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Continued from page 1: Desi Green Ousted on the Brink of History
Continued from page 1: Faculty Union Moves Forward With Referendum alongside businesses such as Bank of America, KeyBank, and First Niagara. University spokesman John Della Contrada said that UB is interested in improving the Western New York and New York State economies, and he said that the school must engage with the BNP and the BCNYS to accomplish that goal.
Green was the first UB wrestler in history to win 100 matches before his senior season. Troi Williams /// The Spectrum
Buffalo. He’s breaking all the records and doing all the right stuff.”
“I was smoking weed since I was 13,” Green said. “So therefore, up until I failed my first drug test I was no different from anybody.”
He also pointed out that many universities nationwide are members of such organizations.
“The SUNY mission clearly states that SUNY institutions should participate and share their expertise with local governments, school districts, busiAlthough he smokes, Green doesn’t nesses and civic organizations for the drink and is infuriated that marijuapurpose of enhancing the economy and na use is stigmatized, while alcohol well-being of the community,” Della abuse is tolerated among athletes. He Contrada said in a statement to The insists students – including student Spectrum. “For this reason, UB has athletes – regularly get drunk and get been a member of the Business Council into bar fights without repercussions. of New York State since 1992 and has He knows marijuana is illegal, but been a member of the Buffalo Niagara stills sees his punishment as unjust. Partnership and its predecessor orgaMarijuana, he said, never made him nization, the Buffalo Area Chamber of dangerous or violent. Commerce, since 1951.”
Green feels indebted to Beichner for the opportunities the coach gave him. Beichner, however, does not reciprocate. He refused to comment on Green’s case as he felt he had nothing positive to say, according to the athletic department. The athletics department also declined to comment on the story or answer questions about Green except to release a short statement: “Senior Desi Green is no longer a part of the University at Buffalo wrestling program. Green was dismissed from the team due to multiple violations of team and university policies and will not return for the 2011-12 season,” the statement read.
Despite some bitterness, Green does not regret how things turned out. Despite the ugliness of his departure, he feels he left a lasting impact on UB. Now, he said, he will have more time to play with his 2-year-old daughter, Tsajelia.
Desi did try to kick his habit. In fact, last season he had three consecutive urine tests that came out clean. But the athletics department remained suspicious. Some thought he was cheating. Once, he said administrators required someone to be present and watch him urinate into a cup.
“I feel for the time I was given, I had a great legacy,” Green said. “I tell my stories to a lot of people about everything that’s happened and I’ve got the credentials to back it up. A lot of the records here are in my name and they’re going to be there for a [long time].”
He tried. But it was hard to quit.
Fans won’t be able to see Green wres“The Partnership has worked since its tling for UB this year, but they can inception 19 years ago to support UB’s watch him at the UB Open on Nov. 6. continued growth, as it is an economic Green has won two years in a row. powerhouse via the size of its operations, via the intellectual property it “I enjoyed the fans watching me,” generates, and via the talent it has Green said. “If it was up to me, I’d recruited to [and] retained in our have one more year of them watching region,” Murdock said in an email. “We me do my thing. But it’s out of my have been a major backer of UB 2020, control. particularly by having business, com“They might [say] I’m not a good role munity, and government leaders agree model and [I] shouldn’t be smoking it was the highest regional developweed…But I was doing it all with the ment priority in Buffalo Niagara. We help of God.” continue to support UB and believe our efforts have significantly helped Green plans to pursue his true it achieve greater stature and have passion of Mixed Martial Arts after greater community impact.” graduation by trying out for The Ultimate Fighter television show this But some faculty members feel that spring. regardless of the support that the BNP provides to UB (or vice versa), UB’s Email: sports@ubspectrum.com
He wanted to wrestle. But he also wanted to smoke. “I thought I held up my end of the bargain,” Green said. “I did a whole lot of stuff as far as wrestling and school-wise. I figure if I want to sit at home and smoke some marijuana, not harming anybody, and never do I get in trouble for it, I’m eligible. I was doing great in wrestling.” Green learned to fight on the tough Rochester streets and put his skills to use in the wrestling ring. His infatuation with marijuana was also part of his past – a part he could not overcome.
Della Contrada’s statement refers to the portion of the SUNY mission statement that reads, “The state university shall...encourage, support and participate through facility planning and projects, personnel policies and programs with local governments, school districts, businesses and civic sectors of host communities regarding the health of local economies and quality of life.” When asked to comment on the UUP referendum, BNP Senior Director Thomas Murdock said the BNP has been a supporter of UB and its goals.
SOCIAL
HIP S R U E N E ENTREPR
IN FOCUS
IONAL INTERNAT WEEK N IO EDUCAT
R NOVEMBE
2011
14 - 18
Social Entrepreneur – Someone who energetically and creatively builds or leads an organization that advances a solution to a pressing social problem. – D. Bornstein
KEYNOTE LECTURE
KEYNOTE EXHIBIT
Wednesday, November 16 • 3:30 p.m. Student Union Theater, North Campus
Wednesday, November 16 • 5:00-6:30 p.m. Student Union Lobby, North Campus
How to Make Change Happen: Stories of Social Innovators from Around the Globe
David Bornstein, Author of How to Change the World: Social Entrepreneurs and the Power of New Ideas
Is it possible to eliminate homelessness? Can anyone learn to 'do math'? Is there a way to teach kindness? In the U.S. and around the world social innovators are experimenting with new ideas and models to address social problems in many fields. David will share stories of people who are demonstrating surprising results and opening the door to new possibilities.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Social Entrepreneurship Fair & Book Signing by David Bornstein Organized by UB Undergraduate Academies, Center for Student Leadership & Community Engagement and Intercultural & Diversity Center
KEYNOTE FILM Monday, November 14 • 4:00-5:30 p.m. Student Union Theater, North Campus
The New Recruits (U.S., 2010) Followed by student panel discussion moderated by Prof. John Thomas, School of Management, UB
Believing that capitalism can end global poverty, recent business school graduates turned aspiring social entrepreneurs set out to turn poor people into customers by charging them for goods and services.
SPONSORS: AT&T, M&T Bank, HSBC Bank USA, N.A., Bank of America, UB Alumni Relations, UB Asian Studies Program, UB Undergraduate Academies, Haylor, Freyer & Coon, Inc., UB Discovery Seminars Program, UB Division of Student Affairs, UB Office of International Education, UB School of Management HSBC Center for Global Leadership
All events are free and open to the public • 716-645-2258 • intlservices@buffalo.edu
buffalo.edu/intlservices/special_events.html
membership is unethical and possibly in violation of the law. The UUP referendum states that UUP “shall investigate and report to its members whether any laws or SUNY policies may have been violated.”
Continued from page 1: ‘Paranormal Activity 3’ Draws Masses
Alumni Arena, Fallfest was scheduled the same night as the screening, according to the press release. Eight SA staff members were scheduled to work the sneak preview, and due to the expected magnitude of Fallfest, the rest of the SA staff was scheduled “The referendum proposal reminds the to work at Alumni Arena, according to UB administration of its core mission,” the release. said Professor James Holstun, of the The SA recognized the frustration and English department, in an email. “UB chaos that ensued when the doors is a public university obligated to serve were opened at 8:30 p.m. for the 9 p.m. the citizens of New York State. It’s not showing. The line of students traveled a business, so it shouldn’t be paying from the door of the SU Theater all dues to a chamber of commerce like the the way to and up the stairs by PistaBNP or the BCNY. It’s not a private chio’s, and when the doors opened, the individual, so it shouldn’t join them students rushed to try to get into the in endorsing political candidates and theater. This put the students and the legislation. And it definitely shouldn't SA staff in harm’s way, according to be contributing money, directly or the press release. indirectly, to the BNP’s political action committee. If it's doing this, then the “SA plans on managing line control UB administration may be violating for future events by roping off a line IRS guidelines and misusing public in the area around the theater,” SA funds. That’s a foolish and dangerous stated in the release. “However, only way to run a university.” a small section can be roped off due to Even if UB does cut ties with the BNP, it seems that it would only be a nominal gesture. The UB Council, the “primary oversight and advisory body to the University at Buffalo and its president and senior officers,” would still have many additional connections to the BNP. UB Council Chairman Jeremy Jacobs’ Delaware North Companies is another “President’s Circle” investor in the BNP; he is also vice-chair of BNP affiliate organization Buffalo Niagara Enterprise (for which UB also enjoys “investor” status). UB Council member Jonathan Dandes (president of Rich Baseball Operations) is chair of the BNP. UB Council Vice Chairman Mark Czarnecki (president of M&T Bank) and UB Council member Robert Brady (chairman and CEO of Moog, Inc.) serve on the BNP’s board of directors.
the threat of a fire hazard.”
Students like Gelser and Vaughn may have been upset with the turnout of the event, but many hope the SA will learn from this event and plan better for future events. “I hope that SA is learning from this last month as many students have been ticked off through the Fall Fest problems,” Vaughn said. “I really hope they implement things they’ve said they’ve learned. I plan on attending more SA events; I just want the quality to be there.”
Email: news@ubspectrum.com
Furthermore, UB Council members Pamela Heilman, Gerald Lippes, and June Hoeflich have leadership positions in organizations that are major investors in the BNP. At Monday’s meeting, UUP members also decided whether to include in the referendum an investigation of the recently reported $2,560 donation from UB to County Executive Chris Collins’ re-election campaign. UUP decided to keep the issues separate, but it may pursue such an investigation in the near future, according to UUP members. Email: news@ubspectrum.com
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