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Several of Syracuse University’s nine campus engagement committees have accomplished their goals, a university official said. SU established the committees in response to student demands following a string of hate incidents on campus.

More than 500 students, faculty and staff signed up in January to participate in the committees, said Rob Hradsky, vice president for the student experience. The university announced the committees after making commitments to address demands from #NotAgainSU, a movement led by Black students, and other student groups. 

Students and faculty members provided feedback on the university’s response to protesters’ demands in areas including curriculum, policy, housing and security.

The Curriculum Committee will not meet again this semester since members already approved revisions to the first-year seminar, SEM 100, said Chris Johnson, associate provost for academic affairs and head of the committee. Overhauling the course was one of #NotAgainSU’s demands when the movement occupied the Barnes Center at The Arch in November. 

During five meetings in February, the Curriculum Committee attracted over 100 members, Johnson said.

The campus engagement committees have given the SU community an opportunity to provide feedback on the university’s decisions, but they are probably not sustainable in the long term, Johnson said. 

“This approach was a good way to get actionable feedback quickly, while momentum was strong,” he said. 

The Safety and Security committee, which Department of Public Safety Chief Bobby Maldonado oversaw, stopped meeting when the pandemic forced SU to switch to online classes in March, said Christine Weber, public information and internal communications officer.

Other committees, such as the Housing and Residential Experience Engagement Committee, will continue to meet virtually this semester, said Terra Peckskamp, senior director of the Office of Student Living at SU and head of the committee. She plans to connect with previous committee members and recruit new students and faculty.  

“Our semester was cut short last spring, and there is still valuable work this committee can do,” she said. 

Jennifer Uryniak, director of budget and finance at SU and head of the Food Services and Dining Committee, said the committee will continue to meet virtually this fall. The committee has addressed international students’ demand for SU to expand international food options in dining halls, she said.

Few students attended the three meetings the Food Services and Dining Committee held, said Mary Kiernan, a nutrition and food studies professor and a member of the committee.

Ryan Thompson, an SU graduate and former member of the housing and residential experience engagement committee, said members met regularly even after the coronavirus outbreak struck to discuss adjustments to the roommate selection portal, residential adviser training and the expansion of Multicultural Living Learning Communities on campus. 

Marianne Thomson, dean of students at SU and head of the Policy Committee, said the committee will continue to meet “as needed” and has completed the bulk of its work, which included revising the Code of Student Conduct and updating the Student Handbook. 

“We were happy to have this opportunity to speak with students, faculty and staff about our community norms and standards,” Thomas said. “Engagement around policies helps both to make needed updates and also to increase awareness of the policies we have in place.” 

Some student members said the committees were effective in providing spaces for students to voice their concerns. 

Momina Toseef, an SU graduate student and member of the Student Engagement Committee, said the committee met monthly last semester and expressed plans to meet in the fall. She said committee members expressed concerns during meetings about the effects racist incidents have on students’ mental health.

“I saw the need of students having a voice and having an open dialogue with faculty and staff about their concerns,” she said. “And one of the ways of getting those problems addressed is being on those committees.”

Thompson said the committees were a good first step for the university in seeking student input, but they’re not enough to create long-term change.  

The committees took on multiple initiatives and gave students a platform to voice their concerns, Thompson said. Nonetheless, he hopes the university follows through and continues listening to students rather than trying to check initiatives off a list. 

“These committees are a great place to bounce off ideas and really work together,” he said. “But if we don’t have intentionality behind them, we’re not going to do better.”

Published on September 15, 2020 at 12:17 am

Contact Abby: akweiss@syr.edu | @abbyweiss_21