News - The Spectrum

UB physicians went on a four-day strike at the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus last week.

NEWS

Labor negotiations remain at standstill after UB physicians’ four-day strike

By CASSANDRA CHIAPPETTA and DELICIA MADHO | Sep. 10, 2024

Approximately 400 UB resident physicians, represented by the Union of American Physicians and Dentists (UAPD), went on a four-day strike at the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus (BNMC) last week to demand financial transparency and an equitable labor contract from their employer, University Medical Resident Services P.C. (UMRS), and the university.

NEWS

UB prioritizes electrification in new bus contract

By HANNAH RASHAD | Sep. 10, 2024

UB will be operating 11 new 25-passenger shuttles and 20 refurbished 39-passenger transit buses under a new 10-year transportation contract with WeDriveU, a non-UB-affiliated transportation provider, to transition into fully-electrified Stampede bus fleets.

The Spectrum attempted to reschedule an interview with Tripathi 12 times over the course of four months.

NEWS

After stalling for months, Tripathi ducks Spectrum interview

By GRANT ASHLEY | Sep. 4, 2024

UB President Satish Tripathi skirted an interview with The Spectrum after four months of attempts to reschedule. The interview was intended to give readers an unscripted view of Tripathi’s decision-making.

The UB Student Association's office located on the third floor of Student Union.

NEWS

SA calls on UB Foundation to invest ethically

By MYLIEN LAI | Sep. 3, 2024

With a unanimous vote of 3-0, the UB Student Association Executive Committee called upon the private UB Foundation to “not invest in entities, companies or organizations that engage in human rights abuses” in a Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP)-backed resolution that passed on Aug. 16.

NEWS

UB physicians to begin strike Tuesday

By MYLIEN LAI | Sep. 2, 2024

Over 800 UB resident physicians will begin a four-day strike on Tuesday as labor contract negotiations to increase salaries and improve working conditions failed to reach an agreement.

Pro-Palestine demonstrators criticize UB's police response to May 1 encampment during May 3 protest

NEWS

Students return to new UB protest policies

By MYLIEN LAI and HANNAH RASHAD | Aug. 31, 2024

UB released drafts of new protest policies that reinforce the prohibition of encampments, restrict assemblies to outdoor areas and limit posters to bulletin boards. John Della Contrada said that the alterations are “partly” in response to the criticism regarding UB’s forceful arrests of 15 pro-Palestine protesters during the May 1 encampment

UB's Jacobs School of Medicine is located on its downtown campus.

NEWS

Over 800 UB resident physicians expected to strike in September

By MYLIEN LAI | Aug. 16, 2024

Approximately 830 UB resident physicians intend to go on a two-day strike next month if “negotiations fail to improve” with their employer, University Medical Resident Services P.C. (UMRS).

The College of Arts and Sciences Dean's office in Capen 810.

NEWS

Schulze to resign CAS dean position

By MYLIEN LAI | July 22, 2024

As of last Wednesday, College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) Dean Robin Schulze will end her eight-year tenure as CAS dean and resume her role as a tenured UB professor.

Au Bon Pain will close and be replaced by a Bulls on the Run.

NEWS

UB replaces Au Bon Pain with new Bulls on the Run

By MYLIEN LAI | June 27, 2024

As its contract with UB expires, Au Bon Pain (ABP) — located in Greiner Hall — will be closed and reopened as a new Bulls on the Run location in the fall.

Maria Eichas from the 2024 Spring into Art event. | Courtesy of @moxxieband_

NEWS

UB student killed in Monroe County car crash

By MYLIEN LAI | June 11, 2024

Rising sophomore and engineering student Maria Eichas died on Burritt Road in Parma, NY, on June 2 at approximately 1 a.m., when 33-year-old Alexander Hackett crashed a Toyota Camry into the rear of Eichas’ Honda CRV. Hackett allegedly admitted to investigators that he consumed approximately four beers prior to driving and that he was not aware that he was on Burritt Road at the time of the incident.

NEWS

Pro-Palestine protesters arraigned in Amherst Town Court

By XIOLA BAGWELL and MYLIEN LAI | June 4, 2024

Fourteen pro-Palestine protesters — including seven UB students — were arraigned in Amherst Town Court on Tuesday for various non-criminal violations, including loitering, trespassing and disorderly conduct related to the May 1 pro-Palestine rally held on UB’s North Campus.

About 85 pro-Palestine demonstrators attempted an encampment on UB's North Campus to call on the UB Foundation to divest from companies tied to Israel. Police forcefully arrested 15 protesters.

NEWS

Buffalo woman arraigned for loitering and resisting arrest at May 1 protest

By MYLIEN LAI and ALISHA ALLISON | June 3, 2024

Pro-Palestine protester Jazmine Frazier was arraigned on one count of resisting arrest, a misdemeanor, and one count of loitering, a violation, in Amherst Town Court last Wednesday, according to the Erie County District Attorney’s office.

The May 6 pro-Israel rally drew about 75 demonstrators — a mix of students, faculty and non-university-affiliated community members — and took place on Holocaust Remembrance Day.

NEWS

UB student arraigned for encouraging shooting of on-campus pro-Israel rally

By GRANT ASHLEY | May 26, 2024

The student, Abdul Badjie, is facing one felony count and one misdemeanor charge for encouraging a shooting against the pro-Israel rally.

Last Friday, faculty voted whether they had confidence in CAS Dean Robin Schulze, Provost A. Scott Weber and UB President Satish K. Tripathi.

NEWS

CAS faculty votes confidence in Schulze, no confidence in Tripathi and Weber

By MYLIEN LAI | May 22, 2024

College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) faculty voted that they have confidence in the performance of CAS Dean Robin Schulze and no confidence in the performances of UB President Satish K. Tripathi and Provost A. Scott Weber.

The Faculty Senate voted last week to support the closure of the Nuclear Medicine Department, which is located in Parker Hall.

NEWS

Faculty Senate votes to support closing Department of Nuclear Medicine

By MYLIEN LAI and ALISHA ALLISON | May 20, 2024

The Faculty Senate unanimously voted last week to support the closure of the Nuclear Medicine Department due to “substantial debt, aging equipment, the lack of available capital to replace the equipment, decreased volume and an unsustainable business mode.”

Fronczak Hall's northeast entrance is still closed.

NEWS

Mercury spill locks down part of Fronczak Hall

By GRANT ASHLEY | May 17, 2024

UB’s Environment, Health and Safety Office has been investigating the origins of the spill but hasn’t found a “definitive source.”

Only one pro-Palestine protester has been charged with an actual criminal offense: resisting arrest, a misdemeanor. The rest are facing non-criminal, violation-level charges.

NEWS

Arrested pro-Palestine protesters still facing day in court

By GRANT ASHLEY | May 16, 2024

Protesters are currently facing “approximately 14 pending violation-level offenses." Only one individual has been charged with an actual criminal offense — resisting arrest, a misdemeanor.

Recycling collected from UB's campuses is sorted on South Campus, compacted into large bales and sold to a recycling mill. From there, the bales are broken down, sold to factories and made into new products.

NEWS

UB conducts first wide-scale waste audit in 10 years

By DOMINICK MATARESE | May 16, 2024

Bags of trash and recycling were taken from all three campuses and then analyzed. The results are being used to inform UB’s efforts to improve recycling on campus.

University Police (UPD) Chief Kim Beaty, pictured above, attended the May 1 protests alongside officers from a variety of departments. The Faculty Senate voted to condemn bringing outside law enforcement to peaceful protests.

NEWS

Faculty Senate passes resolution denouncing police ‘escalation’ at May 1 protest

By SOL HAUSER and MYLIEN LAI | May 16, 2024

The resolution calls for an investigation into “ad hoc, dangerous and discriminatory” enforcement of UB policies and demands a public review of University Police protocols.

SA President Becky Paul-Odionhin listens during Wednesday's Senate meeting.

NEWS

Pro-Palestinian, Pro-Israel students clash in heated SA Senate meeting

By SOL HAUSER , MYLIEN LAI and ALISHA ALLISON | May 10, 2024

Pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel students clashed with each other and with Student Association (SA) President Becky Paul-Odionhin for more than an hour at a tense and sometimes fiery SA Senate meeting Wednesday evening. Attendees argued over experiences of hate and discrimination at UB, and over Paul-Odionhin’s continued blockage of a vote on a Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP)-backed resolution.