THE SPECTRUM VOL. 69 NO. 06 |SEPTEMBER 16, 2019
THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT PUBLICATION OF THE UNIVERSITY AT BUFFALO, SINCE 1950
Koffee Talks Travel, ‘Rapture’ and opener Kranium
UBSPECTRUM
Board of Directors
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UB women’s soccer defeats Niagara 1-0
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UB introduces new Safety Shuttle, not available to intoxicated students UB says it is to ensure safety, some students disagree with decision BRITTANY GORNY SENIOR NEWS EDITOR
UB’s new Safety Shuttle, replacing SubBoard I’s van transport, won’t transport students who appear to be intoxicated. Instead, Parking and Transportation Services advises drivers to call University
Police. Parking and Transportation now provides the safety shuttle, which began on Aug. 26, through First Transit. The shuttle runs 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. every night during the fall and spring semesters. The service costs UB roughly $100,000 and is paid for through students’ parking and transportation fees. The Faculty Student Association wanted to preserve the transportation service SBI offered when it became the uni-
versity’s fiscal agent so FSA asked Parking and Transportation Services to determine how to “best incorporate” it into pre-existing transportation services, according to Director of Parking and Transportation
photo by AndreW pALmer | the spectrum
the ub sAfety shuttLe driVes Around Lee Loop, one of the spots the shuttLe WiLL stop When
8 p.m. to 2 A.m. nightLy. photo by ALexAnder broWn | the spectrum
mAking its rounds from
Services Chris Austin. Parking and Transportation will be launching a reservation system through an app, similar to Uber and Lyft, on or near Oct. 1. The safety shuttle, however, isn’t available to students who appear to “compromise the ability of the driver to provide safe transportation service,” according to Austin. This includes stu-
dents who appear to be intoxicated. The level of intoxication will be based on drivers’ discretion. “[The shuttle] is offered to provide safe transportation to those who have reason to be on-campus late, using the libraries, studying, working, etc.,” Austin wrote in an email. “If a student is in need of assistance, safety shuttle staff can and will call University Police for help.” Some students say the shuttle is not serving an important part of the student population by not allowing intoxicated students to ride. Members of the Graduate Student Association, who were included in the beginning stages of planning the safety shuttle but weren’t allowed to continue once they filed the lawsuit against FSA, agree. “We are not super happy the new safe> SEE SAFETY | PAGE 2
Pop Smoke brings hip-hop flare to Afro-Caribbean themed Fall Fest
Rapper joins Kranium and Koffee for energetic sets after lineup change on Saturday JULIAN ROBERTS-GRMELA JULIANNA TRACEY ARTS AND FEATURES
Students started their Saturday morning hoping to catch a glimpse of Afro-Caribbean artists Kranium, Koffee and Burna Boy at Fall Fest. While Burna Boy told the Student Association he couldn’t make his scheduled performance due to an illness Saturday morning, hundreds of students still excitedly rushed into the Center for the Arts when gates opened to grab good seats
koffee tAkes A seLfie With the croWd. photo by shubh JAin | the spectrum
for the show, which included replacement headliner Pop Smoke. Pop Smoke closed the night with a rap act, after openers Kranium and Koffee performed sets closer to the promised Afro-Caribbean theme, and roughly 800 people out of the 1,748 who received tickets stayed to watch the rapper’s energetic performance, according to SA President Yousouf Amolegbe. SA couldn’t determine the exact attendance due to audience members breaking through the entry point when doors initially opened. Amolegbe said the total talent cost for the show –– not including Burna Boy, who was not compensated –– was less than $80,000, while the CFA costs SA between $3040,000 to rent.
SA notified all ticket holders about the up despite the lineup changes were mostly lineup adjustment through an email and satisfied with Pop Smoke, who delivered offered full refunds to all who purchased a bombastic and energetic performance. tickets but did not want to attend due to The rapper first appeared on stage to dim lights and cell phone flashlights as he the lineup change. While some students were concerned that Pop Smoke wouldn’t match the prom> SEE FALL FEST | PAGE 4 ised Afro-Caribbean theme, many students krAnium sings to the ecstAtic Audience. remained enthusiastic photo by shubh JAin | the spectrum about the concert. Iaisha Johnson, an African and African American Studies major, thought Pop Smoke was an appropriate replacement. “I was kind of disappointed that Burna Boy wasn’t coming but Pop Smoke is a valid replacement,” Johnson said, “Everyone in the dorms was dancing and singing [before the show], playing his music. Everyone was hyped.” Undecided freshman Dephil Jones agreed. “I feel like the change from Burna Boy to Pop Smoke was honestly something that I’m very much willing to accept. I was excited for it,” Jones said. Those who showed
NEWS
2 | Monday, September 16, 2019
ubspectrum.com
UB looking for student input on North Campus health and recreation center
the student union photo by benJAmin bLAnchet | the spectrum FROM PAGE 1
SAFETY
ty shuttle says it won’t transport people who show signs of intoxication, because it’s an important safety issue,” GSA Vice President Connor Walters said. “Students shouldn’t be driving home or forced to pay Uber to get home safely if they’ve been out drinking.” Austin said the rule is in place so the shuttle runs smoothly. “The aim behind these guidelines is to make users aware that there are consequences to behaviors such as vomiting on a shuttle,” Austin said. “This disrupts the service for everyone, since a shuttle would be taken out of service and likely miss other scheduled pickups.” Riders could face a potential $100 fine for impeding the operation of the safety shuttle due to alcohol-related behavior, according to Austin. Eric Weinman, chairperson of the Stu-
TEACHER RESIDENCY PROGRAM
dent Association’s Board of Directors, said he understands from UB’s perspective why the shuttle isn’t offered to intoxicated students, but said he doesn’t think it’s in the best interest of students. “From a safety perspective, I don’t think it’s in the best interest of students to turn them away if they are intoxicated, because then they either need to find an Uber, a friend, or hopefully not drive home themselves,” Weinman said. Walters said he’s worried about the safety not only for students, but for pedestrians and other drivers. “The intoxication is a big oversight, it’s a population they’re not serving that needs to be served for students and pedestrian safety,” Walters said. “If someone drunk drives home that’s a problem.” Email: brittany.gorny@ubspectrum.com Twitter: @BrittanyUBSpec
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Wellness Center task force to send out student survey next week BRITTANY GORNY SENIOR NEWS EDITOR
UB’s Wellness Center task force is sending out a survey early next week and looking for students’ input on a new integrated health and recreation center on North Campus. UB introduced the Wellness Center task force steering committee, chaired by UB’s Associate Vice President of Student Life Administration and Planning Christina Hernandez, at the beginning of the 201819 academic year. The project consists of 18 faculty, students and professional staff who are coordinating the work of the project. But 54 people are on the Wellness Center task force including the financial, operation and stakeholder subcommittees. The task force is looking to include counseling, health promotion, health services and recreation in the center on North Campus, while figuring out how to integrate a holistic approach to health and wellness on the other two campuses. The center will supplement the current health services in Michael Hall on South Campus. The task force is relying heavily on student input for the programs and services they would like to see offered. Hernandez said students should expect the survey in their email inboxes early next week. “[The task force] wants to assess how students feel about integrating these services all into one building,” Hernandez said. “On the recreation side, we want to better understand what recreation and fitness options students would want to see and price sensitivity on existing fees to support these services.” Students have been paying $3.50 from their health fee since the 2005-06 academic year for this integrated health and recreation center. After the results from
the survey, the finance consultants will develop a finance model to estimate the cost of the building per square foot, as well as the programs and services it will offer. “We’ll ask how students feel about increasing a recreation or health fee in support of getting new programs and services in a new building,” Hernandez said. “There was an overwhelming positive response in the past that students would pay more to get these services.” The task force is still in the “exploratory process” and continues to compare the concept with other colleges that have similar facilities. The committee is planning workshops for students throughout the fall semester. They hope to have a feasibility report from CannonDesign and Brailsford & Dunlavey by the end of this year. Once they have the report, the task force plans to have another conversation with students at the broad-based fee consultation in the spring. Director of Athletics Mark Alnutt, Vice President for Finance and Administration Laura Hubbard and Vice President for Student Life A. Scott Weber are all sponsors for the project. “I think with this health and recreation center it’s about strategically thinking about better serving our students,” Hernandez said. “It’s about offering mental health counseling, student health services and recreation holistically and have it be about the support of wellness for our students, faculty and staff.” Email: brittany.gorny@ubspectrum.com Twitter: @BrittanyUBSpec
OPINION
ubspectrum.com
that night, the score would be 2-0. And that fictional safety wouldn’t have been the only “score” of the evening. For us, we won in a much bigger way. We met the guy. It was about a month into our collective time at UB. I (Brenton) had very few friends (just Ben) and needed to find some down time from a rigorous schedule of 100-level communication courses. I was also missing the concert life. It had been too long
Remembering the late ‘Uncle’ Eddie Money and his noteworthy 2016 UB performance THE BLANCHET BROTHERS EDITORS
“Pack your bags,” Ben said. “Do we leave tonight,” Brenton asked. “Yes, I’ve got two tickets to the UB football game and Eddie Money is performing.” This is how it (pretty much) went down on Oct. 8, 2016, when rock icon Eddie Money was set to play a home football game and the Blanchet brothers (us) were rocking a buzz cut and frosted tips. As we now approach the end of our time at UB, some memories will never escape us. And Money’s performance is one of them. Money, who died on Friday at 70 years old, has always been a heroic force in the pop and rock realm. His songs will undoubtedly last forever: “Take Me Home Tonight,” “Baby Hold On,” “Two Tickets To Paradise.” But, as fans look back at what made Money so charismatic, his obscure 2016 performance at UB (and apparently, a 2000 performance) deserves just as much of a reflection as his shining career highs. When Money took on UB’s Kent State pre-game show, he emerged as a giant, a saxophone riff master and a kind, insightful man. He played the classics and even some b-sides. He rocked the small UB Stadium lot to a crisp, “Shakin” it with his hits from left to right. Proudly calling himself
Monday, September 16, 2019 | 3
“Uncle Eddie,” he didn’t disappoint in his relaxed business shirt and authentic appearance. Between songs, he noted the great Buffalo crowd. About midway through “Baby Hold On,” we were as ecstatic as ever. We were surrounded by groups of dads and mullet rockers along with their families. “Is it true you might want a better life,” Money crooned, “is it true you think these things ...” That’s when Eddie spotted us, two students huddled in a penguin-like sea of alumni. “How we doin’ out there? Hey!” We woo’d. We cheered. We thought about it and knew Money would take us to the top. After all, if the amount of tickets Money had to paradise faced the Golden Flashes
have the appeal of a “Birds in the Trap”era Scott, he still knew how to command a crowd. As the show wrapped up, someone on stage announced that Money would be signing things “after the show.” We haphazardly stumbled into UB Stadium and there, at a moderate-sized picnic table, was the man himself. I (Brenton) introduced myself, which led to a lengthy discussion about music tastes as he found himself navigating my iPhone. “Don’t listen to that bad music,” Money whispered to me while signing my “Take Me Home Tonight” T-shirt and staring at my Justin Bieber “Purpose Tour” hoodie. And as the 67-year-old rocker ranted about the current state of popular music, I realized that, although I didn’t agree with him, he was a legend. It led to me (Ben) taking a photo with him, one that wound up being the photo my friends jokingly put on my 21st birthday cake (along with other things that were favorites of mine, like poutine and Harambe). But the day left a timeless mark on me (Brenton), one that was bigger than a meme. I still remember Ben interjecting before my photo-op with Money, saying that I play the saxophone, and the saxophonist couldn’t help but to give me some additional advice. “Don’t stop playing,” Money said. Unfortunately, I did. But the next time I pick up a sax, I know who I’ll be thinking of. Rest in peace. opinion@ubspectrum.com
since my last concert (maybe three weeks since Travis Scott) and I knew I had to get myself out there again. And Money proved that, while he didn’t
Make more rules but don’t ban Juuls
Banning flavors won’t ban the fun
BRITTANY GORNY SENIOR NEWS EDITOR
I’ve never been a smoker. But I started Juuling this summer after my friend left his Juul in my car. As a first-time smoker, I enjoyed it, it hit easy and didn’t even leave me smelling like an ashtray. I found a new drinking companion. Until I went into work one morning, after vaping all night, and had an hour-long cough attack. I went to immediate care the same day and found out I had bronchitis, most likely from the Juul. I was prescribed antibiotics and an inhaler. I immediately knew I had to stop my terribly fun habit. Now, legislators across the country are trying to ban flavored e-cigarettes. And at first, I was in full support of the
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proposed bans. Mostly because I was stubborn and wanted to blame the Juul for getting bronchitis. I now know, after smoking the Juul daily for two weeks this summer –– and never having smoked a day in my life before –– Juuling isn’t in my best interest. But while this was a dangerous habit, for me, for many people, Juuling can be a safer alternative to a deadly addiction. I don’t support the ban on e-cigarettes. And this is coming from a girl who got bronchitis directly from using the Juul. Six people have died in the U.S. from vaping-related respiratory illnesses since vaping became popular in 2017. While the long-term effects of e-cigarettes are still unknown, we know the long-term effects of cigarettes all too well. Cigarette use leads to lung cancer, coronary heart disease, increased risk for strokes and causes 480,000 deaths yearly in the U.S. alone. This amounts to roughly 66,240,000 deaths since 1881, when cigarettes first became popular. So 138 years have passed knowing the yearly death toll and effects of cigarette smoking, both firsthand and secondhand. But as soon as the death toll from e-cigarettes reached an alarming six people, officials began the discussion to ban them. The Trump administration announced
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plans to ban all non-tobacco flavored e-cigarettes on Wednesday. Cuomo announced on Sunday he will propose legislation to ban flavored e-cigarette products in New York state. City supervisors in San Francisco already voted to ban e-cigarettes in June and Michigan completely outlawed flavored e-cigarettes due to the growth in youth vaping. But e-cigarettes are a safer alternative to cigarettes for the many people addicted to nicotine. I propose to ban cigarettes instead, and raise the age to buy e-cigarettes. We already know the harm cigarettes do, and vaping has been proven less dangerous, so why ban one and not the other? And if we’re banning anything, why not the worse of the two? Many younger vape users claim to use the products for “the flavor,” so officials say removing flavors will remove the problem. I don’t think this will change a thing. Teens vape because everyone’s doing it. So while the flavor may be an added bonus, removing the flavor won’t remove the problem. I agreed with the ban at first, because I wanted to blame the Juul for my bronchitis. But I know it was my lack of experience with smoking in general that caused the bronchitis, not the device I smoked
out of. Regular tobacco cigarettes contain over 7,000 chemicals, and while the exact amount of chemicals in e-cigarettes is unknown, there’s no doubt it’s less than the amount of chemicals in traditional cigarettes, according to John Hopkins Medicine’s website. I know I probably wasn’t vaping correctly, and jumped into it too quickly, like most of the 25.7% of high schoolers who admit to vaping. Even though the Juul gave me bronchitis, I don’t blame the Juul, I blame myself. Will I “hit” the Juul again? No. But do I think this is a safer alternative to cigarettes? Absolutely. And this option shouldn’t be taken away from the people who want a safer alternative to smoking cigarettes and for those who are desperately trying to quit. Take e-cigarettes out of the hands of minors, but don’t ban vapes and their flavors for the largely legal-aged community who knows how to use them. Email: brittany.gorny@ubspectrum.com Twitter: @BrittanyUBSpec
4 | Monday, September 16, 2019 FROM PAGE 1
FALL FEST
poured his water bottle on the audience. He opened his set with “Meet the Woo” as he upped the party vibe, calling up students onstage to dance. “We want to see the UB baddies onstage,” Pop Smoke said, “So if your friend is the baddest b---h, point to your friend right now.” Sophomore psychology majors Monique Nembhard and Fatoumata Camara, undecided major Ivuoma Kanu, and business major Fatou Diop were among the girls Pop Smoke brought on stage. The students were in shock they had the opportunity to dance on stage. “It was the best experience. I can’t even describe it,” Camara said, “Especially because it was Pop Smoke.” Senior mathematics major Justin Young also enjoyed the performance. “He put on a great performance,” Young said. “He pulled all the girls on stage. I even saw him pull my homie’s girl. I felt bad for him, but it is what it is.” Kranium also delivered an energetic opening act, similarly inviting audience members to the stage to dance. “Listen, when I’m on stage, it’s p---y time, alright,” Kranium said, “That’s just my thing. Because I just love vagina, that’s all.” Kranium then pulled two students, in-
FEATURES cluding Nembhard, onto the stage for a dance battle. He joined the pair, grinding on and even lifting the girls. The wild set was filled with Kranium’s advice to students sitting in the audience. The artist interrupted his set to turn the lights up on the crowd and told them to hold up their middle fingers. Kranium then told audience members to follow their dreams and do what they love. The energetic, yet inspirational vibes didn’t go away when Kranium left the stage. Co-opener, Koffee followed Kranium’s set with her hit single “Burning.” Although it wasn’t apparent given her energy, Koffee announced that she had the flu during the performance. “Listen UB, I’m tired man, I just caught the flu,” Koffee said. “I’m going to still come all the way here for performing. I don’t want to give you no boring vibes.” Koffee lived up to her promise, jumping off the stage and climbing through the audience while performing her massive song, “Toast.” The singer went to the back of the crowd, taking videos and photos on students’ phones while making her way back to the stage. Amolegbe, who students said “did his thing” with the lineup, has high hopes for the upcoming Fall Fest concerts. “It was a great show and it’s just show one,” Amolegbe said. “I think that the future of the Fall Fest concert series is look-
ing really bright right now.” SA is considering the possibility of rescheduling Burna Boy for a later date, according to Amolegbe. “There have been some very basic beginning discussions of possibly talking about rescheduling him, but that is a far distant thing for us to work on and figure out,” Amolegbe said.
ubspectrum.com krAnium gets his grooVe on With ub student moniQue nembhArd. photo by shubh JAin | the spectrum
arts@ubspectrum.com
Audience members Light up their phones As they sing ALong to krAnium. photo by tristAn geLLAtLy | the spectrum
Koffee talks travel, ‘Rapture’ and Kranium The Spectrum’s exclusive Q & A with Koffee at Fall Fest JULIAN ROBERTS-GRMELA ASSISTANT FEATURES EDITOR
Koffee didn’t need any coffee to help her pull off her Fall Fest performance Saturday night. Instead, the artist –– who had the flu –– leaned on and harnessed her Buffalonian fans’ positive energy. Koffee, born Mikayla Simpson, performed at the Center for the Arts during the Student Association’s first of three Fall Fest shows, where she announced her sickness on stage. The “singjay” grew up in Spanish Town, Jamaica, where she was raised by her mom. Back then, Koffee’s focus was on school and establishing a respectable career. It wasn’t until school became infeasible that she turned to music. Nineteen-year-old Koffee rose to fame over the last two years, after Usain Bolt reshared her song “Legend,” a tribute to the record-holding sprinter. Since then, her audience has grown on a global scale. Her song “Toast” is currently charting as No. 2 on Billboard’s Reggae Digital Song Sales and her EP, “Rapture,” is listed as No. 8 on Billboard’s Reggae Albums chart. We sat down with Koffee after her set at Fall Fest to talk about her newfound fame, her early life and her upcoming projects. The full interview, lightly edited for style and length, follows below. The Spectrum: Since you began rising to fame over the last two years, you’ve
been performing all over the world. What’s that like? Koffee: It’s beautiful. I remember being familiar with New York and Miami before my music career. But I’ve been on an American tour with Daniel Caesar over the last months. We’ve been to quite a few places; I think we’ve hit at least 18 cities so far. TS: What’s your favorite city in the U.S. that you’ve visited so far? K: To be honest, New York has a special place in my heart because my dad is from here, so it’s beautiful. Also, I think it has a strong Carribean influence. I think their parents came here some years ago so they grew up with the Carribean culture, so it feels very close to me. TS: You told the audience at Fall Fest that you were suffering from some type of flu. What is it like to perform when you’re dealing with something like that? K: The only difficulty is trying to bring my voice to the best point that it can be so I can perform. Because I like the sound of my tracks. I work very hard. I rehearse to sound exactly the way I sound when I produce my song, so the difficulty is there. But, to be honest, the fact that people are already familiar with some of my songs really helps me. Then the audience helps me to sing. TS: Can you tell me a little bit about
your music? “Rapture” was your debut EP. Do you think that is one of your more important works? Or is it one of your singles? K: I think the single “Rapture” itself its really special to me. That’s why I named the EP “Rapture” –– because of the whole idea I speak about in the song. The EP represents a point in my journey where it was a massive moment for me where I just had that experience. Enough money started coming in [from] different things, like I had to change my mindset to be with the people I have in my space. And so, “Rapture” really speaks to where I was still at that point. I wanted to represent my music with that type of rapture. TS: What messages are you trying to send through that song and through that whole EP? K: Well, definitely if I say “Koffee come in like a rapture,” I want everybody to know that I started doing my thing and it’s making an impact because a rapture is not a simple thing. If a rapture happened, the whole world would know. I would say the whole universe would know, because it’s a big event. So, I think that’s the message that I’m trying to get across. TS: Before your career started to take off, did you expect to become a musician? K: I used to write songs, but I used to just want to be a writer. I was raised in a Christian home and so being an artist
wasn’t necessarily my first priority at that time. At the time, I was focusing on school and studying sciences to become a pharmacist. So I was just working on that. I was trying to focus on that and then I tried to apply to continue school and I didn’t get through. That’s when I turned to music directly. TS: Is your family proud? K: Yes, for sure, for sure. Especially because I make positive music so I do intend to keep it that way so that my family and even younger children can be proud and can look up to my music. TS: Is that really important to you when writing your lyrics? K: For sure, because I’m a young person as well. I’m looked upon as a child in my family because I’m just 19 so to have the elders in my family admire what I do, and the younger children when I go to schools admire what I do, it’s the full package. I really appreciate having that. TS: Did you like your opener Kranium? K: Yeah, he’s a fellow Jamaican. I’ve been listening to his music ever since I was younger in high school. He’s definitely big in Jamaica as well and his audience has been spreading internationally too, so I feel very proud to be on the road alongside him tackling different audiences. TS: Have you been working on any new music? K: Yeah, for sure. I’m actually working on an album. My first album. [It will come out] I would say early 2020. … It would add to the importance of my past work, I would hope. Instead of outdoing my past work, I would hope it will add to my past work and help the musical journey. … It will definitely add to my catalogue. I will then be able to perform longer sets. Then I’ll include my older songs, plus my newer songs and incorporate them both. TS: Is there anything else you’d like to tell the UB community before we wrap this up? K: Just thank you. It was an amazing, amazing audience.
koffee tALks to spectrum editors photo by shubh JAin| the spectrum
Email: julian.grmela@ubspectrum.com Twitter: @GrmelaJulian
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NEWS
Monday, September 16, 2019 | 5
Left to right: Alexander German, Amari Fall, Daniel Deslippe, Dominic Musilli, Eric Weinman, Ezekiel Arubuike, Hayden Gise, Jacob Kobler, Joseph Hoefenkrieg, Mohammed Abedin Rafi, Simi Oduntan Not pictured: Brandon Hoolihan
Board of Directors elections take place Monday and Tuesday ALEXANDRA MOYEN, BRITTANY GORNY NEWS DESK
The Student Association Board of Directors –– previously the SA senate –– elections are taking place on Monday and Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Student Union lobby. Eighteen people are running for the 12 available seats. The board of directors oversees SA clubs, makes sure finances are in order for clubs and allocates the mandatory student activity fee. Big Brain Party While candidates typically run independently, the Big Brain Party hopes to oversee clubs responsibly, be fair with club recognition and derecognition and make SA more transparent. Eric Weinman Major: Computer Engineering, Mathematics-Economics and Political Science Year: Junior Background: Weinman served as Senate Chair last year and is currently the board’s Chairperson, assistant SA treasurer, director on the Faculty Student Association board and treasurer and director for Sub-Board I. Hopes to: Ensure clubs are analyzed and overseen responsibly. Weinman hopes the board will have more thoughtful discussion and treat clubs fairly. Ezekiel Arubuike Major: Political Science, Economics and History Year: Sophomore Background: Arubike has been in various clubs including the UB Model European Union. Hopes to: Make sure SA gives clubs enough funding. He would also like to facilitate better interaction between SA and the student body. Hayden Gise Major: Political Science Year: Junior
Background: Gise served on the SA senate for the 2018-19 academic year. Hopes to: Expand transparency. Gise hopes to move meetings to a more accessible location and hold a forum after each meeting for students to ask questions of the board. Joseph Hoefenkrieg Major: Mathematics Year: Sophomore Background: Hoefenkrieg has never been involved with SA and said he can bring a new perspective to the board. Hopes to: Bring more awareness and transparency to SA. He would like to see an open forum between SA and the student body so students can better understand how SA works. Zackary Graham Major: Philosophy and Political Science Year: Senior Background: Transferred to UB last year from Monroe Community College in Rochester. Graham was president of the United Nations Student Association at MCC but has not been involved in UB SA. Hopes to: Make the process of recognizing and derecognizing clubs easier. Brandon Hoolihan Major: Psychology and Economics Year: Sophomore Background: Hoolihan is on SA’s Special Interest Council and Hobby Council. Hopes to: Make SA clubs feel like SA is working with them, not against them. Hoolihan hopes to implement a “less harsh” system to handle club violations. Dominic Musilli Major: Economics Year: Senior Background: Musilli has been a member of SA’s political clubs and said his work background in operations and county government gives him a “perfect set of skills” to fairly address the needs of clubs and fiscal aspects of SA. Hopes to: Bring an aspect of fiscal responsibility to the board and ensure student activity fees are used in an effective
manner. Musilli hopes to improve student engagement in SA and provide “fair stipends” for SA student employees and elected officials. Jacob Kobler Major: Biological Sciences Year: Senior Background: Kobler served as 201819 treasurer of the Undergraduate Biology Association and is currently the club’s vice president. Kobler proxied at multiple meetings last semester and is currently filling a vacancy on the board. Hopes to: Ensure SA is more compliant with the NYS Open Meetings Law and Freedom of Information Law. Kobler said he wants students to be educated on where their mandatory fees are going. Independent candidates Olusimisola Oduntan Major: Economics Year: Senior Background: Oduntan has had a role on the senate and has been a part of Student Life for three years. Hopes to: Ensure student activity fees are used in the best way possible, give more co-sponsorship to clubs and make decisions based on student needs. Oduntan also hopes to ensure students working for SA treat clubs without bias. Daniel Deslippe Major: Industrial and Systems Engineering Year: Sophomore Background: Deslippe has served on the RHA Senate and frequently served as a proxy at SA senate meetings. Hopes to: Make SA as transparent as possible. Deslippe wants to increase student participation within SA. Alexander German Major: Political Science Year: Senior Background: German has never held a role with SA and plans to bring a new
perspective to the board. Hopes to: Ensure funds are allocated in a way that meets the needs of clubs. German hopes to give SA clubs a better platform to voice concerns and make sure complaints are handled efficiently. Amari Fall Major: Legal Studies and Sociology Year: Senior Background: Fall proxied at SA senate meetings throughout the semester and said they plan to use those skills to mediate any problems that may arise. Hopes to: Get more club events approved to unitify people from all over campus If elected, Fall said they will encourage more student involvement within SA. Mohammed Abedin Rafi Major: Computer Science Year: Junior Background: Abedin Rafi is an international student from Bangladesh. He was president of Muslim Student Association at his community college. Hopes to: Make UB more tech savvy, make sure clubs receive enough funding for activities and improve clubs by tackling issues such as sexual harassment. Alianna Warich Major: Exercise Science Warich did not respond in time for publication. Tochukwu Jude-Ibe Major: Management Jude-Ibe did not respond in time for publication. Satang Trawally, SA elections and credentials chair, did not respond regarding additional candidates in time for publication. Email: news@ubspectrum.com
Griffin Beck “For most of my life, I kind of embraced the Asian stereotype … It’s kind of like a fun, joke thing. You know, always being good at math. But then once I started applying to schools, it actually started to matter what I am. Me being an Asian became a factor and determined my worth to some schools, which bothered me knowing that I [always] get put to a higher standard solely because I’m Asian. That’s why whenever I apply to schools I always put down I’m white purely just because it would be easier for me – I look better among white people than I do among Asians.”
NEWS
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Pushpinder Walia
Azra Muratovic
“My first day at UB’s was something I have always wanted from my prospective university. UB campus experience has been phenomenal. There are so many clubs to join and explore yourself as much you want. As an international student, I felt homesick several times but because of the activities and other amazing campus research activities,I was able to get all that stuff out of my mind and experience present at its fullest.”
“I’ve had a hard time finding friends at UB, or finding my own circle and finding my own group. I’ve decided to get more involved and join some clubs and some programs. I first started off with the ‘SA Mentee Program’. Hopefully, I will be able to meet new faces and start my journey at UB because I haven’t yet… That’s been my main focus –– finding my group. I found that people have their own groups. I’m very social but I came here in [the] spring semester. People [already] had their own groups and I felt like I’m not the type to intrude and be like “Hey, can I be your friend?” I had a bad experience last semester where I said hi to some girl that I knew and she looked at me and just shrugged her shoulders. After that, I was like ‘I’m not going to go to people and open up to them.’ I’ll just wait until someone’s open enough to have a conversation with me. Now I feel like I can’t be doing that so I need to go out of my way, enjoy something and be a part of something… People want to see new people instead of trying to force people that might not be open to that.”
“How’s your experience as an international student so far? “It’s been great. I have met many people on this campus in which the diversity is pretty good. So I have met many international students [with similar] majors – Master’s in Data Science. So like most of the 70% of the program, students are international students. So it’s comforting that there are people of your time on the campus. It’s been pretty good so far. I’m just afraid of what’s it going to be in the future.”
Photos By Wayne Penales | The Spectrum
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CLASSIFIEDS HELP WANTED LOCAL Business SEEKING PART-TIME OFFICE administrative assistant. Professional, self-motivated, computer literate, detail oriented. Duties including ďŹ ling, organizing, preparing documents and taking dictation. Light housekeeping and errands. Location: downtown Elmwood/ Chippewa area Pay $14/ hr, starting at ~8 hours per week. Flexible schedule. Send resume to ellenbourn@ roadrunner.com SORRENTINOS RESTAURANT 5460 MAIN ST. WILLIAMSVILLE. Looking for part-time cooks. Willing to train. Salary negotiable. 716-
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SPORTS
8 | Monday, September 16, 2019
Stampede Stats: Liberty Flames bulldoze Bulls after huge second quarter SEAN STANTON STAFF WRITER
The Bulls (1-2) kept the game relatively close throughout the first quarter on Saturday against the Liberty Flames (1-2), but their defense fell apart in the second quarter, ultimately leading to a 35-17 Flames victory. Here’s what you need to know about the game and what the Bulls need to do to bounce back from their worst upset of the season so far.
What led to the loss After the Bulls met the Liberty Flames with almost no resistance during a touchdown-scoring drive within the first two minutes of the game, UB bounced back on defense, holding Liberty scoreless the rest of the quarter. But the Bulls struggled on offense throughout the game. Buffalo, with only 10 total drives in the game, was only able to score on three of them, specifically two touchdowns and one field goal. The Bulls, who had two missed field goals, squandered plenty of opportunities to pull themselves back in a game where they had little room for error. The Flames’ huge second quarter consisting of four drives, with three of them ending in touchdowns, was a big reason the Bulls left without a victory. The Bulls weren’t able to contain Liberty’s senior quarterback Stephen Calvert, who threw 23-of-30 in the game, with 325 yards and four touchdowns. Flames’ senior wide receiver Antonio Gandy-Golden also had a field day, totaling 174 yards and two touchdowns on eight catches. This pair was able to tear apart the Bulls’ secondary and carry Liberty’s lackluster running game to a convincing win.
Kickin’ It
Alex McNulty is UB’s first new starting kicker in four years JUSTIN WEISS STAFF WRITER
Alex McNulty was doing a drill in gym class at McQuaid Jesuit High School in his sophomore year when he realized he might have a chance on the gridiron. After his teacher set up a couple footballs, he hit a 55-yard field goal at the end of class. “Then a couple of guys from the football team were like, ‘Hey, you want to join the football team next year?’” he said. He did and became the starting kicker. McNulty, now UB’s starting kicker and a walk-on sophomore, has been able to compensate for his lack of early career play. McNulty’s two field goals against Penn State last week and 40-yarder against Robert Morris show an athlete ready to take the spotlight. He fittingly always dreamed of being a collegiate athlete, but as a member of track and hockey teams. Still, his intensive training with the Bulls has pushed him into a crucial role on the football squad. “It’s been fun,” McNulty said of being on a Division-I football team. “It’s nice to have a different life from other students. You get a lot of cool experiences traveling on the road, having all of these great teammates, just having a brotherhood outside of the classroom that could support you.” Unlike many of his teammates, McNulty isn’t on a scholarship. He came to UB after his McQuaid kicking coach, and UB alum, recommended he walk-on to the team. McNulty doesn’t see his origin story as an obstacle, and is solely focused on making the team better. “I don’t think about who’s on Alex McNulty goes for a kick at practice. scholarship, who’s a walk-on,” Photo By Benjamin Blanchet | The Spectrum
What’s next With three games under his belt, freshman quarterback Matt Myers has started to get comfortable on the field. His 33 passing attempts this game were a personal high so far this season. This, coupled with the fact that he didn’t throw any interceptions against the Flames, is a positive for him and his potential, but he still hasn’t had his breakout game yet. In all three games this season, Myers has completed roughly 50% of his passes. The Bulls have now dropped to 1-2. Next Saturday they will face another tough opponent in the Temple Owls, standing at 2-0. sports@ubspectrum.com
end of the 2018 season. He made his collegiate debut on Nov. 23 against Bowling Green, connecting on a 21-yard field goal and going 2-for-2 on extra points. The next week, he got to take the field against Northern Illinois for the 2018 MAC Championship Game, where he missed a costly extra point at the start of the second quarter. Buffalo ended up losing the game 30-29. McNulty, who comes across as genial yet reticent, prioritized coming back stronger than before. “I think I just had to step back and realize everyone makes a miss every now and then. It was an unfortunate one, but you’ve just gotta come back and realize that it happens to everyone, but now I’ve gotta get better and not let it happen again.” In a 38-10 first-week win over Robert Morris, McNulty hit a 40-yard field goal and went 4-for-4 on extra points. “It felt good to get back out there,” he said. “Especially ending on that miss, that being the last kick I had, I just wanted to get out there and prove to myself that I got better during the offseason and I wasn’t going to let it happen again.” That mentality has paid off. For the first time since 2015, the Bulls have a new starter at kicker: Alex McNulty. Email: sports@ubspectrum.com
soccer defeats Niagara 1-0
Late goal in 70th minute Who showed out pulls Bulls past Niagara to victory As usual, the Bulls’ running game was the bright spot of the team. The team ran for 206 total yards, with 108 of them coming from sophomore running back Kevin Marks. Marks averaged six yards a carry, with his longest being 23 yards, easily making it his best game of the season. The duel-headed running game of Marks and sophomore Jaret Patterson has been unstoppable this season, totaling 477 yards in the past three games.
McNulty said. “I just think we’re all football players on the same team and we need to compete to make the team the best we can.” On Sept. 7, McNulty fulfilled a lifelong dream when he took the field against Penn State. In front of a raucous crowd at Beaver Stadium, he went 2-for-3 on field goals. Even though Buffalo lost the game, he was still able to take a step forward in his development. McNulty has embraced all of his opportunities, even when they present themselves as competition. “I hope I can keep the spot, keep the competition going strong,” he said. “[Freshman kicker/punter] Jackson Baltar has been giving me a good run for my money, but it helps us both. We’ve both gotten better during camp.” During his freshman year, McNulty was in a similar position as Baltar, sitting behind Adam Mitcheson on the depth chart. Mitcheson was a four-year starter at Buffalo, where he set the school’s all-time scoring record. “He was a big help,” McNulty said about his predecessor. “He taught me about a lot of things, especially elevation. And just how to mentally focus on the game, because he was always very level-headed.” The coaching staff finally gave McNulty a chance to showcase his skills during the
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ALEXANDER POLAND CONTRIBUTING WRITER
The UB women’s soccer team (3-2-1) beat the Niagara University Purple Eagles (4-2-1) 1-0 on Sunday afternoon. A solid strike by junior midfielder Marcy Barberic was the only goal in the match, as both teams were solid defensively. Sophomore goalkeeper Emily Kelly made a huge impact in the game as she had six saves throughout, with an impressive one late in the match. Hannah Callaghan goes in for a challenge to win the possession back for UB. Photo By Thomas Atehortua | The Spectrum
Niagara had a very good shot on the goal within two minutes, but Kelly leapt up and knocked the ball out of the net, preventing the tying goal. It was a great heads-up play and with a goalkeeper playing that well, it’s hard to lose. The first half of the game was more defensive and slow-paced as both teams struggled to grab the advantage. The Bulls defenders were excellent at clearing the ball from dangerous areas and preventing the Niagara forwards from getting too close to the goal in the first half. The Bulls had seven shots in the first half compared to the Purple Eagles’ four, but their chances were not great. This changed in the second half when the Bulls had more opportunities to take the lead.
Minutes before Barberic’s game-winning goal, junior midfielder Riley Bowers kicked a long-ranged shot and hit the crossbar as the ball bounced toward the goal. But it was cleared by the Niagara defense. Missing by that short of a distance can sometimes disappoint a team but this only motivated the Bulls. With Sunday’s victory at home, the Bulls have now won their last two games and look to continue their good form. The team will travel across the country to Eugene, Oregon to play the Oregon Ducks (3-1-3) next Sunday at 8 p.m. It will be a tough one as the Ducks have only one loss in the early season. sports@ubspectrum.com