News - The Spectrum

NEWS

Johns' resignation is latest in series of Student Association corruption

By AARON MANSFIELD | Sep. 22, 2013

The Student Association controls $4.1 million of student funds. In the past five years, its leaders have been the source of five major scandals. Last week's resignation of President Nick Johns - who was accused of a litany of offenses, including harassment, falsifying time sheets and mishandling funds - is the latest in a pattern of impropriety that has been steady since 2008. Let's rewind: - In the 2012-13 school year, Treasurer Justin Neuwirt accused President Travis Nemmer and his "cronies" of rigging SA's election to get Johns voted into office. - In 2011-12, Treasurer Sikander Khan attempted to invest $297,000 of student funds in a mobile application from a fraudulent company called "Virtual

NEWS

Kung Fu Tea to open in The Commons

By KEVIN HONG | Sep. 19, 2013

Mike Jiang thinks Buffalo is missing some culture. His solution? A bubble tea bistro in The Commons. Jiang, a UB alum who majored in business and communication, is opening a Kung Fu Tea, a popular destination for bubble-milk tea in the New York City area.

NEWS

"After Johns' resignation, Student Association looks ahead"

By SAM FERNANDO | Sep. 19, 2013

At 4:45 p.m. on Wednesday, Student Association President Nick Johns signed his resignation papers in front of Vice President Lyle Selsky and Treasurer Siddhant Chhabria. Johns was accused of harassment, inappropriately accepting gifts, mishandling SA funds, hiring personal friends over more qualified candidates, being absent from important events and falsifying documents. A petition for Johns' impeachment was circulating and had over 2,000 signatures. In a written statement to The Spectrum, Johns said he resigned because the "prolonged conflict would create fundamentally irreparable fractures in the structure of the SA." He also said he could have beaten the charges against him because the "ridiculous" allegations were "unsubstantiated and [the] evidence [was] circumstantial." "Win or lose, it would have clouded the entire academic year in a mire of discontent and distrust," he wrote.

NEWS

Police Blotter

Sep. 19, 2013

9/10

NEWS

Student Association President Nick Johns resigns

By SAM FERNANDO | Sep. 18, 2013

At 4:45 p.m. today, Student Association President Nick Johns signed his resignation papers in front of Vice President Lyle Selsky and Treasurer Siddhant Chhabria. Selsky is now interim president, effective immediately. Chhabria said he and Selsky met with Johns earlier this week to discuss his future in SA.

NEWS

Top 10 highest UB-paid salaries

By SARA DINATALE | Sep. 17, 2013

UB is directly paying $15,000 more to Provost Charles Zukoski than President Satish Tripathi. But annually, Tripathi is actually taking home more money than the provost. Tripathi, on top of his base salary of $385,000, also receives $115,000 per year from the SUNY Research Foundation and $150,000 from the UB Foundation (UBF), according to a UB press release issued when Triapthi was appointed president in 2011. The Spectrum obtained the university salaries of UB's top 10 highest paid employees, but many UB higher-ups receive supplemental compensation - which were not included in the numbers provided by the university - in addition to their annual salaries. With the compensations, Tripathi's take-home is higher than Zukoski's, according to UB Spokesman John Della Contrada. UBF, though associated with UB, is a private corporation that manages gifts to the university. Tripathi isn't the only UB administrator receiving monies in addition to his UB salary.

NEWS

SA office broken into for second time in two weeks

Sep. 17, 2013

Last weekend, an unidentified suspect broke into the Student Association office, room 350 in the Student Union, and stole three 50-inch flat screen televisions, marking the second SA break-in in the past two weeks, according to Vice President Lyle Selsky. He said the University Police Department (UPD) is still investigating the details of the incident, but he doesn't believe anything else was stolen. Selsky said SA is currently looking to purchase security cameras for the SA office to prevent another break-in. Two weeks ago, Selsky said an SA master key - a swipe card - was missing from the SA office.

NEWS

With great money comes great responsibility

By MOHAMMED SHARIFF | Sep. 17, 2013

Editor's note: For the purpose of this article, the budget amounts include rollover funds from the previous year. The Student Association, which currently controls over $3.6 million, is responsible for the budgets of over 150 student clubs.

NEWS

Former Bull Johnson believes he was unfairly removed from football team

By AARON MANSFIELD | Sep. 15, 2013

Rudy Johnson says football head coach Jeff Quinn has wronged him. This summer, Johnson, a wide receiver, lost his scholarship and was kicked off the team.

NEWS

News Briefs for Sept. 15

Sep. 15, 2013

Local Construction on a canal system close the First Niagara Center is expected to begin this week. The plans are in conjunction with the $123 million plan to create a "multi-purpose complex" outside the Buffalo Sabres' arena.

NEWS

New center aims to make 'a writer tomorrow'

By JOE KONZE JR | Sep. 15, 2013

The English Department is trying to make better writers at UB. On Monday, UB opened the Center for Excellence in Writing (CEW) in Baldy Hall 209.

NEWS

SA members inch closer to impeaching President Nick Johns

Sep. 12, 2013

Student Association members have reported collecting about 2,000 signatures in their effort to impeach SA President Nick Johns. SA Entertainment Director Erin Lachaal is hoping to collect the necessary 2,541 signatures needed for impeachment by Friday, but she said a more realistic day would be Monday. Those seeking Johns' impeachment must collect the names and person numbers of the students and give the list to Student Life to be verified.

NEWS

SA members start petition to impeach SA president

Sep. 11, 2013

Student Association Entertainment Director Erin Lachaal reported she and other SA members have received about 1,500 signatures in their effort to impeach SA President Nick Johns. This week, SA members have circulated a petition throughout the Student Union and other areas on campus to collect the 2,541 student signatures - one more than the total votes cast in March's election - needed to impeach Johns. They must collect students' names and person numbers and give the list to Student Life if they reach the number.

NEWS

Fake Fest 2013

By MAX CRINNIN | Sep. 10, 2013

What impact can 20 pieces of paper have on an entire college campus? Christopher Riddick knows. The $1.60 charge on his print queue seems a small price to pay for the attention his fake Fall Fest posters garnered on campus Monday.

NEWS

A fresh start

By AMANDA LOW | Sep. 10, 2013

An organized Korean presence has been missing on campus since the Korean Student Association (KSA) was disbanded last semester.

NEWS

Reevaluating Spirit's platform

By JOE KONZE JR | Sep. 9, 2013

The Spirit Party promised transparency, inclusiveness and efficiency in its "TIE" platform. The Spectrum checked up with the e-board to chart their progress. Platform:

NEWS

The president's end?

By AARON MANSFIELD and SAM FERNANDO | Sep. 8, 2013

Student Association higher-ups say Nick Johns is unfit to be president and SA members have begun to circulate a petition to have him impeached. Last week, SA officials brought a list of allegations against Johns to The Spectrum, which include: inappropriately accepting gifts, mishandling SA funds, hiring personal friends over more qualified candidates, being absent from important events, falsifying documents, mistreating staff and harassing Chief of Staff Jennifer Merckel.

NEWS

CDS backs Buffalo

By SAM FERNANDO | Sep. 5, 2013

Five years ago, Jeff Brady, the executive director of Campus Dining & Shops (CDS), began seeing a trend in Western New York.

NEWS

UB discusses potential U.S. involvement in Syria

By JOE KONZE JR | Sep. 4, 2013

On Saturday, President Barack Obama announced he is seeking congressional authorization to take military action in punitive strikes against the Syrian government for alleged use of chemical weapons. In his speech, Obama laid out that the United States has a "moral responsibility to respond forcefully" to the situation.

NEWS

"UB settles harassment lawsuit for $255,000"

Sep. 4, 2013

A former UB employee has settled a harassment lawsuit against the school and a former associate dean for the amount of $255,000. Lesley Shiner, 64, a former clerk in the School of Dental Medicine, accused Dr. Jude Fabiano, 62, the former associate dean of clinical affairs in the School of Dental Medicine, of making unwanted sexual advances at a holiday party December 21, 2010.