News - The Spectrum

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

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.

UB named Kemper Lewis SEAS dean on Wednesday. Photo courtesy of UB.

NEWS

UB names School of Engineering and Applied Sciences dean

By ELIZABETH NAPOLITANO | Apr. 1

UB named Kemper Lewis dean of UB’s School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Provost A. Scott Weber announced Wednesday.

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

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.

SA treasurer Kendra Harris speaks at a board meeting in March. Harris says she's pursuing refunds for student's activity fees.

NEWS

SA treasurer says she’s pursuing student activity fees refunds

By JULIAN ROBERTS-GRMELA | Mar. 29

The Student Association has “approximately” $900,000 of student fees left from this semester after SA cancelled all events, activities and meetings until May 16, according to SA Treasurer Kendra Harris. Harris said she’s pursuing prorated refunds for students’ activity fees.

The Jacobs School, from The Spectrum archives.

NEWS

Medical student tests positive for COVID-19

By ELIZABETH NAPOLITANO | Mar. 26

A medical student tested positive for COVID-19, according to a Wednesday email from Vice President for Health Sciences and Dean of the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences Michael Cain.

NEWS

Class of 2020 reflects on meaning of graduation after UB postpones spring ceremonies

By ELIZABETH NAPOLITANO | Mar. 25

Commencement is a rite of passage for students who spend years studying, interning and researching their way to the graduation stage, but this spring, UB will not hold its scheduled commencement ceremonies for the class of 2020.

NEWS

UB amends grading policy for spring semester

By JUSTIN WEISS | Mar. 23

UB will allow students to resign classes and elect to have their grading changed from a letter grade to satisfactory/unsatisfactory (S/U) through the last day of spring 2020 exams, the university announced Saturday.

NEWS

Meet the candidates: 2020-21 Student Association executive board

By JULIAN ROBERTS-GRMELA | Mar. 23

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.

A student walks on the terrace of the Ellicott Complex.

NEWS

UB urges students to not return to campus housing after recommending they move out by Sunday

By ELIZABETH NAPOLITANO | Mar. 19

UB ordered students to not return to on-campus dorms and apartments Wednesday night, hours after UB President Satish Tripathi announced that a community member tested positive for COVID-19.

Students walk outside of the Student Union on Wednesday.

NEWS

UB community member tests positive for COVID-19

By ALEXANDRA MOYEN | Mar. 18

A UB community member tested positive for COVID-19 Wednesday and is currently in mandatory isolation in their off-campus residence, according to an email from UB President Satish Tripathi.

Weber speaks at his provost pitch in December. The Spectrum talked with the provost Tuesday about how UB is handling the shift to "distance learning."

NEWS

UB Provost A. Scott Weber navigates ‘unprecedented territory’ of COVID-19 situation

By BENJAMIN BLANCHET | Mar. 18

UB Provost A. Scott Weber recognizes this “changing” situation (before our interview, the housing refund news was hours away). He talked to The Spectrum via phone Tuesday as UB adjusts to a new reality: the coronavirus/COVID-19 global health pandemic has caused UB to shift to a “distance-learning” model effective March 23.

NEWS

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

By BENJAMIN BLANCHET and ISABELLA FORTUNATO | Mar. 15

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.

Shark Tank investor and FUBU founder Daymond John talks business at the Center for the Arts.

NEWS

‘Love what you do:’ Daymond John shares five points for success at UB

By ALEXANDRA MOYEN and TAYLOR AJITSINGH | Mar. 14

As UB canceled everything, Daymond John was the maestro for a crowd of over 50 people as they defied social-distancing regulations so he could talk about a TV show. Daymond John said he saw “future” and “current sharks” in the audience of UB students who were taking notes during his speech Wednesday.

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

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

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.”

NEWS

SEAS to move all operations online

By REILLY MULLEN | Mar. 12

All School of Engineering and Applied Sciences courses, including labs and tests, will be taught online beginning March 23, following Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s mandatory “distance-learning model.”

NEWS

Chemistry department ‘will not hold in-person’ labs

By REILLY MULLEN | Mar. 12

UB’s chemistry department will not hold in-person lab sessions during Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s mandatory “distance-learning model” for SUNY and CUNY schools.

ARTS

Students in Theatre and Dance department push for exception to ‘distance-learning’ model

By ISABELLA FORTUNATO | Mar. 12

Students in UB’s Theatre and Dance department sent letters to the department chair, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, provost and president asking for an exception to Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s newly implemented “distance-learning” class model.

NEWS

‘This is unprecedented:’ Students react to UB’s move to ‘distance-learning’ model

By JUSTIN WEISS and ELIZABETH NAPOLITANO | Mar. 11

Students were confused Wednesday as Gov. Andrew Cuomo and UB announced a move to a “distance-learning” model on March 23 for the rest of the spring semester.

A. Scott Weber speaking at the press conference Wednesday.

NEWS

UB moves to ‘distance-learning’ model for rest of spring semester

By JULIAN ROBERTS-GRMELA and REILLY MULLEN | Mar. 11

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced all SUNY and CUNY schools will transition to online classes starting March 19 during a press conference Wednesday at 1:45 p.m.