The Spectrum Vol. 66 No. 46 by The Spectrum Student Periodical

UBSPECTRUM.COM

THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 2017

COME OUT ON YOUR OWN TERMS P.3

VOLUME 66 NO. 46

UB STUDENTS DISCUSS ETHICS OF SHOOTING ON FACEBOOK LIVE P.4

MYTHBUSTING THE UNICORN FRAPPUCCINO P.5

UB student’s attempted suicide shocks UB community

SARAH CROWLEY, THE SPECTRUM

A student jumped from the seventh floor of Goodyear Hall Wednesday morning and was transferred to ECMC. University officials said it was an attempted suicide.

SARAH CROWLEY

SENIOR NEWS EDITOR

A male student attempted suicide Wednesday morning when he jumped from the seventh ﬂoor of Goodyear Hall on South Campus. The student was then transferred to Erie County Medical Center, according to UB Spokesperson John Della Contrada. The university did not release information on the status of the student or his identity, out of respect for the family’s privacy. Students and administrators waited anxiously for details in states of shock, grief and were in states of disbelief. Resident Advisors (RA) and other Campus Living

staff were available throughout the day, actively meeting with residents to help them sort out their feelings. Students who lived in the adjacent dorm rooms said they were shocked to hear the news. No one claimed to know the student well, but they said they could not imagine him trying to hurt himself. William Hiltz, a freshman biomedical sciences major, lives across from the student, but has never talked with him. He said he was upset to hear the news and was “hoping to God” the student would recover. Hiltz said it disturbed him to think that while he worked on homework in his dorm room, a fellow classmate tried to end his

life across the hall. He said he hopes other students will learn from this unfortunate experience. “It’s kind of hard to tell when someone is suffering, since I never knew him and I don’t know how many friends he actually has. He seems like a nice kid,” Hiltz said. “I hope people seek counseling if they’re suffering.” Beyond providing counseling services, Andrea Costantino, director of Campus Living said she is waiting for news to unfold. She said many of the Goodyear RAs were in classes in the immediate hours and Campus Living wasn’t able to speak with everyone at once. “It’s a very sensitive subject,” Costantino said. She urged the media and others in the UB community to respect the students’ privacy during this sensitive time. Chris Bragdon, area director for Campus Living, said students will react to the incident in a wide variety of ways and should seek the resources they need – “whether that means talking to an RA, seeing a counselor, or going home for a day to process what they’re dealing with.” “Our concern now is for the student and for the other residents to make sure their needs are met,” Bragdon said. “We don’t know what lead to this, we don’t know what the outcome will be. Students need to be supportive of one another and to the best of their ability watch for these warning signs.” Bragdon said RAs receive crisis management training and are relatively prepared to recognize students in a state of crisis, but he emphasized that it is impossible and it’s not the RA’s responsibility to prevent situations like this. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

Young Americans for Freedom speaker announcement sparks petition to cancel event “Exposing Radical Islam” event will feature American author and blogger Robert Spencer SARAH CROWLEY

SENIOR NEWS EDITOR

UB’s Young Americans for Freedom club (YAF) announced on Monday that they will be hosting an event, “Exposing Radical Islam: The dangers of jihad in today’s world” on May 1 featuring guest speaker, Robert Spencer. Spencer is a self-proclaimed expert on radical Islam and runs a blog called “Jihad Watch.” He is the author of 16 books including The New York Time’s bestsellers, The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam (and the Crusades) and The Truth About Muhammad. Just one day after the event was announced, students and faculty started a petition asking Student Association (SA) president Matt Rivera and other SA members to “rescind their explicit sponsorship” for the event by removing the SA logo from all ﬂyers and advertisements and to abide by their anti-discrimination policy when approving club events. “We are disheartened that some individuals wish to shut down the event, as public universities are the place for free speech

ANGELA BARCA, THE SPECTRUM

UB’s Young americans for freedom club announced on monday they will be hosting an “exposing Radical Islam” event. Students are signing a petition to cancel the event on May 1.

and discussing even the most difﬁcult topics,” said YAF chairwoman Lynn Sementilli. YAF has tried to bring other controversial speakers to UB in the past, such as Milo Yiannopoulos, a British journalist for conservative American news site Breitbart. “Our chapter wanted to host Robert Spencer because of his expertise on Islamic Law

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and Jihad, having spoken at renowned institutions,” Sementilli said. “We feel that due to the relevancy of the topic in regards to recent events, that it would be beneﬁcial to UB students to hear from someone of his background on the issue of theocratic political movements that institutionalize Islamic law.”

James Franco cancels UB Distinguished Speaker Series lecture Brandon Stanton, ‘Humans of New York’ creator to replace Franco DAVID TUNIS-GARCIA SENIOR ARTS EDITOR

James Franco will no longer be speaking at UB for the 30th annual Distinguished Speaker series due to a “professional conflict.” Brandon Stanton, ‘Humans of New York’ creator will be the featured speaker instead on April 29 in Alumni Arena at 8 p.m. More than 4,000 students along with members of the UB community were expected to attend Franco’s lecture. Many students are disappointed in Franco’s cancellation while others are excited to see Stanton speak. SA president Matthew Rivera said he heard the news a few days ago, but officially confirmed Franco’s cancellation today. He said Stanton was SA’s original second speaker choice. “Since Franco was the Student Choice speaker, we were consulted on replacements and worked with them for the last week and a half, two weeks, on trying to figure out a person that was available that would also be appealing to the same James Franco audience that we had,” said Marc Rosenblitt, SA entertainment coordinator. Students who have already reserved tickets for Franco can keep their tickets to see Stanton. “Brandon Stanton, having as much of a social media background and impact, we thought it would be appealing to everybody who had already signed up for James Franco,” Rosenblitt said. Some students are disappointed in Franco’s cancellation and said they are less likely to attend Stanton’s lecture. “I’m pretty disappointed that James Franco won’t be here in attendance at UB,” said Tom Apa, a junior marketing major. “I followed Franco’s work for a while now, he’s a very versatile actor, and I would have loved to have a motivational speech by him and be in attendance for it.” James Guity, a sophomore computer science major is also disappointed and thinks it’s a “shame” Franco cancelled. Other students are excited to see Stanton speak. “At first I was annoyed, but when I found out it was Brandon Stanton coming instead I think he’s just as good,” said Mackenzie Martinelli, a freshman undecided major. “I love “Humans of New York though,” so [SA] found a good replacement for him, so I’m fine with that.” Tickets will be distributed in the Student Union Social Hall on Friday, April 21 at 10 a.m. Allison Staebell contributed reporting to this story. email: david.garcia@ubspectrum.com

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

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NEWS

Thursday, April 20, 2017

UB student’s attempted suicide shocks UB community CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Gary Spence, a freshman civil engineering major, lives on the same ﬂoor as the stu-

THE SPECTRUM

dent. Spence said he was shocked to hear of the news. He said the floor’s “good vibes” and “close-knit” community made it even more difficult for him to believe the news. “It’s pretty shocking, I just read something about suicides recently, that 30,000 people commit suicide every day and since then I’ve tried to be nicer to everyone,” Spence said. “So it’s just really shocking to think that somebody would try to hurt themselves especially with the vibes we have [on this floor.]”

In the hours after the incident, students turned to social media and each other to share feelings of shock and sadness at the news. Cletus Emokpae, a senior communications major, wrote a Facebook message in the UB Class of 2019 group to students who may be struggling. His words reﬂected a common theme among UB students who spoke with The Spectrum. “My message is this, UB, college and life as

a whole is very hard and will have you in very dark places,” Emokpae said. “I’ve been there, I know we’ve all been there but please make sure you take care of your mental, spiritual and physical health. This school stuff is not life or death, that B- isn’t going to kill you. Make sure that you yourself is okay, because college is just a small part of the life God has for you to live,” Emokpae said.

hate speech of an uncredentialed individual whose views are injurious to a large population of the student body,” Prince said in an email. Prince said she began the petition to ask the UB community to consider the dangers Spencer may bring to the campus community. Spencer’s works were explicitly cited by terrorist and mass murderer Anders Breivik who referenced his work 64 times in a manifesto before murdering 77 people in 2011, according to The New York Times. “This is not a case of reviewing whether or not Spencer could incite violence – he already has,” Prince said. “In acknowledge-

ment of this, Spencer has been banned from entering the UK since 2013 – yet the University at Buffalo ﬁnds no issue with sponsoring a talk of his on our public campus.” Samiha Islam, president of the Muslim Student Association (MSA) said she hopes SA ofﬁcials will “realize the detriment of having such a speaker” attend a UB-sponsored event. Fadi Suboh, president of Students for Justice for Palestine (SJP) said Spencer is seen as an “Islamophobic” by many Muslims and is known for taking chapters of the Qur’an out of context. “We, as Muslim SA, are greatly concerned about the presence of Robert Spencer on campus and about the safety of our students here who may feel offended and/or not safe because Spencer might be inciting hate and/

or violence from his speech,” Suboh said. Suboh said it is “amazing” how people who have never studied and don’t even know Muslims, speak about Islam. “He insists, despite his lack of academic training in Islam, that the religion is inherently violent, because of that, Spencer was banned from the United Kingdom as an extremist since July 2013,” Suboh said. Suboh said despite his misgivings, he would encourage his peers and fellow eboard members to attend the event to hear what Spencer has to say. “Shutting down speakers that you disagree with does nothing to bring us together, but only divides us more,” Sementilli said.

students to keep the noise down. 3/29 3:58 p.m.- A complainant reported someone hit her vehicle in the Richmond B lot sometime between Sunday and Tuesday. 10:36 p.m.- A caller reported four male students causing a disturbance and vaping in Abbott Hall. Patrol escorted the subjects out of the building at 10:53 p.m. 11:07 p.m.- A caller reported ten to 12 students refusing to leave room B28 of Squire Hall. The subjects were gone when patrol arrived at 11:14 p.m. 3/31 3:05 a.m.- Patrol reported the vending machine in the Goodyear Hall lobby was smashed in and there was glass on the ﬂoor. 3:21 p.m.- A student reported the larce-

ny of a laptop from a lab in Crosby Hall around 1 p.m. 4/6 4:14 p.m.- A student reported money was stolen from her wallet in Baird Music Library. 4/7 1:13 a.m.- A student reported she lost her UB card around midnight and saw vending machine transactions on her account after the card was lost. 4/12 5:14 a.m.- An employee at Crosby Hall reported a dispute between a male and female. The female was approached by the male while sitting in front of Crosby Hall. When the female attempted to walk away, the male blocked her and shouted “you can’t come home” at her repeatedly. The male and fe-

male then walked away together. Patrol spoke with the female subject at 5:23 a.m. and she said she and the male were arguing about a class project they are working on together. 5:02 p.m.- A caller reported a motor vehicle accident by the Jacobs C lot. One party appeared to have a medical emergency which caused the accident. 6:34 p.m.- A student reported his backpack containing a MacBook laptop was stolen from 230 Crosby Hall while unattended. 4/13 9:57 p.m.- A caller reported he was scammed using an app called Depop. The complainant stated he sent $700 worth of clothing to a person and never received payment. Patrol advised the caller not to deal with people over the internet when selling items.

Young Americans for Freedom speaker announcement sparks petition to cancel event CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

SA will not be spending any amount of student fees on the event, Rivera said. The event will be ﬁnanced entirely through the national YAF organization, a foundation dedicated to helping college students bring conservative ideas onto campus through events, conferences and internships, according to the YAF website. Alexandra Prince, a PhD history student, started the petition and has gathered 351 signatures so far. “Our campus needs to foster religious toleration and literacy – not promote the divisive

3/28 7:54 a.m. - A Richmond Hall director reported four males sitting in the grassy area between Richmond 6 and Spaulding near the Richmond A lot. The hall director believed the students removed a table and chair from their Richmond Hall suite via window. Patrol reported the residents were with the furniture, and the four students were playing cards. The students said they would return the furniture to their room when they were done. Patrol advised the

email: sarah.crowley@ubspectrum.com

OPINION THE SPECTRUM

Editorial Board EDITOR IN CHIEF

Hannah Stein

MANAGING EDITOR

Maggie Wilhelm

More than just a game

COPY EDITORS

Grace Trimper, Chief Saqib Hossain Emma Medina NEWS EDITORS

Sarah Crowley, Senior Maddy Fowler, Asst. Danielle Colagio, Asst. FEATURES EDITORS

Max Kalnitz, Senior Lindsay Gilder, Asst. Victoria Hartwell, Asst. ARTS EDITORS

Benjamin Cassidy, Senior David Tunis-Garcia, Senior Brenton Blanchet, Asst. SPORTS EDITORS

Danny Petruccelli, Senior Thomas Zafonte, Senior Jeremy Torres, Asst. Justin Bystrak, Asst. PHOTO EDITORS

Angela Barca, Senior Troy Wachala, Senior Lucas Smith, Asst. Elaine Lin, Asst. CREATIVE DIRECTORS

Pierce Strudler Martina LaVallo VIDEO EDITOR

Allison Staebell, Senior

DANIEL PETRUCCELLI CO-SENIOR SPORTS EDITOR

Sports are just games. Nothing more, nothing less. So what drives grown men to shed tears over a team they have literally nothing to do with? What causes 100,000 people to gather in a stadium on Sunday regardless of rain and snow? What causes the city of Super

My journey of starting and maintaining a vegetarian lifestyle

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Thursday, April 20, 2017 Volume 66 Number 46 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

Bowl-winning teams to experience small booms in the local economy? The answers are simple. “Sports matter because they don’t matter at all,” my first sports journalism professor told me. I couldn’t agree more. The fundamental power of sports is their very lack of importance. They are an escape from the truly important things. Winning a football game does nothing for the world, but it does exactly what it needs to for people. Life is stressful, whether you’re a college student feeling the looming presence of finals creeping up, an adult with the pressure of work and bills or both. Sports are a way to forget those things, even just temporarily. Sports represent something bigger than we are. We try to have some form of control of the things that stress us out. We give that control up when we watch sports. We’re not calling plays or making personal decisions and we certainly aren’t on the field playing. And unless you’re a Packers fan, you probably don’t have any form of ownership stake in the team. What you do have is an emo-

Celebrating vegetarianism

Professional Staff

THE SPECTRUM

Thursday, April 20, 2017

EMA MAKAS STAFF WRITER

The start of this year marked ﬁve years since I decided to start living a vegetarian lifestyle. I’ve always said that it’s been one of the best choices that I’ve ever made. Becoming a vegetarian has given me a sense of accomplishment, a triumph of willpower, a contribution and sacriﬁce of my own effort toward a greater good. This major lifestyle change was completely spontaneous. It wasn’t articulately planned. It wasn’t a New Year resolution. There were no days where I would practice being vegetarian and allow for cheat days. I simply decided to cut meat out

of my life, cold turkey. No pun intended. Sure, I had given it some prior thought; I had partially been influenced by particular artists and bands that supported vegetarianism and the close bond that I had with my dog. These factors made me want to express my respect for animals in some way. I had also encountered awful videos exposing animal torture, including factory farming. Those images stuck in my head. Every time I was about to eat meat I pictured how cruelly the animals must have been killed. I couldn’t stomach supporting the financial gain of industries that tortured animals. I came to a conclusion; I shouldn’t eat animals if I couldn’t look an animal in the eye, kill it and then eat it. Why is it suddenly more humane if someone else kills the animal for me? My decision appeared especially random to the people in my life. I never really mentioned anything to anyone up until the day that I was officially a vegetarian. The whole process took place in my head. I probably wouldn’t recommend that approach for others who are contemplating whether or not to go vegetarian. I think that taking steps and easing the people in your life into accepting the idea

Come out on your own terms Why it is wrong to “out” someone

MADDY FOWLER ASST. NEWS EDITOR

Your coming out narrative is incredibly personal, and it belongs to you alone. It is not for straight or cisgender people to tell, nor is it fair game for well-intentioned members of the LGBTQ community to share. It is essential that LGBTQ people are allowed to construct their own coming out narratives in their own time, on their own terms. Even if you’ve known that you are LGBTQ since you were ﬁve

years old, it can take years—decades even—to make sense of your unique identity and how you wish to label (or not label) yourself. I’ve known that I was bisexual since I was at least 11, but I didn’t start sharing this information until I was 18 years old. And even then, I only came out to close friends. I didn’t publicly and formally come out until last fall, when I wrote a column about coming out as bisexual for The Spectrum. I am incredibly grateful that no one shared this information before I was ready for it to be shared. When Matrix co-editor Lilly Wachowski, a trans woman, was outed by newspapers without her consent, she said the story could possibly have “a potentially fatal effect,” which is the crux of this issue. LGBTQ people are more than twice as likely than straight people to attempt suicide, according to the Center for Disease Control. There are a number of reasons why members of the community stay in the closest. They could be in a situation where they could face abuse from bigoted family members if they come out. LGBTQ youth could risk being kicked

tional stake. When my team scores, I feel genuine joy come over me. People in the stands of a stadium feel this joy and they get hit with that dopamine rush together. We get the feeling of victory without having to work for it. But we do work for it. The work a fan does is simple; it’s being loyal. It’s picking a team when you’re ﬁve years old and sticking with them through thick or thin. It’s feeling a bond develop that makes you feel like a genuine part of it. It’s sticking around through 2-14 seasons, but being optimistic the next year is “gonna be our year.” It’s what causes us to speak with inclusive pronouns like “our” when we refer to a team. It’s what causes a person who works hard all week to be willing to give up a chunk of his or her paycheck for game tickets or team merchandise. It’s about all those feelings. Sports are ﬁlled with those dopamine-inducing emotions. People love stories of athletes who experience a traumatic injury and make a triumphant return or hearing about guys like Michael Oher from the Carolina Panthers who had a

rough upbringing but managed to make it all the way to the NFL. If you didn’t shed a tear hearing about Isaiah Thomas’ decisions to play the night after losing his sister, then I don’t know what could possibly make you cry. Boston Celtics and NBA fans came together to rally behind him. Just think about some of the most powerful moments that bring society together: it all comes back to sports. Images of the ﬁrst Yankees and Mets game after September 11 will live forever. When the Saints brought a Lombardi Trophy back home to New Orleans in the wake of hurricane Katrina, I’ll never forget. It didn’t ﬁx any homes, it didn’t provide anyone with food or shelter. But for a brief moment, people whose lives were at the lowest point got to experience some level of joy. Sports will never end world hunger, create world peace or cure cancer, but they don’t claim to and they don’t need to. Sports are an escape, not a solution.

is simply more efficient. My approach is part of why it came as such a shock to my family, friends, coworkers, classmates, and basically anyone who knew me. It was especially shocking considering that I am originally from the Balkans, a culture with a plethora of signature meat dishes. Ten years ago, I couldn’t imagine not eating meat ever again. No one close to me was a vegetarian, so embarking on this journey drew more attention than I felt comfortable with. There have been ups and downs. I remember the first few months I would have reoccurring dreams of accidentally eating meat and panicking (which are apparently common among new vegetarians). There were the concerns of whether I’d be able to eat at the same places when I went out or whether I’d feel uncomfortable during holiday meals with the family. Eventually, I learned to not think about it so much and it became natural, like a reflex. A great thing to realize is that there are some impressive food options out there for vegetarians. Almost every restaurant that I have been to in the area offers a few vegetarian dishes that aren’t just salad. If anything, vegetarian dishes tend to be less pricey, which is nice. People shouldn’t look at being vegetarian as simply restricting

what one eats, rather an opportunity to try some equally delicious alternatives. Through my experience, I’ve been introduced to some great recipes and foods. A good tip is ﬁnding a food that you like that serves as a great meat substitute and then branching out from there. Personally, mushrooms have become my best friend when it comes to cooking. They have a lot of protein and are compatible with a variety of ingredients. One of the easiest things to make is stuffed mushrooms. You simply just customize the mushrooms with whatever ingredients you like. I have been surprised to learn that the many non-vegetarians in my life have equally enjoyed the veggie friendly dishes that I have gotten in the habit of making. My boyfriend, for instance, is the farthest thing from a vegetarian but he loves the food that I make. The most important thing that I have always told myself is to simply keep an open mind. Not everyone is going to share the same values and opinions as you in regard to your vegetarianism, and that’s okay. Different lifestyles work for different people. It just so happens that being a vegetarian has been immensely ﬁtting for mine, because it’s something that has made me truly happy in the long run.

out of their parents’ house and becoming homeless—20% of homeless youth are LGBTQ. People might also choose to remain in the closet for fear of losing their jobs. Twenty-nine states in the U.S. still lack statewide laws prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. LGBTQ people also stay in the closet for safety reasons. LGBTQ people are more likely to be targets of hate crimes than any other minority group. Nineteen to 29 percent of gay and lesbian students and 18 percent to 28 percent of bisexual students experienced dating violence in the prior year, 14 percent to 31 percent of gay and lesbian students and 17 percent to 32 percent of bisexual students have been forced to have sexual intercourse at some point in their lives, according to the Center for Disease Control. Even if a closeted LGBTQ person has a good support system and is surrounded by open minded, accepting people, it is still important to allow that person to come out on their own terms. By outing someone, you rob them of their right to self-identify and you risk mislabeling or misconstruing the person’s identity.

Many people might consider or “try-on” different identities before settling on the label that feels right for them. When I first started questioning my sexuality, I wondered if I was a lesbian. If someone had outed me back then, they would have forced me into a label I ultimately realized was not for me. By giving me the space, time and freedom to self-reflect and self-identity, I discovered exactly what label fit me, and expressed that identity when I was at a time and place in my life where it felt safe and comfortable to do so. If you are privileged enough to live out “loud and proud” as I do, I commend and celebrate your decision. However, it is important to remember that not everyone is in a place where they can safely come out—so remember that before sharing information about someone’s sexual or gender identity without their permission. Everyone’s coming out journey is incredibly unique and personal, and no one else can tell that story but them.

email: daniel.petruccelli@ubspectrum.com

email: news@ubspectrum.com

email: maddy.fowler@ubspectrum.com

NEWS

Thursday, April 20, 2017

THE SPECTRUM

UB students discuss ethics of shooting on Facebook Live Students discuss Facebook’s role in monitoring violent content MADDY FOWLER ASST. NEWS EDITOR

Millions of Americans witnessed Steve Stephens, Cleveland killer, shoot 74-year-old Robert Godwin Sr. to death on Facebook on Sunday. Stephens killed himself on Tuesday following a police chase in Pennsylvania. It took Facebook two hours to remove the video of the shooting while it was shared widely across social media during the time it was posted. Many UB students feel Facebook should change its censorship policy while others believe enforcing a new policy would be tricky. Facebook executives have been reluctant to call Facebook a news organization or play a role in monitoring the information posted on its website. The recent shooting is forcing executives to rethink their policies. Facebook executives are currently “looking into” making policy changes regarding violent content, according to a statement from Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg. “We have a lot of work and we will keep doing all we can to prevent tragedies like this from happening,” Zuckerberg said. “We know we need to do better,” said Justin Osofsky Facebook’s vice president of Global Operations in a blog post on Monday. Osofsky also promised a review of the company’s procedures in the same post. Bruce Andriatch, UB journalism instructor, explained if Facebook chooses to limit the publication of violent content, it would not be censorship, because censorship speciﬁcally refers to the government prohibiting the distribution of certain information. Andriatch said Facebook needs to confront the reality that it is a publisher, and

therefore has a responsibility in the same way the New York Times, USA Today or NBC do in terms of how and what information it will publish. “When news organizations choose whether to publish something or not, that is journalism and it happens thousands of times a day in every newsroom,” Andriatch said. Andriatch believes whether or not Facebook can or should publish violent content is an ethical question, not a legal one. Many students are questioning Facebook’s role in monitoring violent content and response time for violent content. Some students feel Facebook has a responsibility to limit violent while others feel enforcing a stricter censorship policy would be tricky. Spencer Diamond, a sophomore communication major, feels Facebook should do something to monitor Facebook Live videos, but said implementing a censorship policy would be “pretty difficult.” He said it is hard to know what is going on in every single Facebook live video, however he thinks it is “definitely doable.” Diamond believes Facebook should create a list of guidelines for what kind of content is appropriate to livestream, and if those guidelines are violated, the video should be taken down as soon as possible. Emma Reidell, a sophomore health and human services major, feels while the shooting was “ridiculous,” it may have a greater impact on people to see the violence. Reidell said she understands why a tragic event like a shooting would prompt Facebook to consider policy changes, but thinks this could set a difficult precedent for them to meet. “What about the people who are using

for Facebook for things like hate crimes? If [Facebook] is going to do something like that, they have to apply it to all things and that would be hard to do,” Reidell said. Reidell is not sure where the line should be drawn for what is and is not appropriate to share on Facebook live. “I don’t know if there is a line…sometimes this technology can help us because we are able to ﬁgure out who did it and maybe ﬁgure out a motive,” Reidell said. Akinsola Akinwunmi, a freshman aerospace engineering major, said he was “disappointed” in how Facebook handled the video and felt the shooting was “gruesome.” However, he does not think it is Facebook’s job to implement a censorship policy. “The thing about Facebook is anyone can post anything and anyone can watch it. I do feel like people have no right to tell people to stop posting—it’s a free website, you’re allowed to do what you want, but I would encourage people not to do something like [the shooting],” Akinwunmi said. Akinwunmi said he feels people enjoy the shock-value of watching violent content. “People are just looking to watch something like that, no matter if it is gruesome— I honestly just feel like violence has taken over the world and people just want to watch it. It’s scary, the way people enjoy [violence] so much,” Akinwunmi said. Lydia Mack, a freshman exercise science major, thinks the shooting was “inhumane”

ALLISON STAEBELL, THE SPECTRUM

(Top left), Emma Reidell, (middle) Akinsola Akinwunmi, (bottom) Spencer Diamond Students discuss Facebook’s handling of a shooting that occurred on the website’s live streaming feature on Sunday.

and “an act of pure evil.” “Facebook should change its policy and have at least some sort of censorship because anyone could be watching these horriﬁc things take place and it is traumatizing,” Mack said. email: maddy.fowler@ubspectrum.com

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FEATURES

Thursday, April 20, 2017

THE SPECTRUM

TROY WACHALA, THE SPECTRUM

For a limited time Starbucks’ Unicorn Frappuccino is available at participating stores. The drink changes color and goes from sweet to sour as you drink it.

Mythbusting the Unicorn Frappuccino Starbucks’ mythical drink becomes a reality for a limited time LINDSAY GILDER ASST. FEATURES EDITOR

One of the biggest statements of the season is the rainbow unicorn craze, appearing everywhere from clothes to hair to food and making an exceptionally prevalent appearance at this year’s Coachella festival. As of April 19, Starbucks officially released its limited time “Unicorn Frappucino” in stores across the U.S., Canada and some parts of Mexico. The Unicorn Frappuccino will be available in participating Starbucks stores until Sunday, April 23. The coffee chain describes the blended drink as “flavor-changing, color-changing, and totally not-made-up.” Starbucks describes the drink’s flavors as

“made with a sweet dusting of pink powder, blended into a crème Frappuccino with mango syrup and layered with a pleasantly sour blue drizzle.” What exactly “sour blue” tastes like is unknown, but the company says that it gives the drink a tart taste. The drink will allegedly change its flavor from sweet to tart the more you mix it, and is supposed to change its color from purple to pink as you sip. The Unicorn Frappuccino seems like something out of “Willy Wonka” in both its appearance and description, but the true wonder lies in its taste. Mingtian Zheng, a student pursuing her master’s degree in fine arts, confirmed Starbucks’ claims of the drink changing in color

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and ﬂavor, at ﬁrst seeming sweet and then changing to sour once she stirred. She said once she mixed the pink drink it changed to a purple color from the “sour blue.” Zheng bought the Frappucino with her friend because they wanted a good picture, not for the taste. Before even tasting the drink, she and her friend took pictures with their blended drinks for their Instagram pages. “I don’t drink coffee, but it looks like it will be too sweet, kind of like unicorn poop,” Zheng said with a laugh. After tasting the drink, she thought it wasn’t as sweet tasting as it looks, since the “sour blue” gives the drink more of a sour tang than a numbing sweetness. Despite the Unicorn Frappuccino’s tangy

taste, students agreed the drink makes for a good picture. The UB Commons Starbucks employees joked they were “creating magic” every time they had to make one. The drink makes for a great social media post, but might be too sweet for Starbucks’ adult audience. “I feel like this doesn’t really belong in Starbucks. It seems oriented towards kids, not towards your everyday coffee drinker,” said Sitara Babury, a sophomore business and psychology double major. “[The drink] seems like something you would find in a hipster cafe in New York City, not in a Starbucks in Buffalo.” Other students were more reluctant to buy the drink, as it looks unnatural in both its colors and flavors, and were concerned for their health. Stacey Menos, a sophomore psychology and biological sciences double major, was skeptical while purchasing the drink because of its bright colors. She thought it was “too good to be true.” “I feel like in 10 years there will be a report from Starbucks saying that it causes cancer,” Menos said. “I couldn’t get more than a tall. It’s just so sweet I can’t handle any more than that.” Despite the drink’s almost overwhelmingly sweet taste, it isn’t dramatically different from other Frappuccino’s on the menu. But as far as a treat for the day, it definitely puts a dent in your calorie count. The drink’s bright colors and flavors might look almost radioactive, but the only health risk lies in its sugar and calorie content. According to Starbucks’ website, a grande Unicorn Frappuccino has 410 calories and 59 grams of sugar. email: lindsay.gilder@ubspectrum.com

Thursday, April 20, 2017

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT MONSIEUR PERINÉ ROCKS THE CFA

THE SPECTRUM

COURTESY OF FLICKR USER LARS HUNG

Monsieur Periné, a Bogota-based group, performed at the Center for the Arts twice on Tuesday night. The group won the 2015 “Best New Artist” category at the Latin Grammy Awards.

Gypsy jazz, emotion and quirkiness combined MATTHEW IAN DOYLE ARTS STAFF WRITER

A fusion of gypsy jazz, Colombian melodies, swing and folk is unheard of, especially in the realm of modern pop music. Bogotá-based band Monsieur Periné perfects this absurd amalgamation of genres, making it simply another day on the job. Monsieur Periné performed two consecutive shows at the Center for the Arts on Tuesday night in its ﬁrst-ever Buffalo show. The band, which won the 2015 “Best New Artist” category at the Latin Grammys, is notable for its on-stage quirkiness along with its ability to communicate with the audience. The band mesmerized fans and newcomers alike with a fresh approach to jazz. The setup of the performance was notably unusual compared to most concerts held at the CFA. The Mainstage Theatre was transformed into a nightclub with a sea of tables, assorted sweets and a selection of beverages. Soon after the lights began to dim, bulbs ﬂashed and Monsieur Periné took center stage. Once the musicians started playing, rich music enveloped the venue and elicited happiness

in even the sullenest of people with the band’s quirky and funny approach to music. Joanna Ostroot, a Williamsville resident, has listened to Monsieur Periné for over a year. The band’s exposure through an NPR Tiny Desk concert quickly drew Ostroot to the unusual style of music. “Their music is so eclectic,” Ostroot said. “Their eclectic ability stems from how they fuse genres such as gypsy jazz, swing and even folk to create a new yet energetic sound. This is really different than what is heard on the radio today.” Monsieur Periné is composed of three core members. When performing live, they are an octet. The main group is comprised of Catalina García on vocals, Santiago Prieto on guitar, ﬂute and vocals and Nicolás Junca also on guitar. Performing with them this past Tuesday was Miguel Guerra on various percussion instruments, Adinda Meertins on the acoustic bass, Darwin Páez on the drums, Jairo Alfonso on both the saxophone and clarinet and Absin Caviedes on both the trombone and bugle. Monsieur Periné has been noted to have a fairly dedicated and large audience in Co-

BLUE FRIDAYS

lombia. Laura Gutiérrez, a senior art history and chemistry major, noted her family’s reaction once they heard that she had tickets. “Monsieur Periné attracts a big audience in Colombia,” said Gutiérrez. “My family was equally jealous of me and at the same time incredibly excited for me once they heard that I got tickets to see them perform.” Monsieur Periné’s music may not be comparable to popular acts of today, but through its live performances it is able provide something for everyone. The band is powered by the members’ incredible sense of rhythm, groove and celerity. For this reason, even pop music lovers can appreciate them. The group moved to every note, every beat and every sound changeup, showcasing their true quirkiness to the CFA. They danced on stage perfectly in tune with the music despite the music being technical and requiring a lot of concentration to master. The dancing was made up of many odd leg and head movements that complemented the music. Santiago Prieto’s guitar playing is groovy and riff-heavy. He’s capable of incorporat-

ing the sounds of Santana, Eric Johnson and Django Reinhardt into his repertoire. Faces in the audience turned from blank stares to jaw-drops once they experienced Prieto’s contribution to the gypsy jazz game, easily appealing to classic rock fans as well as jazz-heads. Miguel Guerra’s percussion prowess dominated Tuesday’s show. Every boom and bap of his congas shook the foundation of the CFA and were as precise as they were funky. Jairo Alfonso is just as clean as Kenny G and just as speedy as John Coltrane during his Giant Steps era on the saxophone and clarinet. His chill approach gave the show a relaxed vibe. Catalina García’s vocals radiated positive energy with poppy undertones. The band encouraged the audience members to get up on their feet and dance along to the music during their set. The show quickly turned into an all-out dance fest. Even those all on their lonesome got out of their seats and clapped their hands, bobbed their heads, moved their arms, kicked their legs and sang along to the music. This performance had earned many new fans such as Jacob Caldwell, a senior biomedical engineering major. “Their synergy is incredible,” Caldwell said. “The instruments combined with how they interact with the crowd through dance truly says a lot about their character and their passion. I am now going to ﬁnd everything they have put out and download it.” García presented Monsieur Periné’s mission statement at the end of the show. “Music is the one most powerful tools in existence,” García said. “Music can destroy walls, it can destroy all hate, can help us stand up to many injustices and, most of all, music can give us security when we need it the most.” Monsieur Periné makes the most out of its music by showing true emotion, dance, funky grooves and most importantly, by being able to connect with fans in engaging ways. email: arts@ubspectrum.com

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Thursday, April 20, 2017

THE SPECTRUM

UB Spring Fest playlist Music to prepare for the big night

like holding up a lighter and swaying from side to side. Of course that won’t be happening inside Alumni Arena, but it will still be one of the show’s highlights. The music video is the second most viewed YouTube video of all time, so it’s rare to ﬁnd someone who doesn’t know the song. “See You Again” serves as a reminder that Khalifa’s set should be an exciting one.

BRENTON J. BLANCHET ASST. ARTS EDITOR

Opinions may vary on this year’s Spring Fest lineup, but the only way to really know what to expect is to listen for yourself. Before the lights go down in Alumni Arena on April 28, it’s best to know the lyrics instead of pretending to. This playlist is a good start.

Zara Larsson feat. Ty Dolla $ign – “So Good” This title track off Larsson’s debut album isn’t just super catchy, but it’s also a clear indication that her performance will be one to keep an eye on. The up-and-coming pop star has a unique voice that shines in the track along with its luring melody. The song features a verse from Ty Dolla $ign, whose voice matches well with Larsson’s.

Wiz Khalifa feat. Travis Scott – “Bake Sale” Spring Fest’s headliner has been in the game for quite some time. Khalifa has switched up his style a few times in nearly seven years of fame. His most recent record, Khalifa, still has heavy references to smoking, but the rapper incorporates those themes in a more modern sense. “Bake Sale” features a hook from 2016 Fall Fest headliner Travis Scott and serves as one of the high points of the album. Even though learning lyrics in a short span of time is a hassle, it won’t be too difﬁcult screaming “hell yeah” every now and then.

Zara Larsson – “I Would Like” “I Would Like” is a lesser known cut off So Good, but don’t be surprised if it becomes Larsson’s next big hit. The chorus is one that can be memorized in minutes and when the beat ﬁnally drops, it’s infectious. The bridge itself is one to remember and there isn’t a part of this song that’s not appealing. After listening to this track, I’m conﬁdent many students “would like to get to know” Larsson themselves.

Wiz Khalifa – “Black and Yellow” Khalifa’s rise to fame was instantaneous in 2010. He dropped “Black and Yellow” and the man’s music was unavoidable. This Pittsburgh anthem will most likely be the hype song of the night. It’s repetitive, catchy and will undoubtedly get the crowd going. “Black and Yellow” is getting to the age where it serves a nostalgia factor for Khalifa’s shows as well. Whatever Khalifa has planned for his set, “Black and Yellow” will be in there somewhere.

Zara Larsson – “Ain’t My Fault” “Ain’t My Fault” is a huge hit for Larsson. It helped her gain recognition as an artist, not just as a feature on EDM tracks. The track has one of the most memorable beats in Larsson’s songbook. It’s complimented by percussion that’ll be easy for students to clap along with. Larsson’s name may not be recognizable to everyone but with the amount of airplay that this tune has received, those in atten-

Wiz Khalfia feat. Charlie Puth – “See You Again” Many of us have heard enough of this song, but there’s no doubting that it’s memorable. When this tune comes on, you feel

COURTESY OF EPIC RECORDS

Zara Larsson is just one of this year’s Spring Fest performers. The singer recently released her second full-length album So Good in March.

dance should be able sing along.

Hippie Sabotage – “Able to See Me” This Californian EDM duo has a very chill sound. The beat drops aren’t too elaborate, so there won’t be any hardcore head banging during their set – but it should keep students’ attention. The song is, nonetheless, a solid example of Hippie Sabotage’s sound. It features a repeated high-pitched vocal sample, which meshes well with the relaxed feel that it shoots for. It’s something that could be played in a club, but not to get the crowd going. The duo doesn’t have too many “hype” songs, but as an opener they should do a ﬁne job of setting the mood for the night.

Hippie Sabotage – “That video where they choke out the security guard” Like many other UB students, I had no idea who Hippie Sabotage was before they were announced for Spring Fest. Through some intensive research, I now know a little too much. Hippie Sabotage got into an altercation last year with security after their set at Portland’s What The Festival. The duo was asked to leave the stage and they refused to do so. This refusal led to a group member jumping on top of a security guard and putting him in a chokehold backstage. It was quite the performance, matching passion with showmanship. This video clip may not be a track off the group’s latest album, but it should boost ticket reservations for Spring Fest. email: arts@ubspectrum.com

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Thursday, April 20, 2017

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THE SPECTRUM

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SPORTS

Thursday, April 20, 2017

THE SPECTRUM

‘We talkin’ about practice’ UB club sport presidents and SA representative discuss scheduling issues for club sports THOMAS ZAFONTE CO-SENIOR SPORTS EDITOR

If a team wants to improve, it needs to practice. If a team is to stay competitive and improve its in-game experiences, practice is the time to do it. But practice is something many on campus club sports teams don’t get enough of, and it isn’t from a lack of trying. Club sports teams have been struggling to reserve the space they need to meet their practice schedule over the past few spring and winter seasons. Through trying to reserve practice space via the Student Association, many teams are often left wondering which of their practices will fall through. “We try to practice four times a week but we can get screwed on space at the last second, and then you have no practice,” said men’s club rugby president Jake Oppenheim. “Every day before practice I have to call the sports coordinator or I have to call Alumni just to make sure there is nothing [else] there.” Oppenheim, a senior mathematics major, recalls a time when he and his team wanted to practice in Alumni after a visiting team was done practicing, but were told they could not practice because the gym had to be “kept silent.” This type of situation has become a norm for SA’s club sports council coordinator Jane Truesdell, who is in charge of reserving the space through athletics. “There are a lot of problems that I have to go through regularly from facilities barely being made available, to teams unable to practice half the time,” Truesdell said. Truesdell’s main responsibility is to work through athletics to reserve practice space for club teams. The whole situation has been a logistical puzzle, which has caused Truesdell far more stress than she ever wanted in her three years in the position. This year, most of the time and space made available to Truesdell has only been at Kunz Stadium. “It is just impossible. This has literally been my battle for the past three years,” Truesdell said. “What’s really bad about it is how serious a lot of these teams are. The men’s lacrosse team has been playing for 40

days straight now trying to make the most of the time and space they have.” There are 37 clubs that Truesdell has to schedule and with an inﬂux of teams practicing in the spring, space is very limited. It’s only become worse as many of the preferred practice spaces on campus are either reserved for the school teams or restricted from the club teams. It is a situation that can be detrimental to a team’s performance and longevity. “If we had more solid practice time and space, girls would come all the time. They don’t have as much of a motivation to practice when it’s in a small gym indoors,” said women’s club lacrosse president Jacklyn Deniston. “My biggest struggle as president is to get girls to join the team when there really isn’t much to show for it.” Deniston, a senior social sciences major, strives for the team to have four practices a week, but often ends up only having two. Truesdell herself is a member of the women’s lacrosse club team, so her understanding comes from the perspective of both an administrator and player. “Being on the team, if anything, makes me more inclined to give practice space to another team because I know we don’t need that much space and [I know] who needs the time more,” Truesdell said. The booking problem isn’t exclusive to

spring either, as the winter season causes many issues of its own. If conditions don’t allow outside practice, teams are forced to practice in Alumni Arena. This makes it harder to get practice time as Alumni is reserved for both basketball teams throughout the winter and isn’t an adequate space for many of the sports practices. For teams in the fall, many of these issues don’t arise as practice space for the teams playing both club and school sports don’t overlap as much. “It is really easy for us to get the space and time we need in the fall,” said women’s club ﬁeld hockey president Danielle Enersen. “Every year we all know it’s going to be 4-6 in the fall, which lets us plan our school schedule around it and makes it easier for the whole team.” Enersen, a junior nursing major, feels that having such a concrete schedule has allowed the team to play better and become closer. All three club presidents agree that Truesdell tries to get all the teams the practice space they need but her current situation makes it hard. The presidents also feel that many clubs outside of theirs have it just as bad – if not worse – than they do, citing the scheduling troubles they have experienced as proof. Truesdell doesn’t see the scheduling getting any better even though four athletic

THOMAS ZAFONTE, THE SPECTRUM

Senior sprinter Tyra Forbes holds two program records. Her mental approach to the sport has brought her to new heights.

Mind over matter UB sprinter Tyra Forbes looks to bring together the physical and mental aspects of the sport JEREMY TORRES

Tyra Forbes came to UB at 17-years-old and competed with athletes four or ﬁve years older than her. Competing against older athletes helped her realized that she needed to work on the mental aspect of track and ﬁeld. Tyra Forbes thought she knew what was best for herself starting out at UB, but she lacked trust in others, including her coaches. Forbes, a senior sprinter and long jumper, experienced mental limitations through comparing herself to others, but once she came

email: thomas.zafonte@ubspectrum.com

The men’s Rugby team and the women’s lacrosse team practicing. Both teams have dealt with field scheduling problems in the winter and spring.

COURTESY OF UB ATHLETICS

ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

teams were recently cut. “It has absolutely no effect. It blows my mind that people think just because there are less varsity sports there is going to be more time,” Truesdell said. “I love varsity athletes and sports but there is absolutely zero correlation. Athletics will still give them the same time and space.” Oppenheim sees an easy solution to this issue. “The fields next to UB stadium are supposed to be the rugby fields but we aren’t allowed to use those,” Oppenheim said. “Now, we’re a rugby team who won’t be able to practice on the right field for probably the whole season.” The fields next to UB Stadium are restricted from the clubs, as athletics wants to keep the fields preserved for the school teams to practice on. UB Athletics has to approve the fields each year so they can be available to the clubs. The Spectrum approached the Athletic department’s Assistant Director of Intramural Sports and Programs Christopher McClure about the topic on Tuesday, but he was unable to respond to the questions in time for print. The fields have not yet been approved for the year. This gives Truesdell less space to use when coordinating practice schedules. “Each year athletics has to approve the fields to be used by club teams and this year they have not done it, and with four weeks left, they are probably not going to,” Truesdell said.

to UB, she began to let her guard down. Forbes holds two program records in the 100-meter and 4x200 meter relay. Forbes, an Ajax, Ontario native also has aspirations of making the Canadian National Team. “When I ﬁrst got here I was still in my high school mindset, where it’s like, ‘I know what I need to do and I don’t really need to listen to other people,’” Forbes said. “When I got here I realized everything was different… I realized I can put my trust in the strength coaches and my sprints coach and my jumps coach. It really helped me.” For an athlete to compete at the highest level, it takes not only having the physical

tools and work ethic to reach the top – it is also a mindset. To be the best, one must conquer any mental limitations he or she places on herself. “Track is 90 percent mental, you have to trust yourself that you put in enough at practices,” Forbes said. “We kill ourselves every practice, we are there physically. But, it is the mental part that plays a huge role because if you get on the line saying, ‘oh no this girl is fast she is going to beat me,’ then you’ve already taken yourself out of the race.” Charone Williams, UB Track and Field’s assistant coach has served as an inspiration for Forbes in overcoming her mental limitations. He’s also helped to expand her knowledge of the sport. “Knowledge is power,” Williams said. “Immense power, and those who are most successful at this sport have a vast stronghold of knowledge of their event.” Williams is new to the coaching staff but Forbes has been willing to trust him. He changed the sprinters’ practice style to reﬂect his mental approach to the sport. The previous coach focused on maximum reps but not maximum effort. Williams’ coaching philosophy is runners need to run as hard during practice as they would in a meet. To better simulate real races, Williams has the sprinters focus on fewer reps that use their maximum effort.

“That [practice style] helped players understand that in order for us to achieve a goal or for our bodies to do something, it has to already have seen it, felt it,” Williams said. “It is very rare that our body performs a miracle in this physical universe that we occupy. So we have to have felt full speed, 30 meters, full speed 60, 120, 150...that way when you call on [your body] to perform at high levels, it can do that.” Forbes’ growing willingness to buy into Williams’ philosophy has helped her become a team leader. Williams describes Forbes as being a role model for others. The people around Forbes believe there is no true limit for her potential if she keeps competing and working to improve herself. Forbes is looking to take that potential to the Canadian National Team in the long jump and 100-meter dash. “I’ve been trying to make a national team for all of my college years,” Forbes said. “I feel like that would literally be a dream come true.” To qualify for the Canadian National Team, Forbes needs to jump 6 meters, 10 centimeters; she is currently jumping ﬁve meters, 90 centimeters. To qualify for the 100-meter dash, Forbes has already reached her goal of a sub 11.9 time in the 2014-2015 season, running 11.83 seconds, but she has to run it this year to qualify. Now, the pressure is at new heights. She will have until April 30 to achieve a qualifying jump distance and sprint time to be invited to the Canadian Nationals. email: sports@ubspectrum.com