Features - The Spectrum

FEATURES

UB Student Abroad Chooses to Stay in Japan

By Luke Hammill | Mar. 24, 2011

Kai Wasson, a senior anthropology major studying abroad at Japan's Konan University, will remain in the country to finish his program, despite the recent 8.9 magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami that wreaked havoc on the island nation and caused explosions at various nuclear reactors. He is the only UB student currently in Japan, according to Stephen Dunnett, vice provost for international education. Dunnett said that with the choice to stay in Japan, Wasson agreed to sign a waiver that absolves UB of liability for anything that might happen to him for the rest of his time there.

FEATURES

West Side Bazaar Celebrates Buffalo's Diversity

By Rebecca Bratek | Mar. 23, 2011

It only takes one drive down Grant Street on Buffalo's West Side to see how culturally and economically diverse this city is. Signs in Italian, Spanish, and Chinese advertise different local businesses selling clothing, meat, and everything in between. For years, there hasn't been a single business that united the spectrum of cultures. The West Side Bazaar, a market that hopes to "Bring the World to Buffalo," opened its doors on March 3, becoming the city's first world marketplace.

FEATURES

Disaster in Japan Ripples to Buffalo

By JENNIFER HARB and DANNIELLE O'TOOLE | Mar. 23, 2011

When the devastating 8.9 magnitude earthquake followed by a tsunami shook Japan on March 11, its effects truly rippled halfway around the world.

FEATURES

It's Easy Being Green

By HANNAH BARNES | Mar. 23, 2011

Green is the new black. The movement to become more environmentally friendly has been going on for several years now, and many people are doing their part to make the world a greener place.

FEATURES

In Defense of All Americans

By JAMES BOWE | Mar. 23, 2011

We've seen this before. It's become an old hat in this nation ? a comfortable and ugly hat that we put on over-and-over again, even when we see how ridiculous it is in the mirror. We tore Americans from their homes and sent them to internment camps because their families came from Japan, and we look back in shock and disgust.

FEATURES

UB Offers Support to Veterans

By JENNIFER HARB | Mar. 11, 2011

There are many avenues to support our troops while they're on duty, working, and fighting for our country, but there seems to be a disconnect once the troops return home. According to the 2010 National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), "student veterans attending four-year colleges and universities in the United States generally perceive lower levels of campus support than nonveterans, and they also interact less often with faculty members." Although the resources are available, oftentimes veterans are unaware of the options and support available at the University at Buffalo.

FEATURES

Don't Lose Focus!

By Michael Tyson | Mar. 11, 2011

If you take your eyes off the meaningful issue, don't be surprised when your meaningful rights disappear. I was puzzled by a string of posts that I saw on Facebook on Wednesday.

FEATURES

Part-Time Jobs That Don't Suck

By VERONICA RITTER | Mar. 8, 2011

Part-time jobs may be both a curse and a blessing for struggling college students who are strapped for cash and time. However, balancing a part-time job with school doesn't have to be the drag that many students associate with working.

FEATURES

"Sex, Sunshine, and Spring Break Safety"

By BRIDGETT GIRDLESTONE | Mar. 8, 2011

No one knows the intense urge for a vacation better than a college student. Spring break is next week, and it is time for many to escape.

FEATURES

Free Movies in Student Union Theater

By HANNAH BARNES | Mar. 6, 2011

Right now, a movie ticket at the Walden Galleria costs $10, and a small popcorn with a small drink costs $10.75.

FEATURES

Preservationists Run Amok

By Michael Tyson | Mar. 6, 2011

Imagine, if you will, a dangerous feature of architecture that is causing serious injury and death, but is being protected from alteration because it is considered historical. Across the nation, but more importantly right here in Western New York, deer have been getting impaled on or eviscerated by wrought iron fences that commonly surround cemeteries. Many deer have been found hanging from the fences at Williamsville Cemetery in Williamsville, N.Y.

FEATURES

LASA Wins International Fiesta Competition

By VERONICA RITTER | Mar. 6, 2011

International Fiesta, the annual cultural dance competition that pits the international clubs on campus against one another, took the main stage at the Center for the Arts this past Saturday. The Latin American Student Association (LASA) took home first place. This year's show, with a "global kaleidoscope" theme, highlighted five different cultures and Student Association clubs: LASA, Filipino American (FASA), Japanese (JSA), Malaysian (MASA), and Indian (ISA). Each club danced an eight- to 10-minute routine that paid homage to its culture's national dance. "[This was called a kaleidoscope] to illustrate how International Fiesta has always been a channel for UB students to have a glimpse into different cultures, and to experience these cultures without even having to leave the campus," said Janice Tong, the international council coordinator and a senior social sciences interdisciplinary major with a concentration in international studies. The show takes about a year to produce, and the dancers have prepared for the last four to five months.

FEATURES

The Battle is Back

By KEREN BARUCH | Mar. 6, 2011

For the seventh year in a row, the University at Buffalo is hosting its annual Battle of the Bands.

FEATURES

Students Show Some Love to their Professors

By HANNAH BARNES | Mar. 3, 2011

Truly great professors may be rare, but when found, they should be honored for their dedication and impactful teaching style.

FEATURES

A Call for Immediate Action

Mar. 3, 2011

In Governor Cuomo's proposed budget, $20 to $22 million is projected to be cut from the University at Buffalo this upcoming academic year.

FEATURES

Pulitzer Prize Winner Speaks to UB

By JAMES BOWE | Mar. 3, 2011

In a time when it seems that those who are the loudest are the only ones heard, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jhumpa Lahiri showed the audience quite the contrary.

FEATURES

A Fiesta of International Proportions

By Michael Tyson | Mar. 1, 2011

It's not every day that students can learn about several foreign cultures and be entertained with many different styles of dance ? all at the nearby Center for the Arts. On Saturday at 7:30 p.m., the International Club Council will put on its annual International Fiesta.

FEATURES

An Interview with Jhumpa Lahiri

Mar. 1, 2011

The Spectrum had an opportunity to interview Jhumpa Lahiri, winner of the Pulitizer Prize in 2000 for Interpreter of Maladies.

FEATURES

Not Your Typical Scholarship

By JENNIFER HARB | Mar. 1, 2011

Sometimes, scholarships are difficult to find, internships never seem to pay enough, if at all, and "gaining experience" seems to be more of an abstract term rather than a concrete activity. However, the Prentice Family Foundation's Western New York (WNY) Prosperity Scholarship encompasses all three concepts.

FEATURES

Benefit to be Held for Mason Gechell

By JENNIFER HARB | Feb. 28, 2011

Jump back to high school for a minute; imagine you're two months into your freshman year and about to celebrate Halloween with all your friends.