The Spectrum Vol. 68 No. 22 by The Spectrum Student Periodical

THE SPECTRUM VOL. 68 NO. 22 | NOVEMBER 15, 2018

THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT PUBLICATION OF THE UNIVERSITY AT BUFFALO, SINCE 1950

UBSPECTRUM

Bringing blood to brushes: NOV. 15, 1972 - The approval of the Student Assembly athletic budget, following “long delays.” The budget was approved for $246,000, a $20,000 increase from 1971. The budget also made changes for the ﬁrst year of Title IX, put in place in June of 1972. Title IX is the civil rights law that requires universities to have equal opportunities, scholarship money and treatment for men’s and women’s sports. UB today has nine women’s and seven men’s Division> ISEE teams. Athletics’ 2018 PAGE budget is roughly $35.9 million.

The luckiest fan in college basketball:

Joshua Diamond’s journey through self expression and education > SEE>PAGE SEE PAGE 6

>>SEE SEEPAGE PAGE8

Putnam’s is named after UB Remembering Ajay Singh founder who had racist views Colleagues and students mourn loss of late researcher

“

I don’t fault the university, per se, but I think they should be a little bit more careful in the future and it is a good idea to educate people on what these [founders] have done, on their accomplishments and their disadvantages.” — Joshua Ideva,

junior chemical engineering major

COURTESY OF CHANG - KEUN LIM Colleagues and students remember researcher Ajay Singh who unexpectedly died on Oct. 20.

THE SPECTRUM STOCK James O. Putnam’s name dons Putnam’s Marketplace Eatery. The popular food court shares the name of Putnam Way, which was named after Putnam in 1973, according to UB Spokesperson Cory Nealon.

UB says it recognizes James O. Putnam ‘strictly’ for role at university BENJAMIN BLANCHET SENIOR FEATURES EDITOR

Students eat at Putnam’s Marketplace Eatery in the Student Union and travel down Putnam Way. But they may not know about James O. Putnam, who believed black people were an “inferior race” and introduced anti-Catholic legislation. Putnam served as a New York state senator after helping to found UB in 1846 and while serving on the university council. Putnam later became UB chancellor in 1895. He used his political platform to discuss slavery, an issue he flip-flopped on, as did

many during his day. And his speeches reveal his complex views on race and religion. He called white people a “superior race” and also showed sympathy toward slaves. He passed anti-Catholic legislation, but had compassion for Roman Catholic believers. A Spectrum investigation also uncovered that Putnam may have tried to reshape his legacy. Either he or his publishers edited out pro-slavery comments Putnam made in the 1850s for a book of his speeches printed in the 1880s. While his views on slavery may have shifted, his sense of black people’s worth was clear. In an 1860 speech, Putnam said, “In the midst of the white race, he is an inferior in every relation, bond or free, the slave of > SEE PUTNAM| PAGE 5

MAX KALNITZ SENIOR NEWS EDITOR

If you ask Ajay Singh’s colleagues about their fondest memory of the researcher, his infectious smile, delicious Indian cooking and adventurous spirit are the first things that come to mind. Colleagues said the 32-year-old research associate enjoyed spending time with his wife and daughter, who recently turned one year old. Colleagues described him as a calm, funny family man who was passionate about his research.Singh was involved in high-level research at UB, but never hesitated to step away from his work to help a student or make time to get ice cream with a colleague. His students and colleagues believe this easygoing yet hard-working spirit embodied Singh, who died on Oct. 20 choking on food > SEE AJAY SINGH| PAGE 2

Bulls fall short against Ohio Bobcats roll past the Bulls 52-17 NATHANIEL MENDELSON SPORTS EDITOR

Ohio prevented Buffalo from becoming MAC East champions for the first time since 2008. The Bulls football team had the opportunity to clinch the Mid-American Conference East title on Wednesday night. With a loss, the Ohio Bobcats (7-4, 5-2 MAC) would be eliminated from winning the MAC East title. But the Bulls lost. The Bobcats outperformed Buffalo (92, 6-1 MAC) in every area and demolished the Bulls 52-17. Junior quarterback Nathan Rourke and senior running back A.J. Ouellette led Ohio’s offense. “It’s on me,” head coach Lance Leipold said. “We were thoroughly out-coached, completely out-played, disappointing. That’s a good football team, we’ve been saying it all along, but we did not play well in any area.” On third down and two, junior quarterback Tyree Jackson launched the ball 48 yards downfield to senior wide receiver Anthony Johnson. The Bulls seemed to pick up where they left off in last week’s victory against Kent State. Buffalo went 75 yards in seven plays to open the game and scored. It was the only lead they had all night. The Buffalo defense, ranked No. 1 in the MAC before the game, had its worst performance of the season. The Bulls allowed 646 yards of total offense, with 437 being

in rushing. The Bull’s couldn’t stop Ohio’s dominant offense. Buffalo only forced one punt, leading to over 43 minutes of possession time for the Bobcats. “I’m afraid to look when we grade the film how many missed tackles we had,” Leipold said. Senior linebacker Khalil Hodge was able to force a turnover and intercept one of Rourke’s passes, but on the return he fumbled and Ohio recovered the ball. Buffalo lost its momentum and never recovered, according to Leipold. Jackson completed a 25-yard pass to junior wide receiver K. J. Osborn but was called back from an ineligible downfield penalty. It was Osborn’s only catch of the night and Jackson threw an interception just two plays later. Jackson did find success on the ground. He broke off a 55-yard run that would have put Buffalo on the 3-yard line. But, Jackson fumbled. It was the Bulls’ third-straight possession ending with turnover. Buffalo still has a chance to win the MAC East Division when they face the 2-8 Bowling Green Falcons on Nov. 23. “In game number 12 of the year, you have to find what’s left in the tank if you want to play for a conference championship,” Leipold said. “Obviously we didn’t play like a team like that tonight. We have to bounce back.” email: nathaniel.mendelson@ubspectrum.com twitter: @NateMendelson

SHUBH JAIN | THE SPECTRUM Peter Diamandis was the second speaker at UB’s 32nd Annual Distinguished Speakers Series. His speech highlighted artificial intelligence, human longevity and creating abundance for our future.

XPRIZE founder Peter The Spectrum’s interview with Diamandis looks to the future during UB Peter Diamandis address XPRIZE founder discusses Diamandis talks digital advancements at UB’s 32nd Annual Distinguished Speakers Series

his companies, biggest setbacks and the media

JACKLYN WALTERS

Businessman and innovator Peter Diamandis has founded over 22 companies, is a New York Times bestseller and teaches Silicon Valley technology innovation at Singularity University –– which he co-founded. Diamandis sat down with The Spectrum for an exclusive interview Wednesday afternoon ahead of his lecture at the Center for the Arts as part of UB’s 32nd Annual Distinguished Speaker Series. In between taking breaks to sign books and

ASST. NEWS EDITOR

Peter Diamandis predicts the future won’t include cars, rather spaceships and artificial intelligence. Robot servants will be a part of everyday life, allowing humans to focus more on their passions, according to Diamandis. And with new technology, Diamandis said humans will be able to live comfortably over 100 years. > SEE PETER DIAMANDIS| PAGE 4

JACKLYN WALTERS ASST. NEWS EDITOR

> SEE INTERVIEW| PAGE 6

NEWS

2 | Thursday, November 15, 2018

ubspectrum.com

a smile. I know he’ll be missed by many.” Prasad said after Singh passed, his family came to the U.S. to retrieve his body and returned to India where he was later cremated. The ILPB held a small memorial on Oct. 22, and Prasad showed Singh’s picture at his conference in India to more then 300 researchers who mourned his death. Singh’s recent research focused on new approaches to detect Alzheimer’s and glioblastoma in their early stages. Prasad said Singh’s work would have had a “large societal impact” and positively affected the Buffalo medical community. “Ajay was a very valuable [colleague],” Prasad said. “He was working on some very exciting high-impact research. And that’s a big setback. I mean, first of all, it’s a tragic loss for all of us here who have interacted with him. He was involved in some key research that is now stuck without him.” Chang-Keun Lim, a research associate at the ILPB, knew Singh for over eight years, as they completed the same Ph.D. program in South Korea before coming to UB. Lim and Singh shared a mutual love of food and they would go out to lunch together every Friday. Lim said they enjoyed one final meal at a local Korean restaurant the day before Singh died. He reminisced about Singh’s love for cooking and said it was so good that Singh

would cook instead of ordering catered food at lab parties. “He was an amazing cook, his chicken curry was the best Indian food I’ve had in my entire life,” Lim said. “We always enjoyed getting Chinese, Korean and Indian food. I think a lot of Indian people don’t like food besides Indian food, but Ajay was adventurous, we went to a lot of restaurants together. I’ll miss that.” Students who worked with Singh describe him as “bright light” who helped them through some of the hardest times of their Ph.D. programs. Students said they planned on teaching Singh how to drive. He lived close to campus and walked to school every day because he enjoyed the exercise. Julia Bulmahn, a medicinal chemistry Ph.D. student, said she could always turn to Singh if she had any issues with her research. In an environment that she described to be “intimidating” and “stressful” at times, she said Singh was always there to brighten up her day and help her with her work. “Ajay was probably the most helpful person that we had in our [department],” Bulmahn said. “It was always so nice to go and ask him questions because regardless of what it was, he was smiling and he didn’t make you feel inferior or like your question was stupid. He was never negative or made

me feel like I was wrong for asking for help. He was really one of the nicest people I’ve ever known.” Bulmahn said she drove Singh downtown to the Clinical and Translational Research Center the day before he died. On the drive down, they talked about how excited he was for his daughter’s first birthday. “His daughter turned one a few days after he passed. It’s so sad he couldn’t see her on her birthday,” Bulmahn said. “He was just always talking about how excited he was to see his family again, to go back to India and about his future. There’s really just no words.” Olivia Geneus a physical chemistry Ph.D. student, said she’ll miss visiting Singh in his office. She and other students regularly dropped by to chat about life or get help on research. “It’s just so strange that when we have a question we can’t say ‘Oh, let’s go ask Ajay downstairs’ anymore,” Geneus said. “We went to his office at least once a week … maybe more like once a day. It was just so shocking. It’s just not going to be the same around here.”

Comic book legend Stan Lee dies at 95

missed as a creator, innovator and most importantly, a genuine, caring and respectful human being.” Lee helped produce the Marvel Cinematic Universe film canon and made cameos in nearly of the canon’s movies. In 2009, Disney announced a deal to acquire Marvel Entertainment for $4.28 billion, and Marvel’s films have grossed over $12.2 billion in total, an average of roughly $231 million per film, according to boxofficemojo.com. Lee is also considered one of the most significant figures within the comic book community, with his work on some of the most successful film franchises of all time. Richard Deverell, a Ph.D. candidate in the history department, has a focus on cultural history. He studied Lee’s papers for his dissertation at the University of Wyoming’s American Heritage Center. Deverell, in an email, wrote that Lee is an example of what someone can do on behalf of “artistic freedom in a corporate culture.” “Having spent two weeks researching with

his papers for my dissertation made him seem all the more present to me, so that the timing of his death felt sudden, his age and health not withstanding,” Deverell wrote. “I will be forever grateful to him for the legacy he left in comic books and for how his work influences my studies and professional life.” Eric Pritchard, an English professor and avid comic fan, spoke about Lee’s significance to his own life. “Stan Lee’s presence will be felt every time someone opens the pages of a Marvel comic book forever,” Pritchard said. “This is a very solemn time for comic book fans everywhere. It was comic books –– including many of those created and published by Lee’s Marvel –– that affirmed my early belief in the potential within all of us to be heroes, and that the very best world for all of us to reside in is still possible.”

FROM PAGE 1

AJAY SINGH at his desk. Singh came to the university in 2016 from India to work in the Institute for Lasers, Photonics and Biophotonics, studying organic synthesis, nanomedicine, drug delivery, photoacoustic imaging and molecular imaging. Singh was also published widely in top-tier scientific journals, was an editor for two respected journals and had several patent applications. Many colleagues and students were shocked at the news of his death and remember him as a kind soul who was vital to research in the ILPB. Paras Prasad, a SUNY distinguished professor of chemistry and executive director of the ILPB, talked to Singh the day before he died. Prasad said he and Singh were supposed to meet on Oct. 20 to discuss an upcoming trip to India for a research conference. While Prasad drove to campus to meet Singh, a college called him told said they found Singh unresponsive at his desk. Prasad said he was devastated by the news. “He was the sweetest person: very easygoing, very calm. It’s a horrible loss,” Prasad said. “He was easy to work with and really helpful to youngsters. He was always available and eager to help his students with

UB community shares thoughts on Lee’s ‘super’ legacy SAMANTHA VARGAS ASST. ARTS EDITOR

Renowned graphic artist Stan Lee –– a “superhero” in his craft –– died at 95 years old. Lee died in the hospital on Monday after becoming ill, as first reported by TMZ. Lee founded the world famous Marvel Comics alongside Jack Kirby in 1961. He went on to create popular characters such as SpiderMan, Black Panther, The Hulk, Thor and Iron Man. Comic book and film fans quickly took to social media to express their grief and speak about his legacy. Many UB community members are also hurt by the loss of a treasure to the comic community. Jeremy Kazimer, a junior physics major and president of the UB Comics Club, said Lee was

COURTESY OF GAGE SKIDMORE Stan Lee, acclaimed chairman of Marvel Comics, died at 95. Marvel fans look back on his legacy and contributions to the genre.

an icon and a titan of his time. “Not only had he pioneered the success and longevity of Marvel, but his contributions to the comic industry are strikingly apparent,” Kazimer said. “With his aid, comics became an accepted and popular medium, one with flawed yet deeply relatable characters. He will be greatly

email: max.kalnitz@ubspectrum.com twitter: @Max_Kalnitz

email: Samantha.Vargas@ubspectrum.com

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OPINION

ubspectrum.com

THE SPECTRUM Thursday, November 15, 2018 Volume 68 Number 22 Circulation: 4,000

Thursday, November 15, 2018 | 3

CNN’s White House lawsuit is crucial, but shouldn’t overshadow other stories EDITORIAL BOARD

announced it was suspending his hard pass credential “until further notice.” The move is a part of an ongoing battle with media outlets and journalists to get answers from Trump, who disagrees with “unfair” coverage of both his actions almost daily. Trump and journalists regularly spar on an array of topics and the exchange with the Acosta at first appeared no different. But this is a new low. CNN announced it was filing a lawsuit on Tuesday against White House officials and Trump and called for the restoration of Acosta’s press credential. It is crucial that CNN is pushing back against the misuse of executive power and the violation of Acosta’s first amendment rights. The revocation of Acosta’s press pass is a clear breach of a journalist’s rights, and our president should be able to handle any form of question that comes his way. And with this new precedent, Trump could kick out more journalists and continue to handpick who he wants to ask him questions. We don’t want watered-down

questions and we don’t want watered down answers. We think our president handles these press conferences poorly and this is a result of both the conference format and Trump’s temperament. When we interview UB President Satish Tripathi, he does not ask for questions in advance, and he doesn’t get to decide which direction the interview should go for us. He gives us our time to elaborate and ask our questions, and we give him room to answer. Sometimes these exchanges do become tense, but that’s part of what journalism demands. We have never felt afraid to do our jobs. But Tripathi is not the U.S. president. The cut-throat nature of getting one’s voice heard in the White House often turns into a screaming match, where Trump and journalists spar over the day’s headlines. These conferences need time limits for journalists to ask questions, and assigned times to speak for both Trump and the journalists. Trump picking and choosing his favorite publications and journalists to ask him questions will never al-

low him to be challenged. Acosta knew the nature of the game and wouldn’t Trump get away with not answering. Trump’s response was no surprise. He could’ve just said “no comment,” but instead decided to belittle the Acosta and those who came to his defense. Acosta should have known pushing Trump on topics he is known to dodge would only create a displeasing - if not incendiary - response, but our president still has no right to ban journalists from the press room. CNN suing the administration is huge, yet it seems we forget about one headline in favor of another from one moment to the next. The news comes at a time of ongoing turmoil and headlines, from the California wildfires, Trump’s response to the Caravan at the U.S.Mexican border and ongoing midterm election results. There are other things going on in our country that deserve our attention, but when journalists can’t even ask the president about them, it’s a crisis.

SPORTS EDITORS Thomas Zafonte, Senior Nathaniel Mendelson

President Donald Trump is a media bully. We’re two years into his presidency and he’s labeled us “the enemy of the American people,” a label used by dictators or totalitarian leaders to create distrust and disinformation. Trump’s rhetoric isn’t that of the usual president. At a Nov. 7 press conference, CNN’s Chief White House Correspondent Jim Acosta asked Trump about his use of the word “invasion” when referring to the immigrant caravan hundreds of miles away. The exchange grew fiery when Trump attempted to move on from Acosta, who refused to hand the microphone back to an intern who grabbed it from his hand, video footage shows. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, White House Press Secretary, even tweeted a video of what happened at the conference, but sped up the footage makes Acosta seem like he was being physical with the intern. Later that day, the White House

MULTIMEDIA EDITORS Shubh Jain, Senior Jack Li Pranav Kadam, Asst. Wayne Penales, Asst.

Fall Fest Concert Series wasn’t a failure

EDITORIAL BOARD EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Hannah Stein MANAGING EDITOR Brenton J. Blanchet CREATIVE DIRECTORS Phuong Vu Anh Phuong Tran, Asst. COPY EDITORS Savanna Caldwell Cassi Enderle Lauryn King NEWS EDITORS Max Kalnitz, Senior Jacklyn Walters, Asst. FEATURES EDITORS Benjamin Blanchet, Senior Kirsten Dean Tanveen Vohra, Asst. Abhi Wagh, Asst. ARTS EDITORS Brian Evans, Senior Samantha Vargas, Asst.

CARTOONISTS Ardi Digap Taj Taylor

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An unpopular opinion from the king of unpopular opinions

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ABOUT THE SPECTRUM The views expressed – both written and graphic – in the Opinion section of The Spectrum do not necessarily reflect the views of the editorial board. Submit contributions for these pages to The Spectrum office at Suite 132 Student Union or news@ ubspectrum.com. The Spectrum reserves the right to edit these pieces for style and length. If a letter is not meant for publication, please mark it as such. All submissions must include the author’s name, daytime phone number, and email address.

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BRENTON J. BLANCHET MANAGING EDITOR

Two years ago and just one week into my college career, I was taking elbows to the face on the floor of Alumni Arena. I could barely stand up, my nowregrettable oversized T-shirt was drenched in sweat and I was about three songs away from evaporating from dehydration. I couldn’t believe that Travis Scott was standing right in front of me, orchestrating a massive mosh pit on the same campus I just moved into. It was a dream for a

music fan and an unforgettable experience for a future music writer. But no Student Association festival has since lived up. I haven’t felt inspired, moved or even excited by a single SA fest since 2016 – with the exception of Daniel Caesar opening last year’s Spring Fest. This all changed Saturday. Saturday marked the final show of SA’s Fall Fest Concert Series practice run. Many students dismissed the shows for its lineup of former chart-toppers and predicted it to be a failure after SA announced the new three-show series on Twitter. Those predictions weren’t totally wrong. Attendance didn’t even reach 800 people for the 1,700-seated Center for the Arts at any of the three shows, and the rock-based show only caught the attention of 400 students. But doubters were wrong about one thing: the format has potential. Saturday showed it, and the rush into the venue was enough to prove it. Once SA staff opened doors, we all rushed in, sprinting to the front of the venue and avoided knocking over CFA employees who attempted to moderate the situation. I’ve never seen this at a UB event before. When the show finally started and 700 students filled up the low-

er section of the venue, audience members sang along to Queen Naija’s entire set, riff for riff, word for word; something that is unprecedented in a UB fest opening act. Then Tinashe’s choreography, vocals and overall charm took me completely out of my element. I was more of a fan than a journalist for the first time in a while. I couldn’t find anything to critique. I was on a cloud and sang along to every single song she threw at us. I didn’t even stay for the entirety of the fest. I stayed for the set I cared about and left. This made me think. SA’s fests are meant to attract as many students as possible, even this whole genre and format switch-up had the same purpose. But just like the club’s other events, it should be putting on shows for the students who actually care. And the truth is, despite the students that laughed about it and questioned SA’s judgment, a lot of students care. SA just has to find the rest of them. The students at Saturday’s show were invested and enjoying themselves more than I’ve seen in recent history. SA needs to catch the attention of those students, and the organization may have just hit the mark on Saturday. But there’s still two issues in the

email: opinion@uspectrum.com

three-show format: location and talent. The Center for the Arts is not meant for general admission concerts. I felt cramped and restricted at my seat when I would’ve rather been squeezed into a general admission pit and tossed around a bit. These shows would attract much larger numbers outside or in a different general admission venue if Alumni Arena isn’t economically feasible. And if American Authors, Ashanti or Vince Staples can’t attract students, maybe more promising small acts can. Maybe we can score Gretta Van Fleet, Carly Rae Jepsen or Anderson .Paak. Maybe we can book HAIM, Blood Orange or Pusha-T. The artists are out there to bring more students in, SA just has to find the ones that students care about. I don’t see this semester’s Fall Fest format as a failure. SA tried something new and now sees its potential. I know we’ll never get Travis Scott again, but once SA can hit the mark on talent and location, this format might just be a winner. And by talent, yes, I mean Carly Rae Jepsen. email: Brenton.Blanchet@ubspectrum.com twitter: @BrentBlanchSpec

4 | Thursday, November 15, 2018

FEATURES

UB community members undecided on university’s commitment to international students Inclusion and Engagement panel reveals developments and challenges to international community TANVEEN VOHRA ASST. FEATURES EDITOR

Daae Jung said she believes international students should demand a refund from UB. “I mean what are [international students] getting, other than this really traumatizing experience of isolation and even humiliation,” Jung, a graduate student in the English department, asked. Jung joined roughly 25 others on Monday to discuss UB’s commitment to international students. Community members held an “Inclusion and Engagement of International Students in the Global Liberal Arts” panel at 120 Clemens Hall. The panel included John J. Wood, interim vice provost for international education, and four international students. Peter Biehl, associate dean of international education and enrollment, moderated the discussion. Biehl also chaired UB’s international inclusion and engagement task force, which made recommendations to improve UB’s international community involvement in 2016. Graduate students offered different perspectives about the university’s engagement with international students. Although one student, Tanvir Amit, spoke at length about his “welcoming” and “friendly” experience at UB, other students said UB hasn’t adequately supported international students. Graduate students on the panel, such as Zena Toh and Nofisat Olajumoke-Adekunle, said they initially felt discouraged by UB’s efforts. They said they wanted to quit their programs. “At the end of my first semester, I felt FROM PAGE 1

PETER DIAMANDIS Diamandis’ lecture at the Center for the Arts on Wednesday night was part of UB’s 32nd Annual Distinguished Speakers Series. Although his address was targeted to a primarily older audience, his lecture highlighted developing technologies, such as artificial intelligence, human longevity and projections for creating an abundance of resources in the next decade. Diamandis offered his knowledge, followed by jabs of humor to the crowd of approximately 1,000 people. He opened his speech by thanking UB for inviting him. “Thank you for this chance to share what I’m passionate about, what I love in life and to perhaps give you a vision of the future that isn’t what you get on CNN or Fox News,” he said. “And if you thought things were moving fast, hold on, they’re about to get a lot faster.” Diamandis’ presentation, titled “The Power and Implications of Exponential Change,” emphasized that although the future is full of the unknown and is rapidly approaching, it will be “extraordinary.” One innovation that ensures this, according to Diamandis, is artificial intelligence. He said Google’s CEO

TANVEEN VOHRA | THE SPECTRUM Nofisat Olajumoke-Adekunle shared her experiences as an international student at the panel luncheon on Monday.

NEWS DESK

11/81:16 a.m.: University Police received a call regarding a suspicious person in Silverman Library. UPD made an arrest and filed a report. 5:39 p.m.: A caller requested assistance with their vehicle on White Road in Governors B parking lot. UPD provided assistance. 11/911:40 a.m.: A caller notified UPD

fessors who teach 17th century England, and none who focus on non-colonial African languages, Russia and Southeast Asia. Wood said curriculum changes are left to the discretion of UB’s individual schools and departments, but he supported the move toward more internationally focused curriculums. Luis Colón, a panelist and chemistry professor, said the curriculum’s lack of representation is a nationwide problem. He said the underlying problem is funding and UB is doing the best it can. Hakala interjected Colón’s response, and said other schools have more internationallyfocused curriculums such as SUNY Binghamton and SUNY Stony Brook. Hakala responded to Colón’s claims and said international students pay UB roughly triple the fees that domestic students pay. Later in the event, Olajumoke-Adekunle spoke about funding and claimed, as an international student, she pays close to $100,000 to go to UB. She said she didn’t understand why there aren’t more resources available to international students. Dimitri Anastasopoulos, panelist and English professor, asked panelists about incorporating international English and literature courses in UB composition classes. He said he actively campaigned to bring diversity to the English department. Anastasopoulos also said enrollment and departmental pressures prevented these changes from happening. UB has taken steps to improve international support for students seeking careers in the United States, according to Biehl. Given the American immigration climate, International Student Services is advising students on how to get approval for Optional Practical Training. Biehl said ISS is regularly updated on new immigration legislation and said the office works closely with an immigration lawyer to aid students.

entirely miserable. I didn’t think I was smart enough, I didn’t think I was good enough and I wanted to quit the program,” Toh said. Toh told The Spectrum she was concerned about her safety and well-being, and she felt she had no one to turn to for help. She also said faculty and staff have “a tendency to be dismissive and lack basic listening skills.” But Toh credited her adviser, communication professor and panelist Mark Frank, who Toh said she knew from her time in UB’s Singapore communication program. Toh said Frank helped her tackle challenges she faced as an international student but said not all students may have a mentor like Frank. Other students like Jung said they feel international students in liberal arts programs are more prone to isolation at UB. She said friends in different liberal arts departments had trouble finding mentors and faculty for their dissertations. Wood responded to Jung, and said he was sorry to hear about her friends’ experiences. He said it wasn’t the first time he had heard

of such situations. “Perhaps there are some instances where faculty avoid international students because they may feel there’s more work involved for them,” Wood said. He said it was “regrettable.” He and Biehl made recommendations to combat the situation in their 2016 task force report. Wood said Biehl’s task force made other recommendations toward UB’s curriculum. Wood pointed to the UB curriculum’s Global Pathway, a general education element that encourages students to connect themes from international cultures. Wood said UB’s efforts “internationalize” the university experience for domestic students. Walter Hakala, a professor in UB’s Asian Studies Program, challenged Wood’s assertion during the event’s Q&A portion. Hakala said the curriculum does not reflect the growing diversity among the student body, with only 48 percent of students being European American. He also said there are seven pro-

described AI as more important to humanity than fire or electricity. “And I believe him,” he said. “AI is going to change everything. [It will] transform our abilities to transform the world and be our greatest tool for solving humanity’s challenges.” Diamandis provided successful examples of AI, including Google’s AlphaGo, Face++, Autodesk’s empathic digital human Ava and Deep Fake, an AIgenerated video. He predicts that using these forms of AI, we will achieve a brain-computer interface that he said would make the world faster and more efficient. “Imagine in the future … you’re walking toward the front door, your AI knows your schedule and as you open the door, it has had two autonomous Ubers circling the block and one pulls in,” he said. “And it knows with the data from your aura ring that you didn’t sleep much last night, so it ordered one that has a bed in the back seat so you can take a nap.” Abigail Snyder, a Ph.D. student in chemistry said she’s excited to see Diamandis’ predictions happen. “We’re the first generation of people to have grown up with the internet and that was a huge change,” she said. “So we’re

seeing it now.” One of Diamandis’ main talking points was human longevity, with an emphasis on “making 100 the new 60.” He created two businesses, Human Longevity, Inc. and Celularity, to explore the possibility of extending the human lifespan. These companies use technology involving the human genome to rejuvenate cells, examine and alter DNA. In doing this, he intends to extend the life of the human brain and the functionality of the body. Diamandis said the Earth doesn’t lack resources, but humans lack the technology to harness them. The Earth is covered in undrinkable water and sunlight that isn’t being converted to usable energy, Diamandis said. Resources will be plentiful once the technologies can transform Earth’s energy into assets, according to Diamandis. “Things that used to be scarce are becoming more and more abundant,” he said. “In fact, eventually there will be nothing scarce, the idea of scarcity will be a thing of the past.” Diamandis created the XPRIZE Foundation to assist in solving “humanity’s problems.” The foundation poses milliondollar prizes to any team that can solve the

Diamandis’ initiatives. Current competitions include initiatives to create AI that can educate, software to accurately diagnose illnesses and technology to create drinking water from water in the atmosphere. Kaile Cato, a sophomore economics major, said Diamandis’ speech helped her have a better understanding of how technology works. “Technology was never an interest of mine –– I actually despised it a lot,” she said. “But after coming to this and the information that he shared, I was able to get a clear understanding of how important [technology] is for our future. It’s not a threat, it’s something that we can work with instead of being afraid of.” Diamandis said the most important thing to do in life is to “find your passion.” “You need to figure out what you’re passionate about,” he said. “Leadership is around passion –– it’s around people who have a vision of where we can go and how we can solve problems.”

tire, missing mirror and bumper. UPD took information and filed a report.

an arrest. 2:07 p.m.: While on patrol, UPD assisted with an accidental activation of an intrusion alarm in Hadley Village. While assisting, UPD received information regarding harassment. UPD found one hunting knife and put it into evidence. No charges were made and papers were served to the suspect. 2:54 p.m.: A female student called UPD to report property damage to her vehicle at the Parker Hall parking lot. Her side mirrors were smashed between the hours of 10 p.m. on Nov. 10 and 2:54 p.m. on Nov. 11. UPD filed a report. 3:22 p.m.: UPD responded to reports of a garbage can fire at Clark Hall. The cause is unknown but possibly due to a cigarette. UPD extinguished the fire with water. 10:57 p.m.: UPD stopped a car in the Special Events parking lot for reckless operation of a vehicle. The driver was doing donuts in the lot, according to the report. UPD gave the driver a warning.

11/101:26 a.m.: A caller notified UPD

Did you make this week’s blotter?

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of drug use in Spaulding Quad. UPD responded and provided assistance. 12:21 p.m.: UPD received a larceny complaint in Richmond Quad. UPD took the person’s information and filed a report. 6:26 p.m.: A female student called UPD to report a dog locked inside a white GMC SUV in the Alumni Arena parking lot. The student waited 15 minutes to see if the owner would return. UPD reported the window was open and the vehicle was seen leaving the area. 10:46 p.m.: UPD responded to a hit and run on John James Audubon Parkway. The male reported he is not from the area and was hit while driving, leaving his vehicle with a flat

of an alcohol overdose at Goodyear Hall. The female student was transported to Erie County Medical Center. 9:54 p.m.: An RA reported a marijuana complaint in Wilkeson Quad. UPD arrived on the scene and reported the smell possibly came from individuals smoking outside. 11:18p.m.: UPD responded to a larceny call at Richmond Quad. The female reported someone stole part of her hookah from her room. The property was returned and the victim did not press charges. UPD issued a referral to the suspect.

11/111:27 a.m.: An Uber driver flagged down UPD on Rensch Road regarding a reckless driver. The driver of a white Nissan SUV was driving erratically at a high speed with no lights on. UPD stopped the vehicle and issued

email: features@ubspectrum.com

email: news@ubspectrum.com

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FEATURES

Thursday, November 15, 2018 | 5

FROM PAGE 1

PUTNAM

caste if not of law.” The Spectrum questioned dozens of students –– none of whom knew anything about Putnam –– and even surprised faculty and UB administrators, who also were unaware of Putnam’s history and views. UB spokesperson Cory Nealon had to do research to learn about Putnam and found that the naming of Putnam Way occurred in 1973 and was “not an endorsement of his policies or legacy” as a politician. “The name was selected strictly in recognition of his role as UB chancellor and founder,” he said. “Many of the views Putnam expressed on race and religion in the 19th century do not reflect those of the university today.” Putnam’s Marketplace Eatery was named because of its “proximity to Putnam Way,” Nealon said. Some students felt uncomfortable once they learned about Putnam’s past. Devin Forde, a senior psychology and sociology major, called the name “damaging” and suggested some African American students would be insulted if they knew about Putnam’s legacy. Students’ discomfort about Putnam’s past mirrors the discomfort felt by students and faculty across the country as they learn the backstories on the names of iconic campus buildings, monuments and halls. On some campuses –– such as Yale and Georgetown –– student and faculty protests have led universities to change the names of buildings. In 2015, Georgetown renamed two buildings named for university presidents who had authorized the sale of slaves to pay off campus debts. In 2017, Yale University renamed Calhoun College, originally named for pro-slavery statesman John C. Calhoun, Grace Hopper College. In July, Florida State University announced its plan to move a statue of pro-slavery school founder Francis Eppes VII from the school’s entrance. FSU didn’t rename a building bearing Eppes’ name despite a recommendation from a university advisory panel. UB has yet to have its reckoning over a building name, but Nealon said UB recently formed a Campus Building and Landscape Naming Committee that is “in the process of developing policies and plans for the naming of old and new structures and places.” Another name on UB’s list might be Millard Fillmore, whose name graces the Millard Fillmore Academic Center. The Spectrum wrote about this in May 2017. As U.S. president, Fillmore signed the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, which compelled northerners to return runaway slaves who had reached freedom to southern owners. Nealon said UB strongly holds values of diversity, inclusion and mutual respect. He said UB is committed to these values, so “everyone in the UB community can study, teach, work and conduct research in an environment free of discrimination or hatred.”

Who was James O. Putnam?

Putnam, once Buffalo’s postmaster general, served on the university council for 32 years, according to UB’s website. Under his leadership, the New York State Institute for the Study of Malignant Diseases –– later the Roswell Park Cancer Institute –– came to fruition, according to UB’s website. But Putnam’s history as a statesman is mostly unknown at UB, and he had ties to the anti-Catholic, anti-immigrant KnowNothing Party in the mid-19th century. The Know-Nothing Party ballooned in popularity through the 1850s and peaked by 1855. The party was divided on the issue of slavery, which ultimately caused its demise. The party nominated Fillmore in the 1856 presidential election, but the candidate lost with roughly one-fifth of the popular vote. While on the university council, Putnam joined Buffalo’s local Know-Nothing council as one of the first members in 1854, according to Catholic historian Sister M. Felicity O’Driscoll. In a letter sent to the Buffalo Commercial Advertiser, the KnowNothing council president Charles G. Irish Jr. wrote that his group hoped to “protect against any foreign earthly power or influ-

BENJAMIN BLANCHET | THE SPECTRUM Putnam Way wraps around North Campus’ academic complex. Most students said they have no clue who James O. Putnam was or anything he did for UB.

ence.” “As it has been stated by our best and learned judges of the United States, a Roman Catholic in belief cannot become a citizen even though he may have taken the oath,” Irish wrote. Tyler Anbinder, a history professor at George Washington University, is the author of “Nativism and Slavery: The Northern Know Nothings and the Politics of the 1850’s.” Anbinder said there were two kinds of people in the Know-Nothing Party: “zealous, anti-Catholic, anti-immigrant people” and others who joined because they thought the Republicans were radical and Democratic Party was too pro-slavery and in favor of low tariffs. Anbinder said Putnam was “widely known as one of the leaders of the antiCatholic movement in New York State.” Putnam sided with Protestants, who were historically at odds with Roman Catholics. As a state senator, Putnam introduced the 1855 Church Property Bill. The bill called for lay people, not clergy, to take ownership of church property away from the bishops. At the time of Putnam’s bill, most Protestant congregations had a stake in their church’s property, but this was not the case with Roman Catholic churches. When Buffalo’s St. Louis Church rebelled against its bishop in the 1850’s, the Know-Nothing party –– and Putnam –– supported lay people’s right to church ownership. Putnam, in his 1855 address to the New York State Senate, expressed a fear of Roman Catholic power in church interests. Putnam’s bill passed in April 1855 but it was never effectively followed by the church, despite its impact on other states’ bills across the country. Anbinder said the bill was “definitely” seen as anti-Catholic in the 1850s. He said the anti-Catholic sentiments of the 1850s parallel some of the anti-Muslim sentiments seen today. “A lot of Americans, maybe a majority, thought that Catholics could not be good Americans, and that Catholicism was incompatible with American values,” Anbinder said. Putnam’s views on race were complex, too, and some of Putnam’s records show attempts at historical revision. Putnam, in an 1854 speech, said he “shared the sentiments” of statesmen like Fillmore when they approved the Compromise of 1850, which included the controversial Fugitive Slave Act of 1850. “The Compromise measures of 1850 were not destructive. They constituted a new bond, a new compact, in its moral force, between the free and the slave states, in relation to matters wholly independent,” Putnam said. “I have no sympathy with northern antislavery fanaticism. I have entertained extreme conservative sentiments on this subject. My opposition to the extension of the institution does not rest upon the humanity

or the legalities of the relation of master and slave. Of these I say nothing; upon them I base neither sentiment or conduct; I look beyond and higher.” But some records — written by Putnam and published in Buffalo — rewrite, delete and reimagine Putnam’s 1854 speech, according to a Spectrum investigation. The republished speech, published in his own written collection 26 years later, features altered portions of the original speech recorded in Albany and kept by the Library of Congress. Putnam’s statement, “I have no sympathy with northern anti-slavery fanaticism,” from his 1854 speech does not appear at all in his 1880 written collection. But Putnam, in his original and written address collection, kept his reference to white people as “the superior race.” In an 1860 speech, his views on black people’s “inferior” status did not change, but he did throw his support behind Republican Party candidate Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln did not favor slavery’s western expansion at the time, but two years earlier, in 1858, said he didn’t want the “social and political equality of the white and black races.” Putnam, in the speech, sympathized with Christian values and added black people’s “inferior” status was no reason why white people should enslave them. “[It’s] no reason why we should demoralize our own posterity by establishing the institution of slavery over our western domain,” Putnam said. “It is reason why we should treat with charity and tenderness these children of our Common Father — why, in every way which Christian philanthropy dictates and the law of our nature admits, we should seek his moral and social elevation.” Jim Holstun is an English professor who teaches black literature prior to 1900. Holstun said he’s done work that focused on slavery in Western New York but never knew about Putnam’s history. “When the rubber hit the road in the 1850s, these guys were supporting the Fugitive Slave Act,” Holstun said. “So they aren’t particularly awful, they’re kind of generally awful. His [views on race] are completely normal white abolitionist discourse, you can find many examples of precisely this sort of attitude among whites who fought in the Civil War, you can find it in Harriet Beecher Stowe and you can find it in others.”

Recognizing Putnam

Forde said he’s surprised to learn about the history of Putnam’s racial views. “Being a black man myself, it is a bit discomforting but not surprising considering the racist history of this country, in general,” Forde said. “It may not seem as a big deal to some, however, to those that Putnam was referring to, it’s damaging.” Forde said he wonders how incoming black and African American students would

feel if they know Putnam’s history. “It is our job as Americans to make sure we depart ourselves from things that aren’t welcoming because that is not what this country is about, as a UB student we can start by changing that name.” Joshua Ideva, a junior chemical engineering major, said he eats at Putnam’s every day during the week. Ideva said he understands why UB named things after Putnam given his role at the university but for him, the bad outweighs the good. “I don’t fault the university, per se, but I think they should be a little bit more careful in the future and it is a good idea to educate people on what these [founders] have done, on their accomplishments and their disadvantages,” Ideva said. Outside of Putnam’s history on UB’s “Past Presidents” page, not much is known at UB about the former senator. The brief abstract does not talk about Putnam in much detail. Putnam’s face isn’t well known to the university community, but his portrait is hung on the 5th floor of Capen Hall, right down the hall from Millard Fillmore. When The Spectrum interviewed UB President Satish Tripathi on Nov. 5, Tripathi discussed Fillmore’s legacy and his representation on campus. Tripathi said discussions about Fillmore, such as the UB DIFCON series event in 2017, are important. He said the university, however, hasn’t really looked into changing Fillmore’s physical presence on campus. Tripathi said one way UB could recognize Fillmore is through looking at his past and also looking at how he’s viewed today. Holstun said UB could substitute Putnam’s name with that of one of Buffalo’s writers and abolitionists such as James Monroe Whitfield or William Wells Brown. Still, he said, UB should be putting scholarship ahead of its renaming efforts. In May, The Spectrum reported a downward trend in black tenure-track faculty hires, from 58 in 2004 to 33 in 2017. “That seems to be so much more important than worrying about whether Putnam Way should be Putnam Way,” Holstun said. “I mean, fine, rechristen it. But there is a tendency lately to almost focus exclusively on symbolic phenomena like this.” Still, Holstun said symbolism is important and when UB names Putnam Way after the former state senator they are honoring him. Anbinder said he’s certain UB has other important people to celebrate from its history who were less bigoted then Fillmore and Putnam. “Putnam and Fillmore were known for being conservatives, not wanting to upset the South. On the other hand, there were lots of other people in Buffalo who oppose slavery and fought to end it,” Anbinder said. “Back in their day, those who opposed slavery were seen as radicals who did not deserve to be celebrated. But maybe now is

6 | Thursday, November 15, 2018

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

to and what their mindset is. Ultimately, your mindset is your most important asset you have. And if you’re listening to negative news all the time that can destroy the way you see the world.

FROM PAGE 1

INTERVIEW grab handfuls of pretzels, Diamandis talked about his work in space travel, extending human life spans and the way our brains respond to the news. Q: Over the past 20 years, you’ve created Singularity University, started the XPRIZE foundation and formed Human Longevity, Inc. What were your biggest setbacks? And where do you see yourself going from here? A: The setbacks have always been [that] things don’t move as fast as I want. Or, one of the CEOs that I bring in to lead a company isn’t the right person. And it’s really hard at that point. Because the difference between a company that’s in formative mode where you’re brainstorming, and you’re getting ideas going, versus one that’s operational and really focused on being profitable, it’s two different beasts. And it’s two different people for that job. So, I mean, those have been the difficulties at the end of the day. Where am I going next? I love starting companies, for me it’s more of an art form. And I’ve had the pleasure of starting my 22nd company right now. I’m [also] enjoying mentoring and teaching and inspiring and helping people see the world a different way. So it all mixes in. I’ve learned early on to do things that I am most passionate about versus anything else. When I’m really true to my passion, and I’m communicating in my writing, and my lectures, and my programs and my companies, then I’m having a much better time and people are seeing that. It’s inspiring them more when it [became] authentic, so [I] never do anything that’s not fully authentic for myself.

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SHUBH JAIN | THE SPECTRUM Peter Diamandis met with The Spectrum to discuss human longevity, space exploration and his passion for his work.

in starting companies in that arena. Q: You’ve said that you would like for “100 to be the new 60.” Can you elaborate on this theory and how you think this may tie into healthcare accessibility, mortality and resource availability? A: When I was in medical school years ago, I was doing a joint medical degree and engineering degree. And I remember watching this TV show on long lives to see life that species of whales, sharks and turtles could live many hundreds of years. I remember thinking to myself, ‘If they can, why can’t we?’ And my reaction was, ‘It’s either a hardware or software problem. And we should be able to fix that.’ So I think that plus being sort of a dad later in life, and also just being super excited about what tomorrow is bringing, and wanting to get to Mars and get out the asteroids and see the universe, you know, I think this idea of living 80 years is not sufficient. And so I have spent a lot of time thinking through supporting investing

Q: During your 2012 TED Talk, you mentioned that the media tells us bad things because it’s what our minds are drawn to. Do you feel as though the media should not report on bad news and if so, what would this mean for society, to remain uninformed? Or how should the media report on the news? A: Our brains are wired to pay 10 times more attention to negative news and the media’s business is to bring your eyeballs to their advertisers. I mean, that’s the business. And so consequently, given 100 headlines –– 50 percent positive, 50 percent negative –– they will deliver 90 percent negative news and maybe 10 percent [positive] and it’s just, you know, opening newspapers and you can count the numbers. Their responsibility is to to provide truth. I think it’s the viewer’s responsibility to decide what they want to listen

Q: Through your multiple universities and your Ansari XPRIZE, you’ve advocated for the involvement of young people in science and breakthroughs time and time again. You’ve even said that you tell business owners to listen to the “crazy ideas 20 year olds” have. What does this mean for students right now? What should students be doing to become the innovators of tomorrow? A: Students need to figure out what they’re passionate about. Not [what] their parents or their teachers told them to do but honestly, in your life, what do you want to do? What’s the dent you want to make in the universe? What is it that you care about more than anything else? Because it’s [those] green times when you read [what you’re interested in] and you [participate] in conversations for yourself and you go and you watch programming you care about. It’s that passion that drives you to become a sponge and allows you to find a discontinuity that will allow you to become a great entrepreneur as well. I think that if I were giving advice to my kids, and I will eventually, it’s [to] find great mentors, apprenticeships, it’s going beyond just classes and reading. It’s [going and getting] real life experience and you know, a great mentorship is [worth] its weight in gold and I think the future is about apprenticeships and in mentorships to really learn what it’s really like to to be an inventor, scientist, engineer, a CEO with an entrepreneur or whatever it might be. email: news@ubspectrum.com

Bringing blood to brushes Joshua Diamond’s journey through self expression and education SAMANTHA VARGAS ASST. ARTS EDITOR

Most art students go to Michael’s to pick up supplies, but Joshua Diamond goes to the local butcher. His supplies include blood –– sometimes even his own. Diamond, a senior environmental design

MUS 109 Master Composer Beethoven, Reg #20970 MUS 110 New History of Jazz, Reg #24301 MUS 114 Genres of Music – Sampling, Reg #24202 MUS 114 Genres of Music – Opera, Reg #22431 MUS 118 Beatles & the 1960’s, Reg. #24341 Found in Thematic Pathways: Culture, Arts & Imagination and Human Nature

major, previously attended a school in the midwest for phlebotomy in search of steady work and out of personal interest. His solo art exhibit “Ketsueki” is open from Nov. 7-16 at the Center for the Arts gallery. “Ketsueki” translates to blood in Japanese and the show features a variety of art mediums including his use of blood, sculpture and steel. Fellow artist Nick Kushner originally inspired him to integrate blood into his work. Kushner, who worked solely with blood as a medium, befriended Diamond while he was experimenting with artistic vessels. “I started to experiment with [blood] in my past art school life as a painting medium alongside gold leaf and watercolor,” Diamond said. “[It was] an abstract way to conjure up a phenomenology with certain interests and themes of existentialism, alchemy, Jungian psychology and symbolism, sexuality and BDSM, and a sort of disconnection felt between the modern world and my body.” Diamond uses beef blood from a local butcher shop in his work, although he has used his own blood for his pieces. Still, he does not choose to use his own blood unless it is out of necessity. “I haven’t used my own blood in quite some time –– there’s lots of limitations and precautions with that, and when needing a lot of the medium, it is not the ideal source,” Diamond said. His previous painting series, “Blood Forms,” incorporated blood into every painting within the collection. He said there are similarities between the exhibit and his current exhibit. Diamond said one of the sculptures uses large-scale watercolor paper and blood to emulate the “textures, colors and performance” of the blood. It then “pools up” and creates different reds, blacks and coagulations, he said. He drew and painted as a kid and gradually worked his way into sculpture because of his attraction to texture. This led to him using different physical mediums and artistic techniques. Despite the success that goes along with debuting his own solo exhibit, Diamond stopped pursuing art prior to transferring to UB. “A lot of the ideas I’ve built on in the past two semesters are with mediums and concepts I’ve had for quite some time, but until recently, didn’t pursue to fruition and explore while studying the design of the built environment,” Diamond said. His academic peers acknowledge the significance of his journey with art and education.

COURTESY OF JOSHUA DIAMOND Artist and UB student Joshua Diamond’s work is being featured in the Center for the Arts until Nov. 16. His work looks into the significance of blood and body.

Kassandra Hazelhurst, a UB alum and fellow artist, appears on the poster for the new exhibit and models one of Diamond’s sculptures. “Josh is definitely one of the few students pushing the culture in the art program. He’s fearless with his work and is extremely candid when he talks about it,” Hazelhurst said. “I had the pleasure of modeling one of his sculptures and was not only impressed with his design skills, but also his craftsmanship.” Diamond’s interests go beyond blood. “Ketsueki” explores different mediums that the artist is passionate about. He previously incorporated dead honeybees, burned wood, bullets and knives into his work. “I would say all the mediums used in the show are my favorite, but blood is definitely one that I don’t feel finished with , and am excited to keep exploring,” Diamond said. Diamond said he is attempting to create a significant impression within the art community and his program. His use of controversial mediums has been growing in popularity through his time at UB. Aside from creating art, Joshua works as a student supervisor with Russ Crispell in UB’s Outdoor Pursuits office. Crispell remembers his first impression of Diamond as an artist and individual. “I think his ability to focus on detail compliments him well as a student supervisor and in his life as an artist,” Crispell said. Diamond said he hopes to one day combine his passions for architecture and sculpture and he attributes some of his art to his time at UB. “I’m sure I’ll keep working on work that sort of creates an elegance with a macabre unsettling nature,” Diamond said. “I’m very happy I was able to take a risk and take a sculpture class here when I first transferred and discover there was a way to more accurately be creative with myself.” email: samantha.vargas@ubspectrum.com twitter @SamVargasArts

CLASSIFIEDS

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Thursday, November 15, 2018 | 7

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SPORTS

8 | Thursday, November 15, 2018

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THE LUCKIEST FAN IN COLLEGE BASKETBALL Daniel Nardini’s quest to see all 351 Division I teams NATHANIEL MENDELSON SPORTS EDITOR

Most people don’t post their travel plans on the internet. Daniel Nardini actually wants you to know where he’s going. For the past five college basketball seasons, Nardini has regularly announced and updated the schedule of games he’s going to. Nardini is trying to see all 351 Division I college basketball arenas. Nardini is a college basketball fanatic. After working as an IT developer, Nardini spends his retirement traveling around the country trying to see every game he can. He has currently visited 67 of 351 –– now 353 –– Division I arenas. Along the way Dan has been posting updates on his quest at journeyto351.com, a blog his daughter set up for him. Nardini made the trip from Connecticut to Buffalo to watch the Bulls play their season-opener against Saint Francis. “I still get a rush when I get to the court and I hear the sneakers squeaking and the band playing,” Nardini said. “There’s a piece of Americana in every game. You see the old couple being greeted by the assistant athletic director probably because they’re big donors, you see the middleaged guy with a team T-shirt arguing every

NATHANIEL MENDELSON | THE SPECTRUM Daniel Nardini (left) stands with men’s basketball head coach Nate Oats. The two spoke about his journey and UCONN basketball after a game against Saint Francis.

call, every game you see the same people.” Nardini grew up a UCONN fan, cheering for the Husky teams throughout the ‘60s and ‘70s. He watched with his dad at the place where his love for the sport began. Now, Nardini watches most games alone. His wife and kids do not have the

love for the sport in the same way he does. His family isn’t part of the journey, but supports him and reads the stories he posts on his blog. Nardini does admit he is able to drag his wife to one game a season. This season, he’ll be traveling to the University of Central Florida to see the team play UCONN. The only catch is that now they have to go to Disney World as well. Sometimes he will go with a close friend or meet up with a buddy who lives nearby. Through Reddit, Nardini has met people who have invited him out to go to a game. Nardini observes the oddities of each arena and focuses on the aspects of the game-day experience more than the performances of the team. “Alumni Arena has great viewing from all levels, so I was happy with my seat even though it was out of range from the many T-shirts thrown into the crowd at every three-point basket made,” Nardini said. Nardini pointed out similar gripes as many students do, such as the poor parking and the weather. Last year, Nardini had to cancel his trip to Buffalo because of a blizzard. Nardini took note this year

and visited early in the season. He traveled to St. Bonaventure the day after for the team’s home opener. The Reilly Center at St. Bonaventure is an arena he describes as having a lot of “S.O.L.” It stands for small, old and loud. Two games in two days, something most fans can only dream of. “People are jealous, people are like ‘why do you want to waste your time,’” Nardini said. “Some say they would drop their job in a heartbeat if they could do that. I’m living the dream right now.” After the Buffalo game, Nardini had the opportunity to speak with Bulls men’s basketball head coach Nate Oats. Oats and Nardini spoke about his journey and the friendship that Oats has with current UCONN head coach Dan Hurley. Oats spent two years as an assistant coach under Bobby Hurley, Dan Hurley’s brother. “You have won over this guy to be a lifelong Buffalo fan,” Nardini wrote on his blog. “Good luck the rest of the way!” Next up Nardini said he is traveling to Ithaca to see Cornell and Colgate play on Nov. 11. “I don’t want it to be a full time job,” Nardini said. “I’m enjoying it. I can make a bigger production out of it, but I’m happy the way it’s going right now.” email: nathaniel.mendelson@ubspectrum.com twitter @NateMendelson

Bulls scrape together win in Southern Illinois Buffalo wins in follow-up to West Virginia upset SPORTS DESK

MADISON MEYER | THE SPECTRUM Freshman guard Ronaldo Segu posts up on a Saint Francis player. The Bulls are 3-0 after Monday night’s 62-53 win over the Southern Illinois Salukis.

The Bulls made back-to-back road wins with their 62-53 victory over the Southern Illinois Salukis on Monday night. The No. 25-ranked men’s basketball team came in to the road matchup off the program’s first top 25 ranking. Buffalo (3-0) had a rough night on offense, shooting 35.5 percent from the court and missing open looks. The Bulls relied on their defense and rebounding to edge the win at SIU Arena. “[Southern Illinois]is a tough environment to win in, couldn’t be prouder of our guys during this road trip,” said head coach

Nate Oats at the post-game press conference. “We came right here from West Virginia the next morning. It’s nice to leave out [of] here with a win.” Senior forwards Jeremy Harris and Montell McRae both had a team-high 11 points. Senior guard CJ Massinburg followed up his 43-point and 14-rebound performance from the West Virginia Mountaineers (0-1) game, with 7 points and 6 rebounds Monday night. Senior Forward Nick Perkins was solid on the boards with 11 rebounds but finished with 7 turnovers. The Salukis (0-2) relied on limiting the Buffalo offense and junior center Kavion Pippen’s team-high of 18 points. Buffalo stilled edged out a 41-33 rebounding advantage. “Coach harps on that, ‘we got to rebound’,” said junior guard Davonta Jordan. “Kentucky rebounded the heck out of them when they played them. We wanted to go in there and kick them on the glass.” Jordan finished with 9 points and 5 as-

sists. The Salukis led most of the first half and took an early 16-8 lead. Buffalo never let the Salukis lead go over 10. The Bulls took the lead back with less than 90 seconds left in the first with two free throws from freshman forward Jeenathan Williams. Buffalo held the lead for the rest of the game, but Southern Illinois was able to cut at the Bull’s late-game 60-44 lead and make it only a 9-point win. “We just got ranked for the first time in school history, we could have came in really immature with a poor attitude,” Oats said. “After we get all the accolades, how are we going to come in and respond to it? I thought they responded well. I feel we got a really mature group.” Buffalo is 3-0 for the first time at the Division I level. Buffalo plays next on Nov. 21 in a home matchup against Dartmouth (2-1). email: sports@ubspectrum.com

Taking down the course UB and Sweet Home Senior High School plan to remove ropes course on UB land THOMAS ZAFONTE SENIOR SPORTS EDITOR

University officials are working with Sweet Home Senior High School to take down the unused ropes course on UB property behind the high school’s baseball field. UB has no plans for the course and the course is no longer maintained, according to UB spokesperson Kate McKenna. Matt LaRoach, athletic director of Sweet Home Senior High School, said the university has not contacted Sweet Home athletics yet, but Sweet Home has their own plans to take the course down in the “immediate future.” “I want this course taken down,” LaRoach said. “The reason we stopped maintaining it was because students and faculty no longer use it.” High school officals have already ap-

proved the school’s Buildings and Grounds department to take down the course, according to LaRoach. Sweet Home Senior High School built the course in 1983, with a revocable permit from UB, according to McKenna. Trees used for the course have fallen with equipment still attached, but many structures still remain intact. UB became aware of the poor condition last year, according to McKenna. LaRoach said the course was not used for over a decade and is located on both UB and high school property. Students and faculty have been instructed to not use the course, according to LaRoach. McKenna said UB has to review the official terms of the agreement to decide what action UB will take to remove it. McKenna wrote in an email that UB does not currently maintain the course and has posted signs to indicate that it is unsafe and should not be used. Signs hang from trees surrounding the course, but the course is still reachable through a cleared out path next to Sweet

DAVILA TARAKINIKINI | THE SPECTRUM The ropes course found on UB land next to Sweet Home Senior High School. Both schools have plans to see the course taken down, but no dates are set yet.

Home Senior High School’s baseball field. LaRoach said the path is for the cross country team and is not meant to lead to the ropes course. LaRoach said until recently, he did not know so much of the ropes course

was still standing. McKenna said UB has no comment regarding non-university use of campus land. email: thomas.zafonte@ubspectrum.com twitter @Thomas_Spectrum

The Spectrum is looking for sports writers, sports videographers, photographers and more. help report during another historic year in UB sports. Email sports@ubspectrum.com with any questions or ideas.