THE SPECTRUM VOL. 68 NO. 50 | MAY 09, 2019
THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT PUBLICATION OF THE UNIVERSITY AT BUFFALO, SINCE 1950
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Graphic by Grace Klak
May, 09, 1979 - On this day, The Spectrum reported…. On a 125,000 person anti-nuclear power march in Washington D.C. The Spectrum had reporters and photographers live on the scene. Protestors carried flags reading “people before profit, no nukes” and chanted “twofour-six-eight, we don’t want to radiate” as they marched to the Capitol. Ralph Nader gave a speech to the crowd that was celebrated by the marchers. The march lasted all day, with Spectrum reporters noting the mix of older and younger marchers.
UB to replace Sub-Board I with Faculty Student Association as student government fiscal agent President for Finance and Administration Laura Hubbard. The change comes as a surprise to SBI’s 17 full-time employees, who learned on Monday their office was being dissolved and at least nine workers would lose their TANVEEN VOHRA, JACKLYN WALTERS jobs. UB is also considering cutting stuCO-SENIOR NEWS EDITORS dent services supplied by SBI, including free legal counsel, the South Campus safeUB is replacing Sub-Board I, which has ty shuttle bus, radio station WRUB and an overseen student government funds for off-campus housing search service. the past 49 years, with the Faculty Student Student government leaders, too, Association, a private nonprofit. learned of the decision Monday and feel FSA, which currently conducts business blindsided by the announcement and anas Campus Dining & Shops, will take over gry they were shut out of the decisionSBI’s $3.2 million in investment accounts making process. On Monday, Tuesday and on July 1, according to Vice President of Wednesday, The Spectrum office was floodStudent Life A. Scott Weber and Vice ed with concerns. Weber defended the decision, which came a year after a university-wide audit into SBI’s practices and seven months into an internal campus review of SBI’s practices. The audit began after former Vice President for Student Life Dennis Black pleaded guilty to embezzling $320,000 from FSA. He was conSHUBH JAIN | THE SPECTRUM victed of grand larceny in 2017. A. Scott Weber, the vice president for Student Life, disStudent leaders expressed shock cusses the review committee’s decision to make FSA the that UB would consolidate power new fiscal agent for student governments.
Student leaders, SBI workers angered and confused by administrative decision
UB President Satish Tripathi discusses Greek life, campus protests and Kapoor Hall renaming cent architectural implementations to this year’s most pressing topics, including protests for both graduate stipends and more black faculty. Tripathi began the 30-minute discussion by going over UB’s social BRENTON J. BLANCHET, fraternity and sorority suspension, which TANVEEN VOHRA, JACKLYN WALTERS came after freshman Sebastian Serafin-BaSPECTRUM STAFF zan died following a possible hazing inciSatish Tripathi has been UB president dent involving fraternity Sigma Pi. Tripathi said the committee reviewing for eight years and said he’ll continue to Greek life, which is chaired by the dean of serve the role as long as he feels like he can the Graduate School of Education, con“make a difference.” Or –– as he joked –– as long as he sists of administration, faculty members, Greek life members, students who aren’t doesn’t get fired. Tripathi met with Spectrum editors on part of Greek life and alumni. He hopes Monday on the fifth floor of Capen to the committee will “really examine our discuss everything from the university’s re- Greek life policies and structures” and come up with the report by the end of the summer. “We got to pause, we got to think about what is it that we’re doing, why we’re doing it and what’s wrong with it,” Tripathi said of UB’s decision to halt social Greek life activities. “And to do that, reSHUBH JAIN | THE SPECTRUM President Tripathi talked with The Spectrum Monday about Greek life ally, you have to take and the May Day rally that ended with a coffin in his office.
Tripathi has end-ofyear discussion with The Spectrum
Thanks for the memories
Letters to the editor
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Goodbye columns graduating staff say their farewells > SEE PAGE 3 & 12
> SEE PAGE 8
into FSA, the agency Black used to siphon money into a private slush fund. It’s also an agency students have historically mistrusted. Students established SBI in 1970 to take conSHUBH JAIN | THE SPECTRUM trol of student funds (left to right) Connor Walters, Arsh Issany and Joshua Lippes dicuss UB’s decision to dissolve Sub-Board I. The Faculty Student Association will away from FSA, ac- take over SBI’s investment accounts on July 1. cording to Joshua Lippes, SBI’s legal counsel, whose father started SBI’s free legal service in 1976. Student leaders feel the university has not been transparent during the internal review of SBI practices. Administrators, they said, framed the review as a first step in creating a contract between SBI and UB. “They met with [SBI] and we went over the budget for that department and talked about what the department did,” Jacob COURTESY SBI Brown, SBI vice president, said. “Each Sub-Board I logo. SBI was founded by students in 1970 and has been UB student governments’ one of those meetings began with the fiscal agent since. same sentence — ‘We’re here to assess the department with the hopes to get a con“We approached the university asking, tract at the end of this process.’” ‘Would you like to have a contract at some In a statement to The Spectrum, Weber point?’ We even proposed a contract and and Hubbard said student governments they said they’ll run it up the flagpole,” wouldn’t be complying with SUNY guide- Lippes said. “And that was it. It died on lines if they remained with SBI, which has the vine.” never been “contractually-recognized” by Weber and Hubbard said the review UB. “did not focus on past practices” and had Lippes said SBI has asked UB for a con- the “goal of making decisions for the futract multiple times over the last 20 years. > SEE FSA TO REPLACE SBI | PAGE 7 a timeout for all these activities. And that’s what we did.” “We really definitely want to re-examine what you do and [find out] how we make changes, what changes need to be done. And you can’t do that just by Dr. Weber and I sitting down. [We] said, if we’re going to do right, we need to really think about this with the faculty, staff and students who are all part of this and get their input and see what the best practices are.” Tripathi held off on answering a question about what he’d want to see happening with Greek Life, saying he can answer that question once he has the finalized report, as he doesn’t want to “preach to the committee,” which he would prefer to use other people’s input and not his own. Tripathi said memorializing SerafinBazan with a vigil after the tragedy would “depend on [his] family” and UB would wait for them to “be agreeable to what we can do.” He said UB will work with the family to see what they would like to do moving forward in terms of memorializing the student. Later in his discussion with The Spectrum, Tripathi discussed recent protests on campus. Members of the Living Stipend have recently disagreed with UB’s upcoming $20-million One World Cafe, questioning the price of the structure since the lowest graduate stipend after fees comes out to roughly $9,000. Tripathi responded, saying that although both are “important,” the money going into the food market is “one-time money.” “You can’t use one-time money to give > SEE UB
PRESIDENT | PAGE 9
Fraternity holds banquet as ‘UB architecture formal’ despite ban on Greek life social events THOMAS ZAFONTE SENIOR FEATURES EDITOR
Sigma Chi Omega held an event at the 31 Club on April 27 during the ban on social fraternity events, according to photos, anonymous sources and 31 Club office staff. The 31 Club didn’t have an event planned for the frat that day, but was holding a “UB architecture formal,” according to restaurant management. Steven Casparie, a history major and Sigma Chi Omega member, signed the contract for the formal, according to 31 Club office staff. Casparie did not respond to request for comment. The ban came following the death of freshman Sebastian Serafin-Bazan in a possible hazing involving Sigma Pi on April 17. “If there was a banquet for the department, that would be something I would know about,” said Dean of the School of Architecture and Planning Robert Shipley. Shipley said Architecture did not hold any banquets in the past few weeks. In a Spectrum interview with UB President Satish Tripathi on Monday, he said “We have been successful that [frat] activities have stopped.” Vice President for Student Life A. Scott Weber is currently overseeing a review committee for Greek > SEE SIGMA
CHI OMEGA | PAGE 7
NEWS
2 | Thursday, May 09, 2019
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Greek life review committee to continue until fall BRITTANY GORNY ASST. NEWS EDITOR
Social Greek life events remain suspended, affecting roughly 1,200 students, while the “Greek Life Advisory Committee” will work through the summer to determine its future at UB. UB administrators have said they expect the review committee’s results to be completed by the fall semester. The committee will take a “broad look” at the culture of Greek life and how this aligns with the university’s values, according to A. Scott Weber, vice president for Student Life. Suzanne Rosenblith, dean of the Graduate School of Education, will lead the committee, which is comprised of faculty, staff and students as they compile data to review Greek life activities. The review follows UB President Satish Tripathi’s suspension of social Greek life activities on April 12 after student Sebastian SerafinBazan died from a possible hazing. Pamela
Stephens-Jackson, director of fraternity and sorority life, told The Spectrum she is in contact with the students she serves. She declined to multiple requests for comment with updates on how UB previously oversaw Greek life. The university isn’t currently involved in off-campus conduct of recognized student organizations, except when conduct is determined to have an adverse effect on the university community, according to UB’s website Syracuse University created a Greek life review committee, similar to UB’s, after expelling fraternity Theta Tau in April 2018 for participating in “racist” and “homophobic” videos. The committee found a lack of participation in Interfraternity Council, the governing body for its 15 fraternities, and revealed that students were unclear of policies, information and “policy implementation.” UB’s suspension means social fraternities and sororities aren’t allowed to recruit
or engage in new member education activities, participate in university-related events as a group or conduct meetings about fraternity or sorority functions or activities, according to Weber. The Spectrum asked multiple employees for data on charity donations, suspensions and Greek life policies six times over two weeks before receiving a response, which gave no information on this data. Weber said the review committee is compiling this data and will share it once it becomes available. He did not provide a date. Weber said he couldn’t comment on any student disciplinary cases. However, he said depending on the severity of accusations against the organization, the group can be suspended and/or charged with policy violation. “The Greek Life Advisory Committee would then hold a hearing with representatives from the organization to allow an opportunity to respond to the charges,” Weber said. “The committee would deter-
mine the level of responsibility, and make recommendations to either continue the suspension, recommend sanctions or recommend reinstatement of the organization.” Tripathi briefly discussed the review committee at the Faculty Senate meeting on Wednesday. He said the review is a “complicated process” but improving the safety of students is a top priority. “We want the community to gather data and come up with the best practices moving forward, because this is not just a UB issue,” Tripathi said. “The prime focus should be our students are safe, and what we find is they’re not, one death is too many and we need to be mindful of that.” Email: brittany.gorny@ubspectrum.com Twitter: @BrittanyUBSpec.
Construction near CFA expected to last until October 2020 BRITTANY GORNY, TANVEEN VOHRA ASST. NEWS EDITOR, CO-SENIOR NEWS EDITOR
UB expects construction work to restore the exterior of the Center for the Arts to cost $12,014 and last until October 2020, UB spokesperson John DellaContrada wrote in an email. “The project scope is the removal and replacement of the existing metal panels, masonry and substrates. All existing windows and exterior doors are to be replaced,” DellaContrada said. The construction company, Rodems Construction Corporation, may take breaks over winter months depending on weather conditions, DellaContrada wrote. Barricades surrounding the construction are currently blocking the Emergency Blue Lights in the area between the CFA
and South Lake Village. “To address this concern, Rodems Construction Corporation has installed signs to direct pedestrians around the south side of CFA where there are other blue light phones,” UPD Deputy Chief Joshua Sticht said. Sticht said this was the only way for the construction company to work safely. Some students, like Dan Warman, a freshman music theater major, feel the construction is “inconvenient” and forces them to “walk more and blocks easy to access entrances.” Samantha Heller, a freshman music theatre major, feels the construction should have happened over the summer when people didn’t need to use the CFA back entrance and pathway.
A sign near the Center for the Arts. The CFA will be under construction until October 2020 to fix the exterior of the building, according to UB spokesperson John DellaContrada.
Email: news@ubspectrum.com
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OPINION
ubspectrum.com
THE SPECTRUM Thursday, May 09, 2019 Volume 68 Number 50 Circulation: 4,000
EDITORIAL BOARD EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Hannah Stein MANAGING EDITOR Brenton J. Blanchet CREATIVE DIRECTORS Caitlyn Di Vita Grace Klak COPY EDITORS Savanna Caldwell Cassi Enderle Lauryn King Cherie Jacobs, Asst. NEWS EDITORS Tanveen Vohra, Co-Senior Jacklyn Walters, Co-senior Brittnay Gorny, Asst. FEATURES EDITORS Thomas Zafonte, Senior Isabella Nurt, Asst.
ARTS EDITORS Brian Evans, Senior Samantha Vargas, Asst. Julianna Tracey, Asst. SPORTS EDITOR Nathaniel Mendelson, Senior
EDITORIAL EDITOR Benjamin Blanchet
Thursday, May 09, 2019 | 3
UB’s decision to dissolve Sub-Board I and its services is out of touch with student needs EDITORIAL BOARD
Roughly two years ago, thenUB Vice President Dennis Black , guilty to grand larceny, stealing $320,000 in state funds. And just Monday, UB administrators decided that the same nonprofit which he used as his personal piggy bank should be the fiscal agent of student governments and hold millions of student dollars. How about no. UB, as we reported this week, is replacing Sub-Board I with the Faculty Student Association after an “administrative review” of SBI, which was founded by students in 1970. Administrators said they launched the review because SBI didn’t have an existing contract with UB, something that SBI members said they’ve been trying to make for years. This is despicable. The decision will eliminate some of SBI’s crucial services, such as free legal assistance for students, a safety shuttle, WRUB
radio station and an off-campus housing portal. Many of us have used the safety shuttle on difficult nights around South Campus. Many of us have discovered, or know friends who have found their apartments through SBI’s housing portal. And many of us have peers whose lives and career paths have drastically changed because of the real-world radio experiences they’ve had at WRUB. The worst part about the proposed cuts is that UB administrators A. Scott Weber and Laura Hubbard did the bare minimum to involve students in their abrupt decision. They only spoke to some student government leaders and didn’t ask affected students about the services. Instead administrators decided students didn’t need them. But having “student life” in your title doesn’t mean you can assume all student input. Instead of focusing on the
roughly 1,250 students who use the free legal counsel each year, administrators focused their review on student government members’ input. And administrators said they won’t have a replacement for free legal counsel under FSA, and advised international students to go to International Student Services instead of offering a feasible alternative for students who might be facing immigration problems. Weber and Hubbard wrote in an email to The Spectrum that “the university is not responsible to provide legal service to students for personal matters.” Well, SBI currently is and created the service in the best interest of students. And if UB can’t offer the same services, then maybe it will need to reevaluate its priorities regarding students’ needs. Everything about the situation is discouraging, not only as students, but as students whose roles are to bring light to issues on campus.
We understand that the students may not totally grasp this situation or it may not even affect the average student. But where will you go when you need legal help and can’t afford anything? And where will you go when you’re stuck on South Campus in the middle of the night? We think it’s crucial those affected have written multiple letters to the editor for today’s issue and we hope people continue to speak out and know that we’re here as a platform for you. Administrators may think they can squash student opinions and make decisions without seriously discussing it with the students involved. But they’re wrong. We’re discussing it now. *Editorial Editor Benjamin Blanchet was not involved in the writing or discussion of this editorial, due to his involvement at WRUB. Email: opinion@ubspectrum.com
MULTIMEDIA EDITORS Shubh Jain, Senior Davila Tarakinikini, Asst. CARTOONISTS Ardi Digap
PROFESSIONAL STAFF OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR Helene Polley
Letter from the editor: Looking to The Next Generation
ADVERTISING MANAGER Ayesha Kazi GRAPHIC DESIGN MANAGERS JuYung Hong
ABOUT THE SPECTRUM The views expressed – both written and graphic – in the Opinion section of The Spectrum do not necessarily reflect the views of the editorial board. Submit contributions for these pages to The Spectrum office at Suite 132 Student Union or news@ ubspectrum.com. The Spectrum reserves the right to edit these pieces for style and length. If a letter is not meant for publication, please mark it as such. All submissions must include the author’s name, daytime phone number, and email address.
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JOIN OUR STAFF Do you have an interest in journalism, graphic design, photography, social media, advertising, cartoons or copy editing? The Spectrum is always looking for enthusiastic students who want to be part of our team. Join our 45-time award winning independent student newspaper for hands-on, real-world experience in your field. Anyone interested in joining The Spectrum’s editorial staff can email Hannah Stein at: eic@ubspectrum.com. Anyone interested in joining The Spectrum’s professional staff or advertising team can email Helene Polley at: hapolley@buffalo.edu.
HANNAH STEIN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
220 newspapers. 144 weeks. Four years. One ambitious and enthusiastic English major looking to find a voice in a campus large enough to be its own city we call UB. I walked into The Spectrum office the first day of my freshman year. I wasn’t fully prepared or ready for the task, but I promise you the experience has been worth every word on every Spectrum page. I have had the rare privilege to serve as your editor-in-chief for the past two years. It has been an honor to lead, help tell your stories and be a voice for you on campus. Nothing is quite like the adrenaline of working on a breaking news story on deadline, editing an investigative piece or the satisfaction of seeing change take place because of those stories. And nothing is quite like walking out of the Student Union from a 20-hour production day at 5 a.m. from putting the paper together for print and seeing a gorgeous Buffalo sunrise with the few remaining loyal editors who stuck out the entire work day to be the last eyes on the paper with you. The majority of my time as EIC has mostly been behind-thescenes. I’ve edited and worked on just about every Spectrum story as
EIC, mentored dozens of staff writers and editors, and defended stories and campus issues to administration. All the while sometimes missing a class or two so I could juggle the weight or have lunch with UB President Satish Tripathi and UB Spokesperson John DellaContrada. My job has been about “shining light in dark places,” as my adviser says, which is mostly always harder than it sounds. It’s also about highlighting issues you care about, holding public officials accountable and telling other people’s stories -- not mine. But four years ago, I began as a quiet staff writer anxiously ready to take on every story, sometimes more than I could admittedly balance, but I knew I wanted a larger role at the paper. At the end of freshman year, my then-EIC Tom awarded me with the “Star Trek Award: for the editor most likely to lead The Spectrum in The Next Generation.” It was my college dream to be EIC and I never imagined I would have the extremely rare opportunity to do it twice. I knew going into the role I had so much to learn -- I had to prove myself. I’m extremely grateful to have had a support team of Spectrum alum and professionals in the field -- Matt, Luke, Gabi and Sarah -- who’ve closely mentored me, guided me through some of the toughest decisions I’ve ever made and who’ve always brought me back to what matters most. I’ve had to live up to the legacy of our 68-year-old paper and the editors whose hard work has allowed me to be in this position in the first place. Each year, I’ve slowly watched the graduating senior Spectrum editors leave and I felt the weight of their absence as a responsibility to make them proud. I’ve been meeting with admin-
istration for the past two years about Spectrum funding, which we’ve been without for about seven years, and I sincerely hope this will happen one day soon. I’ve been thinking about this goodbye column every now and then because in the back of my mind I’ve always wondered if I would have achieved what I came here to do by the end of my four years. I’m constantly reminded of my parents’ words of advice when I began working here -- to work as if I were working for The New York Times and to create a balance. I’ve tried my hardest to carry this mentality with me, even in the countless hours I’ve spent obsessing over the paper on the phone to my parents or when I get home from a long day to rant to my overly patient suite mate Hannah, who hopefully never gets sick of my stories. And to the person who always reminds me to eat and take care of myself. Helene, thank you for always having your office door open for me and being there for me no matter what. You have helped make Spectrum a home for me. I’ll also never forget the Spotlight team, our late night/early morning breakfast trips after production days, countless coffee breaks in the office with former copy chief Dan. Or David’s killer movie guides and when he would catch me up on almost every movie and pop culture reference. Or Pierce singing show tunes in the office all-night-long. And Sarah’s pep talks. I’ve gotten used to The Spectrum flow and it’s consumed me these past four years. I will forever look back at my time at The Spectrum as my highlight at UB and I have my journalism adviser, Jody Biehl, to thank. Her tough criticism has
molded me into a stronger person and journalist. I’ll always be grateful for her endless wisdom. I began here because I wanted to be able to look back on my college career and be able to define it by stories -- I didn’t want the weeks and years to blend together or as a time where I wish I did more. I’ve also had the opportunity to tell some powerful stories, such as the most meaningful story I’ve ever written on UB’s fallen athlete, Solomon Jackson. As I’ve looked up at his story above my Spectrum desk for the past two years, I’ve thought about his story and the legacy each of us creates with our actions and stories each day. I still keep in touch with his family, which has also taught me how meaningful relationships are and can be. My staff and I have learned countless lessons together like this over time. And now onto The Spectrum’s Next Generation. Brenton, I have good faith in you as EIC and I’m excited to see what you do. More than 3,000 stories in 220 papers in four years -- I’m truly proud and humbled for what my entire staff and I have achieved each year. It has been quite the experience. While you have your college career in your hands, you have the choice to make the experience as meaningful as you wish with the work you do. And I hope you make each week, every story and every word count. P.S. I have two Spectrum stories coming in the summer and fall, so don’t forget my name just yet. Email: hannah.stein@ubspectrum.com. Twitter @HannahJStein
FEATURES OPINION
Thursday,May May09, 09,2019 2019 44 || Thursday,
ubspectrum.com ubspectrum.com
Student Life, Faculty Student Association board doesn’t care about student radio
Sub-Board I review on WRUB is a slap in the face to students BENJAMIN BLANCHET EDITORIAL EDITOR
Last week, I stumbled upon a 1993 editorial cartoon in The Spectrum. It depicted the burial of student radio. The tombstone read “student-run stations.” Underneath, a caption: “administrators’ plans for college radio.” Now, 26 years later, UB’s SBI review committee — made up of Student Life staff, Faculty Student Association board members and a business compliance director (not students) — recommended to drop student radio into its plot. This is devastating to me and thousands of other UB alumni. I’m a DJ at WRUB, UB’s only student radio station. I help maintain WRUB’s website and look after the studio. I’ve mixed dozens of shows and had listeners message me from as far away as Tampa, Florida.
So when my brother, Brenton, handed me the report from UB’s SBI review committee, my heart sank. UB decided the private-nonprofit Faculty Student Association, not the studentoperated nonprofit SBI which houses WRUB, would become the fiscal agent for UB’s student government fees. The committee claimed SBI was not transparent with fees and noncompliant. The committee wrote that it “recommends” the “elimination” of SBI services such as WRUB. In just one lone sentence, the committee of UB staff members snapped their fingers like Thanos and asked passionate student DJs and entertainers to fade into a million pieces. And that should never, EVER happen. Thousands of DJs, musicians and UB community members have walked through the WRUB studio doors to express themselves. They’ve shared their love for musical theater, sports and hip-hop. The committee, on the other hand, determined that student government leaders “were unaware” of services like WRUB. They also determined “communication regarding” services like WRUB’s do “not appear to reach the general population.” If that’s the case, then this is an issue that Student Life has brought on to WRUB. Last summer, Student Life gave SBI about two week’s notice to move WRUB from its former Student Union studio to Diefendorf Hall. This caused SBI officials, myself and other DJ’s to organize a new studio space on South Campus. Along the way, SBI’s technical director helped me understand aspects of the radio station’s server and assisted in the setup. I personally went down to South Campus, untangling wires for weeks and or-
ganizing equipment for hours, which impacted my graduate studies. I told myself if I had to jeopardize my performance in the classroom, I would if it meant students had an outlet to express themselves on this campus. I created diagrams and scribbled copious amounts of notes so if WRUB ever moved in the future, students like me would be able to know what to do. It was tasking but one of the most rewarding experiences of my life; to be able to point to a radio station and say “I’ve been a part of keeping this alive.” So when six UB staff members supposedly “reviewed” WRUB this spring, they most likely didn’t know it was our first full semester back on the air in a year. Now, after Student Life shuffled around UB’s only student radio station like it was a pack of cards, vice presidents A. Scott Weber and Laura Hubbard are backing up six adult UB staff members, not students, that indicate student radio doesn’t reach the “general population.” This is a lie. When staff from the same department that complicated WRUB’s presence on North Campus question WRUB’s “general population,” then their internal review committee should review themselves. Six non-students determined the value of student radio in just a single sentence, with zero explanation in the report. They didn’t propose an alternative. They didn’t give anyone at WRUB time and they released the report at the start of finals week. They offered one point of consideration: “elimination.” The word “student” may be in these some of the committee members’ job
titles but, rest assured, their actions don’t reflect how students live their lives at UB. WRUB has been a cornerstone on campus for decades and turns 40 years old this fall. Roughly a half century ago in 1970, WRUB’s predecessor — WIRC — started in the dormitories. 60 years ago, WBFO began airing on South Campus. If UB’s committee thinks it’s okay to shove radio’s deep and rich history into a shredder, what’s next? Will it be The Spectrum, an organization that turns 69 years old next year? Maybe that way they can get rid of my voice and silence this column, too. Perhaps they’ll cut the Student Association, too. After all, undergraduate students elect their peers who serve the voices of 21,000 students on campus. So, despite student DJs sharing their voices on South Campus just as they did in the ‘60s and ‘70s, UB staff members made a decision that screams “your voices don’t matter to us.” But, despite what their report says, UB will never be able to “eliminate” student voices. Even if UB “recommends” WRUB stop its airwaves, the music and commentary will never go silent. The committee’s thoughts on WRUB are shameful and speak volumes about staff members who put “student” in their job title as a facade, not as an indication of their obligation to student interests. Still, if the committee thought it could prepare a tombstone and sum up WRUB with one sentence, then it’s dead wrong. Email: benjamin.blanchet@ubspectrum.com Twitter @BenjaminUBSpec
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UB Student Remembrance Ceremony A CEREMONY TO REMEMBER OUR STUDENT FRIENDS WHO PASSED AWAY IN 2018-19
REMEMBERING OUR STUDENTS W I T H G R AT E F U L A P P R E C I AT I O N
Will Czymmek Jennifer Leone Minwei Ye
Friday, May 10, 2019 11 am Student Union Theater University at Buffalo (North Campus)
Dedication & luncheon immediately following ceremony. All are welcome.
FEATURES
ubspectrum.com
Thursday, May 09, 2019 | 5
Guardians of graduation day UB staff works in crunch periods to make commencement run smoothly THOMAS ZAFONTE SENIOR FEATURES EDITOR
Between sound, lighting, sets, multiple ceremonies, managing thousands of people, video graphics and more, UB employees have plenty to oversee during commencement season. Director of University Events Bill Regan and his staff oversee the logistics and most of the staging for every ceremony in Alumni Arena. Ceremonies fall on the same day at UB, giving UB Facilities and events workers only four hours to have the building ready between graduations. “Even before a ceremony happens at Alumni, we have to make sure everything is set to hold multiple ceremonies consec-
utively,” Regan said. “The school provides staging, lighting, speakers and audio handling, any video graphics, chairs, podiums, setting up where students will walk. Really anything outside of some custom drapes or something special the specific department wants to do, like a balloon drop.” Regan said the price for additional amenities varies for each school. Ceremonies in the Center for the Arts will cost an additional $5,000 for the space, which includes catering. Center for the Arts staff will provide the same services as UB staff for Alumni Arena, according to Regan. Robert Shibley, dean of the School of Architecture and Planning, said the school will pay $17,000 for its additions to the ceremony. Shibley said the money covers everything the school uses in the ceremony such as dean medals, student medals, a band to perform a musical interlude and more. UB Facilities will begin setting up the stage next week. Regan said all equipment
provided by the school comes at no additional cost to the departments or UB. Regan said the school saves “tens of thousands of dollars” in using resources it already has. “UB Facilities handles most of the labor,” Regan said. “We don’t bring in any more hands, it’s in the job description that this time of year rolls around and we have to get all this done. My department also has to get a lot done in the short amount of time. We know and have a system for when this comes. It’s a part of the job.” On May 17, UB will hold three commencement ceremonies at 9 a.m., 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. at Alumni Arena. These are the days where Regan and his staff “need” to assure the ceremonies go off without issue. Each ceremony is given two hours, leaving little time to prepare for the next one. “That day will start and we make sure everything is good to go for the first ceremony,” Regan said. “Then the first cer-
emony will end around 11 a.m. which is when we have to really get started. People have been sitting for hours at that point so we have to pick up the coffees and New York Times that people bring. All this happens while we have to get everyone in the arena at least into the reception area. People will already be coming in to find a seat for the next ceremony at 11 a.m. too, so we really focus on moving people along for the next one.” Regan said UB’s rules for the event are what makes the multiple ceremonies doable. Rules are established to make the transition from graduation to graduation easier, according to Regan. They can include having students walk across the stage in the same direction to keep the lighting from needing to be reset or setting up a room for students to put their gowns on in Alumni Arena. Email: thomas.zafonte@ubspectrum.com Twitter @Thomas_Spectrum
Commencement ceremony schedule
Graphic by Cait Di Vita | The Spectrum
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6 | Thursday, May 09, 2019
FEATURES
ubspectrum.com
The voices of commencement Students and faculty share their opinions on graduation speakers THOMAS ZAFONTE SENIOR FEATURES EDITOR
Mike Brown is ready for “the biggest honor” of his UB career. Brown was selected to be the student speaker at the undergraduate commencement ceremony for the College of Arts and Sciences this year. Now Brown, a Buffalo native and political science major, attempts to hold back his nerves and excitement for the May 19 ceremony. “It’s pretty amazing that I’m getting this opportunity,” Brown said. “I applied for it and waited to hear if I would get it. … When I found out, it was one of my proudest moments here at UB.” UB frequently invites faculty, students and community members to be guest speakers at commencement ceremonies. Though other universities may invite a higher-profile guest, this allows for students to hear from “memorable” professors and student peers, according to CAS Coordinator of Strategic Programs Anne Continetti. Students can apply through departments to be a guest speaker for their respective commencement ceremony. “I think giving students a speech gives all of us representation at the ceremony,” Brown said. “It makes it more about the community and Buffalo as a whole when it’s a student or faculty member up on the stage.” Brown, who served as the student representative on the UB Council, believes his speech will convey how people making small efforts in the world can come together to create global change. He said he hopes to show his dedication to the UB community, while also sharing in his own personal goals.
“Every part of the College’s commence- both perspectives on life would be more munication major, said he’s glad a student ment ceremonies are focused on the stu- rewarding, students don’t really know what who plays an important role at UB is dent,” Continetti wrote in an email. “From to expect after college, but I can still relate speaking. the social media activity for live display to them.” “I grew up with [Brown] and I know with the hashtag #UBclassof2019 to the Globe believes the school does a good he plays a big role in our community in student and faculty speakers to the fun job informing students about graduation. UB, as well as Buffalo as a political leader,” activities and atmosphere students enjoy She said she has not missed an important Di Virgilio said. So I think it’s great that before the ceremony begins.” date when applying for commencement. he’s speaking. I can’t really think of anyStill, not every student is excited for the Some students, however, are excited to one better locally that could speak at our student-first approach. Connelly Holmes, see their peer on stage. Sydney dela Rosa, a commencement and I think that choosing a senior communication major, will be senior psychology major, said even though a local leader is really relevant to our world graduating this spring but didn’t know she would like to see the school inform right now.” there would be student speakers at gradu- students better on graduation details, she Brown will speak at the CAS underation. was excited to see her fellow students give graduate humanities and social sciences “I feel mixed about the fact that there their speeches. ceremony on May 19 at 3 p.m. in Alumni isn’t someone more well-known speak“I think it’s really cool that there is a Arena. ing,” Holmes said. “I feel like a celebrity or student speaker, especially someone well political head could bring an ambience and known like Mike Brown,” dela Rosa said. *Leah Higgins contributed reporting to this fire up the audience and they would have “I lived with Mike in the dormitories fresh- article. more advice to give to students, whereas a man year, so it’s cool to see someone the thomas.zafonte@ubspectrum.com student speaker could build more of a rap- students can relate to speaking on behalf Email: Twitter: @Thomas_Spectrum port with the students graduating.” of the student body at commencement.” Holmes wasn’t surprised to not know Michelangelo Di Virgilio, a senior comabout the student speakers as she ran into other issues finding out information about graduation. She said one of her friends “has been so lost” concerning information about graduation. “I didn’t realize that there was a student speaker, but I wish there was also someone more well known who was speaking,” said Bryanna Globe, a senior political science and health and huMADDY FOWLER | THE SPECTRUM man services ma- Mike Brown, senior political science and computer science major, will speak at the second arts and science commencement cerjor. “I think getting emony next week.
ubspectrum.com
NEWS
Thursday, May 09, 2019 | 7
FROM PAGE 1
SIGMA CHI OMEGA Life at UB. The ban will continue until the fall semester, according to administration. UB is currently looking into the banquet, according to UB spokesperson Kate
McKenna. “Greek-letter, social, fraternal organizations are expected to abide by the suspension or risk disciplinary action,” McKenna
wrote in an email. All members of Sigma Chi Omega that The Spectrum contacted did not respond to requests for comment. The Spectrum could
not confirm any other social Greek life banquets were held during the Greek life ban.
FROM PAGE 1
In the 2017-18 year, 1,133 students used SBI’s free legal services, of which 23% sought advice for housing-related issues, 17% for vehicle and traffic related issues and 10% for immigration issues. Vigan Osmani, a senior sociology major and an international student from Albania, said International Student Services directed him to SBI’s immigration lawyer Kelly Carr when he needed help on his Optional Practical Training application. “I think it’s one of the worst decisions to stop the free legal advice from the SBI office because it is our only source of help in terms of immigration,” Osmani said. Weber and Hubbard said SBI’s free legal services are a liability for the university since SBI is housed in the Student Union. They also said it wasn’t the university’s responsibility to provide legal advice to students.
campus-affiliated organization,’ making them a valid fiscal agent,” Walters said.
was sold in 1987, but FSA has maintained control over the principle investment, despite SBI’s role as fiscal agent for student funds. Most recently, former SBI Treasurer Kyle Murphy made the case that the $1.5 million asset should be transferred to SBI at an FSA meeting last May. Weber and Hubbard said FSA intends to “honor the intent and spirit of the 2008 agreement, wherein earnings of the programming fund are allocated to ‘enhance the quality of the university experience for all SUNY/Buffalo students.’” SBI currently gives these funds back to students in the form of grants. Grela said SBI granted student organizations $60,000-65,000 this year utilizing the funds. A primary concern shared among those affected by the change is FSA’s recent embezzlement case. Black and Andrea Costantino, former director of Campus Living, stole a combined $334,000 from FSA. “I find it disconcerting that an organization that had an embezzlement scandal two years ago, is being rewarded with $612 million of student assets to handle,” Lippes said. The case is not lost to Coley, who has been at UB since 2015. “We all know about the Dennis Black situation,” Coley said. “You're literally saying, ‘Hey, trust us with your money. And come over to FSA, even though we just had this big scandal two or three years ago. Like, why would we trust them with our money when they had this big scandal happen?” Coley and Walters believe FSA’s changes will further marginalize students who are already financially struggling by taking away services, such as free legal advice. “I'm already somewhat a part of the living stipend movement,” Coley said. “We're already poor, we can't afford to consult a lawyer.” Weber compared the change in fiscal agents to the implementation of UB’s HUB Student Center and attributed students’ concerns to “fear of the unknown.” “When we did HUB implementation you’d think we were taking people’s babies away from them because it was so different,” Weber said. “And now you think of HUB as just being HUB. … Any time you make change it’s very challenging and it’s very hard and people have a vested interest and appropriate concern. … It’s fear of the unknown.” The review committee recommended SBI shuts down its free safety shuttles and that UB partners with Uber or Lyft in order to provide discounted rides to students in unsafe locations. Weber and Hubbard said the decision is up to student governments and FSA would provide them with a cost-benefit analysis of whatever decision they decided to make. Schechter said she was OK with paying $85 to GSA because of the free SBI services it afforded her. Now, she said, she has to pay the same amount of fees while not having access to free legal advice or safe transportation off South Campus. “Right now, I pay $9.33 a semester to get free legal advice, free safety. And now you’re saying that I will still pay that $85 to my government, but now I have to pay $17 to Uber so I can make it home. Now I have to pay $150 to sit down and talk to a lawyer for an hour because I have a question about some Student Conduct thing,” Schechter said. “So you are only burdening our students with more expenses, rather than making it easier on them.”
FSA TO REPLACE SBI
ture.” Weber and Hubbard said SBI has never asked to meet with either of them regarding a contract.
“Lack of transparency”
Members of SBI criticized the committee for its lack of representative voices and unwillingness to share its findings and goals during the process. The administrative review committee consisted of Carrie Woodrow (director of policy, Compliance and Internal Controls), Sarah Augustynek (compliance officer for the UB School of Dental Medicine), Phyllis Floro (director of Student Engagement), Beth A. Corry (associate vice president and controller of business services), Christina Hernandez (associate vice president of Student Life) and Susan Snyder (director of Health Services). Three of the six people on the committee –– Augustynek, Corry and Hernandez –– are on FSA’s board of directors. Hubbard, who led the committee, is an administrative director of FSA. SA President Gunnar Haberl and Treasurer Tanahiry Escamilla said the committee’s close ties with FSA presented a “potential conflict of interest in the university’s review and conclusions.” In a statement to The Spectrum, Haberl and Escamilla wrote while they were willing to “work diligently” with Weber and Hubbard, the lack of student input in the decision was “unacceptable.” Weber said he was aware that some felt the makeup of the committee was “inappropriate” given the final recommendations, but said there was “no expectation that FSA would serve as the fiscal agent of choice” at the beginning of the review. Brown, who is a student director on the FSA board, said despite Weber’s response, he still believes the review committee posed a conflict of interest. “I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt, but it’s kind of hard to sit here and hear them say ‘Well we're going with FSA’ when three members of the committee and one of the individuals that formed the committee, hold positions on the [FSA] board,” Brown said. “Perception goes a long way.” Weber said during a Monday meeting with The Spectrum that FSA wouldn’t be continuing programs, such as the South Campus shuttle service, dry cleaning and free legal services, as students don’t know about or use them. Weber and Hubbard said they got student input by having “candid conversations” with leaders from each student government and asking questions about SBI’s services. “What we found from our review is that many students weren’t aware of those services, they didn’t necessarily want those services or feel like they were needed,” Weber said. Weber and Hubbard did not provide The Spectrum, student governments or SBI with any documented proof of student opinions. The safety shuttles took on an average of 60 rides per night and roughly 13,000 riders during the 2017-18 school year, according to a 2018 SBI Utilization Report. The SBI housing website, which helps students find affordable housing near campus, has an average 47,000 hits per year. Sarah Scalise, a senior speech and hearing major, said the housing website is a “really helpful tool” for students unfamiliar with the Buffalo area. “It’s hard to find sites that you trust when searching for housing, and taking it away would make it more difficult for students who specifically need housing off of South Campus. It’s a way for UB students to connect with landlords via a safe medium,” Scalise said. “I’m currently using the site to search for houses and I’m disappointed to hear that I can no longer do so.”
“Extremely unrealistic and extremely dangerous”
Weber and Hubbard met with various student governments and informed them of their decision Monday before meeting with members of SBI’s executive board itself. Lisa Bolt, Weber’s administrative assistant, emailed student government and SBI members on behalf of Weber, Hubbard and SUNY Counsel Bob Ruggeri on May 1. In the email, Bolt said they scheduled a meeting to discuss the review results on May 6 at 11 a.m. and asked everyone to confirm their availability. Schechter responded saying no SBI board members could attend at that time due to classes and finals, to which Bolt said, “Because there are many players in the notification process, we will hold the 11 a.m. meeting with Sub-Board as planned.” “I don’t like the implication that I need to neglect my student duties to take care of this,” Schechter said. “It showed a lack of respect to us, both as students and as leaders in our respective organizations.” SHUBH JAIN | THE SPECTRUM Jessica Coley, president of the Graduate Student Association, Members of both SBI discusses UB’s decision to dissolve Sub-Board I. Coley said the and the student governdescision will further marginalize students who are struggling financially ments described tense meetings filled with unan“Legal support, on immigration matters, swered questions met with silence, leaving will be provided to international students student leadership unsatisfied and conthrough the International Student Services fused. Office,” their joint statement said. “The “At one point, they just stopped answeruniversity is not responsible to provide ing questions. So we would just talk, we legal service to students for personal mat- would say something, and then they’d be ters.” completely silent,” Jessica Coley, president “ISSS cannot give legal advice. They’re of GSA, said. not lawyers,” Lippes said. “Kelly Carr, Following the Monday announcement who is our immigration attorney, is very and meetings, Weber was out of office on skilled and knowledgeable in this field and Tuesday and booked with meetings all day helps [international students].” Wednesday. Other SBI services are less frequently The Spectrum has not heard back from used. Its League of Legends tournament, Hubbard directly since Monday’s meeting. hosted annually during UBCON, sold 41 Bill Hooley, executive director of SBI, tickets last year and had 86 participants. said the committee finished the review in Students have used the dry-cleaning ser- early March, but needed time to “write it vices 39 times since January 2018 and cost up.” SBI nothing, according to SBI President When Hooley asked Weber and HubJennifer Schechter. bard when the results would be ready, they Weber and Hubbard said it would be said “before the end of the semester.” “inappropriate” for FSA to provide these Lippes believes the timing of the anservices to students, but would work with nouncement was intentional. student governments if they wished to “I think that the timing of all of this is provide these services. strategic and troubling,” Lippes said. “All SBI members criticized the review for of the student governments are turning presenting misleading information. over and all of the students are going to In the presentation given to SBI, student be leaving.” governments and The Spectrum, a “Fiscal Weber addressed the concern with the Agent-Cost Analysis” chart states that the announcement timing and said he hopes student governments pay an average of those involved will “make time” over the 18% of student activity fees to SBI to per- summer to help with this transition. form fiscal services. “There is no good time to make a deWhile this is not incorrect, it does not cision like this,” Weber said. “People will take into account the governments’ total always think there’s a better time to make revenue and doesn’t include roughly $1.5 this decision, but the reality is there’s never million of funds, according to Michael a good time.” Grela, SBI director of accounting and opArsh Issany*, SBI treasurer and vice erations. president-elect, said he feels “let down” Grela calculated the average percentage by the decision. Issany said the university’s student governments pay SBI –– based expectations for the transition are unatoff their total revenues –– to be 8.18%. tainable in such a short amount of time. Connor Walters, vice president of the “I didn’t think they’d dissolve an enGraduate Student Association, said the re- tire multimillion dollar corporation, and view is also incorrect in saying SBI is not a they’re planning on dissolving it in about contractually recognized organization. two months,” Issany said. “This actually is SUNY states that student governments extremely unrealistic and extremely danmust use a fiscal agent which is an “Auxil- gerous.” iary Services Corporation/Faculty Student Association, campus-based foundation, “An arbitrary and capricious Research Foundation or other contractually-recognized campus-affiliated organi- decision” For decades, SBI has been trying to zation.” gain control of a $1.5 million dollar FSA“The GSA does have a contract with SBI and it is therefore the opinion of the owned asset. The asset is the result of a GSA that SBI meets the SUNY guidelines’ land purchase FSA made in 1964 using a definition of a ‘contractually-recognized portion of student activity fees. The land
Email: thomas.zafonte@ubspectrum.com Twitter: @Thomas_Spectrum
Brenton J. Blanchet contributed reporting to this story. *Arsh Issany is a former Spectrum staff writer. Email: news@ubspectrum.com
Thursday,May May09, 09,2019 2019 88 || Thursday,
OPINION NEWS
ubspectrum.com ubspectrum.com
Letter to the editor:
Sub-Board I needed to go. Its services should not. During undergrad, I worked for SubBoard I, inc. for four years. From 20092013 I was a DJ at WRUB; from 20102013 I was WRUB’s program director and then operations manager; in 2012 I launched the UB Hockey broadcasting program with Sam Hakim (much to SBI administration’s chagrin); for two different semesters between 2010 and 2012 I was an SBI Safety Shuttle driver on the midnight-4 a.m. shift. That place is a bureaucratic and organizational nightmare, a mismanaged entity from a bygone era. While the story is still developing, the death of Sub-Board is neither surprising nor unwarranted; but the cobbled together catchall services that it provides should not be thrown away. Sub-Board emerged out of the collegedriven social movements of the late ‘60s. At the time of its founding in 1970, “student services” were not commonplace on university campuses. A collective of students pooled together both their voices
and resources to demand basic quality of life, safety, and health services be provided on campus. This was and is a commendable and influential cause that echoed across the United States, leading to the many services that are now expected or taken for granted on college campuses. But these services, such as a safety escort van, access to health and crisis care, a pharmacy, housing help, etc. are no longer “crazy hippie ideas” and as time has passed, SBI grossly departed from its “student-owned” tagline to which they still cling. Yes, SBI may be, on paper, “owned” by students, but it most certainly is not run by students. One pass through the SBI office and it is abundantly clear who calls the shots. The full-time, “adult” administrators and staff run the show. The entire organization is funded by the seven student governments, but students have virtually zero power over its governance or operations. The SBI e-board itself is not directly elected by students, but instead by proxy through
the student governments and members of SBI itself. SBI’s ace in the hole for years has been that it was the fiscal agent for all student fees; “We control the money, you can’t get rid of us.” The e-board and student staff members are very much under the influence of Bill Hooley, the longentrenched executive director. The career employees of Sub-Board control processes, procedures, access to funds, all of it. In no way, shape, or form is SBI student run, and in no way, shape, or form, does the everyday student who “owns” the corporation have any input on its operations. The services that Sub-Board provides, however, are exceptionally beneficial. It is important to have access to free legal advice. The Safety Shuttle is a priceless service. The pharmacy and ticket office provide great services to students and organizations. The problem is, every single service could be integrated into another entity on campus –– and likely run much better and more efficiently. Legal assistance could be
absorbed by the Law School, Pharmacy by Student Health Services or the Pharmacy School, the Safety Shuttle overseen by UPD (as it is at most other SUNY campuses), WRUB into Media Studies, Comm, or run as any other club, etc. Protecting a pseudo-autonomous organization that simply exists because it controls the purse strings –– and has managed to cling to life for decades –– is nothing but cliche bureaucracy that disempowers students. I am not at all pleased with FSA fiscal control, and severely worry about Tripathi and his goons having a tighter grip on our money, and greater domination over student selfgovernance. But keeping SBI on wasteful life support is not the answer. - ZAQUE EVANS, GRADUATE STUDENT AND TA IN SOCIOLOGY, UNDERGRAD AT UB FROM 2009-2013, AND DJ AT 103.3 THE EDGE.
Letter to the editor: On Monday, May 6, myself and eight other graduate and undergraduate students met with members of UB Administration to discuss the results of the Administrative Review of Sub-Board I (SBI). They recommended we disband SBI, a nonprofit organization created by UB students to serve UB students, as of July 1. SBI was founded 49 years ago and has successfully managed over $6 million of student money per year; conversely, Faculty Student Association (FSA), the fiscal agent UB recommends student governments move our accounts to, recently had over $300,000 embezzled by FSA board member, Dennis Black, and FSA currently owes SBI approximately $1.5 million. Multiple members of the review committee are also on the FSA board which might be one reason that that committee only presented and contemplated one option during their investigation –– the elimination of SBI. I received an email notifying me about this past Monday’s meeting on May 1st, five days before the meeting was scheduled to occur. We, as student government leaders and members of SBI’s board, hadn’t heard from the Administrative Review Committee team since they conducted interviews with us despite the fact that we had asked to be kept in the loop of the review process. Additionally, we could tell that they were not concerned about students and affected staff being able to meaningfully participate in the review process when they scheduled this meeting during the last week of classes with five days’ notice. When we expressed our disappointment
with the scheduling to Scott Weber and Laura Hubbard, we received this response: “we are trying to share the findings and decisions moving forward with multiple constituents.” When I walked into the meeting with student government leaders and the Administrative Review Committee, the tension was palpable. While Director Woodrow went through the presentation, student government leaders noticed there were multiple errors listed in the PowerPoint. When we brought these up, Director Woodrow only responded “okay, thank you.” When we arrived at the Fiscal Agent Observations section of the presentation, the committee hammered us on the fact that SBI does not have, and has never had, a written contract with the University. SBI has asked for a contract with the University multiple times and the University has repeatedly denied us. Despite the lack of a written contract, for 49 years SBI has handled UB student funds for its student governments. Vice President Hubbard then asserted that she “wished that the two entities,” referring to SBI and UB, “were able to do it before”. SBI provides free legal advice to UB students on immigration issues, DUI charges, housing issues, and more. SBI also provides student defenders –– law students who help other UB students navigate infractions of the UB Student Code of Conduct, and the safety shuttle –– a shuttle service for locations within 1.5 miles of South Campus. The top reasons the review committee cited for their unilateral decision to shut down SBI were liability
issues with the free legal advice SBI offers and with the Safety Shuttle, as well as their assertion that a majority of Student Government leaders were unaware of many of the services that SBI provides. When Kevin Southern from the Student Bar Association Government asked the committee if they could provide any case law where universities were sued and found liable in similar lawsuits, the review committee and their SUNY lawyer Bob Ruggeri, who was on the phone, avoided answering the question for roughly fifteen minutes and instead discussed hypothetical situations regarding lawsuits for malpractice that did not seem to be relevant to the free legal services SBI offers. The committee was either unwilling, unable, or unprepared to answer the questions we posed to them in response to their observations of SBI. We presented multiple alternatives to the complete dismantling of SBI but UB administration was unwilling to even consider them. While the committee asserts that the majority of student government leaders were unaware of the services SBI provides, they conveniently left out that those governments are Pharmacy, Medical, and Dental whose student population makes up only about 7% of the overall UB population. While the voices of these students and student government leaders are incredibly important, to base your decision to shut down a 49-year-old student-run organization off three professional schools telling you that they are unaware of the services it provides, is unconscionable. I believe the committee came into the administra-
tive audit process with the goal of shutting down SBI, and just needed to go through protocol to protect themselves. The administrative review committee gave us a July-1st timeline to switch to FSA and after that date they will not give SBI the student money it has handled for 49 years. This timeline is incredibly short, especially in light of the fact that FSA is not currently capable of handling all seven student government accounts. When asked about when SBI staff should be expected to be laid off, Vice President Hubbard, Vice President Weber and Director Woodrow could not answer these questions. Instead, they stated that these decisions would be made by the “transition team.” Nine SBI employees are going to be laid off and the employee benefits of two GSA professional staff are in jeopardy if this proposal is allowed to move forward. SBI was created by UB students for UB students and has been run by us for almost 50 years. We will not allow UB administration, who we did not trust in 1970 and who we do not trust now, to shut down SBI. We are calling on all UB students to let UB administration know how valuable the services SBI provides are and that they need to sit down with us and create a plan forward that will allow UB students to continue to control UB student money. JESSICA COLEY, GSA PRESIDENT 2019-2020
HAVE A QUESTION, RESPONSE OR IDEA? SUBMIT A LETTER TO THE EDITOR TO HAVE YOUR VOICE HEARD ON CAMPUS. ALL SUBMISSIONS SHOULD INCLUDE THE AUTHOR’S NAME, TITLE, EMAIL AND PHONE NUMBER. THE SPECTRUM RESERVES THE RIGHT TO EDIT THESE LETTERS FOR STYLE AND LENGTH. SEND YOUR LETTER TO EIC@UBSPECTRUM.COM
NEWS
ubspectrum.com
Thursday, May 09, 2019 | 9
FROM PAGE 1
UB PRESIDENT a raise and say [it] solved the problem,” Tripathi said. He then said departments set the stipends and the English department has “come up with a plan,” while other departments are developing plans. “So we have heard and we have worked with the departments in working on that, but [comparing] those is trying to compare apples and oranges, the money from here goes there, and then what happens next year?” Tripathi also responded to the May Day Rally, which students held on International Workers’ Day last week, and said the “death fee” they protested and represented by bringing a coffin to his office wasn’t a UB fee, but rather a SUNY health insurance requirement for international students. Tripathi said the “small fraction added” to the insurance allows for a “comprehensive insurance that’s needed.” The $80 insurance charge transports students’ bodies back home in the case of
the student dying or facing a medical emergency, so families wouldn’t be charged an upwards of $40,000, Tripathi said. Tripathi said he felt the rally’s “death fee” term was more of “coming up with a slogan without thinking about what it is, actually.” He also shared responses on other recent demonstrations, such as the Pre-Law Chapter of the National Black Law Students Association’s March demonstration in the Student Union, where students and faculty demanded for more black faculty and representation on campus. Tripathi said that while he hadn’t “recognized facing anything with respect to discrimination” within academia as the first person of color to be UB president, he understood that a lack of representation in faculty was a “national issue.” He talked about SUNY’s PRODiG program, which aims to promote representation for “historically underrepresented” faculty in SUNY schools, as well as UB’s
efforts to hire more diverse faculty. Tripathi also said he rejected hiring pools during his time as provost if it did not have “appropriate representation.” Given that a Boston court announced a guilty verdict for UB alum John Kapoor just last week, Tripathi also discussed UB’s steps toward possibly revoking Kapoor’s honorary degree and removing his name from John and Editha Kapoor Hall on South Campus. Tripathi said the UB Council will vote on the decision to possibly rename the building during the June 3 meeting and it has to be approved by the SUNY chancellor and Board of Trustees. He said, however, that the same committee that gave Kapoor his honorary degree would make the decision to rescind the degree. Tripathi said the committee will be “meeting soon.” Tripathi also touched on a new building which will be making its way onto UB’s campus in the near future: a wellness &
recreation center. “This is something that’s so important for our students, I mean, really bringing the services together, not just being able to exercise but bringing all these services for health and wellness at the same location. Think about One Capen but much bigger,” Tripathi said. Tripathi said the project has been “on the books for a while,” and the concept will be “voted by the students.” “As you know, it really has to be approved so that we can build it, but I’m very excited,” Tripathi said. “I mean, this is really something that provides students a 21st-century place to not only do the academic aspect, but also the mental and physical aspect of health. That’s so critical.” Email: news@ubspectrum.com
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FEATURES
10 | Thursday, May 09, 2019
ubspectrum.com
Thanks for the memories Graduates reflect on their UB college career FEATURES DESK
“With graduation around the corner, students may find themselves reminiscing about their time at college. As graduates prepare for the next step, some were able to share their best experiences at UB. Here are some moments that made a few students’ lives more interesting in Buffalo.”
“My favorite experience at UB would be my junior year. The summer before, I was uncertain if I would be able to come back to the school. But with a lot of hard work, soul searching and elbow grease, I was able to make the pieces fall in place and come back for my third year of studies. That was my first semester taking 19 credits. Even though most dread the idea of such a hard work load, I loved every second of it. I got to take some very intriguing courses on business, foreign policy, legal research and badminton. I met some new friends and reconnected with old. I did well in my courses and at the end of the semester I was given the chance to come back and be a teaching assistant in one of the courses I took, but still nothing beat playing badminton for a grade.”
Shahnaz Hamade, psychology
“My UB experience wasn’t the easiest to get by. Working full-time throughout my undergrad took a huge toll on my body and made it extremely difficult to keep up. Thankfully, I made fantastic friends who have helped me through it and made everything worth it. I’m very excited to say that I am graduating from such a large institution with memories I could never replace elsewhere.”
Jared Kibler, communication
“My favorite moments here have always been when I’ve met someone I never would have met if I hadn’t picked UB. I’m from a very small town where it’s not super diverse, so going to UB exposed me to a lot of new experiences. I’ve learned about other people and perspectives that I’ve never considered until my time here and have been able to grow so much. It’s going to be sad leaving but I’m excited to see what the next step holds. It’s been a fun four years.”
Athanasios Blessios, political science
Laura Bristol, English
“Reflecting on my time at UB, I can happily say that it was a great experience. It really pushed me to go beyond my comfort zone, both inside the classroom and out. There were many highlights but studying abroad definitely stands out as being one of the best, as it was here, halfway across the world, that I discovered what I was truly capable of. I hiked an active volcano, saw the Colosseum of Rome and made friendships that I count as being some of the truest and greatest of those in my life. Although I am graduating this semester, I will carry the memories of UB with me for many years to come.”
Robert Slick, computer engineering
“I came to the university from community college. I went to community college because I very nearly did not get my high school diploma, owing to my own poor decisions and repeatedly failing math and science classes. I got my bell rung by circumstance a few times while going to school here and the university always extended a hand to me when I needed it. I leave with nothing but affection and gratitude to UB for being a platform through which I’ve been able to become a decent, more productive person. I’ve found UB an overall fair place. If you’re willing to front the work on something you want to achieve, I think more often than not, UB will meet you halfway and give you the op-
portunity to accomplish it. Of the manifest ways in which I’ve benefited from going to school here, the capacity to be able to walk out of here a better person than I was when I walked in is the most substantial. Beyond a doubt, UB helped me succeed in this. To current students feeling the stress and strain inherent to getting a degree I’d say: keep your feet moving, seek help when you’re down, help others when you’re up, and it’s all worth it.”
Geetika Ramjiwal, economics
“UB, I wonder why did I come here so late. Wish I could stay here longer as a student or maybe get one more semester with my friends. From participating in extracurricular activities to doing on-campus jobs, attending classes and doing never-ending assignments, there’s so much here which keeps me involved. Every day is learning here. I’m gonna miss this place a lot.” Email: features@ubspectrum.com
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The The Spectrum Spectrum NEWS Team Staff
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See you later, alligator
TANVEEN VOHRA CO-SENIOR NEWS EDITOR
It was 7 p.m. in The Spectrum office last night. It was a typical Tuesday, with Jacklyn showing me how to click my heels in the air. I was making a complete fool of myself as Savanna took videos to document my progress, or lack thereof, and Tom and Brent sporadically cheered me on from their respective corners of the office. It’s stupid. It’s home. I came to The Spectrum in my senior year of college, having just transferred from UB’s Singapore program. I took a journalism ethics class with Jody Biehl, our program advisor. For anyone who doesn’t know her — you’re missing out. You don’t know how exciting the First Amendment is until she’s talked about it for a whole hour and you’re still not bored.
Arranged friendship?
AYESHA KAZI CONTRIBUTI COLUMNIST
On Aug. 26, 2015, my dad introduced me to my future best friend, Anika Tabassum. Yes, an arranged friendship. I was waiting outside the Center for the Arts with my dad for international student orientation. My dad went up to this girl standing all by herself in the corner. A nervous girl wearing a hijab, clueless about what was going on around her. If only I knew at that moment that this girl was going to be there for me all through my college life and not
NEWS OPINION I read a bunch of Spectrum articles over the summer, watched all the old embarrassing videos and I was so excited to finally be able to write. The Spectrum has been the most rewarding, most taxing, most teaching part of my UB experience, and I cannot thank all of you enough. No more rolling of eyes every time I announce another Greaseesque meet-up, no more emergency heels and blazer in the bottom drawer, no more speeding down Maple to cheesy ‘80s love songs, no more hungover Sunday production days because I dragged everyone to Marcella’s the night before. I came to The Spectrum eager and inexperienced, as a kid who’d never seen temperatures below 30 degrees. I leave here, having covered (and experienced) my first snow storm, first wind storm, any and all campus protests and having interviewed a Secretary of State, the National Science Foundation director, distinguished authors and human rights lawyers. I started on features desk, with my senior editor Ben. I gave him like 30 story ideas in the span of 20 minutes — everything from covering German rap to intramural soccer. And he really made me believe every one of those stories was possible. Ben, you were the best senior editor I could’ve asked for. No matter how many times your rough edits left me in tears, or how many “heated” debates we’ve had, you never let me give up, and you’ve never given up on me. I have learned almost ev-
erything from you, and words will never be able to convey the gratitude I feel towards you. Working on features desk was the most exciting experience, and those skills have carried me well into my time as senior news editor. But I wouldn’t have been nearly as successful without Jacklyn, the kindest, rudest, funniest, most shocking co-editor I could have ever asked for. Jacklyn you’re an amalgamation of contradictions, and I love you to death. The beginning of this semester was rough and I can only hope you’ve learned as much from me as I have from you. How many times have I walked into the office, positively fuming if you weren’t there to hear about my day? How many times have we co-written a 100-word news blurb? I never said this, but thank you for taking me to my first church — even if it was at a Vampire Weekend concert. Sam, you’re an absolute doll, thanks for buying me my first pretzel and thanks for showing me innovative ways to make money. Brian, I’m so glad I was able to help you express your cultural identity, and thank you for introducing me to George Lopez. Julianna, you fill every room with light and love, and I need you to know you have consistently made my day. Tom, I don’t know how you manage to know something about everything, but conversations with you are always so … enlightening. I’m so sorry you lost your
job at Papa John’s. Isabella, thanks for taking me to the shadiest places ever, and of course, all the fiscal advice. Sorry for filling up features’ budget with three-page profiles, guys. Shubh, thank you for teaching me how to hold a camera and please let me interview you when you’re a big-shot photographer. Davila, your aura of patience and kindness never fails to calm me. To my best pal Brent, I’ll miss all the late nights at the office with you yelling at me because I misspelled someone’s title. Thank you for letting me know everytime my angle is “tired.” You’ve always encouraged me to take risks and find cooler ways to tell stories. I’m so excited for what you have in store for next semester. Alex and Brittany, I’ll always be cheering you kids on from the sidelines. I hope you have just as great an experience as I’ve had working with Jacklyn. In my one year here I have found the friendship, love and growth I never thought I would find across three countries and two continents. The penguin of courage, the frog of change, the abandoned talking stick. Who knows what stays and what remains. We all say our piece and graduate, we take our stories off the wall, but the legacy of our stories will continue, our 68-year-old flame will continue to glow bright. See you later, alligator(s).
just that one week as she thought. Two days later, my dad left for India and I started having second thoughts about my decision to come to the United States. I had never felt this lonely and homesick before. Anika called to check up on me and introduced me to her other friends. We had the same group of friends and spent most of our time together. Our friendship started growing stronger after we opened up about our families, upbringing, classroom stories and struggles. We had different personalities, but we were similar in many ways. We technically lived in different quads, but I was practically her fifth roommate. We decided to make it “official,” and became roommates in sophomore year. Fargo 688 was our little haven away from studying, college drama, homesickness, and any other uncomfortable situations. We turned from friends to family, watched the weirdest videos available on YouTube, shared closets, became each other’s makeup artists and acted as the other’s therapists through difficult times. Soon, we applied to become RAs and AAs and got separated across campus. Anika became an AA at Governors and I
was in Porter. The distance felt like hundreds of miles apart. Junior year came with academic burden and other commitments. Meeting up every day was difficult. We met new people and got busy in our own worlds. But we caught up over FaceTime and made weekly lunch plans. Our friendship faced an obstacle but we both knew that we were incomplete without each other. We spent a lot of time together during our paraprofessional training and soon people began to take notice of our sisterhood. “Omg, you guys are goals!” We heard this on a daily basis. Senior year came with good news. Anika was moved back to Ellicott and we were just a few steps away from each other, just like before. Our daily lunches, study sessions, sleepovers, procrastination and atrium meetups were back. I had my best friend right next to me and I loved her warm presence. Everything was perfect and back to normal. But we realized this was soon going to end. Never again life is going to be this easy and effortless. We wouldn’t be surrounded by the second family we found away from
home. Our biggest obstacle used to be the distance from Porter to Governor’s. Now it’s going to be cities or maybe countries away from each other. We will still be in touch but our careers and life will pull us away in different directions. We have no idea where life is going to take us and this uncertainty kills me. No matter where our ships sail, we will love each other unconditionally. Our friendship will be one for the ages, our kids will hear our stories. I can’t thank my dad enough for introducing us. Leaving UB is going to be a task because all my memories here are made with you, Anika. We grew up together in this little city of UB. Years from now when we visit UB, everything will have changed. New buildings, new people, new spots to hang out but the legacy of our friendship will remain. Our shared energy, our memories, our connection will still echo in the halls. Here’s my goodbye to the best 4 years of my life with my soul sister at UB. See Anika, I did remember you after one week.
Alright seniors, it’s that time of year! Our partying days are slowly fading behind us and now’s our chance to show off our degrees. What better way to say, “hey, I’m an adult” than a clever graduation cap? Nothing. Now, you’ve got your typical quotes from The Office, Friends, and trending memes but, if you don’t want to take that route, I’ve got a few dos and don’ts up my sleeve to help you create the best possible cap. Do: 1. OK hear me out, classic Disney or Pixar quotes that aren’t totally cheesy. There are a few hidden gems from your favorite childhood movies, you just have
Email: news@ubspectrum.com
COURTESY OF CAIT DIVITA
COURTESY OF JESSIE LESINSKI
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Email: Tanveen.Vohra@ubspectrum.com Twitter @TanveenUBSpec
COURTESY OF NICOLE DIRADO
Tassel talk
CAITLYN DIVITA
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to find them. 2. An album cover, not Graduation by Kanye West because come on, but maybe your favorite one of 2019 to better remember the year. 3. You can’t go wrong with a Game of Thrones themed cap especially after this season. Just bend the bloody knee already. 4. Less is more in some situations. Quotes like: “Nailed It,” “Done,” or “Finally” speak for themselves. 5. Another good option is to decorate it “UB” themed. Showing some school spirit may not be the worst thing in the world. We all love our Bulls and no matter how much you deny it, you’ll miss them. If you’re struggling to gather materials to make the cap, I suggest going to Michaels or Joann Fabrics and only buy supplies that you can purchase with a coupon. If you don’t like that option, bring
COURTESY OF MADDIE DAVIS
it full circle - back to kindergarten and use construction paper and Elmer’s glue. If you’re an art major or minor - utilize the scrap materials in the basement! Or just borrow supplies from a friend who already did their cap. Don’t: 1. OK, we all know sparkly grad caps are pretty but if it blinds the person behind you, you’ve gone too far. Put the bedazzler down. Try something like a flower crown to emphasize your luscious locks. 2. Make a grad cap that you won’t look back at and say, “What the hell was I thinking?” Make one that’s meaningful to you. Your grad cap is all about the liberation from 18 years of education and how much you’ve grown! It’s something to be celebrated, not a total joke, you know?
3. I’d also advise you not to spend a ton of money or time on your cap. As long as it gets the point/message across, you’ve done your job! 4. My last “Don’t” would be to not decorate your cap based on other people’s grad caps. Be unique, be creative and express your own style - whatever it is. Whatever you decide, congratulations, peers! We did it. I wish you all good luck as you embark on your last finals and good luck decorating those caps. Try not to stress too much over it, it is just a hat, you know? But I hope for everyone’s sake, we don’t see 20 “The one where I G.R.A.D.U.A.T.E” caps. Catch you on the other side of the tassel. Email: opinion@ubspectrum.com
NEWS
ubspectrum.com
Thursday, May 09, 2019 | 13
Staying connected How alumni can network and stay connected after graduation BRITTANY GORNY ASST. NEWS EDITOR
Clayton Connors said post-graduation can be especially tough. He had no idea what he wanted to do the summer after he graduated. Now, Connors works as assistant director for the regional programs for the Office of Alumni Engagement. He said the office’s programs are a great way to personally and professionally stay involved, get connected and network after graduation. There’s at least one UB alum in each of the 50 states, and alumni living in at
least 150 different countries. 83.92% of UB alumni are living in New York, but there are still thousands living overseas and across the rest of the U.S. The Office of Alumni Engagement works to connect them all. They offer alumni resources, such as free Wednesday webinars, a career connector network, the regional alumni network and a young alumni program. Career Services remains available to alumni up to one year after graduation. “The more graduates stay involved, the more rewarded they feel for experiences they get to take a part in,” Connors said. “The people they meet and things they do are something everyone should take advantage of, and they don’t.” Regional Alumni Network The regional alumni network is com-
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prised of 25 domestic and 13 international regions. They host social and networking events, behind-the-scenes tours and inside looks at different alumni-owned companies monthly to connect alumni in the same area. The domestic regions include places such as Nashville, Philadelphia, Denver and national regions includes places such as Thailand, Japan and Turkey. Each group has its own up-to-date Facebook page. “There’s events happening across the country, so if you’re moving to basically any city with a sizable population, we probably have something happening there or at least nearby,” Connors said. Regional leaders, the volunteers in each city, help plan, execute and make recommendations for events and venus. “If you’re deciding to leave the area, this is a great way to connect with fellow alumni and participate in activities,” Kristen Murphy, executive director of the Office of Alumni and Engagement, said. If someone is graduating and moving to an area where there isn’t a group, they can reach out and create one. “Anytime someone reaches out, we’ll make it work in any of the areas where alumni are interested,” Connors said. Career Connector Network Many people graduate without securing their first job, so Career Connector Network does programming for young alumni, according to Murphy. They hold webinars and in-person events on everything from how to buy their first home to personal branding. Alumni can connect with other alumni, sorted by geographical location, build their network and meet people. The platform assists alumni with job searching, networking help, resume critique, mock interviews and answering questions about getting into a specific field.
“Anyone from anywhere can connect and have conversations to help guide their careers,” Murphy said. Young Alumni Program There are several events throughout the year for young alumni, anyone 35 and younger. The young alumni program has an exclusive demographic, so events can be geared toward the younger crowd, according to Laura Masse, assistant director of the young alumni program. Upcoming events for young alumni include the welcome party on May 23, UB alumni Day of Service on June 1, Night at the Bisons on June 22 and Harbor cruise on July 16. “It’s a way to keep you connected to Buffalo and your aluma matter. It helps you initially start building your network right after you graduate,” Connors said. Alumni can find out about upcoming events through email and social media. Young Alumni Leadership Roughly 50 young and engaged alumni connect with recent grads and current students to help guide through graduation and what comes after. These alumni help with volunteer opportunities, staffing at events, creating programming, help on social media and advocate for alumni. “Many members of this group value the opportunity to connect with various types of people,” Masse said. “Those connections end up meeting them on their life path to opportunities they would have never had access to if it wasn’t for the connections they made at a young alumni event.” Email: Brittany.Gorny@ubspectrum.com Twitter: @BrittanyUBSpec
14 | Thursday, May 09, 2019
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Thursday, May 09, 2019 | 15
Student Association president reflects on year in office Gunnar Haberl looks back after year of ‘relationship building’ BRENTON J. BLANCHET MANAGING EDITOR
Gunnar Haberl has had to use a sword a few times in his life. The outgoing Student Association president isn’t a dragon slayer, though. He was a child magician showcasing his favorite trick with the tape-measure weapon, something he used in front of over 50 crowds as a kid. Haberl didn’t have to pull any tricks on anyone this academic year, but he admits he did his best to mend SA’s relationships with departments, not disclosing whether or not he used magic in the process. Last March, the R.E.A.L. Party –– Haberl, Vice President Anyssa Evelyn and Treasurer Tanahiry Escamilla –– ran for SA e-board on a platform focused heavily on mental health advocacy and the inclusion of an on-campus campsite. While their outdoor recreation element never came to fruition, they called on UB to put Counseling Service’s number on the back of UB cards, pushed for an on-campus food pantry and introduced SA’s first sexual assault prevention week. Haberl went into the year excited and leaves knowing that, although he couldn’t please everyone like he did during his days in entertainment, relationship building doesn’t take a magic wand. He said he spent the year building up crucial relationships for SA–– either preexisting or nonexistent –– with administrators and department heads, including Athletic Director Mark Alnutt. “[When we meet, they] are trusting students to do something and to represent the university and push boundaries,” Haberl
said. “And that’s not an easy thing to let up because that is a liability in some cases. But I think that’s something our team really pressed this year.” Haberl remembers members of the UB community telling him “Athletics doesn’t talk to the Student Association,” and said a lot of the initiatives SA has pushed this year –– including the on-campus food pantry and the inclusion of more menstrual products on campus –– couldn’t be accomplished by just the student government. Escamilla agreed that this was one of the most “notable accomplishments” of their term. “Many of our initiatives would have not been accomplished without the support and collaboration between many individuals on campus,” Escamilla wrote in an email. This also allowed to Student Association to form a relationship with many of Administrators, and we hope the relationship is preserved next year.” Escamilla wrote that some of the other highlights this year include the growth of SA’s Student Affairs Department, continuing the “Sign The Bull” program, “improving the quality” of Spring Fest and the Comedy Series with funds that the Fall Fest Concert Series saved and having student representatives on the food pantry task force. As a member of the task force himself, Haberl said he made sure it was executed “properly” when UB initiated it last month. He can now be seen pushing around carts full of food in the Student Union regularly. Haberl was also vocal about incorporating free menstrual products on campus after attending a conference. He then went to administrators who invited him to a preexisting group to help bring the products to UB. Haberl announced in June that SA and the Office of Inclusive Excellence
BRENTON BLANCHET | THE SPECTRUM UB Student Association President Gunnar Haberl looks out at campus from the Student Union balcony. Haberl reflected on his year as SA president and discussed his plans for the future in an interview with The Spectrum.
each provided $5,000 for a pilot program, which will provide free pads and tampons in 20 bathrooms across campus later this month. But Haberl says SA’s push to include the Counseling Service’s number on the back of UB cards and the events SA held to commemorate Mental Health Awareness Week in March are successes that he holds close. Haberl visited Counseling Services himself this year and thinks shining a light on mental health was a crucial part of his e-board’s agenda. “I just think there’s so much pressure on students, whether they’re social or academic pressures [and] they’re not going to go away,” Haberl said. “And we can’t ignore the fact that it’s not going to go away.” Haberl says the hardest part of his term wasn’t dealing with criticism, but rather the “personal attacks” that came with serving in a large position. “You saw students were unhappy with SA sponsoring Vice President [Joe] Biden. But then there were students that were also upset that we sponsored Condoleezza Rice, right,” Haberl said. “So you’re not
going to make everyone happy. But for me, in this position, it’s important to understand why. And when you understand why that’s when you learn from it.” Haberl says he learned a lot about relationships in the role, and will take this knowledge with him to George Washington University next semester, where he starts a two-year master’s program in public policy and with a concentration in educational policy. He hopes to eventually work for the Department of Education and be a liaison between the department and members of Congress. But regardless of where he ends up, Haberl always has a couple tricks up his sleeve. Email: Brenton.Blanchet@ubspectrum.com Twitter @BrentonBlanchet
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QQ&&AA w wiitthh MMaarrkk AAllnnuutttt Athletic director recaps first year on the job and plans moving forward NATHANIEL MENDELSON SENIOR SPORTS EDITOR
How has your first year been while being away from your family back in Memphis? It’s been tough. I’m a huge family person, and just missing the day-to-day, the interaction, the events, and I was down in Memphis last weekend and had progress meetings in Arizona. And so I just had an opportunity to catch three baseball games and a track meet, just those things that I missed.
within the various units within the department, communicate at a higher level and be able to work together to try to break down silos. So for us that was something that we’re constantly working on, but I feel that we’re better now than we were beforehand, but then also, and this is just more of my leadership style, to be able to allow individuals that had certain units, so I’m talking about head coaches and give them the autonomy, so to speak to them to be able to work within their lane, and then be able to work together with each other and be able to, maximize their best efforts. So not being that micromanager that they need to do this, this and this. I want to be informed, I want to know what’s going on and allow them to come in terms of, ‘Hey, this is something that I need, that
here and try to continue doing that? I think for us is to be open and be in lockstep with the University because also, I look at the University from a diversity standpoint, in terms of what we’re doing, and really be cognizant of the needs of our student athletes needs of our staff. Whether it’s LGBTQ, whether it is international students, whether it is underrepresented minorities in so many different areas, okay? How can we be reflective of what our student body looks like, what our community is all about, but then also be able to provide a resource for our student athletes, when they come to a place where, you know, a lot of folks might not look like them, or might not, you know, come from the same environment that they have.
versity and if your name is constantly out there. Why not click on the website, and then know more about Buffalo. This is a phenomenal school for engineering, phenomenal school for business or School of Pharmacy, whatever the case might be just know more about Buffalo. And what do you mean it’s only 20 miles away from Niagara Falls? Man, that’s one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Why not? For us to represent this university at high level to add value and benefit to diversity is something that definitely you take pride in. And for you -- being a former student athlete -- how does it really help your understanding of what students are going through here or trying to, you
COURTESY OF UB ATHLETICS Athletic Director Mark Alnutt takes a selfie with UB’s mascot Victor E. Bull at a basketball game. Alnutt hopes to continue the success of UB Athletics he inherited when taking the job.
But also on the same token, we had opportunities where we could spend some critical time together, you know, their spring break or corresponding with them [when we were in] Cleveland, so they had a chance to go out for the MAC Championship game. Obviously, the bowl game in Mobile, five hours away from Memphis and that was connected with the holiday. Throughout the past 13 plus months, you know, it’s time to get together. But OK, look at the positive of that, it really given me the opportunity to focus on the job at hand. Working with the people that I work with within the athletic department, but also, you know, being out and active in the community, and also, from a university standpoint as well. So it’s been good. Would I do it all over again? I don’t know. But I’ll tell you what, I mean, there’s definitely some benefit, because that family aspect was removed and allowed me to do some things that I probably [wouldn’t have] been able to do if my family was here. What have you learned on the job here at Buffalo in your first year? First of all, I wanted to connect with people, first and foremost, with the staff, and get to know our staff, and obviously do the SWAT analysis of what’s worked in the past and what’s not working, what we need to be better at, and being able to formulate a plan. From that, to be able to communicate
we will be able to perform better if we if we do this and try to find the best way possible, to make that work.’ Also in terms of having a relationship, [UB President Satish] Tripathi and being on the cabinet. So being able to force those type of relationships for support, and then you go to the community too. You have to be active in the community, you have to be somewhat embedded in the community. And one thing that I learned, from all this is that it’s a very prideful region. Definitely when it comes to community standpoint they want to follow a great product, they want to follow a winner, and what we were able to do that and engage folks and bring more people in. So, we need to continue to do more of that. And when I say, bring more people, and I’m also looking under students to it, I think we put forth several initiatives with the students, forged a good relationship with Gunnar Haberl the student association president in terms of some things that we can do together. And that showed, with the higher attendance at football this year, as compared to last year, and then also, the attendance in basketball and everything else. And there’s a lot that it’s not all because of me, obviously it’s the team that we have all working together and try to provide what’s best for the university. At UB, we’ve won the MAC award for diversity and inclusion, are there any initiatives you’ve taken from that role
I mean, we swept the awards. Then talking to our student athletes, especially our student athlete advisory committee and our president Devon Patterson, who’s on our track team, being able to listen and be able to provide that support in terms of ‘Hey, what can we do to be able to support those initiatives, which also include mental health awareness, you know. That’s important for us to provide that resource and that experience for student athletes. What does it do from an athletic standpoint to now see a larger growth of Buffalo athletes within professional leagues, like Cierra Dillard, Tyree Jackson and so on? What it means that when you when you come to Buffalo it shows you don’t need to go to a power five, to get the experience, to get the notoriety. That you can come to Buffalo, and proof with Khalil Mack and then the student athletes that you mentioned. So it means a lot, but also to, it brings an additional exposure to our university when we have those opportunities to play in a championship game, playing a bowl game of football, or even, you know, go through the MAC tournament play in the NCAA, you know, there’s a lot this written about, there’s a lot that is out there about UB. Before I was here last year, when I was following along, and what, it’s not just prospective student athletes that are looking at a university, during that time, these prospective students are looking at the uni-
know, get them involved within a collective vision of what Buffalo is trying to do? It’s definitely part of it is just having that experience that I had, and the reason why I do what I do. It’s because of the experience I had as a football student athlete. The only piece that I was missing is that we weren’t very good. So, but to me the great thing about my experiences that it kept me connected to my university, so long. So for us we want to do the same thing. I understand what the student athlete goes through, even though there’s a couple generations between me and today’s student athlete, but it’s essentially the same when you look at it. Your schedule and being able to perform various roles, being able to multitask, time management. Obviously the stress with everything that’s involved. So I understand, even though we’re still learning with everything we do, I understand what they’re going through and what are some things that I can do to help guide them through that through a process to help prepare them for life after sports. So that’s, that’s what I think of bring some additional value for being here. Email: Nathaniel.mendelson@ubspectrum. com Twitter: @NateMendelson
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