Binghamton University’s academic management system is being taken back to the drawing board.

Blackboard, a service used by almost all BU students, will experience changes including an improved navigation menu that allows users to switch quickly between courses without having to go back to the main menu, a more flexible grade book that allows online grading for assignments and a “retention center” that gives instructors a quick overview of student performance and activity in the course, according to Inside Binghamton University.

“We’re taking this opportunity to change the design a bit, and we hope to reduce screen clutter and make it easier to navigate,” wrote Donald Loewen, vice provost for undergraduate education, in an email. “Also, there are some new features that will make it easier for students to track activity in multiple

courses, and to navigate back and forth between them more easily.”

Loewen added that they are looking at ways to make it easier for instructors to incorporate video materials for students to use.

“I think we may see more use of video as instructors adopt a ‘flipped’ or active-learning classroom model, and we need to be ready for that,” he wrote.

According to Loewen, Blackboard usually introduces updates several times a year to add new features or improve existing features.

“It’s important that we constantly look for ways to improve the learning experience — and ideally, make it more engaging for students and easier or more flexible for faculty,” Loewen wrote. “In the last 18 months there have been major changes in the Blackboard organization, and as a result we’ve seen a much greater emphasis on being responsive to the concerns and

While Election Day shook up the political spectrum in Binghamton and New York, a low student turnout at the Binghamton University polls meant little input from on-campus BU students.

Up for vote in Vestal, the voting district for students registered on campus, was the Vestal superintendent for highways, along with

state Supreme Court Judge and six state constitutional amendments. According to the Broome County Board of Elections, only 36 of BU students voted on campus.

Proposition 1, which passed, will allow for the construction of seven additional casinos in New York state. The vote passed 57 percent to 43 percent.

Advocates say it will bring jobs and stimulate the economy, while critics say it will feed addiction and detract from more pressing matters.

However, many students remained indifferent.

“I don’t think it makes a terrible difference, it’s just a source of income,” said Colton Coreschi, senior majoring in biology. “People have gambling problems but that’s more of a problem for the people than the casinos.”

Propositions 2, 3, 4 and 5 also passed.

Prop. 2 entitles veterans to extra civil service credits. Prop. 3 authorized local governments to exclude debt

regarding sewage plants from their debt limits. Prop. 4 allows the government to settle land disputes with private owners and allows them to expand with other parcels of forest. Prop. 5 authorized the government to allow NYCO Minerals to expand mining areas in Lewis and Essex counties.

Proposition 6 did not pass, but it would have increased the age limit of judges serving. It lost 60 percent to 39 percent.

In the highway superintendent race, Brock

Leonard beat Kenneth Fortier by about 5 percent. Justice Eugene Faughnan was elected to state Supreme Court Justice over Judith O’Shea.

Though the 36 students who voted on campus could not vote in the Binghamton mayoral election, those who were registered off campus could. Some students still felt that the campaign was not relevant enough to their lives to vote.

Conor Stillwell, an undeclared freshman, said the mayoral candidates failed to

connect with students.“They didn’t advertise

their campaigns to students,” Stillwell said. “If they had, maybe more people would’ve shown up. I didn’t even know there was a poll center on campus.”

Republican candidate Rich David won the mayoral race, beating out Democrat Teri Rennia. David will succeed Mayor Matthew Ryan, a Democrat.

Carla SinclairContributing Writer

After avoiding wiretaps and spies in Syria, Pakistan and Nigeria, Ambassador Joseph Melrose let students listen in on

his experiences as at the United Nations and U.S. Foreign Service.

“I find these controversies about spying on other countries totally bizarre. Whenever I checked into a hotel we immediately put a scrambler on,”

Melrose said. “Pakistan would go through my phone bill and decide whether to listen to my calls. They got the number that my son used, and it was great because someone actually had to spend their time listening to whether

he played ball with his friends.”The event Thursday evening

was hosted by Dorm Room Diplomacy, Model UN, African Student Union, the history

Joseph HawthorneNews Intern

Jeremy BernsteinNews Intern

Tycho McManus/Staff PhotographerAmbassador Joseph Melrose speaks to students Thursday evening in the University Union. Melrose has worked for the United Nations and U.S. Foreign Service for over 30 years, serving in Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Syria and Vietnam, and spoke to students about topics including wire tapping and working in war zones.

Downtown Binghamton will undergo some major changes in the coming months with the advent of Blueprint Binghamton, a comprehensive plan to help promote community outreach and change the local area in a positive way.

The first phase of the project was the participation phase, which included in-

class presentations to local city youth, workshops with seniors, conducting surveys in underrepresented areas and the hosting of community discussions. It also included collecting data on what changes people wanted and what people were and were not happy with in the area. This phase lasted for several months.

Bryan Delacruz, a senior majoring in philosophy, politics and law, lives near Binghamton High School, a short walk away from the Downtown area.

Delacruz believes Blueprint Binghamton shows that the city government is playing a more active role in the lives of its residents.

“I think Blueprint Binghamton is an innovative and intensive effort to improve the Downtown area, showing that the city government is listening to the community and seeking to push changes,” Delacruz said. “The increased community involvement and the data can be used for making changes in the short and long

term that the community wants and agrees with, which is always welcoming and exciting.”

According to the Blueprint Binghamton website, the project is “a citizen-driven effort to plan for Binghamton’s future and move our city forward together.” The project is being funded by a nearly $500,000 federal state grant secured in October 2011 from the federal Partnership for Sustainable Communities.

Derrick Conyers, the Student Association’s vice president of

academic affairs, is optimistic about the future of the project and its ability to bridge the gap between the students and the local community.

“I am really excited to see what happens as a result of Blueprint Binghamton,” Conyers said. “President Stenger laid out his roadmap for the University, and one of the major aspects was community involvement and making sure that there is a bridge between the community and the students, and I think Blueprint

Binghamton is an excellent way to make sure that there are new and innovative ways students can get involved.”

Binghamton is one of 90 local cities to apply for and receive this federal government-awarded grant, which has gone a long way in ensuring that city planners can collect the information they need for the next major phase of the project — creating the Blueprint Binghamton.

Dhruv SehgalNews Intern

Thirty-six votes cast from campus

See vote Page 6

Binghamton University students express indifference, play minor role in state elections

See bb Page 8

Joseph Melrose discusses work in U.S. foreign service

UN rep talks spy talesBlackboard to get an upgradeImprovements include video uploading capability

See un Page 7

Downtown program pushes for positive change in community with $500,000 grant

See Plan Page 8

Blueprint Binghamton promotes outreach

Flip to our basketball preview,see section B

Friday, November 8, 2013 | Binghamton University | www.bupipedream.com | Vol. LXXXIV, Issue 17

PiPe Dream

Franz Lino/Staff PhotographerKoinonia, a Christian a cappella group, performs Thursday night in the Undergrounds as part of the second annual Apollo Night. Charles Drew Minority Pre-Health Society and Binghamton University Gospel Choir hosted the event, which drew more than 50 people.

Binghamton University got a taste of Harlem Thursday night as the Charles Drew Minority Pre-Health Society and Binghamton University Gospel Choir hosted the second annual Apollo Night.

The competition drew more than 50 people to the Undergrounds to hear a mix of soloists and student groups perform.

Emcees encouraged the audience to take control by holding up their “womp” signs to acts they didn’t like.

“The show mimics the Apollo Theater in Harlem, yes, but

there wasn’t enough womping this year,” said Olukolapo Alli, an alumnus of Binghamton University.

Olukemi Akinde, a junior majoring in English, won Apollo Night with an original poem. Akinde said she was excited about her victory, which earned her a gift card prize. She said that she was glad the audience received her poem’s message.

“I love performing, acting, whatever — I love it all,” she said. “I’m really happy that the crowd understood what I was trying to say.”

Alli, who came in second place, serenaded the crowd with a cover of “Pretty Wings” by Maxwell. He later said he had felt the pressure of

performing in front of such a large audience.

“It feels good,” Alli said. “This is my second time, and it feels the same as the first; I was very nervous. There were a lot of good performers.”

Alli was one of nine participants who made it to the judging round and the only singer to place among the top three competitors.

This year’s Apollo Night saw a greater variety in performances, with many more rappers and spoken word artists.

In addition to this, there was also an open mic event that gave members of the audience the chance to showcase their talents on stage.

“This year there’s definitely more people and it’s more versatile,” said Stella Ogunleye, president of the Pre-Health Society and a senior majoring in psychology.

The money received from selling tickets was shared between the Charles Drew Minority Pre-Health Society and the BU Gospel Choir to fund their respective goals. For the Pre-Health Society, the money was one step closer to taking one of their most important trips of the year.

“One of our yearly goals is to attend a conference, held by the Student National Medical Association (SNMA). One of our main objectives is to fundraise then allocate our funds to

attend this conference,” said Kingston St. Louis, historian of the Pre-Health Society and a junior majoring in biological sciences.

Ogunleye, however, explained that their motivation for hosting the event was not only to raise money for their business matters.

“We’re known for the professional side so we wanted to show that we can have fun as well,” Ogunleye said.

Likewise, Shanice Hodge, the Binghamton University Gospel Choir president, said that the purpose of the competition was about more than raising money.

“Giving people the chance to freely express themselves

on stage,” said Hodge, a senior majoring in theater. “Whether it’s singing, dancing or whatever. I feel like Apollo Night is a safe haven for artists of all types to come out and express themselves.”

“This Apollo Night, a lot more people came out but there was a greater variety in the performances. There were people from New York City and from BCC that came out for this. There are a lot of other people out there that have a lot of things they want to say and share with the student body,” Hodge said.

Jeremy BernsteinNews Intern

After serving as vice provost and dean of the graduate school from 1993 to 2000, Susan Strehle has been appointed as dean of Binghamton University’s Graduate School.

Strehle, who has been serving as interim vice provost and dean of The Graduate School since January, said that she did not want students to have to give up great liberal art educations for fear of not finding jobs after college. She said she wants to modify some programs so that getting a career and getting a liberal arts education aren’t mutually exclusive.

“I’ve been talking to the English department about an e-journalism program,” Strehle said. “This way we can help students finish at the cutting edge.”

Strehle said that forward-thinking ideas like this take time to bring to life, as staff and faculty are also busy tackling present issues.

Strehle also discussed increasing cross-disciplinary programs, a change that Karl Schnabl, a graduate student studying engineering, would welcome.

“It would be cool if some classes

could have more collaboration between majors, like projects with some engineering students, some science ones and some SOM ones,” Schnabl said.

Sarah Lam joined the graduate school as the associate dean this fall. She is an associate professor in the department of systems science and industrial engineering in the Watson School of Engineering and Applied Science. Lam had only kind words to share for her cohort.

“She’s superb to work with,” Lam said. “She is always open to discussion and has exceptional leadership. Susan works cohesively with the graduate staff as a team.”

In addition to changing the graduate programs, Strehle would like to change the graduate school applicant pool.

“I want more Binghamton undergrads to think really seriously about graduate school at Binghamton,” Strehle said. “Brilliant Binghamton students would be really well-qualified, and could be some of our best graduate students.”

Schnabl, previously in Watson as an undergraduate, explained his reasons

for continuing his studies at BU.“I knew I was going to want my

master’s degree at some point. I chose Bing mainly because of the research opportunities in electronics manufacturing, an area not many other schools offer,” Schnabl said. “I received a graduate research position which covered my tuition and gave me an opportunity to do my research at an electronics company in the area.”

But there are undergraduate students who find themselves pulled in other directions, too.

“I probably wouldn’t consider [BU for graduate school]. I will have spent four amazing years here as an undergraduate, but would want to be somewhere new, probably New York City,” said Monica Gray, a junior majoring in psychology. “There’s just more opportunities there.”

Other changes in the graduate department to watch out for include the potential for a pharmacy school.

“There are students who are interested in medicine, but not med school’s huge commitment of time and money,” Strehle said.

After earning her Ph.D. in English at Stanford University in 1975, Strehle

took her first job teaching English courses at Binghamton University, and has continued her career and life here ever since.

“In California, you’d be stuck on a freeway for half an hour just to get groceries,” Strehle said. “It’s easier to

live in a small city like Binghamton, that’s still close to New York City.”

Strehle has signed on as dean until 2016, and she is excited to continue brainstorming ideas for BU.

“There is something very fulfilling about shaping this school,” she said.

Jessie HellerStaff Writer

NEWSA2 www.bupipedream.com | November 8, 2013

A night at theApollo

Singers, poets, rappers gather in Undergrounds for second-annual competition

Susan Strehle, California native, hopes undergrads stay at BU for further education

Binghamton University names new grad dean

Photo Provided

After serving as vice provost and dean of the graduate school from 1993 to 2000, Susan Strehle has been appointed as dean of Binghamton University’s Graduate School.

State News

Upstate NY a step closer to getting four new casinosSeveral upstate New York communities seeking new Las

Vegas-style casinos as an economic boost are a step closer to seeing their hopes fulfilled now that voters have approved a statewide referendum expanding casino gambling. The approval of Proposition 1 in Tuesday’s voting allows for the building of four non-American Indian-owned upstate casinos in the Southern Tier near Binghamton, the Catskills and Mid-Hudson Valley region and the Saratoga Springs-Albany area. Leaders in places such as Monticello in Sullivan County had backed the referendum as a way to reverse the area’s economic decline since the heyday of the Catskills resort era ended. One casino resort developer, Nevele Investors, says it will discuss its plans later Wednesday. Those plans are expected to include a casino in the Catskills.

Lockheed Martin laying off 145 in upstate NYLockheed Martin Corp. is laying off 145 workers in two

upstate New York plants. The company notified 80 employees on Wednesday at its Electronics Park plant in the Syracuse suburb of Salina (suh-LY’-nuh) and another 65 at its facility in Owego, near Binghamton. The layoffs are part of a nationwide cutback of 587 people. Most of the layoffs will be effective in two weeks. Affected employees will be offered undisclosed severance benefits and outplacement services. Most employees in Owego will work their last shift on Nov. 20. The facility, which handles electronic systems, mission systems and sensors and ship and aviation systems, will have 2,600 employees once the layoffs are complete. The company said in both instances the cuts were necessary to address unclear program funding, delays in contract awards and a competitive marketplace.

National University News

Jax St student disciplined after racial slurA Jacksonville State University student is being disciplined

for allegedly using a racial slur. The Anniston Star quotes the university as saying the student was a fraternity member at the time and made racially offensive statements to members of another fraternity at a football game in September. The university won’t identify the student or specify the nature of the disciplinary action. But a school statement says the student is no longer a member of the fraternity, which issued a public apology after the incident. The fraternity also is participating in training for cultural sensitivity and diversity.

Sanctions placed on Delta State sororityA sorority at Delta State University has been ordered to

apologize to campus leaders and students for an incident during Homecoming where a white member dressed up in “blackface” to portray Whoopi Goldberg in a musical number from the movie “Sister Act.” The Bolivar Commercial reports that the theme of the week was “Delta Blues Homecoming” and in keeping with tradition, the students participated in different activities, including a lip-synch contest on the quadrangle. Delta State President Bill LaForge said in a campus-wide email that he thought the student performing a musical number was a black member of the Kappa Delta sorority. He said he later learned it was a white student and ordered an investigation. LaForge said chapter members who appeared in the musical number will apologize face-to-face to him and at a meeting of the Student Government Association. He said they will write an apology letter to be published in the campus newspaper.

Pipe Line

Corrections

Kendall Loh/Photo EditorSpencer Roman, a freshman majoring in mathematics, receives a free flu shot Thursday evening in C4. The clinic, which was open for two hours, was staffed by students in the Decker School of Nursing.

Ramming speed!SATURDAY, NOV. 2, 4:50 a.m. — Officers opening the gate in the

Bunn Hill Access Road noticed damage on the gate, said Investigator Patrick Reilly of Binghamton’s New York State University Police. Skid marks were evident in the center of the roadway, and there were noticeable paint chips on the emblem on the gate. Police believe the damage was caused by a Toyota and occurred at 3:00 a.m. A small amount of antifreeze was found in the area by the gate. The case is still under investigation.

Then he met a Nigerian princeTUESDAY, NOV. 5, 12:20 p.m. — A student in Glenn

G. Bartle Library was allegedly scammed, Reilly said. The 21-year-old male student answered a job listing on a job website that instructed the student to take a check that was faxed to him, deposit 10 percent of it in his own account and transfer the rest to a location in South America. The victim’s bank called him later and told him that this check had bounced and that he had to reimburse the bank the full amount of the check. The posting was later listed as flagged on the website, and the website administrators stated that they will make sure nothing else will happen

and that they cannot reimburse the student in any way.

Hand it over, kidTUESDAY, NOV. 5, 3:56 p.m. — Officers were called to Seneca

Hall for a drug complaint, Reilly said. The suspects did not appear to be in their room, so the officers left the building. As they left, they noticed a 20-year-old male in the woods near the hall and questioned him as to whether or not he was smoking marijuana in the woods. The suspect replied that he was, in fact, smoking and handed the officers a tobacco can containing marijuana, a marijuana pipe and

three lighters. The suspect was given an appearance ticket for Vestal Town Court.

Smooth like butterTUESDAY, NOV. 5, 6:44 p.m. — Officers responded to

a fire in Catskill in Hillside Community, Reilly said. The officers went into the room that the call came from and found it covered in smoke. There was no fire present, though. The officers learned that a resident was trying to melt butter on a stovetop and it started to burn, which triggered

the fire alarm. The fire alarm was reset as per Vestal’s town fire code.

Police WatchA lighter take on campus crime

This Day in History

Nov. 8, 1960John Fitzgerald Kennedy beats

Republican Vice President Richard

Nixon to become the youngest man elected

president of the United States, as well as the first Catholic

president.

Page IIIFriday, November 8, 2013

“One party in one house of Congress should not stand in the way of millions of Americans who want to go to work each day and simply be judged by the job they do. Now is the time to end this kind of discrimination in the workplace, not enable it.”

President Barack Obama, on opposition to a Senate-approved ban on discrimination in the

workplace based on sexual orientation and gender identity, Thursday.

In an article printed in the Oct. 29 issue of Pipe Dream, J Street U President Ilan Benattar was misquoted as saying, “I know from my perspective that Israelis would not accept a state without Israel…” Benattar actually said, “I know from my perspective that Israelis would not accept a state without Jerusalem…” The article’s online

version has been corrected.

Just a pinch...

A SUNY-wide contest has students composing like mad and trying to hit all the right notes.

This year marks the launch of the SUNY System Administration Office of New Media’s very first music competition, SUNY Music Madness.

The competition is open to undergraduate and graduate-level students from all 64 SUNY campuses and is geared primarily toward giving students the opportunity to showcase their musical talents.

Music Madness is the first competition of its kind to be brought to the entire SUNY school system, and is being offered to nearly half a million students. The competition was designed by student interns from Hudson Valley Community College and the University at Albany.

“The contest is completely designed by students, for students,” wrote Maxwell Morgan, the coordinator of digital engagement at the Office of New Media, in an email. “Voting will be conducted on the Generation SUNY blog (blog.SUNY.edu) and anybody can vote—students, alumni, friends, family members, whoever.”

Participants are required to submit a video of their musical performance, limited only in that they must submit an original work. The deadline for these submissions is

Wednesday, Nov. 13.“The contest is wide open;

we’re accepting submissions of soloists, duets, bands and even choirs—all of which can even consist, in part, of students that don’t attend a SUNY school,” Morgan wrote.

Though it is open to alumni, friends and family members, the main focus of the SUNY online voting system is for students to witness and judge the musical talents of their peers. The voting process spans three rounds, beginning on Nov. 18 and ending on Dec. 18.

The competition is aimed not only at showcasing student’s musical talents across the SUNY college population, but also at giving those students exposure through social media. Morgan expressed hope that through Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube, the competition will bring students’ musical talents to the attention of the entire networking world.

“An exciting aspect of Music Madness is that we leverage our existing social media network—about a quarter-

million users reached every week—to illuminate students’ talent,” Morgan said.

The winner of the final round will be crowned SUNY Music Madness 2013 Champion and receive a permanent spot on the SUNY website as the winner of the first ever music competition. In addition to this title, the winner will be given recognition across the SUNY system and on several social media networks.

Students have voiced support for this competition, specifically regarding the exposure it could give students who wish to showcase their talents to a large audience.

“I really like the idea, and I would totally participate if I had the musical talent,” said Courtney Cordero, an undeclared sophomore. “I’ll just vote for people I like.”

Students such as George Deutsch-Kirkup, a sophomore majoring in Arabic, said the original music rule was interesting and necessary.

“It’s important that schools focus on funding the arts, on emphasizing the importance of artwork and creativity,” Kirkup said.

Morgan said he hoped SUNY Music Madness will continue in the future as a fun and interactive way for students to escape from their studies and simultaneously get their music out there for the world and SUNY community to hear. He said that he hoped music would be able to connect members of the diverse SUNY student body.

In addition to performing social services within the community, nonprofits may have large, tangible economic effects on local residents.

Nonprofit organizations may be one of the biggest factors in the Southern Tier’s economy, according to one speaker during a SUNY Business and Education Cooperative of the Southern Tier (BEST) presentation on Thursday.

The presentation featured executive director of United Way of Broome County Alan G. Hertel. United Way is the largest philanthropic fundraiser in the world and the second largest funder of human services, behind the government.

Currently, the nonprofit sector employs approximately 10 percent of the nation’s workforce and 15 percent of New York’s workforce, according to Hertel. Being a $1.5 billion industry in the Southern Tier, there are officially 1,438 nonprofit organizations in Broome County, according to a 2010 Binghamton University capstone project, which was analyzed by the South Central New York Executive Directors Group (SCNYEDG).

“Not-for-profit organizations truly are a career opportunity,” Hertel said.

However, Hertel also said the large number of nonprofits and the lack of cooperation within the nonprofit community has a detrimental effect to the sector as a whole.

“We have too many not-for-profit organizations in Broome County and in the country. I think that there’s a lot of duplication of service and

that we can provide the same level of service for less cost if more folks worked together to collaborate and form coalitions,” Hertel said.

According to Hertel, most nonprofit organizations exist for the sole purpose of serving the public. Due to their contributions toward society, members of the nonprofit communities receive federal income tax exemptions and individualized tax exemptions. Hertel said that supporting the nonprofit communities in addition to similar government organizations ensures cost effectiveness.

“The not-for-profit community helps reduce the burden on taxpayers. If the government took on all of these services, then there would be a much higher cost that would have to be supported by the taxpayers,” Hertel said.

Hertel said there are also many struggles for nonprofit communities. Unlike businesses within the private sector, overhead costs, or operating expenses, must be closely monitored and kept at a minimum for nonprofit corporations.

“There’s been pressure internally to keep overhead as low as possible. I think that’s a bit of disservice because, it’s like the old adage, you get what you pay for — if you don’t have qualified people, you’re not going to get good product,” Hertel said.

Hertel attempted to dispel misconceptions of charity being a “free handout.”

“The not-for-profit world doesn’t exist just so people can get free handouts. I think it really is attempting to improve people’s lives,”

Hertel said. “We try to give them some tools and resources to use and get started on their own lives because as a society I think that it’s kind of important that we have that kind of safety net.”

Thomas Kowalik, the director of the Center for Innovative and Continuing Education (CICE) and a founding member of SUNY BEST, organized the lecture to raise awareness of the potential career opportunities within the nonprofit sector.

“A lot of people are not aware of the large scope the not-for-profit community has on the nation’s economy,” Kowalik said.

Lan Lu, an intern for SUNY BEST and graduate student studying accounting, said that nonprofit organizations should be less specific about the level of expertise required by their employees.

“I don’t think that [not-for-profit organizations] need high expertise in some areas. I think that they just need someone who has the knowledge to meet the basic needs and help others to benefit society,” Lu said.

Yu Cheng, an intern for SUNY BEST and senior majoring in English, said the philanthropic aspect of many nonprofit organizations is rewarding and encourages students to look into the possible job opportunities within the sector.

“[Nonprofit organizations] take students out of the classroom and encourage them to think about the community they live in,” Cheng said. “You’re not just giving back — you’re putting out there something that wasn’t there before.”

NewsA4 www.bupipedream.com | November 8, 2013

Kendall Loh/Photo EditorExecutive Director of United Way of Broome County Alan G. Hertel speaks as a part of the SUNY Business and Education Cooperative of the Southern Tier (BEST) presentations. Hertel asserted that many nonprofit organizations are working on the same goals and would benefit from forming coalitions.

Eurih LeeNews Intern

Habin KwakContributing Writer

1,400 groups in Broome County and surrounding area contribute $1.5 billion to the economyNon-profit organizations bring life to Southern Tier

sUNY-wide competition calls for original workMusic contest announced

“The contest is completely designed by students, for students”

— Maxwell MorganSUNY official

While mental illness is just that — an illness — the greater part of society is still unsure how to approach it.

John Trompeter, from the Family and Children’s Society of Binghamton, spoke about the stigma associated with mental illness and said he aimed to clear misconceptions about them.

Trompeter addressed different types of disorders and the effect mental illness has on students in his talk. About 30 students attended the event.

He explained that tossing around words like “crazy” and “bipolar” give mental disorders a negative connotation and often discourage people from talking openly about them.

According to Trompeter, the stigma is apparent even in families; parents are often ashamed to talk about their child having a mental disorder.

Maya Yair, a senior majoring in political science, said that this was one of the main reasons that Hillel’s Social Justice Initiative Leadership Team wanted to bring the issue to campus.

“Even with someone’s closest friends, because of the stigma, it won’t be spoken about,” Yair said.

Trompeter stressed the reality and severity of mental illness by relating it to physical sickness.

“I’m trying to advocate that mental illness should be treated the same as glaucoma or cancer,” he said.

When Trompeter asked the room how many students’ lives had been touched by mental illness many hands went up.

“I don’t think people realize how common it is,” said Alison Geoffrey, a freshman majoring in engineering. “Or at least they don’t take it seriously.”

Trompeter also spoke about the potential causes of mental illness and what can trigger symptoms.

“Any kind of trauma and anxiety can trigger that switch and then something can happen,” Trompeter said. “Before, [a person may have been] extremely bright, and now they can’t figure out how to work their ATM card.”

The effects of alcohol and drug abuse on mental health were also discussed.

“Alcohol, marijuana, PCP and meth can all do something to your brain that cannot be fixed,” Trompeter said. “The trigger can be that you went out and partied too hard.”

At the end of the presentation, Trompeter called up two volunteers for an example. He had the two students begin a detailed discussion about one of the student’s graduate work. Trompeter then whispered in the other student’s ear to demonstrate what it would be like to hear voices.

The student did not remember much from the conversation, and Trompeter used this to show how a mental disease like schizophrenia can create obstacles in everyday life.

“Can you imagine hearing something in your ear?” Trompeter said. “How are you supposed to do your studying?”

Trompeter urged students to take

action if they knew someone that needed help.

“Don’t just let people be by themselves. You don’t need to rescue them, but talk to them. See what’s going on,” Trompeter said.

“It’s important to learn about these disorders, because for the first time, a lot of people are on their own,” said Christine

Kearns, an undeclared freshman. “They don’t have their families who have known them for years to know when something is wrong.”

The discussion took place on Tuesday, Nov. 5 and was hosted by the Social Justice Initiative Leadership Team, an unofficial subgroup of Hillel created this year by Yair.

“We want to get people involved in

different issues that are relevant, whether it’s locally in Binghamton or in the U.S. or internationally,” Yair said.

Mallory Hirschfeld, an undeclared sophomore, helped to organize the event.

“We hope that by learning about these issues, people will be able to recognize them and promote a happier environment,” Hirshfeld wrote in an email.

News A5www.bupipedream.com | November 8, 2013

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Xindi Tian/Contributing PhotographerHillel at Binghamton’s Social Justice Initiative hosts “Unmasking the Mysteries of Mental Illness” Tuesday evening in Fine Arts Building. John Trompeter, from the Family and Children’s Society of Binghamton, spoke about addressing the stigma surrounding mental illness.

Emily ColemanContributing Writer

Guest speaker facilitates talk on mental illnessTrompeter clears misconceptions, dispels stigmas surrounding open discussion of problems

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Binghamton locals who are taking on the fight against poverty united to discuss how to make a difference.

David Campbell, chair and associate professor of the public administration department, facilitated a forum that featured three panelists who discussed how being active leaders in the community helped people overcome the challenges of poverty.

The audience, composed of faculty, students and organizers, wanted to know about what motivated the panelists into getting involved with community service.

Alan Thornton became the CEO of the Rescue Mission after starting as a volunteer and serving the mission for 19 years.

“We are passionate about ending homelessness and hunger. It’s all about mission,” Thornton said. “I believe that we can do it, and I see it happen every day when people walk through our doors”

Deborah Thorpe, program director of All Saints Soup Kitchen, said that she spent her childhood watching her parents volunteer frequently and it became natural for her.

“Fairness is something we should

strive for. I know life isn’t fair but that doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t strive to do what we can to bring some fairness to life,” Thorpe said.

Larry Parham, upstate campaigns manager of Citizen Action of New York, said he fights discrimination and campaigns for policies that would address economic, social, racial and environmental justice.

“I organize because it’s in my nature. I can’t watch people who have less in the world and not do anything about it,” Parham said.

All Saints Episcopal Church Soup and Sandwich Saturdays, organized by Thorpe, provides meals every Saturday at noon and allows people who wouldn’t go out at night to have a safe place to enjoy a meal and socialize with others. Thorpe said that recent cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program — a decrease from anywhere to $11 per person and $36 per family of four per month — will likely increase the amount of people coming to the soup kitchen.

“We help people economically and socially. We serve them like a restaurant with china, silverware and flowers so people know that they have a worth,” Thorpe said.

Thornton described a personal account of how a man who lived in a

dumpster overcame his circumstances and now lives independently. The same man began writing affordable housing grants and wrote a $1.1 million grant to rehabilitate 55-57 Whitney Avenue to Whitney Place, which is where the current Rescue Mission is located.

“We cultivate opportunities. By creating programs that help people live on their own, we’ve placed 544 people in permanent housing, 10 times more than what we’ve done in previous years,” Thornton said.

Despite all of their achievements in the community and in the fight against poverty, the panelists have each had disillusioned experiences that greatly impacted them.

Parham described his biggest disillusionment as the reluctance of progressive and liberal individuals to get involved in change.

“People want a just society but don’t want to get involved. We live in a society that discriminates against basic human rights,” he said.

According to Parham, it’s unrealistic to think that a group of people will come together and spontaneously create a movement. It starts by convincing one person every day — then at the end of the month, he said, there will be 30 people willing to make a change.

“We want to align our systems in Syracuse, Binghamton and Ithaca to make sure that there were no barriers that prevented people from living in this country,” Thornton said.

After hearing about their effort, the panelists encouraged students to take an active role in the community because they can have a huge impact.

“We have students from all different backgrounds come together to share ideas with each other that shows who they are. The best way to fight discrimination is to share different viewpoints in a social setting,” Thorpe said.

Thornton believes that students should find their passion, get involved and see where it leads them.

“The younger generation has the world open to them with endless possibilities,” Parham said. “Start doing something now.”

After the panel, students were allowed to speak with the panelists individually and do some networking.

“Seeing how everyone is very oriented around the community and knowing the depth of how people are helping is very encouraging,” said Avra Dugan, a junior majoring in the Decker School of Nursing. “It emphasizes the immediacy of the issue.”

Allison Alden, director of the Center for Civic Engagement, was very pleased with the success of the forum and hopes to sponsor more themed panels in the future that spread awareness about different issues within the community.

“It’s about how people engage about addressing the issue,” Alden said. “There will always be poverty and if this is where someone’s passions lies, then they will have better ideas on how to do that.”

Sarah NovakContributing Writer

NewsA6 www.bupipedream.com | November 8, 2013

With a difference of 472 votes, Steven Saltz, vice president of the Binghamton College Democrats, said that students could have shifted the election.

“I’m disappointed that Teri Rennia lost the election, especially in a city that leans Democrat so heavily,” he said. “Rich David won by only a few hundred votes, and I know that there are more than 500 Binghamton University students living in the city. We need to come out in greater numbers next time, because we can really tip the scales if we try.”

But many students said they had little concern for local elections, saying they didn’t vote out of inconvenience, a lack of interest or feeling little connection to the area.

“I only know it’s Election Day when it concerns the president because it’s in my

face,” said Bryan Montes, a sophomore majoring in integrative neuroscience. “I don’t feel particularly connected with this area, I’m from Long Island.”

Sean Kelley, a sophomore majoring in mechanical engineering, said he was just as indifferent.

“Who cares who the mayor of Binghamton is?” he asked.

David, who was a former deputy mayor, is a businessman and the owner of many Downtown buildings and businesses such as Family Dollar and co-owns Terra Cotta Catering. Out of 8,216 voters, 52.9 percent voted for David and 47.1 percent for Rennia.

Some members of the Binghamton community questioned David’s impartiality.

“I think he’s a business man, so his policies reflect what we normally see from business men,” said Denise Yull, assistant

professor of human development. “I don’t think he’ll be socially conscious and engage the community, but I really hope he does.”

David’s platform revolved around heightening police presence, making Binghamton more economically appealing, increasing transparency in City Hall and improving infrastructure. However, his background troubled some members of the University community.

“The mayor of the city can’t own half the city, it seems a bit self-serving,” said Josh Levine, an undeclared sophomore. “The police force being improved is important though, because a lot of Downtown is really unsafe.”

Despite the low voter turnout, both candidates said they wanted to engage the students with the community.

Following sNAP cuts, community members advocate for serving, feeding the hungry

Charity representatives discuss soup kitchen, mission

“I can't watch people who have less in the world and not do anything about it”

— Larry Parham Upstate Campaign manager of

Citizen Action of New York

Few students turn out to votevote continued from Page 1

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department and the political science department.

Melrose spoke about the modern operations of the United Nations and spent nearly an hour answering questions about his work and thoughts on international affairs.

He described his experiences near — and sometimes in — war zones.

“I was in Vietnam during the Tet offensive,” he said. “Apparently I drove across enemy territory. When I met with officials they asked me how I got here without a plane: ‘Didn’t you see a lot of enemies?’ I said, ‘Yeah, I heard shooting.’ But I just drove through.”

Melrose said that he actually enjoyed the excitement of more dangerous territories.

“I never wanted to go to Europe,” he said. “Africa and Asia were always more interesting to me.”

Being near war and violence also gave Melrose an opportunity to help civilians caught in the middle.

“I helped some prisoners in Sierra Leone,” Melrose said. “We had a 5-year-old girl who I heard screaming. I asked about her and apparently rebels poured molten plastic in her eyes. We got her a visa and got her out of the country. ”

When Melrose explained the functions of the U.N. he began with a quote from former U.N. Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld.

“’The U.N. was not created to take mankind to heaven, but to

save humanity from hell,’” said Melrose. “The charter was created through compromise, but today the U.N. is constrained.”

He said that there were structural limitations in the U.N. because member nations were divided between regions like Latin America, Africa and NATO bloc.

“Positions on standing committees today rotate among regional groups,” he said. “The secretary-general, for example, is appointed by each region and then confirmed. This results in informal quotas for positions.”

Melrose said that these expectations posed serious problems to the organization.

“This informal process in the U.N., in my view, has become too institutionalized,” he said. “Because of this system Sudan was almost elected to the human rights council.”

Melrose also explained the financial situation of the U.N.

“Organizations cannot function without money, and the U.N. is no exception,” he

said “Fourteen members of the U.N. pay more than 1 percent of the budget. The rest of the 179 countries pay less than 1 percent.”

He described his perspective on the United States involvement.

“The U.S. pays 22 percent or about $590 million,” he said. “I can see the U.S. as the next Tea Party of the U.N., making fiscal reductions without being selective about what they want cut.”

Members of Dorm Room Diplomacy said there were happy with the event, which drew more than 80 students.

“It went really well, it was our biggest event yet and the talk was really interesting,” said Dorothy Manevich, president of Dorm Room Diplomacy and a senior majoring in history. “There was good insight for people looking to go into Foreign Service.”

Many of Melrose’s stories stuck with students after the event.

“He’s been through so much of U.S. history,” said Phoebe O’Connor, a junior majoring in philosophy, politics and law. “It was amazing how he saved that little girl in Sierra Leone.”

At the end of his presentation, Melrose challenged students to make a difference.

“Current development and aid projects are not successful. Sustainable development has become a catchphrase for almost every issue,” he said. “I think we do have the ability to improve things, but it’s up to you to be instruments of change.”Tycho McManus/Staff Photographer

Joseph Melrose, a former UN Ambassador, speaks to students Thursday evening in the University Union. He helped negotiate the end of civil war in Sierra Leone and was charged with restoring embassy operations after the Nairobi Embassy bombing in 1998.

“The U.N. was not created to take mankind to heaven, but to save humanity from hell”

— Joseph Melrose U.N. Ambassador

U.N. rep talks life in warzoneun continued from Page 1

Kevin Kauschinger, a junior majoring in political science, said that he was impressed with how Blueprint Binghamton used social media to access more people in the community and students who lived in the Downtown area.

“I think that Blueprint Binghamton is doing a great job with outreach and making sure that those interested can stay involved,” Kauschinger said. “The organization has a great Facebook page that keeps me updated about events they are hosting, and a Twitter feed that is also constantly updated as well.”

One of the major aspects of the project has been the series of community discussions where experts from a variety of fields were invited to give presentations on several community issues, including green infrastructure, environmental justice, public health and community design. The discussions were open to the public and brought many

community leaders together to talk about the issues and how they could be combatted.

Daniel Friedman, a junior double-majoring in philosophy, politics and law and environmental studies, lives near Seminary Avenue in Downtown Binghamton. He thought the discussions have been really helpful in making sure a variety of opinions and

thoughts on the future of the city could be heard.

“The main benefit of all the discussions is that different

people with different views can contribute to the future of this city,” Friedman said. “It is great to hear experts on the field talk about how these issues should be approached, and then balance that with the views and the opinions of the community and what should be done, in order to make sure everyone’s needs are being met.”

The Department of Planning, Housing and Community Development oversees the creation of the program, the main goal being to create a blueprint after all the necessary information and input has been collected.

The Blueprint is a state-mandated document that describes the city’s policies and actions related to Binghamton’s land use, neighborhoods, transportation, infrastructure, the economy, the environment and quality of life, thus shaping future policy actions that the city then decides on taking.

NewsA8 www.bupipedream.com | November 8, 2013

“I think [it] is an excellent way to make sure that there are new ... ways students can get involved”

— Derrick Conyers SA Vice President of Academic Affairs

suggestions voiced by faculty.”According to Connor

McDermott, a senior majoring in accounting, a professor’s use of Blackboard can be more important than the service itself.

“I have professors that use it and make sure they post all their announcements on it, but I also have professors who don’t post anything on Blackboard, so it’s up to the professor and how they use it,” McDermott said.

However, McDermott also said that he is excited for some of the updates.

“I think that a more flexible grade book and more communication between the students and professors would be beneficial,” McDermott said. “And as students we would be able to make

adjustments if things aren’t necessarily going so well, and sooner rather than later, which would potentially help our grades, and that would be great.”

Mary Haupt, a lecturer in the English department, admits that Blackboard has a few issues, but said she has no big issues with the site.

“[Blackboard] has its flaws, but I manage — and students seem able to navigate my course sites with few problems, too,” Haupt wrote in an email.

According to Vice Provost Loewen, the changes will begin at the end of the fall semester.

“This is the first time that we’re updating at the end of the fall semester (December 27 is the target date), and we’re trying this for a number of reasons,” Loewen wrote. “Most

important, we get a chance to bring the first active users into the new system during the Winter term, when the load on the system is lightest. Faculty will have the whole month of January to get used to the new look and features, and we’ll have a chance to make any adjustments that seem necessary.”

Sam Sherman, a sophomore majoring in economics, said that he thinks improved navigation will be useful.

“You have to backspace a couple times when going between classes.” Sherman said. “I always have difficulty when I click on one class and there is no menu to go back to the home screen. I always press my home and it goes back to the Binghamton home page, and that just annoys … me.”

Plan continued from Page 1 BB continued from Page 1

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FUNNovember 8, 2013 | www.bupipedream.com 9

ACROSS 1 Brightness

measure7 Hank Aaron or

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DOWN 1 Home of the

Shah FaisalMosque

2 Fictional nameliterally meaning“merely almost.”

3 Cross-countryadventure,maybe

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legends9 Former

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me!”56 Backing cry57 Point

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Arts & LeisureRELEASE

Saying that Binghamton isn’t known for its luxurious bars and clubs is an understatement. But, looking closer, there’s actually something special hidden within every hole-in-the-wall bar where we like to spend our Friday and Saturday nights.

Guaranteed to mask the smells of bathrooms’ clogged toilets and serve as beer goggles for any drunk coed looking to get some, the beverages of Downtown are unique to each bar. Paradigm, Tom & Marty’s, the Rat and JT’s Tavern all have signature drinks that will test both your taste buds and your tolerance. Good luck.

Paradigm:Do you have literally

nowhere else to go, or are you living in 2011 when Paradigm was popular? Well, either way, you’re in luck. Paradigm, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, offers several $2 specials that are pretty much impossible to pass up. Draft beers and the sweet and subtly strong Jolly Rancher mixed drink are offered at this unbelievably low price.

Paradigm is also open during the day, unlike most of the places on State Street, including Pasquale’s, so if you did badly on your test or want to watch an obscure TBS show — subtitles and all — with Binghamton’s classiest locals, get up and get an early start on the specials.

Tom & Marty’s:Tom & Marty’s: the home of

the athletes, those who hook up with athletes and people

who think they’re better than the Rat. Many of these athletes and elitists prefer Tom & Marty’s most popular drink and reminder of the land we all hail from, Long Island Iced Tea.

Not only does this mixed drink provide the perfect amount of energy for next day’s practice, but also it barely tastes like alcohol! With one part vodka, one part gin, one part rum, one part tequila and one part triple sec, two and a half ounces each, this blended death wish is a guaranteed buzz. Keeping it classy, Tom & Marty’s combines this five-part drink with power mix and Coke, with lemon garnish as a finishing touch.

“It tastes like iced tea, but will get you really f***ed up,” said Larry Shea, Tom & Marty’s’ owner.

The Rat:Need a good drink special?

If so, the Rat is the place for you. The specials are what most people go for, particularly the $3.50 Jägerbombs and $2 shots. A lot of people, however, are committed to one drink, since the Rat is probably the bar that attracts the most regulars. Said regulars also happen to be incessant Jägerbombers.

This ever so popular Jägerbomb is a simple combination of a shot of Jäger combined with one of the energy drinks Monster or Red Bull. Does Red Bull from the Rat give you rat wings? Another popular drink at the Rat, frequently ordered by people who aren’t as drunk as their friends and want to hit that level ASAP, is the classic Long Island Iced Tea, made with

several different alcohols and a sour mix.

JT’s Tavern:JT’s Tuesdays are infamous

for two things: free entry and fishbowls. The fluorescent color of the fishbowl is bright enough to attract girls from across the bar to any handsome boy holding the drink. And its multiple straws are perfect for flirting while sipping.

We’d like to believe that this 15-shot brew is evenly distributed between its drinkers, but unfortunately, this is never the case. There’s always that one person who sipped on his or her straw just a little too long. This unlucky soul ends up spending the rest of the night in the bathroom wishing they were a better sharer.

Not following any particular

recipe, the fishbowl can range in cost and alcoholic content.

“It’s basically your average secondhand schlep of mixed vodkas and sours,” said bouncer Pat Zagarino. Now who wouldn’t want to drink that?

Kayla Harris and Evy Pitt-Stoller | Contributing Writers

Franz Lino/Staff Photographer From left to right: $2 special from Paradigm, Fishbowl from JT’s Tavern, Jägerbomb from the Rathskeller Pub and a Long Island Iced Tea at Tom & Marty’s.

Whether you’re printing your professor’s slideshow or doing a marathon essay, Glenn G. Bartle Library is there for you. But sometimes, it isn’t. As helpful and convenient as our school library is, sometimes Glenn can be a total bitch. Here are the five scenarios you’ve encountered that have you leaving the Pods in utter frustration.

1. The Empty ChairThey’re probably at the bathroom, right?

The empty chair is infuriating because you have one quick assignment to print, and this open computer is just taunting you. So what’s this guy’s deal? Is he at the printer, grabbing a quick snack or saving his seat while in class? No matter what, it’s a selfish technique that is tearing up student after student.

2. Face Down, Books UpBartle is a minefield of sleeping people. Take

every step carefully because there are people passed out around every corner, including, unfortunately, at the computer desks. Who cares if these kids were up all night studying or tearing down the house at JT’s? Printing and getting to class on time is the priority, not watching that guy drool all over his chemistry textbook.

3. Computer in Front of ComputerIs this guy’s work so intense that he needs

two monitors? We doubt he’s watching the stock market fluctuate and day trading in between classes. There are plenty of other spaces to plop down and bang out some work on your MacBook Pro. Learn how to use multiple

tabs on a browser, and save everyone else the misery of another desk wasted.

4. The Social Media/Gamer TypesWe’re not talking about casually stalking

your friends’ Halloween photos in between reading chapters of sociology. We’re talking about the student who has Pinterest open in one tab, BuzzFeed in another and Twitter on their phone.

Gamers using the Pods are even worse. That League of Legends stream may have 100,000 viewers and someone is fresh off a pentakill, but your assignment has a deadline, and they’re taking up space. Tetris is fun, and we all may be guilty of a little Candy Crush every once in a while, but it’s time for these people to reevaluate the importance of desks.

5. Printing Station LineYou don’t have the luxury of fitting a printer

in a crammed dorm. And while you’re happy that guy just found his textbook for free online, it’s blood-boiling when he decides to print 90 pages at once. You, the forlorn and Pod-less, take that 30-pound backpack down to State Street to take a spin at the shot wheel…

The moral is, consider your actions the next time you enter Bartle. Remember others before leaving your computer logged in at rush hour. Think before printing a Gothic novel on the Simplex. The environment will love you and so will the rest of us.

The library is a magical place. It has housed the brilliant and not-so-brilliant minds of Binghamton’s past. Glenn G. Bartle Library will go down in history as one of the most important buildings in your college career, so please try to make it a happy one.

Spencer Kostrinsky | Contributing Writer

Franz Lino/Staff Photographer

5 terrible people at the libraryThese students won't let you be happy

Signature drinks that will test both your taste buds and your tolerance

Drink up with the best deals at each barState St's Soberless Specials

RELEASE November 8, 2013 | www.bupipedream.com11A

Before the premiere of Hinman Production Company’s latest show this weekend, the sounds of laughter and the opening song from “The Lion King” wafted through the doors. Then, silence, until a loud female voice yelled out, word by word, “My milkshake brings all the boys to the yard. And they’re like, it’s better than yours,” with the entire cast repeating Kelis’ immortal words verbatim.

This is just one of the warm-ups that HPC’s cast uses to get themselves ready for their performances. This weekend, it’s for “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged).”

“The Complete Works” is a parody of all of Shakespeare’s plays written by Adam Long, Daniel Singer and Jess Winfield for The Reduced Shakespeare Company and was first performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 1987. All of Shakespeare’s plays are mashed up into a fourth wall-breaking romp that offers a contemporary take on classic plays. “Othello” is rapped, Shakespeare’s historical plays are reenacted as a football game and “Titus Andronicus” is a cooking show.

While the original script has only three characters, director

Samantha Mooney, a senior majoring in chemistry, expanded the script to include nine characters to make room for more actors. But the more the merrier, as the entire cast came together to create a hilarious 90 minutes of theater. The show is laugh-out-loud, audience interactive and refreshing for any student who’s studied “Romeo and Juliet” too many times. In one standout moment, Jordan Gagnon, a junior majoring in mechanical engineering, parodied Ophelia’s drowning in “Hamlet” by pouring a water bottle into his open mouth.

The long rehearsal hours and process of putting a show together facilitated a sense of camaraderie, which led to a night full of laughter and fun. To prepare for a comedy, Mooney had the cast play improvisation games like the ones from “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” Mooney also used other exercises to bond the cast, like asking each cast member to take a turn holding an object while talking about something bad that happened that day and how he or she won’t let it affect the rehearsal.

“I couldn’t have asked for better people to work with,” said Kristen Mulvena, a sophomore majoring in psychology. “These are the best people in Binghamton.”

Between designing and

creating the set, the entire crew came together. In HPC, members of both productions in each semester help build and take apart the sets at the end of each show’s run. This past Saturday, everyone came together at 11 a.m. to build the set, painting panels and setting up the light and sound.

“It’s organized chaos to build the set,” said Bridget Egan, a senior in the Decker School of Nursing.

Egan and Andrew Watters, a junior majoring in electrical engineering, are the two set directors for “The Complete Works.” Egan and Watters came in one month before the show to meet with Mooney to review their vision for the set designs.

“It was a collaborative process,” Gagnon said. “It wasn’t as constrained, it was more free and allowed us to get the creative juices flowing.”

For any student looking to take a break from work and see something a little different and a lot hysterical, “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)” will be holding performances this weekend in the Hinman Commons at 8 p.m Friday and 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $3 at the door.

Yael Rabin |Contributing Writer

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An environmentalist, landlord and Binghamton University professor, Richard Andrus is vital to our community. Andrus, who works in the environmental studies and biological sciences departments, is a proponent for environmental consciousness in the student body. We sat down with the man himself to hear about his experiences and future goals for our school and for Binghamton at large.

Release: So you are a professor in Binghamton, how do you like it here?

Andrus: Binghamton is not a bubble, like Ithaca. It has a very real reality surrounding it, there is much poverty. There are also a lot of politics based on blue-collar politics back when the town was more conservative. However, now there is a progressive mayor and he is really trying to change things. He majored in

environmental studies — he was a student here, also a student of mine and was very sympathetic to environmental concerns. His name is Matt Ryan.

R: So, Matt Ryan, the current mayor of Binghamton, was a former student of yours?

A: Yes, and he started very good projects, like community gardens and urban farms … it’s been rewarding with him in office.

R: So there are rumors that you own student housing property in Binghamton. Is this true?

A: I originally didn’t set out to own property deliberately. I bought a house near Downtown Binghamton. The renter was a former “slumlord.” I saw potential in it. So I fixed it up to create a situation where students live and can have a garden. I want them to be sustainable. I wanted to increase its efficiency so I then implemented geothermal cooling. It became an investment where I then added

greenhouses. For the second house, it had a geothermal system and a greenhouse, too. I desired to create affordable and sustainable housing not owned by slumlords.

R: You drop off fair trade products consistently to the Food Co-op, why is that?

A: Fair trade is for commodities which don’t evolve economic exploitation. We know what’s happening on the farmer’s level. For a while, we had fair trade coffee in the dining halls … non-exploited and everything.

R: Fair trade coffee in the dining halls, how did that happen?

A: Founder and CEO of Equal Exchange [a company that distributes fair trade food produced by farmer co-ops in Asia, Africa and Latin America] actually lived in old Newing — he lived in Broome Hall. I met him after he had graduated from Binghamton. Great guy. He sold Equal [Exchange] in the dining

halls but unfortunately it didn’t work out.

R: Why is that?A: Students didn’t think it

was fair to pay 10 more cents for coffee. They put the old coffee back in.

R: That’s unfortunate.A: But there is change.

Some dining halls have Green Mountain [organic and fair trade] coffee. Economics just don’t like uncompetitive products.

R: How can we as students be better people to the environment?

A: Think about what you’re doing. Support the local economy. It’s hard to get out of the consumer box, but you can. The students working on the farm on Bunn Hill Road are playing the produce role, and the students who work and eat at the Food Co-op are thinking about what they buy. Think about what you’re spending your money on. If you go to a big chain restaurant or Walmart,

think to yourself: “Where is my money going?”

R: So you would advise students to be as local as possible?

A: Definitely. There is one local hardware store on Clinton Street. It’s called Kovarik. Old Polish family. A grandpa who works there. Keep money in the community.

R: What can students do to change how we consume on campus?

A: Protest. Do something. Sodexo can be talked to. You can talk to them, they have an office on campus. Don’t be passive, be active. I would love to see local cheeses and apples in the dining halls. New York is the best for apples … but anyway…

R: Any final words?A: Think about what you’re

doing and buying. Don’t get trapped in the consumer box. It’s not easy to venture from it on a college campus, but it’s definitely possible.

Richard Andrus is an active part of the Binghamton community, but he doesn’t have to be the only one. If you want more fair trade or local food options on campus, or have an idea for greater change in Binghamton, make it happen. Andrus stands as proof that you can.

After the first few months of college, the thrill of going to the East Gym has pretty much worn off. The walk becomes more and more unbearable, your workload piles up and your baggy clothes conveniently hide your fat self anyway. If you’re finding yourself falling into the pre-winter slump, you’re not alone. The gym can begin to seem like a dreary place where dreams go to die, but there are plenty of things you can do to stay fit instead of going to the gym. So while you’re feeling lazy, here are some exercise ideas available at Binghamton University.

1. Exercise in your room — If you don’t have workout DVDs, go to YouTube immediately. YouTube literally has thousands upon thousands of workout videos of all sorts. From kickboxing to Zumba, yoga to CrossFit, you can find anything you’re looking for. Just look for videos with a high number of views; you’re pretty much set. The majority of workouts don’t require too much space or equipment; just consider

that your roommate might think you’re a freak.

2. Hike in the Nature Preserve while you still can — Winter is approaching fast, so get in there fast. The scenic views and winding trails will keep your mind occupied, unlike checking the distance or calories burned on a treadmill every 30 seconds.

3. Run through the neighborhood behind campus — Jogging the Brain can become tedious, and you’re constantly worrying about who you might run into while heaving and sweating so glamorously. Vestal has a nice suburban feel, and you can even end up in University Plaza to visit a friend. A friend named Chipotle. And subsequently, a friend called regret. You guys are pretty close.

4. Use your stairs — While dorm buildings may not have gym equipment, they do have plenty of stairs. You can burn up to 100 calories running up and down the stairs for just 10 minutes. Even just taking the stairs instead of the elevator every day can make a difference.

5. Do homework standing up — Simply standing instead of

sitting can help you burn 20 to 50 more calories an hour. Prop your dorm bed up on a high height, and use it as a desk. Your roommate already thinks you’re crazy, so it’s all fair game now.

6. Dance at the bars — When we think of going Downtown, we imagine the drinks, the hook-ups and the drunk food. We seldom consider that this weekly ritual can actually be a workout. You can burn up to 500 calories per hour while dancing — who knew the bars could have any effect on your health aside from STDs?

7. Co-rec sports — While you have to be decent at sports to join a club team or University sports team (except for basketball), literally anyone with four limbs can thrive at co-rec. These sports aren’t taken too seriously, but they’re perfect for getting up and moving around.

If all else fails, get up and move for at least 15 minutes a day; then you can go back to your work, which of course means your Netflix binge. (For a guide to that, see our Netflix article.)

Michele Quiles | Contributing Writer

Rebecca Porath | Staff Writer

Ryan Gyanchand/ Contributing Photographer

Join our Pipe Dream family

'Shakespeare Abridged' runs this weekend

Exercise without the gymWho needs to pay when you have YouTube?

HPC gets Shakespearian

Binghamton seen through the eyes of a legendA Q&A with distinguished environmentalist, BU professor and Downtown landlord Richard Andrus

Support the local economy. It’s hard to get out of the consumer box, but you can

RELEASENovember 8, 2013 | www.bupipedream.com 12A

Going out to eat often seems out of the question these days, especially with Family Weekend long gone and the average student’s bank statement indicating not to. Yet in the past few months, Binghamton has become home to two brand-new buffets that are both affordable and delectable. These two restaurants are extremely different, so whether you’re looking for a family dining atmosphere and a homemade meal or a cruise ship-style, all-you-can-eat experience, you can have a night out without sacrificing your paycheck.

As the winter weather slowly creeps toward the Triple Cities region, it may seem that all you want is a warm homemade meal. Yes, Sodexo sandwiches and the occasional Hot Pocket are valid sustenance, but they don’t match up to your mom’s famous chicken. Opened recently on 117 Court St., Mediterranean Garden Buffet offers a friendly environment and homestyle food at an affordable price. This brand-new establishment offers the best of Turkish, Greek and Italian culture

and is conveniently located a bus stop away (just blocks from the University Downtown Center).

Walking in, you can expect to be greeted by a friendly staff and seated in what feels like a larger version of a home dining room. The business is family-owned, and it shows through everything from the decor to the dessert. Mediterranean Garden has a variety of soups and starters, a salad bar and a large selection of entrees. Featuring delicious shish kebabs and meatloaf, it has exactly what you’d expect from a Mediterranean buffet and then some. The more culturally curious should definitely check out the Turkish pizza, pita bread topped with meat and sauce, inspired by the cheesy classic.

“It was a warm, friendly environment, and I was surprised by how many vegetarian and vegan options they offered,” said Lindsay Gilmore, an undeclared freshman. “I’m looking forward to going back and having their delicious food.”

Among these vegetarian friendly options are chickpeas, rice, vegetable patties and pita with hummus. The dessert selection features various

pastries, cakes and creme brulee to finish your meal with a sweet ending. Before leaving, make sure to try their Turkish tea. Served in beautiful glasses, it’s made the traditional way using a caydanlik, a type of kettle used specifically for making tea. Here you can have a full dinner and soup for only $6.99, and you get more than your money’s worth. Many restaurants come and go, but through its warm food and even warmer atmosphere, this one definitely has staying power.

Back in Vestal, the Town Square Mall is now home to Hibachi Grill & Sushi Supreme Buffet. The restaurant opened in June and definitely lives up to its name.

When you first step inside, it’s hard to miss the beautiful decoration that’s unusual for most restaurants of its kind. A giant crystal chandelier is surrounded by tricolored lights around the ceiling, large rows of food take the center of the room and to the left is a spacious dining center, a sushi bar and a hibachi station.

For $6.99 during lunch and $9.99 during dinner and on Sundays, you can get unlimited lo mein, broccoli and beef, egg drop

and wonton soup, sushi, fried rice and more. The sushi selection is large and unique, and if you don’t see what you want you can order something specific. While it isn’t the best sushi in New York, for the price and portion size, it’s completely worth it. Dessert options include Jell-O, fruit, ice cream and pastries.

“The restaurant was beautiful,

and there was a large variety of food. I particularly enjoyed the vegetable lo mein, and I highly recommend it,” said Emma Klainberg, an undeclared freshman.

Whether you’ve got a meeting, a date or you just aren’t in the mood for dining hall food, these two new buffets are sure to fill you up without emptying your

pockets. Mediterranean Garden Buffet is located on 117 Court St. and is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Hibachi Grill & Sushi Supreme Buffet is located in the Town Square Mall and is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

Odeya Pinkus | Contributing Writer

“Breaking Bad” is over, and you finished “Orange Is the New Black” in a day. You could browse Netflix for hours and not find something you know you want to watch, mainly because you’ve never heard of half of these movies and shows. To save you some trouble, we’ve gathered a list of hidden gems for the next time you want to watch something new or need an excuse to procrastinate on even the smallest assignment.

MOVIES“Tiny Furniture”

This was “Girls” creator Lena Dunham’s first break, and she posed as writer, director and star of this film. It’s special for “Girls” fans because there’s something prequel-esque about this. Finding a job, getting along with her mom and sister and rifling through messy relationships with friends and lovers are some of the #firstworldproblems that Dunham portrays in subtle and

authentic ways.“Wet Hot American Summer”It takes place all in one day,

the last day of camp at Camp Firewood. We encounter love, engagement, marriage, capture the flag, a meteor approaching Earth, an angry chef named Gene and so much more. It features stars like Amy Poehler, Bradley Cooper, Janeane Garofalo, David Hyde Pierce and Paul Rudd before they were huge.

“Pootie Tang”This is a weird one, people.

“Pootie Tang” is a comedy about a rapper of the same name. He is the coolest rapper around, having learned values from his father, played by Chris Rock, who taught him everything he needed to know by means of belt, before he tragically died due to a gorilla attack. Pootie Tang fights the likes of an evil businessman looking to make money off of selling children cigarettes, drugs, alcohol and fast food. Also, it’s directed by Louis C.K.

“Oldboy”

Park Chan-wook’s “Oldboy” was bound to develop a cult following immediately after Quentin Tarantino fought for it to win the prestigious Palme d’Or at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival. The film follows a man who wakes up in a room without knowing how or why he got there, and is trapped there for 15 years. The main character is then released without warning and decides to seek out the people who did this to him.

“Brick”It’s rare for a first feature to

be so ambitious in scope and so slick with style, but that was the case for Rian Johnson’s “Brick.” Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, “Brick” is about a high school student who is investigating the death of his ex-girlfriend but soon finds himself spiraling into something bigger than he could imagine. The film is a fresh take on noir and thrives on its biting satire of high school stereotypes, styled as if it’s a Dashiell Hammett detective novel. Rian

Johnson later directed “Looper” and episodes of “Breaking Bad.”

“The Purple Rose of Cairo”The 1980s were Woody Allen’s

creative prime, when he made his most fantastical film, “The Purple Rose of Cairo.” Akin to his recent hit “Midnight in Paris,” the film is about an under-appreciated housewife, played by Mia Farrow, who finds herself lost in the movies. Without explanation, the main character from the film, played by Jeff Daniels, suddenly jumps out of the screen, leading to a love triangle of reality and fantasy.

“Waiting for Guffman”A Christopher Guest

mockumentary centered on a patriotic fictional town called Blaine, Mo., it follows a director and his actors putting on a musical in honor of the town and its history. Guest captures the absurdity of bizarre characters so masterfully that you feel like you’ve met them before.

“Mary and Max”An Australian claymation

film dealing with depression, Asperger’s and alcoholism does not sound like a fun viewing, but the dark humor of “Mary and Max” proves to be funny and poignant. Voiced by the talented Cate Blanchett and Philip Seymour Hoffman, as Mary and Max respectively, the movie is about the unlikely pen pal friendship between a lonely little girl in Australia and an overweight, Asperger’s-ridden Jewish man in New York City. The film is one of the most well-crafted, beautifully animated films in the last decade.

“The House of the Devil”Some of cinema’s best directors

started in the horror genre, including Francis Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese and James Cameron. All that potential is showcased in the horror film “The House of the Devil.” The movie pays homage to the babysitter genre of horror movies. Director Ti West knows how to carefully construct tension, knowing when the audience is expecting a scare and withholding it.

“Chop Shop”Roger Ebert named “Chop

Shop” in his list of the top films of the decade from 2000-2009. Made by Ramin Bahrani, who is currently a film professor at Columbia University, the movie uses non-actors and a limited script as well as a handheld camera to tell the tale of a child trying anything to get by at the auto repair shops in Willets Point, right by Shea Stadium. Bahrani relays a world that few of us witness or experience.

TV SHOWS“Parenthood”/”Friday Night

Lights”Loosely based on the 1989

Steve Martin film, “Parenthood” centers on a family and features actors such as Lauren Graham, Peter Krause and Ray Romano. “Friday Night Lights” takes place in Dillon, Texas, a small town obsessed with the all-star football team, the Dillon Panthers. Both shows are created by Jason Katims, who masters unbelievably realistic portrayals of all kinds of relationships, dialogue and emotion. Thanks, NBC, you’ve done it again.

“Twin Peaks”If you want weird dreams

and a serious case of the heebie-

jeebies, watch David Lynch’s “Twin Peaks.” This 1991 series has only two seasons, but it does to you 10 times what “Breaking Bad” does in five. Set in a fictional Washington town, the show begins with a man finding the dead body of Laura Palmer, the town’s beloved homecoming queen. An FBI agent, Dale Cooper, played by the incomparable Kyle MacLachlan, comes to the town to investigate. Get lost in this world of mystery.

“My So-Called Life”Claire Danes stars in this

heartfelt coming-of-age ’90s TV show. It centers on a high school chick who becomes more independent and in touch with herself — she dyes her hair, changes groups of friends and resists her “overbearing” parents (they just don’t get us). Though canceled after one season, “MSCL” gained a group of cult followers who appreciated its poetic and pensive nature, featuring characters mature and wise way beyond their years.

“The Office: UK”Although the pilot of the

original British “Office” is pretty much identical to the American one verbatim, beyond the first episode, there’s more depth to the English version. Created by and starring Ricky Gervais, “The Office: UK” skillfully paints painfully uncomfortable humor in the pathetic lives of the employees at Wernham Hogg. All of the romance, discomfort and laughter are way more subtle and way more real than the American version. Only 12 episodes!

Patrick Hao and Evy Pitt-Stoller | Contributing Writers

Kendall Loh/Photo Editor

Time Warner

Kendall Loh/Photo Editor

Endless food for the not-so-endless BU student budgetHibachi Sushi and Mediterranean Garden: Two new buffets that are too good to pass up

Netflix films and TV shows you didn't know existThe website is a mine filled with hidden gems of cult classics and underrated entertainement

If you want weird dreams and a serious case of the heebie-jeebies, watch David Lynch’s “Twin Peaks”

Chivalry, though inherently misogynistic, is not the biggest obstacle for those hoping to achieve gender equality. The true problem, as illustrated by Matt Bloom’s crude treatment of chivalry in his column “Women can’t have it both ways: it’s either special treatment or equality in all regards,” is a hyper-sexualization and objectification of women.

The first paragraph frames Bloom’s argument in a highly sexualized manner. Bloom describes a traditional college setting as an abundance of females with the potential for exciting hook-ups. Women are judged through the eye of the interested male, not as persons with their own agency. Women are portrayed as objects and potential conquests. This sexualized description is not accompanied by a rallying cry to stop objectification of women in the media, sexual

violence toward women or abusive relationships. The author instead argues that a male’s refusal to pay for dinner will fix the situation and end the persistent negative stereotypes against women.

This argument is based on a warped vision of equality. Gender equality is more than equal job opportunities. Equality means eliminating the sense of gender separation that exudes throughout the entire piece. Bloom argues that there is nothing wrong with doing nice things for women, or for “all people.” Women are 50 percent of the population and should not be placed in a separate category. He claims that “as a man” he has no problem with women who seek to gain equality, or women who expect chivalrous treatment. This statement also reveals that he does not think men should care about the gender bias propagated by chivalry itself and would be content with women accepting their role as a weaker sex.

Furthermore, this discussion totally ignores the LGBT community and the implications of chivalrous practice on these relationships. The view Bloom presents in this

piece appears to align with the heteronormative ideal, which holds that relationships between men and women are the only relationships worth discussing. This is unfortunate because queer relationships can provide a model for relationships unlimited by typical gender biases. Bloom’s blanket descriptions of “men” and “women” and their attitudes toward relationships is incomplete and does not take into account gender and sexual diversities.

Bloom claims that chivalry has created two types of men: those seeking to get laid through chivalrous behavior and those who simply don’t care to humor women with such archaic notions. This is an oversimplification and sells men short. This second type of man still shares the same objective Bloom reveals in his first paragraph: to get a woman into bed. There is

nothing wrong with sexual desire toward women, but to reduce all men to the stereotype of only thinking with their penises reflects a patriarchal world view. This is the same logic that places blame on rape victims for

dressing immodestly and tempting men. Men are not monkeys, they can demonstrate self-control. It is no coincidence that Bloom’s column places the blame on women, rather than examines chivalry as a societal problem in which men play a major role. If Bloom’s subconscious sexism is reflective of the average college male’s perspective, it will be a long road to true gender equality.

— Molly McGrath is a junior double-majoring in political science and history.

Molly McGrathColumnist

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It’s college basketball season, if you didn’t know from word-of-mouth or our 16 pages of sports this week.

Game On

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OpiniOnFriday, November 8, 2013

Response: Chivalry column misses the pointTreating women fairly and as equals are not mutually exclusive

It is no coincidence that Bloom’s column places the blame on women

But this year, basketball season is not going to be something that just happens and then we lose, and lose again, once more and then it’s over. This year, Bearcat basketball is going to be different.

We’re bringing school pride back to our campus.

There’s reason to believe this year’s men’s basketball team will be the best one we’ve seen in quite some time. Jordan Reed piqued our interest with the most impressive freshman season in program history, and now he has more options around him.

Rob Mansell’s back after missing all of

2012-13 with a knee injury. Rayner Moquete is eligible. And a promising class of four scholarship freshmen will provide Tommy Dempsey’s squad with energy and more scoring threats.

Yes, we’re still in rebuilding mode. But that makes it all the more fitting for us to rebuild our school spirit, too.

We’re not the only ones calling for more enthusiasm from the student body. Riana Moriello, vice president of programming for the Student Association, is chartering a shuttle called the “Pride Bus” to basketball games designed to amp up students. BU Zoo, a student group dedicated to attending

men’s basketball games and cheering from the stands, is gaining a lot of popularity on campus.

We don’t want to get all “be the change” on you guys, but instead of complaining about how no one goes to the games, just go. Tell your resident assistant to make an event out of it. Pre-game beforehand. Where do you think the term “pre-game” comes from?

It’s not that our basketball games are poorly attended; people from the community flock to the Events Center every time the Bearcats take the court. Binghamton University led the America

OpiniOn november 8, 2013 | www.bupipedream.comA14

This past Halloween, I saw a multitude of sugar skulls, superheroes and mimes. I also saw a group of Oompa-Loompas, from “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory,” which was very amusing. The Oompa-Loompas were dressed in the appropriate white overalls with brown undershirts, high socks and orange faces. It wouldn’t make sense for a person dressing up as an Oompa-Loompa to have a purple face, a black face or a white face, because Oompa-Loompas have orange faces. They are orange characters.

The famous actress, singer and dancer Julianne Hough dressed for Halloween as “Crazy Eyes” from the Netflix show “Orange Is the New Black.” Hough was severely condemned for her costume because she not only dressed herself in an orange jumpsuit with her hair up in the character’s signature Bantu knots, but also painted her face black.

The character’s face is not purple, green or white. Her face is black. “Crazy Eyes” is a black character.

The following day, Hough was vehemently criticized on Twitter and many other social media websites. Both the Huffington Post and USA Today published articles discussing the stupidity of Hough’s decision to paint her face black for Halloween.

CNN also held a live debate regarding Hough’s costume. The four participants in the

debate discussed Hough’s ignorance toward issues of race and white supremacy in the United States, and the pivotal question of the evening, which was if Hough had any black friends.

The fact that CNN chose to do a live story on a famous actress’ Halloween costume is a sad indication of America’s attentiveness to insignificant news in and of itself.

But what really troubles me is the backlash Hough received for a costume no different than dressing as an Oompa-Loompa.

The hullabaloo with racially identifiable Halloween costumes draws a very thin line between what is considered politically correct or not.

The controversy stems from practices used in minstrel shows back in the 1830s. During a time when race was at the foreground of our country’s turmoil, minstrel shows were the highlight of American a m u s e m e n t . White actors and actresses would dress up as black people, perform comedic skits and put on dance routines and sing, all the while portraying them as dim-witted, lazy and buffoonish.

The key characteristic that defined the genre was blackface: painting one’s face black, and one’s mouth and eyes white. For minstrel shows, the purpose of blackface was to represent black people as animalistic.

Throughout the 1830s and ’40s, blackface epitomized black

people as inferior. The genre, and more specifically blackface, came to symbolize racism and extreme crudeness toward the black population.

However, it has been nearly 200 years since the earliest minstrel shows existed, nearly 60 years since the Civil Rights Movement took place and nearly six years since our country elected a black president. Every day we are taking steps toward more equality.

But linking Hough’s costume with blackface from the 1830s is only taking steps backward. Hough did not intend to be offensive; her costume had nothing to do with race, but with a show and a character that so many find enjoyable.

By creating racist claims out of something so innocent as a Halloween costume, we are further perpetuating race as an all-inclusive issue when

it doesn’t have to be.

Had Hough dressed as President Barack Obama and donned a mass-made mask, which of course is black like the president, nothing would have come of it.

Had a black person dressed as the Pope and painted his face

white, again, nothing this severe would have come of it.

Our reaction to Hough’s costume is nothing short of racism itself.

— Julianne Cuba is a senior double-majoring in history and Chinese.

Hydrofracking is one of the most controversial issues in the country and perhaps the most widely discussed topic on campus. I purposefully don’t call the topic “controversial” at Binghamton University because that would mean there is a two-sided debate on the issue. There isn’t. There is woefully little pro-fracking rhetoric on campus. If you travel to the relatively rural streets behind the Nature Preserve, you will find as many pro-fracking signs as anti-fracking ones. The area isn’t as resoundingly anti-fracking as campus. We, on the other hand, screen “Gasland” at least once a semester and hold protests against Halliburton. I am not against protests or documentary screenings, but I

am against a one-sided provision of information.

Let’s get some facts straight. Hydraulic fracturing (hydrofracking) has been occurring in New York state to extract oil and natural gas for decades. So why have we been hearing so much about it in the past few years? Relatively recent advancements in the industry have brought about the ability for horizontal drilling, which opens up the Marcellus Shale for high-volume natural gas extraction. So, besides the perpetuation of non-renewable, carbon-producing energy sources, what is wrong with hydrofracking? It’s all in the fluids, baby. A high-pressure solution of water, sand and toxic chemicals is pumped through highly reinforced pipes that eventually break up rock to release the gas that is stored in pockets in the shale. The composition of the solution used to be a “trade secret” due to “Halliburton loopholes” passed under President George W.

Bush, but now many companies, including Halliburton, publicly disclose the chemicals in their “frack fluid.” There are two major problems with this fluid: The high pressure can crack the pipes and release fluid and methane into the water table, and storage and disposal of the fluid is expensive and can result in disastrous leaks and spills.

The popular documentary “Gasland,” which helped launch horizontal hydrofracking onto the national stage, is an anecdotal film about a few isolated cases of water poisoning. The primary sob story in the movie, the water of Dimock, Pa., has since been researched and cleared of well-poisoning. The most shocking image of the movie is a family lighting their tap water on fire due to the abundance of methane in the wells. However, the Marcellus Shale is so full of gas that some leaks out into the water table without anthropogenic influence. There has been enough gas in the water table to light tap water on

fire for as long as there’s been a water table (probably since the last Ice Age).

So with the chance of major catastrophe, why is this a discussion? There is a ridiculous amount of money to be made in this business, and not just for big, bad oil and gas conglomerates. Landowners who lease their land for natural gas extraction may be looked down upon in the community, but many of them are farmers paying off tens of thousands of dollars of debt. Some of these families will be above water for the first time in their lives and will be able to pump their own money into the local economy. These companies may be bad, but it’s not Walmart driving out local businesses and paying shit money for shit jobs.

They’re paying hardworking, salt-of-the-earth people big bucks to lease out a few acres of their land.

There are very few EPA-substantiated claims of water poisoning from hydraulic fracturing. These major incidents have occurred because of human error and failure to follow regulations. Fracking is an

i n h e r e n t l y safe process; it’s the scary possibility of an accident that makes f r a c k i n g such a big issue. And if accidents w e r e c o m m o n , then I would understand. But research s h o w s

that the stories you hear are insubstantial and sensationalized.

Anecdotes dominate the debate at the state and national level. The

gas companies are guilty of many bad things, but what matters to the struggling landowners is that they are willing to shell out millions of dollars to drill. And here lies the foundation of the environment vs. big business problem. What’s more important, growth or conservation? Jobs or water quality? I am fully ambivalent (not apathetic) on the issue and refuse to get behind either side until the state runs an Environmental Impact Statement on the combined impact of the wells in New York state. But until then, look at information from both NYPIRG (New York Public Interest Research Group) and Friends of Natural Gas with equally skeptical eyes as you remember both of them have their own agendas.

— Macon Fessenden is a non-matriculated graduate student. He graduated in Spring 2013 with a degree in environmental studies.

Time for some sensitivity training: Let’s talk about bodies.

This is a sensitive topic for everyone, whether you feel comfortable admitting it or not. Even if you are comfortable with your body, chances are you feel under some pressure to keep it that way, you haven’t always been that way or something else along those lines. It’s something everyone can relate to because — big shocker — we all have bodies.

Most people aren’t 100 percent happy with how they look, which is totally unders tandab le . We’re only human, and we strive for perfection, whether or not that goal is actually attainable. In the meantime, however, we need to remember that even if we don’t look how we might want to in a perfect world, our bodies deserve our love.

Loving your body is a lot more mental than physical, though that goes against popular belief.

A lot of people think that if they aren’t happy with their bodies, then that’s a cue that

they’re doing something wrong and need to diet more or work out harder. While maintaining a healthy lifestyle does promote a healthy body image in a lot of ways, you could lose weight or gain muscle and still not be happy with how you look. The change has to come from within.

That might sound a little preachy, but it’s true. Your body is the only one you’re ever going to get, and you should be comfortable with that fact.

From my own experience, I can say that being comfortable in your own skin is difficult. In a lot of ways I don’t think I’m comfortable with myself. However, I do love my body, and I’m learning to respect it more every day.

When it comes to body image and sex, some people are so concerned with how they

look that they end up ruining their chances with a potential partner or ruining a sexual experience due to insecurity. Sex should be enjoyable; if you’re too concerned with your body, then you’re not going to have a good time.

Plus, I’m sure you’ve

heard of the best accessory of all time: confidence.

That might not have been exactly mind-blowing since I’m sure most people have heard that hundreds of times before,

but it’s true. People nowadays are truly afraid of their flaws.

Flaws are like making mistakes in the past. You can try to run from them, or you can accept them. In fact, you can make them into something that gives you confidence.

I have scarring from stretch marks; I’m not ashamed of them. They give me more confidence because they came from a time in my life when I was depressed and didn’t respect or love myself. Now, when I look at them, I’m reminded of how far I’ve come and how much farther I intend to go in terms of my self-confidence.

When it comes to flaws, you can also change your body to a certain extent.

I’m not a huge endorser of plastic surgery or even caking on makeup, but these options are out there. If you can find a healthier alternative, then I would say go for that in every scenario. But if you can be assured of your safety and said choice of action would make you feel more confident in a way that you would otherwise never feel, then maybe you could consider it.

Coming to terms with your body is an extremely personal experience, and so there’s no way for me to write a guide to what you need to personally do. For some people it requires facing a lot of your demons, and for others it just takes the realization that you aren’t giving your body what it deserves.

— Jake Lewis is a senior majoring in English.

Macon Fessenden

Columnist

Julianne CubaColumnist

Jake LewisSex Columnist

What’s more important, growth or conservation? Jobs or water quality?

Your body is the only one you’re ever going to get

Dearest Editor,I’d like to congratulate you on a very

successful Pipe Scream issue. For a while, I was under the impression that the only people on campus capable of writing cleverly and with humor were already writing for the Review, but it seems that I was mistaken.

In the issue, you published a fake letter to the editor from “The Binghamton Review,” so I thought I’d write you a real one. To clarify, there is no “the” in our name. However, you are a college paper, after all, so I’ll cut you guys some slack, even though our office is right next to yours and we’ve had the same name since 1987.

I actually believe that you and your staff do good work. You serve a function that no other organization is in a position to accomplish. Your news pieces are informative and factual, so it’s a shame that nobody reads them. I sympathize with that, though. In the past, we’ve had to resort to putting profanity on our covers in the vain hope that it would grab the attention of the average apathetic college student.

Your opinion articles, however, are

consistently unintentionally hilarious. Whereas most people writing about politics strive to be analytical and objective, your columnists talk about how political issues make them feel personally, as if they were writing an angsty Tumblr blog. It’s great!

I do have one complaint, though. My managing editor and I just got back from a conference in Fort Worth, TX, hosted by the Collegiate Institute, which supports publications like the Review. At this conference, there was an awards ceremony. One of the awards was for the publication that best covered issues pertaining to Christianity. Now, our love for all things Jesus is rather well known, so we were considered a front runner to win this award. However, because we couldn’t resist lampooning your sex columns every single month, we didn’t win this award that we so longed for.

Best Regards From Your Right-Wing Neighbors,

Daniel MilyavskyEditor-in-Chief

Letter to the Editor

Our reaction to Hough’s costume is nothing short of racism itself

When it comes to hydrofracking, get the facts straightA one-sided debate is no debate at all; more information is needed before deciding to drill

Costume criticism has limitsEverybody, rock your bodyWe've come so far, why hold old standards?Learn how to be comfortable in your own skin

SportS A13www.bupipedream.com | November 8, 2013

Wrestling carries high expectations into 2013-14 seasonIn first year in EIWA, Binghamton set to open campaign by hosting Jonathan Kaloust Bearcat open

Expectations. That was the afternoon’s most frequently repeated word.

After gaining acceptance to the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association — the oldest, and one of the most prestigious, wrestling conferences in the country — in April, high expectations for the Binghamton wrestling team are appropriate.

“If we’re going to get more competitive, and consistently competitive, and that’s the goal … we want to have a sustainable result, where we’re getting that top-20 finish every year,” head coach Matt Dernlan

said at the Wrestling Media Day on Thursday.

Under the helm of Dernlan for just one year, the squad will face off against top-25 teams on a weekly basis, and without its top two wrestlers from last season — according to Dernlan, two of the best wrestlers in the history of the program — Donnie Vinson and Nate Schiedel.

Those are big shoes to fill, but with two-time NCAA qualifier and senior Cody Reed returning for his final season, the squad has some dominant experience to anchor it. Reed, who used the offseason to jump up to the next weight category, is looking forward to the challenge of facing five or

six ranked wrestlers in each weight class, whereas in the old conference, the Colonial Athletic Association, there were only two or three.

“I’ve got high expectations for myself. I’m planning on being an All-American at the end of the year,” Reed said. “Coach wants me setting my goals high. I want to be a conference champion again, and I just want to leave this team as a top-10 team at nationals, and I don’t see why we can’t do that.”

Reed’s high personal expectations aren’t all he’ll need to focus on, however. He’ll be an integral component in assisting the transition process for the program’s freshmen,

who constituted a top-15 recruiting class in the country.

“[Reed’s] been there twice,” Dernlan said. “He knows how to get to the NCAA tournament, he knows how to navigate a really long and demanding season, so it’s really just ‘follow Cody’s lead.’”

And with the need for the freshmen to step forward and help fill roles for each of the 10 weight classes immediately, this next month will be a crucial period of development for the newcomers.

“We’re putting it on these young guys, these freshmen guys, to step up and be leaders now,” Dernlan said. “We’re not waiting for them to see when they can be good, or how

quickly they can be good. The expectation is on them right now to go out and be ready to compete.”

Dernlan estimated that they’ll evaluate their wrestlers over the next month to determine who will constitute the starting 10. There’s no final determination yet, and the first opportunity for each Bearcat to prove his potential will come this Sunday, when the team hosts the Jonathan Kaloust Bearcat Open.

“It’s going to be one of the premier events in the entire country, so we’re excited to host that,” Dernlan said.

First match is set for 9 a.m. at the Events Center.

Ashley PurdyAssistant Sports Editor Upcoming

Wrestling Matches:

Nov. 10Kaloust Bearcat Open

Nov. 23@ Cornell

Nov. 24N.Y. State

Championship

BU clinches AE tourney spot

With a win against Albany on Wednesday night, Binghamton would have secured the No. 5 seed in the America East tournament. But when the Bearcats (3-10-5, 1-3-3 America East) fell to the Great Danes (5-10-4, 3-3-1 AE), 2-1, they left their postseason fate in the hands of nationally-ranked UMBC. Fortunately for Binghamton, the Retrievers delivered with a 1-0 win over Stony Brook, staking the Bearcats to the No. 6 seed.

In its loss to Albany, after a defensive error and Great Danes goal in the first half, Binghamton surged in the second as it strove to control its destiny. Junior forward Steven Celeste netted Binghamton’s goal just six minutes into the half, but despite a multitude of created opportunities, the Bearcats weren’t able to connect for the equalizer.

“I thought our guys did a great job in the second half,” BU head coach Paul Marco said. “We came out hard, we competed well, we were productive with the ball, we were more deliberate in our attacks and we were rewarded with a goal. Maybe we just ran out of time to get the equalizer.”

Binghamton is now set to face off against No. 3 Hartford on Saturday, meaning seniors Robbie Hughes and Marts Reid-Warden haven’t seen their last match just yet.

For a full recap of Wednesday night’s game, visit bupipedream.com.

Despite losing to Albany, 2-1, Bearcats secure No. 6 seed

Ashley PurdyAssistant Sports Editor

Kendall Loh/Photo Editor and Tycho McManus/Staff Photographer

A lot of people say that we didn’t earn it, but we did earn it. We just didn’t earn it last night. We earned it with the performances that we put in at Hartford, against UMBC, at home, against Stony Brook, against UMass Lowell. So we did earn the right to go in, we just didn’t control our destiny by putting ourselves in last night on the last day. — head coach Paul Marco

I think as a squad, we’re pretty fearless right now. We’re obviously going up to Hartford; we’ve been there before, we’ve seen their lads, they’ve seen us. So I’d say we’re pretty fearless, but we’re very confident. I’d back all of our team over anybody else, so I’d like to see us go there and upset Hartford.

— senior back Robbie Hughes

We were blessed last night with a UMBC victory that puts us in, and I think that the guys have realized that and are starting to make the most of it. I saw a few adjustments [thursday] at training, so I’m looking forward to training again [Friday].

— head coach Paul Marco

We’ve always had the attitude that we’ve got to come out and win every match, but now that we have this opportunity — we did earn it in points — but I think we need to come out with guns blazing, basically. We can’t let anything go, because there’s no tomorrow. — junior forward Steven Celeste

SportSA14 www.bupipedream.com | November 8, 2013

NFL

Pipe Dream Picks

Welcome to the seventh week of Pipe Dream NFL Picks! Every week, Pipe Dream sports editors and one guest will attempt to correctly predict the outcome of four upcoming games of their choice, selecting one prediction as a LOCK. Getting the LOCK correct earns you three points, while getting it wrong costs you one. The other three games are worth one point each, and there is no penalty for wrong guesses on these. Ties give you a half-point. After the sixth week, Erik reclaims his rightful place on top with 16 points, leaving the guest behind in second with 13. Ari and Ashley remain in third and fourth, with 11 and five points, respectively. If you want to submit picks, email sports@bupipedream.com.

Erik 13-11 16Guest 13-11 13Ari 8-16 11Ashley 8-16 5

LOCK: Detroit (pk) over CHICAGOThe Bears only won last week because Rodgers got hurt. Cutler might be back, but that doesn’t matter. Stafford’s on fire. Calvin Johnson is Calvin Johnson. With a simple win and lose, Lions beat Bears.

TENNESSEE (-12.5) over JacksonvilleI’ve been trying to avoid the cheap pick and suffered for it. My stats need a boost. Plus CJ2K is possibly back? He was last week.

Dallas (+6.5) over NEW ORLEANSI know. Saints. Brees-y. Graham. Defense. They’re home. They’re angry from their loss. They’ll win, in all likelihood. By a touchdown? Probably. I don’t care. Dallas, always.

TAMPA BAY (+2.5) over MiamiIf the Bucs are going to win, ever, I think it’ll be this week. They just barely lost to the SEAHAWKS last week. They want the W.

LOCK: SAN FRANCISCO (-6) over CarolinaThe Panthers are hot, but I’ll take a hotter San Fran team returning home after a bye.

Cincinnati (-1.5) over BALTIMOREThere are three things I hate in this world: sloppy sandwich-es, cold showers and Joe Flacco.

Detroit (pk) over CHICAGOJay Cutler with an iffy groin or Matt Stafford with an iffy Calvin Johnson?

Denver (-7) over SAN DIEGOIf Joe Flacco dropped dead, Philip Rivers would supplant him on my most hated list.

LOCK: TENNESSEE (-12.5) over Jacksonville

If the Jaguars were a Skittles color, they’d be orange. Orange Skittles suck.

Denver (-6.5) over SAN DIEGOIf the Broncos were a Skittles color, they’d be red.

NEW ORLEANS (-6.5) over DallasIf the Saints were a Skittles color, they’d be purple. Wait, never mind — they lost to the Jets last week — they’d be green.

INDIANAPOLIS (-9.5) over St. LouisIf the Rams were a Skittles color, I guess they’d be yellow? I don’t really know what’s going on over there in St. Louis, but I never really eat yellow Skittles so thought this logic made sense.

LOCK: NY GIANTS (-7) over OaklandI’m from New Jersey and a lot of people there really like the Giants so they must be pretty good. And I’ve never heard of the Oakland team so I’m going to assume they’re pretty bad.

Cincinnati (-1.5) over BALTIMORETigers are way cooler than birds. Done.

Denver (-7) over SAN DIEGOI took a tour of the Denver Broncos’ stadium a couple of years ago, and they told us not to step on the field but I did so I’m basically on their team. Also, San Diego doesn’t even have a mascot so that’s super lame.

Carolina (+6) over SAN FRANCISCOThe Carolina Panthers have a way more intimidating logo than the 49ers, whose logo and colors are pretty ugly, not gonna lie. I’m ma-joring in graphic design so I can be the judge of that.

Ari Kramer’s PicksSPORTS EDITOR

Erik Bacharach's PicksASST. SPORTS EDITOR

Ashley Purdy's PicksASST. SPORTS EDITOR

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OPEN HOUSES:Sunday, Nov. 3 - 10 a.m.Old Westbury campus

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A15SportSwww.bupipedream.com | November 8, 2013

Murphy set for larger roleBU expects more from sophomore in 2013-14

Stephanie Jensen could only think of one word to describe teammate Morgan Murphy.

“She’s a beast,” Jensen, a senior guard, said of the sophomore forward.

Murphy, entering her second year with the Binghamton women’s basketball program, will look to build off an impressive freshman campaign. In her debut season, the forward was named to the America East all-rookie team after averaging seven points and 4.2 rebounds per game and shooting 70.2 percent from the foul line.

The losses of key players like Kara Elofson and Jasbriell Swain will expand Murphy’s role on the team both offensively and defensively.

“I think I’m ready,” Murphy said. “Every year, every Division I team loses something and gains something — players just have to step up and move forward from it the next year.”

Knowing she will be a more integral piece of this year’s team, Murphy has been working hard on the court to improve her game and be ready for her expanded role this season.

“I’ve been working a lot with coach [Leah] Truncale on new post moves and adding that to my skill set,” she said.

“I think that myself, Sherae

Swinson [and] some of the other players that we have on the team have been going after it on the boards in practice,” Murphy added.

Two aspects of Murphy’s game that she would like to improve this season are her mid-range jump shot and free throws. Specifically, she said she would like to see the percentages of each rise, and she has been working in practice to improve in both areas.

Head coach Nicole Scholl fully believes in Murphy’s capabilities on the court, calling the sophomore a key piece to the team’s 2013-14 season.

“I think Morgan’s potential is unlimited,” Scholl said. “I think

her game is just progressively getting better. This year you’ll see a little bit more inside-out play because we can capitalize a little bit on that, but as far as on the inside, she really is a power on the inside for us.”

Although Murphy has improved during practice, she’ll have to transition to actual game play. Last season, Murphy would occasionally get into foul trouble, and because she’ll be relied on more this season, she will have to play disciplined defense to stay on the floor.

Everyone on the team is confident that Murphy can score, but the sophomore will need to become more of a playmaker in year two. Jensen, for one, said she would like to see Murphy recognize when she is double-teamed and kick the ball back out.

If Murphy is being covered one-on-one in the paint, however, Jensen expects her to score every time.

As much as Murphy would like to see her game progress on the court, she said she cares most about the wins.

“When you win six games one season, the next season you just want to win,” she said. “You put all your individual goals and accomplishments that you want to achieve aside, and you just want to win games.”

Matt TurnerPipe Dream Sports

Xindi Tian/Contributing PhotographerSophomore forward Morgan Murphy, who was named to the America East all-rookie team last season, aims to improve upon her seven points per game from last season.

“this year you’ll see a little bit more inside-out play because we can capitalize a little bit on that”

— Nicole Scholl BU head coach

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(607) 777-2516business@bupipedream.com

SportSFriday, November 8, 2013

women's basketball

Murphy set for larger rolePage A15

Whenever a 6-24 team abruptly loses its most dynamic player, the fallout is generally to brace for a rebuilding year.

But the Binghamton women’s basketball team isn’t approaching 2013-14 as if it’s in the middle of a transition phase.

The Bearcats have a new one-two punch in their backcourt. They’ve got a pair of all-conference returnees down low. And they’ve got support off the bench that is capable of providing a spark.

They just have to get off on the right foot.

“I think the big thing for this team is how well we start this year,” head coach Nicole Scholl said. “Obviously, with only winning six games last year, we got off to a very slow start. I think that type of mentality needs to change for this group.”

The Bearcats lost their first eight games last year and that was back when they still had their energizer bunny, Jasbriell Swain. But Swain transferred after the end of last season, leaving a giant void on Binghamton’s roster and forcing players to adjust to larger roles.

“I think everyone who’s out on the floor this year is going to have to take charge and replace some of those points,” Scholl said. “Right now on the inside, [sophomore forward] Morgan Murphy and [junior forward] Sherae Swinson have been looking very good, and I think will help balance some of that out. And with our experienced players like [senior guard] Stephanie Jensen and [senior guard] Vaneeshia Paulk out on the perimeter, I think

they’re going to help some of that load as well.”

Jensen, who has traditionally played the two-guard but is being called upon to co-run the point in 2013-14, shared similar thoughts on how each player on the roster will have to step up to make up for the loss of Swain.

“Jas was a huge piece for us offensively and defensively,” Jensen said. “But we return our leading scorer in Sherae Swinson, so I think [Swain] can be replaced. We’ve got some good players off the bench who are ready to step up and take some responsibility this year.”

Jensen, who led BU with 37 3-pointers, and Paulk, who reached double figures in scoring six times, will replace Swain in coordinating the offense as the tandem is set to lead Binghamton down the floor.

While Jensen is a shooter and Paulk is a penetrator, Scholl hopes the two different styles of play will keep defenses on their toes.

“Paulk is push with dribble first where Jensen is push with the pass first,” Scholl said. “So I think that combination, if we can get that working for us, I think it’ll definitely help us getting the ball up the floor. It’s nice thing to have … two primary ball handlers on the floor and they were named our captains this year, too, so obviously providing a lot of leadership

for us also.”With conflicting styles of play, it’ll

take some time before the duo operates fluidly together, but Jensen is confident that “the more [they] play together… it’s going to show on the floor.”

“We’re two different players,” Paulk said. “If I penetrate and drive, she should be looking to me for a kick. If she’s on point, she can kick out to me and I can attack.”

Sophomores Kim Albrecht and Kandace Newry, both of who have

experience as starters for BU, figure to see increased roles in the backcourt and will serve as reliable options off the bench.

And while Jensen and Paulk will try to tire their opponents by running the ball in transition, in the half-court, the Bearcats will default to their formidable weapons up front, Morgan Murphy and Sherae Swinson.

Swinson took on a new role last season as the focal point of the offense. The 6-foot forward led Binghamton with 9.9 points per game and reached double figures in scoring a team-high 15 times. Despite her inexperience in the role, Swinson is once again ready to be the first option offensively for BU this year.

“I’ve never been in this position as a basketball player so it’s very new to me, to be the go-to player,” Swinson said. “But I’m accepting the role and since my coaches and teammates have a lot of

confidence in me, I’m sure I can do it.”Murphy, meanwhile, averaged seven

points per game in 2012-13 and was named to the America East all-rookie team. The 5-foot-10 forward led BU in points five times and rebounding four times.

“I think Morgan’s potential is unlimited,” Scholl said. “For her, it’s just a matter of continuing to improve every year. She works extremely hard both on and off the floor as far as in the classroom and on the floor. I think from this year, you’ll see a little more inside-out play because we can capitalize on a little bit of both of that.”

With Kara Elofson and Simone Thomas having graduated last year, seniors Julia Barac and Kyra Aloizos and sophomore Jessa Molina will be trusted sources of experience. Freshman Kristin Ross, who earned all-state honors, will also help in replacing the graduates.

Binghamton was picked to finish eighth in the preseason poll, but Jensen spoke for the team when she said, “I think all of us agree on the fact that we should have been higher … It’s definitely a motivator for us.”

“I think this year, as far as the conference goes,” Scholl said, “obviously Albany and Hartford are always two very strong programs, but I think you kind of look down the line with who people graduated last year and I think there’s going to be a lot of parity this year in the conference.”

The Bearcats only managed a single non-conference victory last season and had only two wins at home. With opening tipoff against Buffalo set for Friday night at the Events Center, Binghamton has an opportunity to start 2013-14 on a much different note.

Despite 6-24 mark last season, BU refuses to view 2013-14 as rebuilding yearErik BacharachAssistant Sports Editor

Xindi Tian/Contributing Photographer

Looking Up

“We return our leading scorer in Sherae Swinson, so I think [Swain] can be replaced”

— Stephanie JensenSenior guard