The Spectrum Vol. 64 No. 71

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ubspectrum.com

Monday, april 20, 2015

Volume 64 No. 71

A magic weekend UBCon brings people from all over Western New York to UB TORI ROSEMAN

SENIOR ARTS EDITOR

UB hosts Bingo Players, 3LAU and DNNYD JAMES BATTLE

ASST. FEATURES EDITOR

Not everyone was as prepared as Kathryn McSpedon for Friday night’s Electric Tundra. While most students made sure they had their student IDs and appropriate attire, McSpedon had other priorities.

“We have water and chairs in case any of you guys are rolling too hard,” she shouted out to concert goers after they passed the security checkpoint to enter Alumni Arena.

The arena, which holds roughly 6,000 people, was packed Friday night for Electric Tundra, UB’s first Electronic Dance Music festival. The festival featured DNNYD, 3LAU and main attraction Bingo Players.

Electric Tundra, a Student Association event, was the first of two SA concerts this semester, the second being SA’s annual Spring Fest

concert.

McSpedon, a sophomore English major, is a representative from the student club Students for Sensible Drug Policy. McSpedon was there for what she described as “harm reduction.”

“We’ve acknowledged that it’s an EDM festival, so people will be taking drugs. We want them to do it safely. Saying ‘don’t do it’ doesn’t work,” McSpedon said. “We know [students] are going to do [drugs], so we want them do them safely and responsibly.”

University Police Chief Gerald Schoenle said 10 concertgoers had to be transported to the hospital, but no further information can be given because of privacy requirements. No arrests were made.

Thomas Tiberi, director of Student Life, told The Spectrum in March Student Life would be taking all precautions necessary to protect

Paintballin’ on a budget

JORDAN GROSSMAN

SENIOR SPORTS EDITOR

Joe Barrett wants to the world to know UB has a paintball team.

The UB paintball club has been ranked in the top eight of the National Collegiate Paintball Association (NCPA) Class-AA National Tournament the last five years and has won the tournament twice in that stretch. This past weekend, the team traveled to Lakeland, Florida to compete in the national championship and finished second out of 51 teams.

The team took a 19-hour bus ride to Lakeland and crammed the entire team into two cheap motel rooms.

The paintball team is one of the lowest funded sports clubs in the Student Association with a budget of $750 this season, but has found success despite its lack of resources.

Other SA club sports like the men’s rugby and men’s lacrosse teams have budgets of more than $16,000 – but both have more than double the amount of players on the team.

Barrett, the team’s head coach and a former player, commends the club for its continuous rate of success despite struggling with financial woes. He said he loves to work

4

COURTESY OF DYLAN BUCCHOLTZ

Seniors Dylan Buccholtz (front) and Nate Beerman and the UB paintball team finished in second place out of 51 teams in the NCPA Class-AA Paintball Tournament in Lakeland, Florida over the weekend.

with the team because they are all “goodhearted, hard-working players who have the will to win.”

Barrett said the team was getting higher funding until 2012 when “a lot of the core guys graduated.” The club once had as many as 25 members, but now has just six or seven.

“The current version of the club isn’t doing enough to earn those $5,000 checks,” Barrett said. “We can definitely afford to get some more backing, though.”

SA President James Ingram said the finance committee determines the club budgets based on a number of factors, including how long the club has been around and how long it has met its requirements. Clubs lose funding or gain funding year-to-year based on meeting requirements and how active they are.

Ingram said the amount of money that

Students may have the chance to handle UB’s rare coin collection next fall

6

YUSONG SHI, THE SPECTRUM Maarten Hoogstraten of the Bingo Players hypes up the crowd at Friday’s Electric Tundra.

students, including safety stations, police patrols and pre-concert security screens.

McSpedon set up just inside of the arena where everyone had to pass her to get inside.

She had a table with jugs of water, some chairs in case patrons became fatigued or anxious, cut-up straws to provide what McSpedon calls “safe snorting” tools, as well as lube, condoms and flashcards with popular drugs and their dosage information.

The concert was funded by the $94.75 fee undergrads pay to SA each semester; the talent cost roughly $90,000, according to SA President James Ingram. Students who have experienced EDM festivals before were mostly ecstatic UB was hosting the festival and were excited for it to begin.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

UB paintball team finishes second in national tournament despite scarce funds clubs lose was subjective in the past, but former SA President Sam McMahon and former Treasurer Siddhant Chhabria set more strict guidelines last year on how much clubs lose if they miss requirements.

The team said most of its funding comes from fundraisers and out of pocket. According to Barrett, the money granted to the team barely covers total yearly expenses and is used mainly for traveling funds because paintball is an expensive sport. He said the team constantly has to buy paintballs and practice space.

“We’ve complained about [our budget] for years,” Barrett said. “We’ve been trying to get our budget increased even since I was a player. It’s substantially more expensive than other sports.”

All of the players play on individual paintball teams and come together for tournaments like the NCPA. The team begins practicing together three weeks before the tournament.

The UB paintball team plays in Class-AA of the NCPA, second to Class-A, which is reserved for the top paintball teams in the country. The difference between the levels is funds and the number of players on the team, according to Dylan Buchholtz, a senior business major and player. Barrett said Class-A teams such as Florida Gulf Coast have budgets of more than $40,000 per semester and its own practice facilities on campus.

But Nate Beerman, a senior political science major and player on the team, said he still believes the team can compete with the best of the best in Class-A. “No questions asked,” Beerman said. “We have players that play in the national circuit and our coach has played professionally in international leagues. He has the coaching ability and we have the talent.”

When Kenmore East seniors Ethan Coniglio and Ariana Porter were deciding what to cosplay for UBCon, they looked to Cartoon Network for inspiration, as opposed to the comic book characters for which cosplay is so well recognized.

They were dressed as Wirt and Greg from Over the Garden Wall, a miniseries featured on the network.

This year was their third year attending the annual convention.

“We like coming to this convention – it’s mid-sized and always has a good group of people here,” Coniglio said. “We live about 10 minutes away so it’s convenient for us to get here, and it’s fun to make cosplay costumes to wear.”

The two were part of the hundreds who attended UBCon, UB’s annual comic book convention that ran Friday through Sunday. People from all over the area came dressed as their favorite characters and participated in a variety of activities, including NERF battles, Magic: The Gathering card tournaments and meet and greets with popular comic artists.

The convention spanned the entire weekend, as people started to trickle into the Student Union Friday evening. Featured events included “The Theft of the Moon,” which is a role-playing game, “Island Dice,” the board game and a Pokémon Contest and Hangout. The various types of comics and shows covered were what gave the convention such wide appeal.

The big event for Friday night was the NERF war.

All three floors of the SU were utilized as a battlefield for NERF warriors to fight on. Teams were established before the games began around midnight. The battles consisted of a few different games, including capture the flag and zombies.

The convention’s website had specific rules for the battle events, even going so far to have people sign waivers for the LARP battles. They do this to ensure that while everyone is having fun, they’re also being safe, according to the staff.

Saturday was full of events as the convention spanned the entire day.

Not everyone felt the need to participate though, as people watching could be just as interesting some attendees said.

“I’ve just been walking around, I haven’t really participated in anything yet,” said CJ Sampson, who was dressed as the Flame Prince from Adventure Time. “It’s just as fun to walk around and watch everything that’s going on. We came from an hour away because we heard that the convention is one of the best in this area.”

Another big part of UBCon is the cosplay costume contest. Freshman theater major Ariel Kregal said she thinks that’s what brings the big crowds to the university.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

Students take to the Heights and plant trees to improve neighborhood

ONLINE

Check out the photo gallery and video coverage of Electric Tundra

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Monday, April 20, 2015 ubspectrum.com

Editorial Board EDITOR IN CHIEF

Sara DiNatale

MANAGING EDITORS

Rachel Kramer Emma Janicki, Asst.

OPINION State aid program a source of anxiety rather than assistance

OPINION EDITOR

Tress Klassen COPY EDITORS

Alyssa McClure, Copy Chief Anne Fortman Emma Fusco Natalie Humphrey NEWS EDITORS

Tom Dinki, Senior Ashley Inkumsah, Asst.

Charles W Schaab, Asst.

FEATURES EDITORS

Gabriela Julia, Senior Dan McKeon, Asst.

James Battle, Asst.

ARTS EDITORS

Tori Roseman, Senior Brian Windschitl SPORTS EDITORS

Jordan Grossman, Senior Quentin Haynes Bobby McIntosh Asst.

PHOTO EDITORS

Yusong Shi, Senior Kainan Guo Angela Barca, Asst .

CARTOONISTS

Harumo Sato Joshua Bodah

CREATIVE DIRECTORS

Jenna Bower Kenneth Cruz, 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, April 20, 2015 Volume 64 Number 71 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 142602100

ILLUSTRATION BY JOSHUA BOADAH

Confusion over problematic TAP requirements made worse by Office of Financial Aid’s missteps ing for classes until they pay up.

But students who were expecting TAP often don’t have that money on hand, putting their degree – and sanity – in jeopardy.

So it’s shocking that the Office of Financial Aid not only waited until April 10 to contact students about their unexpected ineligibility for TAP, but also incorrectly notified other students who were actually still eligible for TAP – like lastsemester seniors – and was slow to respond to queries and to take holds off their accounts.

The problem stemmed from the confusion surrounding TAP requirements which state New York State residents must be attending an in-state university and enrolled in 12 credits hours that are major or general education requirements or a free or restricted elective.

Although this requirement isn’t new, some academic advisers were apparently unfamiliar with the rule, and students who hadn’t faced problems with their eligibility in years prior now suddenly find themselves without aid.

But what’s even more troubling is how difficult it is to find this requirement on either the Office of Financial Aid and the New York State Higher Education Corporation’s (HESC) website. The Office of Financial Aid website states students must “be registered for at

least 12 credit hours that are applicable towards the student’s degree” and the HESC website states, even more vaguely, students must “study full-time undergraduate (at least 12 credits per semester).”

The only way to figure out what courses count and which do not is to search for “Applicable Courses” on the HESC website. The page states that courses must be an “integral part” the student’s program of study. They must be major or general education requirements, or a free or restricted elective.

And the HESC doesn’t provide a definition of what free or restricted electives are.

It’s astounding the Office of Financial Aid revoked much-needed student aid without providing a clear definition of the requirements.

The requirement itself, and its vague presentation on various websites, is unwieldy to say the least.

Students should certainly be taking primarily relevant coursework that moves them forward to graduation in order to receive aid from the state, but this policy ignores the benefits students have from taking additional majors or minors. That simply doesn’t make sense.

Denying aid for students pursuing a well-rounded college education is an egregious misstep that negatively affects an otherwise commendable

Tax breaks for the rich and a private jet for Cuomo

eyebrows is what Cuomo is getting out of the tax deals.

Although the tax break program has legitimate merits – despite its overly gratuitous nature – emails detailing Sony executives’ efforts to arrange a private plane for Cuomo to fly from Hollywood to New York reek of improper priorities on the part of the governor.

And though not illegal, Sony’s determination to bundle $50,000 in donations towards Cuomo’s campaign serves as another reminder of the ulterior motives running beneath the tax credit program. It’s not just New York State that benefits.

Cuomo does, too.

And other Hollywood executives from a multitude of corporations including NBCUniversal, Fox, CBS and Paramount Pictures enjoy a close relationship with the governor – one which makes their jobs easier, their business run more efficiently and their cost of doing business a whole lot cheaper.

There’s nothing inherently wrong with that, but while Cuomo is busy making high-level friends in Hollywood, there are pressing matters

In the past 30 years the cost of attending a public four-year college has increased 225 percent, according to the College Board. So it’s not surprise many UB students rely on financial aid.

And between scheduling classes, fulfilling requirements and struggling to make ends meet, students face a lot of anxiety over finishing their degrees.

But this year, due to ineffective communication and a clear lack of administrative organization, the Office of Financial Aid exacerbated those anxieties even further when they surprised students with the abrupt and unwelcome news they were not eligible for grants from the New York State Tuition Assistance Program (TAP).

Many students at UB rely on TAP, which contributes money toward the tuition of full-time undergraduate students who are New York State residents. Depending on a student’s income, the grant can range from $250 to approximately $2,500 a semester.

A $2,500 grant – more than a third of a semester’s tuition – can determine whether a student can afford to attend UB. When that money is surprisingly revoked – just a month before the end of the semester – students are left with an unexpected and large bill, preventing them from register-

Governor’s close relationship with Hollywood executives reveals questionable priorities The television and film industry is hardly hurting financially, but Gov. Andrew Cuomo insists on helping to alleviate its monetary “burdens” – if we can even call them that – with $420 million in tax breaks.

On Thursday Wikileaks released a searchable database of Sony documents and emails, which unexpectedly directed ire at Cuomo.

The emails documented a friendly relationship between the governor and Sony executives – a relationship fraught with extravagant deals and frivolity.

That friendship is, of course, financially motivated.

Although the revelation of this information is ethically questionable – Wikileaks’ actions are as illegal as they are rebellious – the ac-

tion has pointed a surely unwanted spotlight on Cuomo’s relationship with the film industry, one which the governor and his staff have yet to address and explain.

Cuomo has consistently supported an annual program of tax breaks that is now worth a jaw-dropping $420 million, offering tax credits to Hollywood executives in an industry that is already thriving.

It’s true that these tax credits encourage executives to bring their projects to New York, which importantly creates jobs and promotes economic development, but the sheer amount of money Cuomo is throwing at these executives should be raising eyebrows across New York State.

But what might raise even more

3

financial aid program that clearly has the potential to help many students earn their degrees.

Despite the problematic nature of these requirements, it’s the responsibility of the Office of Financial Aid to ensure that students are fully aware of these policies – and their enforcement – with plenty of time to arrange their class selection accordingly.

But academic advisers seem to have been left in the dark, too, when they should have been the first to know, so they could offer more accurate information to the students who rely on them for assistance. Advisers routinely encourage students to take on additional majors and minors but they apparently didn’t know how carefully they needed to help schedule students’ courses so those students could keep receiving aid.

And students didn’t hear the bad news until registration had already begun, leaving them with holds on their account. Students with the new bill on their account were forced to sit idly by as other students registered and took spots in classes – ones they probably needed to complete their degree. These holds very likely started a cycle of students being denied aid and their degree because they can’t pay the unexpected bill in time to register for required classes.

The financial aid office was disturbingly slow to respond to students, despite the urgency of the matter.

It’s also surprising that this is the first time The Spectrum has had students come forward with complaints about the requirement even though the Office of Financial Aid said they haven’t received any more complaints that usual – have students been having TAP unexpectedly revoked all along, or is this the first time UB has decided to enforce the policy?

The policy itself is extremely troubling as it interferes with students’ pursuit of a fulfilling and multifaceted education, and it’s clear that the financial aid office’s mishandling of the situation made a bad situation even worse.

The Office of Financial Aid has a duty to tell students upfront what the requirements are for aid and not leave them hunting through New York State laws and regulations. And now, the Office has a duty to respond to and fix the problems they’ve created through their lack of communication with advisers and students before even more students are forced to scrounge up thousands of dollars they already don’t have. email: editorial@ubspectrum.com

here in New York that deserve his attention even more.

There are plenty of business and projects that deserve tax breaks and personal attention from Cuomo, but they don’t necessarily have the same luster or glitz as movie production. They might not be able to offer a private plane to transport Cuomo, but industries like struggling small businesses need help, too.

They could use that $420 million a whole lot more than an industry that rakes in millions of dollars just for one film.

It cannot be denied the tax credit program for film and television projects helps bring in jobs and financial energy to the state.

But what isn’t acceptable is Cuomo’s close ties with Hollywood executives, time spent jetting across the country and attention devoted to fast-tracking film projects when far more serious issues and important, yet struggling, industries remain wrongfully relegated to the background. email: editorial@ubspectrum.com

ubspectrum.com

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Monday, April 20, 2015

Bringing the past to life

Paintballin’ on a budget

Students to work with UB’s priceless coin collection

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Barrett, who played for the team from 2008-12, said the team’s “rate of success has accelerated at an exponential rate” since he has been in the program. In his first season in 2008, he was playing with kids who were new to the game. Two years later, the team finished as undefeated national champions.

“I’ve made beginners into champions,” Barrett said.

Two weeks ago, the team launched a GoFundMe campaign and hosted a charity paintball tournament, where it made $2,200 – roughly triple of the allotted budget given to them. But even with the fundraisers, players can spend more than $150 alone for one day of practice.

“I’ve explained to people that I’ve driven from Batavia, New York to Erie, Pennsylvania at least two times a month for practice,” Buchholtz said. “It’s a three-hour drive. I’d wake up at 5 a.m. and drop $100 in a day on paint just to play for seven or eight hours. I’d be at the field for eight or nine hours in a day and then make the drive home.”

The closest indoor field is in Angelica, New York, which is about one hour away from North Campus. A Google search brought up no paintball arenas in Buffalo.

The team is not planning to jump divisions until the numbers begin to rise again.

But Buchholtz and Beerman said they don’t care about the amount of money spent or which division they play in. Beerman said he never stopped enjoying the game and will continue to play in any division.

“It’s a brotherhood,” Buchholtz said.

“You see the same guys week after week.

I started to play 12 years ago and playing week after week, you develop a mutual trust with the people in front of you and behind you on the field. That builds off the field as well. I’ll lift with and eat with the team. It started as a nice escape, but it built into a brotherhood.”

Tom Dinki contributed reporting on this story email: sports@ubspectrum.com

JASHONDA WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

UB students may soon get the chance to hold the same objects that figures like Julius Caesar, Augustus and Alexander the Great might have more than 2,000 years ago.

In the midst of Lockwood Memorial Library’s rare book collection is a set of recently rediscovered coins that date as far back as the Roman Empire. The coins include 34 silver medals of the Kings of England from William I to George II; a selection of silver Greek coins dating from 600-100 B.C.; a variety of British gold coins from 200 B.C. to 1911; gold Roman coins depicting Emperors; and a small number of Japanese gold coins from the 19th century.

The coins have been in Lockwood Library for 80 years, but students will just now get the opportunity to work with them.

“Ancient objects, like the Lockwood coins, bring the past to life in a very real way that cannot be achieved through textbooks alone,” said Philip Kiernan, an assistant professor in the Department of Classics. “By working with the Lockwood coins in a handson setting, students will be touching the same objects that [might have been] held by people like Julius Caesar, Augustus, Pericles or Alexander the Great.”

The coins are currently in a vault and are

PHOTOS COURTESY OF UB PHOTO DATABASE

Philip Kiernan (left), an assistant professor in the Department of Classics, and Mike Basinski (right), curator of UB’s poetry collection, pose with Lockwood Library’s collection of ancient coins. Student may have the chance to work directly with the coins next fall.

original cases in which they arrived after Lockwood donated them.

Kiernan said the coins not only provide basic historical data such as the names, titles and dates of rulers, but they also bear images that are simultaneously works of art, propaganda and symbols of civic pride.

In the coin seminar Kiernan is planning, the coins will be assigned to individual students, similar to how he runs his ancient artifacts course, which uses artifacts from collections in the Department of Classics. Students will take pictures, measurements and compare them to other coins in published literature.

Kiernan said the coins are “direct products of past economies,” and have been traded, saved and spent by real people thousands of years ago. Each of the coins is a remarkable witness to the period in which it was made, according to Kiernan.

Kiernan also says that a large amount of students have already expressed interest in working with the coins.

“We have an obligation to the donors and also to provide the students with the best environment possible, and to ensure that future generations of students have the same opportunities,” Basinski said. “They’re unique, they’re Buffalo and they offer research potential. I think these coins just prove that UB’s libraries are world-class. There’s no end to the possibilities of what these materials might offer.”

undergoing a conservation and preservation process so the students can start to work with them as soon. Kiernan is planning a seminar for the fall semester that will allow students to examine and handle the artifacts.

Thomas B. Lockwood donated funds to build Lockwood Library, which was originally on South Campus in Abbott Hall, in 1933 and donated his unique book collection to the library in 1935.

Included in that collection were Lockwood’s rare coins.

Kiernan, who has taught at UB since the fall of 2010, first heard about the coins from an alumna who remembered seeing them while attending UB in the early 1970s.

“After a series of phone calls and false leads, I eventually got into contact with Mike Basinski [curator of UB’s poetry collection], who had been quietly looking after them over the years,” Kiernan said.

Kiernan discovered the coins1 still in the SCCC_Summer15_Buffalo_Layout 2/12/15 3:38 PM Page 1 email: news@ubspectrum.com

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT A MAGIC WEEKEND under the electric sky CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

“The costume contest is a lot of fun, because even if you don’t win, everyone still acknowledges that you made a costume and that it looks good,” Kregal said.

“At other conventions people can get nasty about it, saying yours isn’t as good as someone else’s. It’s not like that here at all, and it’s just fun to see all the different costumes people put together.”

Events occurred throughout the school as the Student Union and Knox were filled with con-goers. Aside from all of the activities, Artist Alley was on the second floor of the Student Union and provided an opportunity for people to come and sell jewelry, artwork and other fan merchandise.

One vendor, Jessica Gruver, a local woman from Buffalo, sold posters, jewelry and keychains. She’s been coming to the convention for years, but this isn’t the only one she sells at.

“I like this one because it’s close to home, but I sell at a lot of conventions,” Gruver said. “I’m going down to Pennsylvania in a couple weeks. I’ve been to both bigger cons and smaller cons, and they’re just fun to be part of. It’s nice to meet the other vendors and people who appreciate my work and things I sell.”

The convention began to die down Sunday, as fewer people were in costumes throughout the Student Union. Events were more laid back, such as the coloring

PHOTOS BY JAMES BATTLE, THE SPECTRUM (Top) UBCon attendees LARP (live-action roleplay) outside of Clemens Hall. The full-contact game simulates medieval combat, and players came to fighting foam weapons and armor.

(Bottom) Vendors at UBCon sold valuable trading cards. The prices were based mainly on the rarity of the cards.

contest and the Homestuck meetup. The convention ran until 4 p.m. – then the official cleanup begins.

UBCon provides a place for LARPers, comic and show fans alike to express their passion, enjoy activities related to their favorite characters and meet other people who are just as interested as they are.

There is some level of comfort to it – it’s more fun if everyone participates. email: arts@ubspectrum.com

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“Honestly, raves are when everyone comes together and just enjoys to the music. No matter how you’re feeling, you come to a rave and dance to the music and meet new friends. That dynamic is different from any other concert,” said Neneyo Mate-Kole, a sophomore pharmacology and toxicology major.

Students who came to the festival were clad in bright colors. Most of the concertgoers wore neon tank tops with words either referencing “good vibes” or funny phrases like one shirt with the “‘beer’iotic table of elements.”

Short-shorts and flower tiaras were also a mainstay of Electric Tundra’s dress code, the former not being exclusive to any gender. Some students stepped it up and wore full-on costumes.

DNNYD’s set was first. Once their music came on, people crowded the stage, jumping to the music. When the beat dropped, the crowd seemed to erupt in a joyful chaos.

Some dancers jerked, others just moved their bodies in cadence to the beat. Many shuffled for hours at a time, not missing a single step. But the most entrancing dancers there were the students with light-up gloves finger-tutting.

A group of students sat on the floor, as one dancer began finger-tutting in front of their faces. The students were utterly hypnotized. It was as if the dancer was telling them a story with their gloves that only the wide-eyed patrons sitting crisscrossed on the floor could understand.

The maelstrom of sweating limbs flailing to the beat seemed almost hypnotic under the lasers and strobe lights.

3LAU’s set began almost immediately after DNNYD’s ended. There was little time for tired patrons to relax, and people on the outskirts of the crowd continued dancing for hours.

3LAU’s music sounded like something from the alien mothership in the film “Independence Day.” The quick, stuttering tones produced a clicking sound that were complimented by laser-esque vibrations scattered throughout.

Other songs played that night had a different flavor. Many of them were remixes of popular songs - even classics got a robotic makeover. The chorus to Rick James’ “Superfreak” shook the arena to the rafters, especially when the beat dropped and the crowd went into a frenzy.

Soon after, “Baking soda! I got baking soda!” from O.T. Genasis’ hit song “CoCo” erupted from the mammoth set of speakers. The entire crowd yelled the lyrics until the beat dropped. No genre of music was safe from being assimilated.

When 3LAU’s set ended, many patrons became restless. Students wandered the concert floor looking for a place to sit, be it on the floor itself or in the bleachers further back. Some just left entirely.

After a short break, Bingo Players began its set with one of its more popular songs, “Get Up (rattle).” The crowd showed a ton of intensity to start their set. “[The concert] was amazing. It was very hot though. My favorite part was definite-

PHOTOS BY KAINAN GUO, THE SPECTRUM

(Top) Bingo Players performs for an energetic UB crowd.

(Bottom) Students packed into Alumni Arena for SA’s first EDM fest.

ly when they remixed that Drake song at the end,” said Rob Whitehorn, a sophomore mechanical engineering major.

While the intensity kept up in the center of the floor – which at many points in the night was basically a mosh pit – the crowd began thinning out during the Bingo Players’ set. Instead of ending in a bang, the show ended in a fizzle, as people made for the exits with a few minutes left.

But some students had a good time at Electric Tundra and praised the SA for having multiple concerts in order to appeal to as many students as possible. SA’s Spring Fest, which is usually the only big concert of the spring semester, will be on May 2 and feature alternative acts Young the Giant, In The Valley Below, Banks and Bear Hands.

“It was lit,” exclaimed Brandon Gesler, a sophomore business administration major, of the EDM show. “UB has to do something like this again.”

Hopefully, the show will satisfy student’s concert cravings until the alt rock acts hit Baird Point next month. email: arts@ubspectrum.com

ubspectrum.com

6

Monday, April 20, 2015

ReTreeing the Heights Students try to make impact on University Heights by planting trees

ASHLEY INKUMSAH

ASST. NEWS EDITOR

On Saturday, large crowds of students moseyed around the streets of University Heights.

But they weren’t looking for the nearest party.

Approximately 360 students sauntered around the neighborhoods near South Campus with shovels, sledgehammers and rakes in hand to plant 200-250 trees in the ReTree the District project.

ReTree the District is a collaborative effort started by the University Heights Collaborative, the University Heights Tool Library, the Bailey Avenue Business Association and the University District Block Club Coalition to plant 1,000 trees in the Heights over the next two years. UB is also partially funding the initiative.

“We really as community partners sat down and said, ‘What are some of the really big issues in the neighborhood?’ and one of them was this uneven distribution of trees,” said Darren Cotton, a volunteer at the University Heights Tool Library and vice president of the University Heights Collaborative.

Cotton said while some streets in the Heights are “really beautifully tree-lined,” others are barren with no trees at all. Organizers wrote out a business proposal of what it would take to plant 1,000 trees in the Heights and who the potential partners would be.

He said planting trees leads to increased property values and a decrease in cooling and heating costs. Cotton also said he’s read that streets with trees have reduced crime

and fewer incidences of mental health issues – a theory called “Broken Windows Theory.”

The University Heights neighborhood has experienced rates of crime double that of Amherst – the town where North Campus is located. There were 523 major crimes, including rapes, robberies, assaults, burglaries, larceny and vehicle theft, in the Heights in 2012, according to Buffalo Police crime statistics.

Jeanie-Marie Austin, a senior Spanish major, grew up in a town in the Finger Lakes region that she described as “environmentfocused” and filled with trees.

“We had a community garden, so when I got the email about planting trees I was really excited to come out here and I’d really like to help them to plant these trees and help them see that someone cares about their community,” Austin said.

The UB Academies have also played a big role in making the project possible, according to Cotton. ReTree the District has been working with a group of students this semester as part of an independent study.

Some of them came out for their last planting in November and expressed their desire to be more involved, so they worked as team leaders on Saturday.

Elizabeth Mercer, a freshman psychology major who worked as a team leader, said she chose to participate in the event to build leadership experience.

“It’s a great opportunity that I think builds the community and lets students interact with the community around them in University Heights and I’m really glad to see all these people that came out here today

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and I’m really excited to work with them and meet new students,” Mercer said.

Madelaine Britt, a junior political science major, participated in ReTree last semester and “wanted to have a leadership role” this semester.

“I think it’s a great organization and it’s a good thing to do for the community. I think being a team leader, you can maybe try to get people excited about ReTree and get people motivated,” Britt said.

Britt said trees could have a “very wonderful impact” on communities. She said trees could help people come together and create an atmosphere where people feel they are living in a “caring and inviting community.”

“As much student involvement as we could have, we should have and I think it’s very important to get students out there and form a relationship with the community beyond partying or littering,” Britt said.

Britt said ReTree the District planted around 185 trees last year.

Xiaohan Cheng, a senior finance major, said ReTree the District allows students to have an impact on the community for the few years they live there.

“I think it’s a good opportunity for us to join some school activities. It’s very meaningful for us to leave a mark here because we won’t be living here in the future,” Cheng said.

For $10 a year, the Tool Library provides residents access to about 900 tools for their

ANGELA BARCA, THE SPECTRUM

(From left to right) Dominique Case, Nicole O’Heron, Emily Snyder, Brian De Guzman, Julia Schoonover, and Courtney Miller plant trees in the University Heights Saturday as a part of ReTree the District.

University Heights homes, but the tools usually end up not being put to use, according to Cotton. He said ReTree the District gives them an opportunity to be put to use.

Cotton said an important aspect of the ReTree the District initiative is to allow people to see a different side of the Heights.

He said the area gets a “bum rap” from the media, but that there are many things “going for it.”

“I think just large volunteer events like this is just a great way to showcase that this is a neighborhood where people care and where there is a really strong community and where we’re working towards creating a better community,” Cotton said.

Editor’s note: Madelaine Britt was an editor for The Spectrum in Spring 2014. email: news@ubspectrum.com

THE FUTURE IS IN YOUR HANDS.

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Vote in the University Council Student Representative Election Election held on UBLinked Tuesday, April 21 12:00am through Thursday, April 23 5:00pm For More Information: http://www.student-affairs.buffalo.edu/vote/

Monday, April 20, 2015 ubspectrum.com

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Monday, April 20, 2015 ubspectrum.com

SPORTS

Bulls hold annual Blue-White spring game under Leipold Daniel leads white team to two touchdown drives in spring game QUENTIN HAYNES SPORTS EDITOR

Welcome to the Lance Leipold era of Buffalo football.

On the first play the spring football game Saturday afternoon, senior quarterback Tony Daniel handed the ball off to senior running back Anthone Taylor. Taylor tossed it back to Daniel as he flung the ball for an incomplete pass downfield.

And according to head coach Lance Leipold, it may not be the last time it’s run.

“We were trying to work some play action things, but we’ll work on that, ” Leipold said.

On Saturday, the Bulls held their annual Blue-White spring football game at UB Stadium. It was the first time the Bulls played the annual spring game under Leipold, who was hired to take place of former head coach Jeff Quinn in December. The white team was made up of the offense, while the blue team was the defense. The first half consisted of 20 plays per quarter, while the second half had 15 plays per quarter.

While there was no official score held, the white team found the end zone three times.

Leipold said he was happy with the offensive performance.

“We just worked on the game plan we wanted. We kept it simple – some passes on all three phases, some simple running plays,” Leipold said. “I liked the way our offense looked.”

With senior quarterback Joe Licata out for spring practice as he recovers from offseason hip surgery, Daniel started with the first team and played the first two drives in the first and third quarter.

Daniel said the team “looked good,” despite the few snaps played on offense.

“We had a good day,” Daniel said. “We just did some baseline stuff, trying to get our plays in. Fifteen plays isn’t enough to show or do everything, but I thought we did well from an offensive standpoint. Receivers looked good, our backs look good and the offensive line played well.”

Daniel went 8-for-14 with 76 yards and two touchdown passes and one interception on the day. His first touchdown pass was a 14-yard pass to junior tight end Mason Schreck in the first half. His second was a 15-yard pass to senior wide receiver Marcus McGill in the second half.

ANGELA BARCA, THE SPECTRUM

(Top) Senior quarterback Tony Daniel led the white team two passing touchdowns in Saturday’s annual Blue-White game. It was the last full-speed practice of the spring before individual summer workouts begin. The seasonwillbegin on Sept.

5 against Albany.

(Bottom) Junior defensive back Brandon Berry defends a pass in the spring game on Saturday.

McGill finished with three receptions for 42 yards. Leipold said McGill is a “really talented guy” and he will look to find an appropriate role for him, whether he plays as an inside or outside receiver.

Four quarterbacks would ultimately play in the spring game, while arguably the second best performance was from junior quarterback Collin Michael. Michael went for 5-for-8 for 115 yards and one touchdown – a 26-yard pass to senior wide receiver Mikel DeMonte – on the day.

Leipold said he was pleased with the performance on both sides of the ball. While both sides had their own play calls, Leipold said both teams played “generic,” adding that after he speaks to his coordinators, he plans to install different plays on both sides of the ball.

The Bulls defense racked up eight tackles for losses, five sacks and one interception on the day. The defensive line didn’t blitz much throughout the game, but often created pressure on both the quarterback and ball carrier out of the backfield.

Leipold said the defensive line played well, while offering another small note about how the team plans to use the talent they brought in on the front four.

Between the lines Success in Leipold era starts with production on offensive, defensive lines

QUENTIN HAYNES

SPORTS EDITOR

The key to success at a Mid-Major program is consistency, stability and experience.

On Saturday, I attended the Bulls annual Blue-White spring game at UB Stadium. It was a good game, both the offense and defense had their moments and the structure of the game – 20 plays in the first two quarters, 15 plays in the last two quarters – made the game quick and enjoyable.

After watching the team move the ball around for an hour, I came away with one conclusion: The production and stability of the offensive and defensive lines will determine whether the Leipold era is one of success or one of failure.

The biggest challenge new head coach Lance Leipold has to figure out entering next season is the missing pieces of the of-

fensive and defensive lines.

The quarterback is the most important position in football. But after that, the most valuable people on the field are the people who protect and pursue the quarterback.

The best teams on the college level have stalemate offensive lines and terrorizing defensive lines.

The Bulls have to replace three starters from an offensive line that was one of the more experienced units in the Mid-American Conference last season. The most experienced player on the line has just 11 starts under his belt. Seniors John Kling and Robert Blodgett will return, but it’s uncertain who will fill in the left side of the line.

Last season’s experienced offensive line propelled Joe Licata to one of the best seasons from a quarterback in the MAC and allowed Anthone Taylor to finish third in the conference in rushing yards and touchdowns.

The offensive line units did a good job of opening up holes for running backs in the spring game Saturday despite totating various offensive linemen in and out of the game. Regardless of who was in the back-

“I thought they did really well,” Leipold said. “You can see some good penetration from the interior two guys, you can see some nice play from the three defensive ends – actually, all four defensive ends did a nice job. I know Tim Edwards, our defensive line coach said that we’ll have eight to rotate and feels good about that.”

Sophomore free safety Ryan Williamson got the defense started with an interception off Daniel on the second drive of the game.

Leipold called the interception a “nice move

by Williamson.” Williamson, who is usually known for his hard-hitting ability, is “showing growth as a playmaker.”

Freshman defensive end Randy Anyanwu finished with two sacks and two tackles for loss, while sophomore defensive end Solomon Jackson added two sacks of his own.

While the defense stayed in a 4-3 formation for much of the game, the offense used different formations throughout.

Offensively, the Bulls used numerous sets,

from two tight ends, to I formation and even some spread, incorporating four or five receivers on the field at the same time.

On two of three touchdown drives by the offense, the Bulls were in their spread formation when reaching the end zone.

Heading into the last few practices of the spring, Leipold said the spring game allowed him to see what the team is capable of heading into the summer and eventually into the season.

“We have a baseline of where we’re at now,” Leipold said. “We’re going to see what needs to be added or removed on both sides I think this group of players and coaches understands what’s going to be expected from them and what needs to be modified.

We have a great foundation.”

The first game of the 2015 football season will be on Saturday, Sept. 5 against Albany at UB Stadium.

field, they had an opportunity to gain yards.

The pass blocking was a different story.

The defensive line created some havoc on the offensive line, creating pressure and getting into the backfield. In total, the Bulls defense had five sacks and eight tackles for losses, most of which were on passing plays. It wasn’t a good look for the offensive line when having to create time for senior and junior quarterbacks Tony Daniel and Collin Michael.

On the other side, the defensive line is going through much of the same rebuilding process. Tedroy Lynch, Kendall Roberson and Kristjan Sokoli are all gone, leaving the Bulls will only a handful of players with experience at the college level. Juniors Brandon Crawford and Max Perisse return and so does sophomore Chris Ford.

Outside of that, the team is hoping transitional players from the Quinn era and the recruited talent (Buffalo brought in five defensive line recruits this year) could help generate a pass rush in 2015 that mimics last year’s success.

Unlike the offensive line, the defensive line looked great and I have a small tinge of optimism for them heading into the 2015 season.

Again, it’s tough to take away anything from a game where the coach called the play calling “generic” afterward. But the Bulls were getting pressure, forcing some bad throws and getting in the backfield, all three vital to a strong defensive line. Sacks are the main stat we use to evaluate a defense, but it’s pressures, hurries and quarterback hits that are the unsung statistics that

determines a unit’s success.

It’s also critical for a rebuilding team to get production from unproven talent, especially a program that struggles to recruit All-Americans. Four of the five sacks in yesterday’s game were earned by underclassman, highlighted by freshman defensive end Randy Anyanwu’s two sacks and two tackles for losses.

Having freshman that can hold their own is beneficial because those freshmen will enter their sophomore seasons with more game experience. The more game experience a player can accrue in his first two seasons, the better. Even in a smaller role, having underclassmen play well can help the program create depth at a position and turn it into a position of strength.

There were many things to look at and like in the first spring game of the Leipold era. You not only have a quarterback for this year, but a quarterback for next year in Michael when Licata graduates. The running back position is loaded for years to come and the use of the multiple pro style offense will create mismatches for the future of the program.

I believe Leipold and his coaching staff will eventually find his best five offensive linemen and will create the best rotation of defensive lineman. If he does, there’s potential to have a decent 2016 season, thanks to the talent that’s coming back. If he doesn’t, then he’ll go into next year looking for both and that could be a problem.

email: sports@ubspectrum.com

email: quentin.haynes@ubspectrum.com