UR Seeks Legal Action Against Yik Yak Users Following Racist Posts
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CampusTHURSDAY, MARCH 26, 2015 / VOLUME 142, ISSUE 7 Times SERVING THE UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER COMMUNITY SINCE 1873 / campustimes.org UR raises tuition rates for 2015-16 BY SAAD USMANI the same size as the Class of 2018.” SENIOR STAFF Senior Vice President for Administration and Finance and This past weekend, UR Chief Financial Officer Ronald J. administration announced the Paprocki was quick to point out that tuition, room and board rates for although this is an increase from the upcoming 2015-2016 year. the last year, it is one of the lowest Tuition for undergraduates will in years, and there are widespread increase approximately 2.8 percent efforts to control costs. to $47,450, room and board will “[The tuition increase] for rise by 4.8 percent to $14, 294, and undergraduates in Arts Sciences the overall cost of attendance will and Engineering is the lowest rise by approximately 3.3 percent. since 1973-74,” Paprocki noted. Tuition rates for the Eastman “In addition to the prioritization School of Music will also rise by and cost control activities in the approximately 3.5 percent. individual schools, there have been A committee of administrators University-wide efforts to control is responsible for decisions about costs. These include contract TREBELLIOUS PERFORMS IN WILSON COMMONS budget and tuition. revisions in purchasing that save Provost Peter Lennie stated, money on goods and services AARON RAYMOND / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER “The budget planning begins in purchased by the University, Members of student vocal group Trebellious perform in Wilson Commons. Trebellious gained final recognition by the Students’ the schools. The budget proposals adjustments in health benefits Association Senate on at a meeting on Monday. from the schools, including programs for employees and recommendations about tuition, introduction of Wellness programs are discussed and reviewed by to control healthcare costs, energy UR seeks legal action against Yik President Seligman and other senior management programs that have administrators, and then the budget reduced the University’s utilities is submitted to the Board of Trustees costs, and refinancing of the Yak users following racist posts for approval.” University’s debt to reduce interest BY ANGELA REMUS Ep), more racist and derogatory otherwise have been self-censored To counter the increase and its costs.” PUBLISHER language began appearing on the “Whether it’s bullying, racism effect on students who receive Paprocki said that the additional app. [or] sexism, we do not tolerate [it],” grants or scholarships from the BY AARON SCHAFFER funds will go toward student Due to Yik Yak’s anonymous Yik Yak co-founder and CEO Tyler school, UR has also committed to services and programs as well as EDITOR-IN-CHIEF platform and geographic limitations, Droll said at the College Media an additional 5.9 percent increase upgrading facilities and establishing UR students rank among the the posts and their readers are largely Association Conference in New in financial aid for the students. new faculty. According to Lennie, most active users of Yik Yak, but in confined to the River Campus. York City in early March. “That’s Dean of Admissions and Financial some of the additional money will recent weeks the app’s reputation as “The big value of anonymity is nowhere close to the intention we Aid Jonathan Burdick noted, “As it be going toward funding academic a place for harmless puns and jokes that it levels the playing field so had when creating [the app].” happens, our spending on financial programs such as the planned Data was tarnished by posts containing the content is the most important As a result, the University has aid this year was a little more than Science major, new languages and derogatory slurs, personal threats thing—not social status, number had a challenging time responding 100 million, so the increase in the more research opportunities. Some and racist epitaphs. Sparked by of friends, public persona, etc,” Yik to posts that may have violated the aid budget for next year will be a of the money will be used in the Residential Life’s assignments of Yak Director of Communications student code of conduct. little more than six million. That forthcoming renovation of the Academic Living Centers to Drama Hilary McQuaide said in an email. “Maybe they wouldn’t constitute includes increased money for both Frederick Douglass Building. House, Douglass Leadership House However, anonymity can provide violations of the Code of Conduct current and new students; the plan is Usmani is a member of a platform for posts that might that the Class of 2019 will be about the class of 2017. (DLH) and Sigma Phi Epsilon (Sig SEE YIK YAK PAGE 5 SA adopts new bylaws % Increases in Tuition Arts, Sciences and Engineering BY JASON ALTABET changes originally began as an With the new bylaws, all SENIOR STAFF effort to improve the appeals senators are to be voted on by 9.0% process, Senate quickly expanded the entirety of the student body. 8.0% On March 19, SA Senate their effort into a full-fledged The top three vote-earning 7.0% passed new bylaws governing overhaul of student government sophomores, juniors and seniors 6.0% the Students’ Association. The bylaws. will receive positions, and the next 5.0% 4.0% 8.1% bylaws, which dictate everything SA President Antoinette Esce top five senators, no matter their 6.9% 5.9% 3.0% 5.3% from committee duties to election explained, “the old bylaws were class affiliation, will also serve. 4.3% 4.5% 2.0% 4.0% 4.0% 3.9% 3.5% 2.8% procedures, were the product of written a while ago, and not only Freshmen senators will continue 1.0% weeks of discussion and debate. were they messy, inconsistent and to be elected by the freshmen 0.0% The SA President, SA Vice incomplete, they didn’t reflect the class. “The change prevented the 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 President, heads of All Campus best practices of SA Government. constant problem we’d have of Fiscal Years Judicial Council and several For example, nowhere in the uneven races,” Esce explained. GRAPHIC COURTESY OF RONALD PAPROCKI1 senators drafted and revised the bylaws did it say what vote was “25 people would run in the The UR Board of Trustees approved tuition rates for the 2015-2016 school year at a 16-page document. While the needed to remove a senator.” SEE BYLAWS PAGE 4 meeting this month. Overall cost of attendance will rise by 3.3 per cent. SAE SCANDAL IN ADITI ANNIVERSARY EASTER FUNNY INSIDE OKLAHOMA THIS CT The pros and cons of college Student cultural club An open letter from the Easter traditions: Gracie Peters looks ADITI celebrates their 30th Bunny, responding to criticism at the Oklahoma University SAE anniversary on campus. of the holiday. fraternity scandal. / ILLUSTRATOR CHRISTIAN CIERI PAGE 7 OPINIONS PAGE 9 FEATURES PAGE 13 HUMOR PAGE 2 / campustimes.org NEWS / THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 2015 WEEKEND FORECAST COURTESY OF WEATHER.COM FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY PM Snow Showers Partly Cloudy Mostly Sunny High 35, Low 17 High 27, Low 18 High 44, Low 33 Chance of snow: 50% Chance of rain: 20% Chance of rain: 20% PUBLIC SAFETY UPDATE Students attempt to evade Public Safety AARON RAYMOND / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER BY ANGELA LAI were brought in to ventilate the NEWS EDITOR area, a cause was found for the BSU HOSTS BLACK WOMEN'S APPRECIATION DINNER smoke. A Heating, Ventilation and UR’s Black Students’ Union hosted the Black Women’s Appreciation Dinner with keynote speaker and Rochester Mayor 1. On Wednesday, March 18 Air Conditioning (HVAC) unit Lovely Warren in Douglass Dining Center on Sunday, March 22. at 12:51 a.m., DPS officers on the third floor was found to responded to a loud noise have a seized motor which caused complaint outside Lovejoy Hall the belt to burn up. Facilities was THIS WEEK ON CAMPUS facing the Residential Quadrangle. notified for repairs on the HVAC As officers approached, they unit. There were no injuries and THURSDAY observed six people talking loudly nothing was damaged besides the MARCH 26 outside of Lovejoy. When the HVAC unit, which needs repairs KOREAN-THEMED DINNER PAGE.STAGE.ENGAGE WITH GUANTE group observed the officers, they worth $1500. DANFORTH DINING CENTER, 5:00 P.M. - 9:00 P.M. WILSON COMMONS MAY ROOM, 7:00 P.M. - 8:30 P.M. quieted down and two left and The Korean American Students’ Association and Two-time National Poetry Slam champion, activist entered the building. As officers Students stay in Rush Rhees Dining Services will host their first Korean-themed and educator Guante will give a performance came closer to the group, the Library after closing dinner. All stations will be serving classic Korean exploring issues of identity, positionality and power. remaining four got up and entered dishes and Korean-inspired dishes. The event is free. the building. The officers yelled 3. Officers responded to intrusion for the group to stop, but they alarms for Rush Rhees two times FRIDAY over two days after the library was MARCH 27 kept walking. Officers followed the group inside and again closed. The first was on Saturday, ENGINEERING OLYMPICS COMPLEXITIES OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE advised them to stop, and three March 21 at 2 a.m. DPS officers GOERGEN HALL MUNNERLYN ATRIUM, 3:00 P.M. - 5:00 P.M. GOERGEN SLOAN AUDITORIUM, 3:00 P.M. - 4:00 P.M. of the four did. The fourth kept entered the building and started Tackle engineering challenges to score points and win This event will feature speakers discussing sexual walking and had to be told again checking the area.