World Bazaar allows students to explore different cultures Doug Fitch’s “How Did We ...?” wraps up at CFA THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT PUBLICATION OF THE UNIVERSITY AT BUFFALO, SINCE 1950
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Coach Oats brings “The Detroit Boys” with him to UB
Monday, november 17, 2014
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Volume 64 No. 36
THE SPECTRUM’S NETFLIX-BINGE GUIDE How long will it take to complete your favorite shows? 7 6 8 5 9 9 2 3 8 2 2 4
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A Netflix way of life ASHLEY INKUMSAH
STAFF WRITER
Ten years ago, going out to see a movie with a group of friends on a weekend night was like a ritual. But that ritual seems to be changing and exchanged for nights huddled around laptop screens. Then, it wasn’t uncommon for moviegoers to stuff purses and pockets with candy from dollar stores or fight over how much butter and salt to pour over a massive bucket of popcorn. Now, it’s just
a matter of whose Netflix login you’re going to use. Netflix, a film and television based subscription service, is making staying at home and watching a movie alone or with a group of friends “the new black.” Whether users are binge watching a prison drama or old episodes of “Law & Order,” Netflix has changed the way people consume media. Netflix was founded in 1997 – once focused mainly on DVD rentals – and now has more than 53 million subscribers, according to its third quarter earning re-
Students can evaluate classes in new uniform system for all departments AMANDA LOW
UB’s making it easier to share how you feel about Psych 101 – and every other class you may have sat through this semester. A new way to evaluate courses hits campus Monday, allowing students to fill out a uniform system online. Previously, there were six separate evaluation systems used across 14 schools, costing the university more than $50,000 and leaving UB unable to use assessment data to its “full potential,” according to Scott Weber, senior vice provost for Academic Affairs. On Nov. 17, students will receive an email to fill out the new evaluations, which will provide faculty an immediate report of the information. “There was no ability to look at data across the university and amalgamate it in a way that’s really interesting and helpful to our faculty,” Weber said of the old systems. “And this provides a much more assessment ability to sort of tease out that students are saying and how we interpret them is just much stronger in this platform.” In March 2013, the Faculty Senate cre-
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How Netflix is changing the way we watch television
UB rolls out new course evaluation system SENIOR NEWS EDITOR
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ated the Committee for University Wide Course Evaluations to implement the new system. The group came up with a proposal for the new program and the Faculty Senate passed the proposal in April 2014. In the old system, the School of Architecture and Planning and the Law School still used a paper system for their evaluations. The total cost needed to maintain the six systems was $51,444, according to a report created by the committee. The university chose Campus Labs, a specialized assessment program, to provide the new system. It has a total cost of $49,754, according to the same report. Carol Van Zile-Tamsen, associate director of education innovation and assessment, said a pilot program ran this past summer. The School of Nursing, the Graduate School of Education and select departments in the College of Arts and Sciences participated in the pilot. Robert Cenczyk, assistant to the academic dean of the School of Nursing, said the response rates “exceeded the electronic evaluations we collected in previous evaluations.” SEE EVALUATION, PAGE 4
ports. Netflix has permeated the lives of the college-aged crowd and 20-somethings by tickling the insatiable fancy of instant gratification. “Netflix gives the consumer more freedom to customize,” said Charles Lindsey, associate professor of managing and marketing. “[It allows for] freedom in terms of when, freedom in terms of how, freedom in terms of what, freedom in terms of where?” Some young people are forgoing cable in exchange for Netflix. This is referred
to as “cannibalization,” a marketing term meaning one mode or channel of operation is cutting into another one and causing people not to buy into the original. An affordable new medium Andrew Chiang, a senior health and human services major, believes that for $8 a month, Netflix allows for a lot of content and is cheaper than a standard cable bill. “Even though people complain about Netflix not having a huge selection, it still beats having to pay twice that amount for cable,” Chiang said. “Netflix is basically TV whenever you want it.” SEE NETFLIX, PAGE 4
Defining the cold UB students, faculty explain polar vortex and Buffalo’s winter weather AYLIN ERDOGAN STAFF WRITER
While most UB students were happy to spend a few months away from the cold this summer, William Philipps spent his summer at the ice sheets of Svalbard, a Norwegian group of islands. Now, he uses his knowledge from the trip to understand the coming “polar vortex.” Polar vortex – a term that makes many Western New Yorkers groan – refers to a cluster of cold air located at the poles. Buffalonians experienced its wrath last year, and the Queen City is expected to be hit again this winter, among other areas across the United States. With the first real snowfall of the year Thursday, the topic of the looming chill of the vortex is on the minds of many people in Buffalo. But most people aren’t as educated on the topic as Philipps. He studied the changes in ice glaciers in the Northern Hemisphere and climate dynamics with The University Centre, a Norwegian state-owned company that provides university-level education in arctic studies. One of these processes was the polar vortex. The vortex was dislocated by high
pressures from the Pacific Ocean last year and found its way to some parts of United States and Canada, causing extreme subzero temperatures. Philipps, a second-year geology graduate student, studied the history of the ice sheets that stretch from Svalbard to Barents Sea. This region contains several islands in between Norway and the North Pole. He said his work on the history of the west Antarctic ice sheet would potentially help to predict the future activity in this region. He said his research team doesn’t sensationalize the issue of the polar vortex as he feels the current media does, but they try to understand the topic. “This phenomenon is not new and has been talked about in our field for long time,” Philipps said. “We can summarize it by saying polar vortex is caused by the warming of atmosphere that effects how wind currents go around the globe.” Dale Gump, a second-year geology graduate student, is Philipps’ fellow student researcher. Gump said as geologists, they try to understand polar vortex and other climate events from a scientific viewpoint. They look at the past, evaluate the present and hypostasize the future. SEE VORTEX, PAGE 4
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News Bites
Catch up on this week’s headlines
What you need to know locally: The eighth annual Bubblefest at Buffalo Museum of Science hosts 3,500 people On Saturday, the Buffalo Museum of Science held its eighth annual Bubblefest. There were 15 “bubble features,” according to The Buffalo News. The museum uses bubbles to make people more curious about science. “They’re a fun way to explore science because they’re not intimidating,” said Douglas Borzynski, a facilitator of Bubblefest who’s been working at Bubblefest since its first year. There was a steady turnout throughout the day, resulting in about 3,500 people going to Bubblefest. The event is usually held during the warmer months, but because the Mummies exhibit ended in November, Bubblefest was later this year. Some of the events include making bubbles with hula-hoops as wands, creating a humansized sheaths and a “Tekno Bubble Room.”
Buffalo expecting one to two feet of snow Meteorologists with the National Weather Service in Buffalo have issued a “Lake Effect Snow Watch” for northern Erie County and all of Buffalo beginning Monday evening through Wednesday morning, according to The Buffalo News. The watch issued Saturday afternoon said the snow headed to Buffalo could cause “difficult” travel conditions. This weather was expected to start Saturday night with a minor lake effect snow of an inch or two, said meteorologist Steve Welch. A low-pressure system going east will bring temperatures down and snow across the Buffalo-Niagara region.
Monday, November 17, 2014
What you need to know nationally: West Virginia University suspends Greek-life activities after freshman’s death West Virginia University decided to suspend Greek Life activities after Nolan Michael Burch was found unconscious Wednesday night at a Kappa Sigma fraternity, according to CNN. Burch, an 18-year-old from Williamsville and a Canisius High School graduate, was pronounced dead on Friday at an area hospital. The university released a statement, suspending “all chapter social and pledging activities until further notice.” Burch’s death came on the eve of Sigma Chi’s suspension from the university and as a national chapter for ordering 19 pledges to find their way home from a residential area. As of Nov. 10, the chapter had been withdrawn from the university and “its operations had been closed.” The national chapter of Kappa Sigma said it is currently investigating the activities surrounding Burch’s death.
Surgeon with Ebola arrives in Nebraska A surgeon who contracted Ebola while working in Sierra Leone arrived in Nebraska on Saturday for treatment, according to The New York Times. Dr. Martin Salia was diagnosed with Ebola on Monday and was taken to the Nebraska Medical Center. He is receiving treatment at a bio containment unit where two other people with the disease were successfully treated. The medical crew transporting Salia determined him stable enough to fly. The team caring for him in Sierra Leone, however, indicated he was critically ill and “possibly sicker than the first patients successfully treated in the United States.” Salia showed symptoms of Ebola Nov. 6 but tested negative for the virus. He then tested positive on Monday. Salia is a citizen of Sierra Leone, but lives in Maryland.
IT’S HERE
THE NEW UB COURSE EVALUATION SYSTEM.
EVALUATE ALL YOUR COURSES AT ONE URL OPEN FROM 11/17 UNTIL 11/28 Learn more: www.buffalo.edu/course-evaluation
What you need to know
internationally: ISIS believed to have beheaded American hostage A video was published to the Internet on Sunday, supposedly showing the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) beheading Peter Kassig, an American hostage, according to CNN. The 16-minute video was longer than those previously released and did not include a statement by the victim. The video also showed the beheadings of other men, whom militants claim are pilots for the Syrian government. Kassig went to the Middle East as a U.S. soldier and returned as a medical worker. He did aid work in Syria, where he was captured and was held hostage for more than a year. He converted to Islam in captivity and went by the name Abdul-Rahman Kassig.
American tourist tried to ship infant body parts from Thailand to U.S. Police in Thailand said an American tourist tried to mail infant body parts to the United States, but the delivery was stopped after a call from the shipping company, according to CNN. Thai police said they received a phone call from a DHL shipping office in Pathum Thani province on Saturday. Workers discovered body parts inside parcel boxes when they were scanning shipments for delivery. The boxes contained an infant skull, internal organs and a few pieces of human skin sealed in plastic bags and preserved in formaldehyde. The American tourist told officials he found the body parts at a night flea market, where he paid about $100 for them. Thai officials have not pressed charges on the tourist because they said they “are not quite sure which laws [they] can apply to him.” Police are currently searching for the seller.
Monday, November 17, 2014 ubspectrum.com
Editorial Board EDITOR IN CHIEF
Sara DiNatale
MANAGING EDITOR
Owen O’Brien OPINION EDITOR
Tress Klassen COPY EDITORS
Rachel Kramer Alyssa McClure NEWS EDITORS
Amanda Low, Senior Samaya Abdus-Salaam, Asst. Giselle Lam, Asst. FEATURES EDITORS
Emma Janicki, Senior Sharon Kahn Sushmita Gelda, Asst. ARTS EDITORS
Jordan Oscar, Senior Brian Windschitl Tori Roseman, Asst. SPORTS EDITORS
Tom Dinki, Senior Andy Koniuch Jordan Grossman, Asst. Quentin Haynes, Asst. PHOTO EDITORS
Chad Cooper, Senior Juan David Pinzon Yusong Shi CARTOONIST
Amber Sliter CREATIVE DIRECTORS
Jenna Bower Gelareh Malekpour, Asst.
Professional Staff OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR
Helene Polley ADVERTISING MANAGER
Kevin Xaisanasy Alex Buttler, Asst. Melina Panitsidis, Asst. ADVERTISING DESIGNER
Tyler Harder Derek Hosken, Asst.
THE SPECTRUM Monday, November 17, 2014 Volume 64 Number 36 Circulation 7,000
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. The Spectrum is represented for national advertising by MediaMate. For information on adverstising with The Spectrum, visit www.ubspectrum.com/advertising or call us directly at (716) 645-2452. The Spectrum offices are located in 132 Student Union, UB North Campus, Buffalo, NY 14260-2100
OPINION A first step – but only that
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Lighter penalties for marijuana possession an important move forward toward the legalization of the substance As attitudes toward marijuana continue to ease toward acceptance nationwide, New York City is jumping on the bandwagon – or least, looking in its direction. Though the substance remains illegal statewide, low-level possession of marijuana will no longer result in an arrest but rather a ticket. This change would prove crucial in preventing individuals from seeing their lives needlessly upended as a result of an excessive arrest – individuals like Anthony Welfare, who as The New York Times reported, lost his job after a police officer saw a pipe with a residue of marijuana, in a car in which Welfare was a passenger. Welfare lost his job as a result – even now, several months later with the charge dismissed and his record now clean, he hasn’t been hired back. Such stories are too common, and too frustrating to be ignored. And fortunately, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has directed his attention at the issue. With the announcement of the new, more lenient policy toward marijuana possession, it’s clear that de Blasio and his administration have accepted that not all drug-related crimes merit an arrest – especially when in some states, like Washington and Colorado, where said “crimes” are now legal. It’s an important development that helps shift the priorities of law enforcement toward more pressing matters, and is a critical change in helping to equalize the treatment of minorities in the city. This new policy follows the near-elimination of the discriminatory and excessive stop-andfrisk procedures that were once the norm in New York City and largely targeted minorities. Similarly, small-scale marijuana arrests have occurred predominately in black and Latino communities. According to The New York Times, individuals who are black or Hispanic have made up 86 percent of the arrests for marijuana possession in the city. Eliminating this form of arrest will eliminate yet another mode of discrimination and persecution – not to mention pros-
ecution – experienced by New York City’s minority groups and, hopefully, help to build upon the improvements generated by the elimination of stop-and-frisk. It may be too much to hope for that this policy suggests greater lenience toward marijuana in general – that it could be at the very least the beginning of a conversation about legalization. Nonetheless, it’s worth noting that legalizing the substance could lead to closer monitoring of distribution and an influx of revenues from taxes on the drug. In a city surely still smarting from the death of a black Staten Island man, who died after being held in a chokehold during an arrest for selling untaxed cigarettes, de Blasio’s announcement is a much needed reassurance. De Blasio’s new policy indicates that the mayor and his administration are aware of the problems associated with the city’s law enforcement and are willing to take action to combat the issue. Although the mayor may be announcing a more lenient policy regarding marijuana, his stance toward New York City’s law enforcement and its troublesome reputation is clearly as tough as ever – and rightly so. email: editorial@ubspectrum.com
ART BY AMBER SLITER
An illegal fraternity and a life cut short Nolan Burch, a Canisius High School graduate who turned 18 earlier this month, was a “sweet, wonderful kid,” who was well liked and popular among his classmates. Although that’s how Burch’s family and friends will remember him, it’s not how Burch will be memorialized in the media and the public eye. Because Burch, who died after drinking large quantities of liquor at a West Virginia University frat party, is the newest face of an extremely troubling trend that has cost too many young lives – so many that Burch is not the first, but only the latest college student to represent the dangers of extreme drinking on college campuses. According to individuals present at the party where Burch fell unconscious and collapsed, the teenager was challenged to consume excessive amounts of alcohol, to the point that when police and EMTs arrived to the fraternity, he was unresponsive, had no pulse and died 36 hours later. Burch’s death serves as reminder of the dangers that can accompany extreme underage drinking – especially for new college students, recently arrived to campus and unfamiliar to the
Another tragic, needless death brings unrecognized fraternities back under merited scrutiny party scene, but eager to change that. Drinking and partying is undeniably an aspect of many college students’ lives. This is especially true at WVU, which is known for its reputation as a party school and often appears near the top of the Princeton Review’s list annual of “biggest party schools.” Although much of the drinking that happens on college campuses is underage and technically illegal, it’s an elements of university life. Hazing, binge drinking and death are not. The issue of hazing, in its many insidious forms, from alcohol abuse to sexual assault, has blazed across headlines on a regular basis recently. Increased awareness is the first step in combating this trend, and preventing it from becoming an accepted but ignored, behindclosed-doors problem. But what’s gone largely unrecognized on a national scale is the
underlying issue in Burch’s death and a problem that exacerbates the problematic behaviors that contributed to the scene at that party. Burch wasn’t just at any frat party. He was at a decertified, unauthorized fraternity. The fraternity in question, Kappa Sigma, is national organization but at Western Virginia, the chapter had been shut down, for reasons not yet disclosed by either fraternity officials or the university. Although the details of this particular shutdown chapter may be murky, UB and The Spectrum are all too aware of the problem posed by illegal fraternities. As reported last spring by former managing editor Lisa Khoury, a large-scale investigation of the campus’ unrecognized fraternities revealed the violence and abuse suffered by students involved with the organizations, and the challenges UB faces in banning and eliminating these groups.
Kappa Sigma, the unrecognized frat where Burch collapsed, is also one of the illegal groups identified in Khoury’s article. These frats at UB exemplify the dangers of unregulated, out of control fraternities – pledges reported being beat up, forced to fight one another, being locked outside in the cold with little to no clothing, eating cat food and, of course, being forced to drink excessive amounts of alcohol. These are not the experiences new college students expect when they arrive on campus – or in a frat house. These are dangerous, violent environments that encourage abuse and lead to tragic outcomes. Burch’s death is horrifying and tragic. So is the presence and ongoing existence of the organizations that encourage the conditions that ended the college freshman’s life. These illegal frats – at UB, WVU and across the country – must be weeded out, penalized and eliminated for good. What happened to Burch has surely happened to many others. But maybe his death can help prevent such tragedy from occurring yet again. email: editorial@ubspectrum.com
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Continued netflix, from page 1 Lindsey believes the younger you are, the higher the possibility you are forgoing cable in exchange for Netflix. He recognizes most college students are on a budget and are constantly looking to save money. Lindsey and Chiang agree Netflix is cost-effective for the college demographic. Netflix is not only taking customers away from cable companies, but also it doesn’t abide by the same rules as they do. Television networks such as HBO, Showtime and Starz, which are mandated to report their ratings, are growing increasingly annoyed by Netflix’s refusal to publish its ratings. Last December at the UBS Global Media and Communications Conference in New York City, Harvey Weinstein, cofounder of Miramax Films and co-chairman of The Weinstein Company, interviewed Netflix’s Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos. Weinstein asked if Netflix would report their ratings for Netflix original series such as “House of Cards” and “Orange is the New Black.” Sarandos said he would never do this because it “creates a benchmark that is irrelevant to the business” and would put too much pressure on shows, according to Forbes. Competition grows Just how much Netflix is impacting the movie industry could become apparent in August 2015, when the sequel to 2000’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is scheduled to be released on Netflix the same day it is released in IMAX theaters. AMC, Regal Cinemas and Cimemark are opposing the simultaneous release of the film, stating their current contracts guarantee theaters can play films for three months without competition. The simultaneous release will be an experiment in the value people have in two different movie-watching environments – at home or in the movie theater. “When you’re sitting in a movie row, you might have to get up to get a snack or go to the restroom,” Lindsey said. “When you get up, you may feel like you’re inconveniencing other people and you can’t pause the film.” Competing sites such as YouTube, Hulu and Amazon Prime Instant Video also provide video content at the fingertips of subscribers. There are stark differences, however, that make Netflix a unique model. “The big difference when I think of a site like YouTube is that it is not a subscription-based model, it’s more of an advertising-based model,” Lindsey said. “Netflix is more traditional, free based and subscriber based.” Additionally, Amazon is not necessarily known for producing solely video content, which seems to be a drawback for some. The idea of a company’s name standing for a certain idea is known as the “specialty effect” in marketing. “If a restaurant just sells sea food, it’s more likely that people are going to think that they do a great job but if you have a pizza restaurant that also sells sushi, people might not get that,” Lindsey said. “It’s not to say that the sushi isn’t good, it’s just that when you just do one or two things you become known for that.” Hours in front of your computer screen The concept of “binge-watching,” the practice of watching copious amounts of episodes of a particular television show over a short period of time, has also revolutionized the way people watch television shows.
Both Lindsey and his 17-year-old daughter binge-watched the entire “Gilmore Girls” series, which is made up of seven seasons, over the course of a few months. “I hate having to wait until the next week when the end of the show is a cliffhanger, so I usually wait ‘til the season is over and I binge watch [a television show],” Lindsey said. Lindsey also enjoys binge-watching television shows such as “Orange is the New Black,” “Episodes” – now taken off Netflix Instant Watch – and “House of Cards.” Similarly, Chiang binge watched the entire “How I Met Your Mother” series, which is comprised of 10 seasons and more than 200 episodes, in one month. “Sometimes, my roommates and I like to stay in on Friday nights and bingewatch Grey’s Anatomy,” said Shahida Khan, a sophomore biological sciences major. “All we really need is a jar of Nutella and our Netflix on a Friday night.” Netflix has allowed for students like Samiha Islam, a sophomore biomedical engineering major, to watch the 1999 short-lived cult-classic “Freaks and Geeks.” “I had seen endless GIFs of the show on Tumblr but Netflix gave me the opportunity to watch the one season of the show that exists in a week,” Islam said. For Chiang, Netflix is a way for him to take a walk down memory lane into the whimsical world of his childhood. He loves to watch Disney movies like Tarzan because they have nostalgic value. He likes seeing aspects of the movies he may have overlooked as a child. Personalizing the experience Netflix recently introduced the concept of taste profiles, in which users can customize their Netflix to get a better idea of what to watch. Lindsey believes that his taste profile is “semi-accurate.” “Out of all the films and television shows that Netflix recommends for me to watch, I would say that about 50 percent of it actually gets watched,” Lindsey said. Taste profiles also gave users like Khan, who shares her Netflix with her younger brother, to have separate interfaces for each user. This allows recommendations to be customized to the particular user on the same account. “My little brother is really into those indie-slasher films and I always hated when Netflix would recommend them for me to watch, so when taste profiles were introduced, I was super relieved and happy,” Khan said. But subscribers aren’t always totally happy with Netflix. “Every now and then I look for a movie and it’s not available instantly and I get kind of annoyed,” Lindsey said. “Obviously, as a consumer in this day and age, we want something and we want it now and if it’s there and I have to order the DVD, I don’t want to wait.” Netflix is now edging its way into producing its own original films. Netflix recently contracted with Happy Madison, Adam Sandler’s movie company, to produce four Netflix original films. “Netflix transforms the home into a multi-dimensional entertainment venue,” Lindsey said. “It makes it more acceptable to stay at home and watch a movie for the first time with your significant other.” email: features@ubspectrum.com
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Continued from vortex, page 1
YUSONG SHI, THE SPECTRUM
Last Thursday, Buffalo had it’s first snowfall of the season. William Philipps, a second-year geology graduate student, said his research team looks into ice sheets in Norway and uses similar methods to understand the coming polar vortex. Last year, Buffalo experienced 129.9 inches, making it the seventh snowiest winter in Buffalo.
Philipps said any local climate event has a place in the globe’s climate system. He said whatever is happening in Buffalo is linked with events at different parts of the globe. Buffalo recorded 129.9 inches of snowfall in its last winter season, making it the seventh snowiest winter season in Buffalo’s history. With the result of more snow, Dr. Jason Briner, an associate professor and director of the paleoclimatology lab in the geology department, does not want the public to perceive polar vortex as only cold weather. He said while last year Buffalo had one of its colder winters, Alaska had a warmer winter. He said the public should not mistake the cold weather as a sign that global warming isn’t happening. Gump said the polar vortex is in our and the media’s attention. “We look for present day climate change and we look for changes in proxies (variations) in order to evaluate present based on past,” Briner said. He said the polar vortex is most likely due to drastic temperature changes in the poles. “When wind belts are running efficiently, they keep the cold, hot and warm air clusters in place like a fence, so it’s hard for air flows, like polar vortex, to escape,” Briner said. “But when the wind belt is weak, jet stream[s] start to get wavy and break down. That’s when arctic air comes to Buffalo.” The temperature changes happen when jet streams, which are airflows, become unstable when the north and south poles warm faster than other parts of the world. Wind belts circulate the globe and keep
cold, warm and hot air where they are supposed to be. Briner said when the poles become warmer than other parts of the globe, the arctic temperatures weaken the polar vortex. Unstable jet streams then send cold and warm air to other directions, making some areas in the globe colder or warmer than normal. “It depends on which air flow is sent toward that area as a result of redistributed air waves,” he said. “When polar vortex visits here, it makes Buffalo cold, but when it visits Alaska, it means warmer weather for that region.” Briner said in 2012, the United States had the warmest year in 118 years and the sea ice amount was at its lowest record. “However, the next year, in 2013, U.S. experienced an extremely cold winter while rest of the world rather had a warmer year,” he said. “It is important to note these changes in a big picture, not only in local scale.” Sandra Cronauer, a research technician at Briner’s paleoclimatology lab, said despite what we may read and hear on the news, the explanation of current climate events cannot be easily defined. “Change in the ecosystem has always been dynamic,” she said. “Changes are not easy to constraint and there can be many explanations for current climate events. It’s difficult to interpret the information we learn via media when you read them from scientific viewpoint.” email: news@ubspectrum.com
Continued from evaluation, page 1 AMANDA LOW, THE SPECTRUM
On Monday, UB is sending out its new campus-wide course evaluation to students that will be available online. Faculty will now receive an immediate report based on the collected data from the evaluation. Some students like Nick Oddo, a junior political science major, don’t think the evaluations make enough of an impact on their academics.
The School of Nursing was the only school that had summer evaluations before the pilot, and the school’s responses improved by about 15 percent, according to Van Zile-Tamsen. The previous response rates were about 30-35 percent, and it increased to 40-45 percent, she said. After students fill out the evaluation, a report will be created for the faculty. In the past, it would take a long time for the information to be consolidated and some reports were created too late to be applicable for the next semester, she said. Dr. Debra Street, a sociology professor and chair of the department, said the major difference in the new system is the ability to ask more course-relevant questions. “The previous evaluation system was rather rigid, pretty much ‘same questions same way,’ no matter what the course was – large or small, physics or theatre, hands on or theoretical – as if all courses were alike and could be evaluated on identical criteria,” she said in an email. “The new system offers more flexibility to ask questions that are course-relevant.” Each survey can have up to 29 questions. Students for every course will be asked 16 core questions, which look at aspects like general satisfaction with the course, instructors and facilities. Each department can add 10 additional custom questions that also refer to general course satisfaction. Faculty also has the option of three “qualitative or quantitative” questions, which is customizable to each faculty. Van Zile-Tamsen said students averaged 10 minutes to complete the survey over the summer. “This is really a chance for students to provide feedback that is meaningful,” Weber said.
Street said she used the student evaluations to make any changes to her classes the next semester. “The better the feedback, the better my insight into what students already know, what they still need and want to learn, and what they like and don’t like about my instructional approach once the semester ends,” she said. Doaa Ahmed, a junior pre-pharmacy major, said having the evaluations in one place helps students avoid “digging around” for the links. She said the evaluations are helpful when she wants to let a professor or teaching assistant know about how the course went. Nick Oddo, a junior political science major, said he does not see the evaluations having a large impact. “In a big school like this, it’s hard to develop that sort of personal relationship,” he said. He said most students probably don’t think the evaluations affect their academics or do not even care about the assessments. Ahmed said she doesn’t know where the information goes after filling out the evaluation. Cenczyk said the system should continuously be evaluated even after the launch. “What I feel is important in this process is the university’s commitment to constantly revisit the system and make improvements from year to year,” he said in an email. “It does us no good to develop this system just to let it get outdated and collect data that nobody uses.” The course evaluation system can be filled out online and is mobile-friendly. email: news@ubspectrum.com
Monday, November 17, 2014
ubspectrum.com
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Doug Fitch’s “How Did We ...?” entertains at the CFA Professor Doug Fitch’s humorous characters and surreal dreamscape enrapture crowd DANIEL MCKEON
STAFF WRITER
The show began before the curtains opened. An airplane stewardess appeared on stage, reminding the audience members to turn off their cellphones, as it may disrupt the journey, and that no smoking is allowed unless “you’re on fire and can’t help it.” The offbeat brand of humor set the mood for Thursday at the Center for the Arts (CFA). Thursday was the first of three consecutive nights of performances of “How Did We…?” – WBFO visiting professor Douglas Fitch’s elaborate theater show. The show featured a blend of whimsical characters with a strange dream-like landscape and was performed by UB students and faculty from both the Department of Theatre & Drama and the Music Department. Fitch described the show as “an opera of images.” “I truly believe Doug Fitch to be a genius,” said Daniel Bassin, an adjunct assistant professor of music, who conducted the Slee Sinfonietta for the show. Bassin praised the show as a “one-ofa-kind combination of cutting-edge theater, music, drama, stagecraft, choreography and more.” In the first scene of this experimental theater piece, a man is sitting on a giant floating chair, fishing in a real body of water that looked as if built into the stage. His lure moves as a colorful fish emerges on stage, pulling the man off the chair and into the water. He comically flails his arms, fearing he is drowning, only to realize the water is only several inches deep. Throughout the play, the man is explaining his thoughts to the audience in a steady stream of narration. His thoughts move between trying to call someone and whether or not he should have bought so much salami. The lead actor, Connor Graham, a junior theatre performance major, said making this production embodied the ancient Chinese proverb, “The journey is the reward.” Graham said building the production was difficult, but beautiful and inspiring at the same time. “I would have never been able to do SUSHMITA GELDA
ASST. FEATURES EDITOR
West African cotton bows, bronze bracelets, colorful world maps and ethnic desserts were only a handful of items featured at the UB’s Fall World Bazaar. The Fall World Bazaar aims to celebrate diversity and educate students about different cultures at UB. This year’s bazaar featured a range of UB organizations and vendors from the Buffalo community, including the UB Muslim Women’s Council, the Latin American Student Association, Native American Crafts, Designs by Dovi and Girls African Market. The bazaar was held on Nov. 13 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Student Union lobby. Michael Venturiello, a higher education administration graduate student and a student programming coordinator for the Intercultural & Diversity Center (IDC), began planning UB’s World Bazaar at the beginning of the semester. Diversity can include differences in everything from race to gender, to sexual orientation, Venturiello said. “When people think of diversity, they don’t see how inclusive it is,” he said. “I think they see it as limiting in a way to a certain group.” Students tend to associate with people from their own culture, rather than with people from other cultures because they feel a sense of comfort, according to Venturiello. When students don’t need to explain elements of their culture – such as language, dress and hand gestures – they feel a sense of a mutual understanding, he said. The Intercultural & Diversity Center aims to provide opportunities for students to simultaneously celebrate their own culture and come together as a multicultural group. For UB’s Muslim Women’s Council, participating in the World Bazaar was an opportunity to gauge students’ perceptions of Islam and to break stereotypes. Montaha Rizeq, a senior history major and head of the UB Muslim Women’s Council, said she learned a lot about the students at UB. At the bazaar, council members asked students, “Do Muslims worship a black rock in the desert?” Even though monotheism is one of the main principles of Islam, many students
COURTESY OF GIANTS ARE SMALL
Much like one of Fitch’s previous plays, “Petrushka,” “How Did We…?” is a visual marvel that combines the visual imagery on stage with the imagery of the audiences imagination.
it without the support of my incredible mentors, cast mates, designers, crew, and of course, Doug,” Gram said. “Making the show with Fitch was a dream come true. I am blessed to have collaborated with such a world wide respected artist who has been so graciously humble and inspiring to me from day one.” Finch worked with the students for a few months leading up to the production. In one scene, the ensemble performed a complex song and only used their bodies and the water as instruments. The group stomped on the ground, clapped hands and slapped the water in a carefully choreographed routine. The imaginative song ended to the loudest applause of the night. In the latter half of the show included a “Sensory Organ Ballet.” A human-sized nose walked out on stage along with an ear, a mouth and an eye. The four organs performed a classical ballet, while the main character gleefully
watched, occasionally joining their dance. “The play was definitely different,” said Kaitlin Wojak, a sophomore communication psychology dual major. “I’ve been to a lot of plays but the whole look of this play is unique.” Wojak pointed out the main character almost never talks to anyone else on stage, instead speaking his “disjointed” thoughts aloud to “no one in particular.” The ear seemed displeased with this and comically head-butted the man onstage. James Monahan, 31, from Long Island, New York, found the ballet to be his favorite part of the show. “It was funny, obviously, but the different body parts performed genuinely elegant routines,” Monahan said. The show ended with five red figures wearing Buddhist masks. The figures performed a dance along to an original song by the composer David Cuomo called “Yamantaka” – the name of a Buddhist figure that can defeat death.
Students made the play’s various sets with the faculty’s assistance. As the play is a visual experience, there are many varying components to the set, ranging from a cliff that turns into a boat or an erupting volcanic island. Bassin said that it was the work of the student-led teams of builders, designers and tech that made this show possible and magical. “A show of this scope and variety would quite literally be impossible or at the very least impossibly expensive, in a major professional playhouse, opera stage, or theater and what has been achieved here is something I’m honored to be a part of,” Bassin said. Fitch’s vision and style of theater combined with the hard work of students and faculty created a special production in “How did we…?” email: arts@ubspectrum.com
A multicultural market
YUSONG SHI, THE SPECTRUM
The Fall World Bazaar was held on Nov. 13 in the Student Union, celebrating and educating students about the different cultures at UB.
World Bazaar offers students an opportunity to explore different cultures were unsure of how to answer the question, Rizeq said. The council also served ethnic desserts from countries such as Mexico and India to illustrate that people across the world celebrate Islam. “We wanted to teach people that Islam does not equate to Arab and Arab does not equate to Islam,” said Samiha Islam, a freshman computer science major and member of the council. The UB Muslim Women’s Council hopes to continue reaching out to students and facilitating dialogues on Islam. To learn about Islam, students should have one-to-one conversations with Muslims rather than searching the Internet, according to Rizeq. The council will hold, “Ask a Muslim Women” on Friday, November 21 at the
IDC, located in 240 Student Union. This workshop will give students the opportunity to ask questions about Islam they may otherwise feel uncomfortable asking, Rizeq said. The Gender Institute also utilized the bazaar as a unique opportunity to engage students in discussions on diversity, said Tina Zigon, a graduate assistant at the Gender Institute. Zigon had interesting discussions with students at the bazaar about how gender norms vary across cultures. “I’m from Europe,” she said. “Men wear Capri pants, and no one bats an eye. Here, people say, ‘He’s gay’.” The IDC collaborated with the Center for Student Leadership and Community Engagement and International Student Scholar Services to plan the World Bazaar.
The IDC organizes one World Bazaar every semester. The bazaars are IDC’s largest events. This year, the IDC will spend a total of $3,500 of its $20,000 annual budget on the fall and spring World Bazaars. Students are admitted to the bazaars free of charge. The IDC held UB’s first World Bazaar in Fall 2013. Originally, UB celebrated African, Native American, Latino, Asian and LGBTQ cultures in five separate bazaars throughout the year. Now, the IDC celebrates multiple cultures in one bazaar to promote inclusiveness, Venturiello said. “Rather than categorizing different kinds of diversity, we wanted to be more inclusive of all different types of diversity,” he said. email: features@ubspectrum.com
ubspectrum.com
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Monday, November 17, 2014
Continued from Detroit, page 8
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But Moss was able to continue his playing career, largely due to Oats. Oats had connections with Barret Peery, who was the head coach at Indian Hills Community College in Iowa. Previous Romulus players played for Peery, and Oats told him to give Moss a shot. Moss played there for the 2012-13 season before receiving a phone call from Oats. He told Moss he accepted a job at Buffalo and wanted the forward to join him. Moss became one of Hurley’s first recruits to UB in April 2013. Buffalo doctors examined him and Moss said he had written documents from other physicians. Moss, his family, Oats, Hurley and the team doctors felt it was safe for him to return to the court. “It’s kind of cliché, but I really don’t know where I would be without [Oats],” Moss said. “He’s done a lot for me, so I’m really appreciative that I met him.” Moss averaged more than 9 minutes a game last season. This year, he will likely be called upon to play a larger role because of the graduation of all-time leading scorer Javon McCrea . He said he hasn’t had any heart issues since the ICD was put in. He doesn’t think Asst. coach Nate Oats joined UB’s staff when Bobby Hurley was hired in March 2013. Oats served as head CHAD COOPER, THE SPECTRUM about his condition when he plays. He’s just coach at Romulus High School for more than 10 years. grateful that Oats gave him the opportunity to continue playing basketball, first at a juOats reached out to Peery again, who was no, his dream wasn’t to play Division-I at nior college and now back at Division-I. now an assistant at Arizona State, and told the time. It was to play varsity for Oats. Christian Pino is much different than him about Pino. The 5-foot-7 guard tried Schools like Wichita State and Oklahoyour average college basketball player. Usu- out for the team and received a walk-on po- ma State – both with much better basketally, a Division-I basketball player stands sition. ball programs than UB – and “basically all out when walking around campus. But Pino spent the majority of practice try- the Mid-American Conference schools,” rewhen they get on the court – surrounded ing to keep up with 5-foot-10 Jahii Car- cruited Johnson, he said. Still, he chose UB. by players relatively their own size – they son. Carson, who is currently playing pro“Just my relationship with coach Oats look normal. fessionally in Australia, was one of the best [is why I came to UB] because I knew if I Pino is the opposite. The 5-foot-7, red- guards in the Pac-12 last season. came here, he was going to take care of me, shirt freshman guard looks like just anothOats and Pino remained in contact – even as opposed to going to some other school er college student when walking around the from opposite sides of the country. After and not knowing the coaches,” Johnson university. But put him on the basketball the season, Pino was unsure if he wanted to said. court, and you have to double take. remain at Arizona State. He wanted the opMoss knew the decision to go to RomuPino drove more than 30 minutes ev- portunity to receive playing time. lus four years ago “was an opportunity to ery day to get to Romulus High School Pino decided to transfer to UB, where he go to school for free.” It ended up being for 6 a.m. practice. He often slept in what is a “primary walk-on,” Oats said. just that. he planned on wearing the next day, kept “He’s just one of those guys I feel you Pino wasn’t happy with the direction shoes and socks in his car and went straight need on the team to contribute the spark,” of his basketball future at his former high from his bed and out the door at 5:15 a.m. Moss said. “Put him on a point guard, [the school. After being in Arizona State’s proThis is how badly he wanted to play for point guard] gets annoyed, [Pino] causes gram for a year and now having the opporOats. Pino said he “didn’t see [himself] pro- turnovers.” tunity to play at UB, he’s much happier. gressing” at Birmingham, his previous high Oats is the reason Johnson, Moss and Now at Buffalo, “The Detroit boys,” as school. Hurley sometimes refers to them as, look to Pino went to Romulus. Now, he’s the rea“Romulus was like a college program,” bring their successes from Romulus to UB. son they are at Buffalo. Pino said. Oats went 222-52 and won seven straight Moss emerged with 25 points and 13 rePino was a part of Romulus’ 2013 state conference championships at Romulus. His bounds in Buffalo’s first game of the seachampionship team – Oat’s only state title teams were either ranked No. 1 or finished son. Johnson had three rebounds and two at the school – his senior season of high in the final four in each of his final six sea- blocks in the 69-67 victory. school. This also ended up being Oats’ sons. The “Detroit boys” will largely dictate last year at Romulus. Pino went on to ArOats achieved this through his relation- Buffalo’s immediate and long-term success. izona State University, but Oats didn’t for- ships with his players. get about one of the main players from his Johnson was nicknamed “The Dream,” email: sports@ubspectrum.com championship run. when he was a freshman at Romulus. And
Continued from report card page 8
Moss’ emergence is a good sign that Buffalo has a centerpiece to build its offense around, however, as has Javon McCrea and Mitchell Watt in recent years. Rebounding: C The Bulls outrebounded South Dakota State by only two Friday and were outrebounded by 20 against Kentucky Sunday. The Wildcats were simply too big and athletic for Buffalo to contend with on the boards. Defense: AThe fact that Buffalo held the No. 1 team in the country to just 71 points is very impressive. The defense did wear down somewhat in the second half against Kentucky but still held the Wildcats to 41 percent shooting. Buffalo’s offense was at its best last season when the defense was creating turnovers and creating fast break opportunities, and the Bulls’ defense caused 14 turnovers in each game this weekend. Bench production: CJunior forward Rodell Wigginton’s 15 points Sunday saved the Bulls from getting an ‘F’ in this category. If you take away his performance against Kentucky, Buffalo’s bench scored just 14 points in its first two games. Senior forward Xavier Ford had eight points and nine rebounds Friday coming off the bench, but failed to score Sunday. Buffalo will need more bench production moving forward. Coaching: A Head coach Bobby Hurley deserves credit for Buffalo’s 38-33 halftime lead over the No. 1 team in the country on Sunday. The Bulls looked like the better team and the moment did not seem ‘toobig’ for them. Their second half performance is less a reflection of Hurley’s performance as a coach as it is Kentucky’s immensely superior talent. He also deserves credit for the Bulls’ composure in pulling out the two-point win Friday night and designing the offense to get Moss the ball when he got hot Friday.
email: sports@ubspectrum.com
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DOWN
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Monday, November 17, 2014 ubspectrum.com
SPORTS CHAD COOPER, THE SPECTRUM
(L-R) Christian Pino, Nate Oats, Justin Moss and Raheem Johnson all helped turn Romulus High School into a powerhouse program in Detroit. Now, the four play integral parts at UB.
The Detroit Boys Asst. coach Oats takes three kids from Detroit, brings them with him to Buffalo OWEN O’BRIEN
MANAGING EDITOR
Raheem Johnson said if it weren’t for basketball, he’d probably be in a gang or in prison. Justin Moss said after Toledo told him he could not play basketball for the school, he cried. Christian Pino was a 5-foot-7 guard with dreams of playing Division-I basketball. Johnson is at a four-year university. Moss is playing the game he loves again. And Pino walked on at Arizona State University last year. How was all of this possible? It all starts with their high school basketball coach – and now Buffalo assistant – Nate Oats. Oats joined the Buffalo coaching staff in March 2013 after Athletic Director Danny White hired head basketball coach Bobby Hurley. Less than one month later, Moss joined Oats. This season, Johnson and Pino will suit up in Buffalo uniforms. Hurley sometimes refers to the trio as “The Detroit boys.” But this isn’t the first time any of them are playing for Oats. All three played for him at Romulus High School, a public school located just outside of Detroit. All three traveled from different parts of Detroit to play at Romulus. They all wanted to play for Oats get out of the “cycle.” Moss, Johnson and Pino grew up in
rough parts of Detroit – the most dangerous city in America, according to Forbes. They saw drug use, violence and death on a regular basis. Pino wasn’t even allowed outside and Moss’ family didn’t want him far away from the home. Oats became Romulus’ head coach in 2002 after serving as a D-III assistant for five years. When Romulus’ basketball coach was fired, his close friend and former teammate Ed Horn told him to apply for the job. Oats had no intention in coaching at the high school level but applied anyway. “I figured it was a way to hang out with [Horn] for a weekend and they ended up offering me the job,” Oats said. After accepting the position, Oats began interacting with the community – going to homes and meeting families. He knew forming a connection would be the best way to find talent and turn the Romulus program around. He was right. Three years later, Romulus was playing in the state championship game. After that, Oats said players began moving to Romulus for basketball. Players like Johnson, Moss and Pino. Johnson was used to moving. Trust, however, was something he wasn’t used to. Johnson was put into the foster system when he was young. His mother lost custody of him, and although Johnson wanted to return to his mother, he was unable to. He said no one would ever tell him why.
Johnson grew up in South West – a particularly dangerous area of Detroit. He said a lot of his friends at the time are now in jail or selling drugs. There were a lot of gangs and “a bunch of nobodies who didn’t care much about me and basically life.” He knew if he stayed in South West, then he’d get himself into trouble. He wanted to get out. “Basketball was the only reason I didn’t stay there,” Johnson said. Johnson moved between five different foster homes in the Detroit area. The households ranged between one and three kids. The constant moving around gave him a bad attitude. He didn’t get along with any of his foster parents or foster brothers and sisters. “They weren’t my brothers and sisters. They weren’t my family,” Johnson said. But at each home, there was a ball and a rim. That’s where Johnson was most comfortable. He always had a ball in his hand, whether it was walking around the house, shooting at the rim or dribbling in the garage. “I was always cool with that,” Johnson said. Then, he moved in with his grandmother in Romulus and met Oats. He told Johnson that basketball could “open up doors for him.” Oats helped Johnson control his temper. Oats helped him improve on the court.
CHAD COOPER, THE SPECTRUM
Junior forward Justin Moss had a career-high 25 points in Buffalo’s 69-67 victory over South Dakota State Friday night.
Hardwood Report Card The Spectrum grades the Bulls’ opening weekend split against South Dakota State and No. 1 Kentucky TOM DINKI
SENIOR SPORTS EDITOR
The men’s basketball team (1-1) split its season opening weekend, defeating South Dakota State (0-1) 69-67 Friday night in Alumni Arena before falling 71-52 to the No. 1 team in the country, Kentucky (2-
0), in Lexington Sunday. Buffalo led Kentucky 38-33 at halftime before the Wildcats outscored the Bulls 38-14 in the second half. Three-point shooting: D Buffalo never got the three-point game going this weekend, shooting just 5 for 21 in its two games. After shooting just 1
of 9 from beyond the arc Friday against South Dakota State, the Bulls had an improved performance Saturday against the Wildcats – going 4-of-12 from three-point range. All four of those baskets were made by junior guard Jarryn Skeete, however, and through two games only Skeete and soph-
Oats helped him get out of South West. “He never lied to me,” Johnson said. “He was always straight up with me, opposed to my parents and other people who lied to me.” Johnson wasn’t the only Romulus alumnus and current Bull who moved around Detroit throughout childhood. Moss, Buffalo’s 6-foot-7, 240-pound forward, was born in Detroit and moved to Southfield by his aunt’s house after seven years. When living in Detroit, he said you just “had to be smart” about what you did. He didn’t begin playing organized sports until the seventh grade. But once he did, Moss realized the importance of such activities. “It was something to keep me busy, also kept me out of trouble a lot, so I’m really grateful for that,” Moss said. Moss, his mother and his aunt moved to Plymouth, Michigan – about 26 miles outside of Detroit – when he was in high school. He first met Oats at a Top-100 camp in Michigan. Oats happened to be Moss’ coach for the day, so the coach had the opportunity to see him play up close. “He was like a grown man for a sophomore in high school,” Oats said. Moss’ mother ended up moving to Romulus and Moss played for Oats in his junior and senior years of high school. Romulus went 23-2 and advanced to the state quarterfinals in his senior season. But Moss played his senior year with a condition only he, his mother and father knew about. Moss was born with a heart murmur, which is an extra or unusual sound heard during a heartbeat. He eventually grew out of it – or so he thought. In his senior year of high school, Moss was diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a heart disease that causes a buildup of tissues that can often lead to cardiac arrest. Toledo gave Moss a basketball scholarship in 2011, but he never told the school about his heart condition. He hoped he’d be able to play for the Rockets. But when he failed the summer physical, the team doctors told him it wasn’t safe for him to play basketball. “I kind of knew what was going to happen, but it was heartbreaking,” Moss said. “I cried when the doc came in and said it. I knew I had heart problems, but I played through it. It never really affected my game.” After he was told he’d never be able to play again, Moss received an Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD) in his chest in November 2011. Toledo told Moss it would honor his scholarship but still wouldn’t let him play basketball. Harris Charalambous, a former Toledo basketball player, died in 2006 during a conditioning practice. Charalambous had an acute heart condition. Moss believes fear of another incident was a major reason the school didn’t allow him to play. He left Toledo because he wanted to keep playing basketball. Moss said there was about a “50/50 split” from doctors if it was safe for him to play after receiving the ICD. SEE DETROIT BOYS, PAGE 6
omore guard Shannon Evans have made a shot from beyond the arc this season. Foul shooting: B+ The Bulls shot better than 80 percent from the free-throw line this weekend. Junior forward Justin Moss had a nice two games at the line – making all 13 of his free throw attempts. The only reason this score is not an ‘A’ is because Evans missed two out of his four free throw attempts in the final 30 seconds of Friday’s game. Evans twice had an opportunity to put Buffalo ahead by four but failed to do so both times. It ultimately didn’t cost Buffalo, as it won 69-67, but the team will have to improve on making free throws with the game on the line. Ball control: CThe Bulls had 25 turnovers compared to just 13 assists in their two games. Buffalo had particularly bad ball control Sunday against Kentucky as it committed 17 turnovers and only five assists. Evans and freshman guard Lamonte Bearden are the only Bulls with assists through two games. More players need to get their teammates good looks if Buffalo’s offense is going to be efficient this season. Overall offense: C It’s a little hard to judge the Bulls’ offense after two games considering one of those games was against Kentucky. Shooting 4 of 19 in the second half Sunday is bad – regardless of the fact Kentucky is No. 1. The Bulls shot only 33 percent from the field this weekend, could not get the three-point shooting game going or get senior forward Will Regan, their only preseason All Mid-American Conference East player, involved. Regan did not make a field goal in either game. SEE REPORT CARD, PAGE 6