UBSPECTRUM.COM
MONDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2017 PAGE 2 The daily grind Starbucks location in The Commons has the highest amount of mobile orders in the U.S.
PAGE 3 GOP tax plans will hurt graduate students, middle class Newly passed tax bills will primarily benefit the wealthy
International students hold panel to discuss isolation, problems with integration at UB Panelists to discuss ways UB can better integrate students SARAH CROWLEY SENIOR NEWS EDITOR
The Institute of International Education recognized UB for the 15th consecutive year as a top host university for international students, but some feel it hasn’t done enough to integrate these students into American university life. A class of international students is
VOLUME 67 NO. 26 PAGE 4 ‘Sex and the Classroom’ Sex Communication class still a student favorite
Archie Shepp looks back on rich past at UB Jazz legend and former Black Studies professor discusses music and educational career
searching for solutions. Students in the English Language Institute (ELI) will culminate semester-long research on integration and isolation at UB through a series of panels this week. Groups of students will present on a series of topics related to international student isolation and provide possible solutions, including the use of sports, clubs and food to bridge the divide between domestic and international students. Presentations will take place Tuesday, Dec. 5 in 102 Clemens Hall from 2-3:20 p.m. and on Dec. 7 in 332 Clemens Hall from 2-3:20 p.m. and are open to the public. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 COURTESY / ARCHIE SHEPP
Jazz legend Archie Shepp formerly taught in the Black Studies (now African and African-American Studies) program in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s. Shepp, now retired but still on the performance circuit, talked with The Spectrum about his ethnomusicology course along with his album “Attica Blues.”
Shortage of tickets for Winter Gala Student Association’s Winter Gala ticketing sparks student frustration WANLY CHEN STAFF WRITER
Student Association’s Winter Gala has been an eagerly anticipated event for UB students since the tradition began in 2001, but many students will be unable to attend this year after the 800 tickets to the event sold out within two days. Students shared their frustration about the sold-out event and cited conflicting work and class schedules as reasons for their inability to purchase tickets in time. SA representatives –– who are able to reserve and purchase tickets at $5–– believe nothing can
be done to improve the system. The gala, reminiscent of a high school prom and hosted at Samuel’s Grande Manor on the Saturday after the last day of classes, invites hundreds of students to dress up in their best formal wear for a classy night of entertainment. Tickets are sold for $30 at the SBI office on North Campus and at Harriman Hall on South Campus. Meals, transportation and an open bar are all included in the ticket price. Last year’s Winter Gala hosted roughly 650 students, with a total cost of $46,000. This year’s projected costs are estimated at $60,000, providing additional seats to accommodate for growing student demand. SA events like gala are funded by the Mandatory Student Activity Fee, a $104.75 semesterly fee for each student. CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
UB officials discuss idea of a new recreation center on North Campus THOMAS ZAFONTE SENIOR SPORTS EDITOR
Scott Weber, vice president of Student Life, announced Student Life is looking to include a new athletic recreation center in the future. No specific plan or date has been approved or announced. “As we begin to re-engage in how the university might move forward with a new recreation center, we have been thinking more holistically to include wellness education, a health center and a counseling center,” Weber said. “This concept expands on the work that was done in 2013 that envisioned building a recreation center, combined with Wellness Education, on the North Campus.” Allen Greene, director of athletics, feels both students and athletes face crowded gym spaces and a new recreation center would address these issues. “For the past five years, we have been trying to articulate why this is important and why the campus will benefit from a standalone [recreation] center,” Greene said. The plans have support from officials from both Student Life and UB Athletics. University spokesperson John Della Contrada said the university supports moving forward with the plans. “The university commissioned a study on such a project a few years ago and still feels that new recreation facilities would be
ALLISON STAEBELL / THE SPECTRUM
Allen Greene prepares for work as he sits at his desk. Greene is a supporter of UB moving forward with plans for a new recreation center.
a worthwhile investment to improve the student experience at UB,” Della Contrada said. According to Greene, athletics has considered this project a priority since he was hired for the position two years ago. Greene and Della Contrada both named Weber as being the main proponent in this process. “The [recreation] center is more than an athletics priority,” Greene said. “It is a university priority as well. We as a campus see the need for it, but we [athletics] are just a cog in the whole thing in trying to help get this done.”
BENJAMIN BLANCHET SENIOR ARTS EDITOR
Jazz great Archie Shepp arrived at UB in 1969, with very few references for his ethnomusicology course. The class, “Revolutionary Concepts in African-American Music,” marked the beginning of Shepp’s career in college education. Shepp, known for albums like “Four For Trane” and “Mama Too Tight,” taught a performance course and an ethnomusi-
Senate narrowly passes controversial tax reform bill Bill will offer tax cuts to major corporations and wealthiest earners MADDY FOWLER EDITORIAL EDITOR
The Senate passed a massive tax overhaul in the early hours of Saturday morning after several last-minute, handwritten revisions were scribbled in the margins of the 479-page bill. The measure passed 51 to 49 and would offer large permanent tax cuts to major corporations, such as Apple, General Electric and Goldman Sachs, according to The New York Times. The bill aims to reorganize and lower the taxes businesses and corporations pay in order to stimulate economic growth. The plan would increase the national deficit to more than $1 trillion over 10 years, according to the United States Congress Joint Committee on Taxation. But Republicans believe economic growth will partially offset the cost of the bill. The House of Representatives passed a similar sweeping tax reform bill on Nov. 16, with a few differences. Those differences have to be resolved and both chambers will vote on a new, cohesive piece of legislation at a later date. Under the House bill, graduate students who receive tuition waivers would now have to pay income tax on the waiver. UB students and faculty participated in a walkout last Wednesday in opposition to this provision of the tax plan. While graduate student tuition waivers were not addressed in the Senate bill, they could still be a provision in the final piece of legislation crafted by both chambers.
email: thomas.zafonte@ubspectrum.com
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cology class at UB from 1969-1971. “Even to give assignments to the students, there just wasn’t everything written like there is today,” Shepp said. “All I had when I started teaching was my own experience in the music. When I began to build an archive, I could give my students assignments which would build their knowledge not only of contemporary African-American music but how that music evolved.” CONTINUED ON PAGE 5
BREAKDOWN OF GOP TAX REFORM College tax benefits • Currently, low and middle income Americans can deduct up to $2,500 a year in student loan interest. The House bill will take away that benefit starting in 2018. • Grad students who get tuition waivers because they teach or do research would now have to pay income tax on the waiver. • American Opportunity Tax Credit will remain, which allows a $2,000 credit for higher education expenses.
Corporate taxes • Both bills reduce the income tax for major corporations such as Apple, Goldman Sachs and General Electric from 35 percent to 20 percent. • The Senate plan has one-year delay in dropping the tax rate.
Standard deduction • Standard deduction is a dollar amount that reduces the amount of income you’re taxed on. It varies according to your filing status. • The current standard deduction is $6,350 for individuals and $12,700 for married couples and used by about 70 percent of taxpayers. • Both will double those levels to $12,000 for individuals and $24,000 for couples.
Personal exemption • Both bills eliminate the current $4,050 personal exemption.
State and local taxes • Both bills end federal deductions for state and local income and sales taxes, but they allow the deduction for up to $10,000 in property taxes.
Individual insurance mandate • Senate bill repeals the requirement in the Affordable Care Act that people pay a tax penalty if they don't purchase health insurance; House bill does not.
Alternative minimum tax • The alternative minimum tax ensures those in highest tax brackets people pay at least some tax. • The Senate bill doesn’t repeal it but reduces the number of people who have to pay it whereas the House bill repeals the tax altogether.
Inheritance tax • Currently, when someone dies the estate owes taxes on the value of assets transferred to heirs above $5.5 million for individuals, $11 million for couples. • The Senate bill doubles those limits but does not repeal the tax. • House initially doubles the limits and then repeals the entire tax after 2023.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
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NEWS
Page 2 | The Spectrum
Monday, December 4, 2017
THE DAILY GRIND Starbucks location in The Commons has the highest amount of mobile orders in the U.S.
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ANNA SAVCHENKO STAFF WRITER
When it comes to getting Starbucks at The Commons, UB students face a choice: wait in line for up to 30 minutes, or as the baristas call it, “going mobile.” The UB Commons location has consistently ranked in the top three most popular mobile ordering locations in the U.S., with a total average of 400 to 500 mobile orders per weekday. The Commons Starbucks sees between 1,300 to 1,800 customers a day, a stat that manager Jennifer Badame attributes to the North Campus location’s high student traffic. Badame said 40 to 43 percent of the franchise’s business comes through mobile orders. While the location sometimes receives
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eight mobile orders per second, Badame said, it simultaneously reduces the number of people waiting in line. “If you don’t have 30 minutes to wait in line, then go mobile, because the line is sometimes ridiculous,” Badame said. “People just don’t want to wait, so unfortunately, the long wait times contribute to our success.” Although mobile ordering increases the speed of service and gives customers the op-
portunity to pick out exactly what they want in their drink, the baristas lose in-person contact with their customers, Badame said. “Starbucks is expensive,” Badame said. “Let’s be honest, it’s pricey. But we offer high quality beverages and take pride in our great customer service. As great as the mobile is, there are drawbacks to it.” The caramel macchiato is the most popular drink on the menu, according to the baristas,
although their brewed roasts remain a house favorite. Customers tend to order straight coffee in the morning, and as the day goes on, order more sugary drinks like Frappuccinos and macchiatos, according to Badame. The Spectrum spoke with 10 customers at the mobile order pick-up station, and six out of 10 students said that they preferred beverages on the sweeter side, like the house favorite, caramel macchiato. Yi Yang, a sophomore accounting major, said she visits the UB Commons Starbucks around five times a week to get a Caramel Brulée Latte. Sydney Siembida, a sophomore communications major, doesn’t visit Starbucks regularly for her caffeine fix. Siembida thinks of her favorite double chocolate chip Frappuccino as more of a dessert rather than coffee, she said. “Their fraps are fire, but I only go to Starbucks when I’m really craving it,” Siembida said. “It’s also really expensive to waste $5 on drinks when you think about how much money you spend on them over a longer period of time.” Badame said the rush of students on weekdays is what makes their location so successful. “We never really promoted it, while other locations in Buffalo have a hard time getting mobile orders,” Badame said. “Here, we don’t have to draw customers. They just come in.” email: news@ubspectrum.com
International students hold panel to discuss isolation, problems with integration at UB CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
ELI adjunct instructor Aimee McCrady was inspired to assign this project to her spoken English class after a decade of teaching international students and observing the rift firsthand. “I wanted to take topics that were personal and relevant that they could do research for,” McCrady said. “They have to do interviews and surveys and present on it. These panels are focused on different areas that fall under
the umbrella of integration versus isolation, how to get through four years at UB by making friendships and getting involved in networking and not isolating yourself.” The Spectrum gained national recognition for its reporting last spring on what McCrady calls the “elephant in the room” at UB –– the lack of integration and subsequent isolation some international students feel. The problem is compounded by a decline in international student enrollment across the U.S. in the wake of President Donald
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Trump’s tough immigration policies. Last October, a committee of UB professors and administrators formed to address these concerns and produced a 160-page report with over 50 suggestions to address the problem. McCrady was inspired by the committee’s work and wanted to address it in her own classes. “This is a problem that really touches me as an ELI instructor,” McCrady said. “We used to ask ourselves, ‘How can we address this?’ and at certain points we were thinking, ‘Maybe this is too big. This is just something that is never going to change.’ But I felt like if there can be committees on the subject, why can’t we think about some of these issues and how we can change them at the classroom level?” When McCrady first asked her class of international freshmen to think about issues of isolation and the barriers they may face, many were surprised to hear it was a problem. But as the class spent more time thinking about various aspects of college life, this changed, according to McCrady.
“They’ve only been here two or three months, and I think they were surprised by this issue,” McCrady said. “But then they begin to see, they’re not going to be able to get over language barriers or cultural barriers if some of these issues aren’t addressed.” Her students are working on their own issues with cultural and language barriers. The class is a requirement for students struggling with English proficiency. Throughout the semester, the students conducted interviews and surveys to better understand the problems their international peers face. They looked at language barriers to mental health resources, limited authentic food within meal plans and other cultural differences within college life. McCrady hopes the discussions will prompt administrators and staff to continue to think about the issue of integration on campus and show this issue isn’t going to be resolved on its own. email: sarah.crowley@ubspectrum.com
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OPINION
Monday, December 4, 2017
The Spectrum | Page 3
Editorial Board EDITOR IN CHIEF
Hannah Stein
MANAGING EDITORS
David Tunis-Garcia Maggie Wilhelm EDITORIAL EDITOR
Maddy Fowler COPY EDITORS
Dan McKeon, Chief Saqib Hossain Emma Medina CARTOON / ARDI DIGAP
NEWS EDITOR
Sarah Crowley, Senior FEATURES EDITOR
Max Kalnitz, Senior ARTS EDITORS
Benjamin Blanchet, Senior Brenton Blanchet SPORTS EDITORS
Thomas Zafonte, Senior Danny Petruccelli Jeremy Torres, Asst.
GOP tax plans will hurt graduate students, middle class
MULTIMEDIA EDITORS
Troy Wachala, Senior Allison Staebell, Senior CREATIVE DIRECTORS
Pierce Strudler Arielle Channin, Asst. Alyssa Brouillet, Asst. CARTOONIST
Ardi Digap
Professional Staff OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR
Helene Polley
ADVERTISING MANAGER
Ayesha Kazi GRAPHIC DESIGN MANAGERS
Stephen Jean-Pierre Shawn Zhang, Asst.
THE SPECTRUM Monday, December 4, 2017 Volume 67 Number 26 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.
Newly passed tax bills will primarily benefit the wealthy The Republican-controlled Senate passed a disastrous tax reform plan around 2 a.m. Saturday. While it is slightly less problematic for middle class families and students than the similar House bill passed two weeks ago, the crux of both pieces of proposed legislation is they favor the luxuriously wealthy over average Americans. In addition to massive tax cuts for the wealthy, the bills have targeted provisions to benefit special interest groups. Private jets, sparkling wine, citrus fruits, airlines and beer breweries are among the industries that got their own special tax cuts thanks to personal connections with legislators. While the sparkling wine industry will enjoy its hefty tax break, the House version of the bill
CODE BLUE My first patient’s death as a nursing student
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could make graduate education effectively inaccessible to the average American. Tax reform isn’t the sexiest topic. Most college students likely change the channel when pundits start talking tax brackets and a lot of information about taxes is bogged down with inaccessible, confusing jargon. So why should students care about this? The biggest concern for college students is the provision of the House version of the bill that would tax graduate students on their tuition waivers, cutting $65 billion in savings for graduate students over the next decade. This could make graduate school inaccessible for thousands of the best and brightest minds across the country. We are told the master’s degree is the new bachelor’s degree, but if it comes down to being able to afford food or graduate school, graduate education will no longer be a realistic goal for students.
MAGGIE WILHELM MANAGING EDITOR
On Oct. 28, my patient died. As a nursing student, I’ve seen patients at every stage in their lives. I’ve witnessed a mother bring a baby into the world and I’ve taken care of a hospice patient. I’ve taken care of pediatric patients from ages three to 20, and many elderly patients. I also learned –– very quickly –– that no one is out of death’s reach. But even after caring for all types of patients, even after learning about death and dying in lecture over and over again, nothing could have prepared me for my first patient’s death. The day started like every other clinical day. I woke up early and drove to the hospital. My instructor asked if anyone wanted to spend the day on a different floor. I jumped at the opportunity. I found myself on a new, unknown floor with a nurse that I’d never seen before. She was friendly, smart and
worked in a way that I could tell she had years of experience. The floor was set up in the traditional hospital sense, one that was familiar but still confusing. The floor, the nurses, the patients and the work were all similar to my previous clinical days: help my nurse if I can, check on patients, assess patients, check my patients’ charts, help my patients, give medications if I can, try not to get lost, listen for overhead announcements. Until I heard an announcement that wasn’t so familiar––it was a code. It was on my floor. In my patient’s room. “Code blue.” The next few minutes were a blur. I remember trying to find my nurse. Wondering if I was really going to go into this patient’s room. Would they let me go in the room? Would they have me help? I found my nurse in the hall. My legs felt heavy as I followed her into our patient’s room. As the other patient who lived in the room was wheeled out, I met his gaze. I remember thinking he was the only person who looked as scared as I felt. It felt like hundreds of people were in our patient’s tiny hospital room. It was suddenly bursting at the seams with medical personnel –– doctors, residents, nurses, me. Someone wheeled in the crash cart. The small red cart that I’ve only seen sitting in the hallway on every hospital floor. The cart that I’ve of-
And by extension, students will be locked out of higher level jobs and higher salaries. The Excelsior Scholarship makes undergraduate education more accessible to lower income students, but if this House bill provision passes, these students’ education will stop at the bachelor’s level. Students with aspirations to teach, practice law or go into medicine, social work or any other field that requires an advanced degree will be forced to give up on their dreams. Undergraduates will be hurt by this, too. Fewer graduate students mean fewer graduate instructors. The instructors we will have will be overworked, likely stressed out and struggling to make ends meet — even more so than they already are with their obscenely low stipends. The end result will be a less educated society, which hurts everyone, regardless of your tax bracket. Many students at UB likely
chose to attend a public university for its affordable price tag. Any student who comes from a middle or low-income family could be adversely affected by these tax reforms. Now that both the House and Senate bills have passed, the House and Senate will work together to create a final piece of legislation that resolves any discrepancies between the two bills at a later date. Students have a choice. You can stand idly by and look the other way while our elected officials craft legislation that could have devastating effects on our futures. Or you can pick up the phone and call your representatives. Tell them you oppose the plans, especially the component that would tax graduate students’ tuition waivers. Our educational and financial futures depend on it.
ten looked and had to resist touching on more than one occasion. I’ve taken CPR classes since I was 15. But performing it on a mannequin was nothing like what I saw in that hospital room. CPR classes don’t teach you about the palpable fear of literally holding someone’s life in your hands. Or how it looks violent and painful for the dying patient. I’ve watched enough monitors to see all kinds of abnormal things: slow and fast respirations, irregular heart rhythms and rates, low oxygen saturation. But I wasn’t prepared to see his heart rhythm look like a small child scribbled furiously across the screen as he received CPR. Or hear the beeping from the machine that wouldn’t stop because his oxygen saturation was fluctuating like crazy because a machine was breathing for him. Or see the flat line that drew itself on the screen whenever the team stopped CPR to check if his heart was working on its own. My nurse told me to feel for a femoral pulse. She pointed to the right spot and told me it would be hard to miss. I stood there with my fingers pressed into this man’s skin until they went numb, feeling – praying – for a pulse. I felt it constantly during chest compressions but every two minutes the doctor would call a pulse check, compressions would stop, he would ask if there was a pulse and I would have to reply “no pulse.” I lost count of how many times they asked if I felt a pulse. How many times I said “no pulse.” How many doses of epinephrine they administered. How many minutes went by. But I remember everyone talking about what could have caused his heart to stop. How young he
was. How he could pull through. And what felt like all at once, the CPR stopped. The monitor drew a flatline. And the doctor called the time of death. The room went from chaos to silence in that moment. But it wasn’t all at once. Everyone in that room knew it was going to happen. I watched the unaffected faces of the seasoned medical professionals around me. I didn’t know how I was supposed to respond. I didn’t know how I was supposed to feel. Instructors tell you how to deal with a patient death; take some quiet time, listen to some music, sit and watch the vending machine spin. Do whatever feels right to you. But what do you do that first time when you don’t know what to do? How do you figure out what feels right? Your professors tell you that it gets easier or that, for them, some deaths are easier to cope with, like the 98-year-old who dies comfortably or the cancer patient who has come to terms with their diagnosis and dies surrounded by their family. But how do you justify those random, freak accident deaths? The ones where the patient is finally feeling better, dressed and ready to go home? I don’t think anyone has the answers. I don’t think any kind of coping mechanism can truly help after a patient’s death. I was fortunate to find out the results of my patient’s autopsy. For me, knowing the cause of death helped me come to terms with what happened–– even if only minutely.
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email: maggie.wilhelm@ubspectrum.com
NEWS
Page 4 | The Spectrum
Monday, December 4, 2017
‘SEX and the CLASSROOM’ Sex Communication class still a student favorite ERIK TINGUE STAFF WRITER
Sexual Communication, COM 492, may be the only course in the country where you can win a dildo as an award for writing the best research paper. Sex Com is the only course of its kind in the U.S. The perennially popular course’s 300 seats fill within minutes of registration. The class aims to change how students talk about sex and tackles topics such as how porn can cause erectile dysfunction to facial symmetry’s role in attractiveness. Marisela Lugo, a junior communication major, feels the class is a safe, comfortable environment for students to learn about sex. “Sex Com has definitely been my favorite class to take here because I don’t feel like anyone is afraid to raise their hand to convey how they feel,” Lugo said. “Lance makes the class fun by making his topics understandable by giving examples of funny videos on the internet.” Lance Rintamaki, associate communication professor, got the idea to teach a class about sexual communication while working on his Ph.D. at the University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign. One of his advisers, Dale Brashers, told Rintamaki he should write a book on the subject. Rintamaki took Brashers’ advice and teamed up with other research assistants to compile thousands of articles about sexual communication into a textbook.
Brashers prepared to teach a sexual communication class based on the book at UI that fall. Five-hundred UI students registered for the class. But he died from a heart attack before the first day of class, leaving Rintamaki to teach the class on his own. “His death really devastated me because he was like my third parent and he was a light on that campus,” Rintamaki said. “He inspired me to continue our work and still teach the class.” After landing a job at UB, Rintamaki brought Sex Com to students in the fall of 2011. Since his first semester, he’s had a full roster every semester. “It’s the best class I’ve ever taught because it’s full of fun and people are laughing the entire time,” Rintamaki said. “At first I was nervous every class because I had never taught the content and I did not know if people would enjoy it. Students seem to love it every time.” Rintamaki is constantly evolving his class to keep up with the ever-changing world of sex. As he finds holes in sexual communication research, Rintamaki figures out how to best address the discrepancies. To do so, Rintamaki digs deep into the science behind what he teaches. “On one hand, the class covers a lot of clinical information, including hormones and hardwiring,” Rintamaki said. “On the other hand, we look at the actual studies that were done to bring us our current un-
UB Libraries will waive all fees for overdue books until Dec. 18 The Amnesty Campaign is part of an effort to regain over 3,000 outstanding materials NEWS DESK
Time is running out to return overdue library books without facing a fee. The UB Libraries announced a monthlong campaign that began on Nov. 17 to encourage UB and Buffalo community members to return their overdue library books.
In exchange for returning books during this window of time, UB Libraries will waive all fees, according to UB Now. Books and materials can be returned at the circulation desk of any of UB’s six libraries. The Amnesty Campaign is underway as the UB Libraries prepare to transfer more than 4.2 million printed materials to a new database. Nearly 3,000 of those books and materials are overdue. UB Libraries hopes its amnesty initiative will keep more accurate records of its materials by collecting or removing lost books from their system. email: news@ubspectrum.com
Shortage of tickets for Winter Gala CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Graduating students seek to make gala a part of their UB career. Gianna Razza, a senior mechanical and aerospace engineering and mathematics major, planned to attend gala with her friends, but said tickets sold out too fast for her friends to purchase them. “I want my friends there and I don’t think it’s fair,” Razza said. “I felt like they sold out so quickly that people could’ve had classes at that time where they couldn’t have gotten their tickets. If you want them to skip class to get a ticket, that’s not cool.” SA President Leslie Veloz understands the frustration of students who couldn’t get tickets, but advises students to consider gala’s popularity. “We see [gala] growing every year, which is a beautiful thing, but gala really is a first
come, first serve basis. We announce the release date as early as we can and we put systems in place to make sure as many students as possible can attend,” Veloz said. Veloz said having reduced ticket price for staff workers is not an uncommon practice in workplaces. “With us reserving tickets for the staff, it’s really not an unusual practice,” Veloz said. “It’s really to reward all of the people for all their hard work in putting [together] events like Gala. Gala used to be free and unlimited for e-board, we changed it so that we pay. We pay for an event that we hold. The discounted price is a way to reward us, but at the same time, makes it fair.” Beatrice Song, a senior communication major, looked forward to attending the Gala in her last year at UB, but was discouraged by the length of the line at the ticket booth.
Senate narrowly passes controversial tax reform bill CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Another difference in the Senate bill is a two-fold increase in the standard deduction, a dollar amount that reduces the amount of
income you are taxed on. The bill also eliminates a provision of the Affordable Care Act that imposes a tax penalty for those who do not purchase health insurance.
TROY WACHALA / THE SPECTRUM
Professor Lance Rintamaki’s Sex Com class is the only class of its kind in the country. His quirky personality and level of engagement attract 300 students to take his class each semester.
derstanding of sexual phenomena.” Rintamaki said students often say they wished they had learned the information he teaches sooner. Mackenzie Rodgers, a senior communication major, believes if you graduate without taking Rintamaki’s class, you have done yourself a disservice. “Sex Com has been my favorite class at UB because it’s so different than any other course I have taken in my college career,” Rodgers said. “Why wouldn’t I try my hardest in a class when I know I could possibly win a sex toy at the end of the course for writing the best paper?” Rintamaki is known for his teaching methods, unconditional care for students, friendly classroom environment and sense of humor. Michael Bova, a senior communication major, thinks Rintamaki’s enthusiasm is
what makes the class so engaging and fun. “Professor Rintamaki has a true passion for what he is teaching. He genuinely cares about his students and he tries his best to memorize everyone’s name, which is extremely difficult for a 400-person lecture hall,” Bova said. “Rintamaki shows unconditional excitement toward his material when he talks to his students and that is rare, but it is a desirable feature for students when choosing a professor.” Rob Santander, a junior communication major, said he appreciates Rintamaki’s passion for the class and his effort to make students understand the content. “No other professor at UB discusses topics that are taboo in society, which makes people actually learn and look forward to going to this class,” Santander said. email: features@ubspectrum.com
UB Law Library to collect donations for Family Help Center NEWS DESK
The Law Library will collect baby items for Family Help Center until Dec. 17. Family Help Center is a local organization that provides a 24-hour family helpline, home-based support for families, parent support groups, childcare, a food pantry and specific infant care programs. With the exception of the childcare center, services are provided free of charge. Family Help Center offers a “comfortable and nurturing environment” for group interaction and is dedicated to the prevention and interruption of child abuse and neglect in all of its forms — physical, emo-
tional and sexual, according to the organization’s website. Family Help Center is currently creating gift baskets for new mothers for the holidays. The organization is accepting donations in a large playpen just inside the Law Library’s main entrance. They are looking for the following items: body wash, talc-free baby powder, shampoo, small washcloths, lotion or oil, small towels, unscented baby wipes, onesies, pajamas, diaper cream, blankets, changing pads, small bath toys, bath wraps, hooded towels, teething rings, hats, mittens, booties and socks. email: news@ubspectrum.com
“I wasn’t trying to wait on a two-hour line for tickets,” Song said. “I’m mad. Tickets all sold out on the first day and that’s totally unfair because I was at work, and I couldn’t get tickets anyways, even if I wanted to go wait on the line.” Students were able to purchase unlimited amount of tickets in past years, causing unequal distribution among students. This year, SA only allowed each student to purchase three tickets to maximize the number of UB students who could attend. Several students suggested SA should disperse tickets more efficiently instead of allowing tickets to sell out. Smaller batches of tickets sold throughout the week or online reservations similar to the Distinguished Speaker Series are alternative methods students would like to see. Social media and a school-wide email notified students of ticket release dates, but many students were still unaware of gala due to a lack of on-campus promotion.
Anissah Ide, a senior business major, said while she never heard of gala, she empathises with graduating students who are unable to go. “For graduating students, this might be the only opportunity to attend the event,” Ide said. “They should offer more tickets so that more UB students could attend an event that’s made for them.” Students who previously attended gala are aware of the limited tickets. SA treasurer Janet Austin believes the expectancy for gala causes excitement for tickets. “We print it through our social media, but people who have been to UB know about gala,” Austin said. “Honestly, tickets sell out so fast that we barely promote it and people know already.” Students have suggested a larger venue for the event, but Austin commented that changing the venue for gala would result in higher ticket costs.
Republican Senator John McCain of Arizona said in a statement that he feels the legislation, while “far from perfect, would enhance American competitiveness, boost the economy and provide long overdue tax relief for middle class families.” Democrats remain in opposition to the bill and say it will benefit corporations at the expense of the middle class.
“My Republican friends must know that ‘we needed to notch a political win’ isn’t a good enough excuse for a constituent who asks why you voted to raises their taxes but slash them for big corporations,” Senate Democratic minority leader Chuck Schumer said Friday.
email: features@ubspectrum.com
email: maddy.fowler@ubspectrum.com
Monday, December 4, 2017
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
The Spectrum | Page 5
60th annual Grammy Award predictions The Spectrum’s takes on music’s biggest night BENJAMIN BLANCHET, BRENTON BLANCHET ARTS EDITORS
The Grammy Awards are back in the Big Apple for the first time in 15 years. The nominations for next year’s Grammys were announced on Nov. 28. As the ceremony next month approaches, we’re sharing our predictions on who will be crowned some of music’s top dogs.
RECORD OF THE YEAR Brenton: “Redbone” – Childish Gambino Donald Glover is a man of many talents. He’s a TV star, a cinematic hero and everyone’s favorite rapper-turned-R&B-sensation. And he deserves to be a Grammy winner. Popularity is a telling sign for the Grammys, and although Gambino’s popularity is nowhere near that of his competition, “Redbone” itself was huge this year. It’s beautiful, engaging and had us all hitting our falsettos throughout 2017. But none of us can hit them quite like the man himself. Ben: “24K Magic” – Bruno Mars As much as I love “Redbone” –– and love to hear it distorted from inside the bathroom at a party –– Bruno took the year by storm. It’s a magical, vintage, upbeat jam and one of the more infectious songs I’ve heard in pop that I haven’t become sick of. Symbolically, songs like JAY-Z’s “The Story of O.J.” winning would be huge, but it’s highly unlikely. Bruno’s throwback soundscape is the perfect track to get in the groove and the sound he and his team created is a pitch perfect, feel-good bop. ALBUM OF THE YEAR Ben: “‘Awaken, My Love!’” – Childish Gambino After a huge Golden Globes night, Gambino –– the mastermind –– will certainly take some Grammys home next January. The multi-platform creative has flexed his muscles in comedy, film and now R&B. “‘Awaken, My Love!’” is straight out of George Clinton’s playbook, a 21st-century ode to the Bootsy Collinses and Curtis Mayfields of music’s past. Besides “California” –– the worst track on the record –– cuts like “Baby Boy” and “Stand Tall” feature Gambino using his sweet serenades to provide beautiful, sugary scents of soul and R&B.
Gambino is the Will Smith of this generation, minus the corniness, and he deserves all the awards he can get. Brenton: “Damn” - Kendrick Lamar Kendrick Lamar’s year to win big at the Grammys was 2016. Everything was lined up in his favor. “To Pimp a Butterfly” was relevant, inventive and enjoyable in every sense. But Taylor Swift and “1989” took home Album of the Year. Swift’s pop perfection took home the major category wins, while Lamar was left with the awards in the rap category. Two years later and the rapper is bigger than he’s ever been. I personally don’t think “Damn” matches the musical excellence Lamar’s last release showcased, but album sales disagree. This is the Grammys opportunity to make up for 2016, and they’re not going to let Lamar leave without the grand prize this time.
SONG OF THE YEAR Ben: “Despacito” by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee (featuring Justin Bieber) First off, Justin Bieber is a clown. If you’re going to be on a hit Spanish song, conjured by two Puerto Rican musicians, at least have an understanding of the chorus. The chorus is unforgettable and after this summer, unforgettably annoying. But it’s deservingly so. The reggaeton aura and irresistibility of Fonsi’s crooning helped parade the song to number one in the United States and charts around the world. Minus the Bieber feature on the number, the song easily jumps out as the most memorable hit of the past year. Brenton: “Issues” by Julia Michaels Song of the Year is all about songwriting, and no artist is more deserving of this award than rising star Julia Michaels. Michaels started years back and spent her time behind the scenes, writing for pop stars like Justin Bieber, Gwen Stefani and Selena Gomez. Her debut single, “Issues,” was the first track she’s written that was too personal to give to anyone else, and she made the right decision. “Issues” is intimate, honest and highlights Michaels’ storytelling gift. Nobody can do it like her, and the Recording Academy will recognize that.
During his brief stint at the university, Shepp taught in the Black Studies –– now African American Studies –– program, also acting as a program director. After his time at UB, Shepp went on to teach his ethnomusicology course at the University of Massachusetts Amherst from 1971-2001. Shepp, previously an educator in the New York City school system, had no university-level experience as an educator prior to UB. He was recruited by then-American Studies department professor and author, Charles Keil. “Keil’s cousin, trombone player Roswell Rudd, and I were actually in the midst of a rehearsal when Professor Charles Keil called him,” Shepp said. “He asked him if he knew any black person who could head up a department at the University at Buffalo. It was in the middle of my rehearsal for my first recording for Impulse! Records. At the time, I had been teaching in New York City so I found it to be a very good time to accept the position. I did so quite willingly.” After interviewing with then-President Martin Meyerson, Shepp joined UB during a time when a number of student movements were underway. Demonstrations in the fall of 1969 were done in support of the Buffalo Nine, a group of students, some with UB ties, who were arrested on the basis of draft evasion. At other times during the semester, students led by then-SA president Bill Austin called on the university to recruit more black and Puerto Rican students to the medical school.
BEST NEW ARTIST Ben: SZA After years of fans waiting for a followup to her project “Z,” SZA’s “Ctrl” made necessary waves in 2017. It’s vulnerability –– edged with themes of womanhood and sexuality –– mimic the lore of other popular R&B albums like Janet Jackson’s “The Velvet Rope” and Beyoncé’s “Lemonade.” By incorporating a team of musicians to assist her on “Ctrl” like Pharrell Williams and Travis Scott, her hip-hop heavy influences blend well with her brushes of soothing soul on tracks like “Go Gina” and “Doves in the Wind.” Following her big year, a few Grammys for the singer will be the icing on the cake. Brenton: Alessia Cara This is what I call the Meghan Trainor theory. In 2016, Trainor took home Best New Artist after being nominated the year before. Alessia Cara wasn’t nominated for a Grammy before this year, but she has a massive advantage over her opponents. Her debut album, “Know-It-All,” was released two years ago and she’s been popular since. She was even nominated for New Artist of the Year at the American Music Awards in 2016. Although I have great respect for Cara and am a big fan of her music, SZA and Julia Michaels really deserve this one. But the Recording Academy will say differently. SNUBS Ben: A Tribe Called Quest As much as the Grammys are a victory for
Archie Shepp looks back on rich past at UB CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
COURTESY / FLICKR USER THOMAS HAWK
The 60th Annual Grammy Awards, which take place on Jan. 28, boast a myriad of major R&B and hip-hop nominations. From Childish Gambino to “Despacito,” here are some of Arts Desk’s big winners (and snubs) for music’s biggest night.
Shepp made sure to consider students’ demands during his tenure and organized an artist-in-residence program at the school. The program brought in the likes of Jackie McLean and Joe Chambers, contemporaries in Shepp’s musical field. Ed Smith, a former theater professor at UB, shared an office with Shepp during his time with Black Studies. The two, both from Philadelphia, originally met in New York City in 1967 where they talked music and the condition of African-Americans in the U.S. At UB, Smith showed great respect toward the musician and educator. In addition to Shepp stopping by Smith’s theatre company in Buffalo, he also visited the former professor’s long-running jazz show on WBFO. Smith believed Shepp took on a role that would later be impactful for the university. “Archie’s music at the time was very revolutionary and I was learning a lot from him,” Smith said. “I know his music and his classes were almost in that same mood that he was going through.” Students at the time like Sabu Adeyola, an adjunct instructor in the music department, took both Shepp’s performance and ethnomusicology course at UB. Adeyola, a former bassist with the Ahmad Jamal Trio and protege of Charles Mingus, remembers the relationship the two built at the school. Shepp fit the mold of other prominent names in jazz at the time like Ornette Coleman, Albert Ayler and Pharoah Sanders –– jazz musicians who broke barriers and were
socially involved. Adeyola recalls Shepp referencing old jazz masters along with modern giants, never taking the genre for granted. “In his course we read parts of books like ‘Muntu,’ which dealt with neo-African culture and art, so he [relayed] the importance of knowing the African roots of our music,” Adeyola said. “He was similar to what Mingus was about. We understand what we’re about as musicians, but the dignity and the integrity of the music should be first and foremost.” Between rehearsals at the bassist’s house and classes, Adeyola recalls talking with Shepp about John Coltrane, a jazz legend and collaborator with Shepp. “Of course, at that time I was in my 20s, a young musician and like most musicians of my era we were very interested in John Coltrane,” Adeyola said. “I knew Archie was close to him and I remember some interesting things he said about John. He said ‘John freed us from being just mere entertainers.’” Shepp’s recorded works matched his socially relevant persona. One album, “Attica Blues” –– released in 1972 –– took an avant-garde and post-bop approach to the prior year’s Attica Prison riot. The riots were spawned by the killing of George Jackson, a black prison rights activist and writer. After inmates’ demands for better conditions at Attica hadn’t been met, they held prison employees hostage. Four days went by before officers dropped tear gas and exchanged thousands of rounds of bullets. It ultimately led to the deaths of 43 people, including officers, employees and prisoners. It caused an uptick in conversations around prisoners’ rights and racial justice, a conversation Shepp felt he wanted to take part in.
musicians of color, with no white males nominated for album of the year, they missed the mark in the biggest way. A Tribe Called Quest, as its legendary member Q-Tip noted in an Instagram rant, received zero nominations. Aside from JAY-Z’s career reboot on “4:44,” “We Got It from Here… Thank You 4 Your Service” was the most important black album to be released in the past year. The sting of A Tribe Called Quest’s lack of nominations would be lessened if JAY-Z were to win, but the empty void will be highly felt in their hometown come January. Brenton: Tyler, the Creator, Dua Lipa I’m pretty satisfied with this year’s nominees. The Grammys put an emphasis on hip hop this year, and rightfully so. I just wish Tyler, the Creator’s “Flower Boy” made its way to the major categories. “Flower Boy” is Tyler’s best work and my favorite album this year. And if the Recording Academy thinks Alessia Cara is eligible for Best New Artist, I would’ve preferred they nominated Tyler. He’s never been nominated before, just like Cara, and this is the best his music has ever sounded. I also think Dua Lipa was paid dust after a wildly successful year. Her self-titled debut album was hands-down the most cohesive pop record of the year, but she was nowhere to be found in the pop categories. And as an actual new artist, it would’ve made more sense to incorporate her in the category than an industry regular like Alessia Cara. email: arts@ubspectrum.com
“After I released that record, I went to Attica prison to perform there,” Shepp said. “I met a guy who had a brother who was in one of my classes, in fact, and when he learned that I knew his brother he asked me if I could send him [music papers], because he was making music himself. He was a saxophone player. They had no musical materials there.” Although he wasn’t able to send music papers to the prison, he found it interesting that his brother –– whom he considered to be a good student –– would have his older brother imprisoned in Attica Correctional Facility. “I was teaching from an area not far from the prison,” Shepp said. “The prison itself had deep symbolic meaning as far as racism and oppression of minorities, particularly oppression in prisons. So I felt I had a responsibility to engage and respond.” Shepp aspired for more from his students and hoped his presence at the school made a difference. He said he’s been fortunate to have been around so many people at the time who were part of social change as he watched Black Studies departments begin to grow and become important in the ’70s. “It was a time when I actually began to grow up as a professor,” Shepp said. “I learned an enormous amount even when I didn’t have all the books or professional materials to relate to students or give them the background of music that they needed. I found my lecture course became as important to me as my performance course because it was important to me for students to understand that their music was important.” email: benjamin.blanchet@ubspectrum.com.
Page 6 | The Spectrum
SPORTS
Monday, December 4, 2017
UB loses to St. Bonaventure 73-62
Bulls Bulls drop drop final final Big 4 Big 4 game game MADISON MEYER / THE SPECTRUM
Freshman guard James Reese slams home an alley-oop. Reese finished with seven points in the game.
DANIEL PETRUCCELLI SPORTS EDITOR
UB entered Saturday with a chance to sweep the Big 4 but fell short against the St. Bonaventure Bonnies. The Bulls (4-3) lost 73-62 to the Bonnies (5-2) in front of a crowd of 6,212 at Alumni Arena. Bonnies senior guard Matt Mobley was the best scorer in the contest with a game-high 25 points. Buffalo entered halftime with the lead, 35-32. They were held to just 27 points in the second half, their second lowest scoring output in a half this season. “That’s one of the things that bothers me the most, because we were in a spot to take the lead or win the game but at that point we failed to score,” said junior guard CJ Massinburg. “They made about three baskets in a row and we didn’t. At that point we were trying to fight back.” The Bulls were within one, 55-54, with 8:39 left but failed to convert a single field goal after that for eight minutes straight. Junior forward Nick Perkins finally hit a threepointer with 39 seconds remaining but Buffalo was down 66-60 after the basket. Buffalo had their worst shooting night of the season. They registered season lows in field goal percentage, free throw percentage, and three-point shooting percentage. Massinburg and Perkins both scored 21 points and combined for 46 percent shooting. The rest of the team added 20 points on 24 percent shooting. “[Perkins and Massinburg] both had 21 [points] and eight [rebounds] tonight but no one else had more than seven [points],” said Bulls head coach Nate Oats. “I think Jeremy [Harris] has to give us close to 15 a game. … He’s still figuring it out and his three-point shot wasn’t dropping tonight. He was just a little off tonight.” Harris, a junior guard, entered the game averaging 14.7 per contest and shooting 35 percent from deep. He went 2-of-10 and
1-of-6 from three point range for a total of six points against St. Bonaventure. The Bonnies led for over 21 minutes in the game, including the final 9:51. St. Bonaventure was helped by the return of senior guard Jaylen Adams. Adams was ranked 24th in scoring nationally last season and seventh in assists. Saturday was the first game of the season for Adams due to an injury He finished with nine points, two assists and four rebounds. “Having Adams back probably helped them a little bit but you could tell he was still rusty,” Oats said. “That wasn’t the difference, Mobley is the one who destroyed us. We have to get tougher if we’re going to win big games against good teams.” The Bonnies disrupted the Bulls offense and caused Buffalo to give up 16 turnovers. St. Bonaventure also outrebounded the Bulls by 12, including seven more offensive boards. This was the fifth straight game that the Bulls have been outrebounded. “We’re not rebounding the ball well enough, we have too many turnovers,” Oats said. “If you look at their second chance points and their points off turnovers, the stat sheet has that at 27 total. [I’m] a little disappointed with our effort on the glass, we have to step it up.” The Big 4 Matchup between two of the top universities in Western New York drew a large crowd. The 6,000-plus in attendance was almost 3,000 more than any other game for the Bulls this season. “We appreciate all the fans for coming out,” Massinburg said. “That just makes the loss that much worse. … But we appreciate the fans and the support and hopefully next time it’s full like that we can get a win and everybody goes home happy.” The Bulls are on the road for their next game when they visit the Delaware Blue Hens (4-4) on Wednesday Dec. 6. Tipoff is at 7 p.m. in the Bob Carpenter Center. email: daniel.petruccelli@ubspectrum.com
2 Bed / 2 Bath Apartments 25-47 Old Lyme Drive, Williamsville NY
Blotter 11/15-11/27 Did you make this week’s blotter? NEWS DESK
11/15 8:51 a.m. A caller reported finding marijuana and a bong in room 118 in the Center for the Arts. Police did not find anything. 11/16 4:47 p.m. A student called to report his friend threw a chair at him in 6 Capen. The student said his arm hurt but he did not need medical attention. Officers received no response at the door from 6 Capen. 9:20 p.m. A student reported a domestic dispute between her roommate and the roommate’s significant other. The student heard crashing and screaming inside the apartment and the female crying and yelling, “Let me go. I want to leave. Stop, you’re hurting me.” The two parties were separated for the night.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert Nuchereno 716-633-9111 RobertNuch@GMAIL.COM
11/18 3:56 a.m. Officers issued Student-Wide Judiciary referrals and appearance tickets for Amherst Town Court to students after seizing marijuana, several pipes, grinders and miscellaneous drug paraphernalia in Richmond A Parking Lot. 12:42 p.m. Officers report they were with a person doing laundry in the laundry room of Porter Quad who used another student’s ID to enter the building. The person stated their friend lent them their UB ID card so they could do laundry. The owner confirmed she loaned her card to her friend and it was not stolen.
11/19 1:08 a.m. A campus adviser requested assistance with a marijuana complaint at the South Lake Village apartments. The seven occupants in the room slammed the door on her, she said. Officers arrived at 1:20 a.m. and spoke with the occupants who agreed to keep the noise down. 11/24 3:03 p.m. People in the suites at a UB football game called to complain about other patrons seated in the East Grandstand who they said were disturbing them. Police advised the subjects. 11/27 12:22 p.m. A student reported he lost $2,000 through a check cashing scam sent to his UB email account. The student said the suspect had previously contacted him by text message. 2:55 p.m. A bike was reported stolen from Main Circle. 4:34 p.m. A student requests to file a harassment report. The report is on file. 7:29 p.m. A caller reports there are two cats living outside Spaulding Building 5 near the air conditioning unit. The caller was concerned about the cats in the colder temperatures. Officers arrived and did not have access to the cats. They advised the caller that if they can trap the cats, animal control can be called.
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4, 5, 6 & 8 BEDROOM REMODELED APARTMENT HOUSES. 37 apartments available located at University Buffalo Main Street Campus off Englewood. Beginning June 2018: UB South Campus for @ $275-$375/ bedroom plus utilities. Washers & dryers included. Contact bradengel37@gmail.com or Shawn at 716-984-7813. Check out our website: www.bufapt.com HOUSE FOR RENT HOUSE FOR
The Spectrum | Page 7
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SPORTS
Page 8 | The Spectrum
Monday, December 4, 2017
Spirit of the
bulls True Blue celebrates its 10th year THOMAS ZAFONTE SENIOR SPORTS EDITOR
When it comes to UB sporting events, there are two constants: empty seats and True Blue. True Blue is the official SA club dedicated to changing that first constant through organized student attendance at UB games. The club is celebrating its 10-year anniversary while continuing to try and build both the club and game attendance. “We first focus on what we call revenue sports which are wrestling, football and basketball,” said Stephanie Wolcott, club president and senior political science and history major. “Those are the games where the most people will be there. Our goal is to get those people to the other ‘olympic sports’ where you don’t usually see that many people.” The labels of “olympic” and “revenue” signify which sports will draw the best attendance, according to Wolcott. Big attendance games are where True Blue tries to recruit more students for future events. For Wolcott, it is less about trying to get the biggest crowd possible for big games and more about raising attendance for low drawing games. Wolcott said an increase in attendance across every sport will improve morale at UB. “Atmosphere on campus is not that great,” Wolcott said. “It is just as likely you will see a Syracuse Orange than a UB sweatshirt,” Wolcott said. “My main goal is to grow True Blue into being more of a school pride thing in addition to attending athletics.”
For Wolcott, that means recruiting more members interested in UB athletics as a whole, rather than students who only want to watch one game. This year, True Blue has added a freshmen committee in an effort to increase recruiting and find students looking for an athletic fan experience at UB. The freshmen committee has roughly 20 members, according to Wolcott, and is always looking to include new members. This focus on overall school spirit is a far cry from the club’s simple beginnings. UB alumni Paul Hutching and Jesepeh Meyers founded True Blue in 2007. According to Wolcott, it was created when a group of five UB students decided they wanted to go to a road football game painted in blue and could not afford it. Hutching and Myers contacted the SA president and were told if they form an official SA club, their trip would be funded. From there, True Blue was born. The club has a budget of $5,000 from SA, half of which is from fundraising, according to Wolcott. Wolcott said True Blue follows all of SA guidelines for a club, while also working with Athletics for upcoming games. The club has to pay for any road trip they go on themselves. Often this turns into a few True Blue members traveling in club members’ cars just to be at one or two
BULLS’ SEASON IS OVER UB does not receive bowl invite on selection Sunday
games. This season, True Blue traveled to Ohio for volleyball road games and paid for the trip out of pocket. “We try to cover as much sports as possible, but it is tough,” Wolcott said. “With club, Division I and the other sports on campus, there [are] only so many of us able to cover all the events.” Wolcott expressed her displeasure with the club’s inability to cover all UB sports but stays assured the games they do cover help grow True Blue. Words of support from Athletics or athletes improve club morale, according to Wolcott. “I love their excitement and enthusiasm and I think what True Blue is doing now is something that will be remembered for years to come,” said Director of Athletics Allen Greene. “I encourage students to be a part of True Blue just to be a part of that experience.” Part of that experience comes from the club’s sideline antics. True Blue often brings a cowbells, large bass drums and an assortment of signs to games. They have no elaborate plans but find mind games like counting down a shot clock early and displaying a blown up picture of Bill Murray from “Space Jam” messes up opponents. Kyle Yagielski, a junior engineering major, had friends in the club and joined after spending a few games with them.
DANIEL PETRUCCELLI SPORTS EDITOR
UB’s bowl hopes are officially over. Buffalo has been named one of the three teams who did not receive a bowl invite Sunday. The 6-6 (4-4 Mid-American Conference) Bulls became bowl eligible this season for the third time in school history. This is the first time Buffalo has been bowl eligible un-
MADISON MEYER / THE SPECTRUM
True Blue making noise at a volleyball game. The team is looking to expand as their tenth year comes to an end.
“I’m hyped to go to every single event and act like an idiot, have fun and meet new people,” Yagielski said. “That being said, it is nice to get the pat on the back from the coaches and players. I would still be going to every event regardless.” Yagielski said his first year with the club has been “fantastic” and points to the words of support from athletes as one of the best parts of the experience. “Every single athlete is happy to have us there and we are happy to be there,” Yagielski said.We want to see UB become that national power and reach that vision of us competing at a high level.” That goal is shared by all members of True Blue, according to vice president Kyle Hughes, a senior marketing major. Hughes works extensively with the rest of the club e-board to manage True Blue events and help with whatever Wolcott is dealing with. “We try to be as available as possible for everyone in the club and out,” Hughes said. “We like new and old members to feel free and ask us any questions we have while feeling welcomed.” email: thomas.zafonte@ubspectrum.com
der head coach Lance Leipold. There were 81 bowl-eligible teams and only 78 spots. Buffalo, fellow MAC team the Western Michigan Broncos (6-6, 4-4 MAC) and the University of Texas at San Antonio Roadrunners (6-5, 3-5 Conference USA) will all see their season come to an end without a postseason. “It has been an exciting last few weeks and I’m incredibly proud and impressed with how the team has performed this season,” said Director of Athletics Allen Greene. Buffalo had three straight wins to close out the season, including a victory over the heavily favored Ohio Bobcats (8-4, 5-3 MAC) the day after Thanksgiving that sealed Buffalo’s bowl eligibility. Ohio will be heading to Nassau to take on University of Alabama at Birmingham in the Bahamas Bowl. In total, five MAC teams received invitations to bowl games. Despite not being invited to a bowl game, the Bulls registered five all-MAC selections. Junior receiver Anthony Johnson and junior linebacker Khalil Hodge were selected to first team. Senior defensive end Demone Harris was named to second team. Junior center James O’Hagan and junior defensive end Chuck Harris were picked to the third team. Johnson finished first for receiving touchdowns in a single season in school history. He is also ranked third in the nation for receiving touchdowns and receiving yards. Hodge finished second in the nation in tackles with 154 total tackles for the year. He also set the Division I program record. email: daniel.petruccelli@ubspectrum.com
JACK LI / THE SPECTRUM
Redshirt sophomore running back Emmanuel Reed pushes for the endzone. The Bulls were bowl eligible this season but did not receive an invite to a game.