Take Back Yik Yak’ for Each Item, and a Comments Needs
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CampusTHURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2015 / VOLUME 142, ISSUE 11 Times SERVING THE UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER COMMUNITY SINCE 1873 / campustimes.org Marketplace Taxi has unclear future with UR BY AUREK RANSOM News10NBC’s story and Campus COPY EDITOR Times’ print deadline, University BY AARON SCHAFFER officials and Marketplace Taxi were unable to be reached for comment. EDITOR-IN-CHIEF At an SA Senate meeting on Rochester television station February 16, 2015, Director WHEC News10NBC released of Parking and Transportation two videos on Wednesday, April Services Hugh Kierig said 22 that showed Marketplace Taxi that “[UR’s relationship with employees referring to UR students Marketplace Taxi] has been in using expletives and racial slurs. effect, I think, at least three years.” The employees were recorded using “The bargaining chip is not derogatory language upon ending giving them the exclusive rights to calls with students. The videos were be the sole discounted taxi provider recorded by former Marketplace for [UR] students,” Kierig said. Taxi driver Christine Van Orden. “We don’t get any money from Marketplace Taxi is promoted them. We just have a gentle-person’s by UR, but there is no formal agreement that they’re going to contract. In a statement made by provide a discount […] we have UR President Joel Seligman on enough frustration in terms of their Wednesday that was published by performance that we have started BRIAN CAPUTO / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER News10NBC and also released looking at other companies.” in a UR newsletter on Thursday, Marketplace Taxi’s future PINWHEELS FOR SUICIDE PREVENTION WEEK April 23, Seligman noted that relationship with UR is unclear. Marketplace Taxi is promoted by At the February Senate meeting, Active Minds created a Garden of Hope on Wilson Quadrangle, planting 1,100 yellow pinwheels in the grass as a memorial to UR “as a service to our community, Kierig mentioned that UR was the 1,100 college students who commit suicide each year. The event aimed to raise awareness about mental health resources. especially students” because it “offers looking at “two companies” to discounted flat fares to students, “either compete with Marketplace faculty and staff.” in terms of services that [UR] “We saw the video for the first time students and employees get, or UR students create dining app [Wednesday] afternoon,” Seligman shutting Marketplace out and BY JULIANNE MCADAMS “This application is a module to split between the monthly fee for added. “We are appalled [...] The going with another cab company.” SENIOR STAFF go to any university,” Niebloom use of the app and the building language was vulgar, abusive and In an interview conducted by said. According to Peng and costs. racist, utterly incompatible with News10NBC reporter Berkeley Two UR students have developed Niebloom, they are using UR as After URdining was featured our core values.” Brean, Marketplace Taxi attorney an iPhone app called URdining that a launching point to expand into in the WeeklyBuzz, Peng and Seligman concluded by saying Jim Doyle said that “the two offers daily, up-to-date information universities across the country. Niebloom officially began that “while we investigate further, individuals in question are about dining halls and a ratings Once they build the app’s presence advertising for the app on Monday, we are removing references to the suspended immediately for a feature for giving feedback to at UR, the name “URdining” will April 20. After its official launch, service from our website.” minimum of 30 days.” UR Dining Services. The app, is the app had close to 300 new users As of early Thursday morning, Ransom is a member of owned and operated by URDining, in one day. many of the references had been the class of 2017. LLC, a company freshman Jacob Starting in the fall, URdining removed from UR websites. Schaffer is a member of Niebloom and sophomore Xuefeng will have a query filter system for Due to the time of publication of the class of 2016. Peng founded for the purpose of students to specify their interests. marketing the app. For example, said Niebloom, users The URdining app includes push could search for “gluten-free” or SA Senators launch notifications, dining hall hours, “vegetarian” food to sort through daily nutritional information the options for the day to fit their ‘Take Back Yik Yak’ for each item, and a comments needs. BY ANGELA LAI at-large and junior SeQuoia section. The app also allows users Niebloom just rebuilt the system Kemp submitted the resolution, to rate menu items at Danforth and so that information is sent to the NEWS EDITOR and they explained that they Douglass dining halls on a scale of PHOTO COURTESY OF ITUNES APP STORE app automatically. Previously, The “Take Back Yik Yak” began the initiative partially in one to five. he needed to run a script every campaign, which aims to foster response to racist and derogatory “The key is the algorithm that The UR Dining app is now available for Sunday that would update the free download on iOS devices. an inclusive community on Yik Yak posts. goes behind reading the reviews,” in-app menus from the menus on campus and promote positivity Kemp called the posts referring Niebloom said. This refers to the be subject to change, and Peng and Campus Dish. In the fall, data will on Yik Yak, officially launched to Douglass Leadership House “URDining, LLC patent-pending Niebloom will market the software come directly from Dining Service’s this Wednesday, April 22, (DLH) as the “tipping point” algorithm” Niebloom and Peng will license to other universities’ dining database instead of coming from the same day as Communal and the “icing on the cake.” DLH use to analyze consumer feedback. programs. a different source, as it does now. Principles Day. had faced similar comments in Niebloom stressed that the goal They plan to charge based on Niebloom and Peng will begin An SA resolution endorsing the the past, and there had also been of the new URdining app is to monthly fees and separate analytic posting URdining flyers, and there “Take Back Yik Yak” initiative many negative Yik Yak posts improve UR Dining Services by costs. Niebloom and Peng said they will be a weekly distribution of one was unanimously approved over consistently targeting other using consumer feedback and to currently have no statement about free dining voucher starting next two weeks ago on Monday, April groups of UR students. “build off the menu to make [it] prices for other universities’ use of semester. 6. SA Senator and freshman what students want.” the software, except that it will be SEE DINING PAGE 4 Delvin Moody and SA Senator SEE YIK YAK PAGE 4 WOMEN IN KARA DIOGUARDI CAN’T STOP INSIDE HOLLYWOOD SOFTBALL THIS CT VISITS EASTMAN Scott Abrams on the under- Former American idol judge Women’s softball was on a roll representation of women in Kara DioGuardi gave a pop this weekend, winning three of Hollywood movies. songwriting seminar at four games. Eastman. MORGAN MEHRING / STAFF ILLUSTRATOR PAGE 5 OPINIONS PAGE 13 A&E PAGE 16 SPORTS PAGE 2 / campustimes.org NEWS / THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2015 WEEKEND FORECAST COURTESY OF WEATHER.COM FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY Partly Cloudy/Windy Sunny Party Cloudy High 47, Low 33 High 55, Low 37 High 56, Low 40 Chance of rain: 20% Chance of rain: 0% Chance of rain: 10% PUBLIC SAFETY UPDATE Student attempts to leave Hillside without paying BY ANGELA LAI AARON RAYMOND / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER moving the chair. The visitor NEWS EDITOR STEM INITIATIVE HOSTS SECOND ANNUAL FAMILY SCIENCE DAY refused and made some comments STEM Initiative hosted its second Annual Family Science Day on Saturday, April 18 in Rettner Hall, offering 34 activities 1. On Saturday, April 18 at 1:21 that could have been construed for the public. a.m., Department of Public Safety as threatening. The student then (DPS) responded to the report of got up and called DPS. DPS an attempted larceny at Hillside spoke to the visitor, who admitted THIS WEEK ON CAMPUS Market. Upon arrival, DPS was to making the statements. The told by staff that an individual student declined to prosecute, THURSDAY had taken a bottled drink and and the visitor was identified and APRIL 23 placed it into their sweatshirt escorted off of the property. PASSPORT TO ISRAEL VOCAL POINT SPRING SHOW pocket. The individual then went WILSON COMMONS HIRST LOUNGE, 4:00 P.M. - 7:00 P.M. WILSON COMMONS MAY ROOM, 8:00 P.M. - 10:00 P.M. to exit the store without paying Pipe catches on fire, sets off The event is a celebration of Israeli culture, history At their spring show, Vocal Point will sing hits from for the drink. Staff stopped the Rush Rhees tunnel area smoke and religion in honor of Israeli Independence Day. Visit artists like Meghan Trainor, Lorde, Taylor Swift and individual, who complied and alarm stations sponsored by different student organizations more. Tickets are $7 at the Common Market and $9 came back into the store. The and receive a stamp in your “passport” to be eligible at the door. to receive a plate of traditional Israeli food. individual showed identification, 3. On Thursday, April 16 at 3:53 and said they may have forgotten p.m., a smoke alarm went off in FRIDAY to pay for the drink. The the Rush Rhees Library tunnel APRIL 24 individual was identified by DPS area. DPS and Rochester Fire DANDELION DAY MT. HOPE CELEBRATION OF COLLEGE TOWN as a student and warned. The Department (RFD) responded. RIVER CAMPUS, 4:00 P.M. - 8:00 P.M. COLLEGE TOWN, 4:00 P.M.