UB gives students the option for students who choose to stay on campus over break

Every spring break, Youngkwan Kwak is faced with a dilemma.

While most students must decide between going on a vacation or returning home, Kwak doesn’t have the latter option. Kwak, a senior mechanical engineering major, is from South Korea – making the roughly 6,700-mile trip home for just seven days not feasible.

In the past, Kwak used spring break to travel to places like Toronto and New York City, but this time he’s staying in Buffalo.

UB is home to more than 6,000 international students from 87 countries. A common problem for these students is how they will spend spring and Thanksgiving breaks, as many don’t have the option of visiting home.

To accommodate these students, UB allows them to stay in their dorm rooms – free of charge – provided they request permission in advance, according to Brian Haggerty, senior associate director of Campus Living.

The only time students are charged a fee to their UB bill is during longer breaks, such as winter or summer, said Michael Kozeij, senior associate director of Campus Living.

Halls are supervised by resident advisers (RAs) that are on duty in the evenings in case of emergency, according to Haggerty.

Haggerty said the RAs who work over break are “compensated on a daily basis.”

For students staying, this week-long break is just another week in Buffalo except without the classes.

“I will probably just play basketball or chill out with my other friends that are staying,” Kwak said.

Students who are looking for somewhere to eat during the break can go to Campus Dining and Shops, which has a limited schedule that is currently being finalized.

“Baldy Walkway Café, Capen Café, Harriman Café, Farber Café and select locations in Putnam’s along with Tim Horton’s in the Student Union will be open limited hours,” Raymond Kohl, marketing manager of Campus Dining & Shops (CDS) said. “The Elli convenience store in Ellicott will also be open.”

The Stampede will also be on a limited schedule.

Two buses will operate on weekdays and weekends during spring break. They will make their regular pickups from North to South campus. Pickups will be made every half hour at Ellicott, Lee Loop, Governors Hall, Flint Loop, Service Center Road, Maynard Road, Goodyear Hall and Main Circle, according to Parking and Transportation Services.

For international students, finding reasonable flights home is also an issue.

Tom Park, also from South Korea, is a sophomore accounting major who said he often has a problem with getting a cheap flight to go home.

“I’m staying in Buffalo because I couldn’t buy a plane ticket back to Korea and don’t have any relatives in the United States,” Park said. “I don’t really mind though – it’s only a week.”

Evan Schneider is a news desk editor and can be reached at news@ubspectrum.com.