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Published weekly during the academic year by the Office of Communications and Marketing, 3699 Vestal Parkway East, Vestal, N.Y. 13850.John Hachtel, associate vice president of communications and marketing; Anita Knopp Doll, director of communications; Marty Doorey, editor; Katie Ellis, Janice Endrissen, Gail Glover, Susan E. Barker, Karen Fennie, John Hartrick, Ingrid Husisian, Sandra Paniccia, Susann Thiel, contributing writers; Evangelos Dousmanis, photography; Libby Graves, webmaster. Phone 607-777-6366. COMMENTS: Email Inside. BINGHAMTON UNIVERSITY

A place in history
Hundreds of students, faculty and staff added their names to the Field House beam during a special signing opportunity in May.

BU community signs up for Field House memories

By Anita Knopp Doll

For some it was a chance to brag or show off artistic skill. Others promoted a cause, declared their love or affirmed their existence. For all, it was an opportunity to claim a place in Binghamton University’s history. Hundreds of students, faculty and staff with an itch for fame added their names and comments last week to two 10-foot, 190-pound steel beams that will make their way to the roof of the University’s new Field House next month. While construction workers’ names are visible on the framework of the 156,000-square-foot building, the May 1 topping off event gave the rest of the campus a chance to add their mark. The choices were as varied as the signers who stopped by outside the University Union West.

“This is a great day for a great university,” wrote President Lois B. DeFleur. “Go Bearcats!” declared Dave Simek, who oversees advertising and promotion for athletics.

Linguist H. Stephen Straight, vice provost for undergraduate education, wrote hello in nine languages and good-bye in Yucatec Maya (spoken by the Maya of Yucatan) — “káxí’ik té’ex utsil” (translated “May goodness go with you all”). Under his name, he added “Languages across the Curriculum,” a program he helped found.
His words joined greetings in Korean, Chinese and other languages from other signers.

Freshman Hasani Hampden used the beams to promote his 4x4 track crew, plus one (Hampden, Mike Stewart, Omar Eldakar, Joe Angles and Neil Case). “I expect to be running in the new Field House in two years,” Hampden said. Acknowledging that it is unlikely that his name will be visible in the six-story structure, he said knowing that his name is overhead is enough.

Graduating psychology senior Robin K. Chan used his spot to declare his love for LVC and recall his time as DJ Robby Roy. “Get Away from Me” and “Don’t Touch Me” declared Eric Lee and Pete Williams, members of Nervous Breakdown, the break dancing student group. Rosamaria Lavalva, associate professor of Italian, chose to simply write her name, while Pawel Nowacki, director of retail operations for Sodexho, just used his initials, “PN.”

Emily Arias, a junior, right, signs one of two beams that will go into the new University Field House. The beam signing last week brought out hundreds of students, faculty and staff who wanted to leave their mark on campus history. (Photography by Evangelos Dousmanis)

While some in the crowd weren’t sure what they were signing, they were quick to make their mark anyway. Tasha Cowd used her space to declare her sisterhood in the Alpha Phi Sorority, while residents of 14 Schubert Street, Binghamton, drew their house and signed their names. There was patriotism and remembrance: “I love America,” “9-11-01, Remember our alumni.

There were declarations of faith: “Jesus loves you,” “Jesus loves BU,” “Believe in Change.”

“6 years of fun,” commented one productive student. “I’m so proud of myself” and “Best years of my life” said others. “I was here,” several simply declared.

As the last pieces of steel are put in place, general construction activity continues on the $33.1 million Field House. Mechanical work, duct work, plumbing and electrical rough-ins are in progress on all three levels of the building. Most of the concrete and masonry work is completed on the upper two floors.

Construction, which began in the summer of 2000, is about 50 percent complete. The contractual completion date is April 2004.