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
ubspectrum.com
Wednesday, October 14, 2015
Volume 65 No. 19
UB bans former professor from campus for mass shooting references Nov. 16, 2006
Aug. 28, 2008
Mutua announces resignation amid allegations of perjury
Malkan begins wrongful termination suit against Mutua
Law School Dean Nils Olsen signs law professor Jeffrey Malkan to what is essentially a 5-year contract
2006
Sept. 22, 2014
2011
2008
Malkan includes references to mass shootings in emails to faculty
Oct. 9, 2015
Gardner sends email to faculty notifying them of Malkan’s ban, includes two photos of Malkan
2014 2015
2011
New Law School Dean Makau Mutua informs Malkan he is firing him
March 5, Oct. 1 and 5, 2015
Oct. 10, 2015
Malkan officially notified through mail that he is barred from visiting campus
Dec. 16, 2014
James Gardner named interim dean of Law School
MAKAU MUTUA PHOTO COURTESY OF UB NEWS CENTER
TOM DINKI EDITOR IN CHIEF
UB has banned a former law professor from campus after he sent emails to faculty referencing mass shootings on college campuses. Jeffrey Malkan, a former adjunct law professor who has an ongoing wrongful termination suit against former Law School Dean Makau Mutua, sent three separate mass emails to law school faculty during the past seven months referencing two shootings on
college campuses and one at an elementary school. Malkan, who has sent nearly 200 emails about his firing and lawsuit to faculty during the past year, insists his emails were not threatening. He said he started sending emails to faculty in 2011 to update his former colleagues about his case and to ask for their help. He said he only mentioned shootings in his recent mails because Mutua and Interim Law School Dean James Gardner have been “spreading rumors” that he was “un-
balanced” and a danger to people in the law school. He said being associated with such crimes and the insinuation that he was capable of committing such a crime was causing him distress. Since his termination in 2009, which Malkan insists is unjust, he has been unable to find work, largely, he said, because UB has refused to write him a reference letter or remove the termination from his record. Malkan claims he has not been on campus since May of 2009 and has not been in Buffalo
since December 2013. He currently lives in Stony Brook, New York. “I did not say that violence is the appropriate response to any injustice and did not compare myself in any way to mass shooters,” Malkan said. While a University Police officer determined Malkan posed no threat to campus after questioning him over the phone, UB officials said faculty and staff were fearful about Malkan’s emails and the ban was issued as “as a precautionary step to ensure the safety of our campus community.” CONTINUED ON PAGE 6
Take me to church KAINAN GUO, THE SPECTRUM
St. Joseph University Parish on South Campus is a place for UB students to attend mass and continue their religious faith while in college. The pastor, Father Jack, said he tries to cater the 8 a.m. Sunday mass to college students.
Campus Ministries Association brings together groups of many faiths TORI ROSEMAN and DAN MCKEON SENIOR FEATURES EDITOR AND CONTRIBUTING WRITER
What do Campus Crusade for Christ (CRU) Buffalo, Lutheran Campus Ministry and University Bible Fellowship all have in common? They are all clubs and organizations under the Campus Ministries Association (CMA). The CMA acts as a parent organization, mostly led by non-students, to help these groups organize events and reserve rooms around campus. They function like a reli-
gious Student Association, helping groups around campus that are religiously affiliated function on a daily basis. Carl Hempel attended UB starting in 2009, where he received his bachelor’s degree and in civil engineering and eventually his masters in transportation engineering. He decided he wasn’t ready to leave campus just yet and became involved with the association.
“I was quite involved as a student. I helped to lead some Bible studies within CRU,” Hempel said. “When I came on staff with CRU, I became their representative to the CMA and I started doing some work within the CMA.” CMA is not only for Christian organizations, though many of the organizations affiliated are Christian. The Hillel, the Baptist Campus Fellowship and the Baha’i Faith are also under the domain of the association. The CMA works closely with the Newman Center to help host events. These events include Sunday masses and Bible study groups as well as interfaith dinners and larger fundraising events. Christine Marino, campus minister, said that it’s not just the mass that helps student connect to one another. After the 8 a.m. masses on Sundays, the Newman Center hosts meetings with food and drinks. These meetings serve as an op-
portunity to both meet new people and reunite with friends. “It’s basically a platform for students to meet and connect with people that might not have a chance to otherwise,” Marino said. “A lot of students get excited about that because they get to see people that they wouldn’t normally get to see on campus during the week.” Aside from their work within the church, the CMA offers a lot of service opportunities for anyone who is interested. “This year, we’re working with Compass House, which is a home for runaways who are under 18,” Marino said. “We have a commitment with them once a month, we’re going to make dinner for their residents.” They also work with the University Heights collaborative. All programming is open to everybody, not just members of the clubs or organizations affiliated with CMA. “A lot of how people hear about us is mouth-to-mouth, student-to-student. They’re our best ambassadors really,” said Father Jack Ledwon, a pastor at St. Joseph University Parish. According to Father Jack, approximately 250-300 people attend mass on the weekends. “We try to make the 8 a.m. mass maybe a little more applicable to the students and what they’re going through,” Father Jack said. “But the scripture remains the same for all the masses.” Father Jack believes that people in this point of their lives are searching for and reexamining traditional values and religion. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
2
Did you make this week’s police blotter?
3
Our editorial board’s stance on USC firing fotball head coach Steve Sarkisian
4
Is there such a thing as a ‘best’ major?
2
NEWS
Wednesday, October 14, 2015
THE SPECTRUM
Take me to church
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
He said that maybe students came from a Catholic high school or maybe their parents were a bit more structured in terms of their faith. Father Jack also thinks that they come to mass because their family went. Now, these students are more independent because they are off on their own. They make the decision of going to mass because they want to and not because their family is. “So it’s more of a personal decision,” Father Jack said. “It’s a time where many [students] need to assess what their faith is going to mean to them. They may even take a break or step away for a while.” Students can choose to be involved in a variety of the groups and organizations affiliated with CMA, depending on when they can attend meetings and what they are most interested in. Not all religious groups are affiliated with the association, such as Brothers and Sisters In Christ (BASIC), which is a club through the SA. Molly Hamill, a senior mathematics major, has attended BASIC meetings because
SPECTRUM FILE PHOTO
The Newman Center on North Campus is a place for students to attend mass and interact with others of the same faith.
she likes the familiar feel of them. “I go to BASIC almost every Monday – they’re like my little family. I feel comfortable there, and I feel bad if I miss a meeting, because it’s like missing hanging out with my friends.” No matter which organization, there are so many to choose from that are affiliated with religion. The CMA office is right in the Student Union and offers information for any student interested in joining. email: features@ubspectrum.com
Did you make blotter this week?
All information according to University Police 10/6 2:58 p.m. – A person reported he or she received an anonymous letter containing tweets threating to pull a fire alarm. 6:56 p.m. – A UB employee in Harriman Hall reported screaming between a medium-build male with short dark hair and female with blond hair. The employee called UPD after she thought she heard a slap. 10/7 12:57 a.m. – A bus supervisor requested a welfare check on an intoxicated individual on the bus in the Main Circle. The subject was unable to take care of himself. 1:52 p.m. – A UB employee in Bissell Hall reported a UB student was upset about failing out of the business program. 15:51 p.m. – A student reported finding a bird with a broken wing outside of Crossroads Culinary Center (C3). The animal was then contained in a box and Wildlife Division was notified. 5:37 p.m. – A student reported his watch was stolen from his dorm room in Fargo Quad sometime between Sept. 29 and Sept. 30. He said he sometimes leaves the door cracked open while showering. 7:30 p.m. – A bicyclist fell into a ditch while riding on Audubon Parkway near Frontier Road. The victim was alert and conscious but complained of back pain. 10/8 1:41 a.m. – A student was punched in the Main-Bailey parking lot. The suspect was described as 6-foot-2 and wearing a black hooded sweatshirt. The victim reported the suspect went through his wallet but did not take anything. 12:49 p.m. – A UB student reported
she was in a motor vehicle accident when entering Baily parking lot. She had no injuries. 1:56 p.m. – A caller reported his vehicle was keyed in Jacobs C parking lot. 3:37 p.m. – A caller stated during a health and safety inspection in South Lake Village, she found a hookah, traffic signs, marijuana grinder, prescription drugs and large sum of cash. 6:00 p.m. – A UB student stated he saw a 5-foot-10 person wearing jeans and a Tshirt with a shaved head break the mirror off of a vehicle in the Main-Bailey parking lot. 7:44 p.m. – Patrol reported a fight in progress between two females at the University Station. 10/9 1: 55 p.m. – A UB employee in Norton Hall reported a 20-year-old male who appeared to be on drugs state he was going home to do more drugs. 7:31 p.m. – Putnam’s general manager reported a female taking food and refusing to pay for it. The student had her UBID confiscated in the past. Student was charged with theft of services and trespassing. 10:30 p.m. – A UB student in Flint Village reported a male figure wearing all black was hiding behind a tree. The suspect followed the student to her building. The suspect stated he was smoking. 10/12 10:43 p.m. – A residential adviser in Spaulding Quad reported an 18-year-old male consumed an energy drink and was experiencing a rapid heart beat and dizziness. Ambulance transported the student to Buffalo General Hospital.75390 email: news@ubspectrum.com
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3
OPINION
Wednesday, October 14, 2015
THE SPECTRUM
Editorial Board EDITOR IN CHIEF
Tom Dinki
MANAGING EDITOR
Alyssa McClure 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 Tomas Olivier 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, October 14, 2015 Volume 65 Number 19 Circulation 7,000 The views expressed – both written and graphic – in the Feedback, Opinion and Perspectives sections of The Spectrum do not necessarily reflect the views of the editorial board. Submit contributions for these pages to The Spectrum office at Suite 132 Student Union or news@ubspectrum.com. The Spectrum reserves the right to edit these pieces for style and length. If a letter is not meant for publication, please mark it as such. All submissions must include the author’s name, daytime phone number, and email address. The Spectrum is represented for national advertising by MediaMate. For information on adverstising with The Spectrum, visit www.ubspectrum.com/advertising or call us directly at (716) 645-2452. The Spectrum offices are located in 132 Student Union, UB North Campus, Buffalo, NY 142602100
College football coaches need to be held to higher standard USC head coach Sarkisian’s drunken behavior raises questions College football coaches have a lot of responsibility. They are CEOs, so to speak, of multi-million dollar businesses and are often times millionaires themselves. They’re also stand-in parents for 18-22-year-old men. They have to go into homes, look parents in the eye and tell them their child will be safe and productive under their watch. So a college football coach allegedly showing up to practices and games drunk cannot be tolerated and raises serious questions about the university that hired him. University of Southern California (USC) Athletic Director Pat Haden fired football head coach Steve Sarkisian Monday after putting him on a leave of absence Sunday. While USC has only said Sarkisian was not healthy and was not right during a practice Sunday, it’s becoming clear through media reports that Sarkisian came to the Trojan’s practice intoxicated – and it may not have been the first time. Sarkisian has had a history of issues with alcohol – like showing up to practices smelling like alcohol and drinking in his office – dating back to his time at Washington, according to a report by The Los Angeles Times. There was also an incident in August in which the coach was intoxicated at a USC donor event. Sarkisian later apologized for the incident and said he mixed alcohol and medication and would go to rehab while continuing to coach. While we as an editorial board support USC’s decision to fire Sarkisian, we’re left with questions. How did the university let someone clearly dealing with alcoholism coach college students this long? Did USC know about Sarkisian
alcohol problems before it hired him in 2014? It’s Haden and the university’s job to make sure their student-athletes are being coached in healthy and contrastive way – a drunken coach is none of those things. If USC had looked into Sarkisian’s history in any way after his intoxicated incident in August, they would have found what The Los Angeles Times found: that this was not an isolated incident. It was not a slipup of mixing a drink or two with medication. The fact that USC let their students play under a coach clearly dealing with alcoholism for seven weeks is alarming – almost as alarming as hiring him in the first place. Did USC not at all look into the background of a man they were about to pay millions of dollars to and leave in charge of 100 impressionable college athletes? We would hope that UB Athletics would have acted differently with any of its head coaches if faced with a similar situation. We hope that Athletic Director Danny White has conducted thorough background checks on all of
his coaches and would not hire a coach if such alarming red flags existed. And if any coach had displayed behavior similar to Sarkisian’s at the donor event in August, UB Athletics would have acted swiftly to investigate. There’s too much on the line – money and the future of college students – to not do so. Which is exactly what USC appeared to do. While we are for second chances and wish anyone dealing with
ILLUSTRATION BY JOSHUA BODAH
addiction a speedy recovery, USC had no choice but to fire Sarkisian. He could never regain his credibility with those players – and with the parents’ of those players. He had to go. Hopefully he can take time to recover and work his way back at another program. But he could not stay as USC’s head football coach. email: editorial@ubspectrum.com
Cloud watching with Kurt BRIAN WINDSCHITL SENIOR ARTS EDITOR
Kurt Vile’s 6th studio album sees artist expand on previous success
Album: b’lieve i’m goin down... Artist: Kurt Vile Release Date: Sept. 25 Grade: B+ Kurt Vile is, undeniably, a rock star. But he’d be the first one to tell you that his idea of stardom doesn’t go much farther than being able to fill a venue, sell some records and to make a living off of music. And just listening to his easygoing music, you get the impression that Vile prefers it that way. It’s his understated nature that sets him apart from all the other rockers out there; Vile isn’t in it for the fame or the fortunes. His music is an extension of himself – unassuming, self-effacing and above all else, honest. On Sept. 25, Vile released his newest project b’lieve i’m goin down, his 6th studio album to date. Album to album, it’s difficult to see significant changes in Vile’s music. His straightforward approach to music making has carried him through his career – his airy, listless guitar riffs, tongue-incheek lyricism and affinity for reverb has become his trademark. On b’lieve, however, there is a sense of discontinuity from his previous sound, almost as if Vile is still trying to discover new parts of himself after all this time.
On “That’s Life, tho (almost hate to say),” Vile sings about life’s ups and downs: “Stay Puft was on top of the world/Then he fell all the way back down naturally/The laws of physics have shown that a man must walk though life via peaks and valleys.” “Ghostbusters” jokes aside, it’s hard to tell where Vile believes he is in his own life. After 12 years of music making, now a husband and father, Vile’s music career is reaching its peak – and his life, even more so. “I’ll tell you about my past,” he sings on “Wild Imagination.”
COURTESY OF MATADOR RECORDS
Philadelphia rocker Kurt Vile released his 6th studio album, b’lieve i’m goin down, on Sept. 25. The album feels like another milestone for the artist, whose genuine, self-reflective music is as relaxing as it is refreshing.
“There’s believers and lovers/ And druggers and dreamers/And drunkards and schemers/And I’m afraid that I am feeling much too many feelings.” Coming to grips with failure is one thing, but accepting your own
limited success is quite another. It’s as if Vile is trying to keep his life, and his music, from slipping out from his control as time goes on, but also tell himself to calm down and keep it all in perspective. “Give it some time,” he reminds himself. Sonically, the album feels like a firm departure from his 2013 Wakin on a Pretty Daze, on which Vile’s sound was atmospheric and muffled, as if recorded in the middle of a cloud. By contrast, b’lieve has a cleaner, more open sound. The heavy-handed reverb is gone, replaced by a bit of folk – banjo – and a bit of alt-rock – piano. The departure is a welcome one. Despite how much attention Wakin on a Pretty Daze brought him, Vile’s true magic as a musician is how, despite his sonic continuity, his songs never feel stale or overdone. His head-in-the-clouds persona is so instantly recognizable because it’s genuine – so rarely does a musician’s onstage aesthetic match up so evenly with the person in real life it is no surprise that listening to Vile feels as refreshing as it does. But in b’lieve, Vile doesn’t seem have his head in the clouds. Instead, the musician can be found sprawled out, relaxing and watching the clouds from below. email: arts@ubspectrum.com
4
FEATURES
Wednesday, October 14, 2015
THE SPECTRUM
Is there such a thing as a ‘best’ major? Analyzing the idea that some majors are better than others TY ADAMS STAFF WRITER
UB offers students approximately 100 undergraduate degree programs, from which students pick one or two that ultimately predict their likelihood of employment and success after college. Data at UB shows that the STEM – science, technology, engineering and mathematics – fields are a student’s best bet. “The STEM fields are growing exponentially,” said Arlene Kaukus, director of Career Services. “There will always be continued innovation of science and research. There are always going to be new solutions needed for problems, and that allows these opportunities to grow.” Kaukus said concepts like “big data” – essentially very complex data that cannot be translated like normal data – requires many professions of which are related to math and technology to decode. “Advances in information technology, data analysis, cybersecurity, financial engineering, high-tech materials are based on mathematical models and algorithms,” said Bernard Badzioch, director of undergraduate mathematic studies. “As these areas grow so does the need for people who have advanced mathematics training.” According to Badzioch, there are many different national and local opportunities for those in the math field. “There are many internship opportunities for math majors, and several of our
students complete internships each year,” Badzioch said. Kaukus further highlighted the prevalence of STEM majors on campus. He said offices are heavily used by engineering students and the number of students enrolling to major in engineering continue to grow. “Studying engineering can lead to a vast array of career opportunities,” said Holly Justice, engineering career counselor for Career Services. “I have met with many students who have been surprised at how marketable their specific engineering major is across a variety of industries and positions.” Deshawn Henry, a junior mechanical engineering major, spends much of his time studying alongside the other engineering students he’s met over the past couple of years. Two of his roommates are also engineers and they find themselves bonding over the difficult work. He knows the work will be worth it – he is currently one of the many students working on GrowHome – a modular home that will embrace the urban farming culture of Buffalo with its four seasons – and has begun looking for internships that will advance his career. “I just want to do something I can enjoy,” Henry said. “I find what I’m studying interesting and if I can enter a career field that I love doing every day, I’ll be set.” Justice said that 50 percent of the listings for job opportunities in the UB Career Services BullsEye system – an online resource for students to search for and apply to jobs
– were in STEM-related fields. Kaukus also believes people need to “follow the trends” when searching for employment opportunities. It’s important to watch professions like health care where many people holding the positions are getting older and are soon going to need new employment, according to Kaukus. She said that many local health care opportunities are linked to UB’s downtown medical campus. Amid all the speculation of “popular” or “best” majors and the assumptions surrounding them, Kaukus emphasized the fact there is no such thing as a “best major.” “What people read in the media really impacts their [conception of a ‘best major’]. Their family’s expectations can also impact them,” Kaukus said. Kaukus said STEM companies’ products may be science-related but there is usually a very broad, bigger scope regarding what went into the creation of the product. Many companies require a range of different disciplines to help create the products and many schools and companies are relying on specialties like marketing and communication to help further their success. Jenna Smith, marketing specialist and senior staff assistant for Career Services, reflected on a time when AOL came to
YILIN LI, THE SPECTRUM
Students work inside an engineering lab on the first floor of Davis Hall. Engineering is one of the top majors at UB, according to Career Services. It is one of the STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) fields that have been growing exponentially in the past few years.
Buffalo and had people from all different disciplines come together to try and do chemotherapy research. Those who participated were not only from the STEM fields but from all different fields. Kaukus says to ultimately do what you love. She says that when you apply yourself and are committed, you will see opportunities appear. She emphasized “knowing yourself ” and how it can only result in career success. “Be happy and money will follow after,” Smith said. email: features@ubspectrum.com
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5 Discovering Buffalo through arts
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT THE SPECTRUM
Collaboration among students gives birth to a new creative project at UB
KENNETH KASHIF THOMAS ARTS EDITOR
Deja Stevens saw a disconnect between performance artists and media students at UB and got inspired. She organized Fusion UB Dance & Photography, a collaborative project among UB’s artistic students. The project highlights the beauty of UB’s campus in an artistic format by connecting dancers and actors with photographers and filmmakers to create an in-depth project about UB, the first of its kind at the university. Fusion Dance held its first production on Sept. 20 and drew over 40 dancers and photographers from UB who spent an entire day collaborating across North Campus. Photographers and dancers spent an hour at a time with each other and using everything from high-quality cameras to phone cameras, they shot from Baird Point to the Academic Spine. Stevens, a junior dance major, said the event was designed to bring together different artistic communities in Buffalo and at UB. “I feel there aren’t enough collaborations and I wanted to make it easier for people to have these collaborations to create,” she said. Cody Holland, a sophomore dance major, was among the many students who collaborated with Stevens. “Being a performer, and a [dance] major, our best ability – besides to dance – should be to promote oneself as an artist/performer,” Holland said. “What I learned specifically from the event is how much communication, relaxation and just pure fun is important with the process.” Beyond networking, Stevens said her inspiration was creating a project that tied together the experience of living in both UB and Buffalo – not just finding a community of local artists and performers. “Buffalo is misunderstood. My life goal is to revitalize Buffalo to the city that it was,” she said. “Buffalo is a gem.” Stevens, born and raised in Buffalo, has danced at various studios around the
COURTESY OF MICHAEL J. MOREL
Samantha Pfeiffer (right) and Natalia Sarmiento (left) pose outside Lockwood Library on North Campus. This semester, Deja Stevens started Fusion UB Dance & Photography, a collaborative project where over 40 dancers, filmmakers and photographers try to display UB and Buffalo at its most artistic. The group held its first event Sept. 20 and Stevens is already at work planning for next semester.
Buffalo area and was mentored by some of Buffalo’s more prominent dance professionals, including one of the original founders of the krump dance movement, Jimmy “BigRook” Hawkins. “You have to create your own opportunity,” Stevens said. “I believe in entrepreneurship. I believe if you want to be a dancer or an artist, you can be many things but one of those things is an entrepreneur.” The project forces participants to be the leaders of their own projects, which one of Stevens’ dance professors, Kerry Ann Ring, hopes will spawn more like it. In keeping with her belief of creating opportunities, Stevens approached Ring for feedback on her idea and got the full support of her professor. Seeing the finished product of her shoot opened her eyes to how important it is for the creative mediums to intertwine, she said. It also helped many artists expand their horizons creatively. “The point of the event is to feel good, I wanted to share the feeling that I had when I first took performance pictures with a photographer. I had a desire to recreate that feeling,” said Stevens. Comprised fully of undergraduate students, the event mixed students with varying levels of experience and skill. As a multifaceted event, it also was a way to learn and refine skills alongside peers. “I am usually behind the camera, I like to
Fall movie guide Upcoming films to be released in the next month
capture moments that are unique and genuine. Getting to be in front of the camera was very different,” said Samantha Pfeiffer, a fifth year senior dance major. “I had to create a story with my body, facial expression and energy. At first I felt a little like a fish out of water, but it got easier. And it definitely helped that I was working with such laidback people.” Holland, like a few other performers, had previous experience working in front of a camera. He said he was fully able to appreciate the doors that can be opened when you combine media with your craft. In a digital world, blending a craft with media is not so much encouraged as it is a necessity. To make significant gains in any career in this digital world, one’s craft has to be made ready for digital consumption as a product. “It’s a great way to learn how to feel comfortable in front of cameras and small numbers of people, as well as great self-promotion and advertisement,” said Holland. Stevens said she was first inspired to create this project over the summer when she began shooting with a colleague of her mentor Jimmy “BigRook” Hawkins after a video shoot they worked together on. “I had never taken professional pictures, especially not dance pictures, and we took pictures all over Buffalo. They were the most beautiful pictures, I wanted to cry – I felt so good,” said Stevens.
As Halloween creeps closer and closer, it’s hard not to notice the barrage of movies that are being released within the coming weeks that pay homage to the beloved holiday. So save the date for scary night out at the movies or, if scary isn’t your thing, check out some of the other flicks soon to be released.
“Goosebumps” - PG Release Date: Oct. 16 Directed by Rob Letterman and starring Jack Black (“Sex Tape”), Dylan Minnette (“Prisoners”), Odeya Rush (“The Giver”), Amy Ryan (“Birdman”), Ryan Lee (“This Is 40”) and Jillian Bell (“22 Jump Street”), this movie chronicles teenage boy Zach, who has just recently moved to small town, who meets his new neighbor Hannah, whose father is none other than R.L. Stein. Stein is writing the Goosebumps stories, horrifying campfire tales, which he traps in his manuscripts. When Zach and his friend Champ accidentally open one of the books, they release of all of the ghosts and monsters from the manuscripts. Zach, Hannah and Stein team up to get the not-so-fictitious monsters back into the manuscripts before they start harming people.
“Bridge of Spies” - PG-13 Release Date: Oct. 16 Directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Tom Hanks (“Saving Mr. Banks”), Mark Ry-
man”) and Alan Alda (“Wanderlust”), this film is based on the 1960s U-2 incident. It tells the story of lawyer James B. Donovan who is given the job of negotiating the return of Francis Gary Powers, a pilot whose U-2 spy plane was shot down in Soviet Union territory.
“Steve Jobs” - R Release Date: Oct. 23 Directed by Danny Boyle and starring Michael Fassbender (“X-Men: First Class”), Kate Winslet (“Titanic”), Seth Rogan (“The Interview”) and Jeff Daniels (“Dumb and Dumber To”), this film is a behind-thescenes look at Steve Jobs’ career and life as he finds himself on the rise of his technological success, ending with the release of the iMac in 1998.
“The Last Witch Hunter” PG-13 Release Date: Oct. 23 Directed by Breck Eisner and starring Vin Diesel (“Furious 7”), Rose Leslie (“Honeymoon”), Elijah Wood (“The Hobbit”), Julie Engelbrecht (“Nicholas on Holiday”), Michael Caine (“Kingsman: The Secret Service”), Rena Owen (“The Dead Lands”), Olafur Darri Olafsson (“A Walk Among the Tombstones”), Isaach De Bankole (“Oppenheimer Strategies”), Lotte Verbeek (“The Fault in Our Stars”), Inbar Lavi (“House of Dust”) and Kurt Angle (“Sharknado 2”), an immortal witch-hunter is given the responsibility to stop the witches of
Taking inspiration from every facet of her home city, Stevens said she is able to superimpose what she sees in Buffalo onto social issues and themes. She said she plans on using Fusion UB to educate people on the intricacies of Buffalo. On a deeper level, Stevens said she is trying to address the racial divide that the City of Buffalo suffers from. “I love the sculptures [at the Utica metro rail station]; they mean a lot to me,” she said. “When you look at the sculptures, they’re obviously black men. When you look at the one holding the mirror it’s almost saying, ‘You’re a reflection of me,’” she said. Participants called the first installment of Fusion UB Dance & Photography a success. The project gave a new understanding of each collaborator’s craft and forced individuals out of their comfort zone. As Stevens intended, participants realized the value of such an experience, hoping that this could be something that can be expected for more than just a semester. “I thought the event was such a great opportunity for dancers,” said Jessica Miller, a sophomore theater major. “I think theater majors and dance majors would really benefit from this becoming a regular thing. I am extremely pleased with how well the photos and the event turned out.” Stevens doesn’t intend to stop here. She wants to make Fusion UB a bi-annual event, and she said she intends for the spring edition of Fusion UB Dance & Photography event to be a “Tour of Buffalo” where dancers and photographers make use of various parts of the city. Stevens is adamant that this is more than just a “networking” event. She stresses that the event is also supposed to remind people that they love to create and to facilitate collaborative endeavors. “We’re so afraid to reach out to people to send letters to people and say, ‘Do you want to work on a project?’” said Stevens She said her ambition is to leave her mark on not only the City of Buffalo but UB as well. “I wanted to create something that’s just as big as [UB’s Zodiac Dance Company]. There’s more to life than what you see in front of you. I want to show that there’s more out there,” Stevens said. “I want to bring back Buffalo through art and dance – that’s my life goal, that’s my piece of the puzzle. Obviously there are more pieces, but that’s my piece.” email: arts@ubspectrum.com
New York City in their actions to desecrate humanity by means of a plague. To do so, he must team-up with an unlikely partner, an attractive female witch.
“Paranormal Activity: Ghost Dimension” - R TOMAS OLIVIER lance (“The Gunman”), Amy Ryan (“Bird- Release Date: Oct. 23
ASST. ARTS EDITOR
Wednesday, October 14, 2015
The
Directed by Gregory Plotkin and starring Chris J. Murray (“Bad Roomies”), Brit Shaw (“Clemency”), Dan Gill (“The Wedding Ringer”), Ivy George (“Curse of the Slender Man”) and Katie Featherston (“Paranormal Activity”), this film features a family of four who moves into a new home in Palo Alto, California. Ryan, the youthful husband, and his brother come across a camera that has a recording of two young girls learning supernatural abilities. When one of the girls in the over 20-year-old video breaks the fourth wall and notices both of the brothers watching, Leila, Ryan’s daughter, begins being targeted by the supernatural. Ryan will do anything he can to protect his daughter.
“Our Brand is Crisis” - R Release Date: Oct. 30 Directed by David Gordon Green and starring Sandra Bullock (“The Heat”), Billy Bob Thornton (“Entourage”), Anthony Mackie (“Avengers: Age of Ultron”), Joaquim de Almeida (“Fast Five”), Ann Dowd (“St. Vincent”), Scoot McNairy (“Gone Girl”) and Zoe Kazan (“In Your Eyes”), this film features a Bolivian politician who hires an American political consulting firm to help him win the 2002 Bolivian presidential election. The firm, Greenberg Carville Shrum, assigns Jane Bodine to handle the campaign strategies from Bolivia.
“Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse” - R Release Date: Oct. 30
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“Goosebumps” is one of the many horror and thriller movies are coming out this month, released in the spirit of Halloween. In this film, R.L. Stine’s famous scary stories will finally make their way to the big screen. It premieres Oct. 16.
Directed by Christopher B. Landon and starring Tye Sheridan (“The Stanford Prison Experiment”) and David Koechner (“Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues”), in this movie boy scouts Ben, Carter and Augie learn what true friendship really is when they band together to rescue their town from a plague of zombies.
email: arts@ubspectrum.com
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Riddle was the first to say this year will be different. “We’ve seen other guys step up as well,” Riddle said. “Now, there are seven or eight different scorers on the team, which is huge. It’s not a one-manband, but certainly when Russell is playing well, it lifts everyone and helps everyone.” The Bulls are equipped with a plethora of new and returning talent, meaning teams can’t just solely focus on Cicerone like they used to. “Being one of the leading full scorers, they think, ‘If we stop this guy, maybe we can beat Buffalo,’” Cicerone said. “The guys that Stu brought in have helped so much and have taken a lot of pressure off of me. I’m a lot more confident this season.” With the addition of newcomers Nick Forrester and Hunter Walsh, along with key returners in junior forward Steven Stryker, junior defenders Alec Fisher and Braden Scales and sophomore goalkeeper Joseph Kuta, Buffalo is gearing up for a conference run despite being at the bottom of the standings. “Obviously, when we win, everything is going good … When we lose, I feel a lot of pressure on myself to do stuff so I might make a few mistakes that I usually won’t make,” Cicerone said. “But we’re pulling together as a team right before conferences. Everyone is playing fast and strong. Everyone has a lot of confidence for MAC play.” email: sports@ubspectrum.com
THE SPECTRUM
UB bans former professor from campus for mass shooting references CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
University officials said UB’s policy on Workplace Violence Prevention says the university will not tolerate acts that cause fear of harm whether directly or indirectly. The Spectrum obtained the official letter Barbara Ricotta, vice president of student affairs, mailed to Malkan’s home Saturday notifying him of his persona non grata status. The letter states Malkan can be charged with criminal trespassing if caught on university-owned property. UB officials said 251 individuals have been barred from campus over the past 10 years. While UB maintains Malkan’s emails caused fear and distress among law school faculty, at least some of those faculty members support the former professor. Some law school faculty believe Malkan was unfairly terminated and that the university has treated him inappropriately and allowed his case -- which began with his termination notification in 2008 and continued with the lawsuit he filed in 2011 -- to drag on too long and at too high a professional and personal cost to Malkan and UB. Faculty said UB not refuting Mutua’s actions raises concerns for faculty job security and sends a message that a dean can terminate faculty members without faculty review or other oversight or without following internal procedures. The faculty believe UB could have settled Malkan’s case years ago. UB officials said the ongoing lawsuit has cost the university nothing, saying the lawsuit against Mutua is in his “individual, not official capacity.” Officials also said the at-
torney general represents Mutua as an individual. Some law professors feel UB has mishandled Malkan for a second time by banning him from campus. One professor who wished to remain anonymous suggested UB was creating a potential threat rather than preventing one. The situation “represents a serious ongoing travesty of justice by the law school and University and ongoing bad risk management strategies,” the professor said. “It would have been reasonable and beneficial for all to have settled with Malkan early on, treating him with dignity and with a careful evaluation of the facts of his claims.” Malkan’s battle with the law school goes back to 2008. Mutua, who had just recently been promoted to permanent dean, fired Malkan despite Malkan having signed what was essentially a 5-year clinical professor contract in November of 2006. It stated he could only be fired for cause in accordance with the law school accreditation standard. After Malkan filed suit, Mutua allegedly lied under oath when he claimed a faculty vote to promote Malkan to clinical professor never occurred. Seven UB faculty members have testified under oath that the vote did take place. Mutua resigned as dean in September of 2014 amid the allegations and has been on leave since December. University officials said UB does not comment on pending litigation and UB is not party to or involved in the Mutua litigation. The law professor who spoke to The Spectrum said there “is no reason for the University to violate the law and to continue to defend what appears to be clearly untruthful testimony.” In his mass emails, Malkan has mentioned the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, the 2010 University of Alabama in Huntsville shooting and most recently, the Umpqua Community College (UCC) shooting in Oregon on Oct. 1. The same day as the UCC shooting, Malkan sent law faculty an email saying, “Today’s terrible crime is unspeakably tragic. Every time this senseless and insane violence recurs, which is all too often, I despair that I will ever recover my reputation and dignity.” Malkan said he only mentioned these shootings in the context that he is “extremely distressed” that Mutua and Gardner have associated him with mass shootings by mak-
ing comments he is unstable and a threat to faculty. Mutua said in a 2013 deposition that Malkan could “go postal” at any time, according to Malkan. Officials said faculty were alarmed by Malkan’s reference to a University of Alabama in Huntsville faculty member fatally shooting her colleagues because the case involved workplace violence. Malkan claims Gardner instigated the ban by reporting the emails to University Police. Malkan believes Gardener made the reports in order to defame him and gain an advantage in the ongoing legal battle. He claims Gardner and Mutua are hoping to take advantage of the national climate of fear over school shootings to paint him as a potential threat. The university denies both of these claims. Officials said the university forwarded Malkan’s emails to UPD because of faculty fear of the school shootings referenced in the emails. The Spectrum asked UPD for the police report regarding Malkan’s emails. Chief of Police Gerald Schoenle said no police report exists and called the case an “administrative matter.” The Spectrum obtained an email Gardner sent to law school faculty on Friday informing them that Malkan was banned from campus and advising them to call UPD if they see Malkan on campus. The email included two photos of Malkan. “The safety of each and every one of you is my number one priority,” Gardner wrote in the email. UB is not the only institution sending out warnings about Malkan. David Sleight, the assistant attorney general in the Mutua lawsuit, said in Oct. 2 court papers that the attorney general’s office sent out an officewide warning about Malkan. Sleight declined comment Tuesday because of the ongoing case. The next step in Malkan’s legal case against Mutua is solving Malkan and Sleight’s Rule 11 sanctions against one another. According to photos and tweets posted on Mutua’s Twitter account, the former dean has been traveling to places such as Rome and his native Kenya during his leave of absence, but returned to Buffalo on Oct. 8. Malkan can appeal his ban from campus in one year’s time. email: tom.dinki@ubspectrum.com
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SPORTS
Wednesday, October 14, 2015
THE SPECTRUM
REUBEN WOLF CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Just eight games into its season, the volleyball team had lost one its best players. Senior middle blocker Amber Hatchett tore her ACL on Sept. 12 in a match against Southern Mississippi. “It’s heartbreaking to see it happen to her because she’s a great player and such a big part of our team, on and off the court,” said head coach Blair Brown Lipsitz. “But you immediately think of who you go to step up.” Megan Wernette stepped up. After playing in just two sets during the Buffalo’s first eight games, the freshman middle blocker has played in every set since Hatchett’s injury and is currently fifth on the team in kills with 63. On a team with several seniors on the roster, Wernette’s play bodes well for the future of the Bulls (3-15, 2-4 Mid-American Conference). Her play proves the stars can be replaced and the replacements can become stars. “Those were some really big shoes to fill,” Wernette said. “[Hatchett] is an incredible athlete and any freshman would be nervous filling in for a senior on a Division I level. But as the game went on, they just kept telling me, ‘Don’t try to be Amber, just be yourself.”’ Wernette wasn’t always a natural volleyball player despite her 6-foot-3 frame. Growing up in Naperville, Illinois, just 30 miles outside of Chicago, Wernette played soccer, track, swimming and tennis. It took a gruesome injury – a broken leg on the soccer field at a young age – to motivate her parents to suggest volleyball. “My parents just threw me into volleyball,” Wernette said. “I was reluctant at first and tried to blow tryouts, but that didn’t work. Looking back, I’m really thankful I made the team and haven’t looked back.” The team didn’t expect Wernette to see much playing time, especially with a pleth-
The fresh face After waiting her turn, Megan Wernette provides long-term answer offensively
ora of experienced players already on the team like Hatchett, seniors Megan Lipski and Marissa Prinzbach and sophomore Cassie Shado. Through the first three weeks of the season, Wernette stood solely on the sidelines as she watched the Bulls through the rebuilding year. But the match against Southern Mississippi changed that. The then 0-7 Bulls were looking for their first win of the season against Southern Mississippi. After taking the first two sets of the match, Buffalo dropped the next two sets and Hatchett as well. But at the same moment one season ended, another started. Lipsitz looked to the bench and called Wernette’s number. In her first career set, Wernette didn’t register a statistic, but that wasn’t the focus that night. The focus was to gain experience to rid first-game jitters. “I think a big part of it was getting expe-
HUY PHAM DUC, THE SPECTRUM
Megan Wernette checks out of the game for teammate Megan Lin during a matchup this season. Wernette replaced senior Amber Hatchett in the lineup after she lost her season due to a torn ACL..
rience,” Lipsitz said. “The college game is so different from the high school game and club, so it’s good to see her go in during a high-pressure situation. The next game she played, all the pressure was off so she can focus on her game.” It was shaky at first, but it didn’t take long after that. After two scoreless matches, Wernette recorded her first kills of her Buffalo career against Canisius and finished with four kills. After two weeks of steady production, Wernette took another step: becoming a focal point for her team’s comeback.
Against Toledo on Sept. 26, the Bulls lost the first set and trailed 15-13 in the second. Lipsitz called a timeout to adjust her game plan. The Bulls came out and scored six straight points and won the set 25-19 and ultimately won the match 3-1. “Everybody’s excited to win a game,” Lipsitz said. “I think Meg stepped up in that game particularly. I think a big part of this is we don’t need Meg to be Amber. We need Meg to be Meg. And I think she’s done a really great job at what she can. Every time she’s on the court and every time she’s at practice, she’s been working really hard to make herself the best person she could be.” It was Wernette that was critical to the comeback, as she scored two points in the comeback and added two more kills in the third set, en route to a career-high 12 kills. Wernette looked back at the performance as a moment where “the fun” came back into the game. “I’m not as nervous anymore,” Wernette said. “Now it’s just back to having fun. It’s a calming presence to have others of more experience on the court … Everyone is behind me. This is what I came to school for.” Wernette’s is one of a host of freshman contributing to the team. Along with fellow freshman Valisha Watkins, Abby Beecher and Raven Jordan, Wernette may have potential for the future. It’s the different abilities and the different talents “brought to the table” that Wernette likes about her fellow freshmen. “Everyone has something new to bring,” Wernette said. “We’re are all physical players, which is what we bring to the game. The seniors are more technical, but we bring the physical and energetic part … the future is bright and the goal is going up from here. This class is going to continue to grow and be smarter from the early.” email: sports@ubspectrum.com
The second half swing
Cicerone, Bulls look for strong MAC showing in hopes for a conference title JORDAN GROSSMAN SENIOR SPORTS EDITOR
It’s the nature of sports for players to go on streaks – hot or cold. It’s just as likely for a player to have a scoreless streak as it is for a player to have streaks of excellence. The latter is the case with junior midfielder Russell Cicerone of the men’s soccer team. The Bulls’ (5-5-3, 0-1 Mid-American Conference) top player endured a threegame stretch in early September where he did not record a point. But like star players does, he has rebounded and started to heat up toward the most important part of the season: conference play. Cicerone is on a five-game scoring streak to go along with 15 points in that time, including Buffalo’s MAC-opening 2-1 loss to No. 3 Akron (9-2-1, 1-0
MAC) last Friday. If the former MAC Freshman of the Year can keep up the pace, Buffalo may be in great position to finally make the conference tournament under third-year head coach Stu Riddle. “It’s pleasing to see him hit straps at the right time,” Riddle said. “I said this last year. You see the best out of Russell come MAC time and he’s itching.” Cicerone has been, without question, the most effective player on the Bulls for the past three seasons. He’s the lead the Bulls in goals, shots on goal and total points in every season he’s been at UB. His team-leading nine goals, six assists and 20 shots on goal this season speaks for itself.
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Cicerone scored three of Buffalo’s five goals in MAC play last season. But his production didn’t equate to team success. The team went 1-2-2 in MAC play and fell short of making the MAC Tournament. Soccer is a team game. As great as Cicerone was, he couldn’t pull Buffalo to victory by himself. In the MAC games Cicerone scored in, Buffalo won or tied. When he did, Buffalo lost or tied.
YUSONG SHI, THE SPECTRUM
Junior midfielder Russell Cicerone runs down the field while trying to run past an Akron defender from last Friday’s MAC opener. Cicerone will be vital to the Bulls in conference play.
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