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Friday, Feb. 18, 2022 VOLUME LXXXVII ISSUE XIII SINCE 1935 www.oswegonian.com
Uber Josh returns to SUNY Oswego campus
Persona non grata ends for popular driver amid controversy Aiden Trusz Staff Writer news@oswegonian.com If you ask any Oswego student how they feel about Joshua Barbour, they may look at you with confusion. There are plenty of Josh’s on campus, is Barbour supposed to be special? When you rephrase the question, they suddenly understand who you are talking about. A slight cringe and head nod, a knowing smile, occasionally even a response question: “That creep?” It seems as if everyone on campus has a response to “Do you know Uber Josh?” Uber Josh moved to Oswego four years ago, and began driving for Uber to occupy his time and meet new people. He drove for Uber for two years before switching to instagram as his primary form of communication, employing himself instead of dealing with Uber, its fees and its guidelines. The driver and his red Kia Soul, emblemed with ‘uberJosh’ on its front driver door, are a constant sight around the town of Oswego. There is a negative stigma
about Uber Josh on campus that the driver is very conscious of, with people calling him a creep and even citing actual physical allegations with undetermined merit. Yet, he does n0t let the rumors get to him. “Those who choose to ride with me have heard those rumors and laugh because they know me and know I would never do something like that,” Barbour said. Barbour’s positive attitude and dismissal of these rumors is backed by a key announcement on his instagram page: A letter from the SUNY Oswego Dean’s office releasing him from his status as a persona non grata, which barred him from driving on college grounds. Uber Josh is back on campus, and he says the Oswego student and alumni community, despite the stigma, had a huge influence on his return. Barbour is out driving most weekends, and he has always taken great pride in being Oswego’s number one driver. “I have seen countless Uber drivers come and go,” Barbour said. “Yet for the past four years I am still here. Still driving for the students and people of the
Oswego community.” On Sept. 17th, 2020, the Dean of Students Office informed Barbour that he had been given the status of “persona non grata,” meaning that he was officially banned from passing through Oswego campus grounds. The ban cited screenshots from Uber Josh’s instagram page picturing him and his passengers without face masks in his car, a violation of New York and Uber mask mandates stating all people involved in ride-sharing must wear masks throughout the entire drive. The driver was shocked by the ban, especially because he had personally witnessed other Uber drivers without face coverings. He understands, though, that more attention will be paid to him due to his popularity and local status. “I am just the most visible driver in Oswego, and have the most eyes on me at all times,” Barbour. Barbour tried appealing the campus ban twice, at the start of each upcoming semester. His fall 2020 and spring 2021 appeals were both denied.
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Image via Josh Barbour’s Instagram
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Josh Barbour drove for Uber for two years before switching to Instagram as his primary form of communication for providing rides in Oswego.
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Oswego City Police to participate in 30x30 initiative
Spencer Bates | The Oswegonian The City of Oswego police department begins an initiative to diversify their recruitment.
Spencer Bates Asst. News Editor sbates@oswegonian.com On Jan. 31 City of Oswego Mayor Billy Barlow revealed that the city police department will participate in the 30x30 initiative. The goal of the project is to increase the representation of women in the police force through several low cost actions. Setting out to get 30% of police recruit classes to be women by the year 2030. The initiative outlines practices that will make it so the police agency can identify problems, issues and areas within the department where diversity is lacking and where it can be improved. After identifying these areas different tactics will be implemented to right the course. According to a City of Oswego News Release, actions will address “recruitment, assessment, hiring, retention, promotion and agency culture.” The initiative is the result
of several leaders nationwide dedicated to the advancement of women in police forces and is associated with the National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives (NAWLEE) and the NYU School of Law. Barlow spoke on how proud he was of the pledge and what he hopes will come as a result. “I’m proud to enter the Oswego Police Department into the 30x30 Initiative and to take the pledge to hire more women police officers, advance women officers to leadership positions, and commit to ensuring 30% of the Oswego Police Department is female by 2030,” Barlow said. “We have already made a concerted [effort] to diversify our police force and improve our department through our police re-imagining plan adopted last year. Now, we take our efforts to the next level by using this initiative to firmly commit to long term goals.”
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Abi Conpropst | The Oswegonian