Former U.S. ambassador, civil rights lawyer, two actors to headline Distinguished Speaker Series
GAGE SKIDMORE / WIKIMEDIA COMMONS KEN JEONG WILL OPEN THE 2022-23 DISTINGUISHED SPEAKER SERIES ON TUESDAY, OCT. 11 IN THE UB CENTER FOR ARTS
Seneca artist Samantha Jacobs’ “Keeping a Good Mind,” a wool hat embroidered with beads that spell out “land back,” “every child matters” and “my body, my choice.” LIU / THE SPECTRUM THE 50TH YEAR OF INDIGENOUS STUDIES AT UB WAS HONORED WITH “O’NIGOEI:YO:H: THINKING IN INDIAN.”
MARYLANDINGSEASON-OPEN-MATCHEDOVER-INLOSSTO THEHOWDENTS:HALLRESIDENCEFIRST-YEARSTU-HERE’STOMAKEMOSTOF BUILT IN BUFFALO: HOW NATE OATS HISSONDOMINICHELPEDJOHN-FULFILLCOACHING PAGE 9 PAGE 5 PAGE 10
Students will not live on South Campus due to renovations
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SEE THINKING IN INDIAN PAGE 8 SEE SPEAKER SERIES PAGE 2
All on-campus residents will remain in North Campus dorms and apartments during these renovations. Campus Dining and Shops is also working on further methods to “improve the overall dining experience” on South Campus, according to a UB press release. Campus Living did not respond in time for publication to questions from The Spectrum regarding what those methods entail. Reconstruction will begin on North Campus residence halls after Goodyear and Clement are opened next summer. North Campus renovations include the addition of an atrium, group spaces and interactive event rooms in Fargo Quad, along with a new front door for the Ellicott complex. The North Campus renovations are set to be completed by fall 2024. The entire project — encompassing renovations on both campuses — is estimated to cost approximately $36 million. According to Hamluk, the financial devotion “illustrates an ongoing commitment to creating environments that allow our residential students to succeed both academically and personally.”
Ifill will continue the series into the spring semester on Thursday, Feb. 16 as UB’s 47th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration Speaker. Ifill led the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, a leading civil rights organization and law firm founded by Thurgood Marshall, from 2013 to 2022. In that role, she fought against voter suppression, educational inequities and racial discrimination in the criminal justice system. Before joining the NAACP, Ifill served as a faculty member at the University of Maryland Law School and authored the 2007 book, “On the Courthouse Lawn: Confronting the Legacy of Lynching in the 21st CenBULLS
MERET KELSEY ASST. ARTS EDITOR KAYLA ESTRADA SR. NEWS/FEATURES EDITOR
Indigenous artists reframe the past, embrace the future in showcase at UB Art Galleries
Tickets available to students and the general public starting Sept. 13
THE
Trump was impeached for those efforts in early 2020, and Yovanovitch testified in the House’s public impeachment hearings, according to The Guardian. She currently holds positions at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University.
Goodyear and Clement Halls will remain unoccupied during the 2022-23 academic year due to ongoing renovations. These reconstruction plans are part of Campus Living’s two-year master plan to revamp residence halls on both North and South Campus to upgrade dorms and change the campus’ overall appearance. The project will “help provide our students with the modern facilities they need to be comfortable and successful at UB,” according to vice president for Student Life Brian GoodyearHamluk.Hallwill undergo an exterior reconstruction, including a complete roof replacement to protect the structural integrity of the building. Clement Hall will be upgraded with new lighting, flooring and Wi-Fi. Both buildings are set to receive cosmetic upgrades.
THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT PUBLICATION OF THE UNIVERSITY AT BUFFALO, SINCE 1950VOL. 71 NO. 1 | SEPTEMBER 8, 2022 UBSPECTRUM
Former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch and former president and director-counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund Sherrilyn Ifill will headline UB’s 2022-23 Distinguished Speaker Series alongside actors Ken Jeong and Selma Blair, the university announced Thursday. Each talk will be held in the Center for the Arts’ Mainstage Theatre and begin at 7 p.m.Graduate students represented by the Graduate Student Association can request a free ticket starting two weeks before each speech, according to UB’s website. Other UB students can purchase discounted tickets, while supplies last, with a valid UB ID at the CFA box office starting Sept. 13. Box office hours are to be determined. Tickets to Jeong and Blair’s speeches will cost students $10; Tickets to Yovanovitch and Ifill’s will cost students $5. Student tickets to all three of last year’s lectures costIndividuals$5. who are not students can purchase tickets to individual speeches for $25 to $75 or tickets to the entire series for $140 to $216. Jeong will kick off the series on Tuesday, Oct. 11. Jeong, an actor and comedian, is best known for his roles in “The Hangover” movies, “Crazy Rich Asians” and the TV show “Community.” He is also the creator, writer, producer and star of the sitcom “Dr. Ken” and a licensed physician with a medical degree from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Yovanovitch will speak next on Tuesday, Nov. 15. Yovanovitch is a retired Foreign Service officer who served under six presidential administrations and as ambassador to Kyrgyzstan, Armenia and Ukraine, among other posts. She was known in Ukraine for her anti-corruption activism. Former President Trump recalled her from her ambassadorship in April, 2019 after months of complaints from Rudy Guiliani and others that she was obstructing efforts to convince the Ukrainian government to investigate Joe Biden’s son, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Kayla Estrada is a senior news/features editor and can be reached at kayla.estrada@ubspectrum.com
GRANT ASHLEY MANAGING EDITOR Carved figurines, embroidered quilts and self-portraits. Black ash, sweetgrass and digital data. The works featured in “O’Nigöëi:yo:h: Thinking in Indian,” now showing at UB’s Anderson and CFA Galleries, span just about every format, medium and style one can imagine. The exhibition, designed to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the university’s Department of Indigenous Studies, showcases art from across the six nations of the Hodinöhsö:ni’ Confederacy. The show features almost 50 Hodinöhsö:ni’ artists, each of whom offers their own distinct perspectives on modern Indigenous life through their work. The title, “Thinking in Indian,” is borrowed from John Mohawk’s essay collection of the same name. Mohawk, one of the founders of the department, was a visionary activist and educator of the Hodinöhsö:ni’ Confederacy; his teachings on Indigenous agriculture and cultural survival inspired the exhibition. Issues like food sovereignty, treaties and forced displacement are thematic touchstones for the show, reflected in pieces like
UB’s latest exhibition features art from both new and veteran Hodinöhsö:ni’ creators Goodyear and Clement Halls renovationsundergoingduring the 2022-23 academic year
Speaker Series UB Transportation adds bus routes to Tops, Asia Food Market, Student Health Services
/ The SpecTrum ub phAsed out its on cAmpus testing sites in fAvor of rApid Antigen testing
SAI KRISHNA-SEETHALA / The SpecTrum A LehmAn hALL resident wAs AwAke during the Attempted burgLAry And ALerted university poLice SAI KRISHNA-SEETHALA
KYLE NGUYEN SR. NEWS/FEATURES
UB recommends — but no longer re quires — that all eligible students, faculty and staff stay up-to-date with new booster shots as they emerge. Last Wednesday, the FDA approved a new booster approved targeting the rampant omicron BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants, the latter of which ac counts for 88.6% of U.S. COVID-19 cases, according to the CDC’s Nowcast model.Students can locate nearby vaccination clinics carrying the new booster at www. vaccines.gov.Studentsexposed to the virus must wear a mask and watch for COVID-19 symp toms for 10 days, per the CDC. Those who have symptoms should self-isolate and get tested.Furthermore, UB is no longer operating designated quarantine residen tial halls for the fall semester. Instead, students who test positive for COVID-19 must complete UB’s COVID-19 reporting form and continue to self-isolate — either at home or within their assigned on-cam pus living quarters — for at least five days or until symptoms improve, per the CDC’s isolationOn-campusguidance.residents must also notify Residential Life staff at 716-645-2173 and follow additional isolation and quarantine directives. The university requires that selfisolating and quarantining students wear a mask wherever they travel and order to-go meals via the GET app. Students are also responsible for communicating and coor dinating with their professors to make up coursework.AsofSept.
burglaries take place at oncampus dorms Monday morning
vigilant’: UB monitoring
7, UB has 105 cases of CO VID-19 and a 1.20% positivity rate based on a 14-day rolling average, according to SUNY’s COVID-19 dashboard. There are currently 11 students in self-isolation — three students self-isolating off campus and eight students self-isolating on cam pus.
Looking ahead, Sticht warns that giving burglars the opportunity to commit a crime is what residents have the most control over.
A.J. Franklin is an assistant news/features editor and can be reached at aj.franklin@ubspectrum. com
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 A.J. FRANKLIN ASST. FEATURES EDITOR
Ria Gupta is an assistant news/features editor and can be reached at ria.gupta@ubspectrum.com
Students deemed “fully vaccinated” un der revised university campus health and safety guidelines will no longer be required to undergo surveillance testing, wear masks or provide proof of vaccination, the university announced Aug. 31. The university will also no longer be operating designated quarantine residen tial halls for students infected with CO VID-19.Masks will also remain optional “in most campus settings” after the university nixed its mask mandate and proof of vaccina tion requirements for on-campus events. Masks remain mandatory when students utilize campus transportation or enter health service spaces. UB is also asking students to “remain vigilant” as it looks to grapple with the emergent monkeypox threat and regular flu season throughout the semester.
SEE MONKEYPOX & COVID-19 PAGE 6
University Police received reports that items were stolen from Governors and Ellicott Complexes
Tops route runs Fridays, Asia Food Market route runs Tuesdays
A newly-minted student health center on Maple Road will also provide off-cam pus access to rapid COVID-19 testing for symptomatic students. Students looking to visit must schedule appointments before hand and carry their UB ID and insurance card with them.
“For crime to occur, there have to be three things: someone that’s willing to commit a crime, who has the means to com mit a crime and the opportunity,” Sticht said. “The only one of those three we can affect is opportunity.”UniversityPolice are now working on pull ing videos from stores that were involved in credit card transactions, entering the stolen property into the National Crime Informa tion Center (NCIC), fixing locks on residence hall doors that may be broken and educating students on the importance of keeping their belongings secure.
Grant Ashley is the managing editor and can be reached at grant.ashley@ubspectrum.com
not yet finished with us,” Russo said.
RIA GUPTA ASST. NEWS/FEATURES EDITOR University Police received reports that out side visitors burglarized Lehman Hall in Gov ernors Complex and Richmond Quadrangle in Ellicott Complex, both North Campus resi dence halls housing predominantly freshmen, early Monday morning. The timing and locations of those burglar ies were not mere coincidence, according to Deputy Chief of Police Joshua Sticht. “The freshman dorms got targeted, not be cause the suspects necessarily knew there were freshmen living there, but because freshmen are just not that careful yet,” Sticht said. “This is their first time away from home so they’re not as careful, whereas upperclassmen are more careful about locking the doors and clos ing the windows on the first floor.” Within an hour of hearing about the bur glaries, UPD broadcasted a BOLO, or “be on the lookout,” to all the other police agencies in Erie County with a description of the suspects’ vehicle.Butin what Sticht described as “a good stroke of luck,” one of the Lehman Hall resi dents was awake and was able to thoroughly recount details of the burglary soon after the event.“The student in Lehman that noticed the person trying to burglarize their dorm room suite called us right away,” Sticht said. “Even though the suspects fled, we have access to a really fantastic camera system here at UB. We’re past 2,000 cameras across the three cam puses, so that night as the first officers were re sponding and interviewing the victims that live in Lehman, we were actually pulling a video to determine where the suspects fled.” The burglaries in Richmond Quadrangle were not discovered until later in the morning. Sticht stated that his team is working to collect “some of the best forensic evidence,” ranging from tracking stolen credit card numbers and pulling video from stores where they were po tentially used. With an increase in blue light phones, tech nology and late-night bus routes to keep stu dents safe over the years, UB’s safety measures are on par with other comparable universities. But Sticht doesn’t think these measures do not always prevent crime from taking place. “These burglaries come in waves and are our biggest crime problem, at least in terms of numbers,” he said. “Our overall crime rate, though, is actually lower than a lot of other universities our size and our violent crime — which is what worries me the most — is very low, statistically almost non-existent when we’re talking about assaults or armed robberies,” Sticht said. “Generally, the campuses are very safe, but we don’t want to rely on that and make the fact that it’s been safe in the past convince us not to be vigilant about things around us.” Sticht has found that student education is critical to prevent such burglaries. Especially at the beginning of the academic year, UB po lice officers often walk around the residence hallways. If they see an unlocked door with no one inside, they pull it closed, lock it and hang a safety message on the door to alert residents.
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Thomas Russo, chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases in the UB Department of Medicine, echoed that sentiment, warn ing against public health complacency even as the university rolls back previous COVID-19 response measures. “Even though we want to be done with COVID-19, unfortunately, COVID-19 is
‘Remain monkeypox threat, tapering COVID-19
UB has expanded shuttle routes to in clude direct service to the Tops on Maple Road and the Asia Food Market on Ni agara Falls Boulevard and stops at the new Student Health Services. The shuttle to Tops will run from 5-9 p.m. every Friday. The shuttle to the Asia Food Market will run from 4-8 p.m. every Tuesday. Both shuttles will depart from and return to the Ellicott Tunnel bus stop. Shuttle service to the new Health Ser vices building on Maple Road runs week days from 8:50 a.m. to 5:20 p.m. The shuttle makes stops to pick students up at the Student Union, Flint Loop and the Service Center Road Bus Shelter. Schedules for all UB bus routes this se mester can be found on UB’s website.
Easing on-campus COVID-19 proto cols In keeping with the latest CDC guid ance, UB now defines “fully vaccinated” as the completion of a primary COVID vaccination series: either two or three doses in total depending on age group and vaccine product taken. Students with medical or religious ex emptions and those who have not com pleted their primary vaccination series are required to continue participating in week ly surveillance testing.
To account for closing vaccination sites, the university will supply rapid test kits to exempt students free of charge every week. A limited reserve of kits is available for fully vaccinated students who were po tentially exposed or symptomatic, the uni versity says.
NEWS ubspectrum.com2 | Thursday, September 8, 2022 tury,” which was finalist for a HurstonWright Legacy Award. Blair will close the series on Wednesday, March 15. She is best known for her act ing roles in “Legally Blonde,” “Hellboy,” “Cruel Intentions,” the sitcom “Anger Management” and “The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story.” Blair came forward in 2017 with sexual harrass ment allegations agianst director James To back, according to The Guardian, and was featured as one of the “Silence Breakers” selected as TIME magazine’s “People of The Year.” She released a memoir, “Mean Baby,” in May, which details her relation ship with her mother, her struggles with alcoholism and her diagnosis with multiple sclerosis.“Whether discussing society’s grand challenges, sharing personal testaments of courage, or providing a generous dose of comic relief, this season’s speakers prom ise to offer compelling, enlightened per spectives that are not to be missed,” UB President Satish Tripathi said in a state ment.The 2022-23 series is the second to be held in person since the COVID-19 pan demic.Olympic Gold-medal winning gym nast Aly Raisman, “1619 Project” creator Nikole Hannah-Jones and TV conserva tionist Jeff Corwin spoke at the 2021-22 series. Actor and UB alum Winston Duke was scheduled to kick off that series, but his visit was postponed before being can celed altogether.
UB ends on-campus COVID testing, vaccination and quarantine sites as monkeypox vaccine rolls out EDITOR
restrictions for the fall semester
ENGAGEMENT EDITORS
THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 8, 2022
As a Chinese-American, mental health is hush-hush and rarely spoken about. Growing up, my impression of mental health was always black and white — people were either “crazy,” or they weren’t, and I certainly wasn’t “crazy.” With no context for the way I was feeling, I assumed everyone felt the bone-deep numbness I did and tried to push it aside. Things got worse after coming to the U.S., when I moved in with my grandmother. Although my eyes were opened to the reality of mental health struggles, being separated from my family and the language barrier between me and my grandmother meant that I felt very alone. Without the rigidity of living with my parents, years of pent-up emotions reared its ugly head. I learned what it felt like to have blood running down my arm, and I wondered what it would feel like to jump off the Brooklyn Bridge and not have to worry about anything anymore. I couldn’t afford counseling on my own, and I’d really have a problem on my hands if it showed up on my family’s insurance plan. Access to mental health resources is a privilege many can’t access, especially for low income families and immigrants.
JASMIN YEUNG ASST. NEWS/FEATURE DIRECTOR
On the importance of abortion not only being legal, but also shameless.
NEWS/FEATURESEDITOR-IN-CHIEF
MANAGINGEDITORSEDITORS
Tenzin Wodhean Jenna Quinn, Sr. Sarah Cruz, Asst. I was supposed to love and depend on my mom for the rest of my life. And now she probably couldn’t even tell you that I enjoy writing. Or that my favorite color is navy blue. To be honest, I always thought that once I mustered up the courage to write about my mom, it would be a ‘Cleanin’ Out My Closet’ type of situation. I daydreamed for years about all of the cruel and heinous things I’d say to her if I were only given the opportunity. But now, I’m enraged with the people who convinced her that having an abortion was a greater sin than being a terrible mother.“Pro-lifers” like using kids like me as poster children for their political agenda. It makes me sick. I wonder if most “pro-lifers” were forced to give birth when they were teenagers, with little access to mental health services and child support. My mother’s parents told her that they’d disown her if she terminated the pregnancy. I hope no “pro-lifers” are ever faced with this life-ordeath ultimatum.Iwonder how “pro-lifers” would handle being 16 with no options. To be petrified and confused, all before third period chemistry class. I wouldn’t wish that isolation or loneliness on anyone. I wonder if “pro-lifers” think children make good parents, or if they think all pregnant teenagers should trade out prom and graduation for diaper bags and early Ialcoholism.wonderwhat “pro-lifers” would say if they only knew how hard it is to shave your legs as a hairy 13-year-old with no guidance. I hope they never know the horrible feeling of going to school, embarrassed and covered in razor cuts because your mom wasn’t around to introduce you to shaving cream. I wonder if “pro-lifers” are familiar with the ever-burning jealousy that inhabits my chest every time I see a mom and daughter bonding in public. I’ll always have to do manicures, shopping and picnic lunches alone.
KAYLA ESTRADA SR. EDITOR Content warning: This article contains sensitive information about self-harm and suicidal ideation. If you are in crisis, please consider calling the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-2738255 or dialing 988.
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Anthony DeCicco
I can’t help but wonder what “prolifers” would say if they carried the burden of their own mom’s downward spiral on their backs.Ispent a lot of my life wanting to hate my mother. But in all honesty, I only hated her because she was incapable of loving me. I watched her. For 12 years I watched her drown her memories in liquor. I watched her lie to everyone who cared about her. I watched hidden wine coolers and untreated bipolar disorder slowly wash away her personality. I watched her try her best and fail miserably until eventually, I watched her leave. I hadn’t seen my mom in over seven years. That’s seven birthdays, seven Christmases and seven grueling Mother’s Days I spent staring at the door, half-hoping to see her walk through it. My other half hoped she was dead, so I wouldn’t have to truly accept that she was out in the world living her life with zero thought of me. Her absence has consumed my life for the past seven years. Until this summer, when I stepped foot on her front porch for the first time in nearly a decade. I looked into her eyes, hauntingly similar to mine, glossed over, with nothing behind them. She didn’t recognize me. And for a while, I wanted to disappear. If I could go back in time and avoid ever feeling that way, I’d rip myself out of her womb with my own two hands. I see a lot of awareness being spread about keeping abortion legal and accessible in the wake of the Dobbs decision. And that’s amazing. But my mom had access to an abortion. She had the means and the funds to make the right decision for herself. Instead, she was pressured by people who wouldn’t stick around to live with the consequences of her actions. She was too young to have her life destroyed. So was I. This column was extremely hard for me to write. Because no person should have to write it in the first place. Keep abortion safe, legal and shameless. We don’t want columns like this.
Kayla Estrada is a senior news/features editor and can be reached at kayla.estrada@ubspectrum.com
I had skipped a week of classes before I finally decided to call. Rotting in bed, eyes numbly fixed on my phone screen, I tried not to think about the situation I was in. It was the third week of school — my first year on campus — and I couldn’t even make it to my 4 p.m. class.After typing the number for UB Counseling Services, I choked down my anxiety as I held the phone to my ear and waited. I’ve always felt like I needed help.
I’d struggle through everything if it meant that I didn’t have to deal with the inevitable argument about how my struggles were unimportant because I didn’t have to work or pay taxes. I reminded myself it was important to be grateful for my university’s resources as I waited for my “needs assessment appointment,” yet it was almost impossible to ignore my worry.
CREATIVE DIRECTORS FACT
I destroyed my own mother Band-aid Solutions
NEWS/FEATURE
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UB Counseling Services’ website states that the needs assessment appointment is used to discuss concerns with a counselor, after which they will “recommend appropriate services.” This includes self-help resources, educational workshops, mental health counseling and referrals to on- and off-campus help. I hoped the counselor would deem me worthy of mental health counseling. I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to help myself with meditation on Headspace, an option on the self-help resources page. When Counseling Services describes themselves as “short-term on campus mental health support,” they really mean it. While I was able to receive counseling relatively quickly, I went for no more than four sessions before giving up. The majority of students stop attending after two to six sessions, according to a 2021-22 student satisfaction survey obtained by The Spectrum through a Freedom of Information Law request. My counselor’s words felt more like surface- level comforts rather than the indepth interaction I was expecting. At the end of each session, I had the opportunity to schedule the next one. We would schedule another session at the end, but I would be asked if I was sure I needed another, which only increased my doubt on whether or not I really needed help with myNotproblems.onlythat, but the struggles I went through to get a counselor in the first place — pushing through my fear of phone calls, going through the needs assessment appointment — felt like a waste of time. Talking to my counselor helped slightly, but felt like a Band-Aid solution to a gapingWithwound.amaximum of 10 sessions allowed a year, I felt as if I had to be very careful when booking appointments. Should I schedule an appointment two weeks from now, or save it for when I really need help? What if I struggle and have to wait a few weeks to book a session? The way the system is set up makes it very difficult for students to get the support we need. Short-term counseling only serves to slap a temporary. Band-Aid on an issue that deserves more. Jasmin Yeung is an assistant news/features editor and can be reached at jasmin.yeung@ubspectrum. com iscounselingShort-termnottheanswer
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Three remaining eateries open in One World Café
Ria Gupta is an assistant news/features editor and can be reached at ria.gupta@ubspectrum.com Pan Asian, Noodle Pavilion, 1846 Grill join two previously opened stations
First-year residence hall students: here’s how to make the most of your meal plan
JASMIN YEUNG ASST. NEWS/FEATURES EDITOR
Noodle Pavilion, Pan Asian and the 1846 Grill, three eateries in UB’s internationalthemed One World Café, opened their doors for the first time late last month. Pan Asian and the Noodle Pavilion both serve Asian dishes, while the 1846 Grill dishes out American fare. One World Café originally opened its seating areas — but none of its restaurants — to the UB community in January. Two stations — Indian restaurant Tikka Table and Mediterranean eatery Kali Orexi — opened for business in March. For sophomore exercise science major Abigail Tweedale, the new options pro vided a large range of variety compared to other on-campus sites. “This is more diversity than we have at the SU or anything,” Tweedale said. “There’s so many different options, and we have the availability to try all the differ ent places. The Pan Asian place and [Kali Orexi] are really good.”
FEATURESubspectrum.com Thursday, September 8, 2022 | 5
Eating at UB’s dining centers. Dining halls like C3 or Governors Dining Center include “globally in spired menus, action stations, healthy eating, special events and community,” KohlWithsaid.dinner at a price of $18.65, these all-you-can-eat dining halls can cost as much as $7.65 higher than the $11 meal exchange value. While students using dining points can get a 25% discount, those with a meal plan get a better deal with a single meal swipe. To break even, students should use at least 30 dining hall dinner swipes per semester, or one to two times per week.
James Liu, a freshman biostatistics ma jor, also appreciated One World Café’s customizability and variety. Students can receive personalized dishes that give the eatery — which cost $37.8 million — a one-of-a-kind feel. “They have a lot of options, and every thing’s customize-it-yourself, which I re ally like — having your choice and what you want to eat while still experiencing the [different] cultures,” Liu said. “They did a fantastic job with the space they had.” But not all of the feedback was positive. Tweedale added that she’s been avoiding the 1846 Grill due to long lines. And Shannon Alexander, a second-year MBA student, had questions about how UB decided which regions of the world to represent. “In some ways, it’s a little random and in some ways, it’s very similar,” Alexander said. “Two or three [of the regions repre sented] in this case are very similar geo graphically.”
MOAZ / The SpecTrum StudentS Said they appreciated the variety of food offered at the one World cafe but didn t Want to deal With lineS
UB’s dining halls offer the most value for first-year students
RIA GUPTA ASST. NEWS/FEATURES EDITOR
There’s no question that college is expensive. With an annual estimated cost of attendance for in-state residents be ing $29,728 before aid, the prices of tuition, housing, broad-based fees and meal plans are on every student’s mind as the new school year begins. UB’s meal plan options make up a particularly large portion of a student’s financial burden. First-year students mainly feel the brunt of this with UB’s Flex 14 meal plan. The Flex 14 plan, mandatory for first-year students living in residence halls, costs $3,410 per semester and in cludes 14 meals per week as well as 385 dining“Thepoints.Flex 14 is automatically as signed as it offers the student the secu rity of knowing they have meals avail able for the week,” Raymond Kohl, Campus Dining & Shop’s marketing and communications director said. Kohl also mentioned that the Flex 14 allows first-year students to focus on other aspects of campus life. Assuming that students use the maxi mum value of $11 per meal exchange for brunch, lunch and dinner over 16 weeks of school — 15 academic weeks and an extra week for move-in and fi nals — students lose out on $561 per semester. This amount only increas es if students eat breakfast, which is worth $9.
The secret to getting the most value?
Some students have said that UB ad ministrators under-surveyed students dur ing One World Café’s planning phase. Ad ministrators say their survey efforts, which included a survey, focus groups and feed back from various student representatives, was sufficient.
Jasmin Yeung is an assistant news/features editor and can be reached at jasmin.yeung@ubspectrum. com
ELAZZAZI
The prices of meal plans have also increased from the 2021-22 academic year. The Flex 14 plan, which used to cost $3,250 for 14 meals and 400 din ing points, has now increased by 5% to $3,410. This is due to “the dramatic rise in food costs and associated labor costs,” according to Kohl. Inflation increased 8.5% between July 2021 and July 2022, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
As both local and national experts continue to learn about the monkeypox virus, the university recommends that oncampus community members wash their hands regularly, avoid contact with individuals exhibiting symptoms and to contact healthcare professionals if they notice any symptoms, in accordance with current CDC advisement.
Women’s basketball and football score semesterly GPAs in the high 2s last year GRANT ASHLEY MANAGING EDITOR
FEATURES6 | Thursday, September 8, 2022 ubspectrum.com
“With a limited supply of monkeypox vaccine available, we are reserving these doses for residents at highest risk of infection,” Burstein said. Only Erie County residents at high risk of exposure to monkeypox, including members of the LGBTQ community and any residents who engaged in skin-to-skin contact within “a social network experiencing monkeypox activity” in the past 14 days are eligible for the monkeypox vaccine, according to Erie County vaccination guidelines.ButBurstein warns that the scope of the monkeypox virus itself remains indiscriminate“Whilenonetheless.manyof those affected in the current global outbreaks are gay, bisexual, or other men who have sex with men, the virus does not know its host’s sexual orientation,” Burstein said. “Anyone in close skin-to-skin contact with someone who has monkeypox can get the illness.” Eligible students and Erie County residents can register to receive the JYNNEOS monkeypox vaccine by Sept. 9. More eligibility and vaccination can be found on the ECDOH website.
Monkeypox & COVID-19 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2
“Anyone who develops a new, unexplained rash on any part of the body should seek medical attention immediately and avoid contact with others,” Erie County Health Commissioner Dr. Gale Burstein said in a statement.
Kyle Nguyen is a senior news/features editor and can be reached at kyle.nguyen@ubspectrum.com
Erie County is currently rolling out a two-dose JYNNEOS monkeypox vaccine on a limited eligibility basis following FDA approval and federal efforts to accelerate vaccine distribution in August.
Email: grant.ashley@ubspectrum.com
As of Sept. 7, the CDC has reported a total of 21,274 confirmed monkeypox cases in the United States so far. UB says it is evaluating infection control protocols and equipment, mitigating responses to suspected monkeypox cases and conducting community outreach.
Monkeypox symptoms include a longlasting rash alongside flu-like symptoms such as fever, headache, muscle aches, chills, swollen lymph nodes and fatigue that can last for weeks, according to the CDC.
KAILO MORI / THE SPECTRUM GPAS OF UB STUDENT ATHLETES BY SEMESTER
Remaining vigilant With the semester well underway, UB says it will continue to enforce compliance with public health behavior expectations. Students noncompliant with public health directives on campus will be reminded to comply by university officials and staff. Continued noncompliance will be met with “forcible removal” from the premises by UPD and other appropriate disciplinary action, according to the university. Even as unbuckling COVID-19 restrictions shifts public attention to yet another emergent threat in monkeypox, Russo reiterates learned lessons of vigilance and adherence to campus health and safety guidelines in rekindling normalcy on campus. “The COVID pandemic has educated all of us on how to keep safe,” Russo said. “Let’s put that knowledge to work so that we can have a safe, fun and productive fall semester.”
The CDC suggests the use of EVPregistered disinfectants and protective equipment to mitigate person-to-person transmission of the virus via rashes or infected body fluids. Prolonged face-to-face contact and respiratory secretions are also vehicles for transmission.
UB student-athletes scored their fourthand third-highest GPAs in program history during the 2021 fall semester and 2022 spring semester, respectively. But not all teams contributed equally to that success in the classroom. The men’s basketball team earned a 2.019 in the fall 2021 semester, the lowest GPA the team has scored since at least 2013 by almost 0.46 points, according to data obtained by The Spectrum through a Freedom of Information Law request. They rebounded to a 2.731 in the spring, the biggest improvement made by any team between the fall and spring semesters, according to UB Athletics.
Men’s basketball team earns 2.019 GPA during fall 2021 semester
The women’s basketball team scored a 2.881 and 2.67 in the fall and spring semesters respectively, while the football team acquired a 2.811 and 2.927. Overall, UB student-athletes had an average GPA of 3.179 in the fall 2021 semester and a 3.252 in the spring 2022 semester.
A “preparedness and response plan” is in the works after the university announced in a statement last month that it is “monitoring” CDC advisories and coordinating with SUNY, the Erie County Department of Health (ECDOH) and the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH).
A community-based response to the monkeypox outbreak
As per NCAA regulation, UB requires that individual student-athletes maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 to remain eligible as players, according to UB Athletics. It remains unclear whether any UB student-athletes lost eligibility last year. All three teams have undergone extensive roster and coaching changes since the 2021-22 school year. Only two of last year’s 15 women’s basketball players and five of 15 men’s basketball players returned this year. Becky Burke took over as the head coach of women’s basketball in April after previous head coach Felisha Legette-Jack left for the same position at Syracuse. Maurice Linguist was named UB’s head football coach in May 2021. The football and basketball teams’ GPAs are largely down compared to the previous two academic years. But with the exception of women’s basketball, they’re more or less in-line with long-term averages. Since the 2013 fall semester, the men’s basketball team has averaged a team GPA of 2.59, the women’s basketball team a 3.13 and the football team a 2.81. “We are proud of the successes our student-athletes achieve in the classroom,” Aaron Stang, associate athletic director for academic affairs, said in a statement to The Spectrum. “Over the past five semesters, they have posted the five highest grade point averages in our department’s history. Our dedicated staff of academic advisors and coaches continue to find innovative ways to support the individualized academic needs of our student-athletes to help them balance their academic and athletic Student-athletesdemands.”face unique academic challenges that might inhibit their performance in the classroom, Robert Romano, an assistant professor of sport management at St. John’s University, told The Spectrum. In addition to the pressures of performing on the field or court, D-I student-athletes are in many cases devoting 40 hours per week, if not more, to athletics.“It’s basically like having a full-time job on top of going to school,” Romano said. “You’re putting in time for practice, you’re putting in time for film, you’re doing mandatory lifts, mandatory travel time… So you’ve got all these other commitments and time-sucks that take away from the academicOut-of-stateside.” travel during the school week can be especially detrimental to athletes’ academic performance, forcing student-athletes to miss entire days of classes, labs and exams, Romano says. For example, if a team is scheduled for a Thursday night game, student-athletes might leave the day before and not return until the day after.“The NCAA always puts out there that they’re students first, they’re student athletes,” Romano said. “Well, then don’t [make them] play football games on Thursday nights. It’s a simple solution… But when you’re traveling on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, going to a Thursday night game, are you really putting the student first? Or are you putting the revenue first?” UB Athletics touted academic achievements — like the third- and fourth-highest GPAs in program history, the dozens of athletes who earned 4.0 GPAs and strong academic performances from the women’s tennis and men’s cross country teams — in a pair of press releases last school year. But aside from a line in their June press release stating that the men’s basketball team “had the most improved semester from the fall,” neither statement referenced either basketball team or the football team.
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it’s just naturally kind of brought into the work that we’re making,” Jacobs said. “Even with a lot of the artists who are pushing the media or working in a digital aspect… you generally still see this combi nation within the media, pairing with these natural materials.” By showcasing work from a wide range of Hodinöhsö:ni’ artists — established veterans and up-and-comers alike — the exhibition offers a uniquely multi-gener ational and forward-thinking perspective on Indigenous art. “You can see a piece that might be more traditional along with a piece that’s a little bit more contemporary, and they’re all holding the same space,” Jacobs said. This juxtaposition is apparent across the galleries. A piece like Ronni-Leigh Goe man’s “Blue Heron with Baby,” a basket made of woven sweetgrass, black ash and antler, is positioned across from Richard W. Hill’s “Pink Buffalo Society/The Seek er of Red Dots,” a colorful acrylic portrait of a man in sunglasses sipping on a bottle of Labatt Blue. Central to the exhibition, and Indige nous art as a whole, is the act of storytell ing. Regardless of medium or format, each piece in the show has a story to tell. In fact, Jacobs says many Indigenous artists hesitate to call themselves “artists” — telling stories through the creation of art objects is a natural part of everyday life.“There isn’t this distinction of ‘the art ist,’” she said. “Most people are makers, most people are making something, most people have a creative lifestyle. As an In digenous artist, it feels more like making [art] is kind of ingrained in my life. It’s not separate.”Jacobsand the advisory committee that organized the exhibition found it impor tant to represent not just the past, but the present and future of Hodinöhsö:ni’ cul ture.“A lot of time, [Indigenous art] is shown in an ethnographic venue, so it feels like it’s more of the past,” she said. “But hav ing everything together within a contem porary setting just makes it feel very fu ture-forward.”Through“O’Nigöëi:yo:h: Thinking in Indian,” Hodinöhsö:ni’ reframe the past and embrace the future, free of the stereo types and antiquated attitudes Indigenous art is often presented with. “We’re contemporary peoples, we’re making artwork, and we’re not stereotypes of the past,”’ Jacobs said. “We were here, we’re still here, and we will be here.”
A musical comedy situated in upstate New York, “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” offers more than simple viewership of quirky characters and the “inevitabilities of puberty.” Pep pered with audience interaction, this musi cal becomes an immersive experience for all involved in the Tony Award-winning take on academic competition.“Putnam County” also features the return of guest artist and director Terry Berliner, who di rected last season’s “Violet.” Tickets are $10 for students and seniors and $20 for adults. Noises Off — Drama Theatre NOV. 17 - 20 Another comedy coming to UB’s cam pus, “Noises Off” plays upon being a play within a play. Centered around an eclec tic cast of actors performing the fictitious play “Nothing’s On,” a failing sex farce, “Noises Off” promises three acts of rau cous laughs. Directing this production is UB instructor and professional actor, Greg Natale. Tickets are $12 for students and $22 for adults.
Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis — Mainstage Theatre OCT. 7 Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra (JLCO) is a large jazz group led by Ameri can trumpeter and composer, Wynton Marsalis. Marsalis has received nine Gram my Awards along with a Pulitzer Prize for Music. JLCO performs a wide variety of compositions including original works and works by prominent jazz musicians includ ing Duke Ellington. Limited student tick ets are available for $24. All other tickets range between $44 and $72.
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee — Black Box Theatre
ArtArtin the Open — UB CFA OCT. 27 An annual event hosted at UB’s CFA, “Art in the Open” is a showcasing of ev ery nook and cranny of UB’s art scene. From open studios, to live music, to art galleries and dance rehearsals, “Art in the Open” celebrates the diversity and creativ ity of students from UB College of Arts and Sciences. This event is free to all.
Meret Kelsey is the senior arts editor and can be reached at meret.kelsey@ubspectrum.com
An Evening with Bruce Hornsby — Mainstage Theatre NOV. 10 Bruce Hornsby is a Grammy-Awardwinning American singer-songwriter who first gained prominence with his band, The Range. The Range’s song “The Way It Is,” reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and has been sampled notably by rappers including Tupac Shakur and Polo G. Most recently, Hornsby has released the studio album “Flicted,” in May 2022. Tickets to “An Evening with Bruce Horn sby” range from $44-$59.
Punch Brothers and Bela Fleck: My Bluegrass Heart — Mainstage Theatre DEC. 17 Punch Brothers is a Grammy Awardwinning folk band composed of mando linist Christ Thile, guitarist Chris Eldridge, bassist Paul Kowert, banjoist Noam Pikelny and violinist Gabe Witcher. Punch Brothers will be performing with Gram my Award-winning banjoist, Bela Fleck. Fleck’s album, “My Bluegrass Heart,” which features Punch Brothers, won Best Bluegrass Album at the 2021 Grammy Awards. Limited student tickets are avail able for $25. All other tickets range from $49-$62.
The first in this season’s student-direct ed series, “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time,” is a play adapted from the novel of the same name by Mark Haddon.Thestory centers around Christopher Boone, an autistic teenager, and his inves tigation into the death of his neighbor’s dog. Directed by theatre major Thomas Hughes Bellavigna and assistant directed by theatre major John K. DellaContrada, this production aims for the audience to understand Christopher’s journey “explor ing London alone.” Tickets are $5 for stu dents and seniors and $10 for adults.
The Royal Pitches A Cappella Concert — SU 106/201 Theatre DEC. 3 Finishing off their semester, The Royal Pitches will hold their annual fall concert on Dec. 3. Tickets are priced at $8 for stu dents, $10 pre-sale and $12 at the door.
ZodiaqueDance Dance Company 48th Season Fall Program — Drama Theatre OCT. 14 -16 UB’s pre-professional dance company, Zodiaque, returns for its semesterly per formance highlighting various styles of dance from jazz, tap, modern, commer cial and contemporary. Performed by UB dance majors, the program will be directed by dance professors Kerry Ring and Mi chael Deeb Weaver. Tickets are $10 for students and seniors and $20 for adults.
OCT. 27 - 30, NOV. 3 - 6
The Royal Pitches Unplugged Concert — Norton 190 OCT. 14 UB’s all-female a cappella group will hold its first semester performance at its annual “Unplugged Concert.” This con cert is performed without special equip ment, such as microphones, highlighting the raw voices of the group.
NOV. 11 - 13 Emerging Choreographers Showcase is an annual production highlighting perfor mances from UB dance students. The showcase ranges in all kinds of dance genres from hip-hop to jazz in which students explore a diversity of ideas. This year’s production will focus on themes including “drowning in one’s own thoughts” and contemplations on words including “apricity,” which the showcase defines as “the warmth of sun in winter.” Tickets are $10 for students and seniors and $20 for adults.
Every year, Slee Hall hosts a series of faculty recitals ranging in all types of genres and instruments. Here is this se mester’s line-up. Sept. 16 — Stephen Guerra, guitarDe scription: “Afro-Brazilian Pixinguinha’s Music and Influence” Nov. 5 — Tiffany Du Mouchelle, sopra no and Erice Huebner, piano Description: features Messiaen’s “Po emes pour Mi” an Saariaho’s “Quatres Instants” All faculty recitals are free to students with ID and $10 for other guests.
Just as Slee Hall features its very own artists, it also supports the work of music artists outside of UB. Here is this semes ter’s guide to Slee Hall’s visiting artists. Oct. 18 - 19 — Jerusalem Quartet Nov. 11 — Nikki Chooi, violin and Eric Huebner, piano Dec. 4 — Meridian Arts Ensemble All visiting artists’ performances are free to students with ID. Prices for other guests vary on performance.
OCT. 7 - 8
KARA ANDERSON SENIOR ARTS EDITOR Thinking in Indian CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time — Katherine Cornell Theatre
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT8 | Thursday, September 8, 2022 ubspectrum.com Or Tuscarora Nation citizen and UB alum Jolene Rickard’s “The Edges of Our World,” a vibrant triptych depicting the harvest of corn, which speaks to the importance of agriculture to Indigneous sovereignty.Muchof the work in the exhibition in corporates natural materials like caribou hair, antler and bone. The intersection of art and natural environment is deeply ingrained in the work of Indigneous cre ators, according to curatorial consultant Margaret Jacobs. “As Indigenous people, it’s a really strong component of who we are, and
Visiting Artists — Slee Hall ONGOING
Sphinx Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra — Slee Hall OCT. 15 Sphinx Virtuosi is a professional cham ber orchestra “dedicated to increasing ra cial and ethnic diversity in classical music.” The group highlights the performances of its Black and Latinx classical soloists through various works “inspired by the events of the present day.” Tickets are free to students with ID and $20 for all other guests.
TheTheatreCurious
Music
A rundown
Syllabi, pumpkin spice and everything nice —fall semester is finally here and with it comes an array of arts events just as col orful as the autumn foliage. From classic and contemporary com edies to a CFA wonderland of dancing, filmmaking and more, here is the ultimate guide to all things arts coming to UB’s campus this fall.
Faculty Recital — Slee Hall ONGOING
Lukas Foss Tribute Concert — Slee Hall SEPT. 18 Performed by members of UB’s Slee Sinfonietta, a professional chamber or chestra, this concert will pay tribute to Lu kas Foss by featuring works such as “Time Cycle.”Lukas Foss was a German-American composer who founded and directed the Center for Creative and Performing Arts at UB. This concert is free to all.
Emerging Choreographers Showcase — Katherine Cornell Theatre
MFA Dance Showcase — Katherine Cornell Theatre DEC. 2 -3 Each semester, MFA dance students put on a concert featuring completed and incomplete works. The aim of the show case is to provide a look into the work and “creative process of dancemaking.” The showcase is directed by MFA students and operates as a space for experimentation andAllcreativity.ticketsare $5. Kara Anderson is the senior arts editor and can be reached at kara.anderson@ubspectrum.com of UB’s arts scene this fall
ANTHONY DECICCO EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
GREG FIumE the Bulls fell By 21 to Big ten oPPonent maryland saturday afternoon
The UB record-holder hit Washington’s practice squad after entering the NFL as an undrafted free agent last season Maryland’s highpowered offense too much for UB to handle in 31-10 defeat
Coming into the season with a revamped roster and coaching staff, one could say the odds were stacked against UB (0-1) heading into Saturday’s seasonopener against Maryland (1-0). It certainly looked that way on Saturday, as the Bulls fell 31-10 at Capital One Field in College Park, MD.“Hats off to [Maryland] head coach Mike Locksley, the length and athleticism he has on both sides of the ball, [they won the] line of scrimmage. I thought they did a good job from a sche matic standpoint,” UB head coach Mau rice Linguist said after the game. “...I thought they played a sound, clean game, and I think he runs a first-class program and organization.”UBwasclearly at a disadvantage against a Big Ten opponent and struggled to move the ball on offense. Rutgers trans fer Cole Snyder, who was named starting quarterback last week, completed 18 of 35 passes for 160 yards. The junior also rushed for 51 yards but was unable to cre ate any explosive plays for the Bulls. Louis ville transfer Justin Marshall and graduate receiver Quian Williams were also unable to break loose against the Terps, as the duo combined for just seven catches and 80 yards.Maryland, led by redshirt junior quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa, gained a reputation as one of the more pass-happy teams in the nation last season. But it was the Terrapins rushing attack that hurt the Bulls on Saturday. Tagovailoa completed 24 of 34 passes for 290 yards while redshirt freshman Ro man Hemby exploded for 114 yards and two touchdowns. Hemby ran rampant against UB, with one of his touchdowns being a 70-yard bolt that gave Maryland a 17-point lead in the third quarter. Red shirt freshman Antwain Littleton II also hit paydirt twice for the Terps as UMD rushed for 149 yards on the ground. Senior running back Ron Cook Jr. re ceived the bulk of work in the backfield, carrying the ball 15 times for 38 yards. Red shirt freshman Mike Washington rushed for 34 yards on eight attempts while Al-Jay Henderson scored his first career touch down — which was UB’s only touchdown — on a 19-yard run in the second quarter. UB’s O-line failed to provide Snyder with a consistent pocket on Saturday as multiple plays broke down due to pressure; this resulted in Snyder not having enough time to make a play and being sacked four times.Defensively, junior safety Keyshawn Cobb and junior cornerback Logic Hud gens led UB with eight tackles each. Junior safety Marcus Fuqua intercepted a pass from Tagovailoa in the third quarter, but the Bulls could not capitalize on the offen sive end. Senior defensive Daymond Wil liams, an All-MAC selection last season, recorded UB’s only sack of the game. Senior kicker Alex McNulty went one for two, but could have been one for three if it weren’t for an offsides penalty against Maryland.“Looking forward for us to get back home,” Linguist said. “We bounce back at home next week against Holy Cross. Big opponent that’s a very well-coached team that we know we have to come home and play well against. We know it’s gonna be a big challenge ahead.
ALEXANDER BROWN / ThE SpEcTRum Jaret Patterson did not make Washington’s 53-man roster this season after he ran 266 yards and tWo touchdoWns last year
SPORTS Thursday, September 8, 2022 | 9ubspectrum.com
Jaret Patterson released by Washington Commanders Bulls overmatched in season-opening loss to Maryland
The Bulls will face off against Holy Cross Saturday night at UB Stadium. Kick-off is set for 6 p.m. The game will be broadcast on ESPN +.
DYLAN GRECO ASST. SPORTS EDITOR
Email : dylan.greco@ubspectrum.com
Another chapter has been added to Jaret Patterson’s underdog story, as the former UB standout was waived by the Washing ton Commanders, the team announced Tuesday. Patterson made Washington’s roster after signing with the team as an undrafted free agent in 2021 but failed to make the 53-man cut this season. He will play on Washington’s practice squad, which allows him to sign with another team or play for Washington if he were to be called up to the main roster. The Glendale, MD native ran for 266 yards and two touchdowns while playing behind Antonio Gibson and J.D McKissic last season. He also caught 10 passes for 73Inyards.2020, Patterson received national attention when he ran for 409 yards and eight touchdowns in a record-breaking performance against Kent State. His eight touchdowns tied an NCAA record while his 409 yards in a single game rank second in FBS Standinghistory.at 5’9 and weighing just un der 200 lbs., Patterson’s story captivated the college football world two years ago. After being underrecruited in high school and going undrafted in 2021, the former Bull will continue to play the role of the underdog as he looks to land on another NFLPattersonroster. wasn’t the only UB alumni re leased by an NFL team, as defensive end Demone Harris, who played at UB from 2013 to 2018, was released by the Houston Texans on Tuesday. Harris most notably won Super Bowl LIV with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2020.
Anthony DeCicco is the Editor-in-Chief and can be reached at anthony.decicco@ubspectrum.com
Alabama ANTHONY DECICCO EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Built in Buffalo: how Nate Johnson fulfilled his coaching dream
Fast forward four years and the two are reunited, but it’s in Tuscaloosa this time. Oats is still the mentor, but Johnson has worked his way up the totem pole. As a graduate assistant, he’s responsible for charting Alabama’s rebounding numbers, cutting up game film, rebounding for play ers in the gym and assisting players in their off-the-court lives. In short, any way John son can help out, he will.
Oats — a two-time MAC Coach of the Year with UB and 2021 SEC Coach of the Year with Alabama — has never hidden his love for the people he met at Buffalo, where he received his first D-I coaching job. Since getting the top job at Alabama, he’s hired assistant coach Brian Hodgson and director of scouting & analytics Adam Bauman (both former assistants under Oats at UB) as well as director of player development Christian Pino (another for mer player of Oats at UB). “One thing I’ve learned about coach [Oats] is, he’s big on loyalty. And he’s close to his people and he takes care of his people,” Johnson said. “And I feel like I’m similar in that way and something that, you know, I appreciate in that way.”
Oats’ track record speaks for itself. UB won three MAC Championships and made three NCAA Tournament appear ances during Oats’ tenure with the Bulls, while the Crimson Tide advanced to the Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 2004 two seasons ago. Oats in part credits that success on the court to the team culture he’s cultivated. “We tried to create a similar culture here, obviously we’ve got different players and it’s a different level. But we had three core values at Buffalo. We created this culture playbook, and we’re trying to use the exact same cultural playbook here. We’re talking about max effort, continuous growth and selfless love, and Dom has always embod ied those things,” Oats said. But the Johnson-Oats story runs deep er than one Christmas-time call. The two were linked as early as Johnson’s high school career, when Oats recruited the 6’5, 215 lb. athlete at UB basketball camps. This was the same time as former head football coach Lance Leipold was recruiting Johnson to play quarterback at UB. Leipold eventually offered Johnson a football scholarship, but Oats always kept an eye out for the intriguing prospect. So once the basketball team suffered injuries to seven scholarship players dur ing the 2017-18 season, a two-sport career became possible for Johnson. The Bulls were a MAC Championship contender but barely had the bodies necessary to run a full practice. So with his back against the wall and the season on the line, Oats called Leipold to ask if Johnson could contrib ute on the hardwood. It all happened at a perfect time for Johnson. After two frustrating seasons as a backup quarterback, he was considering transferring out of UB. “At the end of the [football] season, I get a call from coach Leipold. Sometimes coaches can call you to their office, and you’ve got to talk about how you’re doing and be realistic with some things and have some tough conversations. So I thought that he was calling me for that, but he was calling me because coach Oats had called him and asked if it was okay if he could have somebody help the team,” Johnson said. “They [UB basketball] did recruit me, and they knew who I was and knew I could shoot and play a little bit.” Johnson played in the team’s first game of the season and even saw action during the Bulls’ 2018 NCAA Tournament run, when then-No. 13 seed UB upset thenNo. 4 seed Arizona in the first round. His transition to D-I basketball was a great opportunity to play two sports, get experi ence playing on a national stage and grow under one of the nation’s most promising coaches.
Pino echoed Oats’ sentiment, saying, “Dom’s fit right in, the coaches love him, the players love him, and he’s a great guy for them to look at as they continue their careers.” This past season, Johnson was able to coach multiple future NBA player sin guards J.D. Davison (Boston Celtics), Keon Ellis (Sacramento Kings) and Jaden Shackelford (Oklahoma City Thunder). He’ll also have the opportunity to coach the No. 5 recruiting class in the country at Alabama this season, one that features five-star recruits such as Brandon Miller and Jacob Bradley.
ALeXANDeR BROWN / tHe SPectRUm Johnson was a star on the griDiron at Ub, where he converteD from qUarterback to wiDe receiver DUring his JUnior season
Just like his time playing two sports at UB (he even converted from quarterback to wide receiver when playing football), Johnson is a jack of all trades at Alabama.
SPORTS ubspectrum.com10 | Thursday, September 8, 2022
“Just to be around a high-performing, high-professional institute is just some thing that I’m blessed to be a part of this early on in my career and this early on in my life,” Johnson said. “I’m just so grateful that coach Oats brought me on board, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds.”
PAUL HOKANSON / UB AtHLeticS Dominic Johnson (left) anD nate oats (right) DevelopeD a strong bonD at Ub
“The number one priority is to make sure that you’re useful around the office,” Johnson said. “You’ve got to bring value. You have to also use your strengths to help out… Anything to bring value, anything to be useful, to help anybody in the program, I’ve gotta Johnsondo.”also serves as a role model for many of Alabama’s players. He was an academic All-MAC selection while play ing football in 2021 and learned how to adequately balance his athletics with his coursework at UB. “He’s added to the culture,” Oats said. “He’s a guy that’s closer in age to some of the players, and he’s a kid that’s really disci plined and very successful. Dom’s got his stuff together. He’s helped our players get organized and stay disciplined, be success ful as a student and as a student-athlete be cause Dom’s done it for six years.”
Two phone calls with Nate Oats changed Johnson’s life. The kid who wanted to be come a coach found himself coaching at one of the biggest basketball programs in the country. With Oats at the helm, Ala bama’s UB ties run deep. Building upon the success he cultivated at UB, Johnson looks to help the Crimson Tide reach the next level.
The former UB athlete follows Oats’ footsteps at
Anthony DeCicco is the Editor-in-Chief and can be reached at anthony.decicco@ubspectrum.com
It was Christmas break, and former twosport athlete Dominic Johnson had just finished his final semester at UB. Johnson, who excelled on both the foot ball field and basketball court for the Bulls, was waiting for his opportunity to break into coaching. Ever since he was a youth, the Windsor, Ontario native always saw himself pursuing a career in coaching. Since it was the holiday season, Johnson decided to call an old friend, former UB and current University of Alabama men’s basketball coach Nate Oats, to send his Christmas wishes. Oats coached Johnson for two seasons on the hardwood after convincing the quarterback-convertedwide receiver to try his hand at Division I basketball in 2017. In the moment, Johnson failed to realize that his phone call would lead to a coach ing position at one of the most prestigious athletic programs in the country, right out of college. After the two began to talk about Johnson’s future, Oats mentioned he had an opening on his staff. He offered Johnson a position as a grad uate assistant with Alabama basketball then and there. “I feel like I’ve almost been coaching my whole life, I mean, I’ve been in sports since before I was born. My dad played in the NFL, so when I was born I already knew I was gonna be an athlete. So I just felt like I always knew that I wanted to be a coach. And I feel like that’s just a part of me,” Johnson told The Spectrum over the phone in May. “I kind of always knew that it would happen one day, I just didn’t know what level and what sport and what that looks like, but I kind of knew I’d do it one day. I just didn’t know it’d be as early as it Oatswas.”also didn’t expect to offer Johnson a job when he did, but he had an opening. Ikenna Smart, his previous graduate as sistant and another former UB basketball player, became a video coordinator for the Portland Trail Blazers of the NBA. The two always kept in contact after Oats left UB for Alabama in 2019, and af ter what was supposed to be a quick holi day “hello and goodbye” over the phone, Oats knew Johnson was a perfect fit with the Crimson Tide. “It was just kind of a Christmas checkin ‘How are things going?’ Well then, we had a discussion about where he was go ing, he mentioned he wanted to get into basketball coaching possibly,” Oats said over the phone. “I go to him, ‘Listen I got an opening. How interested are you?’ Next thing you know he’s down [at Ala bama] within like a week. His work ethic is unbelievable. We’re enjoying him down here at Alabama, I think he’s got a future in coaching basketball.”