The documentary focuses on the topic of mass incarceration in the United States. Binghamton University’s Provost and Executive Vice President of Academic Affaris Donald Nieman said Wednesday, “The idea is just to have a conversation with students about a really important issue and to open them up to different points of view, to hearing from their peers, and not everybody’s going to agree on these issues.”The book was sent to students for free and the film is also available at no cost. While staff say both materials were chosen for how timely they are to what’s currently happening in society, the goal of the project is to promote healthy, open, collegiate-level discussion between students and faculty. While this isn’t a required project and won’t be marked for a grade, students will have the opportunity to sign-up for small, socially distanced discussions when they arrive on campus. Called the common read project, it’s the first of its kind at the school.Students are asked, not required, to read “Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption,” as well as watch the documentary titled “13th.” The university says the book is about an African-American lawyer who worked to get a man wrongfully convicted of murder off of death row. Staff say it’s a project the school hopes students will participate in as a new way to introduce them to college level education and Binghamton University. VESTAL (WBNG) — Binghamton University is promoting an open discussion atmosphere for first-year resident students through a requested reading and documentary project. read more

Reports have claimed the crisis-hit Magpies approached the former England boss at the weekend with a view to him taking over s manager for the final three games of the season. Newcastle have been plunged into a relegation battle after losing eight games in succession in the Barclays Premier League. McClaren was previously linked with St James’ Park as a possible long-term successor to John Carver, who has only been appointed until the end of the season. But McClaren said on Sky Sports News: “I reiterate what I said on Saturday straight after the game, and what I’ve said to the board and the players yesterday – I’m 100 per cent committed to finishing the job here. “I hear the speculation, I see it, but I’m 100 per cent committed to Derby County at this point. I’ve been saying it for months, that my total focus, my total commitment, is on Derby County.” McClaren’s Rams side topped the Sky Bet Championship two months ago but a poor run-in eventually saw them finish out of the play-off positions in eighth. McClaren, 54, said: “There is still a lot more to come from this team and this club. The aim is to get into the Premier League. “For three-quarters of the season we were one of the best teams in the league, we were top of the league. We looked as if we were going to go on. “Since that moment a lot of things have gone wrong but it is not a bad team, it is not a bad football club overnight. That is why I want to stay here and finish the job.” Steve McClaren has reaffirmed his “100 per cent” commitment to Derby amid continuing speculation linking him with Newcastle. Press Association read more

Three years after bringing in the nation’s No. 11 recruiting class according to collegesoccernews.com, Wisconsin men’s soccer hasn’t had much to show from it.In the seasons since, the Badgers went 8-23-6, haven’t won a Big Ten Tournament game and failed to qualify for the NCAA Tournament. Reasons for the poor performances include, the team was young and inexperienced and there were too many holes to fill after key departures like AJ Cochran. But regardless of what has happened over the past two seasons, the Badgers feel they are ready to put their poor results behind them.Men’s soccer season roundup: Although record disappointing, some bright spots in 2015The Wisconsin men’s soccer season came to a close on Nov. 8 as Indiana knocked them out of the Big Read…Mark Segbers, a junior forward who finished 2015 with the second-most points for Wisconsin, believes the team will have to adopt a new mindset that places a do-or-die attitude on every game. But as he pointed out, something much more ordinary can lead the Badgers to success — being confident.“A lot of times we did play well and broke other teams down,” Segbers said. “But in that final third we just couldn’t put the ball away. I think it just comes down to being more confident, more lethal. You have to believe that every chance you get is going to hit the back of the net.”That approach, Segbers said, is what he feels will make the difference after the Badgers scored just 19 goals in 2015.Though Wisconsin lost midfielder Drew Connor to graduation, with the likes of Segbers, Tom Barlow and Mike Catalano patrolling and distributing from the midfield, the Badgers are in good hands to continue bypassing opposing defenses.A solid attack that features 2015 leading scorer Christopher Mueller, and a defense led by New Zealand international Sam Brotherton, will be a potent units to compliment the midfield.Men’s soccer: Attacking midfielder provides spark for UW in first two wins of seasonAfter starting the season 0-4, the Wisconsin men’s soccer team needed a jolt of creativity and energy. This spark came Read…With all of those pieces in place, the team will hold a higher line so they don’t find themselves on their heels as much as last season, when they were outshot 287 to 187. It’s a tactic which head coach John Trask feels the team is now ready for since they can handle tracking back if they lose possession.“A lot of [goal scoring] is going to come from practice and how we practice,” Segbers said. “When we do our drills, sometimes we’re not pressing enough and that’s something we’re going to do a lot this year. When we get a team stuck in their final third it can lead to good things.”When trying to pin opposing teams in their own zones, the Badgers will be more likely to draw fouls, in dangerous positions no less, and be able to take advantage of set-pieces. An athletic team with a high press will also undoubtedly force turnovers and have better counterattacking play, all of which will lead to goals.But the Badgers don’t want to stop there and are looking to further the damage done by a high press with fluid passing and smart runs off the ball. The group of promising upperclassmen and sophomores, despite some already playing two seasons together, are looking to reach an ever higher level of understanding each other’s play.“We need to make sure that when we get back to Madison, we’re working on all of our combinations,” Brotherton said. “We’re trying to become a team that’s comfortable playing with each other and can be clever all game.”It won’t, however, take until preseason to work on furthering that understanding. After qualifying for the Confederations Cup as a member of the New Zealand national team in early June, Brotherton joined Premier Development League side Des Moines Menace alongside fellow Badgers Barlow, Nick Jones and Alex Masbruch.Men’s soccer: Sophomores on verge of emerging from ‘growing pains’For the Wisconsin’s men’s soccer team, some sophomores and key players have been tasked with running the show for the Read…Des Moines currently sits at the top of the top of the Heartland Division of the PDL, with the aid of Barlow’s six goals, Jones’ two and the undocumented contributions of the others. They are also six points ahead of Segbers’ Chicago Fire U23 squad, also in the same division.Segbers leads the team with four goals and three assists, adding to the impressive play that the Badgers have showcased this offseason. But while they may be division rivals, the competition is nothing but friendly, Segbers said. He and his teammates will congratulate each other back in Madison, after their PDL games and continue to be a close-knit bunch despite now sporting different colors.“[Having players in the PDL] is critical,” Trask said. “The PDL does an excellent job of giving these guys the opportunity to play at a high-level all summer long…and [Des Moines head coach Mike Matkovich] has been pleased with the UW guys so far.”The experience and camaraderie is the perfect combination to achieve what the team so desperately wishes to this fall — a Big Ten Tournament win. read more

The Government of the United States of America, through its Embassy in Monrovia, has pledged its continued support in fighting the deadly Ebola disease that threatens post-war Liberia.U.S. Ambassador to Liberia, Deborah Malac, gave the assurance to delegates at the opening of the High-Level Disaster Preparedness and Response meeting hosted Tuesday, April 8, at a resort in Monrovia.Tuesday’s meeting was hosted by the Government of Liberian (GOL), and organized by the United States Africa Command (USAFRICOM) with support from the Center for Disaster and Humanitarian Assistance Medicine (CDHAM).The purpose of the meeting, Ambassador Malac said, was to enable stakeholders and decision makers to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges that are likely to arise during a disaster, as well as to identify gaps and assess the need for modifying Liberia’s disaster management plans, policies, and procedures.She disclosed among other things that an innovative collaboration between the United States Agency of International Development (USAID) and AFRICOM helped lay the foundation for Tuesday’s event.  “As you have seen over the past weeks, the United States and other donors and international organizations are coming to the aid of Liberia and other West African countries to manage the serious Ebola outbreak.”According to the U.S. Envoy, United States and Liberia’s other partners are ready and willing to ensure that the country is prepared to meet any natural disaster or pandemic.In that connection, the U.S. diplomat encouraged all stakeholders at the meeting to take advantage of Tuesday’s gathering to build on the progress already made.s The information presented is expected to provide guidance for the structuring of a National Disaster Relief Commission (NDRC) and a Disaster Management Agency (DMA).urged consideration of how government ministries, agencies, and other stakeholders can work together to coordinate the government’s response to a major disaster, and then identify what further actions or steps could be taken to improve the ability of the GOL to effectively manage disasters.Ambassador Malac then urged stakeholders in attendance to continue using Tuesday’s meeting agenda to build closer regional ties within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), especially with their colleagues from Ghana and Nigeria.Tuesday’s disaster response meeting examined the issues associated with governance and organizational structures, as well as Liberia’s capacity to manage disasters.It also reviewed the GOL’s national disaster capacities and authority to respond to a major national, regional or global disaster event.Participants included an array of senior Liberian officials, among them, Vice President Joseph Nyumah Boakai, Sr., newly appointeAFL C the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) headed by Defense Minister Brownie J. Samukai, Jr.  At the end of the meeting, a closed-door review and discussion session was conducted to summarize the recommendations and suggested improvements to enhance Liberia’s disaster management capacities.  Share this:Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) read more