UB shuts down contested shale institute
On Nov. 19, President Satish Tripathi closed the Shale Resources and Society Institute (SRSI).
Controversy surrounded SRSI since its inception became public in April 2012. Questions arose as to how it was founded, whether the oil industry helped fund it and the merit of its reports about fracking - the process of extracting natural gas in which gallons of water, chemicals and sand are pumped underground to break rocks apart and release the gas within the rocks.
Bruce Pitman, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, denied that SRSI received any industry funding.
In August 2012, James Holstun, an English professor, created the UB Coalition for Leading Ethically in Academic Research (UBCLEAR). The group gathered 83 signatures from professors and affiliates demanding more transparency about the funding, founding and governance of SRSI.
Protesters gathered at SUNY Board of Trustees meetings urging the board to make UB submit a report about the operations of SRSI. The board obliged and the trustees made the report public on Oct. 29.
On Nov. 6, UB announced its new Joint Committee on Research and Scholarship to review policies and assess how the university should handle conflicts of interests and the formations of institutes.
The opposition to the institute was too big to ignore and, two weeks later, Tripathi closed the institute citing a "cloud of uncertainty" looming over SRSI.
Four students hospitalized from carbon monoxide leak in Richmond Quad
On Feb. 17, a carbon monoxide leak in Richmond Hall caused four students to be hospitalized after they reported feeling dizzy and lightheaded and having burning sensations in their eyes and skin.
The leak emerged when a hot water boiler on the first floor malfunctioned, preventing the exhaust gas containing carbon monoxide from ventilating properly, according to Vice President for University Communications Joseph Brennan.
The carbon monoxide detectors that were supposed to be in the room with the hot water boiler - in conjunction with state law - went missing. UB, however, had passed the annual fire control and prevention dormitory inspection in October, so the detectors must have been present at that time, according to Brennan.
Neil Campbell, Bennett Sciacca and Tijo Mathew, three of the four students affected, were sent to Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital. Doctors told Mathew he had 27 times the normal level of CO in his system and that Campbell had 26 times and Sciacca had 17 times.
Campbell said if he and Mathew hadn't driven to the hospital after feeling light-headed, numb and "drunk," they "probably would not have woken up the next morning."
Since the leak occurred, UB has replaced all hard-wired detectors with battery-operated detectors in every dormitory on North Campus. South Campus will be equipped with the same detectors by the end of the summer.
The Heights of Fear
For years, the area surrounding UB's South Campus, better known as the University Heights, has had a history of housing violations, absentee landlordism and a high crime rate. On Feb. 25, The Spectrum published an article documenting the area's issues over the past two years and the university's hands-off approach in financially investing and adequately ensuring student safety.
"We're not in the protection business," said Dennis Black, vice president of University Life and Services.
The area is one of the most common off-campus sites for UB students to live, especially international students, because of the convenient location to the bus stop, shops and restaurants and the cheap rates. The article proved that students are regularly victims of burglaries, robberies, assaults and more by living in the neighborhood, and the housing violations are abundant in most houses.
Black and other administrators insist the university is not responsible for student safety off campus. Other universities, like the University of Pennsylvania, Ohio State University and Canisius College, have worked with local police, state legislatures or landlords to protect students living in nearby off-campus homes.
UB's website states: "Some of the crime in Heights neighborhood (sic) is related to the abuse of alcohol among young people who reside in or visit it. Some of this behavior leads to so-called nuisance crimes, such as vandalism. More serious incidents include acts of violence, though they are rare."
The evidence, however, shows the opposite. Last year in the area, police reported over 500 major crimes, which include homicides, assaults, rapes, larcenies, robberies, burglaries and vehicle thefts. Since 2007, rape in the Heights has increased by 50 percent, assaults by 16.6 percent, robberies by 9 percent and larcenies by 7 percent, according to Buffalo Police crime statistics.
On Feb. 27, The Spectrum published an editorial urging President Satish Tripathi - who declined to be interviewed for "The Heights of Fear" - to respond to the article and, more importantly, to address the issues of the Heights.
On March 1, Tripathi responded to the editorial with "Enriching Our Communities," an open letter addressed to the university community that outlined UB's vision for all three of its campuses. The letter, which can be found by searching the title on ubspectrum.com, includes a promise that the university is committed to ensuring the safety of all students, and Tripathi asked for the continued support of city and community neighbors.
Reggie Witherspoon fired as men's basketball coach
On March 15, a day after the Bulls lost in the Mid-American Conference Tournament, Athletic Director Danny White announced via email that longtime men's basketball coach Reggie Witherspoon had been fired.
"After much consideration, we have determined that a change in leadership for our men's basketball program is necessary," White said in the press release. "This was a very difficult decision because I understand the impact Coach Witherspoon has made to our University and community. To be sure, our program is in a much stronger position than when Reggie and his staff took over."
Witherspoon coached the Bulls for 14 years with a 198-228 record - tied for the second-most victories in program history. Witherspoon was also the longest-tenured coach among all Big Four - Greater Western New York area - teams.
Witherspoon was an iconic figure on the UB campus. He was praised by many for stressing the importance of education in his locker room.
His firing surprised the UB community and had students, former athletes and other university figures discussing White's decision.
White hired former Duke basketball star Bobby Hurley as head coach two weeks after Witherspoon's firing.
Anti-abortion display invokes student response
On April 15-16, the area directly outside the Student Union was met with a whirlwind of controversy and opposition. A graphic display of aborted fetuses, lynching and the Holocaust greeted students from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Christian Andzel, the president of UB Students for Life, invited the Center of Bio-Ethical Reform's "Genocide Awareness Project" to bring the display to campus. He knew it was going to make people feel uncomfortable, but he said that was the point. He believed it was "time to resonate the word abortion with pictures."
That Monday, Laura Curry, an adjunct professor in the media study department, was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct for voicing her outrage of the display and repeatedly using the word "f**k." Six hundred people signed a petition that called for the dismissal of the case. The charges against Curry were dropped on May 9.
That Tuesday, students organized to protest the display. The estimated 150 students were outraged at the gruesome images and the fact that the display connected abortion and genocide together. By the day's end, the number of abortion rights advocates greatly outnumbered the anti-abortion protestors.
Andzel believed the two days were beneficial. He was happy to get the discussion going. The display also got students aware of the abortion debate UB Students for Life was hosting later in the week.
Smoking incident causes fire in Spaulding 1
On May 2, a fire broke out in a fourth-floor dorm room in Spaulding 1, causing an evacuation of the building.
Alec Seidenberg is accused of dropping a butane torch while smoking marijuana, setting the room ablaze.
Seidenberg and his girlfriend escaped the fire by jumping out the window to the ledge below. Both students were taken to Erie County Medical Center with minor injuries.
The fire damaged the dorm structure and the contents of the room, according to University Police. The total damage was estimated around $250,000.
UPD arrested Seidenberg, who is being charged with arson, possession of marijuana, reckless endangerment and criminal mischief in Amherst Town Court.
Email: news@ubspectrum.com
Photo: Breadchastick / Wikimedia Commons
