THE SPECTRUM VOL. 68 NO. 45 | APRIL 18, 2019
THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT PUBLICATION OF THE UNIVERSITY AT BUFFALO, SINCE 1950
UBSPECTRUM
UB students share spring fashion trends
Spring Fling: Buffalo Chips celebrate 24 years at Friday concert
Drive to win: UB football follows teammate’s lead to find bone marrow donors
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UB student dies following possible Sigma Pi hazing “He always worked really hard,” Siddiqui said. “He would always put his GPA goal up on his desk and I would always see him studying every time I walked in, especially during the first BENJAMIN BLANCHET, JACKLYN WALTERS half of the year.” ENGAGEMENT EDITOR, MANAGING EDITOR Serafin-Bazan was a “quiet, nice” guy who could Eighteen-year-old Sebastian Serafin- also be funny, Siddiqui said. Bazan was a dedicated student who kept a Rankine said there were alPost-it note above his desk that said “GPA ways great conversations goal 4.0.” and many laughs in the His Ellicott Complex roommate Haris room. Siddiqui, a freshman business adminis“He was really funny and tration major, described him as studious, dedicated to whatever he but fun, someone who shared lots of late- was interested in,” Rankine COURTESY OF INSTAGRAM 18-year-old Sebastian Serafin-Bazan died on Wednesday after night laughter and had a passion for soc- said. Friday’s alleged hazing on South Campus. cer. He loved to cheer for tal on Saturday and sent his condolences Siddiqui, like the rest of campus, was Portuguese soccer star Crisstunned to learn of his death on Wednes- tiano Ronaldo, and would watch Juventus to the family in a statement on Wednesday. He also sent a letter to the UB community. day, six days after he suffered a cardiac ar- games in his room, Siddiqui said. rest and was hospitalized after an alleged “He was quiet, kept to himself but at “We join them in mourning the tragic loss hazing involving fraternity Sigma Pi in the the same time, [he] was never an awkward of a member of our UB family,” Tripathi University Heights. Serafin-Bazan lived in guy,” Siddiqui said. “We would laugh a lot, wrote. “If you are struggling, please know a quad with Siddiqui and Daequan Ran- though, and one time he laughed so hard that our university counselors are here to provide you support in the aftermath of kine, a freshman computer science major. he fell out of his chair.” Siddiqui said Serafin-Bazan was an ideal As a roommate, Siddiqui said his dedica- this terrible loss. As we grieve Sebastian’s roommate, who was polite and courteous. tion to studying definitely motivated him. passing today and well beyond, it is my “When you see someone hope that each of us pauses to remind else studying like [him], you ourselves that we can only uphold our husay that you better get on top manity by treating each other with dignity, of your stuff, too,” Siddiqui compassion and kindness.” He said UB has sources available for said. students mourning the loss. Serafin-Bazan was a Port Student Association President Gunnar Chester Senior High School Haberl also sent an email to the student graduate. On Tuesday, Serafinbody. “As we navigate these hard times, it Bazan’s parents came to the dorm to pick up his belong- is imperative that we keep Sebastian Serafin-Bazan, his family, and friends in our ings, Siddiqui said. On Wednesday night, the hearts,” Haberl wrote. floor was quiet and SerafinUB Counseling Services can be reached this Bazan’s name tag was not on week at (716) 645-2720 (Richmond Quadthe door. His desk was empty rangle) and/or (716) 829-5800 (Michael Hall). and his bed was stripped. NATHANIEL MENDELSON | THE SPECTRUM UB President Satish Tripathi Email: benjamin.blanchet@ubspectrum.com The UB flag outside of the Lee Loop flies at half mast on Wednesday night visited the family in the hospi- and Jacklyn.Walters@ubspectrum.com
Roommates, peers describe Sebastian Serafin-Bazan as a ‘dedicated,’ ‘good’ student
UB Community upset but hopeful after Notre Dame fire SAMANTHA VARGAS, EMILY REAGAN SENIOR FEATURES EDITOR, CONTRIBUTOR
Many UB students were shocked to hear about the fire that devastated the historic Notre Dame Cathedral on Monday. The fire destroyed most of the Paris cathedral’s roof and middle spire after burning for over nine hours. The fire began around 6 p.m. following an alleged accident involving construction work, according to CNN. The cathedral was undergoing a $6.8 million renovation project and scaffolding covered large portions of the roof. The fire began in the cathedral’s attic before spreading across the roof and spire. UB students from France said the cathedral is a symbol of Paris, since the Catholic church began its construction in 1163.
COURTESY OF MILLIPED The Notre Dame Cathedral caught fire Monday night. The fire destroyed the roof and middle spire.
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Twitter: @JacklynUBSpec
DAME | PAGE 4
Former Secretary of State Hazing by the numbers biomedical and chemical engineering proCondoleezza Rice speaks at fessor, said. And for that, you get a small group of UB UB professor Natesh Parashurama re- friends who call themselves “brothers.” Former Secretary of State Condoleezza BRITTANY GORNY
SENIOR NEWS EDITOR
Rice discusses politics, education and defying discrimination
Rice said it is time for America to fight the “four horsemen of the apocalypse:” populism, nativism, protectionism and nationalism. ISABELLA NURT, TANVEEN VOHRA Rice, who served as America’s highestEDITORIAL STAFF ranking diplomat, spoke to a crowd of over 1,500 Buffalo community members in the Alumni Arena Wednesday night. She discussed differences in foreign policy during the Bush and Trump administrations as well as domestic issues like the public school system. Rice was the first African-American provost at Stanford University, the first woman to serve as National Security Advisor and the first African-American woman to become Secretary of State. SHUBH JAIN | THE SPECTRUM Rice said most of her role models were white men because that was the demographic that dominated her field. “If I had waited for an African-
For an exclusive Q&A with Condoleezza Rice, see page 4
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SERIES | PAGE 2
members being woken up in the middle of the night, blindfolded and forced to answer questions posed by brothers in Alpha Tau Omega, the MIT fraternity he was pledging and hoped to join. He was a freshman, he said, and was eager to be accepted and have a place to fit in. He said he knew the rituals were used to “scare” recruits, but that was part of the process. “You join [a fraternity] and really have to show your commitment,” Parashurama, a
Increasingly, however, rituals of belonging have become dangerous. In the last five years, 30 U.S. college students, 29 males and one female, have died as a result of hazing by fraternities and sororities. Sixteen of the deaths involved alcohol, according to Hank Nuwer, an author specializing in hazing. There have been 77 deaths since 2005. On Wednesday, the UB campus was shocked by the news of the death of > SEE HAZING | PAGE 2
Excersise Related Deaths University of Lowell North Carolina Prairie View A & M (Massachusetts)Central University- Delta Kappa Phi (Texas)Omega Psi Phi
Phi Beta Sigma
1978 1975
1980 1980
Ithaca CollegeWashington State Delta Kappa UniversityTau Kappa Epsilon
2009 2001
Tennessee State University-
2015
Louisiana State University
Omega Psi Phi
GRAPHIC BY: GRACE KLAK