SA break-in under investigation Jewish students find home at the Chabad House THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT PUBLICATION OF THE UNIVERSITY AT BUFFALO, SINCE 1950
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SAM FERNANDO
SENIOR NEWS EDITOR
Five years ago, Jeff Brady, the executive director of Campus Dining & Shops (CDS), began seeing a trend in Western New York. He noticed people were increasingly trying to buy locally grown products. Brady knew he needed to make changes to his organization. Since then, CDS has taken strides to embrace this trend and become more environmentally conscious. To Brady, the two go hand in hand. Although these changes aren’t always cost-effective, Brady believes it is what the students want and is essential in bettering the local community and the global environment. Brady believes buying local goods is not about the cost; it is an investment in Western New York. CDS spends about $3.1 million each year on local products. Most companies consider local products anything within a 500-mile radius,
Brady said. CDS, however, defines “local” as anything within 100 miles. “Some of these things may be costly, but it is the right thing to do,” Brady said. “We are constantly working on things throughout the organization to make it a better place. We are very conscious about the carbon footprint we put on campus. We are always working on something.” CDS has been privately contracted by UB for the past 51 years and currently has 32 operations throughout the campus. Brady said the main goal of the organization is to keep the stakeholders – primarily students – happy with its service. By keeping the money circulating in Western New York, CDS is helping local farmers and purveyors stay employed and stimulating the local economy, said Ray Kohl, marketing manager for CDS. Kohl said not only is it good business sense, but it is also a way to give students the freshest food.
SEE CAMPUS DINING & SHOPS, PAGE 2
BUFFALO
UB students plan to create sustainable garden on campus
GROWING
SUSTAINABILITY AMANDA LOW
STAFF WRITER
Four students are embracing UB’s push to be more sustainable. And, according to them, it all starts with a garden. In June, Jonathan Gibbons, Kristen Janson, Margaret Murray and Dylan Steed attended the “Permaculture Your Campus” conference at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The trip, which was funded entirely by UB’s Campus Dining and Shops (CDS), inspired the students to kick start UB’s own permaculture garden – a step they believe will launch UB into being a more sustainable campus. Jim Simon, the sustainability engagement coordinator for UB Green, encouraged Gibbons, a senior environmental geoscience major, and Janson, a se-
nior environmental studies major, to attend the conference. Simon met them when the two used the idea of a garden for a class project, while they were pledging for Alpha Kappa Chi in the spring semester of 2012. Though the garden hasn’t officially been approved, the students are confident they will be planting soon. They said they are planning to grow herbs and other perennial plants. Murray, a junior business and administration major, and Steed, a junior environmental studies major, were both part of the Academies and their program coordinator, Danielle Kuroski, thought the conference would give them good experience. At the conference, the newly acquainted team learned that permaculture is a principle rather than the
UB students plan to create sustainable garden on campus
physical gardens that are often associated with it. It is a design tool that can be applied to things outside of the environment. The four students hope to use the principle to create a garden that will grow and be selfsustaining. They expect the garden will encourage UB students to think about the items they handle every day and what kind of effect they have on the environment. They hope it will promote the idea of sustainability all over campus. “It’s mostly about developing a conscience for the environment,” Janson said. “I think the way we are now, we don’t think about our effect on anything. And I think with so many people not considering their effect, [they] may think, ‘Well, what kind of difference can I make?’ If everybody thought, ‘Hey, I can make
ALINE KOBAYASHI, THE SPECTRUM
(From left) Margaret Murray, Dylan Steed, Jonathan Gibbons and Kristen Janson attended a conference at the University of Massachusetts Amherst about permaculture. They returned with plans to create their very own permaculture garden for UB.
a difference,’ they would make a difference.” It is not only about thinking for today, according to Gibbons. He said it is a way of living that will ensure a better future for coming generations. After the conference, the four students wanted to bring the enthusiasm for the garden to UB. They believe the garden can create an in-
timate atmosphere with the earth for students who volunteer with it and give them a reason to care about the environment. “Your interaction with the garden [is] such a unique experience,” Murray said. “I’ve never thought about food in that kind of way – how close it can be to you.” SEE SUSTAINABILITY, PAGE 2
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SA breakin under investigation
Continued from page 1: Campus Dining & Shops “I think our overall stance as a company is we want the best possible product for our customers,” Kohl said. “And if we can do that locally and make it, still, cost effective to some degree, then it just makes sense.” This initiative extends to locally made foods and products as well. Rich Products Corporation, a company headquartered in Buffalo, provides CDS with all of its pizza dough and breadsticks. The Upstate Farms Cooperative, located in Niagara Falls, N.Y., produces all of the milk, yogurt and cream CDS uses. Brady said he even tries to get non-food products from manufacturers that are local or at least in state. All of the plate ware in the new Crossroads Culinary Center (C3), the dining hall in the Ellicott Complex that opened in the fall 2012 semester, was made at Niagara Ceramics. The company made seven different designs for the center for $60,000. Liberty Tabletop, located in state as well, manufactured all of the silverware. “We could go to a national company and buy it cheaper, but we would much rather buy here in Western New York and keep the people gainfully employed,” Brady said. Brady stressed the importance of the trend, especially in terms of produce. CDS contracts a lot of local farms – including Goodman Farms, Eden Valley Cooperative and Freatman Farms – all of which are within 36 miles of North Campus. Dave Walczak, operations manager at Eden Valley, noticed the trend has increased business. He said even in the offseason, people have asked about buying the farm’s produce. “It’s nice to know that the product we are growing is staying in my backyard,” Walczak said. “It does well for everyone.” Brady said buying local goods plays a big part in being sustainable and ecofriendly. One big factor in this relationship is the carbon emissions from cross-country shipping. Buying locally cuts down the pollution from trucking immensely, he said. Kohl agrees. He said CDS goes one step further and tries to work with companies that use trucks that run on biodiesel fuel. He added CDS tries to limit the number of trips trucks have to take to campus to lower the emissions. He said he and Brady
ALINE KOBAYASHI, THE SPECTRUM
Yuhan Sun, a freshman biology major, helps herself to some of the locally grown produce at a salad bar in the Crossroads Culinary Center in the Ellicott Complex. CDS has taken strides to support the trend in Western New York of buying locally grown foods.
are constantly looking for new ways to be energy efficient. “We’re always thinking about things like that – how can we operate more efficiently and reduce our carbon footprint at the same time?” Kohl said. “It is a large part of the campus that we impact, so [we ask ourselves] what can we do to minimize that impact?” Brady said over that past few years, more students have shown an interest in becoming more sustainable and ecofriendly, so that issue immediately became important to CDS. Jonathan Gibbons, a senior environmental geosciences major, thinks it’s refreshing to see the people at CDS as passionate about these issues as he is. Other students agree. “I think the view on sustainability of a lot of people is, ‘Why bother? What difference can I make?’” said Kristen Janson, a senior environmental studies major. “It is really encouraging that CDS – even if it’s not cost effective – is making an effort to be sustainable because it is important to us.” Three years ago, CDS started an initiative to eliminate Styrofoam from campus because removing it is environmentally friendly. Now, CDS doesn’t use any Styrofoam in any of its operations, even though the paper substitute is about five times more expensive.
CDS has a contract with Pepsi as its beverage provider. As part of the contract, Brady noticed Pepsi didn’t have a sustainable cup and one that didn’t break down well in a landfill. He and Pepsi worked with Solo to create a biodegradable cup made specifically for UB. Brady started an initiative last year that takes all the waste from various CDS operations and puts it through a process to make soil amendment. The compost and other organic additives improve the quality of the soil and give plants more nutrients than they would receive otherwise. CDS packages the amendment and sends it back to local farms. The little steps can make a big difference, Brady said. And he is always looking to improve. He tried to change the lighting CDS uses to LED lighting, which is more energy efficient. He also invested in more environmentally friendly trucks and cars for CDS to use on campus. CDS even added 10 “reverse vending machines,” which give students 5 cents for each deposited plastic bottle, which print a receipt that can be redeemed on campus. Brady and Kohl said they are still committed to making CDS more sustainable and are continuing to look for local organizations with which CDS can do business. But for now, they are excited about CDS’ direction. Email: news@ubspectrum.com
UB CATHOLIC
Last weekend, an unidentified suspect broke into Student Association office room 350 in the Student Union, according SA vice president Lyle Selsky. He believes the trespasser entered by “jimmying” the door open. The Strategist and Role Playing Association (SARPA) club’s office was also broken into that night in the same way, Selsky said. SA treasurer Siddhant Chhabria said a cabinet with paperwork was opened. The papers in the cabinet were moved around, but none of the documents were taken. Selsky said a plastic grenade toy was the only thing missing from the office. SA officials contacted University Police and the break-in is under investigation, Selsky said. Before the weekend, the master key, a swipe card, was missing from the SA office, Selsky said. He said the key was deactivated before the weekend and the two events aren’t linked. They are waiting, however, to see the key log to determine if the master key was used. Email: news@ubspectrum.com
Continued from page 1: Sustainability In the past three years, the staff in the Office of Sustainability and other student organizations kicked around the idea of the garden. But there was never the foundation needed to follow through with the idea. UB Sprouts, an on-campus group comprised of medical students dedicated to a more sustainable earth, originally planned to create a garden a few years ago but were unable to, according to Simon. Although the idea isn’t a new one, Simon thinks the concept is important to bring to UB. “We’re standing on the shoulders of giants instead of recreating the wheel,” he said. To remediate the clay-heavy soil at UB, which prevents proper growing, the students are also implementing a technique called sheet mulching. The method places a layer of cardboard on the grass and puts about 5 inches worth of compost and straw on top, which will create a new usable layer of soil for the plants. This will be implemented in the fall, and the soil will be ready for planting in the spring. Large-scale projects are not the only way to apply sustainability, the group agreed. Steed suggested having a reusable water bottle or taking the few extra steps to the recycling bin. Murray believes one way to become more sustainable is “making the effort in your daily life to be aware that your actions do have an effect.” Janson said UB has a lot of good ideas about sustainability and more students are starting to support the school’s “green” direction. The students have submitted the proposal for the garden, and if it is approved, the garden will be located somewhere on North Campus this spring. Email: news@ubspectrum.com
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EDITORIAL BOARD EDITOR IN CHIEF Aaron Mansfield MANAGING EDITORS Lisa Khoury Sara DiNatale EDITORIAL EDITOR Eric Cortellessa NEWS EDITORS Sam Fernando, Senior Joe Konze Jr. LIFE EDITORS Keren Baruch, Senior Sharon Kahn, Senior Alyssa McClure, Asst. ARTS EDITORS Max Crinnin, Senior Rachel Kramer, Asst. Felicia Hunt, Asst. SPORTS EDITORS Jon Gagnon, Senior Ben Tarhan, Senior Owen O’Brien PHOTO EDITORS Aline Kobayashi, Senior Juan David Pinzon, Asst. CARTOONIST Jeanette Chwan CREATIVE DIRECTORS Brian Keschinger Haider Alidina, Asst. PROFESSIONAL STAFF OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR Helene Polley ADVERTISING MANAGER Emma Callinan Drew Gaczewski, Asst. Chris Mirandi, Asst. ADVERTISING DESIGNER Haley Sunkes Haley Chapman, Asst. Ashlee Foster, Asst.
September 6, 2013 Volume 63 Number 5 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 MediaMate. For information on adverstising with The Spectrum visit www.ubspectrum.com/advertising or call us directly at (716) 645-2452. The Spectrum offices are located in 132 Student Union, UB North Campus, Buffalo, NY 14260-2100
OPINION
3
The real freedom of a real education
Satellite universities jeopardize the value of a liberal arts degree You may remember the most inflammatory event on campus last year: When Students for Life collaborated with the Genocide Awareness Project to bring an anti-abortion photomural exhibit that displayed graphic images of aborted fetuses. The exhibit galvanized the student body. It marshaled both vehement defense and passionate protest. Regardless of your response, everyone was able to freely express their reaction – something students’ in certain parts of the world are unable to do. It is an issue that may be closer to you than you realize. On Aug. 31, Jim Sleeper, a professor at Yale, published an opinion piece in The New York Times dealing with American universities establishing partnerships with foreign institutions. The article, “Liberal Education in Authoritarian Places,” calls attention to schools creating joint ventures in nations operating under authoritarian regimes and/or restricted speech rights. The irony, Sleeper claims, is that these schools are operating under the pretense that they are expanding opportunity and providing a broad-based, liberal arts education, when in fact, they are depriving their students the rights a liberal education should aim to impart. While this may seem like a distant problem, it is closer to home than you may think. UB has a presence in Singapore – a partnership with the Singapore Institute of Management (SIM) and the Nanyang Technological University (NTU). A year after the faculty expressed “grace reservations” about Yale’s project, the university decided to partner with the
ART BY JEANETTE CHWAN, THE SPECTRUM
National University of Singapore (N.U.S.). Sleeper finds this disconcerting. Singapore – an authoritarian city-state – imposes severe restrictions on freedom of speech. When Richard Levin, the former president of Yale, announced the partnership, he insisted students would be free to form associations and would not have limitations on their speech rights. The president of Singapore’s campus, however, indicated otherwise. He said they would not “be free to form explicitly political associations, much less stage protests of government policies, even on campus,” Sleeper said. This inability to voice opposition to government officials is troubling. And it is the removal of freedoms. As George Orwell once observed, “Freedom is the right to tell people what they don’t want to hear.” But Kay Kouk, who leads Yale N.U.S., has insisted those concerned with the nature of the program should re-think the sense of what a ‘liberal’ education
means. The campus was built and paid for by Singapore, according to Sleeper. Many have taken issue with this – helping generate commerce to a regime completely out of line with democratic values. Though when Kouk spoke with Straits Times – a government controlled publication – she indicated ‘liberal’ doesn’t necessarily relate to speech. “It’s freedom of thought; I’m not necessarily saying freedom of expression.” Huh? An education that is designed to cultivate a ‘free’ human being doesn’t involve freedom of expression? That doesn’t involve the intellectual and moral development of citizens who are tolerant and welcoming of opinions other than their own? Something seems to be missing here. This line of thinking seems to discourage the cultivation of freely thinking individuals able to narrate their lives into a richer, fuller human tapestry. The opportunity for students to study abroad is wonderful.
And it does expand one’s worldview enormously. But higher education institutions are responsible for the way they influence their students’ worldview. Part of that responsibility comes from the need to provide an environment conducive to the expression of freedom and practice of liberty – the values a liberal education emanates from. UB has that responsibility to its students, including those who integrate some of their education abroad. Should UB, a public institution, allow taxpayer money designed to support the education of its citizenship, go towards students receiving a diluted education – removed from the values it seeks to broaden? Think about it. Post your thoughts on Facebook or Twitter. Because some student stationed in Singapore right now might feel like they can’t. Email: editorial@ubspectrum.com
To stay the course
The Spectrum endorses Brown for mayor Even though President Obama messed up his name last month during his visit to Buffalo, The Spectrum has decided to endorse the reelection of Byron Brown for mayor. The race is distinguished as the first mayoral election in Buffalo history to not feature a white, non-Hispanic candidate. A theme percolating in the minds of Buffalonians is progress. Since Brown took over in 2006, Buffalo has seen positive changes in certain areas and is now on an upward trajectory. There have been more development projects happening in the city, lower property taxes and responsible fiscal management. While we are thrilled to see $1.7 billion worth of infrastructure projects occurring presently, and the potential for resurgence that accompanies them, there is no doubt that there is still much more work to do. Buffalo fell on hard times due to the recession. The latest data released by the census bureau has indicated that the city’s poverty rate was at 31 percent in 2011 – the most recent year for which statistics are available. That’s almost three times the national average, according to the National Poverty Center. The data also says the city has the third-highest rate of childhood poverty, according to the National Center for Children Living in Poverty. And Buffalo is the fifth poorest city among all American municipalities with populations of at least 250,000. On top of all that, the FBI reported the city has the 11th highest rate of violent crime out of all major cities in the United States. Brown’s challengers, Bernard Tolbert (D) and Sergio Rodriguez (R), have emphasized these statistics. The most prevalent criti-
cism propagated by the opposing candidates is that Brown has not done enough to reduce crime and combat poverty. However steep the challenges are for alleviating the economic problems the city faces, it would not be fair nor fully encompassing to place all the blame for what’s gone wrong on Brown. He came in at a time when the country was nearing a period of economic collapse; and when the global recession hit, it was inevitable that Buffalo would be affected. As a de-industrialized urban center that has seen a large loss of manufacturing jobs incrementally over the last several decades, the financial crisis was certain to make matters worse. Regardless of who was in office, similar numbers would manifest and an increase of misfortunes would materialize. During a time of such adversity, the job of a mayor is damage control. In the wake of Detroit filing bankruptcy, it is worth noting that our city, which has faced similar industrial and governmental challenges, has not descended into insolvency induced by institutional failure. In fact, it has been making strides. Mayor Brown has instituted a budget that has resulted in an improved credit rating, reduced taxes and an overall increase in government efficiency. His policies have encouraged the private sector to invest in the city and he has helped facilitate much of the expansion that is now taking place – such as Terry Pegula’s development of the Harbor Center downtown. This is clearly progress and a step in the right direction. Buffalo has not seen promise of this kind in recent memory. Brown should
be afforded the opportunity to continue for another term trying to improve the city. Both Tolbert and Rodriguez lack the experience to make the kind of impacts Brown has made. Neither Tolbert nor Rodriguez has ever held public office, and Rodriguez is only 32 years old. Brown is not necessarily the best candidate we could ever hope for, and if there was stronger competition we might be saying it is time for a change. But he is the best candidate – the only plausible one. We think he has had some genuine accomplishments. But there are also ways he has underperformed. In 2006, the city’s unemployment rate was 6.3 percent, and now it is 10.2 percent, according to the Department of Labor. Buffalo Public Schools are also noted for their appallingly low graduation rates. Brown has done enough to earn another term, but he needs to increase employment and reform the city’s education system. Rodriguez has proposed the mayor’s office take complete control of the school board. We think Brown was right to affirm his position to continue cooperating with the Board of Education. The public, however, should put more pressure on him to create more programs that assist our students through high school and ensure higher graduation rates. During the Clinton administration, much research demonstrated that after-school programs resulted in improved academic performance and fewer minors getting into legal trouble. The specific hours in between school getting out and parents returning from work have been designated the “prime time for juvenile crime.” Common sense and a practical approach indicate there
should be more after-school programs for our public schools. We also want to see more initiatives to reduce crime, including putting more cops on city streets, which will increase employment and help make Buffalo safer. Brown has the power of the incumbency. He has been able to generate more endorsements, fundraising and mainstream support than any other candidate. It is as safe a prediction as one can make in politics that he will win. Students who live in the city who will be voting on Sept. 10 should remember former Speaker of the House Tip O’Neill’s observation that “all politics is local.” Every student who commutes to school interacts with local government countless times, in ways in which they are often not even conscious. But be conscious of the fact that Brown is the best candidate in this election. In a speech delivered in 1910, Theodore Roosevelt depicted the importance of being a “man in the arena.” The man, he says, must strive valiantly and risk failure; he should aspire to achieve great things and be resilient. It is easy for Tolbert and Rodriguez to dish some of these criticisms, but they have never held the position, have never faced the actual pressure. Our current mayor has seen dark days and bright days. And there is enough reason to believe that with him, even brighter days may come. He has been our man in the arena, and for now, he should stay there. Email: editorial@ubspectrum.com
Friday, September 6, 2013 ubspectrum.com
4
LIFE, ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Jewish students find a second home at the Chabad House KEREN BARUCH
SENIOR FEATURES EDITOR
DANIELE GERSHON, THE SPECTRUM
Dana Himoff, a senior communication major, comes from a modern Orthodox Jewish family in New York City. Her grandfather was a well-known Orthodox rabbi who moved to Israel from Yemen and was very active in his Jewish community. Himoff was very close with her grandfather and feels obligated and inspired to continue spreading Judaism the way he did, she said. She studied at a yeshiva, an orthodox Jewish school, from kindergarten up until attending UB. She was nervous to go to a big school like Buffalo because it was her first time fully engulfing herself in a non-Jewish community. She said the Chabad changed her entire experience at UB.
“Chabad plays a huge role in my life,” she said. “It’s definitely a home away from home for me. I go every Friday night for Shabbat dinner and on every holiday. I also like to support Chabad with any events they have and try to involve other people as well. Judaism is a huge part of my life.” Ebbie Boutehsaz, a dental school student, also spends every Friday night at the Chabad. “Growing up in a community where family and religion are important aspects of life, I believe the Chabad house offers both, in a relatively similar manner, with individuals from all walks of life,” Boutehsaz said.
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CRITICAL CONVERSATIONS
Every Friday night, Rivka Gurary serves a $1,000 meal to her family. She spends two to three days preparing dishes of chicken, soup, challah, gefilte fish, rice, salads and desserts – from scratch. The meal is not only for her immediate family – her husband, Rabbi Moshe Gurary and their five children – but also the entire Jewish community at UB. The Chabad House, located at 2450 North Forest Road behind Wilkeson Quadrangle, is a home away from home to over 100 UB students and thousands of UB alumni, according to Rabbi Gurary. Since 1971, the Chabad has hosted services, meals and other activities for free each Friday night and Jewish holiday. When Rabbi Gurary was born, his father was the rabbi at the Chabad house on UB’s South Campus. Growing up, Gurary spent every Shabbat, the Jewish Sabbath, helping his family host dinners for Jewish students. He said he always knew he would someday follow his father’s footsteps. Now, he’s continuing his father’s tradition at the Chabad on North Campus. Gurary said he is inspired by the impact the Chabad has had on Jewish students for 35 years. He said the Chabad welcomes all Jewish students from any kind of background. “Many people have a myth and they think that this is for religious people, run by rabbis in black hats and beards,” Gurary said. “They feel intimidated and think that they won’t be accepted if they are not religious. But, actually, the majority of the students that do come to the Chabad House are not religious, and students are welcomed because we look at them as Jewish. It doesn’t matter what level, this is a home for every single Jew.” Gurary said the intimidation usually ends as soon as students walk through the doors.
Since 1971, the Chabad House has hosted services, meals and other activities for free each Friday night and Jewish holiday.
Himoff and Boutehsaz see the importance of staying in touch with their Jewish heritage and believe the Chabad has helped them do so. The Chabad serves over 100 UB students currently, but is always looking to promote its services to other Jews at UB. The Chabad does not receive funding by UB or any other national organization. Every dollar used for meals, programming and lessons comes from fundraising. Parents, alumni and others in the Jewish community donate to the Chabad, Gurary said. Each Friday night meal costs approximately $1,000. Rivka said the atmosphere is “amazing” each Friday night. “It’s so powerful,” Rivka, who recently had a baby, said. “Sometimes I don’t feel good; I turn to my husband in the morning and say, ‘How am I going to pull this off today?’ I just can’t imagine. After not sleeping, cooking for days, nursing and having a baby, but the second the students walk in, I get such a burst of energy and I don’t even know where it comes from.” Rivka doesn’t mind dedicating hours each week to cooking the food for dinners and holidays. Furthermore, the Chabad provides room and board to students staying at UB on Yom Kippur or other Jewish holidays. The Chabad has even housed students who didn’t have anywhere to live for a few months. “If a student gets stuck and doesn’t find an apartment, we welcome them,” Rivka said. “You know, I had a student that couldn’t find an apartment for a few months and lived here. I have a student now that’s going away and she didn’t want to spend $500 to live here for a month so she’s living by me, too.” Rivka maintains very close relationships with the students. She has five children of her own and works as an online Jewish studies teacher for children in Guatemala, Sweden, America and all over the world. Yet, she finds time for the UB students. Rivka loves helping students during their time in Buffalo and even after they graduate. She and Gurary
recently went to New York City to attend weddings of UB alumni who attended Chabad each week. “The students are so close to me,” Rivka said. “I had a student who woke up once and there was something wrong with her eye. She couldn’t see, she saw stars and she couldn’t open her eye. I was the first phone call she made. During their lifetime – when they give birth, for bad things too, God forbid, funerals of parents – we’re there through it all.” Judy Buchman, a UB alumna, felt immediately connected to Rivka and the Chabad. “Even before I moved into UB, Rivka messaged me and asked if I needed help moving in, or a homecooked kosher meal, which really made me feel at ease,” Buchman said. “I always saw the Rabbis at the Student Union trying to indulge the Jewish students in Morning Prayer, they had Tefillin prepared. They really care about the students and not only preach the Jewish religion, but they make it relatable and fun to learn.” The Chabad is preparing for Rosh Hashana, which falls on Sept. 4-5 this year. Gurary said, this year, many students aren’t leaving Buffalo to go home because school just started; he hopes to fill the gap for students who are missing the holiday with their family at home. Himoff encourages every Jew to try out the Chabad; she emphasized how welcoming it is to everyone. “It does not matter how religious you are at all, it’s just a place where Jewish students can learn about Judaism, meet other people and have extremely good food,” Himoff said. “It’s definitely a great experience.” Email: features@ubspectrum.com
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CRITICAL CONVERSATIONS is a new annual presidential program focused on bringing to UB distinguished scholars at the forefront of their fields and at the vanguard of shaping how we understand the vital issues and
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challenges facing our 21st-century world. From global health concerns and contemporary cultural debates to technological trends and socioeconomic challenges, the topics to be addressed are those that cut across disciplinary boundaries and geographic borders to shape daily life for us all. Dr. Ed Lazowska is the Bill & Melinda Gates chair in Computer Science & Engineering at the University of Washington and the founding director of UW’s eScience Institute. One of the world’s foremost scholars in the area of high-performance computing and communication systems, Lazowska is also a champion for increasing diversity in STEM fields.
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Panel Discussion: “Diversity and STEM Fields”
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Friday, September 6, 2013
5
‘APPeal’ to your senses Four music apps every music lover should have app through social media gain five more songs for a total of 20 songs available for download. The app itself is free.
ERIC CULVER
STAFF WRITER
Take a moment to look at the students around you. Some of your fellow classmates are wearing headphones or ear buds while jamming out to their favorite music as they walk around campus. Music is a staple of everyday life. It gets our day going, puts us in a happy mood and brings us together with people. For all the music lovers out there looking to discover new music, here are four apps that you should have. Band of the Day (BoD) Not many people have this app, but first-time users will be blown away. Brought to you by 955 Dreams Inc., BoD was awarded App of the Year (2011) Runner Up by the Apple App Store, and The New York Times recognized it to be one of the top 10 apps to have when it was released. BoD was even inducted into the iPhone and iPad Hall of Fame – yes, that’s a real thing. When users first download BoD, they can either sign in as a regular user or sign in with their Facebook account. From there, the app displays a large calendar that can open up to each band of the day from the last month. Some users may not like that the app only features lesser-known musicians, but this also provides a unique opportunity to discover new music for free. Genres of music on the app can range from blues all the way
to hip-hop. The greatest benefit of BoD is that it’s free and has no commercials, which means quality listening without interruption. Music lovers can go to an artist’s day on the calendar and freely listen to their album as long as they want. 8tracks Radio Brought to you by 8tracks Inc., this app has over 8,000 positive reviews from the iTunes Store. If that’s not impressive enough, new users should know that by downloading this app they join a community of more than 5 million monthly listeners. Another bonus? It’s free. Users can either go to the “home” tab to
play playlists they already love, the “explore” tab to create playlists based on their mood, the “search” tab to find music in any genre or the “profile” tab. 8tracks has a lot to offer as users are always submitting their own playlists for other music-lovers to enjoy. There are also free “favorite” songs, which users can flag as they listen. On their profile, users may go back and look at all of their favorites. The app allows listeners to find new artists or listen to their old favorites. It also lets users listen to their favorite songs through YouTube or buy them on iTunes. The app tends to crash, though, when a user isn’t connected to the Internet.
Pocket Tube Pocket Tube is a music app by Masayuki Mieno with just over 800 respectable reviews in the App Store. Even with a small review post on iTunes, users gave the music app a promising 4.5 average rating out of five. Pocket Tube allows users to launch the app and then search for any song they want. That being said, the one thing that does hurt this app is users don’t have unlimited downloads. A user of Pocket Tube can download up to 15 songs at one time. If a user then tries to download any other songs, they have the option to share the app in order to increase their downloading capability. Users who do share the
TuneIn Radio: For you radio lovers or commuters, here’s an app that many people are tuning into on the go. TuneIn Radio allows users to enjoy 70,000 live radio stations, 2 million podcasts, concerts and shows on their smart phones. Essentially, the app is a world radio that features music, sports, news, talk show, comedy stations and more. The app streams from every continent, which allows users to have access to radio stations outside of America. There is a TuneIn Radio Pro app that costs $4.99 and allows users to record everything they love from the app. Users of TuneIn Radio Pro can create a commercial- and ad-free listening experience with shows they record. Users don’t gain much by upgrading from the free version to the $4.99 version. Smartphone users are better off getting the free version, which they can still explore the worldly app and discover international and national radio stations. Email: arts@ubspectrum.com
COUNSELING GROUPS FALL 2013
Coping Skills Group Thursdays 1:30 – 3:00pm • Richmond and Fridays 1:30 – 3:00pm • Michael Hall Increase coping skills, including mindfulness, emotion regulation, interpersonal effectiveness, and distress tolerance.
Connections Group Wednesdays 3:00 – 4:30pm Connect with other students in a safe environment while increasing your self awareness.
Body Image Concerns Group Mondays 1:00 – 2:30pm Explore your relationship with weight, food, and emotions. Beneficial for students in various stages of preoccupation with food and body size. Learn skills to live in the present, deal with stress, manage difficult emotions, and handle interpersonal conflict.
International Student Support Group
wellness.buffalo.edu/center Life Beyond Trauma Tuesdays 3:00 – 4:30pm This group is 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. Break the cycle by utilizing skills dictated by values rather than by the past. 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. Group members will not be asked to disclose the details of traumatic events.
Commuter Student Support Group Tuesdays 1:30 – 3pm • Flint Village Apartments A safe, supportive, and comfortable place to discuss adjustments and experiences for commuter students. Group does not require an initial assessment.
Fridays 1:00 – 2:30pm A safe, supportive, confidential and comfortable place to discuss adjustment and cross-cultural experiences in the United States.
International Tea Time Thursdays 3:00 – 4:30pm • 220 Student Union An open, drop-in group for domestic and international students to discuss issues and provide support to each other. Group does not require an initial assessment.
Motivated for Change Mondays 3:00 – 4:30pm 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. Explore factors interfering with your ability to change; assess the desire, need, confidence, and reasons to change; and identify steps needed to make and maintain that change.
Trauma Sensitive Yoga Group Thursdays 2:00 – 3:00pm • Michael Hall A yoga-based group that provides a safe space for healing for women who have a history of trauma. Using a combination of gentle movement, breathing and relaxation techniques, the group allows for participants to feel more connected to and comfortable in their bodies. The group will be facilitated by professionals trained in both yoga and trauma.
Unless noted otherwise most groups require an initial assessment. If you would like to schedule an initial assessment, please call Counseling Services at 716.645.2720 or visit wellness.buffalo.edu/center
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ubspectrum.com
Visit Us Today: 1715 Nigara Falls Boulevard Amherst, NY 14226 (716) 833-5039
Friday, September 6, 2013
Friday, September 6, 2013 ubspectrum.com
CLASSIFIEDS
HELP WANTED HELP WANTED
SALES AND MARKETING POSITIONS AVAILABLE. Lasertron Inc. is hiring for a part-time position in Mar DOMINO’S PIZZA 3563 SHER- keting and Group Sales. Candidate should IDAN. LOOKING FOR FULL be energetic, friendly, have reliable transOR PART-TIME DRIVERS. portation and be ready to sell fun! SubMust have reliable vehicle & val- mit your resume or questions to Lawid drivers license. Evening shift avail- rence LacClair, General Manager via able from 5pm-1am. Apply in person. email at: llaclair@lasertron.us. To learn more about us, visit www.lasertron.us. TWO POSITIONS WOMEN ONLY: MAJOR & METOR: To be a Mentor, Job 1: Pizza money job: $10/hr, 3hrs/ you don't need any special skills- just an wk- Speak (from your home) with an el- ability to listen, to offer friendship, guidderly woman early mornings (30 min- ance, & encouragement today to a kid or ute calls before 8am/6 days per week). an adult experiencing loneliness. You'll Job 2: Tech. assistant/home health aide: be amazed by how much you'll get out $15/hr, 9hrs/wk. - visit 3x/wk. with el- of the experience! Share what you know. derly lady. Duties include giving a show- Call Compeer: 716-883-3331, ask for er, taking the client for a walk and help- Karen or Stephanie & get started! Making client with the internet. Employee will ing friends and changing lives since 1985. also receive $30/wk for travel expens- es. Please contact Linda at 347-413-9695 HIRING FRONT AND BACK-OFand also email me at leahsara222@ya- HOUSE STAFF at Remington Tavern! hoo.com to ensure I get your message. Our busy, upscale restaurant located on the canal in North Tonawanda is seek AMHERST PIZZA & ALEHOUSE ing: Host/ess, Bussers, Barback & expeseeking experienced servers, bartenders, riences Servers. Also hiring F/T experihosts/security. Apply in person @ North enced Saute Cook. Weekend availability French/Millersport. We prefer year round is a must for all positions. Apply in person Monday- Friday 2-4pm or email hr@ residents. remingtontavern.com with your resume. MORNING PANTRY CHEF. The Ea- FOR RENT APARTMENT FOR RENT gle House Williamsville. Full time, great APARTMENT pay, family owned independent restau rant. Apply in person or email resume toTricia.eaglehouse@roadrunner.com. AMHERST 2-BDRM new appliances, flooring, off-street parking & laundry. Available now! 873-3756, 863-5781.
Daily Delights SUDOKU
1,2 &3 BEDROOMM APARTMENTS. Walking distance UB South Campus. Tom 716-570-4776. tombridon@aol.com.
HOUSE FOR FOR RENTRENT HOUSE AMHERST 2-BDRM new appliances, flooring, off-street parking & laundry. Available now! 873-3756, 863-5781. 4 RENT FANTASTIC 3-BDRM RANCH with private yard, 1st floor laundry and off- street parking for 2 cars. Appliances are included. $1500.00 monthly rent & $1500.00 security deposit, no smoking. 580-3739. BEAUTIFUL FURNISHED HOME on the Niagara River for rent from September thru May. 3-BDRM, 2 1/2 baths, 2 car garage. $2,000 plus utilities. Perfect for faculty family. 481-1010.
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UNCLASSIFIEDS UNCLASSIFIEDS
G.I. GURDJIEFF. An experience with his work. Is there a part of myself that I do not know? Where is the home of my feeling of purpose? Join us for music, movement, and exchanges Sunday, Septemeber 8th, 1-4 pm, Free Room 210, Student Union Building, UB North Campus.
SERVICES SERVICES
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Crossword of the Day
HOROSCOPES Friday, September 6, 2013 FROM UNIVERSAL UCLICK
ACROSS 1 Food bits 5 Some elementary grades 9 Escape by cleverness 14 Prefix for “nautical” or “drome” 15 “Puss in Boots” villain 16 1950s war zone 17 Short, sweet kisses 20 Citation one doesn’t want 21 Take to court 22 Delinquent 23 Yorkshire’s home 24 Diminutive suffix 26 Rate of speed 28 Make a chart of, as land 30 Cadence 34 Vocalized repulsion 37 Wasn’t truthful 39 Willies-inducing 40 Light punishments 44 Canary kin 45 City fooled by a faux horse 46 Brownie troop org. 47 What mechanics do 49 Many microbrews 51 Cross word exchange 53 Abbr. at the end of a series 54 Sounds during medical checkups 57 Guest-list action for a boor, perhaps
60 Unwelcome answers, usually 62 One who’s bald at a young age? 64 They can get you going 67 Bell-bottoms feature 68 A limp affects it 69 Hard to believe, as a story 70 Get a gut feeling 71 A good 72-Across supports it 72 Some people take a shine to it
DOWN 1 Hops-drying kilns 2 Send money, as in payment 3 Square-jawed comics detective 4 Wallop 5 One musical Elvis 6 It’s a matter of personal pride 7 Shore soarers 8 Play matchmaker for 9 ___ out a win 10 Typical tennis player, during a match 11 Operatic air 12 Part of LAPD (abbr.) 13 Relax, as restrictions
Edited by Timothy E. Parker September 6, 2013 OUCH! By Gary Cooper
18 Large brown seaweed 19 Consider officially, as a judge 25 Tarnish, as a reputation 27 Prepare to swallow, as food 29 Bright aquarium fish 31 Pre-calc course 32 Angry cat’s warning 33 Prefix with carpal or “tarsal” or “physical” 34 Nation that dissolved in 1991 35 Club that sings 36 Dwell on too long 38 Wild Asian dog 41 Monetary units in Egypt and Lebanon 42 Take scissors to 43 They’re between the incisors and the premolars 48 Rajah’s wife 50 Union defier 52 South Pacific isle 54 Shi’ite’s deity 55 “Haven’t you been listening?” 56 Clothes go in and out of it 57 “Tip” or “rip” finish 58 Race distance
59 Persian Gulf republic 61 Feature of a Cowboy’s helmet 63 Comprehends 65 Match using chips 66 Comic-strip sound from a drunk person
VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22) -- Don't let tension at home get out of hand. If you get right on that complicated, volatile situation, you can avoid any lasting trouble. LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 22) -- You can pick up the pace today and pull ahead of the competition, but you must keep your eyes peeled for obstacles that are well-hidden. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) -- What has been problematic in the past is likely to be far easier today, but the reason may not be clear to you right away. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) -- The times keep changing, and you must change with them. Today, however, you may be resistant to a certain trend that is not to your taste.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) -You may have trouble taking the high road as you encounter one who is willing to challenge you head-on. You must do so, however. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) -- Certain changes in protocol may make things more difficult for you than expected, but your adjustments are swift and effective. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20) -- The sooner you are able to put yourself in another's shoes, the sooner you will understand your counterpart and his or her motives. ARIES (March 21-April 19) -- You may not be all that eager to do something that you cannot, in all likelihood, avoid -- so you must make the best of it!
FALL SPACES ARE WHERE YOU SHOULD
BE LIVING! GOING FAST RESERVE YOUR SPACE TODAY BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE
TAURUS (April 20May 20) -- It will be up to you to decide who gets what, and how much. In the interest of fairness, you may have to go without -- for now. GEMINI (May 21June 20) -- You may be accused of something you did not do, but the reason will be clear when you learn who is your accuser. CANCER (June 21July 22) -- A neighbor may come to you with a problem that only you can solve. It is in your best interest to take the time to address it. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) -- Keep your ears open and your wits about you so that you don't miss any hidden messages transmitted through casual conversation.
Friday, September 6, 2013 ubspectrum.com
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SPORTS Into the Bears’ den
Bulls set for Week Two game at No. 23 Baylor OWEN O’BRIEN SPORTS EDITOR
After traveling to No. 2 Ohio State (1-0) last week to open the season, the trek doesn’t get any easier for the Bulls (0-1). Next up is another ranked team, No. 23 Baylor (1-0). The Bears are coming off a 69-3 victory over Wofford, and the program hasn’t been held under 20 points since 2010. The Bears’ 2012 season was highlighted by a 52-24 victory over then-No. 1 Kansas State. Last week, Buffalo battled back from a 23-point deficit to outscore the Buckeyes 20-17 in the final three quarters. The Bulls will look to take that momentum into Waco, Texas. They must avoid finding themselves in a similar situation – behind early – this week if they want to be competitive. Baylor’s offense is explosive and it will prove much more difficult for the Bulls to overcome an early deficit. The Baylor pace has dictated the Bulls’ practices this week in order to prepare for Saturday’s conditions. Head coach Jeff Quinn said the first-team offense ran a Baylor-style attack in
COURTESY OF FACEBOOK
Baylor’s Lache Seastrunk looks to extend his school record fivegame, 100-yard rushing streak against the Bulls on Saturday.
practice, rather than giving this responsibility to the scout team. “The mindset and preparation for a high-speed, high-tempo [practice] is to be able to put our defense in a situation where we are coming at them within 1415 seconds,” Quinn said. “To be able to do that, you have to have your No. 1 offense go against the No. 1 defense. We are trying to get our best 11 against our best 11 to match what they are going to see on Saturday.” Buffalo is aware it cannot let opportunities slip out of its grasp – like a critical fumble at the 1-yard line last week – to
come out victorious this weekend. “It makes everyone on the offensive line sick that we couldn’t punch that in,” said senior captain and offensive lineman Jasen Carlson. “So it will motivate us that much more when in that situation to punch it in.” The Bulls will need the extra push on the offensive line. Last week, the running game averaged just 2.1 yards on 35 carries. The Bears run what Quinn calls a “run-pass combination,” in which they look to run first but will pass if opponents overplay the run. Judging by the 69
points and 692 total yards (411 passing and 281 rushing) last week, stopping this offense will be a daunting task – although it’s worth noting those numbers were against an FCS opponent. Quarterback Bryce Perry, who was the third different openingday quarterback for Baylor in as many seasons, will start at quarterback and is complemented by running back Lache Seastrunk, who is one of the most explosive players in the nation. The defense, led by seven seniors, is filled with experience – including safety Ahmad Dixon, who is regarded as one of the best defensive backs in the country. Quinn noted in his press conference that much of the Bears’ special teams unit is unknown because “they don’t punt much.” The Bears punted once last week and 38 times in 13 games last season – under three times a game. To put that number in perspective, last year’s national champs, Alabama, punted 50 times in 14 games – an average of over 3.5 times a game. Buffalo’s linebacking core will be a pivotal factor in Buffalo’s ability to keep this game close. In addition to continued domi-
nance from senior Khalil Mack, contributions from junior Blake Bean, sophomore Nick Gilbo and senior Adam Redden will be much-needed. A Texas Saturday afternoon in early September can reach dangerous temperatures, and the Bulls’ ability to play through these conditions will be a huge factor as well. The team, however, has confidence following last week’s performance. “It definitely helps going out to the No. 2 team in the nation and it shows everyone on the team that we’re not that much below everyone else,” Carlson said. “We went out there and competed as hard as we could. Although the score doesn’t show it, if you look at certain things, there are things we did really well and people didn’t think we could do against a team like Ohio State.” It will take another impressive performance to stay close with Baylor. Email: sports@ubspectrum.com
White plays favorites, benches Spectrum
Student newspaper will not attend football road games for first time since 2006
AARON MANSFIELD EDITOR IN CHIEF
The Spectrum has attended every UB football game since 2006. We will not, however, be at Saturday’s game at Baylor. That is because UB Athletics, which funded our trips, decided this summer to no longer allow us to travel with the team. Athletic Director Danny White sees it as a conflict of interest for his department to pay the way for reporters to cover UB games. In a perfect world, we would pay for our travel. But the fact of the matter is that The Spectrum is a shoestring organization. It is a privately funded, completely studentrun publication. UB offers us no financial support, and neither does the Student Association. We’re funded solely through advertising, and we can’t afford the $600700 per person for travel and hotel to cover road games. We drove to Ohio State for the season opener, but going to games at places like Baylor just isn’t feasible. The Spectrum has provided unparalleled coverage – in print, on our website and on social media – since 2006. The past four editors in chief have risen from senior sports editor. Our Sports Desk has received three national sports writing awards, including being named back-to-back Pacemaker finalists for Sports Story of the Year, in the past two years. We consider ourselves one of the strongest student newspaper sports departments in the country. The athletic department’s money belongs to White, and he can do with it what he wishes. I didn’t argue or complain when we lost the trips, but the more I have thought about UB Athletics’ reasoning, the more it has troubled me. It should be known that this decision belonged to nobody but White. He has two stated reasons for making it: First, UB Athletics sees The Spectrum traveling with the team as a conflict of interest, and second, we were told it was a budgetary decision. Neither of these reasons, however, is legitimate.
The perceived conflict of interest does bother me, and it makes sense to me why people would think that. “Well,” someone might say, “if you travel with the team, you’re clearly indebted to Athletics.” But having been a sports reporter, senior sports editor and editor in chief at The Spectrum for three years, I can honestly say there has never once been an actual conflict of interest in covering the football team. We have reported the full truth, and that hasn’t been a problem because that’s what a newspaper does. The Spectrum isn’t a public relations outlet, twisting each story to look positive even when, in reality, the story is negative. Objectivity reigns supreme in journalism. If the football team loses by 40, are we supposed to write about that one sack UB had in the second quarter? The breaking point for White, I was told, was when The Spectrum published a column after last year’s 45-3 loss at Northern Illinois. The gist of the column’s argument was that head coach Jeff Quinn should be fired. At that point, Quinn had a 6-24 record as UB’s head coach. That means he had won one in every five games. He also refused to insert promising young quarterback Joe Licata – he has turned out well, hasn’t he? – and insisted on sticking with Alex Zordich, whose stats had been anemic. Was it that preposterous to call for Quinn’s job? After all, looking at the numbers, that’s what an unbiased reporter would do – and that’s what ours did. I would seriously question the credibility of any outlet that was praising Quinn or ignoring his struggles. One tenet of the Society of Professional Journalists’ Code of Ethics is to “seek truth and report it.” Truth. That’s a pivotal word. It was never a problem for us to tell the truth until the reality was that the team was dreadfully underachieving. We were very thankful for the trips, but these were not vacations. We were working, and working hard, to provide a service to the students. We wrote previews, scouting reports, game stories, columns, live chats and Twitter updates – between two people. I always returned from games entirely exhausted. They were also two-day excursions that made keeping up with a full-time course load (and missing class) and full-time job at The Spectrum all the more difficult. We do this because we love it,
and we do it because students need to know what’s happening from a student’s perspective. This paper is by students, for students. We are the middleman between UB Athletics and the student body. By limiting The Spectrum, White has made it clear he does not see communicating with the students as essential. His disregard for us, the students, is ironic because we’re the reason he has a job. Warde Manuel, White’s predecessor, understood the importance of a student newspaper. He knew students get their sports news about on-campus teams from The Spectrum. He understood we are a newspaper. Even when the coverage was critical, he grasped its necessity. He got it. Danny White does not. White thinks the school newspaper should support the team – and we do. Last week’s football preview took up the entire newspaper. A poster of senior linebacker Khalil Mack covered the front page. White might find this hard to believe, but I’m asked constantly why we give the sports teams so much coverage and are so biased in their favor. When a team is good, we praise it; when it’s bad, we criticize it. But no matter what happens, we cover it – and we tell the truth. Newspapers don’t blindly throw compliments when things are bleak. They don’t ignore facts, and they certainly don’t remain quiet when their coverage is inhibited. As for the second reason we are not traveling to cover the team, UB Athletics told us that our passes were cut because it was a “budgetary decision.” The athletic department then gave our two passes to every game to the Student Association. If it was a budgetary decision, how were those two passes turned over to UB’s student government? I spoke with SA President Nick Johns Tuesday. He attended the Ohio State season opener. “I had a meeting with Athletics the other day and gave them kind of my strategic vision for the year,” Johns said. “I told them about everything that was happening, and then at the end of the meeting, Danny White just suggested, ‘We’re going to give you guys two reps on the trips to go to athletic away games.’” SA, which will attend the games only to cheer from the sidelines, will have two passes to every road game this year.
Let’s talk about conflicts of interests again, Mr. White. UB Athletics has a $30,000 advertising contract from SA. Strange. “We had already signed the contract prior to this, so it’s not a stipulation within the contract, nor is it affecting any of the business with athletics,” Johns said. So SA had never gone on the trips before, but then you signed a massive contract with UB Athletics and White happened to offer you two passes to every game? Sounds like a quid pro quo arrangement to me. Johns sent an email to SA’s clubs executive board members Wednesday, which was forwarded to The Spectrum. Its contents, unedited for grammar, are below. I am pleased to inform you that Athletics has generously given the SA a free trip for a lucky club E-Board member for the Baylor football game in Waco, Texas. Your hotel and flight accommodations will be provided by Athletics. Some food will be provided, but not all. Pleaselet me know by 2:00 pm today if you are interested in attending. I apologize for the short notice but this initiative was just approved today. I would also like to note that no [mandatory student activity fee] money was spent on these trips, they have been offered with no strings attached by Athletic Director Danny White himself. If you are interested in promoting on campus collaboration and supporting the UB Bulls, please let me know ASAP, you will be randomly selected. Is sending a randomly selected student to the game “supporting the UB Bulls” a wiser way to spend your money than sending a seasoned sports reporter who is providing a service to the students, Mr. White? The Spectrum tells students what’s happening, and the honors suggest we do it well – especially considering we go to a school without a journalism major and without BCS conference athletics. We will be covering the Baylor game from Buffalo as we watch on television, but that isn’t the same – reporters receive live updates in the press box and, most importantly, get to attend the post-game press conference. They get the full story. We need to ask Quinn questions to provide top-of-the-line coverage. White is attempting to hinder our ability to provide coverage of the football team. I want to reiterate that I understand it’s his money, and he can do what he wants with it. But I also want to point out that this is the students’ newspaper, and it’s our
vehicle to tell you what you need to know. Johns said he believes White gave the passes to SA because he realizes the student government is “an important entity on campus.” And The Spectrum isn’t? An average of 50,000 people read this newspaper per week, and it’s where the majority of students get their UB news, especially their UB sports news. Outside of The Spectrum, UB doesn’t get a whole lot of press on days POTUS isn’t in Alumni Arena. White should be thankful he has this outlet to cover his teams. Is it really a priority of his to cut off the student newspaper? He should be grateful UB’s student journalists seek truth and report it, rather than opposing their ability to carry out this service, then turning around and transferring their former privileges to the student government. This is not only a slap in the face to The Spectrum, but it also presents a glaring conflict of interest, given the aforementioned advertising contract. In trying to solve a problem, White has created a bigger one. Just as troubling as this whole situation is White’s reluctance to meet with The Spectrum. It was easy for us to get an interview with him over the summer of 2012, when he was just starting as AD and we were writing a feature about his background. Since then, it’s been virtually impossible. Our attempts to meet with him have been met with promises to “try” from Athletics staff members and silence from White. It may not be part of his job to transport The Spectrum to games, but it is part of his job to communicate with the media. I believe every good story has a resolution or at least a suggested one. So here, Mr. White, is my proposal: Make head coach Jeff Quinn and one player available to talk with us on the phone after the press conference of every road game. We’ll ask our questions, as we normally would, and our coverage won’t be hurt too dramatically. It will be a perfect arrangement: no budgetary issues and no conflicts of interest – real or perceived. So what do you think, Mr. White? My email address is below. The student body awaits your answer. Email: aaron.mansfield@ubspectrum.com