African Student Association at UIndy

Coffee with a Cop is a global program according to Pate and the program’s website. The purpose of the program is to bring officers and their community together through conversations over coffee according to the program. It serves as an opportunity for barriers to be broken between law enforcement and the community they serve, or, in other words, bridge the gap between them according to Pate.

Sophomore elementary education major Ivy Harkenrider attended the Coffee with a Cop event that took place on Feb. 2 in the Schwitzer Student Center Atrium. Harkenrider said she learned about dispatch procedures and more about what the job entails.

“The event went very well. I got a free coffee. And then I sat down and we made small talk for about 20 minutes,” Harkenrider said. “I took away that our police officers are probably doing more than we think they’re doing.”

Pate said that he is planning on instating Coffee with a Cop as a regular, recurring event that takes place on Wednesdays all over campus. The UIndy Coffee with a Cop programming will involve co sponsors as well, said Pate, with groups like the Black Male Initiative, UIndy Athletics, the Criminal Justice department and Indiana State Police partnering with UIPD to engage with more people.

“The next one is in Ender's Engagement Center. And then we’re going to move to the Health Pavilion and to the library,” Pate said.

Coffee with a Cop is not the only way students can connect with UIndy Police officers. According to Pate, the new substation located in Schwitzer Student Center Room 208B is open to students if they want to sit down with Pate and have a conversation. UIPD is also looking to organize a safety walk according to Pate where police officers and UIndy community members can walk around campus and discuss student concerns.

“As the Acting Chief, I will be here Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2:30 to 4:30 as long as I don't have meetings, so they can walk in anytime, ask me any questions, say hi, sit down, have a drink, have a meal, whatever it may be,”Pate said.

In addition, Pate said that UIndy Police are planning more programming such as Pizza on Patrol, hall events and states that he is open to suggestions and ideas from students. UIPD looks to develop more programming where the police department and the UIndy community can facilitate engagement according to Pate.

Junior political science major and president of

Septemer of 2022 for African students to be able to engage in a variety of African cultural acivities

By Logan McInnes STAFF WRITER

The African Student Association at the University of Indianapolis’ was formed in September of 2022 to allow African cultures to be embraced in a predominantly white institution and to educate those that are not of African descent, according to junior political science major and President of the ASA Oluyemisi Kareem.

According to Kareem, she formed the club due to disappointment from the lack of student organizations geared toward African students. Kareem said she spoke with people about how the organization could be created which led to the formation of the ASA.

“To me, ASA is having a community here on campus that caters more to the African people of Indianapolis,” Kareem said. “It gives people the space to be their true, authentic selves.”

The ASA helps students of African descent who feel uncomfortable speaking to their professors about academic or outside-theclassroom matters, according to junior public health major and Secretary for the ASA Hélène Lutumika. Lutumika said when the ASA was formed, she asked Kareem if she could join which led to her becoming a member.

“When I started school here in 2020, there was no African organization, and I felt like I didn’t belong anywhere. I felt like I didn’t belong because I didn’t know any of the American songs,” Lutumika said. “If there was an ASA where I knew they were going to play African songs, then it would have been better if I was surrounded by people who understood me.”

Board member positions are geared towards African and African-American students according to Kareem, but all are welcome to attend events. As president, Kareem said she oversees ASA events and keeps in contact with other college and university ASAs so groups can collaborate across schools.

“The main mission of ASA is to educate those who don’t come from a traditional African background and to allow people to know that there are differences within Africa but that we are one as a whole,” Kareem said.

Kareem said she hopes to see more involvement from the UIndy community and that those that want to learn more about the association and its purpose, to discuss culture can come to ASA events. The ASA will be hosting an upcoming event on Feb. 15 titled “Nollywood Night” according to Kareem and the event will be an African movie night where people can come and see what African film is like in comparison to American film.

“A long-term goal would be to find a freshman or sophomore that has the same passion as I do to take over so that there’s always a continuance of the ASA presence here at UIndy,” Kareem said.

“[UIndy Police officers] are dedicated individuals to UIndy,” Pate said. “I wish that it was more readily known how many of those officers are UIndy graduates, came through this school, got their undergrad degrees here, got their graduate degrees here, decided to either continue to stay here or come back here and be police officers. They're motivated by the Greyhound community. All of them have a personal mastery in trying to keep this campus safe.”