News - The Spectrum

NEWS

UB faculty member charged with illegally importing heroin and cocaine

By BRENTON J. BLANCHET | Dec. 18, 2018

A UB faculty member was arrested at his Hamburg home on Monday and charged with a federal drug crime, according to an announcement from U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. on Tuesday. Torin Finver, a clinical assistant professor of family medicine at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, was arrested and charged with importing a controlled substance, a charge that has a maximum penalty of a $1 million fine and 20 years in prison, according to the U.S. Attorney's office.

NEWS

University Police appoints new chief of police

By JACKLYN WALTERS | Dec. 18, 2018

University Police appointed a new chief of police Monday after a national search. Chris Bartolomei, former UPD assistant police chief and interim chief, began the official role as chief on Monday, following his appointment. UPD chose Bartolomei after community forums for him and two other final candidates earlier this month.

Graham Hammill (front center), vice provost for Graduate Education and dean of the Graduate School, sits among other UB administrators as Living Stipend movement members protest behind him.

NEWS

Living Stipend Movement crowds UB Council meeting

By MAX KALNITZ and JACKLYN WALTERS | Dec. 11, 2018

Graduate students held signs reading “UB works because we do” and chanted with clenched fists as the UB Council conducted its Monday meeting in Capen Hall’s Buffalo Room. Roughly 100 TAs, faculty, graduate students and Ph.D. students attended the meeting to voice concerns about the university’s choice to not increase graduate student stipends.

Lisa Genova, a Harvard-educated neuroscientist and author, sat down with The Spectrum before her Distinguished Speaker lecture Thursday night.

NEWS

The Spectrum’s interview with Lisa Genova

By TANVEEN VOHRA | Dec. 9, 2018

Lisa Genova, a Harvard-educated neuroscientist, has written five novels and spent some time on the New York Times bestseller list. Genova sat down with The Spectrum for an exclusive interview on Thursday night, ahead of her Distinguished Speakers Series speech at the Center for the Arts.

NEWS

Police blotter

By News Desk | Dec. 6, 2018

11/29 1:45 a.m.: A custodian notified UPD of a homeless woman sleeping in the Flag Room in the Student Union. UPD advised the woman she couldn’t stay there, escorted her out of the building and gave her directions to Harbor House if she needed a place to stay for the remainder of the night.

Students celebrated Hanukkah in the Student Union Monday with Chabad of Buffalo. They ate traditional food, played games and collected toys and money for children with cancer in the Buffalo region.

NEWS

Hanukkah away from home

By JACKLYN WALTERS | Dec. 6, 2018

Chabad of Buffalo is working to ensure that Jewish students have a place to call home while they celebrate Hanukkah during the last week of classes.

Chris Bartolomei, interim chief of police (left) and Mark Coldren, chair of the chief of police search committee (right) talk during a community forum Wednesday. Bartolomei is one of three candidates being considered for the position. The other two candidates will speak at forums on Thursday and Friday.

NEWS

University Police interview final candidates for chief of police

By JACKLYN WALTERS | Dec. 6, 2018

The University Police Department is holding forums this week, where three chief-of-police candidates will present their visions to the UB community.

UB students and professors traveled to Albany on Thursday to compete in the New York State Department of Health’s Aging Innovation Challenge. The group presented its prototype for a system that uses 3D-printed objects and smartphone technology to measure the progress of individuals’ rehabilitation.

NEWS

UB participates in New York State Department of Health Aging Innovation Challenge

By MAX KALNITZ | Dec. 3, 2018

UB was one of five schools to make it to the final round of Thursday’s New York State Department of Health Aging Innovation Challenge in Albany.

NEWS

Male student breaks into female’s dorm, sexually assaults student

By MAX KALNITZ | Dec. 3, 2018

University Police received an anonymous report about a sexual assault in Richmond Quadrangle on Sunday at around 6 a.m.

NEWS

News briefs

By News Desk | Dec. 3, 2018

Campus Grant given to support UB ophthalmology research The National Eye Institute granted $2.2 million to support the research of Steven J. Fliesler, vice chair and director of research in the department of ophthalmology in the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, according to UBNow.

NEWS

Making ‘cents’ of the broad-based fee

By BENJAMIN BLANCHET | Nov. 28, 2018

This year, Buffalonians will spend as much as $68 to see just one of the six distinguished speakers on North Campus. But the average undergraduate student will pay a fraction of that cost: $1.06. That’s roughly the price of a McDonald’s coffee plus tax.

Liesl Folks, dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, presents data about how the school determines its graduate student stipend packages at Tuesday’s Faculty Senate meeting. Administrators in attendance reinforced the university’s stance that stipends are “fair” and “competitive,” despite criticism that they should be higher.

NEWS

Administrators say they cannot increase graduate stipends

By MAX KALNITZ | Nov. 28, 2018

UB administrators presented data on Ph.D. stipend packages during Tuesday’s Faculty Senate meeting, reinforcing the university’s stance that they are fair and competitive compared to other institutions.

Provost Zukoski stood next to the newly implemented monument as he dedicated the memorial garden to those buried at the former Erie County Poorhouse. Zukoski spoke about the history of the poorhouse and its importance to the UB community at the ceremony.

NEWS

UB creates garden to memorialize former poorhouse residents

By JACKLYN WALTERS | Nov. 28, 2018

UB dedicated a new memorial garden to remember those who were buried in the former Erie County Poorhouse Cemetery on South Campus.

NEWS

Police blotter

By News Desk | Nov. 28, 2018

11/22 4:07 a.m.: UPD issued a traffic stop on Chestnut Ridge Road. The male driver received a DWI. 8:36 a.m.: UPD responded to a call about an elevator entrapment at the Wilkeson Quadrangle. A student was stuck in between floors before the elevator technician freed them.

NEWS

News briefs

By News Desk | Nov. 19, 2018

Campus UB Nomas earns first place for transit station design UB’s National Organization of Minority Architecture Students won first place in the 2018 Barbara G. Laurie NOMA Annual Student Design Competition on Friday.

President Tripathi signed a Faculty Senate resolution to protect non-citizen members of the UB community. If the Trump administration takes any actions against the demographic, students, faculty and staff will remain safe on campus and their immigration status will not be questioned.

NEWS

President Tripathi signs resolution protecting non-citizen members of university

By MAX KALNITZ | Nov. 19, 2018

UB President Satish Tripathi signed and announced his support for a Faculty Senate resolution protecting non-U.S. citizen members of the UB community from any legislation passed by the Trump administration.

NEWS

Arrest made in hit-and-run collision at Hadley Village

By MAX KALNITZ | Nov. 16, 2018

University police made an arrest in the Nov. 1 hit-and-run collision Friday, roughly two weeks after the driver sent a 20-year-old student to the hospital in critical condition. UPD arrested Hannah Christensen, 20, a student from Clifton Park, New York, who lives in an off-campus apartment in Buffalo, according to a UPD press release. Christensen has been charged with leaving the scene of a serious injury accident without reporting, a class E felony.

Ajay Singh pictured with his wife and child. Colleagues and students remember researcher who unexpectedly died on Oct. 20.

NEWS

Remembering Ajay Singh

By MAX KALNITZ | Nov. 15, 2018

If you ask one of Ajay Singh’s colleagues about their fondest memory of the researcher, his infectious smile and laugh are the first things that come to mind.

NEWS

Police Blotter

By News Desk | Nov. 15, 2018

11/8 1:16 a.m.: University Police received a call regarding a suspicious person in Silverman Library. UPD made an arrest and filed a report. 5:39 p.m.: A caller requested assistance with their vehicle on White Road in Governors B parking lot. UPD provided assistance.

Peter Diamandis met with The Spectrum to discuss human longevity, space exploration and his passion for his work.

NEWS

The Spectrum’s interview with Peter Diamandis

By JACKLYN WALTERS | Nov. 15, 2018

Businessman and innovator Peter Diamandis has founded over 22 companies, is a New York Times bestseller and teaches Silicon Valley technology innovation at Singularity University –– which he co-founded.