UBSPECTRUM.COM
MONDAY, MAY 8, 2017
LIFE RUN BY MEDICATION P.3
WHAT’S IN STORE? P.6
VOLUME 66 NO. 51
LUNCH IN A COLDSPACE P.6
Donors demand answers UB men’s swimming and diving donors and alumni fight back against UB Athletics’ cuts
MICHAEL AKELSON SENIOR SPORTS EDITOR
A UB alumnus is threatening to sue UB over its April decision to cut four sports teams, particularly UB swimming, to which he has donated $15,000 since 2015. Richard Lydecker, a successful civil litigator with offices in Miami, New York and Tampa, is outraged that UB solicited his pledge to give up to $50,000 to the men’s swim team, but then cut the team without warning. He is heartbroken for the current swimmers and recruits and not only wants his money back, but also for the school to reverse its decision to cut the program and give alumni two years to raise funds.
“People in my position have a responsibility to stand up for these kids, who quite frankly are very vulnerable,” said Lydecker, a senior partner in the 80-person law firm Lydecker Diaz. UB cut four teams, men’s soccer, women’s rowing, men’s swimming and diving and men’s baseball, on April 3. The university gave the 120 affected athletes and nine coaches no warning their teams would be cut. The university is saving $2 million a year in its $32 million athletic budget by cutting the teams. If UB refuses to reverse the cuts for a twoyear period, Lydecker intends to sue UB for his money. He also plans to sue UB on behalf of six swimmers and demands that UB pay all expenses the students incur as they transfer to other universities to keep swimming. Lydecker, a 31-year alum who swam for UB, wrote a scathing demand letter to President Satish Tripathi on May 2. The Spectrum obtained a copy of the letter last Wednesday. In the letter, Lydecker not only demands his money back and release from his donor contract, but also that UB reinstate the swimming and diving program for a two-year period. “It is my opinion that a court could determine that the University at Buffalo’s swim/ dive program alumni fundraising was highly
KAINAN GUO, THE SPECTRUM
UB men’s swimming and diving team practice. Donors and alumni of the team are attempting to save the team from being cut.
improper and actionable,” Lydecker writes in the letter. “Personally, I feel as if I have been defrauded.” And Lydecker is not alone. Lydecker has been working with other donors of the swimming and diving team since April, as well as other alumni, who want the university to bring back the program for a period of two years so donors can propose and put together an endowment plan to
save the program. The group spearheading the effort includes Joel Shinofield, executive director of the College Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA), and donors Jennifer Vaughan-LeForce, a higher education administrator and Geoff Wells, a financial partner and Matthew Schwippert, who volunteered as the swimming and diving team coach for two years. CONTINUED ON PAGE 5
BENJAMIN BLANCHET, THE SPECTRUM
Deidree Golbourne (left) and Tavaine Whyte (right) stand outside of the Millard Fillmore Academic Center. The two question how UB represents Fillmore on campus and say more needs to be done to educate students of his history.
PRIDE AND SHAME:
Fillmore’s controversial legacy Students and faculty question Millard Fillmore’s slavery record BENJAMIN BLANCHET ASST. ARTS EDITOR
Asli Ali finds it disconcerting that she has spent a semester studying the black struggle for freedom in a building named after a man who helped persecute slaves. Her class is in Millard Fillmore Academic Center (MFAC) and Fillmore, who was UB’s founder, first chancellor and 13th United States president, signed the Fugitive Slave Act, which required governments and citizens to capture and return runaway slaves, even ones who had made it from the South to new lives in the North. The act, part of the Compromise of 1850, was one of the most controversial pieces of legislation of the 19th century.
Ali, a sophomore social sciences major, had no idea about Fillmore’s complex legacy when she enrolled at UB or walked the halls of the building named after him. Few UB students do. “I always heard it being called MFAC, I never thought [about] what that abbreviation was,” Ali said. “I did know Fillmore was a president but I did not know about the act.” Fillmore’s name appears on signs around campus, a portrait of him hangs in Capen Hall and a mirror in Abbott Hall hangs in his honor. But the university does little to inform students about who Fillmore was or about his ambiguous presidential legacy. Other campuses are handling their university founders’ complex histories more
ubspectrum.com
directly. Yale, for instance, in February renamed Calhoun College after students protested the white supremacist and pro-slavery views of former U.S. Vice President John Calhoun. Georgetown University renamed Mulledy and McSherry Hall in 2015, after historians discovered that the two early presidents, Thomas F. Mulledy and William McSherry, sold 272 slaves to pay off the university’s debts. UB Spokesperson John Della Contrada said buildings are named after Fillmore because of his seminal role in founding the university. The naming does not endorse his presidential legacy, he said. “The university certainly understands Fillmore’s complex role in the history of slavery in the United States, which includes the Compromise of 1850 and the Fugitive Slave Act,” he said. “We acknowledge this role publicly during the city’s annual commemoration of Fillmore as a way to be true to Fillmore’s legacy as president of the United States.”
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The annual commemoration, which occurs every January, is the only time UB acknowledges Fillmore’s involvement in the act. Erin Swain, a senior DMS major and African American studies minor, wonders why UB – a premier institute of higher learning – doesn’t better educate students about the people whose names are an everyday part of their academic lives. “I’m paying to go here and other students pay to go here, so I should probably know the history of who made the institution that I’m learning in,” Swain said. If people walk through MFAC or the downtown Millard Fillmore College (MFC), they will see nothing – not a sign nor a plaque – that informs them about the former president. Associate Director of Capital Planning Group Cheryl A. Bailey said the group is unaware of any signs or plaques that note Fillmore’s legacy in MFAC. MFC Associate Dean Larry Gingrich doesn’t know of any markers that offer a detailed account of Fillmore in or outside MFC. Fillmore is not the only chancellor or president whose history is not spoken about on campus or seen through signs or plaques. “The university does not have a strong tradition of placing special plaques or markers at spaces named for former presidents or chancellors, such as Samuel Capen, William Bissel or Fillmore,” he said. “This does not mean the university purposely chose not to recognize these former leaders. It’s just not something the university traditionally did when these facilities were named.” CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
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NEWS
Monday, May 8, 2017
THE SPECTRUM
American Health Care Act vs. Affordable Care Act A breakdown of President Trump’s healthcare plan and how it differs from ACA
AFFORDABLE CARE ACT
VS AMERICAN ASSURED COVERAGE
All Americans can get health insurance, even if they have preexisting health conditions. Insurers offer 10 basic benefits including insurance for mental health, prescription drugs and maternity care. Insurers cannot charge older consumers more than three times more than younger consumers.
People with preexisting conditions such as AIDS, severe mental disorders, pneumonia and more can be denied coverage. Up to 24 million people may lose coverage. States can choose to reduce benefits on mental health, prescription, drugs and maternity care. Insurers can charge older consumers five times more than younger consumers.
MANDATORY COVERAGE People are required to purchase health insurance or pay a tax penalty.
ASHLEY INKUMSAH SENIOR NEWS EDITOR
President Donald Trump’s American Health Care Act finally passed the House of Representatives on May 4. The bill initially faced widespread resistance from Democrats and Republicans but ultimately passed with 217 Republican votes and zero Democratic votes. One of Trump’s major promises during his campaign was to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, but the health care plan still has a long way to go before it’s officially passed. The bill must now pass through the Senate and if passed, significant revisions are expected. The plan has sparked widespread criticism because people with preexisting conditions could see substantial changes in their health care coverage. Here’s a rundown laying out aspects of Trump’s healthcare plan that majorly differ from the Affordable Care Act.
HEALTH CARE ACT
Health insurance is not required. The tax penalty for not having health insurance will be eliminated. However, people who do not have health insurance for over two months must pay a 30 percent premium surcharge on the new insurance they attempt to purchase.
WOMEN’S HEALTH Planned Parenthood gets federal funding for family planning and other medical services.
Medicaid no longer offers funding. Medicaid is not allowed to fund health clinics that provide abortion services, including Planned Parenthood.
Insurers must provide women maternity care, pediatric care and contraceptives.
States can get waivers from insurers to eliminate maternity care and contraceptives.
TAXES Insurance companies and medical device makers pay bigger taxes.
Medical device makers, insurance companies and high-income Americans get significant tax cut.
GRAPHIC BY PIERCE STRUDLER
* SOURCES: LA TIMES, CONGRESS.GOV
email: ashley.inkumsah@ubspectrum.com
UB Student Remembrance Ceremony
A CEREMONY TO REMEMBER OUR STUDENT FRIENDS WHO PASSED AWAY IN 2016-2017
Remembering our students with grateful appreciation
Senior Challenge 2017:
Ilyas Abdulle
THANK YOU!
William Boatwright Zin Lynn Htoo Anthony King Josiah Matthew Matthew Morris Justin Romaniuk Alexander Saldarriaga
Friday, May 12, 2017 11 am Student Union Theater University at Buffalo (North Campus)
Dedication & luncheon immediately following ceremony. All are welcome.
Thank you to everyone who donated. Brandon R. Alexander Mary Aljuboori Jamal Allard Thomas M. Ancillotti Benjamin J. Antar Nicholas M. Anto Stephany K. Antonov Jessica Armatys Kwadwo A. Asamoah Anna M. Augostini Tyler Banks Joseph E. Barrios Jeremy A. Bast Katherine A. Battaglia Christian P. Baumler Carter-Beau Benson Cassandra Betancourt Erin C. Borovitcky Jacob S. Brackett Connor T. Brady Savannah M. Brueckman Sa Yusef E. Burgos Gabriel A. Cadalzo Marisa J. Canale Corey R. Carden Gabriel Casale Lucas Chapin Kaiwen Chen Lili Chen Austin Cheung Jacky Cheung Giovanni Chiappone
John F. Chiavaro Haeun Cho John Chorwat Sanjeevani Choudhery Roy Cineus Rachel J. Coan Krystal S. Coleman Kr Jacob Cox Angela R. D'Aurizio Gregory S. Delancey Jessica Deng Victor Deng Corina N. Desimone Laura C. Devine Abdoulaye Diallo Cathleen M. Draper Brandon Dufrane Samantha G. Ebeling Shauntanique K. Emdin Laura P. Favreau Liam Fitzpatrick Brett Gehnrich Thomas Gerwitz Alan Golman Robert Gomez Andrew N. Gregoras Ryan L. Gurian Brandon S. Haensly Syed Touseeq Haider Justin Hamlet Jacob L. Harris Niall P. Hart
Breyar Hawrame Danielle Hentish Jun Ren Ho Tyler Hoye Adam N. Hubbard Kimberly A. Hummel Amanda J. Jones Sumegha R. Juneja Mohamed A. Juran Dianna Kang Sydney Kaplan Adam C. Karabinos Jonathan Kaszuba Whitney M. Kehl Whitn Brittni K. Keith Gabriel Kirsch Carly J. Konsker Rohan A. Kuriakose Rebecca E. Kwong Connor M. Kyle Andres Lai Ao And Angelo Lang Anita Lau Ka Yee Lee Sang Hoon Lee Richard J. Lewandowski Joshua F. Lewis Ang Li Chan Li Meiyi Li Oivia G. Licata Angelo T. Licciardello Jr.
Brandon A. Lorberbaum Vivian Luo Anthony Macaldo Joanne Mai Zhiyang Mai, Jr. Waleed S. Malik Emanuel M. Malof Maria G. Mateo Robert Matz Nicholas J. Mayrose Aaron D. Mciver Meghan N. McKune Michael J. Mclellan Jr. Constance McMillan Cons Sean M. Mcpadden Nicholas R. Merhige Alexandra N. Meunkle Daniel P. Miera Narciso A. Morales Alarcon Amel Mugannahi Andrea D. Niper And David Nowak Phillip Ojo Bridget L. O'Keefe Mami Efua Otu-Acquah Jake R. Paster Jared M. Payne Sean P. Pebbles Aliyah M. Pitre Austin S. Place Krista K. Porter Jonathan J. Przybyla
Arjuunaa Ranjit Dylan J. Ranoco Brandon M. Ravel Kendall Reneau Maxwell M. Rich Jacob Risewick Amber K. Rivera Ambe Alexander Rives Rodriguez Kimberly Rogers Kyle C. Rohan Ryan Rosario Nicholas Ruiz Zachary E. Samach Braden W. Scales Michael B. Schmutter Daniel W. Seaberg Tyler Seeley Daniel I. Segan Lora C. Sheridan Aaron J. Simon Ryan Slocum Matthew K. Snickles Sarah Snyder Suthisa S. Souvannavong Anica Squires Kenneth P. Starr Austin H. Steinbach Sabrina Swenson Michael A. Taboni Sarah Tan Ryan J. Taylor Michael J. Terralavoro Sr.
Madison Thie Christina L. Thompson Mercedes C. Thorpe Esteven D. Tineo Mateo Briana N. Tom Brandon Tout Mason J. Towne Daniel Tuohey Nico A. Valeri Ashley Vasquez Emily J. Vicik Meghan C. Walsh Caleb I. Walters Brendan J. Warner Jonathan Weinberg Alec B. Wilcox Julianne M. Wilkinson Kai Wong Logan Woodard Jennifer Wu Claudia Yu Gabriela Zappi Yixi Zhang Jia Zheng Nan Zheng Victor Zheng John J. Zupka III List current as of 4/26/17 Lis
Congratulations, seniors! By participating, you helped make your UB experience even better!
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OPINION
Monday, May 8, 2017
THE SPECTRUM
Editorial Board EDITOR IN CHIEF
Gabriela Julia
MANAGING EDITOR
Tori Roseman COPY EDITORS
Saqib Hossain Emma Medina Margaret Wilhelm Grace Trimper NEWS EDITORS
Hannah Stein, Senior Ashley Inkumsah, Senior Maddy Fowler, Asst. FEATURES EDITORS
Sarah Crowley, Senior Lindsay Gilder, Asst. ARTS EDITORS
Max Kaltnitz, Senior David Tunis-Garcia Benjamin Blanchet, Asst. SPORTS EDITORS
Michael Akelson, Senior Daniel Petruccelli, Asst. Thomas Zafonte, Asst. PHOTO EDITORS
Kainan Guo, Senior Angela Barca Troy Wachala, Asst. CREATIVE DIRECTORS
Pierce Strudler Martina LaVallo, Asst.
Professional Staff OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR
Helene Polley
ADVERTISING MANAGERS
Priyanshi Soni ADVERTISING DESIGNERS
Alexa Capozzi
THE SPECTRUM Monday, May 8, 2017 Volume 66 Number 51 Circulation 4,000 The views expressed – both written and graphic – in the Feedback, Opinion and Perspectives sections of The Spectrum do not necessarily reflect the views of the editorial board. Submit contributions for these pages to The Spectrum office at Suite 132 Student Union or news@ubspectrum.com. The Spectrum reserves the right to edit these pieces for style and length. If a letter is not meant for publication, please mark it as such. All submissions must include the author’s name, daytime phone number, and email address. For information on adverstising with The Spectrum, visit www.ubspectrum.com/advertising or call us directly at 716-645-2152
LETTER TO THE EDITOR A letter to President Tripathi regarding UB Athletics’ decision to cut four teams Dear Mr. Tripathi, I agreed to become a Sponsor Level Donor with the expectation of donating up to $50,000 to the University at Buffalo men’s swim/dive program, because I was led to believe that I was investing in the future of this program, a program which supported kids, like me, who spent much of their childhoods training 3-5 hours a day on a pool deck in order to be able to pay for college. As this warming altruistic thought went, a nobler investment could not exist. It is both unprecedented and shocking that on April 3 the University at Buffalo, with absolutely no notice, no public input, and no alumni contact or input, would announce that it was ending the men’s swim/dive program, along with three (3) other sports. See attached Exhibit. No thought apparently was given to the shocking fact that the time to apply to other schools’ swim/dive programs and/or to obtain scholarship monies, had already passed for the UB swim/dive team members. Student athletes who have spent typically 5 hours a day for their entire lives training and competing to be the next Michael Phelps, have had their dreams ripped from them from the very people they were supposed to be looking up to. This is plainly outrageous and immoral. The improper conduct was even present just days before the University at Buffalo’s surprise April 3 announcement; the Athletic Department was reportedly out in full force recruiting and “signing up”
more incoming Freshman swimmers/divers, aka victims now, for the fall semester, as if the administration had not totaled up enough victims with all of the kids who had already entrusted their swimming/ diving careers to the University at Buffalo. Because of this, administration’s immoral conduct, failure to live up to its promises, and more specifically, its reported failure to disclose its true intentions to warn swimmer/divers in a timely manner, these young students forwent real opportunities and meaningful scholarship awards at other schools; now, it is just simply too late…. the money and opportunities have already been given away. The apparent decision-maker and supposed example to the students at the University, you, President Tripathi, refused to discuss the matter with objecting alumni, including alumni donors, by retreating to your very disconnected ivory tower. Apparently, it was just a simple business decision to you; notably, your life was unaffected by your decision. This is particularly true when just shortly after your surprise announcement, a group of the men’s and women’s swim/dive team alumni presented to the Athletic Director a bona fide Endowment Plan, that had worked well at other Universities, to fund the men’s swim/dive team at no cost to the University. This Alumni group was informed that you would not even attend a meeting to discuss the matter, which is perplexing since your stated reason for termination of the men’s swim/dive team was lack
of funding. You were being handed the funding yet you refused it. Your response indicated to me that there existed a very high degree of frivolousness and indifference in which your injurious decision was made, perhaps even hubris. The timing at this late date in the school year appears obviously calculated to drag any negative publicity or talk of ruined student athletes into the silent obscurity of the summer vacation. When the fall semester comes around, “Voila,” no one is left to complain since all of President Tripathi’s student athlete victims are no longer around. It is simple Mr. President, you promised these college kids a swim/dive team, they relied on your promise by attending the University at Buffalo and foregoing all other collegiate swim/dive teams and scholarships, and now you are reneging on your promises. Promises made, promises broken! No notice given to lessen the blow. Similarly, the University solicited thousands upon thousands of dollars, if not millions, from alumni of the sports programs, just like the men’s swim/dive program, promising it to be an investment in the school’s team, while never disclosing the highly material fact that the University was already actively considering the termination of these sports teams. Thus, there was no investment, just an utter waste of alumni money. That was never disclosed, among other things. It is my opinion that a court could determine that the University at Buffalo’s swim/dive program alumni fundraising was highly improper and actionable. Personally, I feel as if I have been defrauded. This begs the fundamental question, why would any alumnus do-
Life run by medication How lesions on my brain led to a life of medication
The Spectrum offices are located in 132 Student Union, UB North Campus, Buffalo, NY 142602100
VICTORIA HARTWELL STAFF WRITER
Anxiety? Take a pill. Nausea? Take a pill. A pill gets thrown at me for every feeling I have throughout the day. Gabapentin, Venlafaxine, Xanax, Ondansetron. It’s a never-ending cycle of taking pills and waiting for my body to feel “normal.” It is a constant struggle to feel confident with my body, muster the energy to go out on weekends and maintain my high GPA. I work hard to battle through the pain. I try to live a normal life; I go to school full-time, I have a parttime job, a boyfriend and friends. But I am in a never-ending battle with myself to stay awake and happy because the medications
take such a toll. Uh oh, tired and unhappy? Take another pill. I was born with lesions on my brain that cause me to have terrible migraines. When I was 12, I landed on my head in a gymnastics meet and the lesions starting acting up. I was flooded with doctors’ appointments, cat scans and MRIs. I am now a regular at my doctor’s office. I am on a first-name basis with the receptionists, nurses and doctor. They memorized my height and weight and know my blood pressure runs a little on the high side, especially when I come in with an iced coffee. They know I love country concerts and my puppies and they know I get upset when I talk about my depression. From 12 to 18 years old, I was put on a new medication every three months to see what would work with my body. These six years consisted of vomiting, crying and working through the pain to try and live a normal teenage life. As a young girl, I carried around pill cases to make sure I would always have medicine when I felt a headache or anxiety attack come on. During these stressful years I continued to play the sports that made me happy. I was a competi-
tive gymnast and cheerleader and didn’t let my migraines get in the way of my athletic dreams. Most of the people around me didn’t even know about my migraines or that I was on multiple medications because I didn’t want that to change how teachers, coaches and friends looked at me. When I turned 18, I was finally old enough to try more complex medications. I started getting series of botox shots every three months to create a barrier between my muscles and skull, so I wouldn’t feel as much pain. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. And when it doesn’t, I get depressed. I take a pill. I was also introduced to infusions at 18. When I get a migraine so bad even the medications cannot numb the pain, I get an I.V. of various medicines that make my head all better. I’ve gotten to know even more nurses. They know that I like the I.V. in my hand instead of my arm. People don’t realize the pain and struggle I go through on a daily basis to feel OK. I get asked “what’s wrong?” “why are you in a bad mood?” “why are you never happy?” But I am happy. That’s what these medications are supposed to be doing – keeping me from being miserable. I also inherited anxiety and depression but my personality does not allow me to seek help. I keep my feelings bottled up inside and
nate to an institution whose administration cannot be trusted? It is my opinion that this was an immoral decision, plain and simple. Moral failures never occur in isolation; they permeate one’s character and judgment. Thus, how can any alumnus donating to any sport or academic program at the University at Buffalo believe that their sport or program will remain intact. Today, the bell rung for men’s swim/dive team alumni, tomorrow the bell may ring for other alumni donating groups. Demand is hereby made for the immediate return of the $15,000 I have already donated on my $50,000 dollar written commitment as well as release from my commitment. In addition, I am formally putting the University at Buffalo on notice that every fundraising dollar received from the alumni of any cancelled sports are ill-gotten gains, the fruits of the University’s improper conduct, and shall be returned as well. Demand is hereby made that the University abate its decision for a period of two (2) years before terminating the men’s swim/dive team so as to permit its current and incoming student athletes to continue training and competing until they can arrange a transfer to another University. Further, that an Alumni Endowment plan be permitted time to be put in place. GOVERN YOURSELF ACCORDINGLY. Sincerely, /s/ Richard J. Lydecker Richard J. Lydecker, Esq.
crack once in awhile, finally letting them out. I refuse to see a professional because I can’t stand psychologists talking to me like my emotions can be solved by what it says in a textbook. Psychologists make me feel my emotions and thoughts are easy to fix by “breathing” and “counting to 10.” Since I won’t go to seek help, my neurologist gives me even more medications to numb feelings of sadness and worry that take over my body. I take another pill. My story is not particularly unique. I may be feeling emotions and pain that most people do not feel, but others around me are dealing with pain I will never be able to comprehend. Facing these difficulties in my life has made me more empathetic. I recognize when other people are uncomfortable or sad. I notice when someone feels hurt or unappreciated because I deal with that on a daily basis. I’ve learned not to judge people because I wouldn’t want them judging me. I’ve learned to care and help and listen because I know that sometimes that is exactly what I need. So I’ve learned you should step back before you say something. Think about how you would feel if someone said that to you. Think about how you would feel if someone didn’t help you or didn’t ask how you were feeling. Be kind, because everybody around you is fighting a battle you know nothing about. email: news@ubspectrum.com
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FEATURES
Monday, May 8, 2017
THE SPECTRUM
PRIDE AND SHAME:
Fillmore’s controversial legacy CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Della Contrada insisted the lack of information about Fillmore it is not an attempt to “ignore his legacy.” Some former presidents and chancellors do have campus markers or plaques, even if they are brief. William Greiner, 13th president of UB, has a bust in his namesake Greiner Hall, and a note recognizing “his leadership, vision and forty two years of service” at UB. Robert L. Ketter, UB’s 11th president, has a set of photos and a description of his life inside his namesake building. UB’s website is also light on Fillmore’s history. His past is briefly – and at times inaccurately – mentioned on the “Timeline of UB History.” It mentions his vice presidential inauguration as occurring in 1848, when it occurred in 1849. The timeline notes that Fillmore became president in 1850, but does not offer details on his legacy. UB news and press releases mention the Fugitive Slave Act when it’s included in the annual commemoration ceremony. Other schools have felt the need to rename buildings after founders whose legacies ran counter to the universities’ values. At Yale and Georgetown, administrators renamed the buildings in the wake of student protests over the names. Georgetown invited over 100 descendants of sold slaves to the school and issued a formal apology for the school’s role in the slave trade. The Georgetown buildings are now named after Isaac Hawkins, the first slave on the Georgetown registry and Anne Marie Becraft, who founded a school for black girls in Georgetown in the 1820s. The renaming also highlights an attempt to include more women and people of color, as most historic buildings were named for white men. The Yale building is now named for Grace Murray Hopper, a computer scientist and Naval admiral. UB has buildings honoring people of color and women on both North and South Campus. Talbert Hall is named after Mary Burnett Talbert, a civil rights leader andone of the first women to join the NAACP. Red Jacket Quadrangle is named after Seneca chief and orator Red Jacket. Residence Halls like Goodyear Hall and Clement Hall are named after Ella Conger Goodyear and Carolyn Tripp Clement. “The university has not received a lot of expressions of concern about the name over the years,” Della Contrada said. “The university is careful to explain to those who express concerns that UB’s recognition of Fillmore is based on his role in founding the university. It is not an endorsement of Fillmore’s acts as president. Most people seem to understand this distinction.” Renaming MFAC and MFC would need approval from university officials and could take years. Deidree Golbourne, a senior African American studies major, thinks university administration has to be more upfront about the history of Fillmore. “We have to think, just as much as Fillmore did for the UB community as a whole, what he may have done to hinder the lives of people and that’s just an issue that Buffalo has as a whole,” she said.
Raising the question
It’s not entirely true that nobody knows about Fillmore’s legacy. The NAACP Buffalo branch has been questioning it for more than two years and in January 2015 the branch sent a letter to county and city officials to stop naming anything further after him. Madeline O’Scott, a former branch member, began the process and brought up the concern at an NAACP monthly meeting. “Every year I get irritated when I see Fillmore’s birthday celebrated in the paper, all the ceremonies and everything,” O’Scott said. Frank Mesiah, former president and current executive board member of the NAACP Buffalo branch, asked local officials to attach a “statement on Fillmore’s role in maintaining slavery” to all places named after him, which includes MFAC and
“ When it comes to naming buildings, that is the perfect time to recognize and validate that history that African Americans have, but instead they chose to navigate it in a much more patriotic, America-first way. -Tavaine Whyte
” (TOP) BENJAMIN BLANCHET, THE SPECTRUM
Tavaine Whyte, a junior African American Studies major and intended English minor, stands outside the Millard Fillmore Academic Center. Whyte feels UB should grapple with Fillmore’s successes as well as his critical failures. (MIDDLE) KAINAN GUO, THE SPECTRUM
Frank Mesiah and Madeline O’Scott stand outside Baird Hall. The two, part of the NAACP Buffalo branch in 2015, asked Erie County lawmakers to resist further buildings named after Millard Fillmore. (BOTTOM) TROY WACHALA, THE SPECTRUM
Students, faculty and administration attend the DifCon seminar in the Intercultural and Diversity Center in April. The discussion focused on whether or not certain icons should be removed from college campuses.
a statue of Fillmore outside Buffalo City Hall, according to The Buffalo News. “Here’s somebody that they show his picture – a big statue of him – and nothing adjacent or near that shows he signed the Fugitive Slave Act, the negative impact that had on African Americans and how it increased the ability of white people to do better and, at the same time, was reducing the effect of how people of color benefited,” Mesiah said. Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital in Williamsville is also named after Fillmore as is Fillmore Avenue. Inside City Hall, Fillmore is simply labeled as the 13th President of the U.S. Outside, Fillmore’s statue calls him a lawyer, educator, philanthropist and statesman. His letter, Mesiah said, achieved nothing. No one from the city or UB responded. O’Scott takes the slight personally. Some of her family sought freedom in Haiti due to the Fugitive Slave Act. Others, she believes, lived in fear and lied about their births in order to avoid capture. O’Scott isn’t asking UB to rename its buildings. But, she does want the city and the university to stop celebrating Fillmore. She also doesn’t want any more public buildings named after him. “I wasn’t saying ‘OK, you have to rename all these places,’ that was unrealistic and it wasn’t going to happen,” O’Scott said. “I was saying just stop naming stuff after this man when he had affected millions of people and didn’t even believe in the [act] himself.”
Understanding the past
Fillmore has a compelling early story and
Buffalo has celebrated him since the 19th century. Born into an impoverished Cayuga County family, Fillmore excelled at school and was a lawyer by age 23. He founded UB and served as its first chancellor in 1846. He then won the U.S. vice presidency in 1848 and – after the death of President Zachary Taylor in 1850 – he became president. During his time as U.S. president, he remained UB chancellor and passed the Fugitive Slave Act. As president, Fillmore inherited huge North-South tensions and thought the Fugitive Slave Act would help appease southerners. The act, said Carole Emberton, director of undergraduate studies in the history department, was a “kindof legalized kidnapping for free African Americans in the North.” Fillmore knew its dangers, she said. And he personally was opposed to slavery, calling it “an existing evil that must be endured.” Yet, he believed the act was politically necessary. “Millard Fillmore tries to ride [the fence] and he ends up in history looking morally weak, he wants to claim that he’s neutral but in fact by trying to claim that neutrality he ends up really working in favor of slaveholders and the ‘slave power’ as it was called in the 1850s,” Emberton said. His handling of slavery – an issue that would eventually push the nation toward civil war – cost Fillmore the support of his party, the Whigs, and the next election in 1852. “He thought of slavery as a side issue – one that he could ignore,” Emberton said. Instead, it killed him politically. He tried to run again in 1856 with the
American Party – an anti-immigrant, anti-Catholic party best known as the KnowNothing Party. Fillmore never became president again. He remained at UB and served as chancellor until two weeks before his death in March 1874. Congress repealed the Fugitive Slave Act in 1864.
Representation and celebration
UB has been the lead host of Fillmore’s birthday commemoration at his grave in Forest Lawn Cemetery ever since January 1966, according to William Regan, director of university events. The Buffalo News last year included the ceremony in its list of “Top 100 Things to Do in Western New York.” Regan said many groups, including the Buffalo History Museum, the Albright-Knox Art Gallery and the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library, support the event and that the Fugitive Slave Act is always mentioned. Fillmore helped found these groups. “By any standard, then or now, this piece of legislation was controversial,” Regan said in an email. “Fillmore’s apparent personal opposition to slavery was clearly at odds with his political actions. Speakers at our commemoration program over the past 50-plus years have addressed this divisive piece of legislation, given its prominence in American history and especially to Fillmore’s tenure as U.S. President.” Larry Gingrich, associate dean of the Millard Fillmore College, said he has only seen external signs leading into the building. CONTINUED ON PAGE 5
5
FEATURES
Monday, May 8, 2017
THE SPECTRUM
Donors demand answers CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
“Most of us were already connected or within one degree of connection with each other. [We have] a small group of key alumni from various fields and various graduation times,” Wells said. At the very least, they hope the two-year window will give athletes more time to seek out transfer opportunities and scholarships. The group of donors did not want to outline the details of the plan to The Spectrum because they are looking to present it to administration. LeForce said that this endowment plan is based on similar plans that have been implemented at other universities and would create a non-profit organization to fundraise money for the team. Shinofield said most universities usually give a program a two-year warning or phase-out period in the first place. Lydecker and other donors think UB athletes and the community deserve as much. It’s not unthinkable for UB to reverse its decision. It’s not even unprecedented. In the spring of 2015, Cleveland State University decided to cut funding to its wrestling program. Students reacted fiercely to the cuts and after students agreed to pay an additional $1 per credit hour, or $15 increase to the student fee to support the team, the university reversed its decision. “We understand how deeply disappointed our student-athletes and coaches are regarding the reduction in our athletic pro-
ANGELA BARCA, THE SPECTRUM
(Pictured) The starting block donated by Richard and Isabel Lydecker. Lydecker is now threatening to sue the university if they do not refund the money he has donated to the program.
grams,” said UB Spokesperson John Della Contrada. “This very difficult decision was made because of the unfortunate reality that we no longer have the resources to support 20 competitive Division I athletic teams. We are diligently working to provide our student-athletes with the support they need during this transition.” Lydecker finds UB’s inattention and disregard for alumni concerns stunning. He and other donors are angry UB didn’t contact any alumni or donors prior to the cuts. If UB had reached out, he and other donors say they would have helped find a way to fund the team. Donors filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request on May 2 asking for a list of 2016-17 alumni donors and their contact information. The request also asks for contact information for all incoming freshmen, including the amount of money, if any, promised via scholarship or financial aid. They also requested all notes or emails
about the cuts to determine the ethics and details of the university’s abrupt decision, Wells said. “If this decision was made within a two to three week timeline, that is extremely short,” Wells said. “So if it was a rushed decision that the university made without really consulting anybody and without really doing anything about it, that’s something that needs to be taken up with the chancellors of the university and the UB Council because the president was obviously not doing his job.” Part of the frustration, Wells said, is that donors to the program had met a goal to help fund new starting blocks two years prior. He and the other donors wonder why they were asked for help when the program was in need of new equipment, but not when it was in danger of being cut due to a lack of funding. Furthermore, when the donors invested in the starting blocks in 2015, they were sold on the idea that they were investing in the
PRIDE AND SHAME:
Fillmore’s controversial legacy
COURTESY OF UB NEWS CENTER
Millard Fillmore’s life is honored annually at Forest Lawn Cemetery during the Millard Fillmore commemoration event. The event is held at Millard Fillmore’s gravesite and aligns with the White House birthday observance tradition.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4
But no one has ever publicly criticized the name of the school. “There were times when maybe the university might have considered taking a look at the name of the college, whether it was appropriate or not based on its mission and purpose,” he said. “But that, very informally, has been mentioned in the past - that’s never been a major topic of discussion for the college.” Gingrich said Fillmore had a formidable backstory in self-education and he thinks the college’s name is “appropriate.” Gingrich did not respond to whether or not he thinks the name has a negative connotation.
Sparking the conversation
Emberton addressed the Fillmore legacy in April at a DifCon session sponsored by the Vice Provost’s Office for Equity and In-
clusion. Provost Charles Zukoski and President Satish Tripathi attended the event and heard Emberton speak. Tripathi left before the discussion portion of the event. “I think the university as a whole is not really in touch with its history and in many cases, like Mary Talbert and Gregory Jarvis, it’s a very illustrious history,” Emberton said. “It’s something that we should make known and make aware, for incoming students and prospective students, but I also think the same is true for someone like Millard Fillmore because it does show how deep UB’s historical roots are. Even though they’re not everything we want to celebrate, it’s a great opportunity to have those kind of discussions.” Dr. Keith Griffler, an associate professor in the transnational studies department, has taught about slavery and other black freedom struggles in his “Liberation Struggles of the African Diaspora” class this spring. Tavaine Whyte, a junior African Ameri-
can Studies major, is in Dr.Griffler’s class and called the lack of historical acknowledgement on buildings like MFC and MFAC “at best, willful ignorance and at worst, calculated.” “I believe it’s unfair and I believe that it’s then damaging to students by withholding information from them, selectively giving them information,” Whyte said. “This is constant in many different values that UB holds but it’s only a symptom of a greater problem that UB has when it comes to sensitivity toward people of color and the history that Buffalo holds when refusing to identify, to recognize the history when the time comes. When it comes to naming buildings, that is the perfect time to recognize and validate that history that African Americans have but instead they chose to navigate it in a much more patriotic, America-first way.” Whyte thinks Fillmore’s birthday commemoration distances students from the school’s history and leaves them out them
future of the program. In the fall of 2015, the athletic department requested donors fund eight new starting blocks at $5,000 each. The request was circulated via email to alumni in September 2015. The email contained an attached donation form that said “Build Our Future” in all capital letters on the top. Donors are also angry that administration allowed the team to hold a recruiting trip the weekend preceding the cuts, which were announced the following Monday. After donors complained, Athletic Director Allen Greene agreed to an April 18 meeting about the cuts. Some donors participated through a conference call. At the meeting, Greene said the university has contemplated the cuts for up to five years, according to Wells, LeForce and Schwippert. “To be perfectly honest, it felt like [Greene] was sort of being sent in as a person to take the bullet to hear the disappointment from the alumni and he really couldn’t answer many questions because the decision seemed to rest squarely with the president,” Shinofield said. Yet the group came out of the meeting hopeful that someone else would follow up with them and move forward with plans to save the program – but no one did. After this meeting, the group began to make calls in order to schedule a meeting with President Tripathi. LeForce was told that she and the other concerned donors should type up all of their grievances so it was in writing and send them to the SUNY General Counsel. Instead, this is when Lydecker decided to type something more substantial – a demand letter. “We just wanted the university to work with us and they refused, they steadfastly refused,” Lydecker said. “And I had a hard time with that.” email: michael.akelson@ubspectrum.com
since it takes place between semesters. “Granted, we’re having it during his birthday but at the same time, if they’re so involved in wanting to celebrate his memory, then they would try to inform the students more about his legacy but that’s not what happens,” Whyte said. Golbourne understands Fillmore impacted the city in a positive way, but she said students should know about his role in slavery. “We definitely do look more at the positive and may not notice certain things in the city, certain things that may have been done historically in the city have not been the most impactful or fruitful for other people that are not the majority,” Golbourne said. Student Association President Matt Rivera said he was surprised to learn of Fillmore’s past and only found out because he looked him up after watching an orientation video mentioning Fillmore’s presidency. Rivera said Fillmore’s policies are along the lines of “racist acts that hurt the country and its diversity.” “I think, ultimately, it’s up to the university and the city to sort-of shun him for those portions and keep it that way,” Rivera said. “Remember that he was chancellor and shun him for the individual that he was.” Rivera later starred in a similar orientation video and said he regrets not being fully informed on Fillmore, but he doesn’t regret the video. The video briefly mentions Fillmore’s role as chancellor, lawyer and president. “Honestly, just not emphasizing him in the welcome video might be better in general,” Rivera said. Ali would like to see MFAC and MFC named after figures who fought against slavery. “If you changed it from Millard Fillmore to ‘John Brown’ or ‘Shields Green’ or ‘Frederick Douglass,’ kids will ask what prompted this name change and seek the information themselves,” Ali said. Dr.Griffler said the university could honor the “other side of the Fugitive Slave Act” by honoring an influential member of the Underground Railroad, which has a history in Buffalo. “We can’t change the past or what he did, but we can recognize the other side and people who he negatively affected,” Griffler said. “The lives he directly made worse and honor their memory as we honor his.” email: benjamin.blanchet@ubspectrum.com
6What’s in store?
FEATURES
Monday, May 8, 2017
THE SPECTRUM
ANGELA BARCA, THE SPECTRUM
Yusef Burgos sits in his new clothing store The Cellar on Elmwood Avenue. The store features high-end clothing and shoes from brands like Bape, Supreme, Nike and Adidas.
UB student opens clothing store downtown BRENTON J. BLANCHET STAFF WRITER
Yusef Burgos got his start in the trading business by selling gum in middle school and networking with upperclassmen. He saved up enough money to start buying sneakers, which introduced him to the shoe business. Ten years later, Burgos, a senior accounting major, teamed up with two of his friends and opened a streetwear store in downtown Buffalo. The store is called The Cellar because of its basement-like atmosphere, and is located at 569 Elmwood Ave. Shelves are stocked with brands like Supreme and Bape
and its walls are stacked with Yeezys, Jordans, and just about any hard-to-find sneakers imaginable. The Cellar doesn’t only sell these shoes, but they also take trade-ins. “We’re not just people who are doing this for the money; we’re doing it for the love of the culture,” Burgos said. “People can sense that when they come in. When they bring in shoes to sell or when they just come in, we talk about future releases, past releases and things that we love.” Burgos described his store as “chill” and is decorated with a signed Wu Tang CD, a Travis Scott action figure and a variety of high-end Supreme memorabilia. The most unique feature of the shop,
however, is the keymaster; an arcade machine where the grand-prize winner could go home with a $1,000 pair of kicks. Local teens from Canisius High School went to The Cellar to play the game, which costs $5. Winners could trade the prize back to The Cellar for a reduced profit if the shoes aren’t in their size. But Burgos’ main goal is to create a sense of community among sneaker-lovers in Buffalo. Much of the store’s inventory comes from networking among sneaker sellers, trade-ins and internet sales. Still, much of the stock comes from Sole High, a former Buffalo sneaker shop and Burgos’ last employer. Burgos along with business partners, Napoleon Kerbner and Adam Kellerman incorporated Sole High’s inventory to open The Cellar. Burgos believes The Cellar’s prices separate the store from its competitors. To sell products for such reasonable prices, Burgos is honest with customers about trade-in offers. “When customers bring things in, we tell them straight up ‘this is what we can offer you.’ We’re completely honest with them and tell them what we sell it for. If they do want to take it, the money is here,” Burgos said. The store already has “regulars” like Buffalo-native Santana Pouncey, who watched ANGELA BARCA, THE SPECTRUM
(left to right) Abid Alam, Hnu Thaper and Elijah Tyson pose in front of the Blackstone Launchpad office in the Student Union. The trio founded Coldspace to create a solution to food storage on campus.
Keep your lunch in a ColdSpace
Students try to bring refrigerated vending space to campus LINDSAY GILDER ASST. FEATURES EDITOR
Elijah Tyson used to bring his lunch to campus every day. His intention was to save money and eat healthy, but instead, he
pulled out a crumpled up, lukewarm lunch to eat. Tyson, a senior business administration major, met Abid Alam and Hnu Thaper in Delta Sigma Pi, a professional business fraternity. Together, they found a solution to Tyson’s lunch problem: ColdSpace, a re-
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frigerated vending machine for students to store their food on campus. The “smart vending machine” has reservations for both monthly subscriptions and one-time uses on its mobile-friendly website. Each user gets a six-hour time limit for their storage in the vending machine. After their time is up, the user will receive a text message prompt, asking if they would like to purchase an extension. The students were inspired by their own struggles with eating on campus. Unlike many sophomores living on-campus, Thaper and Alam found meal plans too expensive and opted instead to prepare lunch from their dorms. “Me and Abid were like ‘hey, we’re going to save so much money’ and then all of a sudden we realized there was no place to store our food,” said Thaper, a senior accounting major and vice president of ColdSpace. “I would literally carry a brown bag around and my backpack would smell like PB&J or turkey sandwiches, and we knew there had to be a better way.” The trio surveyed hundreds of students to see if others shared their interest and the response was overwhelmingly positive. “[ColdSpace] is a great and innovative idea that not only can save students money, but enable them to eat healthier and be more in control of what they consume on a daily basis while away from home,” said Desmond McKoy Jr, a senior business administration major. Part of ColdSpace’s appeal is making their vending machines secure, affordable and easy-to-use, according to Thaper. He explained that the vending machines will offer both monthly subscriptions and onetime-use charges for customer convenience, and each compartment will be locked with unique passcodes that will be texted to the customer’s phone. “What we’re offering you is peace of mind, you have nothing to worry about because we will keep your food cold, clean and safe,” Thaper said.
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The Cellar’s opening-day unfold. “I was here the opening day [ a few weeks ago] from 11 a.m. to close. It was crazy in here. There was about 500 or 600 people. It was packed the whole day, people kept going in and out,” Pouncey said It was through the Buffalo sneaker community where Burgos met Napoleon Kerber, fellow Buffalo-native and current business partner. Kerber and Burgos traded sneakers back and forth through a Facebook sneaker group. When Burgos started managing the Sole High store, he brought in Kerber to help. Sole High was the first sneaker store that Burgos was heavily involved in, and he helped with the store’s finances, utilizing his skills as an accounting major. When it came time to open The Cellar, the process wasn’t easy for the trio, as Burgos explained. “Most of my responsibilities were behind the scenes like acquiring the LLC and even doing the bills. At our age we aren’t contacting National Grid, so that was a new experience,” Burgos said. These new experiences paid off for the business partners. Burgos is hoping to incorporate a Youtube channel to document daily interactions with customers and even film segments with Buffalo Bills players. “I really have a good feeling about the future. There’s so much excitement that’s built around the store. Everyone that comes in is just genuinely happy and I truly think it’s sustainable,” Burgos said. email: arts@ubspectrum.com
This isn’t the first time Tyson was inspired to bring healthy living to campus. Last year, the student entrepreneur began UB Barbarians, a club to help students to become more fit and active. Rohin Sethi, the team’s business advisor, said the ColdSpace team has shown “tenacity towards surveying the public.” Sethi, an analyst at Capital Partners business solution, said this makes them unique to the other entrepreneurs he has advised. “Their outreach to students, administration, manufacturers and technologists, is above and beyond any undergrad entrepreneur I have advised,” Sethi said. “I like to imagine what this team would accomplish if school and work was not sucking up their time.” Multiple departments on campus have expressed interest in ColdSpace machines for their buildings. The team reached the semifinals in this year’s Henry A. Panasci Jr. Technology Entrepreneurship Competition and were awarded the “Winners of the Western New York Region - Services” award in the New York State Entrepreneurship competition. They will be pitching their idea in Albany later this month during the final round of the competition. The team was disappointed when ColdSpace didn’t make it past the semifinals of The Panasci Competition, but Tyson said the loss was a blessing in disguise. “Sometimes when you’re in the starter phase of an idea, too much success can be a hindrance towards you really evaluating yourself as a team and your product and what its capabilities are,” Tyson said. Tyson hopes that ColdSpace can take what they’ve learned in the Panasci competition to improve and win more business competitions in the future. These competitions can help ColdSpace raise the money they need to build a prototype of their “smart vending machine.” Sethi believes the best way to bring these vending machines to campus is to make the team’s product unique enough to patent. “They are in the midst of developing the technology for the user interface and refrigeration compartments,” Sethi said. “Moving forward, they need to ensure that this technology is unique and patentable, especially if they are using a vending machine shell.” email: lindsay.gilder@ubspectrum.com
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7
Monday, May 8, 2017
THE SPECTRUM
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8
SPORTS
Monday, May 8, 2017
THE SPECTRUM
The next chapter UB pitcher Charlie Sobieraski to transfer to Pittsburgh University following athletic cuts JUSTIN BYSTRAK STAFF WRITER
Junior pitcher Charlie Sobieraski was left scrambling to figure out where he would play next season after the announcement that the baseball program would be cut at the end of the year. Without a team, Sobieraski was forced into the recruitment process for a second time hours after he found out he no longer had a place at UB. “It got out pretty quick through social media,” Sobieraski said. “Some coaches were calling our coaches and stuff like that. Probably within that day and the next day is when the calls started coming in.” The cuts came late in the academic year, when rosters and recruiting classes of many teams were already full. Most, if not all, of athletic scholarship money allotted to incoming players was used. At first, Sobieraski committed to Purdue to play his last season of collegiate baseball. However, the University of Pittsburgh offered him scholarship money and presented him with the financial benefits he was seeking. Sobieraski is from Lockport and the closeness of Pittsburgh played a substantial role in his decision to decommit from Purdue. Pittsburgh has turf complexes, which help to increase the amount of times its team can get outside while there are still winter-like conditions. A vital part of the indoor facilities at Pittsburgh is a dirt mound that pitchers can throw on year-round. “You can tell they just care about every single aspect of their university,” Sobieras-
KAINAN GUO, THE SPECTRUM
Charlie Sobieraski throws a pitch. Sobieraski will transfer to Pittsburgh University following UB’s decision to cut the baseball team.
ki said. At UB, pitchers were mostly throwing on a turf mound until their first game of the season. But what stood out most to Sobieraski about Pittsburgh was the fact that they had a state of the art weight room, training room and locker room. Despite finding a good baseball program close to home, the recruiting process was even more difficult the second time around for Sobieraski. “It was stressful,” he said. “I know like from the academic side, a lot of schools don’t let kids come in after they’ve already completed six semesters just because, it’s kind of like cheating the system going to a school for three years and then going to a school for one to get a degree from that school.” Sobieraski will miss his teammates at UB. “It’ll be kind of tough, you know, going into a new situation not really knowing any-
Hometown hero Buffalo native Jordan Johnson signs deal with the Bills DANIEL PETRUCCELLI ASST. SPORTS EDITOR
New Buffalo Bulls running back Jordan Johnson has lived and breathed Buffalo football his entire life. Johnson recently signed a deal with the Bills just hours after this year’s draft. Johnson is a Buffalo native and has played football in Western New York at every level. He first made a name as a member of the Sweet Home Panthers high school football team where he was a two time Class-A state player of the year. He then moved around the corner to UB. Now he will be joining the pro team about 20 minutes away in Orchard Park. “Buffalo is home, it always will be. I want to give back to my city as much as I possibly can,” Johnson said. “And this is just another step in the right direction to being on that path to do so. God blessed me with this opportunity so I just want to keep going by his name as much as I can.” Johnson said he talked to the team a little bit during UB’s pro day. He started hearing from them during the draft and once the draft ended, he officially became a member of his hometown team. Johnson joins Buffalo’s recent string of successful running backs including current NFL players James Starks and Branden Oliver. Johnson said he spoke to Oliver before and after the draft process. Oliver, along with former UB running back coach Matt Simon, both offered Johnson a bit of advice about the next level. “They both told me it’s a different level of football, just keep going and working each and every day because at the end of the day your job is on the line every week,” Johnson said. “It’s not like college where you have a scholarship and no matter what you do you’re still there, you have to compete every day and every week for that spot on the team.”
Johnson is one of five running backs currently on the Bills roster. He said he knows it will take hard work to keep his spot on the team and even more work to find playing time. “My whole focus is coming in and working as hard as I can each and every day to get on the field,” Johnson said. “Whether it’s on special teams or as a backup and just learning as much as I can from LeSean McCoy and just get better each and every day and try and contribute any way I can to try and make the team.”
one and being the new guy for one year when you know you have all these relationships with guys like [sophomore outfielder Brian Wasilewski] that you’ve been playing with ever since high school,” Sobieraski said. Sobieraski has chemistry with other local UB players, like senior Brian Dudek, junior shortstop Ben Haefner, and senior third baseman Chris Kwitzer, who all played Section-VI high school baseball. Playing against them in high school helped Sobieraski establish some familiarity when he came to UB. Even though Sobieraski will be sad to leave his teammates, he will not miss Amherst Audubon Field, the home park for the Bulls or the long bus rides that come at the beginning of the year, due to always playing on the road. Pittsburgh has charter flights for any location that would be longer than a five-hour drive. He joins the Bills coming off his first season as the full time starter at UB. The team struggled and finished 2-10. The team experienced question marks at the offensive line as injuries caused the team to rotate through different starting lineups for the first part of the season. Johnson still managed to have a standout year that got him noticed by scouts. He finished with 1,040 rushing yards on 200 carries as well as seven total touchdowns. His year was highlighted by a program record 282-yard performance against the Akron Zips. He finished his career sixth in Buffalo history in rushing yards, eighth in touchdowns and fourth in average yards per rush. His time in Buffalo with Simon was helpful to his development as a running back according to Johnson. Johnson came to Buffalo after being an all-State quarterback at Sweet Home. The Panthers were 33-2 during his time there and won three Section VI
Despite his impressive pitching skills that led to his move to Pittsburgh, in his collegiate career he started as a third-baseman. It wasn’t until the middle of the 2015 season that the coaching staff realized he had the qualities to be a starting pitcher. “It was in practice one day, we were taking infield and we were watching him throw across the diamond from third base and you’re like ‘holy cow his arm really works well’ and the ball just jumps out of his hand,” said head coach Ron Torgalski. “He was 90, 91 velocitywise and we said we would be fools not to try and use him with an arm like that.” Sobieraski has a fresh arm compared to players who have been pitching their entire baseball career due to just picking up the position. With the recent epidemic of arm injuries in baseball, it is enticing for professional teams to see someone with pro potential without the wear and tear most pitchers have. His quick transition from a third baseman designed to hit in the middle of the lineup, to No. 2 pitcher has gathered interest from professional scouts. Twenty-eight of the 30 Major League Baseball teams have already been in contact with him, by either email or phone. “He’s a guy that has the makeup to be a pro and to continue to go as high as he can. That’s a guy that a few years down the line, could be a big league pitcher,” Torgalski said. “The fact that he’s only been pitching a couple years I think makes a huge difference compared to a guy that’s been pitching his whole career.” He is ready to make the jump from MidAmerican Conference baseball, to the highly touted Atlantic Coast Conference. “It’s going to be a big transition,” Sobieraski said. “But you know with what they got over there at Pittsburgh, and with the culture they’re building and the coaching staff and stuff like that I think that it will be a good transition, it’s definitely going to be a challenge and it’s a challenge I want to accept and see where it takes me.” email: sports@ubspectrum.com
titles. Johnson said Simon helped him understand how to read the field better and understand how and when to make the right cuts. Johnson will now bring his base of knowledge as he begins working with new Bills running back coach, Kelly Skipper. “I think it helped a lot, learning from a guy who has been there and coached allpros,” Johnson said. “[Simon] coached a hall-of-fame running back, I’m able to take that knowledge he taught me and bring it to the next level… but at the same time, I’ve got a good running back coach at the Bills right now and I get to learn from him on top of who I’ve learned from already so it all just comes together” Johnson will get his first experience with the team when the rookie minicamp begins May 12. email: daniel.petruccelli@ubspectrum.com
KAINAN GUO, THE SPECTRUM
Jordan Johnson jukes out an Albany defender. Johnson signed as an undrafted free agent with the Buffalo Bills.