University at Buffalo: Off the Record - College Prowler (College Prowler: Suny Buffalo Off the Record)

Introduction from the Author

UB is not a school for the meek. It’s a big, bad state university that swaggers about its suburban plain. Coming here from high school is like moving to Manhattan from a small town—it’s easy to be intimidated by the teeming masses of people and the buildings that block out the sun. But most UB students grow to love its strong academics, its truly friendly people, and the unmatched food, nightlife, and neighborhoods of Buffalo.

Two things define UB’s unique culture: its size and its eclectic student body. During the week, over 27,000 students converge on two campuses for class. Over 1,600 faculty teach nearly 1,300 courses, and a total of 13 colleges offer 200 majors. And while most schools say they’re diverse, no place can match UB’s crazy quilt of a community—a dizzying variety of students and professors of all races, tongues, ages, classes, and talents.

UB’s size means top-notch resources. But it’s so big that its “institutional” aspects—lousy parking, bland campus food, and big, impersonal lower-level classes—get some people down. And while UB’s diversity means life is never boring, most students say it lacks a strong campus-wide community. In sum, though nearly everyone loves their experience at UB, some students don’t have nearly as much affection for the institution itself.

Once a small private school, UB became part of the State University of New York system in 1962. In a drive to become the “Berkeley of the East” (a famous cliché on campus to this day), UB brought in top faculty from all over the nation, many of whom have become legendary professors. In the ‘70s, most departments moved to a huge new campus in Amherst, which is the center of student life.

In recent years, the top brass has begun a push to make UB the biggest and best state university in the Northeast. Lots of money has been poured into new facilities and research centers, and with the construction of new apartments and the growth of athletics, that long-dormant campus community is slowly coming to life.

A lot of colleges strive to be small utopias, but UB is more like the real world—imperfect, but full of fascination. Most students grow to love it, both in spite of and because of its idiosyncrasies. This book will give you an honest take on what life here is really like.

Ben Cady, Author
University at Buffalo