The Statesman Volume 57 Issue 15 by The Statesman

The Statesman informing stony brook university for more than 50 years Monday, January 27, 2014

Volume LVII, Issue 15

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Stony Brook promises support at White House ‘Call to Action’ By Gavin Stern SHFWire Reporter

WASHINGTON – Troy Simon grew up poor in New Orleans. He could not read until he was 14. But with a little help, he is now a student at Bard College in New York—and got to introduce Michelle Obama at the White House. The first lady praised his perseverance. “We must remember that education is a two-way bargain. And while there is so much more we must do for our kids,” she said, “the person who has the most say over whether or not a student succeeds is the student.” Leaders of more than 100 colleges and 40 nonprofit organizations met at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building next door to the White House Jan. 16, where they announced commitments to improve college access for the next generation of students. Universities represented at the event included community colleges that serve minority populations, elite schools such as Yale—and Stony Brook. “This fits within the mission of Stony Brook University. We are very excited about this and are working to take the best practices we have,” Stony Brook University president Samuel L. Stanley said More than one-third of Stony Brook University undergraduates rely on need-based Pell grants to finance their education. To help them, Stony Brook University pledged to invest $5 million over the next five years to improve undergraduate academic support. It will also add $1 million over four years to its Educational Opportunity Program, which recruits and supports economically disadvantaged students and invest $2.2 million in financial aid over the next two years. Americans without college degrees experience one-third more unemployment—and receive half as much income—compared to those who do, President Barack Obama said. He called the convention a “call to action.” “We are here for one purpose: We want to make sure more young people have the chance to earn a higher education,” Obama said. “In the 21st century economy, we

all understand it’s never been more important.” The Obama administration has already doubled the amount of federal investments in Pell Grants and college tax credits, and reformed the student loan program to lower interest rates. Still, many low-income children never make it to college—because they drop out in high school. Obama underscored efforts to help children stay in school long enough to even consider college. “We’ve set a goal of training 100,000 new math and science teachers over the next 10 years, and the private sector has already committed to help train 40,000,” Obama said. “Today, the high school dropout rate is the lowest it has been in 40 years—something that’s rarely advertised.” Low-income high school graduates still face disadvantages during the college application process because they lack standardized test preparation, advanced placement opportunities and counseling. Obama cited several universities that have taken steps to help underprivileged students—including adults who missed out the first time around— pursue higher education. The University of Minnesota is expanding financial literacy programs. Oregon Tech is pairing up students with advisers. A program in the South Bronx, called iMentor, will match 20,000 students with mentors in more than 20 states. And Stony Brook University hopes that its initiatives will boost its four-year graduation rate to 60 percent by 2018. “It was a great honor to have been invited to represent Stony Brook University at this groundbreaking event at the White House,” Stanley said in a press release. “We look forward to implementing the initiatives that will help us guide our disadvantaged student population through their college experience with greater academic success than ever before.” Reach reporter Gavin Stern at gavin.stern@shns.com or 202-4082735. SHFWire stories are free to any news organization that gives the reporter a byline and credits the SHFWire.

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GAVIN STERN/ SHFWIRE

Stony Brook University president Samuel L. Stanley attends President Barack Obama’s “Call to Action.” Stanley was joined by 100 other university presidents at the White House.

Pipe burst floods three floors in HSC By Sandhiya Kannan Staff Writer

Students on campus for the winter session were not the only ones struggling with the frigid temperatures that gripped much

of the Northeast this season. At 9 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 9, a five-foot section of standpipe in a third-floor stairwell in the Health Sciences Center froze over completely and split along its seam.

BASIL JOHN/ THE STATESMAN

This triggered the pipe’s booster pumps to pump water into the space at approximately 2000 gallons per minute. “We found out immediately, within minutes of the rupture, and we asked people in the affected areas to leave for their own safety. Most of them had, and some were trying to cover up equipment,” Associate Dean for Scientific Operations and Research Facilities Glen Itzkowitz explained by phone. Itzkowitz looks after the HSC physical plant in conjunction with teams from HSC and Stony Brook Hospital operations. While the pumps were running, an estimated 45,000 gallons of water flowed into the building, starting on the third floor in the Health Sciences

The HSC Library remains vacant after a flood on Jan. 9.

Continued on page 7

Billy Joel donates $250K piano to SBU

By Jon Winkler Staff Writer

Long Island is home to many legends in the music business: Pat Benatar, Tony Bennett and Louis Armstrong to name a few. But one of LI’s most famed and acclaimed sons to read sheet music is the Piano Man himself, Billy Joel. Raised in Hicksville, Joel is the sixth best-selling solo artist in music history (over 100 million albums sold worldwide)

Arts & Entertainment

along with winning six Grammy awards and, more recently, being honored at the Kennedy Center. Joel also seems to always remember where he came from and still wants to contribute to the musical development of young college students. Joel showcased his generosity towards SBU recently with the donation of a Bosendorfer Imperial Grand Piano reportedly worth $250,000. The piano, currently housed in the Staller Center Opinions

Recital Hall, was provided by The Joel Foundation as part of goal to provide for music students attending school on the East Coast. It certainly is an outstanding instrument, regardless of the piano’s donor. The black Bosendorfer has nine more keys than the average grand piano, allowing students and performers to expand whatever musical vision they have. Continued on page 8 Sports

Law can be voted on in new legislative session.

Campus spotlight: Toby Buonagurio

Artist brings pieces of Times Square to SB gallery.

On Bieber’s bad behavior

Seawolves defeat Black Bears 79 to 61

MORE ON PAGE 16

Tobacco ban legislation continues in ‘14

Bieber’s recent outbursts have led to a DUI and jail.

Seawolves six consecutive games Sunday.

Monday, January 27, 2014

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NEWS Catching up from the top news stories from break By Arielle Martinez Copy Editor

Dec. 5, 2013 A Florida-based animal rights organization filed a lawsuit against Stony Brook University on behalf of two chimpanzees being used for research by the Department of Anatomical Sciences. The Nonhuman Rights Project filed a petition for writ of habeas corpus in an attempt to grant “legal personhood” for the chimpanzees—Hercules and Leo—and to demand their release to a primate sanctuary. Judge W. Gerard Asher of the Suffolk County Supreme Court denied the petition without a hearing. The Nonhuman Rights

Project is planning to appeal the decision, however. The organization also filed lawsuits on behalf of two other chimpanzees in New York: one owned by a couple living in Niagara Falls and another kept in a trailer lot in Gloversville.

Dec. 19, 2013 Target Corporation confirmed that a security breach compromised data from the credit and debit card accounts of about 40 million customers. According to the company, the cyber attack occurred between Nov. 27 and Dec. 15. Brian Krebs, a computer security blogger and former reporter for The Washington

Post, originally broke news of the breach on Dec. 18. Target later said that encrypted PIN data may have also been affected by the breach. On Jan. 10, Target also acknowledged unauthorized access to personal information unrelated to credit cards—phone numbers, email addresses and mailing addresses—

from about 70 million customers. The Secret Service is currently investigating the case.

Jan. 6, 2014 The United States Senate confirmed Janet Yellen as the new chairperson of the Federal Reserve System by a vote of 56‒26. Yellen, who has served as the vice chair of the Federal Reserve since 2010,

will be the first woman to hold the position. President Barack Obama nominated Yellen for confirmation on Oct. 9, 2013. In her hearing before the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs on Nov. 14, Yellen defended the Federal Reserve’s policies on stimulating the economy during the current economic recession. She will succeed the incumbent chair of the Federal Reserve, Ben Bernanke, whose term ends on Jan. 31. Jan. 10, 2014 The United States Department of State issued a travel alert for those who plan to attend the Olympics scheduled for February

in Sochi, Russia. The travel alert refers to terrorist activity in the North Caucasus region, including two suicide bombings in December 2013 that killed more than 30 people overall in the

city of Volgograd, about 600 miles northeast of Sochi. In response to concerns about security for the Sochi Olympics, International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach issued a statement on Dec. 30 stating that “everything will be done to ensure the security of the athletes and all the participants of the Olympic Games.” The travel alert also mentions risks affecting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) travelers due to a Russian law banning the “propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations.”

Emails published by several news outlets on Jan. 8. suggest that several of Gov. Christie’s

Jan. 16, 2014 A select committee of the New Jersey Assembly launched its investigation of a scandal affecting the administration of Gov. Chris Christie. The scandal began when two toll lanes at the Fort Lee entrance of the George Washington Bridge were closed between Sept. 9 and Sept. 13, 2013.

aides and Port Authority appointees ordered the lane closure as retribution against Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich for not endorsing Christie’s 2013 re-election campaign. In a Jan. 9 press conference, Governor Christie denied taking part in the scheme, stating that he was “embarrassed and humiliated by the conduct of some of the people on [his] team.” The governor’s office and re-election committee were subpoenaed as part of the investigation.

Stony Brook University launched a website with information about the potential policy on April 20, 2013 and increased its student health fee by $1.50. This was, in part, to provide tobacco cessation products to students. Following the missed legislation deadline, Stony Brook is still engaging in education and support efforts. “What really needs to happen is more opportunities for education and creating a supportive culture so that the policy can be effective,” Director of Organizational Health and Wellness Donna Buehler said. This is not the first time Stony Brook has considered banning tobacco products. In 2006, the University Senate Campus Environment Committee proposed limiting smoking to designated areas and banning it altogether by 2009. The 2006 proposal immediately met opposition from the Graduate Student Organization and Undergraduate Student Government, which both passed a resolution condemning the policy with almost unanimous support. In response, a smoking ban subcommittee was formed to include student representatives, but the smoking policy it presented to the Senate in 2007 was still largely opposed by students and was defeated in the senate by one vote. A year later, the Senate approved a new policy banning smoking in front of building entrances, which became Stony Brook’s current policy. Stony Brook’s protracted twoyear smoking debate demonstrates

the value of passing a tobacco law that would bypass local politics. Stony Brook has opted not to implement a policy until a law has passed. Other SUNY schools, however, have been successful in passing tobacco policies. Several are smokefree, others have executed the ban that would have been legislated, and SUNY Cortland and Erie Community College have both been tobacco-free since 2013. Cortland’s policy was introduced in 2011—before SUNY’s resolution was approved—and went into effect on Jan. 1, 2013. Though it is not clear yet how effective the policy has been, Associate Director of Public Relations at Courtland Jennifer Wilson said, “We don’t have a policing policy towards forbidding smoking on campus, we have a proactive policy of encouraging people to adopt a healthy behavior.” Cortland underwent a process of reaching agreements with local unions and bargaining units to implement its policy as required by the New York Public Employment Relations Board. But this process is a deterrent for schools like Stony Brook. When asked why Stony Brook would wait for a tobacco law to tighten its tobacco policy, Media Relations Officer Lauren Sheprow said, “Concerns were raised that [a tobacco free policy] should be collectively bargained in the absence of legislative directive.” The tobacco bills will be active in the state assembly and senate until the end of the 2014 legislative session on June 5.

SUNY continues to push campus tobacco-ban legislation in 2014

By Will Welch

Assistant News Editor

With the opening of the new lawmaking session in Albany this month, legislation banning tobacco on State University of New York campuses, which failed to pass last year, can again be taken up for vote. The legislation had expired quietly in committee last June; so quietly, in fact, that administrators at Stony Brook University were still preparing to implement the ban into September. But news that the law failed to pass created more complications than it resolved. While two SUNY campuses had already banned tobacco products without legislation, others are hesitant to act in a continuing debate between individual rights and the health responsibilities of public institutions—a question that defined many recent public health debates, including former Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s attempt to regulate soda sizes in New York City and two states legalizing marijuana use. A law banning tobacco on SUNY campuses would bypass the opposition from student groups that has dominated past debates, as well as union collective bargaining rules. Without legislative support, Stony Brook and other state campuses face pressure from SUNY and public health advocates to strengthen its tobacco policy and accountability to a large, unorganized smoking population. Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the United

States, according to the Center for Disease Control, accounting one in five deaths every year. Nearly all daily smokers start when they are 26 or younger, making the college demographic a key target for tobacco prevention. Yet whether or not this validates university tobacco bans is disputed. Surveys show that a majority of students, including those who smoke, tend to support tobacco control on college campuses. But many question if tobacco policies are enforceable and how they might affect smokers. “I’m always thinking about the students during finals, if it might be difficult for them in times of stress,” Fiona Grady, a 48-year-old librarian at Stony Brook said. Grady smokes and supports the idea of tobacco control, but is doubtful it can effectively be executed. “The thought behind it is good. Personal liberty issues though—I don’t know how they’re going to enforce it.” SUNY’s tobacco-free initiative is derived from its five-year plan, which lists “a healthier New York” as one of six main goals. The SUNY Board of Trustees passed a resolution on June 12, 2012 calling for legislation that would ban all forms of tobacco on SUNY property by 2014, including e-cigarettes and chewing tobacco. In doing so, SUNY became the largest public university system seeking to become tobacco-free, joining a nationwide trend of at least 422 universities that ban all forms of tobacco on their campuses. But the law continually stalled in committee last year. Both bills were

referred to the higher education committees of the Assembly and Senate at the beginning of this year’s legislative session. The bill introduced by Assemblyman Walter Mosley has 11 cosponsors and multi-sponsors. Mosley’s chief of staff Tobi Jaiyesimi said whether the bill is considered depends on the legislative priorities of the Assembly.

KATE CHRISA / THE STATESMAN

Surveys show that a majority of students tend to support tobacco control on college campuses.

“We are hoping that when the legislature is back in session in January that we will be able to gain some groundswell,” Jaiyesimi said. Though either bill can now be taken up for vote this year, both missed the January 2014 goal, creating uncertainty among SUNY schools that were preparing for the ban since the 2012 resolution.

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Campus briefing: USG to continue focus on transportation in spring By Ryan Wolf Staff Writer

As the Undergraduate Student Government looks ahead for the coming semester—or, as President Hussain named it, “After Party Round 2”—the administration hopes to still focus on the goals of last semester that have not been fully accomplished. “We have been working on several issues including Off Campus Housing, Campus Housing, Campus Dining, Transportation, just to name a few, and those will also continue,” Vice President of Communications & Public Relations Mario Ferone said in an email. USG’s focus on transportation and the plan to get a 21-passenger bus to bring students to and from Port Jefferson is one of last semester’s goals that the After Party has continuously pursued. During a meeting about the bus route in January, USG decided to not pursue the the current plans due to the expected $4-$5 increase in the students’ transportation fee, according to the meeting’s minutes. The Department of Transportation and Suffolk county agreed recently, however, to add bus services for students on Sundays to and from Port Jefferson on the Suffolk county transit 3D route. Before the agreement, transportation to Port Jefferson was only offered to students on Saturdays. “It seemed appropriate to work with Suffolk County to expand these services for our students on Sundays,” James O’Connor, the director of the campus’s Transportation Operations, said in a press release. Another transportation-related goal is to add four additional Wolfie Ride bike share stations around campus. The current administration also hopes to tackle some campus dining improvements it began working on

last semester. “A Committee of the Faculty Student Association at Stony Brook University is working towards compiling all of the surveys performed across the campus to gain the best understanding of what the more alarming concerns are,” according to the November executive council report by Vice President of Academic Affairs Steven Adelson. USG used surveys to reach the student body throughout the fall, and Adelson said his committee, the University and Academic Affairs Standing Committee, will continue to do so in the spring. “Each member of the Committee will go around campus talking to students to have them complete the surveys, on a monthly basis,” Adelson wrote in his monthly report to the USG Senate. “The concerns of the students will essentially be the Committee’s agenda for the spring 2014 semester.” Ferone said an additional “huge goal” for USG this semester is to popularize the relatively unknown program SBVoice. The SBVoice system is a petition site where students can present their concerns and others can vote on which issues are the most important. Currently, the system has

31 petitions, the top two being the Blood Donor Equality movement and the issue of improving the Campus Dining facilities on campus. One of the final focuses of the second semester is student life. USG is planning several events this coming semester including the annual spring lectures and concert. “We just announced a lecture by Rainn Wilson, which will take place on Feb. 4 in the Staller Center…We also have Roth Regatta, this year is the 25th anniversary of the event, so we're gonna try to make it as big as possible,” Ferone said. He added that USG is planning to form a committee of students to plan this year’s Regatta, an event that originally replaced the Stony Brook Roth Olympics in 1989. This year’s Spring Concert, however, has not been announced yet due to the process of security checks for the artists. “We are still waiting to hear back from [the University Police Department] about the security checks of most of the artists we have submitted, so we can't really announce much,” he said. President Hussain could not be reached for comment on his upcoming goals for this semester.

Staff Writer

Dr. Neelima Sehgal, an assistant professor in the department of Physics and Astronomy, wants to understand the earliest moments of the universe. Specifically, she wants to know what happened within one second after the Big Bang—the event believed to have taken place 13.8 billion years ago and took the universe from a tiny, dense, finite point to the infinite cosmos of today. But studying events that took place billions of years ago is no small feat. Luckily, the universe has left a trail of breadcrumbs throughout its development that researchers like Dr. Sehgal can use to uncover its history. After the Big Bang, the universe was incredibly hot and the mix of high-energy particles within the

On Thursday, Dec. 19 at 3:28 p.m., two male students were referred after staff at Schick College found a stop sign in their room. Staff members also found two sign poles in the second floor hallway of Schick College. On Thursday, Dec. 19 at 4:14 p.m., a male student was transported to the University Hospital Emergency Department from the Melville Library for evaluation. On Friday, Dec. 27 at 6:14 a.m., a male former student was arrested in the Harriman Hall SINC site after a call that he may have been intoxicated. On Saturday, Dec. 28 at 6:13 p.m., Fire Marshals responded to a call at the Indoor Sports Complex. An unknown person set off the alarm by pulling on the Pull Activation Box. No damage was done to the building.

On Tuesday, Dec. 31 at 5:47 p.m., a female commuter student walked into University Police headquarters to report she was receiving harassing emails. UPD has since closed the case. On Tuesday, Jan. 7 at 12:05 p.m., coils were stolen from a service building on campus. The case is still open. On Thursday, Jan. 9 at 6:39 a.m., police responded to a call at the University Hospital of a patient being uncooperative with staff members. The patient was irate and using belligerent language. On Sunday, Jan. 12 at 6:01 p.m., police responded to a call at South P Lot of a suspicious vehicle. A male commuter student and a female commuter student were referred for having an open container of alcohol. Compiled by Rebecca Anzel

The crime you missed 26 thefts Three bicycles, two cell phones and one set of car keys were stolen. Five people reported stolen money and one exit sign was damaged. There were four miscellaneous reports.

11 marijuana reports 12 people were referred and two reports were unfounded. NINA LIN / THE STATESMAN

USG Vice President of Communications & Public Relations Ferone says promoting SBVoice is a priority.

universe was such that photons, or particles of light, were destroyed. After approximately 370,000 years, the universe cooled and the particle makeup of the universe shifted to a state that allowed photons to escape. The light produced during this time is the earliest light that can be detected, as it is the first light that was able to survive. Since light travels at a set speed, this light created over 13 billion years ago is still reaching life on Earth today and can be detected by powerful telescopes. Thus, observing this billions of-years-old light is like a window into the past and researchers can use it to study the universe when it was only 370,000 years old. This light is known as the cosmic microwave background, or CMB. The “cosmic” part means that that it comes from outer space. The “microwave” refers to the type of light waves. Microwaves have

wavelengths longer than the light that human eyes can detect. Finally, “background” means the light originates not from stars or galaxies, but from all parts of the sky. Scientists use a few different telescopes to observe the CMB. Some are telescopes sent out into space, like the Planck telescope placed in orbit around Earth some years ago. Others are ground-based telescopes. No matter the type of telescopes being used, they need to be in regions that are exceptionally dry because water vapor in the atmosphere will absorb the CMB waves. Therefore, the two main places hosting CMB-detecting telescopes are the South Pole and the Atacama Desert in Chile. Dr. Sehgal, studies the CMB through the Atacama Continued on page 7

Police Blotter

While you were gone, there were...

Under the microscope: Ancient microwaves may shed light on the history of the universe By Mallory Locklear

Monday, January 27, 2014

8 criminal mischief reports Two exit signs were torn down, a tree at the Childs Mansion was damaged, there were two elevatorrelated incidents and three miscellaneous reports.

4 harassment reports Harassment was reported at the Health Science Center, Melville Library, University Hospital, Chemistry building, Life Sciences building and a service building.

3 alcohol violations Two violations were intoxicated women and one was a driver.

3 accident-leaving scenes The scenes were Toll Drive, Health Science Center and University Hospital.

2 incidents of intoxicated driving One was on North Country Road and the other was on Circle Road by the Administration Parking Lot.

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Table salt challenges textbooks By Ruchi Shah Staff Writer

A team of researchers at Stony Brook University, led by Professor of theoretical crystallography Dr. Artem Oganov, found compelling evidence that redefines fundamental rules of chemistry. It is well outlined in textbooks and universally accepted that when sodium (Na) and chlorine (Cl-) are combined, NaCl, also known as table salt, forms with a ratio of 1:1. This is because the opposite and equal charges attract each other. This principle is widely taught in high school and college classrooms, yet the recent study by Oganov provides evidence that entirely different compounds with altered ratios are formed when sodium and chloride are combined

45,000 gallons of water cause HSC damage Continued from page 1

BASIL JOHN/ THE STATESMAN

The majority of damage from the flood on Jan. 9 occurred on the second floor of the Health Sciences Library.

Library and continuing down into the second and first floors of the tower. The water eventually reached the mechanical basement level. Itzkowitz recounted his shock at the magnitude of the event: “I’ve never seen a flood this bad here before, and I’ve been here a long time—20 years. But that was because of the system that was affected. "It was a standpipe system, so it’s a very big pipe with a very big pump at the end of it. We’ve had damage from other leaks, but we’ve never had a stand pipe leak like this," he continued. The majority of the damage took place on the second floor, including parts of the Department of Ophthalmology, Student Services, the School of Nursing, multidisciplinary laboratories, the medical students’ lounge, the credit union, Matthew’s Bookstore, medical simulation laboratories and several classrooms.

in low pressure environments. Predicted using a computer code developed by Oganov and then verified by collaborators at Carnegie Institution of Washington, Oganov’s findings raise questions about the current understanding of chemistry and the rules we use to govern it. When sodium and chlorine are combined, both elements want to be stable with a charge of zero. Since chlorine has a -1 charge and one more electron than it needs, and sodium has a +1 charge and is hungry for an electron, chlorine donates an electron to sodium and the ionic compound NaCl is formed. In addition to the expected NaCl, other compounds like NaCl3, NaCl7, Na3Cl2, Na2Cl, and Na3Cl also formed. Even though these compounds do not satisfy

the rule of having the correct number of electrons, once they are formed, they remain indefinitely. According to classical rules of chemistry, these compounds are impossible, yet they exist and are relatively stable. Furthermore, according to Oganov, the compounds produced may lead to “the creation of new materials with unusual properties and applications.” For example, Na3Cl has a structure similar to a layer cake in that there are layers of NaCl and layers of pure sodium, instead of icing and cake. The NaCl layers serve as insulators while the pure sodium layers conduct electricity. These dual properties create a myriad of useful applications for this new compound. These findings might also help explain anomalies in the planetary

Continued from page 7

For example, the light from the sun is traveling in all directions, but when it is reflected off of the hood of a car on a sunny day, it has been polarized and is now moving in a specific direction. Sunglasses often contain polarizing filters that block the light coming from reflecting surfaces, like car hoods, reducing the glare that can often impede vision. As the CMB travels through space to Earth, the galaxies that it interacts with cause the light to be polarized. This type of polarization is called lensing and it leaves a lasting imprint on the CMB light waves. Scientists have also predicted a second way that CMB light can be polarized--by the events thought to have occurred within the tiniest fraction of a second after the Big Bang. Soon after the Big Bang, many scientists believe that the universe underwent an incredibly rapid expansion, called inflation, that lasted less than a second and if true,

Light from the Big Bang, breadcrumbs to trace the universe

Cosmology Telescope, or ACT. Whereas space-based telescopes like Planck can observe more of the sky, ground-based telescopes like ACT can have larger dishes that provide better resolution. With ACT, Dr. Sehgal cannot only get information about the CMB, but also about everything in between the CMB and Earth. Throughout the CMB’s nearly 14 billion year journey, it interacts with numerous galaxies along the way, which leaves imprints on the light waves that can be studied. One of the ways that the interactions between the CMB and galaxies can be studied is through polarization. Light, like that emitted from the lamp on a desk, typically travels in all directions. However, that light can be manipulated to move in a specific direction, or polarized.

Monday, January 27, 2014

NINA LIN / THE STATESMAN

The finding by Stony Brook researchers may help to explain anomalies in the planetary sciences. sciences. Pressures in space vary widely and are even more drastic than those Oganov used in the lab. Therefore, Oganov believes that his findings might help to explain “the possible existence of totally unexpected compounds in planetary interiors.”

When asked about the findings Oganov said that “every little bit of this study was a huge surprise.” He and his team plan to explore other similar systems in an effort to craft new rules that will be applicable to this new class of compounds.

STONY BROOK UNIVERSITY

Neelima Sehgal studies Cosmic Microwave Background. would have left a lasting imprint on the CMB in the form of a type of polarization dubbed primordial B-modes. This idea has yet to be confirmed, but explains many of the

NINA LIN / THE STATESMAN

Winter storm Janus blankets Stony Brook University's sprawling campus in 12.7 inches of snow. The snowfall caused cancellation of winter classes on Tuesday, Jan. 21.

major questions scientists have about the universe. One of which is called the Horizon problem. The Horizon problem describes the phenomenon wherein any given region of the CMB, even regions millions of light years apart, have remarkably similar properties, including temperature. For this to occur, scientists have theorized that at some point all of these regions must have interacted within very close proximity to each other, taking on similar properties and separating later. Inflation would take this into account. If the predicted primordial B-modes can be observed, it would confirm inflation, allowing scientists to better understand the formation of the universe within a fraction of a second after the Big Bang. The largest impediment to this is that B-mode signals are small and incredibly hard to detect. Currently, a race is underway to be the first to detect primordial B-modes. With ACT, Dr. Sehgal and colleagues are measuring vast portions of the sky in the hopes of catching these elusive signals and confirming an important theory of the universe’s formation.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

The piano man donates a piano to the Staller Center Continued from page 1

This is not the first time Joel has donated to Stony Brook. According to Perry Goldstein, a professor and the Chair of Stony Brook’s epartment of Music, Joel had donated a Baldwin Grand Piano to the university years before. However, the recent donation

from Joel started from a chance encounter back in August 2012. Joel was at an American Hotel in Sag Harbor when Goldstein noticed him sitting alone and decided to walk over and introduce himself. Now simply walking up to a music legend may seem intimidating on paper, but Goldstein had no problem engaging

with the personable entertainer. “I have great respect for him as a pop artist,” said Goldstein, who eased into conversation with the “approachable” and “very friendly” Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee. From there, Joel had nothing but nice things to say about Stony Brook Music. Goldstein said

CHELSEA KATZ/ THE STATESMAN

The Staller Center often hosts music shows and concerts.

PHOTO CREDIT: MCT CAMPUS

Billy Joel donated a $250,000 Bosendorfer piano to Staller, with a possible second one on the way.

that Joel heard “excellent things” about SBU’s Department of Music and that he might have another piano to donate. Joel came into contact with Katie Stockhammer, director of Development for the Arts and involved in Advancement for the Theatre Arts Department at Staller, and sounded interested in making a donation. Through The Joel Foundation, the new Bosendorfer arrived at Stony Brook on June 6 of this year and has resided in Staller ever since. The piano has been in use since its arrival and has already helped create new pieces of audible art. “Tyler Wottrich, a pianist in the doctoral

program in piano performance at Stony Brook, was the first to use the piano,” Goldstein said, “for a recording of the ‘Kegelstatt Trio’ by Mozart.” As far as future use, Goldstein notes that the piano will be used “primarily for concerts played by piano students, faculty, and guest artists at Stony Brook.” For now, the musical hopefuls at SBU can work with this generous donation from one of Long Island’s most famous sons. It is unknown as to whether or not Joel has plans to donate more to SBU, but with two pristine pianos already given to the university, Joel’s music will most certainly be featured in Wolfie’s iPod soon enough.

Campus Spotlight: Toby Buonagurio incinerates for clay art By Giselle Barkley Assistant News Editor

From the image to the colors, Toby Buonagurio plans everything in her work. Buonagurio, the studio coordinator and sculpture director of Stony Brook’s Department of Art, is known for her colorful ceramic sculptures and innovative designs. “You know it’s the first time that I’ve shown all of

these images of the Times Square Times: 35 Times, which was my artwork commission by the MTA Arts for Transit and Urban design, and so of course all of the work, the original ceramic is in the subway and that cannot move, that’s going to be there hopefully for a very, very, very long time,”Buonagurio said. The sculptures run North, South, East and West

throughout the Times Square subway station. The images will be displayed at Stony Brook University’s SAC Art Gallery. Times Square Times: 35 Times consists of 35 ceramic sculptures, which captures the vibrant Times Square atmosphere through several themes, fashion, performing arts and street life, according to the artist. Buonagurio was one of

many artists to compete for the MTA’s art selection. She began creating the sculptures for Times Square Times: 35 Times around 2000, according to the artist. All of the pieces were completed in 2005 and installed throughout the subway station as renovations were completed in the station. The physical sculptures are permanently installed in light boxes throughout the Times

Square 42nd Street subway station. They are public artworks commissioned from Buonagurio by the MTA. According to Buonagurio, the MTA’s art selection process is an open and competitive process Buonagurio’s exhibition will consist of photographs of her artwork, as well as podcasts of her work, created by Arts for Transit Director Sandra Bloodworth. Continued on page 9

THREE ARTSY EVENTS

1)Times Square Times: 35 Times 2) Cookies & Cocoa 3) Bingo for Books

Student Life is hosting Toby Buonagurio's photographs of ceramics gallery in the SAC Art Gallery Jan 27- Feb 20. The gallery will include some of Times Square Subway station's most popular pieces of art. The gallery is open to all. Come join Student Life in the SAC lobby on Tuesday, Jan 28 at 5 p.m. for free cookies and cocoa. Campus clubs and departments will be available for students to interact. Come play Bingo in SAC Ballroom A with Student Life on Tuesday, Jan 27 for a chance to win school books and bookstore giftcards.

The Statesman

Arts & Entertainment

Monday, January 27, 2014

Toby Buonagurio brings pieces of Times Square to Stony Brook Continued from page 8

Buonagurio took to ceramic sculpture when attending the City College of New York. Buonagurio explains that her use of vibrant colors is because she “came at [ceramics] as a painter.” Her ability to design, manipulate and glaze, a liquid substance used to color or coat a pottery piece, comes from Buonagurio's 40 years of experience with ceramic sculpture. She begins her process of creating a sculpture by sketching several images of what the piece will look like. She then makes the ceramic by firing clay, a two-day process.

Buonagurio uses test tiles to test how many layers of glaze are needed to obtain a certain color. “Each color requires different coats of glaze. The glaze has to be done exactly because if you put the wrong number of layers, you won’t get the solid opaque color.” Once a piece is glazed it must be fired. However, when the wrong number of layers are used, the piece must be restarted. Photographs of her artwork from Times Square Times: 35 Times, will be used at Buonagurio’s upcoming exhibition at Stony Brook University’s SAC Art Gallery. The exhibition will be held from Jan 27 to Feb 20.

A reception will take place on Thursday, Feb 6 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Buonagurio will speak regarding the exhibition the following week on Wednesday, Feb 12 from 1 p.m. to 2:20 p.m. Buonagurio and a team of individuals at Stony Brook University took several months to plan for the exhibition. They began installing the artwork in the gallery on Wednesday, Jan 22. The team of people who helped in the preparation process and installation of the exhibition, included Anthony LaViscount, director of Student Activities, Janice Costanzo, Craft Center coordinator, Nicole Hixon an assistant

to Costanzo, and one of Buonagurio’s own students and undergraduate teaching assistants Yekaterina Okouneva, among other individuals. In Buonagurio’s nearly 38 years as a Stony Brook professor, she has taught many students, including former student Costanzo. Both Costanzo and Okouneva could not be reached for comment by the time of publication. “Many of my students see my artwork [in the subway] before they have me as a professor,” Buonagurio said. According to Buonagurio, her work has been included in more than 200 international exhibitions. She has also held over

Photos courtesy of Toby and Edgar Buonagurio/MTA Arts for Transite Urban Design

Toby Buonagurio stands adjacent to one of the 35 pieces of Times Square Times: 35 Times displayed at the station.

Photos courtesy of Toby and Edgar Buonagurio/ MTA Arts for Transite Urban Design

Buonagurio's art can be found at Times Square.

20 solo exhibitions.Those seeking to view more of or purchase photographs of Buonagurio’s work can find it on her website www. tobytimessquare.com/home. html. She also did a piece in the Simons Center for Geometry and Physics when the building was constructed. “I wanted to do something that had to do with physics, and the iconic concept of physics was earth air fire water,” she said. Buonagurio, who draws her inspiration for her pieces from the environment around her, created the butterflies, which embod the four elements. “I think of that as my legacy to the university and...I made it with that idea knowing that this would be something that would be there when I’m not,” she said. “That thinking applied to Times Square subway too, my legacy to the city.” With Buonagurio’s exhibition on the horizon it is a way for Buonagurio to bring something new to her home away from home. “I think having this show at Stony Brook, you’re seeing all of the images in one place,” Buonagurio said. “It’s sort of importing a little bit of Times Square into Stony Brook.”

College Gal Cooking: three cheese tortellini with chicken By Nicole Bansen

Arts & Entertainment Editor

It is no secret that college students are less than healthy when it comes to the food they eat. Foods like Easy Mac and ramen are appealing to the average college student's budget as well as to those who don't want to wait around for dinner to cook. But are they good for you? Heck no! I do not know about you, but after a while, I grow sick of that food and look for something with more flavor and nutrients. So, if you are ready to take that step away from typical college food, this dish may be exactly what you need. Ingredients: - A pack of tortellini (can be cheese/meat/spinach) - A jar of tomato basil sauce

A jar of Alfredo sauce Chopped basil Olive oil Chicken breast Sea Salt Garlic pepper Parmesan cheese

Fill a medium to large pot halfway with water and bring it to a boil. Once the water is boiling, empty your package of tortellini into the pot and let it cook for seven to eight minutes or as the package suggests. Stir occasionally. While the tortellini cooks, grab a medium sized frying pan and coat the bottom with olive oil. Put the pan on a stovetop burner and keep the heat setting below a power of two. Next, get your chicken breasts and place them on a cutting board or a plate and cut horizontal strips. When you

finish, take the strips, and cut them into small chunks. Take the chunks of chicken and place them into the frying pan. Once they are all in, add a dash of sea salt and garlic pepper. When cooking chicken, it is always safe to have a meat thermometer to help you tell when it is fully cooked, but if you do not have one, make sure to cook the chicken for at least six minutes on each side and, if when you cut the chicken clear liquid comes out, that should be good. If you cut the chicken and it is pink in the middle, let it cook until all of the chicken is white. While the chicken cooks, take your chopped basil and mix it in a small bowl with the parmesan and about a tablespoon of olive oil. When you flip the chicken, pour the parmesan and basil over the chicken and stir it for a

little bit. By now, your tortellini should be done. When you drain the water, make sure to shake your colander to get rid of any excess water that may be in the tortellini. Next, throw the tortellini back into the pot

and mix one cup of tomato-basil sauce with one cup of Alfredo sauce. Stir and let it sit. When your chicken is done, you can either mix it with the tortellini or eat it on the side. This recipe serves two.

NICOLE BANSEN/ THE STATESMAN

This tortellini chicken dish ditches your typical college food.

OPINIONS 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...................................Heather Khalifa Assistant Multimedia Editor....................................Jesus Pichardo Assistant Copy Chief..............................................Briana Finneran Archivist ................................................................ Marley Solomon Business Manager ............................................ Frank D'Alessandro Advertisement Layout............................................Frank Migliorino 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.

PHOTO CREDIT: MCTCAMPUS

Editorial: Good luck with the semester! Welcome back, Seawolves! We are happy to see the campus filled with life again. We hope your break was filled with adventures, from getting out of the country for a fun trip to just barely waking up before noon. Maybe you learned something new, saw something incredible or did something awesome. Or maybe your break was filled with trips around the world or just trips to your fridge. No matter what your break consisted of, we hope it was exactly what you wanted and that you are energized for the new semester. The spring semester always progresses quickly, with work adding up before you get the chance to fully settle in. Take full advantage of the cold weather and stay on top of those beginning assignments—we recommend taking care of the heavy work

now while the weather is still frigid. At the beginning of every semester, The Statesman comes

“The open house is planned for Tuesday, Feb. 4th, at 7p.m., so plan to be there!”

up with a set of goals we seek to accomplish. Some of them are objectives that we always attempt to improve upon— such as increased coverage of events and continued

expansion of our social media presence—while some are new to this organization, like the production of numerous broadcast shows that will begin to air online by the end of February. The Statesman will be holding an open house to present students with what we do, how we operate and demonstrate the opportunities available to students who are interested in getting involved with the most trusted news organization on campus. We are looking for people who are interested in writing for any section, photographers and cartoonists. The open house is planned for Tuesday, Feb. 4, at 7 p.m., so plan to be there! Lastly, we wish you the best of luck on your first day of classes and for the rest of the semester! SincerelyThe Editorial Board

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. PHOTO CREDIT: MCT CAMPUS

Opinions

The Statesman

Monday, January 27, 2014

Avoiding the 'Freshman Fifteen' dependent on strong self-determination By Emily Benson Staff Writer

It is the horror we have all heard about, the threat that hangs over the heads of all incoming college students: the 'Freshman Fifteen.' A myth that is as old as college itself, it claims that every student's first year at school will be greeted with a large gain in weight. But fear not, because despite what you have heard, the freshman fifteen is completely fictitious. Gaining weight is college is not something that just happens - it is caused by a lack of motivation. Yes, it is true that it does get harder to control your meals and proportion your food in college, but those changes in a diet are not going to be the main cause of weight gain. It’s not easy, but choosing the right meals and the right amount to eat can be done. Yes, ordering pizza to the dorm is more convenient than walking across campus for a salad, but it is not fair to say that it is impossible to do. Even though adjusting to a new living lifestyle, adopting new study habits and keeping your health

under control can feel nearly impossible at times, there are plenty of things that can be done to fend off those 15 pounds. First, do not keep an excessive amount of snacks in your dorm. It does not matter how much selfcontrol you claim to have, when it is four in the morning and there are five papers due in three hours you will be eating nothing else. Low-fat popcorn and pretzels are tasty snacks to munch on while studying that w ill not do a lot of damage. It also helps to carry your work out clothes to class with you. Just throw sneakers, a t-shirt and shorts in a duffle bag and you won’t have to go back to your dorm to change before working out. It might not seem like it would make a big difference but dorm rooms are easily distracting. You walk in and see Netflix, Oreos and a warm, fluffy bed. Suddenly that motivation to exercise has flown right out the window. So avoid the temptation and just go straight to the gym. Also, try not to be sporadic about exercising. Write down a schedule for what days to work out and for how long on each day. This gives

guidance and more structure to your routine. The problem with staying healthy in college is that it is so easy to get distracted. All that time you set aside to study will almost always lose to playing video games and relaxing with

friends. But then afterward you realize you need even more time to study so you cancel going to the gym and the cycling pattern of “I’ll just go tomorrow” begins. Everybody knows this feeling. What is worse is that nothing can really be done about it without

the self-determination to not do so. Students need to make sacrifices in order to balance health, school and social life, and it is never an easy choice, but it is something that needs to be done to stay on top of your health.

PHOTO CREDIT: MCTCAMPUS

The gross availability of junk food to college students adds to the 'Freshman Fifteen.'

On Bieber's bad behavior Can online classes replace traditional classes?

By Michael Newcomer Staff Writer

Dear Mr. Bieber (Can I call you Justin?), Being an entitled jerk can be fun. Trust me, I vaguely remember being two. That whole “mine” phase, I am sure, was enthralling. You are not responsible for much at that age, mostly trying to stop going to the bathroom in public, which at 19 you are still trying to master (remember the bucket incident, because we all do). Fortunately for us, we have all grown out of our entitled phase because it really is not endearing. There is so much wrong with

“Your toxicology results look like that of Lohan on a quiet night in. Get it together.” the stunt you pulled last week. For starters, the whole drunk driving thing. I get that you blew a .014 (according to TMZ, the most trustworthy news source, I know), which is like the equivalent of drinking two-thirds of a shot, but you have been to Florida enough to know they do not play around with that. Even if that was not so bad, you were simultaneously high on pot and Xanax. Your toxicology results look like that of a Lohan on a quiet night in. Get it together. Beyond that, blocking off a street so you could drag race in Miami Beach? Between the botoxed bimbos and old Jewish ladies, no

one in Florida can drive! It is literally a daily scene from Death Race. But most of all, this behavior screams “egotistical brat.” For decades, the Canadians have shaken their heads at stereotypical American behavior, and the tables have finally turned. Or maybe we have turned you into one of us. Either way, why can not you be like one of those kids from Degrassi. Look at what happened to the wheelchair user, and that was just the wheelchair user! He survived a school shooting and still became Drake. You can make it through this. I do not think you need rehab. I think the simple solution is you just stop acting like an idiot. I know, I know, your parents are enablers and everyone around you is using you. Same with anyone in the entertainment industry. Your story is not unique, but your precedent as supreme fool is. All we have control over in life is our decisions, and you are the Titanic post-iceberg of your own life. I remember when I was a kid, I once accidentally spat my bubblegum into a Japanese businessman's hair trying to blow a bubble in Las Vegas. I don't actually know that he was Japanese, but excuse my 6-year-old self for racially profiling. The fear and humiliation I felt from the single coldhearted stare from my mother that said "you are such an idiot and I hate you right now" as she tried to pull gum out of the hair of a very pissed off Japanese businessman (he was mostly bald, he shouldn't have freaked out like that) was enough to ensure that I never did something so stupid in public again. I feel like no one close to you has ever called you an idiot for being such a public fool. I am sure someone will eventually, but until then, enjoy the sense of entitlement most of us only experience when we are two.

By Tejen Shah Staff Writer

You often hear of people obtaining high school, undergraduate or even graduate degrees through online courses offered by a school or university. They obtain the same qualifications as someone who physically attended classes, paid full tuition and thoroughly took part in high school or university life. They go through the same course work, the same exams and the same stresses as their “not as advanced” peers. Recently, Stony Brook University announced that its online graduate program has moved up in the “U.S. News and World Report” rankings; it was at No. 25 in 2013 and recently jumped three spots to No. 22. This got me thinking: are these online programs really beneficial? Can they offer the same advantages as taking live classes? My sister, Janani Shah, an alum of The University of Ottawa ’12 says that online classes are not for everyone. “If you are organized, then yeah, it is great and easy. But, on the other hand if you aren’t,

you are likely to fall behind. You have to be on top of things.” She pointed out that people who have the work ethic to succeed in these classes, and are able to keep up with assignments are the ones who end up doing well. Otherwise, it is just a waste of time. I feel as though there is no substitute for actually being there when someone is teaching. There is nothing better than the real thing. “About the things I retained from those online classes; I couldn’t tell you because it wasn’t much.” It is evident that the online classes that Shah took might be a reflection of all online courses. Maybe they are adequate for fulfilling certain holes in a student’s resume, or perhaps courses that can be taken as supplements to a real-life course load, but to be able to obtain something as coveted as a graduate degree (regardless of the subject) without leaving your own home seems farfetched to me. How can one sit at a computer all day and expect to have the same experience as someone who takes real classes? I

do not think they can. Maybe there needs to be an extended study done on online classes/degree programs versus live ones. Perhaps if we take two students, of similar academic backgrounds and relatively the same degree of intelligence, and enroll student A in an online program and student B in the same program (hopefully with the same curriculum) but an inperson version. During the process, we would see how each student fares and after the class or classes, we can see who has gotten more out of the experience. Another option is to enroll the same student in an online course and a physical course that have different syllabi, but at the same time are equal in difficulty. Granted, there are several wildcards in this type of experiment, but it could tell us a lot. So, do online classes work? To be honest, I do not really know. But what I do know is that it probably would not work for me. I say try it out for yourself if you even get the chance. You might be able to save some time, money and even stress.

PHOTO CREDIT: MCTCAMPUS

Online classes are still struggling to compete with the value of real, in-person classes.

Monday, January 27, 2014

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The Statesman

Monday, January 27, 2014

BILL COSBY Staller Center for the Arts presents

Exclusive

Tickets reserved exclusively for Stony Brook University students go on sale Saturday, March 1 at 12:00 noon while supply lasts. Stony Brook University student price: $37.50 in-person at the Staller Center Box Office with student ID. One ticket per ID.

GALA 2014 Saturday, March 8 8:00 pm Staller Center Main Stage

Staller Center, Stony Brook University â&#x20AC;˘ stallercenter.com â&#x20AC;˘ (631) 632-ARTS [2787]

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for SBU students!

Monday, January 27, 2014

Opinions

Women's basketball stays hot during cold winter break By Andrew Eichenholz Staff Writer

Master of Arts in

MEDICAL HUMANITIES, COMPASSIONATE CARE AND BIOETHICS Not just for healthcare professionals, this program serves students from a wide range of disciplines and professional backgrounds, building on a commitment to medical humanism and ethics that has defined education for Stony Brook students for more than three decades. The Master of Arts program can be completed in as little as one year.

“It is through my Master of Arts in Medical Humanities, Compassionate Care and Bioethics that I was able to enrich my knowledge base to include an ethical, medical and legal approach to often challenging situations.” — Robyn McKeefrey, MA Program Graduate

“The MA program opened my eyes to new avenues to connect to our patients with respect and compassion. It inspired me to pilot a program for Arts in Medicine, which has made my staff more receptive to the non-medical needs of their patients.” — Linda Bily, MA Program Graduate

APPLICATION DEADLINES FOR FALL 2014 U.S. Residents: July 1, 2014 International Students: May 15, 2014 For more information or to apply to the program, visit stonybrook.edu/bioethics/masters or email Michael.Ortega@stonybrookmedicine.edu

Stony Brook University/SUNY is an affirmative action, equal opportunity educator and employer. 13120693

The Statesman

The only parts of winter break that coach Beth O’Boyle’s women’s basketball team took off were the losses. After a season in which the Seawolves were much improved, they still had a 10-loss record in the America East conference. Looking at the standings, it is not hard to see a huge difference. Since school recessed in late December, Stony Brook has done anything but fall back, winning 7 of 9 games including a couple of non-conference beat downs heading into their America East schedule. Two defeats coming at the hands of a very talented Seton Hall team and a conference foe New Hampshire are nothing to look down at, as the team is arguably having its best season in years. When the season first began, the spotlight was on junior Sabre Proctor and sophomore sensation Brittany Snow. If the Seawolves were to come full circle in their rebuild, the burden would be on the shoulders of two young forwards to really push the team forward. Little did Stony Brook fans know that two of the elder statesmen on the team, junior transfer Jessica Ogunnorin and senior Chikilra Goodman would emerge to make Stony Brook a force to be reckoned with. With many options to pick from, one player did not single-handedly will the team to their strong performance to start conference play, but the grittiness of the group as a whole proved to be their identity. A defining trend that has continued to propel O’Boyle and crew to many victories has been that toughness, and the ability to fight for every possession. The one stat in which that really shines through is their performance on the glass. In every game, Stony Brook was on the winning side of the rebound battle, with their only loss in that category coming in a win. What does not show on the stat sheet is the frustration that rebounds, especially on the offensive glass causes for opponents. Frustrating the other team is certainly not the worst thing the Seawolves could do as the bulk of the conference schedule rolls around. In the games that have come and gone from the end of 2013 until now, everybody on the roster has done their part in adding to the overall toughness on the court. Three different players led the Seawolves in rebounds for a given game, as Goodman, Ogunnorin and Snow all had at least one game with double digit rebounding. Having more players able to exploit the other team is important as the season continues, making it harder for a group to solely focus on shutting down one player. The same thing has been evident with putting the ball in the hoop for Stony Brook, as three players have all topped the scoring rankings during break. As most Seawolves packed their bags as finals wrapped up, the Seawolves Holiday Classic got started on campus at Pritchard Gymnasium. Two emphatic performances later, the Seawolves had some much needed confidence as the America East season drew nearer. In the first game of the mini-tournament held at home, the Seawolves took down Monmouth 69-52. The wealth was surely spread, with Proctor leading three teammates who had double figures with 19 points. A quick start was all they needed, holding onto a 14 point halftime lead for the win. Much like the first game, Stony Brook had no problem dispatching Wagner. Despite not having as quick of a start, the Seawolves finished strong in the second half to take out the Seahawks 70-51. Proctor and Ogunnorin both had massive days, both

tallying double-doubles. After a small blip against top-level school Seton Hall, in which the Seawolves did manage to hang tough, Stony Brook closed out their non-conference schedule with a tight victory against Columbia, gaining momentum for the most important part of the season. The America East schedule that in reality is the vital part of the year for the Seawolves started strongly for O’Boyle’s team. Right away, the grind of the conference gritted it’s teeth right at Stony Brook, as the team was challenged immediately. Hartford jumped out to a huge lead towards the end of the first half. For a period of time, the deficit was steadily in the double-digits, but nobody packed their bag and walked off the court. An intense fight back later, and an inspired comeback led by 20 points from Proctor handed Stony Brook a 61-57 win. In their only loss within the conference to date, Proctor and crew showed that this team’s “never say die” attitude is an identity rather than a fluke. Once again facing a huge deficit, this time reaching a high of 17 points, a career night for the star junior Proctor dragged the team back into a battle. Forcing overtime by tying the game within the last minute, the fight would end with a tough overtime loss. When teams go through such emotionally taxing games, one would think that it would affect the rest of the season. With this Seawolves team, nothing is further from the truth. After their first America East loss, no more have followed. Three strong wins have put Stony Brook on a roll heading into the backend of the season. In a low-scoring affair against SUNY rival Binghamton, guard Miranda Jenkins took matters into her own hands. Back and forth the whole game, both teams battled for the lead as momentum constantly shifted, leading to a dramatic finish. With just 34 seconds left, Jenkins hit a clutch jumper to grab the lead for the Seawolves. As time winded down, Goodman knocked down two pressure-ridden free throws to seal the victory for Stony Brook. Guard Teasha Harris could not let everybody else have all the fun in the Seawolves next game against University of Massachusetts Lowell, as the guard exploded in a big win. Contributing 17 points with four rebounds and three assists, the senior helped to excite the Pritchard Gymnasium crowd in a 86-63 win. Kim Hanlon also found her stroke, hitting three three pointers in a solid nine point performance. Just in time for students to move back into their dorms, Stony Brook recorded their most emphatic win by far in a dominating victory, 83-49 over Vermont. Considering it was 47-38, and then 49-40 early in the second half, the fact that the Seawolves closed out so strongly shows that they have a second gear to challenge any team. Four players reached double digits on the scoring line for Stony Brook, but even more impressive were the rebounding numbers. Nearly double the amount of rebounds, and almost three times the amount of offensive boards allowed the Seawolves to control the basketball in the second half, and create the blowout. 61percent shooting from the field in the huge second half didn’t hurt the cause. After starting their conference schedule so strongly, O’Boyle said, "Our non-conference schedule was very challenging, and it was great to see our players perform well on the road and at home. As we head into the heart of our America East schedule, I hope those experiences will help us continue to do well." At this point, a team that was at the bottom of the conference just a couple of years ago is doing more than just fine.

Sports

The Statesman

Monday, January 27, 2014

Men's basketball maintain perfection in America East play

By Andrew Eichenholz Staff Writer

Winter break may be associated with calm and quiet, but the Stony Brook men’s basketball team was anything but. Full of excitement and opportunity, those who have not followed the Seawolves since school recessed have missed plenty of accomplishments. Senior Dave Coley may not have had the best start to a season in his college career, but ever since students packed the win, one night seemed to spark his confidence and move things in a positive direction. In the last game of 2013, just before Christmas, Coley scored his 1,000th point in a dominating victory over Cornell. On a three-point attempt from NBA-type range, the senior held his follow through to watch the ball swish right into the net, making him the 22nd player in school history to achieve the feat. The senior was soon greeted with plenty of applause from the Pritchard Gymnasium crowd as the public address announcer let the accomplishment be known. Ever since, then the guard has been on a tear. Arguably the toughest team on the schedule for this season was VCU, a perennial threat in the NCAA tournament. Not only posing a tough test to start the new year, this team led by Shaka Smart, set a bar for coach Steve Pikiell’s team to measure itself against. In a high-quality first half, Coley and the Seawolves got off to a quick start, looking like a team that can hang with the big boys. A mere bounce here and there kept Stony Brook from going into the half with a lead, but the Rams were up by one after 20 minutes. Extremely impressive were the duo of Coley and arguably the best player in the America East, sophomore Jameel Warney. Both were efficient in a first half that was kept at the pace of Pikiell’s Seawolves, keeping it under Stony Brook control. At the beginning of the second half, the press-pressure from VCU shocked Stony Brook, leading to a massive run effectively making the game a breeze the rest of the way. A loss is a

loss, but one that shows glimpses of how well this team could be is a good omen for the rest of the year. Looking to get back on track, the Seawolves had an away game right near home, facing Columbia in New York City. Although expected to win this one, there was not much Stony Brook could do about the outrageous three-point shooting performance by the Lions. Converting on 40 percent of shots from long range as a team, Columbia knocked down 12 from beyond the arc, putting Stony Brook in a tough spot in the 68-63 loss. Always adding even in a loss, was Warney, scoring 20 points on the night to keep the game competitive. After a couple of losses in a row, a fan might worry about turning things around, even after playing well for the majority of the year. Pikiell said, “You can't get too high after a win or too low after a loss because there's always another game to play.” The most important part of the season is always the games with the asterisk next to them on the schedule. On Jan. 12, Pikiell and the Seawolves started the bulk of their America East schedule against Hartford. From there on out, Stony Brook has looked intent on once again winning the regular season conference championship, attempting to make the NCAA tournament. Against Hartford, Coley backed up his recent accomplishment with an efficient 20 point game. The senior went 8 for 13 from the field to lead Stony Brook to the 73-50 win. Carson Puriefoy added with 10 points of his own, getting to the line often, using his trademark speed to draw fouls. Making the away game a party of guards, Ahmad Walker dropped 10 as well, helping the backcourt to nearly outscore Hartford all by themselves. Stony Brook’s frontcourt would not let all the spotlight shine on the guards, as Warney and Eric McAlister nearly outrebounded SUNY rival Binghamton on their own. The big men both reached double digits in the 67-47 win, with 13 and 15 points respectively. However quiet a 20-point night could be, Coley once again put the ball in the basket, adding six rebounds and four assists

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With Sunday's victory over Maine, the Seawolves have now won six straight games. to his total for a big night. In a tricky matchup against a new America East team in UMass Lowell, Stony Brook avoided the trap in hanging on for a difficult 70-65 win. In a huge group effort, everybody contributed in different ways, especially by spreading the wealth in putting the ball in the hoop. Shocking nobody, Warney once again had a big game, recording a double- double of 14 points and 10 boards. Although Coley and Puriefoy added in a big way with 10 and 14 points respectively, the real star of the night was Walker. Known for his athleticism and energy on both sides of the ball, the flying guard had his best game to date, going for 18 points in the win. The three game stretch that continued conference play after the new year was huge in that not only did the team win, but they showed their depth in doing so. Senior Anthony Jackson was suspended for an undisclosed violation of team rules from the Hartford game through the win against UMass Lowell, forcing all the Seawolves to step up. Puriefoy has shown no problem with doing just that, filling in well as starting point guard ever since. Coach Pikiell has

also extended his rotation, giving minutes to guys that have mostly played at the backend of blowouts, in times where every possession has counted. Once the conference tournament rolls around, it is inevitable that injuries and fatigue will be a factor. The more guys that could step up, the better chance Stony Brook will have. In the last away game before students would head back to their dorms for spring semester, Baltimore received the Seawolves for a matchup with UMBC. Coley dropped 22 with Warney adding another double- double in a 81-62 win. Jackson helped the cause in his first game back with 11 points on solid three point shooting. In a packed Pritchard Gymnasium, Vermont, the only other undefeated team in the conference, came to challenge Stony Brook. Warney and company entertained the crowd in an outstanding first half, grabbing a 16-point lead at the end of the first 20 minutes. Televised on ESPNU, the big man’s efficiency down low was apparent right from the start, and when that lead disappeared, the team truly needed it. Jackson kept the game from spiraling totally out of control with a couple of clutch

Hockey moves up to No. 6 in the nation over break By Cameron Boon Staff Writer

While most of the campus was away on break, the Stony Brook Seawolves Hockey team was at work climbing up to 6th in the nation in last week’s polls of the American Collegiate Hockey Association. They started the break in Hershey, Pa. taking on Lebanon Valley College in a two game weekend series. They had hosted the Dutchmen earlier in the season and swept the weekend handily. This time on the road, however, was a tougher task. Credit LVC’s grit, or the relaxed attitude of the Seawolves in the first game. Either way, Stony Brook let up a late empty net goal and lost the game 6-4. That would serve as a wakeup call however, as the Seawolves would jump to a 2-0 lead on the

second day. The Dutchmen would answer with two power play goals, and then Stony Brook took control. They would score four unanswered and earn the series split with a 6-2 victory. On January 12th, the Liberty Flames, then-4th in the country, would come to the Rinx at Hauppauge to take on the then 9thranked Seawolves in a big weekend series. Stony Brook came out firing and controlled the first period, going up 3-0 and they would keep their distance, winning the game by the same three-goal margin, 7-4. On the next day, however, the Flames showed why they had that high ranking coming in. Stony Brook came out firing and had two goals in three minutes to take a 2-0 lead. The Flames would come back and tie the game at three going into the third and then score two in the

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SBU ended the break on a four-game winning streak. final period to take a 5-3 win and a series split back home. The next weekend, Stony Brook would sweep the West Virginia Mountaineers, winning 3-1 on Saturday and 4-2 on Sunday. This past weekend, the Seawolves

took Delaware in another matchup of two top-10 teams and they would make it two sweeps in twoweekends, winning both games 4-2 and 8-4. With this four-game winning streak, the Seawolves improve to 19-4-3 on the season.

three pointers, but when the gym got quiet as Vermont tried to tie the game in the closing minutes, Warney was the star. A couple of blocks, and some spin-moves down low later, and Stony Brook escaped with a huge 67-64 win. Warney went for 18, Jackson 16 and forward McAlister had a big night with a near double- double of eight points and 10 rebounds. Although Vermont was an important game on the schedule, there are still more important games to come according to Pikiell. “We beat a very good Vermont team, but we have to turn our attention to a quality Maine team because we play them less than two days later. So we're going to continue to focus one game at a time and worry about getting better as the season goes." As classes resume, Stony Brook is firmly in first place in the America East conference as the only undefeated team. For the rest of the season, everything will be building towards attempting to get home-court advantage for the finals of the conference tournament, which from the recent atmosphere, Seawolves fans would certainly warmly welcome.

Upcoming Men’s basketball schedule Regular Season Jan. 29 at Albany Feb. 1 vs. Hartford Feb. 4 at Binghamton Feb. 8 vs. UNH Feb. 15 at UMass Lowell Feb. 19 vs. UMBC Feb. 23 at Maine Feb. 27 at Vermont Mar. 2 vs. Albany America East Tournament Mar. 8 - Quarterfinals Mar. 9 - Semifinals Mar. 15 - Final

Sports

Walker nets 22 as Seawolves defeat Black Bears 79-61 By Zach Rowe Staff Writer

This Sunday afternoon, as students began to move back into the dorms for the start of classes, the Stony Brook Seawolves Men’s Basketball team hosted the Maine Black Bears. The Seawolves went in following a huge win over rival Vermont on Friday night, and hoped to ride that momentum against the 3-15 Black Bears. Although one of weakest teams in the America East, the Black Bears are also one of the most unique. They are one of the youngest teams, without a single senior on their roster. The roster is also built up of a unique cast of characters, as coach Ted Woodward has filled it with a variety of international players, hailing from Canada, Lithuania, Nigeria, Germany, Finland and Serbia. At the end of the game, the Seawolves had won 79-61. The star of the game was undoubtedly Ahmad Walker. Maine played a very unique style of basketball, which seemed to give the Seawolves trouble in the first half. The Black Bears played an aggressive and athletic brand of basketball, running in transition and forcing a lot of double teams. This caused the Seawolves offense trouble, as they were not able to convert much at the offensive end. However, the Seawolves were able to outdo Maine on defense, as they caused the Black Bears’ offense even more problems. The Black Bears only shot 16 percent halfway through the first, and could not even break 10 points until five minutes remained in the half. At that time, the Seawolves had jumped to a 23-11 lead. However, that basket sparked a run for the Black Bears, as they closed the gap to 27-20 by the end of the half. The Maine playstyle affected each Stony Brook player a little differently. Eric McAlister thrived in the run

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Redshirt freshman Ahmad Walker had 22 points on 9-of-12 shooting with 11 rebounds in the Seawolves victory. and gun game, shooting a perfect 4-4 in the half, with 10 points, five rebounds and a block. Ahmad Walker found the game to fit his slashing style well, as he scored six points on 3-5 shooting while pulling down four rebounds. Meanwhile, Maine’s focus on double teaming and the fast game caused Jameel Warney issues, as his game centers on the post game. He failed to score a single basket in the period. Dave Coley went down with an apparent leg injury early in the half, and it seemed to hamper him even as he came back, as he shot

a poor 2-7 from the field. The Seawolves, as a whole, were only able to shoot 36.4 percent in the half, with a meager 10 percent from the three point line. However, in the second half, Stony Brook was able to start to pull away. Their guards lead the charge, as Coley and Jackson were able to get their shots to start falling, while Ahmad Walker kept up his great day and even shot a three pointer. Warney, despite getting himself into foul trouble, was able to make the most of his time on the court. As a result, the Seawolves were

Brook’s campus Sunday afternoon, Brittany Snow dominated down low, grabbing. Eight rebounds to lead the team. Only taking a few shots for the game, she added three points and an assist in the victory. Surprising nobody was junior Sabre Proctor, overcoming a slow start to once again reach double digits, scoring 11 points against the Black Bears. With two early fouls, it was hard for the forward to get going, leaving the scoring column of the stat sheet blank in the first half. With a 12 point lead as the buzzer sounded at the 20 minute mark, Proctor dominated a second half in which a reasonable lead ballooned to 27. Senior Chikilra Goodman lead the team with 12 points, converting on 6 of 9 field goals she attempted. The guard didn’t just put the ball in the basket, but distribute

and rebound as well. With five boards and six assists, Goodman, having her best year as Seawolf continues to contribute in all facets of the game. Guards Miranda Jenkins and Kori Bayne-Walker got in on the act, both dropping 10 points each. The guards have continued to get more and more minutes, making the most of them in every game. As Stony Brook gets deeper into the season, the more depth, the easier it will be to compete. The Seawolves come home to Pritchard Gymnasium on Thursday night to take on rival Albany, giving O’Boyle’s team a huge opportunity to move into first place in the conference. The Seawolves will take on conference-rival Albany Thursday, followed by an away game with Hartford on Super Bowl Sunday.

Seawolves defeat Maine 65-49 By Andrew Eichenholz Staff Writer

With an impressive 65-49 win at Maine, Stony Brook women’s basketball moved into second place in the America East Conference. An all-around solid performance, Coach Beth O’Boyle’s team did not need to pull off their typical Houdini tricks, taking an early lead and never letting go. With four players in double digits and another right on the border, everybody had a part in the sixth win of the conference schedule for the Seawolves. Keeping up their identity, Stony Brook was phenomenal on the boards, outrebounding Maine at the Cross Insurance Center 4530, getting many second-chance opportunities by winning the battle of the offensive glass 16-9. As the snow fell on Stony

able to overpower the Black Bears’ defense as the score was 59-34 halfway through the second. The Black Bears were never able to make the game close again, and the Seawolves started to have a little fun, throwing down a couple of alleyoops that electrified the crowd. He scored 22 points on the day on 9-12 shooting, with 11 rebounds to make his second career double double. Coley also had a solid game, with 17 points with six rebounds. Carson Pureifoy lead the team with 5 assists, and even senior Ben Resner saw minutes, with Coach

Pikiell answering the crowds calls to put him in the game. Xavier Pollard lead the Black Bears with 19 points, five assists and five rebounds. “I think early on we were just trying to do too much, we didn’t come out with enough energy early in the game. But, we turned it on in the second half,” Walker said. The Seawolves will travel to Albany on Wednesday. They hope to prolong a record winning streak of America East wins in a season without losing, as they hope to improve to 8-0.

Spring Sports Opening Days Men’s & Women’s Tennis Feb. 3 vs. ASA College Baseball - Feb. 14, three-game series at Southern Mississipi Men’s Lacrosse - Feb. 14 vs. Marist Softball - Feb. 21, Georgia TechKennesaw State Invite Women’s Lacrosse - Feb. 16 at Bucknell