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(04/27/10 4:00am)
The biggest thing that stresses me out about graduation isn't the job hunt or paying back those high interest student loans. It's the fact that all of UB's post-graduation merchandise is grammatically incorrect. I thank my time at The Spectrum for that.
(04/27/10 4:00am)
O.K. seniors, here's the deal. Graduation is coming whether you like it or not. Regardless of whether you're "ready" to grab your really expensive piece of paper and skip on into life where either a job, more school or unemployment awaits, there are some things you should know before you show up at Alumni Arena on that fateful Sunday morning.
(04/25/10 4:00am)
UB student politics are nothing if not full of drama, and the two elections for the UB Council Student Representative are no exception.
(04/22/10 4:00am)
It seems the new incarnation of Generation Magazine has hit its stride.
(04/20/10 4:00am)
Most current UB students were still wearing Pull-ups Training Pants when Timothy McVeigh detonated an explosive-filled truck and left a gaping crater in the side of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City.
His actions resulted in the deaths of 168 innocent people and injured over 500, many of them children from the daycare located inside the building.
Monday was the 15th anniversary of what is arguably the most infamous act of domestic terrorism on American soil.
"We commemorate the Oklahoma City Bombing because it was such a horrendous event and perhaps the first act of domestic terrorism," said Phillips Stevens, Jr., an associate professor of anthropology at UB. "A misguided young man was driven by pure anger and evil and committed mass murder."
On April 19, 1995, McVeigh changed the course of American history forever when he drove a 7,000-pound truck bomb in front of the Federal Building and set it off. In 2001, he paid for it — he was executed by lethal injection.
Here in Buffalo, there is a special connection to the tragedy. McVeigh was born in Lockport and grew up in Pendleton. He was an intense Buffalo Bills fan who truly respected the people of the Buffalo area.
Two Buffalo News reporters became the only people to interview McVeigh in person, one-on-one and in depth about why he chose to murder hundreds of people. McVeigh hand-picked Lou Michel and Dan Herbeck, both of whom still work at the Buffalo News, based on a recommendation from his father.
"Dan [Herbeck] and I became experts on the McVeigh family, starting in 1995 after the bombing," Michel said. "We researched their roots, how they flourished along the Erie Canal after they came over from Ireland and England."
After months of research, Michel began visiting McVeigh's father, Bill McVeigh, at home.
"I lived near Bill and I would stop by and visit. I treated him fairly and like a human," Michel said. "I befriended him and I don't think he ever forgot that."
McVeigh was constantly harassed by the news media for interviews. The public, who had cast him aside as a monster, still held on to lurid curiosity about McVeigh as a person. McVeigh ignored media attempts at contact. He wouldn't talk unless it was on his own terms.
By 1999, McVeigh was ready to tell his story and asked his father if he knew any trustworthy journalists. His father suggested Michel, his visitor of many years. McVeigh soon wrote a letter to Michel.
"It was stunning [to receive a letter from McVeigh]," Michel said. "He wanted to come off as a human and talk to local people, people he grew up with. We treated him like a human but never lost sight of the monstrous thing he did."
Over 45 hours, Michel and Herbeck learned more about Timothy McVeigh than perhaps even his father ever had.
"It was a very surreal experience to hear him graphically describe making a 7,000 pound bomb. At times, Dan and I would leave numb," Michel said.
McVeigh explained to the reporters his motives, his tactics, his mindset — nothing was off limits.
"Tim claims that he didn't know there was a daycare in the building and if he had known, he would have chose a different target," Michel said. "He didn't want to be known as a baby killer because he didn't want it to take away from his message. He honestly thought he was an American patriot."
Michel and Herbeck learned everything about McVeigh, his personality and his psychology.
"He was angry at the U.S. government," Michel said. "He attached himself to the thought that he was an avenger."
The Waco Siege became one of the most publicized reasons for McVeigh's attack on the federal government. In 1993, the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms tried to use a search warrant at a Branch Davidian ranch called Mount Carmel Center, owned by Branch Davidians, a Protestant sect, and located outside of Waco, Texas. The residents of Mount Carmel were accused of sexual misconduct and stockpiling weapons on their ranch. Tensions escalated into a 51-day siege which ended in gunfire and an inferno that killed over 80 people.
"Psychologically, I think Tim McVeigh suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder from the first Gulf War and he compartmentalized his life," Michel said. "There were two sides to Tim McVeigh. In one part, he was an eager Bills fan and gun enthusiast. In another part, he had a raw hatred for the U.S. government and its handling of Waco. He was vulnerable."
Michel said that McVeigh was a disturbed young man who truly attached himself to the idea that he was an America patriot, but did a violent and terrible thing. Fifteen years later, when many of the world's emerging professionals and media experts don't even remember the attack, the Oklahoma City Bombing still has an impact on society.
"Its major impact lies in its timing," Stevens said. "It was domestic terrorism and it came … before the impact of foreign terrorism."
Stevens also said that its impact is changing as time progresses.
"People will attach a different meaning to it based on events of the time. " Stevens said. "Everyone takes different meaning from the event, but the fact is that everyone is affected by it because it happened on our own soil."
Michel and Herbeck still haven't come to grips with this impact on modern history, but they're working on it.
"Sometimes Dan and I can't believe we have a part in this tragic moment of history, but it was important to learn more about Tim, despite his murderous acts," Michel said. "I truly believe it's to the detriment of our society if we don't pay attention to the causes. What drives a smart young man to spiral down and become a mass murderer and terrorist?"
Michel and Herbeck published a book called American Terrorist: Timothy McVeigh and the Oklahoma City Bombing in 2001 and recently, all 45 hours of their tapes have been donated to the Russel J. Jandoli School of Journalism and Mass Communications at St. Bonaventure University.
Michel is glad that these tapes are available for research, as McVeigh can serve as an interesting case study to hopefully prevent future acts of violence.
E-mail: news@ubspectrum.com
(04/11/10 4:00am)
April is the month to grab life by the balls. Well, at least that's what Canisius College and Roswell Park Cancer Institute are saying.
(04/11/10 4:00am)
With his fluffy white hair, piercing blue eyes and a beard so famous that it has its own Twitter account, it's not surprising that the UB Alumni Association honored CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer on Friday.
Blitzer received UB's Distinguished Alumni Award for his exceptional career accomplishments and service to the UB community. Blitzer was honored with a dinner and award ceremony in Lippes Concert Hall in Slee Hall on North Campus on Friday.
Blitzer was born in Augsburg, Germany in 1948 and raised in Buffalo. Blitzer spent his childhood in Kenmore and attended Kenmore West Senior High School. He visited his alma mater on Friday, speaking with current students about careers in journalism and media while posting his pride on his Twitter account: "Thrilled to be at Kenmore West Senior High School. I love this place. Remember: West is best; East is least."
Blitzer received a bachelor's degree in history from UB in 1970 and said the degree and courses helped him pursue a career as a journalist.
"When all is said and done, what is journalism? It's a first draft of history," Blitzer said. "So we write that draft and then others come along and polish it and revise it and make it better based on more information. The history education I received in Buffalo was fabulous."
Blitzer continued to speak fondly about his time at UB – he attended the university in the midst of the Vietnam War, one of the most turbulent times in American history. This turmoil extended to UB's campus.
"It was a really politically charged period, the anti-war movement. The Vietnam War was going on. I spent four years here, 1966-70, right in the middle of all the activity in Buffalo," Blitzer said.
Blitzer also remembers the tension on campus felt by the male students, who were worried that once their student deferrals expired after graduation, they would be sent to Vietnam in the draft and perhaps never make it home to start their careers.
During Blitzer's senior year, a draft lottery system was put into effect.
"They only needed about a third of those eligible. Your birthday was put into a lottery. If you had a high number, you were drafted; if you had a low number, you weren't drafted. My number was very low, so I wasn't drafted and I didn't have to worry," Blitzer said.
Blitzer finished out his degree without the threat of the Vietnam War looming ominously over his head, which allowed him to focus on his career and life after UB. He said that the university played an integral role in getting him where he is today.
Blitzer attributes much of his success to UB's activist students and faculty. Despite not quite understanding the full impact that the anti-war movement had on the '60s and '70s, he said that the movement led to a certain inquisitiveness that eventually took him down his current, politically charged career path.
"It was a great experience, all in all. I can't complain," Blitzer said. "As I look back today on my career, those four years helped inspire me even though I didn't appreciate or understand what was going on at the time. I think that it built up a curiosity factor in me and got me into this field."
Blitzer is currently the host of "The Situation Room" on CNN and is CNN's lead political anchor. He began his career in political media after receiving his master's degree in international relations from Johns Hopkins University in 1972. He was inspired to apply to the program by one of his Buffalo history professors, Clifton Yearley, who saw his potential.
After graduating, Blitzer landed a job with Reuters news agency in the Tel Aviv bureau and soon after became the Washington correspondent for the Jerusalem Report, an English-language Israeli newspaper.
Blitzer spent much of his early career asking the tough questions about the state of Israel and its relations with other nations, including the U.S. and Egypt. He was the first person in news media to ask Egyptian leader Anwar Sadat about the tensions between Israel and Egypt. Some sources credit Blitzer with making the peace talks between the two countries possible.
According to Blitzer, his UB education taught him to ask those tough questions.
"[The classes at UB weren't] just open your book and read it. The lectures were thrilling and knowledgeable," Blitzer said. "I loved history and I still do. I think it's one of the reasons I went into journalism."
Blitzer moved to CNN in 1990, while many current UB students were still in diapers. From there he rose in the ranks from a military affairs reporter to a White House correspondent, and eventually hosted a series of news programs. He won an Emmy for his coverage of the Oklahoma City bombing in 1999.
Even with his massive amount of success, Blitzer has still found time to give back to UB. In 2003, he endowed the UB David Blitzer Lecture Series in Jewish Studies in honor of his late father. This year, the lecture series features a number of influential Jewish activists and scholars, including Kenneth Seeskin, a professor of Jewish Civilization at Northwestern University.
Blitzer often visits Buffalo and is thankful to the city for all of the opportunities it gave him and his family when they first came to this country.
"Buffalo was a fabulous community for my family and for me. Some of my best friends today are young people I met in Buffalo," Blitzer said. "I just think Buffalo is a warm community that took my family in and welcomed them and gave us a lot of opportunities. I think I miss that the most [when I'm away]."
With all of the paths he's followed on the road to becoming one of CNN's most influential anchors, Blitzer has only two pieces of advice for those hoping to follow in his footsteps: ask questions and practice.
"Ask lots of questions and you'll have a front row seat to history," Blitzer said. "Also, practice. If you want to be a reporter, go out and report, just like if you want to be a tennis player, you go out and play tennis. Practice."
E-mail: news@ubspectrum.com
(04/09/10 4:00am)
Dan Shaw was leaving ultimate Frisbee practice on Kunz Stadium across from Cooke Hall and Hochstetter Hall around 8 p.m. Tuesday night when he was hit by a car.
Shaw, a sophomore psychology major, was sent airborne when a car driven by Robert Schwaner, a senior aerospace engineering major, swerved in the rainy weather striking him while driving down Augspurger Road from Flint Road.
Shaw sustained only minor injuries and a concussion. He is also being checked for a possible knee injury.
Augspurger Road was shut down from Hadley Road to Flint Road for about 45 minutes while University Police and emergency personnel ensured the situation was under control.
Timothy Burns, a computer science graduate student was with Shaw when the accident occurred and said that the whole situation was very strange.
"We were walking back to our cars from practice and crossed the street when we saw a break in the traffic," Burns said. "We saw the car approach faster and faster. I was already across the street and two other guys ran back. Unfortunately [Shaw] got caught in the middle. He flew."
Schwaner declined comment on the situation.
Burns immediately called the University Police Department who he said arrived quickly with a Twin City ambulance and the Getzville fire company.
All precautions were taken including putting a neck collar on Shaw, carefully strapping him to a backboard and transporting him to Erie County Medical Center, according to UPD Lt. Dave Urbanek.
"We do not have any information that would indicate we will file any charges. All the pieces fit and as far as we could tell [Schwaner] was not speeding and was not drinking," Urbanek said. "There were six witnesses and four more associates…everyone kind of told the same story. It seems to have been just an unfortunate accident."
According to Burns, Shaw was released from the hospital last night trying to get some rest.
"Thankfully [Shaw] was not seriously injured," Burns said.
Burns believes that this unfortunate incident should serve as a lesson to the university. He feels that the safety of Augspurger Road should be one of UB's top priorities because of its high volume of pedestrian traffic.
"Many club and intramural sports practice on that field and park in the lots across the street. The stadium has lights but they are largely blocked by the pine trees that surround the field," Burns said.
Burns feels that UB should take some measures to ensure that pedestrians are able to cross the roads safely, such as a watch for pedestrians sign, a crosswalk or even some more on street lighting.
Burns is sure that Tuesday night's heavy rain probably contributed to the accident and understands that sometimes accidents like this cannot be prevented.
"I'm not talking about anything drastic but this area of campus needs to be made safer for pedestrians," Burns said. "I would be on board with anything UB would propose."
Additional Reporting by Jennifer Good, City Editor
E-mail: news@ubspectrum.com
(04/06/10 4:00am)
DeMario Cordelius, 21, was sentenced to 25 years in prison for the murder of Javon Jackson last May. Cordelius pleaded guilty to the killing on March 2.
Jackson died May 10, after an altercation on Main Street near Lisbon Avenue hours after his graduation from UB.
Senior Erie County Judge Michael L. D'Amico today imposed the 25-year prison term that defense attorney John R. Nuchereno proposed.
D'Amico said the sentence "is what it is" and didn't comment further on what he called "this tragic event."
Christian T. Klenke's sentencing for supplying Cordelius with the handgun he used to kill Jackson has been pushed back to April 13, due to a controversy over the 15 years that homicide detectives want him to receive.
Klenke, 19, pleaded guilty in November to a felony weapons charge for providing the gun.
E-mail: news@ubspectrum.com
(04/02/10 4:00am)
Student Association President Ernesto Alvarado and his entertainment team have been hard at work for months planning this year's Spring Fest. However, despite their best efforts, many UB students remain unimpressed with the line-up and have taken to Facebook groups to voice their qualms.
Anthony Consiglio, a junior computer science major, started the Facebook group in an effort to get students' voices heard.
"We want good bands," Consiglio said. "We want our money going to something we can enjoy."
Alvarado points out that students are always asked for their input on who should come to Spring and Fall Fests and that planning an event of this caliber is not as simple as many may think.
"We poll students and listen to their input," Alvarado said. "But more often than not, we get ridiculous requests like Michael Jackson or Tupac. Clearly, that's not going to happen."
SA contacted a plethora of artists suggested by students for this year's concert, including The Deadweather, Radiohead, Green Day, Lady Gaga, The Gorillaz, OAR, The Goo Goo Dolls, Incubus, Weezer and Girl Talk.
Alvarado also stresses that it takes four to five months to plan an event as big as Spring Fest and that it's often hard to find talent that can fit into the requirements that SA has to work with.
Alumni Arena gives SA three dates that they can hold an event. This year they were given March 20, the day of Wale; April 3, which they decided against as many students go home for Easter; and April 17, the date set for Spring Fest.
"Spring Fest is on a tough day this year. It's the same date as Coachella, which made getting talent a little tricky," Alvarado said.
Coachella is a three-day music festival in Indio, California, which boasts headliners like Jay-Z, Muse and Them Crooked Vultures this year.
"Coachella caused some scheduling conflicts this year, " said Dima George, SA entertainment director. "We contacted a whole list of acts suggested by students, but most were unavailable or out of our budget range."
Consiglio thinks that budget shouldn't be an issue.
"SA has millions of dollars. Can't they just pool all the entertainment money together to get one big act that students are excited about, instead of three or four terrible ones?" Consiglio said.
According to the SA budget, which can be found online, talent for this year's Spring Fest has already totaled $160,500. $75,000 went to headliner Three Days Grace.
"SA spent a lot of money on acts that not many students want to see," Consiglio said. "But that's not even the biggest issue. Why are they so secretive about the decision-making process?"
Consliglio said he's tried to contact SA numerous times about the budget and Spring Fest information, but wasn't met with much welcome or help.
"They were really rude to me," Consiglio said. "I went in asking for the budget because I was told via e-mail that I could have it, but when I showed up, they wouldn't give it to me."
Alvarado does not know why Consiglio was treated as such and wants students to know that they can come to the SA office to voice any concerns they may have regarding anything on campus.
"Things haven't been smooth for Spring Fest this year, but students are always welcome to come in," Alvarado said.
There have been some problems with the line-up. Flogging Molly was supposed to perform but had to pull out for unspecified reasons.
"It's been tough to get acts this year, especially with the budget cuts and they way things are fiscally," George said.
Alvarado points out that UB is fortunate to be able to put on a fest at all, as money is tight everywhere these days.
"Canisius had to cancel their spring festival due to money constraints," Alvarado said. "We're lucky we were able to bring a festival to students this year, especially one that we've worked so hard on."
Spring seems to be the time for music festivals, with Coachella, Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo and others preparing to hit the stage, so scheduling remains a big issue for rock acts this time of year.
To remedy this, SA is planning for Fall Fest to be a rock act next year and to bring hip-hop in the spring.
E-mail: news@ubspectrum.com
(03/28/10 4:00am)
All this debate about whether or not UB should observe Good Friday as a holiday got me thinking: Why should we get any religious holidays off? Particularly when UB doesn't even observe most federal holidays — like Columbus Day. Banks and the post office are closed, but we're in school.
UB claims it follows a secular calendar, but I beg to differ. Giving a majority of Jewish holidays off and neglecting other religions is not exactly secular.
As a Roman Catholic, personally, I couldn't care less if we got Good Friday off. How I observe my religion is my own business. What does irritate me is the fact that we do get religious holidays off. We're a public university and we shouldn't get any religious holidays off. UB professors should make exceptions for students who need to miss class for religious reasons, but it should not be a university mandate.
We're college kids at a state school — we should adopt this secular, college-friendly calendar for the 2010-2011 academic year by observing "college" holidays.
And before the non-drinking crowd rises in protest, think of it this way: it's win-win. The hungover kids get to stay home, and the studious one don't have to deal with the nonsense.
So, UB, this is my proposal: Throw out the current academic calendar and adopt my new one.
Oktoberfest — Comparable to spring break, but at the end of October where everyone pretends they're German, sports lederhosen and drinks some beer. Think Friedrich from The Sound of Music. Oh, and don't forget the Bratwurst.
Valentine's Day —Whether you're going out to dinner with your significant other or sitting alone in your dorm room drowning your sorrows in a bottle of Barton's finest, everyone enjoys V-day. Either you're going to drink alone, or you're going to celebrate your blossoming relationship with a few bottles of bubbly. Take the day off.
St. Patrick's Day — If you're truly Irish, St. Paddy's Day is often considered one of the high holy days where Jameson drives brain cells out like St. Patrick did to the snakes in Ireland. Munch on some corned beef and cabbage while dropping some car bombs and enjoying an ice cold Harp. Erin Go Bragh.
Mardi Gras — Fat Tuesday lets bored college students bring a little New Orleans to Buffalo. Grab some beads, learn Creole and kick things up a notch with a variety of mixed drinks before the self-inflicted abstinence of the Lenten season kicks in.
Columbus Day — I like to celebrate the merciless slaughter of millions of my ancestors by staying home and watching the history channel replay specials about Columbus's many failures with a Molson in hand (it's also the Canadian Thanksgiving; I need to represent.)
Halloween — Oct. 31 is more a weeklong event here in Buffalo and should be observed with reverence. Why not? What other holiday lets you eat, drink and be merry with Michael Jackson, slutty pirates, Superman and sexy cops?
Cinco de Mayo — No finals on May 5, please. Don't do that to us, UB.
April 20 — Get your Bob Marley on. Roots, rock, reggae.
And lastly, every college student's favorite holiday: Thursday. Asher Roth loves it; so do silly frat boys and bar owners. Thursday is a great way to blow off steam so you can fully enjoy the rest of your real weekend.
UB — this is a real secular calendar. I'm just throwing it out there. Let me know if you wish to discuss further.
E-mail: caitlin.tremblay@ubspectrum.com
(03/23/10 4:00am)
With Easter and other holy days fast approaching, Christian students at UB are questioning the university's decision not to include Good Friday as a holiday on the academic calendar.
Some students feel that the university's calendar heavily favors the Jewish faith in that during the fall semester. Days off are granted for both Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashanah, but during the spring, the university does not grant a day off for one of the holiest days in the Christian faith.
"As a school which encompasses so much diversity, we know that it is very hard for all religious groups to be allowed to have all our special religious holidays off, and while we are much appreciative that Christmas is during our winter break, Christmas is not the pinnacle holiday for our faith," said Ashley Wiehl, a senior biological sciences major.
Wiehl feels that Christian students need Good Friday off, because it is one of the most defining holy days in the religion — Good Friday is what the Christian faith is about.
"On Christmas, we celebrate the birth of Christ, which is of course crucial for our faith. However, Christ simply living doesn't scratch the surface about what being a Christian is all about," Wiehl said. "Only through the death of Christ and his resurrection do we believe we can have eternal salvation through him. Good Friday, being the day that we celebrate Christ's death, … is an essential day in which we reminisce, mourn, praise and remember all that Christ did for us."
Other students, however, feel that despite the religious meaning of Good Friday, the day should be considered a holiday just to be fair to everyone.
"As a public university, we should get every religious holiday off or none at all," said Nathan Tuccio, a junior political science major. "The school should be completely secular and stay out of recognizing religious holidays."
Senior political science major Kinsey Davidson agrees.
"The appropriate solution seems to be, while unpopular with students, no promotion. No religious holidays off. Everyone should have to follow the same procedure of talking with their professors and arranging to take a religious holiday," Davidson said. "What I really think is appalling is that students and staff at a state university have to report on federal holidays. If the post office and banks are closed, UB should be too."
Tuccio says that he will be e-mailing his professors on Good Friday explaining that he is taking the day to observe his faith. As this is a public university, professors must grant exceptions in attendance policies for students who miss class because of a legitimate religious reason.
Wiehl, however, had to miss Good Friday church service for a test one year and is disappointed that the university fails to recognize important days of all faiths.
"This being said, it is personally frustrating to see that Christians are not allowed to have this holiday off, while many of the Jewish holidays are recognized by the administration as valid enough to receive a school closing," Wiehl said. "One year I actually had a test at 7 p.m. on Good Friday and couldn't even attend the Good Friday church service."
Michael Ryan, vice provost for undergraduate education, said that the university's academic calendar is as secular as possible and that the decision not to have Good Friday as a day off was not a slight to the Christian faith.
"The university calendar is made to comply with different regulations from the [State Education Department] and is as secular as possible," Ryan said.
Ryan points out that Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashanah are granted as holidays because the Jewish faith prohibits believers from attending work and school on the holiday, while the Christian faith only requires followers to attend mass.
"Believers are not prohibited from attending work or school on Good Friday, but that is a stipulation within the Jewish faith. This is why Good Friday is not a UB holiday," Ryan said. "However, as per state and federal laws, instructors must make accommodations for students who miss class for legitimate religious reasons."
Even so, some students still feel that in neglecting to recognize Good Friday as a holiday on the academic calendar, the school is slighting their religious beliefs.
"I feel that this is a silent slap in the face to my faith," Wiehl said. "Why is it that the one religious holiday not coinciding with a weekend or winter recess cannot be equally respected and observed?"
E-mail: news@ubspectrum.com
(03/19/10 4:00am)
In the hardest economic time since the Great Depression, Kelly Ahuna finds herself without the job she's loved for the past 10 years.
(03/17/10 4:00am)
Kevin Sattler returned back to Buffalo from a relaxing spring break to find his Goodyear Hall dorm room destroyed. All his clothes were dumped out of his drawers and strewn about the floor and his PlayStation 3 was missing along with controllers and games.
(03/05/10 5:00am)
Remember that time when Gov. David A. Paterson was good at his job? Yeah. It was about a year and a half ago, when he was a tight-lipped lieutenant governor whose soul purpose in life was to agree with former Gov. Eliot Spitzer and smile for the cameras.
(03/03/10 5:00am)
From MySpace to Facebook and Twitter to Tumblr, social networking has shaped the way people interact with not only one another, but with the media itself. The New York Times, Rolling Stone, the Buffalo News and even our own university have Twitter accounts and Facebook pages.
(02/26/10 5:00am)
William Fals-Stewart, a former researcher in the UB Research Institute on Addictions, was found dead in his Eden home on Tuesday. He was 48 years old.
Eden Police say Fals-Stewart's wife found him 'unresponsive' in their home. Police responded to her 911 call, and performed CPR, but were unable to revive him.
'We don't know what the cause of death was,' Eden Police Investigator Shawn Bishop said.
Fals-Stewart made headlines recently after he was arrested and charged with attempted grand larceny, three counts of perjury, three counts of identity theft, two counts of offering a false instrument and three counts of falsifying a business record on Feb. 16. All charges are felonies.
Fals-Stewart was accused of falsifying witnesses in a misconduct hearing. He allegedly hired actors to pose as research subjects, without their knowledge, to testify on his behalf, providing them with detailed scripts. The false testimonies caused Fals-Stewart to be exonerated, according to Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo.
He then attempted to sue the state for $4 million for wrongful termination of his job at UB. He was let go from the university for academic misconduct for allegedly fabricating data in federally funded research projects.
If convicted Fals-Stewart could have faced up to 15 years in prison.
As it was considered an unattended death, an autopsy was performed Wednesday morning by Erie County Medical Examiners. Results have not yet been released. Police say the investigation is ongoing and they're waiting for toxicology results.
E-mail: news@ubspectrum.com
(02/24/10 5:00am)
Amanda Hansen was just 16 years old when she died in her friend's West Seneca home last year. She died from carbon monoxide poisoning as a result of a leak from a defective boiler.
Her tragic and accidental death sparked a movement in New York state for the passing of Amanda's Law, which requires all homes to have CO alarms. The alarms must be installed on the lowest floor of the building having a sleeping area, and they must be clearly audible in all sleeping areas, especially over background noise.
Gov. David A. Paterson signed the act into law in August 2009, while the law went into effect on Monday.
This leaves UB Residence Halls and Apartments planning as to how they will comply with the new law.
'Today acts as an important reminder for all New Yorkers to check that their smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors are installed properly and are in good working order,' Paterson said on Monday. 'Ensuring the safety of New York's families is a responsibility I hold most dear, and this law will do its part to help prevent future tragedies involving carbon monoxide poisoning.'
The law states that homes and residences built before Jan. 1, 2008 can have battery powered CO alarms. Homes built after that date must have alarms hard-wired into them.
This leaves a tricky situation for residence halls: many of the dormitory-style living spaces aren't exactly laid out like normal homes, apartment buildings or hotels. Residence Halls are seeking expert opinions and advice as to how best comply with the new law.
'We're waiting for state clarification as to how we need to react to the new law,' said Don Erb, director of Residential Facilities.
Since officials from the University Residence Halls & Apartments is already aware of what needs to be done, Erb said that CO alarms will be installed in the on-campus apartments. Many apartments, including those in Hadley Village and South Lake Village, already have the alarms and it's just a matter of making all of them comply.
'Because of the way the apartments are heated and laid out we can already work on making all the apartments comply [to Amanda's Law],' Erb said. 'The [dorms] are laid out differently and we're waiting for clarification on what we need to do.'
Complying with the law also raises money questions. With the ongoing SUNY budget cuts residence halls may have to find creative ways to attain the money needed for compliance, but Erb isn't worried.
'As with any renovation, installing these alarms is going to cost money,' Erb said. 'But it's necessary and will be done.'
Erb wants students to know that the residence halls are safe and that they will comply with the new law as soon as possible.
'Students shouldn't be alarmed or concerned. The alarms are an added safety precaution,' Erb said. 'They will be installed as soon as we get state clarification.'
Some students, however, are raising the question as to why it took a passed law to install these alarms into living spaces.
Katie Searing, a freshman undecided major living in Goodyear Hall on South Campus, feels that carbon monoxide is a big threat that UB should have looked into installing alarms in residence halls long ago.
'Carbon monoxide is a silent killer,' Searing said. 'Without having detectors, many students could be unsafe in the dorms.'
E-mail: news@ubspectrum.com
(02/22/10 5:00am)
(02/22/10 5:00am)
What drives someone to commit an act of violence in a public place like a college campus?