The Spectrum Vol. 71 No. 6

Students voice concerns about safety after fatal stabbing on campus

Students living in Ellicott and residing areas express that they want more security around campus

KAYLA ESTRADA SR. NEWS/FEATURES EDITOR VICTORIA HILL ASST. NEWS/FEATURES EDITOR KIANA HODGE ASST. NEWS/FEATURES EDITOR

The UB community was shaken up by the fatal stabbing that resulted in the death of Buffalo State College student Tyler Lewis outside of the Ellicott Complex Friday night.

A “person of interest” identified by UPD fled the crime scene Friday night and has not been apprehended. UPD announced it’s made “significant process” in identifying those involved with the murder in a statement Wednesday.

The morning after the murder, the caution tape was removed from the crime scene, open house tours resumed and the university appeared to be operating under normal circumstances, leaving students confused.

“It felt like it [the murder] didn’t even happen,” Catherine Castelli, a freshman exercise science major, said. “UB wasn’t really talking about it, but the students were — because they were concerned.”

After the first on-campus murder in at least 30 years, UB students are worried about their safety on campus and have

questions about how the university will make the campus safer.

Castelli, who lives in Richmond Quad near where the killing took place, told The Spectrum that she feels safe on campus during the day. But at night, she is scared to walk out of her dorm building.

“It is a little worrying, the fact that someone actually got murdered in a parking lot right outside my building,” Castelli said. “You never know what could happen.”

Castelli isn’t alone. The fatal stabbing jarred students who live on campus.

“Tonight [after] coming home from lab, I had my keys in my hand so that the sharp part was between my fingers — in case someone came up to me, I could jab them or something,” Creekside Village resident Nataly Aucapina, a sophomore speech and hearing sciences major, said.

Aucapina said that she now dashes to her car at night, in hopes that no one will attack her.

Students told The Spectrum what changes they would like to see addressed by the university.

“I would definitely say maybe have more security on campus, [like] police officers. If there were more police around, it probably could have been prevented,” Castelli said.

Legal experts analyze Air Buffalo contract as delay continues

Students told they can move in ‘by Nov. 4,’ mull over legal action

KYLE NGUYEN SR. NEWS/FEATURES EDITOR

Editors’ note: The Spectrum spoke on-therecord to one student who requested to remain anonymous out of fear of backlash from Air Buffalo. The Spectrum doesn’t usually grant anonymity to sources unless they “may face danger, retribution or other harm,” as enumerated in the SPJ Code of Ethics, but has made the decision to do so here in order to protect this person’s identity. The anonymous student will be referred to by the pseudonym of Chelsea Jones throughout this story.

Students bound to a lease agreement with Air Buffalo face an uphill legal battle as they continue to wait for their apartments.

The Air Buffalo apartments blindsided students when they informed tenants that their living spaces would not be ready in time for them to move in ahead of the semester on Aug. 25.

Citing ‘construction delays,’ tenants slated to move in “on the 1st to 4th floor[s] of the building” were told they would not be able to move in until “at least Oct. 15.”

But the apartment complex remains closed. Several tenants have since been told that they would be able to move in by Nov. 4 due after the site’s “final inspection process was not passed,” according to an email obtained by The Spectrum

With the situation persisting, several university and community legal experts sat down with The Spectrum to evaluate the Air Buffalo contract and discuss potential roadblocks and avenues for legal action.

Contract ‘coercion’

“The language is clear,” Grace Andriette, Deputy Director and Supervising Attorney of the Housing Unit at Neighborhood Legal Services, Inc. said. “It is written in a

way that protects the landlord.”

Andriette took note of indications in the contract that the ongoing delay was anticipated.

“Paragraph six, which talks about possession, was drafted in a way to protect the landlord in the event that this situation occurred,” Andriette said.

The possession clause stipulates that “if actual commencement of occupancy of the Unit is delayed, either by construction, repair, make ready or holdover by prior Tenant, Landlord shall not be liable for damages by reason of such delay.” It also states that “such delay will not affect any of the other terms of this lease,” according to a copy of the contract obtained by The Spectrum

It further reserves “the right, but not the obligation, to provide temporary housing if it is available.” If tenants do not move in once “the Lease Premises are ready,” Air

Buffalo reserves the right to “sue for damages, including attorneys’ fees, and may apply any deposits or monies of Tenant in possession of Landlord to Tenant’s outstanding balance.”

“They have identified temporary housing as being housed at the hotel and if the tenant doesn’t move in once the leased premises are ready, then the landlord may sue for damages,” Adriette said. “So it still binds the tenant even if there’s a delay caused by construction, repair or so forth.”

But the provision would not hold up if the landlord played a role in the delay, according to Andriette.

“If the delay is caused by the fault of the landlord, then I think it changes how you look at that paragraph,” she said. “Other-

Along with more police presence, some suggested setting up more cameras around campus to keep students safe.

“When I first moved in last year, the first thing that my parents noticed was that there are basically no cameras,” Aucapina said. “So, if something did happen, you would never know.”

Sophie Manning, a freshman biomedical sciences major, suggested that the campus should invest in implementing more blue lights around campus, observing that they

are “pretty spread out.”

The university implemented the blue light system, emergency phone stations scattered across UB’s three campuses, as an accessible emergency response system for students.

There are 62 blue lights on North Campus, according to the UPD emergency response website.

President Tripathi delivers 11th annual State of the University Address

From climate missions to projections on research funding, Tripathi’s speech highlighted UB’s progress and goals

RIA GUPTA ASST. NEWS/FEATURES EDITOR

President Tripathi delivered his 11th annual State of the University Address in Slee Hall Friday morning.

In it, Tripathi proclaimed that UB is on track to become a top 25 public research university, achieve $1 billion in research funding and achieve carbon neutrality by 2030.

Tripathi began his address by touting UB’s efforts to reduce environmental damage, support new faculty and students, and to have officially earned flagship status early this year.

“Whenever someone asks me, ‘Why UB?’ I respond, ‘Of course UB,’” President Tripathi said. “I would say that the flagship designation has put the wind in our sails as it underscores UB’s reputation as a premier public research university.”

But flagship-university status isn’t Tripathi’s goal. Getting UB into the top 25 public research universities is.

“Let me show you: UB’s remarkable difference will propel us into the ranks of the nation’s top 25 public research universities,” he said.

Tripathi spoke about UB’s progress regarding climate change and carbon neutrality, in line with UB’s 10 in 10 climate plan. He said the university was “well ahead of schedule” to achieve carbon neutrality by the end of the decade.

He also updated the university community on the Boldly Buffalo campaign, UB’s goal of raising $1 billion.

“Today, our Boldly Buffalo campaign has created more than 380 new student scholarships, a 75% increase in endowed

shares and professorships, and $138 million in dedicated research money,” Tripathi said. “With our campaign nearing its $1 million goal, I would like to thank all of you for supporting our work on behalf of the greater good.”

The initiative had raised $650 million at Tripathi’s address last year.

Tripathi then turned to New York State’s $1.1 million grant for new faculty hires, which he said will allow UB to hire 70 new faculty in addition to regular hiring.

“This is an unprecedented capacity,” Tripathi said. “It will allow us to enhance our excellence and deepen our impact, because our faculty keep our students at the heart of everything we do.”

2022 midterms: what to know about Election Day at UB

Students and faculty reflect on overturning of Roe v. Wade

YAKUN LIU / THE SPECTRUM TRIPATHI PROCLAIMED THAT UB IS ON TRACK TO BE COME A TOP 25 PUBLIC RESEARCH UNIVERSITY

JOHN GARCIA / THE SPECTRUM

STUDENTS VOICED CONCERNS FOLLOWING A FATAL STABBING IN THE ELLICOTT COMPLEX FRIDAY NIGHT

The federal student loan debt relief application is now available

Low- to middle-income borrowers are now eligible for debt cancellation

A timeline of the Ellicott stabbing tragedy

Everything we know about the on-campus incident that took the life of a Buffalo State College student

GRANT ASHLEY MANAGING EDITORKIANA HODGE ASST. NEWS/FEATURES EDITOR

The official application for federal stu dent loan debt relief opened Monday, Oct. 17.

The application is intended to provide borrowers with “full or partial discharge of loans up to $20,000.”

Individuals must have made less than $125,000 in 2021 or 2020 or have a house hold income of less than $250,000 in or der to qualify, according to the application site.

If an individual meets those qualifica tions and received a Federal Pell Grant, the Department of Education will provide up to $20,000 in loan relief. Those who did not receive a Pell Grant can receive up to $10,000 in loan relief.

On Aug. 24, President Biden announced a three-part plan intended to provide “breathing room” for working class fami lies across America. The three part plan includes:

Providing debt relief to address the fi

nancial harms of the pandemic.

Making the student loan system more manageable for current and future bor rowers.

Protecting future students and taxpayers by reducing the cost of college and hold ing schools accountable when they hike up prices.

The application only asks for a name, so cial security number, date of birth, phone number and email address. Once an ap plication is submitted, the Department of Education will determine whether the ap plicant is eligible and reach out if it needs more information.

The loan servicer will then notify the ap plicant once the relief has been granted.

Applicants will have until Dec. 31, 2023 to file for student loan relief, but should apply by Nov. 15, 2022 to receive relief be fore the federal freeze on interest expires at the end of the year, according to Fox 5 Atlanta.

Email: kiana.hodge@ubspectrum.com

Nearly a week after the fatal stabbing of a Buffalo State College student outside of Richmond Quad, University Police have identified a “person of interest” in con nection with the case but have yet to an nounce any arrests.

UPD is continuing “to make progress in its investigation into Friday’s tragic in cident on North Campus,” the university said in a statement Monday. Police say the stabbing “likely stemmed from a physi cal altercation between several individuals who most likely knew each other” and in sist that “there is no ongoing danger to the university community.”

It has been at least 30 years since “any thing similar” has happened on campus. The victim, Tyler Lewis, was a 19-year-old sophomore at Buffalo State College majoring in pre-business admin

Friday, Oct. 14 7:30 PM

istration. The Baldwin, NY native played baseball and attended NASA space camp as a child, according to CBS 2 News.

The case’s person of interest is described as a white male between the ages of 19 and 22 with light brown hair, a medium build and a height of approximately 5’5 to 5’9. He was wearing a blood-covered yellow shirt and had several facial cuts, including “large diagonal laceration across his fore head.” Witnesses say he fled the scene in a black four-door sedan.

Police are also searching for at least three other individuals involved in the incident.

UPD has increased patrols outside the Ellicott Complex and on the rest of North Campus as a precaution.

UPD is urging anyone with information to call them at 716-645-2222.

The Spectrum has compiled a timeline of the events following Friday’s tragedy.

TIMELINE

Buffalo State College student and 19-year-old Tyler Lewis is fatally stabbed outside the Richmond Quad in the Ellicott Complex. The killer flees the scene shortly thereafter in a black four-door sedan.

Tripathi

Tripathi then spoke about the univer sity’s efforts to help the greater Buffalo community and reform social issues.

“Among the 10 people killed in the his toric [Tops] rampage was Pearl Young, a member of UB’s class of 1981,” Tripathi said. “While raising three children, she worked with the elderly, volunteered at the election polls, ran a food pantry and at the time of her death was substitute teaching in Buffalo public schools. “When we gath ered to recognize UB’s class of 2022, just days after the shooting, I asked the gradu ates to use their degree as Pearl Young did to serve others. I reminded them that they are educated and engaged citizens. They must not remain silent. They must speak up. They must act. They must use their knowledge and their expertise to combat

iniquity, racism and hate.”

Tripathi ended his speech by calling on the university community to use the $1.7 million earmarked by Gov. Kathy Hochul and the state to enhance student success.

“Today I call on our university commu nity to recommit student success to the ark of student experience, from the mo ment they step on campus as a prospect to the day they walk in their cap and gown as a guide,” Tripathi said. “I also believe that while we support our recent accomplish ment, we can put ourselves on an even steeper upward trajectory. Admittedly, these are bold goals — however, they are not out of reach for a university of UB’s size.”

Email: ria.gupta@ubspectrum.com

Saturday, Oct. 15

by 8:30 AM Morning of

8:21 PM 8:41 PM 9:15 PM 10:15 PM 11:46 PM 11:36 AM

University Police announce in a UB Alert that they are “investigating an assault” outside of Richmond and instruct community members to avoid the area.

An ambulance with flashing lights leaves the scene of the crime.

Police detectives arrive at the scene. They put down evidence markers and take photos of the scene

Police announce in a UB alert that suspects have fled the scene and that “there is no imminent danger to [the] university community.”

Police announce that what was previously described as an “assault” was a fatal stabbing that they are “actively investigating.” It is also disclosed that the victim is not a member of the UB community and was transported to Erie County Medical Center before dying. Police say they are searching for a four-door black sedan and at least four individuals and will increase patrols outside the Ellicott Complex. Students are told that there is still no danger to the university community and to call UPD with any information they may have.

Police tape is removed from the scene

UB proceeds with its previously scheduled Open House for prospective students but cancels residence hall tours for the day

Police announce in a statement that the victim was Tyler Lewis, a 19-year-old Buffalo State College student from Baldwin, NY. UPD also asks for help identifying a “person of interest,” a college-aged white male with light brown hair, a medium build, a mustard-colored shirt covered in blood and several cuts on his face including a large diagonal laceration across his fore head. Witnesses report that he left the area in a black four-door sedan. Police also state that the incident “likely stemmed from a physical altercation between several individuals who most likely knew each other.”

12:05 PM UB President Satish Tripathi sends an email to the UB community in which he summarizes the incident, thanks those cooperating with UPD’s investigation and extends his “sincerest condolences to the victim’s family and friends, and to the entire Buffalo State community.”

12:29 PM Buffalo State College President Katherine S. Conway-Turner informs The Spectrum that Lewis was a sophomore majoring in pre-business administration and that the college’s Student Affairs team is in contact with Lewis’ roommates and family

Sunday, Oct. 16

PM 1:06 PM

UB spokesperson John DellaContrada informs The Spectrum that “there isn’t anything new to report from UPD’s investigation,” reiterates that police are “dili gently” investigating and thanks witnesses who have “come forward with information helpful to the investigation.”

Monday, Oct. 17

Tuesday, Oct. 18

UPD announces in a statement that “no additional updates are available” and stresses that it has been at least 30 years “since anything similar occurred on campus.”

UB announces in a statement that UPD is working with local law enforcement and the Erie County District Attorney’s Office in their ongoing search of the suspect.

Wayne Penales / The sPecTrum IndIvIduals seekIng loan debt relIef wIll have untIl dec. 31 to apple but should do so by nov. 15 to receIve relIef before the federal freeze on Interest expIres at the end of the year

Fireworks displays aren’t all they’re cracked up to be

Homecoming’s fireworks display contradicts UB’s message of sustainability

Fireworks are colored by metal additives, which turn into metal salts in the combustion reaction, and then rain down and contaminate soil and waterways. The reaction also produces greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and nitrogen.

quality — all over the country.

With today’s emphasis on achieving environmental sustainability, I couldn’t help but cringe at the irony in how we choose to celebrate our country.

to send sensitive animals into shock and cause death or permanent nervous system disruption.

ALEXANDRA SACCONNE STAFF WRITER

When the fireworks began erupting over UB’s 2022 Homecoming carnival, I was already on my way home.

They looked pretty in my rearview mirror, where my autistic ears were safe from the deafening boom and the air pollution couldn’t get to my asthmatic lungs.

If you’re wondering why I dislike fireworks so much, it’s because of their detrimental impact on the environment.

Fireworks explode because they contain oxidizers, called perchlorates, which are water-soluble. When the perchlorates fall from the sky into bodies of water, or in places where they will be picked up in runoff, they dissolve and contaminate the aquatic ecosystem.

But not all of the airborne pollutants of fireworks displays go straight into the atmosphere. Some of the metals, gases and particulates from the explosions also remain low to the ground, creating smog that harms the lungs of humans and other animals in the area. Not only do the chemical pollutants cause breathing problems, they also contaminate the soil and water we grow our food with. Not to mention that firework casing rains down into natural spaces as ash and smoldering pieces of confetti.

On the Fourth of July, I made the mistake of sleeping with my window open. I woke up at 3 a.m., unable to breathe. I remember checking my weather app and opening the air quality index map. As I zoomed out over the U.S., I saw pockets of red and yellow — signifying poor air

Good enough

It’s OK to do things imperfectly

The diagram I drew in class on the third looked ugly, so I covered it in a neat layer of whiteout. But that covered up the notebook lines and the paint didn’t fully dry. It smudged and now it’s not perfect enough.

The air settled after a few days as I watched the map, but other, less measurable impacts of the pollution have persisted, no doubt.

Noise pollution is another unfavorable repercussion of fireworks, for ecosystems and for humans alike. Combat veterans and those sensitive to sounds — including children and autistic people — are especially bothered by the explosions.

I’ve seen people put headphones on their dogs on the Fourth of July. If people are concerned for their pets during fireworks displays on holidays, they should also make note of the animals outside who are hearing the explosions above their nests and burrows.

The light and sound of fireworks disturbs sleeping diurnal animals and disrupts their sleep schedule, making them vulnerable to attack by nocturnal animals. The sound of the explosions has been shown

Fireworks cause animals to startle and flee, forcing them away from their nests and offspring to dangerous areas like roadways. The sound also causes hearing problems for the animals in proximity to the explosion, which impacts their ability to hunt or keep themselves safe from predators. Disrupting the animals within the ecosystem disrupts the ecosystem itself.

UB’s Homecoming fireworks are only one of many examples of environmental destruction.

UB is not to blame for the pollution associated with fireworks displays, but the environmental impact of our school’s events should be considered. As students retreated to their dorms and homes after the carnival, the ecosystem began its long recovery.

Email: opinion@ubspectrum.com

JASMIN YEUNG

ASST NEWS/FEATURES EDITOR

I can’t do anything right.

I’m 11 years old and it’s 2 a.m. I’m on my fourth notebook for science class, and it’s only the end of September.

I didn’t run out of pages — most of them are empty, in fact — but something about them just isn’t right.

The “S” on the cover of the first notebook looks wrong, the letter too big and the rest slanted upward. The second survived the first week, but I was tired that day and didn’t use the perfect, practiced handwriting I promised myself I would.

It’s 2 a.m., and I’m copying a month’s worth of notes into a new notebook for the third time. I have to get ready for school in five hours, but right now it’s me and book number four. I try not to fall asleep as I mindlessly copy terms I can’t even remember.

There’s an ink stain on my hand the next morning and I sway a little as I stand, but that’s OK. All is right in the world. Me and my perfect notebook, getting ready for school.

I glance over at my desk, where my todo list reminds me that I have to redo my social studies and math notebooks. It reminds me that I need to get better grades on my next exam, workout and reorganize my room. It tells me that maybe I should

buy yet another brand of acne cream. Maybe that’ll fix my skin and make me look better.

I was wrong. Nothing is OK, and the pressure of my mounting to-do list only adds to my exhaustion.

There’s a thick rubber band in the corner of my desk, and I slip it on as I do every morning. What looks like black smudges turn into words when I stretch the rubber band out:

Stop oversharing, smile prettier, stop being a failure.

Constant reminders of who I should be in order to be better, to be perfect.

I can’t do anything right — at least that’s what my perfectionism tells me.

I burned out my sophomore year of high school. I felt like everything I worked so hard for was destroyed, but I was finally able to recognize how badly I was hurt by the expectations I put on myself.

Eight years later, I think I’ve learned an

important life lesson.

It’s important to make the distinction between “right” and “perfect.” I can do things right. Perfect is impossible.

You don’t need to be perfect to be worth something. Memories are made when you set yourself free from the little, nitpicky expectations no one but you notices. Lessons are learned when you let yourself make mistakes. Try new things and no longer limit yourself because you’re afraid of failure.

All or nothing doesn’t work when you drive yourself into the ground trying to meet impossible expectations. You’ll be surprised at how far you can go by reaching the “good enough” standard. You can’t do anything 100% perfectly, and that’s OK.

CREATIVE

FACT CHECKER

MULTIMEDIA

Anthony DeCicco

Kayla Estrada, Sr.

Nguyen, Sr.

Gupta, Asst.

Franklin, Asst.

Yeung, Asst.

S.T. Ross, Asst. Victoria Hill, Asst. Kiana Hodge, Asst.

Kara Anderson, Sr. Meret Kelsey, Asst.

Grant Ashley Andrew Lauricella, Asst.

Moaz Elazzazi, Sr. Yakun Liu, Asst.

Dylan Greco, Sr.

Emma Stanton, Sr. Kailo Mori, Sr.

Tenzin Wodhean

Jake Blumberg

Jenna Quinn, Sr.

wise, that provision was perfectly drafted for this sort of situation.”

Another potential line of attack lies in paragraph ten, the relocation clause, which says Air Buffalo has the right to relocate its tenants while “redeveloping or making im provements to the Community” but that the size of the unit of relocation “must be of similar size and configuration” as the tenants’ initial unit.

“That is sort of something that could be used as a foothold for the tenants,” Andri ette said. “There’s a significant difference between living in a hotel for what ended up being about two and a half months and living in an apartment with considerably more space and an area to make food.”

But finding a single flawed paragraph or conflict between clauses might not be enough to invalidate the lease in its en tirety.

“The problem with the New York State law that governs lease agreements is that if there is a paragraph or a section of the lease that is problematic, or violates state law, or is unconscionable, it does not make the entire lease invalid,” Andriette said. “It’s just that provision, which can’t be en forced.”

The contract also contains language meant to circumvent the viability of po tential legal action altogether, in the form of an arbitration clause and a class action waiver clause.

In tandem, the clauses establish that ten ants must “choose arbitration” — an outof-court procedure to privately resolve disputes — “instead of litigation” and that they are forbidden to “participate as a representative or a member of any class of claimants” in a class-action lawsuit.

Christine Bartholomew, a professor in law and faculty expert in consumer protec tion and class-action lawsuits, was crest fallen — but unsurprised — when she came across the two clauses.

“Shoot. One of the first things I al ways look for in these types of contracts is if there is an arbitration clause,” Bar tholomew said. “It’s now often the case that these enterprises insert arbitration clauses or class-action waivers… and in this situation, there’s not really much that can be done from a legal standpoint.”

The practice has grown rampant among businesses following a 2011 Supreme Court decision in AT&T Mobility LLC v. Concepcion that says states could no lon ger prevent private companies from pro hibiting contracts with arbitration clauses

or class-action bans, according to Bar tholomew.

“The stance of the Supreme Court to day is that if you don’t like the contract, then don’t sign that. But as you and I know,that’s absurd. It’s a privileged point of view,” Bartholomew said.

Bartholomew says the ruling dis proportionately affects the disadvantaged, restricting access to vital services and sta ples such as employment, personal bank

Andriette says an overhaul is due to subvert the current power dynamic put ting financially disadvantaged tenants — especially college students — at risk.

“A fair law would require more standard ization of lease terms, and would require that leases be in plain language,” Andriette said. “That’s not what we have right now.”

She lamented the current legal land scape and the circumstances coming to a head at a specially difficult moment in the

alike are beginning to examine those op tions with real agency according to Chel sea Jones*, who spoke with The Spectrum on the phone Oct. 7.

“Everyone’s upset,” Jones said. “And I think everyone is willing to file a lawsuit or do something like that. A lot of people are really upset and it doesn’t just fall on the shoulders of the leasing manager. It's the fault of the corporate management, DMG Investments.”

Jones has her fingers crossed for a legal breakthrough to hold the managing firm to account for its negligence.

“I’m hoping that there will be legal ac tion taken against the company, even if I don’t get any compensation out of it,” Jones said. “They shouldn’t be able to lease apartments anymore.”

Still living out of the temporary arrange ments set out by DMG Investments LLC, Jones has tried to spend as much of each day on campus as possible.

“I have to get my work done there be cause I can’t really do it at home,” Jones said. “But I mean, you can get used to any thing. I always tell myself it could be worse. It’s a clean place where I can sleep… I’m surviving.”

But the cost of surviving is taking its toll. Jones continues to fret over making ends meet as she continues to try to bal ance her academics and work life to com pensate for added expenses.

“I have to buy so much food and that stresses me out,” Jones said. “I hate having to spend so much money on food when I actually enjoy cooking.”

ing and access to medical care.

“It’s coercive,” Bartholomew said. “If you try going to the doctor’s office and not signing any of their contracts, more of ten than not, you’ll be denied service. It’s bleak, but that’s the reality we live in: those writing the contracts hold all the power in the relationship. I’m not surprised that these kids wouldn’t want to speak up.”

A veteran civil rights attorney and hous ing advocacy expert, Andriette says it is “not unusual” to see landlords have a leg up over tenants because of the disparity in access to legal services.

“Most lease agreements are drafted by professionals. This lease reaches over 20 pages in length to get through all the rules and regulations and such. It’s long and complicated,” Andriette said. “The reality is that tenants often find themselves in sit uations where they need to sign a contract in a limited amount of time and finding an attorney to review the lease is either not practical or not affordable.”

housing sector.

“Housing’s at a premium right now, so this is a very difficult time to be faced with a situation where you’re looking for new housing when you thought that you had already taken care of that,” Andriette said.

Growing murmurs and a shot in the dark

Opening negotiations, possibly with le gal counsel, remains one of the only viable legal options on the table for Air Buffalo tenants, according to Andriette.

The attorney hopes that students will find a way to speak out and safely navigate a reprieve from their circumstances.

“Speaking with one voice, asking for things that are reasonable, pointing out the fact that Buffalo is a small community and reputation is important here — all of that will be crucial,” Andriette said.

Having been informed of another set back to Nov. 4, nearing halfway through the semester, irate students and parents

Bartholomew offered words of sympa thy for both students and parents navigat ing the situation.

“I really feel for these kids,” she said. “I can only hope that they find a way to cut their way out of this situation and avoid this enterprise going forward. It’s unsus tainable and does not have its customer’s best interests in mind.

“I say this not as a lawyer, but as a mom — it’s situations like these when I think about sending my kids off to college that makes me fearful.”

For Jones, the playbook is the same as it was throughout September: wait and hope for the best.

“The only thing that we can do is kind of stay here and deal with it,” Jones said. “It sucks but Nov. 4 doesn't really change anything for me. I’m still here, and it’s only two weeks more.”

“But I’m really hoping that’s going to be the last change… I can’t be sure.”

Email: kyle.nguyen@ubspectrum.com

UPD officers used force 24 times in nine incidents during 2021-22 academic year

Mental health cases made up majority of those where force was used

GRANT ASHLEY MANAGING EDITOR

Fifteen University Police officers used force a total of 24 times in connection with nine incidents during the 2021-22 academic year, according to UPD use of force reports obtained by The Spectrum through Freedom of Information Law re quests. The reports were redacted to omit the identities and personal information of those involved.

Uses of force only included the use of handcuffs and “empty hand control,” which is when officers use their body to control a subject. Officers’ uses of “empty hand control” ranged from grabbing the arm of a student who was sitting on a ledge during a mental health call to “plac ing” a knee between someone’s shoulder blades “to maintain control” of them after police say they attempted to punch an of ficer.

Cases of officers using empty hand con trol have risen steadily from two cases in 2017 to seven in 2021. UPD Chief Deputy Josh Sticht says this is because the depart ment has started recording all uses of force, not just minor ones.

UPD officers only reported using force while in uniform and did not document any cases where they brandished or used batons, pepper spray or firearms during

the last academic year.

One individual involved in a “violent domestic incident” complained of an inju ry after attempting to rush toward another individual the police were interviewing, ac cording to use of force reports. Officers got into a physical altercation with the in dividual and applied handcuffs, which the individual broke out of. Officers reapplied handcuffs and wrote that they did not ob serve any injury and that the individual refused treatment. Two officers were in jured — one was bitten on the hand dur ing the aforementioned domestic incident and another officer reported an unspeci fied injury after taking an individual to the ground and handcuffing them during an attempted assault.

Student demographic information was redacted in copies of use of force reports viewed by The Spectrum, but according to UPD’s website, police used force against three white, three Black and two Asian American individuals during the 2021 cal endar year. Of those eight individuals, five were men and three were women.

UPD responded to 21,611 calls in 2021. Data for spring 2022 was not available.

Officers are only permitted to use force that is “objectively reasonable under the circumstances, and reasonably believed to be necessary to achieve a lawful purpose” under UPD’s use of force policy. Factors

that may determine “reasonableness” in clude the severity of the crime, the level and immediacy of threat, the potential for injury and the risk of escape, among others. Officers are also required to inter vene if they see an officer using prohib ited force, such as chokeholds or the use of force to coerce a confession.

Five of the nine cases where police used force were mental health calls, and police restrained an uncooperative, intoxicated individual for transportation to a hospital in four of those five.

The remaining cases included a violent “domestic incident,” a criminal mischief case, an attempted assault and a case where a student tried to flee from the police.

University Police apply the same stan dards of “reasonableness” to force in mental health calls that they apply to other kinds of cases, according to Sticht.

“The training that we do around use of force — like what kind of holds to use, what kinds of holds not to use — is pretty much the same whether somebody’s resist ing us because they’re trying to get away from us because they committed a crime or because they’re a danger to themselves,” Sticht said.

Newly-recruited UPD officers undergo training at the Erie County Central Po lice Services Law Enforcement Academy, which includes a two-week course on de

fensive tactics like “compliance holds” and the proper use of handcuffs, batons and pepper spray.

“Any use of force is potentially danger ous, which is why we do so much training around it,” Sticht said. “We know that if we have to put a person in that position to take them into custody, we have to imme diately — once the person’s under control — move them into a different position, move them into the recovery position, so they’re able to breathe and their blood’s able to circulate correctly.”

UPD will frequently send additional officers to scenes where force is used to avoid more extreme uses of force.

“Rather than using impact weapons or tasers or anything like that, our standard operating procedure is that we get more officers there to help with taking that per son into custody safely,” Sticht said.

The use of force reports filled out by each officer are compiled and reviewed along with other documentation dur ing each officers’ annual review, allowing UPD to identify officers who use force frequently and/or inappropriately.

“[We] try and get a whole picture,” Sticht said. “If there’s an issue, [We can] intercede before it gets to the point where somebody does something wrong.”

Moax Elazzazi / ThE SpEcTruM

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Protestors march through Student Union in demonstration against Iran’s morality police

Monday’s on-campus protest follows demonstration outside of City Hall

RYAN TANTALO STAFF WRITER

Passionate protests broke the silence in the Student Union Monday evening as roughly thirty demonstrators, many with signs, began marching around the first floor.

“Justice for Iran,” they chanted. “Say her name. Mahsa Amini!”

They climbed the stairs and lapped around the Union before gathering out side, underneath the bridge that connects the SU to the Commons.

The protests are part of worldwide demonstrations against the Iranian gov ernment following the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian woman. Ami ni was arrested by Iran’s morality police for incorrectly wearing her hijab, a violation of Iran’s strict fundamentalist laws gov erning women’s dress, and died in custody.

Amini’s family says that police beat her,

leaving her body covered with bruises, according to The Guardian. Police say she died of a heart attack.

Uprisings in response to Amini’s death have been met with violence across Iran.

Iranian officials have killed at least 60 protesting citizens, according to CNN. At Sharif University, located in Tehran, the capital, security forces attacked students with a variety of military tactics including gas and firearms.

Demonstrators protested last weekend outside of Buffalo City Hall. They repeat ed many of the same chants on Monday, including “Women, life, freedom,” “Justice for Iran,” and “Down with the dictator.”

Ali Hasanzadeh, a second-year doc toral student studying philosophy, led the march and chants. He said that he and his fellow protestors want the UB community to rally around their push for a revolution

in Iran.

“We want everyone to know that Irani ans around the world are hoping for a new regime to come, for a revolution to hap pen,” he said.

Other organizers echoed this sentiment. Nadia Shahram, a UB graduate, attorney and local activist originally from Iran, im plored the UB community to support the people of Iran. She condemned the “acts of pure evil” carried out by the Iranian government and the tragedies at Iran’s universities.

“All the presidents of universities around the world should be appalled,” she said.

A few hours before the march, Presi dent Satish Tripathi issued a statement of support for the protestors.

“I would like to express our university’s solidarity with UB’s Iranian students and faculty as well as our concern for the safe

ty and liberty of their loved ones in their home country,” he wrote.

Shahram was pleased to hear of UB administrators supporting the cause, and said “it means a lot, especially to Iranian women.”

In addition to protesting, Shahram has reached out to several federal officials. She said that Rep. Brian Higgins has agreed to meet with her and added that she’s work ing on arranging a meeting with Senator Kirsten Gillibrand.

Shahram said the key to the movement’s success was convincing the U.S. govern ment to cut ties with Iran. She emphasized that a free Iran would benefit the United States.

“We can help Iranian women by simply not supporting a terrorist government.”

2022 midterms: what to know about Election Day at UB

UB will provide Election Day shuttle service; early voting to begin Oct. 29

KYLE NGUYEN SR. NEWS/FEATURES EDITOR KATIE SKOOG STAFF WRITER

DOMINICK MATARESE STAFF WRITER

UB students will head to the polls on Tuesday, Nov. 8 to mark their ballots for the 2022 midterms.

Incumbent Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul will face off against her Re publican challenger Lee Zeldin in her bid for re-election as voters mull over other contested positions in city and statewide offices, the Senate and the House of Rep resentatives.

Students registered to vote may do so in person on Election Day or by absen tee ballot during the early voting period between Oct. 29 and Nov. 6, according to the NYS board of elections website. Vot ers may also visit county-wide polling sites to vote early in person.

Students who cannot vote in person or are registered to vote in another county can request an absentee ballot application by mail or through the NYS online portal by Oct. 24. Voters may also apply for ab sentee ballots in person up until Nov. 7.

The deadline to register in time to vote in the 2022 general election was Oct. 14. Students who are not registered to vote can still do so now in order to be eligible for the 2023 elections.

Mail-in ballots must be postmarked by Nov. 8 and received no later than Nov. 15.

Students registered to vote in Erie County can also deliver absentee ballots in person to the local board of elections office at

134 West Eagle St. or at an Erie County poll site up until 9 p.m. on Nov. 8.

UB students registered with an address on North Campus will have access to ondemand shuttle service to vote in person at Sweet Home High School on Election Day.

Students may request pick-up from the

Governors Complex, Lee Loop and the Ellicott Complex via the TransLoc app between 12 p.m. and 6 p.m. Sweet Home High School will be the sole drop-off poll ing site this year, according to the univer sity.

More information about absentee vot ing and on-campus Election Day resourc

es can be found on the NYS BoE website and the university’s UB Votes page.

Students can also check their voter reg istration status and view a sample ballot at the Erie County BoE website.

Email: kyle.nguyen@ubspectrum.com

Email: news@ubspectrum.com

Moaz Elazzazi / ThE SpEcTruM Protests against the iranian government took Place monday evening in the student union

But only nine of the systems are located at the Ellicott Complex. And of those, only three blue light towers are located on Ellicott East, which encompasses Spauld ing Quad, Wilkeson Quad and Richmond Quad, where the stabbing took place.

The closest blue light towers to Moody Terrace are in the Richmond B parking lot and the Richmond A parking lot. Both towers are approximately 500 feet of walk ing distance away from Moody Terrace,

according to Google Maps.

UPD Chief Chris Bartolomei assured students that the campuses are “extremely safe” and that University Police have “in creased patrols near the Ellicott Complex area while the investigation continues,” in an Oct. 15 statement.

The Spectrum reached out to UPD Chief Deputy Josh Sticht about the increased police presence around the Ellicott area.

“We [UPD] do not believe there is any continuing threat to the campus com munity resulting from Friday night’s fatal stabbing, but we are increasing our pres ence around the Ellicott Complex out of

an abundance of caution and to ensure that students feel safe,” Sticht said.

UPD has maximized North Campus staffing, now having six officers assigned to North Campus, doubling the num ber of officers that are usually patrolled there.

“Our officers work either 12-hour or eight-hour shifts to ensure 24-hour staff ing,” Sticht said. “We are maximizing North Campus staffing across all shifts for 24-hour coverage.”

They are looking for any kind of dan gerous behavior and are working to pro vide a reassuring presence in a “balanced

manner.”

We do not have an end date planned at this time,” Sticht said.

Anyone with information about the in cident or the person of interest is being urged to “contact University Police imme diately” at 716-645-2222.

Email: kayla.estrada@ubspectrum.com

Email: victoria.hill@ubspectrum.com Email: kiana.hodge@ubspectrum.com

UB sees increase in residential fire incidents, decrease in burglary, liquor and drug violations in 2021

Fondling, motor vehicle theft, rape saw small increases

JASMIN YEUNG ASST. NEWS/FEATURES EDITOR

UB saw a decrease in crime in 2021, with the exception of residential fire incidents, motor vehicle theft (one reported in 2020 and three reported in 2021), rape (three in 2020 and four in 2021) and fondling (zero in 2020 and three in 2021), according to the 2021 Annual Security and Fire Safety Report released by University Police.

Residential fire incidents increased from three in 2020 to six in 2021, with two cases of arson in Spaulding and Wilkeson Quad, representing a decrease from four cases of arson, all at Goodyear, in 2019. There have been no reported injuries or deaths due to residential fires for at least the past three years.

“Even though in each [arson] case [in 2021] there was only very minimal dam age, we investigate these as far as we can because fires in residential areas are so dangerous,” Deputy Chief of University Police Joshua Sticht said. “In both of these cases, investigators were assigned to con duct follow up interviews with residents in the area. Unfortunately we were not able to identify a suspect in either case.”

Out of 14 primary crimes listed in the report — murder & non-negligent man slaughter, negligent manslaughter, rape, fondling, statutory rape, incest, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, motor vehicle theft, arson, domestic violence, dating vio lence and stalking — rape and fondling saw increases of one and three cases, re spectively.

On-campus burglary cases dropped

from 17 in 2019 and 12 in 2020 to nine in 2021, with six incidents happening in resi dential halls.

“Most of our residential burglaries are incidents where the victim has left their room open and unlocked and a suspect just walked in and took property,” Sticht said. “We do directed patrols in our firstyear student dormitory spaces. If the offi cer finds a dorm room open and unattend ed, we close the door and leave a reminder note. We try to educate our students about closing and locking their doors, which is the easiest way to keep from becoming a burglary victim.”

Liquor and drug violations reached their lowest rates since 2017, dropping to 266 alcohol referrals and 47 drug referrals in 2021. Police made two arrests for drug law

violations on campus.

University Police’s “overall philosophy” is to be a part of the “educational experi ence,” Sticht said. They generally believe that students will have better outcomes if they are referred to the Student Conduct Office rather than having to issue a crimi nal appearance ticket.

UPD is required to make annual re ports under the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, a federal law that mandates that universities disclose infor mation about crimes on and around cam pus.

Victims of crimes involving sexual mis conduct can report cases to the University Police Department by calling (716) 6452222, submitting an anonymous form or

calling the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Office at (716) 645-2266.

Members of the UB community can re port crimes by calling the University Police Department at (716) 645-2222, which op erates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Email: jasmin.yeung@ubspectrum.com

Victoria EVans / thE spEctrum

UB saw a decrease in crime in 2021, with the exception of residential fire incidents motor vehicle theft rape and fondling

John Garcia / thE spEctrum after the first on campUs mUrder in at least 30 years, UB stUdents are worried aBoUt their safety on campUs and have qUestions aBoUt how the Univer sity will make the campUs safer

UB’s Latinx student percentage ranks

out of 61 SUNY schools

A deep dive into UB’s Latinx statistics

KAYLA ESTRADA SENIOR NEWS/FEATURES EDITOR

Latinx enrollment at universities and post-secondary institutions in the U.S. has reached an all-time high this year.

Approximately 4.1 million Latinx adults are attending college as of 2021, according to the Pew Research Center. This number is exponentially increasing alongside the overall Latinx population, which as of 2021 is 62.5 million.

UB has the largest student population of any SUNY, but has the 41st largest percentage of Latinx students out of 61 SUNY schools.

The Spectrum compiled data regarding UB’s Latinx population in comparison to the rest of New York State and the nation.

Data collected by UB

UB reported that a total of 1,683 Latinx students were enrolled in undergraduate classes for the fall 2021 semester. Out of these Latinx students, 873 are male and 810 are female.

That’s an increase of about 400 students compared to undergraduate enrollment data from the fall 2012 that reports a total of 1,286 Latinx students.

In the last decade, UB’s Latinx under graduate student enrollment has increased from 6.6% of the total undergraduate stu dent population in fall 2012 to 7.8% in fall 2021, the most recent semester for which data is available.

But in comparison to other major SUNY schools, UB’s Latinx population falls be low the average. Albany (18.0%), Stony Brook (14.1%), Buffalo State (12.9%) and Binghamton (12.7%) all have a significant ly higher percentage of Latinx students enrolled on campus than UB.

Over 37% of Latinx UB students were enrolled in the College of Arts and Sci ences in fall 2021. Latinx students only make up approximately 7.8% of total un dergraduate students enrolled in the Col lege of Arts and Sciences.

The same fall 2021 undergraduate en rollment data shows that Latinx students accounted for approximately 10.6% of

students enrolled in the School of Public Health and Health Professions, approxi mately 7% of students enrolled in the Ja cobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences and 11.1% of students enrolled in the School of Architecture and Plan ning. Latinx students also make up 11.9% of students enrolled in combined degree programs.

According to the same data, Latinx stu dents account for 4.4% of UB’s graduate student body.

Data collected by New York State

Data collected by the Hispanic Federa tion shows that New York State has ap proximately 3.6 million Latinx residents, the fourth largest Latinx population in the U.S. — following California, Texas and Florida.

New York’s data reported that about 27% of Latinx adults attended college and obtained an associates degree or higher in New York in 2017-18, compared to 53% of white adults.

Hispanic graduation rates were 10% lower than their non-Hispanic counter parts at two-year institutions in New York. Hispanic graduation rates were also 14% lower than their non-white counterparts at four-year institutions in New York.

Regardless of New York’s seemingly flourishing Latinx population, only about 14.5% of students enrolled at SUNYs are Latinx according to SUNY data.

The SUNYs with the highest Latinx un dergraduate student enrollment are SUNY Westchester Community College (42.4%), Nassau Community College (32.8%) and Suffolk County Community College (31.1%).

SUNY College at Old Westbury ranked as the four-year SUNY with the largest portion of Latinx students at 28.4%.

“My brother graduated from Oney [SUNY Oneonta] and the school is in a re ally small, secluded, predominantly white town,” Jaylean V. Ureña, a sophomore aerospace engineering major and mem ber of UB’s Latin American Student As sociation, said. “I’m also surprised SUNY Polytechnic Institute has more Latinos

than UB just because I remember when I looked into the school it was extremely tiny. They also mostly focus on stem-like engineering, which is where Latinos tend to be underrepresented.”

Yaide Valdez, a junior political science/ law major and the vice president of UB’s Latin American Student Association no ticed that the further up state a SUNY school was located, the lower their Latinx student population.

“It does make me question ways that we can attract more of our Latinx popula tion to us,” Valdez said. “As an upstater who was raised in Rochester, I do believe that there are some good quality job and internship opportunities for all students. Still, when a student feels like there is no diversity (like many SUNYs that are up state), they become less attracted to those environments, as it is shown by the num bers.”

Valdez says that this data makes her question what UB is doing to promote diversity on campus and whether or not their tactics are working to bring in more Latinx students.

“It all can be traced back to the schools and what they are doing to promote a wel coming environment for all and not just the majority of the population, which hap

pens to be White students,” Valdez said.

First-generation data Latinos are more likely to be the first in their family to attend college than any other racial or ethnic group.

In the 2015-16 academic year, 44% of Latinx students were the first in their fam ily to attend college, compared to 34% of Black students, 29% of Asian students and 22% of white students.

According to UB, approximately 18% of the undergraduate students are consid ered first generation.

Valdez says that as a first-generation Dominican student, she is thrilled to see growth in Hispanic presence on campus and she is proud of her community.

“As a first-generation Latina college stu dent that attends the University at Buffalo, knowing that I am one of the 810 His panic/Latino students closing that bridge between a classroom and a stage means a lot,” Valdez said. “Although we are not the largest population on campus, we are will ing to break the stereotypes that continue to follow us.”

Latinex student per centa ge at significant SUNYs

Kailo Mori / The SpecTruM

Faculty and students at UB’s School of Dental Medicine researching lasers for use in medicine

New treatment techniques have the potential to reinvent medical procedures

A.J. FRANKLIN ASST. FEATURES EDITOR

It might be hard to imagine a world with out root canals, but researchers at UB’s School of Dental Medicine have found a breakthrough. Instead of shaving down and replacing teeth, they are researching a way to regrow gums with dental lasers.

Tooth decay is the most common health condition humans face internationally, ac cording to a 2019 report by the General Burden of Disease.

This fact has motivated Praveen Arany, assistant professor of Oral Biology, who has spent over 20 years doing research in the field of dental health, to now find ways to heal wounds and regenerate tissue by using lasers in dental medicine and be yond.

In his 15 structured courses that involve laser research, including PER 841: Intro to Lasers in Dentistry, and the informal observations he offers, Arany and his col leagues provide a platform for students to research ways to harness lasers to advance medicine and dentistry.

In his labs, students focus on ways to improve clinical outcomes for root canals, diabetes, the aging process, Seasonal Af fective Disorder (SAD), wounds and oth er topics students are curious enough to study.

Arany’s passion for this research came from learning that dental health plays a major role in overall health.

“They keep saying that the mouth is the mirror to your soul, right? To the rest of your body?” Arany said. “Dental disease has been shown to cause all kinds of other

systemic problems. It makes your diabetes worse. There is some new literature show ing that it can contribute to Alzheimer’s and you name it. I mean, there are so many examples of chronic human disease that have links to how good your oral hygiene is, and we’re realizing that now.”

When it comes to Arany and his col leagues’ research, there are two primary focuses: finding ways to use lasers to bet ter current medical procedures and inno vating new medical solutions to advance health like never seen before.

Using lasers to better current medi cal procedures

A winning smile can do a lot for many people’s self-confidence. But teeth crack and decay, which can necessitate a root canal and replacement of natural teeth — an alternative to a root canal would allow patients to keep their real teeth.

Arany and his fellow researchers believe they’ve found a new solution.

Currently, doctors will remove the dam aged or infected pulp and put in a filling to prevent a root canal. They will then wait three to six months with the hope that they can heal the tissue, according to Arany.

Arany and his colleagues instead would use a laser treatment and then do a smart filling. They envision the process taking two or three treatments within one to two weeks. They would then decide if their treatment has worked or if the patient needs a root canal.

Arany’s treatment is less expensive, es pecially when factoring in the costs of a crown, an eventual implant and the root

canal itself.

“It’ll be a little bit more probably than your regular treatment, but you save all of that money, plus you have the advantage of keeping that normal tooth in its place, which you would not have with all the oth ers,” Arany said.

The new procedure would work for doctors, too. Since the solution is faster, they would have the potential to see more patients.

The alternative is not fully tested yet. Arany said the research has been very suc cessful in the animals tested, but his re searchers still need to perform a human clinical trial, which they still need funding for.

Innovating new medical solutions to advance modern healthcare

Can light make people more resilient?

That is a primary concentration area in Arany and his colleague’s research.

And based on their research, the answer to that question is a resounding yes.

Arany and his colleagues have per formed studies that have found that the right amount of light at the right time can better an individual’s health.

“Now we know that if you go too much in the sun and you get sun tan, especially if you have pale skin, it does cause sun dam age,” Arany said. “But at the molecular level, the right amount of light can actu ally reverse that effect, [reversing the aging process], and that’s the most exciting part of that research.”

Their efforts and breakthroughs do not end there.

For example, a Brazilian student in one of the labs is trying to discover a cure for diabetes by using lasers on diabetic lesions.

Khrystyna Adam, a senior biological sciences major and pharmacology and toxicology minor, serves as a teaching as sistant in some of the courses that Arany teaches.

“It’s just crazy to me how when I started off there was no knowledge of dental la sers and now in 2022, you see lasers every where, like in dental offices,” Adam says.

“Over the COVID-19 [pandemic when] I was working as a dental assistant, my den tist bought a dental laser and she’s doing procedures. She only has positive things to say about dental lasers.”

“I recently started a study with Arany where [we are] using dental lasers to detect tooth decay.”

Issues that healthcare professionals have been failing to find a cure for decades and even centuries might be solved in the next couple of years if human clinical trials go well for Arany and his colleagues.

Not only are these faculty and students investigating and engineering the future of medicine, but they are finding their pas sions and serving their communities while doing so.

“UB Dental is known for giving back to the community,” Adams said. “Personally when I’m applying for dental schools, UB Dental is my top choice because they’re so known for their community outreach, they are always giving back to the Buffalo com munity.”

Email: aj.franklin@ubspectrum.com

‘Heartbroken’: Students and faculty reflect on overturning of Roe v. Wade, weigh on-campus reproductive care and expanded abortion access

citizens to sue providers or anyone who “aids or abets” an abortion following six weeks of pregnancy for $10,000.

KYLE NGUYEN SENIOR NEWS/FEATURES EDITOR

Dior Gillins’s heart dropped.

The TV buzzed, idling on the news chan nel. Summer was well underway — over a month had passed since a leaked draft of the case made its rounds in May, but Gil lins still froze at what she heard next.

“I was just so scared and nervous about the outcome,” Gillins said. “The decision being said, and just hearing those words — just the feeling of all those women hav ing their choice taken away.”

On June 24, the junior electrical en gineering major and treasurer of UB Women’s Healthcare and Wellness As sociation (UBWHWA) was among mil lions watching as newscasters announced the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization to overrule Roe v. Wade, stripping away the constitutional right to abortion and trig gering abortion bans in 13 states.

“Access to safe abortion is a necessary facet of women’s health care,” Allison Brashear, vice president for health sci ences and dean of the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, said in a statement after the ruling. “UB will continue to advocate for the rights of our physicians to provide all patients with safe, effective and accessible health care when they need it.”

Abortion is now banned in at least 14 states, with pending bans in nine more, ac cording to NPR. New York State remains among those where abortion is legal.

Three months after the Supreme Court ruling, students and faculty experts at UB sat down with The Spectrum to offer con cerns and perspectives on reproductive healthcare on campus in a post-Roe v. Wade reality.

Abortion access at UB

Amid legal questions and uncertainty over abortion access across state lines, the ongoing legal battle over abortion has since shifted to college campuses. UB is no exception.

UB’s Student Health Services offers a selection of contraceptions, examinations and community referrals for abortion but doesn’t offer surgical or medication-based abortions on campus.

“Student Health Services does not per form elective terminations but we do refer to community-based specialists,” Snyder said. “This is not a change in policy — we did not provide this service during the age of Roe v. Wade nor now post Roe v. Wade.”

Snyder says that the university does not have sufficient staff expertise or the facili ties required in order to perform abortion services on campus. Surgical procedures must be executed by an OB-GYN physi cian in a facility meeting the standard of an “ambulatory surgery center.”

While Student Health Services employs gynecologists and provides generalized reproductive care such as annual exams, contraception, pregnancy testing, routine gynecologic care and sexually transmitted infection testing and treatment, the uni versity has historically opted against hiring a specialized obstetrics-gynecologist (OBGYN) to perform surgical operations.

“In general, the reason we don’t do that is that the OB-GYN specialty is limited in what they can do,” Snyder said. “We’re really a primary care office — it’s not the best use of our funding to specialize in that way. We’re more generalists if that makes sense.”

Snyder cited the same reason why Stu dent Health Services has not opted to pre

scribe the abortion pill in-house.

“People call that medical abortion be cause it’s medication induced. We don’t prescribe that here because you as the pro vider actually need to be able to surgically complete the termination if the medica tion does not work,” Snyder said. “We don’t have anesthesia, surgical operating rooms, those kinds of things.”

Other higher education institutions have started offering on-site abortion services. Barnard College, a private women’s col lege in New York City, announced on Oct. 6 that it would begin providing abortion pills on campus the following year. This follows mandates in Massachusetts and California requiring public campuses to offer medical abortion options on campus.

Meanwhile, the University of Idaho, in a state where abortion is banned, sent a memo in September warning that em ployees counseling students on abortion or found referring them to services could lose their jobs, be black-listed from state employment or be charged with a misde meanor or felony.

Augustin said that the addition of an abortion pill to existing reproductive healthcare resources on campus would be welcome.

“Having that as an option would be real ly great. And I think it would open a whole lot of opportunities in terms of students who might not be able to travel to a clinic to get surgery, or are even just as scared of having an invasive procedure done,” she said.

Although an incomplete abortion via the pill would entail surgery, the proce dure for medical abortion itself doesn’t require surgery or anesthesia and can be performed in a medical office, clinic, or at home, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Like UB, Barnard College also refers students to external clinics to provide a full range of reproductive health services.

Snyder says that UB has been “fortu nate” in that New York State law has been consistent on abortion and hasn’t felt a need to shift its own services, but is willing to listen to student perspectives.

“Right now, we feel as if our partner ships with community providers are giving our students appropriate access to the ser vices, but we would commit to looking at what other college health centers are do ing, including Barnard,” Snyder said.

‘Really, really scary’: abortion care for out-of-state students

“I am honestly so heartbroken. Here in New York State, we do have a little bit more confidence, at least statewide,

we’ll have abortion rights upheld,” Day sia Augustin, a junior neuroscience major and president of UBWHWA, said. “But I know nationwide, literally millions of women just lost their rights to an abor tion. And I understand how detrimental that can be for people who need them and how life-changing not having that choice can be.”

Augustin says that instances of wom en trying to take matters into their own hands, carrying through on dangerous pregnancies or taking care of children be yond their means are all set to increase in the wake of the Dobbs decision.

But living in New York doesn’t give Au gustin much peace of mind. She expressed sympathy for out-of-state students, citing her own relatives living in the South, in states where abortion is not protected.

“It’s so scary to know that my fam ily members won’t have that option, just knowing that they could be forced into an unsafe situation,” Augustin said. “It’s al ways gonna be a worry when it comes to my family that doesn’t live in New York.”

New York law remains steadfast on abortion, retaining access for both in-state residents and people coming in from out side of the state.

According to the ny.gov website, both medication abortion and “in-clinic” abor tion are available up until 24 weeks of pregnancy, though this limit can be by passed if health or the pregnancy itself is at risk.

Anticipating the final decision of the Supreme Court, Governor Kathy Hochul signed a series of bills creating legal pro tections for both abortion providers and anyone accessing service in New York State on June 13.

New York’s legislation, along with cur rent constitutional law, ensures that outof-state students at UB can safely access abortion while in New York, according to Professor Lucinda Finley, a faculty expert on reproduction rights and the Supreme Court.

“If you live in a state where the drink ing age is 21, and you go to the next state where it’s 18, and you’re 19 years old, you can legally drink there and your home state cannot punish you,” Finley said. “Under current constitutional law, states’ juris diction isn’t extra-territorial — they can’t punish someone who does something in a place where it’s legal.”

But students remain wary, pointing to vigilantism against abortion seekers and providers, as well as uncertainty over fu ture policy. Prior to the overturning of Roe v. Wade, Texas passed SB 8 — dubbed a “bounty law” — which enables private

While federal law currently ensures that legal pursuits from states in which abor tion is banned cannot cross state lines, Au gustin and others say that they would feel better knowing their medical information is secured in the event that circumstances change in the state, or nationwide.

“Having that information possibly be used against you is really, really scary. You never want to feel like your information is compromised,” Augustin said.

Snyder says that UB is in compliance with New York State law and maintains se curity measures to protect student health data.

“What you can be assured of is that we follow New York State’s privacy guide lines for health information,” Snyder said. “We’re not releasing health information without the patient’s express permission.”

A generational fight

With several months having passed since Roe v. Wade was overturned, Finley says the coming election cycles will be cru cial to the battle over reproductive rights in the United States.

A federal law banning or restricting abortion would override protective laws in states like New York, which enshrine the right to abortion.

“I think that the 2024 presidential elec tion, which will also include Senate and House of Representatives elections, will be probably the most important election in U.S. history, for determining the future of access to safe legal abortion through out the United States,” Finley said.

While New York continues to protect abortion access, Finley thinks that resi dents would be remiss to take a backseat as the issue continues to hang in the balance on a national scale.

“If you thought it didn’t matter whether you voted or not, you should rethink that,” she said. “It only takes a change of a few seats in the Senate and the House and a different party winning the White House in 2024 for the federal government to ban abortion — and then it wouldn’t matter what New York thought.”

Finley says restoring abortion as a right in the eyes of the Constitution is anoth er monumental undertaking — one that could take decades.

“That’s 50 or so years away. It took 50 years for the opponents of Roe v. Wade to work politically, changing certain state leg islatures, influencing judicial Federal Judi cial Appointments, and getting a Supreme Court that was primed to overturn Roe,” Finley said. “It’s probably going to take a similar number of decades for the compo sition of the judiciary, the federal judiciary, to sufficiently change again.”

However, Augustin and other students on the UBWHA e-board say they are com mitted to taking on the challenge.

“I would like to think that even when I’m an older woman, I will still be fight ing for what I believe in,” Augustin said. “Whether it takes ten years or the rest of my life.”

UB falls short of oncampus medical abortion access as reproductive health battle sweeps college campuses, upcoming elections

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Moaz Elazzazi / ThE SpEcTruM

Citizens protest the supreme Court s deCision to overturn roe v. Wade in nYC this summer

Five local musicians to stream this weekend

Buffalo’s underground music scene is teeming with talent

MERET KELSEY ASST. ARTS EDITOR

With its diverse array of venues, from historic theaters to massive arenas, Buf falo attracts top-notch talent from all over the world. But look beyond the major touring acts that visit the Queen City, and you’ll find that Buffalo’s own music scene is thriving with homegrown talent. From rappers, to folksy guitarists, to punk rock ers — there’s literally every kind of mu sician here in Buffalo. And the best part: you can find these artists playing in your favorite bars and restaurants on any given night.

Here are five up-and-coming musical acts from the Buffalo underground scene:

Pr0 Social

For fans of: Smino, Isaiah Rashad Rapper and vocalist Jerrell Lanos, or Pr0 Social, cites Frank Ocean and Miguel as primary influences for his catchy, R&B-in flected hip-hop. Lanos started out making beats for other local rappers, and this knack for production certainly shines through in his expertly crafted instrumentals. His lat est single, “3%,” is a prime example of his unique flow and jazzy production. Though originally from Rochester, Lanos is proud ly Buffalo-based and a regular at local ven ues like Town Ballroom.

Medusa

For fans of: SOPHIE, Ashnikko

It’s hard to describe Medusa’s music, but the local electronic musician describes it themselves as “revenge pop.” It’s dark, theatrical and danceable all at once, almost closer to performance art than pop music. The boundary-crossing, non-binary musi cian draws inspiration from genres as dis

parate as hyperpop, industrial and art rock. Try their album “Boy of the Year” for some heavily distorted, bass-heavy beats with scathing lyrics that address transpho bia, betrayal and identity.

Adelaide

For fans of: Emotional indie rock Adelaide describes their music as “heart songs.” It’s an apt description — their emotional brand of folk pop is as confes sional and tender as a diary entry. It brings to mind ‘90s indie rockers like Liz Phair, or even the early work of Mitski. Their recent EP “Dark Truths That May Cheer You Up” is a sweet trio of vulnerable, guitardriven songs perfect for fall.

CLUMP

For fans of: Old school punk Indie rock outfit CLUMP is relatively new on the scene, but they’re already calling themselves “the Buffalo Bills of bands.” Their music combines elements of garage rock, shoegaze and punk with a healthy dose of angst. The band’s debut album, titled “Stupid Idiot,” is equal parts aggressive and melodic, heavy and distort ed with a clear pop sensibility underneath. CLUMP is currently on a recording hiatus, but when they return, expect to see them at local spots like Tudor Lounge and Du ende.

Maegan

For fans of: Alicia Keys, Ari Lennox Classic R&B devotees will love Maegan’s smooth, soulful vocals and atmospheric instrumentals. Her latest track, “Temples,” is the perfect entry-point to the singer’s discography. A modern take on the ‘90s neo-soul of singers like Erykah Badu, its lush production and angelic harmonies are irresistible. As one of the most prolific fig ures in Buffalo’s R&B scene, Maegan can be found performing all over town. Catch her at Hot Mama’s Canteen next Tuesday, or as a special guest at Nietszche’s Hallow een party this Saturday.

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Zodiaque Dance Company brings feminism and artistry to the forefront

The group’s 48th student showcase sparks conversations about dance as a force for female empowerment

ALEX NOVAK STAFF WRITER

Is it possible to give Old Hollywood glamor and serve Puritan realness all at once?

With UB’s Zodiaque Dance Company, nothing is off the table. This past Fri day, dance enthusiasts crowded into the Center for the Arts’ Drama Theatre for Zodiaque’s 48th showcase, buzzing with conversation about the dancers they knew, previous performances and what they hoped to experience.

A group of freshmen dance majors hud dled outside the doors, excitedly waiting to see their “bigs,” (seniors who mentor the new students) perform. Parents too stood patiently, especially those whose daugh ters would be graduating soon. Susan Ai ken, a dance instructor from Niagara Falls who trained Zodiaque’s Juliana Guiffrida, summed up the audience’s pre-show ex pectations.

“I can’t wait,” Aiken said. “ I’m open to possibilities and I know it’ll be a great show. It’s always great talent here.”

Backstage, the dancers were feeling the pressure inherent to taking the stage in front of a friendly, but packed house.

“I was super nervous the whole time, like I was gonna pee my pants,” Nina Tucker, a junior dance major, said.

The show opened with a glittering num ber, “Charisse,” based on the iconic dances of Cyd Charisse that took ‘50’s cinema by storm in her now-ancient MGM films. In many of her original dances, Charisse per forms duets with men. A projection, like that of an old-timey movie theater, lights up the sign hanging above the stage, play ing the reels of one of Charisse’s films.

Then, the projection fades away into to day’s modern world with individual Zodi aque dancers taking the place of their 20th century predecessor. The key difference: no men. The women of Zodiaque dance alone in Charisse’s shoes.

“We were able to recreate a lot of the actual original dances that were performed in the movies, which is how you saw the transition from screen to stage,” Michael Deeb Weaver, choreographer of “Cha risse,” said. “I decided to explore how the

numbers would stand on their own with out a man involved. We have a very profeminist, girl-power show this semester. It was the time to highlight what our amazing women students can do in our program.”

For Act I’s next pieces, “Sacred Geom etry” and “She is Forevermore,” the Zo diaque dancers leave behind the glitziness and rhinestones of old Hollywood in fa vor of artistic abstractness and thoughtprovoking dances that leave the audience to their own devices in regard to meaning.

In “Sacred Geometry,” the dancers ex plore the entirety of the space, ventur ing out into the audience, individually lit up one at a time by spotlights. Then, they come together on the main stage before dispersing once more to their original lo cations throughout the theatre.

“She is Forevermore” tangles the danc ers in a massive cocoon by innovative use of an almost comically gigantic bed sheet.

The finale of Act I, “Overload” trans ported the audience to a cold, factory-like setting where machine whirring perme ated the silence. The dancers emerged in Hunger Games-esque white uniforms, as smoke filled the stage.

A high-intensity EDM beat pulsed through the theatre as the dancers moved frantically. Like automatons in a factory, the dancers moved in sync with one an other until one dancer, then another be

came overwhelmed by the robotic move ments and collapsed to her knees.

“There was a lot of running and falling, a motif of grabbing, choking and breath ing. I felt all the dancers in that piece were very powerful,” freshman dance major Nathan Eck said during intermission.

“The meaning of it could be interpreted uniquely by everyone in the audience… There were a couple moments where the dancer in the middle felt dominance over the rest of them, and the rest of them felt lost. So I feel like there’s a motif surround ing the idea of being unable to keep up or unable to hold that position of power.”

The audience resettled into their seats after a short intermission. The flashing theatre lights silenced their chattering and they were greeted with Act II’s shining gem: “Call Your Bluff,” by choreographer Kerry Ring.

The dance kicks off with the perform ers in brightly colored street clothes. The projector displays videos of the dancers smearing paint on their bodies.

But this colorful sequence soon fades away. The dancers flee offstage and re emerge in frighteningly gloomy Puritan garb: long skirts and pure white dress shirts.

Their dancing is tighter, sharper and more dramatic. Throughout the num ber, the dancers shake, seize and are left

breathless from the crushing weight of this section’s darkness. Ultimately, they strip off their Handmaid’s Tale outfits, freeing themselves from the burden. Now, in only their dance undergarments, they find freedom, once again embracing Go re’s feminist anthem.

“Rights are being potentially taken away from women,” choreographer Kerry Ring said. “And so I really needed to make a piece that was about women having rights, which was symbolized by paint in color, and then having that stripped away.“It’s really just my hope for my students, for my daughters, for myself to really step into the idea of voting, having their voices heard and stepping into the work of that,” Ring continued. “I was really hoping that the idea of disrobing in front of an audi ence to say that these rules are not to be put on me, but to be empowering those decisions.”

This message resonated strongly with the audience, who left the theatre discuss ing Roe v. Wade and uprisings in Tehran. The show’s overarching theme — wom en’s struggles and their paths to finding a voice — sparked a greater discussion.

“‘Call Your Bluff’ is just amazing to watch. I’m not in it, and I choke up every time watching it,” junior dance major So phia Fino said.

The performance concludes in a showstopping finale number complete with shadowy figures and jaw-droppingly se quined blue dresses. The Zodiaque danc ers dominate the stage, unifying the entire company in one cohesive number.

Before the curtain even began to close, the audience roared with applause. To the dancers, this finale’s significance — and that of the entire production — ran deep er than just the audience’s gratification.

“Zodiaque is just like a huge family. It’s just an experience. We worked super su per hard for the show and I’m so excited to put it on for everybody,” senior dance major Rachel Emerling said. “[It] was such a fun experience because I just felt so em powered. The whole dance is just some thing to experience that I’ve never experi enced before.”

Magnus Lunay / unspLash Buffalo s underground music scene has plenty of exciting artists that hit the stage in some of the city s most popular cluBs

Ken sMith / Zodiaque dancers the Zodiac dance company performed at uB’s center for the arts this past friday

UB wastes no time in victory against UMass

DYLAN GRECO SENIOR SPORTS EDITOR

UB football (4-3, 3-0 MAC) made short work of the UMass Minutemen (1-6) in its 34-7 win this past Saturday at McGuirk Alumni Stadium in Amherst, MA.

The Bulls’ victory marks their fourthconsecutive win this season. UB contin ues to maintain its No. 1 spot in the MAC East.

Sophomore quarterback Cole Snyder went 20-for-31 with three touchdowns and two interceptions for a total of 277 yards. Snyder has thrown five intercep tions so far this season, but his chemis try with graduate wide receivers Justin Marshall and Quian Williams has played a major role in UB’s four-game winningstreaks.

The offensive trio shined in the second quarter, as Snyder connected with Wil liams for a four-yard passing touchdown. Snyder also managed to throw a 49-yard missile to Marshall for a score with five minutes remaining in the second quarter. Marshall finished with three receptions for 75 total yards and a touchdown while Wil liams secured a modest three receptions for nine yards and a touchdown.

. The Bulls weren’t forced to rely on Wil liams and Marshall to handle the bulk of the receiving load, as junior wide receiver Cole Harrity (three receptions for 46 yards and a touchdown), sophomore wide re ceiver Jamari Gassett (four receptions for 85 yards) and graduate wide receiver Boo bie Curry (two receptions for 26 yards) all contributed to the UB passing attack.

The Bulls were also able to take advan tage on the ground, as redshirt freshman running back Al-Jay Henderson rushed for 99 yards, including an 84-yard bolt to put UB up 17-0 in the third quarter.

Senior running back Ron Cook Jr. had 11 carries for 43 yards and redshirt fresh man running back Mike Washington rushed 14 times for 42 yards.

As far as the Bulls’ defensive front goes, graduate safety Jahmin Muse and junior defensive tackle Jaylen Bass teamed up for a sack while fifth-year linebacker James Patterson also took the quarterback down in the backfield. UB’s defense provided an even-split effort as Patterson (seven tack

Women’s soccer wins vs. Northern Illinois 1-0, ties at Bowling Green

UB pushes unbeaten streak to 12 games, secondlongest in program history

BRANDON COCHI STAFF WRITER

UB women’s soccer (11-1-3, 5-0-3 MAC) continues to find ways to avoid los ing in conference play. The Bulls defeated Northern Illinois, 1-0, at home last Thurs day night and finished with a 0-0 draw at Bowling Green on Sunday. The team has yet to lose a MAC conference game and now owns a 12-game unbeaten streak, the second-best mark in program history.

Against Northern Illinois (5-6-4, 2-4-2 MAC), the Bulls’ offense stayed aggres sive despite producing no goals in the first half. In the second half, UB finally broke through in the 70th minute as freshman defender/midfielder Ellie Simmons fed fellow freshman midfielder Marissa Foster for her first career goal at UB. The game’s lone goal was enough to secure the victory.

Foster became the team’s 10th differ ent player to score a goal so far this sea son as UB finished the game outshooting the Huskies 20-7 in total shots and 5-3 in shots on goal.

Sophomore forward Jasmine Guerber tallied five shots on the game, with two

shots on goal. Senior goalkeeper Emily Kelly recorded her 10th shutout of the season, which for the team is third-most in program history.

Defense was paramount in Sunday’s draw against Bowling Green (5-5-4, 3-2-3 MAC), as each team had only four shots on goal. Junior midfielder Leah Wengen der had a couple good chances during the first half, but the BG senior goalkeeper Lili Berg held steady.

Wengender finished with three of the four shots on goal for the Bulls. Guerber also had a chance early in the second half, but her shot missed just wide. Despite their record, the Falcons were able to match the Bulls’ intensity to earn a tie.

Next up for the Bulls is their final home game of the regular season against Cen tral Michigan (2-9-4, 1-4-3 MAC) at 3 p.m. Thursday afternoon. Currently in first place of the MAC standings, UB has three more games remaining on its schedule be fore the conference tournament begins on Oct. 30.

les), junior safety Keyshawn Cobb, (seven tackles) and junior linebacker Shaun Dou lac (six tackles) worked as a unit to sup press the Minutemen’s offense.

UMass Redshirt sophomore quarter back Garrett Dzuro struggled to make any explosive plays, as he finished Saturday’s game with seven completed passes for 99 yards. As Dzuro struggled, UMass sent out backup quarterback Zamar Wise, who completed one pass out of five attempts

for nine yards.

UMass redshirt senior running back El lis Merriweather scored the Minutemen’s only touchdown with a five-yard run in the second quarter.

The Bulls will face off against the To ledo Rockets (5-2, 3-0 MAC) on Saturday at 1 p.m. The winner will secure sole pos session of first place in the MAC.

Email: dylan.greco@ubspectrum.com

Women’s volleyball splits weekend action with Ohio

The Bulls find themselves at just above .500 with nine games remaining

JOE MCAULIFFE STAFF WRITER

Women’s volleyball (11-10, 3-6 MAC) split its weekend series against the Ohio Bobcats (11-8, 5-3 MAC) in matches that each required an extra set to determine the winner. The win earned on Thursday marked the Bulls’ first against the Bobcats since 2018.

The first match ended with a Bulls vic tory in five sets: 27-29, 25-19, 22-25, 25-21 and 15-12. The match was a back and forth battle in which there were 17 lead changes. Fifth-year outside hitter Cali Assaley led the Bulls with 19 kills and a .472 hitting percentage. Sophomore outside hitter Ka trin Trebichavska contributed 11 kills to go with 13 digs. Junior outside hitter Abby Leigh, junior right side Emma Gielas and senior middle blocker Courtney Okwara added 10 kills each as part of a balanced UB effort.

The second match ended in a victory for the Bobcats. After two sets, 24 ties and six lead changes, the Bobcats and Bulls entered set three. The Bulls started off strong in the third set at 4-1 and finished

off with a victory at 25-20.

After surrendering the fourth set at a 19-25 loss, the Bulls would also give up the fifth and final set in a 19-21 loss to the Bobcats. Gielas, Leigh and Trebishkava finished with double digit kills. The Bob cats had more kills than the Bulls, (79 to 63) but the Bulls won the battle of the net. The Bulls notched 12 blocks, with Okwara contributing seven total blocks. UB racked up 53 assists, with Leigh contributing 48.

Mandy and Abby Leigh, along with Trebichavska, have proven to be vital as sets to the Bulls. Mandy leads the team with 681 assists while Abby Leigh and Trebichavska lead the team in kills.

The Bulls (11-10, 3-6 MAC) face off against Kent State Thursday at 6 p.m.

A powerful performance in the second quarter catapults Bulls to a 34-7 victory against the Minutemen

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