UB sounds off
As the first day of classes came to an end, news of President Simpson's retirement quickly spread on campus. Below are some UB community reactions to the unexpected news.
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As the first day of classes came to an end, news of President Simpson's retirement quickly spread on campus. Below are some UB community reactions to the unexpected news.
In an effort to keep you well informed, and to help you avoid embarrassing conversations with upper classmen, The Spectrum has provided a compilation of the biggest news stories from the 2009-2010 academic year.
Some students living in Fargo Quadrangle are petitioning for monetary compensation. They believe their living environment this year has been unsatisfactory. John Collins, a sophomore accounting major, and Fargo resident, is fed up with the University Residence Halls and Apartments. For the past year his dorm room, as well as others on his side of building one have dealt with the inconvenience of the noise from the construction on the future William R. Greiner residence hall. "The noise is not conducive to living," said Owen Eichensehr, a junior accounting major and Fargo resident. "50 to 60 people have had to put up with this all year." Angered by the constant interruptions, Collins decided to take action and form a petition to compensate Fargo residents for their disruptive living environment. He acts as a representative for the students listed the petition he created. "I had no idea the construction would be happening when I picked my room in March of last year. It wasn't until August that I found out," said Collins. "We are paying $5,928 a year for rooms just like everyone else but we are not getting the same product. We are owed some compensation." Collins isn't the only Fargo resident upset by the constant noise from construction. Close to 50 people have signed his petition for compensation so far and Collins believes this is the only way to get through to the residents hall about this irritating problem. "The only contact [with RH&A] prior to this petition was in the form of two e-mails, one of which I found offensive," Collins said. "They came up with ideas but never executed them, and when they did with the white noise machines, it was a joke." Collins is referring to a machine that releases noise from a fan, which is about four inches high and is the size of a bowl. "It just makes more annoying noise that doesn't cancel the noise from construction," Collins said. "They also gave us hours of all the study spaces available on campus." Eichensehr agrees with Collins that the white noise machines do not work. "[RH&A's] idea of how to fix the problem with the white noise machines was not well thought out. They don't work, and we were never informed they were available. You have to put in a special request to get one." This petition, residents hope, will prompt RH&A to monetarily compensate those students negatively affected by their living experience. Brett Wymer, a sophomore international business and finance major, feels as if compensation is necessary. "This consistently has been going on all year and has significantly affected the amount of sleep I've gotten," Wymer said. "The construction makes all kinds of ridiculous noise and it doesn't seem like anyone is helping us with this. I hope the university would do something to compensate us for this because it was been an awful experience and one of the worst sleeping and living environments." University Residence Halls and Apartments addressed this issue in an e-mail sent in December. In the e-mail, Joseph J. Krakowiak, director of URH&A, stated that his organization was "…concerned with the impact the South Ellicott construction project may have on [residents]" and that they would like to minimize the disruption students may experience." But, residents claim little to nothing has been done. URH&A Senior Staff Associate Kevin Ahuna met with Collins regarding this issue and according to Collins was "very understanding about the student situation," but could make no promises until Krakowiak returned to the office. URH&A declined comment to The Spectrum until Monday. E-mail: news@ubspectrum.com
The UB Stampede, the University at Buffalo's intercampus bus service, celebrated its 15 millionth passenger on Wednesday. The 15 millionth rider was calculated based off of the number of buses used in a day, taking into consideration the average number of passengers on board. All passengers on the winning bus received prizes as a token of appreciation for utilizing the university transportation. Many received T-shirts and UB campus dining and shops mugs. One random mug contained a plastic bicycle replica and the student who received the mug containing it won a new bike. "We are very pleased with the event," said Chris Austin, assistant director of parking and transportation services. "[We are also] pleased to highlight all the students and staff who utilize our public transportation." This celebration was meant to highlight the benefits public transportation has on the environment as well as to commend those who take advantage of it. "The UB Stampede has an enormous impact on the environment," said Maria Wallace, the director of parking and transportation services, in a press release. "It transports more than 20,000 passengers daily, saving 8,800 personal vehicle trips each weekday and eliminating more than 49 million pounds of carbon dioxide annually. The 15 millionth passenger campaign showcases UB's progress toward fulfilling our commitment to sustainability and climate neutrality." E-mail: news@ubspectrum.com
In a recent study released by Harvard's John Kennedy School of Government, college-age students were polled to reveal answers about post-graduation anxiety. This national Web-enabled survey tested 3,117 18-29 year-olds in America and focused on life after graduation. The poll found that 60 percent of young adults were concerned with "keeping their heads above water" which includes being able to pay off student debts and other financial obligations. Fifty-eight percent of those surveyed were worried about finding affordable housing, 45 percent worried about not being able to stay in school and 46 percent were worried about finding and keeping a job. The study hits close to home as students prepare for graduation in May. Many UB students are worried about post-graduation life and the prospects waiting in the job market. "I'm seriously considering law school," said Thomas Topper, a junior management major. "Not only because I have legitimate interest in the law, but also because I'm worried about the local job market." Fear of the job industry after graduation keeps many students in higher education longer. According to The National Associated of Colleges and Employers, in 2009, 27 percent of college graduates reported that they planned on attending graduate school. Richard J. Porter, a senior political science major plans to attend UB's law school in the fall of 2010 and is confident in his decision. "UB has strong ties to the Western New York legal community and its alumni network across New York State is top notch," Porter said. Graduate school has become an attractive alternative to many students worried about what the job market has in store for them. Dave Leven, a 2009 graduate of the University of Rochester with degrees in financial economics and political science, is just one example. Leven has been working as a mover for a local family operation as well as a personal assistant for a Rochester area executive since graduation. While the idea of having two jobs seems fantastic to some, Leven's reality is not. "I work two jobs and between them I work between 60 and 80 hours on an average week," Leven said. "You'd think I would be living the life, but I'm not." The University of Rochester expects students to spend in excess of $50,000 a year for their undergraduate education, while consistently ranking within the top 50 National Universities, according to USNEWS. UB is ranked slightly above 100 in the USNEWS survey of national universities. The fear of not being able to pay back student loans, or find a job in the competitive job atmosphere remains a constant worry for many undergraduate students looking toward the future. E-mail: news@ubspectrum.com
The University at Buffalo Police Department continued to encourage proper safety measures and education to the public as it completed its second Citizen Police Academy session on March 31. This seven-week long program, which includes one patrol car ride-along, offers Buffalo area citizens the opportunity to learn from professionals with specialized training and years of experience at no charge. "For the people that attend [the Citizen Police Academy], we expose what we do, how we train, what we can do, what we can't do, what is legal and what is not legal," said UPD Lt. Dave Urbanek. Urbanek serves as the coordinator of the program and also leads most of the course, acting as a guide to its participants. University at Buffalo police chief Gerald W. Schoenle, Jr. presented diplomas at the academy's graduation ceremony. "It is important for us to teach members of the community what we do on a daily basis," Schoenle said. "It gives the participants the opportunity to understand policing at a university level." Within this course, education was given to participants on fire and first aid situations, the emergency dispatch system, New York State penal law, patrol procedures, traffic and accident investigations, recruiting and training procedures, the Criminal Investigation Bureau, crime scene investigations, family offenses and domestic violence, sexual offenses, alcohol issues, narcotics and hazmat incidents. One of the 16 participants that participated in the last session, Anna Sotelo-Peryea, resource and planning coordinator and violence prevention specialist at UB, was pleasantly surprised by what she got out of the Citizen Police Academy and felt it enlightened her on what, exactly, the UPD does and consists of. "I had no idea how many specialized units they have within the police department," Sotelo-Peryea said. "I also thought it was kind of interesting how diverse [all of the officers'] backgrounds were." Sotelo-Peryea, who decided to enroll in the academy because of curiosity and her close work connections with UPD officers, felt the academy couldn't have run much smoother and covered so much material that it didn't have much room for improvement. "We learned defensive tactics, got experience on different maneuvers, learned what weapons were legal and which were illegal, when to shoot and when not to shoot," she said. "I enjoyed [the program] the way it was," she said. The remaining 15 participants from the Buffalo area that recently graduated from the program include David Stall, Jenna Ward, Amie Schirching, Bradley Curthoys, Ryan Standish, Carol Adler, Joe Paulter, Mike Rockey, Jeanette Detraglia, Benjamin Abel, Patrick Hoar, Rachel Brown, Bethany Torres, Marjory Jaeger and Jaclyn Russello. "It's a good experience," Urbanek said. "If people want to know what we do and why we do it, they should sign up for the next [course], which will probably happen next February." Those interested in attending future sessions should contact Lt. Dave Urbanek at 716-645-2227. E-mail: news@ubspectrum.com
As Vice President for Research Jorge V. José prepares to leave UB to become the Vice President for Research at Indiana University, he has mixed feelings about the move. He is excited for the new opportunity but feels bittersweet to be leaving his friends and colleagues. "It's a bigger challenge, it is an advancement professionally," José said. José joined the UB community in 2005 after leaving Northeastern University in Boston. He was initially interested in the University at Buffalo because of the UB2020 plan and is happy with how far the UB community has come in five years. "In the last five years there has been a cultural transformation [at UB] and there has been significant progress and changes with the planning of UB2020," José said. José is excited for his new position at Indiana University that, he hopes, will open more opportunities for his career. "It is a broader responsibility, here I am the vice president for research at one university in the SUNY system and there I will be the vice president for research for the whole system, and that is seven campuses, so I will oversee the research operation of several campuses at the same time," José said. His new position is similar to his position at UB in what it entails, but is spread out on a much wider scale. The research is dispersed throughout the campuses and deals with statewide issues rather than local problems. During José's five years at UB, research expenditures increased from $259 million to $350 million, a 33 percent increase. With this increase, José says he and his colleagues have been able to achieve a lot. Though this move is a good choice professionally for José he is sad to be leaving all the people he has built relationships with. "I am very happy living here and I leave with mixed feelings, because now I have a number of friends … but this is a mostly professional decision," José said. José is not alone in his move to a new university. Elias G. Eldayrie, the chief information officer at UB, is leaving for the University of Florida. While these loses to the UB community may seem like a negative thing, José believes they are a positive reflection on the university. "All universities hire professors from other universities and lose professors to other universities. We have an average of about 5 percent of our faculty leave and we hire many people from other universities too," José said. "It is a normal business practice … it is actually a good sign of having outstanding faculty that is attractive to people in other institutions." Though he is leaving UB, José plans to keep in close contact with the campus and feels invested with how UB2020 turns out. His last words of advice for the UB community are to support UB2020 as much as possible. "This is the best opportunity Western New York has of revamping the economy, revamping the image and revamping the standard of living in Western New York," José said. "It is very important that people don't loose track of the fact that we are going to find ups and downs in the process but as long as the derivative is positive this is really going to transform the region." E-mail: news@ubspectrum.com
Hands down one of the most interesting movies I have ever seen is Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, directed by Michel Gondry. Not only because I love Kate Winslet, but because the plot is so incredibly interesting. To sum it up without giving too much away, the couple (composed of Winslet and Jim Carrey) have a falling out, and both decide – through a series of twists and turns – to have each other erased from their memory permanently. This concept got me thinking: if you could erase a painful memory from your past, would you? I think this question is pondered a lot during hard times and suffering. You always wish you could erase that person who broke your heart, or that memory that hurts too much to remember. But would you actually go through with it? Throughout the movie the characters go on a journey through all of the times they have spent together, good and bad. This journey reveals a lot about human emotion. As human beings, I think we are always searching for a way to end bad times, get ourselves out of heartache, focus only on the things that make us happy and try to shun negativity and the things that make us upset. Hell, people spend millions of dollars on therapy to get over issues in their past as proof of this theory, but what if they could pay to have them completely removed? Do you think they would? For me, I think back to times in my life when I was at my lowest, times I wish I never had to experience again. But in a way, I believe the bad times are what characterize you as a person. The struggle to persevere through the tough parts of life and get through it with your head held high is what makes you a better person. While you may not believe it at the time, it really will pay off in the end. "Without sadness we would no know joy" is a saying my mom used when I was feeling like I just couldn't carry on anymore. I believe in that statement whole-heartedly. Sure, it might be easier to just erase all the lost friendships and the heartache we have felt in life, but would you be willing to trade all the good times too? Better yet, when you make it through the bad times, doesn't it make you appreciate the good times that much more? I know it works that way with me. The characters in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind realize that you never really know what you have, or how important memories are until they are moments from being sucked away. Cherish your memories, good and bad, because they are what make you who you are. While you might wish you could erase someone, or something, from your mind today, it may come back to help you in the future even if for nothing more then making you a stronger person in the long run. E-mail: chelsie.hinckley@ubspectrum.com
Third time's a charm. UB has been named to the 2009 President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for the third year in a row. This achievement is the highest federal recognition a college or university can receive for its commitment to volunteering, service-learning and civic engagement. The office of Student Leadership and Community Engagement is excited about this award and views it as a reflection of hard work. "[This award is] well deserved," said Terri Frysh, the community engagement coordinator for the Center for Student Leadership and Community Engagement (CSLCE). "The school does a lot to engage students in the community and the recognition will hopefully bring more awareness to our office and the opportunities available on and off campus for volunteering." The CSLCE was recognized in the award specifically for its "Saturdays of Service" program. This program, according to the Center for Student Leadership and Community Engagement Web site, is a monthly service opportunity for students to volunteer and help serve the local Buffalo and WNY Community. Students volunteer on a designated Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at a number of locations throughout the community. "Our office has an online posting of volunteer opportunities on or off campus that range from one-time opportunities to ongoing ones, and we offer specific programs through our office, such as Saturdays of Service and Habitat for Humanity," Frysh said. Among the programs recognized was UB School of Management's free tax preparation service. Student volunteers provided this service for about two months to families in the Buffalo area who make less than $49,000 a year. According to a press release, this program prepared 676 tax returns, adding up to a total of $640,000 in tax refunds to the Buffalo community. Ryan Linden, a junior accounting major and site coordinator for the free tax service, takes pride in the work this program has done for the Buffalo community and encourages others to get involved. "Everything that this school gives you, you have to give back. Through this program, I have learned how to file my own taxes while getting to help those in need, and it is a very rewarding experience." The program had its biggest turnout this year with 200 volunteers. It is sponsored by the Beta Alpha Si business frat and the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program, VITA. Included in the other noted programs here at UB were UB's Lighthouse Free Medical Clinic; the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) summer program; and Community as a Classroom, a project of the UB Center for Urban Studies. The Corporation for National and Community Service, which administers the annual Honor Roll award, recognized more than 700 colleges and universities for the 2009 honor. The recognition process consists of a series of selections based off of factors that include a percentage of students involved in service activities and incentives offered by the university for academic service-learning courses. According to a press release, approximately 4,700 students, as well as hundreds of faculty and staff, participate in community service activities at UB. E-mail: news@ubspectrum.com
Father Patrick Keleher's dream was to have one place where UB students, staff and community members could come together and celebrate their Catholic faith.
Richard Stallman spoke to an eager crowd of UB students Monday night, bringing to them his message about free software and explaining what he feels are the evils of copyright law. Stallman is well known for his position as the founder of the GNU Project and the Free Software Foundation. He is a long-term activist for free software and advocates against corporations who, he believes, stretch the copyright laws and software patents. He presented in Norton Hall on Monday about his first passion – free software. Free software, as defined by Stallman, is as equal a right as free speech, and deserves the same attention and advocacy. It is not 'free' as in without cost to the consumer, but as a matter of liberty. The GNU Web site states that 'to understand the concept, you should think of ‘free' as in ‘free speech,' not as in ‘free beer.' Stallman also states that free software has many layers to it and that four key freedoms should be applied to any software worth using. The first freedom, referred to as Freedom 0, is the freedom to run the program for any purpose. Freedom 1 is the freedom to study how the program works and adapt it to the user's needs. Access to the source code is a precondition for this. Freedom 2 is the freedom to redistribute copies so users can help their neighbors. The final freedom, Freedom 3, is the freedom for users to improve the program and release those improvements to the public, so that the whole community benefits. Stallman applies these 'freedoms' to software that students use every day and warns those who do not follow these guidelines that they are at risk. 'Windows is extremely malicious software and allows the owners of that corporation to spy on you,' Stallman said. 'Apple is almost just as evil.' He describes these evil features as Digital Restrictions Management and says that these products and corporations infringe on users' freedoms. His solution for this 'infringement' is to just not use the products at all. Justin Kimber, a freshman psychology major, disagrees with this statement. 'I think that is [greatly] over-exaggerated,' Kimber said. 'I understand that there may be a privacy issue, but I think that the consumer should be aware of what they are buying and getting into with the product. I have a Mac and have never had a security issue. I find the features easy.' Stallman told his audience that 'you should never touch any product that is designed to attack your freedom,' including any encrypted item, such as a DVD or CD, and to stay away from e-books and online bookstores such as Amazon. He says these Web sites and e-books have the power to record who accesses which books and to keep a record of personal purchases. This is problematic, according to Stallman, because it infringes on privacy and freedom. He says that he would 'never purchase or accept as a gift an encrypted DVD,' and tries to set an example for those following him. To give an example of companies that he feels are 'evil,' Stallman referred to Disney and its copyright extension on Mickey Mouse. He claims that this is a perfect example of a company bending copyright law to its own needs and ignoring the freedoms of the consumer. Daniel Krysak, a graduate student in planetary geology, has been following Stallman for a while. 'I support him entirely. I've been a free software advocate since I was a kid,' Krysak said. 'I think everyone should be educated on it, and because of the topic, it won't be covered in mainstream media.' 'It gave me a new perspective and his presentation was interesting,' said Alisha Armstrong, a graduate student in media studies and sociology. 'I learned stuff I wasn't aware of.' E-mail: news@ubspectrum.com
Based on a new proposal from the university, general education requirements are currently being looked at in order to create a more well-rounded curriculum for all majors. Formed in March 2009 by UB's Provost and Faculty Senate, the General Education Task Force has made revamping the general education requirements at UB its goal, hoping to make them more interesting and beneficial to the student body as a whole. The task force was formed for the purpose of 'taking a holistic view of the general education program, focusing on its underlying philosophy, intellectual purposes, and educational mission; considering the opportunity to create a new signature program for the University at Buffalo while complying with the existing SUNY general education requirements; and defining the role of a new general education program within the mission of the University at Buffalo at large' according to a proposal. Andreas Daum, associate dean in the College of Arts and Sciences, said the task force was formed to take a fresh look at the existing system set in place for general education requirements. 'The existing general education requirements are a heavy burden on the shoulders of students,' Daum said. 'We hope to fill the courses with meaning and make them more appealing.' In the proposal, the task force states that it hopes to make general education at UB more exciting, distinctive, and more responsive toward students' needs. The biggest challenge Daum says the task force faces is 'how … [to] prepare our students for the real world while still meeting the requirements set in place.' They hope to do so with input from the UB community. 'I think courses that apply to real life would be more beneficial,' said Nicole Yehezkel, a freshman international business major. 'I wouldn't mind taking more general education courses; some of the required ones are pretty interesting and I would have taken them on my own.' Other students feel that the general education requirements here at UB are too restrictive and don't apply to their major of study. Katie Leavitt, a doctoral candidate, expressed her aggravation about general education courses. 'I have to take a science class to meet my gen. ed., [so I chose] astrology. I'm working on my doctoral in child counseling and psychology and don't need the class,' said Leavitt. 'I feel like it is a waste of my money and time.' Joe Randel, a freshman civil engineering major, agrees. 'I don't want to take more gen. eds. I am an engineering major and all of my course time is full, so I don't have time in the four years to fit in more classes,' Randel said. The task force plans to rethink the purpose of general education courses and redirect them to the 21st century, not necessarily add any more courses to the curriculum. Some proposals stated in the 'UB Core Curriculum: Learning for Life' report include promoting basic skills and competencies such as math, science, English, technology and history. Instilling ethical reasoning, improving global perspectives and increasing the breadth of foreign language studies were also focuses. While this report lists proposals of what the task force hopes to achieve, nothing is final and all is open for debate and discussion. The task force hopes to use this semester as an opportunity to receive feedback from the campus community. 'This report is not the end point, it is the beginning,' Daum said. Anyone interested in contributing their ideas or input to the general education task force can contact the group at 716-645-6003 or ubgened@buffalo.edu. E-mail: news@ubspectrum.com
Passports will now be easier to obtain for those living in and around the Buffalo area. A new passport office in downtown Buffalo is expected to open later this year and will allow travelers to obtain a passport in a matter of hours, as opposed to days. This new office, which is expected to open in late September or early October, is a response to the tightening of cross-border regulations that went into effect last summer, leaving many residents in the Buffalo area annoyed. Before these regulations went into effect, traveling back and forth from Canada to the United States was a semi-easy process. U.S. citizens were only required to present a primary form of identification, such as a driver's license or birth certificate, and had no trouble getting through Customs. Under the new system, U.S. travelers must have a passport, passport card, enhanced license or other valid identification, making the trip a hassle for those without these documents. The process to obtain a passport can take up to six weeks, unless a rush is put on it, making it hard for many students who enter college without a passport to obtain one. 'I think [the new office] would be very beneficial because many of my friends are thinking about getting passports now,' said Gregory Quackenbush, a freshmen biomedical science major. '… It would be convenient if the process didn't take so long.' This project, announced by Representative Brian Higgins (D-Buffalo) and Representative Chris Lee (R-Clarence), has been a bipartisan effort to improve cross-border relations. 'Western New Yorkers need to have the ability to travel easily across our northern border …' Lee said. 'With a one-stop shop passport office located right in our community, Western New Yorkers will be able to more easily acquire valid travel documents while not having their need to conduct cross-border business negatively affected.' To many UB students, for whom border crossing is a regular occasion, getting a passport before now was already a necessity. Patrick Evan Medlock-Turek, a sophomore biology major, wishes the new system had been in place a while ago. 'I'm sure it would expedite getting a passport, which would be useful,' Medlock-Turek said. 'When I had to renew mine, I had to wait at the post office, and then it took a month and a half to get it. Plus $25 of the $100 went to the post office.' The new office will be located in the historic Warner building in the Genesee Gateway development complex, which is under redevelopment and seeking lasting businesses to make a flourishing environment for the community. It is estimated that this office, which is funded partially by federal stimulus money, will create more than 20 jobs in the area. Additional reporting by Brendon Bochacki, Asst. Campus Editor E-mail: news@ubspectrum.com
Constant fire drills in the Governors Complex on North Campus has left residents angry and seeking answers. Student estimates put the number of fire drills at 46 for this academic year, a number that continues to rise. In the past week alone, residents had three fire drills. The one that occurred on Feb. 3 left students waiting outside in 20-degree weather for at least 20 minutes. In response to the growing student animosity, two Facebook groups have been formed. Daniel Johnson, a sophomore history and political science major and Benjamin Rinauto, a sophomore mechanical engineering major, created a Facebook group devoted to the annoyance called, 'We didn't start the fire at Governors.' 'I knew a lot of people in Governors are disgruntled over the fire drills,' said Johnson. 'In less than 24 hours, 200 people had joined the group.' Students turning to this group aren't just annoyed with these constant fire drills; they see them as a safety hazard. '[The constant] fire drills are desensitizing people to alarms and putting them at risk for a real emergency,' said Amanda Ruby, a freshman biology major and Governors resident. Due to the weather conditions, many students who live in Governors, instead of evacuating when the alarm sounds, have opted to stay in their dorm rooms to avoid the long wait and the weather. 'It is a huge safety issue. People just take their time [evacuating] now or just don't come out at all,' Rinauto said. 'It takes forever to evacuate people and we end up waiting 15 to 20 minutes because the Residential Advisors have to check the rooms and discipline those who chose to stay in.' Johnson has also noticed this trend. 'A good handful of people are just staying in their rooms; I know a few people who do,' he said. Students are unsure of the cause of all of these false alarms but don't believe it is a result of people playing pranks. 'As far as I know, the system was updated recently, so it would be understandable that it would have some kinks, but they should have been taken care of by now,' Johnson said. 'All the information I know is from what my friends, who are RAs, have told me.' University Residence Halls and Apartments has not released a statement to the students who live in Governors Complex addressing this issue, which has begun to affect their daily lives. 'They happen randomly, sometimes in the middle of the day when you are trying to study, do homework or just heading back from class to relax. It is very inconvenient,' said Johnson. The earliest in the morning students have reported fire evacuations happening is at 1 a.m. and many students have expressed their annoyance on the Facebook walls of 'We didn't start the fire …' as well as the second group, 'People in Govs need to learn how to cook! Stop setting off fire alarm[s]!!!' In the group 'We didn't start the fire…' the creator, Johnson, makes a mock Declaration of Independence. Among the students' demands are a review of the fire prevention system to determine whether it should be put on a lower setting; a concession that only the students in the building with the alarm have to evacuate, similar to the fire drill system in Ellicott Complex; better safeguards to prevent false alarms; and newer cooking appliances. While some of these claims may be impossible for authorities at URH&A, students haven't heard any response to them and are growing tired of the authorities' seeming ignorance of the constant interruption to residents' lives. Without information from the URH&A, students are left to draw their own conclusions about the cause of all of these alarms. On the 'People in Govs…' Facebook group, the creator has posted information on how people can avoid setting off the alarms. Topping the list are admonitions to avoid leaving items cooking on a stove or in an oven. Long showers that produce excess steam and smoking are also listed as main causes. URH&A could not be reached for a statement on this issue. Meanwhile, students worry it is deterring people from choosing to live in Governors. 'I know I am considering staying at home next year, simply because I live close and the fire alarms are really annoying to deal with all the time,' said Johnson. E-mail: news@ubspectrum.com
New York's railroads are getting a getting a $151 million facelift.
On Jan. 14, Nicholas Orrange was in a fatal one-car accident. He was heading north on Harlem Road at about 1:30 a.m. when he struck a retaining wall in front of a bridge abutment on Sheridan Drive and died.
Student Association President Ernesto Alvarado met with members of SA clubs, the student body and others associated with SA last night to discuss the previous year, the year ahead and what is currently going on within the walls of the organization.
On Jan. 15, Governor David Paterson announced that he plans to give SUNY schools authority to raise and lower tuition at their discretion. This plan, referred to as the Public Higher Education Empowerment and Innovation Act, grants SUNY more autonomy from the state. Governor Paterson calls these reforms 'the most significant reforms to the state's system of public higher education in a generation' and said under this proposal, the tuition process would be taken out of the state budget process and turned over to SUNY. As of now, SUNY tuition for in-state students is $4,970, a 2 percent increase from last year to this year. In the past, tuition had been state-controlled, leaving tuition hikes up to Albany. They could occur with little to no notice, making paying for college an ongoing struggle for students and parents. This new plan, many believe, will help regulate tuition and keep it affordable. 'The innovation proposal provides students and their families with the ability to budget and plan for their investment,' said John Della Contrada, senior director of Media Relations, 'all while increasing excellence and maintaining access and diversity.' President John B. Simpson, who has been working toward this in the form of his UB2020 project, is excited for this development and considers it a big leap forward. 'This is a manifestation of what UB has been talking about for three years – tuition is not an educational device but a political one controlled by the legislature,' said Simpson. 'I think the act, if it should become law, will allow SUNY institutions to increase their quality and do business in the community.' The plan addresses the problem of university autonomy and allows the individual college to dictate where money is invested and needed and where it isn't. Under current regulation, money is distributed based on a governmental process and isn't necessarily being distributed based on the individual needs of the university inside the SUNY system. Those against the plan cite that this is simply the first step toward privatization of public colleges. A statement addressing these issues, released by John Della Contrada, states that this plan is a reform of the old, out-of-date process. Its goal is to provide SUNY schools with the tools they need and should not be viewed as privatization, but as a realistic response to unprecedented economic times. This statement provides evidence that this new legislation will create over 10,000 new direct jobs and over 30,000 construction jobs at SUNY's public research universities over the next ten years. Supporters believe it will jumpstart jobs in New York and help aid in the end of the recession. 'Our current system is not as effective as it could be,' said Della Contrada. 'These reforms will enable SUNY to realize its full potential to serve the state and avoid being hampered by unnecessary pre-approval processes that add time, complexity and cost to the taxpayer.' E-mail: news@ubspectrum.com
Student Association Special Interest Service and Hobbies Coordinator Nicholas Orrange was killed in a one-car crash on Thursday. He was 22 years old.
The group will meet once a week on Wednesdays to watch the show and get new ideas from it. The location will be announced at a later date.