http://digital.lib.buffalo.edu/upimage/VF_I18G_010.pdf

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Part of An open letter to UB students, December 11, 2015

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An open letter to UB students
Dear Students:
As the semester is quickly com­
ing to a close, I wanted to take a
moment to provide our campus
community with an updateregarding activities related to the continuing dialogues, programs, cur­
ricular discussions, and policy de­
velopment in response to the
controversial student art project
from earlier this semester.
As I shared earlier, I have been
meeting with a group of student
leaders, including Student Associ­
ation President Minahil Khan and
Vice President Sean Kaczmarek,
Black Student Union President Mi­
cah Oliver, Vice President Deidree
Golbourne, and Secretary Tiffa­
ny Vera, People of Color Council
Coordinator Jessica Calderon, and
members of the Caribbean Stu­
dent Union, African Student AsOrsociation, and Puerto
ganization for Dignity and Equal
Rights ,(PODER) Latinos Unidos.
To date we have had three meet
_ ings, and we hope to meet again
prior to the end of the semester.
We have had several positive
outcomes as a result of theseconversations:
We have convened a students

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of color advisory committee
to the University Police Department that has met monthly to sustain a dialogue between
campus officers and students t o
help ensure a safe and welcoming campus environment for all
students.
Vice Provost for Equity an d
lnclusion Teri Miller, in her
role as UB's chief diversity offleer, has been engaging in continuing conversations withstudents in residence halls across
campus andhas, to date, had
three meetings and dialogues
with our students to ensure our
UB practices and programs are
characterized by the fair, inclusive,, and equitable treatment
of our diverse campus population. Vice Provost Miller is in
the process of convening Student equity and inclusion advisory committee.
Across the university, we continue to explore newcurricular approaches toissues of race,
ethnicity, and cultural difference
part of the new General Education program, as well as the
development ofnew programs
and lectures for next semester

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and beyond.
And we have been having robust
conversations regarding
student art projects, operating
procedures, and policy development. Toward that end, I have
charged the Dean of the College of Arts
Sciences to assemble a committee comprised
of members of the university
community to develop policy regarding
the installation of student ·art projects in university
public. spaces. With this charge,
I have.stated that it is imperative
that we strike the appropriate
balance between academic freedom and inclusivity.
While the university committee
is developing a policy,I have established ah interim operating procedure for the installation of student
art projects in public spaces on
campus. This interim procedure
will ·require that student art projects ,exhibited outside of the Center for the Arts must be accompanied by a tfotationor explanatory
identifier. Consistent with current
university policy, placement of art
projects in common areas must
be reviewed by the Environment,
Health and Safety Department for

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physical safety and security issues.
It is important to note under this
policy, only physical elements and
placement of an art project may
be reviewed forsafety and securi­
ty purposes. The content of stu­
dent art projects, which is expres­
sion that enjoys the protection of
the First Amendment may not be
reviewed as partof this process.
Together with. the collaborative
efforts of our : student leadership,
our faculty, and university ·administration, I believe that these conversa­
tions, procedures, curricular discus­
sions, and policies are allowing us to
balance freedom .of eipression.with
the need to foster a welcoming and
inclusive educational environment
that is necessary for learning. ·
I want to thank our students,
for your leadership and
once again,
partnership in helping to create
meaningful institutional change for
the betterment
university.
And to of our students, best
wishes as you complete your final
examinations, and watm wishes
for the happiest of holidays.

all

of our

Sincerely,
Satish K. Tripathi .
President

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