Syracuse University Chancellor Kent Syverud provided updates about the university’s ongoing response to campus hate crimes and bias incidents in his annual winter address Monday.

Syverud delivered his 2020 Winter Message to a packed 300-person auditorium of students, faculty and staff in Dineen Hall. The chancellor’s speech focused on faculty hiring and commitments to diversity, inclusion and safety, as well as fundraising to support these areas.

These efforts will make SU “a world-class model of an academic powerhouse that truly embraces, welcomes and values all people,” he said.

Much of Syverud’s speech addressed student demands and recommendations given in response to at least 20 hate crimes and bias-related incidents that have occurred at or near SU since early November. Graffiti targeting black, Asian, Jewish and indigenous students has been found in several SU residence halls.

“Given our world right now, I don’t expect that our campus, our community or our world will be free from incidents of anti-Semitism, racism and hate,” Syverud said. “We cannot magically change everything overnight. But we can respond appropriately, proactively and positively, true to the values we aspire to.”

#NotAgainSU, a black, student-led movement, presented Syverud with 19 demands in November to meet in response to the incidents. The chancellor agreed to 16 of the demands as written and revised the remaining three. Syverud also signed demands from Jewish, Asian and international students and discussed solutions and concerns with indigenous students.

SU has allocated $5.6 million for diversity and inclusion initiatives that address the 50 commitments the university made to students at the end of the fall 2019 semester, Syverud said. A project management team is tracking progress on these commitments, and 16 new staff members will be added to work on programs related to the commitments, he said.

“We are taking prompt action on the commitments we made last semester,” Syverud said. “I believe this work requested emphatically by our students is helping us become a better place.”

A lack of space on campus for black and multicultural students has “long plagued” SU, and has especially become an issue for multicultural student groups as the Schine Student Center undergoes renovations, Syverud said. Room 550 in Bird Library will be designated as a study lounge and meeting space for multicultural students until Schine reopens for the fall 2020 semester, he said.

Staff from SU’s Office of Campus Planning, Design and Construction and the Division of Enrollment and the Student Experience are also identifying options for new, permanent spaces on campus for multicultural Greek life, he said.

“They will be meeting with student leaders soon to review those options,” Syverud said. “I am optimistic we are about to move dramatically forward in this area, too.”

Providing equal treatment to multicultural Greek life organizations at SU is one of #NotAgainSU’s demands.

Syverud also responded to #NotAgainSU’s demand for an improved roommate selection process. SU signed a contract with My College Roomie, a student roommate-matching software company, and its services will be implemented this spring, Syverud said.

John Liu, interim vice chancellor and provost, will be introducing a Diversity Opportunity Hires Program, Syverud said. The program will intentionally increase diversity among tenured and tenure-track faculty across the university’s schools and colleges, he said.

Syverud also announced five senior hires or promotions to support student engagement and success. These hires are intended to expand the diversity of leadership in the Division of Enrollment and the Student Experience, he said.

“To be a world-class model of a university that truly embraces all people, we need more than great faculty and academic programs,” Syverud said. “We need also to continue to enhance every aspect of our student experience, especially for those students who have felt unincluded or unsafe.”

#NotAgainSU marched to deliver letters of resignation to Syverud and several university administrators in December, demanding the officials resign by Monday. The chancellor did not reference calls for his resignation in his speech. As of 11 p.m., #NotAgainSU has not publicly commented on Syverud’s speech or its deadline for his resignation.

“These are challenging times in this community, in this nation and in the world,” Syverud said. “But we have an opportunity now to rise and do what Syracuse University has often done when it is at its best. We can seize this moment to become better and a model for the world.”

Published on January 13, 2020 at 11:18 pm

Contact Michael: msessa@syr.edu | @MichaelSessa3