be much better spent in these areas, as there has been a lot of student interest in improving these areas.” Max Kurant, a freshman majoring in sociology, said he shares Specht’s sentiment and believes that these funds could have been more useful if donated to different
departments at the University. “I really personally don’t think that a baseball stadium is the best use of $60 million,” Kurant said. “I understand that this is a gift to the University to be used for a baseball stadium, but I really think that these funds could have been used in a more productive way.” Although many students raised concerns over the use of the money, the family donor chose to benefit the baseball team
exclusively, prohibiting BU from using the funds elsewhere. Construction on the new complex is expected to begin within a week, according to Stenger. This construction process is estimated to create around 473 new jobs and is expected to be completed in time for the 2021 baseball season. Director of Athletics Patrick Elliott believes this new complex will birth opportunities to the program and bring BU’s baseball program to national attention.
“This new baseball stadium complex will provide our baseball student-athletes with a state-ofthe-art competition and training complex,” Elliot said. “It will attract high-quality, prospective student-athletes who want to obtain an education at a highly acclaimed academic institution while having the opportunity to maximize their skills in what will be a perennial, nationally recognized championship baseball program.”
Three BU alumni create student rental company
Science Pub BING looks to hold event once a month
rentals from page 1
amphibians from page 1
go up,” Catrone said. “But when we realized that the amount of students at BU would lead to increased student rental opportunities, we wanted to expand our potential renter base.” Later, they decided to turn their idea into an actual company. “Working long hours together, studying and living in the same suite, we really became a strong team each with various strengths and something unique to bring to the table,” Catrone said. “Toward the end of our senior year, we thought why not become a team, or company, that helps generate income and gives back to the students and keeps us tied to the rapidly improving Binghamton community.” Zelniker said he was optimistic about their new venture the day they purchased their first house. “The first day we received the keys to the first house, we knew we were embarking on an exciting and challenging adventure,” Zelniker said. Catrone said the three of them would drive around neighborhoods on the West Side and keep an eye out for “for sale” signs. They were looking to see which realtors were the most popular, as well as calculating the distances from the houses for sale to BU’s properties and Downtown Binghamton. Since they were students living in a rental house, Catrone
said they understood how to market to their peers and aimed to raise the community around them. “We also saw how much of an impact BU had on the improvements of Downtown Binghamton and we wanted to remain tied to the community to see and contribute to the development ourselves,” Catrone said. Zelniker said maintaining good quality of the properties is paramount for the team, and helps prepare them for random housing problems that could arise. “There are always obstacles when managing properties and a handful of tenants because a lot of things that happen are out of your control,” Zelniker said. “We try to be proactive and keep our houses at a high quality because we knew what it was like to be in their shoes.” 4Cproperties LLC owns and manages the properties they show to students. The company is responsible for generating the leases, communicating with the tenants, handling rental payments and coordinating construction and repairs if needed. Catrone said there were challenges when starting the business. “The saying ‘You need to have money to make money’ couldn’t be more accurate,” Catrone said. “When we started off, we had absolutely no capital, which led us to performing our own construction work and being very frugal
with our business expenses.” Although the three were roommates and friends, there was still a learning curve, and Catrone said they needed to learn how to be business partners. “From the beginning, we knew that going into business together meant we needed to trust each other, hold each other accountable and understand our own strengths and weaknesses,” Catrone said. Besides the financial expenses, Catrone said the distance between the three of them can be a challenge at times since none of them are currently living in the Binghamton area. “We do the best we can,” Catrone said. “The three of us meet up monthly and have calls weekly to discuss the current situation and our action items list. We have been tirelessly networking with owners, managers and contractors local to Binghamton to help shape our managing strategy as we continue to expand.” Although they’ve faced obstacles over the years, the friends said it’s important to stay true to your goals and to never give up. “Don’t be afraid to take risks,” Catrone said. “The three of us wanted to get into the real estate world in order to generate a source of passive income for us. We wanted our money to work for us. If it wasn’t for that original risk we all took to pay the first down payment, we wouldn’t be here three years later.”
Drinks in hand, attendees took their seats and the event began. Jessica Hua, head of a wetlands ecology laboratory and an assistant professor of biology, came front and center to kick off the event with frog trivia. Each question asked about the shape, color or sound of certain frog species and after each answer was revealed, Hua took a few minutes to discuss them. Hua’s ability to effectively communicate her research, according to Nancy Coddington, another Science Pub BING organizer and director of science content, services and programming at WSKG Public Media, is why organizers wanted her to lead the event. “[Hua] is definitely very inspiring and I love the way she infuses [communication] into her work and teaches her students how important that is,” Coddington said. “It doesn’t matter how smart you are — if you can’t communicate what you know, it’s as good as not knowing anything.” Alongside Hua, several Ph.D. candidates from her laboratory also gave brief presentations on human pollution, invasive species and parasites in relation to their effects on amphibians. An audience member pointed out that some of their research appeared to show that plastic pollution in wetlands can benefit amphibians through the killing of parasites. Hua responded by ex-
plaining that this is not the case as local ecosystems are sensitive and need host-parasite interactions. She said false connections like this are exactly why scientists should be the ones presenting their work. “A pesticide company picked this [false connection] up, and basically wrote that pesticides are beneficial to amphibians,” Hua said. “We absolutely need good science communication, which is why we are all here today trying our very best to make sure we are the ones telling the research, not some third party that can take our research and twist it in a way that is beneficial to them.” One of the attendees, Sheila Moore, a fourth-year Ph.D. candidate studying ecology, said she
came to the event to support the other Ph.D. candidates from her department and was shocked at the number of people in attendance. “The turnout was super impressive,” Moore said. “I didn’t expect so many people to come from outside of the University and everyone seemed super interested, so that was cool to see.” The organizers said more people showed up than expected, and they hope to carry that excitement to the next event in March. They plan to hold an event every second Tuesday of each month, with each one focused on a different scientific topic. Coddington said March’s event will center around genes.
OPINIONS Thursday, February 13, 2020 Thursday, Thursday, Monday, Monday, September October October April 3,2, 5, 2017 28, 2017 2017 2017
EDITORIAL: NOT DELAYED, JUST EXTENDED University needs to strive for transparency with Hinman College construction
Construction on the Hinman Dining Hall has been extended through 2021, yet no major announcements have been made since the construction’s expected completion date got quietly pushed back. The Hinman Dining Hall was originally supposed to be completed in fall 2020, but at some point last semester, plans apparently changed. James Brice, associate director of operations and crisis at Binghamton University, wrote in an email that “additional complexities” have been added to the construction plans, and that there is no delay — a statement that is both confusing and seemingly inaccurate. These new undertakings remain unknown, and it’s unclear why new work is being taken on so late in construction, which was originally set to complete in the fall of this year. The Editorial Board cannot determine if these modified plans reflect on flawed or incomplete estimates from the construction’s inception, but the possibility cannot be ignored. What is clear is that the longer construction on the Hinman Dining Hall goes, the more nuisances students have to endure. Students have reported that construction, which is supposed to begin around 7 a.m. each morning and end by 3:30 p.m., has
been starting earlier in the day than what was agreed upon, waking up those in proximity to the work as heavy construction vehicles arrive. While this is happening, most of Hinman College’s grounds remain inaccessible to students, including the Hinman Quad, which is surrounded by black fencing. The construction also impedes foot traffic between central campus and Lot M, Mountainview College, Susquehanna Community and Hillside Community. Similarly, the construction inconveniences students looking for a meal, as Hinman College residents have been redirected to the Appalachian Collegiate Center and College-in-the-Woods Dining Hall, which have seen greater use from students since the renovations began. This creates long lines for food and requires those living in Hinman College to walk further distances than students in other living communities. For students looking to find housing next semester, these factors may seriously influence their decision. Because of these inconveniences, it’s crucial that the University quickly and effectively communicate with the student body about any changes in the construction schedule, but that hasn’t happened. Members of Pipe Dream’s staff only broke the story about the Hinman College
construction delays after observing changes to the construction timeline on BU’s Physical Facilities website. The University never made an official announcement regarding the setback, and most viewers would likely not notice the subtle date change online. This lack of communication about delays is reminiscent of the construction in the University Union Undergrounds, which only opened to the public this week after the completion of construction was delayed for more than two months to Feb. 10. Initially, the space was supposed to open on Dec. 1. This pattern is concerning, even though the Union basement construction did not have the same obstructive nature as that of Hinman College and its renovation. While the Hinman Dining Hall is reconstructed, its residence halls are also being cycled into renovation each year as part of Residential Life’s plan to slowly revitalize older residential halls on campus, one building at a time. But construction on Cleveland Hall of Hinman College has also been delayed for unspecified reasons, introducing further confusion into the mix. These delays and lack of announcements, along with Brice’s confusing statements on the state of the Hinman Dining Hall project, are demonstrative of a larger problem of communica-
annabeth sloan fun editor
tion between administrators and the campus community. This isn’t the first time the Editorial Board has criticized the University for its lack of transparency and conversation with students, faculty and staff. Although it may be difficult for a large institution like BU to be transpar-
ent about everything going on in its campus, small opportunities for transparency, like in the case of construction delays, are important because they can help build trust between the administration and the student body. It’s easy enough to make information about changing time-
tables public, so there’s little reason why the administration would choose to keep it under wraps. The Editorial Board calls on the University’s administration to work on their transparency if they value having trust with their students — unless they seek to delay that, too.
Views expressed in the opinion pages represent the opinions of the columnists. The only piece which represents the views of the Pipe Dream Editorial Board is the Staff Editorial, above. The Editorial Board is composed of the Editor-in-Chief, News Editor, Opinions Editor, Sports Editor and Arts & Culture Editor.
The wellness industry is largely diet culture in disguise Despite promoting self-love, the health industry still has toxic influences Annick Tabb Senior Columnist
Over winter break, I went to my first-ever spin class at the gym my mom goes to. Although I had certain preconceived notions about what the class environment might be like, I tried my best to enter the workout space with an open and receptive mind. I thoroughly enjoyed the actual workout, but found the messages that the instructor launched at the class participants questionable. While having us imagine that we were on a cycling trip across Europe, she encouraged us to mime refusing croissants in exchange for berries and water and to pretend to wave at and flirt with attractive men we “saw” as we biked
past them. These “distractions” caused me to struggle to concentrate on the workout itself. Even though other parts of the workout encouraged wellness by having us love ourselves, love others and strive to be our best selves inside and out, there was a definite emphasis on meeting a certain physical and aesthetic standard to be found attractive by other people. The term “wellness” was introduced in 1959 by Halbert Dunn, who defined it as “a condition of change in which the individual moves forward, climbing toward a higher potential of functioning.” In 2020, the idea of achieving personal wellness has birthed an entire culture and industry centered around reaching physical, mental and spiritual peaks that are supposed to enable people to live their best, fullest lives. “There’s a lot of money being made off of people’s own insecurities or ques-
tions on ‘What do I need to do to be healthy?’” said Claire Mysko, CEO of the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA). Some people view focusing on wellness as a healthier and more holistic alternative to diet culture. However, novelist Jessica Knoll notes in an op-ed for The New York Times that it is impossible to separate the wellness and diet industries from each other. “The diet industry is a virus, and viruses are smart,” she wrote. “It has survived all these decades by adapting, but it’s as dangerous as ever… The wellness industry is the diet industry.” The internet and social media have played huge roles in the promotion of wellness culture. It is incredibly easy to get caught up in the countless articles and social media posts which promise that investing in a certain vitamin or supplement, or trying out a
new and trendy workout method, is the key to unlocking a higher sense of self-discovery. “Clean eating” and “detoxing” are often promoted, which has assigned moral values to different foods, classifying certain foods and food groups as either “good,” “clean” and “pure” or “bad” and ones to avoid. “The term ‘clean eating’ is not at all quantifiable, with varying definitions depending on the person — an important reason to be wary of its validity,” wrote nutrition therapist Emily Fonnesbeck. Not only are we often fed vague, conflicting or misinformed material by advertisers and influencers, but the ingredients that make up highly promoted detox teas can cause drinkers to suffer from dehydration, diarrhea, sleep disruption, seizures and other harmful side effects. The same products that are meant to be helping to make
us healthier and happier are actually making us sick. The term “orthorexia” was coined to describe an obsession with healthy eating that could damage someone’s well-being, with warning signs and symptoms including cutting out an increasing number of food groups, showing high levels of distress when “safe” or “healthy” foods are unavailable and obsessive following of food and “healthy lifestyle” blogs on social media. Wellness culture’s insistence that everyone must constantly be working toward their full potential can be damaging in other ways. The boutique exercise classes, organic nonprocessed foods and other products that are peddled to people are financially out of reach for many. “Clean eating often means eating a set of very Eurocentric foods that leave out many cultural foods,”
said Tessa Nguyen, founder of Taste Nutrition Consulting. Yoga teacher and author Jessamyn Stanley adds that exercise spaces often only feel catered to a certain kind of customer. “The messaging is essentially: You’re allowed in this space if you are white, slender, able-bodied and less than 45, cisgender and heterosexual,” Stanley said. “And if you’re not, then you’re not welcome.” People’s relationships with food, exercise, the concept of “health” and what it means to be happy are all different and are incredibly personal. It is important to be critical of the wellness industry, especially because it claims to be completely different from restrictive regimens that are damaging and unsustainable. Annick Tabb is a senior double-majoring in German and English.
‘Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood’ provides a unique look into the film industry Tarantino’s latest film is an ode to the filmmaking process David Hatami Contributing Columnist
This week brought us the 92nd Academy Awards, which celebrates the best actors, actresses, directors, writers, designers and films in today’s moviemaking industry. Among the films nominated for Best Picture include “Ford v Ferrari,” “The Irishman,” “Jojo Rabbit,” “Little Women,” “Joker,” “Marriage Story,” “1917” and “Parasite.” However, the Best Picture nominee that seems to stand out of the crowd is Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood,” featuring Academy Award-winning actors Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt, and Academy Award-nominated actress Margot Robbie. The film proved to be quite successful, winning two Oscars
this year. What makes this film unique, as opposed to the other incredibly moving films nominated for awards this year, is the message that “Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood” sends regarding the relationship between actors and the moviemaking industry and the history of Hollywood as a whole. The film, while functioning as a visual testament to Hollywood itself, deserves to be taken more seriously as a message to the audience and the industry it comes from. Set in Los Angeles during the late ’60s, “Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood” follows the story of middle-aged television actor Rick Dalton and his stunt double, Cliff Booth, as he attempts to make a name for himself in the intensely intimidating and competitive world of the filmmaking industry. The film is incredibly representative of the filmmaking industry and the challenges and oddities faced by influencers during the
so-called “golden age” of Hollywood, which spanned from the early 20th century to the 1960s. While the movie takes place in a seemingly carefree Los Angeles, it also acts as a deep social commentary on the negative sides of society at the time, most notably the emergence of West Coast cults, such as the Manson Family. The movie takes on a very “meta” approach to cinematography and filmmaking, as a large portion of the movie follows the main characters as they navigate the moviemaking process. We’re able to watch the characters being scouted by producers, acting on set and even watching their own acting on screen, giving an in-depth view of the life of an actor. Most importantly, viewers are able to watch actors and actresses both fail and succeed in their careers, and see the emotions that accompany their wins and losses. “Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood” does not only examine
the values which actors and actresses hold to themselves in the film industry, but also smartly displays the complex relationship actors have with their industry. In one scene, Dalton is forced to redo a scene too many times to count, just to get that “perfect” shot. The film also depicts the behind-the-scenes conflicts which occur in filmmaking. Numerous times, Dalton feels repeatedly discouraged in his own abilities by younger, smarter and more successful actors he works with. Throughout the movie, we are able to see the violent emotions which may plague a struggling actor. Following his inability to act in a certain scene, Dalton finds refuge in his on-set trailer, where he loathes himself, his alcoholic tendencies and the pressure to perform on par. The film is incredible because it highlights the often-ignored challenges faced by those working in the film industry, while
most viewers like us, when watching a movie, fail to realize the difficulties laborers have gone through to create what we may consider to be just an “average” film. “Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood” addresses this issue straight on, forcing the audience to confront and consider the history and calamities which have gone into making good cinema. For this reason, the movie can, in a way, be considered an attestation to the forces behind products like the movie itself. Throughout the movie, we see a young Sharon Tate go through training to perform kung fu for a new movie. Once production is finished, she finally goes to a movie theater to see the movie for herself, where she is unrecognized by staff. This film deserves to be critically acclaimed for its ability to challenge our average view of Hollywood, showing that actors and celebrities are prone to being hurt and dis-
couraged quite easily, just like everyday people. Brimming with the bright lights of 1969 Los Angeles and hit singles from the time period, “Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood” certainly is a “love letter” to the filmmaking industry, and it’s for this reason the movie stands out from many others made beforehand. The film shows us the triumphs and complications of the industry, proving it to be a valuable movie and asset in the history of Hollywood to come. As the 2020 Oscars shined dazzling on our TV and laptop screens this past weekend, hopefully viewers were able to stop and realize the personal challenges, efforts and sacrifices that go into making each one of these brilliant films and allow us to continue with our lives daydreaming about the fantasy of a perfect, shimmering Hollywood. David Hatami is a sophomore majoring in political science.
F UN
Thursday, February 13, 2020 Thursday, Thursday, Monday, Monday, September October October April 3,2, 5, 2017 28, 2017 2017 2017
Fools around falling in love
Daniel Eisenhower Call me daddy
Sudoku
Annabeth Sloan
By The Mepham Group
Level: 1 2 3 4 Solution to last issue's puzzle
PERRY THE PLATYPUS?
Sarah Teper
© 2020 The Mepham Group. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency. All rights reserved.
Release Date: Thursday, February 13, 2020
Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis
Swipe right, or left?
Spencer Lubell
ACROSS 1 Suffix for Wikipedia 4 Humiliate 9 Network with a “Cameras in the Court” page 14 Excessively 15 Where many watch the Beeb 16 Get to laugh 17 Crow 19 Plug-in Chevys 20 Series-ending abbr. 21 Lightning __ 22 “Settle down!” 23 Delete for security reasons, say 25 Alphabetize, e.g. 26 Crow 32 Lapped (up) 35 Take to a higher court 36 Amana Colonies state 37 Copier pioneer 39 Taylor of fashion 40 Likely 2020 Baseball Hall of Fame inductee 41 Composer Satie 42 Taco sauce brand 44 IRS identifier 45 Crow 48 In years past 49 Range that contains much of the Mark Twain National Forest 53 Temple with an upcurved roof 56 Blue-__: pain relief brand 58 “Allow me” 59 Meter measure 60 Crow 62 Electric car named for a physicist 63 Kirin competitor 64 Zero, in soccer 65 Get to the point? 66 Exorcist’s target 67 “Get how it’s done?” DOWN 1 “Some __ time” 2 Waze recommendation 3 Lose one’s grip 4 Delta hub code
5 Draft source 6 Pet food brand 7 Avoided a tag, perhaps 8 “Queer __”: revived style show 9 Frolic 10 Blended beverage 11 Yank 12 Bubbly city 13 Stick-y place to sleep? 18 Spill the beans 22 Slinky shape 24 Persuade with flattery 25 Title river in a Gershwin/Caesar song 27 Like Wyoming’s population 28 Start of the back nine 29 Quickly writes 30 Is in the red 31 It may get crewel treatment 32 x, y and z, in math 33 Polo of “The Fosters” 34 Shillelagh’s land
38 Words that activate an assistant 40 “Empire State of Mind” rapper 42 White-bellied swimmer 43 First name in comedy 46 Make lovable 47 Souvlaki meat 50 Comes down 51 2012 NBA
Rookie of the Year __ Irving 52 Crab-walk 53 Miniature golf stroke 54 Riding the waves 55 [Oh no!] 56 Besides that 57 Word said with a tip of the hat 60 Evil 61 It’s all relatives
ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE:
By Kevin Christian and Howard Barkin ©2020 Tribune Content Agency, LLC
02/13/20
02/13/20
bupipedream.com | February 13, 2020
Practice safe sex <3
FUN
Sarah Teper Paint me like one of your LI girls
Too kool for school
Horoscopes
The Cosmos
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Daniel Eisenhower
Sidney Slon
Feel the love with Pipe Dream’s Valentine’s Day playlist Our picks to bring out your romantic side Staff Reports arts & culture
The art of the mixtape has enjoyed a digital upgrade with the advent of streaming services, and crafting the perfect mix is now as simple as clicking a mouse. If you haven’t taken advantage of this yet, Valentine’s Day can be the perfect time to start, especially if you’re in a relationship and still looking for gift ideas. Don’t fret if you’re struggling to find the perfect music for your significant other — Pipe Dream’s Arts & Culture section has got you covered. “I Say a Little Prayer” — Aretha Franklin No song has ever captured the joys of love more accurately than this one. If you’re going to include it in your playlist, put it toward the beginning so your significant
other can start their days off right. “Baby It’s You” — The Shirelles While this song seems to be addressing a wandering lover, its chorus offers a simply sweet message. It was famously covered by the Beatles, but the Shirelles’ original is even more warm and appealing than the Fab Four’s version. “My Cherie Amour” — Stevie Wonder This song is featured in the modern cult classic film “Almost Famous,” contributing to a scene that showcases the bond between the main love interests. Wonder wrote the song about a girl he dated in school, and it’s used in this scene to signify the loyalty that comes with love. “Best Part” — Daniel Caesar feat. H.E.R. The soft harmonies in this ballad make this the perfect song to snuggle up to. The dreamy lyrics centered around love and authentic relationships will surely be the “best part” of any lovers’ mixtape.
Suggestions for songs for your significant other.
ell
“A Case of You” — Joni Mitch-
If you’re looking for angelic vocals, you’re in no better hands than Joni Mitchell’s. “A Case of You” sees Mitchell using her leg-
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endary range, and she earns bonus romance points for the wine metaphor — it’s the perfect song to split a bottle over. “God Only Knows” — The Beach Boys
A perfect song from what many consider to be a perfect album, “God Only Knows” is instantly recognizable with its lush instrumentation and tear-jerking French horn intro. Plus, it’s not strictly about romance — its central message of loyalty and gratitude can extend to anyone who’s kept you moving forward. “First Day of My Life” — Bright Eyes This soft acoustic ballad from indie-rock band Bright Eyes captures the essence of new love. There’s been buzz around the band since they announced a reunion tour this year, so introducing the song to your partner might even lead to an extra-special date night if you’re lucky enough to score tickets. “Slow Show” — The National Love in a long-term relationship is less about infatuation and more about comfort, the feeling that you and your partner are a team, fighting against the strug-
gles of each other’s respective lives. The National’s “Slow Show” is a perfect exhibition of this muted, quiet love, with singer Matt Berninger fantasizing about getting home from a long day and spending the night with his wife. “You Might Think” — The Cars This upbeat ‘80s radio classic playfully assures the listener, “You might think I’m crazy / All I want is you.” If you’re lucky enough to be dating a scattered, offbeat creative this Valentine’s Day, put it on your playlist; it’s most likely what they’ve been waiting to hear. “This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody)” — Talking Heads If you look at your significant other and see a “face with a view” — a person who brings new possibilities into your life and betters your experience of the world — this is the song for you. While it’s unusually tender and understated for the Talking Heads, it’s also as dance-friendly as any of their other hits.
CASU, VSA to host annual Lunar New Year celebration Event will highlight cultural food, games Marcus Budashewitz staff writer
While Binghamton University couples pack Lost Dog Cafe and singles head to The Rathskeller this upcoming Valentine’s Day, a very different type of celebration will take place in the Mandela Room. The Chinese American Student Union (CASU) and Vietnamese Student Association are once again presenting their annual Lunar Banquet on Feb. 14. According to Alec Li, cultural chair for CASU and a sophomore majoring in biology, the event aims to give Asian students that celebrate the holiday a little piece of home on campus. “Family members from all
over the world usually go home to have dinner with their families for the Lunar New Year,” Li said. “It’s called a reunion dinner. A lot of students here can’t to go home to celebrate with their family and are stuck up here at school, so we offer this celebration to make up for that.” The celebration will begin with a dinner consisting of traditional Chinese food such as tomato egg, a stir-fried tomato dish with scrambled eggs, and mapo tofu, a tofu dish with a spicy sauce and minced meat. The organizers aim to expose attendees to a wide variety of cultural foods and traditions. “Some people may not understand the meaning behind certain customs or Lunar New Year in general, but they can still attend to experience the performances and minigames that have had
months of practice and planning behind them,” Li said. “Whoever comes will go home learning something new about the traditions.” Performances will range from a traditional lion dance, where performers mimic the movements of a lion in a costume to bring prosperity and good luck into the New Year, to more modern, nontraditional entertainment, including dance groups and singing. A multitude of minigames will offer prizes for those who win, and an after-party will be held at a location that has yet to be determined. Aside from the food and good times, Li referenced a number of traditions and norms related to the Lunar New Year. Decorating and wearing red clothing, cleaning the house in advance of the Lunar New Year and handing red envelopes containing money
to young people are all common practices. In several Asian cultures, the color red promotes good luck and is associated with positive energy and happiness. As an event organizer, Li said he has found himself struggling to attract people outside of the Asian community to events, even though events like the Lunar Banquet are open to everyone. “Outside of Asians, others don’t even seem to bat an eye when they see us tabling for this event, and I personally believe that there should be a change in how campus organizations are run,” Li said. “There are so many interesting events, but a lack of awareness on campus for cultural events allows them to go unnoticed by many of us.” While the Lunar Banquet is dedicated to one of the most festive and joyful times in Chinese
facebook Lunar Banquet aims to give students a taste of Asian traditions and cultural foods.
culture, Li recognizes that it also serves as a reminder of the importance of continuing to spread cultural awareness. “[The CASU] E-Board and the general body [members] alone only makes a fraction of campus presence,” Li said. “We should
be actively trying to make our cultural events almost as big as Spring Fling or [University Fest] in order to promote some more cultural unity within this school.” Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the event will begin at 7 p.m. Admission to the event costs $7.
How to embrace being Student DJs to perform at single this Valentine’s Day first ‘RAVE at the CAVE’ Distract yourself with friends, movies, work Patrick Earns
assistant arts & culture editor
Valentine’s Day is arguably the most polarizing holiday of the year, with students divided over whether the day is a public celebration of your significant other or a corporate cash grab manufactured by the kingpins of Big Teddy Bear. Wherever your opinion falls on the spectrum, one thing is clear — it sucks to be single on Valentine’s Day if you don’t want to be. But there are ways to make it better and get through this Friday relatively unscathed. Here’s Arts & Culture’s guide to making the best of the day without a partner. Spend time with friends Assuming you haven’t spent
your time at Binghamton University holed up in your room and never interacting with the outside world, you likely have some friends who are also struggling with being single. Why not spend the day being alone together? While it might be difficult to get dinner reservations, you can hang out in someone’s dorm or apartment and reduce misery with company. It’s difficult to remember the day’s romantic expectations when you’re four hours deep into a hypercompetitive game of Monopoly. Get a head start on work I guarantee there’s a project or paper you should be working on right now. It might not be due tomorrow or even the day after, but if you’re a student, you almost certainly have a long assignment or two you are procrastinating on. While this is a totally understandable
shutterstock Take advantage of your single status to catch up on work or watch a new show on Valentine’s Day.
situation, Valentine’s Day offers a perfect opportunity for the terminally single to get a head start. Whether it’s gathering sources for your research paper or preparing your study materials for that far-off midterm, you can rest easy in the knowledge that you’re getting a leg up on your romantically inclined friends. Catch up on media If you’re like me, you spend the semester with a rapidly growing list of movies, music and TV shows to get caught up on. Because the human body that demands we sleep at least a few hours each night, it can feel impossible to juggle school, work, personal relationships and whatever media is the newest ingredient in the cultural zeitgeist. Luckily, the time you won’t be spending with a significant other in Lost Dog Cafe or 205 Dry can be spent on Netflix or Hulu, and it will cost you significantly less. Apply for internships Your friends may have significant others who contribute to their lives in a positive way, but nothing warms the heart more than knowing what you’re going to do this summer. If you’re a sophomore or junior, spring semester is internship application season, and your solo status gives you a perfect chance to send out your résumé. Make use of the Fleishman Center for Career and Professional Development and Handshake to find internships or jobs that will help improve your job prospects after college. Keep your eye on the prize.
Concert will feature house, techno, breakbeat Patrick Earns
assistant arts & culture editor
Fans of electronic music should gather up their glow sticks and get ready for a night of pounding bass drops, as local bar and venue The Cave will host “RAVE at The CAVE” on Saturday, Feb. 15. The concert will run from 11 p.m. to 3 a.m., and will feature multiple Binghamton University student DJs. Sarah Baer, owner of The Cave, wrote in an email that the event is the first of its kind at the bar and night club. “‘RAVE at The CAVE’ will feature four student DJs from [BU],” Baer wrote. “Some may know them as DJ Bofa, DJ J Palmer, DJ Ora Z and DJ Roni. They will be playing a range of music from house, techno, breakbeat and jungle.” The Cave is perhaps best known for its weekly drag shows, referred to as “Icon Thursdays.” Featuring a variety of drag queens based in the Binghamton area, these shows are a key element of Binghamton’s LGBTQ subculture and typically draw a large audience. Baer said “RAVE at the CAVE” is part of an effort to create a diverse lineup of events to appeal to as many community members as possible. A typical week for The Cave features the Thursday drag shows, which are preceded by lessons in line dancing, a general dance night on Fridays featuring a local DJ and a different event each Saturday night. Baer wrote
that this focus on variety, along with The Cave’s Infinity LED dance floor, makes the location one of the best places to enjoy Binghamton’s nightlife. “One thing that sets us apart from the rest is our Infinity LED dance floor!” Baer wrote. “There is not a place around that has one.” “RAVE at The CAVE” is the product of a collaboration between Baer and Laurie Azoulai, a senior majoring in integrative neuroscience. According to Baer, the two had previously worked on collaborative events including “O’Spacis,” a recurring electronic music event hosted by WHRW 90.5 FM. Baer wrote that previous events had a great turnout. “Over the time, [Azoulai] and I have developed [a] professional relationship, and that is when I went to her to help with ‘RAVE at The CAVE!’” Baer wrote. “We hope to host this event once a month.” “RAVE at The CAVE” will be
facebook The first-ever “RAVE at The CAVE” will feature student DJs.
held at The Cave, located at 53 Chenango St. The event is 18+, with tickets costing $8 for attendees under 21 and $5 for those 21+. Tickets can be purchased at the door.
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SPORTS
bupipedream.com | February 13. 2020
Women’s lacrosse downed by Bucknell in season opener Bearcats unable to recover from 11-3 halftime deficit Kyle Reina
pipe dream sports
In its 2020 season opener, the Binghamton women’s lacrosse team was defeated by a wide margin. The Bearcats (0-1) faltered against the Bucknell Bison (2-0) 16-9. Bucknell was able to maintain possession for a majority of the match, as the Bearcats’ possessions often amounted to a saved shot or a turnover. “I thought Bucknell brought great tempo and energy to the beginning of the game,” said Binghamton head coach Stephanie Allen. “They have another game under their belt and the ability to get out some of those jitters, that first time against outside competition. That’s something we lacked in the first half today, especially that composure piece and ball handling.” The Bearcats opened the second half with an early resurgence, scoring four goals to begin the period. Sophomore attack Emily Masera and junior attack Paige Volkmann led Binghamton’s revival with two goals apiece. The Bearcats’ offense found much of its production coming from dodges from behind the goal, where Volkmann and Masera continued to maneuver their way into threatening positions in front of the net. “We really just talked about playing every minute individually, going out there and winning minute by minute,” Allen said. “For us it was some adjustments on both ends of the fields, offensively and defensively, that were able to create more opportunities for us, but I think it was plain smaller increments and not looking at a whole half that we had to tackle.” Bucknell’s first half featured a high volume of shots on its part, with 22 shots and 15 shots on
Junior attack Paige Volkmann was Binghamton’s top scorer against Bucknell, scoring four goals during the Bearcats’ loss to the Bison.
goal, while it slowed down in the second with just eight shots on goal. Binghamton, on the other hand, saw more production in the second, putting 11 shots on goal as opposed to seven in the first. The Bison put up a large volume of shots against senior goalie Taylor Passuello and freshman goalie Emily Manning, who had seven saves combined, all by Passuello. The Bearcats’ defensive line had trouble avoiding the whistle, as Bucknell had six free
positions and converted on four of them. The Bison were able to stifle the Bearcats’ run with their first goal of the second half coming at the 17-minute mark; the match was a back-and-forth affair following that Bucknell goal. Passuello made several key saves to halt a potential run by the Bison. Still, Bucknell slowly regained control as Binghamton’s offense became stagnant and possession was controlled by the Bison. Bucknell junior attack Eve
Calabria led all players in points with six points, three goals and three assists. The Bison finished the match with eight assists, as they often found openings in the Binghamton defense. The Bearcats showed glimpses of a comeback once again with nearly four minutes left in the match as they scored two quick goals in transition against the Bison defense. As the game progressed into the final minutes, however, Bucknell was more dominant on the draw controls,
rose coschignano pipe dream photographer
led by freshman defender Ella Payer. The Bearcats’ defense had key contributors, with junior defender Brianna Distler collecting three ground balls and senior defender Alexa Franze collecting four ground balls and adding three caused turnovers. “I thought [Volkmann] did an outstanding job on the offensive end,” Allen said. “She had four goals. She was a strong finisher for us today and somebody that regrouped after the first few pos-
sessions that she maybe didn’t find success in. Additionally, [Distler] had a number of ground balls out there today along with [Franze], that had some caused turnovers and ground balls. Those two on the defensive end really came out strong for us.” The Bearcats will look to improve with a challenging matchup against top competition on Sunday, Feb. 16 against Syracuse. First draw control is set for 8 p.m. from the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, New York.
bupipedream.com | February 13, 2020
SPORTS
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Dan Schaffer makes BU history in 2020 track season Redshirt junior breaks own school record in 5K Joe Tonetti
sports intern
This season, redshirt junior Dan Schaffer has proven to be one of the most formidable distance runners in the nation, sitting among world-class track and field athletes and competing at the highest level of competition. In years past, he’s been one of Binghamton University’s most prized athletes, dominating at America East (AE) Conference meets. He looks to repeat this performance again this season. “I’m feeling very confident,” Schaffer said. “I can’t underestimate any of my competitors. The [AE] Conference is very strong this year.” Ever since Schaffer began playing soccer as a midfielder during his freshman year of high school, he developed a strong passion for running. Later, he joined the Maine-Endwell track and field team, laying down a time of 9:39.40 in the 3,200-meter during his sophomore year of high school at the New York
State Public High School Athletic Association State Track and Field Championship. He would shrink his time down to 8:57.50 his senior year to hold the school record in both the 3,200-meter and 1,600-meter for the Spartans. Schaffer pursued his talent for running at BU, where he would continue to break records. His 14:03.06 5K time, which he ran earlier this season at the Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener at Boston University, narrowly edged out his own school record. This 5K time currently places him 20th overall in the NCAA Division I standings, and he also holds 12th in the 3K (7:58.22) and 30th in the mile (4:01.51). BU seemed like the best option for Schaffer, not just because of its proximity to home and his interest in the Watson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, but because of head cross country coach Annette Acuff and the University’s track and field program. “Coach Acuff, I love her training philosophy, the way she runs the program, and it’s obviously worked very well for me,” Schaffer said. Schaffer did not compete in
the 2019 cross country season because of a foot injury which required surgery. Despite missing an entire season, however, he maintained his fitness and bounced back to run his record 5K time in Boston. Acuff, Patrick Murray, assistant cross country coach and the University’s medical staff were pivotal in helping him recover after his surgery. “[Acuff] thinks long-term, so trying to preserve my health in the long term, so she never rushed me to try and get me back for cross country,” Schaffer said. “She immediately said, when I needed surgery, that we’ll redshirt cross country and just focus on coming back for the indoor.” After returning to action, Schaffer has continued to shine during this year’s indoor season for the Bearcats. Last Saturday, he competed among some of the most prestigious athletes in the world at the 113th-annual New York Road Runners Millrose Games at the Armory in New York City. Although his mile time of 4:11.51 didn’t land him a top position in the Allan Steinfeld mile, he was hindered by a push at the start of the race that caused a restart. “Getting to represent [BU] at
provided by ed moran Redshirt junior Dan Schaffer is currently one of the top-ranked athletes in the mile, 3K and 5K in the NCAA Division I standings.
such a high level was super exciting,” Schaffer said. “I would’ve liked to have run a faster time, but given the circumstance I think I did the best I could, gave it my best effort.”
On Friday at 1 p.m., Schaffer will compete at the Iowa State Classic to race in the 5K in hopes of further reducing his time in preparation for this year’s conference meet. Last year,
Schaffer only managed eighth at the indoor AE Championships. However, with his consistent improvement throughout this year’s winter season, he has a solid chance at competing for the gold.
Softball set to open 2020 campaign this weekend Bearcats return entire lineup from last season Edward Aaron
assistant sports editor
sidney slon assistant photo editor Senior catcher TJ Wegmann has accumulated 19 RBIs in his collegiate career going into his fourth season with the Bearcats.
Baseball picked first in AE preseason coaches’ poll Sinicki returns for 28th season as BU head coach Justin Zion
sports editor
The future of the Binghamton baseball program got a lot brighter on Tuesday afternoon when Binghamton University officials announced that a $60 million donation will fund the construction of a brand-new baseball complex. The athletics department asserts that the facility will rival that of any Division I program, and the baseball program hopes it will spur recruitment and propel the program to new heights. Despite the promise the future holds, however, the focus of the baseball team is trained on the present, as the 2020 season is about to get underway and the team’s immediate aspirations are lofty. “It’s an awesome gift, but every year we have the same goal going into the year, and that’s to win the America East [AE] Championship,” said senior catcher TJ Wegmann. “So this donation is awesome, but it doesn’t really change our goal. Our goal is still to go out there every day and give everything we have and, hopefully, be champions at the end of the year.” The team believes it has a solid chance at winning a conference championship this season, and the rest of the AE seems to think so as well. The Bearcats were picked first in the AE preseason coaches’ poll with four first-place votes. Stony Brook
was ranked second and Hartford was ranked third. Seven of the Bearcats’ nine position starters from last year are returning for this season, leaving the lineup largely intact. The team’s top three players in batting average from 2019, junior outfielder Shane Marshall, redshirt senior infielder Alex Baratta and redshirt senior outfielder Daniel Franchi, will all return to the lineup, and will likely take the top three spots in the batting order. It’s the pitching staff that underwent the most change in the offseason, with two of the team’s weekend starters from last season no longer with the program. Right-hander Ben Anderson was selected by the Texas Rangers in the 13th round of the 2019 MLB Draft, while right-hander Nick Gallagher, ’19, was lost to graduation. Only sophomore lefthander Thomas Babalis, who was unanimously named AE Rookie of the Year last season, remains with the team. According to Binghamton head coach Tim Sinicki, Babalis will likely pitch the first games of three-game series during the season, while sophomore pitcher Jack Collins will be moved from his bullpen role last season into the starting rotation, where he will likely start the second games of three-game series. The last weekend starting spot, according to Sinicki, is still up for grabs. “Right now we have a really good battle going on for the third spot,” Sinicki said. “We have three guys who have been very
impressive so far in the workouts, and I think whichever way we go, I’m really happy with the way they’re performing, and I think it’s gonna be okay. The other two guys that don’t get that nod, they’ll be ready to go if things change, and if things kind of stay as we hope, they’ll just work out of the bullpen and be really effective arms for us when we need them.” Because of the construction of the new baseball complex, the team will be splitting its home games between NYSEG Stadium in Downtown Binghamton and Hoy Field in Ithaca, New York, where Cornell plays its home games. Despite the disadvantage that comes without having a true home stadium, the team remains ever-focused on its goal of winning a championship. “Our expectations, regardless of what anybody outside says, are the same, and they’re very high, and I think it’s a true testament to the type of kids we have in our program,” Sinicki said. “They’re looking to win championships during the recruiting process and once they get to campus, they want to try to fulfill those expectations.” The Bearcats will not play a home game until late March, starting their season as they usually do with a slate of games in the South. The team will begin with a three-game series at Wofford, which begins on Friday, Feb. 14. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. from Russell C. King Field in Spartanburg, South Carolina.
After a promising end to last season, the Binghamton softball team will return nearly its entire roster for its upcoming campaign. Picked fourth in a tight America East (AE) preseason coaches poll, the Bearcats are expected to contend for a conference championship in their 2020 contest. “I think we’ve got some really good experience coming back,” said Binghamton head coach Michelle Johnston. “We feel really good about the leadership and experience we do have. I think we learned a lot last season and came on strong at the end, so we’re really looking forward to building on that.” Last year’s team was exceptionally young, with only two graduating seniors on the roster, neither of whom were starters. As a result, the Bearcats have brought back nearly all of last season’s lineup. After experiencing growing pains with a young team throughout the regular season, the Bearcats crept into the postseason as the No. 6 seed, but came together in the AE Tournament. After falling in the first game, the Bearcats battled back through the loser’s bracket and earned consecutive victories in elimination games to advance to the third day of the event. “Our energy was really great
in the tournament, and I think just seeing that we could do that and what we’re capable of is really good for our momentum starting the season this year,” said sophomore utility player Alli Richmond. In the circle for both playoff wins was sophomore pitcher Morgan Bienkowski, who threw back-to-back complete games in her first two playoff appearances as a freshman. She will play a role in a deep group of Binghamton pitchers this season, including senior Rayn Gibson, senior Rozlyn Price and junior Chelsea Howard. Calling the pitches behind the plate will be senior catcher Sara Herskowitz, a veteran who has been a starter for her entire time with the program. Offensively, Herskowitz led the team with 36 RBIs last season and was second on the team in home runs. Elsewhere in the lineup, three second-team all-conference players return to the team this season: sophomore infielder Marissa Braito, junior infielder Makayla Alvarez and junior utility player Sarah Benn. Braito, Bienkowski and Richmond are a part of a strong sophomore class that contributed to the team as freshmen and are expected to take strides in their second season with the program. “We’re definitely more comfortable this year,” Richmond said. “We’ve created a lot of good relationships with people on our team, and the junior and senior class have done a re-
ally god job with leadership and making us feel comfortable every day.” At the conclusion of the regular season, the Bearcats will have the luxury of competing in the postseason on their home field. The AE Tournament will return to the Bearcats Sports Complex for the fourth time in five years. “I’m really excited [to host the AE Tournament],” Alvarez said. “I think it’s going to be really important for our seniors too, getting to finish here. I think it’s exciting because we get a lot of our home fans, and a lot of our families get to come out, and just being comfortable on our own turf I think will be really helpful.” Prior to league play and the postseason, the Bearcats will head to the South for the next few weeks to participate in several nonconference tournaments. The team will be challenged with a diverse slate of competition, including several Power Five conference teams. “I knew the team that we had coming into this year, and a goal of mine was to build as competitive of a schedule as I possibly could,” Johnston said. “I think we definitely have that with the teams we’re playing,” Binghamton will open its season this weekend at the Aggie Classic on the campus of Texas A&M University. First pitch in the team’s season opener against St. John’s is set for 11 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 14 at Davis Diamond in College Station, Texas.
rose coschignano pipe dream photographer Senior catcher Sara Herskowitz returns for her fourth year with the Bearcats, totaling the most RBIs on the team last season.
SOFTBALL
Season preview SEE PAGE 9
Thursday, February 13, 2020
$60 million donation to fund new baseball stadium donation from page 1 is the largest donation in University history and the second-largest in SUNY history, behind a $150 million donation to Stony Brook in 2011 for medical science research. The amount of money fueling the baseball stadium project is more than the cost of the Events Center in 2004, which was constructed for slightly more than $50 million, when adjusted for inflation. The last donation to the BU baseball program came in 2016, when an anonymous donor gave $2.2 million to have artificial turf installed on the field, as well as a videoboard and field lights put in place. The turf will be left untouched throughout the renovations. Stenger declined to comment on whether the latest gift was made by the same donor. The project will be spearheaded by CSArch, an educationalplanning design firm, and Fawley Bryant Architecture, which has previously worked with major league teams on their facilities. A video shown at the press conference depicts renderings of the facility, which will increase the stadium’s seating capacity from 464 to 1,500 seats. A VIP lounge and press suites will be added. Additionally, an indoor training facility will be built between the baseball field and the Events Center parking lots,
provided by fawley bryant architecture Upgrades to Binghamton’s baseball complex will include a new stadium, clubhouse and indoor training facility for the team.
featuring a full-sized infield and batting cages. The complex
will also contain new locker rooms, a players’ lounge, a study
lounge, a team store and a team meeting room.
“Fawley Bryant [Architecture] has done these kinds of
facilities for major league teams, a lot of their spring training facilities as well as their professional stadiums,” Stenger said. “So they took pieces from those designs and incorporated it into this.” According to Stenger, construction is expected to begin on the project within a week. The construction will create an estimated 473 new jobs and is expected to be completed within a year, in time for the 2021 baseball season. Sinicki said he hopes the new facility will help attract quality recruits to the program. “I think it opens up recruiting to a different level,” Sinicki said. “We’ve recruited very good players in the past, but it’s been very regionalized and now maybe this opens it up to a different type of kid, in terms of where they’re from in the country … Really, it’ll be up to my staff and myself to continue to try to find the right guys for this program and this University.” The project represents one of the most expensive upgrades to an America East sporting facility in recent years. In 2018, UMBC opened a new basketball facility, the UMBC Event Center, which cost $85 million, while Maine’s Cross Insurance Center, which opened in 2013, cost $65 million to build. Edward Aaron contributed reporting to this article.
Women’s basketball comes up short at Stony Brook BU fails to end Seawolves’ nation-leading win streak Samantha Marsh
assistant sports editor
Down by 11 at the end of the third quarter, the Binghamton women’s basketball team rallied in the final period when three 3-pointers made by sophomore guard Hayley Moore helped tie the score at 51-51. Neither team was able to score in almost three minutes, but with just 36 seconds left, Stony Brook graduate student guard Kaela Hilaire nailed a key 3-pointer off of a steal from junior forward India Pagan. The Bearcats scrambled to try to tie up the game, but even with a 3-pointer from senior guard Kai Moon, the Bearcats ultimately fell to the Seawolves, 58-54. “I’m so proud of them,” said BU head coach Bethann Shapiro Ord. “At any point we didn’t put our heads down, especially when they went on that run in the
third quarter.” With Moon shut down late by the defense of Stony Brook (241, 12-0 America East), the ball was given to Moore, who narrowly missed the final 3-pointer, sealing Stony Brook’s victory. Despite missing the shot, Moore had a season-high 12 points, and Shapiro Ord said the reason the Bearcats (16-8, 5-6 AE) were in the game at all was because of Moore’s 3-pointers in the fourth. “[Moore] is my player of the game for both teams,” Shapiro Ord said. “She came in, did her job, and I’m talking offensively and defensively, and I’m so proud of her. I know it was really hard because she took that last shot, and I just grabbed her right after, and I said, ‘If [Moon] didn’t get it, you were the one I wanted to have shoot that shot.’ And you know what? Next time it’s going in.” There were three Bearcats in double digits Wednesday night on the score sheet: Moore, Moon and senior guard Carly Boland.
Moon had 20 points and four steals, which marks the 15th time this season Moon has scored 20 or more points in a game. She is averaging 20.2 points a game, and sits at first in the AE in both scoring and steals. Boland had 10 points, the 13th time this season she has been in double digits. While Moon, Moore and Boland had most of the buckets, several other Bearcats contributed in different ways. Junior forward Olivia Ramil had seven rebounds, five points and two blocks, while senior guard Karlee Krchnavi had six rebounds and three steals. Freshman guard Denai Bowman also contributed four steals, and freshman guard Cassidy Roberts had an important block at the end of the first half — the first of her career. Although Stony Brook and Binghamton were fairly even competitors in the contest, the Bearcats were completely outrebounded by the Seawolves. Stony Brook had 46 rebounds,
while Binghamton had 27. Of Stony Brook’s 30 rebounds, 16 were offensive, while just seven of Binghamton’s rebounds were offensive. Stony Brook graduate student forward Cheyenne Clark had nearly a third of the team’s rebounds and is first in the AE in rebounding. “We had some opportunities to advance, but we gave them some second-chance buckets,” Shapiro Ord said. “But I really believe it’s going to happen when it’s supposed to happen. We’re gonna go back to the drawing board and keep building on what we’ve been doing.” With the victory, Stony Brook extended its winning streak to 21 games, the longest winning streak in the nation. Binghamton, meanwhile, fell to fifth in the conference and will take on fourth-place Vermont in its next game. Binghamton narrowly lost to Vermont on Jan. 15. “We’ve gotta get back home and battle,” Shapiro Ord said. “I’m excited to get back home on
sidney slon assistant photo editor Sophomore guard Hayley Moore kept the Bearcats in the game against Stony Brook, racking up 12 points and hitting multiple 3-pointers in the fourth quarter.
Saturday, but it’s gonna be another war.” The Bearcats will return home on Saturday, Feb. 15 to
take on Vermont (12-13, 6-6 AE). Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. from the Events Center in Vestal, New York.
Men’s basketball defeated by second-place Seawolves Binghamton drops fifthconsecutive AE matchup Ryan Giglio
pipe dream sports
A matchup between a secondand last-place team may not seem exciting; however, Wednesday’s contest between the Binghamton men’s basketball team and Stony Brook was anything but boring. Though the Seawolves led for
lucas peterka staff photographer Sophomore guard Sam Sessoms scored 22 points and totaled seven assists in Binghamton’s loss against Stony Brook on Wednesday.
the vast majority of the game, the Bearcats were never down by more than 10 and took the battle deep into the second half. As the final half progressed, the crowd’s roar at the Events Center grew louder and louder after each Bearcat basket. BU’s fight was at its hottest moment with under a minute left. Two successful free throws by senior guard Richard Caldwell, Jr. put Binghamton down by three with 58 seconds to go. Thanks to a travel, Stony Brook gave the ball back to Binghamton with 33.8 seconds. After several seconds of ball movement and a solid Seawolves defense, Binghamton head coach Tommy Dempsey called a timeout to draw up one last play. A couple of passes exchanged between sophomore guard Sam Sessoms and freshman guard Brenton Mills led to Mills taking a deep three. The home crowd was ready to get up and cheer as the shot flew near the basket, but it rimmed out and Stony Brook secured the rebound and the victory. Despite the strong effort,
the Bearcats (8-16, 2-9 America East) lost 75-70 to the Seawolves (17-9, 8-3 AE). “Our guys did what they needed to do to get ourselves a win,” Dempsey said. “Credit Stony Brook. They found a way to get out of here with a win, and it wasn’t through any lack of effort on our part. I was really pleased with how we played. I thought our effort was great.” Sessoms led BU’s effort with 22 points and seven assists. With a successful free throw early in the first period, he became the seventh player in the 41-year history of the AE to accumulate 1,000 career points as a sophomore. “It’s a great accomplishment,” Sessoms said. “I’m proud of myself for being able to achieve that at this stage of my college career. I guess it just speaks volumes about the people that surround me. My coaches and teammates helped me get into this position.” After the game, Dempsey said he is “blessed” to have Sessoms on his team and that he’s only going to get better.
“He’s a tough kid and wants to win,” Dempsey said. “We have a young group and he’s the floor general of that group and they’re going to get better and better.” Caldwell also had a big outing for Binghamton, scoring 17 points and securing six rebounds. Dempsey praised the senior for having a “great second half” after a first period that included “some bad shots” and “a couple of” missed defensive assignments. Freshman forward George Tinsley was the only other Bearcat to score in double digits, ending with 11 points. “[Tinsley] continues to be very steady,” Dempsey said. “He’s just a good basketball player. He’s just solid in every aspect and continues to play well.” Devoted Bearcats fans should have known better than to expect a boring game against the Seawolves. Entering Wednesday, Binghamton won its last two games against Stony Brook, including a quarterfinal playoff matchup last March. However, this loss is BU’s fifth in a row and keeps them in last place in the
AE. With eighth-place Maine losing tonight against New Hampshire, Binghamton failed to make up ground. “It’s certainly never easy to lose and we’re in a position now where we need every win we can get,” Dempsey said. “We had one that was within our reach tonight and it’s disappointing to not get it.” Anything but a last-place finish will take BU to the playoffs. With the season winding down, Binghamton needs to turn the ship around fast. Though the pressure is on, Sessoms said the team knows the way to the playoffs is through the advice of their head coach. “Like Coach Dempsey said after the game, we just got to stay together,” Sessoms said. “That’s the right message. Nobody can quit and we can’t quit on each other.” Next up for the Bearcats is a road matchup against firstplace Vermont on Saturday, Feb. 15. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. at the Patrick Gym in Burlington, Vermont.