The Statesman 01-29-18 by The Statesman

Monday, January 29, 2018

Volume LXI, Issue 16

sbstatesman.com

Women's Swimming and Diving head coach allegedly fired By Gregory Zarb Sports Editor

ALEEZA KAZMI / THE STATESMAN

#MeToo founder Tarana Burke sits with a panel of members from i-tri, a Long Island women's group, on Jan. 28 in the Sidney Gelber Auditorium. The panelists discussed issues around the #MeToo movement including sexual assault.

#MeToo founder Tarana Burke speaks to SBU students By Rebecca Liebson News Editor

“When is the last time you attended a community conversation on sexual violence?” Tarana Burke asked a crowd of over 400 in the Sidney Gelber Auditorium. “It wasn’t very long ago that those of us who do this work had to do so almost covertly.” Burke, the founder of the widespread #MeToo movement, shared her experiences as an activist and survivor of sexual assault at a public forum on Sunday, Jan. 27. The event organized by i-tri — a group promoting women’s

empowerment through triathlons — and L.I. Against Domestic Violence sought to bring the national discussion on sexual assault back down to the local level. #MeToo went viral in October after actress Alyssa Milano encouraged women to share their stories about sexual harassment on Twitter. Although the Twitter hashtag has helped introduce many to Me Too, Burke originally coined the phrase in 2006 as a part of her own campaign to empower women of color who have experienced sexual harassment. “At first I was terrified that my work was going to be erased,”

Burke said. “The initial sentiment [on Twitter] was really around sexual harassment in the workplace, which was not the work that I was engaged in.” Burke’s friends encouraged her to speak up and take credit for Me Too, but she wasn’t sure how to approach the situation. “I had to decide, am I going to be in conflict or in service?” Burke said. On Oct. 15, she responded by posting an old video of her explaining what Me Too is and what the movement’s goals are. In the months since, thousands of survivors have shared their

stories with the hashtag Me Too, and the movement has evolved to include a whole host of issues related to sexual assault. One of the moderators of the forum, i-tri alumna Maria Chavez, shared her own Me Too experience with the audience. “There was a day in my journalism course, we had to discuss if it is okay for comedians to make rape jokes,” she said. “Like I said before I am a sexual assault survivor, and I just couldn’t find a way to say something.” Continued on page 4

New student media organization covers human rights

By Brianne Ledda Staff Writer

Audrey Farrell, a sophomore physics major, has started an online magazine known as The Advocate that went live just before the start of the semester. The club’s goal is to place an emphasis on global social justice issues with a Stony Brook twist. “We can highlight places where students are making a positive difference around the world, and we can get expert opinions from faculty,” Farrell said. “We’ve got a lot of really prestigious faculty

here that can weigh in on their more academic opinion and get the feel for what the Stony Brook community is feeling about certain social issues, and issues in human rights around the world.” Farrell said she started paying attention to the news during the 2016 election. However, she found that she wasn’t able to discuss global issues with her friends, who were mostly unaware of international news. “I remember specifically hear-

Continued on page 4

News

Arts & Entertainment

A Stony Brook University research facility is devastated.

The trio’s third album runs 10 tracks too long.

Cyclone Ava hits Centre ValBio.

Advertisements

Monday, January 29, 2018

Summer is Coming Build your future at Queens College. Summer Session June 4–August 13, 2018 • Earn up to 15 credits in 9 weeks • Three sessions to choose from (each lasting four or six weeks) • Hundreds of undergraduate and graduate courses, including online options • Convenient on-campus housing and parking available • Affordable tuition Start your visiting student application today. www.qc.cuny.edu/summer • 718-997-5600

Adm_StonyBrookAd_1_19_18.indd 1

1/16/18 3:03 PM

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Album Review: Migos two-hour epic "Culture II" lacks flair By Thomas James

Assistant Arts & Entertainment Editor

Released on Jan. 26, Migos’ third studio album, “Culture II,” is a 24-track trap epic. The group’s usual swagger comes through in their story over the unique, bouncy beats they became famous for curating. Migos is comprised of Quavo, Offset and Takeoff. They rap about the drug game, jewelry and their throne at the top of the rap industry like pop stars sing about love, jealousy and self-importance. In the sequel to platinum album “Culture,” Migos begin “Culture II” by promising that they will continue to elevate the culture as they become more successful. Whether the culture they are referring to is the “trap” culture or American culture, in general, is unclear. But Migos isn’t afraid to suggest they are doing it for the latter. In “Higher We Go – Intro,” Quavo and Takeoff show off the catchy triplet rhythm in their flow that became their weapon for success. Takeoff brags that he does it “for the culture, bigger than Oprah, Mayweather, 50-0, culture.” “Supastars” is a testament to the group’s lavish and crazy lifestyle over a moody melody and a banging bass. The next song, “Narcos,” has a heavy Latin influence musically and Migos pay tribute to a legend, the king of drug lords, Pablo Escobar. In the chorus of this song, Quavo says that this is “real rap, no mumble.” And while critics of trap music are harsh against “mumble” rappers, Migos has done well to improve and separate their intonations from this label.

After this first triplet of songs, the tracks begin to lose flavor in the production and delivery. The next track, “BBO,” features a hook by guest artist 21 Savage. While the song was co-produced by Kanye West, the influence of his production on this song is as faint as West’s presence in hip-hop as of late. The bouncy, hollow synths on the B Section of “BBO” has just a scent of Kanye’s style. “Culture II” is full of star-studded features from guests such as Drake, Travis Scott, Nicki Minaj and Cardi B. “Walk It Talk It” contains one of Migos’ most uninspired hooks, while Drake provides the most energized guest verses on the album. As in line with his style, Drake ridicules an unnamed rapper while boasting over the prominence of both of their brands. The middle of the album is full of forgettable songs. If Migos had made an album out of the middle tracks of “Culture II,” then there would be two albums: one you could just ignore and one you could play on repeat. Notable songs from the middle to end of the album are the two singles “MotorSport” and “Stir Fry,” “Notice Me” featuring Post Malone and “Too Playa” featuring a sultry saxophone and 2 Chainz. The final song, “Culture National Anthem – Outro,” has a positive political message of solidarity within the black community, but doesn’t stray too far from one of the group’s signature themes – bragging about their wealth. Quavo alludes to the actions of former NFL star Col-

THE COME UP SHOW/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS VIA CC BY 2.0

Migos performing at the Veld Festival in 2017. They released their third studio album, “Culture II” on Friday, Jan. 26. The project fails to expand upon the trio's previous efforts. in Kaepernick with the lines, “My people prayed and take a knee/We don’t need stripes because we got bright stars.” The direction Migos take artistically is seemingly in the hands of their unofficial frontman. Quavo produced 10 tracks on the album and is the only member of the trio listed as an executive producer. His verses are the opening in 16 of 24 tracks. As a whole, the album lacks the flair that brought Migos to the fore-

front of the trap scene. Their hooks on songs such as “Versace,” “T-Shirt” and “Bad and Boujee” were simple and catchy, creating a larger audience for trap in clubs and on the radio. On “Culture II,” the catchiest hooks out of the 24 songs were on the two lead singles, “MotorSport” and “Stir Fry.” As with any artist or group that makes songs about success, Migos haven’t discovered how to diversify their sound now that they have made it to the top of their field. At

this moment they have no reason to do anything other than rap about all of their drugs, money and jewelry. The hip-hop community expects this from Migos at the highest level. The only question is: will they have enough style and charisma to continue to make hits in the long run with these expectations? But with most trap music, if the bass is set high enough and the volume is loud enough, fans of the genre will be bouncing around at the production’s constant movement.

“So this is the situation that we’re all gonna have to live with/ I’m sorry for the complications, well I’ll think twice before I speak my mind again When it breaks / Who’s the one who has to fix it? / This give and take / Is becoming more and more one sided.” Everything from the echoey, animated vocal stylings to the eerie yet warm synth loops creates a sense of raw emotion. “I try to keep it impressionistic,” Velsor said. “Almost talk about the feeling. It’s more about that than the actual experience. I stopped being shy about being real and being honest. I almost started writing about the things that I was embarrassed to share. I was really excited though because more people started coming up to me and telling me that they felt the lyrics in a real way.” Velsor teaches music theory to younger students in his free time as a source of income. “You learn harmony from music theory,” he said. “It’s the math and the art of it, and the fact that there are things like a major third. I’m aware of the voices… between the notes when I’m performing. With classic, you can apply that to any

song you write. You can be the biggest fan of Led Zeppelin, but then you realize that John Paul Jones was classically trained, man.” The sentiment makes sense. Classical music is where it all started. The structure and organization of notes and harmonies, as we know them now, started with Mozart, Bach, Vivaldi, etc. Chuck Berry didn’t learn about music from other rock musicians growing up. He was classically trained. It’s the same way that painters and artists learn from the classic artists of the Renaissance era, or from the Victorian era. “One side of me wishes I hadn’t gone to school and dove into the adventure side earlier on,” Velsor said. “The other side of me is very happy I went, and started teaching. Learned how to break the rules in the right ways. With teaching, it’s a hassle driving around and dealing with kids, but it’s very rewarding all the same. Plus, since I’m playing every day, it also keeps my fingers warmed up.” With Astronauto, Velsor hopes to inspire others by getting their creative juices flowing. He’d like there to be enough interest in music for aspiring artists to sustain themselves.

Long Island pop-rock band Astronauto keeps it zen in 2018 By Louis James Marrone Contributing Writer

By day, John Velsor, a 30-yearold Molloy College graduate, works as a freelance music teacher on Long Island. By night, he’s the frontman of Astronauto, a Valley Stream pop-rock band with a strong psychedelic presence. “I’ve always been intensely into the music and art,” Velsor said. “But about two or three years ago, I decided to throw my whole self into it, you know? Treat it more than just a nine to five.” Astronauto’s vibe is similar to experimental pop band “Of Montreal,” which creates a throwback sound akin to acts of the late sixties. Velsor’s music is inspired by Captain Beefheart and Tim Buckley. Both acts sport a more lo-fi, gritty texture to their music, taking influence from counterculture as well as the blues. “I get pretty weird,” Velsor said. “If I’m able to, I like to take some time alone. Where I live now, there’s a basement, so there’s space. I like to dive into it and obsess over the songs. I put myself into the music and the art like a monk is to the religion.” Velsor is spiritually connected to the process; it’s like medita-

ASTRONAUTO/FACEBOOK

Astronauto is an independent pop-rock band from Long Island fronted by freelance music teacher John Velsor. tion for him. He talks about a natural high that comes through in the writing process, leading to a zen state that allows him to have an out of body experience when performing. Often, his meditation/rehearsal sessions end up lasting over two hours. “I almost like to prepare,” Velsor says. “I make sure I

drink enough water or drink enough coffee.” Some experience nostalgia when listening to the band, due to their throwback sound. For others, the music creates an atmosphere of personal struggle and self-improvement, which is found in the song “Nothing Left To Say,” off the latest album, “Astronauto III.”

The Statesman

Arts & Entertainment

Monday, January 29, 2018

Long Islander runs independent record label for local artists By Louis James Marrone Contributing Writer

Emo and hardcore bands like Times Like These and The B List dominate Long Island’s music market. But then there’s Kenny Brown, a man you wouldn’t hear at your local Zumiez, who currently stands at the forefront of producing and performing some of the more diverse and experimental music on Long Island. Since 2015, Brown has been running a small independent label called For Prophet Records that aims to bring independent, DIY musicians together under one banner, while also creating a sense of emotional growth within music. “I wanted to show music as something that can be a helpful tool,” Brown said, regarding his motivation for starting this project. “Let’s try to do something different, and grow. Let’s water the seeds. Everybody has love inside of them. At first, it was just me for a while, now it’s starting to come together more and more. The idea is to have a collective artists who work together and separately as well.” His music takes influence from two different places: the sounds and aesthetics of Native Americans and the blues of the early 20th century. This is evident in songs such as “Exodus.” The deep, depressed, yet determined vocals create an epic sound to the simplistic, heavily string-based instrumentals that play behind it. The instrumentals are complemented by harmonicas, snare drums, even a delicate horn section. There are many references to nature: mountains, the forest, and the higher powers that be.

LOUIS JAMES MARRONE/THE STATESMAN

Selden-native Kenny Brown traveled the world and revisited his roots before founding his own independent label to inspire and encourage other Long Island artists. Part of that indigenous influence comes from Brown’s interest in Native American spiritual rituals. A few years ago, a friend took Brown to a small meditative ceremony. After it, he felt rejuvenated and more spiritually free. He believes the experience allowed him to create a more personal connection with both himself and his audience. “I try not to let the mind get in the way of the soul. Because if it’s coming from the soul, then it’s automatically flawless. That’s already perfect.” On Brown’s upbringing, he grew up in a typical, average American family with his mother and father in the Long Island suburbs. “For a while, I had a really strong church background that I’ve definitely noticed the

influence of that into adulthood,” Brown said. “I got really caught up in that and then in high school I just completely rejected that.” Despite this, his religious side still speaks through his mentality when writing his music. “I read the Bible until I was 12, so I have the seeds of those truths embedded in my brain.” His music radiates with a passion-driven emotional energy, and religious, spiritual intuition. It is something that you can hear within the meditative guitar rhythms. Even with his music videos, he creates this atmosphere of spirituality. The latest video for his song “Exodus” features him letting the energy of nature consume him. He seems to be letting all control of his body

dissolve as he lets the powers that be guide him through the woods. Brown and an actress eventually let loose and freely dance around the dense woods, navigating its twists and turns, intercut with images of meditation and singing near campfires. Brown had a strong background in spoken word and free styling. Following high school, he dropped out of Suffolk County Community College to pursue his passion for music. Brown hit an impasse in September 2014. “I was going to stay with a friend from Oslo, Norway. And they welcomed me to come stay with them for as long as I wanted. I had a mandolin, and figured I’d just play in the streets, find some

open mics, maybe record an album while I’m there.” Later on, Brown ended up stumbling upon someone who he describes as “way more official than [Brown] was.” His name was Ragnarok, and according to Brown, he was a pro at DIY street performances. He had all the equipment and bravado that Brown lacked at the moment. The two, seemingly out of nowhere, began performing together for a short period that day. During their multiple visits to Norway, the two crashed on various couches and in hotels while performing for little to no money. The two performed at parties, open mics and in the streets of Norway. It was an experience that, while technically proved to be unsuccessful, inspired Brown to move forward and push harder to make content and to find himself spiritually. The experiences that he had over the past few months had opened his mind to the harsh realities of performance life and society. However, they had also inspired him to channel the personal struggles he faced and infuse them into his lyrics, while also displaying a sense of hope and promoting perseverance. Since returning to Long Island, Brown has been working in construction to support himself as he pursues his music and running his independent label on the side. Brown seeks to learn how to find the line between artistic indulgence and broad relatability with his music. He hopes to resonate with people with his music, and with his art in general. His most recent album, “Tobaccocao,” is currently available on Bandcamp.com.

Perspective: The Oscars are a poor judge of cinematic quality By Kraig Klein Contributing Writer

Each year, the Oscar nominations are announced, and each year the Academy proves unworthy of its role as gatekeeper for the film industry’s highest honors. Nowhere else is this more evident than in the Best Animated Feature category and this year’s inclusion of DreamWorks Animation’s “The Boss Baby” is just one of the more egregious misfires in recent years. This year’s nominations sparked online controversy when it was announced that “The Boss Baby,” one of the year’s leastliked animated films, was up for nomination. The film follows the adventures of the titular character, an Alec Baldwin-voiced baby with adult intelligence and an office job. It was critically panned and mocked for being silly and shallow compared to better-received films like Disney’s “Coco.” It is not as though “The Boss Baby” received no positive reviews. The Washington Post’s Pat Padua wrote that the film “strikes a fine balance between humor and sentiment,” and The New York Times’ Neil Genzlinger praised the film’s premise, claiming that “the contrast between

the helpless-infant stage of life and corporate-speak is funny but fairly high-concept for a kiddie movie.” But there are many more negative reviews than positive ones. Owen Gleiberman wrote in Variety that “The Boss Baby” still feels standard issue and tiresome due contrived and cliche plot points. Rotten Tomatoes’ scores for “The Boss Baby” in comparison to the four other nominees – “Coco,” “The Breadwinner,” “Ferdinand” and “Loving Vincent” – paint a more accurate picture of the movie’s reception. Out of 160 reviews from critics, “The Boss Baby” received a 52% rating. By comparison, “Coco” received a 97% from 262 critics, “The Breadwinner” received a 93% from 61 critics, “Ferdinand” received a 70% from 97 critics and “Loving Vincent” received an 83% rating from 124 critics. Even Rotten Tomatoes’ Audience Scores can’t save the film – “The Boss Baby” received a 52% score from audiences, whereas “Coco” received a 95%, “The Breadwinner” received an 89% and “Loving Vincent” received an 88%. Audiences only gave a slightly better rating than the 49% who approved of “Ferdinand.” Simply put, “The Boss Baby” does not

seem to have earned its position among four other films that are widely agreed to be superior. But does this truly matter? The Oscars, like any other award ceremony, are not truly representative of the impact a film has on the viewing public. The awards

are decided by over 6,000 Hollywood personnel, not the audiences-at-large and critics. Those personnel base their judgments on unclear criteria and are influenced by massive campaigns orchestrated by public relations firms.

THE BOSS BABY/FACEBOOK

DreamWorks' "The Boss Baby," starring Alec Baldwin, was nominated for Best Animated Feature in 2018.

Time is a much more worthy judge of quality and impact than the Academy. The awards’ aversion to comedy is well documented with noticeable omissions of important films in the American canon, like 1993’s “Groundhog Day” and 1998’s “The Big Lebowski.” The Animated Feature category, added only in 2002 after decades of superb filmmaking in the realm of animation, has consistently failed to give justice to foreign animation, in particular Japanese anime. Despite the top-tier anime films reaching near-universal acclaim, only one anime film, Studio Ghibli’s “Spirited Away,” has ever won the category. Unfortunately, the Academy, like many other film award groups, has remained behind the times and chosen to nominate films that audiences often consider rubbish. There is no use in raging blindly online about movie nominations, for the guidelines those nominations are based on are faulty standards. Oscar statuettes and Golden Globes are merely badges that eventually fade or fall off the movies they are slapped onto. Time, and time alone, is the only true judge of cinema.

OPINIONS Editor-in-Chief ............ Michaela Kilgallen Managing Editor ............Katarina Delgado Managing Editor .................Tess Stepakoff News Editor .............................................................Rebecca Liebson Arts & Entertainment Editor .................................Kayla McKiski Sports Editor ................................................................Gregory Zarb Opinions Editor ...................................................Andrew Goldstein Multimedia Editor ...................................................Aracely Jimenez Copy Chief ...............................................................Stacey Slavutsky Assistant News Editor...............................................Gary Ghayrat Assistant News Editor.................................................Mike Adams Assistant Arts & Entertainment Editor................. Joseph Konig Assistant Arts & Entertainment Editor................... Thomas James Assistant Sports Editor................................................Peter Lupfer Assistant Sports Editor............................................Chris Parkinson Assistant Multimedia Editor............................Luis Ruiz Dominguez Assistant Multimedia Editor.....................................Aleeza Kazmi Assistant Copy Chief...........................................Alexa Anderwkavich Advertising Manager .................................................. Brian Wong

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 Sports Editor..................................sports@sbstatesman.com Opinions Editor..........................opinions@sbstatesman.com Multimedia Editor..................multimedia@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 Snapchat @ 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 50 cents.

GAGE SKIDMORE/FLICKR VIA CC BY-SA 2.0

Attorney General Jeff Sessions speaking at a summit in 2011. Sessions announced the push to rescind the DACA program, a decision that affects thousands of U.S. residents.

I worry more about DACA than how Trump describes my country By Jhonatan Bonilla Contributing Writer

It seems fitting that for my first article I tell you about myself and where I'm from – although, I wouldn’t describe it the way our current president has. He would say I’m from a “sh-thole” country. El Salvador is a small country — slightly smaller than the state of New Jersey — and is located in Central America. Other countries sharing its description include Haiti and most of Africa. President Trump said he would rather have immigrants from countries like Norway instead of the aforementioned. The comments made by him are disheartening because they connote that not only are the countries themselves looked down upon, but the people from them are seen as undesirable. This isn’t surprising to me. Before he was elected, I believed President Trump was racist to some degree, and his statements now further support my belief. Since I had this previous perception, his words don't affect me. What does affect me is the immigration legislation he and his administration are supporting. In a speech given by Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Sept. 5 of last year, he announced that the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program – which according to The Washington Post, affects 690,000 immigrants including myself – was being rescinded. Once it was announced that the program was to be rescinded, it gave anyone whose status expires

before March 5 of this year the chance to renew it. Mine expires March 29. However, a federal judge in California issued an injunction to restart the program, which means many are now rushing to send applications for renewal before the program is shut down again. These applications have a $495 fee, and depending on the attorney filling out the application, it could cost even more. In my case, the cost of sending in the application would be $945. Even if applications are sent now, many may still lose their status depending on how fast U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is able to process the application. The Department of Justice announced on Jan. 16 that it will ask the Supreme Court to review the ruling made by the California judge. The fate of DACA still lies in the hands of Congress. The government shutdown this week was largely due to conflicting ideas of what to do about DACA. Democrats filibustered a bill to extend government funding because a promised deal over DACA never came to fruition. The shutdown ended because Republican Senate leaders agreed to the Democrats’ demand to hold a vote action on immigration policy. This vote is set to take place on Feb. 8, but there is nothing in the policy that includes any protection for the DACA recipients, nor about carrying out said vote on the issue. Along with DACA, other immigration policies which

have been affected include terminating TPS (temporary protected status) for people from El Salvador, Haiti, Sudan and Nicaragua. TPS individuals are not removable from the United States, can obtain employment authorization documents and may be granted travel authorization, according to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website. This termination would not only directly affect the recipients but would affect their families and the countries as well, as many of the recipients send money back to their families. Two percent of El Salvador's GDP consists of the money sent back to El Salvador. On Wednesday, Politico reported that the NAACP is suing the Department of Homeland Security because they argue that these actions are racially motivated. With all of these programs directly affecting me and the country that I am from, I give very little weight to the words of a man who was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. To someone that I will most likely never meet, nor would I have the desire to, and who seems so unfit for office that not only was his physical health questioned, but also his mental health. What I care about are the decisions being made by the entire government – decisions that could very well make it possible for me to be sent back to El Salvador, a country I am foreign to. Despite being born there, it is not my home. Although I may not be wanted here by some, the United States is my home, flaws and all.

The Statesman

Opinions

Monday, January 29, 2018

Stony Brook Athletics has the power to stop future abuse

By Tess Stepakoff Managing Editor

From a young age, the swimming pool at my local high school became my second home. No matter how my life was going, the water was there to welcome me every day with no judgments or questions. I spent all of my time swimming, and in return swimming gave me a strong support system of friends and taught me to not give up, even when things got tough. Swimming was something I loved, and a sport I regretted leaving after I graduated high school. So when Stony Brook University announced that it was reinstating the women’s swimming and diving team after a five-year hiatus, I was ecstatic, especially after hearing the coach would be former Olympian Janelle Atkinson. I became the first swimmer on the newly reinstated team and soon 12 other girls who shared my excitement joined. The opportunity to be the captain of a Division 1 swim team with a decorated coach in a beautiful new pool that cost $13.5 million seemed too good to be true. Unfortunately, it was. Out of the 13 girls who joined the swim team, only six remain, one of whom is on hiatus. What started out as a dream quickly turned into a nightmare as Coach Janelle broke our trust and our spirits. We were told that we were weak, that we were not enough and we were not trying. We were cursed at and screamed at during

ARACELY JIMENEZ/THE STATESMAN

A photo of the university pool located in the Pritchard Gymnasium. The Women's Swimming and Diving Coach has been accused of mental abuse by former athletes. every practice for months. As our physical and mental health declined, we were told to get over it. If we had to miss practice for injuries or illnesses, our spots on the team were threatened. Some of us who were strong enough to stay fought for change. Some chose to leave and some were bullied into quitting. We and our families filed complaints, made phone calls and had many meetings to try to end the abuse. For months, our grievances were not taken seriously. After quick Google searches and short conversations with Atkinson’s past swimmers, it was clear that the way she treated us was not unusual for her. It

became clear that we — college students ranging from the ages of 18 to 22 — had done more research on our coach than the athletics department had before hiring her. On Friday morning, the remaining members of the team were informed that Coach Janelle and Coach Jordan Bowen were relieved of their duties. The rest of us — those who had quit and were told that we were unable to handle the pressure of being a Division I athlete — were not informed, nor did we receive an apology from Athletics. The university has still not confirmed that the coaches were fired, and once they do, I

doubt they will give a reason. In a few months, I am sure she will find another coaching job. This is not the first time that Janelle Atkinson has abused her swimmers, and if Stony Brook University doesn't confirm the abuse, it will not be her last. Her past jobs at the Fairfield and UConn athletic departments did not give reason as to why her contracts had not been renewed. Like Stony Brook’s athletics department, these departments either chose not to research Atkinson or did not care. Instead, they chose to hire her based on her own personal swimming success. By not disclosing why

Atkinson was no longer a part of their program, they allowed her to move onto other programs and emotionally abuse other swimmers. Their swimmers, in turn, did not trust their colleges to support their claims so they did not speak out. These colleges were able to get away without any bad press, but now Stony Brook does not that have option because we, past and present Stony Brook swimmers, decided to fight back publicly. One of my former teammates reached out to a popular swim website, SwimSwam.com, with her experience with Atkinson. Even though Stony Brook has yet to confirm her dismissal or her maltreatment of the swim team, Atkinson’s former swimmers and their families have confirmed her abusive nature in the comments. For the first time, her victims are being heard. Their universities failed them, but maybe Stony Brook can change that narrative. As athletes, we represent the university. We are taught to fight until the end, even when it gets hard. When we make mistakes, we are told to own up to them and work to make ourselves better. So Stony Brook Athletics, will you honor the traits that you pride us in having? Will you not only protect us, but protect other athletes from the possible abuse of Janelle Atkinson? Will you own up to your mistake and learn from it to try to be better? The university and Athletics have a chance to change the story and protect past, present and future athletes. Let’s see if they choose to take it.

Tu B'Shvat is an Earth Day in the middle of the winter

By Andrew Goldstein Opinions Editor

The average mean temperature on April 22 in Suffolk County over the last 10 years was 52.3 degrees, according to Weather Underground. Assuming the April showers are over, this means that the weather on Earth Day is usually pleasant. Contrast that with Tu B’Shvat, commonly called the Jewish New Year for Trees, which this year falls on Jan. 31. According to Weather Underground, Stony Brook will experience a sunny day with a high of 29 degrees and 9 mph winds. Not as pleasant, as days dedicated to celebrate Earth go. There is a discussion as to why the New Year for Trees was scheduled (by God, no less) at a time when virtually no growth occurs and it is generally unpleasant to be outside, especially considering that Ashkenazi Jews lived in Europe and Russia where it is typically cold. One answer given is that the time when we don’t see growth — a time when to go out and commune with nature rather than sit in our heated homes is most undesirable — is the time to feel appreciation for the world we have been given, its vegetation and that which we reap.

On Earth Day, besides the fairs and farmers markets, people celebrate by recycling, using alternative transportation and building bird feeders. For the last two years, Stony Brook has celebrated Earthstock, a weeklong event with lectures, interactive events and food. On Tu B’Shvat, Jews customarily eat lots of fruit — this is how many Jewish children learn to dislike carob — and collect money to plant trees (or just plant trees). Some have a Tu B'Shvat seder, where they eat from the seven "fruits" of Israel (wheat, barley, grape, fig, pomegranate, olive (oil) and date (honey)) and say Kabbalistic prayers declaring the holiness of fruits, vegetables and grains. There are more holidays that celebrate and raise awareness for our planet, like Fossil Fools Day on April 1 and Junk Mail Awareness Week the first week of October. While national and international days are usually silly — Jan. 29 is National Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day — some of these commemorations can bring to light habits we have that hurt our environment and can teach us to better maintain our planet’s health. Nowadays, it’s easy to politicize anything and criticize anyone. Now there are going to be tariffs on

MANJU SHIVACHARAN/STATESMAN FILE

Stony Brook students gather on the Academic Mall for Earthstock, Stony Brook's annual celebration of Earth Day. Tu B'Shvat is the Jewish New Year for Trees. imported solar panels. Now there is a five cent charge for plastic bags in Suffolk County. The list could literally go on ad infinitum. But whatever it is, I believe I speak for Dr. Seuss’ Lorax when I say that every person can help in some way, no matter how small.

So regardless of who you are, eat a fruit on Jan. 31. Think about something you could do for your plant neighbors and go out and do it. Repeat this on Feb. 1. And on the second. There are still plenty of ways to help the environment without braving

the moderately cold weather. Let’s celebrate our vast web of connections with the trees, flowers and ferns. Let’s continue our symbiotic relationship until our planet dies a natural death at a very old age. Every day is Earth Day.

The Statesman

Sports

Monday, January 29, 2018

Hockey splits weekend series with University of Colorado By Peter Lupfer

Assistant Sports Editor

Just as it appeared to be trending in the right direction, the Stony Brook hockey team suffered a crushing 7-3 defeat Saturday night at the hands of the University of Colorado Buffaloes at The Rinx in Hauppauge. Stony Brook, who shut Colorado out in the first half of its weekend set, never held a lead in Saturday’s contest. With a 5-1 deficit through the first 40 minutes, the home team had to adjust its strategy heading into the third period. “I said ‘Are you guys quitters?’ and they said no,” head coach Chris Garofalo said. “One word in my vocabulary that I barely use is quit. I said ‘Don’t be quitters’ and they went out there and really tried to close the gap in the score differential to keep it a little bit closer.” Though the Seawolves managed to score twice in the final period, the damage had already been done. The Buffaloes tacked on two additional goals of their own in the third, becoming the third team to score seven or more goals against the Seawolves this season. The loss marks the first time since the 2011-12 season that the Seawolves have given up seven goals on three or more occasions. “Effort was there for the whole game, execution wasn’t,” Garofalo said. “The two areas that

cost us tonight were very simple. We didn’t score on the power play, again, and we didn’t stay out of the box. It was all special teams problems.” The Stony Brook power play surrendered a short-handed goal to Colorado junior defenseman Trace Jablin with under five minutes left in the second period and has now failed to convert on its past 11 opportunities. The penalty killing unit also struggled in Saturday’s loss, conceding goals in two out of four short-handed situations. Many of the issues, which eventually sunk the Seawolves, were avoided in the first period. Both teams finished the period with an equal number of scoring chances, but puck luck favored the Buffaloes and allowed them to take a 2-0 lead in the late stages of the opening frame. With just over two minutes remaining in the first, senior defenseman Frank Sherding took matters into his own hands and carried the puck 150 feet down the ice and into the Colorado zone. The captain successfully evaded all five defensemen, wrapped around the net and found senior forward Brendan Calello on the back door who fired Stony Brook’s first goal into the yawning cage. “It’s extremely important [to keep your head in the game] because you’re a leader on the team,” Sherding said. “People listen to you and people follow you, so if I

PHOTO COURTESY OF AZTEK PHOTOS

Junior defenseman Frank Coscia (No. 75) skates down the rink with the puck in a game against NYU in 2017. can’t keep my cool, then the rest of the team can’t.” Sherding’s ability to lead and persevere has been a big factor for the Seawolves this season. With the team heading to Syracuse this weekend and currently second place in the Eastern States Collegiate Hockey Association on the line, the captain will look to lead his team out of its most recent funk. “They’re a division rival and a good team,” Sherding said. “We can’t drop a game when we go out there next week. We have to show them why we’re a number two team and why we can be a top team in the country.” Stony Brook fared much better against Colorado on Friday

night, where they shutout the Buffaloes 3-0. “To me, X’s and O’s and all of that is great, but [the team] played with heart and passion,” Garofalo said. “You could see it. They had second and third efforts. They wanted the puck. They were being aggressive, and it showed.” The Seawolves came into the night’s action looking to build on last Saturday’s overtime win against Delaware, which ended a three-game losing streak. Despite the positive effects of an overtime win, Garofalo says it wasn’t responsible for Friday’s strong effort. “I think we struggled in that game, and I don’t think that helped us,” Garofalo said. “I think that it’s the importance of where

we are right now in the rankings and understanding that if we go lower than 17, we’re not going to nationals.” Stony Brook entered the weekend at No. 14 in the American Collegiate Hockey Association rankings and in need of a win against Colorado. Its success was largely due to the stellar play of sophomore goaltender Richard Shipman, who earned his second shutout in his past four starts. “If [the travel] affected them, it didn’t affect them very much,” Shipman said of the Buffaloes’ effort level. “I thought the entire game, both teams stayed on pace pretty well. They’re a great team, and there’s a reason they’re number six. With losing twice to Liberty and once to Delaware, we just wanted to come out and work.” The Seawolves’ late insurance goals came from junior forwards Matthew Crockett and Eli Lynn, their third and first goal of the season, respectively. While their production may have been a welcomed surprise for the Seawolves, junior defenseman Frank Coscia’s game winner was more expected. The goal he scored in the opening minutes of the first period advanced his active scoring streak to a team-leading three games. Game one of the two-game series against the Syracuse Orange will be played Friday, Feb. 2 at 6:30 p.m. at the Tennity Ice Pavilion.

Johnson shines in Women's Basketball loss to Albany By Mike Adams

Assistant News Editor

Stony Brook Women’s Basketball trailed through all four quarters of Saturday afternoon’s matchup against conference rival Albany at the State Employees Federal Credit Union Arena in Albany, but a late-game run nearly managed to flip the script. After trading blows in the opening moments of the fourth quarter, a three-point shot from junior guard Shania Johnson kickstarted a 10-2 offensive run. Junior forward Cheyenne Clark notched a layup and a pair of free throws, and Johnson added another layup to help cut Stony Brook’s deficit to 54-50 with less than three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. Unfortunately for the Seawolves, the Great Danes were able to respond with a 7-2 run. Junior forward Chyanna Canada responded with a layup and a free throw to widen the lead. Another pair of free throws from Albany junior forward Heather Forster gave her team a seven-point advantage with one minute left on the clock. Stony Brook failed to mount a last-second comeback, and combined with a balanced offensive attack from Albany, lost 64-58 by the final buzzer. After the game, head coach Caroline McCombs gave Albany credit for taking advantage of Stony Brook’s missteps on both the offensive and defensive ends of the floor.

“I thought Albany really outplayed us in the first and third quarters today,” McCombs said in a press release. “We did a good job fighting back both times, but it’s tough to have those lapses and come out on top. Albany is a good team, and capitalized on our mistakes.” Johnson’s career-high 29 points helped keep Stony Brook in the game despite a poor offensive effort from the rest of her teammates. Her 39 percent shooting from the field led all Seawolves players who made more than four shot attempts, and the next highest scorer was junior guard Jerell Matthews, who only registered nine points. Johnson tacked on five assists, three rebounds, but also registered 10 of her team’s 23 turnovers.

KARINA GERY / THE STATESMAN

“We did a good job fighting back both times, but it’s tough to have those laspes and come out on top.” -Caroline McCombs

Women’s Basketball Head Coach

Junior guard Shania Johnson dribbles toward the hoop in a game against UMass Lowell on Jan. 24. Johnson scored a career-high 29 points versus Albany on Saturday, Jan. 27. Albany was able to capitalize on nearly every Stony Brook mistakes. The Great Danes managed to go 20 for 29 from the free throw line, and pilfered 19 points off turnovers. Saturday’s game was a tale of two different Stony Brook offenses. The Seawolves outscored the Great Danes 41-26 in the second and fourth quarters combined, but only managed 17 total points between the first and third quarters. Albany capitalized on Stony Brook’s dismal 3-for-15 first quarter shooting performance to out-

score its rivals 16-4 through the first 10 minutes, which gave the team an edge it held throughout the matchup. The Great Danes also held a shooting edge in the second half, hitting 46 percent of their shots, including 81 percent from the free throw line. Meanwhile, the Seawolves shot just under 28 percent. Stony Brook’s presence on the backboards also helped the team secure a much-needed advantage on the offensive glass. The Seawolves converted 22 offensive rebounds into 16 second-chance points, which

helped make up for their 34-26 deficit in the paint. Saturday’s loss, Stony Brook’s second straight, drops the team’s record to 11-10 overall and 3-5 record in the conference, good for seventh place out of the nine teams in the conference. Albany has won eight straight conference games since losing their conference opener and hold a 19-3 overall record with the win. The Seawolves will look to get back on track in the America East when they take on UMBC on Wednesday, Jan. 31. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Retriever Activities Center.

The Statesman

Sports

Monday, January 29, 2018

Freshmen shine in MLAX exhibition versus Villanova By Chris Parkinson Assistant Sports Editor

The Stony Brook men’s lacrosse team had its first showing of the season as the team took on the Villanova Wildcats in an exhibition at Kenneth P. LaValle Stadium on Saturday. The Wildcats had a 9-6 record in their 2016-17 season, including a 4-1 record in the Big East Conference and qualification for the conference tournament. The two teams played in five 15-minute quarters, with Stony Brook getting the upper hand and winning three of the five quarters. However, Villanova did score a total of 10 goals in the quarters, compared to Stony Brook’s nine. The most action-packed part of the exhibition was the fourth period of play, in which the Seawolves gained the upper hand against the Wildcats by a score of 3-2. The period started off with sophomore midfielder Harrison Matsuoka winning the faceoff and charging toward the Villanova zone. After a few dicey moves, including a spin move on a Villanova defender, Matsuoka ripped a shot a few yards out of the goal, going over the net. The Seawolves gained momentum following the opportunity. A 30-second Wildcat penalty for pushing put the Seawolves

a man up. With just under nine minutes left, the Seawolves took a ball that was well-defended in their end and charged toward the Wildcat net. With steady passing, junior long stick middie Ryland Rees took a shot 10 yards from the goal that found the back of the net, breaking the scoreless tie with 8:26 left in the period. Stony Brook’s defense improved gradually throughout the five periods. Despite giving up two goals in the fourth period, pressure on the Villanova offense broke up numerous opportunities, including one around the Stony Brook net with 6:30 left. Sophomore midfielder Wayne White added another Seawolf goal with 5:27 remaining by swooping around the net and firing a shot past the Villanova goalkeeper. Following the goal however, Villanova began to make a run of their own. Two minutes after the goal, organized passing by the Villanova offense allowed for a set-play around the Stony Brook net. The opportunity turned into a goal with a quick pass and shot from the Wildcats, notching the score at 2-1 with 3:36 left. Physical play was active throughout the exhibition. Around the crease, numerous pushing technical penalties were called on both teams throughout the period, including a pushing penalty on the

ARACELY JIMENEZ /STATESMAN FILE

Junior long stick middie Ryland Rees in an exhibition game against Notre Dame in 2016. Rees helped his team win three of five exhibition games against Villanova on Saturday. Seawolves with 1:49 left. Despite being a man down, sophomore attackman Tom Haun scored a shorthanded goal assisted by freshman midfielder Mike McCannell just 10 seconds into the Villanova man advantage. The Wildcats, despite being down two goals with under a minute left, still showed signs of life. On one final attack towards the Seawolves’ end, Junior defenseman Fernando Delga-

do launched a pass to freshman midfielder Colin Crowley, who fired a shot to the back of the Seawolves’ net, putting the score at 3-2. However, the goal came with just 16 seconds left in the period, sealing the Seawolves’ victory of the fourth quarter. Although Stony Brook finished fourth in the America East last season with a 7-7 overall record and 3-3 record against the conference, coaches throughout the America East have high ex-

pectations for the team. In the America East Preseason poll that was released on Jan. 25, Stony Brook is ranked second, behind the defending champion Albany Great Danes. The much younger Seawolves team, with 50 percent of the unit consisting of freshmen, looks to keep the momentum going for its final exhibition before the start of the regular season against the Drexel Dragons in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on Saturday, Feb. 3 at 11 a.m.

SPECIAL FACTORY PRICING FOR ALL STONY BROOK STUDENTS, ALUMNI & EMPLOYEES NISSAN 112 MEDFORD

RIVERHEAD NISSAN

RIVERHEAD CHEVROLET NISSAN OF HYUNDAI SMITHTOWN WESTBURY

SPORTS

Foul trouble plagues Men's Baksetball in game versus Albany By Gregory Zarb Sports Editor

Albany junior guard Joe Cremo drained a heavily contested three-pointer on a bad ankle to cut Stony Brook Men’s Basketball lead to 32-26 with six seconds remaining in the first half. There were shades of familiarity, as the Great Danes sunk a buzzer-beating three-point shot at the end of the first half in last season’s America East semifinal game, riding the momentum to end the Seawolves’ season. Just like the game back in March, a three-pointer proved to be a shot that turned the tide. “I thought we did a really good job in the first 16 minutes of the game, controlling everything offensively and defensively,” head coach Jeff Boals said. “We had a little lull those last four minutes, and they had some momentum going into the second half.” The shot gave Albany the momentum they were looking for, as they climbed back from a 12-point first half deficit with three 14-point scorers and knocked off Stony Brook 5750 at the Island Federal Credit Union Arena Saturday night. Both teams traded leads in the final five minutes, with senior guard UC Iroegbu hitting a layup with 3:21 left in the game to give his team a 5049 lead. The Great Danes went on an 8-0 run over the final three minutes, culminating in junior guard David Nichols’ perfect trip to the free throw line and Cremo’s fastbreak layup with six seconds left. “When we’re not shooting the ball well, we have to find other ways to

ANNA CORREA/ THE STATESMAN

Senior forward Tyrell Sturdivant (No. 12, left) rips down a rebound in a game against Albany on Saturday night. The Seawolves lost to the Great Danes 57-50. score,” senior forward Tyrell Sturdivant, who led Stony Brook with 12 points, said. “One thing we do well is offensive rebounds, so that has to be a focus going forward, especially when we’re missing shots. We need to really focus in on offensive rebounds.” The Seawolves are tied in the America East with New Hampshire in offensive rebounds per game, averaging just under 12 rebounds per game. However, the team only grabbed six offensive boards, while the Great Danes hauled in 12, including two in the final five minutes. Senior forward Greig Stire grabbed the offensive board and dunked it

home, and graduate forward Travis Charles grabbed another offensive rebound late and was fouled on his shot. Charles made both of his free throws to give Albany a 53-50 lead with 2:07 remaining. Foul trouble was a constant issue for the Seawolves, especially for redshirt-sophomore forward Akwasi Yeboah. Yeboah fouled out of the game and only played nine minutes in the first half due to picking up two early fouls. The forward averages less than 10 points per game in losses due to his fouls, as he has picked up four or more fouls in three of the team’s conference losses.

Boals stuck with Yeboah after he picked up his third foul three minutes into the second half before picking up his fourth less than a minute later. Boals had a feeling that when he subbed Yeboah back into the game, he would do a bit too much. “This is a new role for him. He’s gotta learn how to play with fouls,” Boals said. “It’s frustrating in a sense to sit as long as you do, and his mindset is to score the basketball. [Yeboah] has the ability to take tough shots and make tough shots, and we knew if we had any chance to win the game, he had to take tough shots. I’m going to live with [Yeboah] doing that.”

Yeboah drained a three-pointer after he was subbed back into the second half to give Stony Brook a 48-47 lead with 4:56 left. He never made another basket, and fouled out of the game with 25 seconds remaining. “I just have to do a better job on how I’m playing on defense,” Yeboah said, banging his hands on the table in clear frustration and disappointment. “But it’s tough. I’ve been doing the same stuff all year, and I don’t know what to say. I guess I have to adjust.” The Seawolves shot well from the floor, and it was clear that they were thriving off playing in front of a large home crowd for the first time in over a month. The team came out shooting 48 percent from the field, while also shooting 44 percent from three. Their weakest area was their free throw shooting, where they shot 40 percent.However, it was a tale of two halves, as Stony Brook shot 27 percent from the field, 15 percent from three and they never attempted a free throw in the second half. “Albany is the most physical team in the conference, and they’re gonna chuck cutters, push you in the back on rebounds and do what they do,” Boals said. “They were in the bonus with 12 minutes to go in the second half, and I think we had three team fouls on them. They played man the whole game, so it was very frustrating to not get to the free throw line.” Stony Brook, currently on a threegame losing streak, now holds an 8-14 overall record and a 3-5 conference record. The team will look to end that streak when it hosts UMBC on Wednesday, Jan. 31, with tipoff slated for 7 p.m.

Track and Field teams stumble at Dr. Sander Invitational By Luis Ruiz Dominguez Assistant Multimedia Editor

The Stony Brook men’s and women’s track team headed to Armory, New York on Friday, Jan. 26 for the Dr. Sander Invitational, where they won five events, but struggled in team standings as the women placed sixth and the men seventh. Despite low team standings, the Seawolves had strong individual showings in their events competing against an uncommon field. “Friday’s meet exposed both squads to some quality competition that we don’t normally compete against,” head coach Andy Ronan said in a press release. “For the most part I felt we responded well, our performances matched and actually were better in some areas than last week’s meet.” On the women’s side, the Seawolves came home with three individual wins. Junior Holly Manning won the women’s 1,000 meter run with a time of 2:50.44, a personal best from her previous 2:52.13 from her freshman year. Senior Tiana Guevara also set a new personal best on her way to winning the women’s one-mile

race, finishing with a time of 4:49.79. Her previous best was 4:54.58 from last year’s America East Indoor Championships. Junior Alexandria Ortega paced herself to first place in the women’s 5,000 meter run with a time of 17:01.95, 22 seconds faster than her previous personal best. Senior Kaylyn Gordon jumped to a second place finish in the women’s triple jump with a 12.05 meter mark. This is her first time jumping over 12 meters this season. Gordon also placed eighth in the women’s long jump with a 5.40 meter marking. There were many strong performances from the Seawolves and the women’s team found themselves in the top 10 out of 34 teams with 43 points. Syracuse won the women’s meet with a total of 58 points, followed by Ottawa, Brown, UConn and Youngstown State. The men only captured two victories, which came in the mile and the 5,000 meter run. Sophomore Kyle Kelly won the mile with a time of 4:13.19, beating his previous personal best in the event by three seconds. The Seawolves had a strong showing in the 5,000 meter run, sweeping the top three spots, all within a second of one another.

Senior Danny Connelly won the event with a time of 14:28.42, senior Michael Watts came in second place by two tenths of a second with a time of 14:28.62, and sophomore Cameron Avery followed nearly a second later with a time of 14:29.53. The sweep of the top three spots by Stony Brook allowed for the team to pick up a total of 24 points. “The guys getting the clean sweep of the top-three spots in the 5000m

was exciting and with some quality pace work from [sophomore] Vann ‘The Man’ Moffett as all three qualified for the IC4A’s,” Ronan said. Sophomore Chris Biondi had an impressive showing in the men’s 3,000 meter run, finishing with a time of 8:32.26 and placing second. He beat his old personal best by nearly 20 seconds. The men’s team placed in the top 10 as well out of 28 teams with 43 points, with TAMU-Kingsville

winning the men’s meet with 68 points, while Youngstown State, Southern Connecticut State, Lehigh and LIU Brooklyn rounding out the top five. Four men and seven women hit qualifying marks for the IC4A Championships and ECAC Championship, which will be over the course of two days on March 3 and March 4. Both teams will head to Staten Island for the Metropolitan Championships on Friday, Feb. 2.

COURTESY OF STONY BROOK ATHLETICS

Senior Tiana Guevara of Stony Brook Track and Field in a race at the Wolfie Invitational in 2017. Guevara beat her personal best in the one-mile run at the Dr. Sander Invitational.