WHUS cancels collaboration with UCONNIC

The University of Connecticut’s WHUS Radio dissolved its plans to collaborate with the UCONNIC Music Festival on Tuesday after students expressed concerns about allegations of sexual assault made against booked performer Sean Kingston.

“In light of the allegations made against one of the booked performers at UCONNIC Music Festival, WHUS Radio has decided to no longer participate in the evening’s events as it does not align with our values,” WHUS said in an official statement.

WHUS Radio said it is still open to collaboration with SUBOG in the future, and they “wish them all the best.”

UConn student group Revolution Against Rape said they commend WHUS for dissolving its planned collaboration with UCONNIC, and they urge the university to cancel its booking with Kingston.

“In 2012, Sean Kingston, along with his bodyguard and a member of his band, was accused of getting a 19-year-old girl drunk and then sexually assaulting her,” Revolution Against Rape said in an official statement. Multiple news sources, including the Huffington Post and the Tampa Bay Times, reported in 2013 that the alleged assault happened in 2010.

Revolution Against Rape said booking Kingston does not align with SUBOG’s goal of best serving the interests of its constituents.

“This booking, for a concert that takes place during Sexual Assault Awareness Month, actively silences the voices of sexual assault victim-survivors in a society that already too often denies them justice,” Revolution Against Rape said. “It tells victim-survivors across Connecticut that this university values a performance more than their safety.”

The UCONNIC Music Festival will be held Thursday night. Kingston and Summer Walker will open the show, followed by headliner Lil Baby.

SUBOG was unavailable for comment at the time of publication.

Ashley Anglisano is a staff writer for The Daily Campus. She can be reached by email at ashley.anglisano@uconn.edu.