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Thursday, January 26, 2017 | Vol. XCI, Issue 4 | Binghamton University | bupipedream.com
SA president proposes new legislation Bill would change election structure, institute ethics rules Brendan Zarkower Assistant News Editor
During the Student Congress meeting on Monday, the primary topic of debate was Student Association (SA) President Nicholas Ferrara’s proposed legislation involving an overhaul of the SA operating rules. Over winter break, Ferrara completely redrafted the management policies and procedures (MPP) and the SA bylaws, combining the two documents into one. This is part of a wide-ranging effort to simplify the way the SA does business. “The SA has not significantly reworked its election policy since 2012 and what is written no longer reflects our current practices,” wrote Ferrara in an email. “For example, the SA did not conduct elections digitally the last time the policy was significantly revised despite digital elections changing many important dynamics.” As it currently stands, SA election rules require a candidate to receive 40 percent of the total vote to declare victory. This system is a version of the “first past the post” system, which means that students select only one candidate, and the candidate that gets the most votes wins — provided that they reach the 40 percent threshold. Ferrara’s proposal would change this
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TAXI TROUBLE Shawn Fleming/Staff Photographer Cabs line up in front of the Admissions Center Tuesday evening, days after almost every cab company in the Binghamton area went on strike.
Binghamton cab drivers went on strike Saturday night in reaction to OCCT bus pickup site changes Pelle Waldron Assistant News Editor
Almost every cab company in the Binghamton area went on strike Saturday night, leaving many students without a ride back to campus. Off Campus College Transport runs a late-night bus line on weekends called the Downtown Express, which serves as a shuttle for students who have spent the night in Downtown Binghamton. The pickup location, which used to be situated near the intersection of Hawley Street and Washington Street,
was moved this past weekend to the intersection of Hawley Street and State Street. Because the section of State Street between Hawley Street and Court Street is barricaded on weekend nights, the buses now line up directly in the intersection under the stoplight. Brian Favela, the BU executive director of transportation and parking services, said that this new location was safer for students waiting to get on the buses. “The changes, still being evaluated, simply create a “loading cue” to provide a more orderly manner for the buses to
be boarded,” Favela wrote in an email. “The new location is two bus lengths away from the previous location and is now more visible to the police officers working State street at these times.” The taxi cabs, which comprise multiple independent companies, usually line up on the north side of Hawley Street between State Street and Washington Street on the weekends, and the new pickup location for the buses interferes with this area. Colin Ryan, a sophomore majoring in geography, said that when he and his friends were leaving the bars
on Saturday night there were many students trying to get back to campus, but the bus line was packed and many students were left without rides. “All of the cab drivers were out there but they were outside of their cars, just standing around,” Ryan said. “We went up to them and asked if they could take a few people; they said they were on strike. We tried asking them more about it because we were confused and wanted to get home, but they were being unresponsive and not very
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Parking availability updated via social media International programs Transportation and Parking Services now keeping track of empty spaces
showcased at spring fair
Alexandra Hupka
International education office provides more than 1,000 study abroad experiences
News Intern
In an effort to ease parking-related stress, students, faculty and staff can now view Binghamton University parking availability through social media. On Monday, BU Transportation and Parking Services (TAPS) began a new initiative in which updates about empty parking spaces will be posted throughout the day on Facebook and Twitter. The service will be heavily focused on helping commuters find spaces during peak hours, between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. According to Brian Favela, executive director of TAPS, parking on campus is most congested between 10:30 a.m. and 4 p.m., especially on Tuesdays and Thursdays. He said that he is hoping that the social media updates will help commuters find parking quickly and easily. “We want to decrease the amount of time it takes to find parking,” Favela said. “[People] can check Twitter and Facebook before heading to campus and
eliminate searching for a parking space upon arrival.” Meghan Schofield, assistant director of marketing at TAPS, said that these services will also be provided during large-scale events such as commencement. In addition, some of the parking availability posts will be available on the University’s social media accounts, and she said that there is also a plan in the future to expand the service to the digital entrance signs on Glenn G. Bartle Drive and the Bunn Hill Access Road. Reactions from the University community were mixed. Many students, such as Sophia Calidonna, a junior majoring in political science, liked the idea but were concerned about possible hazards. “It’s a good idea, but people will be checking it as they are driving, and I’m not crazy about people potentially checking their phones for parking availability with all of the foot traffic around campus,” Calidonna said. Matthew Yoli, a senior majoring in business administration, said he felt that the social media updates would be ineffective, and do nothing to fix
the larger problem of a severe lack of parking space. “If more parking lots aren’t added, putting parking availability information on social media is not going to be helpful,” Yoli said. “It really is a matter of adding parking on campus.” Other students said they were concerned that spaces would fill up too quickly. Alexander Hymowitz, a senior majoring in political science, said that it would be difficult for TAPS to update commuters on parking availability quickly enough. “I feel like they will not be able to keep up with the amount of traffic coming on and off campus,” Hymowitz said. “Parking is going to fill up faster than they can update.” Despite these potential issues, some students embraced the new idea. David Alexander, a junior double-majoring in economics and cinema, said that he thought the social media updates would make parking easier. “It will make getting to campus and parking easier, and it will help people budget their time,” Alexander said.
Hannah Walter Contributing Writer
The Binghamton University Office of International Education and Global Initiatives held its second spring Education Abroad Fair on Monday to inform students about various international study opportunities offered through the University and the
SUNY system. The event, held in the Old University Union, aimed to inform students about the 50 BU-sponsored programs, as well as over 1,000 SUNY programs. There were also stations that focused on other matters concerning studying internationally, such as scholarship
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Summer program funds student research Approximately 20 BU undergraduates will receive $3K each for studies Stacey Blansky
Program is an eight-week program available to all undergraduate students at BU who want to pursue research. This summer, approximately 20 Beginning in 2012 with only two undergraduate students will receive scholars, the program came about as a up to $3,000 to conduct research in a result of a University-conducted survey field of their choice with guidance from of undergraduates, faculty and alumni, Binghamton University faculty members. which found that undergraduate research The Summer Scholars and Artists was perceived to be the No. 1 most Contributing Writer
ARTS & CULTURE
valuable component of higher education for the coming decade. Janice McDonald, director of the Undergraduate Research Center and the Office of External Scholarships, Fellowships and Awards, explained why the program is an excellent opportunity
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Klara Rusinko/Pipe Dream Photographer Will Tregidga of the International Division of the University of Otago speaks to a student about study abroad possibilities.
OPINIONS
Keep track of your 2017 with a bullet journal,
BU alumni go from hitting the books to writing them,
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Columnist Giovanna Bernardo explains why students should stay local after graduation,
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SPORTS
Former men’s soccer goalkeeper Moewes selected in MLS SuperDraft,
Men’s basketball defeats Hartford for second straight victory,
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