The Spectrum Vol. 68 No.39

Page 1

THE SPECTRUM VOL. 68 NO. 39 | MARCH 29, 2019

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

UBSPECTRUM

Sometimes the monster isn’t under your bed

p.9 p.12 p.16 GRAPHIC BY: GRACE KLAK

RA agreement may violate students’ free speech Campus Living said it will review its RA/CA training program as legal experts question agreement’s constitutionality BENJAMIN BLANCHET, BRENTON J. BLANCHET EDITORIAL STAFF

For years, resident advisers have told The Spectrum they can’t talk about their classroom experiences without Campus Living approval. Some said they can’t even talk about Sizzles’ burgers. Why? They said Campus Living “doesn’t allow” them. When students become RAs or CAs, they have to sign an agreement. The agreement references Campus Living’s “Student Code of Ethics,” which states that student employees cannot speak to the media without professional permission. Legal experts say this language is “overly broad” and could be a violation of students’ First Amendment rights.

“An RA has a legal right to speak as an individual about personal experiences and observations and about working conditions, and the employer has no authority to control that speech or to impose punishment for it,” said Frank LoMonte, a media law expert and director of the Brechner Center for Freedom of Information at the University of Florida. Campus Living Senior Associate Director Brian Haggerty said the agreement “does not limit RAs from speaking with the media from the perspective of a UB student.” Students, he said, are free to ask if they have questions about the policy. “We approach each year with a reasonable expectation that new staff will seek some clarification about their job expectations,” Haggerty wrote in an email. He wrote that he would make the policy more clear for incoming students in August. “I can’t address what former staff are describing, but for returning and incoming staff, we will review our current training program held in August to be sure staff are clear about expectations.” Legal experts say, as a public university, UB has some control over non-student employee speech. Still, they said Campus Liv-

Can RAs talk to the media? In early January, a Spectrum reporter asked a student for a reaction on a story about campus food. She declined to comment and said it was because she is an RA. LoMonte said the student’s response is “the exact risk of an overly broad policy.” LoMonte said if a person gave an interview and spoke as a Campus Dining & Shops customer and got fired by Campus Living, it would be a “slam dunk” First Amendment case in any U.S. court. “You couldn’t possibly say, ‘Well, when we told you to sign this confidentiality agreement, we literally meant that you forfeit all of your rights attached to the media > SEE RA

AGREEMENT | PAGE 8

BREAKDOWN OF 2019-20

The Spectrum elects 2019-20 editor-in-chief Editorial board unanimously elects managing editor Brenton Blanchet

ing’s code has “overly broad” language and it raises questions over First Amendment violations of college students’ free speech. Haggerty said the code does not “represent a contractual relationship,” although they still have to sign a document and verify they understand the code. The document they sign includes a statement of agreement that says they “must abide” by their “job description (including the code of ethics).” LoMonte said whether a document is referred to as a “contract,” “rule” or “policy,” you can’t force people to surrender First Amendment rights as a condition of employment. He said it’s fine if the agreement says they’ll respect residents’ confidential information but a blanket “don’t talk to the media without approval” prohibition “goes too far.”

SA EBOARD CANDIDATES INITIATIVE PARTY ACTION PARTY

CLEAR PARTY GOING FORWARD, GOING BLUE PARTY

JACKLYN WALTERS CO-SENIOR NEWS EDITOR

The Spectrum’s editorial board elected Brenton Blanchet, a junior communication major, as editor-in-chief for the 201920 academic year. Blanchet ran unopposed and campaigned for a web-driven approach to news coverage with an emphasis on social media. “This position means the world to me because now I’ll be in charge of the paper > SEE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF | PAGE 7

P.R.I.D.E. PARTY STUDENT REFORM PARTY

Full story on pages 4&5 > SEE RA

AGREEMENT | PAGE 2

Co-existing in small numbers

> SEE PAGE

Buffalo basketball seasons end on same day

Nate Oats leaving UB

Coach signs new contract with Alabama

ANGELA BARCA Head coach Nate Oats looks on during Buffalo’s NCAA tournament loss in 2016. Oats has resigned from UB and will now be the head coach at University of Alabama. NATHANIEL MENDELSON SENIOR SPORTS EDITOR

Men’s basketball head coach Nate Oats is leaving UB for the same position at the University of Alabama. Oats, who signed a five-year extension on March 14, resigned on Wednesday and owe UB $750,000 to take the position in Alabama. When Oats signed his new deal, he told his agent to tell other schools “no” unless the offer is “unreal.” Oats was set to make $837,000 this season and will replace Alabama coach Avery Johnson who made $2.9 million this season. Oats would have been the highest-paid public employee in New York State. The men’s basketball program just finished its best season in program history finishing with 32 wins and earning a No. 6 seed in the NCAA tournament. Buffalo was ranked for 19 consecutive weeks and has won Mid-American Conference championships in three of Oats’ four years as head coach. “I want to thank the UB administration for helping us elevate Buffalo into one of the premier mid-major programs in the country,” Oats said in a UB athletics press release. “The support we have received from the Western New York community during the good times and the bad times has been nothing short of amazing. This community has made Buffalo feel like home for Crystal and my family over the last six years.” Associate head coach Jim Whitesell will serve as the interim head coach during the search. This announcement comes after Oats reaffirmed his love for Western New York when he signed his new contract. “I wish Nate the very best and we’re thankful for everything he has done to elevate our men’s basketball program,” said Athletic Director Mark Alnutt in a press release. “An opportunity like this is life changing for Nate and his family. Thanks to Nate and the team’s success, the Buffalo coaching position will be extremely attractive and a national search is already underway. It will be conducted as quickly and as thoroughly as possible. We wish Nate and his family all the best.” UB Athletics said they will not be releasing any further comments on the search at this time. Email: nathaniel.mendelson@ubspectrum.com


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.