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Chairs rest on top of tables in the Student Union.
NEWS

Student workers struggle to remain financially independent following coronavirus lay-offs

By ELIZABETH NAPOLITANO | Apr. 13, 2020

Rutuja Sawant knows the value of hard work. This spring, the senior media studies major juggled three campus jobs in addition to a full-time course load.  But when UB announced its transition to distance learning, Sawant’s bosses at the Integrated Medical Center and Intercultural Diversity Center couldn’t give her hours. Then the Office of Admissions laid Sawant off. 

Erie County District Attorney John Flynn announced Monday his office won’t file criminal charges for the April 2019 death of 18-year-old UB freshman Sebastian Serafin-Bazan. 
NEWS

District attorney's office not filing charges for suspected hazing death

By REILLY MULLEN | Apr. 6, 2020

Erie County District Attorney John Flynn announced Monday his office won’t file criminal charges for the April 2019 death of 18-year-old UB freshman Sebastian Serafin-Bazan.  Serafin-Bazan was found unconscious on the lawn of 69 Custer St., which belonged to the Sigma Pi fraternity, on April 12, 2019. He later died on April 17. 

NEWS

Financial analyst denies ‘preconceived agenda’ in UB analysis

By JULIAN ROBERTS-GRMELA | Apr. 6, 2020

Howard Bunsis –– the Eastern Michigan University accounting professor who reported UB spends more on administration than any of its “peers” –– denies UB’s statement that his independent financial analysis had a “preconceived agenda.”  Bunsis’ report, which he released in February, called UB financial reporting “less transparent” than any of the over 100 universities he examined over the last 15 years. UB’s response urged readers to be “very skeptical of its findings” and said Bunsis had a “preconceived agenda” because he was hired. UB said the “report contains several flaws, inaccuracies and inconsistencies that misrepresent and misinterpret UB’s budget and budgeting process.” But Bunsis, in an April 3 email, said his report was based on “facts.”

UB is planning to host virtual commencement according to President Satish Tripathi's Monday email.
NEWS

UB to host virtual graduation ceremonies for class of 2020

By ELIZABETH NAPOLITANO | Apr. 6, 2020

UB will host a virtual commencement ceremony for its class of 2020, according to a Monday email from President Satish Tripathi.  Planning for the online ceremony is underway, according to Tripathi, with schools expected to email students graduation details in the coming weeks. The email did not name which online platforms UB would make available for the ceremony’s streaming. 

Roswell Park Cancer Institute, where the first patient in Buffalo received sarilumab treatment.
NEWS

UB contributes to local pandemic preparations

By JULIAN ROBERTS-GRMELA | Apr. 4, 2020

The Food and Drug Administration gave UB and Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center permission Wednesday to begin a “collaborative clinical study” using an experimental drug, sarilumab, to try to treat some COVID-19 effects. Igor Puzanov, the trial’s co-principal investigator, hopes the drug, which reduces inflammation, may alleviate some of COVID-19’s worst symptoms like lung injury. 

Spectrum editor talks to Mingchen Cai, a sophomore media study major from China.
NEWS

International students navigate travel bans and visa status amid COVID-19 crisis

By VINDHYA BURUGUPALLI | Mar. 31, 2020

Mingchen Cai went home to China over winter break to see his family. Upon returning to Buffalo, he had to self-isolate. But Cai never anticipated New York becoming a virus hotspot.  Now, he feels “trapped.” Cai is just one of many international students at UB who decided to stay in Buffalo as U.S. COVID-19 cases rose from 5,000 to more than 130,000 across the nation in the last two weeks. 

NEWS

Meet the candidates: 2020-21 Student Association executive board

By JULIAN ROBERTS-GRMELA | Mar. 23, 2020

Student Association elections will take place 10 a.m. Tuesday until 5 p.m. Thursday through UBLinked, according to members of the elections committee.  While elections usually take place at a physical polling location in the Student Union, this year’s move to online voting comes after UB’s switch to a “distance-learning” model and SA’s cancellation of all other SA events.

NEWS

Students face limited on-campus dining options during first spring-break weekend

By BENJAMIN BLANCHET and ISABELLA FORTUNATO | Mar. 15, 2020

After university officials announced Wednesday that “dining will be open for students who remain on campus” given a “distance-learning” shift at UB, students woke up to the contrary on Saturday. Security gates shut down popular on-campus food establishments Saturday and the only places open on campus were in The Commons, which does not accept student dining plans.

Redshirt forward Laquill Hardnett being heavily guarded in the paint by a Miami defender.
SPORTS

Mid-American Conference cancels all remaining competitions

By JUSTIN WEISS | Mar. 13, 2020

The Mid-American Conference canceled all remaining regular season and championship competitions for the remainder of the 2019-20 academic year, commissioner Jon Steinbrecher announced Thursday. “During this unprecedented health crisis that continues to evolve daily, we fully support the decision made today by the Mid-American Conference and the NCAA,” UB Athletics Director Mark Alnutt said in a press release. “While we are disappointed for our student-athletes, coaches and staff who have worked diligently to prepare this spring and have had their seasons cut short, their health, safety and well-being will always be our top priority.”

NEWS

UBIT warns students of 'cybercriminals' taking advantage of COVID-19

By JULIAN ROBERTS-GRMELA | Mar. 13, 2020

Cybercriminals are using phishing attacks to take advantage of COVID-19 worries, according to UB Information Technology.  The Center for Disease Control and the World Health Organization warned that cybercriminals are using the organnizations’ names and images for phishing attacks –– when cybercriminals pose as reputable organizations to convince people to share personal information. The University of Michigan warned students to beware of scams including: promotion of products that claim to prevent, treat or cure COVID-19; requests for money from fraudulent charities; misinformation; phishing; and links to malicious websites disguised as COVID-19 maps. UBIT wrote in a news release that “phishing emails will likely include alerts and warnings about the coronavirus outbreak, along with a link.” 

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