T H E I N D E P E N D E N T TSHTEU D NETP E PN UD BE LN I CTA S TT IO NA I VTEI R Y FA T T HBEU U FF E T1 B 9U 50 I NED UN D EO NFT TPH UEB LUI C OSNI T O NA I VLEOR,S S I TI N Y CA FFALO, SINCE 1950
wednesday, September 30, 2015
ubspectrum.com
Volume 65 No. 13
Family and friends remember Liquor and drug violations most frequent offenses on campus, Daniel Hollnsteiner burglaries decrease
UPD sends out annual crime report as part of Clery Act MARLEE TUSKES NEWS EDITOR
GABRIELA JULIA
CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2 SPECTRUM FILE PHOTO
TOP CRIMES ON CAMPUS
16 9 8
17 12 4
354 382 450
Burglary
616 486 644
Arson
COURTESY OF RIA DAVID
His energy fostered his love for sports grew as he took on soccer, baseball and basketball and became a die-hard Yankees and New York Rangers fan. David said Hollnsteiner had a great sense of humor and loved to joke, but in a friendly and loving way. “He always had this sweet and charming smile,” David said. “If I ever got mad at him and saw that smile, my heart would melt and give in.” When he was in high school, he planned on going to Seton Hall University in New Jersey. His family had already put down a deposit but Hollnsteiner decided to follow his best friend Tyler Grant to UB. Grant, a senior business major, has known Hollnsteiner since they were in kindergarten. Their friendship grew stronger when they were the only two students from their elementary school who went to the same high school and college.
Drug Related Violations
PHOTO OF DANIEL HOLLNSTEINER
Robbery
Daniel Hollnsteiner will always be remembered as a sweet and charming family man who loved the New York Yankees. He was the type of kid who always asked how someone’s day was and had no enemies. Hollnsteiner, a 21-year-old senior business major from Staten Island, died in a kayaking accident in New Zealand on Friday. Hollnsteiner, who was studying abroad for a semester at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia and 10 other students were on Lake Tekapo in New Zealand Friday when strong winds and waves capsized their kayaks into freezing water. James Murphy, a student from London, also died. The sudden tragedy stunned the campus this week, but Hollnsteiner’s family and friends are cherishing every moment they had with him, from his childhood to his last days. Ria David, Hollnsteiner’s mother, describes her son as quiet and very observant but with a good heart. He was part of a huge family and had close relationships with all of his cousins. Growing up, Hollnsteiner had what his mother called “normal aspirations of an 8-year-old.” He wanted to be a fireman, cop and baseball player. She said he was always active as a child and even started walking at 9 months old. “One time I got a call from the neighbors saying one of my boys was on their roof,” David said. “I have three boys, but I knew it was Daniel.” Hollnsteiner was just 7 years old at the time.
Liquor law and drug related violations remain the most frequent crimes on campus – with both offenses bringing in numbers of more than 400. The number of arsons on campus has increased, with three in 2014 after just one in 2013 and zero in 2012. The amount of burglaries meanwhile has decreased 50 percent in one year from 2013 to 2014. UPD sent out its annual safety and security report Friday. The report contained a comparison of statistics from 2012, 2013 and 2014. The Clery Act from 1990 made it a requirement for colleges and universities to disclose all crime reports – which includes anything from DWIs to larceny – to the FBI and then make the information
Liquor Law Violations
SENIOR NEWS EDITOR
Forcible Sex Offenses
available to the public. Deputy Chief of Police Joshua Sticht said that, compared to other SUNY schools, UB’s crime rate is low and violent crimes, such as assault, is “statistically non-existent.” He said while UB has higher crime rates than SUNY Brockport, when comparing school populations, UB’s crime rates are lower per capita. While the reports do not specify which campus the crimes occurred on, Sticht said most of the crimes reported come from North Campus instead of South Campus. “Believe it or not,” he said. “people have that perception that the South Campus has more crimes but what they’re thinking about there is not the South Campus, but the University Heights neighborhood which is not ours.” UPD does not patrol the Heights but does assist Buffalo Police if it is requested.
0 1 3
53 50 25
Aggravated Assault
Deceased student was family man, ‘growing into his own’ while studying abroad
2012 2013 2014 13 12 4
DESIGN BY KENNETH CRUZ
As reported by UPD’s annual crimes report
Student attendance for football drops off Saturday’s student attendance less than half of opening day’s JORDAN GROSSMAN SENIOR SPORTS EDITOR
David Rubino, a senior economics major, showed up at Baird Point for the football tailgate this past Saturday expecting to hang out and pregame with fellow students. He ended up spending most of his time sparking up conversation with University Police officers. “The cops were asking where everyone was,” Rubino said. “They were just joking around with us … I’ve never seen a bunch of cops approach people just to joke around with them. But I guess it made sense considering we were one of about 20 people at the parking lot.” UB Athletics estimates just about 2,000 students attended the Bulls’ game against Nevada Saturday afternoon – far from the roughly 5,000 students it estimates came to the season opener against Albany on Sept. 5. UB Athletics gives out 75 parking passes for cars to park at each tailgate, but only 5-10 cars actually showed up Saturday. “It’s a little bit of a cause for concern,” said Todd Garzarelli, senior associate athletic director for external affairs. “Obviously there’s always going to be competing events.
4
But to have such a drastic drop between the first and second game with more of a competitive product on the field, I think there’s something that’s a loss on it.” The total attendance of the game was 19,072. It’s no secret that UB is not in the upperechelon of college football with the programs that have nationally-known pregame festivities, but the program has made progress in the past couple years. UB Athletics improved its game-day atmosphere with the additions of tailgates, a free concert series and promotional giveaways. Buffalo’s attendance ranked second in the Mid-American Conference last season with an average of 20,403 per game. But this past Saturday’s game against Nevada proved there is still work that needs to be done. One reason for the low student tailgate turnout Saturday may have been UPD patrols. Although the amount of officers on duty for tailgates this year is the same as last year, there were also a few extra contract security personnel checking IDs and advising people about rules, according to Assistant Chief of Police Chris Bartolomei. Bartolomei said after the Bulls’ first home
Black Student Union raises more than $1,200 in annual Sickle Cell Auction
5
game Sept. 5 that students should expect to have their IDs checked. “Underage students in possession of alcohol may be charged with Unlawful Possession, and/or referred to the StudentWide Judiciary,” Bartolomei said in an email. “In addition, persons providing alcohol to minors may be charged with Unlawfully Dealing with a Child, regardless of whether they themselves are a minor. Unlawfully Dealing with a Child is a Class A Misdemeanor crime.” But UPD hasn’t made any arrests or writ-
Two UB students explore their Hispanic heritage in ‘In The Heights’
5
KAINAN GUO, THE SPECTRUM
Multiple UB students cheer for the Bulls waving a “True Blue” flag at Saturday’s football game. Only an estimated 2,000 students were present at this game, compared to 5,000 from the opener against Albany.
ten any tickets or citations during the tailgates this season. Bartolomei said students have been very responsible and cooperative with officers and event staff. CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
Buffalo Film Seminars bring together UB students and community
2
NEWS
Wednesday, September 30, 2015
THE SPECTRUM
Family and friends remember Daniel Hollnsteiner CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
The two became brothers in the Sigma Chi Omega fraternity. “He was a lovable kid that would do anything for anyone,” Grant said. “You couldn’t not like Daniel.” Hollnsteiner and Grant were roommates since freshmen year. With Hollnsteiner leaving to study abroad, this was the first year since kindergarten that Grant hasn’t had school with his friend. Flashbacks of soccer games as children and watching the Yankees flooded Grant’s memory before Hollnsteiner went to Australia. About a month ago, Grant spoke with Hollnsteiner on Facebook. He asked Grant for class notes and wrote him in an Australian accent. That was the last time they spoke. Then Saturday morning at 7 a.m., Grant received a call from Hollnsteiner’s mother saying he had lost his best friend. David said Hollnsteiner’s entire family was happy when her son decided to study abroad in Australia. Both of his parents are from the Philippines and love to travel, but Hollnsteiner wasn’t as enthusiastic about sightseeing. “When he was about 10 years old we went to Ireland and traveled to lots of national parks,” David said. “He often got bored and complained whenever we went on tours.” Gavin Siewers, a senior biological science major who also grew up with Hollnsteiner, said his friend was never one to take risks. He said one of Hollnsteiner’s famous lines was, “Are you sure?” “He always made sure we had his back before he did anything,” Siewers said. “We were all really excited for him to go to Australia because he always had this shell around him and before he left, he started to grow into his own.” But something sparked when Hollnsteiner touched down in Australia. He was only supposed to stay for one
semester before coming back to Buffalo and preparing for graduation this May. Instead, he extended his stay to include a semester in Malaysia this upcoming spring and push back graduation until next fall. His family encouraged Hollnsteiner’s stay in Australia. They jumped on the plane with Hollnsteiner in July to celebrate his 21st birthday abroad. They visited Sydney and the Great Barrier Reef before dropping him off to school in Melbourne. “We were all in it for the new experience because we didn’t know if he’d ever get this opportunity again,” David said. Hollnsteiner told his parents about going to New Zealand to kayak. He called them before his trip and said if they can’t get in touch with him it was because he may not have Wi-Fi. When Hollnsteiner’s father saw credit card charges in New Zealand shortly after, he thought his son was OK. Five hours later, the Department of State called to report his son’s death. Hollnsteiner and the other 10 students decided to go kayaking on their own. David said to her knowledge, there were no warnings about kayaking in the cold water or strong winds. The kayakers were all students attending Monash and visiting New Zealand during a semester break. Police said all of the students were wearing life jackets, but the water temperature was below 40 degrees. Police also said they are still investigating and there may be a criminal case against the owners of the kayak company. David said Hollnsteiner has kayaked before, but still wants answers as to whether or not the students should have been on the lake. There is not a set date for Hollnsteiner’s wake or funeral. Grant and Siewers are currently arranging a memorial for him on campus but there is no set date yet. email: news@ubspectrum.com
Liquor and drug violations most frequent offenses on campus, burglaries decrease CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Sticht said the report typically looks into crimes concerning a college-aged population such as sex offenses, robberies and assaults. According to the crime statistics, arson on campus has gone from zero in 2012 to three in 2014. Sticht said, although he was surprised by the increase, most of the arsons reported were categorized as reckless rather than intentional. In 2013, former student Alec Seidenberg caused $250,000 worth of damage to his Spaulding dorm in an incident labeled as arson. He reportedly dropped a butane torch he was using to smoke marijuana, causing the fire. In this case, the arson was considered to be reckless. Sticht said that bicycle theft is one of the higher offenses on campus. He said this might be due to the fact that UB is “putting so much effort into encouraging bike ridership” and that students buy expensive bikes but get a cheap bike lock to protect it from theft. Burglaries around campus have decreased, including in dorm rooms, which have decreased from 29 cases in 2012 to only 15 in 2014. The statistics show that burglaries have dropped from 50 to 25 offenses from 2013 to 2014. Sticht said this might be due to UPD’s increase in problem-oriented projects in freshman dorms that teach the students how to prevent crime. Robberies have also decreased from 17 in 2012 to just four in 2014. The amount of liquor law violations and drug related violations are easily the most frequent crimes on campus. The amount of liquor law violations on campus increased substantially from 486 in 2013 to 644 in 2014. There were 450 drug
violations in 2014 compared to 382 in 2013. But most people who committed the violations were just referred to Judicial Affairs. UPD made only one liquor related arrest between 2012-14 and only 47 of the 450 drug violations in 2014 were arrests. The amount of sex offenses forcible on campus has decreased from 16 in 2012 to eight in 2014. There has been no non-forcible sex offenses in the past three years. There were 21 cases of domestic violence in 2014, but no cases of dating violence. Per the Clery Act requirements, universities and colleges are required to make sure the public is aware the annual crime report was posted. In addition to an email alert, UB published the report on their Facebook page and placed stickers with the notice on employees’ paychecks. Taylor Strickland, a senior communication major, said she wasn’t aware than the report was sent out, but said she thinks it’s a necessity to know what’s going on around campus. She also said she would like a change in how the report is sent out. “I think it should be sent out more than once a year,” Strickland said. “I also think a text alert would be a lot more sufficient just because not everyone has email set up on their phone.” Five officers and one lieutenant must be working at all times while school is in session, according to Sticht, and while five officers is the “bare minimum,” most of the time UPD is “running well above that.” There are currently 40 sworn-in officers employed at UB. If only five officers are working, typical protocol is for three officers to patrol North Campus and two officers patrol South Campus. email: news@ubspectrum.com
A COLL ABOR ATION OF
Family Matters
An unconventional discussion about saving for college, home ownership, retirement and your financial lifetime.
HOSTED BY DAVID GREENE, HOST OF NPR’S MORNING EDITION
Co-hosted by Sonari Glinton, NPR Business Desk Reporter
With Louis Barajas, Chief Wealth and Business Manager at LAB Financial Life Solutions
And Michelle Singletary, nationally-syndicated columnist for The Washington Post.
BUFFALO - OCTOBER 8, 2015 TIME: 7:00pm LOCATION: WNED Studios, 140 Lower Terrace Buffalo, NY 14202 Reserve your free tickets at nprpresents.org This event is made possible by TIAA-CREF, a global financial company dedicated to delivering financial outcomes that matter. TIAA-CREF: Created to Serve. Built to Perform.
3
OPINION
Wednesday, September 30, 2015
THE SPECTRUM
Editorial Board EDITOR IN CHIEF
Tom Dinki
MANAGING EDITOR
Alyssa McClure OPINION EDITOR
Ricky Nolan COPY EDITORS
Kayla Menes Renée Staples NEWS EDITORS
Gabriela Julia, Senior Ashley Inkumsah Marlee Tuskes FEATURES EDITORS
Tori Roseman, Senior Dani Guglielmo ARTS EDITORS
Brian Windschitl, Senior Kenneth Kashif Thomas Alexandra Saleh, Asst. SPORTS EDITORS
Jordan Grossman, Co-senior Quentin Haynes, Co-senior PHOTO EDITORS
Yusong Shi, Co-senior Kainan Guo, Co-senior Angela Barca CARTOONISTS
Joshua Bodah Michael Perlman CREATIVE DIRECTORS
Kenneth Cruz Pierce Strudler, Asst.
Professional Staff OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR
Helene Polley ADVERTISING MANAGER
Nicole Dominguez Lee Stoeckel, Asst. Zach Hilderbrandt, Asst. ADVERTISING DESIGNER
Derek Hosken
THE SPECTRUM Wednesday, September 30, 2015 Volume 65 Number 13 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.
Crime report shows progress, but more information would be beneficial Statistics don’t show if crimes were solved, which campus crimes occurred on or crimes in Heights Transparency is key for any police department. University Police have done its part under the Clery Act to annually release crime reports, but we would like to see more. While the report UPD released on Friday shows promising signs – like burglaries decreasing by 50 percent and robberies going down to just four total in 2014 – additional information on how many crimes were solved and a breakdown of what campus the crimes occurred on would be beneficial to get a real idea of crime on campus and the work being done by UPD. And of course, when looking at these stats, we must keep in mind they do not include all the crimes occurring in the University Heights right off South Campus. This would be asking UPD to go beyond what is required of them under the Clery Act, but nonetheless, it would help students get a better idea of the community they work and live in. Knowing how many crimes get solved is just as helpful as knowing how many crimes occurred. It would bring both scrutiny and praise for the department. It’s great that burglaries decreased from 50 to 25 in 2014 – but if all 25 went unsolved, what good is it? Those statistics would have been nice to see included in the report for all students, faculty and staff to see, even if its not required by the act. The breakdown, while accounting for if crimes occurred in residence halls, non-campus buildings or on public property, does not
The Spectrum offices are located in 132 Student Union, UB North Campus, Buffalo, NY 142602100
specify what campus the crimes occurred on. This would give the UB community a better grasp what particular crimes to watch out for when on a particular campus. Deputy Chief of Police Joshua Sticht said that while the perception is that South Campus, located in the City of Buffalo, has all the crime issues, most of the reports come from North Campus, located in Amherst. It actually makes a lot of sense. The vast majority of classes and students are on North. The medical school is moving away from South and the campus only has two residence halls. Even though Amherst has significantly less crimes than Buffalo, there’s still
going to be more crimes on North because that’s where the people are. The crimes numbers are also not as high for South Campus because, as Sticht also pointed out, UPD does not patrol or have jurisdiction in the Heights, the crimeridden neighborhood surrounding the campus. That’s Buffalo Police’s area. UPD does assist Buffalo Police if asked, but they mostly just do that for parties. A UB student robbed in his or her apartment blocks away from the university does not have to be included in the reports. It almost feels like there just be an asterisk next to the crime stats – a large number of crimes are oc-
Bass in your face How rave culture has seeped into all generations
TORI ROSEMAN
SENIOR FEATURES EDITOR
Heavy bass shook the floor as I walked into the Town Ballroom Monday night. There were swarms of people walking in and out of the venue, some relaxing outside near the bar and others taking a quick bathroom trip before running back to the dance floor. I had gone to see Flux Pavilion, a popular electronic music and dance (EDM) artist who was scheduled to play downtown. Tickets were cheap and though it was a Monday, it seemed like a very “you’re only in college once so you may as well enjoy it” opportunity to go spontaneously. I expected to see a lot of people
I know, and I did. I was glad people had the same idea as me – and the same disregard for Tuesday classes – and went into the venue ready to party. What alarmed me when I stepped onto the dance floor was the range of people who were there. The man waving his arms around behind me was at least 35 – and that’s being generous. The girl who was pushing through the crowd to get in front of me couldn’t have been older than 16 – she donned X’s on her hands, had braces and her babyface was intense. I was a surprised by both sightings. Didn’t this guy have work or something the next day at a real job? Did he have a family at home he was avoiding to party with young adults? What about this girl – for me, high school started at 7:30 a.m.
How was she going to get there that early and last through the day? How did she convince her parents to let her and her friends go out on a Monday night right at the beginning of the school year? It was strange that the two people I saw, the older man and the young girl, were there, but it was stranger to see that they were going hard. They looked like they were having more fun than I was and I love to dance. About halfway through the show, I had a realization – EDM culture has seeped into other generations, both younger and older. It is no longer millennial music. Rather, it’s a genre that can be enjoyed by anyone who likes a heavy bass or an upbeat tempo. Rave culture isn’t just something for young adults – it’s just a group of people who like the same music. Of course, it was mostly millen-
ILLUSTRATION BY JOSHUA BODAH
curring on streets literally boarding the university and streets where many students live. If UB truly took responsibility for the Heights and the crimes occurring within them, the crime numbers of these annual reports would be much higher. Still, the statistics show good signs. Like the 50 percent decrease in burglaries and sex offenses – although we must keep in mind many sexual assaults go unreported. It would just be beneficial to know more about these crimes. email: editorial@ubspectrum.com
nial-aged attendees wearing fuzzy boots, neon shorts and psychedelic tees, but that doesn’t take away from the variety of people there who respect the “PLUR” motto Peace, Love, Unity, Respect. It applied to everyone, whether they were wearing colored bracelets or not. This motto and ideology is prevalent in festival culture, where attendees can see many artists during a span of a few days. People often camp out overnight and make a weekend of the event. The most recent EDM event, TomorrowWorld, saw some issues with their planning – inclement weather lead to the cancellation of the last day. Though many were upset and frustrated over the lack of planning and unorganized shutdown, the PLUR motto was held strong and everyone banded together to help each other. It doesn’t matter what age you are – there’s a culture around EDM music, and everyone who believes in PLUR should be able to celebrate it. Preferably, adequately clothed. email: tori.roseman@ubspectrum. com
4
Wednesday, September 30, 2015
FEATURES THE SPECTRUM
BSU holds annual Sickle Cell Auction to raise awareness for disease Talent shows brings in more than $1,200 in donations TY ADAMS STAFF WRITER
A lively crowd and live performances weren’t the only reasons why students and community members attended the Black Student Union’s (BSU) sickle cell auction on Sunday. When the audience was asked how many people knew someone with sickle cell anemia, just about every hand went up. BSU held its annual Sickle Cell Auction on Sunday in the Student Union Theater. Every year, BSU holds the auction to not only raise awareness for sickle cell anemia, but to also raise as much money as it can for the cause. Altogether, BSU raised $1,242.48 in donations, slightly less than last year’s total of more than $1,400. All proceeds went to Women & Children’s Hospital of Buffalo. Attendees paid a $5 fee to see many different performances, with acts from all over Buffalo coming to perform. After each performance, attendees could donate a respective amount of money depending on how much they liked the performance. Sickle cell anemia is an inherited blood disorder that has a heavy prevalence in the black community. One in every 12 African Americans has the sickle cell trait, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In a normal and healthy body, hemoglobin in red blood cells will absorb oxygen in efforts to maintain the healthiness of the cells. Normal hemoglobin cells are doughnut-shaped to allow free movement through small and large blood vessels to deliver oxygen.
Sickle hemoglobin is shaped differently – Latrovato awarded BSU with a plaque ensort of like microscopic bananas. The sick- titled “Aliya” in honor the sickle cell auction le shape causes blood blockage and intense helping children like her. pain. The event proceeded with numerous difFor some families, the sickness brings ferent performances, showcasing all differtragedy. ent kinds of talent. “My sister passed away from sickle cell at The show had a “106 & Park” theme age 8,” said Stephen Parker, a pastor and UB from BET’s hit hip-hop and R&B music Stampede bus driver. video show. For others with the sickness themselves, “‘The 106 and Park’ theme allowed differit’s a constant, daily struggle. ent organizations to bring an array of differ“I’m always in and out of the hospital – ent talents to the stage. The hosts brought actually I just got out of the hospital this their personalities similar to the hosts of past week,” said Daywon Jackson, one of ‘106 and Park,’” said Deidree Golbourne, the hosts of the auction and a SUNY Buffa- BSU vice president and a junior AfricanAmerican studies major. lo State student. The most popular acts brought in the best Jackson said the typical life spans of those with sickle cell anemia are lower than nor- donations. mal people – about the mid-40s. He said his The Caribbean Student Association’s childhood friend died of sickle cell at the Crossfyah dance team performed a dance age of 26. medley incorporating musical and dance elJackson said he feels like he is aging quick- ements from Caribbean, Africa and Latino er than he should be and that it takes a lot countries. It brought in $135 in donations. of energy for him to do simple physical tasks. He educated the audience on certain things about sickle cell and pleaded the audience to not to take it lightly. ANGELA BARACA, “Please go and get tested for the THE SPECTRUM sickle cell trait. You may not know that you have it,” Jackson said. Kayshawn Macharie sings during BSU’s The auction began with Lisa LaTroannual Sickle Cell vato, a UB graduate and senior develAuction Sunday, opment associate at Women & Chilwhich aims to help raise awareness and dren’s Hospital, congratulating BSU donations for the for hosting the event. disease. “This really makes a difference,” LaTrovato said. LaTrovato also reiterated the strain that sickle cell takes on not just the victim, but the victim’s family as well. “Yes, kids come to get treatment, but mom and dad can’t go to work,” she said.
UB’s gospel choir sang a powerful version of “He’s Able” in honor of expressing what many felt God could do for them, especially during crises like sickle cell. The entire act brought in $224 in donations. Diane Deroche, senior health and human services major, said the community aspect of the show was the most satisfying. “We hope that more awareness is brought to a disease that is commonly overlooked,” Golbourne said. “We want to make sure people are getting tested for the disease or trait, they know about the complexities of the disease, they know what steps they can take when helping someone who has the disease, or can spread the word on a disease that affects us so dearly.” email: features@ubspectrum.com
Student attendance for football drops off CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Still, the fear of being caught affected at least one UB student. An underage student, who requested anonymity, said he was “scared away” from going to Saturday’s tailgate after noticing a slew of officers during the Sept. 5 tailgate. He said he didn’t go because “it’s not worth getting in trouble over a beer or two.” UB is not a dry campus, which means it’s legal to drink on campus in authorized areas as long as a person is 21 or older. But there are specific rules students and fans have to follow in those designated areas. UPD prohibits certain items from the tailgate including beer funnels, glass bottles, drinking games and kegs in order to prevent over consumption. UPD also designates officers to show up early to the tailgate because it’s hard to determine how many students will be present. He said as the football program grows and attendance increases, the university will likely revise policies based upon necessary safety considerations. Shane Patterson, a senior communication
KAINAN GUO, THE SPECTRUM
Victor E. Bull tries to excite students during Buffalo’s 2421 loss Saturday. UB Athletics estimates only 2,000 students came to the game.
major and member of True Blue, said the main reason for the inadequate numbers at Saturday’s tailgate was due to a music mishap. There was no speaker present to play music at Baird Point. “That’s a big deal,” Patterson said. “Last time, we had a DJ. It was really good. That created the whole vibe. A lot of people were
Book your safe ride with Curb
LIBERTY First time riders only. Code expires 08/31/16. $15 off valid only for booking and payment with a credit card through the Curb app.
there [Saturday], but they came, thought it was dead and left.” But for some students who actually went to the game, it seemed like there wasn’t much of a drop off in excitement. Patterson this past Saturday’s game was better than the Albany game in regards to student section excitement. Most fans left in bunches at halftime of the first game due to temperatures reaching nearly 95 degrees, but most stayed until the end of Saturday’s close 2421 Bulls loss. “Ironically, I think the second game was better,” Patterson said. “Everyone stuck around. More people stuck around after halftime … everyone I talked to had positive vibes with it.” Patterson also said upcoming midterms may have had an effect on attendance. UB Athletics implemented multiple promotions, like the new-and-im-
proved tailgate, in the past few years to create a ‘big-time’ atmosphere. Last September there was an estimated 7,200 students at Bulls’ game against nationally ranked Baylor. This year, the program included more promotions including live remotes with local DJs and the establishment of an all-student VIP patio. UB Athletics has focused on promoting the games throughout the week in various areas on campus like the Student Union and even the residence halls. Garzarelli said Athletics was even heavier on student engagement leading up to Saturday’s game than it was with the home opener. He said having students at game helps from a “home-field advantage stand point.” “Obviously, you want to build the best home-field advantage you can,” Garzarelli said. “The general fans feed off of the students. If you have a vibrant student atmosphere, the general public will feed off of that and will make that stadium electric.” With Saturday’s small student turnout, UB having a tremendous game day atmosphere may still be a work in progress. Buffalo’s next home is this Saturday against Bowling Green. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. email: sports@ubspectrum.com
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT THE SPECTRUM
A trip ‘In the Heights’
Two students explore their Hispanic heritage through musical KENNETH KASHIF THOMAS ARTS EDITOR
Alejandro Gabriel Gómez and Jon Yepez are bringing cultural depth to the Buffalo’s theater scene. The two UB students are performing in “In the Heights,” a production of cultural significance, at the MusicalFare Theatre, a non-profit theater company located on the Daemen College campus, until Oct. 11. Gómez, a freshman theatre performance major, and Jon Yepez, a senior dance and music theater major, play Sonny and Graffiti Pete, respectively. Both Gómez and Yepez know place is on the stage. The former grew up in an artistic family of creatives. “A lot of my family members are already actors or musicians or dancers, so it’s almost a family trade,” Gómez said. “I got into it and dove into it, the business, the career, the pursuance of it during my sophomore year [of High School], when I transferred to the Buffalo Academy for Visual and Performing Arts.” Yepez, on the other hand, knew from a young age that he wanted to perform. “When I was 5 years old I told my parents I wanted to be an actor. I’m originally from Miami, Florida and there’s a TV, film and modeling industry down there, so at 5 years old I started going to auditions and getting little gigs and stuff,” Yepez said. “I added singing to it in Middle School added dancing to it in high school, now I try to do it all.” Both actors being of Hispanic descent. Yepez is Ecuadorian and Columbian and Gómez is Puerto Rican. Both stress the cultural significance that the production has. The play not only moves the audience, but also gives the two young actors a profound understanding and appreciation of their Hispanic culture, they said.
“It’s groundbreaking for theater because it’s the first show that features a Latino cast, written by a Latino [Lin-Manuel Miranda],” Yepez said. “Because you have “West Side Story,” which everyone thinks of immediately when you think of Hispanic musical theater, wasn’t written by a Latino.” Gómez’s father and aunt, who are also in the play, are a major part of the reason that this show was put into production. They started a Hispanic theater company called Raíces, which means roots in Spanish, that collaborated with MusicalFare for “In the Heights.” Raíces started back in 2003, but postponed major production during a 10-year hiatus. Gómez’s family felt that the time was not yet right for what they wanted to do – everyone was busy with different projects. They started back up in 2013 when they felt that it their vision for theatre could actually be a concrete possibility, instead of just a lofty dream. The company creates a sense of belonging and family to other actors in the company, one that Yepez said he experiences both on and off the stage. “It doesn’t feel like a job,” Yepez said. Much like its name, Raíces has brought the root culture of one’s homeland to American-born children of immigrants. “For me the play has been validating, I feel like I am home in this show,” Yepez said. “There is every
actor out there that has their dream show list, ‘I want to be in these shows before I die.’ This show was at the top of my list, if not number one.” Gómez said he felt like this show has put him in touch with his roots. He said he grew up feeling like an outsiders because his family grew up in Puerto Rico. Equally a cultural experience and production, the play has been receiving favorable reviews from audiences and critics alike. “We’ve been getting great reviews and then just talking to the audiences after the shows, everyone’s loving it,” Yepez said. Gomez said the most satisfying parts of the shows are the Wednesday talkbacks, where audience members can stay and talk to the performers after the show. The audience that stays after the show can ask cast members questions. He said there was once an elderly man on the brink of tears talking about how “In the Heights” is about a community and how connected he felt the cast was. This sense of community transcends ideas of race: it’s about inclusion. While the play is Hispanic, featuring parts spoken in both English and Spanish, the
A look into the past and present Buffalo Film Seminars show students and residents importance of film TOMAS OLIVIER STAFF WRITER
“When life’s gettin’ you down, go to a movie.” At least that’s what Diane Christian, SUNY distinguished professor in the English Department, says. Christian and Bruce Jackson, her husband of more than 40 years - also a SUNY distinguished professor in the English department - host the Buffalo Film Seminars every Tuesday night at the Dipson Theatre on Main Street near South Campus. The seminars bring together UB students and community members to watch and discuss films dating back as early as the 1920s. They were originally held downtown at the Market Arcade Theatre. Jackson said he wanted to make downtown Buffalo a more accessible place to students and was disappointed that there are many students who complete their degree at UB without ever setting foot in the downtown area. Jackson understood the positive effect that the seminar could generate. “From the beginning we just wanted to fill the theater,” Jackson said. Despite some believing the downtown area benefited from the theaters’ existence, the building was sold to a developer. The news was devastating to Christian and Jackson. In response to the theater closing, Michael Clement, president of Dipson Theatres, opened the doors of his Amherst location to Christian and Jackson to keep interest in classic cinema alive within the community. Jackson said the seminars help alleviate the constant tension between UB students and the citizens of Buffalo. Residents have complained for years about students partying in the Heights neighborhood, with tensions reaching a high this semester. Fifty-seven students have gone through Judicial Affairs
through the first three weeks of the semester for drinking in the neighborhood. “The class functions in getting people from the university and the city in the same room, at the same time, without yelling at each other,” Jackson said. This sense of community is one of the reasons why Christian and Jackson started the series. “Buffalo has a big movie buff community and people come out for them,” Christian said. She said this is why the class has grown so popular amongst students and theatre patrons alike, despite the fact a majority of students have never even seen a black and white movie. People’s concentration on a film can be shaken very easily when in the comfort of their home, but the same cannot be said when one watches a film in a theatre, he said. “To teach film in a theater is totally different from teaching in a classroom,” Jackson said. Jackson tells his students to pay close at-
tention to things such as cinematography, acting and social attitudes portrayed in film and the work they do in making the movies what they are. “Movies actually serve to teach on topics of society like the prison system, racism, and other social inequalities,” Christian said. “People really get educated through movies and we’re happy to show films that have good politics.” After every film, students and the general population get into a discussion about what the movie worked to accomplish in terms of meaning and artfulness and what it was not able to achieve under the same parameters. “It never fails to happen that when we see [the movie] big, we notice something we’ve never seen before,” Jackson said. “It’s not trivial conversation.” Both Christian and Jackson relish their memories of movies that carry social tension like Raging Bull, a movie dealing with domestic abuse. The movie caused reactions within the audience during one of the seminars.
5
Wednesday, September 30, 2015
production casts individuals from various backgrounds. Despite this being the first time that Raíces has collaborated with MusicalFare on a production, the reviews bode well that future production collaborations can be expected. “This play worked out well because everything had just fell into place,” Yepez said. “In the Heights” will be running until Oct. 11 at Daemen College’s MusicalFare theater. Tickets are $18 per person. email: arts@ubspectrum.com
COURTESY OF MUSICALFARE THEATRE
Alejandro Gabriel Gómez (far left) performs onstage as Sunny in ‘In the Heights.’ Gómez and Jon Yepez, will be performing in ‘In the Heights,’ a production that attempts to bring an understanding of Hispanic cultural, to Buffalo’s theater community.
They said one a man stood up in crowd and said, “I hope were not gonna hear any complaints from women about the film.” And only seconds after his comment, one woman got up and said, “Yeah, you are!” On another occasion, when Christian and Jackson were presenting Triumph of The Will, a film related to Adolf Hitler’s Nazi regime, Christian said, “We did have some skin heads come to the theatre. They didn’t say anything. They just clapped very loudly when Hitler appeared on the screen.” She said many people in the crowd were scared, but she thought having the skinheads in the theatre really brought the film to life. Jackson recently wrote an article for The Public concerning the recent “Black/White Only” signs posted on UB’s North Campus. He tied the film seminars to his article. In his article, Jackson said, “Art is grounded in intervention: It is about making you see something you would not otherwise have seen, feel something you would not otherwise have felt, understand a feeling you’ve had but could not theretofore have understood. Art is about disturbance.” It is this definition of art that rings loudly within the four walls of the theater where the seminar is taught. And with movies like Mississippi Masala, a film discussing racism, set to play in early November, Jackson and Christian want moviegoers to go in with a mindset that is open to thought provoking discussion in regard to difficult cultural contexts. Buffalo Film Seminars are open to the public and are held every Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the Dipson Theatre. email: arts@ubspectrum.com
SPECTRUM FILE PHOTO
The 31st Buffalo Film Seminar attempts to bridge the gap between UB students and the Buffalo community. The series is held at the Dipson Theatre in Amherst, near South Campus, every Tuesday at 7 p.m.
6
Wednesday,September 2, 2015
ADVERTISEMENTS THE SPECTRUM
Calling all UB Students!! It’s Homecoming Week and there is no better time than now to show your TRUE BLUE spirit! This Saturday, we open up Mid-American Conference play against Bowling Green. I saw what you did at Men’s Men Basketball the last time Bowling Green was here. You helped sell-out Alumni Arena and raised the expectation of student participation at our home athletic events. Now, it’s time to rise to the challenge and make UB Stadium an intimidating place for opponents to play. Saturday is the first step in our pursuit of a MAC Championship! WE NEED YOU THERE!! Our program has embraced this community and University and we want you to embrace your school and show your school spirit. Remember, as you create and define your college experience, there’s nothing like being a part of football gamedays. You will make memories that will last a lifetime! Let’s pack UB Stadium on Saturday and create an atmosphere that we all can be proud of! Kick-off is at 3:30pm, but the gates open at 2:00pm. Make sure you arrive early and be loud! See you Saturday!
Head Coach, Lance Leipold
8am Registration 9am Tournament Begins $5 For UB Students with ID Visit ubbulls.com for more information
7
CLASSIFIEDS
Wednesday, September 30, 2015
THE SPECTRUM
AUTOMOTIVE AUTOMOTIVE 2010 TOYOTA COROLLA LE, 84K miles, grey $7,200. Good running condition & new brakes. 716-238-1855 / muse 2576@aol.com
HERE WE GROW AGAIN!
HELP WANTED HELP WANTED
Dave & Buster’s is opening a new location in Buffalo’s Walden Galleria and now hiring for ALL HOURLY POSITIONS!
HOUSE CLEANER OR HANDY MAN needed by professor part-time $15/hr N.Campus 688-2461 NOW HIRING, DISHWASHERS & BUSSERS & LINE COOKS. Apply in person @ Eagle House Restaurant, 5578 Main St. Williamsville. PART-TIME POSITIONS AVAILABLE. Lasertron Family Entertainment Center is currently hiring for general customer service. Working at a fast, detail-oriented pace and having excellent customer service skills is a must. Starting at $11/hr, must be available nights and weekends. Stop in and complete an application at Lasertron, 5101 North Bailey Avenue, Amherst. NY
• • • • • • • •
SERVERS BARTENDERS FRONT DESK/ HOST WINNERS CIRCLE DEPOSITS CAPTAINS GAME TECHNICIANS LINE COOKS We offer flexible schedules, an awesome work environment and premium wages. Hospitality experience preferred, but not required.
Apply online at http://www.daveandbusters.com/careers or in person at the Walden Galleria starting this Monday (Monday through Saturday between 9am and 5pm).
$12-$16/HR. PART-TIME SALES POSITIONS. UB Students welcome! Flexible hours w/ school schedule. Hourly + commission and close to campus. 585-721-7530 APARTMENT FOR RENT APARTMENT FOR
RENT
2 & 3 BEDROOM APARTMENTS. Walking distance UB South Campus. Tom 716-570-4776. tombridon@aol. com AMHERST 1 & 2-BDRM New appliances, flooring, off-street parking & laundry. Available now! 873-3756 or 863-5781 SERVICESSERVICES CITYA1DRIVINGSCHOOL.COM Beginners & brush-up driving lessons. 5hr class $30.00 716-875-4662.
RESEARCH PARTICIPANTS NEEDED Researchers at Roswell Park Cancer Institute are searching for participants to view advertisments and packaging of tobacco products and give opinions on these products for an important research project. Participation involves one visit viewing materials and answering questionnaires. Participants will be compensated for their time. If interested, please contact 716-845-4629 And ask for the LabSense Study
DAILY DELIGHTS sponsored by Collegiate Village Apartments
COLLEGIATE VILLAGE
716.833.3700 WWW.CVBUFFALO.COM
8
SPORTS
Wednesday, September 30, 2015
THE SPECTRUM
Trusting the process Early season results aren’t stopping volleyball team from continuing its ‘process’ QUENTIN HAYNES SENIOR SPORTS EDITOR
Blair Brown Lipsitz’s main goal in her first-ever season as a head coach is simple: change the volleyball culture at UB. Coming from Penn State, a perennial volleyball powerhouse where Lipsitz was named the Big Ten Conference Player of the Year and won four national championships, she wanted a challenge. Her goal was to turn around a program that achieved very little during its Division-I run. But she knew that it would take some time. So she asked her team to trust the “process.” Trust her and her beliefs in turning the team around and to change the culture – turning practices into daily grinds and maximizing effort and talent on every play, practice and game. One month into the season, Lipsitz said the change is still a work in progress, but everyone is at least buying in. The season didn’t start on a good note for the Bulls (212, 1-1 Mid-American Conference), who went winless in their first nine games. But the team has won two of its past five and is still right in the thick of the MAC at 1-1. The winless start is irrelevant – to make the conference tournament and win a championship, all Buffalo needs to do is win against its MAC opponents. “The process is still going,” Lipsitz said. “We’re working hard every day … they’re working hard at being committed and dedicated to getting that new culture into the gym.” The Bulls started the regular season 0-9,
but that wasn’t even the worst of it. In its first five games, Buffalo won just one set. “We had some challenges to start the season,” Lipsitz said. Lipsitz and her coaching staff wanted to make the team its own. The players may not be her recruits, but she wants to work with them everyday as if she brought them to Buffalo herself. The staff strived to make the team realize every play and every motion leads to success. And it finally seems like it’s paying off. It just took some time. The Bulls followed their 0-5 start with four more defeats in a row, but there were promising signs that things would turn around. At the Old Rebel Classic in Oxford, Mississippi, two of Buffalo’s three matches came down to the fifth and final set – although the team still walked out of Mississippi without a victory. Finally on Sept. 19, the Bulls broke through as they won their first game of the season – a dominating 30 victory over Navy (2-13, 0-2 Patriot League) at the Big Orange Tournament in Syracuse, New York. Freshman outside hitter Valisha Watkins cited the improvement of oncourt chemistry – another part of the “process” – as a reason for the Bulls’ recent victories. “Everyone on and off the court loves each other,” Watkins said. In the transition, the Bulls had stellar play from their underclassmen. Watkins currently ranks second on the team with 110 kills. Sophomores Niki Bozinoski and Tessa Ooyama are vital contributors, ranking second and third in digs so far this season, re-
spectively. The contributions of the underclassman have been stellar for Lipsitz and are a component of building the culture from the ground up. “They’ve been awesome, all of the players have,” Lipsitz said. “Getting players who will be here for years to buy in now is awesome because the next set of players will come in and have people to look up and see what we expect from our players.” A big factor of Lipsitz’s process is her ability to connect with her players. Vernette glowed when asked about Lipsitz, calling her “the best” and said her proximity in age allows Lipsitz to connect and understand her players better. Just five years ago, Lipsitz was a college athlete herself. It seems the system is finally being put into fruition. And they may have picked it up at the right time. The Bulls’ 3-1 conference victory over Toledo this past Saturday was only the team’s second victory of the season. But if the team keeps gelling, it will probably not be the last. “We just need to continue to work,” Lipsitz said. “The goal moving forward is just getting better every day in the gym, if we can do that, we can win some games on the weekend.” The Bulls continue MAC play this week-
KAINAN GUO, THE SPECTRUM
Head coach Blair Brown Lipsitz holds a clipboard during last Thursday’s home opener against Akron. Lipsitz’s process may not have started out strong, but it has potential.
end on the road when they take on Miami Ohio (9-6, 1-1 MAC) Friday and Bowling Green (4-11, 0-2 MAC) on Saturday. Friday’s match is set for 7 p.m. and Saturday’s is set for 5 p.m. email: quentin.haynes@ubspectrum.com
Stepping into the spotlight QUENTIN HAYNES SENIOR SPORTS EDITOR
It’s not easy waiting for your moment. For years, senior tight end Matt Weiser waited for just that. He knew he could help the team yet he was stuck in a limited role and unable to show how good he actually was. For three years, Weiser and his fellow tight ends weren’t focal points of the offense and were often delegated to blocking. As a result, Weiser entered his senior season with just 29 career catches. But on Saturday against Nevada, in a new offense with plays set for a tight end, Weiser’s wait was finally over. His years of blocking and special teams paid off, as it culminated with a career-high 10 catches for 131 yards – the highest total for a tight end in the program’s Football Bowl Subdivision era. He also caught the game’s first touchdown, a 41-yard catch-and-run, on a simple stick play, as Weiser called it. Senior quarterback Joe Licata threw it over the middle to a defended Weiser. Despite the defender lurking, Weiser still made the catch and prepared for the hit from the defender. Only, the defender couldn’t wrap up Weiser’s big body. The tight end simply shook him off and ran for the end zone. And 41 yards later, Weiser celebrated his first touchdown of the season and the Bulls took a 7-0 lead. Even as he looked back on the play, Weiser almost didn’t want to take credit for it. “Nevada had other guys to worry about,” Weiser said. “We have so many weapons on the outside like Ron [Willoughby] and Marcus [McGill] that it allowed me to get open, get some space and make some catches.” Just four games into the season, Weiser has already eclipsed his regular season high in catches with 17 on the year. He has 176 receiving yards – 110
After years of waiting, Weiser moves into a leading role for Buffalo’s passing offense yards away from eclipsing his career high. Head coach Lance Leipold was impressed with his tight end’s play against the Wolf Pack Saturday and how effective Weiser has been to start the season. “He played excellent against Nevada,” Leipold said. “We said early in the season that we wanted to use our tight ends more, create more plays and have them in larger roles. We’re going to continue to have sets for them.” After committing to Buffalo in 2011, Weiser redshirted his freshman season. The next year he found himself lined up more with the kick return and kick coverage teams than next to the offensive tackles. He didn’t record his first catch for the Bulls until the end of the 2012 season in a 21-7 loss to Bowling Green. It took a full year to record his first touchdown grab as
well, a 16-yard pass from Licata against Ohio State in the 2013 opener. As a junior, Weiser continued to progress as he caught four touchdown passes on 15 total receptions. He also became a better big-play receiver, averaging 19.1 yards per catch that season. But it didn’t matter, as the Bulls finished with a 5-6 record, missed a Bowl birth and endured former head coach Jeff Quinn’s firing halfway through the season. But Quinn’s exit may have been the best Weiser’s career. Quinn ran a system where the tight end was primarily a blocker. Leipold and the rest of the current Bulls coaching staff preach and emphasize the importance of a receiving tight end. Weiser’s increased importance was first evident during the offseason. Whether it was coming out the backfield or simply lin-
ing up next to the offensive line, the use of the tight ends increased during spring and summer practices. With Weiser and junior tight end Mason Schreck, Buffalo now possesses two tight end targets that could be useful in the passing offense, rather than just the running game. “We believe in our tight ends,” Leipold said. “We have a bunch of guys who can help Joe [Licata] in the passing game and we like to rotate and keep them fresh. Matt has played well and unfortunately, Mason has been dealing with an injury. Having both of those guys with all of the depth at the receiver position … makes us tough to plan for and we like that.” While seniors Ron Willoughby and Marcus McGill man the outside, sophomores Jacob Martinez and Collin Lisa operate in the slot, it’s the big-bodied Weiser that gives Licata close to a perfect combination of them all: a pass catcher that can be reliable on short plays, but still athletic and strong enough to pick up vital yards after contact. After years and years of working, Weiser is projected to set career highs in yards and receptions. After his position was an afterthought in the offense in the previous regime, the tight end position has rewarded Leipold with nice play in the team’s first four games. And there still may be much more to come. email: sports@ubspectrum.com
KAINAN GUO, THE SPECTRUM
Senior tight end Matt Weiser shreds off a Nevada defender from Saturday’s game. It took him four years, but Weiser finally got his chance to prove himself.