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
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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