Tripathi briefs UB Council on student art project

President Satish K. Tripathi updated the UB Council on several timely campus issues at the group’s meeting on Wednesday, including the controversial student art project that has sparked considerable dialogue on campus during the past two weeks.

Tripathi told council members that as an academic community, UB seeks to understand the boundaries surrounding academic freedom and freedom of respect.

“Exploring particular topics from diverse points of view is part of what we do as an academic community,” he said. “At the same time, it is critical that we do so in a safe, inclusive environment in which all of our students and other members of the university feel respected.”

As part of a class project, graduate student Ashley Powell posted several signs reading “White Only” and “Black Only” on Sept. 16 outside bathrooms and above drinking fountains on the North Campus. The signs were immediately removed by University Police and members of the university community.

Reactions to the art project ranged from discomfort and anger to confusion and disbelief.

Since then, the issue has been evolving into “a productive campus dialogue about how to balance freedom of expression and the need to foster a safe and inclusive campus space,” Tripathi said.

“This is an important conversation, and by no means an easy one,” he said. “Continuing to discuss this issue is critical for our entire university community.”

He said he was “deeply impressed” by the leadership roles student groups such as the Black Student Union (BSU) and the undergraduate Student Association (SA) have been taking in “moving the campus conversation forward in a very constructive way.”

He said he held a meeting last week with leaders of BSU, SA and other concerned student groups that served as a valuable forum for students “to share their strong concerns about how this project has impacted the campus climate, as well as an opportunity for further dialogue about the critical role of fostering a safe, welcoming and inclusive campus.”

The larger community forum held on Sept. 25 continued this effort, he said, by providing “a platform for many voices to be heard and perspectives to be exchanged.”

Noting that as a public university UB “is also is part of the fabric of our surrounding communities,” Tripathi also spoke about the rowdy and disruptive behavior by some students in the University Heights neighborhood at the start of the fall semester.

“This is an issue UB continues to take very seriously,” he said, noting the university has taken a number of steps to address these concerns, including:

• Working to ensure that students understand their responsibilities and recognize the implications of their behavior with respect to the Student Code of Conduct.
• Conducting visits to off-campus student housing where parties were held and assessing university policy and programs, including weekend service by UB Stampede buses and public safety.
• Meeting with the University Heights Collaborative to hear the concerns of collaborative members and ensure an open line of communication.

“UB is committed to being a good neighbor in our surrounding communities as a vital part of our mission as a public university,” he said.

In other business, Provost Charles F. Zukoski told council members UB is working on several proposals for funding through the SUNY Excels program. This $100 million program is designed to fund projects that significantly increase the number of students receiving SUNY degrees, as well as improve performance system-wide.

UB’s proposals include:

• A universal Finish in Four program that would take UB’s successful program and apply it to all SUNY students with the goal of having students complete their degrees in four years.
• Establishing professional development programs for students in the arts and humanities. Zukoski noted that student enrollment in these areas is declining —both at UB and nationally — in light of student concerns that these areas of study are not leading to productive careers after graduation.
• Expanding and enhancing the Educational Opportunity Program, which supports talented students who have not yet reached their academic potential due to barriers in their educational, economic or personal backgrounds.

Zukoski said UB also is seeking funding from SUNY’s Empire Innovation Program, which offers resources to help recruit exceptional faculty. UB has requested funding for startup packages for faculty for UB RENEW, the Department of Biomedical Engineering and the new graduate degree program in Computational Data Science and Engineering.

In addition, UB is seeking funding for capital projects, including funding for the next phase of the Heart of the Campus project and to renovate space on the South Campus that will become available when medical school moves to the new downtown facility.