the Independent Student Publication of the University at Buffalo, Since 1950
The S pectrum ubspectrum.com
Volume 62 No. 8
Friday, September 14, 2012
Mixtape Monthly No. 6
Two programs added to Undergraduate Academies Story on page 4
Story on page 6
SUNY to investigate UB’s role in fracking SARA DINATALE Senior News Editor SUNY is demanding answers about UB’s controversial shale institute. On Wednesday, the SUNY Board of Trustees passed a resolution requiting UB to explain how its controversial shale institute was founded, how its directors were chosen and – most importantly to its critics – the role natural gas companies had in the founding the institute. The vote to get more information was unanimous. E. Bruce Pitman, dean of the college of arts and sciences, says the institute, called the Shale Research and Society Institute (SRSI), is a purely academic endeavor that has no ties to industry. “Even though certain people do not want to believe it, the institute has not received industry funding,” he said an email. Martin is receiving $72,000 yearly for his co-director position. Pitman confirmed the salary of the institute’s director John P. Martin, as $60,000 with monthly stipends of $1,000 for traveling expenses. Martin is only required to work at “25 percent effort,” according to documents obtained by Artvoice as a response to a Freedom of Information Law request. Some professors at UB find the number shocking. “Seventy-two thousand dollars for 25 percent of position suggests a far higher pay rate, like almost four times I think what your typi-
Courtesy of John Armstrong
NYPERG, in coalition with New Yorkers Against Fracking, protested Wednesday at the SUNY Board of Trustees meeting in New York City.
cal humanities professor in the College of Arts and Sciences makes” said Martha McCluskey, professor of law and member of UB Coalition for Leading Ethically in Academic Research (UBCLEAR). “So that is, it’s kind of an eyebrow-raising amount.” The institute’s budget is $40,000, which is from the College of Arts and Sciences’ discretionary funds. Martin’s salary is not part of this budget, Pitman said.
It is unclear what funds the salary is coming from. Both McClusky and James Holstun, an English professor and UBCLEAR chairman, wrote a letter signed by 83 faculty members last month requesting the university’s transparency – SUNY is now echoing those requests. The signers of the August letter were concerned about the university’s ties to the oil industry, after a controversial pro-fracking report was issued by SRSI in May.
Holstun too, finds Martin’s salary to be too high, and questions what he has done since his employment in December, and described him as “inaccessible.” “He’s getting paid retroactively, it appears,” Holstun said. “He hasn’t responded to any of the criticisms of the first publication. He hasn’t been receptive to phone calls. He hasn’t been in Buffalo, as far as we can tell – he lives in Saratoga Springs, NY. He’s just been cashing his check.” The Spectrum emailed Martin at 6 p.m. on Thursday and did not receive a response by the time of press. Martin declined an interview with the NY Times in June when the controversy regarding SRIS’s pro-fracking report first came out. Martin was hired as co-director because “there was no full-time faculty member with the kind of background to lead an institute like this,” Pitman said in an email. He wrote that Martin’s 17 years at the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (a group that says they aim to improved the energy, economic and environmental wellbeing in New York State), and being co-director of the NY Governor's Carbon Capture Sequestration Group (a group that studied fracking for NYSERDA), make Pitman have no doubts about Martin’s qualifications. However, McCluskey feels “there’s s lot of non-clarity about the dual financial, conflicting financial interests of the institute codirector,” because Martin works independently for JPMartin Energy Strategy LLC, which his website states he “provides strategic planning resource evaluation, project management, and Continued on page 2
Buffalo Boys on the big screen MAX CRINNIN Staff Writer
Courtesy of Ben Miller On Wednesday, Apple reveled its latest product upgrade: the iPhone 5.
Everything you need to know about the iPhone 5 DUANE OWENS Asst. Arts Editor Apple has dominated in MP3 players and has been considered the Mercedes-Benz of cellular phones since the iPhone was first introduced by the late great Steve Jobs in 2007. On Sept. 12, Apple proved his legacy will continue moving forward by unveiling the new iPhone 5 at its September 2012 keynote. Here is a quick run through of everything you need to know about the iPhone 5. Physical Aspects: The iPhone 5 is taller, thinner and lighter than previous iPhones – making it one of the thinnest, lightest smartphones on the market. The iPhone 5 will be 80 percent thin-
ner with a 4-inch screen, and it contains 12 percent less volume. The phone is made up of an aluminum unibody and a stronger glass screen. Display: With MacBooks and iPad 3s receiving much sharper display than previous models, it’s only right the iPhone 5 receives the same treatment. The high-resolution phone now pumps out 44 percent more color saturation to make pictures, videos and apps display brilliantly. Inside: Inside the body of the Apple device you will find the new A6 processor. Because the charger has now been reduced in size, there’s plenty of room for the new processor. Overall performance and graphics are now twice as fast. Continued on page 8
Inside
Outsiders might have preconceived notions of Buffalo, but they don’t call it “the rough Buff ” for nothing. Buffalo Boys is a film that examines the theme of fatherlessness and its damage in a young person’s life. This adaptation of a true story takes place in Buffalo, but according to director Raymond Guarnieri, it could have taken place anywhere in American suburbia. The main character of the film grows up in a home where he is misled about who his real father is. After discovering his “father” is merely his stepfather, the 15-year-old falls into a world of drugs and violence along with a friend, as they plot to murder an elderly woman and collect her life insurance. Guarnieri was a witness to this story as a youth growing up in Buffalo. Although he is not at liberty to share details on the real-life characters, he knew the main character and said his tough-guy attitude depicted on screen is true to his real-life persona. Guarnieri and this boy grew apart as they entered high school, but the boy’s death inspired him to start writing the film in 2010. “Many things in the film are exactly as they happened, while many things aren’t even close,” Guarnieri said. “The only people who can judge how it really was are the people who knew these boys.”
Opinion 3 Life 5
Courtesy of Buffalo Boys
Buffalo native Raymond Guarnieri decided to come home to film his movie Buffalo Boys, which tells of a child’s struggles in the inner city.
Guarnieri was born and raised in the Buffalo area and attended Clarence High School. Although he feels a strong connection to this area, it was immediately after high school that he left for New York City to pursue a career in the entertainment industry. “I had a strong feeling of needing to get out and see the
world,” Guarnieri said. “As great of a place as [Buffalo] is, it’s very bubble-like. I mean that in the nicest way, but you have to get out and experience different things.” Strong feelings and memories brought Guarnieri back for his film.
Arts & Entertainment 6,7
Classifieds & Daily Delights 9
Sports 10
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