Stars of
‘Whose Line is it Anyway?’ to headline family weekend
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Celebrating 70 Years as the Free Word on Campus
Thursday, August 25, 2016 | Vol. XC | Binghamton University | bupipedream.com
Police call for safety Downtown
BPD ups State St. presence City, state officials seek end to underage drinking, fake ID use
BPD chief advises staying alert, traveling in groups off-campus
Alexandra Mackof News Editor
Brendan Zarkower
perspective about what Binghamton is; this is a city in a major state of rejuve ion. We are actively putting ourselves into other communities to get the word out about the festival.” One of the biggest additions, according to Ludzki, is a performance from a 48-piece orchestra from the Binghamton Philharmonic synchronized with an animation projection. “We were looking for the right thing to add something truly spectacular and blow people away,” Ludzki said. “The minute [the Binghamton Philharmonic]
Students heading to Downtown Binghamton this semester may notice an increase in police presence, especially around and inside popular bars. According to Binghamton Police Chief (BPD) Joseph Zikuski, efforts to prevent underage drinking and fake ID use will increase. “While student safety remains our top concern, cracking down on underage drinking will be a focus of Binghamton Police officers in Downtown Binghamton this fall,” Zikuski said. “In coordination with the New York State Liquor Authority, BPD will work with taverns and restaurants to prevent underage alcohol consumption. This will include random sweeps to enforce fake ID laws.” This increase in monitoring coincides with New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s announcement that he plans to combat underage drinking on New York state college campuses and in college towns. “Underage drinking can lead to life-altering consequences for college students, and as the fall semester gets underway, we are working to educate college students about this reckless behavior,” Gov. Cuomo said in a press release. “These coordinated efforts will build on our progress to help avoid
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Assistant News Editor
As students return to school and the semester begins, Binghamton Police Chief Joseph Zikuski encouraged those living in Downtown Binghamton, on the West Side or in other parts of the city to remember “common sense” safety precautions. According to the Binghamton Police Department’s (BPD) website, a large percentage of incidents happen Downtown in densely populated areas near Court Street. However, in more heavily student-populated areas south of Main Street and along Floral Avenue, a different variety of crimes are reported. In these areas, rates of reported theft from a motor vehicle were comparatively high in 2015. Additionally, a relatively high concentration of burglaries occurred on Main Street near Chapin and Murray Streets, which are both student neighborhoods. “It’s no secret that there have been some crimes committed against students walking home,” Zikuski said. “Students should remember to keep their doors and possessions locked up well.” Zikuski said that most crimes involving students occur on Friday and Saturday nights, and they usually involve alcohol. “I remember a case last year, we got called for a student who was drunk north of Main Street on the West Side and had no idea where he was,” Zikuski said. “It turned out he lived on campus. You’ve got to be careful in unfamiliar areas.” To stay safe, Zikuski said that students should travel in pairs or groups, especially at night, and should not walk around with their cell phones out and headphones in. While Zikuski did not recommend avoiding particular neighborhoods, he stressed that students must keep their wits about them in unfamiliar places. In order to address the constantly changing needs of the city, BPD instituted a community response team. This flexible team works directly under Zikuski to target high risk areas. “Since they’re not assigned to a particular shift, we put them in areas where they are most needed,” Zikuski said. “We know students are moving in for the next two weeks so if all the sudden there are problems down on Chestnut or Leroy [streets], they’ll be there.” The West Side Neighborhood Crime Watch is a local group also dedicated to promoting student safety. Organized by City Councilwoman Dani Cronce, the group recently established a spinoff student outreach board to increase dialogue between West Side residents, landlords and students. “I would like for students to join as well,” Cronce said. “You are residents too.” Students have mixed opinions about Downtown safety. Some do not feel that living in the city poses much risk, while others prefer to stay on campus. “I haven’t seen any reason to be afraid,” said Kevin Liang, a senior majoring in mathematics who lives on the West Side. “It’s not like people are out here getting stabbed regularly. My neighborhood feels safe.” Zikuski echoed this sentiment and further emphasized the need for a
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Photo provided by LUMA Festival A graphic is projected onto a building Downtown during the 2015 LUMA Festival. Last year, 25,000 people gathered to admire the visual arts.
LUMA Festival to light up city Second annual festival to feature full orchestra, new animations Gabriella Weick Assistant News Editor
On Friday, Sept. 2, the LUMA Projection Arts Festival is returning to light up the streets of Downtown Binghamton. Last year, over 25,000 people attended the first LUMA Festival on State Street. According to Conrad Taylor, the director of promotion and volunteer coordination for the LUMA Festival and a junior majoring in political science, the festival is doubling its size this year, spanning five blocks compared to last year’s two. “The idea was always to grow it,” said
Joshua Ludzki, the festival’s co-founder. “In the wrap-up of last year, we were already thinking how [we] can blow people away visually, thematically and artistically for the next year.” Taylor said that this year, LUMA organizers expanded their outreach beyond the city of Binghamton to attract attendees and sponsors. A public relations team was hired, spreading word of the upcoming event at Spiedie Fest, First Friday, the Broome County Fair and a radio station in Ithaca. “If you live in Binghamton, you know of LUMA,” Taylor said. “For people outside the area, we want change their
BU expands transfer program
100 students to be welcomed through partnership with Corning Community College Amy Donovan Contributing Writer
SUNY Corning Community College (CCC) and Binghamton University have partnered to create a new program called Binghamton Express, which will allow students to transfer from CCC directly to BU after meeting requirements. Students who transfer to BU can join Harpur College of Arts and Sciences or the Decker School of Nursing. Since this is the first year of the program, these are the only schools at BU that students can transfer to. Each year, Harpur College will take up to 75 students and Decker will take up to 25 students from the Binghamton Express program. Starting in the fall 2017 semester, students at CCC can fill out an
application and a program enrollment form. First-year students are required to have earned 30 credits and have at least a 3.1 GPA. Second-year students must have earned 60 credits and maintained at least a 3.0 GPA. Prospective Decker School of Nursing students must obtain an associate’s degree in nursing and be a licensed registered nurse with at least a 3.0 GPA to be able to transfer into the school. Jenae Norris, the senior associate director of recruitment at BU, said that this partnership will ultimately help students achieve their academic goals through the collaboration between the two schools. “The purpose of the program is to provide opportunity and access through the seamless vehicle of SUNY as two institutions work collaboratively
together in order to provide a viable pathway for students to live up to their full potential and successfully reach their ultimate goals,” Norris wrote in an email. Similar to the Binghamton Advantage Program (BAP), a joint program that was started in 2011 in which students can transfer to BU from Broome Community College (BCC), prospective students in the Binghamton Express program will be able to access some BU amenities while they are attending CCC. This includes access to the University’s library system as well as access to athletic and student events. However, unlike BAP, Binghamton Express students will not be living on the BU campus while taking classes at CCC.
[It will] provide a viable pathway for students to live up to their full potential — Jenae Norris Director of Recruitment
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Binghamton adds dorm, dining options
Licensed Subway and Starbucks to take over former Hinman Nite Owl location Alana Epstein Pipe Dream News
Kevin Sussy/Photography Editor Construction workers build an outdoor patio extension in the Marketplace. Physical Facilities at Binghamton University has been working to renovate buildings on campus throughout the summer.
ARTS & CULTURE
While students were home for the summer, Binghamton University Physical Facilities was working to renovate buildings on campus, and construction is still ongoing as Sodexo dining services adds more food options. The Student Wing and Lecture Hall construction projects have been completed, adding more classroom space. The renovation of Old Digman Hall of Old Dickinson Community is also finished, and is open for residents this fall. Physical Facilities can now start renovations on Cayuga Hall of College-in-the-Woods, now that there is space in Old Dickinson Community for students who would have been displaced by Cayuga Hall’s temporary closure.
OPINIONS
Frank Ocean changes his sound on “Blonde,”
Cultural groups to come together for Multicultural Extravaganza this Friday,
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The Pipe Dream Editorial Board discusses the University’s expansion plan,
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According to Karen Fennie, the communications specialist for Physical Facilities, it may appear that much of the construction is not finished, but most of the work has been done. “Some contractors may have odds and ends to finish up with landscaping or addressing small punch list items,” Fennie said. “We try to complete a lot of the more disruptive work that entails road closures or utility shutdowns in the brief period when most students are away but it is impossible to address everything in that short time period.” Old Digman Hall of Old Dickinson Community is a health and wellnessthemed dorm and according to Fennie, this will offer students more living options. “The Lecture Hall and Student
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SPORTS
Women’s soccer seeks fresh start under new head coach Bhattacharjee,
Newly installed video scoreboard installed in Events Center,
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