The Spectrum Vol.69 No.02 by The Spectrum Student Periodical

THE SPECTRUM VOL. 69 NO. 02 | AUGUST 29, 2019

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

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WELCOME WELCOME BACK! BACK! UB raises full-time Ph.D. student stipend ﬂoor to $20,000 for 2019-20 Living Stipend Movement members celebrate but have concerns with the announcement BRITTANY GORNY SENIOR NEWS EDITOR

UB deans ofﬁcially raised all Ph.D. teaching assistant, research assistant and graduate assistant stipends to a baseline of $20,000 for the 2019-20 academic year. UB announced the increase on Monday, after the deans decided unanimously in July. Provost Charles Zukoski, who disagreed with previous stipend resolutions, supported the decision, according to Graham Hammill, vice provost for educational affairs and dean of the graduate school. The stipend increase came with the launch of a Ph.D. Excellence Initiative which will examine issues related to Ph.D. programs in order to enhance Ph.D. students’ educations. This initiative does not include master’s student workers, despite some students feeling they often do the same amount of work. Some departments’ stipends were already close to, or above, $20,000, while others will see a 30-40% increase in their stipends, according to Michael Montoro, UB Council student representative. UB will notify eligible students of their stipend increases in October and pay them retroactively. “This move will have a huge impact on some of the least-paid [Ph.D. student

workers],” Michael Morse, a physics Ph.D. student, said. “Before this there were students working a full appointment that were making $10,000 a year. For them, this is life changing.” The engineering department had an average stipend of roughly $19,700, according to Rajan Batta, interim dean for the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. But Batta feels departments whose stipends aren’t affected will still beneﬁt from the change. “We had several students above the $20,000 stipend already, so what’s exciting for us is not the stipend, but the Ph.D. Excellence Initiative,” Bajan said. “So, moving forward we want to be able to improve the quality of our Ph.D. programs, be able to get better students and have them get good industry jobs.” But for other students, the increase means more. Willis McCumber, an English Ph.D. student, is the media coordinator for the Living Stipend Movement. McCumber said he has been working to see this type of change since LSM started in April 2017. “It’s really important to realize this isn’t just enlightened administrators waking up one morning and realizing graduate students need better stipends,” McCumber said. “It’s the effect and result of direct action of graduate student workers.” Hammill said the change will ensure UB “remains competitive,” in order to recruit and retain the best Ph.D. candidates. “In June, Provost Zukoski shared with

Making UB notorious: Ruth Bader Ginsburg visits UB UB School of Law presents Supreme Court Justice with honorary degree. JACKLYN WALTERS MANAGING EDITOR

nounced completing three weeks of radiation therapy for pancreatic cancer. But she refused to cancel, as her visit was dedicated to the late Wayne Wisbaum, Ginsburg’s friend and Buffalo attorney. The audience went wild when Ginsburg came on stage at both events and the crowd met the justice with standing ovations and thunderous applause. Ginsburg waved her arms, humbly dismissing the gestures and inaudibly saying “please,

the deans his plans to launch a Ph.D. Excellence Initiative to ensure that UB’s Ph.D. programs remain among the strongest in the world,” Hammill said. LSM members see this as a victory following their demands, but are still seeking a “living wage” and questioning the decision-making process. In an email, LSM called the stipend increase only “four-fifths of a living wage.” The group hopes to eventually see a stipend floor of $24,000 per year, after fees. “The $24,000 net number the LSM demands is not based on what we feel is appropriate,” Morse said. “Rather it is based on the MIT living wage calculator. $24,000 is a living wage in Buffalo.” Hannah Stokes, a Ph.D. geography student, said she is grateful for the stipend increase but wished the deans’ decision was “more transparent.” “My understanding is that the administration has been claiming there isn’t enough money to increase stipends to the cost of living, and yet suddenly they have implemented this policy and magically the money is there for this immediate school year,” Stokes said. Stokes said she’s also concerned “UB will eventually reduce the amount of funded Ph.D. students or increase student fees to pay for this increase in stipends.” McCumber wasn’t expecting to see an increase this year at all. “It’s hard to fight for something for two and a half years and not see any sign of a concession and retain your faith that please sit.” At the CFA, UB President Satish Tripathi welcomed the “profoundly influential” Ginsburg before SUNY Chancellor Kristina Johnson presented the justice with her degree, thanking her for “her radical feminist goals.” After posing with her diploma, Ginsburg gave a brief speech and sat with Aviva Abramovsky, dean of UB’s School of Law, to discuss her path to law school, passion for social justice and commonalities with late rapper The Notorious B.I.G.. “If I am notorious it is because I had

On the first day of the 2019-20 academic school year, UB handed out another diploma. > SEE RUTH BADER GINSBURG Associate Justice of the Supreme Court Ruth Bader Ginsburg visited Buffalo on Monday to accept an honorary doctoral degree from UB’s School of Law. Her appearance –– hosted by UB’s School of Law, the Bar Association of Erie County, the Western New York Chapter of the Women’s Bar Association and the Minority Bar Association of Western New York –– marks the first time a Supreme Court Justice has received a SUNY honorary degree or has come to UB. Over 1,200 UB community members filled the Center for the Arts’ mainstage theatre for the sold-out degree presentation. The justice then spoke to UB law students on campus BLANCHET | THE SPECTRUM and, later, the Buffalo law community BAENJAMIN SSOCIATE JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT RUTH BADER GINSBURG (RIGHT) at Kleinhans Music Hall. Ginsburg’s STANDS NEXT TO UB PRESIDENT SATISH TRIPATHI AND ACTING CHAIRMAN THE SUNY BOARD OF TRUSTEES MERRYL TISCH AS SHE RECIEVES HER visit came only three days after she an- OF HONORARY DIPLOMA FROM UB.

| PAGE 2

you’re going to actually see some results,” McCumber said. “All of the organizers are just overjoyed that workers have made [an] impact.” LSM hopes to keep pushing for the Living Stipend Solutions Committee formation, which the Faculty Senate passed last year. Montoro said the increase is to be celebrated, but it’s still not a “perfect plan.” “It’s a huge vindication and acknowledgement of what we’ve been asking for, but fees are still an issue,” Montoro said. LSM members are hoping to see the New York State Senate pass bill S3916B, which would provide fee options for graduate students. But they hope to see UB take action before then. “We would like to see UB take action and make a statement that they know that bill is going through and do something on our campus about it,” Montoro said. Email: brittany.gorny@ubspectrum.com

Provost leaving for USC BRITTANY GORNY SENIOR NEWS EDITOR

L, BRIAN STAUFFER CHARLES ZUKOSKI, WHO SERVED AS PROVOST AND EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OF ACADEMIC AFFAIRS FOR SEVEN YEARS, WILL LEAVE UB ON OCT 1. PHOTO COURTESY OF

Charles Zukoski, UB’s Provost and Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs of seven years, will leave UB on Oct. 1, President Satish Tripathi announced on Tuesday. The University of Southern California’s Board of Trustees appointed Zukoski as its next Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs on Tuesday. During his time at UB, Zukoski “improved the university’s four and sixyear retention rates, established the position of Vice Provost to promote equity and inclusion and helped to enrich the university’s undergraduate curriculum,” according to UB’s press release. UB will announce plans for the interim leadership of Zukoski’s positions in the coming days. UB appointed Zukoski as the Provost and Vice President of Academic Af> SEE PROVOST | PAGE 2

NEWS

2 | Thursday, August 29, 2019 FROM PAGE 1

RUTH BADER GINSBURG the good fortune to be alive and [to be] a lawyer in the late 1960s,” Ginsburg said. Ginsburg, throughout both events, held audiences captive with her stories of the “not-so-good old days.” Inspired by Amelia Earhardt and Nancy Drew, Ginsburg said her passion for social justice stemmed from ﬁrst-hand experiences with discrimination. Ginsburg was one of nine women in a class of roughly 500 men at Harvard, she was the ﬁrst woman to become a tenured professor at Columbia Law School and the second to become a Supreme Court Justice. Aldiama Anthony, law student and parliamentarian of UB’s Student Bar AssoFROM PAGE 1

PROVOST fairs in April 2012, after a seven-month international search. He came to UB from the University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign with plans to implement the university’s academic vision. Tripathi said Zukoski’s international experience in Singapore was important in the selection process. Zukoski’s tenure at UB was, at times, met with controversy, as students, faculty and staff voiced concerns with graduate stipends through sit-ins, rallies and protests on campus. The provost’s departure announcement shortly follows UB’s decision to increase baseline stipends to $20,000 for the 201920 academic year. At USC, Zukoski hopes to impact the school’s neighboring community in South L.A., as he told the school’s student newspaper, the Daily Trojan. “[We want] to begin to address the large problems the neighborhoods face from health disparities to sustainability and water to access to food and housing,” Zukoski said to the Daily Trojan. “How can USC, with its research and scholarship capacity, have an enhanced impact there?” Email: brittany.gorny@ubspectrum.com

ciation, commended Ginsburg’s efforts to push for equal opportunities for all marginalized groups in the court. “I personally admire her because I’m an international student,” Anthony said. “The way she advocates for minorities and the focus on [disenfranchised] groups, I personally relate to that.” Ginsburg discussed many of the same themes at both events and told stories of her peers and predecessors who “changed the course of history” by pushing against adversity. She said this history of change makes the future feel more promising. “It is true we have not reached nirvana, but the progress I have seen in my lifetime makes me optimistic for our future,” Ginsburg said. At Kleinhans, Ginsburg spoke

more on law-speciﬁc topics expressed concern with America’s current political system and speciﬁcally urged against expanding the size of the Supreme Court. Ginsburg is known for her friendships with colleagues who hold vastly different ideologies, and expressed her hopes to achieve this political collegiality again in the future. “I hope one day there will be people who care about our country –– both Democrats and Republicans –– who come together and say ‘enough of this dysfunctional legislature,’” Ginsburg said. “We’re supposed to serve the people of the United States.” Rina Hernandez, law student and SBA vice president, said she has always admired

ubspectrum.com Ginsburg and is excited to soon join a list of alumni which now includes Ginsburg. “As a ﬁrst generation Latina in law school, I just think she’s such an empowering ﬁgure,” Hernandez said. “Now we can walk around and tell people ‘I graduated from the law school where she received an honorary degree.’” In her 26 years as an Associate Justice –– and one of three women on the bench today –– Ginsburg said she is often asked “when will there be enough?” To such inquiries, Ginsburg replies: “The obvious answer is when there are nine.” Email: jacklyn.walt@ubspectrum.com

UB lifts suspension on most social Greek life organizations, initiates probation period

Review committee implements 14 recommendations for organizations BRENTON J. BLANCHET, BRITTANY GORNY

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, SENIOR NEWS EDITOR

UB announced all social Greek life organizations, except for one, are no longer suspended but remain on probation as it revealed its Greek Life Review Committee’s recommendations on Aug. 20. The committee created a 26-page report after four months of investigating UB’s social Greek life following UB President Tripathi’s suspension of all recognized activities. The suspension was in response to the possible hazing which caused freshman Sebastian Serafin-Bazan’s death on April 17. The report highlights 14 specific recommendations UB will implement over the next two years. The recommendations include prohibiting freshmen from joining social Greek organizations during their first semester, suspending Greek life recruitment during the Fall 2019 semester and requiring each student involved in

Greek life to pay a $25/semester program fee. All recommendations can be viewed on the university’s website. In its four-month review, the 19-member committee — including community members, Director of Fraternity and Sorority Life Pamela-Stephens Jackson, UPD assistant chief Chris Bartolomei and committee chair and dean of the Graduate School of Education Suzanne Rosenblith — examined UB’s 35 social Greek life organizations. It also examined Greek life practices at universities like Florida State University, Penn State University, Louisiana State University and the University of Missouri, before releasing the report on Tuesday. Social fraternities and sororities, effective immediately, will remain on probation during the fall semester, in which they won’t be able to recruit any new members, according to Weber. UB’s Sigma Pi chapter, which was involved in Seraﬁn-Bazan’s possible hazing death, will remain suspended while Buffalo Police completes its investigation. UB will not consider lifting the suspension until after completing its own investigation after. “We believe through this process with

clearer policy, a higher level of shared accountability, better education and greater responsibility by us and the student groups, the conditions will improve,” Weber said. Now, an implementation committee, led by Dean of Students Barbara Ricotta, will assist Greek-letter social fraternal organizations in adopting the recommendations. The committee will define what each organization must do for the suspensions to be lifted. “The implementation committee will work collaboratively with the Greek life organizations to implement the recommendations,” Weber said. “It wouldn’t be surprising if different Greek organizations come off probation at different times.” Weber said “less than a handful” of social Greek life organizations still held events following Tripathi’s suspension, and that UB will “fully adjudicate” those specific cases, referencing UB’s zero-tolerance policy. In two years, UB will conduct another review to evaluate the recommendations’ success and benefits for social Greek life, according to the report. Email: news@ubspectrum.com.

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OPINION

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THE SPECTRUM Thursday, August 29, 2019 Volume 69 Number 02 Circulation: 4,000

Letter from the Editor: Growing the voice of the student body

EDITORIAL BOARD EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Brenton J. Blanchet MANAGING EDITORS Jacklyn Walters Lauryn King, Asst.

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Jessica Sutton WEB EDITORS Savanna Caldwell Cassiana Enderle Reilly Mullen, Asst. Nicole Waddington, Asst.

NEWS EDITORS Brittany Gorny, Senior Alexandra Moyen, Asst.

FEATURES EDITORS Samantha Vargas, Senior Julian Roberts-Grmela, Asst.

ARTS EDITORS Julianna Tracey, Senior Anastasia Wilds, Asst.

ENGAGEMENT EDITOR Benjamin Blanchet

MULTIMEDIA EDITORS Vindhya Burugupalli, Asst. Wayne Penales, Asst.

PROFESSIONAL STAFF

BRENTON J. BLANCHET EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

This is The Spectrum and this is your campus newspaper. But “your” might feel like an empty promise to some. We occasionally report on stories that aren’t always a positive reﬂection of this campus and our opinion page is always ﬂooded with outspoken columns. We try to give a voice to as many students as we can. This is the way it should be, though. We’re doing our jobs when we inform the community and we’re doing our jobs when we keep you involved. But we’re not doing our jobs right when editorial choices

Examining the reasons why people say it, asking the UB community

ADVERTISING MANAGER Nathan Stutz GRAPHIC DESIGN MANAGER Nicholas Meurer

ABOUT THE SPECTRUM

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see my name on music sites like Billboard and DJBooth and I can’t attend a concert without critiquing the artist’s stage presence. That’s what I want to do for the rest of my life, with the exception of not enjoying concerts, but I understand the importance of my position here. While I’ve been part of the paper since 2016 and have broken news countless times, both for The Spectrum and other publications, news isn’t my only priority. My approach is different. I’m a creative at heart. There’s nothing I value more than listening to my sources and I will carry this mentality into the relationships we rebuild at this paper. We want to highlight students. We want to tell your stories –– whether you’re a student athlete, a rapper, a member of the student government or a genuinely really cool person –– and we want to do everything we can to give a voice to underrepresented communities on this campus. Our ﬁrst move this year was tailoring a role for the student body, a new outreach position at The Spectrum: an Engagement Editor. For the next two semesters, my brother Benjamin Blanchet will run our social media accounts, help me work with student clubs and departments and assist in mending relationships. We want

Is the n-word overrated?

OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR Helene Polley

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.

make students of color feel invalidated or underrepresented, or when working relationships with departments or clubs crumble without us trying to rebuild them, limiting the quality of stories we can offer you. Both of these scenarios have happened throughout our paper’s 69-year history. I’ve seen the effects of them. But they shouldn’t persist. This year’s reporting staff is a new –– much, much larger –– staff and The Spectrum is rebuilding. While we have only a handful of experienced editors this year, we have a staff full of new writers ready to make this publication their outlet for expression, and yours as well. I’m Brenton J. Blanchet, The Spectrum’s 66th Editor-in-Chief and I want our paper to tell your stories. Before taking my word on that, I want you to know my background. Today I write this as a music journalist, not a news writer. I walk into supermarkets and see the faces of popstars I’ve interviewed on the cover of Rolling Stone, I check my phone and

Thursday, August 29, 2019 | 3

ALEXANDRA MOYEN ASST. NEWS EDITOR

Every time I ask my friends not to say “n---a,” I get the following responses: “Oh, you know I didn’t mean it that way,” “It’s part of the song so relax” or “I’m a person of color, so it’s OK.” From a young age, I’ve been taught the n-word isn’t something to take lightly and if someone calls you that, stop it right away. Now, I’m not going to pretend I haven’t said the word, because I have. Yet, after hearing “The N-Word Song” by Sha Stimuli, where he says “n---a” almost 50 times, I realized how overused and ridiculous the word has become. I made the decision to no longer say the word when I came to UB in 2018 and have not broken my promise. Knowing this –– and the mixed opinions on saying “n--a” –– I was determined to see if I was the only one who felt this way and asked random students on UB’s campus. I started with black people. “I didn’t start saying the word until last year because of the original meaning,” said sophomore biomedical sciences major, Naila Phillips. She understands why rappers say it in music as it “goes with the ﬂow” but isn’t comfortable hearing it in conversation. “Black people have owned the word,” Phillips said.

That’s something I hear every time I bring up this topic. Yes, it is acceptable –– and only acceptable –– for black people to use the word. However, whether you like it or not, no one can really own a word. For Phillips, it is always unacceptable for white people to say it. Even her “lit-est” white friend, who got the “n-word pass,” from her friends doesn’t say it, she said. I’ve asked all my friends regardless of race to stop saying the word around me. I don’t care why they want to use it or their reasons for thinking they can use it. I just don’t want to hear it. Some people argue that when black people use the word, it transforms from a slur to a form of endearment that takes the power from the oppressors. Whenever I hear “n---a” casually walking down the hall or when my friends say it to me, I have to remind myself that they are saying “n---a” and not “n--ER.” Why is dissociating the two words so difﬁcult? “The truth is we can’t separate the one that ends with the ‘a’ from the one that ends with the ‘er’ because they are of the same roots,” said Mopelolade Oreoluwa Ogunbowale, an adjunct instructor in the African American Studies program. Ogunbowale teaches hip-hop and social issues and, in the past, has taught courses on African gender studies. In her home country, Nigeria, natives would say “n---a” just like many black people here. “When I was growing up in Nigeria, the n-word with the ‘a’ was fancy,” Ogunbowale said. “It was an expression of cool, it was an expression of the association of the black experience and it was also an association with that ‘hiphop swagger.’” Back home, it didn’t have any racist meaning for her, which is why she used to say it, too. It wasn’t until she came to the U.S. that she realized the word has many meanings, not all of them good. Yet, in her class, Ogunbowale

says the word to problematize it and bring awareness to its history. “I don’t want students to be afraid to engage the word historically or with its contemporary use in hip-hop, but I want students to be aware of the problems, of the baggage that word carries,” Ogunbowale said. To many, “n---a” is a term of endearment, but what does the word mean when black people use it against each other in an argument? At that point, isn’t it just as bad as the original word? For Ogunbowale, the distinction is difficult and the word is still a racial slur no matter the tone because of its history. Personally, I am still trying to figure out how the black community claimed the word and changed its meaning. Regardless, I will never understand how nonblack Hispanics got the pass to say “n---a” and why some white people think that it’s okay to say it when rapping to a song. Did they all of a sudden realize how hip the word was and want to join in on the fun? Unfortunately –– or maybe fortunately –– I wasn’t able to find a white person bold enough to say they casually say “n---a.” But it didn’t take long to find a white person who believes white people should never say the word. Julia Mole, sophomore computer science major, believes it is ignorant and “is totally inexcusable,” even when singing to a song. From what I’ve heard, if a white person has a lot of black friends, if they hear it in a song, or get the “n-word pass,” they feel they automatically get to say the word. That’s all it takes –– one person to start feeling entitled to start a chain reaction. “In my opinion, one person doesn’t speak for an entire population,” Mole said. If we want change, then the change has to start within ourselves. We can’t keep expecting white people to not say the word if we are casually saying it ourselves. We need to set an example

to ﬁnd out what you feel The Spectrum can do for you. We’ve already had some indepth discussions with student organizations and Ben has already listened to the concerns of several departments on campus. While we aren’t always going to make everyone happy with our coverage, we want to recognize our paper’s past mistakes and do the best we can to cover as many angles of UB as we possibly can. But our jobs are useless without your voice. We want your feedback. The Spectrum has taught me how to tell other people’s stories; something I’m going to do for the rest of my life. And I want us to help share yours. The Spectrum is your publication. It might be turning 70 years old pretty soon and carrying a lot of history with it, but that doesn’t mean we have to carry the burden of its history without learning from it. Today is a new beginning and I want you here for it. If you have any questions about what we do or are thinking about joining, send me an email, tweet me @BrentonBlanchet or drop by my ofﬁce at 132 Student Union. Email:Brenton.Blanchet@ubspectrum. com

for those who clearly don’t understand why saying “n---a” isn’t something to take lightly. Whether we like it or not, “n--a” just has too much ugly history for it to be “reclaimed.” Many nationalities have racial slurs against them. No. Because the weight those terms carry is too much to bear. So forgive me if I can’t grasp the concept of taking back a demeaning word that has never been ours and forgive me if I don’t care that you are a person of color or if Ancestry.com said you are 2% black. Because the word is a slur, regardless of who says it or how it’s spelled. Want to share your thoughts on this? Email us at opinion@ubspectrum.com or tweet us @UBSpectrum Email: com

alexandra.moyen@ubspectrum.

4 | Thursday, August 29, 2019

NEWS

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NEWS

Thursday, August 29, 2019 | 5

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FEATURES did was nice.” Freshmen ﬁnd friendship And it didn’t take long for incoming students to start feeling right at home and among boxes, rideshares making new friends. Student Life put on

6 | Thursday, August 29, 2019

New students miss their dogs, move in to UB for ﬁrst time JULIAN ROBERTS-GRMELA, SAMANTHA VARGAS FEATURES DESK

Cameron Reyes, a freshman chemical and biological engineering major, spent a month on campus for UB’s Access to College Excellence program over the summer, but that didn’t make saying goodbye to his mom last week any easier. “My mom was sad. Everybody else that came was sad,” Reyes said. “I’m the youngest [sibling] and also the last one to go to college so I guess she was proud, but sad because I won’t be home with her anymore.” Reyes was one of the roughly 8,000 students who moved into UB’s 13 residence halls and ﬁve apartment buildings last week. Many came fully equipped with their mini fridges, fairy lights and tissues for their parents. Move-in week began Thursday Aug. 22 at 9 a.m. for incoming freshmen, followed by sophomores and upperclassmen throughout the weekend. Over 1,500 students arrived early, according to Jim Zielinski, associate director of

WAYNE PENALES| THE SPECTRUM STUDENT HECTOR SOSA PREPARES TO MOVE HIS ITEMS AS MOVEIN DAY STARTS.

housing operations for Campus Living. Many freshmen were excited to reach the milestone of leaving their parents behind, meeting their new roommates and beginning their lives at UB. “It’s just an exciting and happy time for everyone,” Zielinski said. “It’s an exciting new journey for the students who are arriving and we’re happy to host them here on campus.” To avoid the stress of move-in day, many students began their day earlier than Campus Living’s 9 a.m. opening time. Some arrived to campus as early as 7 a.m, according to Patrick Burke, Campus Living’s residence hall director in Campus Living. “I think the craziest thing is the amount of parents that come in at 7 a.m. and they just want to get here and they’re so excited to be here,” Burke said. “Sometimes it’s the parents [rather] than the students that are more excited to be here.” Max Sobel, a freshman aerospace mechanical engineering major, was one of the many students who wanted to avoid the mobs of incoming students and families. “We were there around 7:45 a.m. and [they weren’t] going to let us in until 9 a.m., but they ended up letting us move in early,” Sobel said. “They were very accommodating. Moving in before anyone else

ubspectrum.com “I was [waiting for the elevator] to go to the sixth ﬂoor,” Mendez said. “All [I heard was] screaming in the elevator.” When the elevator doors opened, it was

its annual Welcome Weekend, which hosts a variety of events to connect incoming students with each other. From picnics, icebreaker events and therapy dog sessions, incoming students found themselves fully engulfed in the UB community for the first WAYNE PENALES | THE SPECTRUM SOPHMORE DAPHNE DA SILVA AMONGST PILES OF BOXES. time. Freshman fine art major Emma Stanton moved into UB last a fellow freshman who had accidentally weekend, leaving behind her beloved dog dropped all of his belongings. Once he rein Corning, NY. She admitted missing her alized he was also in the wrong building, dog already, but said UB’s dog therapy and Mendez watched as the freshman threw her newfound friends will help ward off everything out of the elevator and left. Other students found themselves overthe sadness. “It was overwhelming at first actually whelmed after arriving later in the aftermoving in, then once you’re settled in it’s noon. Ryanne McChesney, a freshman psyreally easy to figure out things to do. Welcome Weekend was really fun,” Stanton chology major, began his move-in process said. “I really want to go to the dog thera- around 10:30 a.m., which is over an hour py. Oh my god, I miss my dogs so much.” after the recommended arrival time. “I moved in the middle of everything Many students also received a warm welcome from Campus Living faculty and [going on] so it was really stressful. I had a lot of top-heavy, awkward stuff [to their new roommates and neighbors. Hector Sosa, a junior psychology ma- carry],” McChesney said. “I had a bunch jor, never expected to receive moving help of people helping me, so I had like seven people trying to cram into my room.” from incoming freshmen. But minor inconveniences didn’t stop “We’ve been doing a lot of back and forth [between the dorms]. We’ve just the incoming class of 2023 from remainbeen taking Ubers all day from public ing hopeful for the upcoming year at UB. “Everyone at UB seems pretty happy storage,” said Sosa. “We took an [Uber] XL because we had all these things and and positive. It’s just a fun environment,” a group of young men [shared] the same freshman computer science major AlexanUber ride so they helped us unpack. That der Wong said. “It’ll take some time getting used to the bathroom, but maybe in was pretty cool.” But some students had a tougher time two weeks it will be fine.” *The Spectrum editorial staff contributed to getting settled into their new homes. Freshman engineering major Jocelin this story Mendez knew that moving into college was going to be full of emotion, but she Email: features@ubspectrum.com didn’t expect to be welcomed onto campus by the wails of a lost student.

FEATURES

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Thursday, August 29, 2019 | 7

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT N: It’s different every night. What Jim Norton brings his worked last night might not work tonight. I can change it as I go along and if somehonesty to the Buffalo thing is not working, I can address it. It’s a different crowd every night so even if the comedy scene

8 | Thursday, August 29, 2019

Comedian shares experiences and thoughts on the profession before Buffalo performance

TS: In a Forbes article, you said you “never expect anything” out of your future career, projects and successes. Why have you worked as a comedian all your life? What is it about comedy that drives

ANASTASIA WILDS ASST. ARTS EDITOR

material is the same as last night, there’s something new every night.

TS: You’ve published two books, which have both appeared on The New York Times Best Seller list. What inspired you to publish these books? Did you expect them to become as popular as they are?

Jim Norton became interested in stand-up comedy when he was 12 years old. Now, Norton performs at sold-out shows across the country and runs a radio show on weekday mornings. He has COURTESY OF PAM LOSHAK also created several pod- PHOTO COMEDIAN JIM NORTON WILL RETURN TO BUFFALO TO PREFORM casts, appeared in a few AT HELIUM COMEDY CLUB FRO SEPT 5-7. comedy shows, published you? two books and may have a small role in N: Well, I mean, I like making people the upcoming Netﬂix feature ﬁlm “The laugh, and the reaction is immediate, you Irishman.” know, I can adjust on the spot. I know imNorton will deliver new jokes directly mediately if something is working, and it’s to Buffalonians at Helium Comedy Club a high. I mean, there’s no high like standSept. 5-7 as a part of his national stand-up ing up in front of a room full of people tour. Our discussion with Norton, lightly who are paying attention to you and makedited for length and style, follows below. ing them laugh. I mean, there’s nothing

N: No, I mean, the first one is better. A lot of that was written a few years earlier when I was depressed because “Opie and Anthony” had been kicked off the radio. So I was blogging a lot just to have some kind of reaction from people, and book agents saw the writings [and said], “You have really good writings. This stuff is very funny. You should piece this together.” So I pieced a lot of it together. I edited and I changed some stuff, and [then] I had an outline for a book. [Then] I added a few new things, and I had my first book. [For] the second one I wrote, I was kind of angry at the language policing going on and radio guys getting fired for offending special-interest groups. So the second book was angrier than it should have been.

like that. I tend to always respect value out of myself. But I think a lot of comedians are like that. You know, a lot of us are lowself-esteem idiots. Every time you make a crowd laugh, that’s one more moment that you don’t have to look at the fact that you fail.

TS: Along with doing stand-up, you can also be heard weekday mornings on “The Jim Norton & Sam Roberts Show.” You have also done podcasts such as “UFC Unﬁltered with Jim Norton and Matt Serra” and the “Chip Chipperson Podacast.” How different is it doing your work on the radio or in podcasts versus stand-up comedy? Which is more of a challenge for you?

The Spectrum: You became interested in stand-up comedy after seeing a Richard Pryor special when you were 12, but why exactly did this special lead to an interest in the profession? Norton: I was funny as a kid, but I never knew what to do with that. It was like being able to throw a football but not knowing the NFL exists. And then all of a sudden when you see somebody doing it, you’re like, “Oh that’s what you do with this thing.” This whole making kids in the class laugh, making people laugh and feeling the high of making people laugh. When I saw Richard Pryor, I understood that’s what you do with it. That’s what you do with it with your life. That’s what you do with it when you’re an adult.

TS: What are the best and worst parts about doing stand-up? N: The fact that it all lies on my shoulders, and I am responsible for that show and the way it goes, is both the best and the worst part. The best part is that I can talk about whatever I want. The worst part is if it doesn’t work, it’s completely my fault. TS: What makes stand-up comedy unique for you?

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N: It really depends. In stand-up, there’s a live audience watching you, so anything could go wrong. The radio has to be different every day. You have to come up with different things to say every day and different jokes every day. So, they both are hard and easy in their own way. They just work a different muscle. … When I’m doing a live podcast, I tend to let the standup instincts kick in as opposed to the way I

ubspectrum.com would do a podcast. So, I guess the standup is my dominant feature of my brain. TS: You’ve also appeared in multiple comedy TV shows such as “Inside Amy Schumer,” “Louie” and “Crashing” and just shot a featured role for “The Irishman” starring Robert DeNiro and Al Pacino. Does working in TV or ﬁlm feel even more different? N: Yeah those are different because you can redo it, and you know what lines you are saying before you say them. So, the good part is that you can redo it. The bad part is you don’t get to just make it up as you go along, and if something is not working in an acting scene, you can’t just make fun of it and save it. You have to go through the dialogue with that scene. TS: You’ve performed in Buffalo before, is there anything that makes Buffalo different compared to other stops? N: No, I mean, Buffalo is a lot like Philadelphia, New Jersey and Ohio. They’re just kind of like blue-collar people. If you’re funny, they’ll laugh, and if you’re not, they won’t. You don’t need to be politically correct. They just want you to be funny, so they’re a great crowd. It’s one of my favorite ones. TS: What should Buffalonians expect from your upcoming performance? N: Well, it’s updated from the last time I was there. It’s a new hour. We’ll talk a lot about what’s going on in the world, my own disastrous personal life, [and] there are a few documentaries on Netﬂix I’m touching on. TS: Is there anything you want to say to Buffalonians who are thinking about seeing your show? N: Buy a ticket because you never know when I’m gonna die, and I won’t be able to come back. Email: arts@ubspectrum.com.

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Thursday, August 29, 2019 | 9

Buffalo catches the ‘Lovebug’ Jonas Brothers simultaneously take Buffalo to 2009 and the ‘Year 3000’ JACKLYN WALTERS MANAGING EDITOR

On Aug. 30, 2009, 12-year-old Sarah Scott’s dreams came true when she saw the Jonas Brothers live in Toronto. Ten years later –– and wearing the same t-shirt from 2009 –– her childhood dreams came true again, this time with a beer in her hand. “We bought our [Jonas Brothers] tickets in May but we got these printed shirts in 2009. [We kept them] for the day they’d get back together,” Scott joked of her friends’ ensembles. “It’s so weird, I never thought I’d be coming here ten years later.” Scott was one of many Buffalonians who found themselves “Burnin’ Up” Tuesday night. Not with a fever or the ﬂu, but with the Jonas Brothers’ “Lovebug.” Buffalo’s tweens, twenty-somethings and their moms gathered at the KeyBank Center to see a millennials’ dream concert –– the Jonas Brothers’ reunion “Happiness Begins Tour.” Continuing Buffalo’s summer of throwbacks, including New Kids on the Block; Earth, Wind and Fire; Nelly and Nas soon to come, the Jonas Brothers’ comeback perfectly balanced new with nostalgia. Fans sang along, many not missing a single word, even though technical difﬁculties left the crowd begging for Nick’s vocals throughout. When the trio made its entrance, donning monocolor suits, the audience greeted them with ear-piercing screams. The brothers kicked off with back-toback bangers “Rollercoaster,” “S.O.S.,” “Cool” and “Only Human” before Joe welcomed everyone to the show. “We haven’t played here in some time, I think about six some years. And we thought, we had to show up for Buffalo, Buffalo always shows up for us,” Joe said. “Let’s keep this party rolling, shall we?” The party didn’t stop, with Joe and Nick deciding to ditch their suit jackets for the affair –– Joe returning in a t-shirt and Nick in a sleeveless, satin button-down. Although older, they performed with the same spunk as their teenage selves, dancing and running around stage, working through the aisles to perform in the middle of the arena. They then reminded the audience of their –– legal –– age when they took a shot during their set. “We’re feeling pretty good, we won a VMA last night,” Joe said, referencing their award for best pop video. “So Buf-

falo, this is to you.” Nick and Joe each got a turn to showcase their solo work, with Nick performing megahit “Jealous” and Joe showing off his band DNCE’s “Cake by the Ocean” which featured waving car-dealership inﬂatables and cannons full of confetti. The brothers took a break, returned in white suits and slowed things

VINDHYA BURUGUPALLI | THE SPECTRUM THE JONAS BROTHERS LIT UP THE STAGE IN VIBRANT COLORS WILE THEY ENTERTAINED THE CROWD AT THE KEYBANK CENTER TUESDAY NIGHT. FROM LEFT TO RIGHT, KEVIN JONAS, JOE JONAS, AND NICK JONAS.

Nick joked. “Let’s do this.” And in that moment, Nick Jonas stole your wife, your girlfriend, and the rest of your family before setting off literal fireworks during “Lovebug.” They ended with “Year 3000” but the crowd wasn’t ready to let them go. The Jonas Brothers reappeared, accompanied by flames. And just before their finale of “Sucker,” their massive Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 comeback single, Nick made a promise that fans will have a hard time forgetting. “Buffalo, we love you,” Nick said. “We can’t wait to come back.” Email: jacklyn.walters@ubspectrum.com

down, getting a bit sentimental. “If you told me two years ago we’d be doing this, I’d tell you you’re crazy,” Kevin said. “Thank you for believing in us.” Kevin played piano for “Comeback” before switching places with Nick for 2007 tear-jerker “When You Look Me in the Eyes.” With audience picks, “Camp Rock” hits and a mashup of “Mandy,” “Paranoid,” “Got Me Going Crazy” and “Play My Music,” the crowd’s energy lasted throughout the whole night. Halfway through the second act –– and after roughly four microphone changes –– Nick was ready to melt everyone’s hearts. “Turns out they ﬁnally got a mic that works for me,”

10 | Thursday, August 29, 2019

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UB celebrates Murchie Family Fieldhouse Grand Opening Campus community, Murchie family gather to cut the ribbon JULIAN ROBERTS-GRMELA ASST. FEATURES EDITOR

The UB community celebrated the Murchie Family Fieldhouse’s ribbon-cutting ceremony on Tuesday, as the building officially opened its doors to the public. UB sports teams had access to the facility for training as early as last spring, when construction ended. Construction for the $18 million building lasted nearly two years, and was funded solely through philanthropy and athletics revenue. The UB community gathered inside the new facility at 11 a.m as the event began with performances from the UB Dazzlers Dance Team and the Thunder of the East Marching Band. Community members cut the ribbon after speeches from UB President Satish Tripathi, Athletic Director Mark Alnutt and Brittany Murchie, a representative from the donor family. The crowd filled nearly a third of the indoor football field. And now, student athletes will use the facility to train and it will also be available to some intramural and club sports. The addition of the fieldhouse to North Campus makes a difference for teams that struggle with training in harsh weather. Kara Daly, UB soccer player and senior management major, says the new facility provides an indoor option for teams that would otherwise be forced to cancel their outdoor practices. In turn, the Bulls will have more time to progress. “In previous years, we had to cut practice [when there was bad weather]. Now that we have this, we can conveniently just walk over here and start practicing here, which is huge. Like losing three days out of ten during preseason is obviously very difficult to continue picking back up,” Daly said. Members of the UB athletics community said they are relieved they no longer

have to travel off-campus to indoor practice facilities during the colder months. Alnutt said the fieldhouse is a “tremendous” way to reduce time constraints for studentathletes. “[Now] we don’t have to get on a bus and go 35 minutes to Orchard Park to Bills Stadium to practice,” Alnutt said. “You save a lot of time to be able to come over here, go back to your locker room, and then be able to go back to your studies, whatever the case might be,” Alnutt said. JULIAN ROBERTS-GRMELA THE UB FOOTBALL TEAM WATCHES DURING A SPEECH Kayode Awosika, a AT THE MURCHIE FAMILY FIELDHOUSE GRAND OPENING ON TUESDAY. red-shirt junior on the football team, said he “This is a great recruiting point for us. agrees with Alnutt. “It’s just a blessing now that we have this … It’s just another part of the campus fieldhouse open so that we can have prac- that we are able to show off. It is a very tices right here next to the stadium, get to serious commitment from the athletic declasses on time: it makes everything more partment toward UB athletics and even men’s basketball,” Thorpe said. efficient,” Awosika said. Tripathi said he believes the addition of Members of athletics said they also hope the fieldhouse will help build up the the fieldhouse comes at an appropriate department for the future. Lance Leipold, time, with the rising success of some of head football coach, believes the facility UB’s teams. He said the new facility will will give the team an edge in the recruit- only help them improve. “Our athletics program has been on ment process. The fieldhouse is expected an impressive upwards trajectory for the to be an enticing stop along the way when past several years. … This premier indoor potential Bulls tour campus. “When a young man gets to see where practice facility will help us build on that he gets to live and where he trains and the excitement and that momentum so we convenience of everything that we are try- can achieve even greater success with each ing to put together here, I think that they new season,” Tripathi said. The fieldhouse will not be available for find out that it’s pleasantly surprising what open recreation. Still, Alnutt stressed that is starting to develop here,” Leipold said. all students will have access to the space Angres Thorpe, assistant men’s basketball coach, was also grateful for the re- through intramural and club sports. “There will be opportunities for all of cruiting opportunities that the fieldhouse our students to participate in intramuwould bring.

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rals and our recreational services and to be able to come in and to participate at a high, high level in this facility,” Alnutt said. Brittany Murchie, a representative from the fieldhouse’s donor family, hinted that the family may extend their generosity in the future. “Our family is extremely excited for the future of UB athletics and we are prepared to keep the momentum going,” Murchie said. “Our next step would be the realization of a fitness and conditioning center that would be fittingly named The Factory. But we need help from our community, and so I challenge fellow Buffalonians, alumni and sports enthusiasts to step up and consider a gift to this athletic program. Please join us by investing in these defining moments because with them, we have the ability to develop some of the best athletes, entrepreneurs and influencers this country has yet to see.” Email: julian.grmela@ubspectrum.com.

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Thursday, August 29, 2019 | 11

When Bulls become pros

Former UB football players look to impress and make NFL rosters ALEXANDER POLAND CONTRIBUTING WRITER

UB football’s ten wins last season were a school record, but the team’s roster lost some key players when the season ended. Five of those players went on to make preseason camps for NFL teams. Still, to really make a team, players must make the final 53-man roster by the end of the preseason. This can be difficult for undrafted players, even for the talent represented at UB last season. Three of these players, highlighted below, may still have a chance at making their respective pro teams’ final roster. Tyree Jackson, QB NFL Team: Buffalo Bills The star quarterback for last year’s squad went undrafted and signed a contract with the Buffalo Bills.

JACK LI FORMER BULLS QUARTERBACK TYREE JACKSON WINDS UP FOR A THROW LAST SEASON. JACKSON IS NOW FIGHTING FOR A SPOT ON THE BUFFALO BILLS ROSTER. PHOTO COURTESY OF

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At 6’7” and roughly 250 lbs, Jackson has the size and athletic ability of a good quarterback prospect. While he had a solid arm at UB, he struggled in the NFL preseason. In his ﬁrst two preseason games, he only completed six of 20 passes and threw an interception. As the most recognizable player from last year’s Bulls team, it’s tough to watch him face difﬁculties in the NFL. However, he still has one game to prove his worth to the Bills and the raw talent to potentially make the roster. Anthony Johnson, WR NFL Team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers Johnson, another recognizable name for UB football fans, also remains undrafted

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but signed a preseason contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In the Buccaneers’ ﬁrst preseason game, he showed potential as he had three receptions for 33 yards, but didn’t have a catch in the second. The third preseason game was similar to his last, with Johnson having one catch for eight yards. With a stacked receiving corps in Tampa, Johnson is on the bubble to make the team. Cam Lewis, CB NFL Team: Buffalo Bills Lewis was a reliable starter for the Bulls in his four seasons of playing cornerback. Last season he was vital to the Bulls’ defense with three interceptions and six

deflections. He signed a contract with the Bills at the start of the preseason, joining Jackson. Lewis had a solid performance in his first preseason game, making important tackles and being all over the field. Unfortunately, in the second game of the preseason, he went out of the game with a concussion and couldn’t play in the third. Lewis looks to recover for the last game and get more playing time. His chances of making the Bills final roster are up in the air with this injury. sports@ubspectrum.com

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New season, new roster: Lance Leipold’s hopes for the Bulls UB’s football coach talks with The Spectrum before season starts with Thursday’s big game.

can play them four games and still save it. There may be guys that still fall under that but at this moment, don’t be surprised if all those guys that I just mentioned end up on the ﬁeld Thursday night.

JULIAN ROBERTS-GRMELA ASST. FEATURES EDITOR

Lance Leipold has been UB’s head football coach since 2015, and last year he led the Bulls to a record-breaking 10-4 season. This year, the 2018 Mid-American Conference Coach of the Year is ready for even more success. In February, Leipold signed a contract keeping him in Buffalo through the 2023 season, and now he has a new ﬁeldhouse to work with. Unlike their award-winning coach, many players on last year’s football team will not be returning. Fourteen of last year’s starters have moved on from the team, including starting quarterback Tyree Jackson. But Leipold is excited to work with this year’s squad and said fans should keep an eye out for some new recruits. The season kicks off Thursday when the Bulls face Robert Morris at UB Stadium. We caught up with Leipold before the big day and talked Jaret Patterson, the impact of the Murchie Family Fieldhouse and Tyree Jackson’s experience in the pros. Our discussion with Leipold, lightly edited for length and style, follows below. The Spectrum: Are there any new recruits or transfer players that you’re particularly excited about? Leipold: We got so many new guys. … I really like our receiving corner. Everybody brings something new to the table, some have been in and out based on health. Daniel Lee, one of our junior college wide receivers. Carlton Todd, another one from Iowa Central. Daniel’s from Cisco College in Texas. Bernard Porter is a junior college transfer but has three years of eligibility. So those are the older new receivers. Then we have Trevor Wilson [who] was early enroll league and got the spring practices underneath him. And Javien Cuff is a freshman from Vero, Florida: Vero Beach area. Marlon Johnson was a late addition to our class this summer. He’s about 6’4” and gives us some length at the receiver spot. All those guys are in a good position to play. Now with the new red-shirt rules that the NCAA incorporated last year we

TS: Jaret Patterson had a great freshman season for you last year. Did you anticipate that he would be one of your stronger offensive players at this point in the offseason last year? L: At this point last year, Jaret was what we call a grey-shirt. He graduated and didn’t enroll his first semester. James [Patterson] and Jaret were in a group of about four young BENJAMIN BLANCHET men and they came in that next Jan- HEAD COACH LANCE LEIPOLD STANDS AT A RECENT BULLS PRACTICE. LEIPOD TALKED WITH US BEFORE HIS TEAM’S SEASON uary. So, going through spring prac- OPENER ON TUESDAY. tice, Jaret and James both showed Devon Russell has worked really hard to the ability to help our football team. To rehab himself back into a position to help what degree, we didn’t know. … I think at us. Antonio Nunn, not only just working this point, standing in front of this group hard but is really becoming a leader in that last year, probably not. But, did we know receiver role and I think he’s done a great that he had great balance, quickness, abil- job because we have so many new faces in ity to make someone miss him in space? that position. Yes we did. But, never would we think that he would put up the numbers that he did. TS: You lost a lot of guys to transfers TS: Has the new Murchie Family Fieldhouse, been particularly helpful for your offseason training? L: Yeah, we [got] it in late spring, and it really helped us. Where we are really going to see its full effects are probably later this season and as we approach the second semester. But even just excitement and attitude of our players. For us to have a facility like that, and for them to want to get in there and work on their own is something that definitely can help this program and is already something that can help us in recruiting. TS: Have there been any players who have been working particularly hard and have developed a lot since last season? L: When you ask that I will always leave somebody out, but Zac Lefebvre is a young man who really worked extremely hard. I look at some of our upperclassman: Kadofi Wright, Tyrone Hill. Those three guys, who are red-shirt juniors, you can see them really evolving themselves into the leaders that they can be. All our returning linemen have done a great job.

and even the NFL this offseason. Do you have any plans to help retain talent during the transfer portal? L: There are a lot of things that you need to look at when the transfer portal plays out. The transfer rules are somewhat evolving and we have to see how that plays out. We always look for ways to improve our football team, but many times what you go through with transfers, sometimes you have younger players that are still developing that can help your team equally or more. So, we’ve always looked at all options and we have graduate transfers in our program. We have four-year transfers in our program. We have junior college transfers in our program. TS: Do you think Tyree Jackson made the right call to leave UB and enter the NFL? Or do you think he could have beneﬁted from one more year with the Bulls? L: You know, we wanted Tyree to stay. But him and I talk. We still talk. Tyree made the decisions that he thought were best for him. Hindsight is 20/20 for everyone. We all wish he would have been drafted.

TS: With all the players that you lost in the offseason this past year, I’ve heard people anticipate that this season will be a sort of incubation period or like a rebuilding process. How do you respond to that? L: I can see why people would think that. And probably there is some justiﬁcation for that. You know, like I’ve said, I think maybe as expectations continue to grow and people look at statistically what is left of the program, that’s a fair statement at this point. But, as I’ve said before, maintaining success is achieved by keeping young men motivated and challenged to get better each and every day. And that’s our responsibility and I think this group is really receptive to that. And I’m excited. I really have enjoyed our fall camp. I think the way that we’ve modiﬁed our schedule some and what we’re doing, this group is coachable and accepting of it, and they take it [well] when you point out something that they’re not doing correctly. And like I’ve said, it’s going to be a challenging month in the non-conference and then when we head into the season. But that’s what makes the Mid-American Conference what it is. It’s because of the competitiveness within and the balance within the league. It’s going to be a challenge and we are embracing that. Email: julian.grmela@ubspectrum.com.

GET TO KNOW AN OPPONENT: ROBERT MORRIS The Bulls take on Robert Morris to open up the 2019 football season JUSTIN WEISS STAFF WRITER

SAMUEL ANTHONY/ RMU SENTRY MEDIA ROBERT MORRIS QB GEORGE MARTIN WINDS UP FOR A PASS DURING THE COLONIALS’ TRAINING CAMP IN 2017. PHOTO COURTESY OF

On Thursday evening, the Bulls will enter UB Stadium as heavy favorites against Robert Morris. That isn’t stopping them from treating it as an important contest — memories of the not-too-distant past and nearlywon season openers continue to haunt the football program. In 2016, the Bulls kicked off their season against the Albany Great Danes, who went just 3-8 — including a 51-14 loss to UB — the year before. Instead of cruising to victory, the Bulls allowed the Danes to hang in the game. In the fourth quarter,

Brad Harris and Neven Sussman connected on a 35-yard touchdown. As the last buzzer sounded, Albany walked off the ﬁeld victorious. Coming off one of the worst seasons in program history, Division I Football Championship Subdivision opponent Robert Morris presents a good opportunity for Buffalo to begin the season w i t h a resounding win. But the ghost of UAlb a n y is a reminder t h a t there is no such thing as a guaranteed victory. With next Saturday’s matchup against Penn State looming large for the Bulls, week one will be used as an important indicator of where the team is currently at. Here’s who they will be lining up against Thursday: COACH: Bernard Clark, 2-9, entering second season at Robert Morris

LOOKING BACK:

The Colonials ﬁnished the 2018 season with a 2-9 record, spoiling Bernard Clark’s

head coaching debut. Clark, previously a linebacker for the Cincinnati Bengals and Seattle Seahawks in the early ‘90s, had his hands full with Northeast Conference opponents, as the Colonials finished with an 0-6 record against conference foes. The Colonials dropped games to Central Connecticut and Saint Francis (PA), teams they have traditionally had success against. On the offensive side of the ball, tight end Matthew Gonzalez was named to the All-NEC first-team, after leading the Colonials in receptions (40), receiving yards (642) and touchdowns (12). The Colonials failed to score more than seven points four times on the season, with quarterback Jimmy Walker struggling to get into a groove behind erratic protection. On the defensive side of the ball, Robert Morris allowed 43.5 points per game, getting outscored 478-271 on the season. Defensive end Amir Fenwick was the lone first-team All-NEC selection, finishing with 33 tackles and 4.5 tackles-for-loss. Linebacker Adam Wollet led the team with 111 tackles, including 8.5 for a loss of yardage. Kicker Nick Bisceglia was 4-for-8 on field goals, missing all but two from 30 yards or further.

LOOKING FORWARD:

Like the Bulls, the Colonials are looking to replace their starting quarterback. George Martin (18-for-35, 225 yards and 2 touchdowns in 2018) appeared in nine games last season and seems poised to become the starter in 2019. The Colonials

return a number of players at key skill positions, including leading rushers Terence Stephens (169 carries for 793 yards and four touchdowns) and Alijah Jackson (105 for 568 and 5). Gonzalez and secondleading receiver Tim Vecchio also return, rounding out the passing attack. This will be an important year for Clark’s defense. After losing Wollet and Fenwick to graduation, RMU will need to right the ship. Clark landed defensive tackle Colton Richards –– who had offers from Navy and UMASS –– and linebacker Aron Green in recruiting, which should greatly help the unit. But the last time the Colonials played a top opponent — No. 2 James Madison in Sept. 2018 — they gave up 73 points. They will have to be much stouter defensively to compete with Buffalo.

BOTTOM LINE:

Robert Morris may have been one of the worst teams in the FCS last season, but they present a unique challenge to the Bulls — they have little to lose. In Bernard Clark’s second season at the helm, RMU will likely come out hungry and determined, looking to take advantage of Buffalo’s young and inexperienced roster. The Bulls have the talent advantage, so week one will be as much about ﬁne-tuning the roster as it will be winning the game. Email: sports@ubspectrum.com.