JASHONDA WILLIAMS

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DIFCON12 aims to create discussion about sensitive topics on campus

On March 2, “12 Difficult Conversations in 12 Weeks” or DIFCON12, held its second program of the series. DIFCON12, which is sponsored by the Office of the Vice Provost for Equity and Inclusion and Campus Living, is a series of 12 short lectures that allow students to discuss topics that may make some uncomfortable, such as race and religion, in a “controlled and safe environment.”

New off-campus student housing Twenty91 North to open next summer

UB students will soon have yet another off-campus housing option. Twenty91 North is the newest off-campus housing complex near UB, which will be accessible from Sweet Home Road and contains 192 apartments for 640 students. It is set to open on Aug. 26, 2016.

UB McNair Scholars recognized at national mathematics conference

Syeda, a senior mathematics and economics major, and Tapia, a senior mathematics major, have found opportunities through the Robert E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program, also known as the McNair Scholars Program. The program is named after Dr. Ronald McNair, one of the first African Americans to become an astronaut, who died in the Space Shuttle Challenger launch in 1986. The McNair program is federally funded by the U.S. Department of Education and was created to help first generation, low-income students who are underrepresented in their fields.

Giving back to the community: students volunteer for UB Pride and Service Day

One hundred and eighty-five students spent their Saturday morning cleaning up churches, gardening, building homes and mentoring children in the City of Buffalo for UB Pride and Service Day. UB Pride and Service Day – the final of four annual community service events organized by the Office of Student Engagement throughout the year – was held on Saturday and students from various on-campus organizations volunteered in the effort.

African Americans are more than just a color

Every other race gets the satisfaction of being called the politically correct term but African Americans are subjected to being identified as just a color. We are more than that, and The Spectrum's course book should be changed to reflect that.

UB's Earth Week celebration advocates for a green and sustainable future

From April 18-25, UB Sustainability is holding environmentally-focused events sponsored by student clubs, groups and organizations for the fifth year in a row. This week’s events have included a green car show, sustainability tabling in the Student Union, a Women in STEM seminar, organic bake sales and a sustainable film series, among others.

Students to work with UB's priceless coin collection

UB students may soon get the chance to hold the same objects that figures like Julius Caesar, Augustus and Alexander the Great might have more than 2,000 years ago. In the midst of Lockwood Memorial Library’s rare book collection is a set of recently rediscovered coins that date as far back as the Roman Empire.

Cribspot website provides UB students off-campus housing listings

Cribspot, a website where students and landlords can post off-campus housing listings, is currently used at 175 schools across the country and was recently launched at UB. Students can post their apartments for free with their buffalo.edu accounts. 

Over 225 pounds of clothing donated to Hearts for the Homeless

Thanks to the generosity of some UB students, about 225 more pounds of clothing will be made available to the homeless population of Western New York, which includes more than 5,750 people.

UB engineering clubs hold annual Engineers Week

UB’s engineering majors dropped eggs from the third floor of the Student Union, catapulted ping pong balls into cups of water and held cage-match-style fights during Engineering Week.

Sponsored by the Office of the Vice Provost for Equity and Inclusion and Campus Living, "12 Difficult Conversations in 12 Weeks," or DIFCON12, aims to give students a safe space to talk about tough topics.

(Left to right) Heather Hagenbuch, Valerie Tapia, Nadia Syeda, Chris Yuen, Susan Ott. Tapia and Syeda are two McNair Scholars whose work has been recognized among professionals in their fields.