The Center for the Arts at the University at Buffalo has been selected to receive a bronze Telly Award for the television program Building UB, Growing Community: The Draft Plan (Information Programming), which was produced for the Office of the President. This award is in addition to the four previously announced 2009 bronze Telly Awards the Center for the Arts received earlier this year. The Center for the Arts has now received a total of 14 Telly Awards for its video and television productions. Read more.

The University at Buffalo’s College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) has launched a Center for Disability Studies, a partnership between CAS and People Inc. aimed at advancing greater acceptance of persons with disabilities in the community. The goal of the center, which is housed in CAS, is to encourage the study, teaching and accurate representation of disability, and of individuals with disabilities, says David Gerber, UB Distinguished Professor in the Department of History and center director. Read more.

UB’s MAC Champion Bulls have recently announced their 2009  football schedule, which includes two games televised on ESPN2. Check it out!

The University at Buffalo men’s soccer team had two of its student-athletes compete in the 2009 World University Games in Belgrade, Serbia. Dan Bulley played for his native Great Britain, while Alex Marrello played for Canada.

Great Britain finished the tournament with a 3-2-1 record, advancing to the Bronze Medal match of the competition. Unfortunately for Great Britain, it fell to Japan 1-0 in the match. Bulley saw action in all but one match and he got his first start against Ukraine in the semifinals, playing 78 minutes with three shots, including two on goal. Bulley also recorded a shot in a shootout victory over France. Bulley picked up his second start against Japan and played 77 minutes.

Canada finished at 2-3-0 in its six matches at the World University Games as Marrello started in every match. He played all 90 minutes in five of the six matches and recorded one shot against the Czech Republic and another shot against Brazil. Canada finished in 12th place following a 3-2 loss to Uruguay in the final competition. Marrello also recorded a shot in that game.

Prior to the start of competition, Bulley and Marrello played against each other in an exhibition match, which helped them prepare for the Games.

The College Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) announced its Scholar Athlete Awards this week. The Buffalo women’s swimming and diving team earned All-American status by achieving a 3.34 team GPA for the spring semester. The men’s swimming and diving team also earned All-American status with its 3.11 team GPA. Teams with a 3.0 GPA or higher were recognized by the CSCAA.

Junior divers Mike McDowell and Meili Carpenter were named Academic All-Americans for the second consecutive season. To be selected to the All-American team, individuals had to qualify for the NCAA Championships and achieve a 3.5 GPA or higher for the semester or have a cumulative GPA above a 3.5. Both McDowell and Carpenter competed on Platform at the NCAA Championships.

The women’s team also had three individuals named to the Honorable Mention All-American team. Sophomore Jessie Koltz and juniors Jessica Ballard and Sam Eckert achieved a GPA above a 3.5 for the spring semester. Honorable Mention selections had to achieve a NCAA “B” cut (consideration time) and a GPA of 3.5 or higher. Koltz, Ballard and Eckert were all members of the MAC record-setting 200 medley relay team.

The University at Buffalo has announced its 23rd Annual Distinguished Speakers Series, which will run Sept. 16 through April 24.

Speakers will be former United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair; bestselling author, television personality and astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson; political satirist Bill Maher; distinguished novelist and poet Margaret Atwood; Los Angeles Times columnist and author Steve Lopez; and provocative American intellectual, author and champion for racial justice, Cornel West. Read more.