http://digital.lib.buffalo.edu/upimage/VF_I18G_027.pdf

Media

Part of Awaiting answers, October 12, 2015

Text

Awaiting answers
..

SPECTRUM

10

/12/ 15

GABRIELA JULIA
SENIOR NEWS EDITOR
President Satish Tripathi held his fourth
annual State of the University Address on
Friday morning, but the speech was over­
shadowed by a protest in the audience.
Members of the Black Student Union
(BSU) held a peaceful protest during and
after the address in response to the ''White
Only" and "Black Only" signs hung around
campus by graduate fine arts student Ash­
ley Powell last month. Students stood and
raised white posters that read ''We Want
Answers" and left early to stand in the Slee
Hall lobby and protest as people grabbed
refreshments Friday.
Tripathi has met with student leader­
ship, including BSU and the People of Col­
or Council, and wrote an open letter to the
student body in The Spectrum about the proj- _
ect - but BSU wants more.
Before the address, BSU posted a series
of questions on social media they wanted
Tripathi to answer "publically, candidly and
with urgency," such as, ''What is art? What
is academic freedom? [and] Where does the
university draw the line between freedom
of expression and overt demonstration _o f
cultural trauma?" BSU also said it expect­
ed Tripathi to address University Police dis­
patchers' "insensitive responses to con­
cerned individuals" who called to report
the signs.
Tiffany Vera, BSU secretary and a senior
speech and hearing science major, said she
appreciates Tripathi's acknowledgement of
the issue but wanted him to answer BSU's
questions and address its concerns sooner.
''We designed this peaceful protest to
show Tripathi that we aren't coming at him
in a violent, aggressive or hostile way but
we want to show them we are serious about
what we want to accomplish," Vera said.
"We want things to be done not just for us
but for all People of Color organizations
and all UB students."
After he concluded his address, Tripathi
said he supports the students' protest.
"I think [the protest] is really good and
it is good for them to do what they feel is
right," Tripathi said. ''We are looking at all
of these points from all angles, from the
faculty, freedom of spee,ch and the First
Amendment."
During the address, Tripathi told the au­
dience that College of Arts and Sciences is
dealing with this "difficult conversation and
[is] determining the boundaries."

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BSU protests Tripathi's address, looksfor further
response to 'White Only' artproject
PH OTOS BY
KAINAN GUO, THE SPECTRUM

(TO P) A studen t holds a
#WeWantAnswers sig n after
President Satish Tripathi's State of
the University A ddress on Friday in
Slee Hall.

(MIDDLE) Black Student Union (BSU)
e-board member James Battle (far
right) holds a sig n in protest after
President Satish Tripa thi's address..
(B OTTOM) Presid ent Satish Tripathi
speaks with BSU Presid ent Micah
Oliver after his address on Friday

Tripathi also touched on positive news in
his address as he emphasized UB's recent
achievements, from three Mid-American
Conference Championships won last year
to the newly named Jacobs School of Med­
icine and Biomedical Sciences to UB's low
student debt.
He emphasized UB's "points of pride,"
such as the Communities of Excellence and
the School of Dental Medicine and ap­
plauded the UB students succeeding in
both the science, technology, engineer­
ing and mathematics (STEM) fields and on
Broadway.
He noted that UB's graduation rates are
above the national average and the Finish in
4 program is a success in helping students
graduate on time.
Tripathi also brought up the lack of at­
tention to South Campus. He said UB plans
for ensuring a safer community on South
Campus to reflect the success of UB's two
other campuses.
He said_the construction of the down­
town campus has caused a population def­
icit on South Campus and because of this,
UB is moving the Graduate School of Edu­
cation and School of Social Work to South
Campus.
Throughout the majority of Tripathi's ad­
dress, he reiterated the importance of "Buf­
falo's renaissance."
But BSU feels there are other changes
that need to be made first.
Vera said BSU wants to work with UB to
fulfill its expectations but feels that Tripathi
and the administration aren't pursuing the
issue enough.
According to Deidree Golbourne, BSU
vice president and a junior African Ameri­
can studies major, Tripathi will not be able

to meet with BSU until Nov. 4. Golbourrie
said she wants something to be addressed
in the meantime.
''What about before that? The conversa­
tion ceased after the forum but there's still a
lot to talk about," Golbourne said.

Tripathi said he looks forward to meet­
ing with BSU members to continue the dis­
cussion.
email: news@ubspectrum.com