the Independent Student Publication of the University at Buffalo, Since 1950
The $ pectrum ubspectrum.com
Volume 62 No. 9
Money Issue, Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Arts on loan Story on page 11
Wednesday night fight Story on page 16
Satsuki Aoi /// The Spectrum
Satsuki Aoi /// The Spectrum
Passengers await the UB Stampede, which has been the source of numerous complaints early this school year.
Students have had to pack into Stampede buses this year and, at times, wait over an hour.
Passengers peeved with sluggish Stampede
Frustrated students pay involuntary $171.75 transportation fee every semester AARON MANSFIELD Editor in Chief
When he went back the next day and waited two and a half hours, he’d had enough. “It’s not acceptable,” said Pathirage, a senior chemistry major, who was left waiting Aug. 25 and 26. Students called the transportation office both days but nobody answered. “It’s not a charity. It’s paid for entirely.” UB students pay an involuntary $171.75 every semester for a “transportation fee,” the majority of which goes to the Stampede. The 28-bus fleet runs 24 hours a day. Many feel they haven’t been getting their money’s worth this semester; students say the buses
Don Salinda Pathirage was in a hurry to get from his Winspear apartment to North Campus and thought he’d hop on the UB Stampede, which is supposed to run every 20 minutes. He waited two hours – the time in which six buses were supposed to come – and no bus showed up. Pathirage, an international student who doesn’t drive in Buffalo, gave up and walked home.
have been running far behind schedule. UB, however, insists everything is normal. Chris Austin, assistant director of parking and transportation services, said there were three buses servicing campus the weekend of Aug. 24-26, which is standard for a weekend during daytime hours. Austin said the Stampede will have more buses available for that weekend next year. The late buses weren’t just a problem during opening weekend, however. Four passengers tweeted complaints to the @UBSpectrum Twitter account last week.
“It’s a time-of-day issue,” Austin said. “On weekdays, we go back to that peak period of classes – that quarter to each hour, that 10 to each hour. Those are our peak points where students may need to wait a couple of buses before being able to board one.” Some passengers, however, aren’t satisfied with being told they just have to wait. Pathirage said it seems one bus has disappeared from the schedule. “On average, the buses have been 20 minutes late,” Pathirage said. “It’s been really intolerable wondering when it’s going to Continued on page 7
The high cost of cheap housing ERIN ELLIS Staff Writer A sump pump hose snakes out of a broken basement window. That house’s foundation is cracked. This is the reality to the residents of 195 Englewood Ave. Last Saturday, UB had its second Housing Blitz of the 2012-13 academic year. One of the houses selected for inspection had a buckling, nearly collapsing wall. The troubled house was one of 20 inspected during the blitz. Most of the houses had what the present building inspectors described as common violations. It was evident from the poor condition of the Englewood home the house was subjected to years of neglect, according to Keith Davies, a city building code inspector, who was at the blitz. “That whole wall needs to be rebuilt,” Davies said. “Eventually the house will buckle and cave in.” He went on to say if the landlords don’t attempt to make the required repairs soon, the students living in that home are in danger of being homeless. On Jan. 9, 2011, 63 Montrose Ave. – another home in
Alexa Strudler /// The Spectrum
Students vote to mandate or abandon the activity fee This week, undergraduate students have the power to decide whether or not the mandatory student activity fee will continue for the 2013-14 academic year. The referendum vote occurs every two years. The fee funds the Undergraduate Student Association, its clubs and other campus activities like the Distinguished Speaker Series, Fall and Spring Fests, comedy series, film series and its day-today operations as the largest student government in the SUNY system.
Erin Ellis /// The Spectrum
This is the attic in 195 Englewood Ave., which was one of several houses investigated by the housing blitz on Saturday.
The Heights district – was damaged because of a serious electrical fire. That home is owned by BRoS Properties. Bradley and Shawn Engel manage the company and own 17 apartment houses in The Heights, according to their website. The Englewood home with the collapsing wall is also one of these houses. The basement was consumed in black mold after groundwater penetrated through a gaping crack in the wall. Although the Englewood Avenue residents were hesitant to speak up against the property
Continued on page 7
management, they did express serious concern. The numerous violations noted by city building inspectors will not be made public until sometime next week, according to Lou Petrucci, assistant director of the department of permits and inspections services for the City of Buffalo. The students in the neglected home were not willing to speak on the record with The Spectrum. More than half of the houses inspected had hasp locks – a type of padlock. These locks are
a building code violation when installed on any interior doors. The lock, located on the doorframe, makes it easier for an individual to be trapped in his or her room during a fire and more difficult to be rescued, according to all officials present at the blitz. Other common violations in many of the homes include upholstered furniture outdoors, outdoor grills under covered porches and the use of common areas (like a living room) as a bedroom. Most students living in The Heights aren’t aware of what to check for before signing a lease for one of the homes in the area, according to Dan Ryan, director of off-campus housing. Sub-Board, Inc., which provides free legal advice and representation to UB students, has a website that contains a search engine for potential rental properties in Buffalo. “Right now it’s not much different than Craigslist,” Ryan said. Student Affairs is interested in changing the current system, according to Ryan. Sub-Board has a disclaimer on its website stating that it is not responsible for any inaccuracies posted about property listings by students or landlords in the search engine. Ryan wants Continued on page 7
Inside
Opinion 3 news 5 Life 8,9,10
Classifieds & Daily Delights 15
Arts & Entertainment 11,12 Sports 16