The Spectrum Vol. 71 No. 11

Students living in ‘active construction zone’ after Air Buffalo begins moving tenants into unfinished building

Residents concerned about security and safety as construction continues on floors 1-4

KYLE NGUYEN SR. NEWS/FEATURES EDITOR

*Editors’ note: The Spectrum spoke on-therecord to one student who requested to remain anonymous and another who asked only that their first name be used. Both did so 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 these individuals’ identities. The anonymous student will be referred to by the pseudonym of Jay Damian throughout this story.

MacKenzie Thompson wakes up each morning to a chorus of industrial screeching outside her window.

Corey Young holds his breath as he steps into a shuddering elevator to start his daily commute.

Tracie Keller wonders if the police will make it in time to evacuate residents for another unreported gas leak.

Thompson, Young and Keller are among the first crop of tenants to move into their units at the Air Buffalo apartment complex this October following a series of “construction delays” cited by property owners DMG Investments LLC.

on Aug. 25.

A series of move-in delays and a failed Town of Amherst building-code inspec-

UB raises minimum Ph.D. student stipends to $23,000

KIANA HODGE ASST. NEWS/FEATURES EDITOR

UB raised minimum stipends for fulltime, fully-funded Ph.D. students to $23,000 following recommendations by the dean of the Graduate School and a stipend review committee, the university announced in a statement Monday.

The minimum stipend was previously set at $20,000, a change made in 2019. The raise will go into effect next fall.

“These increases will ensure that Ph.D. stipends remain competitive and UB pro-

grams are able to recruit the very best Ph.D. students to the university,” the statement reads.

Graduate students without guaranteed funding packages have the opportunity to work as graduate assistants (GAs) and teaching assistants (TAs). GAs and TAs work up to 20 hours a week during the academic year and earn a stipend to help defray the costs of their degree, according to

CDS raises pay for certain shifts to attract more student workers, still dependent on international students

Minimum wage still offered for most CDS shifts, less than pay offered at many off-campus food service jobs

GRANT ASHLEY MANAGING EDITOR

Mara Dingman was a seasoned studentemployee at Campus Dining and Shops.

She started working at C3 in 2019 to make some extra money. Dingman served other students, washed dishes and wiped tables for most of her undergraduate career and all throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. And when she lived in Red Jacket, she didn’t even have to leave the building to start a shift.

But after the 2021 spring semester, she called it quits — and not just because she wanted more time to study.

“There’s so many better jobs that I could get that are going to either give me better benefits or pay me more than minimum wage or just require me to do different work that isn’t that type of food service,” Dingman, a Spanish major who graduated last semester, said of her thought process at the time.

In the wake of COVID-19 and the “Great Resignation,” Campus Dining and Shops, the organization that operates UB’s dining halls and food service operations, is “continuing to rebuild from pre-pandemic employment levels” and increase staffing at night and on the weekends, according to Ray Kohl, director of marketing and communications for Campus Dining and Shops. That effort led CDS to start offering $16 per hour to student employees who work after 7 p.m. on weekdays or on the weekends, a $2.80-increase over the $13.20 per hour, New York State’s mini-

mum wage, that student workers normally make.

“This increase is in recognition of the efforts of all of our student employees who work these shifts and in an effort to increase staffing levels during these hours to better serve our guests,” Kohl said in an email to The Spectrum.

Student-workers with previous food service or retail experience “are able to earn $15 an hour,” Kohl said. Regardless of previous experience, student workers also earn meal credits on days they work a shift, but those credits expire by the next day.

But minimum wage is lower than what students can make working in food service off campus. McDonald’s, Tim Hortons and Mighty Taco, for example, all offer at least $15 per hour to employees in the Buffalo area.

CDS is largely dependent on international student-workers, who are barred from working most off-campus jobs under federal law. Students with F-1 visas, the kind given to full-time international students, are only permitted to work oncampus jobs after completing their first year of study, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and can’t participate in work-study programs. That leaves international students at UB with few employment opportunities other than Campus Dining, as it is “one of the few departments that provides a pathway for international students to obtain a social

Moaz Elazzazi / ThE SpEcTruM Residents at aiR Buffalo have Been living in an active constRuction zone since eaRly octoBeR. Photo taken dec. 7.

Air Buffalo left dozens of students displaced after first notifying tenants that their units would not be ready prior to the semester

tion later, tenants have begun moving into the fourth, fifth and sixth floors. Tenants slated for units on the fifth and sixth floors moved in after the floors passed final inspections with a “conditional” result on Oct. 3.

Air Buffalo has also begun moving tenants onto the fourth floor despite ongoing construction throughout the rest of

GSEU celebrates victory, continues to call for expansion of minimum stipend to all graduate student workers, elimination of fees

CDS wages

FROM PAGE 1

security card for employment in the U.S.,” according to Kohl. Campus Dining employs 400-500 students per semester, the “majority” of which are international students, Kohl said.

Dipanshu Maheshwari, a first-year graduate student from India studying financial mathematics, used work experience as a hostel secretary to get a CDS job in the Governors Dining Center.

“To make my living expenses, I have to do part-time work,” Maheshwari said.

Students with F-1 visas can only work 20 hours per week when school is in session, but Maheshwari says he only gets assigned three shifts, about 16 hours worth of work. That’s enough to make ends meet, but it doesn’t leave him with a lot of

extra money.

“If there was a [way], then maybe I would try to get two different jobs, so that I can learn different things, and, moreover, I would get paid extra,” he said. “But still, we have constraints.”

Sai Krishna Reddi, a graduate student from India studying industrial engineering, didn’t know that off-campus food service jobs paid more until his interview with The Spectrum, but says he’s accepted working on campus with CDS.

“We [international students] don’t have an option other than this. That’s OK,” Krishna Reddi said. “We just got the job… At least we are getting something rather than nothing.”

New York State’s minimum wage is set to rise to $14.20 on Dec. 31, 2022.

Email: grant.ashley@ubspectrum.com

John B. King Jr. appointed as new SUNY chancellor

MORGAN S.T. ROSS ASST. NEWS/FEATURES EDITOR KIANA HODGE ASST. NEWS/FEATURES EDITOR

The SUNY Board of Trustees announced its selection of John B. King Jr. as the new SUNY Chancellor on Monday.

King previously served as New York State education commissioner from 201115, making history as the first African American and Puerto Rican to hold the position.

He went on to hold the position of U.S. deputy secretary of education and then secretary of education during the Obama administration. He currently serves as the president and CEO of The Education Trust, a non profit organization with a mission to break economic and racial barriers in education through policy.

King was deemed “an ideal leader for the SUNY system,” by Gov. Kathy Hochul in a statement applauding the recent appointment.

“I am humbled and honored to accept the position of chancellor and to advance Governor Kathy Hochul’s vision to make SUNY the best statewide system of public higher education in our nation,” King said, per a SUNY press release. “Public education quite literally saved my life when I lost both of my parents at a young age, and I have dedicated my professional career ever since to ensuring that every student has access to the academic opportunities that they need and deserve. I look forward to

working with all members of our campus communities, lawmakers, and stakeholders to bring SUNY to new heights and maximize its potential.”

King will succeed interim Chancellor Deborah F. Stanley as SUNY’s 15th chancellor after the resignation of former

Malatras announced his resignation in a letter to the SUNY Board of Trustees following controversy stemming from text messages that showed Malatras making “disparaging” remarks about Lindsey Boylan,

Email:

The former Obama-era secretary of education will become 15th chancellor in January

SUNY Chancellor Jim Malatras in January.

the former economic develop-

ment official who accused former Gov. Andrew Cuomo of sexual harrasment. King is scheduled to begin his duties as chancellor on Jan. 17, 2023.

uS DEparTMEnT of labor / WikiMEDia coMMonS John B. king JR will Begin his tenuRe as suny s 15th chancelloR in JanuaRy

Moaz Elazzazi / ThE SpEcTruM

JunioR neuRoscience maJoR advika Patil woRks PRePPing the kitchen in su

Moaz Elazzazi / ThE SpEcTruM

cds emPloyee moPs the flooR in one of uB’s on-camPus kitchens

Don’t lose the sun because of a missed star

Learn from regret, don’t wallow in it

ferent, something far from the ideal life I thought I’d led. Some of my memories were paralyzing.

Every so often, we wish we could return to a particular moment when we remember remorse or regret.

then the past determines the present.

Suppose you could go back to a specific moment in the past. Would you really make a different choice in that situation, even if you knew the consequences?

I was browsing an internet forum after a long day of studying last week, looking for a little relief.

An exciting post caught my attention: “What is your most significant regret?”

I immediately dove into deep thought.

At first, it seemed that I didn’t have a single regret. My life was smooth, taken deliberate step by deliberate step.

But when I began to look at myself from the inside out, I saw something dif-

When you’re disappointed by that “C” on your exam, you wish you could turn back the clock a few days and study harder. When a procrastinating college student finds out he still has a project to finish an hour before the deadline, he wishes he could go back in time five hours. Criminals repent for their crimes before they are sent to prison.

Everybody thinks, What if I was a better me?

But the truth is that time can never go back, it keeps moving forward.

If the present determines the future,

Romantic poets will render their endless regret onto the page, making it seem so dramatically tragic. But real life is not so poetic.

The essence of guilt is dissatisfaction. We are not satisfied with the results of the actions and decisions we made before, and we recognize that’s why we’re not happy.

But our biggest regret can still be a meaningful question.

Life has its twists and turns, its peaks and valleys. Reflecting on the wrong choices we’ve made may help us make better decisions in the future. Overcoming regret should be a compulsory course.

If you’re stuck with negative thoughts and feelings, imagine how you’ll be in 10 days, 10 months, even 10 years. No matter what, stretching the timeline and remembering how much time you have left will help relieve anxiety.

No one can promise that everything in life will go smoothly. We can’t be satisfied with every decision we’ve made before. Everyone is walking the road of life for the first time; that’s why everybody makes mistakes.

The past can’t be changed, but we all still have plenty of opportunities, and we have the power to take them.

Don’t lose the sun because of a missed star.

Email: yakun.liu@ubspectrum.com

A cup of coffee or a cup of community?

How we buy membership to a community through Starbucks when it should be free

them maintain a constant presence in the lives of consumers and a constant stream of revenue.

But Starbucks’ promise of community through consumerism is antithetical to the third place.

tomers intend to stay for hours to talk in a communal space.

TENZIN WODHEAN FACT CHECKER

Every morning, I remind myself of how my taste buds will indulge in the vanilla flavors of my latte. I remind myself of how my eyes will indulge in the clear cylindrical Starbucks cup sitting rightfully in its designated spot beside my laptop or in the firm grasp of my hand.

That 16-ounce cup of sweet caffeine is what motivates me to get out of bed in the morning. I have my apartment and academic buildings, but Starbucks has established itself as the third place in my life.

The “third place” is a term coined by sociologist Ray Oldenburg in his book, “The Great Good Place,” to define an accessible and public space where people regularly gather and interact for a sense of community and camaraderie. The “third place” is also a part of Starbucks’ philosophy; selling the experience of community helps

Sociable interactions with your community in the third place should not be contingent on consumption. While I could easily reduce the allure of the coffee shop environment to an individualistic explanation and reason that I buy Starbucks because of my poor sleeping habits or its all-too-tempting taste, the greater phenomenon of the third place suggests that our consumption in these spaces is reflective of a craving for community.

Starbucks’ curated customer experience provides us with a diluted and distorted version of what a community should look like. We buy a peppermint mocha for the taste of coffee and for a taste of community.

Deriving inspiration from the community found in European cafés, Starbucks pursued the idea of becoming a third place by expanding into customer seating and coffee servicing in 1987. But it fails to seamlessly facilitate a culture where cus-

Some students and faculty members likely see Starbucks as a “second space,” which Bryant Simon discusses in his 2009 book “Everything But the Coffee.” A “second space” is an extension of our academic spaces, and the coffee shop becomes a place to do work.

While we also use the space to socialize with people, rarely do we ever intentionally choose to have an hours-long conversation with someone in a Starbucks, unlike our European counterparts who do so in their cafés.

Starbucks also puts community behind a paywall. We as customers are expected to purchase a $7 beverage in order to be granted exclusive access to loiter.

An important feature of a third place is its ability to attract people from different walks of life, Oldenburg says. Third places are neutral ground and act as “levelers” because of their inclusivity and lack of barriers to prevent someone from accessing the space.

But with expensive drinks and desserts, Starbucks is far from meeting the qualifications of accessibility for all as defined by

a third place.

And the lack of inclusivity doesn’t stop there. The typical Starbucks customer can only expect a conversation with one person: their barista. That’s not exactly a genuine source of community, either.

According to Simon, Starbucks’ manual, the Green Apron Book, encourages baristas to be welcoming and to start a conversation. This helps provide a sense of belonging which Simon calls “customercontrolled belonging.”

It’s not purely social. The “genuine” interaction is just meant to make sure that the customer returns.

In college, third places provide a relief from classes and the daily exhaustions of being a student.

If you usually frequent Starbucks as your “third space,” try exploring a new third space, one where conversation is the main activity. If you don’t have a third place, then consider finding one. Everybody should find opportunities to experience community without consumption.

Email: tenzin.wodhean@ubspectrum.com

Stanton, Sr. Kailo Mori, Sr.

Tenzin Wodhean

Jake Blumberg

Jenna Quinn, Sr.

Kara Anderson, Asst.

YAKUN

the site. Floors one through three remain unoccupied and under construction as of publication.

The Spectrum freely entered all floors of the Air Buffalo complex without a keycard or identification.

The front doors were unlocked following business hours, and no staff were present to supervise the lobby. One mail carrier wandered through the lobby to a room labeled “office,” knocked and eventually entered on their own. The door was unlocked.

There was nobody inside, but the room housed piles of undelivered packages sent to Air Buffalo residents. An “access card sign-out sheet” for employees and a keycard sat in plain view on a desk. Adjacent to them was taped instructions on how to program a master keycard.

The Spectrum emailed and called DMG Investments’ marketing, media inquiry and head offices for comment but did not receive a response. A spokesperson from the Air Buffalo leasing office declined to comment, citing instructions from DMG Investments to not speak with media outlets.

Residents of the apartment complex-inprogress spoke with The Spectrum on site about their living conditions since moving into their units.

“Every time I go to work in the morning, there are like 30 construction people trying to build, and it’s hard to get out of the parking lot,” Thompson, a senior psychology major, said. “I feel like we shouldn’t be allowed to live here. Every morning I try to go down the elevator. I’ve got to wait for the construction elevator to come up and then there’s a guy that’s just sitting in there and he’s like, ‘Oops sorry, I’ll send up the other one.’”

Young, Thompson’s roommate and boyfriend, echoed her concerns. The junior physics major recounted seeing various recurring utility failures since moving in.

“The elevators had a couple of times where they just stopped working altogether,” Young said. “I’m afraid one of those times it’s going to happen when I’m in it.”

Only one of two elevators was operable when Young was interviewed on Nov. 13. Stairwells on either end of the building were locked and labeled as “construction” areas.

The couple had been staying at BuffaloNiagara Marriott, the temporary housing arrangements set up by DMG Investments, before moving into Air Buffalo in early October.

Thompson and Young were surprised to see how “sloppy” and “unfinished” their unit was upon arrival.

“It was still like an active construction zone,” Young said.

Thompson recounted first opening the door to their unit to see paint splattered across the floor and remnant construction stickers plastered to their windows. The couple spent the day scrubbing.

But there was more to mend. Their washing machine was inoperable, and the lock on their door had fallen off.

Despite notifying management almost immediately after they moved in, Young and Thompson had yet to receive functional repairs for either issue when they spoke to The Spectrum in late November.

“You can’t get in contact with the management about literally anything, about rent — I’ve reached out probably 10 times and it’s still not fixed,” Thompson said.

Keller and Jason*, a neighboring couple on the sixth floor, shared a similar experience.

Though initially slated for a room on the second floor, they negotiated for a room on the sixth floor. But after arriving, the couple found paint scattered across the floors of several rooms and missing furniture. A construction worker had scribbled the words “stupid idea” onto the back of their heating unit.

Even with a phone number on-hand for the property manager and a steady stream of construction workers passing by his room, Jason says requests for assistance were either denied or ignored.

“No communication. Nothing. I spent six hours cleaning paint off the floors because they [the construction workers] said it wasn’t their problem,” Jason said. “We still don’t have cabinets up. We don’t have a kitchen table. You call them and they [Air Buffalo management] just don’t answer.”

The couple have since received their cabinets but are still waiting for their kitchen table, Jason told The Spectrum in a follow-up phone interview on Dec. 6.

Jay Damian*, another resident on the fifth floor, recounted his own move-in on Oct. 24 with a grimace. After waiting for two months, he was hopeful of a smooth first day settling into his new home.

Bright-eyed and buoyant, he opened the door.

“There was a big cockroach waiting for me — right there,” Damian said, pointing to the floor of the unit’s entryway.

Like his neighbors, Damian spent his first days making repairs after noticing a faulty tap in his unit. Unable to reach a single staff member, he eventually purchased and installed a replacement on his own.

It was a sign of things to come. The tenant showed several videos to a Spectrum reporter documenting power outages

spanning several weeks and the sounds of ongoing construction in the early morning.

Amenities such as Wi-Fi and transportation advertised in promotional Air Buffalo brochures are also missing. Damian says he purchased his own Wi-Fi to be able to do schoolwork and is frustrated about the lack of a shuttle to campus. These were both services that were supposed to be freely available for tenants.

The absence of communication and security worries several residents the most. Things came to a head during a heavy snowstorm on Nov. 17. Keller was among several tenants who say they had no hot water that night.

Heading back from an outing, Keller and Jason noticed police walking up and down the sixth floor knocking on doors. They knocked on Keller’s door and asked for the building’s maintenance phone number. The couple obliged, and the police moved on.

Keller later texted the same number that night to report the lost water service. After receiving assurances that service would be restored, she went to sleep.

The next morning, the complex was

teeming with firetrucks and police officers. There was a gas leak, first responders told her.

Keller, Jason and a group of 10 to 12 students gathered in the lobby on the first floor, the elevator sealed off. She noticed several international students standing in bewilderment at the ordeal.

She was furious.

“They never notified us about the gas leak. Nothing,” Keller said. “There were about 10 to 15 trucks that were coming in and out the whole day or night, and they didn’t tell us about a gas leak or nothing.”

Keller sees the lack of administrative presence and communication as a real risk, especially for international students renting at Air Buffalo.

“[There were] a couple of students from Canada, and their passports were locked up in their room,” Keller said. “There are also students here that do not have family to go to if there is something wrong.”

Damian also expressed misgivings over the absence of staff, despite posted working hours in the leasing office.

“They say they’re always here, but I know they’re not,” Damian said. “I’m not getting my packages from USPS because

Moaz Elazzazi / ThE SpEcTruM the woRd “scammed” was scRiBBled on a PaPeR sign taPed to the fouRth-flooR elevatoR dooR. Photo taken nov. 15.

Moaz Elazzazi / ThE SpEcTruM staiRwell dooRs of flooRs one thRough

unlocked. Photo taken nov.

it’s so often the management isn’t here that they’re returning all those packages to the sender because there’s no person to sign.”

To address security concerns, Air Buffalo recently mandated that residents use their keycards to unlock the front lobby door.

Keller says the new requirement hasn’t made it any more difficult to enter at will. She was bemused to see another tenant who hadn’t heard about the new keycard lock system pry open the lobby door barehanded and take the elevator back up to their unit.

“It’s super unsafe,” Keller said. “Especially with the young kids staying here. There are families staying here.”

Damian, who previously lived at Auden Buffalo, says it is difficult to wrap his head around DMG Investments’ management of Air Buffalo.

“The amenities are not fully ready yet,” Damian said. “The construction is not even ready, and the power is out like every three days or so. I don’t even think they used that much money to construct this building.”

Christian O’Lone, then-DMG vice president of asset management, told Buffalo Business First in 2021 that the company did not expect to invest significant time or money ahead of the property’s acquisition.

“Given the stage of construction with the building, it really lends itself to some minor modifications,” O’Lone said. “We won’t have to go too far backward on this one.”

Now entering the final weeks of the semester, residents at Air Buffalo are trying to make the most of their situations, even as construction continues all around them.

“I’m trying to survive,” Damian said. “I just want to live my life. I just want to finish school.”

Damian notified management of his desire to move back into Auden Buffalo. He had not heard back as of Nov. 13.

With Thompson working through her senior year, Young says the couple is set on staying put, despite disappointment over their ordeal at Air Buffalo and reservations about DMG Investments.

“It doesn’t sit right, especially since they’re currently leasing new apartments for the next year as well,” Young said. “You’re already doing that after not even having everyone in right now?

“Sure, they’re a business. But it’s been rushed and they want money so badly that they’re really sacrificing the quality of life of people living in their apartments.”

Email: kyle.nguyen@ubspectrum.com

courTESY of TraciE kEllEr seveRal Residents weRe gReeted with sPlatteRed Paint on the flooRs and walls of theiR aPaRtments uPon moving in. Residents also encounteRed BRoken aPPliances and missing fuRnituRe

Moaz Elazzazi / ThE SpEcTruM only one of two elevatoRs was oPeRaBle when The SpecTrum visited aiR Buffalo in mid-novemBeR

Photo taken nov. 15.

Moaz Elazzazi / ThE SpEcTruM a legal Pad and a can of mountain dew sit on the counteR of a fouRth-flooR aPaRtment undeR constRuction. Photo taken nov. 15.

Moaz Elazzazi / ThE SpEcTruM

snow falls onto cRanes in the PaRking lot of aiR Buffalo

oRiginally slated to oPen in august 2022.

Photo taken nov 15.

a statement from the university. GAs and TAs are also eligible for the same health insurance coverage as full-time SUNY employees.

Members of the Graduate Student Employees Union, the bargaining unit that represents graduate students who work for the university as teaching assistants or graduate assistants, celebrated the announcement while continuing to press for further reforms.

“This is an absolute win — but there’s more to do,” GSEU said in a statement on their website. “We were never asking for a one-time raise for some of us. There are still many graduate workers who are making less than $15,000 per year and still paying fees: this is a yearly income of less than $12,000. GSEU finds this to be utterly unacceptable.”

The announcement was made public the same day that GSEU protested for a $22,000 minimum stipend at Monday’s UB Council meeting. Fifteen grad students marched from One World Café to the council meeting in the Buffalo Room, sporting shirts reading “SUNY works because we do” and signs with slogans like “$22k for all.”

After Council Student Representative A.J. Franklin delivered his report — the last item on the meeting agenda — business agent for GSEU Lawrence Mullen intervened. (Franklin is also an assistant features editor for The Spectrum.) In a prepared speech, they relayed anecdotes of grad students who took on two to three extra jobs, sold plasma and received SNAP

benefits to make ends meet. Mullen concluded by asking the council to pass a resolution calling on the university to raise all graduate worker stipends to $22,000 and to eliminate all broad-based fees.

Mullen pressed the council members for a response, adding that “none of this is new information.”

UB Council Chairman Jeremy Jacobs said that the council would consider the resolution. The meeting was immediately adjourned and the GSEU members walked back to their office in The Commons for a debrief.

Provost A. Scott Weber announced the raise in a memo to the deans Nov. 30, and UB publicly announced the change hours before the protest, according to university spokesperson John Della Contrada.

GSEU has been advocating for a $22,000 minimum stipend since November of 2021 while also calling on the university to expand the minimum stipend to all graduate student workers and to eliminate all broad-based fees. The union attributed the 15% raise to graduate workers’ “ceaseless efforts to take the University to task on stagnating wages and continued exploitation of impoverished workers.”

“When a university chooses to pay its graduate workers poverty wages, they actively obstruct any material efforts to attract diverse Ph.D.s,” Mullen said. “Because UB pays $15,000 less than the cost of living in Erie County, programs become accessible to those who only come from generational wealth therefore substantiating a university that actively seeks to block social mobility and racial equity.”

Email: kiana.hodge@ubspectrum.com

Yakun liu / ThE SpEcTruM gseu has Been advocating foR a $22,000 minimum stiPend since novemBeR of 2021, now the minimum is $23,000.

Yakun liu / ThE SpEcTruM students voiced conceRns RegaRding gRaduate emPloyee wages in a PRotest this Past monday

Yakun liu / ThE SpEcTruM the minimum stiPend foR gRaduate emPloyees is now $23,000 afteR it was PReviously $20,000.

‘You’re left alone to figure everything out’: CAS students

voice frustrations with academic advising

College of Arts and Sciences doubled advising staff last summer, implementing new reforms

VICTORIA HILL ASST. NEWS/FEATURES EDITOR

Allison Hartford has only been a UB student for a few months, but she’s already lived through a multitude of the common experiences of a UB student: battling wintry weather in between lectures, cramming for a test in Capen, and getting frustrated with academic advising.

“When you go to them for help, you need to have every question laid out for them [the advisors]. They don’t do the work for you, they are just there for approval,” Hartford, a junior human services and childhood education major, said.

Advisors are supposed to help students plan a course of study so that they’ll graduate on time and find success after earning a degree. But many students said they’ve left meetings with advisors with more questions than answers, sometimes even resorting to planning their schedules by themselves.

“Most of the time, when I ask advisors about certain classes, they don’t know information about the course,” Tasmiyah Islam, a sophomore biological sciences major within the College of Arts and Sciences, said.

Students feel their time is “wasted,” and that they don’t want to meet with their advisors as much as they should.

“An academic advisor can help students navigate a variety of academic processes and answer academic questions, but advisors often also can provide referrals to other campus offices if the advisor knows there’s a different office that is best for the student to connect with,” Agnieszka ZakMoskal, director of academic advisement in the College of Arts and Sciences, said in an email statement to The Spectrum. “If students have a question and they’re not sure who to ask, an advisor is a great person to start with.”

Students also expressed that there isn’t much of a connection between themselves and their advisors. There’s a feeling among students that advisors don’t understand what students need or are looking for in the appointment.

Grace Madden, a sophomore speech and hearing sciences major, is now in her second semester at UB after transferring in last year.

She met with her advisor two weeks ago to see if she was still “on track” to graduate in four years.

She claims her advisor told her, “Oh, well, you know, graduate when you graduate. It doesn’t matter.”

Madden left that meeting frustrated. She now tries to avoid meeting with an advisor if she can help it.

“Instead, I go to my friends or other people to try and figure it out,” Madden said. “They don’t know much, but sometimes it’s better than advising.”

There are about 35 students in the speech-language pathology major and 14 academic advisors that work with the program, according to Bo-Hua Hu, the chair of the Communicative Disorders and Sciences Department, which oversees the speech-language pathology major.

In essence, each advisor is assigned about two students. But students say that despite near one-to-one attention, a disconnect remains.

Madden pointed to Zoom meetings as a factor that contributes to this rift between advisor and student.

“I really don’t like meeting people online,” Madden said. “I would like a better connection with my advisors, but I just feel so distant. It feels impossible to get closer to them.”

But Hu said that advisors can do in-person appointments, and the appointment doesn’t need to be scheduled in advance or need any specific requirements.

“Academic advisors tend to have Zoom meetings to save time, but I think it should be in-person because it’s easier to understand them face-to-face,” Islam said.

CAS has a much larger student population, which can contribute to the detachment between students and advisors. With 19 academic advisors in the department, each of whom is responsible for about 400 to 450 students, advisors don’t have the time to get to know their students.

“CAS Advising is in the process of developing an advising lifecycle to better address the needs of our students,” Zak-Moskal said. “The advising lifecycle will help make sure that we are targeting support for students at all stages of their undergraduate experience, from before they enroll in classes to conferring their degrees.”

Zak-Moskal says CAS has listened to feedback from students of previous years, and in the past six months, the department doubled the college’s advising staff from nine to 19 over the summer, decreasing advisors’ caseloads and increasing appointment availability.

In addition to more advisors, CAS advising now offers “quick question,” a service that allows students to call an advisor with any quick questions. Students are also encouraged to email their advisors with questions.

Additionally, around the add/drop period of each semester, CAS offers drop-in advising, with no appointment necessary.

“All of this is done in an effort to increase student access to advisors,” ZakMoskal said.

The Undergraduate Advising Council Committee also sends out a survey to students for feedback at the end of each semester. The results are directly shared with each advising unit. Each department’s director of academic advisement then reviews the results and addresses any concerns regarding advising that are shared in the survey.

Many first-year CAS students were recently invited to group-advising sessions meant to help them understand their programs and prepare for spring 2023 registration. At the end of the group-advising session, participants completed a survey and were asked how “confident” they felt registering for courses in the spring. The average response on a scale of 1-5 was a 4.1.

“Assessments like this help us identify what’s working about specific initiatives and what can be improved for the next time we offer the advising service,” ZakMoskal said.

UB also has a web page that provides a list of responsibilities that advisors and students have, and are expected to follow.

Email: victoria.hill@ubspectrum.com

JASMIN YEUNG ASST. NEWS/FEATURES EDITOR

Clad in a Santa hat while roaming around her local mall, DeAnna Scott sold cookie jars, her first product, to shoppers on Christmas Eve in 2020.

Little did she know that her first sales would become the initial steps to starting her own small business, a home-bakery called “Deez Munchies.”

“Within a couple of hours I actually sold out of everything that I made just by walking around,” Scott, a senior criminology major, said. “I actually was really scared, but I already made these batches of jars… I knew people were in the market for festive stuff.”

Two years later, Scott’s business has grown far past its cookie-jar beginnings. With multiple customers on campus, Scott has been able to profit off of her sweet treats and desserts.

She has designed her own loyalty cards, which allow returning customers to receive four free chocolate-covered strawberries after four orders, and $15 off after eight orders. Chocolate covered strawberries have become a big part of her sales after she introduced them for Valentines Day in 2021. Scott also introduced breakable chocolate hearts, a heart-shaped chocolate shell that is smashed open with a mallet.

“I started watching videos on those and wanted to incorporate them into my business,” Scott said. “So I started watching YouTube videos, buying different products, testing out the best methods for me to make them.”

She intended for the products to be a

“limited-edition Valentine’s Day thing,” but they were so popular she decided to incorporate them into her business fulltime, stepping back from the cookie jars and toward chocolates.

Scott received her first outside-of-thebox order that same Valentine’s Day: make chocolate covered strawberries in the shapes of birds for a customer’s boyfriend.

“I turned chocolate-covered strawberries into different bird characters by putting different drizzles and sprinkles,” Scott said. “It was a little out of my comfort zone, but they loved it in the end.”

Outside of Deez Munchies, Scott balances her criminology major, management minor and “multitude of clubs,” including dance organization 8 Count.

“I always tell myself I’m motivated by consequence,” Scott said. “I don’t want to get things done unless the pressure is on, so I guess me doing all of these things is keeping pressure on me and keeping me going.”

She admits she’s had to “lean back a little bit” on her business due to her heavy course load as a senior, but she continues to take orders. Scott arranges her schedule with large gaps of time in between her classes, allowing her to go home to finish orders.

After graduation, Scott is considering working in criminology, opening her own brick and mortar store, or following her family’s history in healthcare by studying dental hygiene. She knows she’ll continue Deez Munchies but is thinking about how to navigate the transition from Buffalo to her hometown of Westchester and a new

customer base.

“I don’t know exactly where I see myself, but I see myself in something big,” she said. “Even in the small steps that I take now, I want to strive to make the future me or my future family happy.”

Learn more about Deez Munchies at @ itsapiece_of_cake on Instagram.

Email: jasmin.yeung@ubspectrum.com

EliSE caSSiDY / ThE SpEcTruM students fRom the college of aRts and sciences voiced conceRns aBout academic advising at uB.

‘I see myself in something big’: How one UB student went from cookie jar salesperson to confectioner

DeAnna Scott discusses the evolution of her small business, “Deez Munchies”

UB Foundation sells historic mansion in downtown Buffalo for $3.75 million

Foundation, administration “working closely” to determine best use of funds

GRANT ASHLEY MANAGING EDITOR

The University at Buffalo Foundation, UB’s private endowment fund, sold the historic Butler Mansion to Douglas Development for $3.75 million, according to a news release.

“The UB Foundation is working closely with the UB administration to determine the best use of the funds to further UB’s mission,” university spokesperson John Della Contrada said in an email. “We will announce the final use once a decision is made.”

The university had “primarily” used the 23,859-square-foot property for professional development programs for local businesspeople, including those run by UB’s Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, according to Della Contrada. UB’s use of the building lessened in recent years as it centralized operations on its three campuses as a part of its master plan.

“Rather than have the mansion underutilized, UB believed it was in the best interest of the neighborhood to attract a buyer who will fully utilize the building and preserve its historic architecture and place in Buffalo’s history,” Della Contrada

said.

Delaware North Chairman and UB Council Chair Jeremy Jacobs donated the mansion, located at the intersection of North Street and Delaware Avenue, to the foundation in 2000. Construction on the building finished in 1899. Past owners include Erie County Savings Bank executive George L. Williams, Buffalo Evening News publisher Edward Hubert Butler Sr., the William C. Baird Foundation and the Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, according to The Buffalo News

Jacobs is a former foundation board member, and one of his sons, Delaware North CEO Louis Jacobs, is currently serving on the board, according to the foundation’s website. UB President Satish Tripathi thanked Jacobs for his support of UB’s efforts to sell the property in UB’s press release about the sale.

Washington, D.C.-based developer Douglas Jemal, owner of Douglas Development, purchased the property.

“I pledge to devote every facet of my experience and creativity to re-position this wonderful asset of the city of Buffalo in a way that maximizes its usefulness to the surrounding neighborhood while re-

taining its stunning architectural beauty,” Jemal said in UB’s press release.

The mansion had been on the market for six months, according to Della Contrada. It was assessed to be worth $3 million, per the Erie County parcel database.

The UB Foundation owns multiple other real estate holdings throughout Erie

County, according to its website. Those properties include the Anderson Gallery, the UB president’s residence, all five oncampus apartment complexes and Greiner Hall. The foundation owns no other mansions, Della Contrada said.

Email: grant.ashley@ubspectrum.com

Broadway actress Karen Burthwright wants UB’s actors of color to eclipse her success

Burthwright, currently touring with ‘Tina,’ visited UB’s Dreams Affirmed to discuss being a person of color on Broadway

ALEX NOVAK ASST. ARTS EDITOR

UB’s Dreams Affirmed club sold Karen Burthwright with just five words: “Black musical theatre student group.”

Despite being a booked and busy Broadway actress known for her role in the original Broadway cast of “Paradise Square,” Burthwright carved out the time to join Dreams Affirmed for an impromptu meeting at Alumni Arena last month.

As a swing and understudy for both Tina and Ronda in the national tour of “Tina,” Burthwright’s path brought her to Shea’s Performing Arts Center in Buffalo. Once she was in the Queen City, the opportunity to enlighten and empower other performers of color was too good to pass up.

Burthwright felt both a sense of connection to Tina Turner and immense pressure when she auditioned for “Tina” back in May — her first in-person audition since before COVID-19. .

“We have all experienced [issues] and still have to show up and deliver a three and a half minute monologue, kick your face and belt a high ‘C,’” Burthwright said. “I was going into another audition that fed me in a completely different way, especially as a Black woman, dancing a show and singing or reading material about an actual Black woman’s storied life was very therapeutic for me.”

Originally, Burthwright did not book “Tina.” But when a cast member dropped out of the production, Burthwright seized the second-chance opportunity and got the role.

“My jaw dropped and hit the floor and bruised my entire chin, I came out of some type of comatose shock,” Burthwright said.

The role was hers, but Burthwright was stuck playing catch-up. All her co-stars had six weeks of rehearsals under their belts by the time she got the role. As the self-proclaimed “new kid on the block,” she practiced choreography in theater lobbies and learned much of her music from Dropbox recordings instead of a director.

“I understand the value of a swing. They are usually among the smartest people in the room. They are the reason why the show can continue and be supported,” Burthwright said. “They are not to be slept on or misunderstood or overlooked or treated as other or less than. They are the glue that keeps your company togeth-

er, that keeps your cast together.”

Catching up was no cake walk. Burthwright said she would’ve loved to have gone home to a cozy book, an epsom salt bath or a walk in the park after a rehearsal. But the rigor of her role makes those simple joys difficult to pencil into her daily routine — and that’s before accounting for the constant travel.

It is not in her “earthly Capricorn way” to wake up in a new hotel room in a new city every morning. Even worse, some of Burthwright’s hotels have housed more than just Broadway-level actors.

“Sometimes [the hotels] are haunted, which is not my jam. So that’s gross,” Burthwright said jokingly. “Absolutely not! Stay away from me! I rebuke you in the name!”

Burthwright reminded the Dreams Affirmed students to always “fill their cups,” whether that be with their passion for their craft, the joy of performing, self-love or having to skip out on going out to the bar when there’s a show the next day.

She also reflected on her experiences playing Shug Avery across from Tara Jackson’s Celie in the “Color Purple” at the Neptune Theatre. Jackson leaned into her character, a victim of sexual, parental and domestic abuse, night after night, sometimes taking an emotional toll.

Once Jackson finished the show’s 11 o’clock number, “I’m Here,” she ex-

ited stage right after her bow, completely drained and depleted after reliving a fellow Black woman’s entire lifetime story of horrific abuse and trauma. Sometimes, the exhaustion would be too much for Jackson to handle on her own. Her castmates embraced her, surrounding her, covering her with energy and support offstage when the role’s burden became too much for one actress to carry alone.

“You have to realize that you need to temper how your energy exchange happens with people and situations throughout your career. It is very difficult. There is a cost,” Burthwright said. “It’s trying. It’s pushing you. You’re exhausted. But somehow you’re doing what you’ve always dreamed. So you get a little bit of that cup refilled by doing exactly that. The thing that's actually draining you is also feeding you.”

Burthwright offered both sage advice and compassionate warnings to Dreams Affirmed’s prospective actors, dancers and singers.

“The path is going to be rocky. It’s going to be hilly,” Burthwright said. “There’s going to be a bridge that’s very sketchy that you might have to walk or sashay across from time to time with about four overweight pieces of luggage, your book and your LaDucas in your hand. Don’t be naive to think you’re actually not having to work harder because of who you are for

less roles or less tracks in a show.”

Although Burthwright soon had to run back to Shea’s to prepare for the upcoming showings of “Tina,” the hour she spent with Dreams Affirmed gave club members new insight on their futures in what can be a simultaneously rewarding and crushing industry.

“As a Black man, I’ve never had a mentor who filled my cup and made me feel like I’m in the right space,” Rahim Dunston, a junior theatre performance major, said. “I’m very, very thankful. I’m very happy to have had this moment. And she just told me, ‘Things don’t happen on accident, everything in the universe is great.’”

Nothing about Burthwright’s star-studded Broadway and performing career was accidental. Her career — and those of her successors — is forged through constant work, perseverance and fighting for the right to exist and thrive in a space that is not always inclusive to diverse identities.

Burthwright, by walking the rickety bridge with her book, LaDucas and the burdens of her entire community in hand, earned her flowers. She hopes that the next generation, including the students in Dreams Affirmed, will come to that familiar bridge, have the courage to cross it and pick up paving a path forward in the spot where she left off. Email:

rEaDing ToM / WikiMEDia coMMonS washington d c.-Based develoPeR douglas Jemal PuRchased the ButleR mansion fRom the univeRsity at Buffalo foundation foR $3.75 million

UB French Club creates a casual environment for language learners

The club’s new conversation table helps students explore French language and culture

MATTHEW MATSULAVAGE

Outside of a French study group in Lockwood or a classroom in Clemens, the chances of hearing a casual French conversation around campus are fairly low.

UB French Club’s new conversation table is aiming to change that.

The idea behind the program is simple: students, no matter their skill level, can learn French through casual conversations with native speakers and more experienced students in a laid-back setting with none of the grades or pressure of a French lecture.

The club will eventually provide students with bilingual learning sheets and preparation material, but there is no strict curriculum like one would find in a traditional French course. Conversation topics are predetermined, but students are encouraged to explore whatever topics interest them. The idea is to learn from fellow students on the fly, not from a textbook.

“It very much addresses the anxiety someone might have when speaking a foreign language, without being put on the spot,” Adam Dounane, the club’s president and a senior communication major, said.

There is no proficiency requirement to participate, and though many club members have a varied degree of experience, Dounane believes there is always more to learn.

“It kind of lowers that barrier to entry,” he said. “[It] helps people learn things like ordering at a French restaurant or working up the nerve to say ‘what’s up.’”

Dounane wants others to learn about the French language that exists beyond formal grammar books and homework assignments. His own experiences in France gave him a look at the more diverse influences on the language that many students might miss.

“I tried to learn more casual French, there were even things like Arabic expressions being thrown in that I wasn’t prepared for,” he said.

The conversation table doesn’t shy away from tough conversations. Past meetings have featured discussions about a postcolonial Francophone world and the controversial French concept of laïcité, which discourages overt displays of religious devotion and has drawn criticism for targeting minority religious groups in France — inadvertently or otherwise. Everyone gets a chance to share their opinion in a

judgment-free environment.

Students also have the chance to explore their own heritage and connections to the Francophone world. Dounane, for example, is Moroccan and uses French to communicate with his family.

“We’ve been blessed to have as many international students as we’ve had [this semester],” Dounane said. “That was a pleasant surprise.”

The conversation table has always been a long-term plan for the French Club. After establishing the group in January 2020, the club hoped to mirror the success of the popular Spanish conversation table

that is hosted by the Romance Languages and Literatures Department.

Following an end to most of the university’s COVID-19 safety rules and a surge in the club’s popularity, the table is poised to become a permanent fixture of UB’s French community.

No permanent schedule has been finalized, but the club intends to host weekly conversations in the coming months. Students can register for further programming updates via the club’s mailing list found on the Department of Romance Languages and Literatures’ webpage.

Email: news@ubspectrum.com

Advisory Council on Race addresses racial inequities through diversity training, hiring and retention practices

The university’s reform efforts are a response to a wide range of recommendations to implement change

KIANA HODGE ASST. NEWS/FEATURES EDITOR KATIE SKOOG STAFF WRITER

UB administrators touted progress on racial equity goals and announced new ones at a virtual town hall for UB President Satish Tripathi’s Advisory Council on Race.

A new position in the Intercultural and Diversity Center has been filled which will provide staff with more training to support underrepresented students more than they have in the past, especially in areas related to belonging and retention.

Currently, 47% of UB’s student body makes up the BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, people of color) community, with a 5% increase since 2015. Domestic BIPOC students make up 30% of the student body, with a 6% increase since 2015.

Retention plans are being assessed to uphold the university’s goals for diversity in enrollment, Vice Provost for Enrollment Management Lee Melvin.

The university continues to apply a holistic admissions process for undergraduates. UB uses test-optional admissions practices and considers the ethnic, socioeconomic and geographical statuses of

students. Race is one of the components of the admissions process, Melvin said, but not a primary component.

That statement came weeks after the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a case that could overturn the constitutionality of affirmative action in college admissions.

There are existing programs that serve undergraduate BIPOC students, and the Office of Student Success and Academic Support is actively reviewing those programs. A gap analysis is being conducted to see where more support is needed regarding retention and completion rates, according to Graham Hammill, dean of the graduate school vice provost for academic affairs.

The university is continuing to expand resources and funding to initiatives advancing student diversity, programs and services on campus, Vice President for Student Life Brian Hamluk said.

Ongoing recommendations include incorporating annual celebrations of the diverse UB community, such as awards, events, festivals and heritage months.

The university “constantly seeks out feedback” from student leaders throughout campus regarding efforts that are needed at the university to promote diver-

sity and inclusion, Hamluk said.

The town hall meeting also discussed efforts to create a more inclusive space at UB through “targeting underperforming buildings, spaces and places” on campus with public art and other installations. Several committees and programs are working out the details.

The meeting also highlighted UB faculty and staff, showcasing ongoing efforts to improve recruitment and retention.

Recruitment programs such as iSEED, DVS and VITAL that focus on “enhancing recruitment and establishing networks with universities with underrepresented scholar populations” are continuing to be improved on and expanded, per a Nov. 9 progress report published by the Office of the Provost.

These programs, intended to provide more professional opportunities for students of color, are being expanded across campus with “coordination and communication.”

A new faculty resource, the Faculty Affairs Office, is another strategy that aims to target retention of new underrepresented faculty members with efforts from chairs and deans, according to the Office of the Provost.

Robert Granfield, a sociology professor

and vice provost for faculty affairs, talked about UB’s progress in doubling the number of faculty who come from underrepresented backgrounds from 10% in 2019 to 35% in 2022.

The university is currently working with the Faculty Senate to recognize faculty who do “invisible” work and their contributions to diversity, equity and inclusion. This includes underrepresented and women faculty who “often take more service than their colleagues.”

UB is also working on addressing any issues faculty may have through surveys such as Collaborative on Academic Careers in Higher Education (COACHE), and working on other resources such as affinity groups to improve experiences and job satisfaction.

The Advisory Council on Race is comprised of UB faculty, staff, students and alumni who bring their “expertise and experience” to help with the university’s approach to reform efforts, according to the Office of the President.

Email: kiana.hodge@ubspectrum.com

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Students disappointed that Student Union piano often locked away behind closed doors

SINAI P. THOMAS STAFF WRITER

Following a long and strenuous engineering exam, Salim Zedni and Jeff Naranjo headed toward Student Union 145-A to unwind by playing the campus piano.

But when they got there, the two senior computer engineering majors were met with locked metal doors instead of ivory piano keys.

The seniors are among two of several students who were disappointed to find the communal piano now locked behind doors after it was moved from its previous location in SU’s Flag Room. Student Life advertised the reveal of a new upright piano back in fall 2021, but since then, the replacement has been relocated to SU 145A, where it now remains locked away on a haphazard basis.

The piano was initially advertised to be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, but now has no clear operating hours a semester into commission.

John Kisker, interim director of Student Life, says the doors are unlocked at 8 a.m. and remain open until a pre-scheduled event takes place, in which case SU building managers will ask those playing to finish before the event.

“When the piano was initially purchased, [Student Life] wanted to locate it in a high-traffic area where students could easily use and hear the piano — so it was placed in the Social Hall (also known as the Flag Room),” Kisker said in an email to The Spectrum.

Student Life eventually decided to move

the piano to SU 145-A after the piano started “disrupting events in adjoining spaces.”

“We examined other locations in the Student Union and landed on this location for many reasons,” Kisker said. “The area has high foot traffic, allowing others to hear the piano and see the sign while walking by. We hope this passive service sparks a sense of curiosity and community, and leads to an increased usage of the piano. Additionally, we like the ability to secure

the piano when there are no staff in the building.”

But Zedni described the locked-away piano as being like a piece of him being torn away.

“People want to play, people want to learn, people want to watch people play, people want to listen to people play,” Zedni said. “A lot of people walk around stressed, in a bad mood and then there’s someone on the piano, playing the most beautiful song ever and people are enjoy-

ing the entire process.”

Moohilton Soosaippillai — reminiscent about his time on the old piano — transferred to UB as a sophomore from the Rochester Institute of Technology. As he walked through the SU, he encountered the old piano in the Flag Room and began playing.

“I would go play there and people would come and we would talk about music… and it was just us playing whatever we wanted, or even talking about it,” the graduate electrical engineering major said. “Then eventually it translated to ‘Hey, you wanna make pasta on a Saturday night?’... And then they become your friends, then your roommates and — yeah, something special.”

Soosaippillai described the doors to the piano being closed as “heartbreaking” and a lost opportunity for new students to transition into the UB community.

Zedni, Naranjo and Soosaippillai are all convinced that the piano should be relocated to somewhere where individuals can express themselves without restrictions.

Kisker says that Student Life has not received any complaints regarding the availability of the piano. He said students can speak to the building manager at the SU Welcome Center to inquire about the piano’s availability for the day.

But some students remain frustrated.

“I just want to play my role in a community and you’re not letting me,” Zedni said. “It’s pretty awful.”

Email: news@ubspectrum.com

‘It’s falling specifically on graduate workers’

JASMIN YEUNG ASST. NEWS/FEATURES EDITOR

*Editors’ Note: The Spectrum spoke on the record to a TA in the Department of Romance Languages and Literatures who requested to remain anonymous out of fear of backlash from their department. 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 individual’s identity. The anonymous source will be referred to by the pseudonym Janet Dunlap throughout this story.

UB hired a net 224 full-time instructional faculty between the fall of 2012 and the fall of 2020, allowing the university to keep up with record enrollment numbers and maintain a ratio of roughly 13.5 stu-

left them struggling to keep up with an increased workload as UB moves to accommodate a growing student population.

“The understanding is that the average is 20 hours of work per week for 10 months out of the year… They work far more than 20 hours per week, and we’ve only seen that increase in the past few semesters,” Lawrence Mullen, an English Ph.D. student and Graduate Student Employees Union (GSEU) business agent, said.

“They’re teaching more recitation sections than they used to, because the department says that they don’t have enough TA lines. They couldn’t bring in more graduate workers, so then the work just falls on the current graduate workers who are now expected to do more at the same amount of money.”

GSEU represents graduate student employees at UB, and advocate for changes

Mullen said.

Janet Dunlap*, a TA in the department of Romance Languages and Literatures (RLL), acts as the “instructor of record” for a five-credit class, a role Dunlap says involves doing “everything,” including teaching, lesson planning and grading.

“There’s a lot of work that goes into five-credit [classes], and we’re having to do that semester after semester,” she said. “The assessments we produce have to go through two rounds of corrections… There are often so many revisions to the point where sometimes the whole exam has changed. We cannot reuse any exam ever… Each [revision] takes a couple of hours to do.”

The RLL Department has seen a decrease in class size over the years, according to department chair Amy Graves Monroe.

“No course is larger than 20 students, but is often 15-19 students,” Monroe told The Spectrum in an email.

The department has lowered the number of class sections offered, as some TAs are required to teach five-credit classes that meet five days per week, a change made during the pandemic. Students also receive nightly homework, which the TAs are expected to grade and provide feedback for by the next day.

second-language learning.

Makenzie Cosgrove, a Ph.D. student and TA for the math department, has been teaching since fall 2017.

“We’re running more sections, there are more students taking the course [calculus], Cosgrove said. “And naturally, that means we need more people. Class sizes are pretty large.”

While classes usually had a capacity of 90 students, Cosgrove said his classes used to only be “filled to about 70 or 75” and are now “starting to be filled to the brink,” making it more difficult to teach classes and proctor exams.

“One person standing at the front of the room trying to watch 90 people? That’s a tall order,” he said. “That’s a long time to check and make sure no one’s cheating. It does seem like you would want a team of people to help out with that.” But while TAs and GAs plead for more help in regard to workload and class size, Gina CaliMisterkiewicz, assistant dean for marketing and communications of the College of Arts and Sciences, says that there have been “no significant changes with respect to class assignments or sizes in recent years.”

dents per full-time faculty member.

But the same can’t be said for the graduate assistants (GAs) and teaching assistants (TAs) who play vital roles in many undergraduates’ educations. The number of graduate assistants (GAs) at UB has decreased as enrollment has increased, going from 1,155 instructional teaching assistants (TAs) in fall of 2012 to 999 instructional TAs in the fall of 2020. The studentto-TA ratio has risen from approximately 17 to over 22 in that same time period.

Some TAs say the burgeoning enrollment figures and dwindling TA ranks have

such as a living wage and waived fees for the workers.

TA lines were cut in 2019 when the College of Arts and Sciences increased its stipends for Ph.D. workers from $15,000 to $20,000 and decided the college had “no money” to fund the change, according to Mullen.

“If there’s still the same number of undergraduates, and you are lowering the total number of TA lines, somewhere, someone is doing more work to make up for that and that’s not just disappearing somewhere — that’s falling on faculty. It’s falling specifically on graduate workers,”

“I sometimes feel like the semester is only focused on teaching,” Dunlap said. “For the people who are teaching five credits, semester after semester, every day, you do not get to check out from teaching. It’s like our research is pushed to the weekends and breaks when we’re supposed to be recharging, but all of the TAs are burnt out because it is a lot.”

Monroe notes that RLL TAs are offered a first and fifth year without teaching, a coordinator for training course RLL 579 and a program which allows graduate students to shadow experienced instructors.

The coordinator for RLL 579 is responsible for a multitude of tasks, including preparing the syllabus on behalf of graduate students, handling the selection and obtaining textbooks and workbook access for instructors. Coordinators are also responsible for keeping faculty members up to date on the latest research in teaching

“Nevertheless, there are ongoing efforts within departments to balance assignments for graduate students, including conversations before the semester regarding schedule and course preferences,” Cali-Misterkiewicz said in an email to The Spectrum. “Most departments have a handbook to assist students to understand their responsibilities.”

Mullen, who is also a TA for the English department, said that they taught freshmen in an English core curriculum class as an instructor during their first semester as a TA. While they admit that the graduate employees’ work varies, they also stressed that students’ teaching work is vital to the university.

“The core curriculum would essentially collapse” without graduate students, Mullen said. “Because core curriculum courses are basically always taught by or assisted by grad workers.”

The piano was previously openly housed in the Student Union’s Flag Room

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From graphic design to death notices: Josh Sticht’s career path from illustration major to police deputy chief

ALEX NOVAK ASST. ARTS EDITOR

“I’m sorry, but I have to inform you that your husband is dead,” Josh Sticht announced to the newlywed dental student on the other side of the threshold. It was 4 a.m. when Sticht delivered the heartbreaking news that her husband was never coming back.

If someone told Sticht, a former Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) illustration major, that he would one night be delivering his very first death notice as a law enforcement officer, he would have written them off as crazy. At the time for this budding and passionate fine arts student, the idea of law enforcement seemed unfathomable altogether.

In high school, Sticht could hardly contain his excitement when the fine arts program brought students to New York City to see artists at work in the studio. Back then, Sticht saw an education in the fine arts as the only path forward.

“I really felt like it was gonna be my life,” Sticht said.

Sticht began studying illustration at RIT and picked up a work-study job with RIT’s Campus Safety Department to help pay for his room and board. He locked academic buildings at night, making rounds throughout the campus. It was not an enforcement role by any means.

But Sticht says because RIT was heavily understaffed at the time, he and other students found themselves taking on the jobs that would typically be assigned to full-time employees. Sticht and his peers augmented dispatch services, answering emergency calls.

“I got to the point where I was actually getting more satisfaction out of my workstudy job than I was out of my major,” Sticht said. “I didn’t stop. I finished my degree but then the work I was doing with the Campus Safety Department there, it was a lot more interesting to me.”

After earning his illustration degree, Sticht started an unfulfilling and creatively stifling career in graphic design in 1992. He primarily designed simple, eye-catching and readable websites for commercial clients ranging from attorneys to real estate firms.

One client in particular gave Sticht the strength he needed to make a major shift in his life.

A realtor in the Rochester area needed a webpage made and envisioned a dark green, malachite marble with dark text —–a completely illegible combination.

Frustrated with the client’s stubbornness and insistence on this ill-fated artistic direction, Sticht spent hours finding a way to use the realtor’s desired elements while also keeping the site readable.

It didn’t matter in the end. His client changed it all back.

“That was the moment,” Sticht said. “That was the moment that I decided that this career is not going to work for me.”

After escaping from a creatively-repressed and unsatisfactory graphic design career, Sticht became a public safety officer at the University of Rochester.

Eight years later, Sticht moved back to Buffalo, his hometown, to become a university police officer at UB.

He’d gotten lucky. New York State University Police happened to be offering the civil service exam, and UB happened to have a position open, allowing Sticht to reunite with the city that raised him.

“I really had an opportunity to help — help college students go through mental health crises, have a positive impact on the community,” Sticht said. “I really felt like I found home once I started at UB.”

In the Erie County Police Academy, where most of UB’s hires are trained, Sticht worked closely with his instructors, many of whom were also UPD officers. He cherishes the opportunity he had to learn from the people he would ultimately work with after graduating from the academy.

“I had never driven a police car before coming to the academy. I was having a little bit of an issue with the skills course,”

Sticht recalled. “One of the officers from UB was an instructor who was able to basically work with me and help me be successful getting through that. It wasn't just, ‘You have to do this on your own and if you fail, you fail.’”

enforcement from Canada, France, Denmark, Ukraine and Japan. Working with such talented officers intimidated Sticht. He suffered bouts of imposter syndrome sitting in classes with the other officers. One student, an officer from Oklahoma and Sticht’s roommate, had killed someone in the line of duty.

“I [wondered], ‘What am I doing here?’” Sticht said. “I’m a police officer at a university, and yeah, I deal with really serious stuff, but… why am I here?”

The FBI Academy opened doors for Sticht. He credits this experience as one of the opportunities that made his ascent to deputy chief possible. Unfortunately, that training also led him to a young woman’s doorstep on the night of a massively traumatic loss.

A UB dental student and her husband, newly married, were moving from New Jersey into her apartment for the upcoming semester. Once he had helped her unpack, he returned to New Jersey to finish packing up their previous apartment. On the way back, he died in a fatal car crash.

By the time Sticht arrived at the widow’s door in the middle of the night with Father Pat, the Newman Center priest and police department chaplain, he braced himself to “tell someone the worst news you can possibly imagine about a loved one.”

“She disintegrated,” Sticht said. “Until you actually do it, you don’t expect how horrible it’s actually going to be to tell somebody that.”

The widow couldn’t even stand.

She never wanted to see Sticht again, a decision which Sticht respected wholeheartedly.

Sticht discreetly followed her educational journey as she eventually returned to UB’s dental school, checking in every once in a while through contacts in the department, always careful to remain further than an arm’s length away.

Sticht’s experience at UB is not solely defined by doom and gloom — although that is part of his job. He’s seen his fair share of tragic and unforgettable nights, but Sticht has also been able to meet several notable figures through his career, including former President Barack Obama, actor and former Governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger, Vice President Kamala Harris and even the Dalai Lama.

Sticht recalls moments of both tension and levity from the aforementioned exiled head of state’s weeklong visit to UB in 2006.

The Dalai Lama planned a private meeting with Chinese students, insisting that no law enforcement be present as a sign of good faith. Sticht remembers escorting the Dalai Lama and his entourage to the meeting location in Slee Hall, when suddenly the elevator broke down. The elevator doors closed, clanging and grinding noises reverberated through the enclosed space, the elevator remained motionless, then finally, the doors opened back up.

“The Dalai Lama looks around and just starts laughing,” Sticht said. “He was so amused by the whole situation, the rest of us just started laughing too.”

Even after all these years, the fine arts student within him finds a creative outlet: the UPD social media pages. Although exercising some of his graphic design skills on UPD’s Twitter or Instagram is a way of feeding his artistic side, it certainly does not represent the involvement in the arts that Sticht once pictured for himself as an RIT illustration major decades ago.

“I had a whole different idea about what I was going to be doing,” Sticht said. “You know, I liked the arts scene. I liked going to galleries, going to visit other artists in their studios. That felt like home, that felt comfortable to me as I was starting my college education. I don’t think I would’ve believed that this is where I would have wound up.”

That support propelled Sticht to the FBI Academy at Quantico’s 234th session. He describes that experience as the “pinnacle of his professional career.”

Sticht worked with officers from incredibly diverse backgrounds, including law

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UPD’s deputy chief reflects on his formative years and how he developed the passion of helping others

Giving up isn’t an option for Grace Greenan

The Buffalo-based singer-songwriter on pursuing her musical dreams, no matter what

MERET KELSEY SR. ARTS EDITOR

There’s no doubt in Grace Greenan’s mind that she was born to make music.

She was a toddler when she first started songwriting — something that came as a surprise to her parents. She recalls serenading them with her melancholy lyrics at just three years old, prancing down the stairs with an umbrella in hand.

“It was always a thing in the family… ‘Grace has another song, and it’s sad again,’” Greenan joked. “As I grew older, I never really grew out of that.”

The Buffalo-based singer-songwriter has since released two full-length albums of original music, with more on the way. She’s taken her music to stages across the city like the Town Ballroom and Jack Rabbit, and to recording studios in Los Angeles, where she worked on her upcoming album.

Music is her profession, a coping mechanism and a natural impulse — something within her she can’t ignore.

“[Songwriting] is kind of something that I always felt like I was born to do,” Greenan said. “And something, quite honestly, I couldn’t stop doing if I wanted to.”

Greenan says she has always used songwriting as a form of therapy, a vehicle to understand herself. She explores this intense relationship to music on her song “Cautious.”

“Music is one love who’s really been true/And I cannot trust myself to do anything else,” she sings on the track. “Giving up isn’t an option/I don’t need to cut my losses.”

Though she’s always been prolific, writing music every day (“I think my record is, like, 15 songs in one day,” she said), it took a lot of courage to start performing and sharing her music with others.

She was 12 years old when she first performed a solo in front of an audience. Her guitar teacher insisted that she take the stage in front of her entire school. Greenan remembers it as an incredibly nerve-

racking but rewarding experience.

“I didn’t really have any friends. Like, they were bound to make fun of me,” Greenan explained. “I was completely shaking in my boots the entire time. But something happened when I stepped off stage, and I was just like, ‘I want to do that for the rest of my life.’”

“He said, ‘I’ve heard your songs. You need to record this. I booked you a studio session… be there next week,’” Greenan recalled. “No one [else] in my life has ever done this with me.”

From that initial studio session, Greenan’s debut album, “Emerald City,” was born. It’s full of dark, confident pop songs

“I felt like I was being asked to make the album, which sounds, you know, weird,” Greenan said. “But it’s true. I just felt like I had to.”

The album is a unique exploration of Catholicism through the eyes of Biblical figures like Eve, who inspired the dark synthpop track of the same name.

“Growing up, religion was a very, very large part of my life. There are things in religion that I completely like,” Greenan said. “But I also think there’s some things about the church that specifically exclude women and that specifically cause a lot of pain… I wanted to take the idea of women not having certain hierarchy roles in religion and just talk about it.”

“Eden” was released in 2021, and Greenan has not slowed down since then. Her newest single, “Fed-Ex,” is set to be released Dec. 30.

Right now, she’s juggling her ever-growing musical career with her day job: teaching music at the very high school where her musical talent was cultivated.

“I love saying that I get the best of both worlds, pretending like I’m either Hannah Montana or Jack Black,” Greenan joked. “My students… they’ve inspired me so much.”

Five years from now, Greenan hopes to be writing music with some of her biggest inspirations like Demi Lovato, Gracie Abrams and Lewis Capaldi — and maybe even winning a Grammy or two.

She hasn’t stopped performing since. Greenan joined show choir in high school, and then directed the acapella group at Canisius College, where she initially applied as a pre-dental student.

“I don’t know why I decided to do that,” Greenan said. “But about a week into school, I was like, ‘I gotta go for music.’”

Greenan continued to write her own music while pursuing her music technology degree, but it took a little convincing to actually record it. She credits a close friend with finally getting her into the studio.

like “Guessin’,” a collaboration with local rapper Pr0 Social, and quieter, jazz-inflected cuts like “Belong.”

Greenan took a step in a different direction with her next album, “Eden,” a concept record inspired by her relationship with religion. Each song on the album takes a different story from the Bible and retells it from a woman’s perspective.

“Eden” came naturally for Greenan, who grew up attending Catholic school and drawing inspiration from liturgical music.

But her biggest accomplishment thus far is the connection she’s made with her fans. There’s one instance in particular that she’ll never forget.

“I had a literal fan come up to me at a show and actually cry to me,” Greenan recalled, shedding a few tears. “It was quite literally something I never thought would happen. I’ve been that fan for somebody else before, so knowing what that means was just a lot for me. It’s the coolest thing that has ever happened to me.”

Five holiday songs you’ve never heard of that’ll jingle your bells

Which holiday bops are being slept on this December?

ALEX NOVAK ASST. ARTS EDITOR

‘Tis the season where holiday music blares on every single radio station. As hard as one might try to change the station to anything that isn’t jingling bells or throwing up red, green and tinsel, the holiday season is relentless. Its auditory attacks make most listeners — by choice or not — embrace the cheery season and crave cookies and milk by the fireplace.

But there are tons of holiday songs that completely fly under the radar and, for good reason or not, will receive zero airplay this December. Without further ado, hop into The Spectrum’s sleigh and enjoy this bumpy and somewhat frightening ride through this season’s most slept on holiday anthems!

“Covid Christmas” — Trisha Paytas

Paytas, fresh off the non-existent success of her solo pop album “Chicken Fingers and Lipo” and her emo band’s self-titled project, “Sadboy2005,” dropped “Covid Christmas” in November 2020.

Despite her endless list of scandals and numerous Internet cancellations, Paytas’ holiday bop is a ridiculously autotuned pandemic-era guilty pleasure.

After having a “cancel kind of year,” Paytas fantasizes about her Amazon wishlist and kissing Santa through his mask (spoiler alert: he tastes like milk).

This auditory assault, essentially Paytas’ take on Eartha Kitt’s “Santa Baby” for a new and slightly disturbed generation, certainly warrants a bewildered listen at office holiday parties everywhere.

Nothing radiates holiday cheer more than addictive stimulants, but it totally kills the vibe if your dad figures out where your stash is!

Nova May offers up a hyperpop take on Wham!’s “Last Christmas,” where she is more concerned with expensive gifts, getting high and making it rain than with giving her heart to someone special.

“My Sleigh” — XoBrooklynne

XoBrooklynne, aka Brooklynne Webb, unlike Nova May, made the “Nice List” this year.

In 2021, Webb sent the Internet into a frenzy with her attempted transition from body-positivity content creator to pop star. Her self-absorbed single “My Crown” attracted heaps of negative attention for being talentless, mindless and objectively generic pop music. But when she released “My Crown: The Album” — a collection of ironic remixes of the lead single — audiences reevaluated their previous judgments.

Webb revisits her claim-to-fame satire music career with one more remix, a holiday version of “My Crown” entitled “My Sleigh.” Both ironically and unironically, it slays.

“Santa Wuts Ur Sign??” — Teen Scientist

Teen Scientist’s only claim to fame is a bizarre Matthew Morrison-bashing TikTok series in which she is, among other things, kidnapped by the controversial former “Glee” star. Although Teen Scientist

fills a very specific niche — both in terms of TikTok content and music — “Santa Wuts Ur Sign??” is an unexpectedly fun, quirky and disarming take on the Christmas spirit.

Thrillingly awkward and otherworldly, this alternative rock-pop Christmas anthem excites with brain-scratching sonic choices and thought-provoking deliberations about whether Santa is a “sexy Aquarius” or a Gemini, which would make him “double the hot.”

“California Winter” — Bonnie McKee

For many, the rest of this list may be utterly unlistenable, perhaps even ear-bleed

inducing.

Luckily, Bonnie McKee delivers a timeless and unconventional approach to Christmas music that is sonically brilliant and lyrically innovative. Instead of imagining a frigid summer of snowflakes and ice skating, McKee’s lover keeps her as warm and toasty as a “California Winter.”

It should come as no surprise that the underrated songwriter behind most of Katy Perry’s biggest hits (including “California Gurls,” “Teenage Dream” and “Roar”) would deliver. Her chart-topping songwriting lends itself perfectly to crafting, bop-worthy, Mariah Carey-level holiday success.

Email: alex.novak@ubspectrum.com

“last xmas (you gave me cocaine)” — Nova May

Email: meret.kelsey@ubspectrum.com

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The ultimate concert survival guide

DOMINICK MATARESE STAFF WRITER

Imagine two scenarios: in the first, you’re surrounded by friends at a concert. You’re all jumping, dancing, and singing. You can feel the music in your soul. You feel amazing, the world’s problems have melted away, and you’re pretty sure the performer just locked eyes with you.

In the second, you’ve been vomiting in a smelly porta potty for the past twenty minutes. Your throat is dry and your phone has long been dead. One of your flip flops has broken in half and you’re freezing cold. You can’t believe you spent triple the original price on your ticket.

These are both possible scenarios, depending on how prepared you are for any given concert.

Experienced concert-goers learn some tricks along the way that make the first scenario far more likely. Here are 10 such tricks to turn your concert experience from a flop to a bop:

Dress for the occasion

If the concert is outside, you should consider that it may be wet or muddy. Don’t wear your nice new Air Force Ones, as people may likely be stepping on them throughout the night.

If you plan on being on your feet for a long time, make sure your shoes of choice are comfortable. Simply put, combat boots are generally a better option than crocs. Though not always necessary, clothing with zipper pockets gives peace of mind that your phone or wallet will not fall out or be easily stolen while you are dancing.

Dress for the weather, too. Keep in mind that it can be much colder at night, and that cute but skimpy outfit you have planned may not be the move when the sun sets.

Arrive early

If the concert you are attending is general admission, the earlier you get there, the better your chances are of being close to the performers. Pay attention to when doors open, and consider getting there even sooner than that. After all, you may make friends in line.

Don’t show up an hour after doors open and be disappointed when you can barely see what’s going on. Plus, you should always show some love to the opening acts.

Bring the essentials

Fully charge your phone. Bring cash just in case the venue doesn’t take card or your card begins having unexpected problems. It’s always nice to take pictures and videos on your phone, and you might want to take an Uber or find your friends.

Don’t forget your ID if you want to drink. A Sharpie for autographs couldn’t hurt either. Be aware that security may confiscate marijuana or vaping devices at the gates or during the show.

Wait around If you don’t have anywhere else to be, magic sometimes happens after a concert ends.

taped down piece of paper off the stage, that’s the setlist — which they will often give away to a fan if asked. It makes for an amazing — and free — souvenir.

Stay off your phone

It’s more than okay to take a few pictures or videos to look back on, but don’t spend 90% of the concert on your phone.

Not only is it distracting to the people around you, but it takes you out of the moment. Do you really need 30 different videos, or will you thank yourself for living in the moment instead?

Be kind to your body. Dancing is strenuous, and crowds pro-

memories if you are blacked out.

Eat beforehand so that you’ll get drunk slower. You’ll save a lot of money on overpriced concert food too. Time your bathroom breaks so you don’t miss anything important. The walk to a bathroom can take longer than you’d expect.

Buy tickets as early as possible

Tickets are cheapest the second they drop from the venue or the artist themselves. As tickets sell, the venue raises the “tier” of the tickets, meaning they will get pricier.

Once they are sold out, you are at the whims of scalpers who try to upcharge for tickets as much as possible, or outright scam you.

Buddy system and the crowd

Attending a concert alone can be an awesome experience, but it’s not the safest option. Bring a friend or a group. It’s not only safer, but can also be more fun.

Also, be aware that the closer to the stage you go, the denser the crowd will be. Some like being up front near the action, but others like having more personal space. Talk with your group about what you’re all comfortable with. (Keep in mind, getting to the front could mean the opportunity to high-five the performers.)

Know the venue

A massive arena is going to make for a completely different experience than a smaller venue. Unless you are spending hundreds, an arena concert can mean you will be so far away the performer will look like an action figure. Smaller venues are more intimate, often making for a better experience.

Have fun!

Most importantly, you need to have fun! Dance like no one is watching and sing like no one can hear. Don’t be afraid to take initiative and get the crowd engaged. Talk to those around you. After all, you already have something in common if you’re at the same concert.

If the artist is “small” enough, often they will come out afterwards to hang out with fans. They might chat, sign autographs and take pictures. Also, pay attention to the people tearing down the stage afterwards. If you see them take a

duce heat. Stay hydrated to mitigate the risk of heat stroke. If you are drinking alcohol, know your limits and err on the side of caution. You can’t enjoy the band you love if you’re throwing up at the back of the venue, and you can’t make amazing

Be respectful too — don’t ruin the experience for others by pushing past people or throwing things on stage.

Email: arts@ubspectrum.com

Buffalo claws out win over Akron, secures spot in Camellia Bowl

A late-game rally powered UB past two-win Akron as the Bulls secure their fourth bowl appearance in the last five years

JOEY MCAULIFFE STAFF WRITER

A week after Buffalo’s recent snowstorm, UB (6-6, 5-3 MAC) defeated Akron (2-10, 1-7 MAC) 23-22 to become bowleligible last Friday.

With the win, UB secured its fourth bowl-game appearance of the last five years. Though the story had a happy ending for the Bulls, victory didn’t come easy in their contest against the Zips.

In their matte-black uniforms, the Bulls took the field at UB Stadium against an Akron team that has struggled for most of this season.

On the opening possession of the game, junior safety Marcus Fuqua intercepted Akron junior quarterback Jeff Undercuffer and returned the ball to Akron’s 12-yard line. Gifted a golden opportunity, the Bulls offense sputtered inside the Zips redzone. Forced to a 4th and 2, the Bulls elected to go for it. That move would be a harbinger of things to come. The Bulls came up short of the line to gain, turning the ball back over to the Akron offense.

The Zips were granted a mulligan, and they seized the opportunity. Starting at their own three-yard line, Akron moved the ball down the field. A few plays later, Undercuffer threw a 16-yard touchdown

pass to George to cap off the 11-play, 97yard drive. With the extra point, the Zips opened the scoring at 7-0.

Things quickly went from bad to worse for the Bulls. On the ensuing drive, a fumbled football on a punt attempt out of their own end zone resulted in an Akron safety, increasing their lead to 9-0.

Chasing nine points, head coach Maurice Linguist looked to his defense to make a stand, which he would do throughout the game. To their credit, the UB defense did its job, forcing an Akron punt.

But UB’s offense, led by junior quarterback Cole Snyder, was struggling to move the ball. They finished the first quarter with a measly 10 yards of total offense.

Desperately needing a spark against the two-win Zips, the Bulls got the opposite. A fumble on UB’s first offensive snap of the second quarter gave Akron the ball inside of Bulls’ territory.

The Zips struck paydirt only a few plays later when Undercuffer found sophomore wide receiver Alex Adams for a one-yard touchdown. The extra point made it 16-0 in Akron’s favor.

At the 12-minute mark of the second quarter, UB finally got its first first down of the game. But that drive stalled after another first down. Linguist decided to take

the points, sending out senior kicker Alex McNulty, who knocked down the 43-yard field goal to bring the score to 16-3.

UB’s offense finally began to move the ball with consistency when Snyder found graduate wide receiver Justin Marshall on a 38-yard touchdown pass. The Bulls found themselves down 16-10 at the half.

The Bulls failed to score on the opening possession of the second half, they scored first in the second half, when Snyder found Marshall for his second touchdown of the game. UB’s 17 unanswered points put them in the lead for the first time of the game.

UB’s defense finally faltered in the early minutes of the fourth quarter, when redshirt sophomore running back Clyde Price III ran for a 17-yard touchdown. A successful two-point conversion put the Zips up 22-17.

Snyder got the ball with 4:55 remaining in the game, needing a touchdown to send the Bulls to a bowl game. The offense moved the ball, with the help of a few penalties, to about midfield, where Snyder made a brutal mental gaffe. A deep ball intended for junior receiver Marlyn Johnson was picked off by Akron sophomore cornerback Tyson Durant and returned all the way to the Buffalo 38-yard line.

But with only 3:16 left in the game, the Zips made a game-altering mistake: they fumbled a handoff, giving the Bulls new life.

UB fell on the loose ball, and Snyder — with the help of the rushing attack — moved the ball deep into Akron territory. With 1:15 left in the game, Snyder connected with graduate wide receiver Quian Williams on a back-shoulder touchdown. The Bulls failed on the two-point conversion, and UB had the lead 23-22.

All Akron needed was a field goal to break UB’s heart.

The Zips’ drive began at their 40-yard line courtesy of McNulty, who made an illegal kick out of bounds. But with 1:03 left in the game, Fuqua intercepted Undercuffer and intentionally downed the ball at the Buffalo 41-yard line, sealing the game.

The same player who had the first big play for the Bulls closed the game out and secured UB’s sixth bowl game bid in history.

The Bulls will face Georgia Southern — led by former Bulls quarterback Kyle Vantrese — in the Camellia Bowl on Dec. 27 in Montgomery, Alabama. The game will be televised nationally on ESPN.

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Men’s basketball dominates St. John Fisher, extends winning streak to four games

Bulls blow out Cardinals to pick up fourth home win of the season

JOEY MCAULIFFE STAFF WRITER

The Bulls (5-4) won big in a 91-53 victory over Division III St. John Fisher (34) this past Tuesday. The win marked UB’s fourth consecutive victory and the Bulls’ fourth home win of the season. UB is now 4-1 when playing at Alumni Arena.

There was never a point where the Bulls were in any danger of losing the game, as they held a commanding 51-26 lead at halftime.

The victory was helped, in part, by the efficient scoring of freshman guard Devin Ceaser. The former three-star recruit scored 17 points in his 11 minutes on the court. He shot 3-for-6 from beyond the three-point line and shot 7-for-11 from the field. Ceasar’s 17 points led all scorers as junior guard Zid Powell and junior for-

ward Isaiah Adams each scored 13 and 12 points, respectively.

Brendan Trapper led the Cardinals with 15 points at a 50% rate. Sophomore forward Connor Williams, nicknamed “The Big Cozy,” drained a three-pointer and snagged six boards in his return to the courts that made him an ESPN sensation. Williams went viral on social media after the 7’0”, 360 lb. forward fell over, then proceeded to make a nice assist when playing against UB last December.

But despite Williams’ icon status, the Cardinals would score just 53 points in the game. UB scored 51 in the first half alone.

The Bulls will be in action on Saturday at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, where they will take on Tulane (5-3). Tip-off is scheduled for 11:30 a.m.

Email: sports@ubspectrum.com

Sweet home Alabama: Bulls invited to play in Camellia Bowl

RYAN TANTALO STAFF WRITER

Following a 23-22 victory over Akron, UB (6-6, 5-3 MAC) earned a spot in the Camellia Bowl, where the Bulls will be pitted against Georgia Southern (6-6, 3-5 Sun Belt) on Dec. 27. The game will be held in Montgomery, Alabama’s 25,000-seat Cramton Bowl, a century-old stadium that hosted Alabama football from 1922-54.

The game will mark UB’s sixth bowlgame appearance in program history. The Bulls barely made the cutoff for bowl eligibility this year. UB was the 81st team selected for one of college football’s 41 bowl games.

The Bulls have appeared in four bowls over the last five years, and UB is 2-3 alltime in bowl games.

UB won its previous two bowl games, most recently defeating Marshall 17-10 in the 2020 Camellia Bowl. The Bulls defeated Charlotte 31-9 in the Bahamas Bowl the year prior.

In UB’s last bowl, quarterback Kyle Vantrease went 16-for-27, with 140 yards

Seven Bulls receive All-MAC football honors

Senior Kicker Alex McNulty named MAC Special Teams Player of the Year and First Team All-MAC

RYAN TANTALO STAFF WRITER

The 2022 All-MAC teams were announced on Nov. 29. The three teams are a collection of the best players across the Mid-American Conference, voted on by the conference’s 12 head coaches.

Each of the three All-MAC offenses features one or two quarterbacks, five linemen, one tight end, four receivers, two running backs and a kicker. Each All-MAC defense features four linemen, four linebackers, four defensive backs and a punter.

The following Bulls were recognized by

the Mid-American Conference for their on-field performance in 2022.

First Team All-MAC Alex McNulty, senior kicker

Alongside first-team honors, McNulty also won MAC Special Teams Player of the Year, the first Bull to do so. McNulty has notched several UB records, including the most field goals in a season (21) and the most career points for a kicker (299). His 46 career field goals are also second all-time for UB.

Shaun Dolac, junior linebacker Dolac led the FBS with a UB-record 90 solo tackles, while his 135 total tackles led the MAC. Dolac, a former walk-on, proved to be an invaluable defender, with a teambest 12.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, seven pass breakups and two forced fumbles.

Marcus Fuqua, junior safety Fuqua was the Bulls’ resident ballhawk. He led college football this season with seven interceptions. He added 59 tackles, five pass breakups and two fumble recoveries to his stellar season. His three-interception performance against Toledo on Oct. 22 helped UB secure a 34-27 victory over the Rockets.

Second Team All-MAC

James Patterson, fifth-year linebacker Patterson, the twin brother of former UB All-American running back Jaret Patterson, made a mark on UB’s defense with his third-straight All-MAC selection. After consecutive first team selections, Patterson recorded a career-best 112 total tackles, 11 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. He and Dolac proved to be one of the most effective linebacker duos in all of college football.

Third Team All-MAC

Quian Williams, graduate wide receiver

For the second straight year, Williams earned All-MAC Third Team honors. He had a team-best 56 receptions for 643 yards and five touchdowns. Williams was junior quarterback Cole Snyder’s favorite target for an offense that averaged 29 points and 376 yards per game.

Gabe Wallace, senior offensive lineman and Desmond Bissent, graduate offensive lineman

Both linemen appeared in all 12 of UB’s games, protecting Snyder. Snyder had a career year behind a line that allowed twoor-fewer sacks in seven games this season.

and an interception.

But two years after leading the Bulls to the 2020 Camellia Bowl title, Vantrease will line up on the other side of the field. The sixth-year quarterback transferred to Georgia Southern prior to this season.

Vantrease started 26 games over five years for UB, passing for 4,755 yards and 25 touchdowns with 13 rushing touchdowns. He put up career numbers playing for the Eagles in 2022, passing for 3,895 yards and 25 touchdowns with a 61% completion rate.

The Camellia Bowl, named after the Alabama state flower, began in 2014. The game annually pits a team from the MAC against a team from the Sun Belt Conference. It is owned and operated by ESPN Events.

On Dec. 27, either Vantrease and the Eagles, or UB, will improve to 2-0 in Camellia Bowl play. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN at 12 p.m.

Email: sports@ubspectrum.com

Women’s basketball edges out win against Niagara, 63-58

Zakiyah Winfield and Jazmine Young led all scorers with 17 points in UB’s five-point victory

ANTHONY DECICCO EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Women’s basketball (2-4) defeated Big 4 Rival Niagara (1-7) 63-58 on Wednesday night at the Gallagher Center in Niagara.

Fifth-year guards Zakiyah Winfield and Jazmine Young led all scorers with 17 points apiece, while graduate guard Re’Shawna Stone scored 12 points.

UB shot a season-high 54.1% from the floor and 42.9% from three-point range. The Bulls outrebounded the Purple Eagles by seven and scored 15 points off Niagara turnovers.

Senior guard Angel Parker led all scorers for Niagara with 20 points, while sophomore guard Aaliyah Parker dropped 13 points.

The Bulls led by 12 points at the end of the third quarter, but the Purple Eagles rallied to give UB a late-game scare in the fourth. Parker scored 17 of her 20 points in the fourth quarter, as she went 6-for-12 from the field and 5-for-7 from the freethrow line in the final period.

Niagara outscored the Bulls 23-16 in the fourth quarter, but UB was able to seal the game at the charity stripe.

The win broke UB’s three-game losing streak and marks the team’s second victory under first-year head coach Becky Burke.

The Bulls will host Long Island University (2-7) at 2 p.m. Saturday at Alumni Arena. Email:

UB will face former quarterback Kyle Vantrease and Georgia Southern on Dec. 27

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