Fall 2016 Issue 23

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two campus theatre productions take the stage this weekend,

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Celebrating 70 Years as the Free Word on Campus

Friday, November 18, 2016 | Vol. XC, Issue 23 | Binghamton University | bupipedream.com

University to add new parking lot in fall 2017

BU research head named SUNY Poly interim pres. Bahgat Sammakia chosen by SUNY Board following bidrigging indictments

Increased spaces to be located behind West Gym along Glenn G. Bartle Drive Pelle Waldron

Brendan Zarkower

Assistant News Editor

Assistant News Editor

Bahgat Sammakia, vice president of research at Binghamton University, has been named the interim president of SUNY Polytechnic Institute (SUNY Poly). The appointment comes in the wake of a scandal that led to the arrest of nine upstate New York power brokers and developers, including former SUNY Poly President Alain Kaloyeros. On Sept. 23, Kaloyeros was arraigned on three felony charges related to accusations that he rigged the bidding process on several SUNY development projects, fraudulently steering New York state money to handpicked companies that either he or his allies controlled. “The charges filed today outline a blatant and brazen abuse of taxpayer dollars and the public trust,” said New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman in a statement. “This self-serving scheme alleged in the complaint was particularly egregious because it was aimed at enriching powerful people at the expense

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Kevin Sussy/Photography Editor Binghamton University students protest the Dakota Access Pipeline in front of the Pegasus Statue Tuesday afternoon. Protestors said the pipeline would disturb sacred grounds and contaminate the Sioux tribes’ drinking water.

Students join national pipeline protest

March from Pegasus Statue through Bartle calls attention to Native issues Stacey Schimmel Pipe Dream News

Led by the Binghamton Animal Alliance (BAA), Binghamton University students joined the international protests against the Dakota Access pipeline (DAPL) on Tuesday as part of a national day of solidarity. DAPL is a $3.8 billion project being undertaken by Energy Transfer Partners. The construction project will run a pipeline through North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa and Illinois, which will require burrowing under the Missouri River. According to the protesters, the pipeline would disturb sacred lands, burial grounds and access to the Sioux tribe’s fresh drinking water from the Missouri River. The pipeline would transport

domestically produced oil from North Dakota to major U.S. markets, but would encroach on the 1851 and 1868 treaties the federal government signed to protect Native American reservations, according to the BAA protesters. The pipeline was originally supposed to go through Bismarck, North Dakota, but due to possible contamination was rerouted through the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation without consulting tribe leaders. Starting at the Pegasus Statue around noon on Tuesday, BAA members and other students held signs and led a peaceful protest through Glenn G. Bartle Library and the Marketplace to raise awareness of the issue. Though the club primarily focuses on animal welfare, they also focus on social justice issues. Jayd Alvarez, the vice president of BAA

Panel pushes post-election participation CCE's 'Passion to Action' speakers encourage engagement with local politics Peter Brockwell Staff Writer

On Tuesday evening, around 30 Binghamton University students gathered in Old University Union to hear a panel present their ideas for focusing current political energy into permanent engagement and productive change. Organized and moderated by Nadiya Al-Noor, a special programs assistant at the BU Center for Civic Engagement (CCE), “Passion to Action: What Now?” was a part of the CCE’s Passion to Action workshop series, which aims to provide students with productive ways they can increase their awareness and involvement with issues in local government. The panel included Sean Massey, associate professor of women, gender and sexuality studies at BU as well as

a former Binghamton city councilman for the South Side; Brianna Cea, a BU sophomore double-majoring in political science and philosophy, politics and law who founded the student group Bing for Broome; and Erin Riddle, the chair of the Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter, whose work is focused in New York as part of a nationwide organization fighting for environmental rights. Al-Noor invited the members of the panel to speak in order to show students how they could be involved politically, besides voting in the presidential election every four years. She said that she hoped students could productively channel emotions about the most recent election while interacting with the communities around them. Cea reiterated this sentiment, imploring students to be open to listening to a variety of voices, hopefully allowing them to better understand

other people’s views on issues and effectively work with them to foster productive change. “If the local community sees students coming together around issues it can be very influential,” Cea said. “Go figure out which student clubs on campus may relate to your issues, and go meet with them and build relationships.” The panel held a discussion about their experiences with local government before Al-Noor offered attendees an opportunity to ask the speakers direct questions. In response to a question about new political activists potentially burning out if their efforts fail to enact immediate change, Massey reminded the audience that getting involved locally does not have to be a constant grind. “This kind of stuff is super fun,”

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and a junior majoring in environmental studies, said they are protesting because they believe clean water is essential to life and should not be intruded for selfish benefits. “Indigenous peoples’ right to their property is more important than big industries’ short-term profit,” Alvarez said. “We feel like their voices need to be heard because the government isn’t listening to them, the industry isn’t listening to them, so we just want to raise awareness so people start thinking about it.” Protesters held signs that read “Water equals life,” “Protect the land,” “Protect the water” and “We stand with Standing Rock.” The protesters advocated for alternative fuel sources, clean energy and research

In an effort to alleviate student complaints about limited parking spaces on the Binghamton University campus and prepare for the influx of students in the coming years, a new parking lot will be added by the start of the fall 2017 semester. Brian Favela was hired by the University last spring as the new executive director of parking and transportation. In a survey he conducted, 67 percent of the 665 students reached out and said they were unhappy with parking conditions. Spencer Gordon, a senior majoring in accounting, voiced this frustration and said that he has been forced to park in paid lots due to a lack of available spaces. “I’ve heard of numerous individuals having to pay for parking in one of the pay lots because M Lot is constantly full to capacity,” Gordon said. “I have done the same and the frustration is killing me — I paid $140 at the beginning of

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BU alum shares history of KKK presence locally Jay Rubin, class of '73, explores city of Binghamton's days as group's headquarters Alexandra Hupka Contributing Writer

In the 1920s, the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) was forced out of New York City due to fierce opposition, and as a result, they moved their state headquarters to the Binghamton area. On Thursday afternoon Binghamton University alum Jay Rubin, author of “The Forgotten Kapital: The Ku Klux Klan in Binghamton, 1923-1928,” held a book talk in the Library Tower of Glenn G. Bartle Library to educate Binghamton University community on this aspect of the area’s past.

The KKK originated in the late 1860s as a response to the emancipation of slaves at the end of the Civil War. This first wave of Klansmen operated mainly in the South and targeted newly freed slaves and Republicans coming from the north to assist with Reconstruction. The second wave of Klansmen originated in the early 1900s near Atlanta, Georgia. Unlike in the 1860s, the message of the KKK was not specifically targeted against African Americans. According to Rubin, the platform of the KKK

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Interim VPAA confirmed at Student Congress SA president selects Benjamin Breban as replacement until spring semester Pelle Waldron Assistant News Editor

Student Congress met for a special session on Thursday evening to elect an interim Student Association (SA) vice president for academic affairs (VPAA) after Adam Wilkes, a junior double-majoring in economics and sociology, who has held the position since August, stepped down. Nicholas Ferrara, the president of the SA and a senior majoring in political science, nominated Benjamin Breban, the former research assistant in the SA Academic Affairs Office and a junior majoring in mathematics, to take over the position. “We need someone who can maintain consistency from Adam’s office, so what he was working on doesn’t fall apart while we wait for the election to conclude, so that we can have a more permanent replacement

who can work on more long-term visions,” Ferrara said of Wilkes’ successor. “I think Ben [Breban] is great for that — he worked a lot on Adam’s projects, he knows a lot about University policy; I think he will do a great job and be a great addition to the e-board.” Congress then moved to a vote in which Breban was elected with 32 yes votes, zero no votes and one abstention. He said he looks forward to serving the position until someone is elected for the spring semester. “I feel I’m qualified, I’ve been to all of Adam’s meetings, I plan to continue his efforts to establish an SA mentorship program, work on the availability of a public health major for undergraduate students and potentially open up [computer science] classes to the broader Harpur [College] student base,” Breban said. “I plan on continuing that and keeping everything

ARTS & CULTURE

going steady.” Wilkes spoke briefly, thanking Congress for its time and offering his guidance to any future SA member. “Thank you for letting me be the vice president for academic affairs, it’s been awesome and it’s been an incredible experience learning about leadership and learning about what actually goes on at this University,” Wilkes said, “If you have any questions, come to me. I really want to help the SA in the future, and I’m available to any future vice president for academic affairs.” The special election for the next SA VPAA will take place on Monday, Dec. 5. Letters of intent are due on Monday, Nov. 21, and require 120 signatures. On Sunday, Dec. 4 an open forum will be held in Lecture Hall 10 at 2:30 p.m. in which questions can be posed to the candidates.

Rebecca Kiss/Pipe Dream Photographer Dave Mayner speaks at the Muslim Student Association’s banquet, which takes place every semester, in Old Union Hall. Six other panelists were invited to speak on the importance of coexistence between religions.

OPINIONS

SPORTS

Dickinson Community shows off its best artwork,

Find out what you missed in the sixth season of “American Horror Story,”

The Editorial Board takes a closer look at diversity on campus,

Women’s basketball notches first win of the season,

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Redshirt sophomore guard J.C. Show ties program record with 34 points in men’s basketball’s victory over CCSU,

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