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THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT PUBLICATION OF THE UNIVERSITY AT BUFFALO, SINCE 1950
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Wednesday, october 29, 2014
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Volume 64 No. 28
Political gladiator
After the last spell
Speaker of SA Assembly, Melissa Kathan, hopes to make it to the “political arena”
JK Rowling to release a short Potter story on Halloween TORI ROSEMAN ASST. ARTS EDITOR
GISELLE LAM ASST. NEWS EDITOR Melissa Kathan was in the third grade when she beat a fourth grader in a race for her student council’s secretary position. Kathan, a junior political science major and speaker of the Student Association Assembly, heard she would be able to make a speech in front of 600 students and loved it. Since then, Kathan has represented her peers through multiple student government positions throughout her life. Kathan is currently the SA Assembly speaker and the associate director of Government Relations for State Operated Campuses, as part of the State University of New York Student Assembly (SUNYSA). Kathan also juggles her student government positions with a part-time job at Starbucks, a presidency position in her Honor Society and classwork to graduate early. This has all been in preparation for a future in politics and law for Kathan. “I am definitely in love with the political arena,” she said. Kathan said there are many powerful women like Hilary Clinton and Mother Teresa who influence her life. But she considers her grandfather, who tells her World War II stories, to be her role model. He taught her the most important lessons in life: family comes first, faith is most important and education is a privilege. “Like any proud grandparent, he believes that there is no limit for my future and never fails to tell me on every phone call that someday I will run a successful campaign and help the lives of many” Kathan said. Val DeSantis, Kathan’s aunt, spoke on behalf of Kathan’s grandfather because he currently has mesothelioma, a lung cancer caused by asbestos. She said Kathan “makes [him] very happy to be a grandfather.” Kathan said his disease is causing him to “fade” with each day. She described watching someone lose himself as “the most humbling, emotional, painful and distracting process.” It is the first thing she thinks about when she wakes up and it burdens her all day and causes sleepless nights. “But life is taken each day at a time,” Kathan said. “And if I even get to speak to him for a few seconds on the phone today, then it is a good day.” DeSantis said Kathan’s grandfather tells everyone his granddaughter is a leader who will get things done and will accomplish anything she sets out to do. SEE GLADIATOR, PAGE 2
CLETUS EMOKPAE, THE SPECTRUM
CLETUS EMOKPAE, THE SPECTRUM
CLETUS EMOKPAE, THE SPECTRUM
FUN & FASHION Aishat Keshiro, left, and Nana Amoah, right, participated in the African Student Association’s 15th annual hair and fashion show. Aerial dancers and hair and clothing designers captivated attendees. SEE STORY PAGE 8
Harry Potter’s story may be over, but his magical world still needs exploring – and fans are thrilled. Author JK Rowling plans to give fans new details by releasing a 1,700-word story on Halloween, focusing on the life of professor Dolores Umbridge, one of the series’ antagonists. The story will be posted to Pottermore.com, a website created by Rowling that allows readers to virtually experience the Potter world. “For Professor Umbridge to have a story written about her, book five on Pottermore would need to be unlocked,” said Haley McNeely, a junior psychology major. “This would mean that along with Umbridge’s story, Rowling plans to unlock the fifth book and open up a whole new area of Pottermore.” This isn’t the first time Rowling has surprised fans. She released a 1,500-word story in July about Potter himself, this time as a 34-year-old father who was meeting some old, magical friends. Most recently, she posted a 500-word description of character Celestina Warbeck, or the “singing sorceress.” She is never actually seen in the Potter world, only spoken of by other characters. Included in her brief biography is an audio track from the singer titled “You Stole My Cauldron But You Can’t Have My Heart.” “From a psychological standpoint, people become emotionally attached to the characters in these books,” said Dr. Shira Gabriel, a psychology professor. “For [Rowling] to offer more to fans through Pottermore is really incredible and allows people to maintain these attachments.” So what’s next? Rumors of a new project had been circling for months after cryptic tweets she posted staring in early October, beginning with her Oct. 6 post “Cry, foe! Run amok! Fa awry! My want won’t tolerate this nonsense.” She revealed an anagram was hidden in the tweet after it drove fans mad. The author claims she is done writing books that have to do with the series, and she has scoffed at rumors that she penned a romantic novel. Her other pen name, Robert Galbraith, was used to write her most recent novel The Cuckoo’s Calling. “If J.R.R. Tolkien can write new material after Lord of the Rings, JK Rowling should continue to write new stories,” said John McCarthy, a freshman biology major. “If people are still interested in her writing, why not?” Regardless of what her next big project is, the author keeps fans excited by regularly updating Pottermore.com.
SEE POTTER, PAGE 2
Looking for recognition Members of the Dazzlers wish to be GABRIELA JULIA STAFF WRITER
UB’s Dazzlers and cheerleaders may both be wielding pom poms at football games, but that doesn’t mean the university views the two groups in the same light. The Dazzlers wish it did. The UB Cheerleaders practice for nine hours a week and the UB Dazzlers practice for six hours a week. Both teams perform at the football and basketball games. The UB Cheerleaders are recognized as an athletic team by UB Athletics, but the Dazzlers are not. “It’s awful,” said Kaylee Rizzari, a senior legal studies and psychology major and member of the Dazzlers. “We stand alongside the cheerleaders at games, learn dances two days before performances and get no recognition.” Cheerleading, though recognized by UB Athletics, isn’t considered a sport under NCAA’s Title IX, which prohibits sex discrimination in schools that receive federal funding. The questions around cheer and dance teams and the recognition they receive extends to Buffalo’s Ralph Wilson Stadium, too. The Buffalo Jills are in a current legal battle alleging they worked for free at
mandatory public appearances and games. The Bills claim the cheerleaders weren’t actual employees or the team. Students may view cheerleaders, Dazzlers and UB’s kickline team as all part of the same category, but each group is recognized by different on-campus entities. As part of the Thunder of the East Marching Band, the Dazzlers are part of Student Life, according to James Mauck, director of Athletic Bands. The Thunder of the East marching band provides the music to the routines. The team could request recognition to be a team, but that would mean splitting from the marching band. “Student organizations can request recognition by any university affiliated department,” Mauck said. “If they weren’t part of the Marching Band, then they could seek recognition from other departments.” As a recognized athletic team, the UB cheerleaders are able to register for classes before other students to ensure their schedules work around practice times. Dazzler team members said they don’t get scheduled study hall hours or workout times like the recognized sports teams do, leaving them to do schoolwork and workouts on their own time.
recognized by Athletics Department
CLETUS EMOKPAE, THE SPECTRUM
The Dazzlers are not recognized by UB Athletics because they are affiliated with UB’s Thunder of the East marching band. In addition to performing at football and basketball games, the Dazzlers participate in community events such as the Special Olympics and Relay for Life.
SEE DAZZLERS, PAGE 5