student-association - The Spectrum

SA President Yousouf Amolegbe having a conversation with the Board of Directors during a recess period at the meeting Tuesday.

NEWS

Student Association president’s fate in limbo after six-hour meeting, board of directors planning meeting to further discuss

By JULIAN ROBERTS-GRMELA and BRENTON J. BLANCHET | Feb. 13, 2020

The Student Association Board of Directors spent six hours Tuesday night discussing the suspension of SA President Yousouf Amolegbe and voted against lifting his suspension. Close to 80 students –– many of whom came in support of Amolegbe –– watched, spoke and shared their thoughts during and after the meeting, which lasted from 6 p.m. Tuesday to 12 a.m. Wednesday.

Yousouf Amolegbe (center) after winning the SA election last year. Amolegbe has been indefinitely suspended by the Board of Directors on Friday night.

NEWS

Student Association president indefinitely suspended for alleged conflict-of-interest violations

By ALEXANDRA MOYEN and JULIAN ROBERTS-GRMELA | Feb. 9, 2020

The Student Association’s Board of Directors voted to suspend SA President Yousouf Amolegbe on Friday. The vote came after SA’s Rules, Administration and Government Oversight Committee (RAGO) found Amolegbe guilty of nine SA policy violations, including alleged conflict-of-interest violations concerning his role as co-CEO of entertainment company RAGE Boyz, according to Amolegbe.

Michael Montoro speaks on the resolution of UB Foundation's divestment from fossil fuels at an SA assembly meeting.

NEWS

Student Association Assembly asks UB to ‘divest’ from fossil fuel industry

By ALEXANDRA MOYEN | Oct. 13, 2019

The Student Association Assembly passed a resolution on Thursday calling on UB to “divest” from fossil fuels. Although there is no proof that UB is investing in fossil fuel industries, the resolution asks the UB Foundation, UB President Satish Tripathi, Interim Provost A. Scott Weber and the UB Council to direct “adequate attention and militant resources” toward “divesting” all UB funds from fossil fuel industries. SA Board of Directors Chair Hayden Gise introduced the resolution to the BOD on Sept. 25, but the board rejected it. Since the assembly passed the resolution, Gise said copies of the resolution will be sent “immediately” to those being asked to divest.

Left to right: Alexander German, Amari Fall, Daniel Deslippe, Dominic Musilli, Eric Weinman, Ezekiel Arubuike, Hayden Gise, Jacob Kobler, Joseph Hoefenkrieg, Mohammed Abedin Rafi, Simi Oduntan Not pictured: Brandon Hoolihan.

NEWS

Meet the Student Association Board of Directors candidates

By ALEXANDRA MOYEN and BRITTANY GORNY | Sep. 15, 2019

The Student Association Board of Directors –– previously the SA senate –– elections are taking place on Monday and Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Student Union lobby. Eighteen people are running for the 12 available seats. The board of directors oversees SA clubs, makes sure finances are in order for clubs and allocates the mandatory student activity fee.

UB kicks off International Week with block party.

NEWS

Student Association kicks off International Week with block party

By ALEXANDRA MOYEN | Sep. 8, 2019

The Student Association kicked off its International Week with an International Students Block Party on Sunday in the Student Union Courtyard. SA is hosting its second-annual International Week Sunday through Saturday, as the block party welcomed students with free food and activities such as a bag toss and mega-sized chess game. The event also featured flags representing different countries decorating the trees around the courtyard.

UB students wait outside the SA office for Bernie Sanders priority tickets. Tickets were gone within the first 45 minutes.

NEWS

UB Student Association runs out of 500 Bernie Sanders student tickets in 45 minutes

By GABRIELA JULIA | Apr. 11, 2016

The Student Association started giving out tickets in its third floor Student Union office around 10:15 a.m.

Local food trucks, like The Whole Hog, and breweries congregated at LaSalle parking lot and inside of Alumni Arena to give UB students an opportunity to taste some of Buffalo’s well known delicacies at Buffalo Untapped on Sunday.

FEATURES

Buffalo taps in: Buffalo Untapped adds wine, more food trucks in second year

By TORI ROSEMAN | Apr. 10, 2016

Buffalo Untapped gave students the chance to sample the various Buffalo beer, wine and food truck vendors that were set up in the Lake LaSalle Lot and Alumni Arena’s Triple Gym Sunday afternoon.

Maximillian Budynek poses for a photo during his run for Student Association president. Budynek, who with his running mate Daniel Christian lost the election, believes there are issues with the way SA elections are currently set up.

OPINION

Letter from Transparency candidate Maximillian Budynek

Apr. 3, 2016

This year’s election clearly proves the need to overhaul the election process. While both parties worked tirelessly, reaching out to so many students over the election days, we could only accomplish a voter turnout that was somewhere in the ballpark of six percent of the entire student body. While speaking to so many of our peers, it was clear that they had no idea an election was even occurring. The University, and its Student Association, do not do enough to promote the election, and are doing an injustice to those who would have been interested in making their voices heard. Two days of speaking to clubs, and a poorly advertised debate, are simply not enough. A more publicized election will allow for a greater exchange of ideas, and more student involvement.

(From left to right) Matt Rivera, Megan Glander and Dan Emmons celebrate their Student Association elections victory moments after the announcement in the SA office Thursday. The Progress Party candidates will assume their SA executive board positions at the end of the semester.

NEWS

Progress Party sweeps UB Student Association elections

By HANNAH STEIN | Apr. 1, 2016

The Progress Party celebrated its sweep of the SA elections in the SA office Thursday night, as all three of its candidates will assume the executive board positions of president, vice president and treasurer next year.

Progress Party president candidate Matt Rivera (center) and vice president candidate Megan Glander (right) campaign in the Student Union during the last day of voting for the Student Association elections on Thursday. Exit poll numbers indicate the Progress Party has received the majority of student votes.

NEWS

Final exit polls indicate Progress Party headed for UB Student Association win

By Tom Dinki | Mar. 31, 2016

Final exit poll numbers Thursday indicate the three Progress Party candidates will be next year's Student Association executive board.

Matt Rivera (left) and Megan Glander (center) of the Progress Party speak to a student while campaigning in the Student Union Wednesday.

NEWS

Exit polls show Progress Party widening lead in UB Student Association elections

By Tom Dinki | Mar. 30, 2016

Exit poll numbers show the Progress Party is widening its lead in the Student Association elections.

(From left to right) Dan Emmons of the Progress Party, Carl Ross of the Empowerment Party and independent candidate Aaron Hussain are running for Student Association treasurer.

NEWS

UB Student Association elections: Meet the treasurer candidates

By News Desk | Mar. 27, 2016

The treasurer is elected separately from the president and vice president. The treasurer is the chief controller of SA's budget and is responsible for the disbursement of SA's budget and revenue.

(From left to right) Matt Rivera and Megan Glander of Progress, and Maximillian Budynek and Daniel Christian of Transparency are the candidates for this year's Student Association elections.

NEWS

UB Student Association elections: Meet the president and vice president candidates

By News Desk | Mar. 27, 2016

The Student Association executive board is responsible for controlling approximately $4 million of student money collected through the mandatory student activity fee of $104.75 a semester. The SA president and vice president must run on a ticket together. The president is the chief executive officer of SA and has the ultimate responsibility for the enforcement of the SA constitution and bylaws. The vice president directs, assists and oversees SA recognized clubs and organizations. Elections will be held March 29-31 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Student Union Theater.

SA will hold a second referendum regarding the mandatory student activity fee from April 21-23.

NEWS

UB Student Association e-board candidates announced

By MARLEE TUSKES | Mar. 20, 2016

Two parties, as well as two independent treasurer candidates, are running for next year’s SA e-board, which consists of the SA president, vice president and treasurer.

The Filipino American Student Association and International Council Coordinator Joshua Racho (right) perform in International Fiesta on March 5.

NEWS

UB International Fiesta judges' mathematical error costs Turkish SA third place

By TORI ROSEMAN | Mar. 12, 2016

It seems between all the music, dance routines and costumes that help make International Fiesta an annual UB tradition, one important element was over looked: accurately tallying up the teams' final scores.

(From L to R) Student Association President Minahil Khan, Assembly Speaker James Corra and SA Attorney Josh Korman speak at an SA Assembly and Senate joint session meeting on Wednesday night. The body discussed amending the constitution, including splitting the Special Interest, Services and Hobbies (SISH) Council.

NEWS

UB Student Association considers splitting SISH Council, discusses improving constitution

By ASHLEY INKUMSAH | Feb. 4, 2016

SA President Minahil Khan called for an SA Assembly and Senate joint session meeting Wednesday night in Knox 110 to discuss the proposed amendments. The groups met to allow assembly members and senators a chance to provide input on each of the amendments, as well as make any inquires.

Senate Chair Dillon Smith (right) listens to senators speak during an SA Senate held in the fall semester. The senate is currently looking to fill the vacant senate seat left by former senator Yaser Soliman.

NEWS

UB Student Association looking to fill vacant senate seat

By Tom Dinki | Feb. 3, 2016

Any undergraduate student with a minimum GPA of 2.5 is eligible to apply for the position online. The main responsibilities of a senator are to vote on club grant requests and the SA budget. A committee will select one of the applicants for the position.

Joe Pace believes his engineering background and his experience as Engineering Council coordinator has helped him as SA treasurer.

NEWS

Engineering background helps Joe Pace in role as UB SA treasurer

By ASHLEY INKUMSAH | Jan. 28, 2016

He said the role of treasurer requires for him to synthesize a lot of information and make prudent decisions, rather than have a background in economics.

NEWS

UB Student Association Senate rundown

By Tom Dinki | Dec. 6, 2015

The Student Association Senate held its final meeting of the fall semester on Friday.

Student Association clubs are required to pay licensing fees in order to publicly show films at club events. The fees can cost as much as $1,200, which many clubs find too pricey.

NEWS

UB Student Association clubs face expensive license fees to show films at events

By MARLEE TUSKES | Nov. 8, 2015

Clubs must obtain a film license before publicly showing any film, and the license fees range from about $1,200 for films that are new or just out of the theaters to about $400 for films that have been out of theaters for over a year. If an SA club shows a film without obtaining a film license, the club would be in violation of federal copyright laws and therefore subject to a $250,000 fine.