The Statesman 01-27-20 by The Statesman

Volume LXIII, Issue 16

sbstatesman.com

Monday, January 27, 2020

Students petition for a smoothie truck spot

Bernstein withdraws presidential candidacy

By Alek Lewis

By Brianne Ledda

Assistant News Editor

News Editor

More than 1,100 students have signed a petition showing support for a smoothie truck on campus after negotiations between its owner and the Faculty Student Association (FSA) went sour in early January. Senior business management major Tyler Phillips, who was attempting to start a campus food truck called The Smoothie Spot, launched a social media campaign seeking student support after FSA terminated negotiations on Jan. 8. Phillips said that he first approached FSA in Spring 2018 with the idea for his own student-run business, inspired by his interest in business and his past work experience in a family friend’s smoothie shop. “I observed a lack of customer-centric food services that provid-

RABIA GURSOY /THE STATESMAN

The new SAC Market is expected to open up on Monday, Jan. 27. The market will feature Argo Tea, Craft Salads and Bowls and the SBU Marketplace. ed meal options that were both delicious and healthy,” Phillips wrote in an email. “The smoothie truck concept, from my perspective, is what makes The Smoothie Spot so customer-oriented. Through the utilization of a vehicle, I am able to set up shop at various events on campus in order to best serve the Stony Brook community.”

Phillips said that he initially hoped to open for Summer 2019. Phillips said that he was informed towards the end of the Spring 2019 semester that Culinart would likely partner with Jamba-Juice. Although a Jamba-Juice isn’t currently on campus, the Healthy by Nature shop in East Side

Dining, which serves smoothies among other things, opened in Summer 2019 — Phillips’s original launch date for The Smoothie Spot. Phillips said he felt “offended” and “betrayed” that FSA was working with Jamba Juice beContinued on page 4

SBU professor uses $3.5M grant to combat Alzheimer's By Joe McQueen Contributing Writer

Stony Brook University Associate Professor of biomedical engineering, Donghui Zhu, is working with the Institute for Engineering-Driven Medicine to develop a new way to combat Alzheimer’s disease after securing a $3.5 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Zhu is evaluating the molecular and cellular mechanisms that cause the disease in the first place. He said one of the main factors that causes Alzheimer’s is neuroinflammation, or inflammation of nervous tissue. His approach is looking to find how magnesium, Alzheimer’s and inflammation are connected — since magnesium helps reduce inflammation in the body, he’s investigating whether it might do the same within the brain. “We are using a multidisciplinary approach including engineering, biology and neuroscience imaging as a comprehensive study looking at how new information may contribute to the development of AD [Alzheimer’s],” Zhu said. Learning how magnesium and inflammation play a role in

degenerative neurological diseases could potentially evolve into a new therapeutic treatment for Alzheimer’s and neuroinflammation, he said. Researchers believe that Alzheimer’s is caused by multiple factors like genetics, lifestyle and environmental conditions. Huaxi Xu, director of Neuroscience Initiative at the Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, a nonprofit institution that conducts biomedical research in neuroscience and immunology based in La Jolla, California, is collaborating with Professor Zhu in developing this new approach. “He [Zhu] has expertise in magnesium regulation of molecular pathways related to BBB [blood-brain barrier],” Xu said. “My expertise comes from the rates of magnesium among Alzheimer’s patients. That’s why our expertise came to be complementary.” Xu explained that once people reach 60, they begin to experience reduced magnesium in the brain. Zhu’s research is evaluating if those magnesium levels are connected to neuroinflammation and the development of Alzheimer’s disease.

“This is an angle study on how regulation or supplementation of magnesium can be a unique way of helping our journey of curing Alzheimer’s,” Xu said. Stefan Judex, assistant professor of Biomedical engineering, said getting funding for this type of research from the National Institutes of Health is

-Lauren Sheprow

ERIK1980/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS VIA CC BY SA 3.0

An MRI scan of a brain. An SBU professor secured a $3.5 million grant from the National Institutes of Health.

Arts & Culture

He is stuck near the initial outbreak of coronavirus.

Self-care and resilience were themes of the night.

MORE ON PAGE 8

Women's Basketball continues win streak. MORE ON PAGE 12

The Statesman

Monday, January 27, 2020

Local Banking… Beyond the Ordinary CELEBRATE OUR GRAND OPENING!

24/7

Drive-Up

ATM

Stop in the East Setauket branch to learn about our Certificate Specials, Grand Opening Cash Drawing and more!!! 25A

Nicolls Rd.

olls

Nic

A To P

ort

Health Sci e

Island Federal

East Setauket Branch Now Open 430 Route 25A – 1 mile from Stony Brook University

Jef fer

son

c es

Stony Brook University Health Sciences Tower

Drive

Stony Brook University

Open 6 days a week including Saturdays from 8:30am—3:00pm

25A

Simply Free Checking It’s Checking that’s Truly FREE! • FREE of Monthly Fees and Balance Requirements • FREE Debit Mastercard® with uChoose Rewards®1 – Earn Rewards for the Purchases you Make • 75,000 Surcharge-FREE ATMs2

Does Your Bank Do That?

OPEN AN ACCOUNT online at islandfcu.com or visit any Island branch including our NEW East Setauket branch

Catch the Wave to Better Banking islandfcu.com • 631-851-1100 Bellmore / Brooklyn / East Setauket / Hauppauge / Hicksville / Massapequa / Riverhead / Sayville / Selden Stony Brook University: Student Activities Center Branch (Lower Level) or Health Sciences Branch (Level 2)* All offers subject to credit approval. 2Available for Island members. *Restricted access. Membership eligibility applies.

Federally Insured by NCUA

The Statesman

Receive A FREE NIGHT* with our Stony Brook Student Savings Card CALL FOR DETAILS and Mention This ad!

FREE Shuttle to/from

Stony Brook University/Hosptial, University/Hospital, Stony Brook Train Station, Station, Jeﬀ Ferry Ferry, LI LI MacArthur MacArthur Airport Port Jeff

FREE Hot Breakfast Bar

Enjoy our F NEW L RESH, OOK! Newly sleepin renovated g area & rooms, dinin meetin g g room s!

Monday, January 27, 2020

BODYTRAFFIC

SAT FEB 8 • 8:00 PM

“Bodytraffic displays sheer animal magnetism...”

FREE High Speed Internet 24 hour business Center On-Site Sports Facility Swimming Pool/Fitness Center Oﬃcial hotel of the

STONY BROOK

SEAWOLVES

Student Sav ings Card Stay 4 Get 1 NIGNights, HT FREE

*with Stony Brook Student Savings Card Stay 4 Nights, Get 1 Free. Card must be presented at check in.

HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS Stony Brook 3131 Nesconset Hwy., Stony Brook, NY 11720

tanya@stonybrookny.hiexpress.com 631-471-8000 ext. 709

DRUM TAO 2020

SAT FEB 15 7:00 PM

“Extraordinarily talented percussion artists, and they're seductive, alluring performers.” - Chicago Tribune

! n o i te nt

ns O n - c am p us O rg a n iz at io s: & O f f- c am p us B us ine s s e

Adve r tis e i n ! N A M S E T A T S e Th C onta ct ou r Adve rtis in

g st af f

631-632-6480

Gala 2020

Performing together for the first time!

KELLI O’HARA & SUTTON FOSTER

SAT MAR 7 • 8:00 PM VIP Gala Tickets available

ASATCAPPELLA LIVE MAR 14 AT 7:00 PM From the vocal producer of Pitch Perfect, comes this high-energy musical celebration featuring four internationally recognized, award-winning SBU rising stars. STUDENTS $10 SBU FAC/STAFF $3 OFF

stallercenter.com

(631) 632-ARTS [2787]

NEWS

Negotiations between owner and FSA fail Professor trapped in China Continued from page 1 hind the scenes, even as he invested “time and resources” into his own smoothie venture. He said that throughout the negotiation process, he was treated in a condescending manner. “An environment was created where I felt talked down to if I asked too many questions,” he said, adding that he was forced to be his own teacher. “I had not seen other on-campus businesses experience this, and I began to wonder why The Smoothie Spot did not appear to be a priority, or at least of equal importance. Part of me wondered if this is what discrimination looked like,” he said. He said that a “build-up of various occurrences” led him to speak with the Office of Institutional Diversity and Equity, though he didn’t file a complaint. Phillips was notified that his branded truck would be ready on Jan. 13 and walked into a Jan. 8 meeting with FSA confident that The Smoothie Spot would open in Feb. 2020. Instead, he was handed a letter of termination. Phillips said he was told that The Smoothie Spot was “outside of the scope of FSA resources.” Phillips’ immediate reaction to this news was confusion. “After a year and a half working on this project and one month before the grand opening, after significant time and resources, it was now outside of FSA’s scope?” he wrote. “I truly could

not comprehend the sense in this statement.” FSA Executive Director, Van Sullivan, said that after a “thorough review of the project, the Faculty Student Association has decided to consider other options to further enhance the student experience while continuing to provide the best possible service to the campus in a cost-effective, creative and efficient manner.” He added that the FSA had not, at any point, entered into a contract agreement with The Smoothie Spot. Frustrated, Phillips started the Change.org petition in response, which reached its goal of 1,000 signatures on Jan. 19, only five days after it was posted. He promoted the petition on Twitter and Instagram, where other students shared the link on their stories. Junior business management and psychology double major Bolu Oloruntoba posted the link to his petition on his Instagram story on Jan. 14. “The Smoothie Spot seemed so positive that it made so much sense to share this innovation with my peers, so we can push the movement and allow students to have access to an affordable and healthy lifestyle,” Oloruntoba wrote in an email. A business management major himself, Oloruntoba sees Phillips’ business as inspiration for future students who hope to make their mark on campus through business. “It's beautiful to see students who can manage to thrive academically and innovate, and more importantly, inno-

SCREENSHOT OF CHANGE.ORG

Petition for The Smoothie Spot on Change.org, which has been signed by over 1,100 students.

vate on their school's campus,” Oloruntoba wrote. On Jan. 24, The Smoothie Spot’s Instagram account posted a statement that said FSA made its final decision to terminate negotiations with The Smoothie Spot because of “financial risk.” “This is by no means the end of The Smoothie Spot, but simply a delay in its opening,” Phillips wrote on the Jan. 24 Instagram post. “Thank you from the very bottom of my heart for fighting with us until the end.” Phillips announced in another Instagram post the next day that he would be speaking with staff from Stony Brook University’s President’s Office, in a “last effort to get The Smoothie Spot” on campus and to address his treatment by FSA.

“This is by no means the end of The Smoothie Spot, but simply a delay in its opening.” -Tyler Phillips

Senior Business Management Major

Although his business may not come to fruition, Phillips said that he can’t ignore that FSA “provided information and mentorship that has been a significant benefit,” including help with understanding business operations, spreadsheets, vendor contracts and marketing. “The work that FSA and others involved in this project have accomplished for me is something of which I am incredibly grateful for,” Phillips wrote. “It is my hope that with these experiences brought to light, resources and services can be refined in order to provide effective and efficient assistance to students and businesses in the future.”

By Brianne Ledda News Editor

A Stony Brook professor visiting family near the initial outbreak of a dangerous new coronavirus in Wuhan, China, is unable to return to the United States, according to Newsday. China is expanding travel restrictions on the area as the flu-like virus begins a global spread. There are currently five confirmed cases in the United States and the results for four potential cases in New York are still pending. Sen. Chuck Schumer said at a Jan. 26 press conference that his office is trying to arrange a flight home for the professor, who he declined to name.

“We want to get him out of there as quick as possible,” Schumer said. Stony Brook University is "grateful" to Schumer and the U.S. State Department, Media Relations Officer Lauren Sheprow wrote in an email. "Upon return to the United States, our employee will follow CDC quarantine protocols," she wrote. The university sent a campus-wide email on Jan. 23 warning students about symptoms — which include fever and a cough — and how to avoid spreading the disease. Stony Brook Medicine recommends that people “follow healthy habits,” including updated flu vaccinations and frequent hand-washing, to prevent the disease.

Former professor pleads guilty

By Brianne Ledda and Melissa Azofeifa

News Editor & Arts and Culture Editor

Former Stony Brook University Professor, Geoffrey Girnun, pleaded guilty to stealing government funds on Tuesday, Jan. 14. Girnun, a former associate professor in the department of pathology and director of cancer metabolomics at the Renaissance School of Medicine, was arrested on Sept. 12 after stealing $78,000 from National Institutes of Health (NIH) between December 2013 and December 2017. According to an initial indictment, he allegedly used the money to cover personal expenses, including mortgage payments. “He regrets his conduct and is taking responsibility for it,” Michael Yaeger, Girnun’s attorney, said. U.S. District Court Judge Denis Hurley, who accepted the plea, emphasized that the guilty plea would waive a number of rights, including the government’s burden of proof, right to confrontation and public trial, and right against self-incrimination. Girnun signed a multi-page plea agreement which he said he went over “extensively” with his attorney. As per the plea agreement, Girnun

could face a maximum of 10 years in jail without parole, and “a fine to be determined,” according to a U.S. Department of Justice press release. He will also pay $225,000 in restitution, “which includes the NIH funds and approximately $147,000 from SBU’s foundation and state-sponsored grants.” Girnun acknowledged that he understood all provisions in the plea agreement. He resigned from Stony Brook University in December 2019. “With today’s guilty plea, Girnun has been held accountable for his unconscionable scheme to embezzle for his personal use [of] hundreds of thousands of dollars in government funds that were intended to help find a cure for cancer,” U.S. attorney Richard Donoghue said in a press release. A Stony Brook University spokesperson wrote in an email that the university is “outraged and appalled” by Girnun’s theft. “This behavior is absolutely contrary to the ethical and professional standards expected of our faculty,” the spokesperson said. “Dr. Girnun has resigned from the University and has no remaining affiliations.“ Girnun agreed not to appeal his sentence, which will be handed down in May.

NYS invests $20M into offshore wind training institute at SBU

By Sara Ruberg Multimedia Editor

New York State will invest $20 million into a new offshore wind training institute to be hosted by Stony Brook University and SUNY Farmingdale, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced in his 2020 agenda on Wednesday, Jan. 8. The institute plans to start accepting students in 2021, “when the industry is expected to need a significant number of new skilled employees,” according to the agenda. Cuomo expects the program to train 2,500 workers over the next five years. “Through Stony Brook’s College of Engineering and Applied Sciences programs, we are poised to start training a highly skilled engineering workforce, focusing on expertise required

in today’s rapidly evolving clean energy landscape,” Interim President Michael Bernstein wrote in an emailed statement. “These include, among others, wind resource assessment, wind turbine and wind farm project design and optimization, offshore wind project economics, public policy, social acceptance and environmental impacts, as well as energy storage and grid integration.” There are currently three wind farms being developed around Long Island. Two are off the coast of Montauk — South Fork and Sunrise Wind Farms — and one, called the Empire Wind Farm, stands off the south shore by the East Rockaways. Sunrise and Empire wind farms represent New York’s first investments in offshore wind, and will cost more than 200 million dollars in state

funds. According to New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), the two farms will produce nearly 1,700 megawatts (MW) of energy — “the single largest renewable energy procurement by a state in U.S. history.” The wind farms and coming institution are part of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s plan to power New York on 9,000 MW from offshore wind farms by 2035. Over the summer, Cuomo signed the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA), which mandates that 70% of New York’s electricity should come from renewable sources by 2030. Twenty six percent of electricity used in the state came from renewable energy in 2018, according to the New York Independent System Operator, the nonprofit

corporation that runs the state’s power grid. A Stony Brook University study, cited in a 2016 stakeholder review on offshore wind farms in New York, estimated that one wind farm producing 250 MW could create nearly 3,000 full time jobs. If those statistics are accurate, that means that Sunrise and Empire wind farms would produce more than 20,000 jobs. Farmingdale State College President Dr. John S. Nader said in an emailed statement that “the environmental and economic benefits to Long Island and the region are vital to our future,” and the school’s work “in workforce development” will prepare the “economy for the future.” Long Island fishermen, however, worry that the farms could affect their livelihoods. They point to cases overseas, where wind farms were

built in prime fishing locations, and instances where windmills were placed too close together to navigate through them safely, making the area unfishable. “The reality is that… they are putting [the windmills] in prime fishing grounds,” Bonnie Brady, the executive director of the Long Island fishing association, said. She advocates for 11 different gear groups in 14 different ports around Long Island. The South Fork and Sunrise Wind Farms are expected to power millions of homes in the Hamptons and the Town of Brookhaven, while the Empire Wind Farm near Long Beach is expected to power more than a million homes in Manhattan. The farms are anticipated to be operational by the mid-2020s. Brianne Ledda contributed to the reporting.

The Statesman

Monday, January 27, 2020

MASTER OF ARTS IN

Medical Humanities, Compassionate Care and Bioethics Not just for healthcare professionals, this program serves students from a wide range of disciplines and professional backgrounds, building on a commitment to medical humanism and ethics that has defined education for Stony Brook students for more than three decades.

The 30-credit Master of Arts program can be completed in as little as one year. “ The MA program opened my eyes to new avenues to connect to our patients with respect and compassion. It inspired me to pilot a program for Arts in Medicine, which has made my staff more receptive to the nonmedical needs of their patients.” — Linda Bily, MA Program Graduate

APPLICATION DEADLINE FOR FALL 2020 U.S. Residents: July 1, 2020 • International Students: April 1, 2020 For more information or to apply to the program, visit stonybrook.edu/bioethics/masters or email bioethics@stonybrookmedicine.edu

Stony Brook University/SUNY is an affirmative action, equal opportunity educator and employer. 19120886

When You Want the Best Stony Brook Has To Offer • #1 Rated Hotel In Stony Brook by Trip Advisor • 135 Guestrooms & Suites • The Garden Grille & Bar Restaurant • University Room & Library for All Events and Meetings

THE GRILLE & BAR

Bring This Ad and Receive 15% Off Lunch or Dinner

• Events & Meetings for Groups of 10-200 • Newly Remodeled Event Space Which Includes State of the Art A.V. • Customized Menus for Brunch, Luncheon & Dinner • Perfect for Holiday & Birthday Parties, Family Events & Meetings • Sweet 16 Package Starting at $4,750

• $12 Cooked to Order Breakfast Buffet Daily for SBU Employees • Lunch Served Monday-Friday 11:30am to 1:30pm Join Our Loyalty Lunch Program • Happy Hour and Nightly Themed Dinner Specials

Weekly Lunch Theme Specials Mondays - Panini Specials Tuesdays - Soup and Salad Combo Specials Wednesday - Tex Mex Taco Bowl and Taco Salad Specials Thursdays - Flatbread Pizza Specials Fridays - Fish “Fryday”, Fried Seafood Specials

On Campus 1 Circle Road Stony Brook, NY www.universityroom.net

631-941-2980

ARTS & CULTURE

CPO hosts self-care themed “First Night Out” for SBU Students By Lajiere Blake

Assistant Arts & Culture Editor

On Jan. 25, the Center for Prevention and Outreach (CPO) hosted a First Night Out event that focused on self-care and resilience at the Campus Recreation Center. First Night Out events take place at the beginning of each semester and are an attempt to connect and encourage incoming students to look forward to the semester ahead. CPO offers Stony Brook students “a wide range of services to address student concerns about mental health, alcohol and other substances, healthy relationships and sexual violence.” Senior health science major Vivien Llanes is the alcohol and other drug outreach assistant for CPO. According to Llanes, First Night Out’s goal was to “cater to all the new transfer students, especially freshmen, and all the other students who are looking for something to do.” There are stigmas surrounding mental health including the belief that people rarely experience mental health issues, but CPO says 1 in 5 people experience mental illness in a given year. An article by Stanford University finds that basic needs, like getting enough sleep and drinking enough water, need to be met in order for students to continue to be successful. As a senior, Llanes understands the importance of self-care, specifically for Stony Brook students. Although Llanes previously struggled, she says “I got better with my time management and also by asking other people for help. It’s ok to go to

RABIA GURSOY/ THE STATESMAN

The outside of the Walter J. Hawrys Campus Recreation Center. Center for Prevention and Outreach hosted a "First Night Out" event on self-care at the recreation center to start off the spring 2020 semester. your professors for help; it’s ok to tell your boss that you need a day off.” Senior sociology major Jenna Santiago is also an intern for CPO and wanted students to walk away from the event knowing the vast importance of mental health. “Just know that you and your mental health are important so if you feel like you’re really stressed

out just take a minute, take a breather, talk to a friend or even take a nap. Do whatever you need to do because your mental health is more important than getting a good grade or impressing someone. Sometimes you need to just be selfish and that’s good.” This need for virtuous selfishness seemed to be popular among the First Night Out attendees.

Transfer student Jessica Strong is a sophomore business major who is looking forward to the semester ahead and understands that self-care will be a big part of her success at Stony Brook. “I spend more time on [other] people than I do on myself and that gets in the way of a lot of things like my plans and my goals. I tend to put that to the side when

it comes to other people but it’s all about time management and I’m working on that.” The Student Health, Wellness and Prevention Services’ website offers students a clear list of the resources on campus that are integral to the community of care at Stony Brook. From mental to physical health, all students have access to these helpful outlets.

doesn’t take long for the show to hit its groove. These moments prove to become more of a humorous punctuation instead of an uncomfortable silence. Part of the reason for season one’s popularity was the show’s ability to paint a picture of why sex education is so important. Teenagers need this knowledge, and some of the crazy questions Otis is forced to answer shed light on this in a hilarious way. Season two continues this well, but it also starts to show the differences between Otis and his mother, Jean Milburn, who is a trained and licensed sex therapist. Otis has the tact and ability to deliver the information to teenagers in a way that makes them feel safe and comfortable. But in a lot of cases, he just doesn’t know enough. Jean on the other hand, who is played by Gillian Anderson, has the knowledge, but isn’t very good at dealing with teenagers. This contrast causes a new conflict which plays out over the course of the season and ultimately comes to a head in a brilliant finale. Maeve Wiley, played by Emma Mackey, comes head to head with new obstacles as her mom, Erin, played by Anne-Marie

Duff, forces her way back into Maeve’s life. She deals with this at the same time that she and Otis try to figure out where their friendship is really going. The show executes so many different storylines brilliantly that it’s pretty amazing they’ve managed to make me care about all of them. When Jakob, the love interest of Otis’s mother Jean, started to finally get some more screen time and character development, I found myself intrigued even though he was somewhat of a minor character. The only problem the show might have at this point is an overabundance of good characters. Characters like Maeve, Ola and Jackson, portrayed by Mackey, Patricia Allison, and Kedar Williams-Stirling respectively, all get excellent character development and growth in season two, each going through their own unique struggles. At the same time Victoria and Ruby, played by Simone Ashley and Mimi Keene, both have brief moments of characterization that makes us see them as more than just the school’s “untouchables” but it left me wanting a great deal more. I only hope that we get to see a little bit more of these characters in season three because season two was entirely too short.

“Sex Education” second season continues to serve irresistible awkwardness By Alexander Bakirdan

Assistant Arts and Culture Editor

The second season of “Sex Education” shines with teenage angst and awkwardness, accompanied by some of its most heartwarming, gut-wrenching and shocking moments yet. Building on the momentum of last season — which left off on a pretty dramatic note — Otis Milburn, played by Asa Butterfield, is forced to cope with all new challenges. Navigating social life as a teenager is already hard enough. The problems that come with being your school’s unlicensed sex therapist is even worse and there seems to be a crisis at every turn for Otis this season. Eric Effiong, played by Ncuti Gatwa, also faces new trials in season two as he deals with a new relationship, and the complications of an old one. Adam Groff, played by Connor Swindells — the bully who might just be into him — is back in his life and Eric doesn’t know what to do. The awkward moments carry on into season two, and the show continues to test how far it can push the discomfort without making the audience want to fast-forward or look away. A few episodes early in the season go a tad overboard with the graceless moments, but it

PUBLIC DOMAIN

The official poster for the second season of “Sex Education.” The second season was released Jan. 17, 2020.

MULTIMEDIA

Photos by Rabia Gursoy and Sara Ruberg New student facilities are under construction or open for use around campus for the spring semester. The Student Activities Center hosts the SAC Market (top two photos), which sells teas, salads, bowls and more. It is open now to students after construction ended over winter break. The Student Union (bottom left)is under construction and remains closed to students. The Dubin Indoor Training Center (bottom right) curently hosts some teams' practices, but is still under construction.

JOIN THE STATESMAN Are you interested in writing, photography,

copy editing, graphic design, business, social media management, IT and more? Email editors@sbstatesman.com or visit section meetings to find out more and get involved!

Location: SAC 307F

Sports: Mondays @ 7:00 PM Opinions: Tuesdays @ 5:00 PM News: Tuesdays @ 5:30 PM Copy Editing: Tuesdays @ 6:00 PM Arts: Tuesdays @ 6:30 PM Multimedia: Tuesdays @ 7:00 PM

OPINIONS Editor-in-Chief..................Gary Ghayrat Managing Editor..............Karina Gerry Managing Editor..........Chris Parkinson News Editor..............................................................Brianne Ledda Arts & Culture Editor..............................................Melissa Azofeifa Multimedia Editor........................................................Sara Ruberg Opinions Editor...........................................................Cindy Mizaku Sports Editor.................................................................Ryan Pavich Copy Chief..........................................................Alexa Anderwkavich Assistant News Editor..................................................Maya Brown Assistant News Editor....................................................Alek Lewis Assistant News Editor......................................Samantha Robinson Assistant Arts & Culture Editor..........................Alexander Bakirdan Assistant Arts & Culture Editor.................................Lajiere Blake Assistant Multimedia Editor.....................................Rabia Gursoy Assistant Multimedia Editor.....................................Emma Harris Assistant Opinions Editor.............................................Fanni Frankl Assistant Opinions Editor.............................................Sam Lauria Assistant Sports Editor................................................Ross O’Keefe Assistant Sports Editor..................................................Ethan Tam Assistant Copy Editor..............................................Donovan Alexis Assistant Copy Editor.....................................................Karla Rios Assistant Copy Editor..............................................Michelle Wong Advertising Manager ............................................. Kaylee McAllister

Contact us: Phone: 631-632-6479 Fax: 631-632-9128 Web: www.sbstatesman.com To contact the Editor-in-Chief and Managing Editors about organizational comments, questions, suggestions, corrections or photo permission, email editors@sbstatesman.com. To reach a specific section editor: News Editor.....................................news@sbstatesman.com Arts & Entertainment Editor.............arts@sbstatesman.com Multimedia Editor..................multimedia@sbstatesman.com Opinions Editor..........................opinions@sbstatesman.com Sports Editor..................................sports@sbstatesman.com Copy Chief.......................................copy@sbstatesman.com The Statesman is a student-run, student-written incorporated publication at Stony Brook University in New York. The paper was founded as The Sucolian in 1957 at Oyster Bay, the original site of Stony Brook University. In 1975, The Statesman was incorporated as a not-for-profit, student-run organization. Its editorial board, writers and multimedia staff are all student volunteers. New stories are published online every day Monday through Thursday. A print issue is published every Monday during the academic year and is distributed to many on-campus locations, the Stony Brook University Hospital and over 70 off-campus locations. The Statesman and its editors have won several awards for student journalism and several past editors have gone on to enjoy distinguished careers in the field of journalism. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook @ sbstatesman. Disclaimer: Views expressed in columns or in the Letters and Opinions section are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Statesman. The Statesman promptly corrects all errors of substance published in the paper. If you have a question or comment about the accuracy or fairness of an article please send an email to editors@sbstatesman.com. First issue free; additional issues cost $1.

PAULA PECEGO/STATESMAN FILE

Cars parked in South P Lot, the commuter student parking lot. Commuter students make up nearly half of Stony Brook’s student population.

The importance of secure housing in SBU By Sarah Tantawy Contributing Writer

Sarah Tantawy is a junior journalism major. The morning is cold and dark, meanwhile the sun is barely up as the sound of alarms simultaneously go off all across New York, one, two, three times. Snooze. Snooze. Snooze. The time is 7:30 a.m., and hitting the snooze button again doesn’t seem like the best idea. Class is at 9 a.m., but who knows what the traffic will be like, if your car will have any trouble or if you will be able to find a parking spot. A flurry of commuters make their way down Stony Brook Road and turn into South P Lot — all scrambling to find parking as close to the bus stop as they possibly can. The students carry cups of coffee and stand in lines that circle the Wolfie's Hut, hoping to get a seat on the mile-long bus ride that will bring them to Stony Brook University's main campus. This is a commuter student’s daily morning routine. Commuter students make up nearly half of Stony Brook’s student population, most of whom reside on Long Island. Log on to Stony Brook’s website and you will see an array of resources available to help those students that live close to campus. These resources include the information for the Suffolk County Transit system and the Long Island ferry service. If you are close enough, biking or walking is an option too. However, if a student lives outside of Long Island, finding a way to school becomes much more complicated. At the beginning of this academic year, I experienced a housing crisis. The enrollment rate at SBU went up, and the university seemed to accept more students than on-campus housing had the room for. This affected many students, as incoming students found

Corrections

themselves forced in rooms only meant for two. I applied to Stony Brook as a residential student, fully intending to dorm. However, the only rooms that were available were triples, which led me to consider other housing options. This problem affects students who come from outside of Long Island — the boroughs. As housing ran out of space, students ran out of luck. When I went on the housing portal, waitlists to get into housing had over 300 names. The options were limited; either make the commute from the city to Stony Brook every day, which can often take upwards of an hour and a half, or try to find a reasonably priced apartment and commute from Long Island. In an attempt to find housing, commuter students turn to SBU’s housing section of their website, but on the website, one of the first things mentioned is Stony Brook disclaiming themselves, saying that they do not vet any of the listings. This means that if you were to run into trouble, even if you found the listing on Stony Brook’s site, the university is not responsible. In an attempt to find housing over the summer, I looked up some of the complexes SBU had listed and found that one of the numbers mentioned, The Reserve at the Boulevard, isn’t even a housing complex, it is the number to a woman’s home. She had mentioned that this isn’t the first time someone had called inquiring about an apartment complex and that she had been dodging calls for a while. This was a clear indication that it is the students responsibility to make sure each housing contact is legitimate, which already sets a precedent for how little care is put into securing housing options for off-campus students. Having the opportunity to live on campus allows students to be better members of their

college community, and lets them find a home within their school quicker. Matthew Rothbard, a senior geology major, arrived on campus as a transfer commuter student. “If you don’t live in a dorm, where you are practically placed in a social situation that forces you to make friends, it feels like you don’t have a community,” he said.

“If you don't live in a dorm, where you are practically placed in a social situation that forces you to make friends, it feels like you don't have a community.” -Matthew Rothbard Senior Geology Major

When students have no choice but to commute because of limited housing, commuter students, like myself, often feel like they have to choose between two important facets of college life, either the educational one or the social one. Both come with benefits but having to choose one over the other does not really give commuter students a full college experience. SBU is a college where students are going “Far Beyond,” but how far can students actually go and feel a part of the community when housing options seem to be so confined?

No corrections were made to the last issue (Volume LXIII, Issue 15) of the paper. Readers can send an email to editors@sbstatesman.com regarding any errors made in articles.

Opinions

The Statesman

Monday, January 27, 2020

News consumers need to freshen up their news literacy skills By James Bowen and Sam Lauria Contributing Writer and Assistant Opinions Editor

James Bowen is a junior journalism major; Sam Lauria is a freshman journalism major. The internet is an abyss of information which can serve as a helping hand for its younger users, but a Rubix cube for older ones. The presence of social media and memes not only spreads misinformation like wild-

fire but also adds to the “boomer” stereotype — a generation with the reputation of “drinking the kool-aid” — or intaking information at face value without fact-checking. Add into the mix the malware, fabricated content and propaganda, and you can start to understand why older people stride away from using the internet altogether. Although 68% of boomers are using the internet, they’re seven times more likely to share false information

on Facebook than Millenials. Consumers’ comfort in looking at outlets that support their beliefs creates cognitive dissonance, especially when someone’s ideas or beliefs contradict another. Hence, approximately one-third of all Americans distrust the media. But instead of cutting the web indefinitely, news consumers should approach digital media like a diet. By selecting what’s healthy to consume on a daily basis, boomers, as well as

EMMA HARRIS/THE STATESMAN

The Center for News Literacy located in the Frank Melville Jr. Memorial Library. According to The National Interest, one-third of Americans distrust the media.

younger viewers, can avoid sharing misinformation. As news consumers, we need to develop ways to critically digest what we see online. At Stony Brook University, a news literacy course is taught to educate budding journalists on the dead giveaways of disinformation in the media. Educating news consumers about the basics of news literacy could, in turn, change their views of the web and allow people to make a distinction between good journalism and “fake news.” Once consumers of digital news freshen up their news literacy skills, well-reported and reliable information can then be further shared on social media platforms. One vital piece of information to know when determining if a news outlet is valid or not is in recognizing the information neighborhood an article is coming from. In SBU’s news literacy course, student journalists are taught that information neighborhoods are an array of different mediums of communication to an audience such as journalism, entertainment and propaganda. Some of these information neighborhoods borrow characteristics from others to appeal to audiences like when entertainment tactics such as flashy titles, sound effects or music are used in journalistic platforms to appeal to audiences. This can make it even harder for people to decipher the difference between a media outlet that values journalism ethics and one that spews misinformation. Government-funded news outlets, for instance, produce misleading and fabricated content so as to fit their political agendas. One of these outlets, RT (Russia Today), is a

government-funded site, which immediately is a red flag because the organization manipulates coverage of the news in favor of the Russian state.The site’s propaganda is seen through its use of radical headlines and claims to fuel readership. Another thing to watch out for is when advertisers take advantage of claiming that their work is based on journalistic pursuits in order to bump up sales. They may use news articles to put an emphasis on why their products are worth purchasing or they could also buy advertising space and sponsor particular articles. While the reports they use may be true and contribute valid points to their arguments, advertisement companies will be biased in order to further profit off their advertised products or services. Information is spread instantaneously, so it can be easy to get overwhelmed with trying to figure out what is real and what is not. A simple process that we can all adapt when consuming news is to check the information that is displayed as fact is verified, that the news outlet is independent and that the publication holds accountability for what they publish. We live in a world where it is common to distrust the media. In most cases, the reason behind this is people’s, particularly Boomers’, inability to recognize “fake news.” By taking the time to incorporate the verification processes mentioned before in everyday lives, all news consumers can adapt to the changing times and appreciate the fast-paced world of digital media.

The Statesman

ACROSS 1. Something to get out of, socially 6. It’s a buck 10. Acronym for many colleges, including Stony Brook 14. Mysterious 15. Big language in Pakistan 16. πab, for an ellipse 17. Skill found by the well-mannered elite 20. A midterm e.g. 21. “However” text slang 22. Runs off 23. Southeast Asian language family 24. Grins 25. A sailor or his hat 29. Way he got home? 30. Mistake 31. What platelets make blood do 32. Credit card type 36. Things on a resume 39. Part on a planner 40. Something sworn 41. “Things you own ___ owning you” - Fight Club 42. “Hit or __” 43. Police sticks 44. Cozy homes in the woods 47. Blinding crop grower 48. Most protected 49. Ending for musket or rocket 50. Tempeh alternative 54. They put ink on paper 57. Orc alike 58. “How cool!” 59. Possible test answer choice 60. “Piggies” or “Dogs” 61. Who polytheistic prayers go to

Comics & Crosswords

By Owen Lewars 62. What a horse does DOWN 1. Back to school time, abv. 2. ¡Aquí! 3. Greek God of love 4. Pull up, perhaps 5. Famous fighter Bruce 6. Japanese roll 7. Small band, usually 8. Stress in Shakespeare 9. Firearm fabricator 10. Shallon to the Brits 11. Excretory product 12. Self-built birdhouses 13. Veggie often confused with sweet potato 18. Constellation bit 19. Corrosive fluid 23. Semester 24. Jump into a puddle 25. To defeat 26. The fake whale species 27. Parabolic curve shapes 28. Permanently borrowed 29. Cuts 31. Place to learn 32. Release, emotionally 33. Asian peninsula “__-China” 34. Shock into silence 35. Egyptian snakes 37. Indicating 38. The average person is this 42. Sauna vapor 43. Jefferson’s vice Aaron 44. It’s what the hold holds 48. Common name for man’s 45. Hot Ed Sheeran song “___ Love” best friend 46. Elaine on “Seinfeld” 49. “Good gravy!” 47. Sevens, in Marseille 50. Ivan or Nicholas, e.g.

Monday, January 27, 2020

The answer key will be shared next week.

51. Third most northern capital 52. Party 53. Interacts with

55. Red pill swallower 56. Salamander or newt