Where we've been...and what's in store

In looking back at the changes and events that defined the 2005-06 school year, the UB community would be well served to keep an eye on the future.

Perhaps the biggest story of the year was the end of the Jim Hofher era, and the beginning of Turner Gill's reign over Bulls football. Hofher was ill equipped to take UB to the next level, and Warde Manuel made the appropriate decision. Expect Manuel's fund raising abilities to soon start cashing in.

The oft-controversial student mandatory fee will again be coming up for a campus-wide referendum in the fall. With the fee up for a vote now every two years instead of four, the number of students voting will indicate whether the interest in this spring's election was a growing trend or just an abnormality.

We hope the leadership problems that have arisen pertaining to Viqar Hussain's horrible speeches don't affect his ability to represent UB in a first-rate manner. Public speaking aside, some insiders see the potential for a future clash between the administration and the latest SA leadership. This would prove detrimental to the student populace, as a strained administrative relationship means little will get done. At least, little that SA will be pushing for.

And as UB2020 moves forwards, so does progress on increasing enrollment by 5,000 students. Remember this is UB President John B. Simpson's third year, so expect to see some of the dividends he's been talking about since his arrival, such as increased academic opportunities recently outlined by officials.

The past year leaves much to be proud of for the Student Association and UB students' humanitarian efforts. The most successful Distinguished Speaker Series in recent memory concluded with Conan speaking to a packed house. Though UB is considered by many estimates a third-tier school, the speaker series proved to draw first-rate talent. We saw the gamut this year from politicians to comedians, and on the horizon is the Dalai Lama. And although Spring Fest left something desired, a Kanye West in his prime at Fall Fest might have been one of the more successful fests in years. The effort from students to help to clean up New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina was inspiring. We would have liked to see even more done, but it was great seeing students take matters into their own hands and head down to New Orleans during spring break to help.

With the good comes the bad, but the UB community's bad news seems to bode well for its future. The closing of P.J. Bottoms and Molly's Pub served a blow to underage drinkers but should prove beneficial to the University Heights at large. (Now if only police would pay attention to the crime there.)

And the dirty campaigning during the SA election, though not unprecedented, brought attention to SA's antiquated electioneering rules. They need to be changed immediately in order to have an honest election. An extended campaign cycle with updated Internet rules is crucial in any reform efforts.

Can you see a common theme here? From SA and UB2020 to the mandatory fee and humanitarian efforts, the future of UB is up to you, the student body. Don't spend all your time here in the passenger's seat.