Vol. 61 NO. 25
ubspectrum.com
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Desi Green Ousted on the Brink of History Former UB wrestler kicked off team because of drug use Desi Green, the most decorated wrestler in UB's history, was asked to leave the team because of his refusal to take a drug test.
ANDREIUS COLEMAN Asst. Sports Editor Last year, Desi Green annihilated almost every opponent who dared challenge him and became the pride of the UB wrestling team and the athletics department. He was the first junior to reach 100 wins and was set to break even more records this season. That will not happen. Marijuana got in his way. At the end of last season, the UB wrestling team dismissed arguably the greatest wrestler it has ever had for drug use. The athletic department said he had failed numerous mandatory student-athlete drug tests. “Yes, I smoke marijuana,” Green said. “But I
Troi Williams /// The Spectrum
have never been [academically] ineligible. I was a full-time varsity athlete. We were getting up at 6 in the morning, going to practice, and then going to classes, and going to practice after that. I still made sure I kept my grades good, which was hard for me because I was never school-oriented.”
everything.”
The first test was administered after coaches noticed Green wearing a pair of earrings shaped like cannabis plants, according to the former wrestler.
In fact, some suggest it could be detrimental to performance. Not in Green’s case, judging from his record.
Green – a 22-year-old social sciences major – Go to ubspectrum.com for more details. Don’t miss out on your said he smokes marijuana to relax and insists opportunity to win! his habit had no effect on his performance. Marijuana, unlike steroids, does not enhance athletic ability, Green said.
When he failed his first test, he said, other athletes in his circle started to be called in for testing.
Last year, Green won his second consecutive Mid-American Conference championship in his weight class. He seemed to be on track to become the best UB wrestler ever.
“They say it was random,” Green said. “I only hang out with about six or seven athletes, and after my first failed test, all of those athletes got tested...People probably look at everybody I hang out with differently now because of
“Desi has turned into an all-around great wrestler,” said head coach Jim Beichner after Desi’s MAC Championship win last season. “He’s a two-time MAC champ and he could probably become the all-time wins leader at Continued on page 2
‘Paranormal Activity 3’ Draws Masses SA blamed for poor organization
REBECCA BRATEK News Editor While Fallfest was happening in Alumni Arena on Thursday night, the Student Association also showed Paranormal Activity 3 before it was released in theaters. But students were less than pleased with the planning of the event. Many students complained of being turned away at the door of the Student Union Theater, even though they had tickets. “I understand that Paramount gave UB [more] tickets to ensure theater capacity, but the way the event was organized by SA was horrible,” said Charise Gelser, a junior business major. “I missed getting into the theater by about 10 people, but saw countless others budging in line ahead of us with no SA staff doing anything.” Paramount Pictures, Paranormal series’ production company, provided SA with 2,000 tickets,
along with instructions to give away more tickets than seats, according to a press release made available by the SA on Tuesday. Tickets were only available before the event, and students had to stop in the SA office to pick up the advance tickets. No tickets were given out at the preview.
“When it became clear many people weren’t going to get in and more than 350 people were in line, people toward the back decided to cut when the doors
Will vote on demanding UB to cut ties with chambers of commerce LUKE HAMMILL Senior News Editor The Buffalo Center Chapter of the United University Professions (UUP), the union that represents many UB faculty and staff members, will hold a referendum to demand that UB “break all ties” with the Buffalo Niagara Partnership and the Business Council of New York State. UB UUP members met Monday afternoon in the Student Union Theater to finalize the language of the referendum. The next step is to hold the referendum; it will go out by mail to all of UB UUP members, and if a majority supports the referendum, the union will proceed to take action against the university, according to Michael Behun, the president of UB UUP. The Buffalo Niagara Partnership (BNP) and the Business Council of New York State (BCNYS) are chambers of commerce at the local and state levels, respectively. Union members see the university’s involvement with the two organizations as incompatible with the mission of a public university. One version of the referendum reads, in part:
SA staff members declined an interview with The Spectrum regarding the event, and only provided a press release. The press release also stated that 650 students showed up for the screening. The Student Union Theater seats 350 people, and 300 students had to be turned away at the door. The tickets included the disclaimer, “Seating is on a first come, first seated basis. Passes DO NOT guarantee admission,” on the bottom of each ticket.
Faculty Union Moves Forward With Referendum
“The Buffalo Niagara Partnership and the Business Council of New York State engage in lobbying and partisan political activity unrelated to the legitimate mission of SUNY.” Students are blaming SA for the poor organization of an advanced screening of Paranormal Courtesy of Paramount Pictures Activity 3 on Thursday.
opened,” said Caleb Vaughn, a sophomore business major. “If there were like stamps or something to that effect given to people as they got there, or even a queue line or security to help organize the event, [it may have been better].” The sneak preview was brought to UB as a marketing incentive
to boost public box office sales for the film premiere. The film made $54 million at the box office this past weekend, and Vaughn added that he was impressed that SA was able to get such a highly anticipated movie to play on campus before local theaters even released it. Due to the limited availability of Continued on page 2
The BNP operates a political action committee called the Committee for Economic Growth, which advocates for and against political candidates and public policy on behalf of the BNP. In the upcoming elections, the BNP has publicly endorsed Republican Chris Collins for Erie County executive, Democrat Paul Dyster for mayor of Niagara Falls, Republican Chris Jacobs for Erie County clerk, Democrat Mark Schroeder for Buffalo comptroller, and Democrat Craig Bucki for state assemblyman. UB President Satish K. Tripathi sits on the BNP’s Board of Directors, and the university is listed as part of the BNP’s “President’s Circle” of “major investors,”
Up, Up, And Away
Continued on page 2
UB-SEDS Launches Weather Balloon Into Space STEVEN WROBEL Life Editor It’s a bird. It’s a plane. It’s a…weather balloon. While many students spend their weekends partying, studying, and hanging out with their friends, one club at UB spent its weekend studying the outer realms of Earth’s atmosphere. UB Students for the Exploration and Development Space (UB-SEDS) is a club that sets its ambitions skyward to generate interest and activism in the community for any and all space-related topics, according to Sean Lyons, a senior aerospace engineering major.
Weather for the Week: Wednesday: Rain- H: 49, L: 40 Thursday: Rain- H: 43, L: 33 Friday: Partly Cloudy- H: 49, L: 38
Lyons was the project manager of the club’s High-Altitude Weather Balloon Project (HAWB). The project’s goal was to send a weather balloon into the sky to measure temperature and atmospheric pressure. In addition, the team wanted to capture pictures and video footage to document the trip and measure the atmospheric boundary layers. “This project is one of the most challenging yet rewarding feats of my undergraduate career,” Lyons said. “The lessons I have learned and [the] success of this project have given me an inspiration no course offered at this university could ever provide.” The launching of the balloon last Saturday, Oct. 22, was the culmination of many hours of planning. The group had to not only raise
the funds to take on this project, but it also had to develop the means by which to perform all the desirable functions. UB-SEDS procured $1,100 in funding from sponsorships from local companies and from Sub Board I Inc. “The idea for this came about in either October or November of last year, when we saw a video of a father-and-son team that sent an iPhone aboard a balloon and recovered it, becoming a temporary media sensation on many newscasts and newspapers,” said Andrew Dianetti, president of UB-SEDS and a junior aerospace engineering major. “Other schools and groups throughout the country have developed such payloads as well, but nobody in this area had attempted it, as far as we could find.” Continued on page 5
I N S I D E The UB-SEDS club has set its sights sky-high this semester.
Courtesy of SEDS
Opinion * 3 Life * 7 Arts * 8 & 9 Classifieds / Daily Delights * 11 Sports * 12