Pipe Dream is celebrating its 60th year as Binghamton University’s independent student newspaper. It started as the Colonial News in fall 1946, and has been going strong twice a week ever since. So we’re taking a look back into the paper’s archives, at the people and events that have made the news over BU’s past 60 years.

Tuesday, Oct. 31, 2000

Cover up denied in campus rape

There was a minor scandal in October 2000, when the University was accused of covering up a rape. An unidentified women, who believed she was the victim of acquaintance rape, said that when she alerted campus Health Services she was put on hold for 20 minutes, and was also told that taking a shower would not destroy evidence of the rape. The victim further alleged that when a downstate doctor examined her medical records there was evidence of tampering. David Anderson, who was the dean of students at the time, and Rodger Summers, the vice president of Student Affairs, reviewed the case and concluded that Health Services acted in accordance with their standard procedures. There was a discrepancy between accounts from the University’s Health Services staff in regards to the amount of time the victim was said to have waited. Dr. Leonard, the medical director of Health Services, admitted that the women might have been waiting for up to 18 minutes, while Linda MacKenzie, the administrative director of Health Services, believed that it was only nine minutes. The University maintained that the allegations “distort and misrepresent University actions …” and that their ability to defend themselves was hindered because the victim’s medical records are confidential. The victim, commenting on the University’s response to her allegations said, “Take a look at how the University is handling my case. I am on trial. I am being re-victimized.” Rodger Summers and Michael Leonard are still in the employment of the University.

Rich history disguised by modern day fun

Among contemporary American holidays, Halloween is one of the few that continues to be enthusiastically celebrated by college students. Although most people start celebrating this holiday at an early age, few are aware of its history. Halloween holds a different significance for different groups: Christians celebrate Halloween as “All Hollow’s Eve,” with the next day being “All Hollow’s Day”; Pagans celebrate Halloween as “Samhain” (pronounced sow’an); and the ancient Celts celebrated the fire festival of Samhain, a new year celebration. The Celts believed that Samhain belonged to neither year, and was a day of chaos to be celebrated by engaging in “horseplay and practical jokes.” When the Romans conquered Britain, their fall festival of Pomona was combined with Samhain. When the Catholic Church came to England they designated Nov. 1 as All Saint’s Day and Nov. 2 as All Soul’s Day whereas, “over the years, the customs of these holidays merged and became known as All Hallow’s Eve, and later Halloween.” Halloween has become a largely secular holiday, with only a few groups celebrating it in its original forms. Former student Lauren Schnitzer echoed the opinion of many when she said, “To me it’s not a religious holiday, it’s an American holiday.”