The Statesman: Volume 57 Issue 10 by The Statesman

The Statesman informing stony brook university for more than 50 years Monday, November 4, 2013

Volume LVII, Issue 10

Alarms go off at West Side Dining

sbstatesman.com

Suffolk police investigate robberies

By Giselle Barkley

By Caithlin Penna

Assistant News Editor

Staff Writer

Since it first opened its doors to students this semester, West Side Dining has not exactly pleased students. In fact, compared to Old Kelly, West Side has already had quite a few alarms going off. Literally. According to an article by the Stony Brook Independent, on the night of Sept. 11, a cloud of smoke emitted from Bob’s BBQ due to the malfunctioning of the grill’s fume head. The building was immediately evacuated. So far, there have been more similar incidents. The cause was not the inefficiency of the chefs or the cooking appliances. According to John Gallo, the manager of fire safety on campus, the problems were caused by the exhaust fumes in the kitchen. The fresh air intake was sucking the exhaust fumes from the kitchen smoke, triggering the fire alarms in the process. But students are wondering just how safe West Side is. Senior sociology major Sameer Merali said he was walking to West Side to eat a few weeks ago when he heard a fire alarm go off. “I was a bit surprised because it was a dining hall and it went off there,” he said. “Like, in Kelly, that never happened as far as I remember.” When asked if he feels that the building is safe, Merali answered yes and no. “As a student buying food, I’d be safe because entrances are literally a few feet away and it’s easier to get out,” he said. But he feels that employees may have a harder time leaving because the building is structured so that the kitchen is stationed right in the middle of the facility. Despite the inconvenience of these alarms, some students say they feel safer. Junior biology major Christopher Esposito said that false alarms, in a way, are good because they “show the system is at least functioning and can pick up what it needs to.” Gallo said that students no longer need to worry about these alarms. Engineers have already examined the problem and resolved it. The Faculty Student Association and West Side Dining employees could not comment on this article.

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The Suffolk County Police Department is investigating Tuesday evening’s off-campus robberies of two Stony Brook University commuter students by masked male suspects. Early Wednesday morning the Suffolk County police informed the Stony Brook University Police Department of their investigation into the robberies. According to Patch, the suspects pushed the male students to the ground, stealing their cash and credit cards. The first robbery occurred on Stony Brook Road and Memory Way around 10:30 p.m. on Oct. 29. The second occurred on Route 25A and Thompson’s Hay Path around 11:00 p.m. on the same day, according to Assistant Vice President for Campus Safety and Chief of Police Robert J. Lenahan. The students, whose names have not been disclosed, reported being approached by two males wearing dark jackets and gloves. According to Lenahan’s e-mail to the campus community, one male wore a “black and white” mask while in the second incident one male wore a “green and red” clown mask. It is unclear from Chief Lenahan’s e-mail whether each student was approached by two masked males or if each student was approached by one masked male. Neither the Sixth Precinct nor the University Police Department responded to clarification requests by the time of publication. However, the Public Information Continued on page 6

Halal food programs leave students hungry for more By Chris Woods Staff Writer

Changes to the Faculty Student Association’s halal offerings this semester have left some students struggling to find adequate food on campus. Following the Jasmine Food Court’s recontracting this fall, the court no longer has the proper facilities to prepare halal meals. Instead, it relies on sealed, prepackaged “Halal NY” sandwiches from the Union Commons. This leaves the Union Commons

as the only place on campus that prepares and offers halal food at a station that closes at 10 p.m. weekdays and does not operate on weekends. This limited availability has become problematic for students such as freshman Israa Hussein, who is frustrated that the Union has a relatively small selection and “closes early, earlier than other food places.” “I generally have late class and I can't come here until after I finish,”

News

Arts & Entertainment

Continued on page 3

KATHERINE DELA CRUZ / THE STATESMAN

Debra Foster, food service manager of the Student Union, checks the food for proper temperature and preparation.

Opinions

Sports

A new food study does not apply beyond the lab.

Staller Center brings in The Adams family

SBU got mysterious with Gomez and Morticia.

How The Statesman makes decisions

Seawolves advance to AE Finals in soccer

MORE ON PAGE 16

Instagramming food trends on campus

The reasoning behind journalistic judgements.

Women’s soccer beat Maine 2 to 1 in a shootout.

Monday, November 4, 2013

The Statesman

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Limited Halal options for Stony Brook students Continued from page 1

KATHERINE DELA CRUZ / THE STATESMAN

Halal NY is the only eatery on campus to serve students food that conforms to the Quaran's specifications.

Hussein said. “Sometimes I just have to buy my food early, leave it in the fridge and eat it later.” “It's kind of annoying, it stresses me out and it's actually really important,” she continued. The Halal NY station in the Union produces, stores and serves foods under the Quran’s prescribed dietary practices. For example, pork is forbidden and the production of meat must follow certain Islamic regulations. The station currently provides halal sandwiches to Tabler Cafe, Roth Cafe, the Student Activities Center, Administration cart, Life Sciences cart, the Union Deli and Jasmine, according to FSA Campus Dining Services Director of Operations Rob Reinhard. Additionally, according to statement provided by FSA Director of Marketing and Communications Angela Agnello, the FSA “now requires that food served at Jasmine and advertised as ‘halal’ meets the minimum standards provided by the University’s Islamic Chaplain, Sanaa Nadim.”

“These standards include halal food being stored, prepared and served in a separate kitchen area so as to avoid the potential for cross-contamination with food that may be considered haram [anything that is forbidden by Islamic law].” Jasmine’s kitchen is now shared by four Asian specialty food providers and according to the statement, “does not have space for a separate preparation area of Halal foods.” Hussein, who is accustomed to Egypt’s widespread halal practices, currently has to combine food sources if she wants variety with protein from the halal station, which is primarily limited to chicken meals. “Where I come from, everything is halal basically, because it’s an Islamic country. I'm from Egypt and I lived in Middle East for some time too,” Hussein said. “The food repeats every week.” “When I came here it was different; I'm stressing out keeping an eye on it and I don't want to stress out about not having food on campus.” According to the FSA statement, “there has also been

feedback about the variety of Halal meals, including requests for menu items from cuisines of the Middle East and southern Asia, as well as for American comfort foods. “Campus Dining recently met with the Muslim Student Association and Chaplain Nadim to review the expanded 'Halal NY' menu at Union Commons, which now provides a greater variety of requested cuisines, including different daily menu items for lunch and dinner.” Apparently the Union’s halal kitchen will this year offer a “pilot program” to distribute hot meals to other dining facilities on campus. Additionally, the statement said that visiting guests chefs from Halal NY are being considered by the FSA. Reinhard was unable to comment on Jasmine’s previous halal program because “previous contractor for Jasmine did not provide food through Halal NY or the supervision of the University's Islamic chaplain, Sanaa Nadim,” but recommended that students with specific halal meal requirements contact Nadim.

New tutoring center opening on campus Instagramming food

By Elsie Boskamp and Sarah Kirkup Contributing Writers

The Academic Success and Tutoring Center, a free on-campus tutoring service for Stony Brook University students, opened with the goal of helping students with their academic needs by providing student tutors and future workshops on suitable studying skills. “We are trying to both complement and augment the tutoring services that already exist on campus,” Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education and the Dean of Undergraduate Colleges Charles Robbins said. Similar to already established learning centers, the ASTC provides students with an additional study resource, something students seem to favor. “When other tutoring centers are too busy, it is helpful to know that the ASTC is another option for students to go to,” freshman undeclared major Christina Kmiotek said. The ASTC is not fully operational yet, and although it is located in the library, students are advised to contact the center and its staff through email or phone. Once fully running–hopefully by the end of the semester according to Director Shannon Jayne–students can expect “a centralized service, so that students know where they can go for help, and, equally important, faculty know where to send students who are having concerns,” Robbins said. Potentially offering both individual and group study sessions, the center is committed to comply with student needs by implementing various tutoring and teaching techniques. Additionally, Robbins said he hopes to “start offering other

kinds of success workshops, in terms of time management, writing skills and other study skills.” Students will receive tutoring services by registering for their desired times and tutors, and the center’s director says she intends for it to offer long-time tutoring services as opposed to last minute cram sessions. “We hope for it to be a weekly tutor session so students can get to know their tutors throughout the semester,” Jayne says. Robbins added, “We’re looking to put into place the services and people that are necessary to help students to achieve success.”

The center is funded by the academic excellence fee, which is included in student tuition. “This money pays for the salaries and the certification of the center,” Robbins said. Although this fee is required for undergraduate students to pay, some feel it should be an optional charge based on usage. “It is unfair to make me pay for this service if I do not use it,” Kmiotek said. But Associate Director Kristy Hare has high hopes for the center. “This will give students the tools to be successful and independent in their future academic classes,” she said.

PHOTO CREDIT: STONY BROOK UNIVERSITY

Assistant Director Kristy Hare, left, and Director Shannon Jayne, right, have high hopes for the new center.

is trending on campus By Jasmine Blennau Staff Writer

A study by Ryan Elder and Jeff Larson from Brigham Young University suggests that scrolling through photographs of a specific food may make that type of food less satisfying. The study’s 232 participants were split into two groups, sweet and salty, and were shown images of those respective types of food. When the groups were later fed peanuts, the salty group enjoyed the peanuts less than the sweet group because the visual stimulation of all those salty foods was enough to make those participants tired of salt. “You don’t need to put anything in your mouth,” neurobiology and behavior assistant professor Dr. Alfredo Fontanini said. “Just the sound of a beverage or the sight or smell of food in theory mimics the activation of the same parts of the brain.” Fontanini is an accomplished scientist in the field of gustatory neuroscience, the science of food and the brain. His research suggests that visualization, smell, sight, feeling and memory of food all come before its taste. “You are not tasting food with a clean slate. It is always with some expectations,” Fontanini said. Freshman undeclared major, Navita Khaira, who saves pictures of food and recipes on Pinterest, thinks viewing pictures of food would make it more appetizing. But Khaira thinks that people on social media do not care about

what others eat. However, Stony Brook University’s Campus Dining posts pictures of food, food related events and promotions on its social media accounts. This includes posts about healthy eating tips and Instagram photos from students using the hashtag #sbueats. The Faculty Student Association’s YouTube account also posts episodes of a studentproduced show called The Seawolves Food Show, which discusses Campus Dining products and events. “The use of social media for Campus Dining has not been focused on food itself, but on developing awareness and making social connections for the campus dining program at Stony Brook University,” Director of Administrative Services at FSA Warren Wartell said via email. “Social media has clearly provided a means of effective communication with a significant number [of ] students and other customers who use social media.” Dr. Fontanini thinks that the results of Elder and Larson’s study do not apply beyond the lab. Wartell agrees that the study may have limited application. “There are many other influences that determine how much someone eats, and how much they enjoy it,” Fontanini said. “I think what’s important is that all this points at the importance of being mindful of what you eat. Personally I think that there is a fine line between being mindful of what you eat and turning it into a status.”

Monday, November 4, 2013

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Monday, November 4, 2013

Under the microscope: analysis of sleep patterns and social disparities revealed By Ruchi Shah Staff Writer

Every other week Ruchi Shah, a biology major, will take a look at Stony Brook-related research and science news. It is well known that regularly sleeping for the recommended seven to nine hours greatly enhances physical health, quality of life, psychological well-being, cognitive function and public safety, as study upon study shows. While the benefits of sleep are well-documented, few have examined the role sleep patterns play in socioeconomic disparities, as most sleep research has focused on individuals' sleep patterns or sleep disorders in laboratory studies. Dr. Lauren Hale, associate professor of Preventive Medicine at Stony Brook Medicine, analyzed large population-based datasets to examine the unfair distribution of sleep patterns and the resulting emergence and persistence of economic, social and health disparities. Hale found that the more socially disadvantaged an individual is—in terms of race and education—the more likely it is that individual is to report a

sleeping problem. With regard to race, AfricanAmerican individuals are twice as likely to be short sleepers when compared to their Caucasian counterparts. A 2007 Chicago-based study similarly found that AfricanAmerican men get one less hour of sleep per night compared to Caucasian males. While one hour may not seem like a lot, one less hour of sleep night after night accumulates to have a substantial impact on the level at which an individual functions. Furthermore, Hale found this sleep disparity might be a result of racism. Black individuals who felt discriminated against due to race were more likely to report sleep disturbances. There are similarly large differences in education levels that result from different sleep habits. She also found that compared to college graduates, high school graduates are 40 percent more likely to be short sleepers. These disparities in race and education can set in motion a vicious cycle that further augments the disparities. Imagine a child who grows up in a disadvantaged household with limited resources. It is likely

that the parents are working multiple jobs and do not have the time to enforce a regular sleeping schedule for their child. Without a routine, the child will have difficulty falling asleep, and in turn will begin going to school tired and sleep-deprived. From a young age, the child is now disadvantaged, as the lack of regular sleep will make it more challenging for the child to grasp concepts. As the sleep deprivation continues throughout high school, this gap will widen, as the teenager will not perform as well as others in all aspects of school. This greatly decreases the probability that he will attend college. This individual will likely end up in the same situation as his parents and will pass down irregular sleeping patterns to the next generation. Statistical evidence of this repeating cycle is also seen in a national birth cohort study. Children who lack a bedtime routine at age three sleep worse and for a shorter duration. “As early as in the preschool years, differences in bedtimes by race and education set children on a trajectory for lower health, cognitive and behavioral outcomes,” Hale explained.

Intervention at a young age is the best way to alleviate these disparities, but is very difficult to implement on a large scale. Currently, Hale is collecting data about sleep and physical activity of 1,000 adolescents to better understand “how sleep fits into the busy lifestyle of teenagers.” Through her new study, she aims to better characterize the implications of sleep on mental health, obesity, future lifestyle choices and ultimately socioeconomic disparities.

Police Blotter

On Monday, Oct. 21, there was an arrest at the Student Activity Center for larceny. On Monday, Oct. 21, two street signs were found by a resident assistant during safety checks in Lauterbur Hall. On Monday, Oct. 21, five subjects were referred to the university for smoking marijuana at the Tabler Arts Center. On Tuesday, Oct. 22, one student was referred to the university police for marijuana at Wagner College. On Thursday, Oct. 24, there was a DWI arrest on Nicolls Road near the firehouse. On Friday, Oct. 25, there was a DWI arrest at Benedict College. On Friday, Oct. 25, one male was transported to the university hospital from Whitman College via the Stony Brook Volunteer Ambulance Corps.

PHOTO CREDIT: MCT CAMPUS

Hale is currently studying the physical and mental implications of sleep.

On Sunday, Oct. 27, a resident assistant at Lauterbur Hall reported an exit sign hanging from the ceiling. Compiled by Ashleigh Sherow

Campus briefing: USG addresses two student concerns and introduces slew of new initiatives By Ryan Wolf Staff Writer

Decked out in their Halloween costumes, members of the Undergraduate Student Government held their weekly senate meeting on Thursday to report on the month’s accomplishments and future plans. In his monthly report to the Senate, President Adil Hussain focused his comments on recent trouble Stony Brook students have with off-campus housing. The Town of Brookhaven has “certain reservations about students

Meeting in Brief • Plans to develop a new textbook exchange are in early stages. • Ryan Heslin and Ali Syed were approved as the newest USG justices. • Operation Smile was officially recognized as a club. • A new USG newsletter is being drafted. • Planning began for a dog therapy event to occur during finals week.

living off campus,” he said, adding that one of USG’s main focuses is an effort to “teach students how to be a good neighbor.” This issue originated in May when the Brookhaven municipal government passed a resolution that changed the housing code to forbid more than four unrelated individuals from living under one roof. Some landlords, though, seemingly ignored the change. Hussain also talked about campus dining issues, saying USG made the topic a priority this semester. “We are keeping track of what’s going on,” he said. “We are going to make significant changes, [but] some of these are going to take longer,” like the topic of pricing, which he added discussions need to occur for. He cited the Facebook page called “SBU Food Complaints/ Improvements” and the two dining forums the student government hosted to talk about “unrealistic stay of budget dining plans” and “healthier hot entree items.” The latter were part of USG’s new initiative called SB Voice. Senator James Alrassi spoke on the success of SB Voice, an online forum intended for students to voice their concerns. “It’s been relatively successful,” he said. “I’ve heard some discontent from students [and] that’s why [Vice President of Academic Affairs] Steve Adelson is sending senators from his

committee to individuals so we can get answers.” Another topic discussed at the meeting was Vice President of Communications & Public Relations Mario Ferone’s monthly report, focusing on goals he and other USG members are planning to achieve. One item is an airport shuttle project Ferone and Sophomore

Representative Colleen Chelsak are working on, where students could take a bus to the airport at the start of long breaks. Presently, the plan is only in the discussion stage. “We are going to be sending out a survey to out of state students to see if they are interested for a shuttle to and from the airport,” Ferone said at the meeting. Also mentioned at the meeting

was new changes made to the sudent government’s tutoring program called Providing Academic Support for Students that were made on Oct. 26. “Student will request a course, as he or she always has,” Adelson said, “but with this new system the student will also select from a list of time slots which ones he or she is available to attend.”

JISOO HWANG/ THE STATESMAN

Dressed in their Halloween costumes at Thursday's meeting, members of the USG addressed off-campus housing concerns and campus dining prices and food options.

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Monday, November 4, 2013

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Stony Brook University is keeping the dogs out By Jasmine Blennau Staff Writer

Stony Brook University approved a new on-campus animal policy in July, called Policy 620. It states that “animals are prohibited from all university buildings, athletic facilities and outdoor events, unless otherwise

PHOTO CREDIT: MCTCAMPUS

SBU bans dogs to ensure health and safety on campus.

permitted by this or other university policy,” according to the University Policy Manual. It continues to address animals that are exempt, including those used for Disability Support Services, law enforcement, research and clinically approved therapy animals. Currently, members of the Stony Brook community can walk their leashed pets around campus. However, they are not allowed to bring them into university buildings unless they belong to the group of exemptions. Anyone who brings an animal on campus is responsible for cleaning up after their pet and for any damage inflicted by the animal. Director of Environmental Health & Safety Gary Kaczmarczyk presented the policy

Masked men rob commuter students Continued from page 1

Officers from the Suffolk County Police Department said no arrests have been made. Both incidents were “strong arm robberies” according to Lenahan. This means the suspects used physical force in place of a weapon.

In response to this event, Chief Lenahan said UPD will utilize both uniformed and plain-clothed officers to enhance their campus patrol coverage. According to the Stony Brook Alert website, this investigation is the fourth robbery-related investigation since the beginning of September of this year.

to the University Environment Committee for feedback from different departments. The library representative in this committee, Darren Chase, explained that the committee is made up of one or two representatives from each department or building on campus. The university did not have an official animal policy before the approval of Policy 620. According to an email from Kaczmarczyk, the university created the policy to address the issue of dog-bite incidents oncampus. There were two dog-bite incidents reported to the University Police last year. The policy “ensures the health and safety of the Stony Brook University community; preserves the integrity of the buildings and grounds; and supports a healthful educational and work environment that respects the rights of individuals.” Policy 620 aims to prevent animal bites, legal liabilities, air quality, problems for individuals with allergies or fears, disruptions, complaints and wear-and-tear on campus facilities. In regards to policy enforcement, Kaczmarczyk responded, “compliance with this and other University policies is the responsibility of the entire University community.” Kathleen Maxheimer, an administrative assistant at

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Melville Library, is interested in starting a program to have certified therapy animals at the library for students to interact with. She argues for the positive effects of spending time with animals, especially during the stresses of exam weeks, in her proposal. “Everything I do as far as outreach has the ultimate goal of bringing students into the library so that the library is a more friendly place. We’re more than just books,” Maxheimer said. However, Maxheimer’s proposals to the university do not fit into any of the written exemptions of the new animal policy. Sophomore physics major Amiel Quadri read through

the policy and felt that it was reasonable. “It’s perfectly understandable that animals are not permitted,” he said. “It might make people uncomfortable.” Although Quadri said he thinks that the policy is reasonable, he is skeptical that the community will help enforce the policy unless it is an extreme circumstance. “If I saw a dog in the library I definitely wouldn’t say anything,” he said. “It’s things like that, that break the routine. We have all this routine, going to class at the same times and even eating at the same times. It’s very nice to see an animal because I have pets at home,” Quadri said.

PHOTO CREDIT: MCTCAMPUS

The University’s updated animal policy prohibits pets from entering buildings except in special circumstances.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Staller celebrates Halloween with "The Addams Family" By Eileen Quaranto Contributing Writer

As the fictitious Wednesday Addams called for a family meeting, she pleaded for her folks to try having one normal night. “Wednesday?” Grandma Addams asked. “Define normal.” Celebrating its 25th anniversary this fall season, The Staller Center for the Arts featured a seasonally festive, spooky and whimsical performance of the Broadway musical comedy “The Addams Family” on Oct. 27. The Staller Center was fortunate enough to house the production on its tour of North America just in time for the week of Halloween. Based off of Charles Addams’ cartoon strips regularly published in The New Yorker until 1988, the musical comedy was written by “Jersey Boys” authors Marshall Brickman and Rick Ellis, with musical score and lyrics by Drama Desk-winning composer Andrew Lippa. Four-time Tony Award winning director Jerry Zaks completes an all-star production team that successfully weaves together a cheerfully morbid musical

that subverts traditional notions of the ideal American family. “I wanted to see it on Broadway and I didn’t get the chance,” said Jackie Matschat, 50, of Ronkonkoma. The musical production presents an original story, following some of the well-known and beloved characters of Charles Addams’ cartoon strips: Gomez, Morticia, Wednesday, Pugsley, Uncle Fester, Grandma and Lurch. Wednesday Addams confides in her father that she has fallen in love with a boy from a seemingly “normal” family, neither macabre or undead. The news that Wednesday has met a boy that is alarmingly conventional and ordinary hits Gomez Addams hard, but to make matters worse, the two families need to struggle to make it through one incredibly awkward, light-heartedly blunderous dinner. Many Stony Brook University students may be surprised to learn that “The Addams Family” musical is in fact based off of the characters of Charles Addams’ comics, rather than the 60s sitcom. In fact, the television series was actually the first of many adaptations created in response to Addams’

PHOTO CREDIT: TA ON TOUR

Wednesday Addams "plays" with her brother, Pugsley, before their family dinner. characters. A prolific cartoonist for The New Yorker from 1938 until his death in 1988, Charles Addams’ characters expressed a uniquely dark humor extolling a morbid and eccentric aesthetic. The characters of “The Addams Family”

PHOTO CREDIT: TA ON TOUR

To be an "Addams," the fictional family reccommended that one must have a taste for death. .

essentially represent an inversion of that quintessential family seeking the “American Dream”—these characters are seemingly wealthy, living a luxurious lifestyle in a gloomy yet comfortable mansion. Notably, the Addams are not “evil” in the same way that most other familiar Halloween-themed characters are. Rather, they simply enjoy an unconventionally dark sense of humor and beauty, presenting a refreshingly different take on that American family traditionally represented in cartoon strips. Drawing from this element of the dark yet light-hearted, “The Addams Family” Broadway production successfully leaves its audience feeling pleasantly and cheerfully spooked. Acting and singing are equally fabulous, as would be expected from a group of well-versed Broadway professionals. Gomez and Morticia Addams are played by Jesse Sharp and Keleen Snowgren respectively, both of whom are experienced in the game of national/international touring and have acted in numerous countries around the globe. The fantastic “princess of darkness”

Wednesday Addams is played by the up-and-coming Jennifer Fogarty. Costumes and set design are perfectly dreary and funereal with a touch of the humorously bizarre, making for a delightfully creepy display that satisfies the craving for Halloween-themed entertainment this week. “I thought it looked cool,” said Martin White, 22, of Medford. “I used to watch it when I was a little kid so it looked cool.” The Staller Center certainly picked a perfect week to book this spooktacular Broadway production that has won the hearts of many. With this fall season being prime time for attention-grabbing performances as the Staller Center celebrates its 25th anniversary, what better way is there to bring the greater Stony Brook community together than by holding a traveling Broadway production perfectly suitable for the week of Halloween? Without a doubt, many of Sunday night’s audience members are feeling pleasantly satisfied to have begun their Halloween with a viewing of this show and are eager to continue the festivities later into the week.

THREE ARTSY EVENTS

1) Yellow Ribbon Project

In honor of Veterans Awareness Week, The Veteran Student Organizaton is displaying yellow ribbons from Nov. 4 to Nov. 8 in the SAC Sculpture Garden. Students can make yellow ribbons from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Nov. 4, 5 and 6 in the Craft Center.

2) Rainbow of Foods

Wagner Hall Council is hosting a week long competition for healthy eating with an event on Wednesday, Nov. 6 at 10 p.m. in the Wagner Lounge. Competitors match their food choices to a pre-selected color of the day.

3) Journey Around The World

The Multicultural Student Committee is colloboarating with the Office of Multicultural Affairs on Thursday, Nov. 8 p.m. in the SAC Ballroom A. There will be food and performances, all from different cultures.

Monday, November 4, 2013

The Statesman

Arts & Entertainment

Press Start to Continue: MOBA debate: HoN, LoL, DotA 2 By Dylan Palazzo Contributing Writer

Back in 1998, Blizzard Entertainment released a realtime strategy game by the name of StarCraft. Along with the game, editing tools were provided which allowed customers the opportunity to create and modify maps using the game’s engine. Of all the different modes of play to come from this customization, the game Aeon of Strife became very popular, and was the first step into the world of Multiplayer Online Battle Arenas (MOBAs). In 2002, Blizzard Entertainment released Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos, which also featured a content editor. Aeon of Strife was ported over into the new engine, and was coined Defense of the Ancients, also known as DotA. By 2008, the game garnered commercial attention, and in 2009, Riot Games released League of Legends (LoL). S2 Games released Heroes of Newerth (HoN) in 2010, and by 2011, DotA 2 was in closed beta. Today, these three versions of what was originally just Aeon of Strife have become popular worldwide, and each game now has its own professional circuit. These MOBAs, at the most basic level, all play the same way. Two teams of five compete on one map, which is identical in each match, trying to reach the ultimate goal of destroying the other team’s base’s core. Teams are separated by faction dependent on the game’s lore or storyline, placing the antagonists in the upper right of the map, while protagonists are at the bottom left. The map is structured with three lanes: middle, top, and bottom. Top and bottom lanes are different spatially depending on which faction the players are randomized to. Each player selects a unit from a large roster before the match starts, which is not limited by the faction the player is on, allowing teammates to strategize and synergize with each other. Each unit has unique skills that are gained, and grow in power, by leveling up. The teams of five will then break into the three lanes on the map, and begin to combat with their opponents. Non-player characters, or NPCs, called creeps will spawn every minute from each base’s barracks, and march down each lane to meet the opposing creeps. Killing enemy creeps, as well as enemy players, yields gold with which the player can purchase equipment to bolster their statistics, damage and/or survivability. Keep in mind that the gold reward is only given if the enemy unit took the killing blow from you. The fog of war is an element which limits the vision on the map. Players can see in a radius around their unit, which is shared with each player on the team. Items and skills in the game can also be used to grant vision on the map. If a player cannot see an enemy, they cannot target them, and most likely cannot attack them. Six towers line the length of each lane, three to each team, and eleven in

total including the two protecting the base. The destruction of towers will provide gold to the attacking team, and allow them to move further towards the enemy base. Towers progressively hit harder, making siege not an easy task. After the three towers in any

players will harass learners for playing poorly, so it is important to be able to ignore elitists while spending time with the games. With the basics under our belt, let us move on to what makes each game different. Defense of the Ancients 2 (DotA2) started

creeps and towers if they are low enough on health. This diminishes the reward in gold and experience to the opposing team for not getting the last hit themselves. Ally heroes can also be denied if they are under the effect of a skill that does damage over time in

PHOTO CREDIT: MCT CAMPUS

League of Legends originated as a part of Aeon of Strife and grew into its own franchise . one lane are removed, the barracks are exposed. The elimination of one team’s barracks will empower the opposing team’s creeps which will passively push down the lanes into bases if left unchecked. Teammates will cooperate in order to overcome opponents in team fights and map control, and will eventually push into the base and end the game. The general appeal of MOBA games is the skill required to play well, the ability to pick up and put down the game freely, and the satisfaction of the player versus player environments. The games share high skill curves, rewarding

in closed beta by which the only access to was by using a key code that was sent randomly to players on a participant list. When it was officially released in July of 2013, it was free to play, though players can purchase aesthetics for a hero of choice via microtransactions. DotA2 features a graphic style that is refined and realistic. Much of the map is very artistically done, and the heroes look spectacular. There are 112 heroes in DotA2, all of which are free to play. The level cap for a hero in DotA2 is 25, which allows the hero to puts points into a gain in statistics at any time; one point

addition to having low health. The speed of the gameplay in DotA2 is a nice intermediary between LoL and HoN. League of Legends started as being, and still is, free to play. It features 116 different champions to play with, and uses a champion rotation. This rotation means that when you first start LoL, you only have access to the free champions offered that change each week. Over time the player can earn currency from playing to unlock their choice of the other champions permanently. Players can also pay through microtransactions to gain access to

PHOTO CREDIT: HEROES OF NEWORTH

Heroes of Newerth is darker, grittier and requires more skill than the other MOBAs. the experienced player with exciting matches against similarly skilled players. On average, a match lasts thirty minutes to an hour, which varies depending on which game you play. Each game comes with a tutorial and option to play against AI (artificial intelligence) for practice, providing new players the chance to learn the basics before jumping headlong into competitive matches. Be warned: because of the highly competitive nature of these games, communications between players can easily become toxic, which is one of the main factors that drive people away from this genre. More experience

into stats translates to 4 points into each attribute (strength, intelligence, agility). A player may choose to gain stats early or late in their leveling scheme, but by level 25 the hero is guaranteed an additional 40 to all attributes, which is significant. Juking, a term for when a player loses a chasing enemy in the fog of war, is tricky to perform well. Apart from cutting between lanes, there are patches of grass players can walk through to hide themselves from enemies, granting brief safety. One of the nicer mechanics in the game, which is not found in LoL, is the capability to deny allied objects. Players can kill their own

champions faster, as well as gain aesthetics. Stylistically, the game looks cartoonish. Champions, creeps and the environment all have what is similar to a cell shading effect. Everything looks very smooth and is appealing to a broad audience. The level cap of a champion in LoL is 18, which is just enough to max the levels of each of the champion’s skills. There are no additional stats to gain from leveling your champion once all skills are maxed out. It is important to note that juking in this game is much harder; there are small patches of shrubbery in which players can run through to eliminate vision of themselves

to enemies, but it is generally obvious where the player is due to the size of the patches and the layout of the map. One of the bigger letdowns about LoL is the lack of a denying mechanic. While it isn’t required, denying adds an important additional layer of skill to the game. Also, the rate of play is much slower compared to DotA2 and HoN; champions move, attack and cast slower, and action is sparse unless you make it happen due to average players investing most of the time farming gold. Different from the previous two game’s business models, Heros of Newerth was originally made for purchase. Arguably, because they did not release as free to play from the start, and instead only went free in 2011, much of the growing MOBA player base was attracted to LoL. Now as free to play, HoN offers many cosmetic upgrades through micro-transactions in order to gain support from players. The graphic style of HoN is dark and gritty; there’s a real feel for the strife between heroes in the lore just from playing the game. HoN features 119 different heroes, a level cap at 25, the deny mechanic and superior juking capabilities. The patches of forest found throughout the map have unintuitive breaks and paths within them. This allows skilled players to easily veil themselves in the fog of war to attempt an escape from enemies. HoN has the highest skill curve of the three games due to the inclusion of advanced juking and positioning, emphasis on denying allied units and very quick game play. HoN also has a concede option, which allows the players on either team to vote to give in at any point after fifteen minutes of play. LoL and DotA2 require the full completion of a match before players can leave without penalty, meaning one of the two bases must fall. HoN allows players to come to terms with a game that is too far gone to continue fighting for, which is a double-edged sword. On one hand, this lets players move on quickly from evidently lost matches and start to queue for new ones. On the other hand, this option defeats the player mentality to never give up, and leads to many games that could have turned around instead ending in an early concede. At the end of the day, there’s no single best MOBA. The differences between the games are small in number, but gargantuan in impact. The choice in MOBAs is more of a “pick your poison” kind of decision: Heroes of Newerth is easily the fastest paced of the three, also with the highest skill cap. Defense of the Ancients 2 stays true to what the original DotA brought to the table, and comes with a stunning visual experience. League of Legends is the most popular of them all currently because of their release timing, but requires the least skill and is the slowest of the three choices. I encourage you to try them all and make an informed choice if you’re interested in the MOBA genre, as each game is of great quality.

The Statesman

Arts & Entertainment

Monday, November 4, 2013

PUSO Modern offers weekly hip-hop dance workout By Nicole Mihalik Staff Writer

The house music blared through the speaker over instructor David Charubhumi’s voice as he repeated, “one and two and three and four.” He stood in the front of the room hitting each beat with his body in rhythm with the music. Students moved to the beat of Charubhumi’s moves adding their own style while they loosely swung their upper bodies back and forth then side to side to the upbeat tempo Every Tuesday night at 8 p.m. students and faculty at Stony Brook University are invited to join PUSO’s Modern Dance Group, a small branch of the Philippine United Student Organization, for a hip-hop centric workout. Each week students learn a different dance instructed by a variety of the team’s undergraduate members. The volunteers change every week to give variety and experience to other dancers on the team as well as participants. The class is free to all undergraduate students. In order to attend, students are required to visit the Campus Recreation Center website and register.

Last week, Charubhumi taught a style of hip-hop called housing. He taught a series of six moves, including the body roll, heel step, loose legs and

the lower half of your body consistently changes rhythm,” Charumbhumi said. The weekly fitness class gives people who are not members a

the team who were familiar with the moves. “This dance is supposed to be fun. It’s a very happy dance. Housing is a freestyle based

JESSICA DESAMERO / THE STATESMAN

PUSO Modern is teaching SBU students body rolls and more at their weekly dance classes. others, then combined them with music. “The moves are pretty basic, so you can combine them with almost any house song. The goal is to hit the beat with your upper body while

chance to see what it is like to be a part of the modern hiphop team. For some of the 15 participants, it was their first time learning housing. Other participants were members of

significant group circle dance with the natives. The dances and music were not just for entertainment; they also have great cultural meaning. Spreading awareness about the Native Americans’ struggles and way of life was the main goal of “Native Voices.” The majority of Americans today only hear about Native Americans in history class, in which information about them is mainly presented in a textbook as a plain list of facts. But to actually see and hear from them firsthand is a totally different experience.

The major aspect of this occasion was storytelling. History books would simply describe past happenings objectively. But hearing anecdotes from the natives adds perspective. Emotions behind the story can be conveyed, which makes the stories much more meaningful and fascinating, and the audience is more able to empathize and understand the natives’ perseverance in spite of the problems they face. As Jim Riverwild of the Cherokee and Apache tribe said, “We are proud that we are still here even

dance, and once you get the moves down, you can add your own style to it,” Charubhumi said. PUSO Modern currently has 29 members and according to their website, has been an

organization on campus since 1998. PUSO Modern participates in several on and off-campus showcases and competitions. According to junior Nerricka Nalundasan, one of the team leaders, PUSO Modern only recently started competing outof-state in Spring 2012. Their 2012 Seawolves Winterfest half-time performance was broadcasted on television at Madison Square Garden. In 2010 and 2011, the team placed first in Stony Brook’s version of America’s Best Dance Crew. In last year’s Defining Rhythm Urban Dance Competition, they placed 5th overall in the East Coast, according to their website. The Philippine-based organization is not exclusive to Filipino students. “The organization is accepting of all cultures, but most members are predominantly Filipino,” Charubhumi said. Stony Brook University student and 2013 to 2014 captain of PUSO, Justin Armamento-Martinez said, “Filipino culture is highly encouraging of the arts. Our passion and drive to dance comes from the fact we’ve been doing it our whole lives.”

Making Native American cultures known on campus By Jessica Desamero Contributing Writer

Through various captivating stories and traditional Native American performances, it became a night of learning and spreading culture at the Tabler Blackbox on Oct. 25 at the “Native Voices” event hosted by the sisters of the multicultural sorority Epsilon Sigma Phi. This event was open to anyone who wanted to know more about Native American culture. Elizabeth Danon, the coordinator of this event and president of Epsilon Sigma Phi, was introduced to Native Culture in Pennsylvania as a teenager. She wanted to bring some of that culture into Stony Brook University somehow, and she felt it tied well into her sorority’s mission. “My sorority strives to unify the world through our differences and I feel like by bringing a part of my diversity into this sorority I am helping a very underrepresented people be heard, and I felt like my sorority is able to help those people be heard at Stony Brook campus,” Danon said. Performances included traditional dancing and drumming with song. Two dances include the extravagant fancy shawl dance, where the performer mimics a butterfly emerging from a cocoon, and the eastern blanket dance, which is a courtship dance that symbolizes the blossoming of a woman. Audiences were also able to interact and learn a simple yet

JESSICA DESAMERO/ THE STATESMAN

Native American culture is more than just textbook history.

JESSICA DESAMERO/ THE STATESMAN

Participants learned through ritual dancing and storytelling. though a lot of cultures have tried to exterminate us. We are still here because of our beliefs in the creator and mother earth.” Stories included how spirituality shaped beliefs, how Christianity interfered with native culture, how one’s visions helped understand his life purpose in being a teacher, and how one’s grandmother was taken away from her and how she is part of the lost generation but is still proud of where she came from. Increasing this awareness was essential for the natives. As time progresses and society becomes more modernized, some traditions and events may be forgotten. But by conveying their stories, they can make a real effort in preserving their culture. As Riverwild said, “We as Native Americans want to keep our young to never forget about what we went through and also to turn around and keep our culture alive by explaining it.” The average American may

also think that all Native Americans are tan, in tribal uniform, and only practice traditional customs. But this stereotype has been disproved. “Many of us are not full blood, we are mixed with many other types of people,” said Cholena Smith, a Native American Stony Brook student of the Shinnecock tribe. For example, one of the drummers pointed out that he is part black, likes rap music and wears modern-day street clothes. As Danon said, “It does not matter if you are 5 percent or 100 percent, if you are native, you are native.” There is a difference between what we think we know about Native Americans and what is actually true, and this is clarified by the native voices of this event. As Smith said, “Native Americans still exist today…We do struggle, living in a modern world and trying to hang onto our traditional ways of life, but we do our best and this is one of those ways of doing so.”

OPINIONS

The Statesman Editorial: How The Statesman informing stony brook university for more than 50 years

Editor-in-Chief ............ Deanna Del Ciello Managing Editor ........... Emily Heller Managing Editor ............ Kevin Lizarazo Managing Editor ........... Christine Powell News Editor .......................................................... ..Rebecca Anzel Sports Editor .............................................................. Mike Daniello Arts & Entertainment Editor ......................................Nicole Bansen Opinions Editor ...........................................................Keith Olsen Multimedia Editor ............................................................Nina Lin Copy Chief ................................................................ Maria Plotkina Assistant News Editor.................................................Giselle Barkley Assistant News Editor............................................. Hanaa' Tameez Assistant News Editor...................................................Will Welch Assistant Sports Editor ........................................... Catie Curatolo Assistant Sports Editor..................................................Joe Galotti Assistant Arts & Entertainment Editor................... ...Chelsea Katz Assistant Arts & Entertainment Editor.................Brandon Benarba Assistant Opinions Editor ..............................Anusha Mookherjee Assistant Opinions Editor .....................................Niveditha Obla Assistant Multimedia Editor...........................................Basil John Assistant Multimedia Editor...................................Yoon Seo Nam Assistant Multimedia Editor....................................Jesus Pichardo Assistant Copy Chief..............................................Briana Finneran Archivist ................................................................ Marley Solomon Business Manager ............................................ Frank D'Alessandro Advertisement Layout............................................Frank Migliorino

makes journalistic decisions

As a news organization, The Statesman often faces difficult journalistic judgments about what to include and what to exclude in our reporting. Sometimes, it is worthwhile to reflect on our decisions and share our decision making process with our readers. This week, The Statesman received a Letter to the Editor about its coverage of the drunk driving incident in H Quad on Oct. 25, 2013. In the letter, the student compared our reporting of the incident to our coverage of an accident last semester when a campus police officer ran over Stony Brook student Brianna Bifone. The writer asked why we would include the name of the drunk driver in the H-Quad incident, but not disclose the name of the police officer. The answer is that at the time of the accident last semester, the police officer’s name was not made available to The Statesman

or any other media outlet by campus media relations, or the University Police Department. Reporters and editors made every effort to fully report the accident, but this was one of the questions that remained unanswered. It was not our choice not to report the police officer’s name. The information was simply not released. However, in the case of the drunk driving accident, reporters were able to get the driver’s name and reported it accordingly. The author of the Letter to the Editor wrote that she found our “willingness to tarnish the name of a fellow student offensive and appalling.” When we posted the article to our Facebook page, a Stony Brook University student commented on the post saying, “No issue throwing one of your own under the bus there huh,” referring to the fact that the driver is a photographer for The Statesman.

There are many expectations of a news organization when reporting the news. The first is to report the truth. Another is to be transparent—not only about our news gathering process, but as an organization. We reported the driver’s name and included his affiliation with The Statesman because it is a fact and because we are a transparent organization. If another outlet had reported that Christopher Pimentel works for The Statesman, we would have to explain why we left out that fact. As a news organization, we will always report the news regardless of whether one of our staff writers, photographers or editors is involved. Unless it puts someone in danger, we will also always report the information we have. The public has the right to know. SincerelyThe Editorial Board

Copy Editors Andrea Baatz Karina Biacan Bridget Downes Nicole Kohn Arielle Martinez Rachel Siford Caroline Smith Iantha Stewart Jessica Tuite

Contact us: Phone: 631-632-6479 Fax: 631-632-9128 Email: editors@sbstatesman.com Web: www.sbstatesman.com The Statesman is a student-run, student-written incorporated publication at Stony Brook University in New York. The paper was founded as The Sucolian in 1957 at Oyster Bay, the original site of Stony Brook University. In 1975, The Statesman was incorporated as a not-for-profit, student-run organization. Its editorial board, writers and photography staff are all student volunteers. New stories are published online every day Monday through Friday. A print issue is published every Monday during the academic year and is distributed to many on-campus locations, the Stony Brook University Hospital and over 70 off-campus locations. The Statesman and its editors have won several awards for student journalism, and several past editors have gone on to enjoy distinguished careers in the field of journalism. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @sbstatesman. Disclaimer: Views expressed in columns or in the Letters and Opinions section are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Statesman. The Statesman promptly corrects all errors of substance published in the paper. If you have a question or comment about the accuracy or fairness of an article please send an email to editors@sbstatesman.com. First issue free; additional issues cost 50 cents.

SOPHIE CARR / THE STATESMAN

Letter to the Editor: selective reporting The front page of the latest issue of The Statesmen (sic) exposed a student for driving his car into the bushes of H Quad while under the influence of alcohol. The author of the article, Hanaa’ Tameez, has a right to print the student’s first and last name in the article. Still, I find her willingness to tarnish the name of a fellow student offensive and appalling considering The Statesman neglects to report on similar events with the same passion for the truth. The lack of discretion in Tameez’s article is not uncommon, journalism students take pride in printing the truth and the whole truth. Yet I find

that The Statesman is selective in its coverage of similar events, on February 7th 2013 a University Police officer veered off of circle road and consequently pinned a student under his patrol car for nearly half an hour, the officer’s name was never released. Revealing the identity of the cop could pose serious threats to his or her ability fulfill their duties on campus. For obvious reasons, our police department would not want the name of the offending officer released but police reports and witness testimonies would make identification more than feasible. It is not The Statesman’s responsibility to protect an

officer’s reputation nor is it just of them to limit this courtesy to members of our University Police force. The incident in H Quad was printed as a front-page article under the guise of hard-hitting journalism but in actuality was merely low-hanging fruit. Exploitation of this student’s name was a matter of convenience rather than informative value, for past incidences indicate that S tatesman staff members will only go so far in pursuit of the truth. SincerelyMaddison Martinez (Junior; Humanities major)

Opinions

The Statesman

Monday, November 4, 2013

Efforts on campus need to be more proactive to have real effect By Christopher Leelum Contributing Writer

This past week, I was strolling through the Student Activities Center when a good-looking young woman in a bright pink shirt approached me. Needless to say that whatever organization she belonged to had a very brilliant marketing mind, I obviously stopped to see what she had to say. “Would you like to sign the board to vow to stop using the word ‘retarded’?” Uh, sure thing sweetheart. I scribbled two indecipherable

“Would you like to sign the board to vow to stop using the word ‘retarded?’ ” words to the satisfying tune of “Thanks so much!” from Ms. Pink Shirt, and I was on my way. I was a changed man! Now I don’t know about some people, but something as simple as writing my name on a board won’t turn my perspective upside down. Am I the only one who fails to receive a slap to my

semantic integrity when a girl tells me I’ve been using a certain word in a naughty fashion? Before lamenting over the lazy activism of whichever organization this was, I must make transparent my feelings about the word “retarded” first. It’s a fabulous word – three magical syllables harmonizing for a masterpiece of the English language. Just like the word “sarcasm.” Yes, nowadays the word is mainly used with negative connotations, and yes, it should be used less regarding a mentally handicapped person. But a recommendation, an encouragement to discontinue using the word is as far as it goes. I believe the word should return to its literal definition, but nothing and nobody can suppress a word definitely. So if a group is actually tackling the task of convincing people to use one less colorful word, there has to be a much more involved method of advocacy. A name on a board proves only that that particular student must not have been running late for a class. Or it proves, in my case, the PR was convincing. Two years ago, Stony Brook paralleled the admirable activism of one Ben Cohen and his StandUp Foundation by establishing our own StandUp Charter. The charter’s goal is not only to have students sign its “Commitment to End Bullying and Homophobia” pledge, but

provide bystander-intervention training and visit local schools to spread the word. From their website: “By bringing people together in schools, colleges, and groups to concentrate their focus on how they can ‘do their bit,’ we can literally save lives.” Now that’s activism. When compared to the StandUp Charter, the group working to oust “retarded” misses a key component — not enough “doing.” A word can’t be talked off the streets. Activism with such a goal requires

widespread effort and purposeful implementation. A sign for passersby is simply lazy and ultimately fruitless. What if the group does not have the resources that the StandUp Charter has? What if a widespread effort is still too far down the road to attempt so immediately? Well, there are still more productive ways than signing a board. I would personally propose a little business card bearing the maxim, “Have you said ‘retarded’ today? Think about it next time.” Again, this may be

too much of an expense to the advocacy group, but financial sacrifices must be made for true progress to blossom. The modern English language, though a relatively young language, has over the years adopted some pretty dumb words. Who ever comments on the dungarees of a waif anymore? But dumb words come and go, as well as connotations. “Gay” just does not mean happy anymore. So with time, and the right amount and type of activism, the use of a word like “retarded” will come to be retarded (slowed).

PHOTO CREDIT: EFAL SAYED

Students at SBU frequently campaign for social causes on campus through petitions.

SBU provides more than just education to the community

YAN CHEN / THE STATESMAN

The SBU hospital is a world-class medical facility that is well known on Long Island. By Jonathan Kline Staff Writer

In recent local news, communities around Stony Brook University have voiced their frustration with overcrowded houses in their neighborhoods due to landlords renting out houses that normally house from five to six people to 20 or more people. This criticism is something that is more than understandable;

for those who have to deal with overcrowded streets, large parties and two students puking on their lawn at 8 a.m., it is a reality that they probably did not hope for when they had plans to raise their family in Stony Brook, Setauket, or any of the other surrounding towns. However, this situation pales in comparison to the benefits that the university brings to the island. To start, the university itself accounts for almost

60,000 jobs on Long Island, or roughly 7.5 percent of the entire workforce in Suffolk County. On top of providing a large amount of jobs for our community, Stony Brook University accounts for $4.65 billion in gross regional domestic product for Long Island, which greatly benefits the economy within Stony Brook as well as in its surrounding towns. We also benefit from having a world-renowned hospital right in our backyard. Stony Brook

University’s hospital has been rated as one of the best hospitals in the world in the areas of cardiology, nephrology, urology, orthopedics and neurology, just to name a few of its specialties. Having a world-recognized hospital in our backyard gives reassurance that should you get hurt, whether it is a minor injury or a severe injury, you will have a staff comprised of world-class doctors and nurses ready to help you at a moment’s notice. In addition, Stony Brook University gives students like myself the opportunity to receive a world-class education at a fraction of the cost you would get at most universities. The university, rated as the 89th best college in the United States, is only improving in terms of ranking. The cost of receiving an education at SBU, compared to the tuition of other colleges, is much lower than anywhere else you will find, especially for instate students. Moreover, Stony Brook University brings in a tremendous amount of money to the general community, whether it is for the school or outlying communities. Take the area around the Smith Haven Mall as an example; anybody who is a local probably can remember when almost 90 percent of the high-end stores inside and around the Smith Haven Mall did not exist,

primarily because there was not nearly as much money within the community to have such higherend stores. However, as Stony Brook University’s reputation increased, more and more money started to flow into the areas around Stony Brook, evident in the build up of the local communities.

“We also benefit from having a world renowned hospital right in our backyard.” While people in the surrounding communities around Stony Brook University have every right to complain about the overcrowding in their neighborhoods, the benefits of having SBU right here on Long Island outweigh the negatives. Whether it is the world-renowned hospital, stellar academics, or the amount of jobs created by the university, Stony Brook University’s benefits, without a doubt, outweigh the negatives.

Monday, November 4, 2013

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Monday, November 4, 2013

Students should choose majors based on interests By Tejen Shah Staff Writer

Whether you want to believe it or not, the main reason that we all attend college is to make money. This might come as a shock to some people, but to others, it is just a reminder that money makes the

understand that these subjects are indeed interesting, but to be frank, I believe that if you were to ask a science majors on Stony Brook University's campus whether or not they are truly in love with the major, their answer, more than half of the time would be no. And by no means is this scenario limited to the sciences. I am sure there

are hundreds of people in this university who, for one reason or another, do not thoroughly enjoy their area of study. This lack of enjoyment makes school even harder than it has to be. Here is my suggestion: choose a major or minor that reflects who you are now, not who you want to be. Whatever major you choose, just

make sure you enjoy it. Imagine trying to become an expert in a subject matter that you despise. You would be miserable. Students tend to struggle at subjects that they do not enjoy and thus learning will seem more and more like a chore rather than an educational experience. Even if you are good at it, are you really getting what you

“I am sure there are hundreds of people in this University who, for one reason or another, do not thoroughly enjoy their area of study.” world “go round”. Because money is the main factor that pushes most people to seek a higher education, it also plays a role in the selection of an undergraduate major. In today’s rapidly advancing world, the demand for science is higher than ever before. Students see this situation as “science majors make money” and thus choose to dedicate the crux of their college experience to subjects like chemistry, biochemistry, psychology, and other sciences. I

PHOTO CREDIT: STONYBROOK.EDU

The Stony Brook University website provides a complete list of all majors offered.

wanted to get out of your college experiences? I wouldn’t bet on it. For instance, coming into college I was set on majoring in chemistry, but as time went on, I realized that although I find chemistry to be interesting, it wasn’t my passion. Thus, I changed to a major that I actually enjoy and even added a minor. Although I have roughly the same amount of work and even more classes to attend, it doesn’t matter because I am enjoying every second of it. Some people might against choosing a major that they fully enjoy by asking, “What if I want to become (arbitrary profession) but I am interested in (unrelated subject)? Then what do I do? The answer, in fact is simple: Immerse yourself for both. Take classes that are prerequisites for the career you are interested in and at the same time do not forget about the subject matter that you enjoy. That is who you are. Stay true to it and embrace it. It may seem overwhelming at first, especially if your profession and interests are on the total opposite sides of the spectrum, but in the end you will be glad you took on the extra load. A college education is something that only a small fraction of the world is able to attain. Don’t take it for granted, and at the same time, make sure you enjoy it to its fullest.

Monday, November 4, 2013

Earn 3 Credits In 3 Weeks

Sports

The Statesman

Burne takes title, SBU win streak ends By Catie Curatolo Assistant Sports Editor

Olivia Burne joined the league of Stony Brook University women’s cross country greats this weekend after finishing first at the America East Championships. The senior finished the 5k in 17:30.14, leading the women’s team to a second place finish. Stony Brook now has six individual conference champions, making the team second in individual titles behind Boston University, who had 11 overall in their time in the America East. Although the Seawolves finished in the top three for the 12th straight year, New Hampshire ended Stony Brook’s streak of America East dominance–they were the first non-SBU team to take the title since 2006. Stony Brook was one away from tying Boston’s record of seven consecutive titles. Burne had support from fellow

seniors Annie Keown and Lorraine McCarthy, who finished fifth and 13th. Keown crossed the line in 17:54.31 and McCarthy finished in 18:15.05. Freshman Elizabeth Caldwell and junior Kate Pouder rounded out the group with 22nd and 24th place finishes, respectively. SBU finished with 63 points to New Hampshire’s 46. The men’s team also failed to defend their 2012 title, taking third with 70 points behind UMBC (58 points) and Binghamton (65 points). The Seawolves were led by juniors Eric Speakman and Tyler Frigge, who took sixth and seventh place. Speakman finished the 8K in 25:13.27, while Frigge finished just behind in 25:17.53. Another junior, Alex Kramer, took 18th with a time of 25:36.15. Stony Brook will compete again at the NCAA Regional meet in the Bronx on Nov. 15.

Winter Session 2014 January 7 to January 25

Attending Stony Brook’s Winter Session allows you to fill in missing courses, try something new and different, or speed the progress to your degree.

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The women's team took second at the AE Championships.

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Stony Brook University Student Activities Center Auditorium Wednesday, November 6th, 2013 at 1:00 pm

Lunch Will Be Served Sponsored by the Office of Veterans and Student Affairs. For disability accommodations and questions call (631) 632-6700. SBU is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and educator.

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Sports

The Statesman

Monday, November 4, 2013

Semifinal match ends in a 1-1 draw, advances to a penalty kick shootout Continued from page 16 “We knew we were going to get there,” Castanio said. “They broke our home record here and we want to go there and beat them when it counts.” The Seawolves were able to get on the board early, when Leah Yurko put home a rebound off of a shot from Larissa Nysch with 15:49 to play in the first half to give the Seawolves a 1-0 lead. Nysch recorded her America East leading 25th point of the season with the assist, and is a part of the crucial senior leadership on this team. “You can’t talk enough about having been there,” Coach Sue Ryan said. “That’s really important to our mentality.” With 6:58 to go, the Black Bears tried for their first goal and had a huge

chance, but were denied by Castanio in front, as Charlene Achille got a header on a corner but was denied. Then, just 46 seconds later, another Maine corner was taken, and this time it was Eve L’Abbe being denied by the America East Goalkeeper of the Year. In the second half, Stony Brook had a chance to extend its lead, but wasn’t able to, as Nysch put a shot from 25 yards out off the crossbar, and Yurko’s rebound was superbly denied by Maine keeper Claudia Dube-Trempe, who recorded 11 saves herself. The Black Bears would then have a huge chance with 15:26 to go in the half, as Eve L’Abbe’s header was again denied by Castanio, and was cleared for another Maine corner, which produced another huge save by the redshirt junior keeper, and a point

blank shot by Nikki Misener was sent over the bar and Maine couldn’t equalize. But they would with 10:58 to go, when Lisa Bijman headed an 18yard free kick from Joanie L’Abbe at the left post, over Ashley Castanio’s head and into the top right corner to tie the game. Maine would continue pressuring, not allowing Stony Brook to control at all the final 10 minutes of regulation, but couldn’t score and the game was headed to overtime for the second straight matchup, as it did it Orono seven days ago. “When you’re playing a team that’s really good, you’re going to put it all out there” Castanio said. And both teams did, as they traded chances in the first overtime, but neither were converted as Maine’s Maggie Malone and Stony Brook’s

Tessa Devereaux were denied the game-winning goal. The second overtime failed to produce any quality chances, and the game was headed for the penalty kick shootout. “We practiced that all week,” Coach Ryan said. “It’s players who want to take that pressure on.” Castanio was ready for anything that Maine had to throw at her, and even got a little help from the post. After Stella Norman’s shot was denied, Castanio stepped up big by making a fingertip save on Charlene Achille to keep it scoreless. After the teams traded second round goals and Caitlin Pfeiffer made it 2-1 Stony Brook, Castanio again made a big save, diving left to keep it out. “I just try and read their body and

guess a way. If you guess the right way you get lucky,” the keeper said. Then who else to turn to for the Seawolves, but Nysch, as she put home a goal that put Maine in a door-die position, needing to make their two next shots and hoping Stony Brook missed theirs. Cue a keeper’s best friend, the goalpost. Joanie L’Abbe struck one off the left post and the Seawolves advanced after the shootout, and Maine finishes their season at 9-5-5. The America East Championship match is scheduled at UMBC at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 9 and the winner clinches an automatic berth in the NCAA Division I Women’s Soccer Tournament. The Seawolves will be looking for their 2nd straight tourney spot, while UMBC will be looking for its first ever.

Men's Soccer suffers tough OT loss on Senior Night Volleyball beats Binghamton, 3-2 By Catie Curatolo

By Devin Chong

Assistant Sports Editor

Staff Writer

It was a chilly fall night and the seniors were being introduced for the Stony Brook University Men’s soccer team. It was senior night, and before the match, there was a ceremony celebrating the seniors on the team. Unfortunately, the night would end in heartbreak. With an overall record of 6-81, and a conference record of 1-31, the Seawolves came into their match against Vermont desperate for a conference win. Although they played a well-balanced and strong game, they were unable to seize their opportunities. Stony Brook appeared to be the better team in the first half, but just could not put the ball in the back of the net. They moved the ball efficiently and maintained control for much of the first half. The Seawolves looked to attack Vermont and put them on their heels from the start of the game. They were able to push and apply pressure down the sidelines. The Seawolves out shot Vermont 10-3 in the first half. Stony Brook’s best chance to score came in the 64th minute when senior Will Casey took a shot that went just over the net. For much of the match Vermont tried to slow down the game and find ways to put pres sure on the Stony Brook defense. In the first half, playing long balls and possessing the ball in their own half was how they did that. However, they were unable to produce many chances until the second half. Vermont picked up the pace and out shot the Seawolves 9-4 in the second half. Even with all the shots in the

The Seawolves relied on their rallying skills this Sunday, coming from behind in two of their three wins against Binghamton. SBU beat the defending America East champs, 3-2 (27-29, 25-20, 24-26, 25-14, 15-12). The Bearcats came out hot in the first frame, using a 3-0 run to top Stony Brook 29-27. SBU bounced back in the second frame, with senior Kaitlin Costello and sophomore Melissa Rigo combining to give the Seawolves a 20-16 lead. Costello added another point to bring the score to 21-16, and SBU locked in the win after a kill from sophomore Kathy Fletcher. The third set came down to the wire, with Binghamton taking a 2-1 lead after the 26-24 victory. But the Seawolves came out fighting in the fourth frame, using a 7-for-7 hitting percentage to take a commanding 14-6 lead.The Bearcats called time out, but came back to the court sloppy, making an attack error that caused SBU to to cruise to the 25-

14 win with ease. With the score tied at 2, the game came down to the final frame. Binghamton started off strong, beginning the set with a 4-0 lead. Both teams fought mightly, but the Seawolves eventually went on a 6-1 run to tie the score at 8 after a Rigo ace. Costello led SBU in dominating the rest of the frame, making the score 11-9 after three kills and, after the Bearcats responded, smacking another kill to keep Stony Brook up 12-10. A shot from Rigo gave the Seawolves a match-point opportunity, and the game was sealed after the Bearcats committed an attack error. Costello was the star of the night, hitting a tremendous .432 on top of a match-high 22 kills and 14 digs. After having seven blocks against the Bearcats, McFadden moved to sixth alltime on SBU’s single-season block list, with 89 combo stuffs on the season. With the win, the Seawolves swept the season series against the Bearcats. The team plays a non-conference match against Sacred Heart on Tuesday at 7 p.m. to wrap up their four-game homestand.

MARVIN FUENTES/ THE STATESMAN

Will Casey had SBU's best chance to score, when he took a shot in the 64th minute that went over the net. match, at the end of regulation the score was still 0-0. The match was heading into overtime but it would not last long. The game-winning goal came just two minutes into the overtime. In the 92nd minute Vermont’s Scott Kisling headed home the winner in the top right

MARVIN FUENTES / THE STATESMAN

SBU honored four seniors before the Vermont game.

corner of the goal. That would end the match and the night for the Seawolves. Despite losing in overtime, Stony Brook had more shots and corner kicks than Vermont and also controlled the tempo for much of the game. Head coach Ryan Anatol believes they outperformed Vermont, saying: “From a performance standpoint, I thought we had the better of it.” This was Vermont’s first win at Stony Brook, improving their record to 7-6-2 against the Seawolves. Despite the two consecutive losses Stony Brook still has a chance to clinch a berth into the American East Championship. They are currently two points behind sixth- place Binghamton and three points behind Albany. The Seawolves finish their regular season on Wednesday when they travel to Maryland to take on UMBC.

POLINA MOVCHAN/ THE STATESMAN

Senior Kaitlin Costello hit a stellar .432 in the win.

Sports

Seawolves play Maine tough, but can't stave off elimination By Joe Galotti

Assistant Sports Editor

The Stony Brook University football team put together a hardfought second half against CAA powerhouse Maine on Saturday, but in the end, they could not come away with a season-saving victory. The Seawolves (3-5, 1-4 in CAA) lost by the score of 1914, and were eliminated from FCS playoff contention. At halftime, things looked bleak for Stony Brook as they trailed 13-0 on the road, and once again the offense was struggling to get much of anything going. But, in the third quarter, the Seawolves running game got into gear. On the first drive of the second half junior running back James Kenner and freshman running back Tyler Fredericks ran for a combined 39 yards, to help power an 11 play, 67-yard drive for Stony Brook. The possession ended in a touchdown, after senior quarterback Lyle Negron found the end zone on a one yard, fourth-and-goal rush. Early in the fourth quarter, Stony Brook reached Maine’s 32-yard line, but was faced with a 4th-and-10 situation. Negron was then able to keep the drive alive, finding junior tight end Will Tye for a 22-yard first down connection. One play later, Kenner scored on a one-yard touchdown rush, and after a successful extra point, the Seawolves had a 14-13 lead. Maine would respond on their next drive by going 91 yards in just 1:57. With 5:27 remaining in the fourth quarter, Maine quarterback Marcus Wasilewski delivered a 24-yard touchdown pass to John Ebeling to give the Black Bears a six-point lead. Maine then attempted a twopoint conversion, but failed when a Wasilewski pass was picked off by senior defensive back Derrick Morgan. Stony Brook would receive the ball back on their 14-yard line to start the next possession. A 15-

NINA LIN / THE STATESMAN

Junior James Kenner had his second straight 100-yard rushing performance on Saturday, finishing with 124 yards. yard pass by Negron to red-shirt freshman wideout Nick Wagner, followed by a 31-yard run by Kenner would get the Seawolves quickly down the field to Maine’s 37 yard line. Two short rushes would then setup a 3rd-and-4 situation for SBU. However, Negron could not complete a third down pass attempt to junior receiver Adrian Coxson or a fourth down pass to junior wideout Jahrie Level, and the Seawolves turned the ball over on downs. Stony Brook would have one last chance to score, when they got the ball back with 40 seconds remaining in the fourth. But the game, and the team’s playoff hopes would come to an end after Negron had a pass intercepted by Maine’s Axel Ofori Jr. This game had a familiar feel

to it for the Seawolves, as their defense played well enough to keep them in it, but the team failed to generate enough on offense to come away with the victory. The Black Bears who came into Saturday averaging 460.9 yards per game, only put up 258 total yards against the Stony Brook defense. Maine only had 117 yards in the second half. The defense did a good job of pressuring one of the CAA’s best quarterbacks, as Wasilewski was sacked five times. Sophomore defensive lineman Victor Ochi was credited with 2.5 sacks in the game. On offense the Seawolves relied heavily on their run game, most likely due to Negron’s injured throwing shoulder. Stony Brook ran the ball 51 times, and averaged

Castanio leads SBU into America East Finals By Cam Boon Staff Writer

At the beginning of the season, the goal for the Stony Brook University Seawolves women’s soccer team was to get back to the NCAA Tournament. Well, they are now one game away, as the Seawolves drew their semifinal match with Maine 1-1 and then advanced in the penalty kick shootout 3-1. Ashley Castanio made two huge saves in the shootout, to go along with her career-high 16 saves in regulation and overtime to lead the Seawolves back to the final for the second consecutive year. Only this time, they will not be playing Hartford as they did last season. They will be playing the Cinderella team of the year, the UMBC Retrievers, who, last year, finished last in the conference. The Retrievers made the miraculous turnaround to

earn the top seed in the America East tournament this season, and defeated Hartford 2-0 on Sunday to move into

3.6 yards per carry. Kenner, taking more than half of the team’s carries, finished with 124 yards on the ground, for his second straight 100 yard rushing performance. Fredericks also had a productive day, finishing with 75 yards on 15 carries. Where the offense struggled once again was in the passing game. Negron had a tough outing for a second straight week, as he went 6-of-22, threw two interceptions, and was sacked four times. He was only able to connect with star receiver Malcolm Eugene once, and did not complete a pass to Coxson all game. The Black Bears ranked second in the CAA in passing yards against coming into Saturday, and made life even more difficult for the already slumping Negron.

The banged-up Seawolves have had trouble adjusting to their new conference this year. They have posted a 1-4 record against CAA opponents, and have dropped four straight conference games. The Seawolves played tough against conference rivals Towson, New Hampshire and Maine, but in all three games fell apart late. If the Seawolves were healthy, maybe things could have been different this season. Instead, the story this year has too often been about an injured quarterback unable to make key completions and a worn-down defense unable to come up with critical stops late in games. Stony Brook now has three games left in there season, all against CAA opponents. They will return home this Saturday to take on Richmond at 1 p.m.

Seawolves Scoreboard

the matchup with Stony Brook. Continued on page 15

NINA LIN / THE STATESMAN

Goalkeeper Ashley Castanio helped lead the Seawolves to a victory with a career-high 16 saves in Sunday's win.

Football: (11/2) loss to Maine 19-14 Men’s Soccer: (11/2) OT loss to Vermont 1-0 Women’s Soccer: (11/3) Semifinal win against Maine 2-1 Volleyball: (11/1) loss to Albany 3-0, (11/3) win against Binghamton 3-2 Cross Country: (11/2) Women take second, Men take third at America East Championships