Surely the last thing an incoming freshman wants to do at Orientation is sit down and read an editorial. We know that you're all excited to check out what our campus has to offer, sneak out of your temporary dorm to find the nearest party and do everything that your parents have ever stopped you from doing.
It may, however, be in your best interest to read through this paper being that this entire issue of The Spectrum has been tailored to suit your interests and answer the many questions you most certainly have (i.e.- where the best places to eat on campus are, what our sports team did last year, how to get to the closest and cheapest bars etc.).
Well class of 2015, it all starts here with the page you are currently reading, which is often referred to as the "Editorial Page," the "Opinion Page," or simply "Page 3."
Throughout the year, The Spectrum will provide you with all types of news—on campus, around the Buffalo area, as well as national and international stories— three times a week, but it is here on Page 3 that you'll have a chance to gain some additional perspective on the many issues that we will face throughout the year.
In these editorials, the editors of this newspaper, who spend a great deal of time each week gathering and reporting the news, have a chance to reflect and offer an opinion about the stories that affect students.
The opinions you will encounter in the editorials do not belong to one particular person, but are instead the collective views that we arrive at during our tri-weekly meetings held on each production day. During each meeting, The Spectrum staff debates, argues, and deliberates the issues of the day, and it is the job of the Editorial editor (me, Luke Hammill) to assemble the collective opinions of the staff and create what you're reading, here.
These editorials, therefore, are not the product of the Editor-In-Chief, a Managing Editor, or even the Editorial editor—they are simply a reflection of The Spectrum as a unified whole.
It is also useful, though, to get the perspective of a single writer, and that is why we counter the editorials with the individual opinion columns found on the right side of this page. We also provide a picture of the author so you can beat them up when you see them on campus. Just kidding.
We do, however, encourage your feedback and are always willing to publish "Letters to the Editor" which can be sent to the e-mail address listed below. This gives every student–yes you–the opportunity to share their personal opinions with the student body and to provide counter arguments and viewpoints.
We'll also make any necessary corrections from previous issues on this page, so if we screw something up, call us out and we'll be glad to fix it in our next edition.
For now, just be glad that you chose to come to school here at UB. Whether you are living on campus or commuting to school, your years here are sure to be memorable. Just make sure to take advantage of all that UB (and the Buffalo area) has to offer.
A few examples:
1. Schussmeister's Ski Club offers an unbelievable season-pass deal for skiing and snowboarding at nearby resorts such as Holiday Valley and Kissing Bridge. If you've never experienced a Buffalo winter, this is a must—there's not much else to do when it's a 10-degree blizzard for the greater part of four months.
2. In addition to its status as an NCAA Division I athletic program, UB also offers a very wide variety of club and intramural sports. One can register to play basketball, softball, flag football, indoor soccer, and much more. Just check out buffalobulls.com for more information. Additionally, the facilities at Alumni Arena and Clark Hall are open for all UB students to use for free. They have gyms to workout in, basketball courts to shoot hoops on, pools to swim in and much more.
3. Get off campus and enjoy what the Buffalo area has to offer. Check out the Elmwood and Allentown districts for great art, music, and bars. Visit nearby Hertel Avenue for some authentic Buffalo restaurants. Take a trip up to Niagara Falls, which is one of the natural wonders of the world. Last but not least, get out to a Bills or a Sabres game—regardless of the teams' win-loss records, there is truly nothing like them.
4. Join The Spectrum and see your name in print. Not only can writing for the student newspaper help build your resume, but you'll also get credit for a course. E-mail Editor-In-Chief Andrew Wiktor at HYPERLINK "mailto:ajwiktor@buffalo.edu"ajwiktor@buffalo.edu for more information.
Those are just a few of the many options you have available to you as a new student at UB. Enjoy the ride, and remember to always read The Spectrum throughout your years here for all the news and information that students need to know. We hope you like our Orientation Issue.
