Tuesday, November 15, 2022 | Vol. CI, Issues 20 & 21 | Binghamton University | bupipedream.com
The Free Word on Campus Since 1946
BSU celebrates Black Solidarity Day
BU sees shift in reports of rape, stalking In 2021, reports of rape reached a eight-year high as other statistics plateaued. Hallie Milligan news intern
Binghamton University’s 2022 Security and Fire Report reflects a wave of crime statistics that have shifted these past few years, including stalking and rape. The 2022 report covers reported crime incidents on and adjacent to campus in 2019, 2020 — the year BU was largely under remote learning — and 2021. In 2019, 13 rape incidents were reported, while six were reported in 2020 and 21 in 2021 — which is BU’s highest reported number of rape incidents since 2014, according to pressconnects. Reported incidents of dating violence have declined since 2019, with 19 incidents reported in 2019, 12 in 2020 and 14 in 2021. Reported incidents of stalking have also declined since 2019. The Annual Security and Fire Report, filed yearly by the University’s Clery Act Coordinator and included in the Student Handbook, is a collection of campus reports investigating crime and fire safety procedures. The report is required by the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act of 1990, more commonly referred to as the Clery Act. According to Andrew Baker, BU’s senior compliance officer and Title IX coordinator, it is likely the number of reported incidents is less than the amount that actually occurs.
see report page 3
The event facilitated both discussions and demonstrations on Black solidarity. Blessin McFarlane news intern
In 2021, Binghamton University saw an increase in reported rape incidents, with other statistics plateauing.
This past Monday, Binghamton University’s Black Student Union (BSU) held a march and discussion in celebration of Black Solidarity Day. In celebration of the holiday, BSU held a collaborative event — “Lift Every Voice: Thriving in Black Joy” — on Nov. 7 in the Mandela Room. Attendees were asked to wear all black, as the theme of the event was unification, and the chairs were all organized into one large circle to aid in the feeling of connectedness, according to Taylor Chance, BSU’s political correspondent and a sophomore majoring in biochemistry. The event was held from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. and began with several of BU’s Black organizations tabling and promoting their clubs’ missions.
em o’brien design intern
see bsu page 3
BC Transit “Into The Woods” reshapes classic fairytales introduces new I.D. system The theatre department put their all into their version of the Sondheim classic.
Lorena Maggiore
arts & culture contributor
New identification scanners and payment processors have been added to buses. Adam Shemesh
news contributor
Broome County (BC) Transit is updating its fare system with new technology. In the wake of COVID-19, BC Transit has modernized payment options on their buses as a part of a push for higher operational efficiency. Students have been allowed to board BC Transit buses for free for over 20 years, and while this will not change, new features are going to be applied to the buses, including updated BU ID scanners and advanced payment processors, according to Gregory Kilmer, the Broome County Commissioner. Currently, BC Transit services approximately 1.6 million people each year in Binghamton and the surrounding areas, with major hubs located at the Binghamton University Union and BC Junction downtown, according to Kilmer. Over 40 percent of those riders are associated with BU. Kilmer, who helped to oversee the updating process, explained that the purpose of the upgraded ID scanners is to replace the “aging and basic fare system” with a “future-proof” system that can take multiple forms of payment.
see transit page 3
“Into The Woods,” a performance by BU’s theatre department, opened at the Watters Theater the past two weeks. “Into The Woods” is based on a libretto by James Lapine, with score and lyrics by Steven Sondheim. It is a retelling of classic Grimm brothers
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behind preparing for “Into The Woods.” Iafrate said the theatre department was looking into the kind of subgenre of the musical theater of which Sondheim is part of, and was left deciding between “Sweeney Todd,” “Sunday in the Park with George” and “Into The Woods.” The theatre department decided to put on “Into The Woods.” “We ended up going with ‘Into The Woods’ because it offers opportunities for so many different cast members,” Iafrate said. “It’s not the same sort of tent-pole type of production that requires a Sweeney
and a Mrs. Lovett and then other characters that are more on the periphery.” Iafrate said that within the eight years of his employment at BU, this was his first time seeing student designers taking on positions for stage scenery, costumes and lighting.
see theatre page 6
Volleyball wins first regular season title Bearcats sweep Bryant, earn No. 1 seed and will host AE tournament next weekend. Johnny Yang Sports intern
With the America East (AE) regular season title on the line, the Binghamton volleyball team traveled to Smithfield, Rhode Island on Sunday afternoon to take on Bryant in its final regular season match. After sweeping Bryant a month ago in its first matchup, BU replicated its success — winning in three sets once again to earn the program’s first AE regular season title — and will host the conference tournament next weekend. “We’ve talked about championships, we’ve talked about being a championship program, building this program back up to where I knew it could be at,” said Binghamton head coach Allie Yaeger. “It’s so exciting and it’s very surreal for me and for the girls. In all the years that I’ve been coaching and my four years of playing, I’ve never won a regular season championship … I hope we can continue this momentum and bring it into next weekend.”
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ARTS & CULTURE Binghamton Center for Writers hosts Iranian-American poet,
fairy tales — centered around “Jack and the Beanstalk,” “Rapunzel,” “Cinderella” and “Little Red Riding Hood.” In Act I, Cinderella, Jack, Little Red Riding Hood and the Baker and Baker’s wife are portrayed following orders, making wishes and pursuing their wants. In Act II, characters deal with their lives after their wishes come true. Sondheim and Lapine convey that “Happily Ever After” does not always meet expectations. Tommy Iafrate, an associate professor and director of musical theater at BU, explained the process
mason brody-lewis assistant photo editor Freshman outside hitter Giulia Bonifacio got 13 kills in Binghamton’s sweep over Bryant on Sunday.
OPINIONS
BU club aims to support those with special needs, SEE PAGE 6
SPORTS
Contributing Columnist Julie Ha discusses the harms of gender performativity.
Men’s soccer defeated in America East semifinals,
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Men’s basketball clinches victory over Marist, SEE PAGE 8