I mean, what am I supposed to say? Past senior columns are flooded with relatable anecdotes, coming-of-age realizations and sappy messages that tell us it’s going to be okay. But when I reflect on my four years here, I question whether my story of perseverance and self-discovery is inspiring or relatable enough to share.

To speak candidly, college has been one of the most difficult times of my entire life. College did teach me about myself, but it did it by hurling me off a cliff into shark-infested water, leaving me to fend for myself. For the first time, I had unalloyed independence and unfiltered exposure, and the lessons it taught me changed my life.

I came into college with rigid expectations. My parents immigrated from Montenegro to Brooklyn, New York, with the hope of a better life. To them, the “American dream” meant working as hard as possible to get the highest-paying job within the most respectable career field — an ideology that I let guide me and my choices. In high school, I had straight As, took enough AP credits to graduate from college a year early if I wanted to and was the lead in my senior play. It was the classic overachieving, rule-following older daughter of immigrant parents who would make college her bitch storyline. College was the last hoorah, and what I did during it would make or break my dream. Of course I was going to get a six-figure job right out of graduation (lol), and the only way to do that was with a 4.0 GPA, a plethora of extracurriculars and the perfect internship.

I’ll tell you right now that my foolproof plan did not hold up.

When I got here, I wasn’t drowning in assignments and exams — I was drowning in revelations, self-doubt and confusion. To my surprise, college introduced me to depression, not career-building opportunities. The pressure to do my best academically was almost immediately overshadowed by my loss of identity, and it was debilitating.

My depression and anxiety exposed me to adversities in my personal life that I was unable to acknowledge, let alone confront, before being on my own. The generational trauma my parents unintentionally brought over was finally making itself known. My facade of confidence built on academic achievements and outside praise was crumbling. Suddenly, I had no energy to pursue my once seemingly tangible dream, crushed under the weight of thoughts that ate away at me and everything I thought was true.

I replaced As with Cs and Bs. My anxiety had reached such a high that I couldn’t participate in even one internship fair or group discussion. I had no interest in business administration, and with that, no interest in any of the classes I was taking or the work I was supposed to be doing. No perfect GPA. No internships. No clubs. I had done none of the things I thought college was for, and it only confirmed the thoughts that had begun this downward spiral.

So what now? The star student wasn’t a star student after all. What does that make of me?

I signed up for Pipe Dream my second semester of sophomore year. I needed something to pull me out of my pit of despair, and the newspaper seemed manageable. Pipe Dream was the first club I joined during my time at BU, and I am so thankful I did. I decided to join News, and it challenged me in all the ways I didn’t know I needed. For one, I had to actually leave my room, but I also had to attend events, conduct interviews (which at the time were really scary) and engage myself in a way that wasn’t motivated by a good grade or praise. I enjoyed writing articles, and I felt inspired for the first time in a long time.

I started taking classes based on interest, not the potential career benefits they may offer. I minored in graphic design for a bit my junior year and let myself explore the drawing, painting and design classes it offered. I found out that I’m surprisingly good at still-life drawing and color theory. I took writing classes and classes about gender studies and race. At this point, I had let go of who I thought I was supposed to be. My disciplined, scholarly high school self was long gone, and I was now focused on finding the things that made me feel good, inspired and fulfilled. I began therapy for the first time to address the adversities and traumas that rerouted my course. I was creating my foundation here at Binghamton University, and it had everything to do with understanding who I am and what I want from the world.

I was asked to be the Assistant News Editor for Pipe Dream during my junior year. I met some of the most dedicated and inspiring people in my life and developed a craft I never thought I’d practice. That same year, I joined the BU Marketing Association as their social media manager. My art classes unlocked a new part of me, and I wanted to continue creating graphics and posters with the design software I had learned to use. I interned as a writer and graphic designer for a pop culture magazine in New York City this past summer, purely because I thought I’d enjoy it. I’ve been in therapy for over a year now, and the benefits it has had on my mental health have been completely life-changing.

I’m graduating now with almost none of the skills or experience I thought I’d be leaving with when I got here four years ago. But what I’ve learned about myself and my place in this world has been more valuable and necessary than any grade, club or job could have been. I redefined success during my time here, and it is not climbing the corporate ladder or a six-figure job. Now I know that happiness, satisfaction and creativity are far more important to me than the salary I’ll receive. I know that I want to make a change in the world, and I’ll be patient and understanding with myself as I do it. I still have no idea what I will do once I’m out of here, but I am more prepared and confident in my abilities and choices than I have ever been. Sometimes life has a different plan for you, and that’s ok. Just keep swimming, and you’ll end up where you have to be.

OK, now to the thank you’s.

To my family: I love you guys so much. No matter what, I know what I do will make you proud. Everything is for you guys.

To Athina: The fact that we are about to live together for the fifth year in a row is astounding, and I am so thankful we are. My best friend since the first day of freshman year, I cannot imagine what this experience would have been like without you. Your unconditional love and support has made all the difference these past four years. I loveeee you Tina Babygirl

To Cam: The surprise that changed my world, I wish you came into my life earlier. The unconditional love and understanding you have given me in the past year has been magical. I am constantly in awe of your mind and how you view the world, and I just hope it continues to rub off on me. You have made me so happy and have shown me what it means to be a good person. I love you so much, thank you for everything.

To Ben and Lukas: I don’t think I would have ever, ever gotten here if it wasn’t for you guys. My tutors and confidants, thank you for being so kind and supportive and making our business classes even the tiniest bit more bearable. I will forever be indebted to you both for our friendship, and I can’t wait to see what you guys do in the future.

To Hamza: Thank you for giving me a chance. I don’t think you know how much of an impact joining Pipe Dream has had on me, but if it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t even be writing this! Your work and determination has inspired me since our first production, and I accredit so much of what I have learned here to you.

To Pipe Dream and my News team: Thank you for changing the direction of my life. Being a part of this team has been so fulfilling and accomplishing, and I am going to miss our time together so much. You are some of the most capable people I have ever met, I’m so confident in your ability to take the newspaper to a new level.

Melissa Cosovic is a senior majoring in business administration and is an assistant news editor.

Organized by United University Professions (UUP) — along with the​​ Graduate Students Employee Union (GSEU) — faculty, students and state legislators rallied from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. to demand more state funding for SUNY institutions, and to bring awareness to a proposal for a shift in funding.

Brendan McGovern, vice president for professionals of UUP and the lead organizer for the event, said the UUP is calling for the state to provide $110 million in direct support for SUNY campuses and $55 million for the hiring full-time faculty.

“We have 19 SUNY schools operating at a deficit, we have SUNY Teaching hospitals that are teetering on insolvency due to the lack of state support, and we need additional funding for programs like [Educational Opportunity Program (EOP)] that bring the benefits of higher education to all deserving New York state residents,” McGovern wrote in an email. “The state’s failure to fully fund SUNY threatens the future viability of New York’s public higher education system.

Speakers at the rally, which included NYS Senator Lea Webb, Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo and several BU students, were specifically protesting a recent proposal by Gov. Kathy Hochul that will increase tuition for SUNY and CUNY annually by 6 percent for the next five years — beginning next year. Attendees held signs reading “#FUNDSUNYNOW” and “OUR SUNY, OUR FUTURE,” and cheered on speakers as they presented.

Webb shared her support for more state funding, discussing the importance of affordable and accessible education, as a SUNY alum and member of UUP. Webb said SUNY has a “global impact,” and described why she feels challenging Hochul’s budget is important for the future of the SUNY system.

“And so, our respective one-house budget proposals from both the Assembly and the Senate really reflect that, not only are we talking the talk, but we are walking it because we understand that we are trying to rectify years of underinvestment,” Webb said. “But these steps are important to take in not just in a casual fashion, but a continuous and steady and equitable fashion. And now is the time to do that.”

Lupardo, who shared she is both a SUNY alum and professor of 10 years — also a member of UUP — assured the crowd of the support they have, stating that she and other advocates have rejected the tuition increase, are pushing for a raise in income eligibility for Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) and have instituted four SUNY flagships, instead of one. She went on to state that an increase in funding would benefit all of New York state, not just the Southern Tier.

“So listen folks, you have dedicated, committed, experienced advocates,” Lupardo said. “I think we’re both serving on the Higher Education Committee and now the senior member on that committee. We’re there. We’re making sure this happens. We will do our best. We are committed to doing our best because we are not only personally invested, we understand how valuable not only to this community, but to communities across the state.”

Along with UUP representatives, BU students also made their voices heard.

Shawna Stevenson, a second-year graduate student pursuing a masters in geography at BU, spoke on affordable and accessible education during her speech, sharing her own experience of leaving her career to pursue higher education.

“Whether you just came out of high school or you’re deciding to change your career, you should have access,” Stevenson said. “So I’m in favor of this legislation because it makes college more affordable for my community, my classmates and myself. The cost of college is more expensive now than ever before, and this legislation is a timely response to another proposed increase in costs. I think a quality affordable, equitable and accessible education system is something that we can be proud of in New York state.”

Q: What are your main research interests in the business field?

A: “I identify myself as a Consumer Behavior scholar. My professional life is about understanding consumers’ mindsets so as to improve their well-being and simultaneously help businesses do better in marketing. I believe in the power of effective marketing messages in changing the world by shifting consumer choices to more eco-friendly options and/or more inclusive options.

Most of my research topics focus on solving big social issues from a marketing perspective. For instance, I study why consumers like a sustainably-manufactured product more than a sustainably-sourced product, and when such a preference disappears. Relatedly, I study when consumers would support firms planting trees to offset their carbon emissions and when consumers would support firms adopting clean renewable energy to reduce their carbon emissions. I am also interested in how gender fluidity may reduce consumer choices driven by gender stereotypes.”

Q: What motivated your interest in social media marketing?

A: “Because it is super fun! I see social media marketing as a wonderworld with a lot to explore! I, myself, love graphic design. So, I am mainly interested in how consumers perceive graphical objects (e.g., emojis, images, colors and motions) and how to utilize this knowledge in marketing messages on social media to improve marketing efficiency. Social media also allows many pop cultures to be accessible to more people. So, I’d be interested in how brands may adopt pop cultures to satisfy niche markets and [whether] this type of culture adoption by brands brings a more inclusive marketplace. Lastly, it is undeniable that we all see a lot of ads on social media every day. So, I am also interested in how social media ads may improve consumer happiness by providing entertaining content.”

Q: How do you view the current landscape and future of social media marketing?

A: “This is a big question that I don’t quite have sufficient knowledge to respond to. However, from my own perspective, I see the current landscape of social media marketing has three major components — optimizing multichannel marketing efficiency within an organization using machine learning techniques, understanding consumer future demands through social media data and maintaining customer-brand relationships through content marketing and AI-enabled customer service tools.

In the future, I believe it is urgent for us to think deeply about social media’s role in protecting everyone’s well-being in the digital world under the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Given the current phenomena, such as AI social media influencers, Metaverse and NFTs, numerous social issues would arise sooner or later. For instance, what we read and watch online may be designed by algorithms, which always send us what we want to (vs. ought to) hear to make us stay longer on a site. This AI-enabled content delivery makes [it] harder to get access to new and different ideas, and the audience may be less likely to generate critical thinking in the long run. Additionally, more AI-generated fake content, such as fake company web pages and fake brand official social media accounts, would be harder for consumers to detect. For example, imagine if a social media ad created by a fake account delivers consumers to a fake brand web page to make a purchase. In this scenario, consumers will disclose their personal-identifiable information and probably get nothing after paying via that fake web page. How would this impact the real brand? Indeed, both consumers and brands would be harmed if this happened.”

Q: Why do you think marketing is an important tool for a business?

A: “We are in a world full of good options! So, how can a brand [stand] out in such a crowded marketplace with many close competitors? It is marketing’s job to let brands be unique! From my perspective, marketing is the art of brand communications. If brands communicate their values in a way that matches the needs and wants of their targeted consumers, it would be hard for brands to fail as long as their offerings are good. But, without efficient marketing strategies, consumers won’t be aware of brand offerings, as we receive too much information every day. Even if consumers are aware of a brand offering due to heightened needs, they won’t be persuaded to make a purchase if the ad message does not fit their identities or beliefs. So, without strategic marketing plans in this new century, businesses would be hard to survive due to fierce competition and ever-changing consumer demands.”

Q: Do you have any advice for students who want to enter the marketing field?

A: “I believe many people underestimate the requirements for being a good marketer. They may watch movies or TV series and feel that making a deal with customers is easy. But those are dramas! Marketing is much more complicated in the real world, especially in the digital age.

I’d recommend that each marketing student figures out how to do self-branding as an individual. This is because you are the one who knows your strength the best, so you should at least be able to market yourself well and convince others of your ability in a certain field. For instance, if people look at your LinkedIn page, they should be impressed by the tailored message and images you provide to brand yourself.

The second thing would be to read broadly. If you can learn knowledge in various fields, it would be easier for you to be creative and better understand different consumers with different hobbies, habits, cultural backgrounds and living conditions — what they like, how they talk to others, what taboos you should avoid, etc. Of course, each of us may have a few favorite niche areas to explore and be an expert in — those make a marketer stand out.

The last piece of advice is to be considerate as a human being. Even though [a] marketer’s main objective is to help a business make more money, it doesn’t mean markets should care less about the well-being of consumers. On the contrary, consumers can sense our good heart and be reciprocal if our advertising message is genuine.”

For the past two months, BTV6, a student-produced television network on Channel 6 and Student Association (SA) chartered club, and CSB, a club for students interested in film and cinema, have been working on merging into the Film and Production Society of Binghamton (FPS). FPS will have a unified executive and creative board — with the goal of providing workshops, freelance events, master classes and resources pertaining to film, cinema and film production.

The idea of the merger can be credited to Samson Nesser — former BTV6 president and a senior majoring in cinema — who is now a co-president of FPS. BTV6 has been a club at BU since 1982, but Nesser says the organization has struggled to maintain members and viewers of their network due to years of mismanagement.

Since becoming president two years ago, Nesser said he has been working on completely rebranding the club, with the final step being the merge with CSB.

“They weren’t a chartered club, they were just a group of students who were interested in film, and they had a decent amount of people who were interested in cinema and stuff like that,” Nesser said. “So, I reached out to their president. Her name is Nan [Lin], and we for the past two months have been working on a merger of clubs.”

Lin, the former CSB president, is the current FPS co-president and a sophomore majoring in business administration. Lin said merging into FPS offered an easy solution to the weaknesses of both BTV6 and CSB. After Nesser graduates this May, Lin will become the club’s sole president.

According to Lin, FPS will have both an executive board and a creative board, or “C-Board.”

“The [E-Board] will plan events and workshops and negotiate freelance opportunities for members, while the creative board will be focused on helping members produce their films of interest and learn more about a specific role (cinematographer, editor, etc.),” Lin wrote in an email. “Essentially, in addition to cool events, we will have lots of resources to make your film idea a reality!”

A major goal in redesigning, according to Nesser, was to transition BTV6 from a television production club to a club that offers a host of resources for producing and filming. This includes helping other clubs on campus in creating commercials and advertisements, as well as offering master classes on multiple production skills, Nesser explained.

FPS will be taking over the former BTV6 office and studio located in the Union Undergrounds. Office and studio renovations will continue, Nesser explained, which will include getting new couches and equipment, and getting rid of technology that does not work.

FPS has also written a completely new constitution and is working on requesting an SA grant in hopes of updating the office for production events, as well as film events.

“People … just enjoy film in general, so we’ll have movie nights and movie screenings in our new studio space,” Nesser said. “We’ll have couches and beanbag chairs and a projector. So we’ll be able to do movie screenings and stuff like that. If you just want to come and hang out in our studio and watch a movie in the middle of the day, you can do that.”

FPS has multiple projects in preproduction, including a local food show where members will discuss the history of local Binghamton food shops, and an episodic drama comedy titled “The Johnny Charisma Show.”

Along with their preproduction projects, FPS has already begun hosting campus events. Lin shared a few of the upcoming events that members and non-members can look forward to participating in, including a student film festival on March 18.

With many of the current board members due to graduate this May, Zagham Shah, the FPS production manager and a senior double-majoring in physics and cinema, shared his optimism for the future success of FPS.

“It is my hope that the leadership of FPS can build on this year’s struggles so that the organization can continue to grow well past their departure,” Shah wrote in an email. “I know the club has a history of fizzling away every few years, but I think that this E-Board and the new C-Board can successfully revive the club once more!”

For the past two weeks, four finalist candidates for the founding director position of the School of the Arts delivered presentations in front of Binghamton University faculty, administrators and students. Candidates were given an hour to present their credentials, creative practices and plans for the new school as the potential founding director, along with their version of the 21st century university. The presentations were followed by a Q&A where attendees questioned and challenged each candidate’s ideas, and ended with a half-hour opportunity for informal and individual conversation over coffee between faculty and candidates.

A finalist candidate survey was shared after each presentation, where attendees provided feedback on each candidate, to be reviewed and considered by the hiring manager and search committee chairs. Those that have attended presentations are encouraged to complete the surveys by Tuesday, Feb. 21.

Pamela Smart, associate dean for Faculty Affairs and Programmatic Initiatives at Harpur College and associate professor of art history and anthropology, and Dan Davis, associate professor of music, are the co-chairs of the search committee, working with a team to identify “dynamic and qualified candidates.”

According to Smart, the School of the Arts will enhance visibility and recognition of the arts programs offered in the current arts department, and build new transdisciplinary opportunities for students wanting to pursue a career in the arts.

“The proposed School of the Arts will foreground the virtues of the location of the arts within Harpur, affording students the opportunity not only to specialize in professional arts training toward a BFA or BM degree, but alternatively to pursue double majors in which their arts practice will augment their scholarly work and, reciprocally, their training in chemistry or comparative literature, for example, would enrich their creative practice,” Smart wrote in an email. “This initiative, then, responds to the conviction that our already strong arts programs can grow significantly with the institutional support of a school.”

Davis described the candidate selection process as a collaborative effort between representatives across the University and the arts departments. He followed with an analysis of the qualities the committee has searched for in potential candidates.

“The qualifications include but are not limited to a recognized and distinguished record of creative practice with national/international public and professional visibility, evidence of leadership, a track record of successful collaboration across artistic fields and evidence of success in promoting access, equity and inclusion.”

The first finalist candidate to present was Tom Lopez, a professor of compute music and digital arts at the Oberlin College Conservatory of Music and chair of the Technology in Music and Related Arts Department (TIMARA), who took the stage on Wednesday, Feb.8.

Lopez began his presentation with a review of his previous artistic work. He discussed unity and collaboration throughout the presentation, stressing his goal of communication within the School of the Arts. Lopez listed aspects of being a successful 21st century arts educator, which included expanding recruitment, broadening art mediums, collaborating with artists and funding for the school.

“Each one of these needs to be apart of our work to address this issue of diversity, equity and inclusion,” Lopez said. “It needs to be part of our process as we’re recruiting students. We’re identifying people to recruit. It includes our work supporting alumni. It includes our work with funding, audience members, faculty down the line. So this is just an overarching issue as we think about who’s involved with teaching art.“

The second candidate to present was Amy Deines, the dean of the College of Art and Design at Lesley University. Deines presented on Friday, Feb. 10, where she discussed her past experience in arts education and her plans for the School of Art.

Dienes presented a list of projects and policies she has implemented for multiple institutions, which included the development of a new general education curriculum that received a Davis Foundation grant, the launch of visual effects and game design programs and the institution of policies supporting BIPOC artists and diversity hiring practices.

Along with her initiatives, Dienes has helped in increasing art school enrollment and reach. When Dienes was the Founder and Executive Director of the Detroit Center for Design and Technology, she raised over $2 million in capital and dollars to support the center.

“What I do in terms of my leadership style, especially with this type of new position is to really take time to understand what is existing within our portfolio,” Dienes said. “When I say portfolio, I mean all of the programs. I do think there is a benefit of someone coming in with a fresh set of eyes to find out where those intersections happen. I’m really interested in being effective and efficient with the things that we do well and understanding where those synergies are.”

The third presentation took place on Wednesday, Feb. 15 at, where Christopher Robins, director of the School of Art+Design at SUNY Purchase College, shared his artistic projects and how he will utilize them in leading the new School of the Arts.

Robins’ career includes domestic and international work in art and academics, fundraising, nonprofits and corporate. Robins also worked at the Rhode Island School of Design and University of the South Pacific: Fiji and has fundraised for the U.S. State Department, United Nations, Creative Capital and other institutions. One of Robbins’ projects was his co-founding of the Ghana ThinkTank, an international art collaboration in which a network of think tanks in countries including Cuba, Ghana, Iran and Mexico solve problems. His work was recognized by the Venice Biennial of Architecture, National Museum of Wales, Hong Kong/Shenzhen Biennale and ZKM Museum of Contemporary Art.

Robbins’ presented the importance of business education for arts students, along with multiple other pointers.

“And then there’s business and entrepreneurial experience,” Robbins said. “For instance in my professional practice classes, I teach students how to form their own LLCs, to have a layer of protection when work is getting a bit risky and also show them how to get fiscal sponsors. They can start applying for larger grants and we draw holistic plans for graduation that encompass the business model, lifestyle, location. I remember Creative Capital said to me, ‘artists are permitted to have mortgages too,’ and it’s an important thing to start instilling early. We’re allowed to plan for the future.”

The final candidate to present was Timothy Nohe, artist, composer and tenured professor at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, who discussed his credentials and plans on Friday, Jan. 17.

Nohe’s art focuses on traditional and electronic media in civic life and public places, and has been recognized nationally and internationally by venues that include the Louvre Museum, the Danish Institute of Electro-Acoustic Music, Museu da Imagem e do Som and the Centre for Contemporary Arts. He is also a leader in residence for the Mellon Foundation funded MOLD program, where he mentors rising faculty of color and women at UMBC and the University of Maryland, Morgan State University. He is the recipient of a 2006 Fulbright Senior Scholar Award, five Maryland State Arts Council Awards and numerous commissions.

Nohe discussed the importance oof internal and external resources. Nohe focused on one of his projects, where he took his students to a grant-funded space open to the community of Baltimore, and drew conclusions on the implications of working with community organizations.

”And so there is a creative kind of ferment taking place thats being magnetized by artists in that neighborhood,” Nohe’s said. “We are encountering dispossession and being forced out of some warehouses to roll those over as workspaces for commuters to be close rail line, and so artists need to sort of put a stick in the ground, be full members of the community. We heart community organizations and being a part of these ad hoc places that are popping up for their stability. I can open that door and that flow between my campus and these community-based organizations because I’ve done the work with listening and connecting those organizations together.”

A final decision will based upon insight from various members of the BU community, Davis said.

“In this process, the committee is dedicated to hearing many voices across campus and beyond — faculty across departments, undergraduate and graduate students, academic leadership, staff, alumni and more,” Davis wrote. “Personally speaking, I’ve been particularly inspired by the level of student participation in the process — as evidenced by the large number of students from across the Arts who have repeatedly gathered together to discuss their ideas for the school.”

Patrick Saint Ange, a theatre department undergraduate representative for two years and a senior double majoring in sociology and English, has been attending the presentations and participating in the selection process. Saint Ange said he thinks the best candidate will be able to effectively unify the art departments as the founding director.

“I believe the best candidate is one who is personable and able [to] communicate effectively between departments,” Saint Ange wrote. “The Music, Theatre and Art departments rarely work together and could create incredible projects and learning opportunities for students if they did. The best candidate will be one who is able to organize and unify the art departments to create something great and uniquely [BU].”

On Nov. 9, the SA met to vote on the passing of a new resolution, titled “F2223-R3: Resolution to Address Electronic Disability Accessibility.” The resolution requires all SA video and photo media to be captioned, that the official SA website add a tab titled “Accessibility” — which provides resources and an explanation of the captioning guidelines — and that five to 10 minutes are spent discussing how to enact these recommendations during the SA Leadership Conference.

The resolution was initiated when the Technology Accessibility Advisory Group (TAAG) and Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) approached the SA on partnering to create and enforce more technological accessibility — according to Luca Cassidy, the author of the resolution. Cassidy is a sophomore majoring in economics who serves chief of staff for the vice president for student success (VPSS).

“In the past, students have come to SSD about [BU] related media content not being captioned,” Cassidy wrote in an email. “SSD has a representative on TAAG who communicated this to the committee and then the committee decided to work on that issue. They contacted us, and I agreed to work with them. We worked together to write the bill and have worked on an addition to the SA website that would educate students on how to make accessible content, but that is not ready just yet.”

Cassidy explained that the resolution requires all SA media content have alt-text that briefly describes visuals, including flyers, videos and pictures. He also stated that SA chartered organizations are not required to follow the legislation, but would be “glad to help” those that do plan to expand their electronic accessibility.

“In addition to pictures, flyers would have their information in the alt-text as well,” Cassidy wrote. “Lastly, videos should have captions on them. We plan to add a tab on the SA website titled ‘Accessibility’ that goes into this with more detail and with examples, but that is still in production.”

The passing of the legislation addresses multiple articles within the SA Constitution regarding the equal representation of undergraduate students, transcribed in the legislation document, as well as concerns on electronic accessibility that have been raised previously.

Article I of the SA Constitution was included in the legislation document, which reads that the SA “cannot have rules or undertake actions which discriminate against, or give preference to, anyone on the basis of academic discipline, age (unless required by law, insurance or University policy), ancestry, disability, ethnicity, gender, marital status, military affiliation, nationality, political belief, race, religion or sexual orientation.”

The legislation document also addressed a 2017 investigation performed by The U.S Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights on BU. The investigation found that the University did not adhere to multiple acts regarding electronic and technology access on campus, including section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

Christen Szymanski, director of the SSD, expressed gratitude for the SA and their commitment to collaboratively with TAAG when producing a resolution on accessibility.

“We believe the resolution is only the first step in improving equitable electronic access,” Szymanksi wrote in an email. “We look forward to working collaboratively with the SA and other student groups in the future to provide materials and resources on how to make their electronic content more accessible.”

Jesse La Scala, founder of the Disabled Students Union (DSU) — which was developed in the fall 2022 semester — and a sophomore double-majoring in English and environmental studies, believes the legislation will bring more awareness to the disabled community on campus, along with improving accessibility. Since last semester, there has been a positive shift in highlighting disabled voices on campus, La Scala explained, and they hope the passing will continue the shift.

“While these are amazing initial steps, there needs to be continuation in momentum for disability justice on campus,” La Scala wrote in an email. “Accessibility and education on how to make spaces more accessible tend to be an afterthought. With the changes in the [SA], creates conversation on how to improve accessibility. I hope other organizations on campus will follow in their footsteps and strive to open opportunities for all students.”

Last June, New York State Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the legal implementation of a SUNY Board of Trustees mandate, requiring all 64 SUNY campuses to update their policies on the use of chosen names, pronouns and gender identity by fall 2023. Under the “chosen name and pronoun” policy, all operational systems of SUNY campuses must reflect a student’s chosen name and pronouns. Under the mandate’s “gender X” policy, when collecting sex or gender data, SUNY universities must provide individuals with the option of choosing “X” as a gender, in addition to “M” for male and “F” for female.

Currently, Binghamton University students are already able to officially change their legal name and sex in student information systems by submitting an online form with legal documentation. By the end of this year, however, students who wish to update their legal sex will also have the option of choosing “X”, in addition to the currently offered options “M” and “F” — according to Anne Guanciale, director of intercultural affairs for the Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

Guanciale explained that the legal sex change mandate dismantles a traditional gender binary system on BU’s campus.

“Offering and expanding these options in campus data systems acknowledges that traditional binary categories for gender are insufficient,” Guanciale wrote in an email. “Gender is more of a spectrum. Having students’ identities accurately reflected in campus data systems is affirming and enhances a sense of belonging.”

While a chosen name and pronoun resolution had already been approved and issued by the SUNY Board of Trustees earlier this year, Hochul’s announcement defines the policy as New York State legislation, requiring SUNY universities to follow the mandate.

Along with the inclusion of “X” as a gender option, the University will continue expanding its legal sex fields by implementing gender identity and pronouns as two new fields, Guanciale explained. Students will be able to choose from multiple options within each field, with the choice to update being “completely optional.”

A Gender X and Pronouns and Implementation Committee was formed by the University, where members of faculty met to ensure that all systems on campus that require a legal sex field are considered in the policy. Dara Silberstein, associate research professor of women, gender and sexuality Studies, and a member of the committee, credits her “longstanding scholarship in and advocacy of feminist and queer legal rights” for her invitation to join.

Silberstein believes the policy will challenge the campus community’s contemporary understandings of gender and sexual identities.

“The implementation of this policy will normalize that gender can be fluid and should not be tied to biological determinist understandings of ‘sex,’” Silberstein wrote in an email. “My hope is that organizations/departments that are tied to traditional gender norms will be viewed as outliers. For instance, I hope that single sex social fraternities and sororities will open their memberships to gender fluid and transgender identified students.”

Instructions on how to update both fields on the BU Registrar’s website will be available in the fall of 2023, according to a Dateline Announcement.

Nick Martin, assistant director of the Q Center on campus, is another member of the committee. Martin said the Q Center is eager to support the mandate, along with their continual advocacy for tangible visibility and inclusion of the LGBTQ+ community on campus.

“We are pleased that the leadership of the SUNY System recognizes that gender identity beyond the binary and pronouns are important to our students, faculty and staff and have created a policy that will allow us to make significant progress toward an even more inclusive campus,” Martin wrote. “The Q Center team looks forward to connecting with faculty, staff and students in the coming months to ensure the intended outcomes of this mandate are met.”

Many students at BU expressed support for the mandate and its potential influence on the campus community.

Jesse La Scala, a sophomore double-majoring in English and environmental studies and a member of the Q Center staff, said the policy will help generate a sense of belonging for transgender, non-binary and gender non-conforming students on campus.

“In a society where trans lives are often threatened and ostracized, it is vital we supply acceptance on a community level,” La Scala wrote in an email. “Most cisgender people do not understand the time, money and courage it takes to complete legal documents to transition in the eyes of the government — or even a trans person may not have the desire to legally transition. As a community that prides itself on inclusion, this is one of the many steps [BU] had to take in order for the documents to mirror the person they are.”

Rachel Del Fierro, a sophomore double-majoring in psychology and anthropology — and a staff member of the Q Center — said she is hopeful for the policy and the acceptance it can establish on the University campus for gender-nonconforming students.

“I champion all efforts to make SUNY campuses, especially BU, more inclusive and supportive of gender-nonconforming students, who are all too often dead-named, misgendered and otherwise discriminated against,” Del Fierro wrote. “I want everyone to remember, though, that this is just the beginning. Gender-nonconforming students deserve consistent protection and affirmation. I am optimistic that this will be the first of many changes to make that a reality.”

B-Engaged, a platform used by Binghamton University student organizations for outreach and engagement, experienced periods of downtime from Nov. 24 to Nov. 26 for routine server maintenance. An announcement notifying the campus community of the downtime was posted on administrative sections of both Dateline and the B-Engaged from Nov. 16 to Nov. 26 and 28, respectively. According to the Dateline Announcement, the site was to be down during overnight hours and extend into the day as needed.

The routine maintenance was initiated by the B-Engaged vendor, CampusGroups, according to Giovanna Bernardo, student engagement specialist in the Student Affairs Assessment and Solutions for Engagement.

“B-Engaged is a cloud-based platform,” Bernardo wrote in an email. “With client campuses nationwide (as well as around the world), CampusGroups scheduled this maintenance to their [United States] servers during a time of the semester with lower levels of platform activity, due to the Thanksgiving holiday.”

B-Engaged is a tool for organizations to efficiently connect with the student body, according to Bernardo, who called it the University’s “centralized hub” that keeps the campus up-to-date on the thousands of extracurriculars, events and clubs available to them.

“From posting and promoting club/organization events — like General Interest Meetings, semesterly fundraisers or weekly tabling — to sending recurring newsletters, tracking member service hours and beyond,” Bernardo wrote. “B-Engaged is an indispensable tool for student leaders to more effectively manage internal operations, communicate with officers/members and reach prospective members within our campus community.”

In the Dateline Announcement, student organizations that use B-Engaged were encouraged to take preemptive measures prior to the first day of inaccessibility.

“Since B-Engaged may not be accessible for a period of time during these dates, if your club, organization or group has anything scheduled to take place (events) or send from the system (emails/newsletters), make sure to download registration lists, reschedule emails/newsletters going out, etc. prior to Nov. 24, in case the platform is not available,” the Dateline Announcement read.

Many student organizations use the engagement platform as their main form of outreach. Madeline Schalk, Binghamton University Underground Presents (BUMP) chair and a senior majoring in economics, said she finds B-Engaged to be a useful tool for announcing and publicizing underground music events she and her organization hosts.

“B-Engaged is one of the most useful and beneficial ways to communicate events to students at BU,” Schalk said. “I find that, as an organizer, it helps to spread the word in a quick and efficient way, as everyone receives the B-Engaged emails daily. On the receiving side of the emails as well, I always love to check and see what events are happening around campus weekly.”

Lisa Jose, vice president of the Binghamton University Marketing Association (BUMA) and a junior majoring in business administration, finds B-Engaged to be a useful organizational tool when reaching out to members of BUMA.

“B-Engaged allows us to see when new members join the organization so we’re able to track the membership throughout the year,” Jose said. “The most useful aspect would be the ability to send out emails and other communications to the entire organization through B-Engaged. It makes reaching out to members so much easier because all their emails are in one place. B-Engaged really helps to streamline these processes and help us to stay organized and up-to-date on member engagement.”

For student leaders looking to begin using the platform to manage their organizations, Bernardo described how recurring training sessions are hosted throughout the year that can be attended.

“Our recurring training sessions on Zoom each month highlight general ‘group administrative’ features (like creating events or surveys) and deep-dive into specific features (like creating and scheduling newsletters),” Bernardo wrote. “Students looking to learn the platform can also find an expansive library of pre-recorded training sessions, and how-to demos/resources, on our YouTube, Training Hub and in our Instagram Highlights.”

From Nov. 14 to Nov. 20, the Q Center held six events to promote trans awareness across campus. Programming included a Gender Bender Clothing Swap and gender bender closet upcycle, a disclosure film screening and discussion, a trans art gallery walk and a trans day of remembrance vigil.

Students and faculty from the Q Center, Harpur Edge and the Human Development Association hosted the events, in collaboration with Harpur Edge, Transcend, the Human Development Association, Stellar Human and Lilac Thrift Co.

The weeklong celebration kicked off on Monday with the Gender Bender Clothing Swap, a pop-up thrift shop in the Glenn G. Bartle Library breezeway. Students shopped at the pop-up shop for clothing from both participating thrift stores — Stellar Human and Lilac Thrift Co. — and free clothes were also provided by the Gender Bender Closet.

Emily Salvemini, graduate assistant for the Q Center and a first-year graduate student pursuing a master’s degree in social work, said the purpose of the Gender Bender Clothing Swap event was to help trans students become more comfortable with their gender expression.

“The goal of our event is really just to spread trans awareness in terms of our gender bender closet,” Salvemini said. “Also collaborating with the Human Development Association and also letting students know that there are inclusive spaces outside of campus like at Stellar Human and Lilac Thrift where they can shop and feel included in their environments.”

Nick Martin, assistant director of the Q Center and leader of this week’s events, shared his hope that the week would bring more attention to the Q Center. The Q Center is an on-campus resource designed to foster a campus environment supportive and inclusive of all sexual orientations, gender identities and gender expressions. According to Martin, events were intentionally held in more visible and high-traffic areas, like the Spine and Bartle Library breezeway, to promote Q Center engagement and trans awareness in the campus community.

“Our primary focus was leveraging our community partnerships to bring even more students, faculty and staff to the ambitious week of events,” Martin said.

On Thursday, a Trans Art Walk was held in the Bartle Library Breezeway, where art from Transcend and trans students were put on display, along with more information about the trans community. Emily Low, the organizer of the event and a senior majoring in environmental science, and worker in Harpur Edge, said paintings, pictures, photoshop and other digital media, embroidered pieces, vinyl pieces and written works were showcased.

Emmanuella Koduah, a junior majoring in graphic design, had her acrylic paintings and fashion illustrations featured in the show.

“When it was time for us to apply, I took my chance for that spotlight for my work, praying and hoping that it would make it to the art gallery which it did,” Koduah wrote in an email. “It might seem little, but this was one of my biggest highlights of my year, 2022.”

On Friday, there was a chalk and flag the Spine event with Transcend from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Messages such as “Trans Lives Matter” were written in chalk on the Spine, along with hearts drawn with the colors of the trans flag. Noah Zimmer, the leader of Friday’s event and a senior majoring in geology, said trans flags were placed along the sides of the Spine in honor of those killed by anti-trans violence.

“This year we have decided to just have the flags represent each person who was killed due to anti-trans violence,” Zimmer said. “Even though I did not know them personally, they still have an impact on my life because I know that those people could have been me and that violence is very real even in our community and that’s why it is so important to broaden this out to more people who do not know this is an issue.”

The last event of the week was a Gender Bender Closet Upcycling Discussion, hosted by first-year Q Center interns, and the activities closed off with a Trans Day of Remembrance Vigil, hosted on Sunday.

The vigil is an annual observance, Martin shared, where trans lives lost in the past year are honored and included comments from campus student leaders and a moment of silence. According to Martin, the events were a success.

“The events came together organically as they all focus on increasing the overall visibility and knowledge of the trans community,” Martin said.

Melissa Cosovic was a contributing writer to this article.

OCCT Late Nite — a service that provides downtown transportation to students — has dealt with incidents of “antagonistic behavior” before, such as a past transgression that led to a cancellation of Late Nite routes two weekends in a row. According to Toni Stefanakos, public relations coordinator for OCCT, this past Saturday, Oct. 29, Late Nite services were suspended due to an incident Friday night involving “reckless” student behavior on the corner of State Street and Hawley Street, leading to an altercation with the police. At the corner of the two streets is a Late Nite bus stop frequented by students.

“We are disheartened to report that last night, this antagonistic behavior took a sudden turn and directly targeted the police officers on the scene at State Street,” a statement from the Student Association (SA) Executive Board read. “This behavior is not only unacceptable but places everyone at risk.”

Daniel Croce — SA vice president for finance, chairman and chief financial officer for OCCT and a junior majoring in business administration — provided information regarding the perpetrators of this incident, saying they “involved a large and disorderly group of students and created great safety risks for themselves and everyone at the scene.”

Due to this incident, Late Nite services will remain suspended Friday, Nov. 4 and Saturday, Nov. 5, pending further communications between the SA and university administration, according to a SA Instagram announcement. The SA, OCCT and the Transportation and Parking Services department (TAPS) are working to reopen Late Nite services within the next few weeks, however, they are considering the “very real possibility of a permanent Late [Nite] termination,” according to Croce.

“There are a number of options that the SA, myself and OCCT are considering when it comes to a permanent solution for Late [Nite] servicing,” Croce wrote in an email. “The originally developed plan was scheduled to be fully rolled out this upcoming weekend. However, the incidents of this past weekend have required OCCT to actively review and expand the original scope of the plan. Among possible considerations include potential route changes, bus stop location changes and staffing changes.”

Many students rely on the Late Nite service as their only form of transportation back to campus during the weekends. While some students find the suspension to be unavoidable in lieu of repeated disorderly conduct, others believe there are alternative options to resolving the issue.

Adeline Roy, a junior majoring in integrative neuroscience, said suspending the bus line for the rest of the semester may be necessary. Roy described the service as a privilege.

“I definitely think the Late Nite bus service is a big privilege for students who are on campus,” Roy said. “And as unfortunate as it is, I feel like given the circumstances, I feel like it being revoked — even if it’s just for the rest of the semester — it will probably make students think about their actions a little bit more. Especially because they were downtown, I’m sure they were completely drunk, too. So, and there are other ways to get downtown, there are Ubers, you can phone a friend. So as unfortunate as it is that those buses won’t be there anymore, for the meantime, I feel like it’s a good situation for the safety of the drivers. I have a few friends who drive the buses.”

Keonna Hyacinth, a junior majoring in biology, was waiting on the bus line Friday night when she witnessed “a lot of pushing and aggression.” Hyacinth expressed discomfort with the OCCT bus protocol, and said she hopes a more effective solution than suspending the service can be developed.

“I witnessed a lot of pushing and aggression between the students as people tried to get on the bus,” Hyacinth wrote in an email. “There was a police officer at the scene. I feel uncomfortable with this behavior knowing that every time I try to take the bus there may be some sort of incident. I think the school needs to put a better system in place because the amount of buses running during those times are not enough for the amount of students who are in need of the bus.”

Editor’s Note (11/3/22): This article was updated on Nov. 3 to include updated information regarding Late Nite closures.

City of Binghamton

County Legislative District 1

ED 10: American Legion Post 1645, 177 Robinson St, 13904

ED 11: American Legion Post 1645, 177 Robinson St., 13904

County Legislative District 11

ED 12: Boulevard United Methodist Church, 113 Grand Blvd., 13905

ED 13: Saint Thomas Aquinas Church, 1 Aquinas St., 13905

ED 14: Cross Point Community Church, 1 Grand Blvd., 13905

ED 18: Tabernacle United Methodist Church, 83 Main St., 13905

County Legislative District 13

ED 1: Boulevard United Methodist Church, 113 Grand Blvd.

ED 5: Boys & Girls Club of Binghamton, 90 Clinton St., 13905

ED 15: Tabernacle United Methodist Church, 83 Main St., 13905

ED 16: Trinity House, 118 Oak St., 13905

ED 19: Tabernacle United Methodist Church, 83 Main St., 13905

ED 20: Saint Patricks Parish Center Lobby, 58 Oak St., 13905

County Legislative District 14

ED 2: Broome- Tioga BOCES, 435 Glenwood Road, 13905

ED 3: Centenary-Chenango Street United Methodist Church (UMC), 438 Chenango St., 13901

ED 4: Carlisle Apartments Gym, 150 Moeller St., 13904

ED 6: Boys & Girls Club of Binghamton, 90 Clinton St., 13905

ED 7: Centenary-Chenango Street UMC, 438 Chenango St., 13901

ED 8: Broome County Library, Decker Room, 185 Court St., 13901

ED 9: American Legion Post 1645, 177 Robinson St., 13904

ED 17: Community Center, 45 Exchange St., 13901

County Legislative District 15

ED 21: Temple Concord, 9 Riverside Drive, 13905

ED 22: St. John & St Andrew Church Perish, 1263 Vestal Ave.

ED 23: St. John & St Andrew Church Perish, 1263 Vestal Ave.

ED 24: St. John & St Andrew Church Perish, 1263 Vestal Ave.

ED 25: St. John & St Andrew Church Perish, 1263 Vestal Ave.

ED 26: St. John & St Andrew Church Perish, 1263 Vestal Ave.

ED 27: St. John & St Andrew Church Perish, 1263 Vestal Ave.

ED 28: Conklin Ave First Baptist Church, 91 Baldwin St.

ED 29: Conklin Ave First Baptist Church, 91 Baldwin St.

ED 30: Saratoga Community Room-Gym, 60 Saratoga Ave.

Town of Vestal

County Legislative District 3

ED 17: Vestal Fire Company 2, 2513 Route 26, 13850

ED 18: Mormon Church of Latter Day Saints, 305 Murray Hill Road, 13850

County Legislative District 4

Ed 4: Grace Point Church, 3701 Vestal Road, 13850

ED 5: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 305 Murray Hill Road, 13850

ED 9: Grace Point Church, 3701 Vestal Road, 13850

ED 10: Seventh-Day Adventist Church, 834 Bunn Hill Road, 13850

ED 11: Binghamton University Student Union Lobby, 4400 Vestal Parkway East, 13850

ED 12: BU Student Union Lobby, 4400 Vestal Parkway East, 13850

County Legislative District 5

ED 1: Vestal Fire Company 3, 2164 Old Owego Road, 13850

ED 2: Vestal Fire Company 1, 116 N Main St., 13850

ED 3: Vestal Public Library, 320 Vestal Pkwy. East, 13850

ED 6: Vestal Town Hall, 605 Vestal Pkwy. West, 13850

ED 7: Our Lady of Sorrows Church, 801 Main St., 13850

ED 8: Pierce Hill Christian Fellowship, 232 Pierce Hill Road, 13850

ED 13: Vestal Center Methodist Church, 472 West Hill Road, 13850

ED 14: Our Lady of Sorrows Church, 801 Main St., 13850

ED 15: Pierce Hill Christian Fellowship, 232 Pierce Hill Road, 13850

ED 16: Valleyview Alliance Church, 11 Foster Road, 13850

After an almost three week hiatus, Late Nite service was reinstated on Sept. 29 with new safety measures. According to an announcement from the Student Association (SA) Executive Board, Late Nite service will now include crowd control monitors and police officers at both the University Union and State Street bus stops. Students who put drivers and other students in danger will now be banned from using OCCT services and subject to applicable student misconduct charges or legal consequences.

The service was initially suspended on Sept. 9, when students attempted to forcibly open the doors of an OCCT bus, prompting a re-evaluation of current OCCT policies and procedures by the SA. Daniel Croce, a junior majoring in business administration who serves as the OCCT chief financial officer and vice president for finance of the SA, said the new protocol was inspired by the Sept. 9 event and the threat it posed toward the safety of students, drivers and buses.

“The reinstatement of Late Nite service under these new policies was born out of a need to develop solutions to the unsafe conditions that Late Nite was previously operating under,” Croce wrote in an email. “The incidents that occurred a few weeks ago sparked the temporary suspension, as OCCT and myself dived into long-term solutions to ensure the safety of all passengers and employees of OCCT. Safety is the number one priority, and the temporary suspension was developed with that in mind.”

Students frequently use Late Nite to travel to and from Downtown Binghamton, the West Side and campus during weekend nights. In an attempt to promote safety, crowd control monitors will be present at both the Union and State Street stops to ensure students board the bus safely.

Croce explained that the monitors were chosen based on their expertise and insight on managing large crowds. With the help of Jennifer Keegin, associate director for campus activities, Croce and the SA chose highly-trained event staff personnel, who have experience dealing with larger crowds at university events.

Police will also be a permanent presence at the bus stops, to limit acts of violence by students entering the bus. Students who are unable to follow the safety protocol will no longer be able to use the OCCT bus service, in addition to facing other repercussions, according to the SA announcement. For students who put drivers and other students in danger, the repercussions may include legal consequences and/or school misconduct charges, according to Croce.

“Any student who acts in a disorderly manner, including creating a safety risk, will face all applicable student misconduct charges,” Croce wrote. “Students who put other students and/or OCCT employees at risk will be identified and will have University misconduct [charges] processed against them. These students may also face any applicable legal action and possible bans from bus use.”

Many students expressed support for the safety measures, recalling their own experiences with unsafe Late Nite commutes.

Julian Kudlack, a senior majoring in geography, said he was saddened by the “needed” measures the SA has taken to keep students, and especially bus drivers, safe. Kudlack reflected on his freshman year, where he said there was a mutual respect between bus drivers and passengers, leaving him concerned about the current Late Nite service environment, but understanding of the efforts OCCT has taken to ensure safety.

“I know that getting downtown is hectic and the line can get aggressive, but people need to realize that driving a bus full of college students can be extremely stressful, especially when you’re the one who’s liable and in charge of everyone’s safety,” Kudlack said. “It’s unfortunate that these measures are needed, but it’s for the best, as bus driver and student safety alike should always be of utmost importance.”

Moss Magnusson, a sophomore majoring in philosophy, politics and law, said an unsafe bus commute is a common experience for students who use Late Nite, prompting his support of the protocol being instated.

“I’m sure we’ve all been in the line for a bus on a Friday night,” Magnusson said. “It gets aggressive, so I am not surprised that this aggression has been shifted toward these drivers. So yeah, I think these measures are necessary to keep a system up and running, that we all benefit from, and keep drivers safe.”

Croce expressed hope that the new safety measures will be a long-term solution to an ongoing problem.

“However, the success of and ability to run Late Nite service for the future [lies] in the hands of the students,” Croce wrote. “We are all students and we are all in this together! I urge students to respect themselves and others on any and all OCCT buses. We are here to keep each other safe!”

“Stadium Lofts” Housing Project

This fall, a new 70-unit, mixed-use housing project in Binghamton may approved. In partnership with Ken Kearney, president of the Kearney Group development firm, Binghamton Mayor Jared Kraham announced plans for the $24 million plan, named the “Stadium Lofts” housing project. The four-to-five story building will replace four vacant city-owned structures near Mirabito Stadium in Binghamton, located on 180 Henry St., in an effort to promote visitors and provide a vibrant and safe downtown Stadium District. Construction will follow recommendations from the City’s Stadium District Master Plan, with the building not only including residential space, but also four units of ground floor commercial space. The living space is said to supply affordable, workforce housing, with the majority of its units being marketed toward working artists in the city. An “artist preference policy” issued by the state agency promotes affordable housing for artists, as well as diversity, as a component of communities’ revitalization efforts. The city expressed hope that the project will add to and grow the Binghamton art community by fostering a safe and affordable place for artists to continue supporting the city’s art scene.

Glenwood Avenue Reconstruction Project

A $1.2 million reconstruction project on Glenwood Ave. began just weeks ago, with an estimated completion in December. Glenwood Avenue, located in the First Ward between Clinton St. and Prospect St., transports residents to school and work daily, but has been in “terrible” condition, according to Kraham. To upgrade both the street and its underground infrastructure, construction will include new pavement, curbs, sidewalks, removal of trolley tracks, subbase and improvements to the water and sewer systems. The construction will be performed by Chicago Construction Co. Inc., Endicott, and paid for by various sources, including Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds, federal stimulus funds and local capital bond. The avenue will be closed for construction, with Clinton Street, Mygatt Street and Prospect Street being used as detours.

First Ward Action Council (FWAC) West Side Housing Project

The FWAC West Side construction project is continuing. Having begun this past spring, the $8.1 million project started at 95 Walnut St., with the construction of a new apartment house. The project has required the relocation of tenants in the construction zone to temporary, suitable housing as they introduce 23 newly constructed homes. FWAC is a nonprofit organization that creates and rehabilitates housing in Broome County. FWAC has received financial support for the project from both the City of Binghamton and federal programs that provide low-income housing tax credits. The new housing will be affordable, and marketed to low-income residents and families of the West Side. Construction is planned to be completed in spring of next year.

Late Nite bus routes run to and from campus on Friday and Saturday nights — frequently used by students to return from Downtown Binghamton or the West Side. But on Sept. 9, the first night of the LUMA festival, the service was suspended after students forced open closed doors on an OCCT bus.

The following weekend, the service remained suspended. According to Daniel Croce — OCCT’s chief financial officer, vice president for finance of the Student Association (SA) and a junior majoring in business administration — one of the buses had been taken out of service following damage caused by “several passengers.”

“The disorderly conduct of numerous passengers placed the drivers and all other passengers at a potential for great risk,” Croce wrote in an email. “This past weekend was suspended as a result of the necessity to prevent such actions from occurring again. We are actively working (and almost complete) with developing safeguards for both drivers and passengers.”

Croce said the damage has since been repaired, but the SA is working on more long-term safety measures. In a statement on Instagram, the SA warned of the potential permanent suspension of Late Nite runs, and said the service will be reinstated following the approval of new policies.

This will include new punitive measures against disorderly passengers, according to Croce.

“More specifically, going forward any student acting in any form of disorderly conduct on OCCT buses will face student misconduct charges and will be possibly banned from bus use,” Croce wrote. “All appropriate legal or University officials will be called to assist in any sort of similar situation.”

The service had previously been suspended last year, for two weeks in mid-October, after mask noncompliance and verbal and physical abuse from riders. Later, the bus routes resumed as a “probationary” service for the remainder of the semester.

Antoinette Stefanakos, OCCT’s public relations coordinator, suggested that the situation has not improved.

“The issues regarding passenger noncompliance have always existed to some degree, and the removal of the mask policy did not change these issues,” Stefanakos wrote in an email.

Despite the safety concerns, some students who rely on the service said they found the suspension to be inconvenient. OCCT remains among the most accessible transportation options for students — with its costs included in the transportation fee billed to graduate and undergraduate students.

Leo Cohen, a senior majoring in political science, uses OCCT buses to travel to and from campus and the West Side daily. Cohen described the bus service as a “privilege” because it makes travel substantially more convenient, especially for students and faculty who do not own cars.

“It’s unfortunate and disturbing that a handful of patrons have been unable to follow the OCCT guidelines and have abused this privilege,” Cohen said. “As a result, a large number of rule-abiding students and other riders, including myself, are forced to make concessions to travel to and from campus due to the suspension of [Late Nite] OCCT bus services. This suspension is perfectly justifiable yet disappointing.”

Nico De Vita, a junior majoring in business administration, said students should respect the service — and those who rely on it.

“There is no excuse for anyone to assault a student driver on a free transportation shuttle that brings every student who lives on campus safely back to their dorms,” De Vita said. “Not only is it unacceptable, but it’s a selfish, demeaning act that leaves other students stranded and forced to spend their money on a car service, rather than ride on the bus for free.”

Stefanakos and Croce stressed that it is not safe to continue the service until new procedures are in place. Until then, Croce suggested students consider using taxis, rideshare services or designated drivers.

“We are working diligently on long-term solutions and they are in sight,” Croce said. “I understand that for the majority of students, Late Nite being canceled can be an inconvenience to a great free service. However, the current form of Late Nite is not safe for anyone. Safety is my number one priority for everyone.”

Truth Pharm, a Binghamton-based organization dedicated to raising awareness on substance misuse, has hosted the march since 2016. During the memorial, families and friends of those that have died from drug misuse march around Binghamton carrying the tombstones of their loved ones, eventually laying them by a city wall, according to Truth Pharm’s website. Members then outline their own body with chalk, in solidarity with the souls of their passed loved ones.

This year, Truth Pharm is also hosting the memorial nationally for the first time. People all over the country are invited to join the march in Washington D.C. on Sept. 24.

Jessica Saeman, Truth Pharm’s project coordinator, described how the original motivation for the memorial came from the drug crisis in Broome County.

“We knew that our loved ones’ passing was being ignored,” Saeman wrote in an email. “The county insisted that we did not have any overdose deaths to report, while we knew that our children and siblings were dying. The first year we made stones with their names, beautiful words about them and a photo. They were beautiful people who were loved and missed, and that should not be forgotten.”

According to the Broome County website, there have been 21 suspected fatal overdoses and 147 non-fatal overdoses in the first quarter of 2022. This is an increase in overdoses from last year, which had a total of 54 suspected fatal overdoses and 516 reported non-fatal overdoses.

However, overdose is not the only concern related to substance use deaths, Saeman explained. Truth Pharm became more aware of deaths from endocarditis, hepatitis C and infections in substance users, Saeman wrote, highlighting the deeper-rooted issue Broome County is facing.

Truth Pharm hoped to give the families of those that have died from drug use peace and acknowledgment when first starting the memorial in Binghamton, which was a success, according to Saeman.

“Our community has always been supportive of our local Trail of Truth,” Saeman wrote. “Families find comfort in having their family member acknowledged.”

The success inspired Truth Pharm to extend their event nationally, offering the memorial service to all across the country that have lost a loved one to drug use. Saeman described how the preparation for the event in Washington, D.C. is what set it apart from its local counterpart.

“The difference between local and national is the planning,” Saeman wrote. “We have over 80 partners working together across the spectrum of substance use. People in prevention, treatment, abstinence, recovery and harm reduction are all using their collective voices for the things we can agree on.”

Saeman believes that hosting the event on a national level is necessary in order to catch the attention of the government.

“People from all over the country mourn their loved ones out loud with a strength that is only acquired after losing someone you love,” Saeman wrote. “The goal of the event is to ask the government to actually enforce some of the things already in place. Laws were passed to try to alleviate some of the inaccessibility of treatment, and they are just not enforced.”

Kenny Pasato, a sophomore majoring in integrative neuroscience at Binghamton University, said his experience as a volunteer EMT in his hometown helps him relate to the family members participating in the memorial, and hoped the march would be able to elicit change.

“As a volunteer first responder, seeing the effects of an opioid overdose firsthand on the parents was terrifying,” Pasato said. “Hopefully no other parents have to experience that pain and this great event changes something.”

Clothiel Monks, a senior majoring in human development who works at the Addiction Center of Broome County, believes that the event is crucial, especially for Binghamton. Monks shared her hope that making the event national will bring change to the city.

“I hope that national attention can redirect local attention to some of the issues that need to be addressed in the community,” Monks said. “The housing crisis in Binghamton must be addressed if we are to continue to fight the addiction crisis here. Our public outreach programs work tirelessly and are extremely overwhelmed.”

Saeman said she believes that change can be accomplished, if enough people want it.

“We can do that if we all stand united to make the changes we agree on,” Saeman wrote. “We have power in numbers, power in people who don’t always feel connected or valued. People don’t know that until they can see what it looks like when they see other people and families like theirs. They are not alone, their loved one was important, we know the [hole] that exists in their family. We do not have to be alone.”

Incoming freshmen move in a few days before classes start, giving time to adjust and get comfortable with the Binghamton University campus. Utilize the extra few days to explore campus buildings and make friends with roommates, students in your living community and your resident assistant (RA). Grab a new friend and take a walk through the University Union after touring the Glenn G. Bartle Library.

First Day of Classes (Aug. 23)

Knowing where classes are located prior to attending them for the first time will alleviate stress and allow you to arrive early. Sit at the front of your classroom to engage with the professor and interact with your new peers as class begins. Professors usually use the first day to go over the class syllabus, introduce teaching assistants (TAs) and share the goals of the class.

University Fest (Aug. 27)

End the first week of classes by exploring and interacting with the hundreds of student organizations tabling at University Fest (UFest) on the Peace Quad. Student clubs ranging from multicultural organizations to BU’s radio station, WHRW 90.5 FM, will offer food and activities to get you to join. Being a part of campus organizations looks great on a resume and can introduce you to new friends.

Homecoming Weekend (Oct. 7 to Oct. 9)

Homecoming Weekend is an event that brings alumni and current students together to connect and enjoy BU pride. This year’s Homecoming Weekend will have a Saturday Tailgate party, a downtown block party and a men’s soccer game, along with a 5k run and a TIER Talks speaker event. Attend with friends and get to know BU alumni.

Fall Concert (TBD)

Every fall and spring semester, the Student Association Programming Board (SAPB) invites a popular artist to perform at the University. Students choose the artist they would like to see and are able to attend the concert at a low cost. Last year’s fall concert performer was WILLOW.

Restaurant Week (Sept. 13 to Sept. 22)

To promote its prominent food scene, Downtown Binghamton hosts a weeklong celebration where local restaurants provide four-course meals at a discount. Students and locals can enjoy a variety of restaurants throughout the week and indulge in different meals at a low price. This is a great opportunity to explore Downtown Binghamton and get dinner with friends.

As part of the CCRB speakers series, Robert E. Worden, an associate professor in the School of Criminal Justice at the University at Albany, was invited to discuss the relationship between citizens and police in an event titled, “Complaining against or about the Police: Citizens’ Perceptions, Options and Choices.”

The CCRB was established to bridge the gap of communication between the BU campus community and the Binghamton’s New York State University Police (UPD), by promoting accountability, reviewing reports against police misconduct and making recommendations on handling complaints.

Worden began by stating that his presentation would summarize findings of citizen complaints and citizen oversight research conducted by him and his colleagues. He prefaced his analysis of the data with an explanation of why citizen oversight can be deemed necessary, stating that independent police investigations lack accountability.

“The rationale for citizen oversight, beyond the citizen oversight that resides in an elected mayor or an appointed city manager, rests on the presumption that police would not investigate their own and ultimately counter-complainants would be discouraged,” Worden said. “Investigations would be half-hearted, and that consequently the deterrent function that discipline should play would be undermined by procedures that made it unlikely that misconduct would be punished.”

Worden said one of the biggest discrepancies within policing is community policing. According to Worden, while police may pay more attention to incivility, citizens may define such acts as crimes in one instance, but as salient issues in another instance.

This perspective of accountability is what prompted Worden’s analysis of four surveys on residential populations, answering his questions on what prompts a civilian to report dissatisfaction and the rate of reports.

“We don’t know about how much, nor do we know about the recording of other sources of dissatisfaction,” Worden said. “Or what factors influence citizens’ decisions to complain. About what do they complain, or not complain? Who complains and does time [or] context matter? Finally, to whom or what are complaints directed? And ultimately, it was what outcome for that complainant.”

The first survey, conducted in 1977 as a part of the Police Services Study (PSS), crossed 24 jurisdictions of varying size, including police departments in St. Louis, Tampa and Rochester, to small suburban departments, surveying about 12,000 residents in each of the 60 neighborhoods focused on. The survey asked the residents about their contact with the police in the preceding 12 months, whether they had any reason to complain about the police service and if they took action to complain.

“I’ll mention though, that at least 237 of those were characterized, in the data, as neighborhood complaints such as, especially, requests for more police presence or visibility or complaints concerning, say a traffic signal, rather than individual complaints and some are not classifiable in either of those categories,” Worden said. “The most common form of misconduct was discourtesy, as citizens saw it. Other reasons for complaint stemmed, in many instances, from officers not taking steps, or taking steps, to resolve citizens’ problems that were not sufficient in the citizens’ eyes.”

Among the respondents, 744 said they had a reason to complain in the preceding year, an estimated reporting rate of 36 percent, comparable to the findings on the rate at which citizens reported victimizations to the police, according to Worden. While most residents did not report the crime, a third did.

The second was the Police-Public Content Survey (PPCS), conducted by Worden himself, administered most recently in 2008. The survey obtained nationwide data on use of police force following the beating of Rodney King by Los Angeles police officers in 1991. Worden said that nearly 58,000 respondents were surveyed and asked about their contact with the police, the nature of the contact and features of the interaction from their perspective within the preceding 12 months.

“Overall, of those 9,549 people, 930 said they regarded police conduct as improper, and of those, 62, or 6.7 percent reportedly filed a complaint,” Worden said. “Now, consider four overlapping groups of respondents. [Among] almost 10,000 with contact, 121 said that in their most recent contact, the officer used or threatened force. And of those, about three-quarters said that the force was excessive. More than 4,400 people had a contact in the form of a traffic stop, [and] 13.3 percent of those thought that the stop was not legitimate, [or] was not made for legitimate reasons.”

According to Worden, 728 respondents said the officer was disrespectful.

After reviewing the last two surveys, Worden concluded by saying a citizen’s definition of officer misconduct either prompts them to file a complaint or to ignore the misconduct based on the implications of the data analyzed.

“And part of the reason for the low rate of reporting is that some of the people whose contacts involve police impropriety do not define it as something about which to complain,” Worden said. “But another part of the reason is that aggrieved persons sometimes direct their grievances elsewhere, rather than pursuing a formal adjudicative process.”

The presentation ended with Worden sharing his own thoughts on the implications of unreported complaints, describing them as missed education opportunities for both police and citizens.

“[Reporting complaints is] educational for the police, in diagnosing systemic issues in service delivery, such as training [and] policy, and educational for citizens as well, as concerns may be based on a misunderstanding of what police may or may not have the authority to do,” Worden said.

BU President Harvey Stenger, who had attended the event, applauded the work the CCRB and Worden has done, and addressed the difficulty that came with the timing of the board’s implementation, which was during the trial of the officers involved in killing George Floyd in May 2020.

“Do we have it right yet?” Stenger said. “No, a lot of work to do. The first implementation report had a lot of holes in it, and we’re working to fill those holes. But, with any process, it takes some time. And I want to thank the members of the [CCRB] that are on here and leadership of the review board to sticking with us, because I think we are breaking new ground and we do have an opportunity to change how all police departments can have oversight.”

As a specialist in early African American and African Diaspora history, Alexander focuses particularly on late 18th and early 19th century Black culture, political consciousness and resistance movements. Her presentation, titled “Lessons from Past and Present: Policing in the Age of COVID,” reviewed the history of policing since the founding of the United States, and its impact on modern policing and systemic racism.

The talk was held by the Harriet Tubman Center for Freedom and Equity with support from multiple departments and organizations on campus, some of which include the Institute for Genocide and Mass Atrocity Prevention, the department of Asian and Asian American Studies and the Campus Citizens Review Board (CCRB).

Alexander began by speaking about victims of police violence during the past two years, such as George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, and the importance of demonstrating care and compassion for each other.

Alexander also spoke about how the long history of policing and vigilante violence has impacted Black communities, and gave examples from the United States’ 250-year history. She said that as a historian, she believes people need to study history to fully understand the situation of the present.

“Since the founding of this nation, Black strivings for liberation have been demonized, criminalized and subjected to persecution, while white people’s demands for liberty are deemed rational, legitimate and largely unthreatening,” Alexander said. “There has never been a time in American history when Black people’s quest for freedom and equality did not spark existential fear among white people, frequently leading to a violent response. A deep-seated, gnawing terror that Black people might one day rise up and demand for themselves the same freedoms and inalienable rights that led white colonists to declare the American Revolution has shaped American politics, culture and systems of justice ever since.”

Binghamton University President Harvey Stenger attended the virtual talk and thanked Anne Bailey, co-director of the Tubman Center and a professor of history, for helping to organize the event and Alexander for educating those in attendance.

“This was really interesting and thoughtful, and it brings hard conversations to the top of the pile,” Stenger said. “I know that the people on this call are people who are used to hard conversations. My job is to bring these conversations to people who aren’t on this call. Thank you for bringing this knowledge to this group today.”

Caroline Sandleitner, the BU Council Representative and a first-year graduate student studying public administration, also attended the talk. Sandleitner said she thought the talk was powerful and inspired an interesting discussion from the audience during the Q&A period.

“I attended today’s talk to support the newly established … Tubman Center, and to hear what our community feels about policing and [COVID-19] given the currency of these issues,” Sandleitner wrote in an email. “Studying the past is the best way to inform our future, and I think conversations like the one today are essential to creating an environment where all students feel safe and represented on campus.”

Bailey said she aimed to provide an important space for students with Alexander’s talk.

“We chose Dr. Alexander because of the [Truth and Reconciliation] process and testimonies from some students and staff of color about relationships with the police on campus and in the community at large,” Bailey wrote in an email. “This is a national issue, as you know, and we wanted to face it head-on. We wanted to create a forum where there could be great exchange of ideas and dialogue and that is exactly what happened.”

During the Q&A, Flavio Darini, an attendee and a junior majoring in philosophy, politics and law, asked Alexander about the kinds of strategies she recommended for raising awareness of the issues of systemic racism in policing — particularly among white people — as well as what methods of framing the issues people should avoid when trying to educate others.

In response, Alexander said that it is important to not alienate people and to stay away from language that tries to shame or blame others when attempting to educate.

“I feel like it’s my job as a historian and a thinker to tell the truth,” Alexander said. “And the truth is hard for people. That’s why I was saying before [in the talk], even in my classes, I have to talk my students through some of the material that’s being presented because it’s hard, and it’s ugly and it’s painful. But it’s also real. And I think that if we want to make radical change, we have to be willing to present radical ideas and to push from the margins and challenge people to have the difficult conversations that need to be had.”

This past week, two faculty town hall meetings were held on Zoom by the Binghamton University Joint Task Force — which was appointed by the University Faculty Senate Executive Committee (FSEC) and the provost — reviewing the new SUNY general education policy and the implementation plan of BU’s new general education curriculum. Students and faculty were encouraged to join and share comments and concerns.

According to the presentation, given by Sarah Reiter, co-chair of the Joint Task Force and a professor in the School of Management, communication — C, O and J credits — will have no significant changes, other than a few revised learning outcomes. Mathematics, laboratory sciences, social science, global interdependencies and physical activity and wellness will also have no significant changes. In terms of the foreign language requirement, SUNY wishes to change the terminology to “world languages,” which BU will further discuss.

Donald Loewen, another co-chair of the Joint Task Force and vice provost for undergraduate education and enrollment management, said the SUNY general education policy process began in 2018 when a draft of a proposal circulated. The first draft of the proposed SUNY general education revisions, released in spring 2021, requested comment from campus committees and constituencies.

“In fact, they had hundreds of pages of comments that came back from the system,” Loewen said. “And so they considered those to the extent that they were going to consider them and then came back with something that was somewhat different, but not some, you know, very substantially different from what they had circulated in the draft.”

The final version of the general education categories and learning outcomes, along with draft implementation guidelines, had circulated in fall 2021, after being approved by the SUNY Board of Trustees on Nov. 9.

Reiter, who presented after Loewen, said one of the difficulties with the SUNY general education system are the numerous possible approaches to implementing the curriculum. BU’s approach has designated courses in departments from the 100- to 400-level tagged as fulfilling general education requirements.

According to Reiter, the FSEC and the provost included certain requirements suggested by the Joint Task Force in BU’s implementation of the SUNY general education policy.

“The highlights of the charge that came from the [FSEC] and the provost is that we have to be able to implement the new SUNY [policy] without additional course requirements for students,” Reiter said. “The [general education] is fit so tightly in a number of different places, that we really can’t say, ‘Oh, we’ll just have an additional course.’ We’re also committed to having no major reallocation of resources associated with implementing the new SUNY general education.”

Reiter said each proposed revision plan will include working groups appointed by the Joint Task Force to ensure wide consultation and feedback on the implementations.

One of the more major revisions that Reiter described is the implementation of a new category called diversity, equity, inclusion and social justice, which will be replacing the pluralism requirement. According to the Reiter’s presentation, the first learning outcome of the new category is to “describe the historical and contemporary societal factors that shape the development of individual and group identity involving race, class and gender.”

While race, class and gender identity must be required in courses for consideration, SUNY guidelines allow courses to expand on this definition to include other aspects of diversity. Reiter described the last two learning objectives of the new category.

“The second learning outcome is the role of social structures and institutions and dynamics of power, privilege and oppression,” Reiter said. “And the third is to apply the principles of a number of different flavors of social justice to the past, current or future in the course.”

Alongside the other changes, humanities will have new learning outcomes that are much broader than BU’s current definition of the category, which is human experience through literature and philosophy, Reiter explained.

“The new humanities is [to] demonstrate knowledge of the conventions and methods of at least one of the humanities with some ideas about learning outcomes, recognizing and analyzing nuance and complexity of meaning critical reflections,” Reiter said.

The new learning outcome for aesthetics will be to have an understanding of at least one principal form of expression and its creative process. Performance-oriented courses will also have to fit requirements based on the SUNY liberal arts definition to be considered in courses.

“What campuses can decide is whether [performance-oriented] courses foster broader understanding of the principal forms of artistic expression through appreciation theory, history, looking at aesthetic principles, etc.,” Reiter said. “And this is a campus choice. You don’t have to get SUNY to agree that your courses have liberal arts content. We can decide if they have enough or some of this liberal arts content.”

The last revision presented was critical thinking and information literacy, competencies that have always been infused within the general education curriculum, but now are required to be assessed and tracked on how each student reaches them. This also comes with new learning objectives, which Reiter described.

David Vose, senior director for outreach, engagement and collections, said the Glenn G. Bartle Library will host sessions and workshops to assist faculty in incorporating information literacy into their courses. This includes tool kits for both faculty and students, and will start off with a workshop on April 22 for faculty in the humanities and science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

Jon Karp, one of the faculty members that joined the meeting, undergraduate director of Judaic studies and associate professor of history, provided comment on BU’s incorporation plan. As a professor that teaches courses within the pluralism requirement, Karp worried whether his courses concerning ethnicity and nationality would meet the requirements of the diversity, equity, inclusion and social justice category.

“Judging from what [Reiter] said, it sounds like [through] a certain amount of tailoring we can add categories, but if they don’t meet the strict criteria of race, gender [and] class, and I know there are ways to finesse that, then they don’t really fit that,” Karp said. “So I’m a little bit worried about the shift in focus away or the failure to include ethnicity, which I think is a very relevant category. Still and certainly historically in American life.”

In response, Nic Francisco, coordinator of the Q Center, suggested how ethnicity can be better represented within the category.

“Those classes that engage ethnicity, but do not engage race, gender and class seem like they ought to be expanded in order to more meaningfully engage issues concerning [diversity, equity, inclusion] and social justice,” Francisco wrote.

Rachel Weiss, a junior majoring in human development, said the inclusion of the new diversity category may encourage student involvement in social movements.

“In a lot of majors, students may never learn about contemporary issues surrounding race, class and gender which is solved through this new requirement,” Weiss wrote. “It also may prompt student involvement with clubs/groups on campus that pertain to social justice.”

Held in Lecture Hall 1, the debate featured 15 candidates running for their respective E-Board positions. Each candidate was allowed a three minute introductory period, followed by a question-and-rebuttal period, followed by concluding remarks.

The debate began with introductory statements from the SA presidential candidates, the first being Samantha Carroll, a junior majoring philosophy, politics and law. Carroll emphasized that her experience as an elected representative for students, particularly as the only candidate that has served in an SA E-Board position, made her the most qualified for the position.

“The SA president is the primary advocate for the student body to the administration, and for that reason it is vital that I am constantly available to field students’ concerns,” Carroll said. “One way I will ensure that this happens is by initiating frequent SA town halls where students can address myself and other members of E-Board in-person, face-to-face, with their issues.”

Nia Johnson, a junior majoring in human development, spoke next. Johnson said her drive and passion will elevate the SA presidential position and makes her the best advocate for students. She described her platform as centering around normalizing mental health conversations, mandating sexual assault training on campus and connecting students of color to faculty of color.

Ethan Kesler, a sophomore majoring in business administration, presented after Johnson. Accountability, accessibility and availability were the primary platforms of his “A+ prophecy.” To tackle the mental health crisis on campus, Kesler said he plans to implement his “Hug-A-Homie” initiative, aiming to foster a more comfortable campus environment.

The last SA presidential candidate was Galileo Savage, a sophomore majoring in political science. When asked what he plans to do differently than the current SA president, Savage said he would be more involved in organizations on campus.

“I’d like to be a leader who is not only present through [the] internet, but also present physically, and there 24/7, or as often as I can be, and understanding that in creating a relationship with the community on a personal level,” Savage said.

The vice president for finance (VPF) segment began with candidate Daniel Croce, a sophomore majoring in business administration. Croce described his platform as consisting of transparency, clarity, efficiency and advocacy. He was followed by Luke Savinetti, a sophomore double-majoring in philosophy, politics and law, who advocated for increased education of treasurers in student government.

“If you serve on a council for any hall government, any community government, any different organization run by the SA, and you have any familiarity with finances, you know that there is no adequate education for SA treasurers and I am going to change this,” Savinetti said.

For vice president for student success (VPSS), Luca Cassidy, an undeclared freshman, faced off against Anindya Debnath, also an undeclared freshman.

“Public service runs deep inside my blood, which is why I am running for the SA,” Debnath said. “I am very much pissed off because I see that we have an SA that is not serving its students.”

Candidates for SA vice president for multicultural affairs (VPMA) spoke next. Aaron Berkowitz, a junior majoring in art history, said his experience as VPMA of Windham Hall and constituent relations strategist in the SA president’s office is what will make action in the VPMA office possible.

“I think it’s important for me, as VPMA, to invite all community leaders, organizations and students themselves, to tell me how they want to be represented,” Berkowitz said. “For them to put on their own events and share their own culture and their own identity in a way that they see fit and they see best.”

VPMA candidate Erica Juarez, a sophomore majoring in human development, followed. The three pillars of her platform were communication, organization and belonging. To promote interrelations between cultural organizations, Juarez said she plans on creating stronger outreach and mutual support through a VPMA newsletter and an improvement of communication between residential communities and dining halls.

The only candidate for vice president for programming (VPP) was Jocelyn Phipps, a junior double-majoring in political science and sociology. When asked how she plans to promote student attendance at events, Phipps said she would seek to improve outreach by tabling, announcing events and working with administration.

The last SA E-Board position was BU Council representative, with Avery Benzaken, a senior majoring in economics, presenting first — followed by Jonah Thomas, a sophomore majoring in electrical engineering.

When asked how he would work with the administration to promote diversity on campus, Thomas described the contrast between the numbers of Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) students and the numbers of BIPOC faculty, and said he would meet with administration and student organizations to alleviate the issue.

“Something that we need to consider as well is that our staff and our faculty needs to be reflective of those same things,” Thomas said. “The University has, in more recent years, not been able to meet their goals with respect to increasing the amount of BIPOC leaders of staff and faculty. More pressingly, we’ve actually seen a decrease and a significant drop-off within those margins.”

In his response to the same question, Benzaken said he planned on fostering connections with students.

“I think one of the biggest things as a student representative is making sure you are going to the necessary bodies that represent those students and making sure that you are meeting with those students regularly so you’re gathering the information — whether that’s multicultural orgs on campus which meet once a month, the VPMA or also meeting with the diversity chairs like [Thomas] mentioned, but it’s really just about making sure you’re meeting one-on-one with those students.”

Following the conclusion of the debate, a period of time was allotted for residential communities to discuss their endorsements with their members, representatives and constituents, due to the SA by noon March 3. The SA elections will be held on March 9, more information can be found on the Student Association website.

The Carnegie Classification is a framework that distinguishes higher education in the United States by ranking institutions on their research programs based on specified criteria. To qualify for “R1: Doctoral Universities — very high research activity,” the highest ranked category for doctoral universities, institutions must award at least 20 research or scholarship doctoral degrees and have at least $5 million in total research expenditures in the year being considered. BU has jumped six spots since first being named in 2018-19.

An institution’s annual research expenditures, the number of faculty involved in research and its number of Ph.D. graduates are measures considered in the ranking, according to Michael Jacobson, executive director of BU’s Office of Strategic Research Initiatives, and Kevin Boettcher, research development specialist for the Office of Strategic Research Initiatives. According to both Jacobson and Boettcher, BU has continuously grown in these metrics, justifying its qualification for the achievement.

“​​It is a recognition of the high volume of research and the quality of education programs conducted at [BU],” Jacobson wrote in an email. “[BU]’s faculty are experienced in developing innovative approaches to education that integrate research into the curriculum. This combination of student training and research is what the reviewers for the Carnegie Classification like to see.”

Bahgat Sammakia, vice president for research and distinguished professor of mechanical engineering, said BU’s continuous effort for improvement in its research programs has kept it in the R1 category for two years. The University consistently competes for and wins research funding from federal agencies and sponsors, according to Sammakia, as well as recruits and mentors graduate students and invests in research infrastructure.

There are 146 institutions named on the R1 list, including universities like Cornell University, Duke University and Columbia University. BU is one of the 11 New York state universities named. Jacobson and Boettcher said the naming is significant for BU because of the opportunities the recognition has provided for the University advance in research, such as being more competitive for grants and funding.

“This ranking will allow sponsors and funding agencies to quickly recognize our research capabilities, while other institutions will be more likely to want to collaborate with us on large research projects,” Jacobson wrote. “It incentivizes our faculty to think of the large innovative projects that make us a national leader in research.”

Aqib Chowdhury, a fifth-year doctoral candidate in the clinical science program, praised the achievement and what he described as BU’s dedication to promoting scholarship within research in all levels of training, especially in the psychology department, as a reason for the success.

“For example, students are regularly encouraged to join research labs in order to gain firsthand experience,” Chowdhury wrote. “Instructors emphasize the use of empirical science in order to understand the etiology and maintenance of psychological disorders. Faculty members and graduate students are conducting research and working on manuscripts every day.”

Isaac Osborn, a junior majoring in psychology, said he was impressed by BU being named on the R1 list but not surprised. When starting the college process as an out-of-state student, his invitation to the First-Year Research Immersion Program (FRI) drew him to the University. It later provided the opportunity to further his involvement in research on campus.

“I believe at the time of being invited, [BU] was one of only a few schools in the Northeast to have a program as such,” Osborn wrote. “Having such an early exposure to the research process from being involved [in] FRI helped me gain a position as a research assistant at the Binghamton Anxiety Clinic, where I am helping with a number of projects regarding social anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder. The research I am helping with is exciting and very interesting, and I imagine this is similar among many other [BU] research labs.”

BU has also risen on The National Science Foundation (NSF) Higher Education Research and Development Survey (HERD) rankings. HERD is a fiscal counting of a University’s success in receiving and investing funding for research and development, according to Jacobson. The ranking is an important tool in indicating BU’s success in research, Sammakia said, because it allows for the comparison of research funding and activity between institutions.

“There’s a famous saying that ‘if it matters, measure it,’” Sammakia wrote. “Well, research funding matters in all sorts of ways. It’s important that we measure it, and also that we use this opportunity to see how we stack up to other research institutions.”

ON CAMPUS:

The Decker Student Health Services Center

4400 Vestal Pkwy. E., Vestal, NY 13850

(607) 777-2221

The Decker Student Health Services Center provides the same services expected from a primary care physician. A student health fee paid with tuition by all registered BU students covers the costs of almost all clinic visits and services. Walk-in appointments remain suspended and all appointments begin via telehealth. Students can receive routine pap smears, annual pelvic and breast examinations, treatment for urinary tract infections, pelvic inflammatory disease and menstrual disorders, urine pregnancy testing and post-abortion examinations. Emergency contraceptives can be purchased at the front office and birth control — including Depo-Provera — can be prescribed and covered by insurance. Free sexually transmitted infections (STI) testing and confidential rapid HIV testing is also offered. This includes pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), an HIV-prevention option. Free safe-sex kits can be ordered and delivered to campus mailboxes, which include condoms and lubricants.

The Q Center

Glenn G. Bartle Library South Ground Room 549 (LS-G549)

(607) 777-6028 or lgbtq@binghamton.edu.

The Q Center is a resource that seeks to support and empower all sexual orientations, gender identities and gender expressions of students, faculty and staff. It offers educational opportunities, social justice initiatives and workshops through its Active Ally Program and hosts classroom panels and consults on campus policies and procedures relating to LGBTQ+ inclusion. Consults pertaining to any individual concern or issue are provided as well. The Q Center invites people of all sexual orientations and genders, people questioning or exploring their sexual orientation or gender identity and allies to the community.

Health Promotion and Prevention Services (HPPS)

Third floor of Old O’Connor Hall

(607) 777-2254 or hpps@binghamton.edu

HPPS is dedicated to optimizing holistic well-being and influencing healthy habits for all BU students. The program uses campaigns and events to teach about sexual health, general well-being, mental well-being, alcohol use and party-safe strategies and stress management. It includes Real Education About College Health (REACH), a peer education program. REACH peer educators are undergraduate students trained in collaborating with students to make responsible health decisions, including sexual health, through focused and informed conversation.

OFF CAMPUS:

Family Planning of South Central New York Binghamton

17 Hawley St., Binghamton, NY 13901

(607) 723-8306.

Family Planning of South Central New York Binghamton has same-day and next-day appointments, as well as walk-ins. They offer urgent gynecology care, various birth control methods, STI and rapid HIV testing, PrEP, $15 emergency contraceptive, pregnancy tests, screening for breast, cervical, testicular and colorectal cancers and human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines. Pricing can be discussed by calling.

Southern Tier Women’s Health Services

149 Vestal Pkwy. W., Vestal, NY 13850

(607) 785-4171 or info@southerntierwomenshealth.com.

Southern Tier Women’s Health Services offers abortion procedures and pills and abortion emotional aftercare. Ultrasounds, treatment for miscarriages, confidential STI and HIV testing and free pregnancy tests are provided through appointment. The generic brand Plan B and prescriptions for the new emergency contraception, Ella, are also available. Several birth control methods are offered, including birth control pills, IUDs, the patch, the ring, Depo-Provera, the diaphragm and cervical caps. Insurance is required to receive services.

​​Southern Tier AIDS Program (STAP)

22 Riverside Drive, Binghamton, NY 13905 and 277 Main St., Johnson City, NY 13790

(607) 798-1706

Both STAP locations provide risk assessment, prevention education, LGBTQ+-related education, HIV and STI testing and navigation services for those at risk for HIV, STIs and viral hepatitis. Service is confidential and free.

UHS Walk-In Vestal

4417 Vestal Pkwy E., Vestal, NY 13850

(607) 729-2144

UHS Walk-In Vestal provides women’s health services including regular gynecology exams by physicians and practitioners. HIV and STI testing are also available. Insurance is needed.

The National Science Foundation’s (NSF) CyberCorps Scholarship for Service (SFS) program hopes its grant will produce highly trained and diverse cybersecurity professionals to fill a gap in cybersecurity positions, with about 465,000 open cybersecurity positions nationwide in 2021 according to CyberSeek, a database that tracks changes in the tech job market. To help accomplish this, the two dozen students recruited must work in government cybersecurity positions for the same length of time as their scholarship was administered.

Ping Yang, director of BU’s Center for Information Assurance and Cybersecurity (CIAC) and associate professor of computer science, was the driving force for the grant. Yang explained that this gap exemplifies the lack of defense of the nation’s cybersecurity infrastructure and the urgent need to find a solution.

“In the context of this high demand, government agencies have to compete with the private sector for a limited pool of cybersecurity professionals,” Yang wrote in an email. “This grant will contribute to this critical national need by recruiting and training talented students for entry into the government workforce and for long-term success in cybersecurity careers. It will help develop a pipeline of cybersecurity professionals and provide them with experience working for the government through summer internships and job [placements].”

BU President Harvey Stenger said he is confident in the University’s ability to curate a successful workforce through the grant.

“We know there’s a huge need in this field for highly trained experts,” Stenger said as per BingUNews. “[BU] has a long-standing commitment to first-generation students and scholars from underrepresented minorities. We also have a robust set of course offerings and [scholarships] related to cybersecurity. It’s exciting to know that [BU] will play a part in diversifying this essential workforce.”

According to BingUNews, the SFS program will be administered by faculty members from the Thomas J. Watson College of Engineering and Applied Science’s computer science department and electrical and computer engineering department. The faculty cover a range of research interests, including architectural support for security, software and systems security, steganography, artificial intelligence-based security and mobile security.

SFS scholars will be recruited from the Watson College graduate program and could first be enrolled in fall 2022. The process will start off small, according to Dmitry Ponomarev, professor and associate chair of computer science, with around two students in the first year it is administered and five or six in the following years.

“We also will integrate this program with other research activities, so students can be involved in current research grants,” Ponomarev said per BingUNews. “There will be synergy, especially with two departments working together.”

The curriculum and training will be attentive and thorough, according to Yang.

“All SFS scholars will undergo a rigorous curriculum, research and practical training through cybersecurity courses, personalized academic and research advising, cybersecurity conferences/seminars, participation in cybersecurity competitions and K-12/community outreach activities,” Yang wrote in an email. “Scholars will also be trained in critical skills needed to succeed in their careers, including ethics, communication, writing, presentation, critical thinking, leadership and teamwork.”

With regard to the grant’s acquisition, Yang said BU’s accomplishments in cybersecurity research and academic programs made it a standout. According to the grant, requirements include “documented evidence of a strong existing academic program in cybersecurity” and scholars to be enrolled in a “coherent formal program that is focused on cybersecurity.” The University was designated a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Research through 2025 by the National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security. BU also hosts CIAC and offers a specialization in information assurance, an advanced certificate in the cybersecurity program, a graduate cybersecurity track and 19 cybersecurity courses, according to Yang.

“So we met both requirements,” Yang wrote. “We submitted a proposal to the NSF scholarship for a service program in July 2021 and had an NSF site visit in [November] 2021. The grant was awarded by NSF in [January] 2022 and will start on Feb. 1, 2022.”

Krishnaswami Srihari, dean and distinguished professor of Watson College, said he is proud of the faculty’s collaboration in receiving the grant, as it was given to fewer than 100 universities.

“This will increase the visibility of [BU’s] cybersecurity efforts in the academic community and the U.S. government,” Srihari wrote. “Our researchers and students are building the future by tackling our 21st-century problems head-on. Ensuring that our data [remains] safe is a key part of that future, and all of us will benefit from the knowledge shared here at [BU] and Watson College.”

Weiyi Meng, professor and chair of the computer science department, credited Yang for the grant and the progressive effects it may have for the University in the future.

“Professor Yang’s vision, leadership and unwavering effort played an instrumental role in securing this grant,” Meng said. “It is probably the largest single grant in the history of the department and it will have a big impact on the department, Watson College and [BU] for many years to come.”

Santiago Parra, a junior majoring in computer science, expressed interest in what the SFS program means for the future of the computer science department.

“Computer science is one of the fastest-growing fields in the job market,” Parra said. “Being a part of a program that can [ensure] a career, especially in regard to government cybersecurity, is a serious accomplishment. I think this will draw a lot more undergraduates to focus on cybersecurity within the computer science department.”

BU Community Schools is the “first county-wide, university-assisted community schools [(UACS)] model in the nation,” according to their official Facebook account. Their goal is to bridge resources within the community and create an equitable school environment beyond the classroom that can improve youth academic success, as explained on the BU website.

CCLC are places where students, usually in low-performing schools, are offered help in core academic subjects through tutors and additional services such as health education and violence prevention, according to BingUNews. TARC is tasked to work with CCLC, providing 21st-century technical resources, assistance and professional development activities for students.

The program initiative came about after BU Community Schools submitted a NYSED Request for Proposal to become the CCLC TARC for the non-New York City region of New York state, according to Casey Pulz, director of CCLC.

The contract allows BU Community Schools to make use of the initiative and expand on the many youth development programs, including tutoring, counseling, health and violence-prevention services which already offered by the CCLC on a state level through the running of TARC, according to Pulz.

“This award is designed to improve the quality of 21st CCLC programs in the rest of state, non-New York City (NYC) region, and in turn improve academic, social and emotional outcomes of students and the literacy of their families,” Pulz wrote in an email. “The TARC will provide a variety of technical assistance, resources and professional development activities for the subgrantees to help them attain the 10 essential indicators of high-quality after-school programs as identified in the [New York State] Network for Youth Success Program Quality Self-Assessment Tool.”

Paula Jankowski, a senior majoring in integrative neuroscience, acknowledged how impactful and important she felt the work being done by BU Community Schools is.

“I’m really proud to attend a university that recognizes the educational disparities present within its community and is actively doing [its] part to help,” Jankowski said. “There are so many benefits to be reaped from the time and resources that [BU] invests in these kids. Being from [New York City], I recognize the prominence and urgency of this issue and I believe any initiative to narrow the inequality gap is worthwhile.”

Pulz said the TARC are not exclusive to just one BU Community Schools initiative, but will be collaborating with other BU Community Schools’ technical assistance initiatives that benefit other services, with one being the NYSED Central/Western Regional Community Schools Technical Assistance Center, which builds capacity for community schools.

The New York State Cares for Communities (NYSCFC) initiative will also be part of the project, according to Pulz. NYSCFC supports community- and faith-based organizations working with school districts to address barriers faced by students and families during the COVID-19 pandemic. The University-Assisted Community Schools (UACS) Regional Training Center through the Netter Center for Community Partnerships at the University of Pennsylvania and The Regional Network are also extending their help.

“[UACS] Regional Training Center through the Netter Center for Community Partnerships at [the University of Pennsylvania] supports colleges and universities across [New York state] and New Jersey in developing their [UACS] models in partnership with regional districts,” Pulz stated. “The Regional Network [is] partnering with districts across the Southern Tier to build capacity for and implement their community school models.”

Melissa Longo, a junior majoring in sociology, is hopeful that BU Community Schools’ involvement in the initiative will have a positive effect on New York state youths’ success in the future.

“I think it’s really amazing how [BU] is taking steps in the right direction to better the community it’s a part of,” Longo said. “Bettering the resources of the youth of [New York state], especially those who are in low-performing schools, is so important in ensuring that the needs of a child in such a developmental time will be met, so that they are encouraged and ready to seek higher education and attend schools like [BU].”

Roger and Charlene Kramer, 1972 and 1973 graduates with a BU scholarship fund under their name, have donated $1.2 million to a $2.5 million project that calls for a complete renovation of the information booth on Glenn G. Bartle Drive. The Charlene and Roger Kramer Welcome Center will be built as an extension of the booth and will have an information desk, bathrooms, brochures and flat-screen televisions advertising local restaurants. State money from a SUNY construction fund will also be used along with the donation. Construction is planned to begin summer 2022.

The donation serves as a “thank you” to the University from the Kramers for the opportunities and memories BU offered during their time as first-generation college graduates.

“I have such fond memories of my time at [BU] that I wanted to give back to my school,” Roger Kramer said. “Helping out with the construction of a welcome center was a great opportunity. My late wife, Charlene Kahlor Kramer, ’73, and I were both the first generation of our families to graduate from college and the University helped my wife, in particular, by providing her with scholarships and work-study opportunities. We were both so grateful to have received our undergraduate degrees from [BU].”

In a FOX 40 article, BU President Harvey Stenger shared his hopes that the Charlene and Roger Kramer Welcome Center will be a means of better communication and direction with visitors of the University.

“When people come to campus, they don’t really know where to go,” Stenger said. “So now they’ll have directions, they’ll be able to stay there, they can park right here for free. They can walk the campus from here … or they can move their car to admissions parking if they want to do that.”

According to Ryan Yarosh, BU’s senior director of media and public relations, BU hosts over 500 organized events and activities, and brings in around 300,000 visitors annually. These visitors include parents, prospective students, campus event attendees, sports attendees, collaborators and future partners, friends and family of the BU community. Yarosh said the amount of traffic the University receives generates around $15 million for the Binghamton area and $18 million statewide.

He said the Charlene and Roger Kramer Welcome Center will help market the University even more and give a fulfilling and inspiring experience for all visitors and prospective students.

“Arrival at [BU] signals the beginning of an inspiring journey,” Yarosh wrote in an email. “With this significant project, [BU] will establish an important cue to visitors that each campus visit represents an opening gateway to a greater future. The Charlene and Roger Kramer Welcome Center will establish a new and welcoming entry to the campus that inspires visitors with the potential made possible through a [BU] education, communicates our connection to our communities and engages visitors in the depth and breadth of our shared legacy.”

Athina Glumicic, a junior majoring in psychology, is excited about the Charlene and Roger Kramer Welcome Center and what it will bring for the University.

“I think this is exactly what the University needed,” Glumicic said. “The information booth on campus is not significant enough and a welcome center will be a great unifier for the University. Having a place of resources at the entrance of campus keeps BU organized and professional and I think a lot of visitors and prospective students will resonate with that. I’m excited for construction to begin.”

U.S. News & World Report released its 2022 best colleges rankings, where 1,466 institutions were compared and ranked in multiple categories based on 17 measures of academic quality. The paper uses vetted academic data from surveys and third-party sources to create its lists.

BU tied for 83rd place on the National Universities ranking this year against about 400 other higher education institutions. In Top Public Schools, BU tied for 33rd place, an improvement from last year’s report which listed the University at 41st place. BU is the highest-ranking SUNY school in both categories.

The University tied with Michigan State University in Top Public Schools and the University of Iowa in National Universities, among others. In an interview with WBNG 12 News, later shared on Dateline on Sept. 14, BU President Harvey Stenger stated that BU’s new placement is a critical factor in expanding recognition for the University.

“That is pretty incredible because everyone knows who they are, but not many people know who [BU] is,” Stenger said. “This is the way we get our name in front of people.”

In the same Dateline announcement, Student Association (SA) President David Hatami discussed his hope that the ranking will further broaden the University’s reputation and applicant pool within the Northeast and internationally.

According to Hatami, BU’s ability to increase in academic ranking within a year, especially during a global pandemic, is applaudable. He credits the improvement to the University’s faculty and students.

“A jump by almost 10 spots is an incredible achievement — almost a decade’s worth of rank increase in only one year,” Hatami wrote in an email. “Having been a student here at BU for almost four years now, it makes me feel good that the incredible dedication of our faculty, staff and students has not gone unnoticed. I think a large factor at play in our rank increase was the way in which our University was able to handle and adjust to changes brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. I think this notion speaks volumes to the abilities of our campus leaders and the resilience of our student body.”

Ryan Yarosh, senior director of media and public relations at BU, believes the acknowledgment is well deserved and a great introduction to the University for potential applicants.

“We have much to be proud of,” Yarosh wrote in an email. “[BU] has a growing reputation for academics, research and scholarship, and these rankings are proof that our students — whether at the bachelor’s, master’s or [Ph.D.] levels — are taking advantage of so many opportunities. While this recognition serves as a starting point for prospective students and their parents as they begin their college search, it is just one of many factors taken into consideration.”

Hatami hopes the University’s success will only grow in the coming years and finds the rankings’ impact on both undergraduate and graduate students promising.

“I hope the increase in ranking comes to represent a trend for our University, where our brand and prestige continues to increase on a yearly basis — something which will not only help attract more students from around the nation, but aid the employment prospects of graduating students and alumni,” Hatami wrote. “I have no doubt in my mind that BU will continue their dedication to accessible, [high-quality] education and campus life for all of its students. I wouldn’t be shocked to see another jump in ranking sometime soon.”

Kushal Shah, a junior majoring in integrative neuroscience, is proud of the University’s accomplishment.

“[BU] has overcome unprecedented challenges due to [COVID-19] and against all odds provided impeccable services that continue to help students reach their full potential,” Shah said. “After three years of being a student, the campus still inspires me to engage and succeed academically thanks to the students and faculty. I’m glad our success as a campus is being recognized and am sure it will continue.”

The weeklong series will be hosted from May 10 to 14, where students can participate in scheduled virtual events and tasks divided among the five days. The tasks consist of scripted emails, call-ins and daily social media posts addressed to BU administrators demanding change and recognition within the University. There will also be virtual teach-ins by members of the community where students and instructors can further discuss inequalities.

Each day is themed with a specific issue so that students can select what to advocate for. Monday started the event off with a social media boost for “Get the Word Out” and was followed by “Anti-Racism in the Classroom” on Tuesday, “Mental Health” on Wednesday, “Transparency and Safety” on Thursday and lastly, a series of anti-racism teach-ins and lectures on Friday. An agenda laying out the week, along with detailed scripts, is provided by the GSEU on its Facebook and Instagram accounts.

According to the GSEU, the motivation for the event comes from the lack of response from the BU administration after specific acts of racism and white supremacy on campus were brought to light.

“First, it is in response to the incident that occurred in February where a [teaching assistant] was called a racial slur by a student and the lack of response to rectify this situation,” the GSEU wrote in an email. “Additionally, this lack of actionable response from administration seems to be continuous. They refused to take action toward the list of demands presented after the ‘Stop Asian Hate Rally,’ they refused to take action when we sent in a petition with over 1500 signatures. We are asking them to realize that the system is not working in favor of marginalized folks and to commit to doing what they can to change it.”

The lack of response from BU only continues, according to the GSEU. They explained that even after demanding policy changes to protect marginalized students and instructors in the classroom in previous petitions, BU refused to implement progressive change, in contrast to their public relations messaging. The GSEU hoped that the Anti-Racism Week of Action would give students the opportunity to hold BU accountable for repeatedly failing to support people of color on campus, but also help to build a sense of community within the struggle and fight.

“We hope that this week sends a message to [the administration] that this community of students and instructors is paying attention to their words and that we will be holding them accountable,” the GSEU wrote. “Additionally, we want to build solidarity between the different communities that exist within the campus. We are trying to bridge the gap between undergraduate and graduate students, as well as faculty and members outside the campus. We hope that people will start to feel more supported in their struggles and realize that there are people who are willing to fight alongside them.”

In response to the event’s call for action, Ryan Yarosh, senior director of media and public relations at BU, stated that the University stands with its students against hate and discrimination and applauds and encourages students to report any acts of violence, harassment, intimidation or bias witnessed. According to Yarosh, BU plans to work with organizations on campus to combat racism in the future.

“Faculty Senate leaders are creating a task force that will identify ways to address disruptive behavior, including the use of disparaging, uncivil, racist language that interferes with the ability of all students in the class to learn,” Yarosh wrote in an email. “This task force will collaborate with the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Division of Student Affairs and Office of Human Resources to establish recommendations for implementation for the fall 2021 semester.”

Dianel Contreras, a sophomore majoring in cinema, is skeptical of the alleged support from the administration but is optimistic about the possibility of change and expanded conversations the event can promote.

“I think it’s really great that this event is being held,” Contreras wrote in an email. “The University administration has been complicit in multiple acts of racism from students and faculty while simultaneously reassuring students of color of their supposed allyship and support. Hopefully, these calls to action urge the University to actually do something about this issue instead of sweeping it under the rug.”

Once the event is over, the GSEU hopes students leave feeling supported in their struggle and frustration and understand that any change is possible when working in numbers.

“This University is our home and we have a right to feel safe and supported and to have our needs heard,” the GSEU wrote. “We want students to realize that they have every right to ask for changes to be made that benefit them.”

On April 27, 2021, Speaker Carl Heastie and Assembly Member Catalina Cruz announced that the New York State Assembly will be passing new legislation — Bill No. A06319. According to the New York State Assembly, the bill will “remove the penetration requirement from the rape statutes as well as … define rape as sexual intercourse, oral sexual conduct or anal sexual conduct.” The bill will make conforming changes throughout various areas of law, including the penal law and the criminal procedure law, with the aim of ensuring proper retribution of the crime.

Currently, oral and anal sexual conduct are considered “criminal sex acts” under the law and are not recognized as rape. The passage of this bill will change this.

The bill comes as a response to the mistrial of a rape charge against a former New York City police officer who forcibly sodomized a Bronx school teacher. The officer was not convicted of rape despite the evidence of nonconsensual sexual conduct. “Common sense dictates that what happened to the victim in this case is rape,” was written in the A06319 summary.

In a press release, Heastie explained that the bill will give survivors the opportunity for appropriate justice in recognition of their trauma.

“Rape is a heinous crime for which survivors deserve justice and perpetrators must be held accountable,” Heastie said. “This legislation ensures that the law recognizes the magnitude of these crimes and helps deliver survivors the real justice that they are owed.”

Cruz continued to advocate for the passage of the bill, stating that she was thrilled to see all forms of trauma being recognized under the law.

“Seeking justice for the crime of rape is a painful experience that forces survivors to relive their trauma,” Cruz said. “I am proud to carry this legislation because these brave individuals deserve to know that our justice system recognizes their trauma and will hold their perpetrators accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”

Haley Murphy, ‘14 and the Binghamton University campus coordinator at Crime Victims Assistance Center (CVAC), agreed on the positive impact judicial support can have on validating survivors and their journey towards vindication.

“Expanding definitions and putting less focus on the specific acts of sexual violence that occur will help survivors who choose to come forward feel validated and will legally recognize that all sexual violence is a traumatic experience and should be adjudicated as such,” Murphy wrote in an email. “I think there still will require a serious examination into how the legal system treats rape victims, and society plays a big piece in that as well.”

However, Murphy explained that while the new bill allows for the legal pursuit of accountability, not all survivors will feel comfortable in that pursuit.

“Because this legislation has to do with penal code terminology, it will primarily affect [BU] survivors who choose to report their crimes to law enforcement, participate in an investigation and are involved with the prosecution of their crime,” Murphy wrote. “This is still a particularly big ask for all victims since navigating the criminal justice process is a traumatic experience on its own, especially for those who have experienced such heinous, personal and painful acts.”

According to Amanda Reynolds, a junior majoring in nursing, although the bill recognizes survivors and the justification of punishment, it does not do enough to recognize the emotional repercussions of pursuing a charge against such painful crimes.

“I’m hoping we can build on this legislation further,” Reynolds wrote in an email. “More often than not, cases are being dismissed and perpetrators are not getting the proper repercussions for their crimes because survivors are unwilling to file initial reports. Many are deterred by the time it takes to even start an investigation and the emotional toll it takes to come forward. I hope we can create a safe environment and means for survivors to take that first step in finding the closure they seek.”

Athina Glumicic, an undeclared sophomore, believes the bill should have passed a long time ago, and its passing invites more change to be done.

“Too many survivors have been let down by the law, and it’s important that even after the [passage] of this bill, we continue to focus our efforts on adjusting the system to be more flexible and accommodating for every survivor’s respective needs,” Glumicic wrote in an email.

The idea for a seed library sprouted when two BU librarians applied for an American Library Association grant called Resilient Communities: Libraries Responding to Climate Change, in spring 2020. The grant offered resources and funding in return for sustainability initiatives and programming in libraries between October 2020 and April 2021, and the BU Library was one of 25 chosen to participate.

At the start, the project was just wishful thinking, according to Jennifer Embree, co-founder of the Science Library seed library and a subject librarian. After working on projects like a food drive with the Multicultural Resource Center (MRC), a sustainability panel with the Broome County Public Library and seed-saving workshops with Volunteers Improving Neighborhood Environments, INC. (VINES), Embree and Neyda Gilman, co-founder of the Science Library seed library and a health sciences librarian, decided to make their seed library dream a reality.

“This grant provided us with some funding to purchase some seeds and other necessities including envelopes,” Gilman wrote in an email. “More importantly, the grant gave us the opportunity to think about new and different ways to help increase our community’s resiliency and sustainability. After getting approval from the library’s administration, we worked on finding as much material we could reuse as possible, such as the cabinet we are using, requested seed donations from seed companies and the [BU] community and then got to work figuring out the logistics!”

The seed library, found in the BU Science Library, was launched last week on Earth Day and has a simple seed-borrowing process, according to Gilman.

“Anyone can come into the Science Library and take whatever seeds they would like from the seed library,” Gilman wrote. “The seeds are already divided out in envelopes, so it is really easy to grab whatever you are interested in. For those who want to be more involved, we encourage people to save seeds from the plants they grow and return them to the library so others can use them. Seeds can be donated to the seed library at any time by dropping them off at the Science Library front desk.”

There are a variety of seed options provided, ranging from flowers and herbs to vegetable seeds. Recorded in a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet is a list of plants, like dragon tongue bush bean and gold ring sunflower, the number of seed packets of each and who donated them. Gilman and Embree also created a sustainability guide that maps out the borrowing and donating process, and hope to create workshops that can help students with the process as well.

“[Gilman] and I are currently planning on hosting in-person and hands-on workshops in the fall on how to save seeds so that students that were able to take a few seeds to grow over the summer can attend these workshops and learn how to gather the seeds from their own plants,” Embree wrote in an email. “[Gilman] and I also hope to have planting workshops next spring, as well, that will provide all the materials that a student may need to plant seeds.”

According to Embree, the installation of the seed library was done with greater intent than just supplying students with seeds to grow.

“A seed library means the opportunity to encourage community engagement, to promote biodiversity, to support sustainable gardening practices and to create a space where those that are interested in or passionate about gardening, agriculture, plants and the environment can come together and connect with each other,” Embree wrote.

Haley Arnold, a sixth-year Ph.D. student studying evolutionary genetics, has recorded the majority of the developmental process by creating educational videos focused on seed saving, seed banks and the greenhouse on campus. Her research work in genetics of speciation and her interest in seed dormancy is what drew her to the project.

“Seed-saving as an agricultural practice has existed for likely thousands of years, simply as a way to save reproductive material from cultivars from one year to the next,” Arnold wrote in an email. “Now, as it has become more common for farmers to purchase seeds from large agricultural companies, which are more likely to be low in genetic variation and need to be purchased yearly, seed-saving has become a way for grassroots efforts to preserve rare and heirloom varieties of seeds. In this way, it also helps preserve biodiversity — something that is necessary for a robust future food supply.”

Aside from the science-based and community benefits of having a seed library on campus, Arnold believes that the library holds deep-rooted change within BU that can survive past a graduating class.

“I moved here about six years ago to start my Ph.D. and in that time have seen how integrated the University is into the Binghamton/Vestal community, and I think we, as a student body, owe it to the broader Binghamton area to show respect and gratitude for housing us during the time of study and what better way to do that than engaging with and developing long-term community projects that will outlast the brief time many of us are here,” Arnold wrote.

On Wednesday, BU President Harvey Stenger met with BCC President Kevin Drumm to sign the articulation agreement, allowing the program, called 2+U, to begin in fall 2021. They were joined on BCC’s campus by multiple contributors of the four-year development process, including Upinder Dhillon, SOM dean and Koffman Scholar at BU, and Gian Roma, chair of business programs at BCC.

“We’re here to celebrate another great collaboration effort with our outstanding university partner, BU, our brother-sister school in our great SUNY system,” Drumm said. “We are already one of the biggest feeders of transfer students to BU, some years the biggest, and this will only strengthen our pathway for, in this case, our business students going from [BCC] to BU.”

For students to be eligible to apply, they must complete the two-year Associate of Science program in business administration within BCC and uphold academic credentials that meet the program’s requirements. Starting fall 2021, the BU 2+U transfer program will begin accepting 25 students each semester and help to smoothly guide them through the transfer process.

“Our transfer admissions team will work closely with these students to ensure that they have completed all the necessary components for their transfer application,” Dhillon wrote in an email. “Once admitted and deposited, new transfer students will get a plethora of information through communications from the Office of Admissions, Office of New Student Programs, Office of Residential Life as well as Transfer Student Services.”

According to Roma, the program will help to propel student enrollment within BCC and give the opportunity for students within a two-year community college to graduate with a highly ranked, four-year bachelor’s degree.

“You know [BCC] is open enrollment,” Roma said. “Anyone can come here, and now we have a world class transfer pathway to the Rolls-Royce of the business world. That’s a great deal. Anywhere else you’re not going to get a better value, and, if you can go here and have that same transfer pathway without taking the SAT, it’s almost a no-brainer.”

The conference established that there will be a mutually beneficial relationship between BCC and BU because of the possible opportunities being created for both schools. Dhillon discussed how BCC students are able to utilize a credible and direct transfer program, while BU enjoys the new installment of able students into SOM.

“This agreement provides a more concrete and transparent pathway for students to follow to maximize their transfer potential at [BCC] and take the appropriate coursework that will set them up for success when at [BU],” Dhillon wrote. “This agreement lays a strong foundation for potential BU students that, upon starting at [BU], will be able to continue to build their knowledge and experience within the business sector.”

The program is also beneficial to the overall development of Broome County, according to Stenger.

“Students that will graduate from [BCC] come to [BU] with a great degree in management, finance, marketing, all the fields inside the school and be able to go to work,” Stenger said. “And they’re more likely to stay right here because this is where they grew up. This is their hometown. They’re not looking to go downstate to Wall Street — they really want to make a difference here and those jobs would be created over the next year or two as we go through this economic recovery. So, it’s going to be a great program. I’m looking forward to signing the agreement. I know it’s going to be very successful.”

Chelsea Zou, a sophomore double-majoring in business administration and integrative neuroscience, believes that the new program will open doors and create an easier system for students of all academic backgrounds to succeed within the major.

“This agreement allows opportunity for a variety of students interested in the many branches of business to pursue their professional careers,” Zou said. “Not only does this benefit the students themselves but also eventually diversifies SOM’s alumni networks by inviting students from differing educational backgrounds. Our academic system should be open for students based upon current academic standing and ambitions rather than previous educational institutions.”