The Spectrum Vol. 67 No. 43 by The Spectrum Student Periodical

THE SPECTRUM VOL. 67 NO. 43 | APRIL 9, 2018

UBSPECTRUM

UB alum hopes app will help UB’s parking problem

Dancing with purpose: Zodiaque Dance Company brings intricacy and enlightenment to CFA

UB Athletics’ top 10 moments in March

> SEE PAGE 2

> SEE PAGE 6

> SEE PAGE 8

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ALLISON STAEBELL | THE SPECTRUM

THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT PUBLICATION OF THE UNIVERSITY AT BUFFALO, SINCE 1950

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SA Senate elects new vice president After a 2-month vacancy, Benjamin Harper fills the position HARUKA KOSUGI ASST. NEWS EDITOR

On March 7, The Spectrum swabbed 39 locations and commonly touched objects around North Campus to collect samples of microbes, which include bacteria, fungi and mold. Samples from places like a Knox 20 table were identiﬁed as mold whereas a Putnam’s fork dispenser was relatively free of bacteria.

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02 PORTER women’s bathroom toilet seat

What’s lurking at UB?

03 PORTER men’s bathroom door (going out of bathroom)

KIRSTEN DEAN

04 PORTER women’s bathroom sink

STAFF WRITER

01 SILVERMAN LIBRARY women’s bathroom sink (third floor by elevator)

05 NSC stairwell hand rail (between Talbert and NSC) 06 Table in KNOX 20 lecture hall 07 PORTER women’s bathroom door (going out of bathroom) 08 CAPEN CAFE Pike Place coffee dispenser 09 SILVERMAN LIBRARY men’s bathroom toilet 10 PORTER men’s bathroom door (going into bathroom) 11 SILVERMAN LIBRARY men’s bathroom sink 12 SILVERMAN LIBRARY women’s bathroom door (going out of bathroom) 13 SILVERMAN LIBRARY women’s bathroom door (going into bathroom) 14 KNOX vending machine 15 PUTNAM’S touchscreen to order burgers 16 PUTNAM’S fridge door 17 SILVERMAN LIBRARY elevator (up button to third floor) 18 PERKS touchscreen to order ice cream 19 PORTER men’s bathroom toilet 20 SILVERMAN LIBRARY men’s bathroom paper towel dispenser 21 SILVERMAN LIBRARY computer keyboard (third floor) 22 PUTNAM’S fork dispenser 23 STAMPEDE pole 24 SILVERMAN LIBRARY women’s bathroom toilet 25 SILVERMAN LIBRARY library couch (third floor) 26 GREINER door (going out) 27 STUDENT UNION ATM - Bank of America 28 STUDENT UNION - the Spectrum door 29 SILVERMAN LIBRARY Whisper’s Cafe sugar holder 30 PUTNAM’S spoon dispenser 31 PORTER women’s bathroom door [going into bathroom]

E. coli was flourishing in a men’s bathroom in the Porter dorms. Mold and other fungi were growing on a couch in the Silverman Library, on a door in Greiner Hall, on a microwave in Pistachio’s, on a coffee dispenser in Capen Cafe and on a table in Knox 20. Some students were outraged by the discoveries The Spectrum made this month during our first science-based campus report, which involved swabbing 39 spots or objects on North Campus and seeing what microbes, or microorganisms, were growing on them. After we took our samples, we transferred them to agar plates. We stored the plates in an incubator kept at optimal human body temperature, 37 degrees Celsius or 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit, for almost a week. With the warm temperature and the agar media to provide nutrients necessary for microbial growth, what were once microscopic, individual microbes divided and grew into large, visible colonies. Most of the samples contained microbes like fungi, mold or bacteria, which students find disgusting, but doctors say are quite common. Jacob Chambers, a professor in the department of microbiology and immunology at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, helped The

Spectrum identify the microbes growing on the plates. He said the high bacteria counts in the Porter bathroom were “disturbing” and suggests students are not washing their hands enough. Chambers said a lot of the growth on the 39 plates was likely a combination of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus epidermidis. E. coli, a type of bacteria called a coliform, is part of a healthy gastrointestinal tract. Most strains are benign, but some can be more harmful and could lead to food poisoning if consumed. E. coli is easily transferred from person to person. Chambers said it is common everywhere. “A lot of [E. coli] is transmitted through what’s called the fecaloral route. It is where people are not washing their hands well enough after using the restroom and are transferring bacteria to whatever surfaces they touch,” Chambers said. He added that often “parts of the men’s or ladies’ rooms –– doorknobs on the inside, outside or even just doorknobs in general,” will have more of the bacteria and “that’s unfortunately how things like food poisoning are transmitted.” UB residence hall bathrooms get cleaned every weekday, said Kimberly Navarroli, senior associate director of residential facilities.

The Spectrum’s swab test shows E. coli and Staph call UB home

> SEE

LURKING | PAGE 5

32 Door to hall between KNOX/SU 33 EDGY VEGGIES salad counter 34 SILVERMAN LIBRARY printing computer keyboard (first floor) 35 PISTACHIOS microwave 36 SILVERMAN LIBRARY women’s bathroom paper towel dispenser 37 SILVERMAN LIBRARY men’s bathroom door (going out of bathroom) 38 SILVERMAN LIBRARY men’s bathroom door (going into bathroom) 39 PORTER men’s bathroom sink

ESCHERICHIA COLI, associated with the human gastrointestinal tract, was identified in a ELLICOTT men's bathroom sample.

STAPHYLOCOCCUS EPIDERMIDIS, part of a normal human skin microbiome, was identified on a SILVERMAN LIBRARY keyboard sample.

FUNGAL GROWTH was identified on a PISTACHIO'S microwave sample and a SILVERMAN LIBRARY couch.

The Student Association appointed a new SA vice president on Thursday, after the SA Senate approved current Director of Club Services Benjamin Harper to take over the role. The position has been vacant since Feb. 2, when former Vice President Jamersin Redfern resigned after citing undisclosed family issues. A previous attempt in filling the role failed on Feb. 22, when the Senate voted down Samirra Felix, President Leslie Veloz’s nomination for vice president. Eleven senators voted in favor of Harper and four senators abstained. Harper, a senior mechanical engineering major, couldn’t attend Thursday’s senate meeting because he was unable to get his lifeguarding shift covered, but communicated with the senate via phone call. Treasurer Janet Austin and Veloz nominated Harper and cited his two years of experience as the Director of Club Services and former experience as the president of the UB water polo club. > SEE

SENATE | PAGE 4

Affordable housing projects underway at architecture school Students, faculty work to address affordable, inclusive housing shortage in Buffalo

SARAH CROWLEY SENIOR NEWS EDITOR

On Tuesday, UB will host a symposium to begin an effort in the architecture school to address Buffalo’s affordable housing shortage. As graduate students wrap up a semester-long design project focused on creating affordable, inclusive housing, Tuesday marks the beginning of a more collaborative effort to bring together alumni, interested donors and experts in affordable housing development. The students’ models will be on exhibit during the event, where attendees will also hear from keynote speakers Henry Cisneros, former secretary for Housing and Urban Development under President Bill Clinton, and sponsor Donald Capoccia, a UB alum and real estate manager in New York City. The event aims to connect alumni, students, faculty and experts from around the U.S. who are doing work in affordable housing development, said Mark Foerster, professor of urban and regional planning. > SEE

HOUSING | PAGE 4

NEWS

Page 2 | The Spectrum

Monday, April 9, 2018

UB alum hopes app will help campus parking problem MAX KALNITZ NEWS EDITOR

COURTESY | ANDREW MINGOLA

UB alumni Andrew Mingola is the creator of Spot Swapper, a free app allowing students leaving campus to match with a student looking for parking. He hopes pairing students together will save them time when searching for a parking spot.

While UB officials have said there are several hundred parking spaces free at any given time, students have long complained about driving from lot to lot searching for a place to park in time for class. UB alum Andrew Mingola wants to help with the parking problem with the launch of his new app, Spot Swapper. The free app connects students looking for a place to park with students who are leaving campus, using Google Maps to display all UB parking lots. When a student is leaving, a notification about an open spot is sent to users. On a first-come, first-serve basis, students can claim the spot and avoid blindly searching for parking. Once a spot is claimed, only the recipient knows its location. The student leaving campus waits for the other “swapper” to arrive, ensuring no one will steal the spot. After a swap, both parties rate the experience and points are awarded or taken away if it was successful or unsuccessful, similar to a rideshare app rating system. Users with more points are more likely to receive a notification about an opening spot in the future as a way to encourage students who are leaving campus to use the app. Last year, Mingola and two classmates created a similar model under the name Park By Karma. They released the app for Android, but never released it for iOS. Between graduation and low download rates, the effort fell apart. Mingola said he never gave up hope for the idea. Even after graduating he still wanted to take a crack at solving UB’s

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parking problem. “When the group dissolved, that was the end of the group interest, but my interest was still there,” Mingola said. “This project is disjointed and new from the old one, but shares the same goal. Everything else is different from the old app.” He began developing the app the summer after graduation. He taught himself the necessary code to create the app on Apple devices with the goal of a larger audience. The app is currently on the App Store and Google Play store and will launch at UB on April 16. Mingola said part of the last app’s downfall stemmed from a lack of student interest. He’s worried not enough students will know about the app since he hasn’t been on campus to advertise it. He hopes to expand to other Buffalo college campuses, but is taking it one step at a time. “I’m a little bit worried because I haven’t been at UB to test everything out,” Mingola said. “I know everything works as far as the app, I just haven’t done an actual test with students’ vehicles. Hopefully, like how Uber started out in San Francisco, it’ll gain enough traction to expand slowly, but surely.” Some students said they are excited, but skeptical about the app. Many said they like the possibility of a guaranteed parking spot, but feel that it’s too “gimmicky.” David Corradi, a sophomore electrical engineering major, said he doesn’t drive to campus, partly because he doesn’t want to deal with parking. He said he appreciates a possible solution to overcrowded parking lots, but doesn’t think students will go out of their way to use the app. “It seems like a bit of a hassle. A lot of

times people are just trying to leave campus and not trying to wait on someone else,” Corradi said. “He needs a better way to incentivize it for students. Friends can just text each other when they’re coming and going.” Adam Bitondo, a sophomore mechanical engineering major, said if the app didn’t work before, it probably won’t catch on now. Some students said they would prefer UB build additional lots, a parking garage or restructure parking permits to allow students to park in more lots. Mingola said he is happy his app is finally ready for student use. He plans to be on campus April 16 to help spread the word about Spot Swapper. “Besides website hosting costs, I did everything myself. It’s basically my baby,” Mingola said. “I really hope students like it as much as I do. I think if enough students pick up on it, the app could absolutely benefit students who hate dealing with parking.” email: max.kalnitz@ubspectrum.com twitter: @Max_Kalnitz.

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in 2015 and 2013. He has headlined the Youth Rally and Mass for Life at the Capital One Center in Washington, D.C. and performed for World Youth Day in Krakow. He has also led worship at Catholic Heart Work Camp for the past 6 years. Tickets are FREE for UB Students with the showing of their UB ID card and $10.00 General Admission. Ticket can be purchased at the Newman Center, located at 495 Skinnersville Rd. Amherst, NY or online at www.newmancenteratub.org. Please join us for a night of music and faith! Any questions, please contact Campus Minister

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OPINION

Monday, April 9, 2018

THE THESSPECTRUM PECTRUM Monday, April 9, 2018 Volume 67 Number 43 Circulation: 4,000

EDITORIAL BOARD Editor in Chief

Congress should enact stricter privacy guidelines in light of Facebook breach Lack of federal Internet privacy laws infringes on basic right to privacy EDITORIAL BOARD

Hannah Stein

Managing Editor David Tunis-Garcia

Creative Director Pierce Strudler

Copy Editors Dan McKeon, Chief Emma Medina Savanna Caldwell, Asst. Cassi Enderle, Asst. Lauryn King, Asst.

News Editors Sarah Crowley, Senior Max Kalnitz Haruka Lucas Kosugi, Asst. Anna Savchenko, Asst.

Features Editors Benjamin Blanchet, Senior Wanly Chen, Asst. Erik Tingue, Asst.

Arts Editors Brenton Blanchet, Senior Brian Evans, Asst.

Sports Editors Thomas Zafonte, Senior Daniel Petruccelli

Editorial Editor Maddy Fowler

Multimedia Editors Allison Staebell, Senior Jack Li, Asst. Elijah Pike, Asst.

Cartoonist Ardi Digap

PROFESSIONAL STAFF Office Administrator Helene Polley

Advertising Manager Ayesha Kazi

Graphic Design Managers Stephen Jean-Pierre JuYung Hong, Asst.

ABOUT THE SPECTRUM 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.

For information on adverstising with The Spectrum: VISIT: www.ubspectrum.com/advertising CALL US: 716-645-2152 The Spectrum offices are located in 132 Student Union, UB North Campus, Buffalo, NY 14260-2100

JOIN OUR STAFF Do you have an interest in journalism, graphic design, photography, social media, advertising, cartoons or copy editing? The Spectrum is always looking for enthusiastic students who want to be part of our team. Join our 45-time award winning independent student newspaper for hands-on, real-world experience in your field. Anyone interested in joining The Spectrum’s editorial staff can email Hannah Stein at: eic@ubspectrum.com. Anyone interested in joining The Spectrum’s our professional staff or advertising team can email Helene Polley at: hapolley@buffalo.edu.

The Spectrum | Page 3

The recent Facebook privacy breach serves as a chilling reminder that federal Internet privacy guidelines are long overdue. On March 19, The New York Times reported that Cambridge Analytica, a political data-mining and consulting firm, collected over 50 million Facebook users’ private information without their knowledge. The data was collected through a personality quiz titled “thisisyourdigitallife.” Facebook users could connect the quiz to their accounts, granting access to their profiles. User information from the quiz was later used to target Facebook users for crafted ads and messages for President Donald Trump’s 2016 election campaign without users’ consent. And the Cambridge Analytica scandal isn’t the only example of privacy issues on Facebook. On March 26, The Wall Street Journal reported Facebook has also been logging some Android users’ texts and phone calls. On March 28, Facebook said it was “simplifying and centralizing” its privacy settings, making it easier for users to change how much personal information they share. While it is good Facebook is revising its privacy policies, this isn’t enough. Facebook isn’t the only Internet company with privacy problems: 2017’s Equifax breach proves this. Some may argue that people should take responsibility for

their own privacy. And a certain level of personal responsibility is important because it is ultimately up to the user to determine what and how much information about themselves to post online. As millennials, we are notoriously teased for our habit of oversharing. And in 2010, Facebook Chairman and CEO Mark Zuckerberg said he believes privacy is no longer a “social norm.” The Spectrum editorial board is divided on the best use of social media in 2018. Some keep their social media use strictly professional. One editor chooses to keep social media use to a minimum due to privacy concerns. But others are more relaxed, emphasizing that social media was designed to be used as a way to connect. They are not concerned about their data being stolen if they have nothing to hide. But the crux of the Cambridge Analytica scandal is that information was taken and used for political purposes without users’ consent or knowledge. Even if we don’t have anything to hide, it is unnerving to think businesses can take and use our information for whatever purposes they choose. Technology is a powerful tool that lets us connect with friends and family around the world. We shouldn’t have to sacrifice our right to use online social platforms for some semblance of privacy. The solution needs to go beyond just taking individual and company-level measures to protect privacy. We need federal

CARTOON | ARDI DIGAP

guidelines for the uncharted territory of Internet privacy. The Internet has developed so rapidly that laws have not had time to catch up with the pace of change. There is already a blueprint in place for federal Internet privacy guidelines. President Obama proposed a privacy bill of rights in 2012. Obama’s proposal included several ideas for giving people more control over their information, such as making data collection more transparent and putting limits on what businesses can do with the information they collect. Congress was unfortunately not interested in the proposed policies.

Give writing for sports a try Everyone might not love them, but sports are worth reporting on THOMAS ZAFONTE SENIOR SPORTS EDITOR

A month ago, my colleagues from The Spectrum and I were given the opportunity to cover the Mid-American Conference Tournament. I sat courtside on press row as the confetti fell on the men’s basketball team for winning its third MAC Championship in the past four years. It was an amazing moment to not only be there for, but to report on as we got the privilege to interview the team right after such a historical moment. You could see the genuine feelings of happiness and accomplishment on everyone’s faces. Seeing real human emotion like that in sports is what makes covering them so great. Despite only having three people on sports desk, I love what I do. The Spectrum is one of the rare places where you get to cover sports very few reporters are looking at. It’s an environment with 16 Division I teams, the passionate fans of True Blue and plenty of news to cover from the DI cuts in April 2017 to the unused rowing equipment sitting by Tonawanda Creek. It is an opportunity to write on the $35 million Athletics program that is becoming more prominent throughout the country. It’s also a one-of-a-kind opportunity

you have as a student to report and have a potential audience of 30,000-plus people. Some see it as “just a game,” but to athletes, coaches and staff, it is the embodiment of all the work they put into the team. The Spectrum taught me how to find the story and the emotion, even in sports I am not very familiar with. I was able to write a profile last year on then-UB swimmer Mason Miller. When I first wrote it, I failed to capture what was so important about Miller. I wrote he was breaking records, but I never asked why. My senior editor sent me back, telling me to be direct. I realized not to ask the questions that just cover broad topics, but the specific ones I know I need an answer to. Miller was candid, telling me he never thought of swimming as a top priority in high school. Once he joined UB and met head coach Andy Bashor, he saw the potential in himself. He credited the team, saying the family-like atmosphere brought the best out of him in the pool. Miller would go on to break several school records before the men’s swimming and diving team got cut in March 2017. Even a year after UB cut four Division-I teams, there has never been a better time to write about UB sports. We have never been better in our top revenue earning sports and all directions point

to even more improvement. It would be a shame if anyone who is seriously interested in UB Athletics missed the opportunity to report on these upcoming years. All of UB’s best teams, except women’s basketball, are retaining most of their best players. Men’s basketball head coach Nate Oats is guaranteed for another year after signing a contract extension till 2023. Football head coach Lance Leipold is already gearing up for next season coming off a year where the Bulls were bowl eligible. Women’s basketball head coach Felisha Legette-Jack has not taken on another coaching job like many have feared she would. If UB can keep the heads of the coaching staffs that turned each team into the talented rosters we have today, the school will have a lot more winning seasons ahead of them. If you thought the second round of the NCAA Tournament was good for the men’s basketball team, I see them going further next year. The team managed to get almost 8,000 people into Alumni Arena this season, so the interest is growing. If football can get off to a hot start, I can guarantee a lot less empty seats come November home games. After their bowl eligible season, the players have what it takes to be the best team in the MAC. And if the women’s basketball high-class coaching staff stays

But in light of the Cambridge Analytica scandal, we hope Congress will reconsider similar legislation. While it is unlikely an Internet privacy bill would pass under the current Republican majority in Congress, we need to consider candidates who value Internet privacy when going to the polls in November. At the very least, it is time for Internet privacy to be a part of the political conversation. So when you go to the polls this fall, be aware of where candidates stand on Internet data collection. Your privacy depends on it. email: opinion@ubspectrum.com

together, they can make another team of UB greats. Maybe UB sports is not your cup of tea. They weren’t mine when I started. One of my favorite stories I’ve done had no ties to any UB team. Last April, I got to cover UFC 210 at the Keybank Center. It was amazing to do one-onone interviews with fighters, including UFC light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier. And after that, I got to watch the UFC for the first time live in-person. It was an amazing experience to learn and made the entire event that much better to attend. Earlier this year, I wrote about UB’s most revealing fan, UB Naked Guy. The story to me is the funniest thing I have written here and was a solid piece about one of UB’s more playful figures. If you are interested in writing for The Spectrum but don’t know if you have the time, send an email and we can start you as a contributor — no crazy workload, just a chance to learn the skills you need to report on sports. But if you read all this and sports still isn’t for you, I get it. It isn’t for everyone, and there are still three other great desks at The Spectrum to write for. If writing seems dreadful, our multimedia desk is always looking for videographers and photographers to cover events. For everyone else though, 2018 looks to be UB’s best year in sports. I hope you’ll seriously consider joining The Spectrum for the ride. email: thomas.zafonte@ubspectrum.com twitter: @Thomas_Spectrum

NEWS

Page 4 | The Spectrum

Monday, April 9, 2018

FROM PAGE 1

HOUSING

HARUKA KOSUGI | THE SPECTRUM

SA Senate Chair Devashish Agarwal speaking on the phone with newly appointed Vice President Ben Harper at the Thursday night Senate Meeting.

FROM PAGE 1

SENATE The voting process was noticeably quicker than the last attempt to fill the position. SA Senate Chair Devashish Agarwal said he believes Harper’s qualifications warranted a faster vote. “The reason [the vote] was expedited is because Ben Harper is definitely very qualified,” Agarwal said. “So it was different from the last vice-presidential nominee [Felix] because she was completely new to everyone, so everyone needed more time to get to know her.” Austin said she had originally been looking to appoint SA Vice Presidentelect Anyssa Evelyn to fill the role, but chose to appoint Harper with the support of Veloz based on Evelyn’s availability. After the vote, Harper wrote in an email that he was “pleasantly surprised” when Veloz informed him about the nomination and appreciated the support from the senate and council coordinators. “I’ve tried to work very hard for the SA and it just shows that people notice, which is nice,” Harper wrote. Veloz, who wrote in an email that she’s “cut back on doing late night senate meetings,” after being involved in a

car accident, said she couldn’t attend the senate meeting. She said she chose the candidate that could seamlessly transition into the position and has experience working with clubs. “There are certain things that neither Janet or I can approve as president and treasurer. Having a new vice president will allow new clubs to get started before the semester is over.” Veloz wrote. Austin said Harper will be paid “about $1,500” for his abbreviated tenure as vice president and she will appreciate the extra help. “It’s honestly perfect timing because I’ve been doing outcall requests on top of everything else I do, which is a lot of work. ... So it will be nice to be able to pass [outcall requests] back to the vice president,” Austin said. SA Senate also spent the last of their senate co-sponsorship budget after approving the Society of Automotive Engineers’ senate grant request of $1,500 for travel expenses to a Baja competition in Oregon and the badminton club’s senate grant request of $150 for new equipment. The senate also derecognized the UB for Israel club and made the Badminton club permanent in the same meeting.

“We talk a lot about Buffalo, but [affordable housing] is a global issue, and I think that UB is poised to do something that is not being done anywhere else in the university arena, and that is to do the design, the real estate work, the planning work and actually building,” Foerster said. “This is not an academic exercise that gets put on the shelf, but will actually have an impact in the real world.” The goal is for students to design and eventually build a house in an underserved Buffalo neighborhood. A group of 13 graduate students are working on inclusive design models, with the goal that the prototypes be used to combat the growing lack of affordable housing many cities face. Faculty and staff in urban planning, real estate and architecture have worked on affordable housing for years in separate efforts, according to Ed Steinfeld, an architecture professor. “The symposium is the kickoff of that kind of organized effort,” Steinfeld said. “It will bring together a lot of people who are really knowledgeable about affordable housing and who have a long history of design-build with their schools.” Steinfeld started the affordable housing design studio, and said he hopes students will be able to build a home from their designs by summer 2019. The goal is to secure funding to build the home over the next few months, whether through donors or partnerships with local nonprofits, he said. “Architects in general should be engaged in doing some socially conscious work, not just working for wealthy clients,” Steinfeld said. “And I think it’s a particularly challenging project to work on affordable housing, so it’s a very educational activity, because it means working

with significant constraints and addressing the needs of families that don’t have much choice or power in the market.” Graduate student Alexa Russo’s design was used for the basis of a spring designbuild studio. She designed a one-story row-house model with a low cost in mind. To create a model for affordable housing, Russo found different ways to cut costs on labor and materials, using bamboo flooring and vinyl siding, both relatively inexpensive. She also designed attic space for storage rather than a basement, to save costs on construction and labor. Russo said it was equally important for the model to be “aesthetically” appealing. “By providing this new architecture, people can live in these places that are not just like, ‘Here’s this dingey affordable housing, low-income place,’ but something that’s also beautiful for them as well,” Russo said. “A house should feel like a home.” Russo’s design was universally accessible, with knee clearance under the sinks, extra wide hallways for wheelchair accessibility and a no-step entrance. Stephanie Cramer, an architecture professor who is teaching the graduate studio based on Russo’s design, said her students used Russo’s model to build from. Students created their own models, keeping in mind different needs for different homeowners, from the elderly to refugee families. “Affordable housing is a tough calling,” Cramer said. “If it was easy, everybody would be doing this. What’s beautiful about working with students is they don’t come in with preconceptions about what can and can’t be done. They’re not afraid to put out ideas that are alternative and a little bit wild, and that’s where change happens.” The symposium will be held in 403 Hayes Hall from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. email: sarah.crowley@ubspectrum.com twitter: @crowleyspectrum

email: haruka.kosugi@ubspectrum.com twitter: @kosugispec

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Monday, April 9, 2018

FEATURES

The Spectrum | Page 5

ALLISON STAEBELL | THE SPECTRUM

FROM PAGE 1

LURKING Navarroli said custodial services has no record of high bacteria in the residence hall bathrooms in the last five years. Navarroli said custodial staff follow International Sanitary Supply Association standards. The Spectrum asked Navarroli when the Porter bathrooms had been cleaned on March 7 — the retrieval date of our microbe sample. The Spectrum asked what products are used to clean toilet seats in Porter and in the Ellicott Complex residence halls. Navarroli did not respond to either question. Kevin Bajdel, a freshman civil engineering major, said his Wilkeson dorm restroom is typically unclean and that he lives with “filthy animals.” Bajdel was outraged when he heard about high bacterial and E. coli counts identified in the Porter men’s bathroom. “If restaurants are being shut down because of bacteria and you want me to use a bathroom where E. coli is, that’s kind of absurd,” Bajdel said. “Honestly, I hope I get E. coli, and I can account for this conversation that I’m having right now to sue the school. That is absurd.” Joe Raab, director of UB Environment, Health and Safety, said the microorganisms The Spectrum found are not unexpected. He said custodians clean restrooms every evening and include all surfaces, like sink handles, counters and toilet seats. He said busier restrooms around campus are cleaned more often. Raab said students should recognize that E. coli may be present in any restroom setting and should practice appropriate hand-washing and hygiene. He said students who are concerned about restroom conditions should report service or repair issues to campus facilities. Other bacteria like S. epidermidis was found on almost all of the plates, especially on keyboards outside the Silverman Library’s printing station. This bacteria is extremely common and part of a

normal human skin microbiome. Madison Featherstone, a senior linguistics and African American studies major, used the Silverman Library keyboard The Spectrum swabbed on a Wednesday before her class. “I think responsibility for [cleanliness] goes both ways,” Featherstone said. “Cleaning should definitely be a priority. I understand that’s hard because places like the library get so much traffic, but students should do more to be hygienic, be good Samaritans and clean up after themselves.” Danny Shteynvarts, a freshman biology major, said he also frequently uses the keyboards in the libraries that The Spectrum swabbed. Shteynvarts said he thinks it’s disgusting there are any bacteria on the keyboards at all. “If there’s bacteria there, maybe I should start using gloves. Maybe UB should get people to wash the keyboards down more often,” Shteynvarts said. Chambers said the bigger risk with surveys like this, however, are what the plates don’t capture: viruses. “That’s important especially during flu season because if people aren’t washing their hands and you see this [bacterial growth], imagine the viruses that are also present on that surface that we aren’t capturing a profile of, but are probably there,” he said. Chambers said viruses, which can’t be detected by The Spectrum’s survey, don’t survive long on their own, but can last long enough to be easily transmitted to hands, eyes or mouths. “This a good reflection of just poor hygiene habits that will play into things like viral infections, in addition to any sort of bacterial problem,” Chambers said. As for fungi and mold, Raab said most species are not something to be overly concerned about. He said routine cleaning is sufficient and effective in controlling fungal growths. Raab said university custodians clean all public areas routinely and vacuum furniture as needed. Dr. John Panepinto was unsurprised

Won’t UB my neighbor? vices to volunteer around Buffalo, cleanStudents pick up trash, volunteer around Buffalo for bi- ing up litter and preparing seed packets for beautification efforts. annual community service day The event was created to improve better HARUKA KOSUGI ASST. NEWS EDITOR

It was a crisp 32 degrees on Saturday, but that didn’t stop students from waking up early to participate in UB’s bi-annual community service day. Students worked with local organizations such as the University Heights Tool Library and Journey’s End Refugee Ser-

relationships with residents and to get UB students involved in neighborhood projects, according to a UB press release. A total of 101 UB students divided among nine different sites to lend a hand in beautifying the Buffalo community, according to community relations deputy director Tess Morrissey. A group of 17 students supervised by Minnesota Block Club leader Brian Byrnes collected trash on Minnesota Avenue from the corner of Main Street to Bailey Avenue.

by The Spectrum’s fungal findings and explained that as part of their life cycle, fungi produce spores that are designed to be carried through the air and can get just about anywhere. Panepinto said that fungi are unavoidable and originate in the soil. “We breathe in [fungal] spores every day. They are on our shoes, our skin and our clothes,” said Panepinto, an associate professor in the microbiology and immunology department of the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. “Most of us are unaffected, but some of us have allergic reactions to mold spores. It’s only when the human immune system is extremely compromised, such as with AIDS or transplantation, or there are other predisposing factors, that the potential for infection become a serious issue.” Raab said the locations The Spectrum tested, such as the Silverman Library couch and Knox 20 table, are surfaces that often collect dust and oils, typical for environmental molds and fungi. EHS can be contacted to investigate and evaluate any areas with significant mold growth. If found, EHS uses Environmental Protection Agency guidelines for remediation of mold in buildings. Although The Spectrum’s plates covered a number of microbial growths, they don’t capture the full UB microbiome, Chambers said. There is a whole group of bacteria that scientists classify as “unculturable,” he said. “Not all bacteria are going to grow on this. We can’t figure out how to grow them,” Chambers said. “These plates give us a great visual glimpse into the microbes around us, but they don’t give us a complete picture. We have no idea, outside of human pathogenesis, what’s out there in terms of bacteria. It’s sort of a wild, wild west.” email: features@ubspectrum.com

Byrnes said he was raised on Minnesota Avenue when it was seen as a middle-class area, but believes it’s still a good place to live. “I think if there is trash all around, it’s not good for the soul of the community,” Byrnes said. “The neighborhoods changed, but it’s still a good neighborhood and sometimes people have a less than flattering view of the neighborhood that’s not really consistent with the reality.” The group was originally supposed to work on the flower beds that serve as median strips for the street, but Byrnes said the frozen ground prevented them from doing so. Tiffany Taylor, a junior gender studies and English major, said it was hard work, but feels she made a positive impact on the community.

Dr. Jacob Chambers identified high E. coli counts in the mens’ Ellicott bathroom samples, which indicates poor hygiene and hand washing practices.

LEONARDO ROMERO | THE SPECTRUM

I think responsibility for [cleanliness] goes both ways,” said Madison Featherstone, a senior linguistics and AfricanAmerican studies major. “Cleaning should definitely be a priority. I understand that’s hard because places like the library get so much traffic, but students should do more to be hygienic, be good Samaritans and clean up after themselves.”

“I feel the population here is very thankful for what we do,” Taylor said. “I feel like they see college students destroying and littering this community, but we are here to help it develop.” UB alum Wilma Vacca lives in the Heights neighborhood and said she has participated in the event for the past six years and the work they do is important for wildlife in the area. “The plants are sustaining the biodiversity in our community,” Vacca said. “Not just the beauty that we residents get, but also the wildlife that depend on these [flower beds] for food and shelter. So it serves a purpose, but it doesn’t all take care of itself.” email: haruka.kosugi@ubspectrum.com twitter: @kosugispec

Page 6 | The Spectrum

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Monday, April 9, 2018 SYDNEY CAPOTE | THE SPECTRUM

Dancing with purpose Zodiaque Dance Company brings intricacy and enlightenment to CFA BRENTON J. BLANCHET SENIOR ARTS EDITOR

When senior dance major Lilibeth Javier stood up in the front row during Zodiaque Dance Company’s performance with her fist raised, there was no preparing the audience for the speech she was about to give. During the group’s third piece, “Mine Eyes Have Seen,” the dancer walked out of her seat, propelled herself on stage and raised her voice. Javier took to spoken word to point out racial injustice, explaining that she has “so many questions” about the way black individuals are treated in the United States. She then urged the audience to join her in a silent display of solidarity, raising fists, peace signs and covering their mouths. The politically-charged piece inspired the loudest crowd reaction of the night. Zodiaque performed at the Center for the Arts Drama Theatre for a fourday residency, Thursday through Sunday. Thursday’s performance saw a crowd of roughly 200 fill up the venue as 27 dancers worked their way through nine pieces. The pieces ranged from 10 to 15 minutes, shining a light on social movements such as Black Lives Matter, portraying a number of themes and showcasing the diversity of the group’s capabilities. “I’m actually not used to talking because as a dancer, I like to not speak. To have to speak was new and I have to project my voice. It adds an acting ele-

ment that I have to portray,” Javier said. “Having to speak, it feels really powerful in that sense. But for the rest, it just feels free because that’s what it is for me: a way to communicate without actually having to speak.” The rest of the night, although short on vocalization, still spoke volumes. Another audience favorite, “Reign Fall,” choreographed by Zodiaque Assistant Director Jenna Del Monte, saw some of the most luring visuals of the night. As fog filled the stage, spotlights brightened to reveal dancers dressed in elegant white bodysuits with draping accessories. Dancers lifted each other up, pointed in unison and skillfully worked through the backing percussive track. Kaitlyn Arnold, a junior dance major, was one of the nine dancers in “Reign Fall” and is in her second year with Zodiaque. Before the show, Arnold said the group brought something different to the table this year. “The show has a lot more variety and different versatile movements. There’s a Caribbean piece, a tap piece, modern contemporary, post-modern, a jazz piece. … There’s a lot of variety. Every dance is something new,” Arnold said. Zodiaque utilized comedy as well during the night. The second piece, “Laundry List,” showcased the performers’ tap skills while reeling in a few laughs. Dancers wore aprons and set a scene of preparing laundry as they carried

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around buckets. The props weren’t just for show – the dancers used them as a surface to tap on and feel out the rhythm. The piece wrapped up with dancers putting the buckets on their heads and sitting in them, garnering scattered laughs from the crowd. Zodiaque also expressed its genre diversity with “Me Human,” a piece with funky electro music to highlight the collective coolness of the group. Dancers graced the pink lit stage with hands in their pockets. Throughout the piece, they took part in unison jolts of energetic shaking while still managing to look poised as the screen turned to a gray, revealing the dancers’ shadows. Nick Wawrzaszek, a sophomore dance major, thought the show strayed away from the norm. “Basically, I think this show takes a lot of styles that you think you know, and it kind of subverts your idea of them in a good way,” Wawrzaszek said. Director Kerry Ring saw the performance as a way to spread student awareness of Zodiaque. “I really want the audience to take away the awesomeness of dance and that we have awesome dance on campus. The Buffalo community has access to good dance through their university. … These dances are entertaining, but they also provoke and aren’t easy,” Ring said. WRITER | DAVID TUNIS-GARCIA ARTIST | TAJ TAYLOR

email: brenton.blanchet@ubspectrum.com twitter: @BrentBlanchSpec

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SPORTS

Page 8 | The Spectrum

Monday, April 9, 2018

UB Athletics’

top 10

moments in March MADISON MEYER | THE SPECTRUM

DANIEL PETRUCCELLI SPORTS EDITOR

March was an eventful month for UB Athletics. It saw the conclusion of two of the most historic basketball seasons in school history. Take a look at our list highlighting the top 10 sport moments of the month.

10. Kyle Hughes hits halfcourt shot and is featured on ESPN Senior Kyle Hughes made a half-court shot during a halftime promotion at a men’s basketball game between UB and Akron on Feb. 27. UB Athletics offers “pizza for a year” for any student that makes a halfcourt shot. Hughes was initially awarded 12 medium pizzas — one for each month of the year. The prize was later upgraded to 12 large pizzas and 120 wings. The shot and following celebration were featured on ESPN. Scott Van Pelt discussed the shot and Hughes was interviewed by Randy Scott on “Sportscenter AM” the next morning.

(left) The men’s basketball team celebrates their MAC Title victory in Quicken Loans Arena. The MAC Title ranks third on The Spectrum’s list of top 10 events in March. (right) Junior guard Cierra Dillard celebrates after a three. Dillard was instrumental in the Bulls run to the Sweet 16 that ranks first on The Spectrum’s list of top 10 events in March.

American Conference Tournament. Oats arrived as an assistant coach under previous head coach Bobby Hurley. He has now been the head coach for three seasons. This season, he secured the program’s first regular season MAC title and was named the MAC Coach of the Year.

7. Bryan Lantry makes it to day two of NCAA Tournament Redshirt sophomore 133-pounder Bryan Lantry found his way to day two of the NCAA Wrestling Championships in March. Lantry and redshirt sophomore heavyweight Jake Gunning were the only two Bulls to qualify for the championships this year. It was Lantry’s third year qualifying for the championships and Gunning’s second. Lantry went 1-1 on day one of the tournament and recorded a victory against Northwestern’s Colin Valdiviez. He lost his match on day two, ending his run in the tournament.

9. Mark Alnutt named new athletic director

6. Women’s tennis goes undefeated in March

Mark Alnutt, former deputy athletic director at the University of Memphis, was named UB director of athletics on March 21. Alnutt will succeed former Athletic Director Allen Greene, who left in Jan. for the same position at Auburn University. Alnutt attended the University of Missouri where he was a three-time letterman on the football team. Alnutt starts the position Wednesday.

The women’s tennis team (12-3, 6-0 MAC) dominated in March, going undefeated. They went a perfect 7-0 and opened up MAC play going 3-0. They recorded a 6-1 victory over the Miami (OH) RedHawks (8-8, 4-1 MAC) in a rematch of last year’s MAC title game. They also won three of the matches by a score of 7-0.

8. Nate Oats signs contract extension Athletics announced men’s basketball head coach Nate Oats signed an extension on his contract until 2023 during the Mid-

5. Ally Power opens MAC play with no-hitter Junior pitcher Ally Power opened up conference play for the Bulls softball team (13-20, 5-4 MAC) with a no-hitter in a 9-1 win over the Eastern Michigan Eagles (627, 2-8 MAC). It was the fourth no-hitter

in program history and the second no-hitter in a row to come during the conference opener. The Eagles scored their lone run, hitting a sacrifice fly to bring in a runner who had been walked.

4. Women’s basketball receives first at-large bid to NCAA Tournament The women’s basketball team had one of the greatest seasons in program history that included wins over Clemson, Nebraska and University of Nevada, Las Vegas. The team had an RPI ranking in the Top25 for most of the season, despite never being in the Top-25 polls. The Bulls were unable to secure the MAC title and an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament after losing in the finals. But during the selection show they were picked for the first at-large bid in school history, entering as a No. 11 seed.

3. Men’s basketball wins third MAC Championship in four years The men’s basketball team solidified its place at the top of the MAC with its third conference title in four years. The Bulls played consistently throughout the tournament, securing double-digit victories in all three games. Senior guard Wes Clark was named MVP of the tournament. Clark and junior guard Jeremy Harris were named to the all-tournament squad. Clark had 26 points in the championship game to lead the Bulls over the Toledo Rockets.

2. Men’s basketball wins first NCAA Tournament game The Bulls went on to record their first victory in the NCAA Tournament in program history. The Bulls entered the game as a No. 13 seed and were taking on the No. 4 seed Arizona Wildcats. After a close first half where Buffalo led 40-38, the Bulls broke open the game in the second half. They outscored in the second half 49-30 to come away with an 89-68 win. Clark continued to dominate in the postseason with a 25-point performance going 10-of-14 shooting.

1. Women’s basketball advances to Sweet 16 in NCAA Tournament The women weren’t going to be outdone by the men and took their at-large bid all the way to the Sweet 16. They opened up the tournament with a 10279 win over the No. 6 seed South Florida Bulls and followed it up with an 8665 win over the No. 3 seed Florida State Seminoles. The Bulls run would eventually end with a loss to the defending national champion South Carolina Gamecocks. Junior guard Cierra Dillard led the tournament and averaged 29 points per game during the Bulls’ run. After the season, the women’s team received the first Top-25 ranking of either basketball team in program history, finishing No. 21 in the coaches’ poll. email: daniel.petruccelli@ubspectrum.com twitter: @DanP_Spectrum

MEN’S TENNIS SWEEPS WEEKEND PLAY NATHANIEL MENDELSON STAFF WRITER

UB men’s tennis won back-to-back matches against Mid-American Conference opponents this weekend. The Bulls beat the Binghamton Bearcats 6-1 Friday afternoon and the Toledo Rockets 5-2 Saturday. The team won its last three matches to improve to 10-8 on the year and 3-1 in MAC play. “The scores don’t show it, but these matches were close,” said Buffalo head coach Lee Nickell. “I hope that what we learn from this is that no matter what the score, no matter if we’re down, if we stay poised we can come through with the victory. There’s no style points. A win is a win.” The Bulls dominated doubles play against Binghamton (3-14, 0-3 MAC), clinching the point in less than 30 minutes. The number one team of senior Petr Vodak and senior Vidit Vaghela and the number two team of sophomore Villhelm Fridell and sophomore Hao Sheng Koay, each won their match 6-2 to clinch the Buffalo point. The third doubles team of junior Ethan Nittolo and freshman Matthew Johnson led 5-3 when they clinched the point. “For doubles, that one point mattered a lot,” Nickell said. “If we’re down 0-1 and

The Bulls beat Binghamton and Toledo in commanding fashion looking at those matches, we’d be stressed. Getting that point early is big and finding the right teammates like we did has been the key.” The Bulls only dropped the fifth singles match en route to victory. On Saturday, the Bulls matched up with Toledo (3-13, 0-4 MAC) for the second time this season, previously defeating them 6-1. The Bulls narrowly escaped with the doubles point. The third team of Johnson and Nittolo won 6-4, the second team of Fridell and Koay tied 6-6 and the first team of Vodak and Vaghela held off a strong Toledo comeback to win 7-5. “I would say it’s just crazy because in this format with just one set you have to expect it to be up and down,” Vodak said. “It can change so quick so even when we were tied two times, we knew we could still come back. Like today, if it’s 5-2 it’s most likely going to get tight. We just need to count on that so when we actually get tied we just look ahead and forget about it.” In singles play, Fridell continued his dominant play at the third position with a 6-3, 6-0 straight set victory. Fridell only lost four total points all weekend, losing just

one in the matchup against Binghamton. Nickell altered the lineup, replacing Vaghela with freshman Nickolas Frisk to play fifth singles after not playing versus Binghamton. Frisk won 6-3, 6-4 to clinch the winning point for the Bulls. “Today, he did what we asked him to do. He beat a guy that has beaten us a couple of times,” Nickell said. “That’s really big and I hope it gives him some confidence and some positivity knowing that these coaches are pushing him the right way and I can be successful.” Frisk is from Santiago, Chile and has been trying to adapt to Buffalo. Frisk grew up playing outside on clay courts which are much slower and different than the indoor hard courts the team uses at the Miller Tennis Center, according to Nickell. “It’s been tough. Different culture, different country, different climate, but I’m working through it,” Frisk said. The Bulls’ next matchup is a highly anticipated rematch with the Western Michigan Broncos (17-4, 4-0 MAC). The Broncos defeated Buffalo 5-2 in a neutral site match at Toledo earlier this season.

COURTESY | PAUL HOKANSON/UB ATHLETICS

Freshman Nickolas Frisk prepares to hit the ball with a back hand. The Bulls picked up two wins this weekend to improve its conference record to 3-1.

“This year, Western Michigan is much improved and that first match was a tough one, but we have all the faith in the world and if we focus on what we’ve learned this spring then I have the utmost confidence in these guys,” Nickell said. The matchup will take place at 11 a.m. on Sunday at the Miller Tennis Center and will be the Bulls’ final home game of the regular season. email: sports@ubspectrum.com