The Spectrum Vol. 66 No. 34 by The Spectrum Student Periodical

UBSPECTRUM.COM

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2017

UB STUDENT DJ P.4

VOLUME 66 NO. 34

LUMAGINATION P.5

FIGHTING WITH HONOR P.8

Proposed increase in student fees raises concerns

HANNAH STEIN

SENIOR NEWS EDITOR

UB students may have to pay an additional $100 each year for the Academic Excellence and Success fee. But many students have expressed their concerns, mainly because they don’t know what the fee entails or where their money is going. Provost Charles Zukoski and Vice President Scott Weber proposed an increase in the Academic Excellence and Success fee for undergraduate and graduate students. The current fee is $180.50 and the proposed fee is $287.50 per student for the 2017-18 year. The fee will go up $100 for each following school year until 2022. Zukoski and Weber sent an email to students on Feb. 10

Student fees to increase over the next five years introducing the increase in broad-based fees. “The proposed increase would support state-mandated increases in salaries, minimum wage, fringe beneﬁts, costs as a result of inﬂationary increases, increased technology and library costs and services, continued support for the bus contract, and central academic investments,” according to the Feb. 10 email. Students may also pay an estimated 4 percent increase for the following fees: athletics, campus life, college, recreation (undergraduates), student health, technology, transcript (full-time students) and transportation. Students have two weeks to complete a survey offering feedback on the proposed fees. The survey can be accessed on MyUB

and closes Feb. 24. A summary report will be available March 3. Students don’t feel two weeks is enough time to respond to the fees. UB spokesperson John Della Contrada said in an email that many students at the fee allocation meeting on Feb. 16 were asking for more details. “The university is preparing more information and detail about the speciﬁc uses of the Academic Excellence Fee,” Della Contrada said. “This information will be communicated to students very soon, for their feedback and will be shared with The Spectrum as well.” The Spectrum reached out to Zukoski, but he was not available to comment in time for

The telephone game of fake news UB librarians discuss how fake news creates a cycle of misinformation ASHLEY INKUMSAH SENIOR NEWS EDITOR

When Cynthia Tysick sees a news story on social media, she diligently fact-checks it on Snopes and PolitiFact. “I’ve suddenly become the fact-checking guru on my Facebook feed,” Tysick, head of UB Educational Services said. “People are not happy with me, but it’s a service I bring.” Tysick and her colleagues in UB Libraries feel students should have the ability to ﬁlter out real news from fake news. Fake news websites shell out dishonest and misleading information disguised as actual news, leaving many unable to tell the real from the fake. President Donald Trump has also blasted mainstream news organizations like CNN and The New York Times, calling them untrustworthy fake news organizations. Tysick and her colleagues prepared a guide with tips from real news sources like The Washington Post and PolitiFact on how to detect fake news. The guide deﬁnes fake news and discusses how yellow journalism was used as a sensationalist tactic in the late 1800s to get people to support the Spanish War. It also gives lesson plans for instructors to educate their students about fake news. Tysick’s team also put together a broadcast with sensationalized fake news that they’ve seen on Facebook or Twitter and they asked students if the story was “fact or fake.” They will reveal whether the story is true or false on Friday. “We’re librarians, we’re in the business of information and if there’s going to be misinformation [and] disinformation, we need to alert the students on how to spot that because there’s nothing worse for us than something that’s completely wrong [that]

print. Representatives from Student Association (SA) and Graduate Student Association (GSA) who sat in on the Feb. 16 meeting expressed their concerns. SA Treasurer Dan Emmons said he didn’t have an issue with most of the fees except the Academic Excellence and Success fee, which he feels is “arbitrary.” He doesn’t feel the fee is transparent enough and said students shouldn’t have to worry where their money is going. He said he wonders why a faculty fee is included within this fee instead of in tuition. CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

KAINAN GUO, THE SPECTRUM

(Left to right: Matt Rivera, Carly Gottorf, Dan Emmons) UB students discuss their concerns with the proposed increase in student fees.

Former UB supervisor confesses to $100,000 bribe in dorm painting contracts HANNAH STEIN SENIOR NEWS EDITOR

KAINAN GUO, THE SPECTRUM

UB librarians Cynthia Tysick and Bryan Sajecki believe students should be able to distinguish real news stories from fake news stories.

just gets perpetuated over and over again so we want to kind of squash it as quickly as possible,” she said. Tysick deﬁnes fake news as information presented to the public that has bias or is meant to scare individuals to believe information without factual evidence to support these claims. Many students say they don’t trust the mainstream media and prefer to get their news from social media or YouTube, yet these students do not specify exactly what they distrust. The Spectrum surveyed 222 UB students last year asking them where they get their news from. Facebook and Twitter were the second and third most popular sources of news.

“The problem with Twitter and Facebook is that the information is stripped of its context, so all you see is one image, one poster, one meme, whatever you want to call it, with no reference to where it came from so if you’re gonna rely on that then you’re going to have problems because you don’t know that it came from somewhere like The Onion because whoever plunked it in their Facebook post took all the information out so what you see is out of context,” Tysick said. Tysick said she also compares different accounts of the same stories from CNN, Fox News, BBC and sometimes NPR.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

Dean A. Yerry, a former UB maintenance supervisor admitted Tuesday morning that he was involved with bid rigging on UB’s North Campus to help a friend get a $1 million dorm painting contract. Yerry was charged with rigging bids on painting contracts in September and worked under former Vice President Dennis Black. Yerry conspired with Joseph LoVetro, “a poker buddy” to make the contract plan while Yerry was in charge, according to The Buffalo News. They developed the plan in Yerry’s home in Sloan to make sure he would get $100,000 in exchange for his win. Prosecutors said LoVetro was inexperienced in his job and failed to ﬁle required monthly payroll records for his crew members. This prompted the State Department of Labor to investigate if he was violating the state’s wage regulations, which is when investigators uncovered his bid rigging. Yerry retired and was arrested in September in Nevada and ﬁned $40,000. Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn Jr. said after the court proceeds that there isn’t evidence to prove that Yerry was taking bribes during his tenure at UB. LoVetro eventually pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges. Yerry retired and sold his Nevada home. He is free on $100,000 bail and returns to court for sentencing May 2. email: hannah.stein@ubspectrum.com

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Thursday, February 23, 2017

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OPINION

Thursday, February 23, 2017

THE SPECTRUM

Editorial Board

Why students should be concerned about the DeVos confirmation

EDITOR IN CHIEF

Gabriela Julia

MANAGING EDITOR

Tori Roseman COPY EDITORS

Saqib Hossain Emma Medina Margaret Wilhelm Grace Trimper NEWS EDITORS

Hannah Stein, Senior Ashley Inkumsah, Senior Maddy Fowler, Asst. FEATURES EDITORS

Sarah Crowley, Senior Lindsay Gilder, Asst. ARTS EDITORS

Max Kaltnitz, Senior David Tunis-Garcia Benjamin Blanchet, Asst. SPORTS EDITORS

Michael Akelson, Senior Daniel Petruccelli, Asst. Thomas Zafonte, Asst.

TORI ROSEMAN MANAGING EDITOR

After the initial excitement of the election and the inauguration, it’s easy to let politics fade into the background of student life. At this point, Donald Trump is president. We can continue to protest or accept the election results. Either way, there is less interest in Trump’s actions now than say, two months ago. One of the ﬁrst tasks on Trump’s to-do lists was to create a new cab-

inet. Many of his picks were controversial (I’m lookin’ at you, Jeff Sessions) but the most uproar surrounded Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. DeVos was often criticized for her lack of experience and knowledge about the American education system. She is not an educator – she’s a billionaire philanthropist who supports for-profit schools. This is the woman who thought guns should be allowed in schools in case of “grizzly bear attacks.” How concerned should we, as students, be? Though DeVos is wildly unqualified, her power his limited. In the past, very few education secretaries have made serious impact on the education system. In particular, higher education usually goes untouched, especially if the president has no real policy or campaign promise to fulfill. The secretary doesn’t have the

power to completely eradicate higher education posts or departments either – despite Trump’s campaign promise to diminish the power and reach of the Department of Education. DeVos’ power, or lack thereof, provides a glimmer of hope after a bruised conﬁrmation. Throughout her hearing, DeVos was questioned tirelessly about her knowledge of the system, her intentions for the position and her values in regards to education. It’s frightening to think someone with such a high governmental position doesn’t understand the difference between proﬁciency and growth in regard to Common Core. Common Core, which has its own set of issues, is used throughout the K-12 system – how could she not have a basic understanding of the standard for most of our education system? As students, we should not be so concerned with DeVos’ power – it

seems as if she has very little of it to make actual change, especially for us in higher education. What we should be more concerned about is her inﬂuence and lack of knowledge, which could create an impact that will affect our younger siblings and our children. At the very least, DeVos can start conversations about privatized education, employment regulations and other ideas that will make waves at the state and local level. Perhaps she is not writing law, but she has sway. What we can take out of the conﬁrmation of DeVos is this: Trump is willing to put inexperienced businesspeople in positions of higher governmental power. Experimentation is one thing – lets see how this Linda McMahon thing plays out – but education is too important to play with.

my studies, but found myself getting dizzy and gasping for air, making my attempts at staying on top of schoolwork sporadic and ineffective. Ultimately, I decided it was best to worry about school when I was feeling better and focused what little energy I had on resting. Nevertheless, it was difﬁcult to ignore that constant nagging voice in the back of my head reminding me I have tests and papers coming up. I gave my professors medical documentation and arranged extensions on my assignments, but it felt wrong somehow to be laying around doing nothing when the semester is in full swing. I think as full-time students, we have it so drilled into our heads that we have to be constantly busy, constantly striving for success, that we end up feeling guilty for taking a step back to take care of ourselves – even if you’re very sick and that step back is incredibly justiﬁed. What I learned from getting acute bronchitis in the middle of the second semester of my junior year of college is that self-care is always necessary and important, no matter how busy you are, and no matter how high your goals and expectations for yourself are. I have a tendency to run on caffeine, convenient junk food and minimal sleep in an effort to maintain a high GPA. Unfortunately, I think this lifestyle

is the norm for many college students. However, it is neither healthy nor maintainable and will almost surely leave you sick and/or burnt out by the end of the semester. Bronchitis has served as a kick in the butt to remind me to do the things my mom used to tell me when I was a kid: drink more water, get plenty of sleep, eat my fruits and vegetables and take time for myself when I need it. It may sound simple, but I think it is very easy to let your wellbeing fall to the wayside amidst the craziness that is college life. And in some ways, I think being so busy that you don’t have time to eat, drink or sleep is almost glamorized and strived for. This is not just a college mindset; it pervades American culture. We work ourselves to the point of exhaustion and anything less is seen as failure. But here’s the thing: having high expectations for yourself and practicing self-care are not mutually exclusive. You can ﬁnd time to be a successful student and still get a decent amount of sleep and nutritious food in your system. Take it from me: staying up late and living off of Starbucks lattes and sour patch kids will not make you a better student. It might just land you in the emergency room.

ous Woman Tour would be making a stop in Buffalo, I was ecstatic. This would finally be my golden opportunity to thank my role model for shaping me into the man I am today. I’m not an advocate for spending large amounts of money. I buy most of my clothes thrifting, I love to explore garage sales and sometimes I just grow my hair out because haircuts can get a little pricy. I knew I had a difficult financial decision to make if I wanted to talk to her again. After much contemplation, I decided to purchase my meet and greet ticket. Feb. 21 came sooner than I expected. After arriving at the Key Bank Center and checking in to the VIP booth, I ventured on a backstage tour and attended her question and answer event. Finally, it was time for the meet and greet. I lined up backstage with other fans, who all were going through the same emotions. When it was my turn to speak to Grande, I froze up. I didn’t realize the girl in front of me had already finished her session, so I just kind of stood there in disbelief. She and the security guard gestured for me to enter the room. I walked right in, introduced myself and gave her the biggest hug. Before my photo opportunity, I made sure to let her know just how

much she’s done for me. She thanked me, smiled and we hugged again. For our photo, she pressed her face up to mine, I smiled bigger than I ever have and the photo booth’s timer went off. My picture was over with. Before leaving I looked at my role model, said “good luck tonight,” and prepared to make my way out of the room after she thanked me. Before I opened the curtain to head out, Grande added, “I like your hair. It’s so awesome!” I learned a few very important lessons from this meet and greet experience: The ﬁrst lesson I learned is to never get a haircut again. If Ariana Grande loves my hair, I refuse to let a single soul touch these curls. The second, more genuine lesson is that there is no better feeling in the world than telling those you appreciate how much you love them. It’s such a simple concept, but showing gratitude is one of the most fulﬁlling feelings imaginable. Finally, the most important of the bunch – I will always allow my passions to have a say in my decision making. Talking to my role model brought me so much joy and since I was passionate enough to go for it, I’m never doubting those instincts again.

email: tori.roseman@ubspectrum.com

PHOTO EDITORS

Kainan Guo, Senior Angela Barca Troy Wachala, Asst. CREATIVE DIRECTORS

BRONCHITIS WOES

Pierce Strudler Martina LaVallo, Asst.

The struggles of getting severely ill as a full-time student

Professional Staff OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR

Helene Polley

ADVERTISING MANAGERS

Priyanshi Soni ADVERTISING DESIGNERS

Alexa Capozzi Casey Ridings

MADDY FOWLER ASST. NEWS EDITOR

THE SPECTRUM Thursday, February 23, 2017 Volume 66 Number 34 Circulation 4,000 The views expressed – both written and graphic – in the Feedback, Opinion and Perspectives sections 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. For information on adverstising with The Spectrum, visit www.ubspectrum.com/advertising or call us directly at 716-645-2152 The Spectrum offices are located in 132 Student Union, UB North Campus, Buffalo, NY 142602100

It started with a cough – nothing out of the ordinary for someone with allergies and asthma. I brushed it off; I was not about to let a tickle in my throat foil my Saturday night plans. By Sunday morning, coughing gave way to a pounding headache, chest pains and wheezing. On Monday morning, I knew something was very wrong. I planned to make an appointment with Student Health Services as soon as they opened at 9 a.m. But by 8 a.m. I was gasping for air. I tried to calm myself down, but I could not catch my breath. I took

my inhaler, but it had no effect. I was in the midst of the worst asthma attack of my life. My girlfriend rushed me to the hospital, where the doctors gave me a breathing treatment that finally opened up my lungs. They tested me for the flu, strep throat and pneumonia and gave me a chest x-ray. After several hours of tests and chest rattling coughs, I had my diagnosis: acute bronchitis. I was surprised; I have had bronchitis before and while it was certainly unpleasant, it was never this bad. I expected the doctors to say I had the flu because I had not felt that sick since I had the swine flu in 2009. The doctors sent me home with a prescription for a steroid to reduce the inflammation in my lungs and instructions to rest at home for the rest of the week, or until my coughing and wheezing subsided. I spent the next few days sleeping as much as possible, which was difficult because the coughing constantly woke me up. During my limited waking hours, I attempted to glance at readings and PowerPoint slides from missed lectures in an effort to stay somewhat caught up with

Talking to my role model My experience reuniting with Ariana Grande

BRENTON J. BLANCHET STAFF WRITER

If you’re passionate about something and it brings you joy, my advice is to go for it. It wasn’t until I was 15 years old that I realized this valuable lesson. It may sound silly, but Ariana Grande has been a driving force in making me who I am today. I’ve been a fan since her early YouTube days and have grown up watching her become the star that she is today. Her fame has given her an outlet to speak up for those less vocal, which she has done so passionately. For myself and others, she is the ideal role model.

To many, aspiring to meet your favorite singer isn’t a plausible short-term goal. But at 15 years old, I knew that being able to talk to Grande would be a dream come true. So, I went out and did it. With the help of my family, close friends and an album promotion in New York City, I was able to ﬁnd Grande for a selﬁe. It may have just been a photo and a hello, but it meant the whole world to me at that age. If I could meet my role model on the streets of New York, I could make anything happen. That was 2013. I’ve seen Grande three more times since, but with no luck of reuniting. Since 2013, Grande has been nominated for Grammys, gained international fame and ventured on world tours. Meeting Grande again meant investing in a VIP experience, which became more and more expensive as the years progressed. The experience that shaped me became something that could be purchased by just about anyone with money, rather than something achieved by fan dedication. When I found out her Danger-

email: maddy.fowler@ubspectrum.com

email: arts@ubspectrum.com

4 Student-DJ hits over 1 million Thursday, February 23, 2017

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

THE SPECTRUM

plays on Spotify Simplicity is key for Frank Pierce’s sound

KAINAN GUO, THE SPECTRUM

Femi Popoola a.k.a. Frank Pierce has over 1 million plays on his Spotify channel. His newest single “True Love” features fellow UB student Alexa Feiner.

MAX KALNITZ SENIOR ARTS EDITOR

If Frank Pierce doesn’t get goosebumps when he hears his music, he starts over. Femi Popoola, a junior pharmacy major who goes by the name Frank Pierce, wants his music to sound original and not just another nightclub hit. He has been making music since he was a child and has over 1 million plays on Spotify. He started off making remixes of popular songs on SoundCloud, but strayed away to focus on making his own sounds. “I don’t care how many people like my

music, I need to be able to feel the music,” Pierce said. “If I can get goosebumps and if it brings me to the brink of emotional turmoil, I think that for me is everything. And if people like it after that, it’s a bonus.” Pierce got too comfortable producing for other people. He said he “absolutely hated it.” Some of his remixes hit No. 11 on U.S. charts and radio DJs played his songs. But Pierce said it didn’t feel authentic. When Pierce remixed a Alessia Cara song, Def Jams Recordings reached out to him and asked for permission to put it online. He said the offer was tempting, but decided to turn it down. He didn’t want to be re-

stricted to remixing. “I knew I could write better music than just a cool remix and there are some songs that I do get commission for but I’ve turned down a lot of offers because I want to love what I’m doing,” he said. Pierce’s writing process is scatterbrained. Sometimes the lyrics come first and other times a catchy beat will inspire him to write. Once they’re put together, it’s a symphony of melodic synths, swinging drums and beautiful vocal top lines with the occasional vocal chop. Pierce’s first musical ambition was songwriting. While most kids were watching cartoons and playing video games, he was focused on honing his writing skills. “I feel like I’ve always kind of written music, it’s hard to think of a time when I wasn’t,” Pierce said. “I’m a producer so I make beats, but I’m also a song writer, I started writing songs at the age of nine and I started producing beats when I was introduced to the program Logic at age 15.” Pierce said that as a kid, he had a lot of energy, but didn’t always know where to put it. He started playing the piano in seventh grade and continued throughout high school. He was then classically trained and played in recitals and pit orchestras. Sam Vespone, a junior biomedical engineering major is one of Pierce’s close friends and has worked on projects with him in the past. “He and I are on the same page, he doesn’t want to be in the spotlight,” Vespone said. “[Pierce] wants to gain enough resources to keep making people dance to his songs, he doesn’t necessarily want all the fame, but if he could make enough money to make this his main gig, he would.” Pierce admitted his friends have a huge impact on his music. They might not know it, but their time spent together is reflected in his music. “He always asks his friends for their opinion and what’s cool is that we all come from different musical backgrounds, so we all

have different tastes that we bring to the table,” Vespone said. “At one point or another I’ve thrown in my own thoughts, recently he asked my opinion about his single ‘True Love’ and I was happy to take a listen.” Pierce’s newest single “True Love” is a culmination of all his hard work with a more simplistic sound compared to past releases. The song features fellow UB student Alexa Feiner, or “Lex,” as the vocal lead. “We first met at a darty he was DJing on South Campus this past fall semester,” Feiner, a junior psychology major with a vocal minor., said. “I liked his sound so I introduced myself. A few weeks later, I was walking on the spine and I felt a tap on my shoulder and it was him.” Feiner said she gets offers from artists looking to feature her on their songs, but rarely do those opportunities turn into anything significant. When Pierce approached her, at first, she thought it would be another opportunity that would fall through. But after recording the track and seeing it on streaming websites, she’s happy they crossed paths. “He’s persistent, he wanted to hear me sing and as soon as we got together he asked me to collaborate on the song,” Feiner said. “We went back to his apartment and his room was completely sound proofed with two giant speakers and a microphone; the whole setup.” As a reward for all of their hard work, the song was picked up by Warner Music and will be released sometime next month. Now that Pierce has found his own sound, he’s looking forward to the future. Pierce will attend pharmacy school in the fall, but if the opportunity arises where he can make DJing his full-time job, he wouldn’t hesitate to do so. “I don’t want to sell out, it’s a hard place to find yourself, but I would easily drop from being a Pharmacist to doing music full time,” he said. email: max.kalnitz@ubspectrum.com

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Thursday, February 23, 2017

THE SPECTRUM

Lumagination turns off lights

Botanical Gardens display breaks records with help from students DAVID TUNIS-GARCIA ARTS EDITOR

UB theatre and dance students recreated the Panama Cloud Forest in the Botanical Gardens, using 14 different lighting states to transport people from sunrise to sunset in seven minutes. The Buffalo Botanical Gardens wrapped up its seventh annual Lumagination display this Tuesday, breaking previous attendance records with help from UB students. During Lumagination, colored lights from across the spectrum transform the plant life of the Gardens. After two years of renovations, the red, blue and green lights drew in a record number of more than 12,000 visitors from Jan. 25 to Feb. 21. Erin Grajek, the associate vice president of Marketing and Visitor Experience, said this year has topped all other previous installations, attracting more trafﬁc to the gardens. “This is our ﬁrst time working with stu-

dents from UB,” Grajek said. “It was exciting to see the concepts for the sculptures narrow down and take shape.” Striking insects from the Panama Cloud Forest region inspired Dome 11, which was constructed by UB students. A butterfly designed by Gina Boccolucci, a sophomore theatre design and technology major, forms the centerpiece of the students’ exhibit. The sculpture with bulbous eyes, poured over in blue and purple light, looked like a lifesized Butterfree from the Pokémon games. The wiry frame and gauzy wings of the creature make it subtle, mimicking real-life butterflies as their wings camouflage to blend in with their surroundings. Many attendees missed it on their trek through the jungle. UB students also designed the two sculptures that lit up the lawn of the gardens. On the left was an ascending cluster of rainbow poles, rising like pillars from the ground. On the right was a collection of neon rings arranged in a circle. The resulting

effect was akin to the afterimage when you wave a glow stick around quickly in the dark. Atmospheric music piped in from disparate locations as China, the Australian Outback and the kingdom of Hyrule. Hannah Alessi, a student at West Seneca West Senior High School, had seen the ﬂower gardens before, but never with the grandiose music and lights accompanying them. “I’ve been here once or twice before,” Alessi said. “But it’s so different with the lights and different colors, plus the music. It really adds to it.” To celebrate the partnership between UB and the Botanical Gardens, UB students were also offered $2 off admission on special nights. On Feb. 15, dubbed UB Alumni Night, the cast of the upcoming UB performance of “My Fair Lady” treated attendees to a short performance. The venue encouraged guests to capture their visit at various “selﬁe spots” throughout the Gardens. Some took full advantage of the instant production value around them, including Bridget Almond, a Buffalo resident, model and a cook at the Sizzles on UB North Campus. Almond attended with her publicist Tom Hylo Dekan for an impromptu photoshoot,

David Tunis- Garcia, The Spectrum Different colored lights transform the plant life in the Buffalo Botanical Gardens. The Botanical Gardens wrapped up its seventh annual Lumagination display this Tuesday.

but also to take in the spectacle that Lumagination allows. “I come here every year,” Almond said. “It’s nice to see it from a different perspective, all lit up.” The shift in perspective is a popular draw for the event. While some may not be interested in visiting the Gardens on a spring Sunday afternoon, many relished the opportunity to take in the grounds on a winter night, bathed in color. Karen Jankowski, a Buffalo resident and member of the Botanical Gardens, had nothing but praise after touring the Lumagination section of the gardens. “It was spectacular as always,” Jankowski said. “It’s great to see all of the work, love and care that goes into this place.” email: david.garcia@ubspectrum.com

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NEWS

Thursday, February 23, 2017

THE SPECTRUM

Proposed increase in student fees raises concerns CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

“I think there should be a little bit of backlash on the fee because every other fee I can look at and I know exactly where it’s going, like the athletics or student activity fee... but academic excellence, I don’t know what that means,” Emmons said. “That can mean a lot of things. It can mean anything pretty much.” SA President Matt Rivera also said he doesn’t know what the Academic Excellence and Success fee includes. “When we sat in on these meetings we were asking them really what the concrete reason for the increase would be and we weren’t getting a fair response,” Rivera said. Tanja Aho, GSA president, feels the increase of student fees is “problematic” for graduate students. For many students, this $100 annual increase is the difference between buying books for a class or two weeks of groceries, she said. “We do understand there are costs that do go up on an annual basis and that sometimes can’t be helped but the really astronomical increase, the very radical $100 extra per year for the Academic Excellence and Success Fee, for graduate students especially

we cannot support,” Aho said. Aho spoke with the fee stewards and said no one was able to give a “concrete answer” where the money will go. Aho also feels advertisement of the fees can be improved. Carly Gottorff, a senior political science major and president of Sub-Board I, said, “I am a ﬁrm believer in knowing where my tuition dollars and fees are going and honestly I think this is a way for the university to be charging us extra tuition without having it covered as tuition.” Zach Shapiro, a senior business major, says there are some fees he understands, such as parking and technology, but he thinks the Academic Excellence and Success fee sounds like an extra tuition fee. Shapiro said $100 dollars don’t sound like a lot until it accumulates every year. He’s concerned about the added beneﬁts of this fee and for future students. “One of our major points of critique is that UB promises transparency and honesty and integrity in this process, but the actual information that is provided is both incomplete and extremely vague in its formulation,” Aho said. email: hannah.stein@ubspectrum.com

The telephone game of fake news CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

She’s found mainstream news organizations interpret information differently for the same news stories. She said journalists are not supposed to cover news from an interpretive lens, but should just stick to the facts. “We kind of see [fake news] as the telephone game where one person tells one thing and then the next person adds their misinformation to it, so if you can, stop it right in the beginning,” said Bryan Sajecki, an Undergraduate Education librarian. “Librarians are essentially the gatekeepers of information and really help to find the good stuff and to be able to have that filter embedded into your head early on, that way you can figure out what’s good and what’s not and if we can be that person that’s where we wanna be.” Nicole Thomas, who is also an undergraduate librarian, thinks many people have a hard time telling the difference between opinions and facts. “A lot of times with Fox News and things like that, we have people sitting around the table offering their opinion but any journalist knows that with news, you’re not allowed to give your opinion, you just state the facts and so people I think have a hard time telling the difference between the two,” she said. Tysick said during the 2016 presidential campaign fake news made supporters from both political parties “more energized than they had been before” because someone would see something that was negative against their candidate and they would lash out on social media. Sajecki said the back and forth fighting between the two parties is like “simply poking the bear.” “Everyone was willing to just fight about

something,” he said. “There was so much upheaval between both candidates and both parties that it just became the perfect storm.” Tysick said fake news caused a snowball effect. Trump continued to lash out against the media, recently referring to journalists as the “enemy of the American people.” Thomas thinks good journalism is needed now more than ever in light of Trump’s recent slew of attacks against the media. “I deﬁnitely think that Trump is using these tactics to confuse average American people that he can get into the heads of,” Thomas said. “Of course he doesn’t believe the news because it’s not necessarily putting him in a positive light and he’s pretty much attacking anything so whatever he says some of his followers are going to believe it and go along with it.” Thomas thinks the mainstream media should continue to persevere to get these stories out and continue to present the facts because “the truth is going to come to light.” “I think what’s happening now is you have journalists coming out and they’re saying ‘we have a code of ethics, we have something we’re supposed to follow, we need to go back to that document and go back to what our roots were,” Tysick said Sajecki said determining whether a news story is true or false can be just as simple as a quick Google search. “Google it,” he said. “That’s a very easy way to ﬁgure out if there’s a paper trail for the story they’re looking at. Always look for the author [his or her] self, look for the credibility of the resource, look for any sorts of references.” email: ashley.inkumsah@ubspectrum.com

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SPORTS

Thursday, February 23, 2017

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Fighting with

honor

UB’s Kendo club teaches honor and discipline JEREMY TORRES STAFF WRITER

The hollow sound of wood strikes echo through Alumni Arena. Intense shouting, like that of a Japanese samurai movie, can be heard as you approach Triple Gym. Alumni room 75 is an unfamiliar world, one filled with respect, duty and honor. UB’s Kendo club, often referred to as Japanese fencing, is one of the most unique clubs at UB. At first glance, it appears disorganized and chaotic, but the club is rooted deeply in tradition and discipline. “It is not as much sports heavy as it is tradition heavy, as opposed to [other combat sports like] Olympic fencing,” said Brandon Lee Chin, a chemical engineer graduate student and former president of the UB Kendo club. Kendo follows traditional Japanese culture. In Japan, the teachings of Kendo are established at a young age. The sport teaches respect, honor, courage and self-discipline. These teachings go beyond Kendo and affect the everyday lives of those who play. “Mentally, you make straight forward decisions, you’re less indecisive, you have more respect for others and have more empathy,” Chin said. In a Kendo tournament, there are three judges. To score a point you must hit one of three points: the head, body or hand. The specifics of the attacks in the sport make focus essential. “When you first start Kendo, you’re going

KAINAN GUO, THE SPECTRUM

Members of the UB Kendo club practice in Alumni Arena. The Kendo club significantly affects the life of its members both in and out of the gym.

to get hit for sure and be focused on how not to get hit,” said Wilson Wang, a junior math major and president of the Kendo club. “You should focus on hitting instead.” Another major element of Kendo is to remain emotionless. Taunting an opponent is a sign of disrespect, showing exhaustion is a sign of weakness and showing happiness dishonors one’s opponent. “To withhold emotion is a part of Japanese culture. In Japan culture, you should think of the other person ﬁrst. So by celebrating, your win will make the loser feel bad.” Sensei Samuel Cappiello, a ﬁnancial advisor who devotes six to eight hours a week to Kendo, said. “Same thing applies to showing pain. If your opponent misses the target and hits your elbow and you react to the pain, he will feel bad for missing.”

Cappiello started UB’s Kendo club 13 years ago. He has been practicing Kendo for 25 years and decided to bring such a pivotal part of his life to UB. “All my friends are Kendo players and the reason I met my wife was due to Kendo,” Cappiello said. “Kendo helps me stay focused and mentally calm… It has taught me to be able to succeed through adversity and become a more balanced person. Without Kendo in my life, I am sure I would have been a much different person.” Cappiello brings what he learns in Japan back to teach his students at UB. Kendo is different from other martial arts. It is a mental sport that takes a lot of personal strength in order to get better. “Kendo is a martial art, but different from all others. It is 80 percent mental even

TRACK & FIELD GEARS UP FOR MAC CHAMPIONSHIPS DANIEL PETRUCCELLI ASST. SPORTS EDITOR

Records are dropping all over the track this season. The Buffalo Bulls track & field team is having one of its best seasons in program history. Both the men and women’s teams are ranked second in the northeast region – the highest rankings in school history. The Bulls have been destroying program records on a weekly basis. They are now gearing up to head into the indoor Mid-American Conference championships this weekend. The MAC has a strong conference this year and Buffalo will have to be at the top of it’s game. “The Mid-American Conference is not a mid-major when it comes to track and field,” said head coach Vicki Mitchell. “It’s a powerhouse so we have our work cut out for us this weekend but we’re going in with a healthy roster, a strong roster and I believe a more confident roster based on what they’ve accomplished all season long.” Senior sprinter Joshua Gali is one of the biggest standouts in the program this year. He has registered the best times in the MAC at the 200-meter, 400-meter and 4x400-meter relay. He set the program record in all three events and is the favorite to win these three events this weekend. Gali is joined on the relay team by freshman Gyasi Morris, senior Craig Kaiser and junior Mitchell Moore. Their times are two and a half seconds faster than any other group in the MAC. Gali explained that the team has been competing with a different attitude this year.

COURTESY OF UB ATHLETICS

Senior Christine Lyttle jumps a hurdle. Lyttle became No. 2 in the MAC for the 60-meter hurdles during last Saturday’s meet.

“Last year, everyone was down after their MAC meet because we didn’t place too well,” Gali said. “I know this year everyone came back with a vengeance and wants to do well.” The women have been running with a vengeance this year. Three women are currently ranked in the top ﬁve of their event in the MAC. Senior Emma Siuciak is currently second in the MAC and set a program record for the pentathlon earlier this year. Sophomore Mikayla Pearce is No. 2 in the long jump. Senior Christine Lyttle became No. 2 in the MAC for the 60-meter hurdles with her per-

formance this past Saturday. Lyttle knows how tough the MAC can get in track & ﬁeld. She is now in her fourth year competing in the conference championships. She ﬁnished third in the 60-meter hurdles at last year’s indoor MAC championships. “Each year it gets faster, it gets more competitive, it’s not a joke,” Lyttle said. “The times that are ran at that conference meet can compete with times in the SEC, can compete with times in the big 12, the big ten, it’s not a joke.” Aside from individual events, the team

though it has physical aspects,” Wang said. “It is like a sport, it has important things like manner and discipline, which is what is important in Kendo.” In Kendo, spirit is when a person shows emotion. It may sound simple, but it is essential in the game. While making a hit, a person must simultaneously show spirit. Without spirit, a strike is pointless. “A lot of people are very quiet and Kendo is the opposite of that,” Chin said. “You want to show your spirit, you don’t want to be a coward.” The Kendo club meets Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. in Alumni Arena 75 across from the triple gym. email: sports@ubspectrum.com

will also be competing for the MAC title this weekend. Each program is allowed to bring up to 30 men and 30 women. They will compete in 17 different events for each team. The team score is a culmination of the points every member earns throughout the day in each event. The MAC features a couple of standout teams that will make things difficult for the Bulls. “Kent [State] and Akron are really strong, both men’s and women’s and Eastern [Michigan] is no joke as well,” Lyttle said. “They’re really strong distance side and they’ve definitively come back with sprints. I’d have to say it’s those three programs for men and women’s.” Eastern Michigan has proven its dominance in distance running all season. The top three men and the top three women for the 5000-meter in the MAC are all from Eastern Michigan. Akron currently has 11 competitors ranked as first in the MAC at their event. Kent State has four. But Mitchell is confident in her team. She sees this group as one of the deepest group of athletes the program has ever had. The team has athletes who are threats in almost every event. “I think for the first time in a long time we have every event area contributing, we certainly have some areas that are stronger,” Mitchell said. “We have some areas that have shown more depth and more strength than we’ve had before but truly a full team contribution.” The team lightened their workload this week to prepare for the Championships. The most important conditioning is for their bodies to feel fresh and ready to go. “We’re going into the highest level of our season so we want to save our bodies,” Lyttle said. “And sort of wind down the training and get ready to drop a big time and have a good performance this weekend.” email: daniel.petruccelli@ubspectrum.com