News - The Spectrum

Charles Zukoski, who served as provost and executive vice president of Academic Affairs for seven years, will leave UB on Oct. 1.

NEWS

UB Provost Charles Zukoski leaving Oct. 1

By BRITTANY GORNY | Aug. 28, 2019

Charles Zukoski, UB’s provost and executive vice president of Academic Affairs of seven years, will leave UB on Oct. 1, President Satish Tripathi announced on Tuesday. The University of Southern California’s Board of Trustees appointed Zukoski as its next provost and senior vice president for Academic Affairs on Tuesday. During his time at UB, Zukoski “improved the university’s four and six-year retention rates, established the position of vice provost to promote equity and inclusion and helped to enrich the university’s undergraduate curriculum,” according to UB’s press release. UB will announce plans for the interim leadership of Zukoski’s positions in the coming days.

Associate Justice of the Supreme Court Ruth Bader Ginsburg (right) stands next to UB President Satish Tripathi and Acting Chairman of the SUNY Board of Trustees Merryl Tisch as she receives her honorary diploma from UB.

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Making UB notorious: Ruth Bader Ginsburg visits UB

By JACKLYN WALTERS | Aug. 27, 2019

On the first day of the 2019-20 academic school year, UB handed out another diploma. Associate Justice of the Supreme Court Ruth Bader Ginsburg visited Buffalo on Monday to accept an honorary doctoral degree from UB’s School of Law. Her appearance –– hosted by UB’s School of Law, the Bar Association of Erie County, the Western New York Chapter of the Women’s Bar Association and the Minority Bar Association of Western New York –– marks the first time a Supreme Court Justice has received a SUNY honorary degree or has come to UB.

UB Vice President Scott Weber answers questions during Tuesday's briefing as UB Spokesperson John DellaContrada looks on.

NEWS

UB initiates probation, lifts suspension on most social Greek life organizations

By BRENTON J. BLANCHET and BRITTANY GORNY | Aug. 21, 2019

UB announced all social Greek life organizations, except for one, are no longer suspended but remain on probation as it revealed its Greek Life Review Committee’s recommendations Tuesday afternoon.

A student studies in the Music Library in December. UB announced a plan to move the library on Thursday.

NEWS

UB Libraries announces plan to move Music Library to Lockwood

By BENJAMIN BLANCHET | Aug. 2, 2019

UB’s Music Library, a 50-plus-year-old collection of scores, LPs and more, is set to be moved to Lockwood Library, according to UB.

(Left to right) Connor Walters, Arsh Issany and Joshua Lippes discuss UB’s decision to dissolve Sub-Board I in The Spectrum's office in May.

NEWS

State Supreme Court dismisses lawsuit between Sub-Board I and UB

By SAMANTHA VARGAS | July 30, 2019

State Supreme Court Judge Tracey Bannister dismissed the lawsuit between Sub-Board I and UB following a 90-minute trial Tuesday morning.

NEWS

UB, Sub-Board I court hearing rescheduled

By JACKLYN WALTERS | July 24, 2019

State Supreme Court Judge Tracey Bannister postponed today's 9:30 a.m. court hearing between UB and Sub-Board I to July 30 at 8:30 a.m.

Construction for One World Café began outside Norton Hall and is expected to be completed by August 2021.

NEWS

One World Café construction to continue through fall semester

By ALEXANDRA MOYEN and JACKLYN WALTERS | July 8, 2019

After two years of planning, construction for the One World Café began on May 20. The roughly $20 million project is expected to be completed by August 2021. UB hired CannonDesign, an integrated global design firm, to handle construction for the over 50,000-square-foot cafe. The cafe will be between Capen Hall and Norton Hall on North Campus, causing construction to impact students’ navigation paths starting in the fall. Graham Hammill, vice provost for educational affairs and dean of the graduate school, said construction will be a “large” and “marginalizing” process, as it will affect a large part of North Campus.

NEWS

State Supreme Court amends temporary restraining order against UB

By JACKLYN WALTERS | July 1, 2019

A New York State Supreme Court Judge amended Sub-Board I’s temporary restraining order against UB earlier today. The TRO –– originally issued June 26 –– now states that UB is restrained from removing SBI operations until July 31.

NEWS

State Supreme Court orders UB to temporarily halt fiscal agent transition

By JACKLYN WALTERS | June 26, 2019

A State Supreme Court Judge issued a temporary restraining order against UB, barring implementation of all decisions put forth on May 6.

Menstrual products are now available in select bathrooms across campus.

NEWS

Free menstrual products now available in UB bathrooms

By BRITTANY GORNY | June 23, 2019

Free menstrual products are now available in 20 bathrooms, seven in the Student Union and 13 other gender-neutral bathrooms, across UB’s three campuses, as of June 1.

The now-former Kapoor Hall on South Campus.

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UB officially renames Kapoor Hall

By BRITTANY GORNY | June 20, 2019

UB will remove John and Editha Kapoor’s names from their South Campus building, which will now be called the “Pharmacy Building.”

Glenn Brown (BSU Vice President), Awa Magassouba (BSU Treasurer), Florence Ayeni (BSU President) and Varnel Fleurisma (BSU Secretary) pose for a photo outside the Student Union. The four e-board members hope to build off the club’s past and instill BSU’s history in the lives of incoming students during the 2019-20 school year.

NEWS

Black Student Union e-board to use history to enrich the present

By BENJAMIN BLANCHET | June 12, 2019

The Black Student Union is one of UB’s oldest and the largest minority clubs. With thousands of students taking part over its 50-plus year history, BSU’s incoming e-board hopes to retain, grow and flourish its reach in the year ahead. The Spectrum sat down with its four student leaders to discuss what’s ahead, why they joined and the value of their organization in 2019.

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Safe to re-enter buildings after North Campus gas leak

By JACKLYN WALTERS | June 11, 2019

North Campus buildings are safe to re-enter following this morning’s gas leak.

Members of the Living Stipend Movement discuss the events of the UB Council meeting after the council went into executive session.

NEWS

UB Council doesn’t discuss Sub-Board I or Living Stipend Movement, goes through with Kapoor Hall name removal

By JACKLYN WALTERS and TANVEEN VOHRA | June 3, 2019

Student Representative Michael Brown called into Monday’s UB Council meeting and spoke for 15 minutes, denouncing the university’s decision to remove Sub-Board I as the fiscal agent for student fees.

Liesl Folks, dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, joined UB in 2013. Provost Charles Zukoski announced Wednesday that Folks would leave on July 26.

NEWS

Liesl Folks to leave as School of Engineering and Applied Sciences dean

By BENJAMIN BLANCHET | May 23, 2019

Liesl Folks, dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, is set to leave her position on July 26, according to an announcement from Provost Charles Zukoski on Wednesday. The University of Arizona announced Wednesday it would make Folks the senior vice president for academic affairs and provost on July 29.

2020 presidential candidate Joe Biden charged UB $200,000 for his speech and visit to Alumni Arena in October, according to documents obtained through a Freedom of Information Law request.

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UB Foundation paid Joe Biden $200,000 for October speech at UB, contract shows

By BENJAMIN BLANCHET | May 20, 2019

The UB Foundation paid former Vice President Joe Biden $200,000 for his October 2018 speech in Alumni Arena, according to documents The Spectrum obtained Monday through a Freedom of Information Law request.

Students protest FSA as the fiscal agent for student funds on the fifth floor of Capen Hall.

NEWS

Sub-Board I holds rally against UB's fiscal agent decision

By TANVEEN VOHRA | May 15, 2019

Roughly 40 UB community members flooded the fifth floor of Capen Hall on Tuesday morning. They occupied chairs, couches and the floor while yelling “No Way FSA,” and “Save SBI.”

Copies of The Spectrum sat in Student Union trash cans on Thursday following student disposals.

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Fraternity members under UB judicial review following Thursday’s Spectrum paper disposals

By BENJAMIN BLANCHET | May 14, 2019

Sigma Chi Omega members are under UB judicial review after allegedly throwing away hundreds of Spectrum copies which reported on the fraternity. Two Spectrum reporters found roughly 400 copies of the newspaper in Student Union garbage cans on Thursday. Reporters contacted University Police, which reviewed camera footage of people throwing out papers and contacted Director of Fraternity and Sorority Life Pamela Jackson. Jackson identified a student who threw out the papers through photos from the fraternity’s banquet. The issue was The Spectrum’s last of the 2018-19 academic year and cost $850 to print.

A. Scott Weber, the Vice President for Student Life, discusses the review committee’s decision to make FSA the new fiscal agent for student governments.

NEWS

UB to replace Sub-Board I with Faculty Student Association as student government fiscal agent

By JACKLYN WALTERS and TANVEEN VOHRA | May 9, 2019

UB is replacing Sub-Board I, which has overseen student government funds for the past 49 years, with the Faculty Student Association, a private nonprofit.

President Tripathi talked with The Spectrum Monday about Greek life and the May Day rally that ended with a coffin in his office.

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UB President Satish Tripathi discusses Greek life, campus protests and Kapoor Hall renaming

By BRENTON J. BLANCHET , JACKLYN WALTERS and TANVEEN VOHRA | May 9, 2019

Satish Tripathi has been UB president for eight years and said he’ll continue to serve the role as long as he feels like he can “make a difference.” Or –– as he joked –– as long as he doesn’t get fired.