Opinions - The Spectrum

OPINION

Letter to the editor: Response to The Spectrum's article, ‘Questionable business practices cast shadow over UB donor’s pharmaceutical legacy’

Apr. 30, 2017

As a friend of Dr. John Kapoor’s and as someone who has spent the last 20 years in the field of substance abuse prevention (currently chairing one national organization and another state-based organization dedicated to those issues), I wanted to respond to Sarah Crowley’s April 26 article, “Questionable business practices cast shadow over UB donor’s pharmaceutical legacy.”

OPINION

Well fitted: My love affair with hats

By BENJAMIN BLANCHET | Apr. 27, 2017

I was in heaven and sporting my hats in school became a hobby; it seemed as if a new hat every day could boost my confidence. I was a nerd – straight A’s and all – but my hobby displayed me as a chic individual among my peers.

OPINION

The art of thrifting

By BRENTON J. BLANCHET | Apr. 27, 2017

I’ve been looked down upon for purchasing used clothing, but it’s such a huge part of what brings my style together.

OPINION

Letter to the editor: Robert Spencer’s appearance on campus will bring about harm to surrounding areas

Apr. 26, 2017

Robert Spencer, known bigot and Islamophobe, is coming to UB and the university is allowing his presence on our campus; a campus of diversity, where the Muslim population grows dramatically every year and Muslim students of every nationality leave their own countries to study in America.

OPINION

That girl with the red lipstick

By MADDY FOWLER | Apr. 26, 2017

For me, fashion and makeup are more than just a superficial means of expression. They are the tools of my survival. When I was in high school, I never wore makeup, and did not give much thought to fashion. I dismissed makeup and fashion as a superficial waste of time, as something “other girls” wasted their energy on.

OPINION

Letter to the editor: Robert Spencer's views cause concern

Apr. 24, 2017

I am writing in response to the article on the speaker Robert Spencer, invited to campus on May 1st. I share the concerns expressed for free expression even by those whose views I might find abhorrent or discriminatory. I am a strong supporter of the First Amendment, and, though I'm not a legal expert, it seems that the university may have little basis for barring the speaker. Also, since Mr. Spencer regularly portrays himself as a righteous victim of thought-policing I am wary of giving him any more ammunition for this position.

OPINION

Letter from the editor: Why The Spectrum reported on a student's suicide attempt

By HANNAH STEIN | Apr. 24, 2017

The Spectrum published a front page news article on April 20 about a UB student who attempted suicide from the seventh floor of Goodyear Hall. Several students wrote to us, criticizing the article as “unethical,” “insensitive” and a breach of privacy. One student accused us of publishing the article for “shock value.”

OPINION

It’s time to fix the NHL

By JUSTIN BYSTRAK | Apr. 24, 2017

Playoffs are the time of the season where every sport should shine. Then there’s hockey. Instead of moments to reflect and absorb the magic that the postseason brings, a plethora of issues are brought up. Declining viewership, branding issues and new review policies are some of the problems that plague the NHL.

OPINION

More than just a game

By DANIEL PETRUCCELLI | Apr. 20, 2017

“Sports matter because they don’t matter at all,” my first sports journalism professor told me.

OPINION

Celebrating vegetarianism

By EMA MAKAS | Apr. 20, 2017

The start of this year marked five years since I decided to start living a vegetarian lifestyle. I've always said that it's been one of the best choices that I've ever made. Becoming a vegetarian has given me a sense of accomplishment, a triumph of willpower, a contribution and sacrifice of my owneffort toward a greater good. This major lifestyle change was completely spontaneous.

OPINION

Come out on your own terms

By MADDY FOWLER | Apr. 20, 2017

Even if you’ve known that you are LGBTQ since you were five years old, it can take years—decades even—to make sense of your unique identity and how you wish to label (or not label) yourself. I’ve known that I was bisexual since I was at least 11, but I didn’t start sharing this information until I was 18 years old. And even then, I only came out to close friends. I didn’t publicly and formally come out until last fall, when I wrote a column about coming out as bisexual for The Spectrum.

OPINION

Letter to the editor: Carl Paladino’s presence reflects hostile environment for students

Apr. 13, 2017

We are writing to denounce the presence of known white supremacist and hate monger, Carl Paladino, on the University at Buffalo campus on Monday, April 3. As a diverse community of students, faculty, and staff, Paladino’s presence as an official speaker is both threatening and disturbing on our campus.

OPINION

Letter to the editor: UB’s smoke-free policy

Apr. 13, 2017

In 1994, UB put into place a smoke-free campus policy. This is well before I came to the University, however, in my three years at the school I cannot think of a time that I have seen this policy enforced. I have lived in the dorms, the on-campus apartments, and now off campus, I have had classes on North and South campus, in Ellicott, the spine, and at nearly all of these places, I can point out cigarette butts and the places smokers go to smoke.

OPINION

Moving seven times is the charm

By CATHERINE CAMPBELL | Apr. 10, 2017

My favorite show to watch as a kid was “Recess.” The cartoon was based around a group of kids – Spinelli, T.J., Gus and more – who played together but ended up getting into more trouble than they should have. One character stuck out to me: Gus.

OPINION

UB Spring Fest 2017: A long time in the making

By BENJAMIN BLANCHET | Apr. 10, 2017

As students wait for an official announcement, this year’s Spring Fest has still not been announced as of Sunday night.

OPINION

UB Athletics’ announcement to cut four teams was insensitive, unprofessional

By Editorial Board | Apr. 6, 2017

We are grateful UB Athletics has decided to take a look at how it is spending our student fee money. But we are shocked at the callous way administrators chose to announce $2 million cuts and the disintegration of four UB teams. They lined 120 student athletes up in a room at 8 a.m. Monday and collectively slaughtered their college dreams. Is this UB’s definition of providing an education?

OPINION

Pepsi ad trivializes civil rights protests

By MADDY FOWLER | Apr. 5, 2017

Pepsi’s newest advertisement could not be more off the mark. The new ad features model Kendall Jenner clad in a blonde wig at a photo shoot as a protest hits the streets in the background. It is unclear what this protest is even about; demonstrators carry cheesy signs with messages like “spread love” and “join the conversation,” that don’t indicate what the group is fighting for.

OPINION

My life with a hundred grandparents

By KATIE KOSTELNY | Apr. 4, 2017

When I sat down for an interview with my soon-to-be boss, he told me, “This job is like having a hundred grandparents come at you all at once.” I found out pretty soon that he was right.

OPINION

We want peace, geese

By BRENTON J. BLANCHET | Apr. 4, 2017

There was once a time when I thought the snow was the coldest thing on this campus. It was a simpler time, before I encountered the most diabolical, cold-hearted creatures on planet earth: the geese. When I say “the geese,” I’m not referring to any goose. The UB geese are far from your average birds.

OPINION

Baby, put that phone down

By SARAH CROWLEY | Apr. 2, 2017

I’m proud to be from the “tech generation.” The access to constant information, entertainment, resources... life has never been easier or more complicated. And to think it hasn’t always been this way; a world once existed without Uber, streaming TV or Instagram.