The Mirabito Outdoor Classic in Syracuse on Saturday, Feb. 20 between the Binghamton Senators and Syracuse Crunch scored a hat trick in the record books of the American Hockey League and the New York State Fairgrounds. The game earned marks for being the AHL’s first outdoor game in the league’s 74-year history and the Fairgrounds’ first winter outdoor professional sporting event, drawing an AHL-record crowd of 21,508. Fans began trickling into the snow-covered Fairgrounds at 8:30 a.m. for the afternoon matchup, in which the Crunch beat the B-Sens 2-1. The snow, accompanied by 30-degree temperatures and wind gusts, served as…

Ice hockey was a game born on the frozen ponds of North America, as players young and old alike braved the winter elements to establish a sport available solely on ice. Next week, the Binghamton Senators and Syracuse Crunch will be taking the game back to where it all began and making history as they compete in the Mirabito Outdoor Classic — the American Hockey League’s first outdoor regulation hockey game. The game, scheduled for 1 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 20, will take place at the New York State Fairgrounds, where a state-owned horseracing track was converted into a temporary…

Four minutes worth of action against the Rochester Americans on Saturday not only cost the Binghamton Senators a hockey game, but also two of their on-ice leaders. In the first period of Saturday’s 5-4 loss, the B-Sens lost team captain Denis Hamel when he collided with a Rochester player. Less than a minute later, enforcer Jeremy Yablonski left the ice after he struggled to gain his balance following a fight against Rochester’s Steve MacIntyre. According to B-Sens head coach Don Nachbaur, Hamel is scheduled to undergo an MRI, and Nachbaur speculated that Yablonski could be out for an undetermined amount…

The Student Association Executive Board addressed students’ comments and concerns about the SA and Binghamton University in an open forum held Thursday. The Executive Board, including SA President Adam Amit and Assembly Chair Elahd Bar-Shai, responded to the concerns of the 10 or so students who attended. In response to student questions, they addressed the parking and traffic situation on campus and new policies for how student groups can use their earned money, among other issues. Tom Russo, a junior majoring in biological sciences, expressed discontent with traffic near the West Gym during weekday mornings and the closing of the…

Momentum shifts in a hockey game when a player scores a goal, makes a big save or provides a physical check. But another factor can also influence the outcome of a game — toughness and intimidation. Each night, teams compete in this category through enforcers, players who aren’t afraid to drop the gloves and engage in fist fights to settle a personal rivalry between the sides when the time comes. For the past three seasons, Jeremy Yablonski has been the tough guy for the Binghamton Senators, exciting fans with bouts against some of the American Hockey League’s toughest heavyweights and…

Members of the Caribbean Student Association (CSA) and the Binghamton University community continued their efforts this past week to pressure administration to reinstate their Carnival event. The cultural organization held a rally Friday in efforts to restore the two-part cultural exhibition and celebration, and are in the process of scheduling a meeting with administration. The 10 students who participated in the rally walked past the Couper Administration Building, Glenn G. Bartle Library, the New University Union and the Dickinson amphitheater. According to Christopher Williams, activities director for the CSA, students in the Dickinson Dining Hall applauded after the group read…

Pipe Dream is celebrating its 63rd year as Binghamton University’s independent student newspaper. It started as the Colonial News in fall 1946 and has been going strong twice a week ever since. So we are taking a look back into the paper’s archives, at the people and events that have made the news over BU’s past 60 years. Tuesday, Dec. 4, 1984 An outbreak of an undefined stomach illness in Newing College led to the temporary hospitalization of 68 then-Binghamton University students. Harpur’s Ferry and Town of Vestal ambulance squads worked all night to transport the sick students, who became…

Binghamton University administration is continuing their commitment to a greener future with the release of the Climate Action Plan, a proposal outlining initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The 32-page document, which was unveiled by University President Lois DeFleur during a Monday press conference in Newing College’s Bingham Hall, offers strategies to minimize the use of coal on campus and heat water through solar power, among other goals. “The total usage of energy on campus since 2000 has gone down 14 percent,” said James Van Voorst, vice president for administration at BU. “And that’s at a time where we had…

Binghamton University students will get the chance to have their voices heard and performed through song and spoken word when Breeding Grounds holds an open forum Friday night. Breeding Grounds, a newly Student Association-chartered network of artists and musicians, will provide musical and spoken accompaniment between student speeches at the event, titled “Whose University Is This?” scheduled for 6 p.m. in Lecture Hall 8. “We want to help the student body and our fellow peers to get a voice on campus,” said Omari Miller, senior English major and president of Breeding Grounds. “We want to find out how the campus…

With only 11 minutes remaining, the Binghamton Senators managed to overcome a four-goal deficit against the visiting Manchester Monarchs on Saturday night, but it wasn’t enough. After a thrilling comeback during a nine-minute span in the third period to even the score after being down 5-1, the B-Sens fell to the Monarchs 6-5 in a shootout. “For our guys to not quit and muster a comeback, that’s real credit for them,” said head coach Don Nachbaur. “A lot of teams would have shut it down; we didn’t.” Binghamton opened the scoring in the first period after forward Ryan Keller took…

After over 500 absentee ballots were counted on Thursday, Democratic candidate Matt Ryan has been re-elected for his second term as the city of Binghamton’s mayor. Unofficial results posted by the Press & Sun-Bulletin have Ryan winning the race with 4,068 votes, followed by Republican candidate Rich David with 3,960 and Independent candidate Douglas Walter Drazen with 2,048. From the initial vote totals, which were recorded last Tuesday, the city’s mayoral race was too close to call a winner. Votes from over 500 absentee ballots ensured Ryan the victory, who led David by a margin of 56 votes going into…

More than a dozen student groups risk suspension from the Student Association for the remainder of the school year if they do not sign a state mandated form by Wednesday. The law, listed as 129A, makes all student groups, and not the SA, individually accountable for their actions. This law requires a representative from each chartered student group within the Binghamton University to sign a form and attend a scheduled presentation. Of the SA’s 202 chartered student groups, 185 have signed contracts. The 17 groups who have not signed these forms have had their accounts frozen, meaning they cannot move…

Local residents are waiting longer than expected for the results of the fall 2009 Binghamton mayoral election. The election, which took place on Tuesday, was too close for a winner to be named. With 100 percent of districts reporting, according to the Press & Sun-Bulletin, Democratic candidate Matthew Ryan led with 3,789 votes, while Republican candidate Rich David trailed with 3,733. Independent candidate Douglas Walter Drazen received 1,980 votes. On Thursday, the Press & Sun-Bulletin reported a voting error in the city’s 28th district, where over 100 votes were double-counted. The totals showed that 507 people had voted in the…

With Thanksgiving break still weeks away, some Binghamton University students may want a weekend away from the homework and the Binghamton cold. Thankfully, even if students don’t have a car, several local transportation options are available if they want to return home at any time in the week. Without even leaving campus, students who live in the New York metropolitan area can travel home through ESCAPE, BU’s student-run bus company. Each Friday afternoon, an ESCAPE bus leaves campus to stop at Fresh Meadows, Queens; Manhattan; and Huntington, Long Island. Tickets, which can be purchased in the New University Union room…

Pipe Dream is celebrating its 63rd year as Binghamton University’s independent student newspaper. It started as the Colonial News in fall 1946 and has been going strong twice a week ever since. So we are taking a look back into the paper’s archives, at the people and events that have made the news over BU’s past 60 years. Tuesday, Oct. 23, 1979 A Binghamton University professor arrested over the summer of 1979 for alleged arson faced a life sentence in a jail Guyana. Dr. Walter Rodney, a then-professor of sociology and member of the Guyanese Workers People’s Alliance (WPA), was…

Binghamton University students armed with Nerf guns, socks and marshmallows, will soon be the last chance of humanity’s survival against a zombie onslaught. This apocalyptic scenario is the premise for Humans vs. Zombies (HvZ), a role-playing game based on tag, according to Lauren Webb, a sophomore psychobiology major and the game’s moderator. In celebration of Halloween, Late Nite Binghamton is arranging a nine-day HvZ game for BU students to play, beginning on Thursday, Oct. 29. At the start of the game, one participant will be randomly selected to become a zombie, with the rest of the players classified as humans.…

After their worst loss of the season on home ice last weekend, an 8-1 rout by the Hershey Bears, the Binghamton Senators were poised for redemption during a Saturday night rematch. Although the Binghamton Senators played a much closer game to Hershey, they were still not able to overcome the defending Calder Cup champions, losing by a score of 3-2 in overtime. “At times we had to weather the storm and I thought we did a good job then,” said Don Nachbaur, head coach of Binghamton. “As far as effort goes I can’t complain about the effort the guys put…

For Mark Scudder, a local musician, singing into a microphone is just the beginning. The Johnson City native, who has released 10 studio albums, takes pride in the long hours he spends in the studio doing production — fine-tuning every note to perfection before it resonates through a listener’s ears. “The difficulty is not in creating the music itself, but getting it right,” Scudder said. “It’s hard to know what’s right is until you hear it.” In his teenage years, Scudder recorded his first solo albums. The albums, recorded on cassette tapes, were handed out to anyone at his school…

The State University of New York released an official plan Wednesday highlighting its latest efforts in combating the spread of swine flu on college campuses. According to the press release, the number of “influenza-like illness” cases reported daily at SUNY’s 64 schools amount to less than 0.02 percent of the student population of 440,000. “SUNY’s response to all forms of the flu has been focused on three critical themes: prepare, educate and respond,” said Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher in the release. “Our first priority is to help keep students, faculty and staff healthy and safe.” In the preparation phase, SUNY…

After two wins to start off the season, the Binghamton Senators got a reality check when the defending Calder Cup champion Hershey Bears came into town Saturday night. Binghamton’s high-powered offense, which notched 11 goals in their first two games, was no match for the Bears, whose defensive efforts led them to a dominating 8-1 victory in front of 3,316 fans at the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena. “The bottom line is we played the Calder Cup champions tonight and we got overwhelmed,” said Don Nachbaur, head coach of the B-Sens. “You can’t beat good teams like that without putting…

Binghamton University students and residents gathered Downtown Monday for the city of Binghamton’s Columbus Day celebrations, where Broome County’s congressman gave a speech. The festivities, organized by the city of Binghamton and the Downtown Binghamton Business Association, began with the raising of the Italian flag around 9 a.m. More than 300 people attended. The parade included a marching band competition featuring local high schools where bands were judged based on appearance, freshness and the difficulty of the music, according to a press release. “Our Columbus Day celebrations allow us to applaud the Italian American community and showcase everything that Downtown…

A student in Binghamton University’s teacher education program has been suspended and arrested on accusations of having sex with a 15-year-old girl. Amy N. Miller, 23, is currently facing charges of a third-degree criminal sexual act and endangering the welfare of a child, according to state police, and was held Tuesday in the Tioga County Jail on $5,000 cash bail or $10,000 bond. While enrolled at BU, Miller was student teaching at Union-Endicott High School and previously taught at the Owego Free Academy when she was a student at SUNY Cortland. Miller, who was studying special education in her first…

A Binghamton University student is working to create a virtual college campus for students from across the country. Keith Knee, a senior political science major, is a co-founder of CollegeFirsts.com, a Web site where students can share their college-related photos, videos and experiences. “The dream of the site is that it’s going to be a virtual college campus where you can basically suffice your entertainment, recreational and academic needs,” he said. Students can also post gossip on the Web site, which has a setup similar to that of Facebook and MySpace. However, unlike JuicyCampus, a now-defunct site built around a…

After the Binghamton Senators disappointingly missed the playoffs last spring, the team is back with a new look and direction for its upcoming 2009-10 season. “I’m excited about all the new additions we have,” said head coach Don Nachbaur. “All the intangibles are there; it’s the matter of getting the continuity and team building — getting that group all thinking as one and playing as one.” The Binghamton Senators, nicknamed the B-Sens, are the local team in the American Hockey League, which is the National Hockey League’s highest developmental organization. Each team in the AHL has a parent NHL club,…

Binghamton University’s athletic department has a variety of rules and regulations to ensure proper behavior for student-athletes. According to an athletic department document outlining disciplinary rules, students can be potentially suspended from their teams if they violate one of three areas — team policies, department policies or the law. The department policies include the Student Code of Conduct, which identifies acts such as stealing, fighting, cheating, lying, physical and/or verbal abuse and other acts punishable by law as a basis to discipline a player. Departmental regulations also include the alcohol, tobacco, and other drug policy, where students are expected to…

April 18, 2001 — Binghamton University completes a five-year transition from NCAA Division III athletics, through Division II and into Division I America East Conference. April 2004 — Construction completed on a $33.1 million Events Center intended to house, among others, the men’s basketball team. March 26, 2007 — Kevin Broadus is hired by the University to coach the men’s basketball team after former coach Al Walker steps down. Walker coached the team from 2001 to 2007. Previously, Broadus was an assistant coach at Georgetown University. May 4, 2008 — Miladin Kovacevic, a recruit made by Walker, assaults BU senior…

Jim Deferio, a 59-year-old Syracuse resident, once again faced protesters outside of the New University Union yesterday when he returned to Binghamton University to voice his anti-gay sentiments. He did not face the crowds of students alone, but was joined by Greg Jacobs of Pennsylvania, a member of Preaching Jesus 777 Ministries. Amidst jeers, shouting matches with bystanders and chants of “Leave!” from an estimated crowd of 70 students, the two stated their beliefs that God condemns homosexuals. “We’re here to tell people that we’re all sinners and God provides a way out for us,” Deferio said, holding a sign…

Pipe Dream is celebrating its 63rd year as Binghamton University’s independent student newspaper. It started as the Colonial News in fall 1946 and has been going strong twice a week ever since. So we are taking a look back into the paper’s archives, at the people and events that have made the news over BU’s past 60 years. Friday, Sept. 18, 1987 A group of nude protesters carrying signs marched through the University Union to protest Tau Alpha Upsilon’s annual X-rated movie. According to Brian Heitner, then-president of TAU, the reason the fraternity showed the movie was to provide entertainment…

Although the number of positions available with some employers has decreased because of the economy, more than 1,900 students attended this year’s Job and Internship Fair. According to Eileen Bauer-Hagerbaumer, director for employer relations for the Career Development Center, at least 200 more students showed up to the Fair this fall compared to last spring. At the fair, which was sponsored by the CDC and held in the Events Center on Wednesday, students of all majors were able to meet with recruiters of 74 companies, including non-profit, public and private establishments, to discuss career plans. Jeffrey Agranoff, director of recruiting…

Binghamton University students can now quickly access their favorite daily Web sites, social networking tools and even school links — all in one convenient location. CampusLIVE.com/binghamton, launched in early September, is a customizable Internet home page with a BU theme. In addition to providing integrated access to Web sites such as Google and Twitter, the Web site offers quick links to Binghamton TV listings, movie showtimes and call-in dining services. A bar at the top of the page also lists links to school-related material, such as BU’s Brain, Blackboard and library systems. “It’s very well-built, and I like how they…

Although the economy is still in a recession, it won’t stop dozens of employers from coming to Binghamton University to recruit students for internships and full-time jobs. On Wednesday, Sept. 16, the University will host its fall 2009 Job and Internship Fair in the Events Center, sponsored by BU’s Career Development Center. At the event, which is scheduled to start at 11:30 a.m. and run until 3:30 p.m., students will have the chance to meet with recruiters from 73 registered employers, ranging from non-profit groups such as the American Cancer Society to Bloomberg L.P., a financial service company. According to…

Binghamton University faculty members compiled a list of tips for students attending the fall 2009 job fair on Sept. 16, advising them on how to make the most of their day. 1. Create a list prioritizing which employers you plan to speak with Even though students have four hours available to meet with recruiters, time can pass quickly waiting in lines before they get the chance to introduce themselves. “Physically you can’t do all [73] employers in that time frame,” said Bill McCarthy, associate director of the Career Development Center. “Look at the list [of employers] before the fair ……

Before cold winter weather arrives at Binghamton University, the BU Outdoor Pursuits department encourages students to explore the scenic outdoors. This semester Outdoor Pursuits is offering a variety of outdoor activities and workshops to students of all skill levels, ranging from whitewater rafting to navigating a corn maze. “I think students are anxious to get off campus and explore the local and regional area,” said Teresa “Birdie” High, assistant director of Outdoor Pursuits. As soon as Monday, Sept. 28, students can take a trip to explore a national natural landmark, the Ellenville Fault Ice Caves in Ellenville, N.Y. “Historically, people…

The new dean of the Watson School of Engineering, Krishnaswami Srihari, is doing something uncommon for a dean ― continuing to teaching classes. Outside of his duties as the fourth dean of the school, Srihari will be teaching SSIE 510, Enterprise Systems Engineering, to undergraduate and graduate students. As dean, Srihari plans to expand the school’s educational program by adding a new sustainable engineering minor, which could be available as early as fall 2010. The minor would teach students how to develop green, reusable and environmentally-friendly technologies. “Any changes to the curriculum are well thought out,” Srihari said. He is…

In the aftermath of the American Civic Association, Binghamton residents will learn how to use words to prevent people from committing violent acts at the sixth annual New York Intensive Residential Training in Nonviolent Communication. The event will be held at Mountainview College at Binghamton University from June 20 to 27. “We want to teach people how to bring understanding between themselves to avoid violence through physical and verbal contact,” said Jane Connor, a co-organizer of the program. The training event holds an special significance for the community of Binghamton, which was shocked on the morning of April 3, when…

Students can look forward to a variety of new communication tools over the Internet next semester, as Binghamton University will be changing their e-mail service to Gmail. With recent budget cuts, the Academic Computing and Educational Technologies Committee formed a Hosted E-mail Committee to look into modern, cheaper e-mail services. The committee, comprised of four faculty members, four Information Technology Services members and three undergraduate students, chose Gmail over Mirapoint on the basis of cost and features. Mirapoint, an e-mail-only service, cost the University $40,000 each year for the software license and technical support, according to Frank Saraceno, associate director…

More than 400 Binghamton University students gathered in the Anderson Center’s Chamber Hall Thursday night for the 11th annual XCELsior Awards, a ceremony that recognizes excellence and leadership in Student Association-charted and greek-affiliated student organizations on campus. At this ceremony, the Center for Excellence in Student Leadership issues 24 awards for such distinctions as outstanding community service, fundraising efforts and educational programs. A slideshow was presented before the ceremony, which contained pictures submitted from some of BU’s 89 participating organizations, such as Kappa Phi Lambda’s car wash fundraiser. “With some organizations, you’re not really sure about what they do, you…

During finals week, while most students are taking exams, one class will be taking a different approach — playing soccer, robot-style. Students of Professor Richard Eckert’s Microcontrollers and Robotics computer science class will compete in RoboSoccer. The game will be played by the Open Robot, a wireless mobile robot designed by Binghamton University alumnus Abe Howell. Each team of students will program the Open Robot’s radio frequency antenna, two light sensors, five infrared transmitters and one micro-controller chip to score goals. Before each game of RoboSoccer, two Open Robots are placed inside individual boxes containing radio frequency identification chips. The…

Three weeks ago, Jiverley Wong killed 13 innocent people at the American Civic Association at 131 Front St. in Downtown Binghamton, including two visiting Binghamton University scholar graduates. Since the shooting, the building has only been used for administrative functions. A site for temporary immigration and refugee services has yet to be determined. Within the next few weeks, the ACA’s board of directors will meet to choose a re-opening date, assess damage costs and plan a memorial for those who lost their lives. Andrew Baranowski, executive director at the ACA, said he couldn’t imagine what the atmosphere in the building…

In the classic video game “Super Mario Bros.,” everyone’s favorite plumber, Mario, runs off a ledge to avoid a Goomba. When Mario falls in his virtual world, he accelerates with a speed nine times greater than earth’s natural gravitational pull. In other words, the level of impact upon hitting the ground, according to Binghamton University physics Professor Chuck Nelson, would be like “jumping from a ledge nine times higher in the present earth.” During their senior year at Brooklyn’s Midwood High School, two students, Artem Gindin and Adam Lefky, examined Mario’s inhuman landings in “Super Mario Gravity,” a study of…

With two weeks remaining in the Binghamton Senators’ 2008-2009 AHL season, the struggling Philadelphia Phantoms were trailing in their rearview mirror, with Binghamton destined to make the playoffs for the first time in four years. But after the regular season came to a close, it was Binghamton who was left in the dust, surrendering the fourth and final playoff seed in the AHL’s Atlantic Division to the red hot Phantoms, who only lost twice in their last nine games. On March 27, the Binghamton Senators had a six point lead on Philadelphia in the standings, but fell into a rut…

The Events Center will be illuminated by thousands of glow sticks next weekend, as students participate in Binghamton University’s 2009 Relay For Life. So far, $36,000 has been raised from 1,364 students on 188 participating teams. Last year, $74,000 was raised by the end of the night. The theme of this year’s event is a campout, and organizers hope the glow sticks will provide an ambience similar to a campfire. Students can still register online at relayforlife.org/binghamtonuniversity for $20. Participants can create a new team, or join a list of available teams on the Web site. “We’re really proud to…

A candlelight vigil on Tuesday night will give Binghamton University students the opportunity to gather and mourn victims of the American Civic Association shootings. City of Binghamton Mayor Matt Ryan and Police Chief Joseph Zikuski will be speaking at the ceremony, which starts at 7 p.m. near the fountain outside of the Glenn G. Bartle Library. It is hosted by the Student Association. The mayor plans to speak about the community’s loss and healing process. “I look forward to joining with Binghamton University’s community in commemorating the lives lost and charting the path forward together,” he said. A candle will…

A Binghamton University doctoral student was chosen last week as the USA Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers’ 2009 New Face of Engineering. Guruprasad Madhavan was spotlighted for his research in biomedical engineering, which has received attention from clinics and companies that could use the technology to lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart failure and osteoporosis for patients. The IEEE is an international non-profit organization dedicated to providing engineering information and resources to more than 375,000 members from 160 countries. Madhavan is one of the 14 international candidates under 30 years old chosen for the recognition. He…

On Sunday, April 12, the American Hockey League’s 2008-09 regular season comes to a close. But for 16 teams, possibly including the Binghamton Senators, the journey for the coveted Calder Cup championship has just begun. In each of the AHL’s four divisions, the top four teams will make the playoffs. As of yesterday, Binghamton is in possession of fourth place in the East Division with 84 points. Their three potential divisional opponents, Bridgeport, Hershey and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, are jostling for position at the top. This season could be the first time Binghamton has made the playoffs since 2005, when they were…

The Student Association’s judicial board struck down Jordan Zager’s grievance, filed last week against the elections committee chair, Sunday. Zager, a sophomore English and cinema major, raised his hand to ask vice president for academic affairs candidates questions during last week’s community sweeps, but was denied the right to speak by elections chair Mary Leonardo. Zager said he wanted to ask about diversity. He attended the different sweeps hoping to ask the vice president for academic affairs candidates about a possible queer studies minor. According to Leonardo, students may only ask questions in a sweep at their own community, and…

Binghamton University’s men’s basketball team isn’t the only one on campus caught up in March Madness. Pixelated sparks will fly later this month in “BattleCode,” a computer game where two programmable armies of robots wage war. This year is the first time BU has ever competed in the competition. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is hosting a national tournament among colleges, where the top eight teams of coders compete for up to $40,000 in prizes at MIT in early April. Four BU students, David Lundgren, Gregory Stoddard, Tony Worm and Jason Loew, are teaming up for the competition as the…

Imagine yourself in a firefight, surrounded by whizzing bullets or on a beach, taking a stroll and enjoying the serenity of waves rolling along the shoreline. The best thing is, you can experience all these things without leaving Binghamton in the office of VirtuSphere, a local company whose beginnings are rooted in Binghamton University. Created by brothers Ray and Nurulla Latypov, VirtuSphere is a unique, virtual-reality machine being distributed worldwide. A BU professor and student are currently helping with designing and marketing VirtuSphere software. Enclosed inside a 10-foot plastic ball, users wear virtual reality headsets to navigate a virtual world.…

Those hoping to become resident assistants at Binghamton University may learn that it’s harder than it looks, as more applicants are becoming wait-listed each semester. When Residential Life hosted an informational meeting about the position last fall, 517 students attended and 298 applied. Out of those candidates, 208 were deemed “hirable,” with 84 chosen as RAs for the fall 2009 semester. The other 124 students were placed on a wait list. “We’re happy with the talent levels of those [who] applied, but there aren’t enough openings for everyone,” Colin Coleman, a resident director for College-in-the-Woods’ Cayuga Hall and chair for…

Members of various fraternities and sororities gathered Tuesday evening to form the United Greek Council, a new student group hoping to unify greeks on campus. Students from the Asian Greek Council, Interfraternity Council and other organizations were on hand, hoping to create a public forum where members can address and resolve concerns. The group came together for the first time because they felt that animosity was becoming too prevalent between fraternities and sororities, facilitated by the loss of Jack Causseaux’s advisory position when the Greek Life office moved under Off-Campus College. “At the end of the day, each council may…

A Binghamton University computer science class is doing work that may benefit airports around the country. Professional Ethics and Communication, taught by Professor William Ziegler, is collaborating with the Greater Binghamton Airport in the Federal Aviation Administration Design Competition. This national competition challenges universities to create innovative ideas for airport operation. One system being designed by Ziegler’s class uses geothermal heat to melt snow and ice on the airport’s aprons, where planes are parked and maintained. They plan to pump water through underground rubber tubes, which would be conducted through Earth’s geothermal heat and warm the pavement on the aprons.…

Two Binghamton University students are fixing and designing software that helps both their classmates and the world. Crash Test Dummy … Benjamin Kreuter, a senior electrical engineering and computer science major, is a volunteer software tester for One Laptop Per Child (OLPC). Formed in 2005, OLPC is an American non-profit organization that has distributed over one million XO-1 laptops (also known as hundred-dollar laptops) to developing countries. XO-1 is run on a Linux variation, Fedora, with an interface called Sugar. It’s designed for simplicity, as some of the laptop’s users might never have seen a computer before. Last week programmers…

For new Binghamton Senators coach Curtis Hunt, his first few days with the team did not go as planned. Since taking over the head coaching position two weeks ago, Hunt has managed the club to a 3-2-2 record, but lost three out of his first four games. His first game behind the bench was on Feb. 6 in Hamilton, where Binghamton fell 3-2 in overtime. The B-Sens played a conservative game during the opening two periods by allowing Hamilton only nine shots against goaltender Martin Gerber. However, Hamilton capitalized on one of those shots and added a power-play goal late…

Did you know penguins live in Binghamton? Ross Park Zoo is the seasonal home of several black-footed penguins, and is an attraction the Greater Binghamton Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) hopes will draw tourists into the area. Recently, the Bureau released two new tourism promotional videos showcasing what the Greater Binghamton area has to offer. Spiedie Fest, Clinton Street’s Antique Row and the area’s natural beauty were just a few attractions highlighted in the two- and four-minute clips. The CVB hadn’t released a tourism video in more than five years, so it held several meetings with Communique Design and Marketing,…

In front of a crowd of 700, a Binghamton University student stood and addressed the governor of New York: “Where is the love for SUNY?” Paterson’s response to the rallying interest groups — which ranged from labor unions to senior citizens — was consistent: “We have to share in the sacrifice.” The Democrat governor defended his budget cuts Wednesday at a town hall meeting at Broome Community College in Binghamton. The financial crisis is the worst since the Great Depression, he said, and New York could face bankruptcy unless it shapes up its spending. He responded to the BU student…

While New York State Gov. David Paterson is sure to be greeted by crowds when he arrives at Broome County Community College tomorrow for his town hall meeting, they likely won’t be the most supportive kind. Many are expected to rally tomorrow to protest the Governor’s plans for the upcoming state budget, which cuts funding in a variety of areas in order to lower state debt. Those rallying will include representatives from a labor union, the Citizen Action of New York organization and students against money from tuition hikes going toward the state’s deficit. While none of those planning to…

With the current state of the economy, finance majors in Binghamton University’s School of Management are having an increasingly difficult time finding jobs in their career path. A slower economy has reduced activity in the financial sector, where firms gain their profit from acquisitions, mergers and public offerings. And with less activity occurring between firms and companies, the demand for finance majors has decreased, according to SOM Dean Upinder Dhillon. While firms are still coming to the job fair this Thursday, their budgets for travel and recruiting purposes have been scaled back. “A majority of the employers will stay two…

The Binghamton Senators and their parent NHL organization, the Ottawa Senators, had a variety of management changes this week as both teams received new head coaches. On Monday, Feb. 2, it was announced that Ottawa Senators general manager Bryan Murray had fired head coach Craig Hartsburg after a disappointing 17-24-7 start to their 2008-09 NHL season. “I felt that if we continued on the same path everything would just be negative,” Murray said in a press conference. “The value of our players and the performance of our players didn’t appear to be changing.” Murray later named Binghamton Senators head coach…

Binghamton Outdoor Pursuits’ wintertime fun: Date of Activity — Name of Activity — Fee — Register-by date Feb. 7 — Intro to Cross Country Skiing — $10 — Register by Feb. 5 Feb. 8 — Winter Survival: Build an Igloo — $5 — Register by Feb. 5 Feb. 9 — Full Moon Snowshoe Hike — $5 — Register by Feb. 5 Feb. 13 — Lunch in a Lean-To Snowshoe Hike — $5 — Register by Feb. 11 Feb. 14 — Snowshoe Hike — $5 — Register by Feb. 12 Feb. 15 — Cross Country Day Ski Trip II — $5/$15…

This spring semester you could find yourself cross-country skiing, learning how to build an igloo or hiking in snowshoes under a full moon. Binghamton University’s Outdoor Pursuits is offering these activities, workshops and more — and most cost less than $15. In warmer weather, adventurers can also choose from larger trips such as a weekend fly-fishing trip and a spring break backpacking expedition in Kentucky’s Red River Gorge. Last weekend, graduate students Josh Teeter and John Moore led a snowshoeing expedition in the Nature Preserve. “We like to let students choose their routes on a hike like this one, in…

The months of December and January brought success and opportunity for Brian Elliott, Binghamton Senators goaltender. Elliott, the starting goalie of the B-Sens’ 2008-09 season, was first recognized by winning the Reebok X-Pulse/AHL Goaltender of the Month award for December. Throughout the course of his 11 games played in that month, Elliott posted a 7-2-0 record. In his nine complete appearances, Elliott allowed less than two goals in each game, a statistic made more impressive by considering that in six of those games he faced over 32 shots. On Jan. 6, it was announced that Elliott would be the starting…

Solving a Rubik’s Cube is no easy task, but a Binghamton University professor is world-renowned for her method of cracking the puzzle in record time. Speedcubing, a craze that has gained significant popularity in recent years, is a competitive activity aimed at completing a Rubik’s Cube in the fastest time possible. Jessica Fridrich, a professor of electrical and computer engineering at BU, created the “Fridrich Method” of speedcubing, which is used by some of the world’s fastest participants. Fridrich took two years to complete the method and was assisted by Miroslav Goljan, who is currently a research scientist at the…

A stint of seven games in 10 nights for the Binghamton Senators gave birth to a franchise-record streak of being shut out for almost 219 minutes of ice time. After coming off 3-0 and 9-0 losses to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and Hershey, respectively, the B-Sens continued to struggle to score goals during another 3-0 loss against the Toronto Marlies on Nov. 18. B-Sens goaltender Brian Elliott was able to stop 35 shots against Toronto, but couldn’t withstand a power-play barrage due to several Binghamton penalties that lasted for most of the second period. “We were careless with our sticks and ended up…

Finals week is here, and students who need caffeinated drinks to keep them awake during strenuous studying sessions in the library have a ton of options. Thankfully, Binghamton is home to numerous cafes and coffee shops that sell beverages in a variety of sizes and flavors. Whether it’s a regular old cup o’ Joe, tea or a cappuccino, these products are supposed to reduce drowsiness and increase productivity. However, if students don’t budget their time right, these drinks may only help to a certain extent, because the effects of caffeine are temporary. ** All prices are before tax ** 1)…

Officials at Binghamton University are currently working toward a March 2010 deadline in order to comply with a New York state law requiring all public buildings to be equipped with defibrillators. There are currently defibrillators in athletic facilities such as the Events Center and the East and West Gyms, as well as some academic buildings, like Lecture Hall, the Fine Arts Building and Student Wing. The University is still in the process of installing defibrillators in residential buildings, dining halls and other facilities. “Our plan is going according to schedule, and we’re mounting them as fast as we can,” David…

Local high school students can receive tips on writing college essays, assistance in studying for standardized exams and even help with homework from one Binghamton University student group. Setting the Road to Improvement Via Education (STRIVE), a BU student program, aims to help high school students make an easier transition into a college environment. The group was established at BU in 2005. Teresa Florindi, current president of STRIVE, said the program is made up of undergraduate students who tutor local high school students in a variety of subjects. On Thursdays from 3 to 6 p.m., members of the group advise…

Clintwood Healthy U, a new store that opened in University Plaza over the summer, offers a variety of foods and services to help students live a fit and active lifestyle. The store specializes in selling natural and organic foods, medicine and other products, as well as offering nutritional consulting. Classes and instructional presentations with a variety of subjects, ranging from yoga to vegetarian cooking, are held weekly. Jenny Landry, the owner of Clintwood Healthy U, said her battle with cancer was one of the main reasons she opened the store. “My husband, Todd, is a nutritional consultant, and I started…

After starting their 2008-09 season mostly on the road, the Binghamton Senators played through one of the most difficult stretches in their schedule, with seven games in 10 nights. On Halloween night, the B-Sens came off a week of rest to fall to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, 4-2. Bridgeport opened up a 2-0 lead in the first period by out-shooting Binghamton, 15-5, but the B-Sens tied it up with goals from Zack Smith and Ryan Shannon during the second period. A late pair of power play goals from Bridgeport was the deciding factor in their victory. “When you start every…

The Glenn G. Bartle Library will house a tutorial this week aimed at helping students utilize academic research engines and a new bibliography system recently purchased by the school. The event, termed Library Research Days, will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. tonight through Thursday in the Instruction Lab of the Newcomb Reading Room. According to Alesia McManus, head of research for information and instructional services for the library at Binghamton University, students attending the sessions will be able to receive individual attention from librarians to find sources, tips for using the library’s various databases and information on using…

Workers have begun preliminary construction on the site of a future 130,000-square-foot Wal-Mart at 14 Lester Ave. in Johnson City. Newman Development Group, LLC, the same company that built University Plaza and the Town Square Mall, is overseeing construction of the store, which is expected to open in 2009. The only activity that has occurred on the construction site thus far has been clean-up and utility work, according to Johnson City Planning Director Dee Golazeski. Johnson City Mayor Harry Lewis said the new Wal-Mart, in addition to a new Visions Federal Credit Union on the same lot, is expected to…

Binghamton University was ranked last month as the No. 1 best value for out-of-state students attending a public college. The list of 100 Best Values in Public Colleges, compiled by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine, annually ranks the top public college values in the United States. The rankings are determined from the best public education and economic values. In this year’s list, BU is also ranked seventh in the nation for in-state public college values. According to a press release from the University dated Oct. 31, Kiplinger’s states that private colleges in the United States have averaged $33,000 a year for…

In an effort to protect the environment and promote physical activity, Binghamton University Outdoor Pursuits is offering students a bicycle rental program. According to Michael Zuber, program coordinator for Campus Recreational Services, the experimental program allows students to rent bikes at a reasonable price for an extended period of time. To keep the bikes in good condition, Zuber said a checkup is required every two weeks to make any repairs. Locks and helmets are provided with the rentals. The BOP program makes BU one in a line of schools promoting exercise, green practices and minimized car use on campus by…

It’s only been three weeks into the Binghamton Senators’ 2008-09 AHL season, and they have only played one home game so far. Most teams tend to play better at home behind the support of their fans, but these weeks have shown that the B-Sens don’t seem to have any trouble excelling on the road, as they currently have a 4-1-1-1 record heading into tonight’s home matchup against the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. On Oct. 17, the B-Sens fell to Syracuse in a shootout during their home opener. The Crunch managed to come back from a two-goal deficit in the third period…

Move over, “Gossip Girl,” Juicy Campus has come to Binghamton University. Juicycampus.com, one of the fastest growing user-generated gossip Web sites, allows students to anonymously post gossip about their college campuses. Founded in October 2007 by entrepreneur Matt Ivester, the site has been growing at a fast rate, jumping from 63 supported campuses to 500 in a single month, he said. Numerous SUNY schools, including Binghamton, have found their way onto the Web site’s discussion boards. Ivester said that his favorite stories were from his college days. “I then realized that many other students shared the same kinds of tales,…

The National Science Foundation has granted a Binghamton University research group $550,000 to support a project based on group decision making. The group, named Collective Dynamics of Complex Systems Research Group, called CoCo for short, meets twice a month to discuss complex systems, such as human decision making, the stock market and the Internet, among other topics. According to Assistant Professor Hiroki Sayama, director of CoCo, the group’s latest project is a study on team decision making, and what kinds of thinking would make these environments the most productive. “We know that quite often teams don’t work,” Sayama said in…

Binghamton University Professor Liz Rosenberg is teaming up with alumnus Jerry Mirskin next week for a reading of a combined total of six new books. Mirskin, who is an associate professor at Ithaca College, is releasing two books of poetry, while Rosenberg, an English professor, is publishing a picture book, a novel and two books of poems, all over the course of the year. Both authors will hold a reading of their material in Lecture Hall 8 on Tuesday, Oct. 14, at 8 p.m. Rosenberg’s novel, “Home Repair,” draws its plot from a seemingly everyday situation. “My husband wandered off…

Though Binghamton University Health Services is the main provider of medical care on campus, there are many alternatives during off-hours, such as weekends, for BU students. A list of facilities students can visit is available in the waiting room of the Health Services Building or online in the Frequently Asked Questions section of their Web site. According to Johann Fiore-Conte, administrative director of Health Services, if a student is taken off campus in a Harpur’s Ferry ambulance, they will be transported to any of the three local hospitals, depending on what medical aid they seek and how close a hospital…