The Spectrum Volume 62 Issue 40

the Independent Student Publication of the University at Buffalo, Since 1950

The S pectrum ubspectrum.com

Volume 62 No. 40

wednesday, January 16, 2013

An interview with one of the Workaholics

Recapping the break for UB’s winter sports

Story on page 8

Story on page 16

Stott named dean for undergraduate education SARA DINATALE Senior News Editor

Adrien de L'Ange /// The Spectrum

Melanie Buhrmaster-Bunch, the assistant vice president of corporate and foundation relations, reflects on her relationship with her cousin Dawn LaffertyHochsprung, the principal at Sandy Hook Elementary School who was killed in the mass shooting.

A bond unbroken UB faculty member reflects on loss of her cousin, Newtown principal SAM FERNANDO Asst. News Editor On Dec. 25, Melanie Buhrmaster-Bunch grabbed her phone to send a “Merry Christmas” text. When she opened it, she noticed a text message from Dec. 9 she hadn’t read before.

“Of course you would do anything for your wonder twin.”

She read the words from her cousin Dawn, her “wonder twin” – a joke and nickname the pair shared as children.

Although Buhrmaster-Bunch spoke to Dawn on Dec. 11, three days before she died, the text became the last message Buhrmaster-Bunch received from her beloved cousin.

On Dec. 14, Dawn Lafferty-Hochsprung, the former principal of Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., was killed at 47, along with five other adult staff members and 20 children in what became the second-worst school shooting in American history.

Buhrmaster-Bunch, the assistant vice president of corporate and foundation relations at UB, said they were the “wonder twins” because the two were so similar to each other yet so different from the rest of their family. She believes the text message may have been more than a coincidence.

“I don’t know if it was a reminder of her just saying: ‘Hey, I’m still here with you,’” Buhrmaster-Bunch said. “It’s funny because you see things like this, and you can’t believe something this horrific or tragic could happen – but you’re removed from it. And it’s still surreal, and you never think it will ever hit home. But I think this was a real dose of reality. Life is short.”

The day of the shooting, BuhrmasterBunch was at UB, and her day was packed with meetings. Her mother called and left a voicemail, which she thought was strange be-

cause her mother never called her during the day. She knew something wasn’t right.

In the midst of her hectic schedule, she heard there was something major going on in the news. While she was aware it was a school shooting, she didn’t find out until noon it was Hochsprung’s school. By 3:30 p.m., it was confirmed her cousin had passed away.

Buhrmaster-Bunch traveled to Connecticut the next day.

“If he didn’t

have guns, I truly believe she would have bowled him over and beat the living crap out of him.”

She wasn’t surprised when reports came out about how Hochsprung and two other teachers rushed the shooter in an effort to disarm him.

“If she knew someone was going to be hurting a child or someone that she loved, there is nothing that would have stopped her,” Buhrmaster-Bunch said. “He had guns; she didn’t. If he didn’t have guns, I truly believe she would have bowled him over and beat the living crap out of him.”

Inside

Hochsprung’s wake took place on Dec. 19, and over 2,500 people attended. It was supposed to end at 8 p.m. but continued for an extra three hours because of the overwhelming number of people, BuhrmasterBunch said.

The police told her people waited in the cold in a line that stretched three quarters of a mile to pay their condolences to the principal.

That week, Buhrmaster-Bunch realized the magnitude of her cousin’s influence. She heard stories from some of Hochsprung’s current students, former students, colleagues and many others.

“This didn’t just hit my family; this hit the world,” Buhrmaster-Bunch said.

The town has received support from all over the globe, she said. She was pleasantly surprised with the sympathy cards and words of condolences, even from people she didn’t know.

“The University at Buffalo community has been amazing,” Buhrmaster-Bunch said.

“I do wish to thank them because their support, their thoughts and their prayers were just amazing.”

Buhrmaster-Bunch balanced her grief with dealing with the media as the self-proclaimed “family spokesperson.” She even had to check for a recording bug in every one of at least 200 flower arrangements sent to her family because it was rumored another victim’s family found one.

Buhrmaster-Bunch said her cousin was her hero. Even when they were children, Buhrmaster-Bunch looked up to her and joined the track and swim team solely because Hochsprung did.

She has a number of memories of her cousin, but her favorite ones were of the vacations they took together.

Continued on page 12

Andrew Stott stepped into his new role as the dean for undergraduate education on Jan. 1 with a slight sense of irony. When he was a college student, the United Kingdom native never would have seen himself in a position designed to enhance the student experience.

“When I was in college, I was not a joiner at all,” Stott admits. “Quite the opposite, in fact. I was kind of a misanthrope.”

But Stott views the self-described “great irony” as an edge in the face of his new job. Paired with his background in critical thinking and literature, he feels he has an acute eye. He believes someone in his position can’t have a sense of “gassy optimism” and wants to make sure what UB provides to students is meaningful and substantive.

A. Scott Weber, senior vice provost for academic affairs, announced Stott’s appointment in December. Weber held the dean position previously, when he was also the vice provost of academic affairs.

Stott is now responsible for general undergraduate education and curriculum, academic policy and scholarly communities.

Stott stressed “student enrichment, engagement, access and opportunity.” He plans to use his office as a “connective tissue” to bring together different elements of the undergraduate experience. He wants students to get involved outside the classroom with internships, service learning and experiential learning.

Weber believes Stott’s new position will allow him to “build a synergy” among undergraduate departments. While Weber doesn’t feel undergraduate education is disjointed, he said it could be better connected.

Continued on page 12

New director of AlbrightKnox Art Gallery announced NATHANIEL SMITH Asst. Arts Editor Janne Sirén has been chosen as the new director of the historic Albright-Knox Art Gallery, announced on Monday.

The board of directors voted unanimously to appoint Sirén, 42, as the 11th director of the 150-year-old institution – the oldest in Buffalo – on Sunday night. He will officially begin in the late spring-early summer, and Karen Lee Spaulding will be the interim director.

The Finnish-born Sirén comes from Helsinki, where he directed the Helsinki Art Museum since 2007. In that time, he transformed the museum, bringing an international focus to the 37-year-old establishment.

Sirén told The Buffalo News his proudest achievement in Helsinki was the museum’s role an educational tool to foster visual literacy across Finland. The Economist Intelligence Union ranked the institution first in terms of global education. Sirén was also the director at the Tampere Art Museum in southern Finland.

“His recognition of, and experience with, the role of museums in promoting economic development, particularly cultural tourism, is crucial for Western New York,” said Dr. Sandra H. Olsen, director of UB Art Galleries.

Continued on page 11

Opinion 3 Life, Arts & Entertainment 8-11 Classifieds & Daily Delights 15

Sports 16

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Opinion

Wednesday, January 16, 2013 ubspectrum.com

Rough landing

EDITORIAL BOARD Editor in Chief Aaron Mansfield Senior Managing Editor Brian Josephs Managing Editor Rebecca Bratek Editorial Editor Ashley Steves News EDItors Sara DiNatale, Co-Senior Lisa Khoury, Co-Senior Sam Fernando, Asst.

Rachel Raimondi, Asst.

LIFE EDITORS Rachel Kramer, Senior Lyzi White Lisa Epstein, Asst.

ARTS EDITORS Elva Aguilar, Senior Lisa de la Torre, Asst.

Nathaniel Smith, Asst.

Max Crinnin, Asst.

SPORTS EDITORS Joseph Konze Jr., Senior Jon Gagnon Ben Tarhan Markus McCaine, Asst.

PHOTO EDITORS Alexa Strudler, Senior Satsuki Aoi Adrien D’Angelo Nick Fischetti, Asst.

PROFESSIONAL STAFF OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR Helene Polley ADVERTISING MANAGER Mark Kurtz CREATIVE DIRECTOR Brian Keschinger Haider Alidina, Asst.

ADVERTISING DESIGNER Joseph Ramaglia Ryan Christopher, Asst.

Haley Sunkes, Asst.

January 16, 2013 Volume 62 Number 40 Circulation 7,000 The views expressed – both written and graphic – in the Feedback, Opinion, and Perspectives sections of The Spectrum do not necessarily reflect the views of the editorial board. Submit contributions for these pages to The Spectrum office at Suite 132 Student Union or news@ubspectrum.com. The Spectrum reserves the right to edit these pieces for style and length. If a letter is not meant for publication please mark it as such. All submissions must include the author’s name, daytime phone number, and email address.

The Spectrum is provided free in part by the Undergraduate Mandatory Activity Fee. The Spectrum is represented for national advertising by both Alloy Media and Marketing, and MediaMate.

For information on adverstising with The Spectrum visit www.ubspectrum.com/ads or call us directly.

The Spectrum offices are located in 132 Student Union, UB North Campus, Buffalo, NY 14260-2100

3

Fiscal cliff negotiations show the incompetency of Congress December didn’t bring the end of the world as we know it, and the economy didn’t go into a catastrophic freefall. Mission accomplished.

Congress passed the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012, and the so-called “fiscal cliff ” was averted. But the weeks, days and hours leading up to the plan’s introduction had those paying attention to the news shaking their heads. Former House Representative Ron Paul stated the fiscal cliff bill was passed in three minutes and Congress doesn’t even pretend to read what it’s handed anymore. We can’t help but think he’s right. Because while our country didn’t land in complete economic crisis and no alarms went off, the mess of the fiscal cliff was an embarrassment.

In case you weren’t paying attention, the country was in danger of going over what has been referred to as the fiscal cliff made possible by the Budget Control Act of 2011. The act was put into place because of lack of compromise and if Congress would address a $1 trillion budget gap with higher taxes or lower spending, and if not acted upon by the beginning of the new year, taxes would increase and potentially drive the economy into another recession.

It took until 11 p.m. on New Year’s Eve for a tentative deal to be made by the Senate and until after the clock struck for the House to approve it.

There are highs and lows to the deal, but the stalemate left both sides sour. Both sides compromised on everything they were not willing to compromise on: higher taxes for America’s deepest pock-

ets and a higher threshold for whose pockets are deep enough to face a higher tax rate. The deal also doesn’t address payroll taxes, so those tax cuts have expired, and it defers some of America’s major spending problems such as health care and multi-trillion dollar deficit reduction.

The deal doesn’t just affect struggling workers or wealthy couples; the result will have an effect on college students. While approving the tax portion of the cliff, the deal put off budget cuts for programs, delaying any new action for the next two months. Among those programs were FAFSA, leaving its future up in the air. The Federal Pell Grant, currently protected but up for debate in a year, is also a talking point.

The new deal has a lot of positives for higher education, including a five-year extension to the American Opportunity Tax Credit, which allows middle and low-income families a tax deduction of up to $2,500 a year for college expenses. However, unless Congress intervenes by March 1, higher education programs will face considerable reductions, including the Department of Defense aid for veterans looking to further their education and Department of Education programs. Sources of scholarship programs and research grants would also be affected.

House Speaker John Boehner led the parade of blatant incompetence, and despite strong opposition over his leadership, he was reelected as the Speaker of the new 113th Congress with a final vote of 220 to 192. In the early stages of fiscal cliff deals, Boeh-

ner stated he remained opposed to raising taxes on anyone but was also willing to compromise. But both parties showed an unwavering lack of desire to work together. And because of it, the country watched on as the government played with its money like a game of Monopoly.

The government does not care about the people; it cares about paychecks and its reputation – a reputation that has been faltering quickly. The 112th Congress was considered the worst in history and received an average approval rating of 15 percent over the course of 2012, the lowest ever in Gallup’s 38 years of testing.

Perhaps most important is the fact this is not the end of problems for Congress financially; a series of budget clashes are guaranteed in the near future. The Senate deal does not address sequestration – automatic cuts in spending – and has been delayed until March 1. The country hit its $16.4 trillion legal borrowing limit at the end of December, requiring the debt ceiling to be raised again.

No organization functions by waiting until the last minute until a major action had to be completed.

Congress did the least possible amount of work and compromise it could to avoid the cliff, creating the cliff and then congratulating themselves for avoiding it.

Email: editorial@ubspectrum.com

Cold blood in Connecticut Gun legislation a necessity after Newtown

On Dec. 14, 2012, 20 children and six adult staff members at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. were shot and killed before suspect Adam Lanza turned the gun on himself.

Fingers were pointed at a list of reasons to blame– lack of prayer in schools, violent first-person shooter video games and, at the center of it all, lax gun control.

There needs to be a little less talk and a lot more action now. After a year of multiple mass shootings and headline stories about gun violence, it’s time for gun regulation.

Major violence has done little to influence for gun control in the past, and support for it has been down since the ’90s among Americans. In 2012, a poll

by Pew Research Center showed support for control had dropped to 47 percent. However, an immediate poll by the organization after Newtown found 51 percent support more gun control, the most significant change after any recent mass shooting.

But until recently, the conversation has been quickly dropped, and nothing has been done. A short history of gun control legislation in the 20th century has barely been tweaked in the recent years.

The assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, Sen. Robert F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King, Jr., prompted Congress to pass the Gun Control Act of

1968, which restricted the sale of firearms to convicts and other groups. After a 1981 assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan that instead left press secretary James Brady permanently paralyzed on his left side, the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act was made into law in 1993, creating a national background check system.

Governor Andrew Cuomo signed the Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement Act (NY SAFE) into law Tuesday afternoon, making New York the first state after Newtown to pass tougher gun laws. Cuomo has been pushing hard since the Christmas Eve ambush in Webster, N.Y. when William Spengler opened fire on four firemen responding to a fire Spengler set, killing two of them. The act contains a Webster provision, which awards life-without-parole to anyone who murders a first responder, new laws on mental health, pistol-permit holders, assault weapons and ammunition magazines, as well as other provisions.

There’s been little compromise so far, and debate on the matter has been unnecessarily aggressive.

Between radio host Alex Jones’s grand tirade against Piers Morgan and NRA President Wayne LaPierre’s Dec. 21 statement blaming everything from media coverage to Natural Born Killers for the Newtown shooting, the pro-gun movement has not had anyone efficiently or intelligently speak for its cause. Gun

control will not eliminate the Second Amendment, contrary to popular belief.

Obama will be unveiling gun violence measures prepared by Vice President Joe Biden late Wednesday morning – a comprehensive plan that is only expected to briefly explore mental health and cultural issues in gun violence, leaving the limelight for gun control proposals.

The most obvious revisions expected are universal background checks on all gun buyers, restrictions on the sizes of magazines and an attempt to implement new technologies that would make it impossible for non-owners to fire acquired weapons (e.g. fingerprint recognition, which will be incredibly expensive, and it is unclear how that particular mission will be funded).

There is no reason to ban guns or amend our Constitution, but we need regulations on what we have. Even with the inevitable black market, the presence of guns won’t be nearly as prevalent. You can never eliminate something completely, but without regulations, those kids in Newtown will have died in vain. Wherever you want to put your focus as a cause, it all comes down to firearms and who has possession of them. And that needs to change.

Email: editorial@ubspectrum.com

A place where we only say goodbye AARON MANSFIELD Editor in Chief There is a strange sense of serenity that comes from seeing one of the strongest people you know break down in tears; a certain humanity, a specific empathy, in the moments of a funeral that cannot be duplicated; and a battle of thoughts that ensue from driving alone for 16 hours, just you and the open road, immediately thereafter.

While these feelings may seem too depressing to even consider when you’re cruising through a new semester and are headed toward spring, the season associated with optimism, I just can’t write seemingly flippant words with such weighty thoughts on my mind. I don’t want to bring you down and I don’t enjoy writing about death, but the topic always seems to find me, and, when it’s compared with other things like early-morning English classes and parking spots, nothing else seems very important anyway.

I’ve always tried to leave some sort of echo in these Letters from the Editor, to leave you with something to ponder for a few days. You don’t need my unqualified advice for the semester. You’re going to make mistakes and you’re going to regret them, and in the end you’ll be thankful because you’re going to learn from them. And that entire process is necessary to grow as a person.

But reflection, too, is a vital component of growth. There are some feelings we experience that we need to voice, and sometimes the words may escape us. I find that songs often capture the experience better than we could ever articulate. This winter break, I kept going back to the words of Death Cab for Cutie’s “What Sarah Said.”

The song begins: “And it came to me then that every plan is a tiny prayer to Father Time.”

Over break, my friends and I visited one of our friends, who had been battling cancer for nearly a year, in the hospital. Two days after we had seen her joking and laughing and nearly seeming herself, we were back in the hospital and she was on her death-

bed, laboring between breaths, powerless to even open her eyes.

It was a difficult sight for all of us, but it was particularly challenging for the friend of mine who was most affected: her brother. Her brother, the center who dominated on my high school basketball team, the hulking Italian stallion, is the physical personification of strong.

We spoke words of encouragement to her and sat in the lobby right outside her room.

The lyrics continue: “Amongst the vending machines and year-old magazines in a place where we only say goodbye/It stung like a violent wind that our memories depend on a faulty camera in our minds.”

We recalled the good times we had with her. We laughed about the time my one friend had gotten so drunk that he would have thrown up all over himself if it weren’t for her constant care through the night.

Mostly, we prayed.

“And I looked around at all the eyes on the ground as the TV entertained itself/’Cause there’s no comfort in the waiting room/Just nervous pacers bracing for bad news.”

The doctors told us she might hang on for as long as a week, and because we had been there for the majority of the past two days (her brother the entirety of the two days), we convinced him to get some sleep and come back in the morning.

“As each descending peak on the LCD took you a little farther away from me.”

We didn’t know she would die shortly after we left. About an hour after I got home, I saw his name pop up on my phone. I answered and found complete silence on the other end. I got in my car and raced downtown only to find my other friends had already arrived.

Her brother remained completely silent as he smoked a cigarette. The stalwart, never-show-emotion guy we had known for years stayed true to character. And then we saw her and he broke down.

“Love is watching someone die.”

We walked in and I saw the most beautiful sight I had ever seen. I saw his mother lying in the hospital

bed, holding her deceased daughter – just 27 years old – tight in her arms and saying, “she’s in a better place now.” The daughter’s body had gone completely white, no color under her nails, no life in her body whatsoever.

Her mom had held her for hours and eventually days until she passed. It was the kind of image you will never forget, the kind of moment that renders all other thoughts completely irrelevant when you’re debating what readers need to know or remember or consider.

We all sat in silence. No one needed to say anything. We just felt. We held our friend as he sobbed for his big sister, and we felt.

After the funeral, we talked about how everything else in life had suddenly gained clarity. When it comes down to it, everyone will die, and all that matters on your deathbed is what kind of person you were. Nothing else.

Not money. Not grades. Not popularity. Nothing.

It’s only about what kind of person you were in the short years you lived. It’s only about how you affected everyone you encountered, about the impact you had on people – the people who will watch you die. It sounds simple, but I think we all need constant reminders.

“So who’s going to watch you die?”

Someday, someone who cares about you will call someone else who cares about you and there will be silence when the call is answered. Someday, there won’t even be color under your fingernails. That day, I don’t think the things we obsess over now will hold much significance at all.

When we talk about our deceased friend, we think of how she selflessly cared for others. She was thankful – yes, thankful – for her cancer because it caused her to live her last months to the fullest, and it brought her family closer together. In my book, that’s a life well lived.

What will people say about you?

Email: aaron.mansfield@ubspectrum.com

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Wednesday, January 16, 2013

UB dismantles former nuclear research building LISA KHOURY Senior News Editor UB is in the process of taking down its former nuclear reactor facility on South Campus.

The dismantling process, which is called decommissioning, began in early December and is expected to end in 2014, at a total cost of $20 million.

UB left the nuclear business in 1994 but didn’t receive funding from the state to disassemble the former Buffalo Materials Research Center until recently, according to David Vasbinder, associate director of environment, health and safety.

Decommissioning is the process of removing contaminated materials from a nuclear power plant. It involves decontaminating the facility to reduce residual radioactivity and then releasing the property for unrestricted use, according to the UB News Center.

UB held a public meeting on Dec. 6 in Allen Hall for anyone on or around campus with any health or safety concerns regarding nuclear contamination.

“As we’re taking it apart, we’re going to make sure that material is contained,” Vasbinder said. “The decommissioning process is very focused on making sure we control all that material and there’s no exposure to the public or workers.”

Decommissioning begins after nuclear fuel and radioactive waste is removed. This often includes dismantling the facility or dedicating it to other purposes.

The 25,000-square-foot white, circular building, located next to Kapoor Hall, opened in 1961 at a cost of $1.15 million.

Though the Buffalo Materials Research Center – which was mainly used for isotope production and materials testing – was shut down in 1994, UB had to wait until 2006 to return the nuclear fuel to the Department of Energy because the federal department wasn’t ready to take the fuel yet, Vasbinder said.

Vasbinder helped write the decommission plan, which started in 2006, after the nuclear fuel and loose radioactive waste were removed and submitted it to the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission regulates the process in a precise manner to prevent harm from potential radiological contaminated material.

“Decommissioning is very focused on making sure we control all that material and there’s no exposure to the public or workers,” Vasbinder said.

After emptying the building and taking it down, workers will dig out the soil around the former nuclear building down to bedrock level due to requirements by the decommissioning plan.

The site will return to a green field, according to the UB News Center.

UB spokesman John Della Contrada said UB hasn’t made any plans yet for the future vacant location.

Email: news@ubspectrum.com

7

Continued from page 8: The return of Wednesday night weirdness Last summer, the show accumulated 2 million viewers and was the highest-rated series in its timeslot. The instant recognition is comparable to winning the lottery and DeVine attributes it to the demographic that predominantly watches his show.

The group recently went viral after participating in a question and answer session known as “AmA” on social news and entertainment website Reddit, where they received and attempted to answer over 11,000 entries from Reddit users.

And while DeVine expresses that 99 percent of Workaholics fans are “rad” and offer the cast substantial amounts of their favorite strands of marijuana, the boys do get their fair share of peculiar gifts from their admirers.

“I remember a show where this girl made me cupcakes and I was like ‘Oh, kick ass. Thanks for the cupcakes,’ and I went home and found a lock of her hair in the cupcakes … like she wanted me to devour her hair or something bizarro,” DeVine said.

As for what’s coming up, despite the sudden death of Jessie “Jet Set” Hudson, DeVine and his colleagues have written larger roles for the supporting cast of Workaholics.

The cast also has their sights set on life outside their show. DeVine recently had a self-proclaimed “medium” role in Pitch Perfect alongside Rebel Wilson and has written an action/comedy screenplay with Holm, Anderson and Newacheck, which will be produced by actor Seth Rogen (The Guilt Trip) and producer Evan Goldberg.

Workaholics will air every Wednesday night at 10 p.m. on Comedy Central.

Email: arts@ubspectrum.com

All information according to the University Police 1/8 5:34 p.m. – A Clark Hall staff member reported a fight in the main gym of Clark Hall. Patrol reported one of the suspects in the fight left Clark Hall before their arrival and the other subject isn’t affiliated with UB. 9:37 p.m. – While on foot patrol in Knox Hall, patrols identified students Aman Bhatia and Parth Parikh trespassing. Patrol reported both students were issued Student-Wide Judiciary paperwork for trespassing after being warned the previous night not to play cricket in Knox Hall.

1/9 10:40 a.m. – A complainant requested assistance on the sixth floor of Baldy Hall, near room 678, with an irate, disorderly student. Patrol located the suspect. Faculty/staff met with the suspect.

2:37 p.m. – A complainant reported a suspicious male on the second floor of Lockwood, who was sitting on the computer next to him. The complainant left his computer account up when he left the computer unattended for a few minutes.

While he was gone, someone accessed his personal information on the computer.

The suspect was gone when the complainant returned.

1/10 4:33 p.m. – Niagara Falls Transit Authority reported a male was assaulted on university property at University Station.

The victim told police he was attacked by 10 black teenage males and they fled east through campus.

4:41 p.m. – A UB electrician reported a suspicious person with a red pick-up truck going through the contractor dumpster outside of Clemens Hall. The subject was described as an older white male wearing a green sweatshirt and blue jeans.

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1/11 8:45 a.m. – A UB employee reported the larceny of two 50-pound bags of rock salt from a storage room in Clement Hall.

8:54 p.m. – Amherst Police Department reported Fernando Mojica was in custody on Main Street. UPD has a bench warrant for Mojica.

1/13 10:47a.m. – Melissa A. Harris, a student, was charged with criminal possession of marijuana in the fifth degree in Spaulding Lot. She had approximately 30 grams of marijuana and other drug paraphernalia was recovered. Harris was issued a suspension letter and referred to SWJ and Amherst Town Court.

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The opportunity of a lifetime. www.pwc.com/campus

9:59 p.m. – Patrol reported graffiti outside of Knox Hall.

1/14 5:13 p.m. – A caller reported two individuals fighting at the bus stop on Flint Road across from the Center for Tomorrow.

Both were gone when patrols arrived.

1/15 2:59 p.m. – A caller reported a small fire in a microwave in 648 Cooke Hall.

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Wednesday, January 16, 2013 ubspectrum.com

Life, Arts & Entertainment

The return of Wednesday night weirdness

Uncle Sam’s cabin JAKE KNOTT Staff Writer “Want to know what the ‘L’ in Samuel L. Jackson means?

None of your f****** business.” – Samuel L. Jackson.

As scheduled, an endless supply of Oscar bashers flooded the scene last Thursday after the list of nominees was released. No matter which films or actors are honored each year, moviegoers manage to find the tiniest loopholes and grieve over the ones that didn’t get nominated. The Academy can never win.

“What?! No nominations for The Dark Knight Rises?!”

“Neither The Sessions or The Master made the Best Picture list?!”

“Richard Gere didn’t get recognized for Arbitrage?!”

Admittedly, that last complaint came from me. Even so, no matter if everybody disagrees with me, I firmly assess the Academy voted valiantly this year. Oscar and I had a handful of worthy disagreements, but overall, this award season is the most suspenseful in recent years.

A common “snub” often noted is Leonardo DiCaprio, who lingers emptyhanded for his masterful Calvin Candie villain in Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained.

Continued on page 11

Courtesy of Comedy Central

Comedy Central’s hit show Workaholics returns for the remaining part of its third season Jan. 16.

ELVA AGUILAR Senior Arts Editor Prepare yourselves for booze, cannabis and infinite amount of phallic and anal anecdotes because Blake, Anders, Adam and the reckless Workaholics crew have finally returned.

The Comedy Central phenomenon continues its third season Jan. 16 and will pick up where the three telemarketers in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., left off.

Season three’s first half featured the trio dropping acid with their boss, a taste of ’90s nostalgia with a cameo by Lori Beth Denberg, over-the-pants hand jobs and the hilarious story of how the three met in college and ended up at TelAmeriCorp.

The workaholics, along with director Kyle Newacheck (who plays drug dealer Karl on the show), first hit the comedy scene in 2006 with their “Mail Order Comedy” sketch-comedy group, which toured the United States and then progressed into a viral YouTube series.

By 2011, their appearances in various comedy clubs and increased popularity landed them the opportunity to film and write a show based on their real-life antics together for Comedy Central.

Cast member Adam DeVine, who plays the raucous Adam DeMamp, considers himself a caricature of his character, as is the rest of his cast, but warns that his character probably couldn’t make it in today’s world.

“I think I would be dead,” DeVine said.

“Adam DeMamp couldn’t survive in the real world because he’s always chugging stuff you’re not supposed to chug, jumping off things you’re not supposed to jump off of and falling off things, for that matter. He lives a dangerous, rock-and-roll lifestyle.”

DeVine and Anders Holm (Anders “Ders” Holmvik) held telemarketing jobs before they found their niche in comedy, according to DeVine “That’s how both Ders and I had that experience. He did political fundraising and I sold steaks over the phone,” Devine said. “[I sold] steaks, steak knives, vacation packages, Time-Life books.”

Continued on page 7

ubspectrum.com

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Oscar predictions and preferences MAX CRINNIN Asst. Arts Editor

Preference: Daniel Day-Lewis in Lincoln

Best Picture Prediction: Lincoln Preference: Lincoln A great movie is all about great acting, and that’s exactly what Lincoln has. Many people (including myself) expected more action out of this film, but where it was lacking it delivered something even better. The dialogue could have felt overwhelming had it not been perfectly delivered by a spectacular cast. Lincoln offers crucial insight on a revolutionary change in our nation’s history while also brilliantly reflecting on current American political issues. Not only was this movie entertaining, it was important – and that’s rare.

Best Director Prediction: Steven Spielberg for Lincoln Preference: Steven Spielberg for Lincoln I’ve said what I have to say about this movie, but the man who choreographed its beauty and forceful delivery on the big screen was Steven Spielberg. Spielberg is known for doing “epic” better than anyone else, and he went above and beyond the call of duty for Lincoln.

Best Actress Prediction: Jennifer Lawrence in Silver Linings Playbook Preference: Quvenzhané Wallis in Beasts of the Southern Wild Jennifer Lawrence has yet to disappoint a critical audience and has made some lackluster movies much better with her outstanding performances, including the one she gave in Silver Linings Playbook. That being said, Quvenzhané Wallis was heart-wrenchingly entertaining to watch in Beasts of the Southern Wild. I’d love to see the 9-year-old launch a career off a victory in this category.

Best Actor Prediction: Daniel Day-Lewis in Lincoln

Daniel Day-Lewis brought Abraham Lincoln to life in Lincoln like only he could have. There is no actor who has brought acting as an art form to the level that DayLewis consistently delivers on, and this film is no exception. Day-Lewis has already won two Oscars in this category and he gave two great acceptance speeches for both awards. Be prepared for great speech No. 3.

Best Supporting Actor Prediction: Philip Seymour Hoffman in The Master Preference: Christoph Waltz in Django Unchained Philip Seymour Hoffman is another actor who can really do no wrong, and his performance was widely regarded as the best of the year for his work alongside Joaquin Phoenix in The Master. For me, Christoph Waltz is the most entertaining actor in the business right now and Quentin Tarantino makes all of his characters dance and twirl around Waltz’s multi-lingual signature style in a way that makes him stand out from the rest of the cast.

Best Supporting Actress Prediction: Anne Hathaway in Les Misérables Preference: Anne Hathaway in Les Misérables This was a lock for me ever since the trailer for Les Misérables came out featuring Anne Hathaway singing “I Dreamed a Dream.”

For me, the movie itself was a letdown after all the hype, but Hathaway was stunning and kept it afloat.

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Finally nodding in the right direction JAKE KNOTT Staff Writer Best Picture Prediction: Argo Preference: Beasts of the Southern Wild When I read Beasts of the Southern Wild was one of the films voted for Best Picture, my appreciation for human existence was restored. Beasts is the best film of the year, a tale of the gob-smacking tragedy of survivors living amongst the wreckage of Hurricane Katrina.

Shot on-location in the bayous of Louisiana, Beasts reiterates the devastation of Katrina has still not been restored and will forever linger in the hearts of the survivors.

Other worthy Best Picture nominees are Stephen Spielberg’s masterful Lincoln, Ang Lee’s elegant Life of Pi, Kathryn Bigelow’s ambitious Zero Dark Thirty, Ben Affleck’s thrilling Argo, Quentin Tarantino’s controversial Django Unchained and Michael Haneke’s perfect Amour.

Amour is one of the longer shots, but I’m grateful that films like this are becoming more known to the public.

The first five films mentioned are the front-runners and any of them could win. But I’ll take a leap of blind faith and predict that Argo will do it.

The only two nominees I’m reluctant of are Tom Hooper’s restoration of Les Misérables and David O. Russell’s quirky Silver Linings Playbook. Les Mis is very good for its tremendous acting and production design, but the singing diminished the characters’ presence. Playbook opened with an exciting first half about family conflicts, similar to Russell’s masterpiece The Fighter, but the final acts are so jarringly conventional I felt cheated.

Films like Cloud Atlas, End of Watch, Arbitrage, or Skyfall were better candidates.

Email: max.crinnin@ubspectrum.com

Best Director Prediction: Steven Spielberg for Lincoln Preference: Benh Zeitlin for Beasts of the Southern Wild I’m most proud of the Best Director category, especially Benh Zeitlin’s recognition for Beasts and Michael Haneke for Amour. There’s normally a correlation between who wins Best Director and Best Picture; usually, the same film wins both. But look elsewhere this year.

Affleck and Tarantino are the two victims of snubbing this time, both somehow beaten by O. Russell. Although I want Zeitlin to win his rightful award, I almost guarantee Spielberg will get it.

Best Actress Prediction: Emmanuelle Riva in Amour Preference: Emmanuelle Riva in Amour I proudly admit that these are the best leading female performances of the year. All five actresses should earn one-fifth of the statuette in an agreeable tie.

Quvenzhané Wallis makes history as the youngest person to have an Oscar nomination. She was five years old when she auditioned for Beasts of the Southern Wild, six when it was filmed and is now nine. Conversely, the French legend Emmanuelle Riva from Amour becomes the eldest Oscar nominee in history and will turn 86 come ceremony day. I’ll take another blind stab and predict Riva gets the win, although the slight front-runners are Jennifer Lawrence for Playbook and Jessica Chastain for Zero Dark Thirty.

Best Actor Prediction: Daniel Day-Lewis in Lincoln Preference: Daniel Day-Lewis in Lincoln Most of my objections are in this year’s Best Leading Actor category. Daniel DayLewis and Denzel Washington both remain in the first rank of modern acting and deserve nominations, but there are three oddities – Bradley Cooper for Playbook, Hugh Jackman for Les Mis and Joaquin Phoenix for The Master, who are all great actors but were misdirected in their roles.

Continued on page 14

UBCS Spring 2013 Group Counseling Schedule All of the groups below are scheduled in Richmond unless noted otherwise for that day.

All groups require a completed Initial Assessment at UB Counseling Services. If you would like to schedule an Initial Assessment, please call Counseling Services at 716-645-2720 or visit counseling.buffalo.edu for more information.

Motivated for Change Thursdays 1:00pm - 2:30pm

A semi-structured group for students who want to change a particular habit or behavior and have found it difficult to identify or take the necessary steps to do so. This group will explore factors interfering with students’ ability to change, assessing their desire, need, confidence, and reasons to change, and identify the steps needed to make and maintain that change.

Life Beyond Trauma Tuesdays 3:00pm - 4:30pm This is not a group that will ask its members to disclose the details of traumatic events from their lives. Rather, the group is intended to provide a safe place for members of all genders to learn skills to manage the effects of trauma(s), whether the trauma(s) happened last week or many years ago. The group aims to break the cycle of one’s past haunting the present. Our intention is to accomplish this by utilizing skills that allow group members to live a life dictated by the individual group members’ values rather than dictated by symptoms created by events from the past. This group can be helpful to individuals who have experienced any type of trauma(s), including (but not limited to) childhood abuse, an accident, domestic/relationship violence, an assault, etc.

Connections Mondays 3:00pm - 4:30pm Wednesdays 1:30pm - 3:00pm A safe environment to connect with other students while increasing your self awareness.

120 Richmond Quad 716-645-2720

Buffalo, NY 14261

counseling.buffalo.edu

Peaceful Mind Thursdays 3:00pm - 4:30pm A structured, psychoeducational group that provides relaxation and coping skills to decrease stress and anxiety and improve emotional well-being.

Coping Skills Group Fridays 1:30pm - 3:00pm (301 Michael Hall) This group will teach skills to live in the present, deal with stress, manage difficult emotions, and handle interpersonal conflict.

International Student Support Group Thursdays 5:00pm - 6:30pm A discussion group exploring adjustment and cultural issues faced by international students. A safe place to talk about your own experiences, get support from each other, build a social network, learn resources, and practice English.

Body Image Concerns Group Wednesdays 3:30pm - 5:00pm A group for students who want to explore their relationship with weight, food, and emotions. It is beneficial for students who are in various stages of preoccupation with food and body size. This group will teach skills to live in the present, deal with stress, manage difficult emotions, and handle interpersonal conflict.

ubspectrum.com

10

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Vonvo: A website striving toward citizen journalism LYZI WHITE Life Editor Across the globe, individuals’ thoughts and beliefs are censored. Many get punished by their government for speaking out. But Vonvo. com gives them a place to speak free of persecution and the chance to hear the voice of their “enemies,” not the voice mass media gives them.

Vonvo, short for video conversations, is a conversation platform website created by Ringelheim, Alex Chaplin and Rehman Baig, three UB alumni who graduated in 2011, 2012 and 2008 respectively. The website hosts different channels about specific topics – such as the Israeli and Palestinian conflict, the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy and the genocide in Syria – in which individuals are able to discuss current events with people from around the world in a real-time discussion format. “[Vonvo is] a place where we provide an open forum where individuals can actively speak their mind and be exposed to both like-minded and opposing viewpoints,” Chaplin said.

Each channel can host up to four speakers connected through video conferences. Viewers who wish to participate, but who don’t want to be on camera, can listen to the discussion and speak through the text-chat feature, according to Chaplin. Either way, Vonvo users are engaged in the conversation.

Because Vonvo allows four different individuals to voice their opposing viewpoints and biases, the conversations give viewers what Ringelheim calls a “365-degree perspective.” Instead of just reporters, many civilians or “people on the ground” – who live in areas like Syria, Israel or Palestine – share personal experiences, which allows viewers to form a more balanced and objective opinion, free from affiliated biases, Ringelheim said.

Vonvo does not pay the guest speakers, like some news organizations. The speakers join because they genuinely care about what’s going on in the area – on many occasions, speakers are individuals who live where the conflict is.

Chaplin admits there is no way to fully eliminate an individual’s bias, although Chaplin and Ringelheim make a point to keep personal opinions out of the company. But if the guests on Vonvo are biased, Chaplin and Ringelhein hope viewers will listen to every side and form their own opinions.

What makes Vonvo unique is the face-toface interface, according to Baig. It allows users to see an actual person, not just a stereotype or propaganda shown through mass media.

Courtesy of Max Ringelheim

Three UB alumni – Max Ringelheim, Alex Chapli and Rehman Baig – launched Vonvo.com, a website that gives people the opportunity to share their own opinions and listen to others through a face-to-face video interface.

The idea for Vonvo started in the spring of 2011, when Ringelheim sent an idea to Chaplin.

Chaplin took that idea and spun it, creating the roots of the website.

The main purpose behind Vonvo, according to Ringelheim, is citizen journalism.

“Citizen journalism is important because many human rights issues and other atrocities are going on around the world, especially here in America. We continue to focus on Kim Kardashian, Lady Gaga and all the celebrity gossip.

We’ve kind of shed away from important issues,” Ringelheim said.

The website allows individuals currently living through the conflicts, such as people

who live in Israel and Palestine, to give his or her first-person experiences and idea, according to Ringelheim.

Vonvo.com has only been successfully launched for about a month, according to Baig, who is a strategist and technology adviser for the company. Already, individuals from approximately 75 different countries visit the site – some participating in video conversations, while others just listen to the discussion of others.

Chaplin describes a normal conversation as progressing in three parts.

After Ringelheim gives out the general guidelines – be respectful and don’t take over one another – the conversation begins, usually

with many contrasting and strong opinions. Toward the middle of the conversation, the two “enemies,” in some cases begin listening to one another. It becomes more of a discussion than an argument. Finally, the conversation generally ends with the two sides looking for a solution.

With such controversial topics, such as the Israeli and Palestinian conflict, Vonvo makes sure to have moderators in the channel, just in case things become “out of hand,” according to Baig.

One conversation featured two speakers with differing opinions on a conflict; one individual at the end of the conversation “became flustered and he had to actually step out,” and then returned later on to finish the discussion.

It’s times like these when moderators work to help conversations from devolving quickly, according to Baig, and allows them to be hourlong productive discussions.

The three joined together to compete in the Henry A. Panasci Jr. Technology Entrepreneurship Competition in 2011. They took home second place and with it a check for $10,000.

For the competition, the group presented the very early stages of what is now Vonvo. com. Unlike their competitors, Vonvo was not a specialized application, according to Baig. They presented a web development idea that was available to a general audience.

Baig sees the company’s success at the Panasci competition as validation and motivation.

The team the three lost to has already folded, according to Baig, while Vonvo is looking toward the future.

Vonvo is looking to work with existing organizations to provide a discussion platform for face-to-face conversations, according to Ringelheim, such as Birthright, an organization that provides educational trips to Israel.

Baig believes Vonvo provides a unique service – instead of commenting on a blog post about a topic, Vonvo allows face-to-face video chats. The website gives viewers the chance to hear different point of views from around the world, while giving speakers the chance to express themselves.

“To get different opinions, to have an opportunity to see the world from a different point of view and to be able to speak our mind, those are the key aspects of Vonvo,” Baig said.

“We want people to be able to express themselves and to expand their horizons.”

Email: features@ubspectrum.com

ubspectrum.com

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

LISA EPSTEIN Asst. Life Editor If you talk to my family and friends, they’ll tell you I’m the super athlete – the one who has always been the ultra-competitive and sport-loving tomboy.

I was the kid who spent more time outside than inside. I was the kid constantly on the move. I grew up playing baseball, golf, soccer, basketball, and running cross country, indoor and outdoor track. I can dribble a ball, throw a spiral and shoot a puck better than most girls I know.

But I have to say college got the best of me.

I’m not saying I fell into the group of kids who left high school and gained the dreaded freshman 15 – though I did fall into the college routine of waking up, going to class and being completely overwhelmed and consumed with my schoolwork. I could barely keep my eyes open most mornings, felt sleepy all day and never felt truly energized. I missed my high school days, when I could wake up with plenty of energy and could always be my normal, active self.

When I came back for this semester, I really wanted to make a change so I could feel better doing my day-to-day activities.

While I didn’t make a New Year’s resolution to lose weight or give up my beloved chocolate, I am trying to be a healthier version of myself. But I’m not unrealistic. I know that I have some days where I will be too busy to fit in a work out.

My real goal is to see how well I can incorporate exercise into my weekly schedule. My time is limited. I take a full course load and spend most of my time in an office with a bunch of journalists.

So I – along with a few of my coworkers at The Spectrum, like Senior Arts Editor Elva Aguilar and Life Editor Lyzi White – will be trying to put the fun back into working out. I’m no longer part of an athletic team, which is OK with me, but the gym sometimes gets monotonous. I want to find something new and exciting that I’ve never done before.

Throughout the semester, we want to try out the classes and groups that UB and the Western New York area have to offer.

We’ll search the area and the Internet to find fun workouts like SkyZone fitness classes, Bikram yoga classes and perhaps outdoor activities.

There are a lot of struggles that go along with being a college student and motivation is often my biggest issue when it comes to keeping in shape. But trying to find different ways of exercising might turn out to be half the fun.

There’s no need to run on a treadmill for hours on end if that isn’t your style.

There are different ways to break a sweat, and I’m determined to find the ones that work the best for people with different ability levels and interests.

Email: lisa.epstein@ubspectrum.com

11

Courtesy of Tom Loonan

After a unanimous vote, Finnish-born Janne Sirén has been chosen as the new director of the AlbrightKnox Art Gallery, to begin this spring.

Continued from page 1: New director of Albright-Knox Art Gallery announced “Equally important for our region is his interest in public art programs and his experience with development of cultural policy on both local and international levels. His description of arriving in ‘Buffalo-Niagara’ demonstrates his understanding of the urban and regional context of the Albright-Knox Art Gallery.”

Fluent in five languages – English, Swedish, German, Italian and his native Finnish tongue – Sirén has worked and lived in seven different countries, which include stops in Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Austria and Israel. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in art history from College of the Holy Cross in Massachusetts and received his Masters and Ph.D. in art history from New York University’s Institute of Fine Arts.

The hire brings an international flair to the city of Buffalo, Western New York and the nation.

He is the first director of Nordic descent to head a major American art museum, and that, along with his experience abroad all across Europe, is something the art community is excited to see.

“He brings experience that clearly matches the ambition of the Albright-Knox Art Gallery to broaden its national role and to expand its participation on the cultural global stage,” Olsen said. “I look forward to meeting him and working with him to develop collaborative projects between the Albright-Knox Art Gallery and UB.” The change comes after predecessor Louis Grachos left his position of 10 years to take a new job in Austin, Texas.

Email: arts@ubspectrum.com

Continued from page 8: Uncle Sam’s cabin

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I’ve found many online posts claiming DiCaprio stole the entire film, which is pretty exaggerated, but he certainly leaped out of his element to transform himself into a perfect Tarantino concoction.

Now my question is this: where is the love for Samuel L. Jackson?

I never heard or read Jackson’s name once during Oscar debates, which is shameful, because in Django he performed the most challenging role of his already established career – Candie’s foreboding head slave Stephen. Forget Jules Winfield and Nick Fury – this is the role Jackson was born to play.

Jackson has played awesome villains before, notably the unwavering weapons dealer in Jackie Brown and the animated klutz in Unbreakable. But none of his roles have ever reached the mounting wickedness in Stephen, who eventually hangs a bare-naked Django upside down and threatens the removal of his genitals.

Stephen occupied the screen more than everyone else. His persona is so incomprehensibly evil that hatred can be spotted steaming from his nostrils as he schemes his next move. His broad, darkened eyes appear as two entryways of an unending abyss, as he fixates them on Django and Dr. Schultz while they enter his home.

Another great scene involves Stephen pulling Candie aside during dinner, trying to explain that Django and Schultz can’t be trusted. Stephen is technically a slave, but he relaxes himself on a chair with great posture and solemnly pleads his case. The exchange is ironic in that brilliant Tarantino fashion

by pulling no punches – a white slave owner would never be mentored by his black slave.

Or would he?

Stephen is a more complex role than viewers first judge and took astounding courage for Jackson to deliver. His performance tributes to all of the “Uncle Tom” roles that African American actors were dealt in early cinema and how far their roles in society have advanced.

Jackson is one of the greatest blaxploitation film actors of all time. His early career on screen included starring in four Spike Lee films, including Do the Right Thing and Jungle Fever, which told some of the harshest truths of racism. Jackson’s performance in Django takes a page from Lee’s book, simultaneously exploiting the struggle and salvation of African American acting.

I reckon DiCaprio is favored over Jackson because of their marginal screentime difference. Calvin Candie is the “main” antagonist of the picture, while Stephen may appear to viewers as a diminished sidekick.

But study the film closer and notice how often Stephen shows authority over Candie, who exemplifies the vulnerability of the white man that was never portrayed in early cinema.

Samuel L. Jackson is one of the most important actors in movie history and has a natural passion for the cinema unlike many of his colleagues. Try to remember that.

Email: jacobkno@buffalo.edu

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12

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Continued from page 1: A bond unbroken

Rebecca Bratek /// The Spectrum

Andrew Stott sits in his office in Capen Hall, explaining his new role as the dean for undergraduate education; he is now responsible for directing and guiding undergraduate policies and academia.

Continued from page 1:

Stott named dean for undergraduate education “I think [the synergy] can be a lot better,” Weber explained. “I think as he has articulated to me that’s one of his main objectives – to build a really strong environment to build that collaboration.”

Stott’s main focus is building that environment; he said his job and department are currently “a work in progress.”

Stott is starting to work on building connections and break down any sense of boundaries that may be between the units he is overseeing, which includes programs like the Honors College, the Undergraduate Academies, Undergraduate Research, study abroad programs and various other undergraduate experiences.

The goal is to centralize, strategize and put things into place – but the specifics of how that will be done are still being determined.

“I’m feeling my way,” Stott said. “It’s like being shown around the Vatican by torch light. Every now and then the beam alights on something of great intricacy and historical value, but what I really need to find is the light switch that will reveal it all.”

Unlike the deans of the different schools, like the College of Arts and Sciences, Stott isn’t in charge of any faculty. The units he oversees – other than general education – do not grant degrees. They serve more to enhance the college experience and enrich outside the classroom. Without such opportunities, Stott pointed out, “why not just take your degree online?”

Stott already has first-hand experience in the scholarly communities that now fall under his jurisdiction. He was named the director of the Honors College in March 2012 –a position he now holds in tandem with being the dean of undergraduate education.

Stott was named the director of the Honors College after a national search was done to fill the position. Weber, well aware of Stott’s qualifications because of that

search, feels Stott “has a deep and abiding care for the undergraduate experience.”

He thinks Stott’s experience and success in leading the Honors College gives Stott the chance to think about ways to apply the best parts of the program more uniformly across all curriculums.

Stott said his department will be part of a “longer strategic process” to bring the university through its final stages of UB 2020. He feels there is “somewhat of a mischaracterization” for anyone to believe UB 2020 is focused only on science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

The plan goes across the board and is for the entire university, according to Stott.

“We’re in the final straight [of UB 2020],” Stott said. “We’ve got five or six years to get it done. Now is when we decide what is it we’re going to do, what pieces of the puzzle we’re going to put in place, what kind of educational experience we want to offer, and what values the university wants to stand for.”

Stott plans to reaffirm and refocus the commitment to undergraduate education.

Weber described Stott as dynamic and personable and said he “brings a sense of fun and energy” to the student experience.

Stott, who has authored many books and worked in UB’s English department for the past 10 years, received his Ph.D. from the University of Wales, Cardiff in 1995.

He feels, like others who have a deep relationship to literature, he spent his early days in academics somewhat solitary.

It’s not the case now, as Stott works to encourage students to participate, get involved and not just pass through UB as a commuter site.

Email: news@ubspectrum.com

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Their vacation to Bar Harbor, Maine, stood out in particular because it was the last vacation they took before either was married.

The pair shared a close relationship, which continued even into their marriages.

Buhrmaster-Bunch and her family are still trying to cope with their grief. She said the wounds are still fresh, so spending time with her family was the best way to deal with it.

Laughter was a key part of her relationship with her cousin, and she believes continuing laughing is important. In her eulogy at the funeral, Buhrmaster-Bunch said she had the entire room laughing because that was the way Hochsprung would have wanted it.

“Laughter is so powerful, and even though our hearts were broken, laughter helped lift our spirits, if even for a moment,” Buhrmaster-Bunch said. “Dawn would have wanted us to laugh.”

Buhrmaster-Bunch wrote a letter to Adam Lanza, the shooter who took his own life. She said it was a way to get her thoughts onto paper, which really helped her cope.

“It’s not uncommon when people are dealing with severe trauma for them to try to reach that higher level of closure so that they can confront the situation,” said Daniel Antonius, a psychiatrist and assistant psychiatry professor at UB. “Trying to reach the person who caused the trauma could be the last step in getting that closure.”

Hochsprung’s family started the Dawn Lafferty-Hochsprung Memorial Fund. The foundation is a scholarship for students from Naugatuck High School, Hochsprung’s alma mater, who are pursuing a career in teaching.

“I knew she was a hero before the rest of the world did because of what she did every day,” Buhrmaster-Bunch said. “Her passion for education was unbelievable. We need more teachers like her.”

Buhrmaster-Bunch recalls how Hochsprung would put on a dress covered in lights and carry a wand around, calling herself “the book fairy,” at Sandy Hook. She would grant students free time from classwork to read for fun – even outside if the weather was nice.

Hochsprung told Buhrmaster-Bunch she would make a great teacher. Even though Buhrmaster-Bunch didn’t agree, she said she got her master’s in education because she trusted her cousin.

Shortly after the shooting, citizens of Newtown created an organization called Newtown United, which has since been renamed Sandy Hook Promise. It raised $6 million for the victims’ families. The families have not yet received the money, as the group is working through the legal system to distribute the funds. The organization is also fighting for stricter gun control laws and further research in mental health.

Buhrmaster-Bunch has recently joined the organization.

“There has been so much good that has come out of this, as well, and it has re-

stored my faith that there is still good in this world and that there probably is a lot more good than there is evil,” BuhrmasterBunch said.

She believes there is a lot that can be done to prevent another shooting like this from happening. She said there needs to be more attention given to children and students with mental health needs.

“I couldn’t imagine someone in their right mind would go and forcefully enter a school and then kill children, or anyone for that matter,” Buhrmaster-Bunch said. “In my mind and opinion, it is a mental health issue, and we need to focus on that … If Adam Lanza had had the services that he needed or the help that he needed, maybe this could have been prevented.”

Buhrmaster-Bunch described her cousin as robust, vibrant and lively. She was constantly happy and oftentimes had a smile on her face, and Buhrmaster-Bunch tries to emulate that. She is always willing to share a story about her cousin.

“Each of us is dealing with our grief in our own way,” Buhrmaster-Bunch said.

“There may be a point in time where I, or other members of my family, will talk to a grief counselor, but the wounds are still fresh.”

No two people are alike, just like no two people experience grief in the same way, according to Jenifer Lawrence, associate dean for Student Affairs and Administration and director of the counselor education Ph.D. program. Lawrence specializes in counseling children, adolescents and adults with issues of grief and loss.

She said people often use writing to express their thoughts and feelings to handle grief. Some people may work on a piece of art or play music to give meaning to their grieving.

For Buhrmaster-Bunch, talking to people about Hochsprung and continuing her legacy is a personal way of dealing with the grief.

But ultimately, Buhrmaster-Bunch thinks everyone needs to be more present.

“We need to be more aware of our children and everyone,” she said. “We are glued to our cell phones, glued to technology. There is a human component missing … maybe [we need to] do more with our children and [be] more aware with what’s going on, rather than being so self-absorbed with our daily routines.”

Hochsprung was a devoted mother and grandmother who always put her students first and even knew all 600-plus by name, according to her cousin.

Buhrmaster-Bunch continues to reflect on the many pieces of advice her cousin gave her throughout her life.

She said Hochsprung’s biggest piece of advice was simple: “chocolate makes everything better.”

Email: news@ubspectrum.com

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Continued from page 9:

Finally nodding in the right direction My choices would instead be Richard Gere for Arbitrage, Suraj Sharma for Life of Pi, and Michael Peña who stole the show in the underrated End of Watch. John Hawkes was also robbed for his transformational polio patient in The Sessions. Not that any of this matters, because Day-Lewis is a sure lock to win his third Oscar for his effortless incarnation of Abraham Lincoln.

Best Supporting Actress Prediction: Anne Hathaway in Les Misérables Preference: Helen Hunt in The Sessions The talk-of-the-town for Best Supporting Actress has been Anne Hathaway for her earth-shattering voice in Les Mis, and she deserves all of the praise. But she had minimal screen time compared to her competition, such as my favorites: Sally Field, for her powerful role as Mrs. Lincoln in Lincoln, and Helen Hunt for her brave performance as a sex therapist in The Sessions. I’m all in on Hunt upsetting Hathaway, but I won’t count on it.

As for unworthy nominees, I only have one: Amy Adams for The Master, whose role couldn’t have been bleaker. I’m also hesitant

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Continued from page 16: Swimming and diving teams look toward championships

on Jacki Weaver as the mother from Playbook, but I’ll accept her. Better choices would have been Judi Dench for Skyfall or Susan Sarandon for Arbitrage.

Best Supporting Actor Prediction: Christoph Waltz in Django Unchained Preference: Christoph Waltz in Django Unchained Alan Arkin for Argo, Tommy Lee Jones for Lincoln and Christoph Waltz for Django Unchained are the three favorites for Best Supporting Actor. The two oddballs are Robert De Niro for Playbook and Philip Seymour Hoffman for The Master, two of the most misguided performances I’ve witnessed. Two easy replacements are Dwight Henry’s destructive father in Beasts and Samuel L. Jackson’s overlooked performance in Django. My bet is on Waltz to steal the gold.

See if I’m right or wrong, on Feb. 24 at 8:30 p.m. on ABC network.

“We’re going up against very good competition,” Bashor said. “They need to be focused, they need to have that drive, that motivation each day to get up and race. Especially this weekend when we are swimming … back-to-back, especially with the length of travel that we have, they are going to have to be physically and mentally tough to pull out victories this weekend.”

Bashor hopes that competing against top Mid-American Conference competition during the regular season will make his teams more familiar with the conference’s top swimmers, which will contribute to better performances at championships.

“The way we train for our sport, we train all year with the focus on our conference meet and NCAA,” Bashor said. “We sacrifice that speed throughout the year to really build up and get these guys as strong as we can and get the volume in so that we can start this second semester and get into the championship phase of our training where we are asking them to go faster and faster.”

Bashor is particularly looking forward to the Eastern Michigan meet, in which the Bulls will face off against one of the top

teams in the conference on both the men’s and women’s side.

Eastern Michigan’s men (2-2) beat the Bulls’ men (2-1) by less than 20 points to win last season’s MAC championship. The Eagles were also the only team to have more AllMAC selections then the Bulls.

The Eagles’ women (5-0) finished fifth last season – one place behind the Bulls.

The Bulls begin their push for the title with an Ohio road trip. The Bulls take on Bowling Green and Michigan State on Saturday and face off with Miami (Ohio) on Sunday.

Email: sports@ubspectrum.com

Email: jacobkno@buffalo.edu

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Crossword of the Day

HOROSCOPES

Wednesday, January 16, 2013 FROM UNIVERSAL UCLICK

ACROSS 1 Where people lose on purpose 4 Food from heaven 9 Detect, as a rat?

14 New Haven Ivy Leaguer 15 For the whole world to hear 16 Dr. Salk's conquest 17 Teacup part 18 Seisms 20 Ticks off 22 Like Aesop's grapes 23 Acted snobbishly toward 26 Rye bread seed 31 Peruse again 33 Remove, as a calcium compound

51 Hot dog condiment 53 Quick-movement dance 55 Rascally 58 Prefix with "dynamics" 60 Sibling's offspring, perhaps 61 Certain emergency service provider

Edited by Timothy E. Parker January 16, 2013 BRAVING THE ELEMENTS By Wes Benninghoff

67 Universal workplace?

13 ___ Alamitos, Calif.

57 "Witch of Wall Street" Green

68 Fisherman's wicker basket

19 Campus gathering place

59 Fairy tale baddie

69 Arthur's mail

21 Hostile force

61 Broadcast watchdog letters

70 Hi and Lois' kid

24 Lengthy lurkers of the deep

62 Nest egg item, briefly

71 Group of key personnel

25 Carpenter's grooves

63 Old Glory stripe color

72 "By all ___!"

27 On the protected side

64 Always, to an old poet

73 "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, ___"

28 Certain automobile parts

65 Org. for doctors

29 Spanish friend

66 Put on

DOWN 1 Appears to be

30 Middle Eastern country on the Red Sea

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) -- You are operating under a few assumptions today that can prove dangerous if you don't temper them with knowledge of one or two key facts.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) -- You may be waiting to hear from a friend or loved one about his or her success far from home before heading out in that direction yourself.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) -- You can't afford to make mistakes today that may lead you down a path of no return. Stick to what you know, and use caution.

LEO (July 23Aug. 22) -- You're desperately in need of something new in the way of personal experience -- but the only option available to you today may be quite dangerous.

32 Postpone an action

2 "... above the fruited ___"

36 Bygone, like days

34 ___-Saxon 3 Film in which Ford was president 35 Element no. 5 4 Bigwig at the podium 37 One who assigns an identifying word

38 The best overall material?

5 Fla. neighbor

40 Soap and water results

39 Deal killers

6 It goes with "neither"

42 Cylindrical storage tower

41 Moving-day challenges

7 Relative of bananas?

45 Beverage

43 Part of a blade

8 Committee type

47 John Hancock and others

44 Kind of hug or therapy

9 Urged

50 "... ___ the twain shall meet"

46 Convoy members

10 Bygone ostrich kin

52 ___ generis (of its own kind)

48 Senior's junior

11 Yellowstone bugling beast

54 "Iliad" king

49 "A Tale of Two Cities" setting

12 Tell a tall tale

56 Big news exclusive

34 "Dancing with the Stars" network

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) -- A conversation with a close friend is likely to reveal a few secrets that are worth sharing in more detail.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) -- You can't pretend to know what someone else is thinking today if you expect to get to the bottom of a mystery involving both of you, plus another.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20) -- You may not know just what is being asked of you today, but you'll be tempted to say "yes" just to break with your current routine.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) -- You may feel it's time to strike out in a new direction, but today you'll have to tie up a few loose ends before considering any real change.

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SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) -- You can put a brave front on for all to see, but the truth is that there is something you're facing at this time that really scares you.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) -- You may be having trouble getting something new off the ground today -- but only because the time may not be quite right.

16

Sports

The NHL is back: A new year’s miracle MEG LEACH Staff Reporter I woke up at 6 a.m. on Sunday, Jan. 6, and slid across my slick wood floor in fuzzy socks.

I jumped up and down. I stomped my feet and screamed in glee.

It was the news I had been waiting for the past three months.

The National Hockey League (NHL) owners made a final offer and the Players Association agreed to it.

Days later, the new collective bargaining agreement was in place, players returned from Russia and training camps geared up for the incumbent 48-game season.

Let’s talk about what the new agreement means.

Fans of teams like the New York Islanders will be happy to see teams were given two amnesty buyouts. The buyouts can relieve franchises of chronically injured players like Rick DiPietro (who signed a 15-year $67.5 million contract in 2006), will no longer be a parasite to an already penny-filching owner.

DiPietro-style contracts will quickly be a thing of the past. Free agent signings are now limited to seven years, with teams able to renew their own player contracts for eight years if they wish. This basically saves teams like the Islanders, Bruins and Devils from themselves.

But above all, the term of the agreement is bold and written in red. The CBA is in place for 10 years, with a mutual opt-out option after eight. This means we could see another lockout within the decade.

Those eight years scare fans the most. They send fans into thinking about how they can change the culture of the business around the game to prevent the next lockout from threatening the sanctity of hockey.

What can a fan do? You cannot elect the executive director of the NHLPA. You cannot elect anyone to the NHL board of governors. You can hardly support your owner if he/she doesn’t want you to (Sabres fans are more than fortunate to have people in the front office who care about the fans’ opinions; Ted Black and Terry Pegula handled the lockout with grace).

A grassroots movement of love and support is slowly sweeping through the hockey community, turning anger and frustration into action. It transfers the sadness of losing 510 (41.5 percent) regular season games and returns positivity.

While the fans lost games, the real losers of the lockout are the small businesses that conduct their lives around hockey. Think of the bars and dives where you spend the games that you can’t afford tickets to. Think about how packed Duff ’s gets Friday nights during Sabres games. Those wall-to-wall nights didn’t happen for 12 games this season. In big markets like Boston, the total revenue lost by small business owners reached up to $1 million per game.

You don’t have to boycott the NHL to show your disapproval of their conduct; just go out and get drunk like you know you want to. Rather than spend an extra $20 on the new draft class hat, spend it on a beer and appetizers at Buffalo Wild Wings or the Amherst Ale House. Do your part and give back to those who really hurt through all of the “Hockey Related Revenue” bickering.

And don’t forget the teams that were there to ease the withdrawal symptoms.

Hockey fans put all of their passion into AHL and NCAA teams in the three months sans NHL. I implore you not to neglect these teams like they have been in the past. It is important that among the celebratory hashtags of “#hockeysback” we remember hockey never left. Only the NHL did.

Take action in any way you can, and for the moment, let us celebrate.

The NHL is back. Games start Sunday, and the arenas that we consider second homes will be alive once again.

Email: meganlea@buffalo.edu

Wednesday, January 16, 2013 ubspectrum.com

Swimming and diving teams look toward championships BEN TARHAN Sports Editor The men’s and women’s swimming and diving team is having success so far this season. That’s no small feat, considering the teams’ school-best finishes the past two seasons.

Through the first half of the season, the teams can boast wins at Army, a top finish at the Akron Invitational and, most recently, a sweep of Niagara at home.

They recently returned home from Florida, where they were training to prepare for the last half of the season.

Head coach Andy Bashor is pleased with his teams’ performances so far, as they have pushed through adversity and younger swimmers are contributing on senior-laden teams.

The women’s team lost three scorers from last season’s team to injuries, but veteran team members have stepped up their already impressive performances and freshmen have been able to contribute more then they were expected.

“We basically are going to have three of our women redshirting,” Bashor said. “Three of those women were point scorers last year at conference. What we have seen is [because] we know we can’t depend on them anymore, we are having other people step up. They have been doing a job as a team of stepping up and filling in those holes.”

Nick Fischetti /// The Spectrum

The men’s and women’s swim teams swept Niagara this past Saturday and look to continue their win streak as they travel to Ohio for a pair of meets.

Familiar faces have led the Bulls thus far, as seniors Britney Kuras and Mallory Morrell have paced the women’s team and junior Mike Dugan and seniors Matt Schwippert and Cory Zorsch have led the men.

Bashor praised not just their performances in the pool but also their leadership abilities outside of it – using their champion-

ship experiences to lead the underclassmen against top-level opponents.

The Bulls still have a significant chunk of their dual-meet schedule remaining, with competitions against Bowling Green, Michigan State, Miami (Ohio), Eastern Michigan and St. Bonaventure.

Continued on page 14

Catching up with UB Athletics: Winter recap JOE KONZE JR Senior Sports Editor While students were at home enjoying the holidays with their families, Buffalo student-athletes didn’t get a break. After posting a school record 3.039 GPA last semester, winter teams competed over winter break and experienced varying degrees of success.

Men’s basketball The Bulls (5-11, 0-2 Mid-American Conference) continued to struggle over the break, losing four of their five games.

Two of their losses came against MAC rivals: Ohio (11-5, 2-0 MAC) on Jan. 9 and Miami Ohio (6-8, 1-1 MAC) on Saturday.

Buffalo failed to keep up with the Bobcats – as has been a trend in recent years – and fell 86-68, followed by a heartbreaking lastsecond 58-57 loss to the Redhawks.

The Bulls will look to resolve their offensive struggles as they play host to Kent State (10-6, 1-1 MAC) Wednesday night. Tip off is at 7 p.m.

Women’s basketball Although the Bulls may not have the best overall record, they are currently undefeated in conference play.

Freshman guard Mackenzie Loesing, who averages 17 points and five rebounds in conference play, led the Bulls (4-11, 2-0 MAC) to victories over Northern Illinois (510, 0-2 MAC) on Jan. 10 and Ohio (5-9, 0-2 MAC) on Sunday.

It is the first time the Bulls have started 2-0 in conference play since the 2007-08 season. They look to keep their conference streak alive as they travel to Kent State (2-13, 0-2 MAC) this Wednesday. Tip off is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Swimming and diving The men’s and women’s swimming and diving team showed no signs of lost energy as the athletes competed against Niagara on Jan 12 after a five-week break from competition.

Senior Brittany Kuras won both of her events, the 1,000-yard freestyle and the 100yard breaststroke, leading the women to a sweep and a 138-49 victory, which brings their season record to a solid 4-0.

The men also swept the Purple Eagles, winning every event en route to a 147-80 win. Senior Shawn

Hoffman paced the Bulls with wins in both diving competitions.

The Bulls also earned wins in the 1,000yard and 200-yard freestyle as freshman Antonio Lanzi and senior Cory Zorsch, respectively, picked up wins.

UB travels to Bowling Green on Saturday for a tri-meet that will feature visiting Michigan State as well as the host Falcons.

On Sunday, the Bulls face MAC rival Miami Ohio in Oxford, Ohio.

Track and field The men and women’s track and field team opened up its 2013 indoor campaign on Friday and participated in the Eastern Michigan University Triangular.

The Bulls finished third, behind Akron and Eastern Michigan. The men scored 77 points while the women scored 75 points.

The victorious women’s 4 x 400 meter relay team posted a time of 3:55.88, three seconds faster then Eastern Michigan’s second-place time.

The men garnered a win from junior shot put Jonathan Jones, who finished with a top throw of 59-5.50 (18.12m).

The track and field team continues its indoor season on the road next Saturday at the Cornell Upstate Challenge.

against Boise State (4-5, 0-1 Mountain West Conference) and Bucknell (3-7) by scores of 29-9 and 20-16, respectively.

In the tournament circuit, seniors Mark Lewandowski and John-Martin Cannon both placed impressively at the Midlands Championships on Dec. 29. Lewandowski finished sixth and Cannon picked up a fourth-place finish, just missing the podium.

On the same day, four Bulls placed inside the top four at the Brute Invitational, but the team finished seventh out of 12.

The season continues on Friday as the wrestling team hosts Eastern Michigan (5-9, 0-1 MAC). The meet is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Email: sports@ubspectrum.com

Wrestling The Bulls (0-6, 0-1 MidAmerican Conference) hosted powerhouse progams Iowa (12-0, 2-0 Big Ten Conference) and Edinboro (6-3, 1-0 Pennsylvania Athletic Conference), and fell 39-3 to the Hawkeyes Dec. 17 and 28-9 to the Fighting Scots Jan. 6.

They also suffered a loss to Bloomsburg, 18-15, the night after they faced the Hawkeyes.

The Bulls went winless at the Viginia Duals on Jan. 11

Check out a preview of the men’s basketball home game versus Kent State on Wednesday night at ubspectrum.com