Statesman: Volume 53, Issue 30

Volume 53, Issue 30 • Monday, February 8, 2010 www.sbstatesman.org

A backhoe latched onto a stack of wood planks and lifted them high into the air. Mounds of dirt and gravel still surround the unfinished structures on the corner of West Drive and Circle Road, while areas of finished facade peak through blue scaffoldings.

For Stony Brook University freshmen, packed into dorm rooms meant for two, the construction of two more residence halls could ease tensions. However, completion of the halls, slated to open in Fall ’09, has been severely delayed. And although the additional 600 beds will decrease tripling at Stony Brook University, it won’t eliminate it.

“There are far worse

situations,” said Dallas Bauman, assistant vice president of campus residences, referring to the more than 300 freshmen tripled into one room on the West Campus. Demand for rooms is somewhat “elastic,”

based on the number of current student residents and new enrollees that are eligible.

According to the Office of Campus Residences, almost half of tripled students volunteer so they can reside with friends.

But some students, like Freshman Seahynun An, say the resident application forms

are confusing and doesn’t recall volunteering to triple. The Mathematics major can’t imagine that anyone would want to. “There’s only room for two. There are two desks and two closets.” More

confusing to the freshman is the cost of doubling versus tripling. “Is it less money?” An asked. But not all tripled students complain.

Unlike An, Yusha Hiraman volunteered to triple for her sophomore year. Now an alumni waiting to enter graduate school, the 21-year-old says although it was

tough living with two other people, “It was manageable. The easiest part was knowing who I was living with, so I had an expectation of the living conditions. The worst part was living next to the bathroom.” In contrast to An, Hiraman says there was adequate room for her and two other roommates.

“It was a converted lounge in Greeley College, Roosevelt Quad. There was three of everything, so we didn’t have to split anything.”

The two unnamed residence halls will be completely wireless capable, feature suite style quads and a three-part bathroom, with the toilet and shower in seperate rooms for privacy. Rooms that are handicapped and wheelchair accessible will be singles.

While some Stony Brook students were still sleeping and others were dragging their feet to an 8:20 a.m. class, SUNY Chancellor Nancy Zimpher was listening to the statements of concerned individuals at an open forum in the Student Activities Center Thursday morning.

The open forum was part of the SUNY Strategic Planning Statewide Conversations, which have been ongoing at SUNY schools across the state since October. Stony Brook’s conversation focused on the theme of Energ y and Sustainability.

Speakers were chosen prior to the forum’s start and had a mere three minutes to present their testimony to the panel, which included President Dr. Samuel L. Stanley Jr. and Zimpher.

Mary Pearl, dean of Stony Brook Southampton, a sister campus, which prides itself on being environmentally friendly and sustainable, stressed the importance of hands-on studies for students, as they are preparing them to create “green collar jobs.”

Malcolm Bowman, a member of the New York City Panel on Climate Change, reminded the audience of Stony Brook's rich history when he

mentioned how George Washington walked through the campus grounds. However, he did note that we have “obliterated this trail.”

Preservation of land was also a concern of Jeffrey Levinton, an ecolog y and evolution professor. According to Levinton, we have lost the majority of our woods, and to his dismay, there is no rule to stop this from occurring.

“Our responsibility is to produce knowledge… to be an example to the entire state,” Levinton said. “We are very far from these ideals. We must act soon and forcefully.”

But it was Patrick Looney, associate director for policy and strategic planning at Brookhaven National Laboratory, who was able to put all of the presenters' concerns into perspective, when he asked the panel and audience one question:

“Does New York want to be an investor or consumer?"

By Rachelle S. JohnSonStaff Writer

By eRika kaRpAssistant News Editor

Chancellor ZimpherVisits Stony Brook for SUNY Strategic

Planning Conversation

New Dorms to be Finished by SummerOfficials Say The Dorms Will Not Eliminate Tripling

SUNY Chancellor Nancy Zimpher stopped at Stony Brook as part of her strategic planning session. KENNETH HO / THE STATESMAN

KENNETH HO / THE STATESMANSee DORMS on 5

Dallas Bauman, the assistant vice president of campus residences, says he cannot give a concrete date as to

when it will be completed and ready for occupants.

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One of the structures may be designated as 24-hour quiet areas, according to Bauman.

As to which of the 9,000 campus residents will occupy the new halls, Bauman says priority for the new buildings has not been finalized and is to be announced prior to room selection. They will not come from specific buildings.

Usually first priority for room selections goes to full-time students, living on campus in good academic standing, who have resided on campus for less than eight semesters “We don’t triple upper division students,” Bauman added.

When questioned about the numerous delays, Bauman explained that the school went through a complicated bidding process and was only able to secure a builder on the second try.

Afterwards, the Roosevelt cafeteria had to be demolished first in Fall 2007, then the foundation for the new structures was laid in March 2008.

More than two years since

the project began, Bauman says he cannot give a concrete date as to when it will be completed and ready for occupants. He says only that construction should be completed in March or April, and that it may not be occupied until next Fall 2010.

Included in the project are two separate structures and The Center for Global Studies and Human Development, with a conference room that can accommodate up to 350 people.

It will cost Stony Brook University $60 million dollars, approximately $100,000 per bed, paid for through housing fees from residing students.

Upon completion, officials hope the building will be Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED certified, a rating system developed by the United States Green Building Council to encourage responsible environmental practices.

In addition, a new 400-bed student residence hall is planned for the Mendelsohn Quad. By deadline, there was no word from officials as to when construction will begin.

New Dorms To Be Finished by Summer Officials Say The Dorms Will Not Eliminate Tripling

From DORMS on 1

KENNETH HO / THE STATESMAN

Construction on the two unnamed dorms began in March 2008 and is slated to finish within the next few months.

For years, Kaplan and Princeton Review have been able to charge students hundreds, if not thousands of dollars, for their test preparation classes. For example, Kaplan’s GMAT classroom program costs $1,449. Princeton Review comes in a little cheaper at $1,249, but that still isn’t very appealing for the budget conscious.

Now let me add that for those prices, you generally have part-time instructors teaching the material, or in the case of online classes, a self-serve program where the teaching occurs through videos and multiple choice exams. With some programs, you may be able to communicate with the instructor during live online classes. However that feature varies by program, and is not offered with every online program.

Now imagine a test

program that only costs $690 and provides you access to courses taught by instructors, many of whom hold doctorates, and also allows you to ask questions during the lessons and receive answers in real-time through in-class teaching assistants. By the way, did I mention this all takes place from the convenience of any compatible internet connected computer?

While this concept sounds too good to be true, it is a reality known as Knewton, a test preparation company founded in early 2008.

According to Chris Rosenbaum, the director of Test Preparation at the company, Knewton was founded to make it possible for technology to catch up with adaptive learning. While the 30 full-time staff is only a fraction of the upwards of 10,000 teachers employed by Kaplan, in most cases, you can expect the lesson quality to be higher, because Knewton hires 15-20 teachers for all their programs.

By employing a “Team

teaching model,” Knewton is able to offer lecture-like classes, similar to those in a traditional university setting. However, they manage to enhance the learning process by having teaching assistants to answer questions during the class, and the professors teaching the online lessons also offer office hours – a feature which stands out from many other testing services

One of the key features of the online learning model is the “adaptive learning engine” in the background, which according to Rosenbaum, is able to give students questions and relevant content as needed. In particular, this feature is utilized in their GMAT materials so the preparation is better able to hone into the strengths of students. This engine, however ,does not apply to the LSAT, due to the different structure and objectives of the exams.

While all of this sounds great, you must be asking how a newcomer to the test preparation field can assure its

quality. Kaplan and Princeton Review offer guarantees that you’ll perform higher than the score on their initial practice exams. Knewton guarantees an improvement on the GMAT of at least 50 points, and at least five points on the LSAT.

Rosenbaum pointed out that Knewton is better equipped to handle moving forward and offering innovative online learning, because they don’t have to support legacy models of learning – a fancy term for classroom learning. Without having the need to manage thousands of branches and also employ hundreds, if not thousands, of staff, Knewton is better able to focus solely on online learning.

While online learning is not the best option for everyone, if cost is a concern and you have the discipline to focus on class even while outside the classroom, then Knewton is a worthwhile alternative for consideration if you have test preparation needs.

The Next Generation of Test Preparation By chaRleS coStaColumnist


ARTS

The audience of last week’s RockYoFaceCase was greeted by extensive construction around the side of the Student Union, blocking off many entry routes to the Union Café, which houses the showcase. Despite confusion, the first showcase of the semester enjoyed good attendance and improvements over past installments.

RockYoFaceCase is a twice monthly showcase of campus bands.

The showcase is held in the Union Café Monday nights at 8 p.m.

Though the University Cafe is a 21-and-up venue, no alcoholic beverages are offered during this time.

The showcase often simultaneously hosts

contests, such as Sprite pong and wing-eating, for a RockYoFace t-shirt prize.

Last week’s installment featured three campus bands: This Good Robot, PUi, and Slothbear.

Intermissions were characterized by DJ music.

Upon entering the dim interior, spectators are greeted by blasting music and a largely enthusiastic crowd.

There were relatively few loiterers outside, compared to past shows.

Much of the audience surged around the stage, dancing and cheering in response to the bands. Individuals could be seen recording the performances on cell phone cameras. People outside of this central ring, however, were far less fervent.

The past deafening nature of the showcase

was largely remedied this week. Volume levels were sufficient to motivate the audience without causing discomfort.

However, the back of the University Café was largely empty by the time the second band took the stage around 10:30 p.m., possibly due to a large delay between the first two bands.

The Sprite pong setup has since expanded to two tables and was a popular feature of the showcase, despite its location at the back of the café. The rosters were full even before the second band played.

Jesse Weiman, a computer science major and freshman, noted that this past showcase was “much more like a concert”.

Overall, the experience was improved by a more enthusiastic audience and impressive lineup.

"RockYoFaceCase" Still Going Strong in First Show of Spring

SemesterBy DaRyl VuliSContributing Writer

This is a new section in Arts that will announce the weekly events on campus to keep the student body informed on the latest in music, movies, theatre and arts at Stony Brook.

Music:The Stony Brook Opera

presents : "An Evening of American Songs" Feb. 12 at 8 p.m.

Art

GAlleries:MFA student, Moira

Williams' exhibition is on display in the Lawrence Alloway Memorial Art

Gallery on the first floor of the Melville library.

The Univery Art Gallery is hosting the "MFA Thesis Exhibition 2010" on the first floor of the Staller Center for the Arts through Feb. 27. The exhibition is showcasing the artwork of MFA students, Joseph Andrew Esser,

Julianne Gadoury, Kristine, Elizabeth Dee Heifferon and Danielle Rago.

theAtre:The Staller Center is

hosting a performance of "Groovaloo" Saturday, Feb. 13 at 8 p.m. in the Staller Center Recital Hall.

television:SBU-TV is airing

special programs to commerate Black History Month. Zora Neale Hurston: Jump at the Sun is airing until Feb. 14, daily at 4:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m.

Arts at the

Brook

The student-run "RockYoFaceCase" campus showcase held its first show of the spring semester on Monday, Feb. 1 in the University Cafe.


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OPINIONEditors-in-ChiefBradley DonaldsonApril Warren

Opinion EditorRavneet Kamboj

News EditorFrank Posillico

Arts & Entertainment EditorIvanna Avalos

Sports EditorSarah Kazadi

Photo EditorKenneth Ho

Copy EditorYasmean Tamoor

Business ManagerFrank D’Alessandro

AccountantArthur Golnick

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Guidelines for Opinion Submission

There is a reason that Rock the Vote, and other celebrity endorsements, exist. Like it or not, the entertainment world influences us every day. From what clothes we buy, to what brands we drink, face it: they speak and people listen.

The controversy between Conan O’Brien and Jay Leno with NBC is no different. This scandal can change more than a person’s late-night –viewing habits, it can seriously harm their job security. The Tonight Show, like it or not, is a program that is highly respected. If the longstanding tradition of passing the torch to a new Tonight Show host, whom has been a loyal employee for more than 20 years and then bows out gracefully, can be broken not only by a host, but a network,what is that saying to other employers?

When Leno first started the Tonight show, his ratings, like Conan’s, were down. It was not until Hugh Grant appeared on the show amidst a scandal that Leno gained the top viewership. Even throughout this current scandal of scheduling, Conan’s ratings have improved significantly, with a high of 5.2 million viewers (according to the Nielson Company), while reports show that Leno's ratings have not followed suit.

In fact, his ratings have continuously decreased every week, to a total 4.8 million viewers that same week (according to the Nielson Company). In addition to luring in viewers,

NBC also has to please their advertisers. They are focusing their efforts toward viewers between the ages 18-49, which is said to be of the most preferred age group for advertisers, according to the New York Times . Leno’s ratings for that age group reached a low of 1.9 million, while O’Brien’s ratings for the same week was 3.1 million. NBC still decided not to give their new host a

chance, even though Conan has been doing better then Leno. As I said before, entertainment can mirror real life, and NBC’s choice to go with what they deem as reliable ratings is something that many of us might face.

In many, if not all cases, it takes a person some time to adjust to a new job, even if it’s a promotion or a transfer to a different department. Even though T.V. is different than a clerk or sales position, being a host of a comedy talk show still requires a period of adjustment.

You still have to play around to see what techniques, features or comedy bits work and what the viewers or clients prefer. It is unrealistic to expect a person to immediately adjust to any job, especially in entertainment, as things are constantly tweaked and improved.

This decision by NBC to choose money, or rather the promise of more money over employee loyalty, sends a negative message to all employers

It’s sending a signal to companies big and small that it is ok to not give new/promoted employees a chance prove themselves. Instead of giving the employee the benefit of the doubt, employers should just cut their losses and fire said

employee and hire or re-hire someone else who they think will do a better job.

Another option is for employers is to hire on a monthly basis. This can be for as little as six weeks to 6 months, and not include health insurance and benefits. This way, if they don’t like how you are or aren’t getting new clients, they can fire you without having to pay for anything except your salary.

Contrary to what you might think, employers won’t tell you that they’re hiring you for a test period. All they will say is that benefits don’t start until months later. You may think six months is a long time.

However, in this terrible economy, it is not. People aren’t buying the hundreds of things that they normally would. This causes not only an excess of products, but a lack of demand. This means that, depending on your job, they a) won’t buy from you, b) you won’t get new clients in and/or c) they’ll fire you because of a lack of income. Then they will go on to hire someone else, who they think will get more business. The problem is, no matter how good of a seller you are, no one will buy.

NBC and Jay Leno ( if he would’ve ‘retired’ for real, this

would not be an issue), did a terrible thing not only to the hundred something employees who work for the Tonight Show, but also to the rest of the country. No matter what, Americans have always stuck together in bad times. Now is not the time to let loyalty fall by the wayside.

One option is to boycott NBC and the sponsors who advertise on the network by writing emails and letters. Let them know that loyalty means something and is rewarded. Tell business owners that playing musical chairs with jobs helps no one, including your business, especially if every time a client calls or orders there’s a new person handling the account.

If you’re not loyal to your employees, will you be loyal to your clients? Building a relationship with your clients is one of the best ,if not the only way, to secure orders for your company and not the competition.

For all those graduating seniors and other students who are looking for a full time job, be wary and keep in mind that loyalty means nothing nowadays. Thanks to NBC’s example of money over employees, your job may not be as secure as you think.

By elizaBeth BRenneRStaff Writer

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Behind a cohesive defensive effort and standout performances from junior forward Kirsten Jeter (Elmont, NY) and sophomore guard Tamiel Murray (Teaneck, NJ.), the Stony Brook women’s basketball team overwhelmed the Binghamton Bearcats Saturday afternoon.

The game was Stony Brook’s celebration of National Girls and Women in Sports Day, and the Seawolves didn’t disappoint the crowd of roughly 600 in attendance. Stony Brook picked up its fifth conference win by flustering Binghamton into 22 turnovers, and also tied their largest point total this season, winning 74-60.

The home team jumped ahead early, building a quick

six point lead and pushed it to double digits, making the score 21-11, with a layup by sophomore center Destiny Jacobs (Glen Burnie, MD). The Seawolves held a 30-23 advantage at the halftime break, with 14 of their points resulting directly from Binghamton turnovers.

Stony Brook didn’t relinquish the defensive chokehold it had on the game in the second period, but instead elevated its intensity, using its pesky defense to lead to opportunities on the offensive end.

The Seawolves’ lead would swell to 21, and the Bearcats battled but could not get closer than 68-58. Clutch free throw shooting helped Stony Brook avoid the debacle and pull out the comfortable 74-60 win.

Other than America East Player of the Game Murray’s 9 points, career-high 11

rebounds, and 3 steals, and Jeter’s solid 17 points and 5 boards, Stony Brook received contributions from a variety of players. Junior guard Misha Horsey (Wyncote, PA.) and senior forward Joia Daniels (Silver Springs, MD.) each dropped in 10 points, and Jacobs chipped in with 8 points and 11 boards.

The Seawolves try to build on this victory when they travel to Albany for a battle Wednesday night.

The last time the two squads went head-to-head, Stony Brook grinded out the 46-37 win at home, overcoming a late Albany surge that saw the Seawolves’ comfortable 21-point second half lead shrink to single digits, with a little under four minutes to go.

Stony Brook survived and won, and will try to sweep the season series in Great Dane territory. Tip off is slated for 7:00 p.m.

By SaRah kazaDiSports Editor

Women's Hoops Locks Up, Blows Past Binghamton

Junior forward Kirsten Jeter led the seawolves in scoring with 17, helping Stony Brook pull out an impressive win against the visiting Bearcats.


SPORTS SPORTS SPORTS SPORTS


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SPORTS

The dry erase board in the men’s basketball film room bears a list of every conference foe. There is a checkmark beside opponents already defeated since league play began in January.

Maine is one of only two teams that have yet to be checked off, and the Black Bears look to remain unbeaten by the Seawolves when they visit Pritchard Gymnasium Wednesday night.

Since climbing the ranks to the Division I level, Stony Brook has never defeated every America East opponent at least once.

This year, the Seawolves

are the closest they’ve ever been to accomplishing that goal, tying their record for the most league wins in a season with eight victories.

They now have the chance to set a new mark come Wednesday. The team sits atop the conference with only six games to go, and is on pace for the best overall record in team history.

It seems like ages ago that Stony Brook was on the other end of the spectrum, sitting dead last in all of men’s college basketball and struggling to remain competitive in the DI ranks.

“When I first took the job, every coach in the country was calling me,” said head coach Steven iell, “And that’s when you know that you’re not very good, because everyone’s calling

you and they want to play you.”

That was five years ago, when Pikiell took over coaching duties for a team ranked 328th of 328 in men’s college basketball.

He has spent the past few seasons as the captain at the helm, trying to right the ship that is Stony Brook men’s basketball.

Now, that the team has started winning, the phone has stopped ringing.

“No one is calling me to play me, and I’m calling them now,” said Pikiell.

Only a few weeks away from March Madness, the squad can realistically set its eyes on a NCAA tournament bid, which would be automatic if the Seawolves can properly close out the dream season by winning the America East championship crown.

They find themselves in unchartered territory, no longer the hunters but instead the hunted, and lead the pack with a large bull’s eye on their backs.

C o n f e r e n c e heavyweights like Binghamton and Maine, who sit second and third in standings respectively, are clawing at their heels.

Wednesday night’s game against the latter could possibly change the conference’s top three rankings, with the regular season quickly coming to a close.

When the Maine Black Bears make the eight-hour bus trip to Stony Brook, they’ll be armed with their league-best defense and memories of the last time they played the Seawolves.

Stony Brook traveled to Maine on January 16th after

dropping a 64-62 decision to Binghamton, the other team the Seawolves have yet to beat, four days prior.

Looking to get back into the win column, Stony Brook jumped out to an early lead, and held a 40-30 advantage at the halftime break.

But the second half told a different story, as Maine’s stingy defense clamped down and the Seawolves struggled to put points on the board and simultaneously contain the Black Bears’ hot shooting.

Despite a career-high 17 points from sophomore center Dallis Joyner, Stony Brook fell 67-61 and allowed Maine to hit nearly 53 percent of their shots.

But that was the last time that the Seawolves have lost.

Stony Brook is currently

on a five-game winning streak, its longest of the season, with the latest victory coming over Hartford last Wednesday.

The Seawolves have had a week to prepare for their date with Maine, while the Black Bears have pounded Binghamton 61-49 and face UMBC Monday night.

“The last time we played them, we didn’t play great defense at all,” said Pikiell, “I think we can lock them up. I think we’re the best defensive team in the league.”

The table is set for a showdown of two of the best teams in the America East, one trying to do something it has never done before and the other trying to play the role of spoiler.

Tip off at Pritchard Gym is slated for 7 p.m.

By SaRah kazaDiSports Editor

Seawolves Host Black Bears In AEC Showdown

Wednesday

Photos by ALEEF RAHMAN / THE STATESMAN

Seawolves forward Tommy Brenton (left) throws down a monster jam in a Stony Brook win at home earlier this year. Red Hot Seawolves fans (right) have made Pritchard Gymnasium a tough place for opponents to play in, and the team has gone undefeated this year in conference play.

Statesman: Volume 53, Issue 30

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Transcript of Statesman: Volume 53, Issue 30