FREE
WEDNESDAY
jan. 16, 2019 high 32°, low 5°
t h e i n de p e n de n t s t u de n t n e w s pa p e r of s y r a c u s e , n e w yor k |
dailyorange.com
P eì 4)2ì%4463%',
N eì ,)78298ì6):-:%0ì
As interim chief diversity officer, Keith Alford aims to make Syracuse University a more inclusive environment through frequent dialogue. Page 11
A SUNY-ESF professor has worked for decades to reintroduce the American chestnut tree. His research team is close to achieving that goal. Page 3
DID SYRACUSE WIN? SEE SPREAD FOR POSTER
on campus
student association
Students react to Greek life report
Officials call for student opinions
By Casey Darnell and Gabe Stern
By Natalie Rubio-Licht
A day after the results of Syracuse University’s months-long Greek life review were released, students who read the report said it was a step in the right direction, but a small one. The results of the review, emailed to students on Monday evening, identified five strengths and six “challenge” areas in SU’s Greek life community. Dozens of students interviewed by The Daily Orange on Tuesday said they hadn’t read the review. Members of SU’s Student Association said the report addressed many concerns students have about Greek life, but it didn’t release much new information. Chancellor Kent Syverud announced the “top-to-bottom” review in April 2018 after SU expelled the professional engineering fraternity Theta Tau for participating in videos that Syverud called “extremely racist, anti-Semitic, homophobic, sexist, and hostile to people with disabilities.” In a campus address on Monday afternoon, Syverud said the review “provides a solid foundation from which we can move forward in a positive direction.” The six “challenge” areas the report identified included the structure and operations of the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs, unclear policies, diversity and inclusion, law enforcement jurisdiction, risk management and unrecognized groups operating on campus. Torre Payton-Jackson, co-chair of SA’s Public Relations Committee, said students were already aware of the information in the report. “It validates what we already knew,” she said. “But at the same time we shouldn’t need that extra validation. It’s a clear culture on campus.” Payton-Jackson works on an SA committee with the Department of Public Safety. She said the law enforcement challenge in the report highlighted what she had dealt with on the committee. The report stated that members of culturally-based chapters said there was a difference in how their parties are treated in comparison to parties thrown by students in the Interfraternity Council and the Panhellenic Council. Members of culturally-based chapters often live off campus and are under the jurisdiction of the Syracuse Police Department, per the report. Ryan Golden, SA’s Student Affairs Committee chair, said the report didn’t address the transparency of
Syracuse University’s Student Association leaders told The Daily Orange that student voices and ideas should be used to help define and implement recommendations made in an external review of SU’s Greek life released on Monday. The review was based on a survey sent to full-time non-University College students at SU, focus groups and interviews with “more than 260” people. It identified five strengths in SU’s Greek life community, as well as six challenges. SA Vice President Kyle Rosenblum said the recommendations in the review, which was sent to the student body via a campus-wide email, did not explain in detail how the suggested changes will be implemented. He said he hopes student ideas will influence how the recommendations play out, he said, and SA will work to make sure student ideas are involved. “There’s not substance there, but that substance comes with creating committees to actually implement these solutions,” Rosenblum said. “That’s why it’s so critical to make sure we’re having student voices and key stakeholders involved in these discussions in order for them to work.” Challenges of SU’s Greek life presented in the review included law enforcement jurisdiction related to parties, hazing and event security; unrecognized groups operating on campus and diversity and inclusion within Greek communities. The best way to implement recommendations is to listen to underrepresented students, SA President Ghufran Salih said. Salih is a member of the School of Information Studies’ professional fraternity, Kappa Theta Pi. Chapters in the National PanHellenic Council, the National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations and the Multicultural Greek Council said they felt marginalized within SU Greek life, according to the report. An unattributed participant in the report said that “SU doesn’t understand what it means to be an underrepresented student.” “It’s true. The university in its entirety doesn’t understand what it’s like to be an underrepresented student,” Salih said. “Speaking to the students who actively and outwardly express their frustration with the system and seeing what they think the next step should be is important.” Salih said students have spoken
the daily orange
see reactions page 6
asst. copy editor
The path ahead CHANCELLOR KENT SYVERUD delivered his annual Winter Message on Monday, updating the campus community on Syracuse University’s Greek life review, faculty hiring and reseach goals, among other things. More than 100 people attended the speech. corey henry staff photographer
student association
SA leaders praise Syverud speech implementation of these recommendations will actually look like,” Rosenblum said. Syverud’s mention of the Cluster Hires IniStudent Association leaders say they are thank- tiative was also an important part of his speech, ful for Syracuse University Chancellor Kent Rosenblum said. Syverud’s continued support following the 2019 “That’s something that’s going to be very big Winter Message on Monday that I don’t think is talked about a lot,” he said. SA President Ghufran Salih said the “These cluster hires are intended to promote address was a good way to address the Greek higher faculty diversity both in subjects taught life audit, the Cluster Hires Initiative and and identities of the faculties.” future improvements of the Speaker of the Assembly Will first-year forum. Salih’s Pritchett said the initiative is speech, which preceded too focused on the STEM fields. Syverud’s address, intro“There’s a lot more to the What he said duced the chancellor and university than just the STEM in his speech is thanked him for his cooperafields,” he said. “It’s kind of weird tion and transparency with good, but what’s because they gathered Invest SA and the student body. Syracuse funds from all of the more important incoming students, and I think “Throughout the semester we’ve talked to him about is what comes as the incoming students should various things, and he’s always see the benefits of those funds.” a result of it. pointed us in the right direcInvest Syracuse is a $100 Will Pritchett tion,” she said. “(Syverud) genmillion academic fundraising sa assembly speaker uinely does care about students plan for SU to fund various and he cares about student initiatives. It was partially concerns or opinions.” funded by an increase in tuition known as Syverud mentioned the different com- the Invest Syracuse tuition premium. ponents of the Greek life audit during his Syverud also mentioned SU’s ranking as a speech. The audit, which was released via research institution. The opening of the Underemail to the student body early Monday graduate Research Center will be beneficial for evening, contains strengths, challenges and students, Salih said. recommendations for SU Greek life made by Pritchett said he was surprised by the canauditors. SA Vice President Kyle Rosenblum did nature of Syverud’s speech. However, the said student voices are necessary to move speech is not helpful to the student body withforward with these recommendations. out action, he said. “In terms of student representation, (we’re) “The student body isn’t interested in speechmaking sure that when we’re having these es. They’re interested in actions,” Pritchett said. discussions, students are involved in what the “What he said in his speech is good, but what’s By Natalie Rubio-Licht asst. copy editor
see syverud page 6
see review page 6