By DAHJIA THOMAS
Arts Editor
Tensions run high between faculty and members of the Black Student Union due to a spiraling of events in the past few weeks. Conflicts began during Black History Month during which a majority of events from the BSU were canceled, but students were unaware as to why. Staff members and the BSU E-Board gave some insight into the issues they’ve faced on campus.
Administration leaned more towards the idea that schedule conflicts as well as lack of communication was the downfall of the BSU’s events. In some regard, the administration felt as if they were doing all they could to support the club, even when met with strict rules to follow.
Niamaya Canady, assistant director of community service, also serves as the BSU’s advisor, which provides them with the necessary resources to fulfill their ideas. As a representative for Saint Rose faculty, her opinions differed from members of the BSU.
“I think I’ve definitely seen times where miscommunication might happen or not being aware of certain processes that need to happen to make things run smoothly and it’s just about knowing what you need to do to make things run smoothly,” Canady stated in an interview.
For faculty, it comes down to doing their job, for instance, the ability to make sure clubs are treated as equals and respected as students.
After speaking with President Alexis Anderson of the BSU, she along with other club members felt unheard and unseen as miniorotes at a PWI. What made her aware of the misconduct was supervision from security guards around campus.
“If I attend a club and they’re just doing something we might have had an idea of doing, security’s never there,” Anderson explained in an interview. “But if we’re [BSU] having a simple paint night, security’s sitting there and it’s not like you’re participating in the event, you’re just watching us from a distance. It’s always a negative impact on the Black Student Union, so now it’s like ‘oh, let’s keep an eye on them.’”
BSU doesn’t view administration as a support system to fall back on, but an obstacle that prevents them from reaching students. Because of the cancellation of events and faculty turning them away, members see this as silencing their voices.
A recent update in the story occurred when PR Representative Kiyana Mitchell saw a poster from student development stapled over their board in the EAC. What shocked her the most was the fact that it was still Black History Month, the poster associating them with drinking.
“It was really a slap in the face to see that. I think it showed just how much they didn’t care about Black or minority students on campus.”
In the past, the BSU has been associated with drinking, being rowdy, and overall disturbing the peace on campus. This did not help their case, and Mitchell wrote a note to student development about her disappointment saying the level of disrespect was blatant in the faces of minority students.
With the passing of Black History Month, things have settled between both parties, but the unfair treatment is still rampant on campus. The rules and regulations for clubs should be broadcasted, as there have been multiple occasions where clubs have been told by administration they are not allowed to do something. This creates a disconnect between students and faculty, making them feel as if they have no place on campus.
