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ubspectrum.com
Monday, September 28, 2015
Volume 65 No. 12
UB student dies in New Zealand kayaking accident Senior Daniel Hollnsteiner passes away at age of 21 GABRIELA JULIA SENIOR NEWS EDITOR
UB student Daniel Hollnsteiner died in a kayaking accident in New Zealand Friday. Hollnsteiner, a 21-year-old senior business major from Staten Island, was kayaking on Lake Tekapo in New Zealand with 10 other students Friday when strong winds and waves capsized their kayaks into freezing water. James Murphy, a student from
London, also died. Nine survivors were treated for hypothermia after spending an hour in the water. Hollnsteiner was studying abroad for a semester at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia. Hollnsteiner was also a member of the Sigma Chi Omega fraternity. The kayakers were all students attending Monash and visiting New Zealand during a semester break. Police said all of the students were wearing life jackets, but the water
temperatures were below 40 degrees. UB released a statement on Hollnsteiner’s death Saturday. “The university has been in contact with Daniel’s family and we are offering whatever support and assistance we can during this very difficult time,” the statement said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with Daniel’s family and friends. University counseling services will be available for Daniel’s friends and fellow students at UB.” email: news@ubspectrum.com
Falling short
COURTESY OF DANIEL HOLLNSTEINER’S FACEBOOK
Climbing the ranks UB makes top 50 in latest U.S. News & World Report college rankings EVAN SCHNEIDER
KAINAN, GUO, THE SPECTRUM
Bulls senior quarterback Joe Licata gets hit by Nevada senior defensive end Rykeem Yates.
READ MORE ABOUT THE FOOTBALL TEAM’S 24-21 LOSS TO NEVADA SATURDAY ON PAGE 8 AND ONLINE AT UBSPECTRUM.COM
STAFF WRITER A staple of any college selection process is finding out where a potential university sits in the ranks. U.S. News & World Report’s annual National Universities and Public Universities rankings were released earlier this month with UB reaching No. 99 for schools nation-wide and No. 45 for public schools. The ranking system is based on a formula that uses quantitative measures experts think are reliable indicators of academic quality. Essentially, it’s based on their researched view of what matters in education. Universities are categorized into four groups: National Universities, National Liberal Arts Colleges, Regional Universities and Regional Colleges. UB is a national university because it offers a full range of undergraduate, masters and doctoral programs that put emphasis on faculty research, according to U.S. News. Princeton University, Harvard University and Yale University were ranked first, second and third respectively. Charles Zukoski, UB provost and executive vice president for Academic Affairs, said UB prides itself on attracting the best and brightest students from around the world. CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
Banned Books Week looks to recognize controversial works of literature Faculty and students celebrate nationwide week of controversial books
GABRIELA JULIA, THE SPECTRUM
Lockwood Memorial Library has a display of commonly challenged books as a part of Banned Books Week. Banned Books Week is a nationwide effort to recognize controversial literature and the freedom to write without censorship.
MICHAEL JONCAS
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Denise Wolfe said one of the best advantages to living in the United States is that people can read what they want, when they want. Lockwood Memorial Library is displaying commonly challenged books to remind students and faculty of freedom of speech. Books Week is a nationwide effort to recognize controversial literature and the freedom to write without censorship. UB’s banned book display will remain in Lockwood from Sept. 28 until Oct. 31. Homosexuality, violence, nudity and other “anti-family” themes are a few reasons for the attempted banning of hundreds of classic and contemporary books, according to the American Library Association (ALA). The Great Gatsby, To Kill a Mockingbird and the Harry Potter series are just a few of the
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famous books that have caused concerned parties to make attempts at censorship. Wolfe, coordinator of administrative services of university libraries, and Laura Taddeo, head of the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences team at Lockwood Library, are using Banned Books Week as an opportunity to attract students to the library with its hands-on display, which is centered upon interaction.
Editorial: Students have spoken about art project, UB needs to listen
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“We used to have glass cases in the front with photos and snippets of text,” Taddeo said. “We wanted it to be more interactive and have people actually see the books.” By focusing on efforts across the country to remove or restrict access to books, Banned Books Week draws national attention to the harms of censorship, according to the ALA website.
Humanities Festival in Buffalo explores gender boundaries
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Wolfe looks at the event as a mean of discovery and hopes it will broaden people’s search for knowledge and encourage conversations. The display, made up of two tables covered in a colorful variety of books ranging from the 18th century to the modern era, is meant to catch the eyes of passing students. Shaun Nowicki, a freshman English major, said banning books is “immoral.” “It’s depriving people of experiences that show them the world [because] books help people to see through the worst parts of life – they’re a safe haven for people,” Nowicki said. “It doesn’t matter what’s in them or if one single person likes them, as long as they bring comfort to someone.” CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
Progressive rock band The McLovins jams out in Buffalo