News - The Spectrum

Two Buffalo police officers arrest a protester Wednesday, May 1, 2024, on UB's North Campus.

NEWS

7 students arrested during May 1 protest will not face on-campus disciplinary action

By GRANT ASHLEY | May 9, 2024

UB will not charge the seven students arrested during last week’s pro-Palestine demonstration with Student Code of Conduct violations, a university spokesperson told The Spectrum Thursday evening. The seven students — plus eight protesters not affiliated with the university — were arrested on May 1 after they refused to disperse at sundown. UB administrators maintain that by doing so, the protesters violated the university’s Picketing and Assembling Policy, which prohibits “overnight assemblies.”

Law enforcement used this UB Stampede bus to transport detained protesters in the wake of last week's pro-Palestine demonstration.

NEWS

SA Senate votes to condemn use of Stampede buses in arrests

By MYLIEN LAI | May 9, 2024

The resolution follows the use of a Stampede bus to transport arrested protesters from the scene of a pro-Palestine demonstration last week.

Former UB Council student representative candidate Jack Walsh listens during a Student Association Senate meeting on Wednesday, May 8.

NEWS

UB drops disciplinary case against former UB Council student rep. candidate

By SOL HAUSER | May 8, 2024

UB dropped its Student-Wide Judiciary case against former UB Council student representative candidate Jack Walsh on Tuesday, after student prosecutors failed to find that he violated an election rule prohibiting dishonesty.

President Satish Tripathi and Provost A. Scott Weber were present at the meeting, and Tripathi read a statement emphasizing "the safety and security" of the university.

NEWS

Faculty Senate to vote on resolution condemning police actions at May 1 protest

By MYLIEN LAI | May 7, 2024

The motion to hold a vote on the letter passed with 10 ayes, 2 nays and 2 abstentions.

A University Police officer watches while a speaker addresses a pro-Palestinian gathering of social work students and faculty.

NEWS

Pro-Israel, pro-Palestine organizers hold protests on campus Sunday and Monday

By SOL HAUSER and SOPHIA STINES | May 7, 2024

Two pro-Palestinian demonstrations and one pro-Israel rally made their way through UB’s North Campus on Sunday and Monday, extending a tumultuous week of protests on campus that began Wednesday afternoon.

Hundreds of students and area residents marched on North Campus Friday to protest UB's handling of Wednesday's protest and to continue to call on UB to divest from Israel.

NEWS

A video timeline of UB's pro-Palestine protests and police backlash

By DOMINICK MATARESE | May 7, 2024

Pro-Palestinian protesters marched on campus and attempted to set up an encampment outside Hochstetter Hall. The night ended with multiple arrests and injuries. Here's how it happened.

About 75 demonstrators attended Monday's pro-Israel rally organized by the Jewish Student Union (JSU).

NEWS

Student arrested for social media post encouraging violence against pro-Israel rally

By GRANT ASHLEY | May 7, 2024

The student turned himself in to (UPD) after he was identified by law enforcement. He was charged with a felony and a misdemeanor before being released with an appearance ticket.

Protestors carried Palestinian flags at Friday's on-campus demonstration.

NEWS

Hundreds march on campus after arrests, police aggression at Wednesday’s protest

By SOL HAUSER , DARCY WINTER , MYLIEN LAI and ALISHA ALLISON | May 3, 2024

On Friday, protesters gathered in Founders Plaza at 3 p.m. and circled the campus before stopping in the grassy lawn outside of Hochstetter Hall where Wednesday’s attempted encampment, and many of the arrests, occurred.

The venue for the 2024 Spring Fest is set up on North Campus.

NEWS

SA allocates $314,405 for Spring Fest — plus between $100k and $150k for talent

By SOL HAUSER and GRANT ASHLEY | May 3, 2024

The undergraduate Student Association (SA) has allocated $314,405 — aside from artist fees, which the SA has not made public — for expenses for this year’s Spring Fest concert.

The GRoW Home, pictured above, is a 1,100-sq.-ft. solar structure located next to the Solar Strand at the Flint Road entrance of North Campus.

NEWS

UB Sustainability updates campus community on climate action plan progress

By ALISHA ALLISON | May 3, 2024

UB is focusing on phasing out single-use plastics on its campuses, in part due to an updated SUNY policy. UB Chief Sustainability Officer Ryan McPherson said that UB played “a key role” in developing that policy.

O'Brian Hall is home to the UB School of Law.

NEWS

UB School of Law names new dean

By RYAN TANTALO | May 3, 2024

S. Todd Brown will assume the role of dean effective May 9. He has served as interim dean since July 2023.

The incident posed ‘no threat to the larger university community,’ UB spokesperson says.

NEWS

Man arraigned for stabbing at University Metro Rail Station

By GRANT ASHLEY | May 3, 2024

Neither the alleged perpetrator nor the victim were affiliated with UB. A UB spokesperson said the "isolated" incident did not pose a "threat to the larger university community."

Protesters linked arms around fellow, praying demonstrators as police prepared to clear the area.

NEWS

UB revises number of protesters arrested to 15, including 7 students

By SOL HAUSER and GRANT ASHLEY | May 2, 2024

Five of those arrested were UB students. The rest were unaffiliated with the university. All the arrested individuals were released with appearance tickets.

Several of the arrested protesters were transported off campus on a UB Stampede bus. About 10 demonstrators inside one bus could be heard chanting “free Palestine.”

NEWS

‘Approximately 16’ pro-Palestine protesters arrested after attempted encampment

By RYAN TANTALO , SOL HAUSER , GRANT ASHLEY , DARCY WINTER , MYLIEN LAI and ALISHA ALLISON | May 2, 2024

Police arrested “approximately 16” pro-Palestine protesters on North Campus Wednesday evening, a UB spokesperson said. The arrests come after dozens of demonstrators attempted to form an encampment in a grassy area near Hochstetter Hall.

NEWS

CAS faculty will hold confidence referenda on Weber, Schulze and Tripathi

By ALISHA ALLISON | May 2, 2024

College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) faculty will vote in confidence referenda on CAS Dean Robin Schulze, UB President Satish Tripathi and Provost A. Scott Weber, after voting faculty approved the referenda in a special Zoom meeting last Tuesday, April 26. The vote comes after an April 16 meeting with the same purpose failed to reach its quorum, the minimum number of members needed to hold a meeting.

Students attempted to set up an encampment on the lawn next to Hochstetter Hall.

NEWS

A timeline of the attempted pro-Palestine encampment outside Hochstetter Hall

By GRANT ASHLEY and DARCY WINTER | May 1, 2024

Hundreds of pro-Palestinian protestors started setting up an encampment on North Campus Wednesday afternoon, but tore down their tents after law enforcement ordered them to do so.

Robert H. Jackson United States Courthouse.

NEWS

Judge appears skeptical of YAF’s case against SA in oral arguments

By SOL HAUSER | Apr. 30, 2024

A federal judge appeared skeptical of YAF’s claim that an SA policy targeted it with a “constitutional injury” by prohibiting the club from becoming its own legal entity.

The resolution, introduced by council coordinators Aidan Sumrall and Jacob Murphy, says Schulze’s handling of the situation reflects poorly on the college.

NEWS

SA Senate votes to call for Arts and Sciences dean’s resignation

By SOL HAUSER | Apr. 25, 2024

The call for Schulze’s resignation follows more than a month of protests against hiring cutbacks led by graduate students in the Classics Department.

Alika Turton (front, at right) listens while UB President Satish Tripathi speaks at a UB Council meeting on Monday, March 11, 2024. Voters re-elected Turton to a second term as UB Council Student Representative.

NEWS

Alika Turton re-elected UB Council Student Representative

By SOL HAUSER and ALISHA ALLISON | Apr. 25, 2024

Of 855 total votes, Turton received 387, a 165-vote lead over Jack Walsh and a 167-vote lead over Cameron Kiner.

Members of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and Jewish Student Union (JSU) both attended Wednesday's SA Senate meeting and spoke with SA President Becky Paul-Odionhin.

NEWS

SA president blocks Senate vote on Israel divestment resolution

By SOL HAUSER , SARAH OWUSU and ALISHA ALLISON | Apr. 25, 2024

The resolution was proposed by UB’s chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine, and was backed by several senators. Paul-Odionhin said the resolution could endanger SA if passed.