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ubspectrum.com
Monday, april 13, 2015
Volume 64 No. 68
Meet the candidates THE UNITY PARTY
- BY TOM DINKI, ASHLEY INKUMSAH & CHARLES W SCHAAB The Student Association executive board is responsible for controlling more than $3.5 million of student money collected through the mandatory student activity fee, which will be raised to $104.75 starting next semester. Elections will take place from April 14-16, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Student Union Theater. This is the first election since 2008 in which a party is running unopposed.
Treasurer Name: Joe Pace Party: Unity Year: Junior Major: Aerospace and mechanical engineering Current SA position: Engineering Council Coordinator
Vice President Name: Sean Kaczmarek Party: Unity Year: Junior Major: Political science and economics Current SA position: Special Interest, Services and Hobbies (SISH) Council coordinator
At the age of 18, Sean Kaczmarek half-jokingly told his father he would run for the Cheektowaga-Sloan Board of Education because he felt the Board needed a younger perspective. At the age of 19, he was the youngest person ever elected to the Board. As the current Special Interests, Services and Hobbies (SISH) Council coordinator, Kaczmarek oversees the budgets and events for approximately 60 clubs. For this reason, Kaczmarek said he feels he is qualified to become the Student Association vice president. CONTINUED TO PAGE 5
Minahil Khan said the ideal Student Association President is someone who is first and foremost an advocate for students. As the UB Council student representative and SA Director of Student Affairs, Khan said she fits that ideal.
President Name: Minahil Khan Party: Unity Year: Junior Major: Political science and communication Current SA position: Director of Student Affairs
As the Engineering Council coordinator, Joe Pace organizes events that the 15 clubs he oversees hold throughout the year. Engineering Week is the largest of these events and this is where Pace said he has gained the experience that qualifies him for Student Association treasurer. The past two years, Pace was appointed to the finance committee of SA, which is in charge of preparing the entire SA budget for the following year. Pace also said that as the Engineering Council coordinator he disperses more than $20,000 to the clubs in his council. CONTINUED TO PAGE 5
Nate Oats named men’s basketball head coach
Tasting the Queen City Buffalo Untapped brings local food trucks and breweries to campus
Former assistant will replace Hurley on Bulls’ bench
MARISSA FIELDING STAFF WRITER
TOM DINKI
Enzo Benfanti, a junior chemical engineering major, braved Saturday’s 40-degree windy weather in a tank top as he waited an hour and 45 minutes to take the first bite of a burrito from Lloyd Taco truck. Buffalo Untapped was held in North Campus’ Lake Lasalle Lot and Alumni Arena’s triple gym from 5-9 p.m. on Saturday evening. SA has been planning Buffalo Untapped since October as a way for undergraduate students to become more aware of what eateries, breweries and vendors Buffalo has to offer. Erin Lachaal, the SA entertainment director, came up with the idea for the event. As a Buffalo native, she wanted students unfamiliar with the area to feel the same excitement for the city as she does. While she said she felt the event was a success, she acknowledged there were a few problems including one to two hours wait times for some food trucks and running out of food. “This is the first time we’ve done this so there’s definitely some kinks that need to be worked out, and there’s ways to improve to make this bigger and better for the upcoming years,” Lachaal said. She estimated the cost of the event came to about $12,000, which was taken from the
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SENIOR NEWS EDITOR
undergraduate mandatory student activity fee. More than 2,000 undergraduates attended. Benfanti said he was content with the funds used for Buffalo Untapped. He hoped the SA would continue to hold the event in future years, with the kinks worked out. Benfanti thought more trucks should’ve been brought to the event to avoid long lines, while Evan Meenan, a junior communication major, felt the event could’ve been planned better. CONTINUED TO PAGE 5
See our endorsement and evaluation of the Unity Party’s platform
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JORDAN OSCAR, THE SPECTRUM
Top - The food trucks at Buffalo Untapped, like the popular Lloyd Taco truck and Franks Gourmet Hot Dogs, were busy from when the event opened at 5 p.m. until the event ended at 9 p.m. Lloyd Taco truck and UB’s own Big Blue served people until their lines ended around 9:10 p.m. Bottom - Students migrated from the ‘beer garden’ inside Alumni Arena’s Triple Gym, where they could sample beers from Flying Bison, Community Beer Works, Big Ditch Brewing Company and Resurgence Brewing Company.
UB to ‘boost’ Wi-Fi across campus starting this summer
ONLINE
Former assistant coach Nate Oats was named head coach of the men’s basketball team Saturday. Oats replaces former head coach Bobby Hurley, who Oats served under for two seasons. Hurley accepted the head coaching vacancy at Arizona State Thursday. Athletic Director Danny White released a statement saying that after hours of conversation with Oats, it became clear to him that “the best candidate to lead our men’s basketball team was already on campus.” “I am extremely confident that UB men’s basketball will continue to grow and reach new heights under Nate’s leadership,” White said in a statement. “To be sure, Alumni Arena will be an electric environment again next year as these talented student-athletes fight to defend their MidAmerican Conference Championship!” Oats also released a statement thanking White and President Satish Tripathi for the opportunity to coach the Bulls. He also thanked Hurley for bringing him to Buffalo two years ago. CONTINUED TO PAGE 4
Check out videos for Buffalo Untapped and SA endorsements at ubspectrum.com
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ubspectrum.com
Monday, April 13, 2015
Monday, April 13, 2015 ubspectrum.com
Editorial Board EDITOR IN CHIEF
Sara DiNatale
OPINION Unity Party is running unopposed, but not without expectations
MANAGING EDITORS
Rachel Kramer Emma Janicki, Asst. 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 Jordan Oscar, Asst. 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 13, 2015 Volume 64 Number 68 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 HARUMO SATO
Party candidates earn The Spectrum’s endorsement but with no opponent, focus of SA election shifts to issues at stake For the first time since 2008, there’s only one party in the running in the Student Association election. This disconcerting indication of student involvement in leadership on campus comes after the Clarity Party dropped out of the race a week before the election, leaving the Unity Party to run opposed. The election will be held from April 14-16. Despite the lack of an opposing party in this year’s election, which is much different from the competition the university is accustomed to seeing, The Spectrum supports the candidates on the Unity Party and feels they are qualified for the SA eboard positions. Regarding the Clarity Party, clearly candidates who don’t feel prepared, or don’t feel like they have a shot at winning, shouldn’t run. It’s vital that students who get elected are fully qualified and deserving of the responsibility of running the SA. But at the same time, there should be more than three students on campus who are passionate enough about their university and willing to dedicate their time to representing students’ voices. After all, the democratic process doesn’t work too well without any competition. Arguably, that process has also been damaged by recent changes to election policy. Although one major change that holds promise – requiring presidential and vice presidential candidates to run separately – failed to be brought before the Senate, a change in SUNY delegates’ appointment has been instilled in the election process. Now, the president will appoint SUNY delegates instead of the student body electing them. This decision is more questionable than the policy change that failed to be enacted, as it reeks of nepotism and seems to decrease students’ influence on the SA. But considering the consistently low voter turnout each year, this argument doesn’t hold as much as sway as it could. In a sense, allowing delegates to be appointed makes it easier for multiple parties to run, because potential groups will only need to gather three candidates. This change, though it didn’t have the desired effect this year, could help prevent elections featuring only one party in the future. But this year, the Unity Party’s
path to election has been conveniently paved for them; the candidates now face elevated scrutiny as their high-level positions in leadership are all but guaranteed. Presidential candidate Minahil Khan, her vice president running mate Sean Kaczmarek and treasurer Joe Pace presented their platforms to The Spectrum staff Sunday, in what typically would have been a bid for endorsements over the competing party or parties. Instead, The Spectrum had a choice between endorsing Khan and Kaczmarek – who are running on the same ballot – and Pace, or endorsing no one at all. So in lieu of competition, the candidates’ presentations served as indication of their level of preparation and commitment to serving the student body for the next year and the value of the new ideas they’re bringing to the table. The increase of the mandatory student activity fee by $10 per student each semester gives the SA a significantly increased budget, so the stakes are higher than ever – and so, too, should be the attentiveness of the student body to these candidates’ plans for their money.
Khan and Kaczmarek’s extensive experience and internal knowledge of SA is a plus, but their proposals lack specificity Both of these candidates have participated in multiple clubs and served on several committees during their time at UB, giving them useful insight into the inner workings of SA. Accordingly, Khan and Kaczmarek have proposed several promising policies aimed at improving communication within SA and diversifying the students and employees who run the association. Khan hopes to reach more students by taking advantage of UB’s listserv system, a simple move that would help increase general awareness of the opportunities within the SA. Similarly, she proposes a more consistent interview process and system of evaluations of SA employees to help encourage a more effective and diverse workforce and avoid a consistent trend of inhouse hiring. Kaczmarek, whose proposals focus primarily on clubs, suggests the development of a much-needed
grievance policy so students have a formal method for submitting complaints and holding SA employees accountable if they make mistakes. Increased communication between SA and the student body at large is essential, and these candidates show an impressive awareness of this issue and a willingness to speak candidly about internal issues. However, Khan is less willing to speak in anything more than politically-correct terms when it comes to the efforts of past SA leaders. When questioned about the muchmaligned SA website redesign, her response was disappointingly devoid of opinion or critique. It’s important these candidates are aware of both the successes and failures of their predecessors so they can avoid making the same mistakes. In fairness, the Unity Party’s candidates are under less pressure to take a stand, as they face no opposing party. Their lack of candor can be explained by their comfortable position, but that doesn’t make the minimal logistical details of their proposals any less disappointing. Kaczmarek opened his speech with a discussion of the importance of a new club handbook, one that would be consistent and more useful to club coordinators. But upon further questions, the details of those improvements weren’t made apparent – nor their necessity. Meanwhile, Khan proposed exciting plans to help bus students downtown for free or reduced-price events, but did not have a concrete idea as to what buses would be used other than to go with the cheapest option. Her ideas to reach out to students seeking out graduate school by offering subsidized test prep books seemed promising, but didn’t extend much beyond that initial proposal. The policies that Khan and Kaczmarek laid out are all relevant to student needs and reflect the candidates’ desire to reach out to the student body at large. They clearly need to develop their ideas with greater detail, but despite the lack of logistics, these candidates appear up to the challenge.
Despite lack of fiscal experience, Pace is a clearly committed candidate with promising ideas Typically, candidates running for the position of SA treasurer have worked in the position before on a club. They usually have experience directly managing a budget and
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their major tends to be related to finance or business. Pace is an aerospace and mechanical engineering major, and though he’s worked on the SA’s Financial Committee and has experience dispersing funds, he has less fiscal experience than The Spectrum is accustomed to seeing in candidates. But Pace is clearly knowledgeable about the budgetary frustrations faced by clubs and has a clear idea about how to alleviate them. His plan to redesign the rollover policy for clubs is attentive to the diversity of clubs’ interests and priorities. Currently, a club must fundraise 50 percent of its budget and run four events over the course of a year in order to retain its remaining money at the end of the fiscal year. This policy is problematic, as it caters to clubs that are inclined to hosting large-scale, revenue producing events. Meanwhile, smaller clubs that struggle to raise money are denied their rollover funds as well. Pace’s plan helps equal the playing – or fundraising – field. Clubs can now host additional events, activities and community service projects to reduce that 50 percent requirement down to as low as 23 percent. The policy is a smart compromise that will help clubs currently failing to meet rollover requirements, without changing the rules for clubs that have no issue meeting the 50 percent goal. In a more ambitious move, Pace hopes to establish a budget line to help clubs host national conferences at UB. If successful, this policy could help improve UB’s national profile and encourage students to network within their niche interests. The proposal is an example of an intelligent application of SA’s increased budget, as it would help club members and the UB student population as a whole. The remainder of Pace’s proposals are less fleshed out, but if he can fulfill vague promises about increasing diverse food options on campus and taking student opinions about concert choices into account, he’ll more than make up for his slight lack in financial experiences.
Voter turnout may reach historic lows Even in years past with multiple parties contending for students’ votes, turnout has been meager, hovering around an embarrassing 15 percent. Now, with the Unity Party’s essentially assured victory, the motivation for students to vote seems likely to reach a new low – but this shouldn’t be the case. As members of this academic community, voting in SA elections is a critical way to help remain active in the democratic process and have a say in events that impact the campus. Students who complain about the performers selected for concerts at UB, for example, shouldn’t speak a word unless they do their part to elect student leaders who they feel would represent their needs. So this year, even with only one party running, it’s still important to cast a vote. Supporting the Unity Party, as The Spectrum does, is one choice. But it’s also possible to cast a vote in protest of the lack of competition, and against the recent changes in SA election policy, by submitting a blank ballot. The lack of democratic competition this year is far from ideal, and that discontent can be expressed at the polls. But fortunately, the Unity Party’s platform and professionalism suggest that they are deserving of the majority anyway – even if they did have an opponent. email: editorial@ubspectrum.com
ubspectrum.com
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UB to improve Wi-Fi across all campuses
Monday, April 13, 2015 CHARLES W SCHAAB, THE SPECTRUM
Jacob Watkins, a junior electrical engineering major, connects to UB’s wireless network in the Cybrary. UB will be improving Wi-Fi across all campuses starting this summer and the project will take three years to complete.
Campus says Wi-Fi ‘boost’ will allow more students to stay connected longer CHARLES W SCHAAB
ASST. NEWS EDITOR
Dalton Acosta finished his lab report with seven minutes to spare before the deadline. To send it in, the freshman biological sciences major needed to reconnect to the wireless server, UB Secure, which he said has always been an issue for him in his Goodyear Hall dorm. After failing several times to connect in his room, Acosta ran to his floor lounge to try the connection there. This delay in connection made Acosta’s report late by four minutes and cost him two-points on his grade. “Nothing too harsh, but still a bit annoying,” Acosta said. “I barely get any service [in Goodyear Hall] … my experience with the school Wi-Fi has been less than pleasant.” UB Information Technology (UBIT) is unrolling a new plan to help students like Acosta get their assignments in on time with its new Wi-Fi Boost initiative. UBIT will be improving its wireless Internet connections starting this summer for students, faculty and staff members across the North, South and downtown Medical Campuses. The WiFi boost will start over the summer. Some outdoor areas where students walk will also be receiving Wi-Fi according to Brice Bible, vice president and chief information officer of UBIT. “There are upwards of 100,000 devices that connect to the network … that number is increasing as technology improves,” Bible said. Bible said that UBIT has not received an official quote from the various wireless providers that UB is considering for the project. An exact number will not be available until the provider is chosen and UB is trying to get the best deal, Bible said. The Wi-Fi boost will update and add
more access points across the campuses, according to Diane Tuorto, an IT communications specialist on campus. Access points are what allow a wireless device to connect to a wired network, she said. UB has around 2,800 between all three campuses, according to Tuorto. The Wi-Fi boost initiative will cover the 150 buildings and 11.5 million square feet that make up UB, according to UBIT website. Mark Deuell, Director of Network and Classroom Services at UBIT, said to provide the desired coverage for UB they are projecting to double the number of access points on campus. “It is not just about more access points, but a better, more reliable connection,” Tuorto said. Each access point now can support more than 100 clients, but with limited bandwidth – or connection speed – for each of those clients. Tuorto said that the goal of the WiFi boost is to reduce that number to 25 clients per access point, which would improve the connection speed. A client is a device that can be active on the network and can include laptops, tablets and cellphones, according to Deuell. The new access points will support the latest 802.11ac standard that can theoretically deliver 1.3 gigabytes per second to each client, according to Tuorto. The latest Wi-Fi standard is 802.11ac, which was finalized in 2013 and is three times faster than the previous 802.11n, according to Forbes. This will be the first time UBIT will be boosting the school’s Wi-Fi since Wi-Fi was introduced at UB in 2001, according to Tuorto. Tuorto said previous installations were done incrementally over many years and never in a comprehensive Wi-Fi expansion
project such as this. “I am surprised that it took so long to begin updating the Wi-Fi,” said Emma O’Connor, a first-year graduate student in the School of Social Work. “Fourteen years and this is the first Wi-Fi boost? That amazes me, especially in the fast paced technological world we now live in.” For the past 18 years UBIT has issued a Student Experience Survey every fall, in which students answer questions that aid in UBIT’s understanding of how technology is being used across campus. In open-ended comments in the 2014 UBIT Student Experience Survey, which can be found on the UBIT website, most students have requested that better, more reliable Wi-Fi be made available at UB. O’Connor said the secure connection never works for her and she usually can’t get on the Wi-Fi while in class in Baldy Hall, where the School of Social Work is housed. “Wi-Fi is critical to our ability to function on campus and I am glad UB is spending money to improve it,” O’Connor said. Olivia Lautin, a junior accounting major, said that although she has never had problems with UB’s Wi-Fi, she is still glad to see her tuition money being spent on something as vital as Wi-Fi. She said UB’s Wi-Fi has always been pretty reliable for her. “I live on campus so I’m always using it … having a stronger connection can only help,” Lautin said. Tuorto said the Wi-Fi boost will start in the most densely populated areas on campus. Bible said that the Student Union will be the first area to receive a boost, followed by the larger classrooms on the campuses. email: news@ubspectrum.com
Nate Oats named men’s basketball head coach CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
“We are starting to establish a great tradition of success here and I am extremely excited about getting to work with the coaching staff and players in order to focus on carrying that tradition forward into the future,” Oats said in a statement. Oats coached at Romulus High School near Detroit, Michigan for 11 seasons – winning the school’s first state title in 27 years in 2012-13 – before coming to Buffalo with Hurley in 2013. Oats coached three current Bulls players at Romulus, including MAC Player of the Year Justin Moss, junior forward Raheem Johnson and freshman guard Christian Pino, and was particularly instrumental in bringing Moss to UB. Oats told Indian Hills Community College head coach Barret Peery to give Moss an opportunity after Moss was diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a heart disease that causes a buildup of tissues that can often lead to cardiac arrest. Toledo would not allow Moss to play basketball. Moss played one season for Indian Hills before Oats brought him to Buffalo. “It’s kind of cliché, but I really don’t know where I would be without [Oats],” Moss told The Spectrum in November. “He’s done a lot for me, so I’m really appreciative that I met him.” There has been speculation that some of Buffalo’s top players, including sophomore guard Shannon Evans, would transfer because of Hurley’s departure and even possibly join him at Arizona State. Evans tweeted Saturday, “So proud of my guy [Nate Oats].” An introductory press conference for Oats will be held in Alumni Arena at 3 p.m. Monday. email: tom.dinki@ubspectrum.com
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ubspectrum.com
Monday, April 13, 2015
Meet the candidates
als in the industries. Pace said he wants students to benefit from the greater Buffalo community by working with local companies. Pace has purposely taken a larger credit load this semester so that he can be more available in the SA office if he is elected. He plans to take 13 credit hours next semester. He also said he and his party want to set up a Google calendar for the e-board so clubs can know when the three will be in the office.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1, JOE PACE
“My work as Engineering Council coordinator has given [me] insight into the day-today process of financial policy and how the SA finance department operates,” Pace said. Pace wants to make it easier for clubs to receive a rollover from their last budget, as clubs currently must raise 50 percent of the budget allocated to them to receive that budget next year. Pace said he understands that some clubs’ missions are to provide a service rather than to generate revenue, so it may be difficult for them to raise 50 percent of their budget. He has devised a system that allows clubs to hold or attend three additional community service events, three club events and three SA events to receive a 3 percent reduction off of the 50 percent they are required to raise. This will be in accordance with SA’s program that mandates clubs hold or participate in two fundraising events, two club events, two community service events, two club meetings and two SA events. He said that the maximum reduction clubs can take off would be 27 percent. Pace said this new policy would allow more clubs to receive rollover funds from year to year and it will appeal to the diverse clubs the SA has. Pace said he also wants more students to get the most benefits they can from their mandatory student activity fee. He said this will start by hiring an effective and motivated staff that will do a good job promoting events. “If you are putting students’ money towards [events and services], they should know about it and be able to reap the benefits,” Pace said. Pace said he brought corporations to this year’s Engineering Week so that students could foster relationships with profession-
Tasting the Queen City CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Meenan said if the event started earlier, or if there were more trucks, “more people would have come to space out the lines.” Along with Lloyd Taco truck, the Black Market Food truck, Franks Gourmet Hot Dogs, Betty Crockski, Sweet Hearth and UB’s own campus food truck, Big Blue, served the students at the event. The Black Market ran out of food around
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1, MINAHIL KHAN
“I feel like I really understand the undergraduate needs and that, coupled with the fact I have the skills and experience with advocacy, make me confident I can do a good job as SA president,” Khan said. Khan said she’s “worked in every aspect” of SA during her three years at UB. She started off involving herself in political clubs like College Republicans, College Democrats and Mock Trial as a freshman. She has also served as an SA senator and last year was the Special Interest, Services and Hobbies (SISH) Council coordinator. Khan said she wants to increase the voice undergraduates, both in SA and not in SA, have in the organization. She said she’s “committed to making an inclusive and encouraging environment to all students.” One of the ways she plans to do this is by creating “a fair hiring process” for SA positions, as the majority of students who apply are already in SA, according to Khan. “I know everyone says that every year, but we’ve laid it out specifically,” she said. She plans to use UB’s listserv to email different UB schools and on-campus departments so SA can diversify its applicant pool. She also wants to hold information sessions at different department meetings about SA jobs for people who don’t know what SA is. “So when we hire students, we’re getting students who have diverse experiences, not just SA,” Khan said. Khan said to further appeal to the general student body, she wants SA to sell books at a reduced rate for students preparing to take
7 p.m., causing a herd of hungry students to migrate on to other food truck lines – making them even longer. The lines in the “Beer Garden” for Community Beer Works, Flying Bison, Resurgence and Big Ditch Brewing Co. were almost as long as the food trucks outside at times. The beer vendors experienced similar problems to the food trucks as some ran out of drink samples. Despite some students being left without food or beer, others discovered the new tastes from Buffalo microbreweries. Kevin Carpenter, a junior psychology major, tasted Flying Bison’s India Pale Ale (IPA) and loved it. He plans on getting it when he goes into the city.
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exams like the MCAT, LSAT and GRE. She said she’s in contact with companies that would sell SA the books at wholesale prices so SA could then sell the books to students at a reduced rate. She said SA would most likely distribute the books through the Sub-Board I Inc. ticket office, but that the details would have to be worked out this summer. Khan would also like to use the General Activities and Programming budget line to fund buses to take students to other areas of Buffalo like the Albright Knox or to Buffalo Sabres’ games. She said the scheduling of the buses would be based on the demand and would be catered “around everything else we’re doing so we can maximize the number of students we’re taking.” “There’s a lot this city offers that people don’t necessarily get to see in Amherst just being on North Campus,” Khan said. Khan said all options for the buses, including UB Parking and Transportation Services, are being considered and she would go with the cheapest one. The funding for the buses from the General Activities and Programming line would be available because of the mandatory student activity fee increase, according to Khan. The mandatory fee all undergraduates pay that funds the SA will increase from $94.75 to $104.75 beginning this fall. Khan said this increase would allow SA to introduce new programs and expand programs that go beyond clubs and cater to all UB students. “At the end of the day, all students contribute to SA, that’s what makes it possible,” Khan said. “I want students to understand they have a vested interest and it’s something they pay for … We are a student government and we’re collectively responsible for representing all undergraduates.”
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1, SEAN KACZMAREK
Kaczmarek, who is UB’s finalist for the Harry S. Truman Student Scholarship, worked as the publicity director for Model United Nations and vice president for the College Democrats during his freshman
“[Buffalo Untapped] is more accessible for people who are not able to go around and try [different beer] for themselves,” Carpenter said. “I feel like we’re excluded from the rest of Buffalo, so it’s very important that we have a way to get outside of UB.” The line for the tasting began to decrease around 6 p.m. as more students went to wait in the food lines. “I would hope that next year we can bring even more trucks because this has proven to be exactly what the students want,” Lachaal said. In addition to food trucks and local breweries, bands were brought in to entertain the crowds. “A lot of [the bands] are local students,
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year. In these roles, he said he learned more about how clubs interact with SA and he recognized where there was a lack of communication between clubs and SA. As vice president, Kaczmarek wants to form a grievance policy where SA can see where fault lies, if there is any miscommunication and clubs can get a more positive experience. He also wants to update the current SA club handbook. He is hoping to have a proposal by Aug. 1. “We are operating on [a club handbook] from two years ago, we want to update it and make it an official working policy that fits SA views,” Kaczmarek said. Kaczmarek also wants to improve the club orientation experience by gearing orientations specifically toward certain subjects to make them more efficient and easier for those councils and to shorten the overall experience. “Clubs kind of dread going through them and coordinators think they are kind of boring because they are not specific to our council and a lot of times our clubs don’t get much out of them, so what we want to do is shorten the orientation,” Kaczmarek said. Kaczmarek said, for example, engineering clubs will hear more specific things about material donations, sports clubs might hear more about traveling and competitions and International clubs might hear more about how to plan events like International Fiesta. He also wants to make club workshops more effective by having them be more subject-specific. He wants specific workshops in which SA can show clubs what is needed for banquets as far as contracting venues. He also mentioned workshops on coaching for sports clubs and how to bring in speakers. Kaczmarek said he feels SA’s new website is functional because SA’s budget, club information and forms are all readily available on the website. “Every database we need to operate as a $4 million organization is built into that website,” Kaczmarek said. As vice president, Kaczmarek wants more students to get involved in SA and join clubs, which he said they could do by sending out a simple email to discover new clubs. Although the specific details and strategies have yet to be mapped out, Kaczmarek said he plans show students that every club is welcoming and encourage them to get more involved in clubs. email: news@ubspectrum.com PHOTOS BY YUSONG SHI, THE SPECTRUM
so why not have students play since student culture builds within itself,” said SA Vice President Evan Chen. In order for the program to begin, the SA had to apply for multiple licenses to provide the food trucks and serve alcohol to the students. For Lachaal and Chen, seeing students fully engaged in an activity on campus that helped them become more aware of Buffalo as a city was more successful than they could’ve imagined. They said they’re certain Buffalo Untapped will become a tradition at UB. James Battle contributed reporting to this story. email: features@ubspectrum.com
ubspectrum.com
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BACK ON THE BASE PATH CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8
By the spring of his freshman year of high school, Sinay was able to return to the diamond. He made the varsity team without an indication that an injury had ever occurred. Sinay has been symptom-free ever since. Birmingham, the head baseball coach at Sinay’s alma mater Marcellus High School, said he didn’t see any signs of his injury and Sinay played like he was physically at 100 percent. Sinay became one of the best players Birmingham had ever seen. Sinay was recruited most heavily by Buffalo and Northeastern University and received letters from other schools expressing their interest. Sinay said he ultimately picked Buffalo because it’s where he could get the most out of his baseball career. In his freshman season with the Bulls, Sinay served mostly as an outfield defensive substitute and a pinch runner, stealing three bases in 2013. Since arriving in Buffalo, Buffalo head coach Ron Torgalski said Sinay has “developed into a solid player and taken the roles he’s needed to.” Sinay’s best strength is his speed, which allows him to cover a wide range between left-center and right-center field and makes him a constant threat to steal. Sinay said he inherited his speed from his father, who also played baseball in college. Torgalski defines Sinay as a tough, hardnosed, gritty player who has developed into a “pro prospect.” “Nick’s one of those guys that the opposing team probably hates,” Torgalski said. “He’s a nightmare to them because he can do so many things. He can steal second, steal third, go first to third on a base hit, swing or bunt for a hit. Once he’s on base, teams have to concentrate on him.” This season, Sinay is attempting to set the single season school record for most stolen bases and wants to steal at least 50 bases. And two games past the halfway point of
the season, he’s 13 away from breaking the record and halfway to 50. The Bulls record for most stolen bases in a season is 37, set by outfielder/first baseman Bob Amico in 1976. Last year, Sinay stole 31 bases in 51 games. With a newfound confidence, Sinay has stolen 25 bases in 27 games. “I felt kind of timid last season,” Sinay said. “Now I feel comfortable going on any pitch I want.” Sinay said his speed is an integral part of his game and potentially the best aspect he brings to the field. “He’s … probably the best base runner I’ve ever coached,” Birmingham said. “He used to take enormous leads at first base – foolish for any other player that I’ve had. But for him, it was well within his ability.” Sometimes, the team would have to tell Sinay to stop stealing because he constantly had “the green light” to go. Birmingham and the coaches often gave Sinay the special “stop” sign, which was implemented if the team was winning by too large of a margin. Birmingham said they didn’t want to embarrass the other teams with Sinay’s speed. Torgalski said professional scouts love his quickness around the base path. He runs the 60-yard dash in 6.3 seconds. “You don’t find many guys like that,” Torgalski said. “One of the things I’m most impressed with is how quickly he gets to full speed. When he steals bases, he reaches full speed faster than anyone I’ve ever seen.” Sinay’s parents said they are are proud of his humility. They said he always works hard at whatever he does and never boasts. Torgalski said he believes Sinay has unlimited potential because he just keeps getting better. “He’s learning the strike zone, learning how to get on base all the time, he’s the kind of guy the pro scouts are interested in, and I think more and more people are going to take interest in him,” Torgalski said. Sinay is regarded as a potential selection in this year’s MLB Amateur Draft. Several major league teams are talking with Sinay and he said he is excited for the potential opportunity. The MLB Amateur Draft is June 8-10 this year. Sinay hopes to hear his name called. email: sports@ubspectrum.com
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Monday, April 13, 2015
RIOULT Dance: A 20-year legacy Minimalist and impressionist routines captivates audiences in the CFA
Choreographer Pascal Rioult brought pre-impressionist era art to life through dance during the company’s performance Saturday night. COURTESY OF FLICKR USER KEITH
KENNETH KASIF THOMAS STAFF WRITER Dancing is a grueling art form. Members of Pascal Rioult’s company practice for eight hours a day – three-hour classes and then another two to six hours in the studio for rehearsal. The work of Pascal Rioult and his company, RIOULT Dance NY, made its way to the Center for the Arts Mainstage Theatre on Saturday night. The two-part production was the most recent in the M&T Bank Dance Series, a celebration of 20 years of RIOULT Dance NY. Rioult started the company in 1994, after he built up experience performing with Paul Sanasardo and May O’Donnell. Apart from being the company’s owner, Rioult is also the artistic director and choreographer of RIOULT Dance NY. “The first part is artistic, very impressionistic. The second part has German influence, [post] second world [war],” Pascal Rioult said, in a question session before the performance. The choreographer emphasized the intense workload for the dancers during the session – professional dancers spend even more time practicing than the company’s requirements. Only a select few are able to handle the pain of intensive practicing, Rioult said. “Your body doesn’t lie, from there you can tell who will be a performer or not,” he said. The visual elements of the routine were minimalist as the dancers wore neutral leotards, movements were strong and deliberate and the performance was set to a backdrop of Impressionist-era paintings. “I love when they did the interplay when they did the mirror and reflection scene, and I liked the background interpretations when they mixed it in with the dancing,” said Michelangelo Barber, a 52-year-old Buffalo resident. “It was fantastic; it really was.” Pascal Rioult uses the medium of dance
as a vehicle to project social commentary, something Laura Curthoys, an arts management graduate student, noticed as she watched the performance through the lens of what her classes focus on. “In our program we’re talking about how art benefits society,” Curthoys said. “The social commentary in the [first half] is something many people don’t realize dance can do.” For Barber, the poise and control the dancers exhibited along with their synchronous movements during the piece was representative of how people interact. “It’s indicative of the separatism of society, in which gender roles pitted individuals against their better halves,” Barber said. “It speaks on how as people we have time [for each other], but we don’t take it.” Rioult built the show around abstract visual elements that allowed the audience to develop their own interpretations of the performance. “[The routine was] very abstract, purely architectural to me. It’s about structure,” Rioult said. “I did a lot of research, I research my pieces. I’m always prepared; [it] doesn’t mean I always know what I’m doing, it means I have a good guess.” When the production came to a close, the performers bowed and curtseyed to their audience, whose uproarious standing ovation lasted well after the curtains closed. “There are times when powerful and moving are apt words to describe a performance; they would be insufficient for today’s performance,” Barber said. “The production as a whole was fantastic.” The performers’ arduous practice schedule paid off, as they put on both a beautiful performance and a thought-provoking piece that used different mediums in order to project ideas. Their minimalist approach to costumes allowed their movements to be more easily appreciated and to contrast with the complex artwork behind them. email: arts@ubspectrum.com
Monday, April 13, 2015 ubspectrum.com
CLASSIFIEDS
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DAILY DELIGHTS sponsored by Collegiate Village Apartments Crossword of the Day Monday, April 13, 2015 FROM UNIVERSAL UCLICK
HOROSCOPES
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Share information and knowledge and build good relations with people who move in the same professional circles as you. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): A lack of discipline will lead to problems at home. Don’t let indulgence take over. Focus on being the best you can be. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Opt to make changes that will bring about a better home environment. Good fortune will result if you have a discussion with a potential client or employer. CANCER (June 21-July 22): Mix business with pleasure. Socialize with colleagues and clients. Changes in your relationship will be to your advantage if you are willing to compromise. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Social events should include colleagues. The more you network, the greater your chances of getting ahead. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Romance should be high on your list of priorities, along with selfimprovement and doing whatever it takes to stay healthy mentally, physically and financially. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Refuse to argue over petty matters. Join a cause you believe in and you will make a difference and also meet someone you enjoy spending time with. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Keep matters concerning your relationships in perspective. Overreacting will not help you resolve a pending problem. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Devise a plan and stick to it. You will have the chance to excel if you display your talents, skills and enthusiasm. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Listen to what’s being said, but don’t share personal information with anyone. A change in the way you feel about someone is likely to cause a problem that can infringe on your privacy. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Use discretion in all your dealings with friends, relatives or people in your community. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Refrain from being a follower or chameleon. Don’t let anyone play with your emotions or lead you astray.
Edited by Timothy E. Parker April 13, 2015 METER READER By Henry Quarters
ACROSS 1 Quaker’s “you” 5 Beanies 9 Ghana’s capital 14 Didn’t draw a card 15 Biblical shepherd 16 “Rain Man” director Levinson 17 Desiccated 18 “Legal” prefix 19 Make feel small 20 Place for a conductor 23 3:00 on a sundial 24 Take unfair advantage of 25 Like Spock’s nerve pinch 28 Lines man? 30 Certain Nigerians, formerly 32 Pie-mode connection 33 Wainscot again 36 Having a common ancestor 37 Airport-based business, often 39 Highlander 41 Most massive 42 Sighs of comfort 43 It won’t buy much 44 Bartender on TV’s Pacific Princess 48 Light, custard-filled cake 50 How do ewe sound? 52 Biochemistry abbr. 53 Virus causes 57 Grab tightly 59 Shoestring 60 Germinated grain
61 “Calvin and Hobbes” girl 62 “Puppy Love” singer Paul 63 “Zip-___-DooDah” 64 Change, as the Constitution 65 Minority votes, often 66 Adjusts, as a clock
DOWN 1 Comedian’s Muse 2 Brave 3 Bring out 4 Taro root 5 Bars for guitars 6 Decrease 7 “Frasier” actress Gilpin 8 Sarajevo resident 9 Adding device of old 10 Band of schemers 11 Seafood dish for grouches? 12 Four Monopoly squares (Abbr.) 13 Favorable vote 21 Dye-producing gastropod 22 Develop by gradual changes 26 Cassius Clay, now 27 One of the Bobbsey twins 29 Face-to-face exam 30 Dead to the world 31 Arctic Ocean obstacle 34 Accumulate
35 Slippery-eel link 36 “Hamlet” has five 37 Precedent setter 38 Thomas of the Basketball Hall of Fame 39 Type of reflex 40 Opposite of “huh?” 43 Slept under the stars 45 Amusement place 46 Short sock 47 Social divisions in India 49 Biology lab stain 50 A Conner on “Roseanne” 51 Code and rug 54 ___ Bator, Mongolia 55 Lake ___ (Blue Nile source) 56 Latin 101 verb 57 Fed. construction overseer 58 Coke complement
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Monday, April 13, 2015 ubspectrum.com
SPORTS
BACK ON
THE BASE PATH Outfielder Nick Sinay overcomes injury to become a potential draft pick BOBBY MCINTOSH ASST. SPORTS EDITOR
As a junior in high school, Nick Sinay blasted a two-run homerun over the right-center field wall of NBT Bank Stadium, where the Syracuse Chiefs, the Triple-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals, play. In his next at-bat, he hit a ground rule double that bounced over the 407-foot marker in center field. “It was a man-sized thing for a kid to do,” said Peter Birmingham, Sinay’s high school head coach. Sinay, who is currently a junior centerfielder for the Bulls, has an on-base percentage of .492, leads the Mid-American Conference with 25 stolen bases, is tied for the conference lead with 15 hits by pitches, and is a potential draft pick in June’s MLB Amateur Draft. But before he stole his first base at Buffalo – even before his high school career began – Sinay wasn’t sure if he was going to play
sports ever again. He wasn’t even sure if he would walk again. In the fall of eighth grade, Sinay endured a bilateral fracture in his L5 vertebrae in his lower back. The injury could have left him paralyzed or bound to a wheelchair for the rest of his life. The doctors said it was caused by a growth spurt and overexertion. The L5 vertebrae are the base of the spine – they provide stability for the rest of the spine and support the weight of the entire torso. The sciatic nerve, which runs through both legs, is located in this vertebrae segment and could become damaged if the L5, or other lower parts of the lumbar spine are damaged. Originally, Sinay thought he only pulled a back muscle when he was playing basketball with his friends. But then he fell to the ground in pain after landing from a layup attempt. Sinay, who assumed the injury was mild, took several weeks off to recover before attempting to try out for his junior varsity base-
The silent treatment Athletics’ lack of response during breaking coaching news is unacceptable
TOM DINKI
SENIOR NEWS EDITOR
I’ve grown used to it. A major sports story breaks on campus and UB Athletics doesn’t even pick up the phone. The most recent incident: men’s basketball head coach Bobby Hurley leaving Buffalo for the Arizona State job opening Thursday night. When news broke that Hurley was headed to Tempe, we immediately began to write down our list of potential sources to call – everyone from former players to current players’ parents and even Hurley himself. But the first number on our list was UB Athletics itself. UB Athletic Communications is our lifeline for covering the Bulls. We’re mandated to go through that department to cover games, speak with players and administrators and gain access – everything we need. And Thursday night the media needed a confirmation that Hurley was leaving. We wanted a comment from Athletic Director Danny White. We wanted access to players. It’s our responsibility as a news organization to request this. We didn’t even get an answered phone call. We got a press release. Now UB Athletics is holding an introductory press conference for new head coach
Nate Oats Monday. White will most likely be made available to the media for questions (if he’s not, you’ll see another column Wednesday) after his speech and maybe if we’re luckily they’ll give us a player or two. But that doesn’t change the fact Hurley has been the head coach of Arizona State for four days now and we’ve yet hear from White or anyone surrounding the team. The Spectrum’s attempts to contact White have been unsuccessful, and Athletic Communications told us players wouldn’t be available until after the new coach is announced. After being stonewalled by athletics the night former football head coach Jeff Quinn was fired last October, I wasn’t surprised Thursday night unraveled how it did. The only time I can recall Athletics answering our phone call during breaking coaching news was when volleyball head coach Reed Sunahara resigned to coach at West Virginia last month – but that was only because they didn’t know about it yet. When The Spectrum contacted Arizona State’s media relations regarding Hurley Thursday, our call was answered and we were given a straight answer: Yes, Bobby is the new head coach of the Sun Devils. Seems pretty big-time to me. When your job is athletic communication, I don’t think you should turn off your cellphone at the most important times the media and public need to communicate with athletics. Of course, this is not the Athletic Communications staff decision for silence during breaking coaching news. That call is likely from the top – from White. White has made himself available to The
ball team as a 13-year-old. That was when the pain of the injury returned. As Sinay went into the batting cages to practice his swing, he experienced what he called “the worst pain of his life.” His back completely gave out and he was immobilized for an entire day. “I couldn’t even walk,” Sinay said. “I knew at that point, it was more than just a pulled muscle.” After a bone scan, the doctors told Sinay he bilaterally fractured his L5 vertebrae – they said he may never be able to play sports again. Upon hearing the diagnosis, Sinay said his face turned white and his stomach turned over. “For a doctor to say that to a kid who eats, sleeps and breathes sports … it crushed me,” Sinay said. His parents, Paul and Linda Sinay, were also distraught. Surgery wasn’t an option because he was so young. The only potential treatment for the fracture was rest and rehabilitation, according to the doctors, Sinay said. The most crucial part of Sinay’s recovery was to keep his core muscles strong to provide support for his back.
Spectrum at times during this academic year. He spoke with me during the Bulls’ NCAA Tournament selection show party and gave what seemed like a genuine, thoughtful response to a tough question about firing coaches. But his accessibility is generally when we’re writing positive stories about game attendance, promotions and victories. Why can’t he set aside 15 minutes on the phone when he sacks Quinn or Hurley leaves town? That’s when we really need him access to him. After unsuccessfully reaching White through his own office Friday afternoon, I was told I’d need to go through Athletic Communications to set up an interview. But one of the staff members I was told to go through is out of the office for the week and the other did not answer the phone. White also canceled a sit-down with The Spectrum to speak about the UB Athletics budget for an on-going series of stories. Then Athletic Communications told us White didn’t want to talk about the budget and to speak with Deputy Director of Athletics Allen Greene, who did honor his scheduled interview The Spectrum. Not good enough. The athletic director should be held accountable to answer questions about his department’s budget, when he fires coaches or when the most successful basketball coach in school history leaves for a bigger program. The university and student body deserves answers on what was done to keep Hurley and the events that led to his departure. We – and all media – should be able to ask if the narrative The Buffalo News has been reporting from unnamed sources about Hurley feeling insulted by Athletics’ salary offer is true. All we’ve heard out of White after coaches leave the program is a released statement. He’s isn’t heard from again until the introductory press conference for the new head coach, at which point the focus is on the new head coach rather than the departure of the previous.
YUSONG SHI, THE SPECTRUM
Nick Sinay runs to second base with first base in hand. Sinay looks to steal 50 bases this season, which would be a Bulls record.
Sinay spent months away from baseball and went to physical therapy. Then, during a checkup in June, the doctors told Sinay and his mother there was a chance he could return to athletics. Sinay called his father soon after, who said there was no greater joy than to hear his son could return to do what he loved doing – competing in sports. “I remember how our faces just lit up with the biggest smiles that were filled with excitement,” Sinay said. “It was the best news we could have possibly heard.” During his year and a half hiatus, Sinay lifted weights and worked out religiously to rehabilitate. He said he spent about eight hours per week in the weight room. Paul said he had never seen his son in better shape before in his life. CONTINUED ON PAGE 6
The media has to hold White accountable about Hurley’s departure at Monday’s press conference. He should be answering just as many questions about Hurley as much as he is about Oats. White can somewhat rectify the situation by providing honest and open answers Monday – it’s just four days too late. Even though the players on the Bulls are our peers we are unable to have an official conversation without them without the presence or approval of Athletics It is a widespread NCAA policy. The university wants to protect its brand. But if you’re going to bar us from speaking with our classmates, at least make a few, coached-up players available for comment when their head coach leaves. It’s better than nothing. We were given Megan Lipski of the volleyball team when Sunahara left town. Why the double standard when it’s a sport that’s more popularly attended? The Spectrum covers Athletics like any newspaper covers beats. We consistently cover the department with sometimes unparalleled in depth coverage (OK - I’m a little bias) and provide the student body access they wouldn’t normally have. Yes, it’s often critical, but the good has to be taken with the bad. While we have had some issues in the past with UB Athletics and we sometimes have trouble getting interviews, Athletic Communications is generally accommodating and flexible during the noncontroversial times. They made sure The Spectrum had courtside seating preferences for the Bulls’ NCAA Tournament game in Columbus, Ohio. I appreciate that. So, I don’t mean to come off as entitled. You might be thinking, Why does Athletics owe you, some 21-year-old college student, any kind of a response? Because I – and the other reporters at this paper – represent the student body. We are their newspaper and they are the students who have filled your stadium seats this past season, Mr. White. email: tom.dinki@ubspectrum.com