To our readers:

Thursday morning, I made the call to publish Katherine Modell’s name both on our website and our Facebook page in connection with her death late Wednesday.

At the time I made that decision, rumors about who it was were swirling around campus. She was found in a public dorm and there were witnesses. My intention was for people who knew her to be able to celebrate her life. Pipe Dream is the public record of Binghamton University and as such we have an obligation to report the news as it happens. I am immensely saddened by the loss of a well-loved member of the campus community and I send my condolences to Katherine’s family and to those whose lives she touched.

I also received comments that Pipe Dream should not be writing about suicide in general. I disagree. Suicides happen on every college campus and by whitewashing them, we are ignoring the immense pain and suffering that people who make that decision must be going through.

I stand by my decision to publish her name and I welcome the feedback of everyone in the campus community.

Daniel S. Weintraub
Editor-in-Chief
(607) 777-2244
daniel@bupipedream.com