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Part of Tripathi speaks on 'White Only' art project, issues in the Heights, November 9, 2015

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Tripathi speaks on 'White Only' art
SPE
C Tissues
R Uin
M
project,
the Heights
11/9/15
TOM DINKI
EDITOR IN CHIEF
Satish Tripathi often gets asked how he
wants to leave UB when his time as its pres­
ident comes to an end. He usually responds
that he simply wants to have made the uni­
versity better for students, faculty and the
community and have improved the overall
institution.
''I'll leave it up to others to judge how I
did it," he said.
Tripathi sat down with The Spectrum for
a wide-ranging interview in his Capen Hall
fifth floor office Thursday afternoon. He
was passionate, often hitting his hand on the
table to emphasize his points when speaking
of issues like the ''White Only'' art project
and the University Heights neighborhood,
and upbeat when speaking of positives like
record donations and his plans for UB's fu­
ture. He was candid when speaking of his
own legacy.
He also said he would meet with. The Spec­
trum again next semester.
Tripathi and UB have been dealing with
fallout from the controversial art project
in which graduate fine arts student Ashley
Powell hung signs reading ''White Only"
•and "Black Only'' around campus. Students,
some of whom were fearful and outraged
over the signs, have been waiting for univer­
sity response and action since September.
Tripathi said a College of Arts and Sci­
ences policy comrnittee ,is still making a pol­
icy with clear guidelines on expressive art in
public places on campus. He said it's a dif­
ficult line to walk, however, as a ._university
is a place for students to express themselves

President Sa tish Tripathi sat down for an interview .with The Spectrum in his Capen fifth floor office on Thursday. Tripathi spoke of issues
facing UB like the "White Only" art project and the Heights. as well as record donations and his goals for the university.

and to "push boundaries," but not at the ex­
pense of others feeling unsafe.
''Arts are going to be controversial. But
when it's put on the wall, one should say
that this is art. So there must be a policy on
the campus," Tripathi said.

Members of the Black ·Student Union
(BSU) peacefully protested Tripathi's annu­
al State of the University address last month
with questions they wanted Tripathi and UB
to answer abo ut the line between art and
cultural trauma. Tripathi was supposed to

meet with BSU the same day as his inter­
view with The Spectrum, but said the meeting
had to be rescheduled because some mem­
bers could not meet.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

·rripathi speaks on 'White Only' art project, issues in the Heights
university like that," Tripathi said.
After losing an election that was later
deemed invalid, former Student Associa­
tion Senator Yaser Soliman plans to write
an open letter to Tripathi asking for more
university oversight of SA, which brings in
about $4 million in student funds.
"I can't tell you that it should have more
oversight or not," Tripathi said 'They need
to learn how to do it. Otherwise you would
have an observer who says do this, don't do
this ... We talked about academic freedom,
we talked about learning. On a campus, you
should provide an environment for the stu­
dents."
Tripathi said the UB Foundation (UBF),
•the private organization that handles near­
ly $1 billion worth of donations to UB, has
enough transparency. UBF currently has
the organization's 990s and audited financial statements available on its website.
"The private entity is why people give
money. They don't trust the state. That's
why it was created," Tripathi said. "So this
is something that I think is open enough
for people to look at, but we can't give the
donors names and things·like that."
But Tripathi was upbeat for the majority
of the interview - he rarely goes long in a
conversation without smiling. He took time
to discuss personal matters, like his limit­
ed food options on campus as a vegetarian and how he knows little about sports although he did know the football team is
just one win away from bowl eligibility and
has just one difficult opponent - Northern
Illinois - left on the schedule. He even-rec­
ommended a book that he's been enjoying.
He also said he appreciates student jour­
nalism and role it has on a college campus.
"It's fantastic," Tripathi said. ''You not
only learn how to practice journalism, but
you keep the campus honest. You sort of
have a sense of people and finding out
what's going on. I think it's great."

CONTOINUED FROM PAGE 1

He said he's looking forward to meeting
with BSU sometime this week.
"One of the things I want them to un­
•derstand is their concerns are my con­
cerns," Tripathi said. "I want tci make sure
[that] if they feel insecure ... I really need
to address that issue."
A 2013 Spectrum poll revealed that 82
percent of students surveyed did not feel
Tripathi had a visible presence on campus.
.Tripathi said while he misses the "intense
interactions" with students that comes with
teaching, he sometimes must use his time
getting students the resources they need
rather than interacting with them.
"I try to walk around and see the students
and talk to them, but I definitely could do a
lot more," Tripathi said. ''But at the same
KAINAN GUO, THE SPECTRUM
time, my job is to make sure students get
Tripathi said UB is working to revitalize South Campus and the Heights neig hborhood, like moving
better education here - they have the re­
graduate schools to the campus and incentivizing faculty (o buy homes in the area.
courses, they have the faculty. So I feel I
could do a lot better if I'm getting resourc­
Tripathi said UB's recent string of deans
years.
es somewhere for them."
stepping
down, including College of Arts,
But
Tripathi
said
the
Heights
can't
be
tru­
One of larger problems students have is
life in the Heights right off of South Cam­ ly revitalized until South Campus is revital­ and Sciences Dean E. Bruce Pitman, is
more "timing" than a trend. He said UB's
pus. 'The district had 523 crimes, including ized.
deans
actually serve longer than the nation­
The
campus
is
ridden
with
temporary
272 larcenies and 118 burglaries, in 2012
al
average,
which he says is about three and
buildings
from
the
'S0s
and
'60s
and
is
los­
and many students live in unsafe housing
a
half
to
four
years.
do..yn­
ing
the
medical
school
to
the
new
conditions with absentee landlords. Resi­
"It's definitely an issue for a short time
dents have also complained of the student town campus. Tripathi has pushed for
partying in the neighborhood and Buffalo more money from the state and to move while we search for a dean, but it's nor­
Police has increased crackdowns on drink­ the Graduate School of Education and the mal in the university context," Tripathi said.
School of Social Work to South Campus. "Of course, in a given situation you might
ing this semester.
Tripathi
said doing so would also help alle­ say, 'Oh my god, the dean left.' But it's not
'This is a thing that's going to take time
,
viate
the
shortage of space on North Cam- the case."
but it's a problem - I own it," Tripathi said.
He said the university must think long­
.
pus.
"It's something we really need to work on."
term
when finding solutions for the loss of
When
asked
about.
his
vision
for
South
Tripathi said UB has taken several steps
to improve the neighborhood, like paying Campus 10 years from now, Tripathi used enrollment in humanities that is happening at
City of Buffalo inspectors overtime to in­ terms like "vibrant," "alive" and filled with UB and across the country. UB's arts, histo­
ry, English and foreign language departments
spect .homes in the Heights and incentiviz­ "student life."
have
all had enrollment decreases of more
"As
the
plans
progresses,
I
want
all
the
ing UB faculty to buy homes in the neighthan
40
percent during the past decade.
three
campuses
to
be
better
than
where
, borhood with a loan program. UB will also
"So if I told my provost, 'I've doubled
soon announce a new grant program where they are," Tripathi said. "It's a tough thing
loans will be forgiven if faculty members because I don't want any of the campus­ my enrollment, give me double the faculty,'
live in the homes for a certain number of es .to be worse. I want them all to be ,better then enrollment went down and they'd say, email: tom.dlnkl@ubspectrum.com
'OK, give back the faculty' - you can't run a
and that's exactly what we're trying to do."
•