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Santacon See page 4 Thursday, November 30, 2017 | Vol. XCII, Issue 25 | Binghamton University | bupipedream.com

The Free Word on Campus Since 1946

Stenger addresses state budget deficit Impact on BU discussed at semi-annual faculty meeting Jillian Forstadt Assistant News Editor

The New York state budget won’t be announced until January, but on Tuesday, Binghamton University President Harvey Stenger set expectations for future tuition changes at the semiannual full-faculty meeting. The majority of the address explained findings from the most recent financial report issued by the school and how those findings will effect changes to the budget. Attendees included BU Faculty Senate members, professors and administrators. The report compiles data on the

Stephen Ruiz/Staff Photographer Members of the Freshman Research Immersion program present their research projects in the Biotechnology Building of the Innovative Technologies Complex on Wednesday, Nov. 29.

Research explores global issues Underclassmen projects focus on disease, energy Michael Levinstein Contributing Writer

University research is often reserved for upperclassmen, but Binghamton University freshmen and sophomores presented on projects ranging from Lyme disease to land mines on Wednesday night. Researchers presented their findings at the Freshman Research Immersion (FRI) Poster Session in the rotunda of the Innovative Technology Complex’s Biotechology Building, with a focus on disease, clean energy and public health.

Students touched on both local and global issues through presentations. To prepare, freshmen worked on research within one of nine distinct research streams for three semesters, including biomedical chemistry and community and global public health. FRI is a threesemester commitment and incoming freshmen apply to research a topic in the STEM field. The first class was accepted in fall 2014. Megan Fegley, assistant director of the program, said hands-on research allows students to have experiences similar to what they would get in a professional lab. “In many of their intro classes, they are really not comparable to what being a scientist really means, so this really gives

them a real-life experience,” Fegley said. Students broadened their research through working with professional research teams, such as the Lyme disease Research Team at BU. Alyanna Gallo, a sophomore majoring in anthropology, worked with researchers to obtain samples of local mice and ticks and test the frequency of the disease in the upper Susquehanna River Basin. The group found a high prevalence of Lyme disease in the region. “Lyme disease transmission should be regulated by increasing public awareness on how Lyme disease is transmitted,” Gallo said. “Due to an increase of trash [on campus] there’s more mice, which

SEE PROJECTS PAGE 2

University’s sources of revenue from the last six years. In the past, the majority of revenue came from in-state undergraduate tuition and state allocations. Now, however, these funds have been reduced because the money from the NYSUNY 2020 Challenge Grant Program has already been allocated, and there is a state budget deficit of over $4 billion. According to Stenger, all SUNY schools will feel the effects of the current budget issues. “Soon, we’ll probably be having to share some of that burden,” Stenger said. “We don’t know what part of that burden, but we do know we’re part of the state funding.” Stenger said increases in New York state

SEE BUDGET PAGE 3

Spring Excelsior cutoff approaches For fall 2017, BU ranks third in award recipients Orla McCaffrey News Editor

Last summer, more than 75,000 students applied for Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Excelsior Scholarship. Applications for fall 2018 scholarships were flying into Albany so quickly, the Higher Education Services Corporation extended the deadline from July to August. “Colleges and universities throughout The State University of New York and most importantly — SUNY students — have embraced the opportunity provided by Governor Cuomo’s first-of-its-kind

Excelsior Scholarship Program, and we are proud to welcome the first class of Excelsior Scholars to our campuses this semester,” said SUNY chancellor Kristina Johnson in October. Now, the Higher Education Services Corporation is currently accepting scholarships applications for the spring 2018 semester, which are due Monday, Dec. 4 for SUNY and City University of New York (CUNY) students who either didn’t initially apply or weren’t accepted for the fall term. To apply, students must complete the 2017-18 Free Application for Federal Student Aid and the Tuition Assistance Program application and submit copies of

SEE DEADLINE PAGE 2

Zimride expands Publisher talks transgender issues ride-sharing options Magazine founder discusses business challenges

Binghamton University joins Finger Lakes coalition Valerie Puma Contributing Writer

For Binghamton University students looking for a last-minute carpool ride home for winter break, posting in a Facebook group may not be the only way to connect with drivers. In mid-October, BU partnered with the website Zimride, giving students and faculty carpooling options for commuting to and from campus, and an alternative way to travel home for the holidays. Zimride is a ride-sharing platform designed for companies and universities; its goal is to help riders and drivers connect with friends, classmates or coworkers traveling in the same direction. Drivers and passengers split the cost of gas, and the driver sets a driving fee for potential passengers. Both drivers and those looking for a ride can post on Zimride. Because of its relatively new presence on campus, some students, like Yohanna Wong, an undeclared freshman, are wary of using Zimride as a means of transportation. “I’m not sure how I would feel about riding with a stranger, but maybe once this Zimride becomes more common

here at Bing, it won’t seem so strange,” Wong said. According to its website, Zimride is a low-cost, high-impact option, and using it could help reduce campus traffic, parking congestion and students’ carbon footprints. Jennifer Bishop, the assistant director of BU’s Transportation and Parking Services, wrote in an email that the Finger Lakes Rideshare coalition includes BU, Ithaca College, Cornell University, Tompkins Cortland Community College and Wells College. Members of the BU community can opt to share with students, faculty and staff from BU or with other members in the Finger Lakes Rideshare coalition from different colleges. Bishop wrote that BU was invited to join the coalition by colleagues at Ithaca College, and that it’s a safe and easy way to ride-share. “Zimride does not charge any fees to individuals for becoming a member or to post a ride and is a convenient way to participate in ridesharing,” Bishop wrote. “The ride can be to or from anywhere, but the individuals registered as part of the coalition must be associated with one of the participating entities.” Unlike other ride-sharing companies, Zimride does not have an app, so to find a ride, users must sign into their Zimride

SEE ZIMRIDE PAGE 2

OPINIONS

Yuri Lee

Contributing Writer

Jason Ballard’s work as co-founder and publisher of FTM Magazine has spanned many facets of the lives of binary transgender men. From recreating Adam Levine’s iconic naked testicular cancer campaign with Aydian Dowling, a transgender male model and YouTuber, to covering the story of Logan Ireland, a transgender staff sergeant in the Air Force, Ballard has used the publication, FTM (female-to-male), to detail the stories of transgender men like himself. He talked about his journey as a transgender man and creating his own magazine on Tuesday in the Multicultural Resource Center. The event, sponsored by the Q Center as part of Transgender Awareness Week earlier this month, allowed students and faculty to learn more about the struggles the transgender community faces and hear from Ballard, a transgender entrepreneur. Ballard started FTM Magazine in November 2013 with co-founder and vice president Leo Reichstetter through a Kickstarter campaign. The first issue of the magazine was published in 2014 and it has continued monthly since, with a goal of promoting visibility for binary transgender men. Winter Clark, leader of the Q Center’s Transcend program and a senior double-majoring in philosophy

Jacob Hanna/Staff Photographer Jason Ballard, co-founder and publisher of FTM Magazine, spoke at Binghamton University on Tuesday about his experience as an entrepreneur and a transgender man. Ballard co-founded FTM in 2013 and uses his publication to share and detail the stories of transgender men.

and the individualized major program, said she attended to hear from a transgender person who is thriving in the professional workplace. “At least for me, one of the greatest challenges as a trans person has been … looking into career prospects and thinking, where am I going to be comfortable,” Clark said. “Events like these can kind of demonstrate, A, that it’s possible for that to happen, and B, where that can happen and how.” A National Transgender Discrimination Survey demonstrates the real-life

ARTS & CULTURE

implications of Clark’s concerns. The survey found that 90 percent of transgender individuals experience harassment, mistreatment or discrimination in the workplace. The transgender community also has double the unemployment rate compared to the general population. According to Kelly Clark, director of the Q Center, Ballard was invited to talk so attendees could see a successful entrepreneur in the transgender community.

SEE FOUNDER PAGE 2

SPORTS

Contributing columnist Hannah Rosenfield discusses how Barbie should further empower young girls,

Harpur Fellows presents music and photography,

NaNoWriMo inspires authors,

Women’s basketball drops contest against Bucknell,

Men’s basketball dominates Delaware State,

See page 6

See page 4

See page 8

NEWS

bupipedream.com | November 30, 2017

Freshman program offers lab training FTM Magazine PROJECTS FROM PAGE 1

can cause more ticks and Lyme disease in the region.” Several groups examined issues affecting those around the globe, including the threat of PFM-1 land mines in countries like Afghanistan and Syria. According to Daniel Finan, a sophomore majoring in integrative neuroscience, these land mines are harder to detect because they’re made of plastic. Finan and his peers researched ways to get

around this, specifically through thermal infrared sensors, a way of observing the difference in temperature of the mines relative to the ground. To test their research, the group camped at Chenango Valley State Park and placed model land mines around the area, recording their temperatures throughout the night with an infrared sensor attached to a drone. Finan said the group plans to continue its research after it is finished with FRI.

“We are hoping to apply this in a larger scale,” Finan said. “To remove these mines where they are taking the lives of many people, many children, everyday.” Caitlin Light, a research educator and research assistant professor for the biofilms research stream, said the skills students learn during programs like this are invaluable to young S TEM majors. “So many professional skills: teamwork, leadership, perseverance, communication,

writing, speaking,” Light said. “And on top of that, they learn these research skills.” According to Timothy de Smet, a research educator and research assistant professor for the geospatial remote sensing research stream, the skills fostered are also useful outside the lab. “Research in general actually is a way of thinking, so if you learn how to research something, it’s an applicable skill that’s transferable to anything in your life,” de Smet said.

Free-tuition deadline approaches DEADLINE FROM PAGE 1 their transcript and their families’ 2015 state income tax return. Students also must have earned at least 12 credits per semester and 30 per year, been a resident of New York state for at least 12 months prior to applying and be on track to complete a two- or four-year degree. BU received the third-highest number of awards of all 64 SUNY and 23 CUNY institutions, according to documents obtained from SUNY by Pipe Dream. Buffalo and Albany, with 1,576 and 1,044 scholarships, respectively, took the top two spots. As of last month, 998 BU students had received an award, with 27 percent of students qualifying for the full amount of $5,500. According to Elizabeth Bibi, deputy director of media relations for Cuomo’s office, the scholarship has helped approximately 22,000 students attend college without paying for tuition. “New York will continue to work to ensure that access to a college degree is not determined

Excelsior Scholarship Stats Schools receiving the most awards

1,576

1,044

University at Buffalo

University at Albany

998 Binghamton University

SUNY and CUNY students attending tuition free: Deadline for Spring 2018 December

“In its first year alone, the Excelsior Scholarship is helping thousands of New Yorkers attend college tuition free at SUNY and CUNY schools across the state— something to be celebrated,” Bibi wrote. This year, only applicants whose family income is $100,000

FOUNDER FROM PAGE 1 “Our mission [at the Q Center] is to support the success of LGBTQplus students, but also faculty and staff, which many people don’t realize,” Kelly said. “We’re tasked with the entire community.” However, this doesn’t mean that Ballard’s journey has always been successful. Ballard said the November issue of the magazine was not printed because of an unexpected deficit in funds after October’s issue. “I’ve heard a lot of entrepreneurs go up and down, up and down,” Ballard said. “With everything, it’s always going to be hard at some points. If it was easy, everybody would it.” Although the magazine’s target audience is binary transgender males, Ballard understands that it doesn’t and can’t represent all niches of the transgender community.

“I know that I would be stretching myself too thin to try to represent everybody,” Ballard said. “So I’m hoping that people can come to me and talk to me and say, ‘Hey, I want to start a nonbinary magazine.’” Other Transgender Awareness Week events included a screening of the film “Man on High Heels,” part of the Q Center’s Queer Flicks International Film Series, and a Gender-Affirming Clothing Swap, where students exchanged clothing they no longer wear for clothing that affirms their gender. Jacob Aaronson, an undeclared freshman, said he came to the event because he wanted to find out more about the transgender community. “I want to learn more about trans people and the trans community,” Aaronson said. “I am part of the LGBTQ community — I’m gay, but I don’t know a lot about trans culture.”

Website connects BU drivers, riders

2016-17

48% 2016-17

53%

ZIMRIDE FROM PAGE 1

Cory Bremer/Design Manager

by family finances but rather is available to anyone who chooses to pursue that path,” Bibi wrote in an email. In October, HESC said the number of SUNY and CUNY students attending college tuition-free had increased by 5 percent from last year.

explores identity

or less were eligible for the scholarship. That cap is set to rise to $110,000 for the 2018-19 academic year and $125,000 for 2019-20. “We encourage eligible students to apply for the spring semester, and for the Scholarship in years to come,” Bibi wrote.

he could benefit from a safe carpooling network like Zimride. accounts and click “Book it” on “Zimride sounds like a cool the Zimride website. Once the idea, since carpooling saves on payment has been submitted, the travel time, as well as saving request will be sent to the driver, money in comparison to buying who has 24 hours to accept the pricey bus tickets,” Rosen said. booking and their payment. If they “I’m also a fan of meeting new don’t, the user will not be charged, people, and traveling with your and the ride won’t be booked. matched driver or fellow riders Matthew Rosen, a sophomore gives great opportunity to get to double-majoring in political know one another and possibly science and economics, said make new friends.”

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O PINIONS FFUN PAGE UN III Thursday, Thursday, Monday, Monday, September November October October April 3,2,5, 2017 30, 28, 2017 2017 2017

Stenger discusses budget concerns BUDGET FROM PAGE 1 residents’ undergraduate tuition have allowed the University to grow its faculty in the last few years, but that long-term, tuition-based growth is finished. The University will now look for revenue in new places, including graduate enrollment, sponsored research and capitalization of intellectual property, patents and licensing. BU will also look to increase out-of-state undergraduate enrollment, as well as continue to grow graduate enrollment. The long-term future of undergraduate in-state tuition rates, however, remains uncertain, as tuition will be decided by the SUNY Board of Trustees on a yearly basis. For this academic year, a tuition increase of $200 was approved. Stenger affirmed that students enrolled in the Excelsior Scholarship program will not be affected by the tuition increase. Almost 1,000 BU students are receiving the scholarship. To accommodate revenue changes, expenditures in nonacademic units, such as student affairs and athletics, will be reduced by 1 to 2 percent per year for the next four years. As each academic college determines its target for enrollment growth, its expenditure reductions will

be decided. KarenBeth Bohan, founding chair and professor of pharmacy practice in the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, was one of the many faculty members in attendance. She said Stenger’s address gave an optimistic slant to the uncertainty surrounding the 2018-19 budget. “We’re working through the difficulties with the budget in terms of coming out of the governor’s office and everything,” Bohan said. “I think we’ll be fine.” Stenger also discussed the increase in presidential statements released to the campus community over the last year. There have been 16 statements issued since January, which ranged from responses to offensive acts on campus, including the three racists drawings found in the month of October, to statements on federal policies, such as President Donald Trump’s controversial travel ban. He encouraged faculty to send him any concerns he may be able to address. “If you see something out there, maybe it hasn’t crossed my desk yet, but if you see something out there impacting the University, higher education, our students, our faculty, our community, let me know about it,” Stenger said.

aDDress: University Union WB03 4400 Vestal Parkway E. Binghamton, N.Y. 13902 phone: 607-777-2515 fax: 607-777-2600

True Colors

web: bupipedream.com

Fall 2017 eDitor-in-Chief* Gabriella A. Weick editor@bupipedream.com Managing eDitor* Noah Bressner manager@bupipedream.com

news eDitor* Orla McCaffrey news@bupipedream.com asst. news eDitors Amy Donovan Jillian Forstadt Sasha Hupka opinions eDitor* Emily Kaufman opinions@bupipedream.com asst. opinions eDitor Savanna I. Vidal arts & Culture eDitor* Georgia Westbrook arts@bupipedream.com asst. arts & Culture eDitors Kara J. Brown Rachel Greenspan sports eDitor* Samuel Ditchek sports@bupipedream.com

Kojo Senoo/Staff Photographer Jenna Perez, a junior majoring in English; Nika Stanisz, a sophomore double-majoring in English and economics; and Nora O alloran, an undeclared freshman, paint canvases at a multicultural mural-making workshop on Wednesday evening in the Student Wing. The workshop is part of a final project for an English course in which students are required to paint a mural.

asst. sports eDitors Evan Cole Grace Palumbo photography eDitor* Kevin E. Paredes photo@bupipedream.com asst. photography eDitor Rebecca Kiss

“I’m heartbroken … how do you reconcile your love for someone with the revelation that they have behaved badly?” Savannah Guthrie, co-host of the “Today” show, on the termination of her former co-host Matt Lauer on Wednesday morning.

fun eDitor* Nate Walker fun@bupipedream.com

Design Manager* Cory Bremer design@bupipedream.com Design assts. Shawn Fleming Jonathan Flores

Pipe Line LOCAL NEWS Binghamton to receive state grant to replace drinking water service lines New York State has awarded 26 municipalities, including the city of Binghamton, funding to renovate water service lines, according to the Press & Sun-Bulletin. The grant money, $663,185, will replace the drinking water service lines that contain lead in the Binghamton. The city announced the grant Wednesday, and said it will fund the replacement of hundreds of service lines. The grant is part of New York state’s Clean Water Infrastructure Act of 2017, which provides $20 million across the 26 municipalities. Corning Valor Glass to open in Southern Tier The Southern Tier was chosen as the location for Corning Inc.’s new pharmaceutical packaging line, according to WBNG. Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced the new location on Wednesday and said that it will create 185 jobs in the region by 2020. The new packaging line, Corning Valor Glass, will be designed to prevent damages and other issues with glass in the pharmaceuti-

Police Watch

cal market. The project will cost $95.5 million. The following accounts were provided by Investigator Patrick Reilly of Binghamton’s New Broome County participates in York State University Police. Giving Tuesday Hunters take Thanksgiving tour of Nature Preserve The United Way of Broome County THURSDAY, Nov. 23, 11 a.m. — A 31-year-old took part in Giving Tuesday, a global male contacted police after he observed four movement that encourages people individuals dressed in camouflage hunting to donate to nonprofits and chari- gear walking along the Field Trail in the ties, according to WBNG. The orga- Nature Preserve. The male stated nization decorated wreaths, holiday that the individuals appeared to cards and gingerbread houses and be hunters and were wearing will be donating the items to the orange vests. He was unable Endwell United Methodist Family to recall if the individuals Church and Willow Point Rehabili- appeared to be carrying tation and Nursing Center. any firearms. Officers responded to the area STATE NEWS and patrolled the Nature Preserve, but State Assemblyman sanctioned did not see anybody. Police believe that the On Wednesday, a state assembly- individuals were likely man from the Albany area was hunting on private sanctioned for allegedly seeking property and accidentally nude photos from an Assembly crossed into the Nature employee, according to the Press & Preserve. Sun-Bulletin. Assemblyman Steve McLaughlin, a Republican repre- Suspended driver stopped senting the 107th District, was also SATURDAY, Nov. 25, 6:20 p.m. — An reported to have lied to investiga- officer observed a vehicle traveling down tors when the woman filed a com- Glenn G. Bartle Drive without tail lights. The plaint. He has been barred from officer performed a traffic stop and upon examining having interns in his work office. the driver’s vehicle insurance, found that the McLaughlin denied the allegations insurance was expired. The driver, a 43-year-old and will leave the Assembly at the male, also had a suspended license. The driver was start of 2018. given an appearance ticket for Vestal Town Court

Copy Desk Chief* Shauna R. Bahssin copy@bupipedream.com

Sasha Hupka Police Correspondant

and his vehicle was towed. Vandalism discovered in Newing College MONDAY, Nov. 27, 11:52 a.m. — A 36-year-old female contacted police after she discovered that somebody had painted an oval-shaped object on the sidewalk near Bingham Hall of Newing College. The female said similar markings with the same pattern had been found near the residence hall previously. The object appears to resemble a skateboard. The damage was photographed and a work order was placed to clean the sidewalk. The case remains under investigation and anybody with any information on these incidents are encouraged to contact UPD. Urinators apprehended MONDAY, Nov. 27, 4 p.m. — Two suspects, both 19-year-old males, were arrested in connection with an incident in Bingham Hall of Newing College. The incident involved unknown suspects urinating in a Bingham Hall elevator. The suspects have been charged with criminal intent, criminal nuisance and disorderly conduct. Both suspects have been given appearance tickets for Vestal Town Court, and will face Student Conduct charges. This case remains under investigation, as do other incidents involving urination in elevators around Newing College dating back to Oct. 2. Anybody with any information on those incidents is encouraged to contact UPD.

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Pipe Dream is published by the Pipe Dream Executive Board, which has sole and final discretion over the newspaper’s content and personnel. Positions seated on the executive board are denoted by an asterisk. Pipe Dream is published Mondays and Thursdays while classes are in session during the fall and spring semesters, except during finals weeks and academic breaks. The content on the Opinions page with bylines represent the views of those authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Pipe Dream Executive Board. The content of advertisements do not necessarily reflect the views of the Pipe Dream Executive Board. We reserve the right to reject ads for any reason. All letters submitted for publication must include the author's name, year and major. Please limit letters to the editor to 400 words and guest columns to 750 words. Pipe Dream reserves the right to edit submissions, and does not guarantee publication. All submissions become property of Pipe Dream. Guest column submissions may be emailed to the opinions editor at opinions@bupipedream.com, and all letters to the editor may be sent to editor@bupipedream.com.

stabilizing: animal

crossing :destabilizing

Santacon:

Choose your own adventure START A winter frost chills the air. Finals are getting closer, stress levels are getting higher — but the weekend of Santacon is finally upon us. You are determined to step out on Saturday morning in the most festive garb this side of the North Pole, but the next bus to Walmart leaves in 10 minutes and you have class in an hour and a half.

You sprint to the bus stop — there’s no way you’re going sweaterless! You make the bus and go to Walmart and back just in time for your class. You are now the proud owner of plastic reindeer antlers and a sweater that says “Welcome to the North Swole.”

Jeans, sneakers, a red T-shirt and a hoodie. You spend an hour at The Rat before your friends decide to head to a frat house several blocks away. After five minutes, your face is basically blue, so your friends call an Uber to take you home. Better luck next time!

You stay at home and study. It’s probably for the best.

You take your time walking to the bus stop, and unfortunately, you miss the bus. You have no other time to buy a sweater before Saturday morning. You can go to Santacon in normal clothes, or you can stay home and spend the day studying.

Thermal long underwear, a sweatshirt, jeans, a heavy coat, warm socks and insulated boots. Your friends are a little cold, and you’re grateful for your layers — that is, until you step into a frat house. Bodies are packed onto the dance floor like sardines in a can, and soon, your shirt is drenched in sweat.

You choose Tom and Marty’s. The rest of your day consists of dancing and having fun with your friends. You even have a sing-off to “All I Want For Christmas is You.” Eventually, you all make it back to your rooms, hang up your Santa hats and get comfortable in festive holiday pajamas. You spend the night warm in bed, sipping on a hot toddy.

The next day, you get up early for a pregame with your friends. As you’re getting ready to go out, your friends start to argue over whether you should go to a frat or to Tom and Marty’s.

Melanie Gulbas Contributing Writer

You decide to attend Santacon in normal clothes. At your friend’s pregame the next morning, you feel a little left out surrounded by everyone decked out in their jingle bells and silly outfits. You are wearing:

You go outside to cool off. While you’re sitting alone on the front steps, a dog dressed as Rudolph runs to you and drops a ball at your feet. You bend down to pick up the ball and by the time you look up the dog is gone. You smile, your faith in the spirit of Christmas renewed. You go into one of the bathrooms and search for a blow dryer. You dry off your sweat just in time to take a festive Instagram.

You decide to go to the frat party, and as you walk up to the front door, you stumble upon a boy already vomiting. This does not deter you from going inside. You decide to throw your jacket on a pile of others in the corner and make a mental note to grab it later. Stumbling down State Street later that day, you realize you lost both your friend and your jacket at the party, but decide to continue on without them. The rest of the day is a blur. The next thing you know, you’re awake with a splitting headache, still wearing wearing last night’s makeup and some frat brother’s Santa hat. Khaled Pendleton/Design Volunteer

One month, 50,000 words

Writing initiative inspires new authors Wembo Mbiziwotiapo Contributing Writer

Rachel Greenspan/Assistant Arts and Culture Editor Tamar Ashdot, a senior double-majoring in English and Judaic studies, exhibited the results of her project, “With Love, From Rosario,” on Tuesday evening. Ashdot participated in the Harpur Fellows Program, which funded her community service project in Rosario, Argentina.

Making music in Argentina Senior examines Jewish culture through service Noah Broch Contributing Writer Tamar Ashdot, a senior doublemajoring in English and Judaic studies, debuted her photo exhibition, “With Love, From Rosario,” on Tuesday night at the Harpur Edge office in Library North. Ashdot traveled to the port city of Rosario, Argentina this summer, and through volunteering as a teaching assistant in music, English and Hebrew, said she was able to learn about a different side of Judaism. “What really drew me, in general, to South America, is that as a Judaic studies major we often learn about Europe or Israel or North America, but there isn’t as much focus on South America,” Ashdot said. “So I thought, “What an amazing way to learn about it through hands-on experience.” “With Love, from Rosario” highlights the people and places that impacted Ashdot’s experience while in Rosario: smiling young Argentine students at Nueva Escuela J.N. Bialik, a Jewish day school, sporting events at the local Jewish recreation center and members of the Victor Lein Choir at the local synagogue, whose intergenerational membership includes singers from the ages of 10 to 75. Ashdot went to Rosario as a Harpur Fellow. The Harpur Fellows Program, facilitated by Harpur Edge, provides up to four students with up to $4,000 to design and conduct their own

community service project over the summer anywhere in the world. Other initiatives funded by the program include a project promoting computer literacy in Bangladesh, financing volunteer work at a medical clinic in Nigeria and the organization of a New York City field trip for Chinatown seniors in assisted living. Ashdot said that Wendy Neuberger, the director of Harpur Edge, was instrumental in helping her apply for the fellowship and create and organize her program in Rosario. “It is a great opportunity and not enough students take advantage of it,” Neuberger said. Ashdot, however, said she is glad she did. “I think the most pervasive feeling I have is gratitude,” she said. “How often does a student get to truly design what they want to do and then get funded for it?” Ashdot’s initial proposal for the grant was to form a connection among Jewish identities in Rosario through music. “Music can bring us together in a way that other things can’t,” Ashdot said. “Even if there is a cultural difference or a linguistic difference, art really can facilitate a connection and we should really learn to feel more comfortable relying on that as a way to connect with people.” Ashdot spent most of her time volunteering in Argentina as a teaching assistant at Nueva Escuela J.N. Bialik, the only Jewish day school

in Rosario. In a city with 5,000 Jewish people, the school caters to all kinds of Jewish students of varying faith and practice. One of the photo captions reads: “In Escuela Bialik, ultra-orthodox, traditional, and secular students learn together, in co-ed spaces. There are few cities where an atmosphere like this is achieved, where religious and nonreligious Jews learn together in a pluralistic way.” As the night wrapped up, Ashdot and several friends performed two traditional Argentine Jewish songs that she learned during her participation in the Victor Lein Choir. Ashdot, who is the vice president of Kaskeset, a BU a cappella group that sings Jewish songs, was accompanied by fellow Kaskeset member Talia Laserson. Laserson, a senior majoring in human development, said that learning the traditional Argentine Jewish songs was a unique experience. “The words of both of those songs are popular Hebrew liturgy, but I know them to different tunes,” Laserson said. Ashdot said she wanted to share an understanding of how Argentine culture interacts with Judaism. “I think the biggest part was feeling the need to bring back something from the United States,” Ashdot said. “What I really took away from this experience is how special it is to facilitate cultural exchange and ensure that it comes back to where I started.”

For many writers, November marks more than just turkeys, holiday sales and the beginning of winter — it means it’s time to get writing. National Novel Writing Month is an annual online writing project that challenges participants to write a 50,000word manuscript during the month of November. The objective of the event is to simply encourage participants to complete a novel. Participants are advised to forgo the editing and revision processes in order to focus solely on completing the draft, no matter how sloppy it turns out. Started in 1999 by author Chris Baty, National Novel Writing Month has seen its number of participants grow from just 21 in its first year to roughly 400,000 writers in 2016. Participation is free and open to anyone around the world who dares to take up the challenge. All that is required is an internet connection, an idea for a story and the perseverance to finish. Several best-selling novels that got their start as National Novel Writing Month projects include “Water for Elephants” by Sara Gruen, “Wool” by Hugh Howey and “The Darwin Elevator” by Jason Hough, among others. National Novel Writing Month has cultivated a large and supportive online community of writers, ranging from fellow participants to distinguished published authors, who provide encouragement and tips to get past writer’s block and reach the final goal of completing the manuscript. Over the years, the nonprofit has expanded its offerings to make the event more supportive and engaging, beginning tandem initiatives like Camp NaNoWriMo, the Young Writers Program, Come Write In and the “Now What?”

Months. Camp NaNoWriMo is a virtual writers’ retreat that allows writers to set their own word-count goal and to create any type of writing project they desire — the project can be anything from a poem to a novel or a screenplay. The Young Writers Program aims to get schoolchildren writing. Educators are able to create virtual classrooms in which they can read their students’ novels, track their progress and provide motivation during the process. The Come Write In program connects bookstores and libraries with their local National Novel Writing Month participants to build exciting physical writing communities. Forming an official Come Write In location is an option available to everyone; all that is needed is a vibrant space and community, and the National Novel Writing Month office will provide free materials, including posters and postcards, to spread the word about the events. Though participants skip the revision process during November, the “Now What?” Months effort dedicates the months of January and

February to the editing and publishing process, with the support of the organization. Alexi Zentner, a published novelist and assistant professor in the English department at Binghamton University, said that though they may have written the correct number of words, not everyone who participates in the month has written a good book, which is why the postNovember months and work are essential. “My concern is that some people who participate in NaNoWriMo hit the end of November and think their book is finished,” Zentner said. “Maybe they have part of a book, or even a full draft, but a lot of the work comes in revision.” Still, Zentner said that starting a novel is the hardest part for many writers, so the month is an opportunity for writers to jump right in. “It’s a chance to get into the habit of writing, a lot like going to the gym,” Zentner said. “The NaNoWriMo organization also has great resources and is a good place to look for inspiration and encouragement.”

Kojo Senoo/Staff Photographer Alexi Zentner, a published novelist and assistant professor in the English department, advises participants in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) to keep editing and revising their projects after the month has ended.

OPINIONS Thursday, November 30, 2017

The US should invest in public health worldwide We must practice humility and prevent health crises from spreading have been one-third fewer deaths in areas where The Global Fund invests, and by 2016, it saved more than 22 million lives. It predicts that by the end of 2019, another 14 million lives will be saved, reaching a total of 36 million people — about the current population of Canada. Initiatives supported by The Global Fund will also have helped prevent 194 million new infections of HIV, TB and malaria. Funding for these programs must increase. Although population numbers have risen and inflation has occurred, the amount donated to these organizations has remained constant. This year, the Senate has proposed cuts to funding for global health initiatives. Trump’s proposed budget plan would actually cut funds to the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief by 17 percent, from $4.6 billion to $3.8 billion. Although some argue that global public health funding is not important to the United States and that we should focus on investing in our own country, they are misguided. Pandemics in other nations will affect us here. In his recent op/ed supporting the AIDS relief plan, former President George W. Bush argues that “societies mired in disease breed hopelessness and despair, leaving people ripe for recruitment by extremists.” By supporting efforts to prevent and treat diseases, we help develop societies and thus make them safer and more peaceful. Personal benefits aside, it is also important to remember the sanctity of human life. How can we sit idly by and worry about our finals when people are dying throughout the world from diseases that could have been prevented by the United States? As college students, we are idealistic and peace-loving. With these qualities, we can perpetuate the fact that this is by no means a partisan issue, but a human issue.

Michael Harel

Contributing Columnist

Jorden James/Editorial Artist

CROWD CONTROL

Thursday night, Post Malone will be headlining the fall concert at the Events Center, an event that’s garnered unprecedented attention, with floor tickets selling out in 90 minutes and the general admission tickets selling out in less than two days. Although Post Malone’s arrival has stirred excitement among Binghamton University students and community members, and increased positive publicity for the University, we must also acknowledge that his performance follows Mac Miller’s Spring Fling show this past May — an event that lacked sufficient crowd control. This makes us wonder if the fall concert will be a similarly disastrous exercise in crowd control and safety. The Spring Fling concert was supposed to be held outdoors in front of the Student Wing, but it was moved to the West Gym at the last minute due to inclement weather. However, the University didn’t account for the number of students who would attend the show, and the last-minute

rush to get into the smaller venue led to a situation that was exceedingly unsafe and poorly planned. Property was damaged and students were injured. The University cannot put students in such an unsafe situation again. There will be roughly 4,800 people in attendance at the fall concert, and the Events Center should be treated as a legitimate concert venue with sufficient security and crowd-control professionals. Post Malone’s popularity, combined with the excitement the show has drawn, adds to the growing risk of an unsafe situation. The challenges unique to our campus venues, coupled with recent violence at other similar events, makes considering and establishing the security of this

event a paramount concern. Since there are both floor tickets and general admission tickets, we’re not sure exactly how event security will distinguish between the two types of tickets and stop people from entering the floor area. We know that crowds can become rowdy and attendees might try to switch to a different section. How will security prevent students from climbing over barricades to get to the floor section? How will security control a sizable crowd from rushing into the venue in a frenzy to grab preferred seats? These are important factors that play into crowd control, and event staff must be prepared for anything. Safety measures like metal detectors haven’t been in place

at previous concerts and events at the University, and we believe this will likely be the case once again. If the University chooses to cut corners in this respect, it must, at the very least, provide sufficient crowd control, with well-trained employees who are equipped to handle potentially unsafe situations. Student staff should not be considered appropriate stand-ins for trained professionals. The University should be prepared to handle any situation that could arise at a large-scale event such as this. Safety should always be the main priority at events on and off campus, and attendees should not have to worry about being hurt at an event meant to be enjoyable for everyone.

Views expressed in the opinion pages represent the opinions of the columnists. The only piece which represents the views of the Pipe Dream Editorial Board is the Staff Editorial, above. The Editorial Board is composed of the Editor-in-Chief, News Editor, Opinions Editor, Sports Editor and Arts & Culture Editor.

We are in the last two weeks of classes and stress levels are reaching their peak. In times like these, it is easy to get bogged down in all our work and lose sight of all the good things in our lives. However, it is important to put it all in perspective and realize that in a year we won’t remember most of the struggles we are facing now. Although we face hardships, it is important to recognize all that we have — we are alive, living in a developed nation and receiving a great education. Yet, many people are not so lucky. In many places throughout the world, people do not have access to basic health care and diseases run rampant. It is vital that we support public health initiatives globally in order to help those who are less fortunate than we are in the United States. However, since 2010, the United States’ global health funding has remained mostly stagnant, and the 2018 request has decreased to $7.9 billion. President Donald Trump has proposed a plan that will greatly cut funding to many organizations, one of such being the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. The plan was created in 2003 to help fight the HIV/ AIDS pandemic in developing countries. Although it initially provided aid to 14 countries, it has since expanded to over 60 nations across five continents. Since its inception, the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief has provided treatment to over 11 million people and has prevented 2 million babies from being born with HIV, despite having HIVpositive mothers. Another global public health initiative, The Global Fund, was created in 2002 to manage and invest money donated throughout — Michael Harel is a junior the world to help fight AIDS, double-majoring in history and tuberculosis and malaria. There psychology.

Barbie's appearance makes it hard for young girls to relate The campaign tells young girls to be ambitious, but the dolls tell them to reach a certain standard of beauty Hannah Rosenfield

Contributing Columnist

For better or for worse, Barbie is still a part of many young girls’ childhoods. Growing up, I had Barbie dolls, and even 15 years later, Barbies still line the shelves of toy stores and department stores. During the holiday season, it is impossible to walk through a toy store without noticing the newest additions to the Barbie collection. Since its debut in 1959, Barbie has remained an iconic toy. Barbie has previously

come under fire for her smallerthan-average proportions, and researchers have shown that if Barbie’s proportions were life-size, she’d stand taller and thinner than the average American woman, and have a waist-to-hip ratio that wouldn’t even leave space for many of her vital organs. Despite the research that Barbie’s waistline measurements are only found in one of every 2.4 billion women, it is impossible to separate the marriage between the beauty standard that Barbie creates and the impression it leaves on young girls. The call for diversity and inclusion has been heard across media, and in recent years,

television and film have adjusted to the desire of viewers to see characters and casts that aren’t all cookie-cutter — sexual orientation, race and socio-economic diversity are more prevalent than ever. Though Barbie has also tried to keep up with this changing notion, simply introducing dolls of varied skin colors is not enough. Within the past two years, Mattel, the brand that owns and manufactures Barbie, has decided to try a new advertising campaign approach. Instead of just being a woman with a shopping obsession and a love for baking, Barbie’s new commercial shows a young girl playing with her Barbie doll

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and imagining herself as a college professor. It leaves viewers with the impression that a young girl’s Barbie doll can empower her to imagine herself doing anything. As the commercial says, “You can be anything.” While the message that Barbie hopes to instill is admirable, without a change in the standards that Mattel produces, can a young girl really be anything? How can a young girl imagine herself as being anything if she is simultaneously shown that she must be tall, thin and large-breasted to be those things? If Barbie wants to teach young girls that they can be anything,

it must first teach them how to be comfortable with themselves. It is noble to teach a child to aspire to be a college professor, a nurse or an astronaut, but I argue that it is far more difficult to teach a child that they can be anything if they cannot identify with the doll who represents these endless possibilities. Though optimistic, I am not unrealistic. I do not suppose that Mattel will roll out a line of dolls that are homeless, or redistribute its doll that used a wheelchair, for example, due to the overarching ideology in society that finds these traits undesirable and unsellable. However, why can’t more Barbies

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be plus-size? Why can’t Barbie have small breasts? Why can’t Barbie be short? Fifteen years later, I am surrounded by women who have taught me that I can be anything. These women were my teachers, my peers and my colleagues. If Barbie wants to show young girls that they can be science, technology, engineering and math majors, researchers, businesswomen and presidents, they should also show them that they can do all of these things, and they can also still look like themselves. — Hannah Rosenfield is a senior majoring in English.

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OPINIONS FFUN UN Thursday, Thursday, Monday, Monday, September November October October April 3,2,5, 2017 30, 28, 2017 2017 2017

Bad Read

Nate Walker

Today's the Day

Annabeth Sloan Sudoku

Finals

Annabeth Sloan

By The Mepham Group

Level: 1 2 3 4 Solution to the previous puzzle

11/30/17

FOR RELEASE NOVEMBER 30, 2017

This winter, Learn to tend bar

for credit.

Get TIPS alcohol service & intervention training certified. Get NYS Responsible Vendor certified.

For more information, contact: Professor Rey Wojdat wojdatrc@sunybroome.edu

or call (607) 778-5171

www.sunybroome.edu/bartending

THE Daily Commuter Puzzle ACROSS 1 Baseball’s Babe __ 5 Give up __; despair 9 Personnel 14 Meanie 15 Gas leak sign, sometimes 16 Henry VIII’s house 17 Inventor __ Graham Bell 19 Agassi of tennis 20 Bread variety 21 Sit for a spell 22 Unfairly slanted 23 Koch & O’Neill 24 Read quickly 26 Breakfast orders 30 Painful pusfilled pocket 35 Citizen of Italy’s capital 36 Haywire 38 Part of the foot 39 Embrace as one’s own 40 Startling greeting 41 Begin a tennis game 42 “Why don’t we!” 43 Become dizzy 44 Wept 45 Pullman car 47 Killers 49 Too hasty 51 Sick 52 Not forbidden 56 Qualified 58 Spring month: abbr. 61 Once more 62 Preventable 64 Author Jules __ 65 Autry or Wilder 66 Sword fight 67 Pack animals 68 Singles 69 Stick around DOWN 1 Lion’s cry 2 Unsightly 3 Birch or beech

by Jacqueline E. Mathews

Monday’s Puzzle Solved

4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 18 22 23 25 26 27 28 29 31 32 33 34 37 41 43

Witch’s spell Truthful Probability Verse writers Slip up Indelible marks Albacore or bluefin __ together; combines Golf course cry Mr. Flintstone Zealous Infant Go by, as time Yuletide songs Tests given before a panel Cheryl Tiegs or Tyra Banks Overdo the role Cavalry swords Actress Ladd Uncanny Cut off Snow toys Misery Climbed Authentic

46 48 50 52

Dried plums Easter flowers Refuge Mauna Loa’s output 53 Grows older 54 Armed conflicts 55 Monetary penalty

57 Scapula or rib 58 Lie next to 59 “Guilty” or “Not guilty” 60 __ on; have confidence in 62 Not long __; recently 63 Promos

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@PipeDreamSports FOR LIVE COVERAGE Thursday, November 30, 2017

Manning should finish lost season

Men's basketball cruises past Delaware State

Giants show disrespect by sitting their lone constant Evan Cole Assistant Sports Editor

Noah Bressner/Managing Editor Sophomore guard Fard Muhammad scored 14 points and pulled down five rebounds in Wednesday’s win over Delaware State.

Binghamton drains 13 from deep in offensive explosion Samuel Ditchek Sports Editor

After cruising to a blowout victory on Sunday afternoon against Hartwick, the Binghamton men’s basketball team captured another win against Delaware State Wednesday night, 85-64. The Bearcats improved their record to 4-4 and reached .500 for the first time in the young season following a string of losses on the road. “I think one of the things that I talked to the guys about is bad teams struggle to win anywhere, average teams normally win at home, to be a good team not only do you have to win at home, but you have to win on the road,” said BU head coach Tommy Dempsey prior to Wednesday’s contest. “If you’re ultimately going to become a contender you’re going to have to win road games and this is a chance for us to do that tomorrow [Wednesday] night and I think

there’s an excitement in our group to get our first road win.” Exploding out of the gate to a 25-11 lead, the Bearcats appeared hungry for a much-needed road win. Even though Binghamton had not seen a great deal of zone defense, with the exception of Hartwick, the Hornets (2-6) were simply unable to keep BU’s offense in check. With the offense firing on all fronts, Delaware State certainly found itself feeling the hangover effects on the second night of a back-to-back. “We came out right from the start and we threw the first punch, got ahead, we got up, eight or 10 [to] nothing and got a lot of stops and turnovers on defense,” Dempsey said. “I just thought our kids were really engaged, and that’s how you have to play on the road. “ In the first half alone, the Bearcats poured in 46 points while shooting a season-high 60 percent clip from the field. Binghamton drained nine from

downtown and junior guard J.C. Show spearheaded the offense with 14 points. Sophomore guard Fard Muhammad earned himself a start against the Hornets although he usually serves as a solid offensive weapon off of the bench. With a season average of approximately 10 points per contest, Muhammad remains a reliable option as a combo guard for Dempsey’s squad. “Muhammad has been good all year coming off the bench and giving us some firepower,” Dempsey said. “We knew that he was gonna come in [as a freshman] and be able to shoot the ball.” For BU, the second half featured much of the same as the offensive onslaught continued. Show finished with a team-high 17 points, junior forward Thomas Bruce contributed his fourth double-double of the season and the Bearcats, as a team, shot a beyond-efficient 59 percent from the field. Delaware State never

drew closer than 16 points in the second half. Even though the victory marked Binghamton’s third consecutive win after starting the season 1-4, the squad’s mentality seems to be to just take each contest one at a time. With tough competition such as Army and Penn State approaching in the near future, every game bears significance for a team at the heart of its nonconference schedule. “Every game you feel like you have to get, it’s just the way it always winds up,” Dempsey said. “As a coach, the only thing that I’m worried about is winning the next game. When that’s over, you put it behind you and win the next game.” Following its extensive road trip, Binghamton will return home this Saturday for the first time since its season opener. BU will face off against Colgate University with tipoff expected for 2 p.m. from the Events Center in Vestal, New York.

Bearcats drop close game to Bison Moon's 23 points not enough as women's basketball falls Julian Guevara Pipe Dream Sports

Despite a strong performance from sophomore guard Kai Moon, the Bearcats fell to Bucknell, 6459. Moon scored a game-high and career-high 23 points while grabbing four rebounds and dishing five assists while going four-for-four from the stripe. Senior guard Imani Watkins went on to finish second in scoring for Binghamton (4-3) with 16 points, four boards and three dimes. “Well, we played absolutely terrible and we were still in the game,” said BU head coach Linda Cimino. “It was a one-possession game with 37 seconds to go, and as bad as we played we were still in the game — we can’t make the same mistakes at the end of the game.” The Bearcats bounced back from their 10-point loss to the Bison (5-3) last season, leading by eight points in the first quarter. Junior guard Kate Walker led the Bucknell scoring effort, finishing with 18 points. BU stuck with the defending Patriot League champs. After Moon sank two clutch free throws, the Bearcats were within two points, trailing 61-59 with 37 seconds left in the game. “If we just got one stop and scored, we would have gone to overtime, and it’s those plays at the end of the game that we have to execute better,” Cimino said. “We also need better scoring from our inside, [Senior center Alyssa James] can’t go three-for-13 and think that we’re going to win a basketball game.”

The Bison would prove to outlast Binghamton, as Walker scored a quick and-one after sophomore forward Karlee Krchnavi was called for a foul after contesting the layup in the paint. The score would remain at 64-59 for the remainder of the contest. James struggled from the field, finishing three-for-13, but grabbed 12 boards, swiped three steals and blocked four Bison shots. Fortunately for BU, James stayed off foul trouble, logging 36 minutes played. “It felt like in the third quarter we went six minutes without scoring,” Cimino said. “So we have to figure this out, and this is why you play tough games, to figure out lineups in certain situations when you need to score, when you need a stop and that’s what we’re doing — challenging ourselves.” The Binghamton bench was seriously overpowered as it was outscored, 22-2. Sophomore guard Carly Boland had trouble finding the net. Despite going zero-forthree from the field, Boland still contributed in multiple facets, finishing with five rebounds, two assists and three blocks, two of which came in the fourth quarter. “We had two people scoring for us tonight,” Cimino said. “We need at least four players in double digits to win a basketball game.” Redshirt junior guard Jasmine Sina appeared to return to form from behind the arc, sinking three 3-point shots. Those three field goals accounted for all nine of Sina’s points. Additionally, the experienced guard tallied two steals, two assists and a rebound. In terms of all-time series, the

Provided by Phil Inglis Sophomore guard Kai Moon scored 23 points, collected four rebounds and dished out five dimes in Wednesday night’s women’s basketball game.

Bison captured their eighth victory against Binghamton Wednesday night. Bucknell head coach Aaron Roussell has completely turned around Bucknell’s program after inheriting a 5-25 team, going 10256 in his five years at Bucknell. Last season, he gave the Bison their first tournament appearance since 2008. Binghamton is looking forward to returning home following a four-game road trip that spanned 11 days. The Bearcats

will be back on the hardwood this Saturday to face a Yale team that they lost to, 57-48, last season. “Playing at home is always great and our crowd keeps us in the game,” Cimino said. “The reason we beat Penn was because of our crowd support and they give us that extra motivation, so it’ll be great to play a doubleheader in the Events Center.” Tipoff is scheduled for noon on Saturday, Dec. 2 at the Events Center in Vestal, New York.

New York Giants head coach Ben McAdoo announced on Tuesday that he will bench quarterback Eli Manning in favor of Geno Smith. Manning’s streak of starting 210 consecutive games will come to an end when the Giants take on the Raiders this Sunday, falling 87 games short of Brett Favre’s record for most consecutive regularseason starts by a quarterback in NFL history. The decision sent shockwaves throughout the sports world as Manning, a two-time Super Bowl MVP, was demoted and has now possibly already played his final game as a Giant. In a league in which stability is rarely found, especially as quarterback, Manning started in every game for the Giants since week 11 of 2004, a span during which 188 different quarterbacks started in the NFL. McAdoo’s latest choice further validates the claim that the Giants have been one of the most poorly managed NFL teams during his tenure. Given the venomous reaction from notable Giants’ alumni and countless fans on social media, this may be the breaking point for Giants fans, as they have put up with largely incompetent decision making since the team’s Super Bowl XLVI victory. With the Giants currently posting a paltry 2-9 record, it seems logical to blame the team’s struggles on quarterback Manning, as the team’s offense currently ranks 28th in total yards. However, many of the team’s deficiencies have resulted instead from injuries and poor coaching. To start, Manning has been playing without Pro Bowl wide receivers Odell Beckham Jr. and Brandon Marshall since week five. Since their leaves, Manning’s receiving corps has only a combined 38 games of NFL experience, entering this season. Additionally, the Giants’ offense has failed to account for 30 points in a game over 27 consecutive games, the entirety of McAdoo’s time as head coach. Known as an offensive guru before taking the job, it appears his success as offensive coordinator was largely due to the work of Aaron Rodgers, Tom Coughlin and Manning. New York’s offensive struggles also bring attention to the fact that Manning has not been surrounded by a roster built to contend for a Super Bowl since the team’s win in 2012. Balancing a strong running and passing game is key to constructing an offense that can score against a wide variety of defensive coverages. General Manager Jerry Reese appears to be fundamentally opposed to that belief, as the Giants haven’t had a 1,000-yard rusher since the 2012 season. Even in Manning’s second Super Bowl campaign, New York ranked last in the NFL in rushing, despite ranking eighth overall offensively (the Giants’ defense also ranked 27th in the 2011 regular season, in case you thought the defense was the reason the Giants were champions that year). Criticism of this decision can be further extended to Team Co-owner John Mara. Known for refusing to fire coaches or members of the front office midseason, Mara is widely regarded among

peers as one of the more conservative decision-makers in the NFL. With his team currently on pace for the most single-season losses in franchise history, there was a glimmer of hope from the fan base that Mara would move on from McAdoo and Reese before the end of the season; ownership, of course, has remained hesitant to shake things up during the season. Mara even released a statement to disgruntled fans following a decisive loss to the then-winless 49ers two weeks ago, a moment that fans viewed as rock bottom for this season at the time. “Our plan is to do what we always have done, which is to not offer a commentary on the season,” Mara said. “At the end of the year, we will evaluate the 2017 season in its entirety and make a determination on how we move forward.” Following this logic, why did Mara sign off on benching the team’s lone constant of the past 14 years? How is it rational to let a failing coaching staff finish the season, while simultaneously allowing said coaching staff to demote one of the most decorated players in franchise history? For an owner who has taken pride in operating a team at a more elite level than the New York Jets, this season and this decision have plunged him into the same category of disorder as his crosstown rival. Mara may have entered his team into the NFL’s expansive pool of mediocre franchises far earlier than he would like to admit, as the Giants are 41-50 in regular-season games since their last Super Bowl victory nearly six years ago. Despite all of the largely inept work of the people surrounding him, Manning has remained a quintessential franchise cornerstone, as he has never publicly criticized any part of the Giants’ organization for nearly a decade and a half. It is frankly disrespectful to see him used as a scapegoat for a lost season largely due to things out of his control. With that said, the Giants still managed to mess up the process of shifting focus toward rebuilding. New York features a roster with only two starters over the age of 30, with Manning the eldest at 36. Evaluating the readiness of rookie quarterback Davis Webb — not proven bust Smith — makes sense in the middle of a lost season, but Webb has only started working with the team’s starters this week in practice. Still, it is not surprising that a team that used top-10 picks on offensive lineman Ereck Flowers and cornerback Eli Apple is unprepared for its own decision to bench its franchise quarterback. With so many organizations prone to sifting through several quarterbacks before finding a franchise player, and some perennially unable to find an answer at the position, the Giants have now thrust themselves into a position that has been unfamiliar to them for the past 14 years. While Manning’s time with the Giants is expected to end in the next couple of years, McAdoo, Reese and Mara have agreed to expedite the process and are already experiencing the turmoil and uncertainty that they have had the privilege of ignoring for most of their recent memory. Welcome to reality for the vast majority of NFL teams, Giants fans.