A recent study by the Knights Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics revealed that nearly every president from the 95 universities with the top competitive NCAA athletic programs felt that the money spent on these programs was excessive — though they felt powerless to make a change. According to the report, these presidents felt powerless for fear of losing their jobs, as well as responsible for the school’s potential loss in money from alumni donations, ticket and merchandise sales. Many of the presidents feel that the salaries of coaches are out of hand and that their universities care for their athletics programs…

Binghamton University students and city residents gathered in the crowded Old University Union on Wednesday to see a town hall debate between the candidates for the 2009 mayoral election. The debate, hosted by BU’s College Republicans and College Democrats and co-sponsored by other campus organizations, pitted current mayor and Democratic candidate Matthew Ryan against Independent candidate Douglas Walter Drazen and Republican candidate Rich David. Dean of Harpur College Donald Nieman moderated the event. Alex Paolano, president of the College Republicans, and Laura Chaath, president of College Democrats, stressed the importance of holding this event — which covered issues from R-1…

Two Panhellenic sororities at Binghamton University will co-host a powder-puff football game to raise money for two national philanthropic organizations. On Sunday, Oct. 18, sororities Alpha Phi and Sigma Delta Tau will be running and participating in the inaugural Powder-puff Football 2009 competition. At the event, which will take place at Field No. 9 on BU’s campus, located by the the East Gym, all of the six Panhellenic sororities will be participating in a tournament-based football game. Each sorority will create a team composed of 20 sorority members. “Two games will be going on at once, each lasting 20 minutes,”…

On Columbus Day, students at Binghamton University will have the opportunity to hear why some believe the famous explorer, Christopher Columbus, should be stripped of his heroic commemoration. Paulette Steeves, a graduate student and president of the Native American Student Association, who is set to host an Oct. 10 forum titled “Enlightenment on Columbus Day,” poses the question: Why would we have a national day to celebrate “this guy”? Steeves, who plans to describe Columbus as “the Hitler of the Americas” in her forum, hopes that students will question the celebration of the man who, according to her, brought European…