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Riding Stress-Free MARIELA ESTEVEZ Staff Writer
Students will now have the chance to explore Downtown Buffalo with new discounted rail passes. For $20 per year, students will be able to enjoy various activities downtown without the worry of purchasing a ticket for every ride. The Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority
The independent student publication of the University at Buffalo
(NFTA) and UB Parking and Transportation Services have established an agreement to allow students on the rail system with discounted passes. “We have been working for years to try to work together with the university for a university pass program, and this is of course a success,” said Lawrence Meckler, executive director at the NFTA. “We have programs at five other colleges in the area, and this is a partnership that will help both SUNY and the NFTA.” The discounted pass system is set up at numerous other colleges in the Buffalo area. Students at Canisius College, Erie Community College, Buffalo State College, Medaille College, and Bryant and Stratton College all ride both bus and rail at a discounted price. “The school pays the NFTA a fee for each
Sam Zakalik /The Spectrum
UB is working in conjunction with NFTA to provide students with an inexpensive way to get to and from downtown.
WEEKEND EDITION December 3, 2010 Volume 60 Issue 37
semester. Depending on the school, it’s roughly $30 per pass,” Meckler said. “Some schools may charge the students. Some build it into a transportation fee.” Many students who attend UB and other schools are financially dependent on their families. These students can encounter difficulties getting around Buffalo outside of their designated schools if they don’t own a car or if they simply can’t afford to. Using public transportation is not only economical for students, it is also positive for the environment. By using the rail system, traffic can become less congested traveling to and from Downtown Buffalo. The number of vehicles seen on each campus may decrease as well. “We probably carry about 27,000 people a day, and the more people that begin to use the rail system, it could create a mentality for students to look forward to and possibly make them riders for the long term,” Meckler said. “Bus and rail is good for the community, and the better system you have, [the] better for the community to get around. It’s just environmentally friendly.” Overall, by using public transportation, the school’s carbon emissions should decrease considerably. It isn’t a secret that UB has parking issues. Many students are forced to come to campus earlier in order to find parking in time for class. Students and faculty members now have the option of parking their cars at LaSalle station and getting to campus using the rail system. In just five minutes, they can expect to reach South Campus with the option of transferring on to one of the school shuttles for further transportation. “The pilot program will support use of the NFTA’s rail system, provide connectivity between our campuses, decrease the number of vehicles coming to campus, while reducing the university’s carbon footprint,” said Maria Wallace, director for continued on page 2
Battling With “Ed”
Law School Dean Selected For Attorney General’s Transition Team
Eating Disorders
Eric T. Schneiderman, the Attorney Generalelect, has chosen University at Buffalo Law School Dean Makau W. Mutua to be on his transition committee to help recruit top legal talent to join the attorney general’s staff and to provide policy recommendations. Mutua is recognized as one of the world’s most prominent authorities on human rights law and will serve on Schneiderman’s Infrastructure/Technology/Regional Offices committee. Mutua is also one of 10 members that will serve on the attorney general’s Technology committee. This particular committee is co-chaired by Andrew Rasiej, senior technology adviser for the Sunlight Foundation, and Laura Ross, the former chief of staff for the Office of New York State Attorney General Robert Abrams. Schneiderman’s goal is to create a team above politics and partisanship, so the transition team is made up of top legal experts from New York and throughout the nation. This team represents a wide range of professional talent across a diverse spectrum of backgrounds.
DEMIRE COFFIN Staff Writer
Help Available for Students With
ANNIE SCHNEIDER
Many students struggle with eating disorders and to help them, UB offers free counseling services.
Many college students are living secret lives. “Everyone and anyone can develop an eating disorder,” said Miranda Zimmerman, a junior dance major who suffered from an eating disorder beginning in high school. Catherine P. Cook-Cottone, associate professor of counseling and school and educational psychology in the graduate school of education, is an expert on eating disorders. Eating disorders and self-destructive behaviors have become increasingly prevalent among college students, specifically females, according to Cook-Cottone. “It is believed that as many as 15 to 30 percent of college females have eating disorders, with up to 50 percent having regular symptoms such as binging, purging, skipping meals, and excessively exercising,” Cook-Cottone said. “There are fewer studies on college males, but rates for abnormal eating may be as high as 10 percent.” Cook-Cottone said that college students today experience stress from many different sources – academic, social, familial and cultural. “With full-scale adoption of high-stakes tests in U.S. schools, worries about college and the future, competition in sports, and an increasingly image and media-oriented culture, teens feel pressure to succeed on all fronts,” Cook-Cottone said. Dance majors especially feel the pressure around campus. “A lot of students today don’t have much support at home. Families are overworked and are dealing with financial pressures. Many people are primarily concerned with making ends meet,” said Arielle Cole, a senior dance major. Rigorous academic course loads prove to put students on edge as well, causing some to carry out self-destructive behavior. “Losing a few pounds started getting out of
control until I became obsessed with what was going into my body, the number on the scale, and how I looked,” Zimmerman said. Individuals suffering from eating disorders experience difficulty not only in how they look, but how they feel. “The eating disorder affected me in so many ways. Physically, of course, I was nothing but bones and was constantly cold,” Zimmerman said. “I would wear a T-shirt, a thin long-sleeved top, a bigger long-sleeved top, a hooded sweater, and a winter coat with gloves on to class because I was so cold. My circulation was bad. I was losing some of my hair, and I was continually exhausted.” To help battle eating disorders on campus, UB offers the Eating Disorders Treatment Team through Counseling Services led by Carissa Uschold, a counselor and adjunct professor. “We utilize a comprehensive and multi-disciplinary approach for the treatment of eating disorders,” Uschold said. “This includes psychotherapy, psychiatry if necessary, medical management and nutritional counseling. The team meets bi-weekly to coordinate treatment.” Uschold remarks that many of the students in treatment for eating disorders may also have other mental and physical problems that must be addressed as well. The other issues can include depression, anxiety, stress, bipolar disorder, substance abuse, and relationship concerns. “Maybe college students want to be in control of something. Maybe they are depressed or stressed. Maybe they feel singled out in a group of people,” Zimmerman said. Zimmerman said that her eating disorder took control of her life and consumed her every
Staff Writer
continued on page 2
Dean Makau W. Mutua
continued on page 2
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Meg Kinsley /The Spectrum
Buffalo’s Winter Wonderland REBECCA BRATEK Staff Reporter
It’s that time of year again. December has just begun, the holidays are near, and white flakes are starting to fall from the sky. And the City of Buffalo is ready to jumpstart the winter season. On Saturday, First Niagara Bank and Buffalo Place will be presenting the 2010 Downtown Christmas Tree Lighting Celebration at Rotary Rink at Fountain Plaza. This annual event marks the official opening of the free skating season at Rotary Rink and marks the beginning of the holiday season for the City of Buffalo. Festivities will kick off at 5 p.m. with activities for attendees of all ages. Santa and his elves will be in attendance from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. and will be ready to visit with children. The young and young at heart can also enjoy Santa’s holiday gifts, horse and wagon rides, clowns and balloon art, and face painting. All activities are offered free to the public. Rotary Rink will remain open until late March, depending on weather conditions. Guests who bring their own skates will be able to enjoy free ice time. Skate rentals are $2 for children and $3 for adults. At 6 p.m., the countdown to the lighting of the Christmas tree in Fountain Plaza will commence. Byron W. Brown, mayor of the City of Buffalo, Christopher C. Collins, Erie County executive, and a representative from First Niagara Bank will serve as distinguished speakers before leading the countdown. Santa will light a fireworks display over the rink following the countdown and official lighting of the tree. Saturday’s festivities mark the 27th consecutive year Buffalo Place has produced the downtown tree-lighting event. This event not only opens Rotary Rink to a season of free ice skating but also stands as the marquee event showcasing the Buffalo holiday season. Rotary Rink is downtown Buffalo’s only free outdoor ice skating rink and offers the public an affordable and fun social alternative. “The Downtown Christmas Tree Lighting Celebration, presented by First Niagara Bank, is a fantastic way for families to celebrate the start of the holiday season in Downtown Buffalo,” said Jackie Jonmaire, marketing coordinator for Buffalo Place, Inc. Rotary Rink at Fountain Plaza is located at the corner of Main and Chippewa Streets. The rink is easily accessible from the NFTA rail system. Refreshments will be available for purchase at the concession stand at Rotary Rink. Additionally, the neighboring Coffee Culture shop will be open from noon until 10 p.m. For more information on this event, the 2010-2011 free ice skating season, and Buffalo Place, Inc., visit http://www.buffaloplace.com or call the offices at (716) 856-3250. E-mail: news@ubspectrum.com
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