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Letters

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Is UB really a smoke-free campus?

To the Editor:

I applaud the efforts of UB, Student Wellness Education Services and HR's Wellness and Work/Life Balance to educate and support those who wish to quit smoking. However, more could be done by the university to make UB a truly smoke-free campus and reduce the harmful effects of second-hand smoke. UB may be a smoke-free campus indoors, but try getting there without first walking through a thick blue haze just outside the entryways.

For example, the irony of a "smoke-free campus" cannot be lost on anyone attempting to enter Capen Hall at its ground-level entrances with the official smoking stations—complete with beautiful signage and a bench—and cigarette butt bins within inches of the handicapped doorway. And to get into the first floor level of Capen, one must walk through the Capen-Norton "smokers' portico," past several large cement ashtrays and garbage cans cluttered in front of the doors. Not a very attractive entrance way and clearly sending the message that it is, in fact, acceptable to congregate and smoke in front of the main entrances.

UB may say it's supporting a smoke-free campus, but the evidence says otherwise. The official signage and the placement of ashtrays and butt bins quite clearly say "congregating and smoking right here in front of the entranceway is not only OK, but encouraged." If UB truly wants to encourage a smoke-free campus, it should not permit smoking within 25 feet or more of entrance and doorways.

Smoking-cessation programs are great, but let's also do something about the second-hand smoke hazards by prohibiting entranceway smoking.

Steven L. Shaw
Director
International Admissions

Honor those who work for important issues

To the Editor:

I was astonished when a message appeared on "myUB" reading, "Golisano to be honored." Quickly clicking on the link, I was left thinking while the Web site loaded: This must intend to be ironic or was it possible that such a person could truly be recognized? Skimming through the article, it became apparent that B. Thomas Golisano is being honored by the UB School of Management.

Has anyone been alive the past month and a half? This man has pledged donations to politicians who will comply with his (three times) failed

New York reform tactics and has been a part of the dirtiest and most vile campaigns that Western New York has ever seen.

Focusing on one campaign specifically, Mr. Golisano spent upwards of a quarter of a million dollars to bury the widely honored state Assemblymember Sam Hoyt. Aligning himself with Buffalo's political rats—the likes of Joe Iluzzi, a convicted felon who runs a contemptuous blog site, and Steve Pigeon, the former Erie County Democratic chairman who was disgraced out of a job—Golisano's political action committee Responsible New York focused on everything but the issues. Responsible New York slammed Hoyt for troubles in his marriage that he and his family dealt with more than four years ago.

Maybe we should honor those who work fighting for the important issues—people like Sam Hoyt. Let us not be fooled by large amounts of money being thrown around as actual altruism. Let's see Mr. Golisano fix the problems that he continuously pays others to do. Golisano should stay in his ivory tower.

Jessica Goldstein
Student
Interdisciplinary Degree Programs Social Sciences

‘New’ Reporter ‘disappointing’

To the Editor:

The “new” Reporter is an extremely disappointing "revision." What was an informative publication is now a few advertisements parading as news. While I previously picked up copies of the print edition for distribution to my department, I no longer find this worth the effort of looking for them as I pass the distribution shelf in O'Brian on my way from class to my office on Thursdays.

William H. Baumer
Professor
Department of Philosophy

Work with units to promote safety

To the Editor:

Please consider working directly with the deans and department chairs of each and every school on all three campuses with regard to your promotion of awareness for safety.

For example, in each of the three classes I teach this fall, I have:

  • Posted a cut-and-paste part of your message from your UB Web page regarding safety in our "announcements" folder.
  • Openly and briefly discussed it in each class.
  • Asked each class group or team—some seven to 10 groups per class—to put the matter on its next meeting agenda and, more specifically, asked each member if he or she would appreciate being accompanied to and from their car or building.

William M. Hayden Jr.
Adjunct Assistant Professor
School of Management

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