The Spectrum Vol. 67 No. 19

THURSDAY,

NOVEMBER 2, 2017

POLITICAL ISSUE

A guide to the local ballot

VOLUME 67 NO. 19

Nine months in office: Look at President Trump’s impact

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Students, faculty discuss importance of local elections MADDY FOWLER NEWS EDITOR

Andrew Weiner believes local elections are the most important part of government in America.

“What happens at the state and local level is more important compared with the federal government,” Weiner, a junior political science major, said. “If you look at the local government, they pass a lot of bills that people don’t tend to know about.”

These bills have a more direct impact on voters than federal legislation. For example, when Weiner worked for a local candidate on Long Island, people were concerned about cameras at stoplights. Officials elected during local elections have the power to address these types of everyday issues.

Students and faculty discuss most defining aspects of Trump presidency so far

POLITICAL I S S U E

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Excelsior Scholarship spring application now available

SARAH CROWLEY SENIOR NEWS EDITOR

College students were not a key base for President Trump in last November’s election; 55 percent voted for Hillary Clinton versus 37 percent for Trump, according to Pew Research Center polls.

Many students remain critical of Trump’s decisions and appointments since he took office. We asked UB students and faculty to reflect on the most memorable decisions of Trump’s presidency so far.

Devin Forde, a senior psychology major, said the most defining moment was Trump’s response to the white supremacist march in Charlottesville, Virginia. Trump received backlash for his immediate response to the march in Charlottesville, which led to the death of a counter-protester.

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UB fires beloved Dr. B Students are angry, confused and worried about grades

Students who missed the fall deadline can apply for the Excelsior Scholarship online

US Secretary of Education rescinds 72 documents for students with disabilities UB staff, students discuss Betsy DeVos’ decision to rollback rights for students with disabilities

SARAH CROWLEY

MADDY FOWLER

SENIOR NEWS EDITOR

NEWS EDITOR

Students can now apply for the spring semester’s Excelsior Scholarship. The application is available online until Dec. 4.

The scholarship application is for eligible students who missed the fall application deadline; those already receiving the scholarship do not need to apply.

The Excelsior Scholarship, in addition to federal and state aid packages, allows students to attend SUNY or CUNY colleges and universities tuition-free. To be eligible for the award, students must have taken 30 credit hours in the prior year. They must also come from a household making less than $100,000 a year. Governor Andrew Cuomo said the income cap will be raised gradually to include more students.

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ALLISON STAEBELL / THE SPECTRUM

Dr. Kushal K. Bhardwaj walked out to a crowd of about 25 loyal students after his disciplinary hearing on Oct. 16 and reading from a legal pad, he told them the charges against him were dismissed and unsubstantiated. The students cheered and he hugged each student. Bhardwaj has been fired amid allegations of demeaning students and misbehavior.

HANNAH STEIN EDITOR IN CHIEF

UB has fired popular African American studies adjunct professor Kushal K. Bhardwaj, known to students as “Dr. B,” amid a swirl of rumors about inappropriate conduct toward a student and accusa-

Pros and Con-Cons

tions of misbehavior.

The misconduct has to do with the combative way Bhardwaj spoke to a female student and how he made retaliatory comments toward students who complained about him, The Spectrum has learned from students and other UB sources.

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Sharon Nolan-Weiss believes Betsy DeVos’ decision to rescind guidance letters for students with disabilities is sending a message that the Department of Education is pulling back on its commitment to civil rights.

On Oct. 21, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos announced that the Department of Education had rescinded 72 policy documents for disabled students as of Oct. 2.

The documents were rescinded because the Department of Education felt they were “outdated, unnecessary or ineffective.”

Many of the documents outlined how the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act works. Several documents were replaced with more updated guidance letters.

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YDSA cuts first meeting short after large opposition turnout

UB law professor says to vote yes on constitutional convention

New youth chapter of U.S. socialist organization formed on campus this semester

TROY WACHALA / THE SPECTRUM

KATIE KOSTELNY / THE SPECTRUM

SUNY Distinguished law professor and constitutional law expert John Gardner sits in his office in 514 O’Brian Hall. Gardner is a strong advocate for a constitutional convention in New York State.

Founding member Laura Kerrigan, a second-year graduate student in American studies, leads the first meeting of the new YDSA chapter.

The group’s arrival to campus is indicative of a growing interest in socialism nationwide.

SARAH CROWLEY SENIOR NEWS EDITOR

New York voters have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reform their state constitution on Nov. 7 by voting “yes” to a constitutional convention.

If more people vote in favor than opposed, voters will have the chance to vote

for delegates to the convention in 2018.

The delegates will meet in April 2019 to begin reforming the Constitution. The vote comes up every 20 years and the last constitutional convention, also called ConCon, was held in 1967. Delegates will have to propose any reforms for voters to ratify within six weeks of the convention.

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ubspectrum.com

@ubspectrum

DAN MCKEON COPY CHIEF

The Young Democratic Socialists of America, the youth wing of the larger Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), held their first meeting Tuesday. It ended after less than a half hour due to the presence of members of Young Americans for Freedom (YAF) and others.

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The UB branch of the YDSA formed this semester amid a growing nationwide interest in socialism, especially in the wake of the presidential election and the Bernie Sanders campaign. The group’s first open meeting featured roughly 20 participants, more than half of whom were described as “detrimental to our group” by Laura Kerrigan, a founding member of the YDSA. CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

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POLITICAL

Thursday, November 2, 2017

THE SPECTRUM

Excelsior Scholarship spring application now available CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

More than 1,500 UB students received money through the Excelsior award this semester. Director of Financial Aid John Gottardy estimates students will receive approximately $2.9 million in Excelsior aid by the end of the fall semester. That’s $1,933 spent on average per person.

Gottardy said it is premature to fully evaluate the program’s success, but the program has received “very positive feedback” from students and parents.

The scholarship is a “last-dollar” award, which to some students, has led to confusion in how the money is distributed.

Gottardy explained that to determine the amount of the Excelsior award, Financial Aid first reduces the tuition award by other grants and scholarships that a student may be receiving for the academic year.

These include the NYS Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) award, Federal Pell Grant and other grants and scholarships not exclusively earmarked for expenses other than tuition.

“Students may be receiving another grant or scholarship that causes a reduction in their Excelsior Scholarship amount,” Gottardy said. “Another reason may be that students may be looking at both tuition and fees. Fees are not covered under the Excelsior program.”

“I think those that feel the program is misleading are relatively few since this program has had such a positive impact on so many New York residents from across the state,” he said.

Students can apply for the spring semester online. email: sarah.crowley@ubspectrum.com

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Pros and Con-Cons CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

The vote has provoked strong opposition from an unusual alliance of groups like the NYS Teachers Union, the National Rifle Association and Planned Parenthood.

Lawyers are one of the only professional groups who have endorsed the constitutional convention. The New York State Bar Association said it supports the convention as a way to streamline New York’s courts system and improve voter participation.

More than two-thirds of likely voters are expected to vote against the constitutional convention, according to a Sienna Poll released Wednesday, Nov. 1. Opponents point out that amendments are possible without holding a convention.

Many opposed groups fear that the process could be dominated by elite interests and could rollback hard-fought worker’s rights and environmental provisions. The United University Professionals group is one of the many workers’ unions against the Con-Con vote.

James Gardner, a constitutional law expert and SUNY Distinguished Professor, thinks the only way to reform a dysfunctional, unaccountable, corrupt NYS government, is through a constitutional convention.

Gerrymandering has created incumbency rates that keep public officials practically unaccountable, Gardner said. If voters are unhappy with a legislator or would prefer someone with different political preferences, it can be nearly impossible to remove them from office because of the way districts are drawn.

“For 40 years, there’s been this deal between the Democrats and the Republicans where the Assembly is overwhelmingly Democratic and the Senate is controlled by Republicans. [It is] one of the most corrupt deals you can imagine,” Gardner said.

A Republican-controlled Senate is an “unbelievable accomplishment of gerrymandering,” considering the number of registered Democrats in New York, according to Gardner.

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Gardner also thinks a constitutional convention would help fix corruption in Albany.

He thinks it’s telling that as many legislators have been indicted or resigned in shame as have been removed from office because they were legitimately beaten in an election.

“The corruption is sickening,” Gardner said. “So, those are the reasons to vote yes on a convention; to force upon the legislature reforms that the legislature will never adopt itself because it has no incentives to do so.”

Most of the reasons given to vote “no” are negative and rooted in irrational fears, Gardner said.

Jacob Neiheisel, an assistant professor in political science, said he is in favor of voting yes for the constitutional convention, but understands where the vote-no camp is coming from. He thinks there is too much uncertainty about what would come out of the process.

“As I see it, the reason why we are seeing such a push against a constitutional convention from all sides is that just about everything becomes fair game in such a setting,” Niehiesel said. “All sides—left-leaning groups as well as right-leaning groups—are worried about losing any policy gains that they may have made over the years.”

The same is true for why there hasn’t been a convention to amend the U.S. Constitution, Niehiesel said.

“Personally I think that this fear is overblown on the national level, at least. Constitutional changes are typically made for the purpose of extending rights, not taking them away. But I understand why high degrees of uncertainty would mean that riskaverse interests would shy away from a process over which they cannot exercise a great deal of control,” he said.

For example, public employee unions are opposed because they say outsiders could roll back workers’ protections or re-negotiate pensions. Gardner said this isn’t possible— the U.S. Constitution protects contracts like pensions from being re-negotiated.

“I believe their real fear is that they have learned how to navigate a corrupt and opaque state government and if that form of government is changed; they will have to learn, along with everybody else, how to navigate a state government that is fair and transparent,” Gardner said.

Some who oppose the convention worry outside interests will try to lobby to move the constitution to the right or remove rights.

Gardner said this is “total garbage.”

“This is an argument that the Koch brothers and others of their ilk will flood the state with money to control the convention to make New York into Texas,” Gardner said. “If the Koch brothers are trying to sucker us into approving a convention, what money is being spent right now? All the spending is being spent on the “no” side. And it’s not dark money, it’s coming from public employee unions.”

Gardner further pointed out, New York is a highly progressive state that regularly elects some of the country’s most progressive leaders.

“What is the likelihood that this electorate could produce a convention that would be comfortable in Alabama? I think it’s zero,” he said.

Gardner believes students should care about this vote, but knows that people tend to follow national politics more than state.

“State government does fly under the radar, not just for students but for everyone, which is one reason why members of state government can get away with this stuff,” Gardner said.

Yet most of the law that impacts people’s day-to-day lives is decided by state government. UB itself is heavily impacted by what happens in the state legislature.

“UB’s funding is provided overwhelmingly by the state legislature, so if we have a state legislature that is democratically unaccountable and is not responsive to a popular belief that education in the state should be generously funded, that’s a big deal for students,” Gardner said. email: sarah.crowley@ubspectrum.com

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POLITICAL

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Thursday, November 2, 2017

THE SPECTRUM

Editorial Board EDITOR IN CHIEF

Hannah Stein

MANAGING EDITORS

David Tunis-Garcia Maggie Wilhelm COPY EDITORS

Dan McKeon, Chief Saqib Hossain Emma Medina

VOTE LOCAL

Local elections have greater impact on student’s lives than national elections

NEWS EDITORS

Sarah Crowley, Senior Maddy Fowler FEATURES EDITOR

Max Kalnitz, Senior ARTS EDITORS

Benjamin Blanchet, Senior Brenton Blanchet, Asst.

SPORTS EDITORS

Danny Petruccelli, Senior Thomas Zafonte, Senior Jeremy Torres, Asst.

MULTIMEDIA EDITORS

Troy Wachala, Senior Allison Staebell, Senior CREATIVE DIRECTORS

Pierce Strudler Arielle Channin, Asst.

Alyssa Brouillet, Asst.

Professional Staff OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR

Helene Polley

ADVERTISING MANAGER

Ayesha Kazi GRAPHIC DESIGN MANAGERS

Stephen Jean-Pierre Shawn Zhang, Asst.

THE SPECTRUM Thursday, November 2, 2017 Volume 67 Number 19 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.

Most of our day-to-day lives are determined by state law. Yet many of us cannot name a single state legislator or our county sheriff.

Part of this is because of the media hyper-focuses on President Donald Trump. Even the local media reports heavily on national stories. Trump’s tweets and antics shift attention to Washington and away from local news.

But we feel, as students, reporters and citizens, we should all work to learn more about local elections. Some local offices are decided by only a few votes, and these are the people that are in charge of our prisons, our policing, our schools, our infrastructure, our taxes. These elections may not be sexy, but they matter.

UB is a public university and local offices make decisions that affect us as students at a public university. City councils can vote on severe fines for students caught with a beer in the Heights. The New York State Board of Regents and the state legislature are directly responsible for what kind of funding UB receives.

The Spectrum editors understand that it takes more effort to learn about local candidates and to follow local issues. We accept some of this blame. In the past, we’ve covered national story-lines over local news and local issues and we

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want to fix that.

Luckily, UB has an immense network and resources to improve public knowledge. Student clubs like College Democrats, College Republicans, Young Democratic Socialists for America, Young Americans for Liberty and more can work to involve students with local elections.

It isn’t all on student groups, though – our professors and administrators need to play a role in educating UB students about local elections are well. Last year during the general election, there were different events happening every day encouraging students to get involved in the election. Such opportunities for local elections are scant. Political science professors – and professors from any disci-

pline affected by local politics, including criminal justice, education, social work and civil engineering just to name a few – should hold lectures and conversations about the important local issues.

Last year, several clubs and organizations hosted debate watching parties. And while it might not be as exciting to watch local candidates discuss the crumbling infrastructure and tax reform, it is just as important. Students have to stop treating local elections like they are lesser.

As the 2016 general election approached, people could be found all around campus and in the community, clipboards in hand, urging people to register to vote. Where is that same push for local candidates? While voting is always im-

portant, New York State was always going to go to Hillary Clinton because of the Electoral College system. Why is there such a push to get people to vote in an election where their voice is negligible and not elections where their voice could be heard loud and clear?

One Spectrum editor said she voted in a local election one year where the candidate only received 37 votes. If you’re someone who doesn’t vote because you think your voice doesn’t matter, vote in a local election. It’s an easy way to use your voice and your right as a citizen of a democracy to make tangible, impactful change.

So do your homework. Get educated. And get out there and vote. email: eic@ubspectrum.com

Hear Me Out: Sandwich theory and politics Debate over what constitutes a sandwich mirrors intensity of politics

For information on adverstising with The Spectrum, visit www.ubspectrum.com/advertising or call us directly at 716-645-2152 The Spectrum offices are located in 132 Student Union, UB North Campus, Buffalo, NY 142602100

DAN MCKEON COPY CHIEF

Hot dogs are sandwiches.

You must accept this before we move any further. Maybe you think it isn’t one because it is on a single connected piece of bread, but you forget that many subs are served on one connected piece of bread.

Sandwich theory – the idea of what is or could be considered a sandwich – can be a hotly debated topic. If your blood is already boiling about my bold hot dog stance, stop reading now.

According to the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, burritos, hamburgers, open-faced sandwiches and wraps fall under the beautiful, all-encompassing umbrella of the term “sandwich.”

“Tax Bulletin ST-835” defines a sandwich as “made on bread, on bagels, on rolls, in pitas, in wraps, or otherwise, and regardless of the filling or number of layers.

A sandwich can be as simple as a

buttered bagel or roll, or as elaborate as a six-foot, toasted submarine sandwich.”

If a sandwich is simply some sort of material with a separate ingredient on it – the most liberal definition possible – then what’s to stop us from declaring a Pop-Tart a sandwich?

Well, a lot. That might be too bold an argument.

But let’s take the burrito for example. Many wouldn’t consider it a sandwich and perhaps with good reason.

From most of the sandwich debates I’ve gotten into this year – somewhere around 15 – the most common definition is two pieces of the same ingredient with other ingredients in between. This definition would include traditional sandwiches, ice cream sandwiches, hamburgers, etc. and clearly would exclude dishes such as burritos.

The humble burrito is often put in the wrap category, a grouping I and the State of New York consider to be a subsection of sandwiches. The anti-burrito crowd is often also anti-open-faced sandwich-

es; it is worth noting how bold a stance it is to exclude a dish with the word “sandwich” in it from the category of sandwiches.

The argument often strictly adheres to the “two outside pieces, ingredients in the middle” formula, appealing to the traditional values of “my father’s sandwich and my father’s father’s sandwich.” The counterargument usually lambasts the narrow-minded view of such old-fashioned opinions Simply put, there is no general consensus.

But who has the authority to define what a sandwich is?

According to many Reddit AMAs, celebrities can be that authority; at least in a hot dog capacity.

In an AMA in August 2016, Meryl Streep said “Is a hot dog a sandwich? Well with a bun, yes.

Without a bun, no.” In another in September 2016, Anthony Bourdain said “it is not a classic sandwich, in my view. …I don’t think a hamburger is a sandwich either.”

Matt Damon said in an AMA in July 2016 “I guess you can classify it as a sandwich. Then what would you call it, a hot dog sandwich?

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION / TROY WACHALA

A sandwich and a hot dog are ready to hash out their views. Debate over what constitutes a sandwich can reach the same intensity of current political discourse.

That’s like a hat on a hat so let’s just keep it as a hot dog.”

So, no consensus there either.

That makes sense though. In the politically divisive time we live in, we often don’t get clear consensuses.

Down political lines, right-leaning friends would often side with strict definitions of sandwiches while left-leaning friends invited all sorts of foods to the sandwich party.

Jacob Neiheisel, an assistant professor of political science at UB, said this is to be expected.

“In light of a lot of research out there on personality in politics, I think it makes sense that people would sort of think that way,” Neiheisel said. “Cognitive linguistics would say it’s all in the metaphors that we use. Conservatives gravitate towards a strong father figure whereas liberals gravitate towards a more permissive father figure. Conservatives like order and definitions and keeping things in those definitions. Liberals tend to be more comfortable with uncertainty.”

It makes sense then why the eternal sandwich question may never be truly answered. Just as politics can never be “solved,” opinions on sandwiches will never converge to a common answer.

But when politics are too overwhelming to process, why not dive into borderline absurdist debates over food?

Is a hot dog a sandwich?

Who knows. But it’s more fun than discussing complex geopolitical issues, you know? email: dan.mckeon@ubspectrum.com

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POLITICAL

Thursday, November 2, 2017

THE SPECTRUM

FLOODY HELL

Professors lose files, personal items in Clemens Hall flood MAX KALNITZ SR. FEATURES EDITOR

Three weeks after a ruptured pipe flooded UB’s Clemens Hall on North Campus and resulted in 90 classes being moved or canceled, the university still cannot provide an estimate of the total damage.

Repairs throughout the first four floors of the building are wrapping up, but some damage cannot be repaired with new drywall and ceiling panels. UB spokesperson John Della Contrada could not confirm the cost or extent of the damage done to the building. He is hopeful to have an accurate dollar figure in the coming days.

Judith Goldman, an associate English professor, said she is left wondering how to replace a decade’s worth of files and class plans, after losing countless amounts of paperwork and research to the flood.

“Sadly, I had five banker’s boxes of active class and research files on the floor; all were completely soaked,” Goldman said. “The

articles that had been [photocopied] are somewhat salvageable, though my notes are reduced to colored rings in the margins – everything handwritten was ruined.”

Goldman said the papers she lost date back to her days in graduate school. Goldman commends the university for their efforts to clean up and repair the damage, but wishes that she could have salvaged some of the more personal items.

“Anything printed on my cheap inkjet printer from grad school was melted. I was hoping to get the titles off things, but even some of those aren’t legible,” Goldman said. “I also had a large bag of personal items, mostly art made by friends, that I had been meaning to hang on the wall. Everything is warped and covered in water rings.”

Other professors were more fortunate to only have a portion of their materials damaged. Damien Keane, an associate professor in the English department and director of graduate studies, also lost research during the flooding.

EMILY LI / THE SPECTRUM

Three weeks after a water main break in Clemens Hall shut down the building, the estimated damage is still unknown. During the flooding, professors lost valuable materials that are irreplacable.

“I had a file box on the floor of my office, under the lowest shelf of the wall-mounted bookshelves. In it, I had archival research related to an ongoing research project, as well as a number of printed items dating from when I was a master’s student in Belfast,” Keane said.

“The current research was on top and got fairly soggy; the older research notes and Xerox copies were on the bottom, and the majority were destroyed. Some of that material is hard to come by in this country.”

Construction of Clemens Hall finished in 1976, making its infrastructure 41 years old.

As other buildings are being renovated, the age of North Campus’ oldest structures are beginning to show.

This water pipe main break marks the fifth flooding in Clemens Hall. Property manager Chris Donacik says that with older buildings like Clemens, it’s impossible to predict when something like this will happen.

“Unfortunately, because of the old infrastructure, it’s very hard to decipher when mechanical systems like these are going to break,” Donacik said. “The bottom line is that we’re doing our best to maintain and improve the infrastructure.”

A third-party contractor has provided Donacik and the rest of the Facilities and

Operations with dehumidifiers, wall fans and wall dryers. The Environmental Safety and Health Department (EHS) has also been work working to remediate the conditions in Clemens.

Part of their efforts include reducing the humidity levels in the effected wings of the building to prevent any mold from growing.

Donacik says the final checks of the walls have proved that there is no threat of lingering moisture that could cause mold, as of Wednesday morning.

“Because we were so proactive and we were able to reduce from 100 percent humidity down to 60 percent. As long as we stay below 60 percent, the chances of mold growing are obsolete,” Donacik said. “With having these tools and being proactive, we prevented that issue successfully and we’ll continue to monitor it.”

Keane has had a large dehumidifier in his office to dry out his walls for over a week.

He feels that the university could be doing a better job of maintaining their older buildings and thinks they will eventually need better renovations. email: max.kalnitz@ubspectrum.com

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POLITICAL

Thursday, November 2, 2017

THE SPECTRUM

Nine months in office: A look at President Trumps’ impact JAN

FEB

23rd Trump kills Trans-Pacific Partnership, a global trade agreement 27

th

Trump signs first “Muslim ban” order

7th

MAR

Betsy DeVos nominated as Education Secretary

13rd Mike Flynn resigns as national security advisor

APR

6th

Trump signs new version of immigration order

7th

GOP leaders announce bill to replace ACA

7th

U.S. launches missiles at Syrian base

10th Neil Gorsuch appointed to Supreme Court

22nd White House reverses transgender bathroom protections

MAY

9th

JULY

Trump fires FBI Director James Comey

18th Former FBI Director Robert Mueller announced to lead Russia probe investigation 23rd White House sends Congress $4.1 trillion budget

6th

Trump and Putin meet to talk during G-20

20th Trump announces election panel to investigate voter fraud 26th Trump announces future ban of transgenders into military

AUG

SEPT

16th Trump defends his remarks following Charlottesville 18th Steve Bannon out as White House Chief Strategist 25th Trump imposes sanctions on Venezuela

28th Trump replaces Reince Priebus with John Kelly as White House 31st Chief of Staff Kelly fires Scaramucci after 11 days as WH Communications Director

OCT

2nd

Trump meets with Harvey victims

6th

After DACA end is announced; Trump urges Congress to help Dreamers and secure border

1st

Las Vegas shooting leaves 58 people dead, 546 injured

18th Family of deceased veteran says Trump showed disrespect

21st Trump imposes increased sanctions on North Korea 24th Trump’s remarks over NFL players taking a knee sparks leaguewide protest 27th Trump announces tax plan

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“You had millions of white men and women marching down the street, saluting high forms of neo-nazism and white supremacy, and the first thing that our president does is say these are fine men and women who were doing nothing wrong,” Forde said. “It took the death of a white woman for him to condemn their actions, which blatantly shows his entire presidency’s rhetoric. The whole spiel about how America has moved on from racism; he has done a really great job of proving that wrong.”

Byron Garcia, a junior geology major, said Trump’s attempt to repeal Obama-care is the most defining moment of his presidency so far. Garcia feels Trump and his administration aren’t helping poor people get access to healthcare. Trump has repeatedly said he wants to let Obamacare implode and let Congress re-visit healthcare, according to Garcia.

“In other countries like in Europe, you get that for free,” Garcia said. “I feel like that’s something Obama really stood for and he’s stepping all over that.”

Some students are able to find some positive

aspects of Trump’s actions, despite not supporting him in general.

Ben Harper, a senior mechanical engineering major, thinks Trump’s review of government regulation is the most important accomplishment of his presidency so far.

“It’s the most important thing he’s been able to do. A lot of the things he’s wanted to do have been really unpopular with young people or downright sketchy,” Harper said.

“And some of the other stuff he’s done really hasn’t had much of an effect; it’s gotten bad press and has been sort of shut down.

The thorough review of government regulations is really important and should be done more than once every 15 years.”

James Campbell, a SUNY Distinguished political sciences professor, said Trump’s greatest accomplishment is his nomination and the Senate’s confirmation of Justice Neil Gorsuch to the U.S. Supreme Court. This was “critically important to maintaining the balance on the Court after the passing of Justice [Antonin] Scalia,” Campbell said.

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Trump differs from his predecessor, Barack Obama, because although both presidents deferred to their Congresses to deal with major policy changes, Trump has a habit of jumping into disputes within Congress, according to Campbell.

“He was not a politician when he was elected and, well into his first year, does not seem to have learned or [have a] desire to learn what it takes to govern,” Campbell said. “It is as though everything is done without forethought or with a single-minded determination to rally his base in the public.”

Campbell thinks Trump is the most contentious and erratic president in modern American

history. He does not believe Trump is likely to have a lasting impact on the presidency, despite his prominence at the moment, which stems from his ability to speak for a portion of America that was feeling ignored.

“He gave voice to many Americans who are upset with the ineffectiveness, heavyhandedness, waste and political correctness of national political leaders and policy-makers, but appears ill-equipped by temperament and skills to make the coursecorrections these disgruntled conservative and moderate Americans wanted,” Campbell said. email: sarah.crowley@ubspectrum.com

YDSA cuts first meeting short after large opposition turnout CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

“It would be hard to have any reasonable observation of what happened in that classroom as being any sort of random act by [YAF] members,” said Kerrigan, a secondyear graduate student in American studies.

“About 10 of them came in all at once, with someone who seemed to be their leader saying, ‘let’s go boys,’ as they entered the room.”

Kerrigan began the meeting by going over a set of ground rules for the club. All in the room verbally agreed, but during individual introductions, the meeting ran into issues.

“I asked everyone to introduce themsel`ves by their name, pronouns, major and anything else they wanted to say.

Many of them complied civilly, but the lead-

er – the same person who said ‘let’s go boys’ before… said that he had no pronouns because in his country there were no pronouns,” Kerrigan said.

Timothy Weppner, a senior computer science major, said he went to ask questions about socialism. Weppner, who declined to comment on his membership status with YAF, described the meeting as uneventful.

Weppner said the meeting discussed primarily the TA stipend increase movement.

He questioned the statistics discussed but said that was “the only interaction anyone had the whole meeting.”

“YAF had nothing to do with this. We didn’t come as a group,” Weppner said.

“Just because people are members of the club doesn’t mean you represent the club.”

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Alexa Archambault, President of YAF and a senior political science major, agreed with Weppner. She said the events of the meeting were “not a YAF-organized ‘protest.’”

“Those who attended went as individuals, independent of any specific club or label.

To my knowledge, many simply wanted to see what the club was all about,” Archambault said in an email. “YAF will continue to advocate for traditional American values such as limited government, individual freedom and free enterprise.”

Kerrigan said the anti-socialist students at the meeting acted in a deliberate way to be able to “specifically deny their actions being construed as a protest.”

The YDSA decided to end the meeting early as many felt uncomfortable with the atmosphere in the room.

Ernest Starzec, founder of the Pan-Slavic Association and a senior political science major, attended the meeting. Starzec’s family history in Poland made him wary of socialism and the DSA. “My uncle was beat to death [by Soviet soldiers] when they heard he was talking about the socialist regime,” Starzec said.

“We wanted to see what they’re trying to spread here in order to prevent them from expanding further. We feel kind of offended that socialism - especially this brand of socialism - is able to exist on campus without regard to people’s feelings.”

Starzec also felt that Cubans, Russians, Ukrainians and others who lived under “socialist regimes” would echo his sentiment.

Victoria Wolcott, professor and chair of the Department of History, explained that the Cold War made distinctions between communism and socialism irrelevant.

“Socialism wasn’t always such a ‘dirty word’ for many Americans,” Wolcott said in an email. “American socialists were part of the anti-Stalinist left who spoke out against

KATIE KOSTELNY / THE SPECTRUM

Founding member Laura Kerrigan, a second-year graduate student in American studies, leads the first meeting of the new YDSA chapter. The group’s arrival to campus is indicative of a growing interest in socialism nationwide.

the worse abuses of the Soviet state while advocating for civil rights and labor.”

Moving forward from this meeting, YDSA said it plans to build a welcoming community of socialists.

“DSA is here to support one another,” Kerrigan said. “We’re trying to build a sort of ‘dictatorship of the teens;’ a well-organized group we can hand off to the undergraduates who come after us.”

For now, UB’s YDSA chapter hopes to move past the events of their first meeting. On Nov. 11, YDSA is hosting a talk on campus by Timothy Faust, a health care correspondent for the leftist podcast “Chapo Trap House,” to discuss healthcare.

Sarah Crowley contributed reporting. email: dan.mckeon@ubspectrum.com

6UB FIRES BELOVED DR. B

POLITICAL

Thursday, November 2, 2017

THE SPECTRUM

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Bhardwaj is a three-time winner of the “students’ choice” Milton Plesur Excellence in Teaching Award and was ranked as the top black studies professor for 2017 by the website Rate My Professors. He was known for his in-your-face style of teaching and focus on contemporary issues.

Bhardwaj abruptly canceled his African American Studies 100 class on Oct. 10, causing the rumors to begin.

Bhardwaj declined to comment for this story. UB officials have not explained why Bhardwaj was fired, and the university would only issue a written statement saying it “takes seriously all allegations of inappropriate conduct by UB employees” in response to questions about the former professor.

Dr. Kushal K. Bhardwaj

BASIC INFORMATION

UB alum, PH.D. in philosophy and American Studies* Has been teaching at UB since 1998 THREE-TIME winner of the MILTON PLESUR DISTINGUISHED TEACHER AWARD, which recognizes students’ picks for most meaningful professor in their years at UB Named the TOP AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDIES PROFESSOR in the nation by the website Rate My Professors Assistant Director of Admissions at Medaille College since May 2017 Classes known for being controversial and “life-changing”

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Last class Bhardwaj taught.

O T

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Class was cancelled with no reason O T C 16

UB held an administrative hearing C

O T 17

Professor Y. Lulat substitutes the professor’s first class.

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CAS Dean Robin Schulze sent an email to all students 24

Transnational Studies Chair Cecil Foster came to class

BHARDWAJ’S AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDIES 100 TIMELINE

Served as Academic Adviser for UB’s Division of Athletics from 2011-2016

GRAPHIC / PIERCE STRUDLER *according to LinkedIn profile

On Oct. 16, UB administrators held a closed-door disciplinary hearing on Bhardwaj in the Human Resources Divisional/ Development Building near Crofts Hall. After the meeting, Bhardwaj walked out to a crowd of about 25 loyal students and, reading from a legal pad, told them the charges against him were dismissed and unsubstantiated. The students cheered and he hugged each student but then he reminded the crowd that it would be up to the university to decide his fate.

But he never returned to teaching his class.

The day after the hearing, Oct. 17, the 97 students in the class learned they had a new professor, Y.G. Lulat, an associate professor in transnational studies, who has taught the class in the past.

“Part of the frustration for me is taking over the class in the middle of the semester...I’m going to assume the administration knows what it’s doing,” Lulat said.

“If you ask the students, they are threatening to withdraw from the class en masse.”

Students said the class is now fundamentally different from the one they signed up for. Lulat, they said, is changing the syllabus. Instead of just holding “open discussion,” he’s giving weekly verbal quizzes and is much stricter about grades than Bhardwaj was, according to Matthew Bosque, a senior English major. Students no longer feel prepared for the class.

Bosque, who is in the class and was writing his honors thesis with Bhardwaj, was forced to find a new thesis adviser and feels it has disrupted his progress.

“I don’t really know what’s going on and it’s extremely frustrating to not know,” Bosque said.

Some students fear for their grades and want to be able to resign the course without an “R” appearing on their transcripts. Others no longer want to take the class without Bhardwaj.

“I felt it was very unfair, how [the school] is dealing with it,” Bosque said. “We weren’t given any information, but we are just expected to deal with it. It really is kind of out of nowhere. The Transnational Studies department is making us suck it up.”

Lulat, too, said he is “baffled” over what happened and that no one told him why he was taking over the class. He agreed to add a fourth class to his teaching load and feels prepared to teach the material, but he said he’s been “left in the dark” about the circumstances surrounding Bhardwaj’s departure and is trying to do his best.

“I don’t know what to tell you,” he said.

“What administration told me was, ‘There was a problem with this class, and we want you to take it over.’ I asked them, ‘Why?’ – why I am taking it over. They said, ‘Well, you have taught this class years ago, therefore you should take it over.’ And I said, ‘OK.’...Then I discovered there was a lot of disagreement as to what had happened. And so I’m still waiting to find out.”

He said the switch makes as little sense to him as it does to the students and when he started, he “assumed” the students would know what happened and be willing to accept him as the professor. He said he had no idea “students were very opposed to this.”

Bhardwaj’s classes had names like “Hip Hop & Social Issues,” “Race and Gender Ethics in Sports” and “Cross Cultural Topics” and usually relied on open-ended class discussions, rather than on tests for grades.

Some students said he was “an easy A,” but others insisted his classes offered what they crave – discussions about controversial issues that touch their lives.

For instance, Bosque said that after the Las Vegas shooting in early October, Bhardwaj spent an hour in class discussing what had happened. At first, Bosque was unsure why, but he said it turned out to be a meaningful conversation.

“Dr. B brings a lot of energy to the class,” Bosque said. “He’s very eccentric, loud and exciting, screaming all the time and bringing a lot of interesting things to class like contemporary information, which is really nice because sometimes it’s hard to connect a lot of information.”

He also credited Bhardwaj with helping

him become more confident and less wor- “Please know that we are unable to comment ried about how others see him. The pro- on confidential personnel matters. The unifessor did that, Bosque said, by opening up versity is following all necessary protocols, about his own experiences as a “mixed Indi- and the appropriate offices are involved….

While a change in instructor mid-semester is an-African.”

But, Bosque admitted, Bhardwaj’s style not ideal, it could not be avoided.”

Bhardwaj is a UB alum and has been teachwas not for everyone. ing at UB since 1998, “There has nevaccording to his Linkeer been a time where dIn profile. He received he has necessarily ofhis Ph.D. in philosophy fended me personally, “I felt it was very and American studies, but he definitely takes unfair, how [the according to his Linkea little getting used to,” Bosque said. “He school] is dealing with dIn page, but the Department of Transnadefinitely is not very it,” Matthew Bosque tional Studies declined censored. He curses to confirm Bhardwaj’s a lot and he really will said. “We weren’t credentials. He also hit very contemporary given any information, served as an academic issues.” adviser to athletes from but we are just Bhardwaj’s classes 2011 to 2016. have traditionally filled expected to deal with In May, Bhardwaj quickly with more than it. It really is kind of took a job as assistant 100 students. He regdirector of admissions ularly has a coterie of out of nowhere. The at Medaille College. A student admirers who Transnational Studies Medaille spokesperstay long hours after son said the college is his classes end to hear departmentis making not aware of what’s gohim talk and have him us suck it up.” ing on with Bhardwaj help them with their at UB and declined to problems. He also comment. openly invites his stuTransnational Studies dents to bring family, alumni and friends to his classes, and many Chair Cecil Foster, Director of Issues Manstudents insist his classes are “life-changing.” agement and Stakeholder Communications That’s why students were worried when Katherine McKenna, Public Affairs and InBhardwaj abruptly canceled class on Oct. ternal Communications Specialist Michael 10 without giving a reason. Previously, when Andrei, Senior Associate Dean for UnderBhardwaj was unable to attend the class, he graduate Education Elaine Cusker, Vice Provost for Inclusive Excellence Teresa Miller had his TA teach the class. and Associate Vice President for Media RelaThen, the rumors started.

The disciplinary action centers on Bhard- tions and Stakeholder Communications John waj’s interactions with a female student in Della Contrada all declined to comment for the class who criticized Bhardwaj on his this story.

Nicole Druckman, a junior speech and Facebook page, The Spectrum has learned from current and former students. The hearing sciences major, is taking the class group, called “Dr. B’s Jedi Page,” includes to complete a university requirement and is hundreds of students he has taught and is stressed from the switch in professors. She used to share content relatable to his course. said the university is “just listening to one Bhardwaj removed the student from the person who complained” and ignoring “a lot of people” who “are really upset about Facebook group, students say.

Students say the female student attended what’s happening.”

“I took the class to complete a requirethe Oct. 16 hearing. ment,” Druckman said. “And I feel comBhardwaj did not take Spectrum questions pletely screwed over, because one, my teachafter the hearing, but did say, “My only stateer switched halfway through the year, and ment is the critical work that I do with stutwo, I didn’t even have a chance to adjust.” dents is so important, especially in today’s Bhardwaj was a speaker at the Oct. 26 age. In a post-Charlottesville world where Black Lives Matter gets labeled a terrorist TEDxBuffalo conference, where he spoke organization, the idea that a learning com- about the importance of African American Studies in society. munity such as mine He did not mention his can exist, let alone position at UB during thrive, is tremendousthe talk. Afterward, he ly gratifying.

“Dr. B really cared spoke with a Spectrum A university spokesreporter and boasted man declined comabout his students about his class. ment, instead issuing and he wanted them “I teach a class that a written statement in lasts three hours [once to do well, Nicole response to questions and students about Bhardwaj.

Druckman said. “And astayweek] two hours af“While the universiI feel like he sees ter a three hour class,” ty does not comment Bhardwaj said. on individual personhimself as a mentor Druckman said nel matters, it takes sefor really all of his roughly 20 sturiously all allegations dents would stay afof inappropriate constudents. It’s just a ter each class to talk duct by UB employshame they would fi re with Bhardwaj and that ees, particularly when some students routinehim because he really they are entrusted ly stayed until after 1 with the instruction, was a genuine person a.m. She said Bhardwaj grading, and superviand a good teacher.” “was the only teachsion of students,” the er that genuinely cares statement reads. “Emabout every single one ployees are prohibited of his students.” from engaging in be“All my other teachers in every class I’ve havior that violates UB policies prohibiting discrimination, harassment and retaliation taken at UB really just don’t give a sh*t if against people who bring forward concerns. you pass or fail,” she said. “Dr. B really cared When an allegation is received, the univer- about his students and he wanted them to sity conducts a full investigation under pro- do well. And I feel like he sees himself as a cedures which protect the rights of accused mentor for really all of his students. It’s just employees, while fulfilling our obligation to a shame they would fire him because he realmaintain an appropriate, non-discriminatory ly was a genuine person and a good teacher.” and safe environment.”

Sarah Crowley contributed reporting.

College of Arts and Sciences Dean Robin Schulze sent a personal email to all students email: hannah.stein@ubspectrum.com in the class on Oct. 20.

“We have received and heard your concerns regarding the absence of Dr. Kush Bhardwaj from AAS 100,” Schulze wrote.

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7

POLITICAL

Thursday, November 2, 2017

THE SPECTRUM

Controversial bar worries University Heights citizens Common Council member moves forward with Main Place

MAX KALNITZ SENIOR FEATURES EDITOR

A controversial restaurant set to open in the University Heights is drawing a lot of attention from local officials and community members who believe it will lead to an increase in underage drinking in the area.

Anthony J. Sordetto leases 3144 Main St. and wants a special use permit to open his restaurant, Main Place. Sordetto submitted paperwork to the city Common Council stating the building will be turned in to a “restaurant that serves alcohol and has live music,” and has no kitchen and serves minimal food. The building’s planned hours of operation are Wednesday through Sunday from 6 p.m. to 4 a.m.

Sordetto plans to use the establishment to host occasional 18 and older events, but insists it won’t be a hotspot for teens to congregate. Sordetto plans on using a wristband system to distinguish customers that are of drinking age and those who are underage.

Business owners in the area are con-

cerned about the possibility of underage drinking and public disturbances – problems long battled by community members of the Heights - if Sordetto opens his establishment. Attorney Charles Grieco represents Tucker Curtin, owner of Steer Restaurant and Lake Effect Diner; Reger Funeral Home owner Robert J. Reger Jr.; and Michael Starcks, owner of a multi-use building.

“There’s a misconception that this is being fueled by a concern over competition, but that’s certainly not the case. This is being fueled by concerns of business owners and residents in the neighborhood,” Greico said after Tuesday’s Common Council meeting. “That being said, my clients and I agree with much of what council member Wyatt said concerning the requirement that this follows the necessary procedures.”

At a Regular Common Council meeting on Tuesday, Common Council Member Rasheed N.C. Wyatt said he’s in favor of moving Sordetto’s proposal forward.

Wyatt stated he has helped mend the broken relationship between UB and citizens living in the Heights. He doesn’t want this restaurant to distract people from the progress the community has made. Wyatt de-

scribed the restaurant as a “lightning rod.”

“When I came into office, we weren’t talking to UB. [The university] was the enemy and all these things, and I think I bridged that,” Wyatt said. “We’re a community. How do we make our community more vibrant, more desirable? We’ve got some positive momentum on Main Street [with recent redevelopment] and all of a sudden we have an issue that divides us.”

Wyatt explained that he doesn’t want potential businesses to feel that they have to jump through hoops to come to Main Street.

He feels bringing businesses like Sordetto’s is a vital part of rejuvenating the area.

Wyatt wants UB and the University Heights community to become more coexistent. He acknowledged Sordetto’s first proposal needed some work, which Wyatt said was addressed.

“Right now, I’m going to have to be committed because there are some other things we had to have the applicant do as part of our process with the green code,” Wyatt said. “I can’t tell a business how to run their business and I don’t want to. But within the guides of the law, when an applicant comes forth and they put forth an application that

Q:

In colleges and universities across the country, there are clubs and institutions geared toward harboring either conservative or democratic morals. In light of the political climate of the United States today, do you think this current era of politics is redefining what it means to be a Democrat or what it means to be a Republican?

Q &A

with Bill Maher

Political personality and comedian discusses Trump and upcoming Buffalo show

COURTESY / DAVID BECKER-WIREIMAGE

Bill Maher, political personality and comedian, will be appearing at Shea’s on Nov. 12. On Tuesday, Maher talked with The Spectrum about the current political climate, college students’ involvement in politics and his upcoming show in Buffalo.

BRIAN EVANS STAFF WRITER

Bill Maher is no stranger to stirring the pot.

The host of HBO’s “Real Time with Bill Maher” and stand-up comedian will continue his stream of political anecdotes and observations, playing downtown at Shea’s Performing Arts Center on Nov. 12.

On Tuesday, Maher spoke with The Spectrum regarding President Trump, the political divide in the country and his thoughts on the role of young men and women in politics.

Q: In light of the indictments making

headlines over the last few days, where do you see the FBI investigation going?

Is Robert Mueller more relentless than James Comey, or will this news be tossed to the side?

A: Well, the big picture is I don’t think they’ll ever get Trump. I don’t see the Republicans losing their grip on power. We’ve had a number of special elections this year after Trump was elected when we were supposed to have this huge backlash. The Republicans keep winning them. The Democrats have been asleep at the switch for the last 10-20 years. They have let the republicans take over the state houses, the legislatures and that’s where those boring but very important laws are made like where you gerrymander the state, voter fraud nonsense.

When Trump was running, the one thing you heard constantly was “it’s rigged! The system is rigged!” The system is rigged, but in his favor and the Republicans’ favor. Between the help they get from Russia, the gerrymandering problem and the voter fraud nonsense – which is a completely nonexistent problem – which they use to scrub the rolls of people who would be likely Democratic voters, I don’t see the Democrats having much of a chance to take back either branch of government and if they don’t take over Congress, then they can’t impeach [Trump].

The other Republicans plainly are not going to do that. The only Republicans who have come out against Trump are the ones who are retiring, or who are unwell like John McCain. No sitting Republican is really against Trump the way Bob Corker, Jeff Flake and John McCain are.

Q:

So, in your opinion, are the Democrats beyond saving?

A: I hope the Democrats aren’t beyond help, but they don’t seem to be in any hurry to correct themselves. They can do a lot better by listening to me, but they don’t seem to want to do that. It’s funny, after the 2012 election the Republicans did what they call an autopsy. They had lost again and needed to find out why. Of course, their prescription that they came up with is not what they did. What they said was, “well, we’ve got to expand the party, we’ve got to be nicer to minorities!” Of course, they went in the exact opposite direction with Trump and won. Now, the people who should be doing an autopsy are the Democrats. I know Hilary got more votes, but they still lost. That’s what matters.

They should be looking very hard in the mirror as to why they lost. And you know, part of it is because they’re constantly picking gutless, chicken sh*t fights among themselves. They have no sense of going for the jugular. They don’t fight the way the Republicans fight. They don’t go there. The Republicans go there. Neil Gorsuch is sitting on the Supreme Court because Mitch McConnell said to himself, “I can do what no one has ever done, which is deny the sitting president for an entire year his Supreme Court pick. Try to stop me. You can’t, because I’m going to do it.” Democrats don’t fight like that. They have lost the gene to get into the game on this level. It seems like they’re waiting for the country to come around in a way and embrace this sort of Marquess of Queensberry rules of fighting. This country is not this good anymore. They are fighting the last war in a nation that no longer exists.

A: That’s been going on for a while but it has certainly gotten worse under Trump.

Trump has changed the entire Republican Party. The Republican Party is now Donald Trump’s party. I know it looks to the liberals, especially if you watch MSNBC all day, you think Trump is losing. Trump isn’t losing. His approval rating is in the toilet but he doesn’t care. He has state TV in the form of Fox News, just like the Russians used to have. That’s more valuable than any single branch of government could be when it keeps your base from knowing anything bad about you. When you talk about Russia, the people who watch Fox News just shrug. They don’t hear anything. The story doesn’t exist in their world. [Fox News] is still covering Hillary, the focus is still on her emails and Benghazi. [Trump] can go on like this indefinitely. No matter what he does, they will stick with him. He is their boy. Talking about the demographics last time and the autopsy, the conventional view was “oh, we have to be nicer to minorities because the white population is dwindling and it’s only 70 percent of the country.” To Trump’s credit, the wily bastard that he is said “oh, you mean the country is still 70 percent white people? I bet I could make something out of that.” Damned if he didn’t go after the worst instincts in the white population and win an election.

Q:

What advice could you give young people in colleges and universities that will steer them towards preserving democracy, which is something some people say is slipping away in the United States?

A: First of all, read a newspaper. Get off of your f*cking phone. Get off of your f*cking Facebook. Stop getting your news from whatever the other morons in your circle are sending around. Read The New York Times every day. Find out what is actually going on in the world. Because, you know what, I’ve had my fun with the planet. It’s your future. You’re the ones who are going to be inheriting some sort of a hellscape if we don’t do something about the environment. Of course Trump pulled out of the Paris Treaty, not to mention debt – he’s going to blow a huge hole in the debt. Remember the Tea Party was so concerned about the debt? Remember, back in 2009? Oh my God, this is what they could not stand; “we can’t leave our children with this massive debt!”

Of course Trump now has this huge tax cut that’s going to blow a massive hole in the debt. But hey, it’s okay because now the president is white and a Republican, so it’s

JOE BANNISTER / THE SPECTRUM

Main Place, a bar proposed to open at 3144 Main St., is causing polarization between University Heights citizens, UB students and City of Buffalo officials.

goes through the proper protocol of the city, I have to honor it.” email: max.kalnitz@ubspectrum.com

okay to run up debt. All of these problems are going to get worse for your generation.

It’s you people who should care, not me!

Like I said, I’m 61. I’ve done it. I’m playing with the house money. And I have the house money to protect myself from some of the sh*t that’s going to come down the pike. But you guys really need to get in the game. You need to vote, obviously. The young people don’t show up when it’s not an exciting election. It’s the midterms that make all of the difference. If we don’t have a Democratic congress in 2018, then you’re never going to get rid of Trump. If we don’t get rid of Trump, then your future is being decided by an old, white Fox News viewer. Picture the dumbest, stupidest, most typical assh*le at the end of the bar. An old white man who watches Fox News every day. That is Donald Trump. That is now who is leading the country – the Fox News douchebag who doesn’t know reality. He just listens to Fox News and their anecdotal, racist version of what is going on in the country and then he makes policies based off that. That is all going to affect you. It is affecting you right now.

Q:

What are your feelings towards your show in Buffalo? What are you looking forward to the most?

A: I love Buffalo. I’m at the point in my life where I don’t have to do this at all. I have nothing to prove and I don’t need any more money. I travel because I like it. I do it because people out there tell me that no one skewers Trump quite the way that you do and I think that’s true. There’s a reason that he sued me. I am meaner to this guy than anybody and that’s what he deserves.

That’s what the country needs to hear.

When I hear people tell me to keep going and not be deterred, from both the left and right trying to stop me, I’m not going to let them stop me. What I’m saying is I don’t have to do it, I do it because I want to do it, because I love it and I love the audience. I love the connection that we have and I feel like, especially right now, we need to band together. It feels good to commune with people who basically think the way I do.

As far as Buffalo specifically, I used to travel to as many different cities as I could.

In recent years, I kind of cut that down. Just to about the 20 or 25 cities I have really enjoyed the most over the years. I mean, I’m glad I went to Fargo, North Dakota. I’m glad I went to Boise, Idaho. I’m glad I did Fort Wayne, Indiana. I’m glad I went to Appleton, Wisconsin. They’re all fine cities and I can name many more I’ve been to, but I think I’ve earned just going to the places that are sophisticated, that I really like and that have a nice hotel. Buffalo is definitely always on my list. It’s sort of in my backyard. I went to college at Cornell University, which is not that far away. It’s always good to be in Upstate New York. Just don’t have it be f*cking cold when I get there. email: arts@ubspectrum.com

8

POLITICAL

Thursday, November 2, 2017

THE SPECTRUM

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

“People voted into local [offices] actually pass policies,” Weiner said. “But people don’t pay attention because it’s not like a midterm year or general election.”

Jacob Neiheisel, a political science professor, believes our tendency to ignore local politics is one of the “great paradoxes” of American life.

“That’s the funny thing about local elections – all of these races – is they actually have a much more direct impact on all our lives than things like Congress or the President,” Neiheisel said.

“But when it comes to local ordinances, local elements that we have to exist around, we don’t pay a lot of attention to them.”

He thinks this is due in part to the media’s focus on national politics.

“We think because of its greater salience that it’s more important,” Neiheisel said.

“But just because we hear about it all the time, doesn’t necessarily mean it’s more important to our lives.”

He does not necessarily think this is intentional, but rather tied to “resource accessibility.”

“It’s probably just easier to go to the AP wire and see what’s coming down,” Neiheisel said. “The AP’s going to be interested in making news as consumable as possible for as many people as possible. So they’re talking about the big national stories that everybody has interest in.”

At the local level, it takes money to hire reporters, Neiheisel pointed out. It also takes money to have a distribution network for your newspaper. Even local television news tends to be heavily dominated by national stories, according to Neiheisel.

“And I also think a lot of that is tied to one thing— interest,” Neiheisel said. “People are probably just more interested in the national stories.”

As a result, the local elections come and go year after year with low turnouts. Yet, these are the elections that have the most direct impact on constituents.

“We seem to forget about these off-year elections, where these are people that are re-

ally shaping policy that we live around day to day,” Neiheisel said.

There are four contested races on the Erie County ballot this year for students who live on campus: Sheriff, County Legislator, County Comptroller and Amherst Supervisor.

Elections take place Nov. 7.

Sheriff Democrat Bernie Tolbert, a UB alumnus, is challenging incumbent Republican Sheriff Tim Howard. Sheriffs are responsible for law enforcement on the county level and managing deputies’ activities.

Neiheisel feels this is a crucial race for anyone who has concerns about how policing is run in the area.

“If you’re worried about the rights of the accused— there have been a number of issues surrounding treatment of the Erie County Prison—so if those are issues of interest to you, that’s a race to get involved in,” Neiheisel said.

Howard’s primary campaign platform is addressing the opioid crisis, according to his website. During his tenure as Sheriff, Howard implemented high school and college education programs at the Erie County Holding Center and expanded the Narcotics Unit.

Tolbert is a retired FBI agent. He said his priorities as sheriff would be to increase transparency for the Erie County Holding Center, “modern and professional training” for deputies and improved mental health resources for prisoners with mental illnesses, according to WIVB. His other goals include addressing rising street violence as well as the heroin and opioid epidemic.

Sheriff Howard has faced controversy and criticism since participating in a ProTrump, “Spirit of America” rally downtown in April. Many called for his resignation following his participation.

County Legislator The county legislator is a member of legislative branch of government that is responsible for making new laws and changing existing laws in Erie County. County legislators

(R)

SHERIFF

(D)

(R)

COUNTY COMPTROLLER

(D)

(R)

COUNTY LEGISLATOR

Bernie Tolbert (D)

Vanessa Glushefski (D)

Thomas A. Loughran (D)

Timothy Howard (R)

Stephen Mychajliw Jr. (R)

Guy Marlette (R)

• Responsible for law enforcement on the county level

• Effectively the chief financial officer of Erie County

• Manages deputies’ activities

• Provides oversight and leadership into the financial affairs of Erie County

govern by proposing bills, holding votes and passing laws that will impact Erie County.

Incumbent Democrat Thomas Loughran has been the owner/operator of Loughran’s Restaurant for 38 years and is serving his twelfth year on the Erie County Legislature, according to the Erie County website.

Loughran serves as the Legislature’s minority leader. He told The Buffalo News he believes his top accomplishments as Legislator are “holding the line” on taxes by providing oversight of the budget, downsizing the Legislature and updating Erie Community College.

Guy Marlette is Loughran’s Republican challenger. Marlette’s platform includes better management of the Erie County budget, improving infrastructure, ensuring low-income people with disabilities have access to housing and addressing the opioid crisis.

County Comptroller The county comptroller is effectively the chief financial officer of Erie County and oversees the county’s $1.7 billion budget. The comptroller provides oversight and leadership into the financial affairs of the county.

Incumbent Republican Stefan Mychajliw is a former journalist whose investigative reports uncovered fraud, waste and abuse in

GRAPHIC / PIERCE STRUDLER

A guide to the local ballot

(D)

• Member of legislative branch, which is responsible for making new laws and changing existing laws in Erie County • Govern by proposing bills, holding votes and passing laws that will impact Erie County

AMHERST SUPERVISOR Brian Kulpa (D) Marjory Jaeger (R)

• Provide local legislation and budget •Vote on issue issues in public meetings • Rule on local laws

Erie County government that lead to government reforms, according to the Erie County website. Mychajliw has held the Comptroller’s Office since 2013.

Democratic challenger Vanessa Glushefski is a certified public accountant and attorney. Glushefski’s platforms are professionalism, integrity and community service, according to her website.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

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POLITICAL

Thursday, November 2, 2017

THE SPECTRUM

UB’s political clubs reflect political climate nationwide in some ways, contrasts in other ways Faculty, students discuss similarities and differences between political clubs and political parties

COLLEGE DEMOCRATS

COLLEGE REPUBLICANS

MADDY FOWLER NEWS EDITOR

The Democrat and Republican parties are fractured and polarized. While UB’s two major political clubs feature a wide range of ideologies among members, these differences bring them together rather than pull them apart.

UB’s biggest political clubs are the College Democrats and the College Republicans. There are also two new, temporary clubs: Young Democratic Socialists of America and Young Americans for Freedom, as well as Young Americans for Liberty, UB’s libertarian organization.

College Democrats have roughly 20 active members, according to UB Democrats President Erika Hollis. The organization hosts different events throughout the semester such as a political debate with the College Republicans moderated by UB’s Debate Society. They also organize a banquet called Rhetoric Ball with College Republicans.

During their weekly meetings, members participate in political activism for the local community.

“We get involved in local campaigns through phone-banking, petitioning and canvassing,” Hollis said. “We like to end our meetings with a ‘weekly action,’ such as calling your local congressman to try and make a difference as a group.”

College Republicans has roughly 45 active members, according to UB Republicans President Andrew Weiner. College Republicans hold a weekly meeting during which they discuss current political events. They also host several events jointly with College Democrats to “continue to build a professional relationship.”

COURTESY / COLLEGE OF DEMOCRATS/REPUBLICANS

College Democrats and College Republicans host weekly meetings during which they participate in activism and political discussions. Students in both groups have a variety of different political views, but interact cordially.

Weiner believes joining political clubs such as College Republicans helps students to get informed about political issues.

“Joining [a club] for a certain party makes it more comfortable to voice opinions,” Weiner said, “But we also like when members of College Dems come to our meetings because they offer a different point of view.”

At the national level, the two political parties are fragmented in many ways, according to political science professor Jacob Neiheisel. However, he feels the Republicans are more fragmented than the Democrats.

“This is because minority parties have much more of an incentive to stick together, providing a unified opposition to the majority party,” Neiheisel said. “But there are several factions within each party, though, that make governing difficult.”

He believes Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump have “brought light” to divisions within each party, making it acceptable to have an identity outside of the typical Democrat or Republican label.

Neiheisel believes the student political clubs “roughly” reflect the scattered ideological trends in the national political parties. But while UB’s political clubs feature students that hold differing ideologies, this

actually brings them together, rather than pushing them apart.

“There are different types of Republicans that attend our meetings and they are all able to voice their opinions,” Weiner said.

Republicans of all different political stripes attend College Republicans meetings, including libertarians, moderate Republicans, and more conservative Republicans.

Club members engage in open, respectful dialogue about differences in point of view.

“What the members of our club do well is discussing the nuances of different beliefs,” Weiner said.

Hollis believes her club reflects the Democratic Party shifting toward a “progressive” left—but she believes the goal of a progressive left cannot be achieved if students do not vote.

“Democrats need young people to turn out the vote because if they do not they lose,” Hollis said. “Just ask Bernie.”

She feels the discussions and debates are the most educational part of being in College Democrats.

“You are able to strengthen your own arguments about a particular subject by listening to someone else’s argument that you agree with, but may never have thought of in that way,” Hollis said.

She believes while Sanders did not win, he changed the Democratic Party.

“Bernie brought Hillary to the left and in doing so brought the entire race to the left,” Hollis said.

She feels the country is moving at “a very slow pace” with reforms and thinks it is important to get the younger generation involved in order to make reform happen more quickly.

“The more mobile our generation is, the better the Democrats will do,” Hollis said.

While Hollis acknowledged that there is a split in the national Democratic Party, she strives to make her club as inclusive as possible to a variety of left-leaning ideologies.

“I’ve done my best to reach out to other liberal clubs and extend an olive branch to ‘Bernie Bros’ that may have been lost in the 2016 election,” Hollis said.

While students are trying to bridge political divides, the opposite is happening on the national level.

“The parties continue to become more polarized such that the Democrats and Republicans in Congress hardly ever cross the aisle,” Neiheisel said. “Being on the right partisan ‘team’ has become more important to legislators than crafting public policy.”

Erika Hollis has similar concerns about the Democratic Party.

“If [the national Democratic Party] does not unite, they are not only doomed for their attempts to get Congress—or at least part— back in 2018, but 2020 is doomed as well,” Hollis said.

Weiner, however, remains optimistic about the future of his party.

“I think the GOP has a bright future,” Weiner said. “The American citizens are continuing to vote red, and it is having a positive impact on state governments.” email: maddy.fowler@ubspectrum.com

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POLITICAL

Thursday, November 2, 2017

THE SPECTRUM

US Secretary of Education rescinds 72 documents for students with disabilities The documents were rescinded because they were deemed,

Dept. of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos Rescinded 72 guidance documents outlining RIGHTS FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL K-12 STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES on Oct. 2.

“OUTDATED, UNNECESSARY, OR INEFFECTIVE,” DeVos said in a statement.

63 of the documents are from the OFFICE OF SPECIAL

EDUCATION PROGRAMS 9 of the documents are from the REHABILITATION SERVICES ADMINISTRATION

The documents clarified regulations that ensure the needs of students with disabilities are met and that they are provided with reasonable accommodations.

While it does not have a direct effect on UB students, many students WOULD NOT BE AT UB TODAY WITHOUT DISABILITY ACCOMMODATIONS in public schools, according to Sharon Nolan-Weiss, Director of the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.

GRAPHIC / PIERCE STRUDLER CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

For example, the Department said it rescinded a 2006 document that explained the rights of students with disabilities in private schools because the document had been updated in 2011. The department also cut a 2012 letter, which outlines the rights of preschoolers with disabilities that was updated in 2016.

One document that does not have a replacement is a guidance letter that makes it clear how schools can spend federal money set aside for special education. Another document entitled “Questions and Answers on Serving Children with Disabilities Placed

by Their Parents at Private Schools,” which translated legal jargon into plain English to help parents understand their childrens’ rights and advocate on their behalf, does not have a replacement either.

“If you’re a parent and you want to know ‘what are my rights for my child,’ those guidance documents were really helpful because they are kind of a plain language way of understanding what the school district is supposed to be doing,” Nolan-Weiss, UB’s Director of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion said. “So I think that’s where some of the major concern has been.”

Hannah Mechanic, a junior health and human services major, expressed similar concerns.

“When it comes to middle school and elementary school students, it’s the responsibility of parents and teachers to be advocates for these students because they simply can’t be advocates for themselves in most scenar-

ios,” Mechanic said. “This entire situation infuriates me because without those guidelines many of the people who would be advocates for students wouldn’t know how.”

Nolan-Weiss is concerned that parents of students with disabilities at the K-12 level will be hesitant to advocate for their child’s rights—especially considering the plain language documents that described their rights and resources have been rescinded.

“It creates a question of ‘if I go forward with a complaint, is the federal government going to be interested in upholding my rights?’” Nolan-Weiss said. “But I do know based on things I hear, especially parents of students with disabilities, they are very alarmed that the Department of Education rescinded these without, from what I understand, a whole lot of notice that they were going to do that.”

She feels the Trump administration has a pattern of withdrawing guidance documents; first for transgender students in February of 2017 and more recently, the rescinded Title IX guidance letters.

“So they’ve created this impression that the Department of Education is pulling back on its commitment to civil rights,” NolanWeiss said. “[The Trump Administration] will tell you that’s not the case, but I think that is the impression people are getting.”

Justine Grundy, a student teacher and education major at Buffalo State College, believes the decision to rescind the guidance letters is “a total rollback” of the progress that had been made to meet the educational

needs of students with disabilities.

“People need to care about the rights of students with disabilities,” she said. “It’s unfair to treat them as though they don’t matter as much. I have worked with students who could give so much more, but they are asked less because they have a disability.”

Nolan-Weiss believes disability laws in the U.S. have been “so effective,” and one of the biggest “success stories” for K-12 students with disabilities.

“We have students here at UB who wouldn’t have had a shot if they didn’t have an appropriate public education at the K-12 level for somebody who may have a learning disability and need accommodations in some other way,” Nolan-Weiss said. “They have an effective program that will help them succeed…[and] be able to get in [to college.]”

While DeVos’ move to phase out guidance letters for students with disabilities will not affect UB students with disabilities, Nolan-Weiss emphasized the resources available for UB students with disabilities.

UB has a reasonable accommodation policy, as a way of implementing laws and rules that require the university to provide reasonable accommodations for employees, according to Nolan-Weiss. Students have the right to academic adjustment—the term for “reasonable accommodation” at the postsecondary level.

Any student who requires an academic adjustment or auxiliary aid can go to the Accessibility Resources Office, according to Nolan-Weiss.

“That office does a really good job in terms of accessing what a student needs to succeed and interfacing with the professor as well,” Nolan-Weiss said. “If there’s an issue with an accommodation or an academic adjustment or a disagreement about whether it should be provided, then that would come to my office and we would look at that under the discrimination and harassment policy, because ultimately, denying a needed accommodation or academic adjustment can be a form of discrimination.”

A guide to the local ballot CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

Amherst Town Supervisor The county supervisor provides local legislation and budgets, votes on issues in public meetings and rules on local laws.

Amherst Town Clerk Marjory Jaeger is the Republican candidate for Amherst Town Supervisor. Her platforms include promoting and assisting with the redevelopment of commercial properties, “respecting and protecting” green space and not raising taxes, according to her website. She also aims to create a Citizens Salary Review Committee.

Williamsville Mayor Brian Kulpa is running on the Democratic ticket for County Supervisor. Kulpa’s primary platforms are environmentally sustainable solutions to crumbling infrastructure, traffic-calming measures and inclusive design for roads and sidewalks, according to his website.

Even if you’re still registered to vote in your hometown and therefore not eligible to vote in Erie County elections, Weiner still thinks it is important for all students to pay attention to what is going on in their community politically.

“There are still laws that may influence you as a college student, because you are living in the area for three or four years or more for grad school,” Weiner said. “And you’re a college student, you may wind up living in the area. So you might want to pay attention to policies now because you would might likely live in the area after graduation.”

Senior geographic information systems major Josh Herman thinks college students should vote if they care about the community they live in.

“College students who care about the community they live in should do their best to vote in local elections,” Herman said.

“Voter turnout among millennials is abysmal in odd-election years, and that is unfortunate because we are letting other generations speak for us.”

Junior political science and computer science major Mike Brown learned just how much an individual’s voice can matter in a local election when he volunteered for a local candidate last year. “[The candidate] lost by a margin so slim they had to count the absentee ballots,” Brown said. “It’s always disappointing when I hear people say their vote doesn’t matter because it clearly does.” email: maddy.fowler@ubspectrum.com

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POLITICAL

Thursday, November 2, 2017

THE SPECTRUM

On to the next one

Volleyball team to make the most of their final four games

THOMAS ZAFONTE SENIOR SPORTS EDITOR

The Bulls’ (14-9, 7-5 MAC) weekend was a road trip of highs and lows. The team defeated the Kent State Golden Flashes (5-18, 3-9 MAC) 3-0 on Friday in a strong defensive performance, but lost 3-0 to the Ohio Bobcats (13-13, 7-5 MAC) on Saturday, ending the Bulls’ five game win streak.

Despite the away loss, the Bulls move forward, ready for what’s next.

“We always focus on what’s in front of us, our end goal is the next game not the next three games or the games before,” said junior middle blocker Megan Wernette.

Wernette had a solid performance in both games, earning a combined 25.5 points.

Despite going .500 over the weekend, the team is focused on what went well.

“Kent was a really strong game for us. It was one of our best games of the season and everything just came together,” Wernette said. “Whenever you come in on a win streak you have a chip on your shoulder and I just think it made us look past Ohio and stopped us from doing the hard work we needed.”

The Bulls had already beaten the Bobcats 3-1 last month and knew the team was dangerous. Head coach Blair Lipsitz said the team “lacked on defense” against Ohio

JACK LI / THE SPECTRUM

Freshman outside hitter Andrea Mitrovic gets ready to spike the ball. The Bulls are looking to close the season strong despite recent loss to the Ohio Bobcats.

which led to the loss. The team is still high on the “fluid play” they showed against the Golden Flashes, despite that.

Defense was a “main focus” this week in

practice, with the final four games of the regular season left to play, according to Lipsitz.

The presence of True Blue at the Kent State game really made an impact. UB’s fans

Moving on from the moment

Quarterback Kyle Vantrease looks to grow despite return to a backup role

MADISON MEYER / THE SPECTRUM

Freshman quarterback Kyle Vantrease drops back for a pass. Vantrease has appeared in a game and a half of action for the Bulls, but will now take on a reserve role.

DANIEL PETRUCCELLI SENIOR SPORTS EDITOR

No team wants to see their first-string quarterback helped off the field. And it can only get worse when their backup suffers the same fate.

In sports, however, injury can mean opportunity. That opportunity came for Buffalo Bulls (3-6, 1-4 Mid-American Conference) freshman quarterback Kyle Vantrease.

Vantrease stepped into action just before halftime against the Northern Illinois Huskies and made his first start against the Miami (OH) RedHawks. He amassed 355 yards and two touchdowns in games that both ended in defeat for Buffalo.

But Vantrease’s opportunity came to an end when redshirt sophomore quarterback Tyree Jackson made his return last week.

Vantrease said he will use his experience to develop himself until his opportunity comes again.

“I can take that experience I had just from a game and a half and I can use that to my

advantage,” Vantrease said. “Now when Tyree or Drew or one of the other guys mentor me, I have in-game experience to combine that with. Going forward it’s going to be helpful in preparation because I have experience and it’s only going to help me further down the road, especially getting in there as a freshman.”

The original plan for Vantrease was to redshirt the season and preserve an extra year of eligibility, according to Vantrease and the coaching staff. But Bulls head coach Lance Leipold said that after Jackson’s injury, Vantrease started taking second-team reps in practice.

Junior Drew Anderson went down and forced Leipold’s hand, just three games later.

“I can’t remember any time in my coaching career that I’ve started a true freshman at quarterback,” Leipold said. “The hope was to redshirt him, but yet we were always preparing him. Then when Tyree went down we told [Vantrease] that if anything happened that we were going to go ahead

and play him and he has handled it.”

Leipold pointed out that Vantrease graduated high school in December of last year and received an extra semester of preparation before this season. Vantrease arrived in Buffalo this past spring after an all-state career in his hometown of Stow, Ohio.

Ohio is the home to six of the 12 MAC schools and Vantrease was offered a scholarship from all of them. Ohio is also the home state of new Bulls’ quarterback coach Jim Zebrowski.

Vantrease didn’t know much about Zebrowski when he first came to Buffalo; but his dad, Wade Vantrease, said that once Vantrease found out that Zebrowski graduated high school just 20 minutes from Stow, they began to bond over it.

Their relationship grew stronger on the field. Wade praised Zebrowski as a coach and compared their relationship to the one Vantrease shared with his quarterback coach in high school.

“Zebrowski brings a tremendous energy

made the trip to give the Bulls their support, despite the game being held in Kent, Ohio.

“It was so incredible. I don’t think people realize that when they are willing to come out that far and support us it will make you play that much harder… they have been so good to us this season,” Wernette said.

True Blue won’t have to travel far this weekend as the Bulls return home on Saturday to play the Toledo Rockets (11-13, 6-6 MAC).

But first the Bulls will have one last road game and a shot at revenge when they play the Akron Zips (6-18, 2-10 MAC) on Thursday.

“They run a fast offense so we have to make sure our defense can get to our release points quicker than usual,” said junior defensive setter Larra Bickelhaupt. “We have gotten into our own heads defensively and now we are going to refocus to get ready for Akron.”

The Bulls are the last team the Zips have defeated, having since gone on a nine game losing streak. The Bulls feel confident going in to Thursday’s matchup. Bickelhaupt had 15 digs and 5 assist in the last game against the Zips but UB still lost 3-1.

The Bulls do not have an easy weekend in front of them. “[Toledo] is a really good ball control team, we are definitely going to have to be ready for them and make sure we take care of the little stuff on our part,” Lipsitz said.

The home game against Toledo will be a nice change of pace for the Bulls as Akron marks their fifth straight road game. Lipsitz, like her players, is taking it one game at a time; even with an upcoming home game in sight.

“I think it will be good for them to be back in front of our home crowd against Toledo, but first we have to go through Akron,” Lipsitz said.

The Bulls play Akron on the road Thursday at 7 p.m. and Toledo on Saturday at 6 p.m. email: thomas.zafonte@ubspectrum.com

to the quarterback room, the sidelines, the practices. He’s got a great demeanor and a relationship with the guys,” Wade said.

“Kyle had that same relationship with his position coach at Stow. It was a great relationship, high energy… so when Kyle met Zebrowski that same kind of bond began immediately.”

Vantrease also came with a connection to Leipold. His grandfather is an alumnus of the University of Mount Union and Vantrease grew up attending Mount Union Purple Raiders games regularly.

The Purple Raiders are one of the best programs in Division III but in the eight seasons from 2007-2014 Leipold coached the Wisconsin-Whitewater Warhawks, Leipold and his team beat Mount Union in the Division III title game six times.

“Kyle’s grandfather was a Mount Union guy so we had season tickets,” Wade said.

“We would watch Wisconsin-Whitewater and Mount Union play all the time. We never knew Leipold was a part of that at the time, but because of that there was that understanding of what he had accomplished so Kyle bought into his philosophy immediately.”

Vantrease will have to buy-in to help him find success. He will draw upon Leipold and Zebrowski to help him grow over his next four years in Buffalo. He will apply everything to the practice field in his reserve role, including the time he spent in the game.

“There was a couple things that stood out the most, one of them being pocket presence,” Vantrease said. “In high school I could escape the pocket and make plays on my feet or on the run, I could throw the ball.

In college it’s so much different… the speed of the game is so much faster, I learned the basics of how things go, comfort levels, looking at coverage, looking at fronts and potential pressures and all that stuff. That game really helped me start to develop some skills that I can use in the future.”

Vantrease said he is at Buffalo to play and believes the coaches have the team’s best interest in mind. And although his playing time might be over for the year, Vantrease wants to do whatever will help the team win.

“They have a plan for me and in that plan they have me as backup,” Vantrease said.

“Things happen and I’m going do what I need to do for the team and that was play for a game and a half.” email: daniel.petruccelli@ubspectrum.com