THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT PUBLICATION OF THE UNIVERSITY AT BUFFALO, SINCE 1950
VOL. 69 NO. 21 | NOVEMBER 7, 2019
Humans of UB Read your classmates’ stories
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Women’s basketball wins season opener
Quick change: Kyle Vantrease plays both quarterback and punter
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‘A force to be reckoned with’ Students celebrate Black Solidarity Day with Unity Rally, Black Business Expo
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UB community upset with proposal to move Math Place Students, faculty, tutors concerned with College of Arts and Sciences’ decision to create ‘Math Hub’
JACKLYN WALTERS MANAGING EDITOR
Students are embracing their culture, their history and highlighting black excellence across campus this week. The Black Student Union organized events for Black Solidarity Week and celebrated the 52nd Black Solidarity Day with its annual Black Business Expo and Unity Rally Monday. Roughly 40 students marched from the Student Union down the academic spine, carrying signs and chanting “Say it loud, I’m black and I’m proud,” “No justice, no peace, no racist police” and “BSU.” Carlos Russell started Black Solidarity Day in 1969, bringing African-American communities together on the Monday before Election Day to discuss voting and combating racial inequality. BSU has celebrated it yearly since. Olaide Lemoru, a junior sociology and health and human services major, said celebrating black excellence is crucial because of the systemic disadvantages black students face.
UBSPECTRUM
BRITTANY GORNY SENIOR NEWS EDITOR
Vindhya Burugupalli / The SpecTrum STudenTS aT The uniTy rally on The academic Spine during monday’S Black SolidariTy day.
“The unity of black [people] is very important because we have the odds stacked against us by society, by institutions,” Lemoru said. “The only people that are going to support us are ourselves. We have to stick together, help uplift and motivate each other.” Monday’s events were only the beginning, as BSU hosted a Family Feud event Tuesday and unity potluck Wednesday, along with various club collaborations including an Afro-Latinx identity discussion with PODER Latinos Unidos. BSU will
host a reparation conversation with the Carribbean Student Association Thursday and a women’s appreciation “Brunch N’ Vibes” Sunday. BSU President Florence Ayeni said she hopes the events will spread self-awareness and educate students. “A lot of our students don’t get educated on the history they need to know. Especially within UB, I feel like we still struggle to get these students to really know their history,” Ayeni said. “We want to remind > SEE SOLIDARITY | PAGE 2
Students, faculty and tutors say they feel “heartbroken,” “betrayed” and “displeased” with the College of Arts and Sciences’ proposal to move the Math Place tutoring center from Baldy Hall to the Mathematics Building. CAS submitted the proposal asking for grant funding from “various funding sources” to create a new “Math Hub,” integrating the Math Help Center, which caters to upper-level math courses, and the Math Place, which caters to lowerlevel math courses. The Math Place, which the Undergraduate Learning Center paid to renovate over the summer, is currently located in 211 Baldy Hall. CAS did not respond to The Spectrum’s question regarding what will go in its palce. The Math Help Center is already located in the Mathemat> SEE MATH | PAGE 4
Drip or dribble? Contractor’s Confederate Flag display Men’s basketball regularseason opener and ‘Trap Fest’ show to take place simultaneously Friday, students conflicted BRENTON J. BLANCHET ALEX LENNEBERG EDITOR-IN-CHIEF CONTRIBUTING WRITER
The biggest music event and biggest sporting event of the semester will be happening next door to each other Friday. UB basketball tips off against Dartmouth University at 7 p.m. in Alumni Arena as the rising hip-hop giant DaBaby joins Gunna to take over the Center for the Arts at 8 p.m. for “Trap Fest,” the final show in the Fall Fest Concert Series. Some students are conflicted on if they’d rather watch the men’s basketball homecoming after a year of unparalleled success or watch DaBaby perform his Billboard No. 7 hit “Suge” at Fall Fest. And with the popularity of each event, venue-hopping may not be an option. In Alumni, the Bulls are coming off a 32-4 season, were ranked a six-seed in the NCAA Tournament and even secured a tournament victory last year. The CFA’s stars, DaBaby and Gunna, are two of the most successful rappers right now, with DaBaby’s recent record “Kirk” hitting No. 1 on the Billboard 200, as all 18 songs charted in the Hot 100. Gunna’s February release “Drip or Drown 2” peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200, and “Drip Too Hard,” a single from his previous album “Drip Harder,” peaked at No. 4 on the Hot 100. The pair will put on a high-demand show for the sold-out, 1,744-seated venue. Student Association Entertainment > SEE DRIBBLE | PAGE 6
causes student concern Flag displayed by employee part of $12 million Center for the Arts project
BENJAMIN BLANCHET ENGAGEMENT EDITOR
Matthew Thornton typically walks by the Center for the Arts on his way to class. He’s well aware of the ongoing CFA construction project, which has fenced off part of the sidewalk between Alumni Arena and the Student Union. He’s seen signs apologizing for the project’s inconvenience. But the junior mechanical engineering major says the symbol he saw near the blocked sidewalk on Monday morning, a Confederate Flag, was “out of place” and “not socially acceptable.” The flag, which students on /r/UBReddit called a “hate symbol,” was seen Monday on a local contractor’s unmarked truck in the CFA parking lot. SUNY lists Rodems Construction, an Orchard Parkbased company, as the contractor overseeing the roughly $12 million CFA project. A community member brought the flag to UB’s attention, according to UB Facilities, Design and Construction’s project manager Rob Weller, which led to the contractor’s foreman asking the employee to remove the flag. A project employee, who was in the truck which displayed the flag Monday, said on Wednesday he “didn’t understand” students’ concerns and drove away from a Spectrum reporter. The Spectrum attempted to get in contact with Mike Waters, who is listed as Rodems’ Vice President on LinkedIn, but he could not be reached before publication. The university released a statement
Wednesday, stating the campus community must “endeavor to uphold” its “values of diversity and inclusion.” “The Confederate flag is viewed by many as a symbol of racial exclusion and hostility,” the statement read. “While the First Amendment protects expression that may be unwelcome, disagreeable or even deeply offensive, we strive to ensure that the university community feels safe, re-
flag” after the Sons of Confederate Veterans began displaying and marching with it around the 1890s. She said the worker has the First Amendment right to display the flag but the worker’s employment can “somewhat curtail those rights.” “None of our constitutional rights are absolute, there’s always context and the Supreme Court has limited First Amendment rights and personal liberties through-
Courtesy of Matthew thornton The confederaTe flag waS diSplayed on The Back of a dodge Truck on monday. The Truck iS owned By worker on The $12 million cfa conSTrucTion projecT.
spected and valued.” Thornton originally posted the flag display on /r/UBReddit, a forum where some users said they were “disappointed” and that the flag is a “common sight in rural regions of [Upstate] New York.” Thornton said he wanted to “call out” the display once he saw it. “Even though it’s not illegal to display the flag, the [workers] should be getting feedback like, ‘Hey, this is not acceptable in society,’” Thornton said. Carole Emberton, a professor with a focus on 19th century American history, said the flag became “the Confederate
a
out American legal history,” Emberton said. The Confederate flag has appeared at white supremacist rallies throughout the country in recent years, including the Unite the Right rally which left three dead in Charlottesville, Virginia in 2017. “With recent events, with this flag being used by violent, white supremacist rallies/ organizations, one can make a legitimate argument that the display of this flag can signal a threat to public safety,” Emberton said. “Whether or not that’s on the uni> SEE FLAG | PAGE 2
NEWS
2 | Thursday, November 7, 2019
ubspectrum.com
FROM PAGE 1
FLAG
Vindhya Burugupalli / The Spectrum Students pose at the Black Business Expo, which was a part of Monday’s Black Solidarity Day
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SOLIDARITY students that they’re powerful, they’re a force to be reckoned with.” The Black Business Expo gave student entrepreneurs the opportunity to showcase their work in the SU, with a table dedicated to each student’s business and products. Lemoru emphasized the importance of black entrepreneurs and said designers often profit off black culture. “We’re [promoting] black businesses because other businesses steal our culture
event.
and this is a way we can own our culture and put it out for our own groups,” Lemoru said. “We want to amplify our culture, to own it and exemplify our roots.” Ayeni said BSU gives students a platform to market themselves and empowers them to use their voice. “[We’re] empowering each other to do better things, to be greater people,” Ayeni said. “A lot of people don’t have that courage to walk around and march but with BSU they have it. They feel at home.”
versity’s mind, probably not because there hasn’t been any altercation erupting on it, but it’s about what this represents.” Emberton said the flag is often used as an “intimidation tactic” and noted it “only began to be popularized” in the wake of the civil rights movement. “You can’t divorce or separate that symbol as a weapon of racial intimidation,” Emberton said. UB currently has about $20.6 million worth of projects with Rodems, according to the SUNY Construction Fund website, including ongoing work on South Campus’ Townsend Hall. CFA construction is expected to last until October 2020, UB spokesperson John DellaContrada wrote in an email earlier this year. The Spectrum asked UB spokesperson
Kate McKenna if UB or SUNY will continue its work with the contractor and whether the flag display impacted the project in any way. McKenna did not respond in time for publication. Thornton sees the project’s management as part of a larger concern. “I think the project manager should acknowledge that they’re impacting students by this, of course they’re building something but they don’t have to have racially insensitive flags hanging at the sidewalk or [they don’t have to] close off walkways [to the shore Lake LaSalle,]” Thornton said. “They’re bothering students just to bother students is how I see it. The rest of it you can rationalize but the flag was what someone made the conscious choice to bring one day.” Email: benjamin.blanchet@ubspectrum.com Twitter: @BenCBlanchet
Email: jacklyn.walters@ubspectrum.com Twiter: @JacklynAWalters
Vindhya Burugupalli / The Spectrum Florence Ayeni, president of BSU, chants “I’m black and I’m proud,” into microphone, encouraging other demonstrators to do the same.
the
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Courtesy of Matthew Thornton The Confederate Flag was displayed on the back of a Dodge truck on Monday. The truck is owned by a worker on the $12 million CFA construction project.
editors win Best Breaking News Story at 2018-19 Spectrum
Pinnacle Awards
College Media Association awards Tanveen Vohra and Jacklyn Walters first place NEWS DESK
The Spectrum’s coverage of the fiscal transition from Sub-Board I to the Faculty Student Association won a national award for Best Breaking News Story last week. The College Media Association announced former senior news editor Tanveen Vohra and current managing editor Jacklyn Walters won the Pinnacle Award for the spring 2019 story in Washington, D.C. on Friday. The piece, titled “UB to replace Sub-Board I with Faculty Student Association as student government fiscal agent,” explains UB’s decision to replace SBI, an organization which oversaw student fees for 49 years, with FSA, a private nonprofit doing business as Campus Dining & Shops. The story discussed UB’s decision and how it put SBI’s services –– such as free legal counsel, the South Campus safety shuttle bus and radio station WRUB –– in jeopardy. Vohra, who now lives in Boston, was grateful CMA recognized her and Walters’ work. “It was a tough story because there were so many sides to it and of course it was in the middle of finals week, so I was shuffling through multiple choice questions and protests,” Vohra said. “But we did it. Working with Jackie is always so easy and fun. It always helps to have a shared un-
derstanding and work ethic with your coeditor and Jackie and I always had that.” Walters, then senior news editor with Vohra, said the piece was a defining moment during her student journalism career. “I think the award is really validating, that the work we did and are doing matters and will hopefully make a difference,” Walters said. “I know this was a story students really cared about and this is still an ongoing conversation on campus. And writing the piece with Tanveen was f-----g nuts, because we only had two days to do dozens of interviews. I don’t know where I would be without her help on the piece, on the news desk and her unwavering support.” Email: news@ubspectrum.com
Courtesy of Zach Mazzochetti Jacklyn Walters (left) and Tanveen Vohra (right) won the College Media Association’s Pinnacle Award for Best Breaking News Story..
OPINION
ubspectrum.com
Thursday, November 7, 2019 | 3
Would you ruin your family to bang Paul Rudd? Adding incest to your film adaptation doesn’t make it faithful to source material, it makes you a weirdo
SAMANTHA VARGAS SENIOR FEATURES EDITOR
There’s something devious lurking behind the curtains at your local movie theater. And it’s not some knife-wielding sociopath. It’s romanticized incestuous relationships. Incest used to be a social norm across every continent, especially in royal families. But now it is one of the most widespread social taboos and is forbidden in most modern cultures. While many filmmakers choose to frame consensual incest as a serious plot device, some directors choose not to explain its presence. That’s unacceptable. This is especially common in filmic adaptations of classic literature. Many choose to make creative changes to origi-
nal material, but in a number of literary adaptations, directors consciously include the details of romantic incestuous relationships. That’s downright weird. Unlike “Game of Thrones,” where the plot addressed the negative connotations of incest, many films still try to covertly include the topic without consequences, and many of these films have grossed millions of dollars. There is an extremely significant difference in tone between the plot-twist ending of 2015’s “Crimson Peak,” where the entire motive for murder is revealed to be an incestuous relationship, and the budding romance in 1980’s “Blue Lagoon.” While “Blue Lagoon” might have been critically panned, it was never because of the blatantly incestuous, sexual relationship. Roger Ebert, a prominent film critic, called it, “the dumbest movie of the year,” yet it made almost $60 million during its theatrical release. The film is based on Henry De Vere Stacpoole’s 1908 novel of the same name and follows first cousins Emmeline and Richard after they are stranded on a tropical island as children. The movie quickly becomes sexual and leads to pregnancy. Despite the plot, the film isn’t a drama or tragedy. It’s a romance. Their relationship is never questioned, and their child is completely healthy, despite statistics that show inbred children are roughly 50% more likely to have extreme birth defects, early death or mental
Letter to the editor: As a alum of The Spectrum, as a woman who works with sexual assault survivors, and as a survivor myself, I was deeply disappointed with parts of Amal Elhelw’s article “Hypocritical feminism.” While her main point seems to be that feminism needs more action, and less labels, the author seriously loses her way when she begins to talk about feminism with respect to sexual assault survivors. She says self-proclaimed feminists “fall short” in supporting sexual assault victims, in part by pushing benevolent sexism regarding how and when victims choose to speak out and report their assaults. This assertion not only shows tremendous ignorance for why victims often don’t report, but the passage is rife with its own brand of sexism. The author uses the pronoun “she” repeatedly while discussing the behavior of victims. Later on, she writes “We... wouldn’t expect men to keep their stories in the dark.” Both of these statements push gendered stereotypes about sexual assault, and make it harder for victims of any gender to report. The National Center for PTSD reports that 10 percent of men suffer trauma re-
THURSDAY NOVEMBER 7, 2019 VOLUME 69 NUMBER 21 CIRCULATION: 4,000
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lated to sexual assault. While that number is less than the one in six women who experience sexual assault, that 10 percent still represents 2.78 million men (as of 1998). The sexual assault advocacy group RAINN notes that while sexual assault can happen to anyone, males “may also face some additional challenges because of social attitudes and stereotypes about men and masculinity.” Stereotypes that the author herself is guilty of. By making this about the behavior of women vs men, the article completely disregards those who are gender nonconforming--a group of people especially susceptible to sexual violence. According to the Human Rights Commission, half of transgender people will experience sexual violence during their lifetime. Furthermore, the National Coalition of AntiViolence Projects reports that 85 percent of victim advocates surveyed “reported having worked with an LGBTQ survivor who was denied services because of sexual orientation or gender identity.” The very institutions that are meant to aid victims of assault (hospitals, shelters, even rape crisis centers) are working against some victims because they don’t fit into a partic-
The views expressed – both written and graphic – in the Opinion section of The Spectrum do not necessarily reflect the views of the editorial board. Submit contributions for these pages to The Spectrum office at Suite 132 Student Union or news@ubspectrum. com. The Spectrum reserves the right to edit these pieces for style and length. If a letter is not meant for publication, please mark it as such. All submissions must include the author’s name, daytime phone number, and email address.
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deficiencies. Their familial relationship is established through one line of dialogue during the opening scene and both are fully aware of it as they play together on the ship as children. This scene also establishes that Emmeline’s parents are dead, which means the two may have been raised as siblings under the care of Richard’s father. Removing one line would make the relationship acceptable. Yet, the director kept it in. And many of these instances have existed under the radar in recent pop culture. You can’t open a Buzzfeed quiz without seeing a reference from “Clueless,” but as much as I love Paul Rudd, he was still raised as Cher’s brother. “Clueless” is considered a ‘90s classic and has shaped the coming-of-age genre since its theatrical release in 1995, grossing $56 million in theaters. And yes, I know that Cher and Josh are not blood relatives. But that doesn’t matter. It’s established early in the film that Cher’s father considers Josh his son and Cher’s brother. He goes as far as to say, “You divorce wives, not children.” It’s implied that the two spent a period of their adolescence playing the role of siblings, regardless of how long their parents’ marriage lasted. Josh even calls Mr. Horowitz “dad” throughout the film. Imagine when he found out his children were dating. Do you expect me to believe the look Josh and Mr. Horowitz share before Josh follows Cher to a party is a nod of approval, and not an appreciation for Josh’s
protective older brother mode? Absolutely not. There’s a reason the film doesn’t end with a reference to their comfortable family transition, because it wouldn’t make sense. The screenwriter and director, Amy Heckerling, claims the idea for the film was loosely based on the 1815 novel “Emma.” What’s strange about Heckerling’s remake is that the relationship in the novel does not cross the line into incest: Emma and Mr. Knightley did not grow up together, he is her brother-in-law. Heckerling consciously decided to make her characters cross the line into an inappropriate relationship. Maybe her choice had something to do with Paul Rudd’s parents being second cousins. Did you know that? Did that ruin your day? Regardless, it would have been so unbelievably easy to make them family friends by excluding a handful of lines. The choice to include incestuous relationships didn’t stop in the ‘90s either. It has returned in recent media produced in the last two decades. And in films like “Flowers in the Attic” and “Cruel Intentions,” these relationships don’t even add any profound substance to the plot. As both a film and English major, I’m invested in preserving both mediums. But directors need to understand that it’s okay to deviate from source material that is no longer culturally relevant. This goes for social topics like race, gender and sexual orientation. But it especially goes for incest.
ular binary narrative--a stereotypical one that the author is helping to further. For the author to define feminism as the “fight for equality,” she does a terrible job of applying the concept to her own thoughts and writings. She ignores entire groups of people who have been sexually assaulted, turning the issue into a simple binary of “what we expect from women” versus “what we expect from men.” Which brings me to the biggest issue I have with this article: her “expectations” of victims. Where does this author get off telling survivors of any gender how to behave after a sexual assault? She criticizes victims who wait to share their story. Although she back pedals by stating that waiting is “valid and appropriate,” the dog whistle is audible. The author places the onus of responsibility on the victim. Victims must speak out immediately to be truly effective. Victims who wait only perpetuate the cycle. Victims who wait are responsible for there being more victims. This is complete bulls––t. The only people responsible for rapes are RAPISTS. Yes, there are a ton of socio-political factors that enable rape culture, and we should do everything we can to address them. But to put even one iota of responsibility on victims is to vic-
tim blame in the most egregious of ways. Sexual assault victims have exactly ONE responsibility--and it is a responsibility to themselves alone. They must SURVIVE. And they most do so however they choose. The author writes that “If we foster a supportive community, we could change the course of assault cases to come.” Except that what she just described isn’t support. It’s peer pressure and strong arm tactics. It’s pushing this reprehensible idea that feminism somehow means subverting your own needs for the greater good of some mythic “sisterhood.” A truly supportive community would pick up the burden when the victim can’t. A truly supportive community would advocate for better mental health care, stricter sentencing guidelines and the dismantling of outmoded stereotypes. What a supportive community absolutely would not do is add to the burden of an already suffering person. By publishing this piece as is, The Spectrum has unwittingly added to that burden.
Email: opinion@ubspectrum.com
Sincerely, Erin Maynard To This letter has not been edited for grammar.
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MATH ics Building. Some students are worried combining the two will reduce the number of students who use the tutoring services. The Math Place has seen an average of 54 students per day since the beginning of the semester and has 15 tutors. Last year, 4,485 students visited the center (roughly 52 per day), 97% of whom were not math majors. Justin Read, associate dean for undergraduate education and experiential learning, wrote in an email that combining the centers would create a “state-of-the-art,” “comprehensive” and “more effectively integrated” tutoring center. CAS decided to move the centers after conducting a “space analysis” in the Mathematics Building, which determined it has “too much excess space,” according to Gino Biondini, Math Department chair. CAS did not tell The Spectrum what the “space analysis” entailed when asked in an email. Biondini said CAS told him about the proposal on Oct. 25, five days before submitting it. He replied on Oct. 28, saying the Math Department “didn’t want to move forward.” After his objection, CAS sent him a copy of the proposal and said it can be submitted “with or without” the Math Department’s approval, according to Biondini. The proposal stated CAS, the Math Department and ULC all supported the move, Biondini said. Biondini replied to CAS’ proposal, saying it can’t use the Math Department’s
name. Biondini said CAS did not respond, but on Tuesday CAS told him they submitted the proposal. “I don’t know if they submitted it in our name, but if they did submit it in [the Math Department]’s name I would find it highly objectionable,” Biondini said. Read wrote that at UB and nationally there is an “increasing number” of undergraduate students failing 100-level math courses, which he called “unacceptable.” “A new Math Hub would provide tutoring, cutting-edge [teaching], instructor training and the development of online tools that will help more undergraduate students succeed,” Read wrote. “We will continue to seek resources to provide the best center for math education and student support at UB.” Some worry the Math Hub will replace the Mathematics Building common room, which functions like a lab, but Read said its location has not been decided. Michael Montoro, a Ph.D. math student and UB Council student representative, wrote in an email the decision is “insulting to the important academic work that is done every day in the Math Place and in the Math Department’s common room.” CAS wants to incorporate new technology into the Math Hub, but tutors say it isn’t necessary. Ph.D. math student Cece Engelhardt, who is a tutor for the Math Place, said CAS didn’t ask her for tutor input. Faculty and tutors worry fewer students will utilize the Math Place because of its proposed location.
Andrew Palmer / The Spectrum Free math tutoring services are offered to UB students at 211 Baldy Hall.
ubspectrum.com
Andrew Palmer / The Spectrum UB students receive math tutoring for free in the Math Place located in 211 Baldy Hall on Tuesday.
Angela Samul, ULC coordinator of developmental mathematics, said “students won’t come” if the center is moved to the Mathematics Building. “It’s a mistake, because [Baldy] is a central location and the math building is way over [on the edge of campus],” Samul said. “The majority of our students are not only math students, but we also get ULC students, and their classes are all right around here.” Biondini said the Math Department teaches over 10,000 students each semester from various disciplines, and “the small classrooms in the Mathematics Building are for upper-division graduate classes.” He said 99% of students who take math courses are taught in large classrooms like in the Natural Sciences Complex or Alumni Arena. “It doesn’t make sense for students to come over here. The Math Place is centrally located and doing a great job, we want to strengthen that place,” Biondini said. “A student who has class in Alumni Arena might not come all the way [to the Mathematics Building] since it takes 15 minutes to get there.” Over the summer, ULC renovated the Math Place using a “large portion of its operating budget,” according to Samul. She said she “isn’t happy” to hear CAS wants to move the Math Place after spending a “fair chunk of change” on it. Mazia Alfisyah, a junior economics student who uses the Math Place tutors, wrote that she “loves” the Baldy Hall location and the “spacious” classroom. She said if the Math Place is moved to
the Mathematics Building, she would likely still go, but it would affect her learning. “My studying experience is definitely going to lessen in quality because of the layout of the classrooms and the complicated structure of the building,” Alfisyah wrote in an email. Katie Fiorella, a sophomore management student, wrote in an email that the Math Place is currently “conveniently located” and “easy” for students and tutors to access, so she is “confused” as to why CAS wants to move it. “The Math Place seemed to be one of the most effective resources available here at UB, so why change it?” Fiorella wrote. “I believe that moving it would change the whole dynamic of the Math Place and make it difficult for both me and the tutors to get to.” Carolyn Engelhardt, a Ph.D. math student and ULC math coordinator, said she thinks the move would be “intimidating” for some students in lower-level math courses. They might walk into the combined center feeling “overwhelmed,” seeing upper-level math while they are trying to make sense of algebra, Engelhardt said. “[The Math Place and the Math Help Center] are different things, and that’s a good thing,” Carolyn Engelhardt said. “[In the Math Place], we try to create a space that feels safe for students who are struggling with and have a difficult relationship with math.” Email: brittany.gorny@ubspectrum.com Twitter: @BrittanyGorny
Women’s soccer wins first game of the MAC tournament The Bulls beat Akron 2-1 Sunday GERMAIN BROWN STAFF WRITER
UB women’s soccer team (9-7-3) advanced to the Mid-American Conference semifinals for the first time since 2015 with a 2-1 double-overtime victory over Akron (8-10-2) Sunday. Sunday’s frigid temperatures didn’t halt the Bulls’ momentum and sophomore forward Taylor Caridi’s goal 109th minute made all the difference for the Bulls, who travel to Bowling Green Friday. During the first half, the Bulls held the Zips to one shot and attempted nine shots in the first period, with none finding the back of the net. In the second half, junior midfielder Kaitlyn Walsh gave Buffalo the
Alexis Heng / The Spectrum UB’s midfielder Marcy Barberic defends the ball from Akron during the MAC quarterfinals on Sunday.
lead with a goal in the 83rd minute. Less than a minute later, Zips defender Abigail Brown scored to tie the game. The game went into overtime but neither side conceded a goal, despite Buffalo’s two attempts. In the 108th minute, and second overtime, sophomore forward Caridi scored, ending the game. “It was a microcosm of our season with all the ups and downs,” Coach Shawn Burke said. “[I give] a ton of credit to our players for applying pressure and getting the goal late to avoid penalty kicks.” The Bulls will play No. 1 seed Bowling Green on Friday. The Bulls lost 2-1 in their last match against the Falcons, with their only goal coming from junior forward Gianna Yurchak. Burke led UB to its first MAC Conference title in 2014 and looks to add anoth-
Alexis Heng / The Spectrum Sophomore Taylor Caridi secures the ball against a defender at Sunday’s soccer game.
er, as Buffalo enters the MAC Tournament as the No. 4 seed. Burke has high hopes for the team’s upcoming match, where the Bulls will look to avenge their early season defeat. “Our team isn’t intimidated by anybody and hopefully we gain momentum from this win,” Burke said. The winner of Friday’s game will face the winner of Friday’s Eastern Michigan (7-11-2) and Ohio (11-8-1) match. Email: sports@ubspectrum.com
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
‘Jojo Rabbit’ shines as harrowing child-like satire on Nazi Germany Director Taika Waititi brings audiences along for anti-hate vision ISABELLA FORTUNATO STAFF WRITER
Film: Jojo Rabbit Release Date: Oct. 18 (Select Theatres), Nov. 8 (Everywhere) Studio: Fox Searchlight Pictures Grade: 8.5/10 Taika Waititi is no stranger to playing unconventional roles in his films. He’s appeared as everything from a 379-year-old vampire to a rocking alien. But in his most recent film, “Jojo Rabbit,” he portrays someone even more shocking: Adolf Hitler. Waititi’s first mainstream appearance was directing Marvel hit “Thor: Ragnarok,” rejuvenating the thunder god’s storyline with quirky humor that fans couldn’t get enough of. Waititi’s MCU breakout was far from his first stab at comedic brilliance, as he has dozens of equally hilarious independent films under his belt prior to his commercial success. Now, Watiti has another film to add to his list of successes. Told through the eyes of 10-year-old Hitler Youth Johannes (Roman Griffin Davis), “Jojo Rabbit” offers a satirical view of Nazi Germany and blind faith in leadership. Johannes (Jojo) is a typical Nazi boy, with imaginary friend Hitler (played by Waititi) as his personal confidant. We watch as Jojo handles internal dilemmas through “conversations” with Hitler. Life is tough for the Nazi-in-training, who is picked on for not being as cruel as the other boys and after a grenade accident, finds himself crippled and scarred. He later realizes his compassionate and zany mother (Scarlett Johansson) is hiding Elsa, a Jewish girl (Thomasin McKenzie), in the attic of his house. As the war comes to an end, Jojo is forced to realize with tearjerking seriousness that Hitler wasn’t the best role model. Depicting Hitler in any kind of a huFROM PAGE 1
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Coordinator Marc Rosenblitt wrote in an email that SA planned the event back in June and didn’t anticipate the conflict. “We did not know it was the home opener when we started planning,” Rosenblitt wrote. “I wish we could plan around every event on campus, but on a campus this size there is always some other event happening somewhere.” Rosenblitt wrote that the CFA, where the rest of the shows were also held, only had two viable dates in November for the trap show and only one which both DaBaby and Gunna could make. The basketball schedule, which was announced in early September, is sometimes planned years in advance, according to Director of Athletic Communications Brian Wolff. “Scheduling is a fluid process and worked out well in advance of the season,” Wolff wrote in a text. “We are always
morous light sounds like an inherently bad idea, but somehow here, it isn’t. Waititi’s role artfully balances undertones of hate with the plot’s goofy antics, defining the mood of the movie. The work’s brilliance comes from the uncomfortable nature of the comedy. There are moments where it is hard not to cry laughing, but each laugh is accompanied by moments emphasizing the true horrors of World War II. By the end of the film, it’s hard to determine whether your gut hurts from laughing or the sucker punch from such harrowing content. Davis, 11 years old, carries the film impressively, demonstrating an emotional maturity that is hard to find in adult actors. One minute he is a detestable Nazi and, in the next, a little boy in need of compassion. The relationships with his mother, Elsa and even Hitler are tragically heartfelt. The remaining cast of characters bolster Davis’ performance and add to the film’s comedic genius. Unfortunately, Waititi didn’t give all of these strong characters the screen time they deserve, which is the primary criticism of his creative vision. Among the forgotten is Sam Rockwell. The
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Veteran actor gives a humorous and touching display as Jojo’s washed up instructor, Captain Klenzendorf, making his performance one of the film’s most delightful, but sadly one of the least appreciated. Another stand-out performance comes from Yorki (Archie Yates), Jojo’s only true friend among the Hitler Youth. Yates, along with some of
the other young cast members, gave toptier performances in the extremely limited time they were on the screen. Behind the jokes about German clones, burning books and ridiculous propaganda, the film provokes an unsettling feeling. Waititi does a brilliant job creating parallels between the hate that fueled WWII and the hate that permeates the world today. Email: arts@ubspectrum.com
fox searChlight piCtures inC.
looking at what is in the best interest of our program and our fans.” Freshman business major Drew Gordon said he was looking forward to both events, but ultimately chose to see one of his favorite artists, DaBaby. “I wanted to see the basketball game, but I’ve never seen DaBaby before,” Gordon said. “I’m a big basketball fan and I can’t believe I have to miss the game.” Freshman business major Nik Aprahamian will be joining his friend at the show. “It’s not fair,” Aprahamian said. “I love basketball, but I don’t want to give up my ticket to the concert.” Rosenblitt said while he hopes to see the CFA fill up during fest, he still hopes students enjoy themselves at either event. Email: sports@ubspectrum.com
“I feel a lot of things: excitement, anticipation, anxiety and stress. [I think it’s normal] for an engineering major. I thought going into mechanical engineering would be full of excitement and joy, [but] 100% of the time, that’s not the case. I love [my major], but deadlines hover over my mind every day and there’s so much work to the point where I’m losing touch with relationships I’ve built with others before college. I can’t do things like martial arts and volleyball during school, things that make me happy. All I want is a good job but that’s really it. I also want to live. People sometimes don’t know what they want, and going through such a major doesn’t make it easier with the intensity of the work. But this is life for me and I just have to deal with it.”
Austin Proctor
“My family left Colombia because of the guerrillas. My mother tells me stories of the times when the soldiers would be at the farm. Her grandma would tell [everyone] to hide because the military soldiers were coming. They would force the families to give them food and take [their] possessions. Some of my family is still in Brazil. Those who are left there are severely affected by drug trafficking. Once you enter into that type of world, it’s very hard to get out. My parents always tell me that we need to focus on breaking the chains that have been made, whether they be wars, social injustices, narco trafficking or gangs. All of that has [molded] our culture to where it is today. It made all of us become warriors.”
Danny Trevino
siddharth Bandhu / The SpecTrum Senior guard anTwain johnSon leapS To dunk aT The men’S BaSkeTBall exhiBiTion game againST daemen college ocT. 24.
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SPORTS
8 | Thursday, November 7, 2019
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Women’s basketball wins season opener Bulls hang on for win over Central Connecticut MYAH GONZALEZ SARA HOLLAND ASST. SPORTS EDITOR STAFF WRITER
Women’s basketball (1-0) started its season Tuesday night with a 61-56 win against Central Connecticut (0-1). While the Bulls came out victorious, the game was a rough start for the defending conference champions. Consistent defense kept them in the lead but many players struggled offensively, revealing areas for improvement as the season progresses.
“Tonight we played so tight and so timid,” said head coach Felisha Legette-Jack. The Bulls started slow as they were just 2-19 from the arc and 9-30 from the floor after the first half, having a hard time scoring against a more experienced CCSU team. Junior guard Hanna Hall went 0-13 in shooting for the night, with only one point coming from a free throw in 28 minutes of play. Junior forward Marissa Hamilton also scored just one point, shooting 0-8. She finished with five rebounds and two assists. But two players for UB didn’t let Connecticut’s defense phase them. Freshman guard Dyaisha Fair led the Bulls in scoring with 24 points. She also contributed 10 rebounds and earned a double-double in her first official win as a Bull. “I just had to keep my composure,” Fair said. “It was all in slow motion once I remained calm.” Senior guard Theresa Onwuka followed closely behind, scoring a career-high 21 points
siddharth Bandhu / The SpecTrum Senior guard ThereSa onwuka ShooTS a free Throw. onwuka waS a Big parT of uB’S 61-56 win over cenTral connecTicuT STaTe SaTurday.
Kyle Vantrease plays both quarterback and punter JUSTIN WEISS GRAPHIC BY MATT KOONS
alexander Brown / The SpecTrum
ASST. SPORTS EDITOR
Kyle Vantrease #7 Kyle Vantrease never thought the 2019 UB football season would begin like this. Nobody thought it would begin like this. During the third quarter of the Bulls’ week-two game against Penn State, starting punter Evan Finegan fell to the ground in excruciating pain after snapping his leg in half. Vantrease, the backup punter, was standing on the sidelines. He was quickly called into action. He was terrified. “It was kind of like, ‘Oh my
We accept
God, I did not warm up for this. Don’t get hurt. Get the ball past the line of scrimmage,’” Vantrease said. His first punt traveled only 17 yards and “was kind of close to not being that,” he said. “At least I got the ball off.” Over the next few weeks, Vantrease joined a select group of Division-I football players to start at punter and quarterback in the same season. Since Sept. 28, the redshirt sophomore has attempted 16 punts and 99 passes — a rare combination at this level. Vantrease was recruited
gordon Myers / The SpecTrum The women’S BaSkeTBall Team huddleS up Before an offenSive poSSeSSion.
and adding five steals, five rebounds and three assists to the win. “My teammates did a good job of finding me when I was wide open and they did a good job of leaving the lane open for me to drive,” Onwuka said. With Onwuka and Fair putting up numbers for Buffalo, defense was crucial in keeping them ahead of CCSU. UB was able to secure 18 turnovers and 25 defensive rebounds to keep Connecticut’s scoring to a minimum, never allowing them to regain the lead. Both teams were aggressive throughout the game, with each
team drawing 25 fouls. Legette-Jack focuses on the more positive aspects of how her team played. “Our goal is always to hold teams under 59 points and we did that tonight,” Legette-Jack said. “You are never going to see this team quit. We are going to fight, we are going to claw, we’re going to find a way and we’re going to continue to adjust.” The Bulls will be in action again on Saturday Nov. 9, as they travel to Niagara to take on the Purple Eagles (0-0).
to Buffalo as a quarterback and thought that would be the only position he would play. He’s realized he has a lot more in him. “Coming in, I didn’t think I was ever going to punt,” he said. “That was the last position I was going to be put on the field for.” Vantrease grew up playing quarterback. When he was two or three years old, he could pick up a Nerf football and throw a perfect spiral to the delight of family and friends. “It was like, ‘He’s going to be the quarterback,’” Vantrease recalls his father saying. Vantrease, the son of a high school football coach and a competitive swimmer, grew up in Stow, OH, where he played baseball and basketball, threw shot and discus, and did track and swimming. But once he got to middle school, Vantrease had to decide which sport he wanted to focus on. So he imagined his life without each of them. “Football is the one I would go crazy if I didn’t have,” he said. In high school, Vantrease was named first-team All-State. He finished his career with 50 passing touchdowns and 24 rushing touchdowns. He was dominant on both offense and special teams as a senior — he punted the ball 21 times and was 18of-19 on extra point attempts. Vantrease received offers from seven Mid-American Conference schools, including Akron, which is just 15 minutes from his hometown. Vantrease credits the UB coaching staff for making his decision an easy one. “You could ask him to play defensive end, and he may look at you funny, but he’s going to try to do it,” said Special Teams Coordinator Taiwo Onatolu. “He’s going to study up on it and do it as hard as he can. That’s the type of guy he is.” Vantrease has made it easy for coaches. He’s faced obstacles at every step of his collegiate experience, but has handled it all like a pro, they said. Coming into college, he was buried on the depth chart behind
quarterbacks Tyree Jackson and Drew Anderson. “He took it great,” said Quarterbacks Coach Jim Zebrowski. After burning his redshirt as a freshman in relief of an injured Jackson, Vantrease was asked to back up punter Kyle DeWeen. Entering the 2019 season, Vantrease was engaged in a competition for the starting quarterback job with junior Dominic Johnson and redshirt freshman Matt Myers. Myers won the competition, and started the first five games of the season. “Everyone is competitive, and obviously you want to be the guy, at any position,” Zebrowski said. “But I think he understood, thought about what he needs to be working on and understood what he needed to be ready for.” Vantrease entered the 2019 season as the backup quarterback and punter, but by week six, he was starting at both positions. Finegan broke his right tibia and fibula and Myers suffered a season-ending upper-body injury in UB’s MAC opener. Vantrease has been erratic at both positions. He has completed 61.6% of his passes for 679 yards, five touchdowns and one interception. His coaches’ fear is that the offense isn’t as consistent as they would like. “We’re a little sporadic right now,” Zebrowski said. “One game, we throw for a lot of completions but not for a lot of yards. The next game, we throw for a lot of yards but not a lot of completions.” Zebrowski explained that Vantrease is in his first season as a starter and is throwing to inexperienced receivers (this offseason, the Bulls lost Anthony Johnson, K.J. Osborn, Charlie Jones and Tyler Mabry to graduation or transfer). Vantrease is undaunted and is convinced he will earn the MAC Championship with the Bulls this season. “A couple things have to fall into place, but nothing is off the table right now.”
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Email: justin.weiss@ubspectrum.com
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