Western University axed its main orientation week performance by singer Sean Kingston Aug. 31, due to a civil sexual assault case he was facing in the United States.
Kingston was set to perform at Western on Saturday, Sept. 7, until the school’s administration announced that he would be replaced. His replacement has not been determined yet, and the university is currently seeking “alternate entertainment.”
“Neither Western nor the [University Students’ Council] is taking a position on whether Kingston committed the offence, but it was felt that while the case is before the courts, proceeding with the concert would undermine the university and the USC’s efforts to educate students that Western has zero tolerance for sexual assault,” the university’s communications staff said in a press release.
Kingston’s performance would have clouded the values of orientation week, USC president Pat Whelan said in the release.
These values focus on “inclusivity, human rights, and safety, including sexual violence prevention,” the press release stated.
Susan Grindrod, associate vice-president (housing and ancillary services) said in the release, “it is essential that all of our students, but in particular our incoming students and orientation volunteers, feel safe and valued at Western.”
“This includes those who may be survivors of sexual assault,” she said in the release.
Fourth-year science student Jake Pelling, also a residence don, said he agreed with the university’s decision to cancel the performance.
“It’s not that we would have been condoning sexual assault but we wouldn’t have been doing anything about it,” Pelling said. “We had to do something.”
The orientation concert is the highlight of the week, he added.
“There’s definitely a feeling of incompleteness,” Pelling said, especially because Kingston has not yet been replaced.
First-year student Shankar Mani said he thought students were disappointed.
“I was pretty pissed because I thought it would be cool to see someone as famous as him perform,” Mani said. “The vibe is a little different knowing he cancelled.”
Kingston ended up settling the $5-million lawsuit out of court, according to the Daily Mail. Criminal charges against the singer for the same incident were dropped in 2010.
Last year, the Carleton University Students’ Association (CUSA) cancelled a Rick Ross performance following protests that the rapper promoted date rape.
Shortly before he was set to perform at Carleton’s annual Pandamonium concert, Ross released a single where he rapped about putting MDMA in a woman’s drink without her knowing and taking her home to “enjoy it.”
In a statement, CUSA called Ross’ lyrics “repulsive” and “uncharacteristic of the views and beliefs of CUSA.”
