UBSPECTRUM.COM
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2017 PAGE 4 Mythbusters: Going abroad edition Five of the biggest study abroad myths, according to UB’s Study Abroad program
VOLUME 67 NO. 7
PAGE 4 UB looks forward to upcoming Buffalo Humanities Festival Lead environmentalist Bill McKibben will be this year’s keynote speaker
BEFORE
Malala Yousafzai speaks at Distinguished Speaker Series UB’s tenth visiting Nobel Prize laureate shares her mission
AFTER
PAGE 8 Chipping away at success Two UB entrepreneurs prepare to launch their new game ‘Chip-Down’
UB graduate students and faculty to march for TA stipend increase
COURTESY OF BERNARD
Pictured above are early models of the new yard game, Chip Down. The game was invented by undergraduate st
Marchers to present petition to President Tripathi
SARAH CROWLEY SENIOR NEWS EDITOR
DAN MCKEON
Malala Yousafzai called out the Taliban, climate change deniers and world leaders who need to do more for girl’s education. Yousafzai, the world’s youngest Nobel Prize laureate and leading human rights activist, brought the audience to its feet with roaring applause before she even took the stage at Tuesday night’s sold-out lecture in a sweltering hot Alumni Arena. Yousafzai’s lecture lasted roughly 10 minutes after being introduced by President Satish Tripathi. Liesl Folks, dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, moderated a 45-minute Q&A session. Audience members threw hefty topics Yousafzai’s way, including questions about her future plans at Oxford University and beyond, her opinion on the separation of church and state and the way forward for young women leaders struggling for representation even in countries like the U.S. Yousafzai navigated these questions with the deftness of an experienced global leader and the easygoing playfulness of a 20-year-old. “The Taliban wanted to silence me but they made a huge mistake, because here I am today speaking globally about female education,” Yousafzai said. She joked about her father’s impressive Twitter game, and asked an audience member for college advice. Audience members asked her how to fight bigotry and hatred. For Yousafzai, educa-
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UB ENROLLED
4,045 first-year students this fall,
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TROY WACHALA, THE SPECTRUM
Malala Yousafzai speaks at UB’s 31st annual Distinguished Speaker’s Series. Yousafzai is a Nobel Prize laureate and human right’s activist.
tion is almost always the answer, especially in fighting Islamophobia and radicalization and extremism in vulnerable communities. She also shared stories of many other girls, namely the 130 million girls around the world who do not have access to education. This is Yousafzai’s mission, propelled to action after she was shot by the Taliban in 2012 for refusing to end her own education. “They’re resilient, they’re brave, they’re strong, you have to be admired by them,” Yousafzai said. “I went there to inspire them and they ended up inspiring me.” She spoke about one girl who ran away in her wedding dress to avoid her own arranged marriage. She told the story of meeting girls kidnapped by the terrorist group, Boko Haram. It was certainly a night in honor of the girls; the stadium itself was packed with what appeared to be 90 percent women, of all ages and races. Yousafzai spoke about the challenges women face all over the world, including coun-
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THE LARGEST freshman class in SUNY SYSTEM
tries like the U.K., which has fewer women in parliament than her native country, Pakistan. “I think that here and in all parts of the world, there is this big challenge of getting women to stand up for themselves. Because there are barriers in society; we have to tackle the issue of men and we have to sort that out,” Yousafzai said, met with the audience’s laughter. “Women need to first be brave and believe in themselves and go forward because often you are the first person who stops yourself, so don’t stop yourself, don’t be a barrier to yourself.” Yousafzai was a hit among most students who attended Tuesday’s event. “She was very natural, and you could easily connect to her through the way she was telling her stories,” said Prachi Patil, a computer science graduate student. “She was talking openly as if she was talking to a friend. Although she is a Nobel-Prize winner, she’s one of us.”
A mix of graduate and undergraduate students, faculty and other community members are planning to march on Monday to present a petition to guarantee a livable minimum stipend for teaching assistants (TA). The group will bring the petition to President Tripathi’s office on the fifth floor of Capen Hall. The petition titled “UB Petition for TA Living Stipend” has over 700 signatures as of Wednesday from 61 departments and demands a $21,310 minimum standard stipend. The march begins at 3:30 p.m. on Monday outside of the Student Union. “Low pay has been an issue for a long time,” said Nicole Lowman, an English graduate student. “We just want everyone to be at a base level that is at least livable, if not competitive.” Lowman wrote the petition alongside several other graduate students and faculty members of the English department. Graduate students, faculty members and concerned staff circulated the petition mostly through social media. The movement itself started among English graduate students who expressed concern over “unlivable” stipends for TAs as well as general transparency concerns “in the department and university proper,” according to Lowman.
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CLASS OF 2021 • Freshman enrollment exceeds 4,000 for first time in university’s history
3,709 DOMESTIC STUDENTS
336
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
• Tops last year’s record-setting figure, which was just shy of 4,000 freshmen • President Satish Tripathi created a plan 2015 to increase enrollment by 2,000 students • UB continues to receive more applications for admission than at any point in the university’s history
APPLICATIONS ARE UP SINCE 2013
22%
UB RANKED NO.
97
among national universities and has risen 24 spots in the past decade
UB welcomes largest freshman class in the university’s history University enrolls over 4,000 freshman students MADDY FOWLER ASST. FEATURES EDITOR
The class of 2021 is the largest freshman class in UB’s history. This fall, UB enrolled 4,045 students— the largest freshman class in the SUNY system. The freshman class is made up of 3,709 domestic students and 366 international students. Applications are up 22 percent since 2013, and this year the university received 27,800 applications, the highest number of applications in its history. Increased on and off campus recruit-
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ment, improved marketing and increased rankings helped higher enrollment, according to a university statement. “As we’ve grown our prominence, we know that more students are going to apply to UB,” Lee Melvin, Vice Provost for Enrollment, said in a statement. UB is ranked No. 97 in U.S. World News & Report’s ranking of national universities and has risen 24 spots in the past decade. UB is also nationally ranked No. 41 in public colleges, up two places from last year’s No. 43. UB admissions decision process considers both academic and “non-cognitive” fac-
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tors, Melvin said. Non-cognitive factors include extracurricular activities, a personal essay, letters of recommendation, creative talent, demonstrated leadership, community service and socioeconomic environment. UB’s new “brand and identity strategy” also played a part in increased enrollment numbers, according to Nancy Paton, vice president of University Communications. The new strategy is the result of a year-long research project. It aims to educate prospective students about what makes UB unique and what impacts it has had on the local community and the world. “As more people become aware of what makes UB a great university, more top students will apply to UB and will want to en-
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roll here,” Paton said, “More faculty will be drawn to the university and our current students, employees and alumni will feel a greater sense of pride in UB.” Jeanine Sealtiel, a freshman nursing major, chose UB because of the large number of clubs and activities that are offered. “You’re never bored. You can always go somewhere; you’re not limited to just staying in your dorm,” Sealtiel said. While Sealtiel is excited to be a part of UB’s biggest freshman class in history, she is concerned about academic competition.
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Thursday, September 21, 2017
THE SPECTRUM
Malala Yousafzai speaks at Distinguished Speaker Series CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Madison Featherstone, a senior applied linguistics and African-American studies major , attended the event with friends. They agreed it would have been nice to hear Yousafzai talk more about her personal experiences such as what it was like when the Taliban were in control and how she was affected by that. “Girls’ education isn’t limited to simply the education of girls. It will have a huge global effect and make so many other things happen for us women like decreasing poverty, childhood-marriage and early pregnancies,” Featherstone said. Tuesday’s event was sponsored by the Girls Education Collaborative, a Buffalobased nonprofit that works to support girls in developing countries, and the UB School of Management Center for Leadership and Organizational Effectiveness. The next speaker in this year’s 31st annual Distinguished Speaker Series will be Theresa Payton, former White House CIO and
UB graduate students and faculty to march for TA stipend increase
TROY WACHALA, THE SPECTRUM
Malala Yousafzai answers questions in a 45-minute Q&A to a sold-out audience.
Cyber Security CEO, who will deliver her lecture Oct. 18 in Alumni Arena. *Anna Savchenko contributed reporting to this story. email: sarah.crowley@ubspectrum.com TROY WACHALA, THE SPECTRUM
UB welcomes largest freshman class in the university’s history CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
“I feel like it’s cool, but in the long run it could be really competitive…so that’s a little scary,” she said. Other students chose UB purposely for its big class size and large student body so they could make more friends and take advantage of more extramural and scholarly opportunities. Genesis Dumas, a freshman nursing major, was worried coming to UB from the Bronx would be a difficult transition, but that wasn’t the case. She made friends quickly in her dorm and enjoys UB’s size and diversity. “It’s more diverse than I thought it would
be and the food is also great,” Dumas said. Freshman business major Marissa Lemieux was also drawn to UB’s size. “I wanted to be able to meet a lot of new people and make connections. And I feel like it just gives you more opportunities in general,” Lemieux said. She is enthusiastic about being a part of this year’s record breaking freshman class because she feels like she is a part of history. “It’s pretty cool to say I’m a part of something big like this, to be able to say hey, I was a part of that,” Lemieux said. email: maddy.fowler@ubspectrum.com
Nicole Lowman, an English graduate student, discusses the TA stipends and cost of living expense. Lowman and other graduate students will be joined by faculty and others on Monday to present President Tripathi with a petition for an increase in minimum TA stipends
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The movement has since expanded to other departments such as physics, Transnational Studies and Global Gender Studies. Many graduate students have to find ways to supplement their income with either private loans or second jobs. Joseph Hall, an English Ph.D. student, said the gap between stipends and living expenses can lead to problems in the classroom. “All things considered, we think teaching assistants do some outstanding work in the classroom, but we also believe many of us could put more into our work if we weren’t working a second job or worrying about how to pay rent,” Hall said. Lowman said she hopes for a large “showing of people who signed the online petition.” Lowman used figures listed on the UB Financial Aid website to calculate an acceptable minimum living stipend. “The thing that infuriated me was [the website] estimated that the cost of living would somehow go down from the 2016-2017 academic year to the 2017-2018 academic year by around $3,000,” Lowman said. She disagreed with the estimate and instead conducted her own based on the university’s logic. UB increased tuition and fees for graduate school by 4.6 percent between 2016-17 and 2017-18. Lowman used the 4.6 percent rate to estimate the increase in living expenses as well. Based on this estimation, an on-campus graduate student’s cost of living would be $18,713 and an off-campus’s would be
$21,531. The UB Financial Aid website currently lists the cost of living for both on- and off-campus students to be $17,907. Lowman said the website listing on- and off-campus as the same cost of living was “immediately suspicious.” The graduate students involved with the movement also had some problems pinning down an accurate average TA stipend number. The average stipend is $15,540, according to the Office of the Vice Provost for Graduate Education. Lowman found this number suspicious as well. According to figures estimated by the Graduate Student Employees Union however, the average stipend is significantly lower: $13,190. Both Hall and Lowman expressed concern with how the university allocates money. “Instead of, or in addition to, spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on rebranding campaigns and administrators and siphoning millions into the black box that is the UB Foundation, we want the administration to invest more in some of its lowest paid workers,” Hall said. “And we’re not asking for much; just enough to meet our cost of living in Buffalo.” email: dan.mckeon@ubspectrum.com
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OPINION THE SPECTRUM
Editorial Board EDITOR IN CHIEF
Hannah Stein
MANAGING EDITOR
Maggie Wilhelm Grace Trimper COPY EDITORS
Saqib Hossain Dan McKeon Emma Medina NEWS EDITORS
Sarah Crowley, Senior FEATURES EDITORS
Max Kalnitz, Senior Maddy Fowler, Asst. Lindsay Gilder, Asst. ARTS EDITORS
Benjamin Blanchet, Senior David Tunis-Garcia, Senior Brenton Blanchet, Asst. SPORTS EDITORS
Danny Petruccelli, Senior Thomas Zafonte, Senior Jeremy Torres, Asst. MULTIMEDIA EDITORS
Troy Wachala, Senior Allison Staebell, Senior CREATIVE DIRECTORS
Pierce Strudler Arielle Channin, Asst. Alyssa Brouillet, Asst.
UB administration needs to pay TAs a living stipend University should prioritize grad student quality of life UB administration can afford a $90,000 Putnam’s renovation and a 18 million dollar football field house. President Tripathi earns $696,970 per year. Meanwhile, TAs struggle to put food on the table. The average cost of living for a student living on-campus is $18,713 and over $21,000 for students who live offcampus. But the average TA stipend is only $13,1900, according to the Graduate Student Employees Union. The UB Living Stipend Movement is circulating a petition requesting a $21,310 minimum TA stipend. This is more than reasonable, especially when compared to comparable schools. For example, Stony Brook University’s minimum TA stipend is $25,475. UB is investing millions of dollars into projects that improve its appearance such as 1 Capen and 1 Diefendorf, the 18 million dollar
field house, the Putnam’s renovation, the Silverman Library renovations and those completely unnecessary new signs with corny quotes plastered across campus. The administration’s priorities are clear: they want to keep up appearances and attract new students and new money. Many graduate students have to take on a second job in order to afford basic living expenses, meaning they have less time and energy to dedicate to teaching and research. However, most international students are not able to get jobs outside of the university, making the low wages even more oppressive for that demographic. This issue doesn’t just affect graduate students—it decreases educational quality for undergraduates. TAs do a large bulk of undergraduate instruction. If TAs are not paid a living sti-
How SpongeBob made us hate capitalism ‘SpongeBob SquarePants’ introduced a generation to societal and economic critiques
Professional Staff OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR
Helene Polley
ADVERTISING MANAGERS
Ayesha Kazi GRAPHIC DESIGN MANAGERS
Stephen Jean-Pierre Shawn Zhang, Asst.
DAN MCKEON COPY EDITOR
THE SPECTRUM Thursday, September 21, 2017 Volume 67 Number 7 Circulation 4,000 The views expressed – both written and graphic – in the Feedback, Opinion and Perspectives sections of The Spectrum do not necessarily reflect the views of the editorial board. Submit contributions for these pages to The Spectrum office at Suite 132 Student Union or news@ubspectrum.com. The Spectrum reserves the right to edit these pieces for style and length. If a letter is not meant for publication, please mark it as such. All submissions must include the author’s name, daytime phone number, and email address. For information on adverstising with The Spectrum, visit www.ubspectrum.com/advertising or call us directly at 716-645-2152 The Spectrum offices are located in 132 Student Union, UB North Campus, Buffalo, NY 142602100
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Thursday, September 21, 2017
“No one cares about the fate of labor as long as they get their instant gratification,” said Squidward Tentacles, the proletariat. “Am I really going to defile a grave for money? Of course I am,” said Mr. Krabs, the bourgeoisie. “SpongeBob SquarePants,” a show that many college-age students could quote in everyday conversation, first introduced an entire generation to societal and economic critiques through a typically leftist perspective. High-level topics, especially by children’s show standards, exposed young viewers to gender theory, socialism, the prison-industrial complex, xenophobia and environmentalism, often through capitalism-critical lenses. Many plots of “SpongeBob SquarePants” revolve around the Krusty Krab and capitalism. Sponge-
You’re killing me, snacks Tips for a healthier NFL season
MARGARET WILHELM MANAGING EDITOR
Day drinking on your couch, neglecting all school responsibilities, grilling out and eating your weight in chicken wing dip – there’s nothing better than NFL Sunday.
Bob is arguably the greatest fry cook in the universe; he literally beat a God in the episode “Neptune’s Spatula.” Despite this, he is woefully underpaid and given no breaks. “No one’s taken a break at the Krusty Krab since the Chum Famine of ’59!” according to Mr. Krabs. Mr. Krabs pits his workers against each other for his own gain in “Employee of the Month.” He stirs the pot by getting both SpongeBob and Squidward riled up about the award, forcing them to work harder and against each other. In the episode “Squid on Strike,” SpongeBob and Squidward go on strike after reaching a breaking point in Mr. Krabs’ exploitation of their labor. At the picket line, Squidward gives rousing speeches on workers’ rights: “The gentle laborer shall no longer suffer from the noxious greed of Mr. Krabs!” A hungry crowd that wants Krabby Patties immediately tramples Squidward after these speeches. He bemoans how callous and uncaring the public is for exploited workers. These were likely some of the first encounters with critiques of the capitalist system young American viewers had seen at the time. Beyond capitalist critiques, “SpongeBob” exposed us to a notable challenge of gender norms. In “Rock-a-Bye Bivalve,” SpongeBob and Patrick assume female and male gender roles respectively. After
Most people don’t think about their health when they’re five beers and two hot dogs deep, but being conscious of what you’re eating and drinking on football Sundays is important. Watching football all-day means lots of sitting and even more food. Here are a couple of ways to stay healthy on your Sunday. Try exercise games This one sounds lame, but instead of drinking every time your team makes a touchdown, do 5 pushups and then drink as a reward. Try alternating exercises like sit-ups, pushups, lunges and crunches. If this type of game isn’t for you, try being active during commercial breaks and halftime by getting up and walking around. There are many health risks associated with being inactive for long periods of time, such as an increased risk of death, cardiovascular diseases and certain cancers, an increased chance of being overweight or obese and a decrease in skeletal muscle mass, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.
pend, they will likely be exhausted and run-down when teaching their classes. One Spectrum editor said she had a TA who had to cancel class because she was so exhausted and overworked and needed to work on her thesis. TAs should be paid fairly so they have the time and energy to put toward providing us with quality instruction. UB undergraduates pay a $375 Academic Excellence and Success Fee every academic year and the fee is proposed to increase each year until 2020. But how can we achieve academic excellence and success if the administration cannot even pay our instructors properly? In addition, over 17 percent of the undergraduate Comprehensive Fee goes toward athletics, which had a 32 million dollar budget last year. We certainly aren’t suggesting UB eliminate athletics; however, the editors of The Spectrum agreed that the quality of life for TAs should be at least as much of a priority to the administration as athletics. And the numbers show us exactly where UB’s priorities lie. Glamorous dining halls and football field houses are not the reason
we chose to study at UB. Ultimately, students come to UB to receive an education. That is what our tuition and fee money needs to go toward. And a comprehensive, quality education cannot happen if our instructors are overworked and underpaid. The university obviously has the funds to pay TAs a living wage. It is simply unethical that top ranking UB officials enjoy six-figure salaries while TAs, who work hard to instruct undergraduates and contribute quality research, struggle to make ends meet. We are sick of seeing our tuition money go towards superfluous projects with little input from us. Former UB administrators Dennis Black and Andrea Costantino who pleaded guilty to grand larceny earlier this month are paying the university back more than $30,000. Where is this money going to be put? What services and support did students miss out on from this stolen university money? We are tired of seeing this university prioritize money and aesthetics over students’ education and quality of life.
discovering a baby scallop in a coral tree, SpongeBob and Patrick decide to raise the little creature. SpongeBob assumes the role of mother and Patrick assumes the role of father. The show acknowledges that these gender roles are just that: roles. SpongeBob being male does not restrict him from being a mother. Beyond that, the arrangement only falls apart when Patrick becomes wrapped up in his toxic masculinity, putting it on SpongeBob to provide both emotional labor in their relationship and physical labor in the raising of their child and maintaining of their home. The show takes aim at the prison-industrial complex in the episode “Doing Time.” Mrs. Puff, SpongeBob’s driving instructor, is imprisoned – without a trial – after SpongeBob drives their boat off an unfinished bridge, opened by a largely incompetent and rarely seen mayor. It’s clear Bikini Bottom exists in some sort of anarchist capitalist police state with no checks or balances. Mrs. Puff works as a forced laborer in prison, working on making coat hangers or breaking rocks. She is quickly driven to the point of insanity and the prison guards throw her in solitary confinement. The episode ends ambiguously with her memory going back and forth between reality and a confused dream state. Her ordeal in prison is highlighted by the lack of treatment available or a complete disregard for her mental state. It’s unclear whether or not SpongeBob and Patrick are actually there but perhaps that’s the point; the viewer sympathizes with Mrs.
Puff in not knowing what is real and what is happening in such a hostile, crushing environment. SpongeBob is often hapless in the ills of the society around him. He loves fry cooking so much that it blinds him to the problems around him. In the episode “Jellyfish Hunter,” SpongeBob finally rebels against the capitalist, traditional system once he realizes his hand in the destruction it brings. SpongeBob often goes jellyfish hunting, usually for sport. In this case, he ecologically milks the jellyfish of their jelly, not taking too much but just enough for personal use. Once Mr. Krabs realizes the money making potential of such a venture, he quickly industrializes the jelly harvesting. “More!” he demands from SpongeBob. Eventually, there are no more jellyfish left and SpongeBob is horrified when he sees the factory Mr. Krabs has been bringing the jellyfish to. He confronts Mr. Krabs, one of the rare times he directly confronts the capitalist system, and frees the jellyfish. SpongeBob taught us to see all the problems with our modern society around us, more so than any of the characters do. The show, with its exaggerated, often surreal social critiques, showed us what’s wrong with much of our current system; we need now only apply what SpongeBob has tried to teach us. Unfortunately for us land creatures, we cannot wait for all the jellyfish to be gone to stand up to the injustices of our world.
Game day = cheat day One of the easiest things to do is to make Sunday your cheat day. Work out and eat healthy during the week and take your rest day on Sunday. Enjoy being lazy – indulge in that delicious snack and beer. If cheat days aren’t for you, try to get up early to exercise. Most games don’t start until 1 p.m. and that leaves a good chunk of time in the morning to work out. Drink water between drinks Most people don’t drink enough water; low water intake combined with salty food and multiple alcoholic beverages makes a person easily dehydrated. To avoid dehydration, make sure to drink a glass of water in between those beers. Your body will thank you for it, especially on Monday morning. Try healthier snacks I know, I know – everyone loves their pizza, chicken wing dip, potato chips, burgers and beer on game day. But instead of munching on potato chips, try popcorn, sweet potato chips or even carrot chips. Some healthier snacks include veggies and
dip, cheese and crackers and fruit. Another healthy choice is to replace your red meat burger with a veggie or turkey burger. Cut back on calories by drinking the light option of your favorite beer brand or the lower calorie options of your favorite soda. Chicken wings Each chicken wing is roughly 50 calories. I could try to convince you to not eat these wonderful deepfried meat appendages but I have a hard time convincing myself. I’ll let this one be your call. Don’t drink and drive The number of people who say that they drink and drive always surprises me. “Oh, I’ve only had a few beers and I spread them out” just isn’t going to cut it as a valid excuse to a police officer or in court. Have a designated driver or party at home – but make sure your friends have a safe ride home too. Now that Buffalo has Lyft and Uber, it’s even easier to get home safely at the end of a long night of beer and football.
email: eic@ubspectrum.com
email: dan.mckeon@ubspectrum.com
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Thursday, September 21, 2017
THE SPECTRUM
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Mythbusters: Going abroad edition 10% of UB students study abroad
OVER 60
DIFFERENT COUNTRIES to choose from in the SUNY system
UB offers 5 SCHOLARSHIPS applicable to most students
&
15 MORE SCHOLARSHIPS that are offered from individual departments or with specific stipulations
OVER 90%
OF EMPLOYERS BELIEVE that students who have studied abroad are likely to possess desirable skills
73% “ ” OF EMPLOYERS
said they consider study abroad when evaluating resumes of a job candidate
Five of the biggest study abroad myths, according to UB’s Study Abroad program HARUKA KOSUGI STAFF WRITER
Alize Scott could be the first member of her family to travel outside the U.S. Her lack of travel experience has held her back from studying abroad – until now. Scott, a junior communication major, hopes to study abroad somewhere in Africa, despite her anxiety of the unknown. Scott’s feelings toward going abroad are not uncommon, said Mary Odrzywolski, director of UB’s Study Abroad program. Ten percent of UB students study abroad currently, a number she’d like to see doubled. Odrzywolski thinks some students hold back from studying abroad because of fear or misconceptions – something she hopes to change. Here are five of the biggest study abroad myths, debunked. 1. “IT’S TOO EXPENSIVE”
Students concerned about cost can look into exchange programs, where they pay UB tuition rates at an overseas institution, Odrzywolski explained. Other program types can be more expensive. In direct enroll programs, students pay the tuition of the host university. FacultyLed Programs and International Internship Programs have additional fees above UB tuition as well. UB offers five general study abroad scholarships – six with specific stipulations and nine departmental scholarships. Most federal financial aid, other than work-study, can be applied toward paying for SUNY sponsored Study Abroad Programs, Odrzywolski said. Students should still meet with their Financial Advisor to discuss potential impacts on their eligibility to go abroad. The application deadline for the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion’s SUNY Diversity Abroad Honors Scholarship toward a 2018 winter or spring program is Sept. 28.
2. “I WON’T BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE OVERSEAS”
Another myth Odrzywolski wants to tackle is the idea that an inability to speak the native language of the country is preventative to studying abroad in that country. “I thought, ‘It might be cool to go to China, but I don’t speak Mandarin Chinese. I can’t go there,’” Odrzywolski said. “But it’s not true, it’s really not true.” Many foreign universities instruct in English, Odrzywolski said, citing an electrical engineering program for juniors hosted in France by ENSEA, a French graduate school. 3. “MY PROGRAM DOESN’T ALLOW ME TO STUDY ABROAD”
Odrzywolski said any study abroad program can be applied to most students’ coursework, especially with the addition of a study abroad portion to the new UB curriculum. The new UB curriculum was implemented for any student whose first semester at UB was fall 2016 or later, and it includes a “Global Pathway” criteria that encourages studying abroad. Odrzywolski also said there are several research-based study abroad programs for a variety of majors and she is always fascinated with the students whose passion for research takes them overseas. She also mentioned an academically specific study abroad program called Buffalo Outreach Community Assistance (BOCA), which gives UB dental students the opportunity to provide free dental care in places that lack access to dental services. “As of 2011, students and supervising faculty members in BOCA have examined more than 12,000 patients, performing nearly 8,000 dental restorations and 11,000 extractions—work valued at $3.2 million,” according to the UB website.
Odrzywolski said students have to take initiative to convince wary parents that studying abroad is a worthwhile experience. “When it comes to parents, some of the responsibility has to be on the student to sell the opportunity to their parents,” she said. The study abroad office is interested in
Lead environmentalist Bill McKibben will be this year’s keynote speaker ANNA SAVCHENKO STAFF WRITER
ALLISON STAEBELL, THE SPECTRUM
David Castillo, director of the Humanities Institute, sits in his office. Castillo discussed the agenda for this year’s Buffalo Humanities Festival.
David Castillo, director of UB’s Humanities Institute, hopes McKibben will get people “fired up” about climate change. Castillo thinks McKibben’s activism helps to bridge the gap between climate science and regular people. “One would think that the best people to talk about the environment are scientists,” Castillo said. “Yet, one of the biggest problems we face nowadays is the fact that there is no connection between the scientific community, their findings, and what we take to be our reality. This is where McKibben comes into the picture.” Humanities New York, a nonprofit that provides funding for humanities institutions, will begin the festivities on Sept. 28
5. “STUDY ABROAD WON’T HELP ME FURTHER MY CAREER GOALS”
Odrzywolski said she is a firm believer that employers value a study abroad experience on a student’s resume. “Employers are more interested in hiring students who have studied abroad based on a variety of skills, and some of them are soft skills,” Odrzywolski said. “You learned how to navigate an airport on your own, you learned how to navigate a conversation that had interesting social cues, things like that, where you might be able to use [the skills] to work with different populations for the company.” A study conducted by Frontier Journals supported Odrzywolski’s claims. Eight in ten HR executives say that study abroad experience is an important factor for overseas job placement within their companies, while 73 percent of employers say they cited studying abroad as important when evaluating resumes of a candidate for a junior level position.
4. “MY PARENTS WON’T LET ME”
UB looks forward to upcoming Buffalo Humanities Festival
Most people consider Bill McKibben the country’s current leading environmental activist. What most don’t know is how he earned that title. McKibben was arrested in 2011 after leading one of the decade’s largest protests against the Keystone XL pipeline construction. His grassroots organization 350.org has run close to 20,000 rallies to bring environmental awareness to the world’s leaders. McKibben will bring his activism to Buffalo on Sept. 29 as he delivers his keynote address for Buffalo’s fourth annual Humanities Festival. UB’s Humanities Institute will join Canisius College, SUNY Buffalo State College and Niagara University to host the city’s fourth annual Buffalo Humanities Festival. The festival features an array of speakers, panels and community conversations at various locations across Western New York from Sept. 28-30. This year’s focus is on climate change; events will address issues like environmental justice, economic sustainability and the global climate change crisis. McKibben will deliver his lecture “The Desperate Climate Fight: Ordinary People in an Extraordinary Moment” at the AlbrightKnox Art Gallery on Sept. 29 at 8 p.m.
helping students find their ideal program, but they are not in the business of playing matchmaker by pigeonholing a type of student to a location. “Regardless of what type of student you are here at your home institution, you’re going to change,” Odrzywolski said. “Whether you want to see something new or whatever your motivations are, you’re going to come back a different person. With a different appreciation of the world.” Brandon Lu Shing, a freshman exercise science major, said he believes his parents would be supportive of his decision to go study abroad. “I think my parents want to encourage me to study abroad as much as possible, check out the other countries in the world, not be so close-minded in New York City or New York State,” Lu Shang said.
with their presentation, “Turning the Tide: Communicating Climate Science,” at the Burchfield Penney Art Center. Ryan McPherson, Chief Sustainability Officer at UB, will join three UB faculty members to discuss the central role the humanities play in bridging the scientific community with public opinion. “We are an institution of higher education and we make no excuse about believing in science,” McPherson said. “[Science] is great but if we can’t communicate that to people, if we can’t find ways for people to hear that message, what’s the point?” The lineup for Sept. 30 features national artist Deke Weaver’s performance of
Application deadlines for winter and spring 2018 programs vary, but many begin in late October, early November. Odryzwolski encourages students to stop by the Study Abroad office in 201 Talbert Hall to find out more about which program is right for them. email: news@ubspectrum.com
“BEAR,” a chapter from in his lifelong work, the Unreliable Bestiary. “Weaver’s performance will present to us a tiny sliver of our current catastrophic loss of habitat and biodiversity,” said McPherson. “[But] three doses of inspiration and a couple of doses of reality is a nice mix of how you can meet people, have open conversations with them, let them digest the information and in time, act in a positive manner.” The Humanities Festival is funded by the John R. Oishei Foundation. Other sponsors include Humanities New York, UB RENEW, The UB Office of the Vice President for Research and Economic Development and more. “It truly takes not just a village, but a whole town,” Castillo said. “It takes a lot of contributors to put together this festival who are essentially doing it for the love of conversation that we are trying to create.” Jessica Fiegl, a junior environmental geosciences major, thinks the Humanities Festival will be a great way to start conversations that otherwise might not happen outside the science community. “I think that getting so many speakers from the Humanities Institute to talk about science will be a great way to get people interested in and learning more about important issues,” Fiegl said. Tickets purchased before Sept. 25 include lunch from the West Side Bazaar. This weekend’s festival will end with live music from the 12/8 Path band and a reception from local microbrewery, Community Beer Works. email: news@ubspectrum.com
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FEATURES
Thursday, September 21, 2017
THE SPECTRUM
If the kazoo fits Local kazoo factory is the only metal kazoo factory in North America BENJAMIN BLANCHET SENIOR ARTS EDITOR
There’s a local buzz surrounding an American-made wind instrument. In nearby Eden, New York, that buzz is heard from a kazoo. The Original Kazoo Company, established over a century ago, is deeply engrained with history, and it shows through its museum, gift shop and currently operational factory. The Company is roughly 45 minutes from North Campus by car and admission to the museum is free. The company creates all sorts of kazoos, in addition to their classic gold and red submarine kazoo. The Original Kazoo Company sells trumpet-shaped kazoos, tractor-shaped kazoos and even corn-shaped kazoos in honor of the popular Eden Corn Festival. Karen Smith is the curator of the Kazoo Museum and owner of the Kazoo Boutique Gift Shop. Smith, who has been with the company for 11 years, gets satisfaction from seeing visitors both young and old learn how to play the kazoo after walking through their doors. “Although the kazoo looks like a very simple musical instrument, many people find out it takes a little bit of skill and a little bit of practice,” Smith said. “You must hum into your kazoo, so it’s always interesting to see that but people do come here mainly with the intent of seeing kazoos, seeing how they’re made and this is the only place in America that makes the metal kazoo.” The company’s building, originally a sheet metal shop, opened in 1907 by Harry Richardson. It wasn’t until 1916 that the Original Kazoo Company was established and Richardson, alongside Michael McIntyre and Emil Sorg, produced metal kazoos in the factory. The Kazoo Museum boasts this history and more, walking visitors through the origins of the kazoo. Signs in the museum mark the “Evolu-
tion” of the kazoo, which include mirliton or membranophone instruments such as wax paper-covered combs and Chiclet boxes. Individuals are also able to view the 1923 patent that Michael McIntyre filed along with early catalogs that feature kazoos. The museum also holds kazoo artifacts from throughout the years. Glass enclosures inside the museum display everything from liquor bottle-shaped kazoos that celebrated the end of prohibition in 1933, a Woody Woodpeckershaped kazoo and a kazoo pipe made in Japan. The museum notes the various improvements made to the kazoo over the years but the biggest change to the kazoo is its resonator, which helps bring the kazoo’s sound to life. “In the old days, when kazoos were first invented, workers had to use the lining from sheep’s stomach and cat gut to make the resonator – or membrane – that vibrates in the kazoo. Today, it is made from a plastic substance that is called mylar,” Smith said. At the museum, visitors can purchase a kit with a resonator and other kazoo parts for use at a Make Your Own Kazoo station. They are also able to get up close and personal with how kazoos are produced inside the Kazoo Factory. Museum visitors can witness machines – which use original machinery from the factory’s beginnings in the 1910s – that shape, push and flange the kazoo’s parts. The parts are then brought to employees who put each kazoo together by hand. There are days when kazoos aren’t made in the factory. Parts, however, are constantly produced so the Original Kazoo Company is always ready to make shipments. “A typical production day would be about five to seven people working and making different aspects of the kazoo,” Tammy Tomaszewski, a supervisor of the Kazoo Factory, said. “There have been custom-ordered kazoos and we’ve had some made up for the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra. They were do-
BENJAMIN BLANCHET, THE SPECTRUM
Karen Smith, the curator of the Kazoo Museum and Kazoo Boutique Gift Shop, holds a classic gold & red submarine kazoo. The kazoo is one of many that the Original Kazoo Company creates alongside tractorshaped and corn-shaped kazoos.
ing a Beatles tribute and we created yellow kazoos for ‘Yellow Submarine.’” Tomaszewski and Sue Cruz, who have been with the factory for over 30 years, are with Suburban Adult Services Inc. (SASi), which operates the factory. SASi is a nonprofit organization that employs people with disabilities. Tomaszewski said SASi is a company that cares, one in which individuals come first. “I work directly with the individuals [here] and teach them working skills. Many are high functioning but have issues where they can’t handle working in integrated employment for one reason or another,” Tomaszewski said. “Here, they feel safe and can make money to support their households or hobbies, depending on what it is they are looking to do.” Aside from the factory and museum, individuals can make their way around the Kazoo Boutique Gift Shop, which sells everything from vintage toys to jewelry. Visitors of the Original Kazoo Company have included celebrities such as the late John F. Kennedy, Jr. as well as international visitors from places such as Kenya and Taiwan. Al Preyer, a resident of nearby Lockport, visited the Original Kazoo Company for the first time in May. Preyer came to the museum to get a historical background on the iconic American instrument. “It’s something that’s been around forever but we might take kazoos for granted when we do see them and we might not un-
derstand that it’s local in origin,” Preyer said. “I’ll be gifting kazoos to family members, every grandchild is going to get one and hopefully it’ll encourage them to come here and see a slice of history here.” Smith thinks one of the takeaways for museum visitors – particularly college students – is its preservation of early machinery. “When you’re learning about early industry and early inventions, the company is a great place to learn about that,” Smith said. “It’s a success story and having all the original equipment and original machinery here, it allows college students to learn about a way of manufacturing that they may have never heard of before.” email: benjamin.blanchet@ubspectrum.com
Former NASA Administrator Charles Bolden kicks off UB’s Space Week Bolden discusses importance of space exploration and possibility of life in space MADDY FOWLER ASST. FEATURES EDITOR
Charles Bolden loved working for NASA because he turned science fiction into science fact every day. Over 100 people gathered in 101 Davis Hall on Monday evening to hear the former NASA Administrator speak. Students packed the room, filling every seat, spilling into aisles and crouching in back corners. Bolden served as the keynote speaker for the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences’ Space Week. Bolden discussed the components of NASA, Mars exploration, plans for future expeditions and the possibility of life in outer space. Bolden, a retired U.S. Marine Corps Major General, was informal and unpretentious. His presentation was peppered with “Saturday Night Live” jokes, pop culture references and football analogies. He made complex scientific information accessible and fun for the audience. “NASA is actually a little organization,” Bolden said. “It does a lot of things so people think it’s huge, but they have about 17,000 employees around the world.” There are nine different NASA centers around the country, plus one federally funded research and development facility in Pasadena, California, according to Bolden. NASA has four main directives: space operations, aeronautics research, science mission and space exploration. Space operations create the equipment required to go to Mars and fly spacecraft. Aeronautics focuses on aviation, and is working on five aircrafts,
ELAINE LIN, THE SPECTRUM On Monday, NASA chief Charles Bolden talked to a group of students, educating them about Buffalo Niagara’s rich aerospace and aviation history.
including an electronic airplane. The science mission directive uses space to better understand life on Earth. And space exploration focuses on “the entire universe,” Bolden said. Are we alone? Are there other habitable planets? Is there life on other planets? These are some of the questions the space exploration directive explores, according to Bolden. Bolden believes Mars likely has or had life in the past and can potentially sustain life today or in the future. Bolden hopes manned explorations of Mars will start in the 2030s. He said there are three main factors that will determine whether or not that happens; firstly, he said, if you care about Mars exploration, you have to vote for public officials who support NASA funding; secondly, the President has to support it; and lastly, Congress has to support the initiative. What that ultimately boils down to, Bolden said, is people have to care about space.
People have to understand the importance of space exploration and research. “We believe when we finally send people to Mars we will learn more about our own planet Earth that we know today,” Bolden said. Bolden scoffed at Pluto’s demotion to a dwarf planet. He pointed out that it has ice and massive mountains that are bigger than Earth’s. “It ought to be a planet. It’s got more good stuff than Earth in many cases, yet we call it a dwarf,” Bolden said. Junior aerospace engineering major Maura Sutherland helped organize the event through Students for Exploration and Development of Space (SEDS). She also believes it is important to support NASA and learn about space exploration. “So much of the science and technology we have today has either directly or inadvertently come from NASA’s work,” Sutherland said. “Anything from the electronics that’s in
your phone to cancer research – across the board there has been so much advancement because of NASA.” She also feels curiosity about space is simply a facet of the human condition. “I think it’s sort of human nature to ask the questions and want to know what’s out there and sort of the big question of what is our purpose,” Sutherland said. “I’m not a philosophy major, but space and space exploration are pretty philosophical in certain lights.” Sophomore computational physics and political science major Zayne Sember feels people should care about space because it has the power to bring people together in this politically divisive time. “Space is something that should bring people together,” Sember said. “I’m a [political science] major, so I see a lot of division and the international cooperation we see at the international space station is an example of how space can unite all of us.” email: maddy.fowler@ubspectrum.com
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Thursday, September 21, 2017
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Thursday, September 21, 2017
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8
SPORTS
Thursday, September 21, 2017
THE SPECTRUM
The Edge: Buffalo vs fau
Analyzing the Bulls final non-conference game DANIEL PETRUCCELLI SENIOR SPORTS EDITOR
The Buffalo Bulls (1-2) are set to finish up their nonconference schedule this week when they host the FAU Owls (1-2) on Saturday evening. Buffalo secured their first win of the season last week as they rolled through FCS opponent, the Colgate Raiders (1-2) and they will look to keep up the momentum this week. Here is The Spectrum’s breakdown of the matchup. QUARTERBACK: BUFFALO
The quarterbacks will be one of the best matchups in the game. Redshirt sophomore Tyree Jackson has been a star for the Bulls since the start of last year. It’s clear how far he has come from last year. His passer rating is 131.5 so far on the year, up almost 30 points from what it was last season. Sophomore FAU quarterback Daniel Parr has been having an equally good season after spending last year as the backup for the Owls. Parr has a 135.5 passer rating. Both quarterbacks have 588 yards on the season. They are equals through the air but Jackson takes the edge in the matchup because of his feet. Parr only has 30 yards on 24 carries. Jackson is the Bulls leading rusher with 189 yards for the season. RUNNING BACKS: FAU
The Bulls had their strongest running back showing last week when redshirt sophomore running back Emmanuel Reed crossed the century mark and scored a touchdown, both firsts on the year for UB running backs. Junior Johnathan Hawkins had 65 yards after and a score as well after only playing the first half. But FAU has the superior group. The Owls have two different rushers who have over 200 yards for the season. They have also combined for three scores. Sophomore running back Devin Singletary seems to be the guy they lean on and has almost twice as many carries and had a great game
CHIPPING AWAY AT SUCCESS
against a ranked opponent in Wisconsin. Senior Gregory Howell Jr. broke out last game against an FCS opponent and had 175 yards. The Bulls’ running backs looked good last week, but FAU gets the nod in the matchup. WIDE RECEIVERS: BUFFALO
This one is a tough call. Both teams rely heavily upon one receiver to handle the bulk of the workload. Junior FAU receiver DeAndre McNeal has 11 catches for 261 yards and two touchdowns. Redshirt junior Anthony Johnson has 16 catches for 282 yards and a touchdown. No other receivers in the game have passed the 100-yard mark for the year. FAU’s second-leading receiver has seven catches. The Bulls’ number two receiver only has six catches. This one has to be judged primarily on the top two receivers and Buffalo grabs the slight edge there. TIGHT ENDS: FAU
Sophomore tight end Tyler Mabry caught the longest pass of the season for UB last week. He caught a 58-yarder that set up a touchdown for Johnson on the next play. But he only has one other catch on the year and will need to be more active. Sophomore FAU tight end Harrison Bryant hasn’t been a major part of the Owls offense but he has caught at least one pass in every game this season. He is also the third leading receiver in terms of yardage for the Owls. This isn’t a star unit for either team but the Owls take the edge. OFFENSIVE LINE: BUFFALO
Both offensive lines dominated FCS schools last week and looked unstoppable. The previous two weeks they both struggled against a power five school and a military academy. Buffalo had over 300 yards on the ground while FAU had over 400. This one will be determined by pass blocking though. The Owls have already given up nine sacks while the Bulls have only given up three. I expect this Bulls unit, who will be entering their fourth week with the same starters to be the winner in this showdown.
BEFORE
DEFENSIVE LINE: BUFFALO
The Bulls’ defensive line has come miles from a year ago. They seem to be jamming things up for opponents on a consistent basis. They excel in pass rushing and facing all run heavy teams has hurt their rhythm. The Owls are no different and will look to establish the run game early. I think the Bulls will be more disruptive in the game. The four Bulls’ starters have combined for five tackles for losses and 56 tackles. The Owls starters only have 33 tackles with only two for loss. Buffalo gets the edge. LINEBACKERS: BUFFALO
The linebackers are a tight one but junior Khalil Hodge might just be one of the best mid-major linebackers in the nation. Add in Jarrett Franklin who always seems to be in the right spot at the right time and the Owls just don’t have the same ability. The Owls have 5 tackles for loss from their top two linebackers which is certainly an advantage. FAU junior Azeez Al-Shaair is their most dangerous weapon on defense but he’s not Hodge. The Owls are good but the Bulls take the edge if their linebackers can stay consistent. DEFENSIVE BACKS: FAU
This one is painful. Junior cornerback Cameron Lewis is having an incredible season in coverage and senior safety Tim Roberts is helping shut down the run this year. They certainly could be the better unit. But FAU has their own secondary stars. Sophomore Chris Tooley has two picks on the year while junior safety Jalen Young is the second leading tackler for the Owls. This one is close but there is a slight edge for FAU. SPECIAL TEAMS: FAU
Kicking continues to be an inconsistency for the Bulls as junior Adam Mitcheson is 9 for 12 on kicks this year. Two misses were field goals while the other was an extra point. Senior Greg Joseph is a perfect 12 for 12 on the year. Consistency gives the clear edge to the Owls. FINAL DECISION: BUFFALO
This should be a close game for all four quarters. The teams match up pretty well together and this could be a game that just comes down to one or two mistakes from either team. So far these teams have played very similar schedules. Both have played a powerfive conference team, a military academy and an FCS school. Both dominated the FCS
AFTER
Two UB entrepreneurs prepare to launch their new game ‘Chip-Down’ DANIEL PETRUCCELLI SENIOR SPORTS EDITOR
Many undergraduates have the dream of starting their own businesses. Just the goal to create a product that takes off is enough to motivate students through years of college. While many students are planning for the future, two UB undergraduate students have already made a product and are now making strides towards success. Bernard Cohen and Joe Ricciardi have found that success is a process with their new business and backyard golf game, Chip-Down. Cohen and Ricciardi, who are both in their fifth year of a combined mechanical engineering and MBA program at UB, launched their business on Kickstarter on Sept. 8. They have already exceeded their $12,000 goal. They made a name for their product when they placed second in the Henry A. Penasci Jr. Technology Entrepreneurship Competition. Before its success, the product had some humble beginnings. “Our product started as a wooden box,” Cohen said. “It had walls on the side that you could hinge down so you could swing a golf club through it...but it was still a huge wooden box, it was ridiculous.” Chip-Down is a golf-based backyard
COURTESY OF BERNARD COHEN
Pictured above are early models of the new yard game, Chip Down. The game was invented by two UB undergraduate students.
game with the goal of making golf approachable for anyone. The game utilizes a turf chipping platform and a three-ring target. Players score by hitting a shuttlecock into one of the rings, each ring worth a different amount of points. In the original prototype, gameplay involved an actual golf ball. A wooden box opened into chipping platform, while the target evolved from a wooden fence. Cohen replaced the golf ball with a shuttlecock from badminton to make it easier for new players to hit towards the target. “If you hit the head of [the shuttlecock] with a certain amount of force, it allows them to fly in the general direction it is pointed towards,” Cohen said. “With a golf ball, if you don’t hit it properly, it can go all over the place.” Cohen first came up with the idea when he was visiting family in the Jersey Shore area. He noticed all the beach games like KanJam and Cornhole.
As an avid golf fan, he wanted to create a golf version of those games. As an entrepreneur, created a golf version of those popular backyard games. Cohen designed the first version of the Chip-Down right when he got home from New Jersey. He then teamed up with engineering classmate Ricciardi, and a couple months later they decided to enter the competition. Over the course of the competition, the team worked to refine the product. The version that launched on Kickstarter was the fifth iteration of Chip-Down, according to Ricciardi. Cohen said a major aspect they improved on was the aesthetic of the product. Cohen sewed together the third generation by hand, which was the biggest leap in look because they switched to a canvas bag. Taylor Speer, a graduate MBA student, helped with the Penasci competition after meeting Ricciardi and Cohen in class. Speer said she didn’t know about their product until the start
OWLSLEY - COURTESY OF RALPH NOTARO VICTOR - COURTESY OF UB PHOTO DATABASE
school and fell to their other two opponents. Ultimately, I think the Bulls will pull this one out and give themselves their first pair of back-to-back wins since October 2015. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. at UB Stadium. email: daniel.petruccelli@ubspectrum.com
of the competition, but quickly got on board. “One of the biggest things that made Joe and Bernard stand out was how passionate they were about their product,” Speer said. “Out of all the teams, they were one of the few teams that was always in Blackstone, always asking for help, always looking for ways to improve, and that’s something the judges really make note of.” Blackstone LaunchPad is a program geared towards assisting young entrepreneurs at UB and putting together the Penasci competition. Speer, who works for Blackstone, said they fully utilized the center to get advice on improving their pitch to help them advance in the competition. Besides the team’s passion, Speer also noted how well the chemistry of their different personalities helps them succeed. He said Ricciardi is more analytical and soft-spoken while Cohen tends to be the more outgoing and risky member – the “salesperson.” Cohen and Ricciardi had time to develop that chemistry while they spent pretty much every minute together over the summer. “We were working part-time jobs and internships,” Cohen said. “Basically, we would do our thing all day then come home and work on Chip-Down all night.” Ricciardi and Cohen said their background in mechanical engineering has been invaluable. The team is devoted both to Chip-Down and each other. Ricciardi pointed out that Cohen declined an internship opportunity in California to stay in New York and work on the business. Ricciardi said he took that as a sign that his partner was all-in on Chip-Down. With their eyes set to the future, Ricciardi and Cohen plan to take this business as far as they can. After reaching their goal on Kickstarter in less than a week, the duo is excited about what lies ahead. They are in talks with manufacturers to start massproducing the product. They expect the first preorders to be to their customers by winter 2017. email: daniel.petruccelli@ubspectrum.com