#NotAgainSU plans to contact Syracuse University administration Sunday night with a time and place to negotiate on the movement’s demands, an organizer said.

The movement, led by Black students, has occupied Crouse-Hinds Hall since Monday to continue its ongoing protest of at least 29 racist, anti-Semitic and homophobic incidents that have occurred at or near SU since early November.

Organizers plan to occupy the building until the movement’s 24 demands are met, protesters said Wednesday. The movement initially presented a list of 19 demands to Chancellor Kent Syverud in November, adding six, revising five and retracting one on Feb. 17.

University officials have not signed the movement’s updated list of demands as of Sunday night. The movement demanded Feb. 17 that Syverud and three other SU officials resign by 11:59 p.m. Friday. None of the officials have vacated their positions.

“We have only been in communication with admin when they choose to make themselves available to us. There has so far been no protocol for the admin that indicates how and when we can communicate with them,” an organizer said in a statement to The Daily Orange.

Several university officials — including Syverud, Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer Keith Alford and Rob Hradsky, vice president of the student experience and dean of students — have visited the Crouse-Hinds occupation throughout this week.

University administration has been meeting without students on floors they can’t access, the organizer said. The officials then visit the organizers unannounced to deliver conclusions made during the private meetings, they said. The protesters have been “consistently caught off-guard,” the organizer said.

“We organize in a centralized location all day and wait for the elevator to ding when (they) deem it appropriate to communicate with us,” the organizer said.

The university is prepared to participate in conversations with the organizers once the students indicate that they’re ready to move forward, said Sarah Scalese, senior associate vice president for university communications, in a statement.

“It is our understanding the students are working to identify and secure the faculty advisors who will support them during their conversations with members of University leadership,” Scalese said.

The organizer said #NotAgainSU made a list of trusted faculty days before university administration suggested the organizers do so. The list has already been given to administration, the organizer said.

Any indication from university administration that the movement is refusing to negotiate is false, the organizer said.

“The truth is that we have not been invited to the table where people with decision-making power are present,” they said.

#NotAgainSU held a sit-in at the Barnes Center at The Arch in November for eight days. Syverud signed 16 and revised three of the movement’s initial 19 demands during the early hours of the protest’s eighth day. #NotAgainSU’s occupation of Crouse-Hinds will enter its eighth day on Monday.

Published on February 23, 2020 at 11:36 pm

Contact Emma: esfolts@syr.edu