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Part of Oliver speaks on decision to step down as BSU president, February 10, 2016

Text

Oliver speaks on decision to
step down as BSU president
Oliver says e-board
unanimously voted he
had notfulfilled his
duties
GABRIELA JULIA
MANAGING EDITOR
Last semester, Micah Oliver got the sense
that people thought his name and the Black
Student Union (BSU) were synonymous. At
that point, he knew a distinction needed to
be made.
Oliver, a senior business and internation­
al studies major, resigned as BSU president
on Dec. 9, just five days after BSU's execu­
tive board unanimously voted that he had
not carried out the duties and responsibili­
ties as president, according to Oliver.
Oliver spoke to The Spectrum about his
resignation after delaying comment origi­
nally.
Although the vote did not mean Oliver
had to resign, he felt it was best.
"A part of the resignation was that there
were differences in strategies and approach­
es in how the org[anization] would pursue
its goals," he said. "But that's the essence
of student organizations. We're all grow­
ing and learning. Unfortunately, I just don't
think my leadership in particular is what the
executive board wanted."
In his letter of resignation, Oliver wrote,
"I am not able to fathom this unfavorable
evaluation, nor am I able to recollect a time
when I was given adequate feedback, con­
structive criticism or an opportunity to im­
prove upon any areas of concern."
The BSU e-board denied comment re­
garding Oliver's comments, but new Presi­
dent Deidree Golbuorne told The Spectrum
last week that Oliver stepping down was an
"internal change" that wouldn't affect fu­
ture club events. Golbuorne has stepped
into the role of president and Samirra Felix
was elected vice president on Feb. 1.
Oliver emphasized that although his res­
ignation is unfortunate, it is not the first
time a student has decided to step down
from an organization.
Tiffany Vera, former BSU secretary, re-

KA INAN GUO, THE SPECTRUM

Micah Oliver, former Black Student Union president, stands in Jacobs Management Cen ter.
Oliver resigned from BSU on Dec. 9 after the executive board voted he did not carry out
his duties as president.

signed two days after Oliver.
In Vera's letter of resignation, she wrote,
"I am not confident that the organization
will follow through with the progress and
the level of professionalism that the former
president [Oliver] personified."
Vera said she opened herself to direct criti­
cism with the e-board regarding her duties as
secretary. Two out of the 13 e-board mem­
bers directly contacted her, but other than
that, she said all she received was either "pas­
sive aggressive feedback or indirect contact."
Kevin Appiah-Kubi, BSU's former his­
torian who resigned on Oct. 14 due to cir­
cumstances outside of BSU, said he was
shocked when he heard news of Oliver and
Vera's resignations.
"Micah was a respectable president and
made the club have more visibility," he said.
Unlike Vera, Appiah-Kubi said he be­
lieves the new e-board has "everything un­
der control" and he has no hard feelings to­
ward any of the members.
Oliver said he did not know the vice pres­
ident election would be held on Feb. 1. Al­
though he does not expect to be a part of
the rearranging of the e-board, he said he
wished he could have used the election as
an opportunity to address his resignation to
the general body.
But Oliver is not completely done with

BSU. He still plans on attending events and
meetings as any other undergraduate student.
"I'm a student like anyone else is a stu­
dent and this is a decision that I made for
my academic career and I just ask that it be
respected," he said.
BSU president hasn't been the only job
Oliver has taken on.
He is also a community assistant in Cam­
pus Living, a UB 101 peer mentor and an un­
dergraduate research assistant in the commu­
nication department. He is also the Student­
Wide Judiciary chief justice and formerly part
of UB's Division 1 track and field program.
Oliver is also actively involved in the Of­
fice of the President and the Office of Eq­
uity, Diversion and Inclusion.
"But my busy schedule has no effect on
my resignation," he said. "It didn't deter me
and it didn't play a role in my final decision."
Beth Del Genio, chief of staff to the
president, worked closely with Oliver in cre­
ating educational-based programs around
equity, inclusion and diversity for the new
general education requirements along with
a College of Arts and Sciences policy re­
garding campus art installations.
CO NTINUED ON PAGE 2

Oliver speaks on decision to
step down as BSU president
CO NTIN UED FROM PAGE 1

''As a student leader, he was always well-pre­
pared for discussion and encouraged open-dia­
logue among university leadership and student
leadership," Del Genia said in an email.
Oliver said he has always emphasized the
importance of the members' education in
every e-board meeting. He also said some
people might not realize how important his
famil y is to him.
"I pride myself in being a good brother
and son, and last semester I lost myself in all
of that," he said. "I look forward to having
more time to enj oy my family and frie nds
beyond college and boardroom meetings."
Oliver said he's appreciative of the re­
lationships he's developed throughout his

time as president. E-board members, UB
faculty and staff have played a large role in
handling last semester's incidents - such as
the "White Only" and "Black Only" signs,
the open fo rum and the protest at President
Satish Tripathi's annual address.
Vera said that despite her experience on
the e-board, she has "immense amount of
love and respect" fo r BSU.
Oliver said he would challenge members to
pursue the principle goals of the organization.
''I hope that one day, black students across
the country will choose to go to UB because
they see how active BSU has been on this cam­
pus," he said. ''That would make me proud."
email: gabrlela.julla@ubspectrum.com

KAINAN GUO, THE SPECTRUM

Oliver said he's ap p reciative of the rela tionships he's m ade during his time as president and
p lans to attend BSU m eetings and events as any o ther undergradua te student.