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
Friday, April 17, 2015
Volume 64 No. 70
UB Students for Life bring Jumbotron to display anti-abortion images
The ‘expected result’ Unity Party wins unopposed election, 1 percent of students vote TOM DINKI
SENIOR NEWS EDITOR
Created Equal’s graphic anti-abortion display sparks discussion, anger and counter-protesting DANIEL MCKEON FEATURES EDITOR
A six-foot-eight screen stood outside the Student Union Thursday showing loops of graphic images and videos of abortions and aborted fetuses. UB Students for Life organized a protest outside of the Student Union from 9 a.m. to about 3:30 p.m. put on by Created Equal, an anti-abortion choice group, along with help from the Canadian Center for Bioethical Reform. By the event’s peak – around 1 p.m. – about 60 students and professors were gathered, approaching the display to debate, question and form a counter protest. Throughout the day, there were more proabortion rights protestors than those who are against abortion. Created Equal’s videos featured messages such as “Help us end age discrimination,” to juxtapose abortion footage.
“We’re trying to show the humanity of these unborn babies and the inhumanity of abortion,” said Cristina Lauria, president of Students for Life and a senior health and human services major. “Abortion is violent, it isn’t just some concept. It is a violent, invasive behavior that kills a human being.” While some counter-protestors discussed issues with the anti-abortion group, others were more argumentative. One group of students made posters with puppies and kit-
EMILY LI, THE SPECTRUM
(TOP) Seth Drayer, director of training for Created Equal, talks to a crowd of angry students about abortion around noon on Thursday.
tens on them to distract from the display’s graphic photos with phrases like “avert your eyes to me.” CONTINUED TO PAGE 5
Tapped out TAP requirement causes confusion among students GABRIELA JULIA
SENIOR FEATURES EDITOR
Nicholas Galante, a junior media study major, has to come up with $1,800 to pay for his tuition this semester because he did not receive a grant from the New York State Tuition Assistance Program (TAP). Galante is confused as to why he won’t receive TAP, which helps New York State residents pay tuition at approved schools, because he is a full-time student and received a TAP grant in previous semesters without a problem. And he’s not the only student who is confused. When notifications went out in early April regarding students’ TAP eligibility, many – like Galante – were surprised they would be unable to collect money from the state. At least one student was mistakenly told he was ineligible, but still hasn’t received the check he’s owed, rendering him late on paying this semester’s tuition. Some students affected are puzzled and don’t feel UB has done
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enough to clear up their confusion or warn them about the requirements. Galante had no idea he wouldn’t be getting the nearly $2,000 he was counting on because he’s not enrolled in enough classes this semester that go toward his primary major. Multiple students received an email from the UB Office of Financial Aid on April 10 notifying them they are not eligible for a TAP grant for the spring semester because they are not enrolled in at least 12 credits applicable toward their degree. To be eligible for TAP, students must be enrolled in at least 12 credit hours worth of classes that are a either a general education requirement, a major require-
One student’s perspective on what it was like to present at CURCA
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PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY SARA DINATALE, THE SPECTRUM
UB Financial Aid recently sent out an email telling a number of UB students they are ineligible for the TAP grant. Some students were unaware they needed to be taking 12 credits applicable toward their primary degree in order to receive the grant.
ment or a free or restricted elective, according to Jim Hanley, training and information manager at New York State Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC). Courses for additional majors or minors do not count when granting TAP.
The night of the Student Association elections result announcement normally features the different party candidates crowded into the SA office, with one party celebrating in victory and the other devastated in defeat after an announcement from the Election and Credentials Chair. Joe Pace found out he was elected SA treasurer Thursday in a text message. He said he then finished eating his sandwich and went on with his day. “It was kind of more of an expected result,” Pace said. The Unity Party was officially elected to the SA executive board Thursday after an unopposed race. SA Election and Credentials Chair Matthew Siwiec alerted the Unity candidates of the results in a group text. Only 217 students – or roughly 1 percent of UB undergraduates – voted in the election. One hundred and fifty five students voted in the last unopposed election in 2008. Juniors Minahil Khan and Sean Kaczmarek were elected as president and vice president respectively with 209 votes, while Pace – also a junior – was elected as treasurer with 191 votes. Students had the choice between voting for the Unity candidates or submitting a blank ballot. Eight students chose to do so for the president and vice president, while 26 chose to do so for the treasurer position. This year’s election offered less anticipation and drama than in the past when multiple parties ran. The Clarity Party dropped out of the race on April 6 after not receiving endorsements from the Academic, Engineering and Sports Councils. “I know the intensity that happens right before election results are revealed and the hour you’re waiting … Going into it, we knew it was going to be different,” Khan said. “We continued through and tried to campaign as much as we could and kind of anticipated the election results would be a little bit different.” The candidates still campaigned in the Student Union lobby throughout the week. Kaczmarek said that because the candidates knew there wasn’t going to be a “hype build up” for the election results, their main focus was on informing students. Khan said it was important to the three of them to inform students of their platform and that the election was happening. She said she met a lot of students that didn’t know what SA is and she hopes her interactions made them think about getting involved in SA. “At the end of the day, whether or not we’re unopposed, students are still paying $100 a semester, so there’s still value and investment in their student government,” Khan said. CONTINUED TO PAGE 8
CONTINUED TO PAGE 5
Polish SA offers students a way to understand another culture
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The psychology, politics and story behind Paul Thompson’s raps
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Friday, April 17, 2015
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Friday, April 17, 2015 ubspectrum.com
Editorial Board EDITOR IN CHIEF
Sara DiNatale
MANAGING EDITORS
Rachel Kramer Emma Janicki, Asst. OPINION EDITOR
OPINION
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Faster Internet and more of it Wi-Fi initiatives on campus and downtown help bring UB and Buffalo up to speed
Tress Klassen COPY EDITORS
Alyssa McClure, Copy Chief Anne Fortman Emma Fusco Natalie Humphrey NEWS EDITORS
Tom Dinki, Senior Ashley Inkumsah, Asst. Charles W Schaab, Asst. FEATURES EDITORS
Gabriela Julia, Senior Dan McKeon, Asst. James Battle, Asst. ARTS EDITORS
Tori Roseman, Senior Brian Windschitl SPORTS EDITORS
Jordan Grossman, Senior Quentin Haynes Bobby McIntosh Asst. PHOTO EDITORS
Yusong Shi, Senior Kainan Guo Angela Barca, Asst . CARTOONISTS
Harumo Sato Joshua Bodah
CREATIVE DIRECTORS
Jenna Bower Kenneth Cruz, Asst.
Professional Staff OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR
Helene Polley ADVERTISING MANAGER
Kevin Xaisanasy Alex Buttler, Asst. Melina Panitsidis, Asst. ADVERTISING DESIGNER
Tyler Harder Derek Hosken, Asst.
THE SPECTRUM Friday, April 17, 2015 Volume 64 Number 70 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
UBIT has finally gotten the message – the age of less-than-instantaneous Internet has passed, and it’s time for UB to catch up. As available Internet speeds increase with the development of services like Google Fiber, and as companies continue to break broadband speed records, standards for basic Wi-Fi also continue to skyrocket. It just isn’t acceptable anymore to wait for a webpage to load, and it’s taken years for that to emerge as a priority on campus. So although UBIT’s announcement of its forthcoming Wi-Fi Boost initiative is of course welcome news, it’s surprising to learn this is the first initiative of its kind since the university’s introduction of Wi-Fi on campus in 2001 – 14 years ago. In 2001, the first iPhone was still six years away, the first Harry Potter movie was in theaters, Destiny’s Child was still together and the majority of households still used dialup to access the Internet. The lack of an extensive update to UB’s Wi-Fi since that long-ago date is simply hard to fathom. In fairness to UBIT, there have been smaller-scale updates to the system, but considering many students struggle to maintain a consistent Internet connection in their dorm rooms or classrooms, it’s clear those minor improvements
weren’t sufficient. Access to high-speed, reliable Internet may have once been a luxury, but now, with the increasingly dominant presence of technology in daily life, it’s more of a necessity than ever before – especially in an academic setting, where students have to use UBlearns, online databases and the library’s webpages in order to complete their schoolwork. As more and more of UB’s academic materials and instruction move online, the university has a responsibility to ensure that students all over campus can access those materials with ease. Overcoming this digital divide is critical not just at UB but throughout Buffalo, where public Wi-Fi is often the only form of Internet access available for individuals who can’t afford the high monthly fees to maintain their own connection to the web – or for residents in more unstable situations, who don’t even have a household, let alone a high-speed Internet connection. It’s exciting to hear that even as UB improves its mediocre Wi-Fi, a public network for all of downtown Buffalo is under development. Starting this summer, thanks to a pilot project organized by the city, M&T Bank and UB, there will be free access to public Wi-Fi throughout downtown, with plans already in the works to expand the
network. The project cost M&T only $650,000, as it uses UB’s existing fiber-optic cable and the city’s infrastructure, in a smart use of existing resources. For just over a half million dollars, residents of Buffalo will soon enjoy free use of the Internet in an important equalization of informa-
Cuomo continues to fail as protests test his resolve Students opt out of state exams en masse in effective display of discontent When it comes to standardized testing, it’s looking increasingly unlikely Gov. Andrew Cuomo is going to get his way. The governor’s recommended emphasis on testing results in teacher evaluations has been consistently met with disapproval throughout New York State, extending to proposed boycotts by teachers and protests by parents. And now, students themselves are a factor in this debate, as record numbers of third through eighth graders are opting out of the tests, which started on Tuesday. In West Seneca, a stunning 70 percent of eligible students did not take the tests. Multiple school districts, including Lake Shore, North Tonawanda, Springville-Griffith and Lackawanna posted similarly high numbers, ranging from 42-58 percent of students opting out. Last year, just 5.5 percent of Western New York students opted out – an astonishing jump in numbers. The testing is controversial not only because it’s associated with Cuomo’s proposed evaluations but also because the subject matter is aligned with the equally contested Common Core learning standards, now in their third year. These passionately debated – and frequently lambasted – educational policies exacerbate a general attitude of suspicion, anxiety and exhaustion directed toward
standardized testing, which many parents complain is an unnecessary source of stress on their children, and an unfortunate influence on curricula and priorities in the classroom. “Teaching to the test” takes over the classroom when the results of standardized tests are emphasized more than student learning. The mass opt-outs across Western New York are as important as they are dramatic – these record numbers should send a powerful message to Cuomo, and should also encourage him to reevaluate his current stance on the importance of standardized tests. And even if Cuomo isn’t swayed by principle, the practical implications of the reduced number of test-takers are also relevant. With so few students sitting for these exams, the results can no longer be considered as an accurate representation of schools’ and teachers’ effectiveness. This protest is both symbolic and strategic, and it’s commendable that so many parents banded together to express their opinion through action. At the same time, it’s fair to acknowledge that students of all ages need to practice test-taking skills – experiencing the pressure of an exam and being expected to function in a stressful situation should be an element of students’ educational experiences. But it shouldn’t be the focus,
especially for younger students, who have the right to recess, to arts education and a more diversified learning experience. As students grow older and face the arguably unavoidable tests like the SAT and ACT, developing coping mechanisms for high-pressure academic situations becomes more important, but for elementary school students, it simply shouldn’t be the priority. Assessment is a part of the academic experience and parents and students need to accept that. But this sort of testing should serve a purpose that benefits everyone involved – allowing teachers, students and parents to understand what information students are understanding and what topics need further instruction. And some standardized tests, like the PSAT and other college readiness exams, serve as an important component in college applications and also provide students with opportunities to earn scholarships and academic recognition. The state’s standardized testing that’s currently being boycotted by so many students offers none of these incentives. Parents don’t even get to see the results of the tests – students spend hours taking the exams, and even more time preparing for them, and receive nothing in return. So it’s only fair that Cuomo, with his unwillingness to compromise or listen to the protests of parents and teachers, gets unsatisfactory results of his own. email: editorial@ubspectrum.com
ILLUSTRATION BY JOSHUA BODAH
tion access. With their Internet initiatives, both UB and the city of Buffalo are catching up and surpassing the expectations of the public, with practical improvements that will have immediate and appreciated results. email: editorial@ubspectrum.com
Letter to the editor A message to the entire UB community: The UB parking system’s problems extend beyond struggling to find a parking space
The Spectrum’s April 9 article, “The Parking Game: Parking Struggles on UB’s Campuses” by Emma Janicki and Sushmita Gelda should be a wake-up call to all members of the UB community that the individual and collective actions we all take in driving to campus are adversely affecting each other and our personal health. We need to work with UB Parking and Transportation Services to reform our current parking system to minimize these adverse effects. As a co-author of “Connections Beyond Campus – An Evaluation of the NFTA-UB Pilot Transit Pass Program” with Daniel Hess of the Department of Urban and Regional Planning and Paul Ray of the UB Regional Institute, I learned a great deal about the attributes and characteristics of the UB community, including the fact that a significant proportion of the UB population does not drive. Given Maria Wallace’s comment in the article that only 17,840 parking passes were issued in 20142015, this makes evident the fact that slightly more than 40 percent of the UB population of 29,850 students does not utilize campus parking. If this sounds like a lot of people, consider the following: I was an instructor for a UB 101 course for first-year students this past fall. CONTINUED TO PAGE 4
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Time to shine Celebration of Student Academic Excellence highlights student achievement
EMMA JANICKI
ASST. MANAGING EDITOR
Thursday morning I gathered with about 400 other undergraduate students as we tacked posters to just-unstable-enoughto-be-nerve-wracking display boards. Men in dark suits and colorful ties and women in heels, dresses and pantsuits crowded into the Center for the Arts Atrium, mingling and asking questions about each other’s posters. It was the 11th annual Celebration of Student Academic Excellence, put on by the Center for Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities (CURCA), and we were all there to show off our hard work. About 160 posters were put up in rows in the Atrium, with students from a variety of majors intermingled: Mechanical engineering students mixed with environmental sciences majors who stood next to anthropology majors who looked at posters by psychology students. From “Liquid Light” to “Restoring and Analyzing Ceramics at Seyitömer Höyük” to the “Impact of Music Therapy Agitation and Cognitive Impairment in People with Dementia,” what students presented was, simply, diverse. My poster was about the writings and readings I’ve been doing for the past year on the works of French author Marguerite Duras. But it felt odd to be standing next to a
poster about radioactivity and facing another poster about upward flame speed. Students in my row, put together because we’re members of the Honors College, had spent their time using data, experiments, graphs and algorithms to come up with interesting results while I poured through books, literary journals and forced myself to enjoy some of Duras’ more avant-garde films. The only two other literature-based posters were far from where I stood, and I felt that impacted how others – and I – perceived my work. Although the Celebration was for all of us, I couldn’t help but feel like “the odd man out.” With hard science flanking me on either side and crowds of people gathering to hear about experiments I never heard of, it definitely felt like the work done in the humanities isn’t really all that important. It didn’t help that I watched President Satish K. Tripathi walk right by my poster without so much as a glance before stopping at one of the posters next to me. But I can’t understate how inspiring it was to see so many of my fellow students pursuing their academic passions, regardless of what they were studying. The Celebration is a testament to the academic challenges UB students embrace and looks toward the future of what we’re all going on to do in graduate school, internships and jobs. The Celebration is not just great PR for the university; it’s proof that undergraduate students do work that can and will make a difference. There are students studying how to recover and reuse wastewater, working on threedimensional cement printing, figuring out if the scanning of microvessal density can be used to estimate the degree of dysplasia in a tumor sample and examining the nostalgia of paternalism in the South. All of this work is important and all of it deserves praise and recognition. Regardless of whether students are studying literature or history or conducting research in the STEM fields, the Celebration lets everyone proudly stand by their work. But it would be nice if those of us in the humanities were less overwhelmed by the STEM fields so our work can stand out as equally legitimate, challenging and worthwhile. email: emma.janicki@ubspectrum.com
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Friday, April 17, 2015
Letter to the editor CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3
When I polled my 23 students as to how many had a car at UB, only one raised their hand. I had to unfortunately tell them that unlike their first-year colleagues at Buffalo State, Canisius and ECC, if they want to use our public transit system, they would have to buy individual tickets or a $75 monthly pass. At UB, we need to make it as easy as possible for non-drivers to get where they need to go. The idea that we need to promote single vehicle commuting above all other modes is illogical given the significant non-driver population of our university. Given our commitments to sustainability, and most people’s desire to live a long and healthy life, this should involve promoting walking, biking and riding public transit. Unfortunately, our current system, despite the article’s premise, makes it easier, more convenient and less expensive to drive than it should. Right now, no matter your status (student, faculty, staff, or visitor), your parking is subsidized by the Parking and Transportation Fee assessed to students. Given current statistics from the Comprehensive Fee Report, 26 percent of the Parking and Transportation fee collected goes toward parking. At $187.25 per semester, this is a cost to each UB student, with or without a car, of $48.69 per semester. If a fee was assessed to only drivers, the cost of parking would be much higher. This problem is compounded by the fact that the current faculty and staff parking rate sits at $9.65 a year, well below the true cost of parking. “Connections Beyond Campus” found that 90 percent of parking is currently funded by the Parking and Transportation Fee, with the balance being funded by the fee assessed to staff, visitor paid parking and parking citations. Driving has its positives, and we want a parking system that works for those who have to drive. I make attempts to be a non-driver for the sake of the environment (and my wallet) and have lived for periods of time without a car. Sometimes what you have to do or where you have to go in the course of a day makes it necessary to drive. I dislike those days, as I would rather ride my bike or take the Metro Rail to UB whenever possible. In trying to get around without my car, I gain more than just losing the frustration of finding parking; I obtain much needed physical activity. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that people obtain 150 minutes of moderate physical activity each week. The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey, an annual survey administered by the CDC which asks about physical activity, among other topics, generally finds that less than half of Americans meet its physical activity standards. In biking from my West Side home or walking to the Metro Station, I work toward meeting these standards week after week. In driving, I fail to meet these standards. I am not unique in this regard; academic publications across disciplines have found measurable health benefits for active commuters and transit riders.
There are many things UB should continue to incentivize. The Student Health Center makes it easy to see a doctor. The gym keeps us fit. The Stampede and the shuttles keep all those non-drivers from getting a license and buying a car, which would result in a scenario where it becomes truly impossible to drive to UB. However, the parking system in its current form is doing its best to make sure we drive to UB, and by extension, making sure that we are less likely to meet physical activity standards. I am fortunate in being able to have a choice in what mode I choose to use to get to campus. Some people have no choice. Like you, I know students who work the dinner shift at restaurants and the overnight shifts in manufacturing plants, students with child care responsibilities and super-commuters from neighboring regions. Creating a parking system that works for the members of our community with obligations outside the University should be a priority in any reform effort. A more fairly assessed parking fee could redistribute costs where they should be. Non-drivers shouldn’t have to pay, as they probably don’t own a car in our car-centric region as a means to make college more affordable. Students should pay a fee that covers the cost of the space they use so they consider the true costs of car ownership, and whether they should drive to school. Faculty and staff should pay a fee that covers the true cost of parking, so they similarly consider the impact of driving. Surplus funds from this rationalization could be used to implement transportation demand measures, such as the creation of a transit pass program that allows unlimited access on the NFTA system, allowing those 40 percent of non-drivers and my 22 UB 101 students a way to get around town. Some of the drivers might even find it easier to take the NFTA bus or rail, making parking easier for everyone. Given UB’s ambitions to improve its stature, a smaller but more efficient parking system could get us closer to where we want to be by allowing student fees to be reallocated to uses that help fulfill these ambitions. By incentivizing desired travel behaviors such as walking, biking, and riding public transit, and disincentivizing undesired behaviors, such as driving alone to campus, UB can extend the leadership role it has been creating for itself in Western New York to sustainable transport. In order to lead in this area, however, we need to ensure the proper incentives exist for people to use alternative travel modes to get to campus. If the only inventive that exists is for people to drive, they will be more likely to make that choice. Nathan Attard is a graduate student of urban and regional planning and the co-author of “Connections Beyond Campus - An Evaluation of the NFTA-UB Pilot Transit Pass Program”
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UB Students for Life bring Jumbotron to display anti-abortion images CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Lauria said that Created Equal did the protest for free and none of the club’s Student Association budget went into funding the display, which had to say contained to a fenced-in area outside the Union. The event generated instant feedback. Some students debated amongst themselves or with the protestors, some cried and hugged one another and others tried to help those were offended by the display. Eric Chambers, a senior environmental design major, said he felt the display, especially the Jumbotron, was “overkill.” To “look out” for students who might have been offended by the display, Chambers printed out posters of his dogs the night before and wore them in front of the Jumbotron. “Students that aren’t pro-life really don’t want to see this,” Chambers said. “[The anti-abortion protestors’] freedom of speech shouldn’t be limited, but putting it in a place that’s the capital of campus where people eat and meet up is just wrong. People shouldn’t have a dead baby shoved in their face.” To alert more students of the graphic images, he posted about it on Yik-Yak, a social media app that allows people to share posts anonymously with those around them, the night before. Lauria understood some may be uncomfortable with the images, but she said “we don’t think that on a college campus anyone is too young or too immature to handle something like this.” For those on campus who have had traumatic experiences with abortions, the antiabortion protestors provided phone numbers students could call. Megan Erway, a sophomore psychology major, disagreed with Students for Life’s tactics. “There should be a warning,” Erway said. “That’s unacceptable for me. You have no idea how those things could emotionally harm other people and it seems like they overlook that factor and don’t really seem to care.” Around noon, the scene in front of the Student Union began to get heated. Seth Drayer, director of training at Created Equal, spoke to the crowd using a PA system. He said his goal was to “have a conversation” and to “bring people in, prochoice or pro-life, who are maybe too nervous to talk about it.” Many people in the crowd grew angry with Drayer’s statements and voiced their disapproval. Shouts of “what about rape vitcims?” and “how can you do this?” came from the
crowd as Drayer continued to speak. For students who asked to speak, Drayer had them speak into his microphone. Many questioned the legitimacy of Drayer’s arguments, while others were more aggressive, with one student even saying, “you should’ve been aborted because you’re a f****** idiot.” “It’s supposed to be more conversational, not so loud,” Drayer said. “People speak out in very vocal ways, so I’m not very surprised by [the shouting].” A student stomped on one of the anti-abortion protestor’s signs and spat on it as he walked away. Police apprehended the man but he was not arrested. Mark Harrington, executive director of Created Equal, discussed the incident with the student. The student apologized to Harrington and the two shook hands. “If there’s remorse and they apologize, we don’t press charges,” Harrington said. In previous years when the Genocide Awareness Project (GAP) brought similar displays to campus, there was controversy over the group calling abortion “genocide.” Last year, GAP brought its displays to campus on Holocaust Remembrance Day. While this year the display still fell on Holocaust Remembrance Day, Created Equal did not refer to abortion as genocide. Lauria and Drayer also said the coinciding date was a coincidence and they were unaware Thursday was Holocaust Remembrance Day. Many students showed up to voice their opinions on the issue and a few clubs used the large crowd to their advantage. UB Pastafarians even handed out free candy, holding a sign that said “Candy or not, we give you the choice.” “We got word that Students for Life would be having their annual display, and since it has been controversial, and drew a lot of people in the past we figured we could piggyback on it to tell hundreds of students about our club,” said Jonathan Sessler, president of UB Pastafarians and a senior biological sciences major. Other clubs like Outdoor Adventure
Club, UB Improv and Pagan SA drew attention away from the photos and videos by advertising their upcoming events. Some students held up comedic signs, such as “honk if you’re horny” and “Bring Back Crystal Pepsi.” At one point, a group of students were chanting “we want Pepsi” over Drayer’s speech. Lauria said she respected the rights of other groups to express themselves publicly. Created Equal focuses on colleges because they’re a “marketplace of ideas,” said Josh Bertsch, director of special projects. The group had previously gone to several colleges in Florida in March and Ohio State and University of Albany this month. While they don’t always use the Jumbotron, they said it can be much more effective than pictures alone. “Pictures are worth a thousand words, but a video is worth a million,” said Jami
KAINAN GUO, THE SPECTRUM
This Thursday’s event, hosted by UB Students for Life, used graphic images of abortions to start conversations about the ethics of the practice.
Beer, director of campus outreach for Created Equal. This was the first year videos of abortions were shown as part of the Student for Life’s display. This is the third year the group has brought similar displays to campus. “It was a bit difficult to take [the antiabortion protestors] seriously because of the nature of the images they used but I guess they did achieve something because they got people talking,” Erway said. email:news@ubspectrum.com
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Michelle Gonzalez, the UB financial aid office’s interim associate director, said despite students’ recent confusion, this requirement is not new. Students can still receive TAP without taking 12 credits applicable to their degree if they are in their final term of study before graduation. Gonzalez could not confirm how many students are not eligible for TAP this semester because of the requirement, but said the number of student complaints about the guideline hasn’t differed from any other semester. Galante provided The Spectrum emails between himself and his academic adviser. The adviser said in the email that when the College of Arts and Sciences advisers were asked earlier this semester to review 600 students’ records to determine if they met the “new guidelines” for TAP, it was “news to them.” But Gonzalez said these guidelines have “been the same for a while now.” “We’ve been very proactive with communicating with students,” Gonzalez said. But students are still uncertain about the TAP guidelines and have experienced issues communicating with the Office of Financial Aid and their academic advisers. “At first my financial aid adviser told me he didn’t know anything about it, then he got back to me and told me to talk to my
academic adviser,” Galante said. “I went to my academic adviser and they told me to talk my financial adviser.” Galante is taking four credits toward his major and 10 toward his minor, which doesn’t count for TAP. Demetri Realmuto, a senior psychology major, will receive a TAP grant next fall to finish up his degree, but he cannot register for fall classes unless he pays $1,300 for this semester’s tuition. The financial aid office told Realmuto he would not receive a TAP grant this semester to pay off the remaining $1,300 on his tuition because most of his 13 credits are not going toward his primary degree. John Maher, a junior engineering physics major, also received the email that he wasn’t eligible for TAP because he was not enrolled in 12 credits toward his degree. But Maher is currently enrolled in 15 credits directed toward his primary degree. The financial aid office then emailed him saying there was a mistake in counting his credits and that the bill would be removed from his account. But the hold on his account has yet to be removed so Maher is still unable to enroll in summer and fall classes.
Maher has been frustrated with the responsiveness of the financial aid office and his academic advising. When he originally received the email that he was not eligible for TAP, he contacted the general email account for the TAP provost for UB, the financial aid office and his academic adviser. He said he didn’t receive a response from his financial aid adviser until 10 days later. TAP is always given as an estimate at the beginning of each semester, according to Gonzalez. UB’s financial aid advisers can’t begin certifying students for their TAP grant until after the fifth week of classes and once a student has reached 100 percent liability – when the student takes on the full financial burden of a course – by New York State. If a student doesn’t meet the eligibility, the
KAINAN GUO, THE SPECTRUM
UB students who are confused about the TAP requirement can visit UB’s Office of Financial Aid, located in the Ellicott Complex, or visit the Student Response Center located in Capen Hall.
TAP estimate goes down. Once the process of reviewing a students’ credit load is complete, TAP is either granted or removed. Students who received an email about their ineligibility for TAP or are confused about TAP requirements should contact their financial aid adviser or UB Financial Aid at UBFA@buffalo.edu. email: news@ubspectrum.com
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Friday, April 17, 2015
The Polish connection Polish SA brings cultural traditions to UB and Buffalo MARISSA FIELDING STAFF WRITER Święconka (shve-yen-SOHN-ka), Dyngus Day and Wigilia may be unfamiliar to those who aren’t of Polish decent, but the Polish SA is making sure all of its members live out those traditions as fully as possible. On Sunday, the Polish SA celebrated Święconka, or “the blessing of the Easter baskets.” While the tradition dates back to the seventh century, the event at UB started six years ago when the previous president felt the club needed a bigger event during the spring semester. The Polish SA brings many traditional Polish celebrations to UB. Although the number of international Polish students is low, an average of 85 students take Polish language courses, according to Danuta Nycz-Nakamura, a Polish professor at UB. Polish influence in Western New York, specifically the Greater Buffalo area, can be traced back to 1860, according to the Polish Genealogical Society of New York State. Between 1873 and 1922, Polish Americans established 34 church parishes in the Greater Buffalo and Western New York area. By 1940, there were 76,465 Western New Yorkers of Polish decent.
The Polish SA was founded in 1907, making it one of the oldest clubs on campus. Katie Ehlers, a senior speech pathology major and president of the Polish club, wanted to bring Polish traditions to UB. Ehlers joined the club after developing a close relationship with Nycz-Nakamura. “[The Polish SA Board] all took Nycz-Nakamura’s entry level class for learning Polish,” Ehlers said. “She would tell us about Polish club and then when there were elections she asked us if anyone would be interested in joining. She’s the reason we’re all in it.” Nycz-Nakamura was born and lived most of her life in Poland. She came to America for college as a linguistics major with a minor in Polish, graduating in 1998. She became a professor and faculty adviser of UB’s Polish SA in 2003. As a student, she was a part of the club as well. Buffalo has the highest Polish population of any other city in the United States, according to the most recent Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. For Nycz-Nakamura, informing students about the large population of Polish residents in Buffalo is exciting, especially because there are differences in the way some traditions are celebrated here opposed to how they’re celebrated in Poland, she said. “Typical American food is different and polka dancing is so popular in Buffalo, but you don’t dance polka in Poland,” Nycz-Nakamura said. A typical tradition in Poland when cele-
Seuss
on Saturdays Children’s Literature (LIT 203)
MARISSA FIELDING, THE SPECTRUM
Polish SA celebrated Swieconka, or “the blessing of the Easter baskets,” on April 12. The club also celebrates Dyngus Day and Wigilia to bring the Polish culture to campus.
brating Święconka is the blessing of the basket and sharing hard-boiled eggs. Families attend mass in the morning and then head home to enjoy a delectable Easter breakfast. Another difference is Dyngus Day, which is celebrated on Easter Monday and is a bigger celebration in Buffalo than in Poland, according to Nycz-Nakamura. “Buffalo is actually the capital of the world for Dyngus Day,” Nycz-Nakamura said. “We do not have a parade for Dyngus Day in Poland. In Poland, everyone goes to church and then when you go home, boys always wait for girls to splash them with water. So when you were young, you really ran fast home. Once you get home, you eat Easter breakfast.” The Polish club walks in the parade on Dyngus Day to represent the polish student population. Some of the other events hosted by the club include picnics in the fall and spring, kayaking and the Wigilia, a Christmas Eve Polish tradition. During Wigilia, there is a tradition that families share an oplatek, a Polish wafer of bread that is blessed, and wish each other good health and happiness for the new year. They also plan to have a potluck where students and members can bring in different
Polish dishes on May 1. Ehlers advises students to come to the meetings and experience what the Polish club has to offer, especially because many of the members, including Ehlers, will be graduating and the board will need to elect new members. “I don’t speak Polish,” Ehlers said. “I just have a very good relationships with [NyczNakamura] and that was why I came in. You can’t just be someone random and say you want to join and not partake in anything; you have to realize how much work goes into the club.” Ehlers said the club has helped her to grow as a person. “I have learned so much more about myself and that there are other cultures that I am interested in,” Ehlers said. “Polish is one of them. We also meet a lot of cool people. I never would have met Sebastian who is studying abroad here from England.” Sebastian Szlenkier, a junior political science major, joined the club to have a piece of home with him being so far away. “I am fully Polish,” Szlenkier said. “I came here and got involved in the SA just because I wanted still to have a link back to Poland.” Nycz-Nakamura joked with the students about how easily Szlenkier could adjust to Buffalo’s weather because it is similar in Poland. The club also discussed the altered language requirements at UB – like in the English department – and how they’re against foreign language requirements being removed or avoidable. They hope more students will reach out to their club to continue their growth in knowledge of different cultures. Thomas Travers, a senior sociology major and treasurer of the club, is from Long Island and was unaware of how big the Polish community is in Buffalo. He described it as “eye opening.” The board members, such as Travers and Ehlers, will always be grateful and remember their time working for the Polish club. “I’ll miss it,” said Travers, who is graduating this semester. “You don’t realize there’s people from all over this planet here at UB so you might as well talk to them and try to learn something.” email: features@ubspectrum.com
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Friday, April 17, 2015 ubspectrum.com
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
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Playing with words The psychology, politics and story behind Paul Thompson’s rap KENNETH KASHIF THOMAS
STAFF WRITER
Paul Thompson looks at death with a philosophical approach. On his track “Theory of a Deadman” he raps about the existentialist thoughts that run through his mind. “Philosophy brings me back to it,” Thompson said. “A lot of people speculate what death is, but you don’t know until you die.” Bronx-born rapper and DJ, Thompson, a.k.a. Vague, is UB’s resident crowd mover. He is most known on campus for his performances during Perks’ weekly open mic nights on Wednesdays. But he has turned what was originally means to vent his feelings into a hobby that’s getting him a bit of shine on campus. To the 21-year-old senior psychology major, rap is more than just bars and verses; he utilizes it as a psychological tool and a means to address political topics. “I started rapping in eighth grade. I used to get bullied and I didn’t have any other outlet. The teachers at the time didn’t do much about it,” he said. “[Back then] I used to recite other [rappers’] stuff.” That was far as he went with rapping until he came to UB in 2011. During his time in college, he became more aware of politics in America, as well as the psychological benefits his hobby had for him. “Self-disclosure and cognitive dissonance play a part,” he said. His shy personality disintegrates once he gets behind a microphone – that’s where the self-disclosure comes into play. Unlike his daily life, the rapper is an open book when he’s spitting raps. He said that’s the easy part for him, implementing cognitive dissonance when he plays parties, at The
U or at Perks’ open mic. But it’s not always about rapping what he likes. He said he isn’t too fond of party songs because it’s hard to make them about politics. “There was one time I rapped about a drive-by – it wasn’t something I liked,” he said. Influenced by artists such as Lupe Fiasco, Immortal Technique and Green Day, Thompson touches on politically charged topics, but does not interact with them from a political mindset. He talks about police brutality and thinks political parties disagree for the sake of disagreeing. The artist gets his stage name, Vague, from a couple of different sources. The first is his biopsychology class, where he heard the word Vagus and liked the way it flowed. The other has a more emotional meaning. “Vague reflects a lack of clarity in life. When I started producing the beats would have sounds that were poorly mixed and lacked clarity. Undeveloped in a sense, because we never stop growing and learning.” Thompson doesn’t follow politics nor support a specific party. Rather, he looks at issues in America through his own “rational lens.” Nate Ruby, a 24-year-old alumnus of the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, was happy to talk about Thompson. Ruby and Thompson met at a show Ruby was performing at with his friends, and the two have been close ever since. “Paul’s not afraid to tackle lyrical theme and you get the idea that he’s not just a quick thinker – he’s a deep thinker, too,” Ruby said. “Art bull**** aside, his performances got me pretty jazzed. Paul’s music is rad and his performances feel intimate. I’d love to see him again.” But you’d be hard-pressed to find any of his raps on the Internet now because Thompson deleted most of them when he was coming to UB. In hindsight, the rapper wasn’t too impressed with what he had previously released, so he deleted anything he didn’t like. Thompson sees the deletion as a form of artistic growth, and now takes more pride in his work.
Thompson is also a producer. He makes trap remixes and has more than a few mixes on his SoundCloud and YouTube, one of which has gone viral. His trap remix of Jeremih’s “Don’t Tell ‘Em” has gotten more than 160,000 plays on YouTube. “Thompson has a way of blending his message through rhymes that make our heads nod, and our minds tremble,” said Eric Martin, a senior accounting major. “Thompson is one of those individuals who can really do it all. He makes his own music, writes his own lyrics and performs his art with fire in his eyes.” Thompson plans on continuing his weekly performances at Perks’ open mic night as
LOUIS MAK, THE SPECTRUM
Paul Thompson, a.k.a. Vague, is a Bronx-born rapper and DJ most known on campus for his performances during Perks’ weekly open mic nights.
he counts down the days toward graduation. With his last semester drawing to a close, Thompson wants to make each moment count. As Martin put it: “If you haven’t heard of Paul Thompson yet, you will soon, then all you will say is: ‘wow.’” email: arts@ubspectrum.com
Lawyers as Agents of Social Change Summer 2015, August 8-15 Calling all Humanities, Pre-Law, and Interested Students!
Want to learn about the law? Want to spend a beautiful summer in Chautauqua, New York? Want to meet some of UB’s prominent Law School Faculty? Then this opportunity is for you! Participants will explore the role of lawyers as counselors and agents of social change in local, national, and global contexts. Our focus will be on both the socio-historical context of the Nuremburg Trials and current legal issues. You will earn 1 Academic Credit.
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You’ll also be able to meet and network with prominent people in a field that may interest you!
For Additional Information, stop in 17 Norton or visit academies.buffalo.edu Application is on http://academies.buffalo.edu/extension/index.php
Deadline is April 24th!
ubspectrum.com
8
The final set CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10
But senior Sebastian Ionescu said the team is right where it should be at this time and that his team has played with intensity for the entire season. “We won the matches where we should have won and lost the matches where we were underdogs,” Ionescu said. “We don’t play tennis because we have to. We play because we love the game and we play for our teammates – we embrace it … We have tough moments, but we embrace those times. We don’t complain and we play with our hearts.” After starting the season 8-3, Buffalo went on a six-game losing streak. Head coach Lee Nickell said it was because the road schedule was incredibly difficult. The Bulls played four nationally-ranked teams in Harvard, Princeton, Cornell and Brown during the losing streak. Nickell said he hopes the team learns when they compete against teams that are “a little better than we are.” “Those were really tough matches,” Nickell said. “We had to go straight from Harvard to playing Binghamton and Western Michigan on the road and that’s just the way the schedule worked out. I think that we expected to have a few more wins but we’ve faced a lot of adversity with our road schedule.” Buffalo ended its losing streak last weekend when it defeated Toledo (11-15, 1-3 MAC) on the road. Ionescu said the victory allowed the Bulls to “bounce back” and
Friday, April 17, 2015
COURTESY OF PAUL HOKANSON
The women’s tennis team has one game left and need one win to make it to the Mid-American Conference Tournament. KAINAN GUO, THE SPECTRUM
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
that they are now ready to put themselves in a position to be a force at home. The Bulls play reigning MAC champion Ball State (12-9, 2-1 MAC) this Friday at the Miller Tennis Center. It will be Buffalo’s first home match in almost two months. At the MAC tournament last year, Buffalo lost in the championship match to Ball State. His goal this Friday is to see how many people can attend the match. “We’ve spent the past year promoting the match,” Nickell said. “Assistant coach Jason Shkodnik has done an amazing job trying to tell everyone about this game.” The game will begin at 12:30 p.m at the Miller Tennis Center and is scheduled to be played outside – weather permitting. The match will be played inside at 1 p.m. if the weather is bad. The final game of the men’s season will be against conference-leader Northern Illinois (17-5, 3-1 MAC) on Sunday. With the season depending on the final two games, Ionescu said the team is “pumped” and ready to finish with its best effort. “I’d say we didn’t expect to be in this position,” Nickell said. “But I still believe this is the best team we’ve ever had and it’s time for us to show that. Our expectation is to win the MAC title and we still have that opportunity.” email: sports@ubspectrum.com
Students currently pay $94.75 each semester to the SA for the mandatory student activity fee. Starting next semester, that fee is going up $10. The SA manages more than $3.5 million. Most SA elections bring roughly 15 percent of the student body to the polls, but this year brought the lowest turnout since 2008. That election was held for only two days, compared to the typical three. This year’s polls were open for three days, but for slightly reduced hours. Khan said having multiple candidates would help gain more student interest in the future. One of Khan’s main platforms was to increase student involvement in SA, and she hopes that by creating an “inclusive environment for students,” more students will run in the future. Although Khan has the power to appoint four SUNY delegates as the president-elect, the appointees must be students who have won a student-wide election for their current position, according to SUNY guidelines, Khan said. That leaves Kazcmarek, Pace, the UB Council Student Representative and the SA senators. SA Assembly Speaker Melissa Kathan is set to run unopposed in next week’s UB Council Student Representative election. Khan said she is “definitely looking for people who have been involved in the SUNY process and would do a good job
(From left to right) Sean Kaczmarek, Joe Pace and Minahil Khan were elected as next year’s Student Association executive board on Thursday. The three ran unopposed in the election in which only 217 students voted.
representing UB” for her delegates. The e-board elects said they are excited to begin working on their platform goals over the summer so the SA can run smoothly when most of the other staff and students return in the fall. Pace said he wants to “delve into the finance portion and work with book keepers” to increase his knowledge of “what’s going on and what needs to be ironed out.” He said he wants to make sure his plan to make it easier for clubs to receive a rollover from their budgets goes over smoothly and that clubs are made aware of it. Kaczmarek wants to get the club handbook ready and help Pace implement the new rollover policy. Khan said she wants to begin her inclusive hiring process right away and will be sending out the SA position opening to different listservs shortly. email: news@ubspectrum.com
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DAILY DELIGHTS sponsored by Collegiate Village Apartments Crossword of the Day Friday, April 17, 2015 FROM UNIVERSAL UCLICK
HOROSCOPES
ARIES (March 21-April 19): A change of location, as well as in your financial situation, is likely. Take care of taxes or other paperwork that could affect your future. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Help someone in need. Don’t fret over the little things. Overreacting will lead to setbacks. An incident will alter the way you think or live. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): You may feel like shaking things up a bit, but if you overdo it or you are impulsive, you will end up making a mistake you’ll regret. CANCER (June 21-July 22): Don’t fear change. Use your intelligence and memory to help you maneuver through whatever you face. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Take care of your responsibilities so that you can get on with the things you enjoy. You’ll discover valuable information from someone you encounter in a competition. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): A proactive approach to whatever you do will help you set a high standard and bring about favorable lifestyle changes. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): A change will take place within your personal and professional relationships. Do your best to keep the peace until you feel you have the upper hand. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Forget about what’s going on around you. Don’t let anyone coerce you into something you don’t want to do or can’t afford. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Look at the big picture and make changes that are worth your while. Avoid anyone trying to push you into being impractical or overindulgent. Don’t take on more than you can handle. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Avoid unpredictable people or anyone trying to force changes you don’t want to make. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Listen carefully. You’ll be inclined to hear what you want to hear instead of what’s being said. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Your intuition and imagination will be overactive when dealing with emotional matters.
Edited by Timothy E. Parker April 17, 2015 LAUGH A LITTLE By Kevin Carr
ACROSS 1 Dull 5 “___ boom bah!” 8 Symbol of authority 13 Glorified gofer 14 A lot of lot 15 Overthrow, e.g. 16 Brand, in a way 17 Fall preceder 18 Fertile soil 19 Chuckle elicitor, sometimes 22 Kind of poetic foot 23 Part of BYOB 24 Beloved of Aphrodite 27 Taxing time, briefly 29 Mend by stitching 33 Shoestrings 34 Dispatch boat 36 The zodiac’s only carnivore 37 Party ice-breaker 40 Newspaper div. 41 Like Erik the Red 42 Advertising gimmick 43 Make a sweater 45 Informer, slangily 46 Deep-sixed 47 Backboard attachment 49 Set aside 50 Robin Williams and Rich-
ard Pryor, many say 58 Cremona artisan 59 It has its ups and downs 60 Use a wrecking ball 61 Hybrid cat 62 Appraiser 63 Ethiopian currency 64 Con game, essentially 65 Bummed 66 Concrete section
26 Caesar’s peepers 27 “Halt!” at sea 28 Durable wood 30 Plants with healing properties 31 Fix a loose bundle 32 “There’s ___ in sight” 34 City on the Yamuna River 35 Aquarium creatures 38 ___ Jean (Marilyn Monroe) 39 Shakes up 44 Moon of Neptune 46 Jose 1 Big blowout Carreras, for one 2 In ___ of (rather than) 48 Cake 3 Man in a garden topper 4 Female protagonists 49 Atwitter (with “up”) 5 Clean, as dishes 50 Garfield and Heath 6 Camera diaphragm cliff 7 Aug. follower 51 Bypass 8 Not on deck 52 O. Henry’s “The Gift 9 In the of the ___” vicinity 53 Cleaning cabinet sup 10 Remnant plies 11 “Gee 54 “The whillikers!” Disasters of War” 12 Formerly, formerly painter 14 Itsy-bitsy bits 55 Go on the briny 20 Cereal fruit 56 University 21 Buggy puller founder Cornell 24 Shakespearean 57 Balkan “shucks” native 25 Matt of Hollywood
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SPORTS Backfield bonanza
Bulls look toward loaded running back position for success Saturday April 18 QUENTIN HAYNES
SPORTS EDITOR
When UB all-time rushing leader Branden Oliver graduated after the 2013 season, a massive hole was left in the Buffalo backfield. But what was supposed to be an area of weakness for the team in 2014 ended up being one of its most efficient units. The Bulls finished third in the Mid-American Conference in rushing yards per game with 178.6 and will return all three rushers from last season in seniors Anthony Taylor and Devin Campbell and junior Jordan Johnson. Head coach Lance Leipold said the running back position has depth with Taylor, Johnson and Campbell. Entering last season, the Bulls were expected to have a three-headed backfield of Taylor, Johnson and Campbell. As the season went on, the split in carries began to change, with Taylor becoming a workhorse back, while Johnson and Campbell moving into backup roles. Taylor had a breakout season in 2014, finishing with 282 carries, 1403 yards and 12 touchdowns. He had the second most rushing yards in the conference. After a breakout junior season, Taylor said his goal is to continue the success as the team’s No. 1 back. “Build upon last year,” Taylor said. “We have the talent and the experience to put together a good season. My goal is to simply be the best player I can be and contribute to that success any way I can.” Taylor rewarded the Bulls with seven performances with over 100 yards rushing, including three games over 200 yards and a 36-carry, 237-yard performance in the season finale against Massachusetts. Johnson battled through an injury-ridden season, finishing with 361 yards and one touchdown in just eight games. Campbell finished with just 161 yards on 33 rushing attempts last season. Both will look to get more carries next season in an effort to create more balance offensively. Johnson said the key to a successful 2015 season is working “on and off the field.” “It starts in the weight room,” Johnson said. “I’m making sure to lift and get good rehab. That allows me to play 100 per-
cent when I get on the field. Working hard in both areas is allowing me to stay on the field, hopefully for the entire season.” Leipold called the combination of Taylor and Johnson a great “one-two punch,” and said he’ll look to use the running game more to create more balance offensively. Campbell missed time this spring, but Leipold said he’s interested in using him because “he has game snaps and great speed.” “We want our best players to get the ball, but balance is key on offense,” Leipold said. “Our goal is to create mismatches in the air and on the ground. Having two or three good running backs with different skillsets ANGELA BARCA, THE SPECTRUM
(top) Anthone Taylor takes a handoff from senior quaterback Tony Daniel. (bottom) Taylor catches the ball out of the backfield during a spring practice. Taylor looks to replicate his 2014 season, where he ran for 1,403 yards and 12 touchdowns.
on the roster allows us to create those mismatches we want.” Taylor said he’s looking forward to the team’s upcoming season. He said that everyone is excited and working harder in practice, which makes him “ready to go.” He said that the team has a motto for their practices – BBT: “Be better tomorrow.” The coaching change has come with many different changes on the field for the Bulls – except the running back position. Leipold even retained running backs coach Matt Simon from the previous staff under former head coach Jeff Quinn. Simon joined the Bulls in 2011 after
working as a running backs coach on various teams at the college and professional level. Simon started his career at Washington and was a member of the 1991 National Championship coaching staff, interned at the Denver Broncos in 1998 and coached the Baltimore Ravens from 1999-2013 and San Diego Chargers for the 2007-08 season. Both teams had a player that lead the NFL in rushing under Simon, the Chargers’ Ladanian Tomlinson and Baltimore’s Jamal Lewis. In all four seasons as running backs coach, the Bulls have had success on the ground. In 2012 and 2013, the Bulls ran for over 2,000 yards on the ground and last sea-
son, Taylor’s 1403 yards were the secondhighest total in school history. Simon said that despite the team’s inexperienced offensive line, the running backs will be ready to produce another successful season. “Expectations are high,” Simon said. “We have a returning group of guys who have experience. Our talent has proven they could be good and playing good football, we want to continue the success.” The Bulls will play their annual spring game on Saturday, April 16 in UB Stadium. The game will start at 2 p.m.
Freshman Tanja Stojanovska impressed Maines with her growth this season. Maines said Stojanovska worked on her mentality throughout the season, especially when she beat a fellow freshman Olivia Myers at Western Michigan on April 5. She currently has a 20-8 record in singles play. Earlier this month, Buffalo’s matchup against Ball State (13-4, 3-2 MAC) was canceled due to a non-essential, state-funded travel ban to Indiana in response to the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. The game was never rescheduled, but Maines doesn’t believe there will be any consequences for not playing the conference opponent. “It’s unfortunate that we weren’t able to play, but hopefully that’s not going to affect the tournament in any way,” Maines said. “I’m sure the conference will come to a fair
outcome for all parties involved. We have the support of the conference to not travel to Ball State, so I don’t think that will hurt either of us.” As of Friday, the conference has not come to a conclusive proposition regarding the match. Maines said the team is putting hours in at the court in preparation and is trying to keep their mentality high. The Bulls will play Northern Illinois in Akron, Ohio on Saturday for their final match of the regular season, which is set to begin at 1 p.m. The men’s team is preparing the same way, but is in a different situation than the women’s squad. The Bulls are one loss away from elimination and still have two games to play.
email: sports@ubspectrum.com
The final set Men’s and women’s tennis conference tournament berths rely on final matches BOBBY MCINTOSH
ASST. SPORTS EDITOR
Senior Laura Fernandez of the women’s tennis team said she is disappointed with the way the Bulls’ season has unfolded, but declined to comment further. She put her hands on her face when asked about the hopes for playoff contention. After making a tournament appearance in all three years during her tenure at Buffalo, the women’s tennis team may be on the brink of not qualifying for the first time in her college career. The women’s (6-10, 2-4 Mid-American Conference) and men’s (9-9, 1-2 MAC) tennis teams still have a chance to qualify for the conference tournament, but both will have to win out in order to reach the postseason. The men must win its final two matches this weekend, while the women must win against Northern Illinois (117, 2-4 MAC) Saturday, in order to make the tournament. Only the top-6 women’s teams are invited to the MAC tournament to compete for the conference championship. There are only six men’s teams in the MAC and the top-4 teams make the tournament. Women’s head coach Kristen Maines ac-
COURTESY OF PAUL HOKANSON
The men’s tennis team gets in a circle to prepare for its game. The men need to win their next two games in order to qualify for postseason play.
knowledged this season was subpar compared to previous years, but said the team has grown a lot this season. “They’ve done a great job with their maturity on the court for being such a young team,” Maines said. “It’s tough having a young team. It’s a building and growing year. I just wish we had more time in the season to let their hard work show.” Buffalo only has one senior on the team – Fernandez.
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