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MONDAY, MARCH 5, 2018 PAGE 4 PODER pushes students toward advocacy, education Alum and students reflect on UB’s historic Latino organization, half a century later
VOLUME 67 NO. 37
PAGE 6 A glimpse into Berlin’s eco fashion scene Ethical designers present eco-friendly fashion at Berlin’s annual Fashion Week
Faculty committee recommends changes to current academic integrity policy
GSA to vote for immediate action on TA stipends GSA’s proposed resolution asks UB administration to raise graduate stipends
The proposal calls for a new centralized office to streamline reporting process
ANNA SAVCHENKO ASST. NEWS EDITOR
CURRENT POLICY
Student meets with instructor
Department Chair
Department Dean
The Graduate Student Association will vote Wednesday on a proposal to increase stipends for graduate student teaching and research assistants. The proposed resolution is the latest development in an ongoing fight for higher wages for TAs and graduate assistants. The proposal asks top administrators to take “immediate action” to raise graduate stipends to living wage levels and highlights the students’ vulnerabilities to financial hardships. The proposal also asks President Satish Tripathi to establish a
Vice Provost
Under UB's current academic integrity policy, instructors must go through a lengthy reporting process — from department chair to dean to vice provost. GRAPHIC | PIERCE STRUDLER
PROPOSED POLICY
Student and instructor
Office of Academic Integrity
The newly proposed system would simplify the process, sending all reports from instructors to a central campus office. Faculty members hope the new system would encourage reporting and make the sanctions fairer and more consistent for students.
SARAH CROWLEY SENIOR NEWS EDITOR
Faculty members propose creating a new office to handle cases of cheating and academic dishonesty, after a two-yearlong study showed most students and faculty find the current academic integrity policy confusing, and the disciplinary process long and overly punitive. Through interviews with roughly 400 faculty members and 4,000 students, the authors of the study found a needlessly reporting system has likely led to widespread underreporting of academic dishonesty and inconsistencies in administering penalties to students. The numbers support that suspicion: UB sees an average of 150 academic dishonesty violations annually, while similarly sized schools report between 200 and 900 cases each year, and more than 60 percent of respondents at UB said they have ob-
served or reported cases of cheating. The committee behind the study, cochaired by James Jensen, director of undergraduate studies; and Elaine Cusker, senior associate dean for undergraduate education; has proposed a revised policy addressing the problems, to be voted on at the next Faculty Senate meeting March 6. Among the study’s findings: most faculty members feel the current academic integrity policies are ineffective, less than half of all students said they understood the policies and faculty members largely felt the reporting process was too laborious and time-consuming. Under current policy, instructors are the first to handle the student’s alleged violation. In many cases, the process must be referred to the department chair, then to the dean and finally to the vice provost. Cusker, who oversaw the policy side of the committee, said the complicated process likely deterred faculty from following up on sanctions for students and kept students who witnessed cheating from reporting it. Of the faculty members who did report academic integrity violations, one-quarter reported feeling “unsatisfied or very unsatisfied” with the outcome. Junior faculty members also expressed a reluctance to report suspicions of cheating out of concern that angry students would submit negative teacher evaluations, potentially affecting tenure promotions.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
SA’s International Fiesta showcases pride theme
RACHEL DOKTOR, THE SPECTRUM
CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
(top) The Indian SA left International Fiesta victorious after its display of elaborate choreography and cultural discovery. ISA was one of six competing group at this year’s multicultural dance competition. (bottom) Malaysian SA came in second place at this year’s dance competition, using dance to tell a story of female empowerment.
HARUKA KOSUGI, BRENTON J. BLANCHET SPECTRUM EDITORS
SHUBH JAIN, THE SPECTRUM
JACK LI, THE SPECTRUM
Students enjoyed their first snow day of the year on Friday. UB cancelled classes at 5:26 a.m. Friday after 14 inches of wet, heavy snow accumulated Thursday night into Friday morning.
SHUBH JAIN, THE SPECTRUM
@ubspectrum
committee to study competitive minimum stipend levels and make recommendations on how change should be implemented. Ariana Nash, a GSA member and English graduate student, said she is optimistic the resolution will pass. “I am confident that the GSA will vote to take measure to help GAs improve their stipends,” Nash said. “Doing so raises the bar for graduate education overall, and it's a travesty that the university has allowed the prestige of its funded graduate programs to decline by not keeping pace with the cost-of-living or with peer institutions.”
Indian SA takes first place at International Fiesta
Snow day 03/02/18
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PAGE 8 Bulls win final home game on senior day Buffalo increases school Division-I win record to 25
When Bobby Lundy showed off his intense acrobatics by flipping on stage Saturday night, the crowd went wild. The junior civil engineering major’s contribution was an exclamation point in a first-place-winning performance by the Indian Student Association at International Fiesta. The club tackled this year’s theme, pride, by highlighting and encompassing cultural discovery. The dancers matched intense and intricate choreography with story-telling, rising above their competition. Indian Student Association left victorious after competing against five other clubs from the International Council. “Pride” meant something different to each competing group at Saturday night’s International Fiesta. The Malaysian SA came in second place, with the Latin American Student Association in third. The event had a budget of $18,000, just under last year’s budget of roughly $20,000. During a night
ubspectrum
of diverse performances, ISA told a story of cultural acceptance. ISA’s performance explored issues of cultural identity and took the crowd through the life of an Indian-American girl discovering an appreciation for her culture and its traditions after moving back to India. Dancers moved in unison through fast-paced choreography, wearing elegant attire and generating the loudest applause of the night. Anmol Patel, vice president of ISA and senior biomedical sciences major, said she had a personal connection to the performance and was proud to represent her heritage. “A lot of Indian Americans who grow up here aren’t that familiar with their culture, language or festivals, and they’re kind of ashamed of who we are. For example, myself and a lot of other members would get made fun of in school for being Indian, wearing henna on our hands or for the food we eat,” Patel said. “We were not proud of being Indian, but as we grow older and realize our diverse festivals and culture, we are really proud of who we are and holding our head high.” CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
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NEWS
Page 2 | The Spectrum
Monday, March 5, 2018
GSA to vote for immediate action on TA stipends CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
The average stipend across all departments was $17,343 in the 2016-17 academic year, according to the university’s office of institutional analysis. Graduate students are also required to pay fees which amounted to $2,513.50 for the 2017-18 academic year, leaving them with an average pretax income of $14,829.50, according to the resolution. The MIT living wage calculator estimates the current living wage for the Buffalo area to be $24,072 per year. Many graduate assistants hold multiple jobs to support themselves and their families or are forced to drop out of school for financial reasons. Some graduate students said working compromises their ability to devote time to their academic responsibilities and become leading scholars in their fields. UB recently announced a four-year plan that will increase new graduate student’s base stipends within the English department’s doctoral program from $15,000 to $18,00 in the first two years, starting next fall. The new stipend levels will put English TA stipends above the average $16,364 among
public institutions in the Association of American Universities. Its enactment, however, will require the department to reduce doctoral student enrollment from 65 to 50 over the next four years. Aside from the English TA stipend increase, Nash feels the university has been largely non-responsive to the GSA’s requests to raise graduate student stipends. “They have made the excuse that they cannot discuss stipends because departments set stipend levels, but of course the university sets the department budgets,” Nash said. “The university is hoping that the issue will just go away, but whether or not students are protesting, the issue that graduate students are struggling to support themselves and their families, that low stipends are hurting graduate research and that attrition rates are high isn’t going anywhere until the university does something about it.” UB Living Stipend Movement members have been advocating for a living wage for all graduate student workers. The group’s most recent large-scale protest was last December, when roughly 50 graduate stu-
Indian SA takes first place at International Fiesta CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
The performance took the crowd through Indian festivals such as Pongal, Navratri and Diwali. Through this introduction of her heritage, the character in the performance began appreciating her culture. LASA, the previous year’s champion, executed an electrifying performance despite placing in third, highlighting the historic struggle of the LGBTQ community in Latin America. The performance began with a trigger warning and touched on topics like sexual violence and suicide in the Latin American LGBTQ community. It followed the story of a young man who took his life after not being accepted for his sexual orientation. The performance featured scenes of men forcing
their will upon women, a funeral procession and a gay-pride parade float. Jefry Taveras, LASA’s dance liaison and senior psychology major, said he felt it was a message he needed to express after growing up in a conservative household and seeing his friends bullied for their sexual orientation. He thought of the idea two years ago and decided to incorporate it with this year’s theme. “I had an idea of not talking about Latin culture itself but just talking about an issue that’s really prevalent,” Taveras said. “I would love to use International Fiestas to talk about things that are greater than just our culture and use our culture as a medium to portray that message.” Taveras said he was surprised to hear boos from the crowd, but saw the importance in highlighting what he sees as a
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ALLISON STAEBELL, THE SPECTRUM
The Graduate Student Association will vote Wednesday on a proposal to increase stipends to a living wage levels for graduate student teaching and research assistants. The UB Living Stipend Movement has been rallying for a “living stipend” since the beginning of the academic year.
dents and faculty marched from the Student Union to administrative offices on the fifth floor of Capen Hall. They presented administrators with a petition that called for a minimum living stipend of $21,310. Senators will vote on the proposal at the next meeting Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. in the Student Union. University officials were not available to respond in time for print.
In a recent statement regarding the English TA stipend increase, the university said the College of Arts and Sciences is reviewing doctoral programs and stipend levels in the departments of Comparative Literature and Philosophy. The statement also said several departments have already worked with chairs to raise stipend levels.
controversial topic. The performance ended with dancers taking the stage to show support for the LGBTQ community, holding up rainbow flags and the letters of the word “pride.” Alyssa Palacios, a freshman biomedical science major, came to the event to support her boyfriend in ISA. “Honestly, at first I was little skeptical to come, but my roommates came together and it was so much fun. I understand why it’s a UB tradition,” Palacios said. “I actually really want to do it next year with LASA because I’m Mexican so I thought it would be really fun to join that group.” MASA’s performance featured a tightly choreographed sword fight and promoted feminist ideals through powerful visual storytelling. They were happy to have won second place, but are aiming for first next year, according to MASA president Jing Yang Kuo.
Bangladesh SA, Filipino American SA, Organization of Arab Students and Balkan SA also competed in the event, touching topics like freedom of speech, overcoming colonization and cultural achievements. Jamersin Redfern, former SA vice president and last year’s LASA president, performed with LASA and ripped his shirt off when the group placed third. “International Fiesta is my favorite SA event of all time and will continue to be for the fact that everybody from different cultures gets to express themselves in any way they feel is necessary,” Redfern said. “With Latin American Student Association talking about gay pride and ISA speaking about the gods and things like that, there’s many different definitions of pride. No matter what story you come out with … it’s about how you display it and how you portray it.”
email: anna.savchenko@ubspectrum.com twitter: @AnnaSavchenkooo
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OPINION
Monday, March 5, 2018
Editorial Board
Finding my voice again I was depressed and spent what little extra energy I had trying to please someone I never seemed to be enough for. I was sacrificing everything about who I was to maintain a toxic relationship that was draining me in ways I wouldn’t even fully comprehend until now, a year later. It wasn’t until I was sitting in a concert hall in Berlin, Germany that I finally felt myself wake up. I felt a swell in my chest as a vocalist stepped on stage to join the instrumentalists. I didn’t know the performance would feature a soprano. Hearing someone with my voice type perform gave me goose bumps. It took me back to all the times I had stood on stages big and small, alone and with choirs, with single pianos and full symphonies. It reminded me of when
Growing up as a New York Mets fan, I am familiar with owners not spending money to sign top-tier free agents. Every year I get the pleasure to watch the New York Yankees break the bank to sign the talent necessary to win championships. This offseason was no different. The Yankees traded for Giancarlo Stanton, a 28-year-old outfielder with four all-star appearances and the winner of last year’s MVP award. The Mets, on the other hand, signed Adrián González, Jason Vargas and José Reyes: the stars of 2011. Now don’t get me wrong, I love some of these players. I own and wear a Colón shirt with his face and nickname “Big Sexy.” I prominently display a limited edition bobblehead of him on my desk where both his head and stomach jiggle. But these players should not be getting contracts with teams. Look at these two players and pick who you would sign based off their performance the past two seasons.
Player A is 32 years old, started 61 games, has a 32-18 record, 3.32 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and is an All-Star. Player B is 33 years old, started 24 games, has a 9-10 record, 6.65 ERA and 3.85 WHIP. Player B is signed to a MLB contract for this season. Player B is Tim Lincecum, who has been unable to have an ERA under five since 2011. Player A is Arrieta, a top pitcher the past four seasons. Teams no longer want to be decent. It sucks for the players, it sucks for the fans and it sucks for the sport. The MLB had to set up a spring training camp for unsigned players that has been aptly named “Camp Jobless.” The partakers are middle-class MLB players. They are serviceable, productive veterans in their early to mid-thirties who have been hurt most by this offseason. Even all-star caliber players such as Arrieta, Carlos González, Lance Lynn, Mike Moustakas and Jonathan Lucroy are unsigned this offseason.
Unsigned players are taking contracts for less than they are worth. Former Met Lucas Duda signed a meager $3.5 million contract with the Kansas City Royals, the same team that beat the Mets in the 2015 World Series. As the only Mets fan with a Duda jersey, my heart has never been so broken. As I sat there wearing that mustard stained jersey, I got the alert that Tim Tebow is batting cleanup for the Mets. Tebow has brought in more fan interest and merchandise sales than any other player to never be on an MLB roster. He continues to get opportunities because he puts money into the owners’ pockets. Baseball always has been and will continue to be about money. It seems signing players based on stats will remain a non-option. With the MLB draft coming up in June, I am less excited for the prospects and more excited to see which executive tells their fans to sit back and trust the process.
During wartime, any thread of hope holds significantly more value and hey, old wives’ tales are old wives’ tales, but I guess I turned out pretty decent. My parents and elders always told me personal stories from the war. I was too young to remember anything other than the aftermath. The buildings from my early childhood were decorated with bullet holes, but I didn’t understand why at the time. I increasingly understood as I got older, although cities were remodeled and bullet holes got patched up. As an adult, I have watched several documentaries and have read countless works on the war to try to educate myself as much as possible. It’s important to understand your nation’s history and roots. But I might be a little biased when I say this because, after all, I am a political science student. I give my family and other victims respect for what they endured during those years. My brother was only a child, but he was exposed to it a lot more than I was. Adults aren’t even fully ‘adult’ enough to face something like war. War is never kind, nor fair. My parents, brother and I moved
to the United States in the early ‘00s. We came here for opportunity and education. To get a degree in the U.S. meant that you had a solid grasp of English, and we would be international and universal. My parents wanted the best for us. Before we arrived in the U.S., we lived temporarily in Vienna, Austria while waiting for our paperwork to get sorted out. This was shortly after 9/11 when U.S. airline and immigration security became increasingly strict. We ended up staying in Vienna for months longer than we had originally planned and blew through more money than we expected. When we arrived in the U.S., the only English words that I knew were “hi” and “thank you.” It wasn’t exactly an easy adjustment. At my new American school downtown, I had to try to immerse myself in a brandnew culture among children who didn’t like me because I “stood out” and spoke “gibberish” instead of English. If my memory serves me right, a lot of the time I actually was just speaking gibberish because I was always trying to quickly mim-
ic English words that I didn’t understand the meaning of. After school, I’d go back home to my Bosnian-speaking family. My parents wanted to make sure my brother and I kept our native language. I would have emphasized the same concept if I were in their shoes. I will admit, it is confusing to be stuck in between two cultures like that as a young child, but being bilingual is worth it. Keeping your roots and culture is something to be proud of. My [now] fluent English didn’t happen overnight, but I did end up catching on rather quickly. I owe this to my parents. They were always tough on my brother and me. I learned to read and write English by hand, copying children’s chapter books word for word. My parents insisted it was necessary. This not only enhanced my English comprehension, but it also encouraged precision and built up my work ethic. As much as I hated doing it back then, I can’t really complain because here I am today, expressing my thoughts in fluent English.
How I reconnected with singing in Berlin MADDY FOWLER EDITORIAL EDITOR
MANAGING EDITOR
David Tunis-Garcia EDITORIAL EDITOR
Maddy Fowler COPY EDITORS
Dan McKeon, Chief Emma Medina Cassi Enderle, Asst. Lauryn King, Asst. Savanna Caldwell, Asst. NEWS EDITORS
Sarah Crowley, Senior Max Kalnitz Haruka Lucas Kosugi, Asst. Anna Savchenko, Asst. FEATURES EDITORS
Benjamin Blanchet, Senior Erik Tingue, Asst. Wanly Chen, Asst. ARTS EDITORS
Brenton Blanchet, Senior Brian Evans, Asst. SPORTS EDITORS
Thomas Zafonte, Senior Daniel Petruccelli
My mom says when I was a baby, I used to sing with the birds when I woke up instead of crying. I’ve sung in choirs since the first grade, and by eighth grade, I had performed with my local symphony orchestra –– something I was doing a few times a year by the time I reached high school. I took weekly voice lessons and diligently studied classical music with the aspiration to become an opera singer. But for the entirety of 2017, I did not sing. Sure, I sang along with the radio here and there, but I dropped out of choir and voice lessons.
like my passion was validated. With tears in my eyes, I could not tell you where I was in the world, the time of day or year. I was just there, in the moment –– transcended by the music. It was the fastest and most magnificent two hours of my life. I left the performance feeling a kind of buoyant happiness I hadn’t experienced in over a year. I knew instantly that as soon as I got home, I needed to audition for choir and sign up for voice lessons again. And I did. As I write this, I just finished practicing a Hayden piece for choir. I’m humming one of the beautiful arias I’m studying in my lessons. And in doing so, I feel more like myself than I have in a very long time. For the year of 2017, I did not sing. But in 2018 I’m not allowing anyone or anything to silence me.
I shared my own songs with the world. I was reminded of floorlength black dresses and the giddy feeling throughout my body as I heard orchestras tuning up, of vocal warm-ups in green rooms, of passionate conductors and above all, the beautiful music. I couldn’t remember the last time I enjoyed a live classical voice performance. As Véronique Gens spun beautiful melodies in her native French tongue, I was enraptured. In that moment, I was home. I was thrilled when my new friends were as eager to attend a Berlin Philharmonic performance as I was. After the past year, I was used to my interests and passions being shot down. Classical music in particular had become a sore spot, something I was conditioned to feel embarrassed about, no matter how much it meant to me. After being belittled by someone who didn’t understand classical music, I felt
EDITOR IN CHIEF
Hannah Stein
The Spectrum | Page 3
email: maddy.fowler@ubspectrum.com twitter: @mmfowler13
MULTIMEDIA EDITORS
Allison Staebell, Senior Elijah Pike, Asst. Jack Li, Asst.
Camp jobless
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Pierce Strudler CARTOONIST
Ardi Digap
Professional Staff
Baseball’s awkward 2018 offseason
OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR
Helene Polley
ADVERTISING MANAGER
Ayesha Kazi NATHANIEL MENDELSON
GRAPHIC DESIGN MANAGERS
STAFF WRITER
Stephen Jean-Pierre JuYung Hong, Asst.
THE SPECTRUM Monday, March 5, 2018 Volume 67 Number 37 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.
Bartolo Colón is signed to an MLB contract and Jake Arrieta is not. 44-yearold, 300 lbs., Bartolo Colón is signed and Cy Young award-winner Jake Arrieta is not. Typically, spring training signals the time of year when baseball fans rejoice to see all of the shiny new players their teams signed over the offseason –– this year, not so much. Now, a full week into spring training, there still remains a large market of top-tier players waiting for a contract.
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EMA MAKAS STAFF WRITER
I was born in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1996. I was a little miracle war baby who made it. I defeated the odds of health complications, my mother’s high-risk pregnancy and malnourishment. My family went without food, water and electricity for over four years. This was especially detrimental to my pregnant mother, who prior to having me miscarried twins. My mother would eat what she could. She would get excited when she had the opportunity to eat grapes or apples because according to old wives’ tales, her baby would grow to be intelligent and beautiful if she did.
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email: arts@ubspectrum.com
FEATURES
Page 4 | The Spectrum
Monday, March 5, 2018
PODER pushes students toward advocacy, education Alum and students reflect on UB’s historic Latino organization, half a century later BENJAMIN BLANCHET SENIOR FEATURES EDITOR
Alberto O. Cappas founded PODER with a goal. He wanted an outlet for Puerto Rican students at UB. Cappas and other founding members aimed to bring reformist and radical techniques to PODER, based on clubs like Black Student Union. They established educational opportunities for Latino students in the ‘60s and ‘70s, like Puerto Rican studies and the Office of Minority Student Affairs. Fifty years since PODER’s founding, Cappas continues his work with local colleges like Canisius to promote minority advocacy and action. “You get drafted by the time and that time, in the ‘60s, people were talking about a revolution. People were crying for justice,” Cappas said. “I’m retired now and I have more time to give to the community. You don’t retire to fade away. You retire to give back. We were given a gift so you want to give that gift back.” PODER was founded as the Puerto Rican Organization for Dignity, Elevation and Responsibility. The organization focuses on the Latino community overall, doing local service and educating students at their general body meetings. Freddy Cazares, a junior economics major, is PODER Latinos Unidos current president. Cazares said he wants to continue touching on social concerns for Latinos and provide a safe space for Latino students on campus. “When we do special events, when we do topics like our ‘Afro-Latino’ discus-
sion, you’re doing it for the members and the general body. There’s a bigger purpose to this,” Cazares said. “It’s not just a club. It’s a safe space you’re creating for other people because you felt like you couldn’t find it.” In its initial years, PODER made efforts to spread its message throughout Buffalo. In fall 1969, organizations like PODER and BSU called for UB to recruit more black and Puerto Rican students to the School of Medicine. After then-dean Dr. LeRoy A. Pesch denied discrimination in admissions, students went on a strike and organized outside Capen Hall, according to The Spectrum archives. Then-acting UB president Peter F. Regan called for police action and student suspension to prevent further “disruptive activity on campus.” As a result of the strike, the medical school developed a program to increase minority enrollment, leading to female students expressing similar concerns. UB alum like Tino Mejia, a Lackawanna resident, is a former American Studies instructor and founded Azteca SU in the ‘70s. Born in Michoacán, Mexico, Mejia said he modeled his club off PODER and wanted to make it a place for Mexican-American students on campus. Azteca SU, with other clubs like PODER and people in Puerto Rican studies, discussed ways to improve studies for Hispanic Americans. Mejia traveled with other students to places like Syracuse and New York City to recruit new Latino students. Mejia said the active level of communication between faculty and students at UB stood out at the time. “When we did what we did, it was with the help of everyone in the community. It was with faculty who said, ‘Yes, we are going to work together here.’ So faculty were more communicative and they needed to help. But overall, everyone in the club net-
COURTESY OF PODER LATINOS UNIDOS
Fifty years after its founding, PODER Latinos Unidos abides by its original mission and continues to advocate for Latino students on-campus.
worked and there was a lot of incorporation throughout,” Mejia said. Founding member Jose Pizarro said the club laid the groundwork for future students and helped immerse students in their culture. “We helped develop a program in Puerto Rico so students in the SUNY and CUNY system could go there and study at Puerto Rico’s Institute of Culture,” Pizarro said. “This was a way of getting students who may not have been born in Puerto Rico to bring awareness to their people, the life there.” Arielis Rosales, a senior psychology and Spanish major minoring in criminology, is PODER’s secretary. Rosales said the club expanded her interests in learning about the struggles people of color go through at campuses like UB. “When I first got into PODER, I thought it would be different, but I realized otherwise the first week,” Rosales
Check yourself before you ‘rec’ yourself Recreation and intramural sports offer accessible athletics, tournaments to students ERIK TINGUE ASST. FEATURES EDITOR
UB may be a school of Divison-I athletes, but that has not stopped students like Matthew Nazzaro from playing in Alumni Arena. Nazzaro, a junior biochemistry major, has been playing intramural basketball and football at UB since his freshman year. The student recreation fee, which is $26 per undergraduate student every semester, funds intramural sports, which offers a number of programs from volleyball to floor hockey for students to play through a season, as well as other recreational programs, and the Alumni Arena and Clark Hall gyms. Special events such as tournaments are held on some weekends for those who don’t want to join a proper team. Some of the tournaments are dodgeball and badminton, with cricket being introduced this semester. “I would encourage other students to participate in intramural sports because there are many options and different levels you can play at,” Nazzaro said. “I love to compete, and playing with my friends every week is the most enjoyable part, besides winning championships.” Chris McClure, assistant director of Intra-
MADISON MEYER, THE SPECTRUM
Chris McClure, assistant director of Intramural and Sports program, is striving to improve the program by recruiting players and offering more athletics and sporting events to students across campus.
mural Sports and Programs, is a former athlete and assistant coach at UB. McClure formerly played for the cross country and track and field team for five years before sustaining an injury that required surgery. Afterwards, he became an assistant coach for the indoor and outdoor track and field programs. McClure is aware of the differences between intramural and D1 sports. “D1 sports consist of scholarships student athletes receive by competing under the guidelines of NCAA,” McClure said. “Recreational sports are usually informal, in which there is no governing body or scholarships where the emphasis is about fun and fitness.”
His background in recruiting players for the track team led him to his current role. McClure is making a greater effort to acquire more players for the recreation and intramural sports program by attending orientation fairs and going to residence halls to look for students wearing their high school sports jerseys. In fall 2017, a total of 2,212 undergraduate and 289 graduate students participated in intramural sports, according to McClure. Josh Ulinger, a senior business major, plays intramural football and loves how he’s able to balance his time in the library while competing for fun.
said. “We’ll talk about social issues, but we’re not going to make it serious all the time. … We’re mainly here to try to inform and to advocate for people of color here on campus.” Niomarie Rivera, a junior Spanish and international studies major, has been a PODER member since 2016. Rivera said the club focuses on critical topics in their discussions, providing an accepting forum for everyone. “From topics focused in Latin America to the U.S., PODER will talk about things people mostly feel uncomfortable talking about. Everyone is different and has their own experience and opinion but overall, PODER makes anyone feel welcome,” Rivera said. For interested students, PODER Latinos Unidos meets Tuesdays at 5 p.m. in SU 330. email: benjamin.blanchet@ubspectrum.com twitter: @BenjaminUBSpec
“I enjoyed having space to competitively hang out with my friends and enjoy sports that I thought I would never be able to play again,” Ulinger said. Not all students on the field are athletes. McClure also hires and manages 60-70 officials to control each game. Fourteen officials regulate other officials and make sure gameplay is running smoothly. For McClure, his ultimate goal is to see his officials adapt and grow because people tend to change and gain experience. His job is to train and develop the students, so they can take responsibility and learn new rules. Amanda Frederick, an exercise science major and senior head official for indoor/outdoor soccer, loves her job and is thankful for the skills she obtained. “I have gained so much confidence in myself that translates to every other aspect of my life and I am so grateful for that,” Frederick said. “I love seeing the pure joy recreational sports bring to all students whether they play or come to cheer on a team.” Students can register for intramural sports through IMLeagues, a database that helps students create teams and communicate with other players from across the league. The cost per team for the fall semester ranges from $65-$90 per outdoor sport team opposed to the spring semester, which costs from $75-$90. email: features@ubspectrum.com twitter: @TingueErik
Faculty committee recommends changes to current academic integrity policy CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
The proposed solution is a new office devoted solely to academic integrity. The proposal calls for an academic integrity officer to establish a permanent committee of faculty and students who would hear all appeals and determine sanctions. “Our current policy is fairly complex, and I think that might scare people off from reporting. So having a simpler policy is really good,” said Graham Hammill, vice provost for graduate affairs. “There will always
be more cases than we know about. And I think from a faculty point of view, you never catch all cases of cheating. So the best thing you can do is educate faculty, educate the campus, students, staff, about what is academic integrity and why does it matter.” The to-be-created office would also offer educational resources for students and faculty, including resources for remediation –– online modules or additional coursework instructors may assign as part of the sanction.
The current policy also lags behind peer schools in its lack of remedial measures, Jensen said. He said the new policy tries to address the key reasons students end up cheating –– often a triad of stress, pressure and a lack of understanding the material. “If students are struggling with academic integrity issues, that means they’re not learning,” Jensen said. “So, the question becomes: what do we do with those students? Can we provide them with a pathway back out of the dark side?”
“There’s always going to be consequences for people’s actions, but I think kind of the philosophy behind the new policy is getting students to become better learners and become better scholars and contributors to society,” Jensen continued. The centralized office would also allow for more consistent disciplinary measures across campus, a frequently cited complaint from faculty during the study. email: sarah.crowley@ubspectrum.com twitter: @crowleyspectrum
Monday, March 5, 2018
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
BASS IN YO’ FACE! Bassist Casey Abrams on straying from the norm, new jazz album and upcoming Babeville show BRENTON J. BLANCHET SENIOR ARTS EDITOR
The world knew Casey Abrams was different when he stepped onto the “American Idol” Hollywood stage with an upright bass. Through his journey on “American Idol” in 2011, Abrams came off as different and his incorporation of jazz and soul continues to separate him from his peers. Abrams is an integral part of Postmodern Jukebox, the music collective known for its soulful renditions of modern pop and rock songs. Abrams is featured in PMJ’s covers of “Stacy’s Mom,” “Umbrella” and even Charlie Puth’s “Attention,” incorporating his flavorful bass and raspy pipes. His work with the group brings in millions of views, a testament to Abrams’ funkiness and ability to encompass swing and tasteful vocal strain in every bit of his work. The bassist-singer is set to release a brand new record on March 16, “Put a Spell on You,” featuring covers of classics like “Georgia On My Mind” and originals straight from his mind. Abrams will take the stage at Babeville on March 17 and he’s bringing his bass with him. Q: Before we get into any questions about your current projects, I want to bring up a little gem from the past. Back in the “American Idol” days, I sent you a letter in the mail with a short “interview” attached which you responded to. I must’ve been about 12. I think that makes you my first interview. Clearly, or at least hopefully, a lot has changed for me since then. What’s been the biggest change in your life in these last few years?
A: You were 12 back then? Dude, thanks a lot. Since then, I think I’ve chilled out more. When you’re on a TV show in front of millions of people and there’s an audi-
ence filled with people, everyone’s looking at you and there’s famous judges that are looking at you. It builds confidence. When you’re up there, you’re scared because everyone’s looking at you. You have to get over that. I learned how to deal with being scared of everything –– not even music –– but [going into] social situations or any kind of situation with confidence knowing that I’ll make it through. That’s what’s changed the most. Q: On “American Idol,” you were the guy who brought jazz to the stage. You weren’t afraid to experiment and make it your own. You even completely ignored the advice of record producer Jimmy Iovene who tried to steer you away from jazz. Would you say this idea of straying away from the norm stuck with you throughout your career?
A: Yeah, that’s all my records I put out. It’s always a little different. [My new record] was recorded in a giant abandoned church and we were singing to a mannequin that had microphones in its ears. I like to stray away from the normal and try new things. Q: My favorite Casey Abrams cover on “American Idol” was “Georgia On My Mind.” It still blows me away when I listen back. I’m stoked to see a studio version on your upcoming record. What led you to incorporate all these covers on the new record?
A: Being on [“American Idol”], I never actually put out official versions of those covers. So I figured why not do it seven years later? I’ll always have YouTube to look back on all the songs we did [on “American Idol”] but why not try a studio version of the song if a lot of people ask me about it? Q: Now you’re at this place where you’re performing with Postmodern Jukebox and putting out jazz records. Is this where you want to be?
A: Yes. I mean, I love all types of music
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and as long as I’m performing and creating new things music-wise, I’m very happy. I constantly write every day. I’m writing new songs no matter what. And maybe in a year, you’ll hear something completely new and funkier. Maybe, I’ll put out a polka record at some point. And at the moment I’m very happy because I get to tour with Postmodern Jukebox, make videos with them and I get to do my own thing; tour by myself. I’m very happy about it. Q: Last time you were at UB with Postmodern Jukebox, you recorded a “Hippie Swat Man” video outside. Do you think film and comedy are things you’d like to incorporate in your craft?
A: Oh my God, I remember that. … Yes. I’m actually going to take a couple acting classes and I’m constantly looking out for casting calls and all that stuff. But I still have “Hippie Swat Man” season 2 to put out on YouTube. ... We haven’t finished it. I’m going to find out how to end it, then I’m going to put up the second season. Q: You’re coming back to Buffalo on March 17, the day after your album release. Besides playing your own music and all the technical differences, what separates a solo Casey show and a PMJ show?
A: In a solo Casey show, I’m on stage pretty much the whole time. And there are usually a little less people on stage for my show. In my show, I don’t really have a set list. I just kind of go with the flow and play songs. Q: Do you ever have people shout out requests?
A: Yeah. Sometimes I’ll do it and it fits perfectly with what I want to do next. Sometimes I’ll be like, “OK, I’ll do a jazz song” in my mind and someone would be like, “Play ‘Nature Boy!’” And then sometimes I’ll say “no” or “maybe later” and I’ll never do it. Q: Are you thankful for the recognition your covers get and do you think your originals on the new record can captivate the same cover-enthusiasts who tune into PMJ?
A: Yes. It all breaks down to whether it’s a good song or not and whether or not you’ll listen to it. I believe that a lot of the songs on there, especially “Let’s Make Out” are songs a lot of people can relate to –– like
COURTESY OF ORRIGAMI ENTERTAINMENT
In our recent discussion, Abrams talks about his work with Postmodern Jukebox, his post-American Idol life and what to expect from his Buffalo appearance.
the hornier side of life. I think it can translate. Covers are music as well as originals. Q: Since you were out there playing the bass on “American Idol” at 19 and making the stage your own, do you think your music now –– especially tracks from “Put a Spell On You” –– is stuff a college-aged crowd could vibe to? What would you say to any fan here at UB who’s hoping to drop by the show?
A: I would say that if you’re a jazz lover or a jazz nerd, you’re going to love the show. Also, if you’re a heavy drinker and a heavy stoner you’ll love the show as well. If you go to the show, you might get messed with. That’s the only warning I’d say. You might have to sing a song. You might have to do a dance. You might get a massage. Who knows? Tickets for Abram’s Babeville show are $15 in advance and $17 at door. email: brenton.blanchet@ubspectrum.com twitter: @BrentBlanchSpec
Stratford salutes Justin Bieber Canadian hometown exhibit commemorates pop star’s rise to fame BRENTON J. BLANCHET SENIOR ARTS EDITOR
Mark Monteith didn’t expect his eighthgrade student, Justin Bieber, to leave town the summer after his class to pursue a music career. And Monteith would’ve never guessed young Bieber, who performed an original acoustic song for his English class, would become one of the world’s biggest pop stars. “He performed a couple of songs for the class — songs that he wrote. He performed them solo –– just singing and playing the guitar. They were quite good,” Monteith said. Twelve-year-old Bieber was in and out of Monteith’s class at Stratford Northwestern Secondary School four times over the course of the school year, taking trips to Atlanta to visit Usher and manager Scooter Braun. But before he was a dominant force in popular music, Bieber was a student, performing on street corners in Stratford, Ontario, just three hours from campus. “I think it’s wonderful that he has achieved the world’s recognition of his musical talent,” said Kim Booker, Bieber’s eighth-grade history teacher. Booker recently saw her former student recognized at the Stratford Perth Museum’s brand new Steps to Stardom exhibit. The exhibit opened on Feb. 18 and highlights Bieber’s journey from a Canadian kid to a worldwide pop sensation. From awards to personal memorabilia, Steps to Stardom encompasses every bit of “Bieber Fever” while touching on the
superstar’s Stratford roots. “Beliebers” have been flocking from all over the U.S., including Buffalo, Detroit, New Jersey and even Indiana just to see the exhibit. Over 1,000 fans attended the exhibit during its opening weekend –– a massive increase compared to the 20 attendees the museum gets on an average weekend. “Colm Feore, who starred in the highest grossing Canadian film of all time lives here, yet it is Justin everyone talks about,” Booker said. “Justin has added to Stratford’s already large tourist base because many people visit here to soak up some Bieber life.” John Kastner, Stratford Perth Museum general manager, said the idea of commemorating Bieber has been tossed around for a while. “It has been on our radar for a few years, and we get asked quite regularly why we don’t have something about Justin Bieber,” Kastner said. “The real key for me was when a former cabinet minister and a member of Parliament visited last summer and suggested we should think about it.” Kastner met with Bieber’s grandparents, Bruce and Diane Dale, to discuss the idea of an exhibit. Bieber himself later gave the exhibit his seal of approval. Sara Zilke, Exhibits and Collections Assistant at the Stratford Perth Museum, helped create the exhibit. The exhibit was initially meant for a smaller gallery, according to Zilke, but fan excite-
COURTESY OF STRATFORD PERTH MUSEUM
Justin Bieber’s hometown is honoring him at the Stratford Perth Museum in Steps to Stardom, an exhibit which highlights Bieber’s journey to fame. Bieber was a regular street performer in Stratford, Ontario, as shown above playing drums in 2002.
ment and media attention inspired the museum to do things on a larger scale. Steps to Stardom incorporates interactive fan sections, such as a chalkboard for fans to sign, but the main attraction is the Bieber memorabilia scattered around the exhibit. “There’s a great mixture of objects included in Steps to Stardom. We have local, personal objects such as Justin’s library card, his minor hockey jacket, sport medals and notes from his performance during the Stratford Star Singing Competition,” Zilke said. “We also have awards such as a Juno, a Brit Award, MTV awards, platinum records and the iconic Teen Choice surfboards. A highlight of the exhibit is Justin’s drum kit which was purchased through the funds raised during a local benefit concert.” Acquiring these items was easy thanks
to help from Bieber’s family, according to Zilke. “His grandparents wanted to share their special objects with Justin’s fans, and having an exhibit in Justin’s hometown museum was a natural fit. ...” Zilke said. “Many family members have been to the museum, including Justin’s mother Pattie Mallette, and have been very supportive of the exhibit.” According to Kastner, museums are supposed to tell stories and Bieber’s is one that needed to be told. “It covers his life, not just his career. It explores his childhood and how that set the foundation for his career,” Kastner said. email: brenton.blanchet@ubspectrum.com twitter: @BrentBlanchSpec
SPECIAL
Page 6 | The Spectrum
BERLIN S
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Monday, March 5, 2018
UB students took part in a foreign reporting in Berlin class in January as one of UB’s 13 winter study abroad options. During the three-and-a-halfweek class, students wrote and reported original stories from Berlin. The Spectrum will showcase some of the work as part of a Berlin series.
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A glimpse into Berlin’s eco fashion scene Ethical designers present eco-friendly fashion at Berlin’s annual Fashion Week ELIZABETH ROTH CONTRIBUTING WRITER
BERLIN – From outside, the former industrial power station looks blocky and unappealing. Inside, it teems with life as vines cling to the walls and ceilings, and packs of 30-something fashionistas and 60-something fashion insiders comb makeshift stands for Berlin’s next big trend. There’s one catch: everything shown at this fashion extravaganza is ethically produced. That means the earth didn’t suffer to produce it, the people making it worked under fair conditions and the animals and plants used were well-treated. Despite these constraints, the coats, jackets, dresses, purses, belts, wallets, shoes and accessories brimming from the stands look comfy and fashionable. They look just like the clothes draped on racks in mainstream clothing stores. “Conventional fashion is boring,” said Christophe Dahn of Goodsociety, a company that produces ethical denim. The clothes look the same, he said, but the story behind eco fashion makes them unique and gives them a story. The event is part of the third annual Ethical Fashion Show Berlin, which took place Jan. 16-18, at the former Kraftwerk power plant, now a vibrant and energetic venue for exhibits and events. It involved over 120 vendors and a catwalk finale with 25 models wearing the hottest ethical styles. Some labels use organic cotton, olive leather and alpaca wool. Others, like the Spanish company Ecoalf, go more extravagant and make sneakers from recycled plastic bottles, rain jackets from fishnets and use coffee grinds to make heavyduty winter jackets. Nae, a Portuguese company, uses pineapple leaves and cork to make shoes, while TUBe Bags Thailand makes purses, backpacks and accessories from used tires. “It is a slow process, but people are realizing they need to pay attention to where their clothes are coming from,” said Taco Stomps, the business director of Miss Green, an ethical fashion company featured in the Green Showroom. “It is the same as eating organically. People have to make the choice once, and then they get used to it. It takes energy and time to warm up to the idea of wearing good clothes.” The 2018 Ethical Fashion Show Berlin presented the “back to nature” collaboration for the 2018-19 autumn-winter season as a counterpoint to Berlin’s famed fashion week, which occurred Jan. 16-19 and featured around 170 progressive labels. The main difference between the ethical fashion show and Berlin Fashion Week is the ethical show focuses on international street wear and casual wear while Berlin Fashion Week features trailblazers and pioneers in the design industry. Fashion Week featured 1,000 brands and even more collections. Melissa Drier, a fashion journalist who has been covering the fashion industry in Berlin for over 30 years, is not convinced the styles of eco-fashion are good enough yet. She said the industry still has to evolve if it wants to replace high fashion. “Green fashion is clothes, not fashion,” she said. “It doesn’t have the sophistication, so I’m unwilling to buy it. We are not seeing contemporary shapes. The level of drab is too high. I don’t want it.”
The industry, she said, is focusing too much on the materials and not enough on the designs and on hiring strong designers to give the clothes “strong lines.” Instead of buying ethically, she believes in secondhand clothes and passing on what no longer works for her. “I buy less of what I like and recycle or give away what clothing I do not like or use anymore,” she said. Germany is a famously “green” nation, a place where residents diligently sort paper from plastic and each house has three to four different bins for glass. But ethical fashion trends exist across the world and include such U.S. brands like Patagonia, Prana and Everlane. But, even these companies are not as extreme in their philosophies as many European brands. For them, it’s about actively helping solve the pollution problem, not just having a neutral carbon footprint. “They are Earth-oriented people, the Berliners,” Drier said. “This is where they came to be free.” Tina Logar-Bauchmueller, founder of Mila.Vert, a Slovenian company, started her career as an economist, but felt she wasn’t doing what she loved or what would make a difference in the world. She now produces a minimalist line of women’s clothes made from organic cotton and is committed to using fabrics that contain at least 90 percent environmentally-friendly fibers. She said she changed her career path to follow her passion to “do it right.” The fashion industry, she said, is the second biggest cause of pollution, next to the oil industry, in the world. The textile industry is bad for the water supply and bad for farmers and people working in factories, according Logar-Bauchmueller. Cotton, the crop that sources the majority of textiles, uses approximately 30 percent of the world’s pesticides and insecticides and requires tons of fresh water to dye materials. The industry leaves a huge carbon footprint behind in production and after transportation. It also is one of the major causes of deforestation because trees are cut and used to make garments. Even leather can be made ethically. Lena Nocke, who represents Harold’s, an ethical handbag company, said the company treats the cows well and then uses the animals for meat. That cuts down on waste and carbon footprint, she said. She also said that in order to be a green, especially in a leather company, “designs need to be timeless. We do not want people to buy new products every two weeks.” Instead, she said, “peo-
COURTESY OF GREENSHOWROOM
The third annual Ethical Fashion Show Berlin took place Jan. 16-18 at the former Kraftwerk power plant, now a vibrant and energetic venue for exhibits and events. It involved over 120 vendors and a catwalk finale with 25 models wearing the hottest ethical styles.
ple come back to us after 30 years of using our product for a new strap.” Ethical garments do not cost that much more than conventionally produced ones. For example, Ecoalf sneakers that are made of recycled plastic bottles cost $79. They look similar to regular shoes. Though if price is an issue, shopping smart and thoughtfully is as good for the environment, if not better, than shopping with ethical brands. Second-hand stores and giving hand-me-downs to friends saves time, money and resources that can be used in the future.
In Buffalo, second-hand shops are a way to shop with a small environmental impact. Second Chic, Savers and MODA Vintage are just a few of the shops around the area. The Environmental Network sells second hand clothes at pop-up shops throughout the school year. Students can donate clothes and pick up new things for free. The next pop-up shop is set for Thursday in the SU lobby. email: features@ubspectrum.com
CLASSIFIEDS
Monday, March 5, 2018
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The Spectrum | Page 7
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SPORTS
Page 8 | The Spectrum
Monday, March 5, 2018
Bulls win final home game on senior day Buffalo increases school Division-I win record to 25 THOMAS ZAFONTE SENIOR SPORTS EDITOR
The Bulls beat the Bowling Green Falcons 74-38 Saturday afternoon in their final regular game of the season and the final game for the team’s senior players. Guards and sisters Katherine and Liisa Ups, center Cassie Oursler, guard Stephanie Reid and forward Mariah Suchan were all honored in a senior day ceremony. All five received framed jerseys after the game and were part of the first women’s basketball Mid-American Conference championship team two seasons ago. “This is about the steps we have taken as a team, as a unit, as family to become something bigger than ourselves,” said head coach Felisha Legette-Jack after the game on Saturday. “By ourselves we could not make these things happen. It had to be all of us. Those five decided that all of us were going in the foxhole together. … You don’t beat teams like Bowling Green by 40 on your own.” The Bulls (25-4, 16-2 MAC) went into the game against the Falcons (11-18, 3-15 MAC) with a guarantee of finishing second in the MAC this season. Had the Central Michigan Chippewas (25-4, 17-1 MAC) lost, the Bulls would have taken first. However the Chippewas defeated the Toledo Rockets (17-13, 8-10 MAC) 72-67 to take the No. 1 seed in the MAC
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SYDNEY CAPOTE, THE SPECTRUM
Head Coach Felisha Legette-Jack cuts the nets in honor of the Bulls winning the MAC East division. The Bulls have already set the program Division-I record for wins in a season this year.
tournament. “[Central Michigan] set the bar really high,” Reid said. “Just between us, Central, and Ball State it feels like we have really raised the competition in the MAC. Now our conference is getting so much better as a whole. It is great.” The Bulls celebrated winning the MAC East division after the game by cutting the nets in Alumni Arena. This win gave the Bulls a flawless 12-0 home record for the season. Both teams started in a lull. The Bulls had 4 points in the first five minutes. Both sides played an effective defense, shooting 25 percent or less. The Bulls led at the end of the quarter 11-7. The Bulls started the second quarter strong with three three-pointers from junior guard Cierra Dillard and sophomore guard Autumn Jones in the first 1:30 to
RECLAIM
Women’s basketball looks to make history with start of postseason THOMAS ZAFONTE SENIOR SPORTS EDITOR
The Bulls have had a historic season without even going to the Mid-American Conference tournament yet. The team set the program Division-I win record, went
undefeated at home, won the MAC East division and is being considered as an atlarge bid for the NCAA tournament. But the Bulls (25-4, 17-2 MAC) don’t plan to stop there. Players and coaches said the team is looking for redemption at the MAC tournament in Cleveland after
ALLISON STAEBELL, THE SPECTRUM
The Bulls huddle during a game. The women’s basketball team is looking to become MAC champions again this offseason.
make it a 20-9 game. Buffalo could not keep the pressure up. The team scored 12 points for the rest of the half to make it a 32-20 lead. Jones led the scoring with 8 points. “I don’t think we played a very good first half and coach Jack emphasized that,” Reid said. “We just said the energy has to change, now or nothing. This is our homecourt. That energy came out and we exacerbated it.” The third saw the Bulls come out and expand their lead with strong offense and defense, outscoring the Falcons 24-6 in the period. The fourth saw the Buffalo bench come out and stop the Falcons for the rest of the game by continuing the defensive pressure. The Falcons failed to score more than 13 points in a single quarter. Jones led the team in scoring with 13 points
while Reid led in assists with 7. “We locked in defensivley. That is who we are,” Legette-Jack said. “We did a great job at the beginning on defense, so we didn’t have to talk about defense for one second today. In order for us to play in postseason, … it is about defense. Everyone can shoot. Everyone can dribble down and pass it up. Who is playing hard defense with heart is what wins in March.” The Falcons failed to get much going after the first period, shooting 15-of-62 for the whole game. This was the second game of the season the Bulls held their opponent to less than 40 points. The Bulls will play in the MAC championship next, starting Wednesday at the Quicken Loans Center in Cleveland, Ohio. Buffalo heads in the No. 2 seed.
losing the MAC championship last year. “We are looking towards reclaiming and advancing,” said senior center Cassie Oursler after the Bowling Green game on Saturday. “Other people are looking at survive and advance. We want to reclaim the title that is ours. We are going in there to kick some booty and give it our all.” The MAC championship will be held in Quicken Loans arena March 7-10. The Bulls lost 72-65 against the Toledo Rockets (17-13, 8-10 MAC) in the quarterfinals last year after winning the MAC championship two seasons ago. Coaches and players said they are looking forward to the postseason and the chance to make more history beyond just being MAC champions. “I sat down and thanked God for the opportunity, not to tell somebody something but to see it through,” said head coach Felisha Legette-Jack. “Let them see if their faith is strong enough and not goodness, but greatness could come through. So why not try to go after a national championship. … If you reach for the moon, you might land on one of those pretty stars.” The Bulls’ first game will be on Wednesday against the winner of Monday’s matchup between the Bowling Green Falcons (11-18, 3-15 MAC) and the Toledo Rockets. Senior guard Stephanie Reid said the Bulls will bring back the MAC championship to Buffalo in a postgame speech after Saturday’s game. “We just got to win it. I just promised all of Alumni that we are going to win so we better execute,” Reid said. “I am going to do everything I possibly can to make it happen and this team will too.” Reid has come up big at the championship in the past, making the last second shot that won the Bulls the tournament back in 2016. Now in her final games as a Bull, Reid will continue to lead the team
on the court like she has all season. Reid said the reclaimation mentality is something the whole team shares. “I think we all just got together and said we need to reclaim our title,” Reid said. “We want to get that MAC championship. We are going farther than the first round. We have to. The only way up is progress.” The MAC has never been considered a major conference in college basketball, with most of the at-large bids going to major conferences like the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Bulls have never received an at-large bid in program history. An at-large bid would get the Bulls into the NCAA tournament without having to win the MAC championship. “It is exciting. It is good that they are finally respecting our conference and respecting us as a group,” Reid said. “I think it is something that we worked for as a senior class because we have always been overlooked.” The MAC has never looked stronger than this season with the Bulls, the Central Michigan Chippewas (25-4, 17-1 MAC) and the Ball State Cardinals (24-5, 13-5 MAC) all having successful seasons. Legette-Jack said she is confident that atlarge bids will come to not just the Bulls but other teams in the MAC. “To see them put together a 25-4 season just lets me know we are going into the postseason, and we are going to the NCAA no matter what,” Leggette-Jack said. “I know these guys aren’t going to quit. They are going to go out there and play their next game as if it was their first game.” No matter the Bulls’ path to the NCAA tournament, they will have a chance to make more history before the NCAA tournament’s set start of March 23.
email: thomas.zafonte@ubspectrum.com twitter: @Thomas_Spectrum
email: thomas.zafonte@ubspectrum.com twitter: @Thomas_Spectrum