S.A: B-

The SA has had highs and lows this semester, and is ending off Fall 2016 on a solidly mediocre note. When the semester started, it seemed that everything was running smoothly and the SA was functioning business as usual.

The VPAA election, however, revealed a lot of area for improvement. After last semester’s events, at the very least we would have expected the SA to be more conscious of the language they use, even if there is no negative intention. The congress meeting addressing the VPAA election revealed not only a lack of trust between the students and the SA E-Board, but also showed a fractured internal relationship between members. Students appeared at the meeting to voice their complaints, and we also saw E-Board members blatantly air their dirty laundry with each other in front of hundreds of students. We’re all about transparency, but we’re also about professionalism and productivity. The past few weeks events showed none of that.

SAPB: A-

The Student Association Programming Board has some good success this semester, and we hope to see more of this in the Spring. SAVPP Max Maurice managed to snag a big name like Fetty Wap, and the Spring Fling survey options are solid. Parents and students loved the Family Weekend Comedy show, so good for Maurice on delivering to the student body. We hope to see this same sort of success next semester.

Stenger/Administration: B+

In early September, BU President Harvey Stenger was able to tote several figures about his Road Map to Success plan during the State of the University address. It seems that Stenger and the administration are largely on track to expand and improve the University. Stenger has been generally responsive and accessible to feedback from the student body. However, we would like to see a faster response time to important events, faster than his delayed response the 2016 election and the statement on Stefani Lineva’s death. We believe it would benefit the student body, especially in the face of division, to have more visibility and transparency from the administration and our president.

Sports: B+

The performances Binghamton’s teams turned in this fall were nothing to write home about. The women’s soccer team finished at the bottom of the league and while the men’s soccer and volleyball teams both made the playoffs, they were eliminated in the first round.

The athletics department has done a great job planning for the future and securing the funds to do so. Over the summer, a new video scoreboard was installed in the Events Center, featuring replays and graphics during home games. In October, the baseball team — which has won the America East (AE) title in three of the last four years — received a $2.2 million donation for renovations to its field.

The men’s and women’s basketball teams are projected to much more competitive this winter. Both squads were chosen to finish fourth in the AE Preseason Coaches’ Poll — their highest ranking in recent memory. The men have gotten off to a strong 7-5 start while the women are 3-6 but feature much more depth than in previous seasons

OCCT: A-
In September, OCCT was responsive to the concerns of Binghamton residents, switching the DCL route back to the original DCR. While some students found this less convenient and even generated an online petition, the OCCT balanced the concerns of citizens with the responsibility of serving thousands of BU students.

OCCT also makes use of the ETA SPOT app, which allows students to track the locations and arrival times of different buses. The requirement of scanning IDs before boarding, which was implemented just a few semesters ago, is now a seamless part of taking the bus.

Off-campus housing: C+

The growing footprint of BU’s growing student body is now being seen and felt in the rapid rise of off-campus housing options. But at times, this growth has been sometimes to the confusion, dismay or downright opposition to students and local residents alike.

The proposed expansion of Hayes Community has ignited a heated divide in the neighborhood that is still ongoing in the town’s Zoning Board of Appeals. U Club’s expansion along Vestal Parkway strikes many as haphazard at best and complaints about less-than-adequate response times and opening dates that never come are still common for students renting in the city of Binghamton.

Growth can be good. But it must be sustainable and carefully done. This semester, we’ve seen the issues that can arise when it is not.

Sodexo: A-

Sodexo has been incredibly receptive to the student body recently. Starting off the semester, we immediately saw changes such as the permanent housing of Chick-n-Bap in the Marketplace, and the opening of a Starbucks and Subway in Hinman. While some of us may miss the convenience of the C-Store in the Marketplace as well, many are happy to have a sushi option available.

Going further than expanding dining options, Sodexo has also been mindful of student complaints. Repeated protests by students of the use of Pactiv products lead to Sodexo agreeing to no longer use them on BU’s campus. Altering a supplier is no simple feat and we appreciate Sodexo respecting students’ wishes to stop supporting companies with poor practices.

Overall, we’re grateful that Sodexo has been open to adapting to student needs. Dining hall food may continue to leave much to be desired, but all in all we’ve seen plenty of improvements this semester.