Oct. 1, 2020 by The Daily Orange

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THURSDAY

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During the pandemic, businesses in Syracuse’s Little Italy neighborhood are managing revenue loss, fewer customers and COVID-19 precautions. Page 7

Syracuse University has employed several students to assist in collecting wastewater from residence halls to test for traces of coronavirus. Page 3

S • Beer necessities

For local Syracuse breweries, a fanless Carrier Dome presents challenges, such as tens of thousands of dollars in lost revenue and brand exposure. Page 12

Isolation, virtual classes take toll on students’ mental health

LUCY STOVER (LEFT) AND JENNIFER KIM Students seeking mental health counseling from the Barnes Center say virtual therapy hasn’t helped as much, espeically given the added stress of the pandemic. emily steinberger photo editor

By Abby Weiss

asst. digital editor

yracuse University’s Barnes Center at The Arch began offering virtual therapy to improve students’ mental health during the coronavirus pandemic. But sophomore Lucy Stover said the online counseling sessions have actually made her anxiety worse. Stover has seen the same therapist from the Barnes Center since February. She understands why SU transitioned to online therapy this semester to mitigate the spread of coronavirus. But the resulting lack of personal connection has caused

Barnes Center’s virtual therapy not effective replacement for in-person counseling, students say

her to dread her Zoom therapy sessions, she said. “It’s definitely not what it’s like in person, where you can feel that bond of trust,” said Stover, a television, radio and film major. “It’s very hard to be vulnerable over a screen because it just feels like you’re talking to a robot and not a real person.” Administrators at the Barnes Center and Hendricks Chapel said they have not seen a decrease in students seeking mental health counseling this semester. Several SU students, though, said virtual therapy hasn’t proved an effective replacement for in-person counseling, especially given see mental

health page 4

on campus

SU holds virtual campus tours, recruitment programs By Mira Berenbaum asst. copy editor

Though prospective students can’t visit Syracuse University for in-person tours this semester, SU admissions officials are working to recruit students who are at home. SU’s schools and colleges are appealing to prospective students virtually to accommodate coronavirusrelated health guidelines. Despite the challenges of adapting to online programming, some admissions officials said the new approach had made SU’s

campus more accessible. “I can’t imagine seeing virtual sessions and virtual programming going away,” said Erin Kaminska, recruitment coordinator for the Martin J. Whitman School of Management. “Providing virtual options can be a positive thing for the college search process. It allows for flexibility and convenience.” Kathleen Joyce, assistant dean of student recruitment at the College of Engineering and Computer Science, tries to plan programming that accommodates prospective

Nothing compares to being physically on a campus Erin Kaminska

recruitment coordinator for the martin j. whitman school of management

students’ schedules and takes time zone differences into account. The college used to hold in-person information sessions and tours twice a day. Now, ECS hosts two virtual information sessions twice a week. “We had to really make a quick shift from a very strong focus on in-person visits to virtual recruitment,” Joyce said. “I’m actually really proud of what we’re doing.” Other schools and colleges have also been hosting weekly virtual tours and information sessions. Whitman hosts four virtual information ses-

sions each week, Kaminska said. The Newhouse School of Public Communications has hosted two virtual information sessions and two virtual tours each week, said Wes Whiteside, Newhouse’s associate director of recruitment and diversity. Virtual recruiting efforts mean that many students will apply to SU without seeing the campus in-person. The online format also gives admissions officials the opportunity to connect with students that would not be able to attend an in-person tour under normal see recruitment page 4

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on campus

Finding an internship during the pandemic By Madison Tyler asst. copy editor

The coronavirus pandemic caught many college students and employers off guard, leading to the widespread cancellation of internship programs across several industries this summer. Although much of the workplace has changed due to public health guidance, there are still opportunities to secure an internship. As many students begin their search, here’s some advice for students pursuing work in any industry.

Keep an open mind

Wastewater samples labeled with the residence halls they came from. SU has employed a team to students to help collect and test samples of wastewater for the presence of coronavirus as part of an ongoing program. courtesy of caitlin mogan

coronavirus

SU hires students to test dorm wastewater By Michael Sessa asst. news editor

After graduating from the Master’s in Public Health program at Falk College, Pruthvi Kilaru expected to begin working in a pediatric clinic. When those plans fell through due to the coronavirus pandemic, David Larsen, an associate professor of public health at Syracuse University, asked Kilaru if he would be interested in implementing wastewater testing as part of the university’s fall reopening plan. Kilaru now runs the program’s day-to-day operations, overseeing a system that has identified several traces of the virus in residence halls. “What this pandemic has taught me is that people are willing to

help,” Kilaru said. “And I’m willing to do the same.” Kilaru and several other student workers have operated the wastewater testing system, which has turned up coronavirus traces in several SU dorms this semester, leading to the university placing some facilities under quarantine. Moving forward, the university is not going to quarantine all buildings that show traces of the virus in their wastewater, Larsen said. “Going forward, we don’t anticipate quarantining dorms based on wastewater again,” he said. “That was a learning experience for everybody.” The university closed Ernie Davis Hall and instructed residents to quarantine in their rooms in early September after detecting possible traces of

COVID-19 in the facility’s wastewater. Saliva tests administered to residents and employees who work in the building came back negative. Wastewater testing has also turned up traces of the virus in Sadler and Day halls. The university has attributed some of those traces to people who previously had the virus and continued shedding remnants of it after they were no longer contagious. Instead of shutting down all buildings where officials find traces of the virus in wastewater, the university will now look for spikes in the virus’s presence that could indicate a new case in the facility, Larsen said. SU officials, local experts and students have been working to develop the wastewater surveil-

lance system since the spring. The sampling system, which Kilaru designed, built and published himself, uses a mechanical pump inserted into sewer pipes to draw out samples of a building’s wastewater. The pump collects a sample every 15 minutes, and the samples are combined into one composite sample. “The reason we do that rather than just pulling out a sample at a random time every day is because it’s more representative of how people use the system,” Kilaru said. Student workers then draw 250 mLs of the larger composite sample stored inside a box that houses the pump, he said. SU sends these to a lab for testing, with test results coming back within two days. see wastewater page 6

on campus

Enrollment drops by 1,500 since last fall By Michael Sessa asst. news editor

Enrollment for the fall semester is 21,322 students, a decrease of around 1,500 since last fall, according to university census data released in September. The data presents student demographics by gender, ethnicity, Pell Grant status and undergraduate and graduate retention rates. Chancellor Kent Syverud said at a Syracuse University Senate meeting Sept. 23 he believes SU will recover from the decrease in enrollment later this year. Some students deferred due to the coronavirus pandemic and are planning to return to SU in an upcoming semester, he said. The university is also working with immigration authorities

to enroll students facing visa or travel-related challenges, Syverud said. International student enrollment dropped from 19.6% in 2019 to 17.6% this fall, the data shows. The decline wipes away increases in international students enrollment made in 2018 and 2019. SU’s female student enrollment increased by slightly less than 1% from fall 2019 to 52.6% of the student body. Male student enrollment decreased by the same amount. The census data did not provide data for nonbinary or gender noncomforming students. The number of students receiving Pell Grants dropped by 97 students. This downward trend is a continuation from last year, when 214 fewer students received grants compared to the year prior. Pell Grants are federal

subsidies given to students based on financial need. Students with Pell Grants now make up about 16% of the total student population, compared to 17% of enrolled students in fall 2018. SU had a one-year retention rate of 89% for students entering college in fall 2019 and a 83% graduation rate for students who started college in fall 2014, according to the data. Graduation rates from the 2014 cohort were 85% for white students, 82% for Asian students, 79% for Black students, 58% for Native American or Alaska Native students and 83% for Hispanic or Latino students. International students had an 81% graduation rate.

Total population of students by race/ethnicity:

Native American or A laskan Native stayed the same at 108 enrolled students. They make up less than 1% of the student population. White student enrollment decreased by 779 students to 11,224 enrolled students. They make up 52.6% of the student population. Hispanic or Latino student enrollment increased by 40 students. They make up 9.4% of the total student population. Black or African American student enrollment decreased by 31 students. They make up 7.3% of the student population. Asian student enrollment decreased slightly to 1,283 students. They make up 6% of the student population. msessa@syr.edu @MichaelSessa3

Patti Bevans, assistant director of career services in the College of Visual and Performing Arts, advised students to be flexible and broaden their search. Students should focus on industries that are hiring and use them as an entry point, Bevans said. Although those industries may not be a student’s exact area of interest, they can still gain valuable experience and skills, she said. “Internships in particular are the time to try something new and try something that maybe they hadn’t initially intended,” said Kristen DeWolf, director of career services at the School of Architecture. Even when students have a plan for what sort of internship they may want, DeWolf said sometimes it’s not what they thought it was. It’s all about keeping an open mind, she said. Students should also broaden their search geographically, Bevans said. While students in certain industries might have their sights set on Los Angeles or New York City, they should consider small towns and other cities, too, she said. “If students would be a little bit more flexible about considering more areas, maybe for their first internship or their first job, they would be surprised at the vast opportunities that exist across the country,” Bevans said.

Use university resources

Career services advisers offer students across SU’s schools and colleges guidance for landing an internship during a global pandemic. Students can request an appointment with an adviser for general guidance, help searching for internships or to develop a specific strategy to refine their search. Students should also take advantage of Handshake, a career services platform all SU students can access using their Net ID login, Bevans said. Employers can review individuals through Handshake and students can research and apply for internships and jobs. While taking online classes and being on a computer all day can make communication overwhelming, it’s also important to keep an eye out for emails from career services, Bevans said. This week, career services held several virtual career week events, including a STEM career fair, a graduate and law school information fair and a business and communications career fair. The university also hosted a career and internship fair and student

see internship page 6

4 oct. 1, 2020

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on campus

TAs feel disconnected from students in online classes By Dominick Pfisterer contributing writer

While some graduate students and teaching assistants have said making connections with their students online has been challenging this semester, they are using the obstacles brought on by the coronavirus to explore unique teaching methods. Online and hybrid-style teaching, during which some students are in the classroom while others attend class online, is an obstacle professors and students have had to overcome together, said Zoe Davis, who has worked TA for the past three years in the Newhouse School of Public Communications. Though she is experienced in her role, new course formats have presented a “learning curve,” Davis said. “It’s not ideal, but I feel like it is working as well as it can work,” said Davis, who is a TA for from page 1

recruitment circumstances, Joyce and Whiteside said. Aside from regular virtual programs, prospective students have opportunities to speak with SU students and officials. ECS plans to host information sessions that focus on each of the school’s four departments so students can learn more about their intended from page 3

wastewater SU collaborated with SUNY-ESF and SUNY Upstate Medical University to implement the sampling system. Kilaru helped write procedures for wastewater testing at the county level. Onondaga County has set up several wastewater surveillance points as part of a state-

a multimedia storytelling class and a multiplatform reporting class. Stephanie Hilliard, who is in her third year as a writing instructor and has spent the last seven years working in writing centers, teaches her classes fully online this semester. “Not only is it my first time teaching online, but I am teaching asynchronously,” Hilliard said. “I have no mandatory contact with my students beyond what I put on Blackboard and what they turn in.” While Hilliard likes the human element of being a TA, connecting and communicating with her students is now lost, she said. Hilliard said she often emphasizes selfcare for students during class but has found this especially hard to replicate in an asynchronous format, where students never get to interact with Hilliard in real time. “I do a lot of self-care and community support in my courses normally,” Hilliard said.

“We start off the week by going around the room, and if anyone is having a personal issue that they feel comfortable sharing, we will crowdsource and find a solution.” For Davis, making sure students are up to speed with the lesson has been “somewhat of a disaster.” “I don’t really know if people are lost sometimes,” Davis said. “Every couple seconds you have to really stop and make sure everyone is caught up.” However, teaching via Zoom has some advantages and has helped make Davis a better instructor, she said. She is explaining course concepts better, she said. Graduate students also said teaching and meeting with students online has increased their class’ flexibility for students and gives them more opportunities to interact with professors. Hilliard lets students choose how they receive feedback on assignments. They can

either opt to conference with her or turn in a draft for written feedback. There is also a benefit to being able to attend class without physically being in the classroom, said T Passwater, who is in their fourth year as a TA in the writing studies department. “It’s better for students that are located in different geographical areas,” Passwater said. “A lot more instructors have easier access to support structures for teaching online.” Though the online model has not been ideal for students or teachers, the challenges presented by the pandemic have encouraged some instructors to reconsider the way they teach, Passwater said. “I’m learning to think on my feet and be flexible in ways that I haven’t been before,” Passwater said. “It is challenging my preconceived assumptions about what teaching needed to be and look like.”

major, Joyce said. She also plans to host an event for women planning to study engineering. Joyce and Kaminska have also spent time meeting virtually with prospective students one-on-one. Whitman recently started hosting student panels, where prospective students can ask current students questions about their experiences at SU, Kaminska said. Prospective students also have the opportunity to talk with Newhouse

student ambassadors, Whiteside said. “Even though it’s not how it’s been done in the past, we can still answer their questions and help them through the process,” Kaminska said. “Nothing compares to being physically on a campus and getting to see every part of the building and getting to meet students and staff in person.” Although online programming allows for more flexibility in terms of scheduling, the most difficult part of virtual recruitment

events is trying to replicate the feeling of being on campus, Joyce and Kaminska said. Whether the programs are in-person or online, the most important part of the recruitment process is making personal connections with students, Joyce said . “The whole idea of recruiting is to help build connections,” she said. “I think people are pleasantly surprised even though it’s virtual.”

funded pilot program. SU partnered with the county to include popular off-campus student housing locations, including the Westcott neighborhood and The Marshall apartment complex, in the program. Four student workers from the university’s contact tracing team service the wastewater samplers daily. Students replace the pump’s battery each time it takes a sample and add ice to keep the samples cold.

Some of the university’s 30 contact tracers will also occasionally step in to assist with the testing, Larsen said. Since the live virus is not present in wastewater, students who assist in the sampling process aren’t at risk of contracting COVID-19, Kilaru said. SU provides student workers with personal protective equipment and encourages them to wear long sleeves and pants when drawing wastewater samples, he said.

Wastewater testing has allowed SU to become familiar with how quickly the virus travels on campus and how many chains of transmission there are, Larsen said. “The wastewater surveillance is like our smoke detector,” he said. “When it goes off, we send in the fire department — that’s our testing crew. We are acting before we allow it to be widespread throughout a dorm.”

from page 3

After the search and alternatives

internship veteran internship fair. There will be similar events during a career week in February.

Networking

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Networking is one of the most important tactics for securing an internship in any industry, especially during the pandemic, said David Sly, associate director of career services in Falk College. She suggested reaching out and writing a thoughtful message to SU alumni asking for guidance but not specifically asking for an internship or a job. These interactions often lead to a conversation or a cup of coffee where the alumni may share career advice, she said. Students should start networking with their current personal connections, such as family, friends, faculty and contacts from any previous internships or jobs, Sly said. Many potential opportunities won’t be posted formally on any site due to the uncertainty of the times, he said. “If you have certain organizations that you hope to intern with, be sure to search their websites for internship information and check back frequently for updates over the winter and spring,” Sly said.

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msessa@syr.edu | @MichaelSessa3

A student’s resume is what gets their “foot in the door” and often the first step to being invited back for an interview, which is where they can really stand out, DeWolf said. Once an individual is invited back for an interview, it’s important to strike a balance between familiarity and professionalism with the potential employer, she said. While students can start the internship search process now, they should still keep in mind that there are going to be many uncertainties, Sly said. “Students should consider making sure that if they have challenges securing positions that they’re still doing something related to their area of interest,” Bevans said. She suggested students create their own internship or project, or work with someone in their personal network if they are unable to secure an internship. This ensures they are staying productive and is something they will talk about in a future interview. “We don’t know what summer 2021 will bring, but we really want students to be thoughtful about how they spend their time so that they can convey to a future employer that they were doing something productive,” Bevans said. mntyler@syr.edu

Career services advisers offer students across SU’s schools and colleges guidance for landing an internship during a global pandemic. emily steinberger photo editor

OPINION

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oct. 1, 2020

column

Trump’s attempted TikTok ban is another authoritarian action By Micaela Warren columnist

resident Donald Trump’s administration claims that it’s banning TikTok for national security reasons. The president’s timing and history of silencing the media prove that his personal agenda is fueling the ban. It’s no secret that TikTok users have burned Trump a time or two. Most notably, at his rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma on June 20, tens of thousands of users reserved tickets to the event but didn’t attend. It proved to be a large embarrassment after his campaign team had boasted that over 1 million tickets had been reserved and only about 6,200 people showed up to the event. A month later, Trump announced he would be looking into banning TikTok. “We’re looking at TikTok. We may be banning TikTok. We may be doing other things, there are a couple of options,” he said during an impromptu press conference. His wording makes him seem unsure, as if testing how the audience will react before committing to an attack. He goes back and forth slightly throughout the video clip. It’s unclear by the end if he will be banning the app or trying to pursue a different route. Trump has a history of attacking the media to discredit sources that disagree with him. The most common and trivial attack is his usage of the term “fake news.” Authoritarian leaders in other countries have adopted the term to restrict the freedom of the press, according to The Washington Post. This goes against traditional American ideals, the very thing he claims to want back. Lars Willnat, a communications professor at Syracuse University and an expert in mass communications, recognizes the disconnect

between the TikTok ban and the ideals Americans claim to have. “Prohibiting the use of social media apps is something I would expect to see in authoritarian countries, not in a nation that prides itself on free speech and supporting democracy around the world,” he said. TikTok is particularly vulnerable because it is a Chinese company, owned by ByteDance. China and the United States have collided often during Trump’s presidency, with Trump often attempting to paint China as an enemy. The recent COVID-19 pandemic has only fueled this collision, with Trump using racist language and stoking fear about the virus to motivate his supporters. Trump might be feeling extra insecure during an election year. The close presidential race means tensions are high. “I believe that Trump’s legally questionable attempt to ban TikTok and WeChat services from mobile app stores was mostly designed to look tough on China in an election year,” he said. The president is using a popular platform to make a point about national security to his constituents without having much data to support his claims. Most popular platforms collect some kind of data on their users, but the data TikTok collects is very similar to other companies operating in the U.S., according to Business Insider. The security concerns are not what is really motivating Trump. Trump doesn’t realize that TikTok has a large, young audience of eligible voters. Its political roots are deep, and its users will realize he banned the platform for his personal gain, not their security. The president is acting as though he leads an authoritarian country. The vast majority of Americans support freedom of expression and will take issue with any

illustration by sarah allam illustration editor

restrictions that Trump attempts to enact. He should not be allowed to ban services because they don’t fit his agenda. Fortunately, a federal court granted an injunction this week, halting the ban pending a court case. But this action merely buys TikTok more time to make its case. A ban ordered to go into effect on Nov. 12 is still in place. At this point, the future of the platform will come down to the ability of TikTok’s lawyers to prove their case against the government. If our democracy is going to remain strong, citizens must speak out against limits to free

speech and freedom of expression. Trump’s behavior is attempting to limit ways information can be dispersed. He’s attempting to create a culture that undermines basic rights, and he won’t stop at TikTok. Other platforms will begin to get banned. Trump isn’t doing this for national safety. He’s doing this because these platforms don’t conform to his agenda.

Micaela Warren is a freshman communication and rhetorical studies major. Her column appears bi-weekly. She can be reached at mgwarren@syr.edu

column

Tiktok threatens US national security and should be banned By Nathan Fenningdorf columnist

ensions between the United States and TikTok, which Beijing-based company ByteDance owns, have rapidly intensified since July. President Donald Trump issued an executive order banning transactions with ByteDance and its affiliates by Sept. 20, citing national security concerns over the app’s data collection. The American public, the media and the Chinese government immediately scrutinized the decision, as the wildly popular app rejected all claims of wrongdoing. On the surface, it may seem like Trump’s decision was impulsive and unwarranted, but U.S. intelligence services need more information regarding ByteDance’s relationship to the Chinese government to ensure there’s no national security risk for U.S. residents’ data. To be safe, Trump should continue to push for his ban on the app, even if federal courts have halted the ban for now. Since the platform’s launch in 2016, TikTok has amassed well over 2 billion downloads worldwide, including over 175 million downloads in the U.S. In the first quarter of 2020, TikTok had 315 million worldwide downloads, the most all-time downloads of an app in any given quarter. TikTok’s global success is indisputable and impressive, but the app has ruffled feathers of the world’s most powerful governments. Federal lawmakers and data privacy experts have raised serious concerns about TikTok’s practices. “The Chinese government has taken many steps to make sure they have ultimate control over these tech companies,” said Fergus Ryan, an analyst with the International Cyber Policy

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Centre and an expert in Chinese tech companies, in an interview with Inside Edition. It’s an unsettling reality. TikTok collects “vast swaths of information,” including search history and location data, Trump states in the executive order. “This data collection threatens to allow the (Chinese government) access to Americans’ personal and proprietary information,” Trump states, echoing the same concerns of data privacy experts around the world. Even if Trump’s concerns about the real risk TikTok poses to the U.S. is a worst-case scenario, any risk that the Chinese government could collect and analyze the data of the app’s 175 million users in the U.S. without their knowledge is not a risk worth taking. For the millions of Americans who spend excess amounts of time using TikTok every day, the prospect of losing the app over data concerns is not a compelling argument. For college students across the country and here at Syracuse University, it’s important to understand that the misuse of your personal data is more than a random person knowing you like cat videos and cooking. Data misuse can lead to people and governments learning your habits, preferences, location, search history and anything else you copy and paste on your phone. The possibilities are endless for what can be done with your acquired information. Data privacy concerns don’t stop there, however. “It is hard to say,” said Erin Hern, a professor of political science at Syracuse University. “Other actors, like the Russian troll farm ‘Internet Research Agency’ or Cambridge

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Analytica, have used this type of data in the past to launch misinformation campaigns and influence elections.” Stronger privacy laws, such as those recently passed in the EU, would help curb the data privacy issues that the United States is facing right now. If TikTok’s business operations in the U.S. don’t change, there is a legitimate chance the Chinese government will collect and misuse U.S. residents’ data, according to many data privacy

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experts. Until a deal is made among ByteDance, the U.S. government and a purchaser in the U.S. — which is in the works — the Trump administration should force TikTok to cease all business transactions in the U.S. The threat that the Chinese government could compromise the national security of the U.S. through its relations to TikTok is too great to allow. Nathan Fenningdorf is a sophomore political science major. His column appears bi-weekly. He can be reached at nlfennin@syr.edu

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every week to receive the proper care for her eating disorder. The Barnes Center has yet to agree to weigh her over a month after she first contacted them, and she does not know if they’ll respond to her requests. Some students have also relied on offcampus resources or student organizations because they do not think SU alone can fulfill their mental health needs. Leondra Tyler, a sophomore Higher Education Opportunity Program student, said a lot of her discussions in therapy center around race, and she prefers to see her off-campus therapist, who is a woman of color. The Barnes Center needs more diverse counseling staff to better accommodate the student body. In the spring, SU said it would make efforts to diversify its counseling services in response to demands from #NotAgainSU, a movement led by Black students that held two separate sit-ins at the Barnes Center and Crouse-Hinds Hall last academic year. Rubenstein, who is the president SU’s chapter of Active Minds, an organization promoting mental health awareness for students, said over 40 people have reached out to her about joining the club –– even though she never advertised it. “I don’t think it’s COVID, per se, that’s causing all these people to have depressive symptoms or anxiety symptoms, but it’s an added stressor that has exacerbated everything,” Rubenstein said. While some students said their mental health has improved since they returned to campus, they feel more depressed and lonely than usual because health guidelines have limited their social interactions. Stover said that, while she and her friends are happy to be back on campus, coronavirusrelated restrictions have taken a toll on their mental health. “A lot of people are struggling silently right now with their mental health, especially people who are on campus,” she said. “A lot of people are trying to pretend that they’re having a great time, but it’s actually been really debilitating, just being on Zoom all the time.”

mental health added stress from the pandemic. Despite changes to its programs and resources, the number of students who used mental health services at the Barnes Center in September remained consistent with the same time last year, said Cory Wallack, executive director of health and wellness at the Barnes Center. Students utilize same-day appointments, group therapy and after-hours services, he said. Virtual counseling has been especially helpful for students in isolation or quarantine who would not be able to access mental health counseling in-person, and has allowed for group therapy sessions to take place at full capacity, Wallack said.

It’s very hard to be vulnerable over a screen because it just feels like you’re talking to a robot

graphics by katelyn marcy digital design director

Lucy Stover su student

“Mental health variables are the top predictors of academic success, and our mission at the Barnes Center is to support our students’ academic journey,” he said. But those virtual counseling sessions don’t work for everybody. Jennifer Kim, a junior majoring in film, said she doesn’t want to use the Barnes Center’s mental health resources this semester due to “Zoom fatigue” — spending too much time on video conferencing platforms. Kim said she would prefer to hold counseling services in person because she needs the environment of a therapist’s office to feel comfortable during a session. “All my classes are online,” she said. “Because I’m online all day, the idea of going on Zoom again for counseling or any-

thing other than my classes just really isn’t ideal to me.” Stover is joining a group therapy workshop dedicated to mindfulness and self-care but doesn’t think she will use virtual one-on-one therapy in the future. The Barnes Center isn’t the only source of mental health services at SU this semester. Hendricks Chapel also offers both in-person and virtual mental health services, said Brian Konkol, dean of Hendricks Chapel. Unlike the Barnes Center, Hendricks Chapel has seen a spike in overall attendance across all its mental health programs. These programs include group counseling, in-person conversations with chaplains and online programs, Konkol said. “Students are seeking support to build resiliency,” Konkol said. “I’m really proud of our chaplains and religious group advisors who have been responsive to the needs of our students and have accompanied our students through what is clearly a really, really challenging time.” Venus Bradbury, a sophomore public health

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major, said they feel supported by SU’s numerous mental health resources, such as the Department of Public Safety’s crisis hotline, the Barnes Center’s 24-hour phone line and Zoom therapy sessions. The loneliness Bradbury feels living alone in a dorm room this semester has encouraged them to reach out to the university’s mental health services. While virtual therapy at the Barnes Center is strange, the therapy sessions have been helpful during unprecedented circumstances, Bradbury said. “Syracuse is doing the most for everything that’s going on,” Bradbury said. “They’re taking into account how much mental health can be affected (by the pandemic).” Danielle Rubenstein has also tried to access mental health services at the Barnes Center. But she has found it hard to communicate with SU personnel to receive proper care, she said. Rubenstein, a junior human development and neuroscience major, said her doctor asked that she gets weighed on the Barnes Center

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CULTURE

PAG E 7

oct. 1, 2020

slice of life

Community coping

A cappella groups adjust to COVID-19 By Will Cullen

contributing writer

A cappella groups at Syracuse University have adjusted how they rehearse, meet and record music during the fall semester. Practicing together has become more difficult with social distancing regulations on campus. Dan Wilde, the head of public relations for the a cappella group Otto Tunes, said the group practices primarily on the Quad to maintain at least six feet of social distance. Because tents on the Quad must be reversed, the group has experienced a decrease in practice time. “One of the biggest things is that it affects our sound in rehearsal,” Wilde said. “If you’re not in an enclosed space, it’s a lot harder to hear one another and kind of just have a productive rehearsal.” Laura Cote, a member of the all-female a capella group Main Squeeze, said her group has been following SU’s guidelines on social distancing. The members sing “thirty minutes on, twenty minutes off, thirty minutes on,” with shorter practice times and fewer days of practice as additional COVID-19 precautions, Cote said. Main Squeeze holds practices outside on Monday evenings and inside at Hendricks Chapel on see a

cappella page 8

beyond the hill

HABIBA BORU, the owner of Habiba’s Ethiopian Kitchen, is still taking orders and seating customers, but in fewer numbers than before the pandemic. sarah lee asst. photo editor

Restaurants and stores in Syracuse’s Little Italy neighborhood are adapting to COVID-19

Cat cafe and lounge opens in Syracuse By Sydney Bergan asst. culture editor

By Christopher Scarglato asst. culture editor

plastic sign standing outside Habiba’s Ethiopian Kitchen said the restaurant was open, but no customers were inside. It was lunchtime on Wednesday, and before the coronavirus pandemic, customers would have been filing into the restaurant that Habiba Boru has run since it opened on North Salina Street in 2018. Boru, an Ethiopian refugee, enjoyed singing with her staff and cooking up staples such as lentils and injera, or Ethopian flatbread. She loved when it was busy — when customers waited an hour for tables. But now, over six months into a pandemic that has altered the restaurant industry, those tables were empty. “People are still scared,” Boru said.

“It’s the fear of the unknown.” The streets would normally be bustling around lunchtime, but now they are nowhere near what they used to be, Boru said. Almost all the stops on North Salina Street, from Dunkin’ to Habiba’s, showed the same message on their windows stating that customers must wear a mask. Sometimes, Boru’s 2011 Toyota Sienna would be one of the only cars parked on the street. Down the street, an Italian flag hangs near Biscotti Cafe. Both the cafe and Boru’s restaurant are located in “Little Italy,” centered on North Salina Street. Though Italians and Germans settled in the district in the 19th and 20th centuries, immigrants from all across the world have settled in Syracuse’s Northside and developed family-owned businesses for the past few decades, said Danny Liedka, CEO and president of Visit Syracuse.

Now, all the businesses have had to adapt to COVID-19 restrictions for months and find different ways to generate business. “As time goes on and the longer this lasts and the more businesses that go under — that’s the last thing we want to see here,” Liedka said. “I hope these folks and their businesses can get back on their feet soon.” Boru estimates over $10,000 of her revenue has been lost because of the pandemic, causing her to have to reach into her own pockets to pay her bills. She temporarily closed her restaurant in March and shifted to spending her time watching the news “24/7” in the four-bedroom townhouse she shares with her children and husband. After her customers told her through email and social media that they missed her food, she reopened see little

italy page 8

Alisha Reynolds was on vacation with her husband in North Carolina during the summer of 2017 when a documentary on cat cafes came on the TV. She thought it would be funny if there was a cat cafe on the drive home, and when there was one in Norfolk, Virginia, she had to go in. “I was like, ‘This is something I can really get behind,’” Reynolds recalled of the visit. Upon returning to Syracuse, Reynolds realized that the closest cat cafes were in Ithaca and Rochester. When she grew tired of working three jobs in January 2019, Reynolds decided to bring the cat cafe concept to Syracuse. By the end of 2019, she had signed a lease in the Regional Market and began constructing her cafe, Pawsitivitea CNY Cafe & Cat Lounge. The cafe had its official soft opening on Sept. 22 but is doing an extended soft opening while Reynolds continues to work on the cafe menu, she said. Pawsitivitea currently has eight cats, five of which are tabby kittens. see cat

cafe page 8

8 oct. 1, 2020

from page 7

little italy Habiba’s in late April to do takeout orders. She’s still taking orders and seating customers, but in fewer numbers than before the pandemic. Boru can’t interact with her customers as much, which is one of her favorite parts of being a restaurant owner. She used to come out of her kitchen to form connections, even while she was busy with orders. Boru now leaves her kitchen more often and sits in her restaurant, waiting for customers to come back and reminiscing on how busy it used to be. “It’s day and night,” Boru said. “It has been extremely slow.” A few blocks down from Habiba’s, at Lombardi’s Import Market on Butternut Street, one customer held a stuffed grocery basket while another balanced an armful of pasta bags. Coowner Dominick Lombardi and his family saw an increase in the grocery store’s customers during the pandemic, Dominick said. It wasn’t that way in the beginning, though. Business was bad in the first two to three weeks when everything was shut down in March. On Monday, Dominick and his sister Rosina stood in the backroom of Lombardi’s. A laptop and neatly-organized yellow envelopes sat near Rosina. Lombardi’s has been shipping its products both locally and across the country on Amazon for years as a third-party seller. Amazon “carried them” for those early weeks during the pandemic, and Lombardi’s still ships products such as pasta and canned tomatoes, Dominick said. Things began to look up when restaurants in New York state closed for a period of time, as people would cook for themfrom page 7

a cappella Wednesdays, and members break into smaller groups during rehearsals. “Performances are set back because it’s hard to do any type of performance right now or prepare for one,” Cote said. “We have to air out the space. We’re singing for less time every week than we usually would so that limits how much we can learn.” Juliette Milber, music director for Jewish a cappella group Oy Cappella, said the audition process was challenging this year. The first audition included a video submission of vocal exercises and a song of applicants’ choice. Those who received a callback met with Oy Cappella outside and socially distanced with masks. “It was difficult,” Milber said. “I don’t from page 7

cat cafe The space is separated into two parts: a cafe

area where customers can purchase food and drinks, and a cat lounge. A double door separates the cafe from the cats so that they can’t escape the cat lounge. Due to COVID-19, Reynolds is running the cat cafe at half capacity. Customers must make reservations to visit with the cats and are charged by the hour. The reservation fee helps cover costs necessary for housing and “caring for our feline friends,” according to the cafe’s website. Although the cafe allows customers to spend time with the cats, the main goal is to place the cats into stable homes through adoptions, Reynolds said. Since her official opening, Reynolds has already had one cat adopted, a black cat named Ivan with a cloudy eye. Reynolds has been working with Wayward Paws, a cat rescue and rehabilitation center that helps homeless cats in the Syracuse area, to continue to bring new cats into the cafe and process adoptions. “(Interested adopters) fill out an application and either send it to me or Wayward Paws directly and then they get a little interview just to make sure we have a good fit for them and then they make the decision and go off to their homes,” Reynolds said. Other cats at Pawsitivitea come from community members who foster cats. Julie Willsey heard about the cafe through KittyCorner of CNY, a cat rescue and rehabilitation center in Liverpool. She is currently fostering 32 rescue cats at her home in Syracuse and gave Pawsitivitea a black cat she was fostering named Shelly

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selves and turn to Lombardi’s for ingredients. And when commercial grocery stores would run out of pasta, Lombardi’s would be there, Dominick said. Though weekends at Lombardi’s have been “crazy” when it comes to business, the Lombardis are still worried. Restaurants are now opened at half capacity, and Dominick doesn’t know what the winter will bring. But on the outside door of the grocery store, handwritten reminders tell customers to social distance and wear a mask. They’re prepared. “We got a routine now,” Rosina said. “Well, in the beginning we felt really unsafe, I gotta say,” Dominick said. A man then walked past with his shirt collar covering his face as a substitute for a mask. Dominick stared at him for a couple seconds. “There’s still people coming in like that ... They don’t wear masks,” Dominick said. “You’re worried, you worry for your employees … (We’re) trying to be as safe as possible.” Close by, on E. Division Street, is Di Lauro’s Bakery and Pizza. There has been an increase in business inside the shop because customers feel safe coming in, said Paul Waverchak, the shop’s owner and president. His business has made sure to comply with COVID-19 regulations. There’s a protection barrier between customer and employees, and Di Lauro’s only allows two people in the store at once, he said. Di Lauro’s was open, even in March. Waverchak made sure to get the word out by leaving a pre-recorded voicemail on the bakery’s answering machine saying Di Lauro’s was open, and the shop also kept up a presence on its website and Facebook. “My product is a ‘You buy it today, you eat it today’ kind of product … It’s basically think anybody was prepared for this type of an adjustment.” Despite the changes in the audition process, Wilde was still happy with Otto Tunes’ turnout. The group had to postpone their annual concert “Cockappella,” a testicular cancer foundation fundraiser, to the spring though. Safety among the groups has been a shared theme. Cote said safety and schoolwork are still their priorities this year for Main Squeeze, adding that group members sing 12 to 18 feet away from each other. Milber said that Oy Cappella made an agreement only to come if they don’t feel sick and haven’t been exposed to COVID-19, and none of the practices are mandatory. Another safety struggle is recording music in a studio. Otto Tunes released the EP “Welcome to Otto Tunes” in 2017 and then another EP, “Other Lover,” in Januin the hopes that she’ll get adopted. Willsey is glad there is a cat cafe in the area and brought her four grandchildren to visit Shelly and the rest of the cats. “They help out with my cats too, so I thought they might like to stop in and see the lounge here,” Willsey said. Reynolds is trying to support other local businesses by selling their products. The current cafe menu includes coffee from Salt City Coffee Company, vegan baked goods from Fat Cat Baking and other treats from Exhale Cafe and Bake Shop. Megan Mills, the owner of Fat Cat Baking, said that it was a “no brainer” for her business to partner with Pawsitivitea. Mills delivers vegan baked goods to Reynolds on Fridays or Saturdays and suggests that her products be sold within three to five days of its drop off. “Everything has been selling out before that because they’ve had such a good volume of people coming through there recently,” she said. Mills is excited about the cafe coming to Syracuse because it gives people the opportunity to destress through spending time with the animals. It also allows for adoptions if people form a bond with the cat, she said. Two of the tabby kittens, brothers Ollie and Meatball, scurried around the cat lounge and climbed up the cat structures on Tuesday afternoon. They also pounced on Reynold’s leg causing her to shake her head and let out a laugh. Ollie and Meatball are two months old and in the process of being adopted. “Those two hold a special place in my heart because they were my first residents, and Ollie is always on my shoulder and Meatball is always under my feet,” Reynolds said about the tabby kittens. “They’re my boys.” sabergan@syr.edu

(FROM LEFT) REGINA, DOMINICK AND ROSINA LOMBARDI run Lombardi’s Imports, a grocery store in the Little Italy neighborhood. emily steinberger photo editor

a staple, Italian rolls; it’s not like you’re buying caviar,” Waverchak said. “We had to be a little bit precautious about what we were making, so it was not to waste.” One of the most profound impacts of the pandemic for Waverchak’s business has been the loss in their wholesale business. With two of his biggest clients, Syracuse University and restaurants, gone for a period during the pandemic, Waverchak’s

It was difficult. I don’t think anybody was prepared for this type of an adjustment. Juliette Milber oy cappella music director

business lost that revenue source. But still, the business has been around for 112 years, and Waverchak believes it isn’t going anywhere. “In all of the years this business has been here, through the depression, through different situations that have occurred, this bakery has survived a rough course,” Waverchak said. “We are kind of in the same scenario now.” cscargla@syr.edu

ary 2020. They are still optimistic about recording another EP this year and will do so by recording one member at a time in the studio, Wilde said. Groups are attempting to provide some form of interaction with students on campus. Milber also discussed the possibility of a virtual concert this semester for Oy Cappella, in which group members would probably perform on separate video calls. Other groups, such as Main Squeeze, are optimistic about their progress this year but do not see many possibilities for campus interaction such as live performances, Cote said. “It all depends on what the school tells us we can do,” Cote said. “I think we all want to perform as soon as possible; it’s just if the school will let us.” wgcullen@syr.edu

ALISHA REYNOLDS, the owner of Pawsitivitea CNY Cafe & Cat Lounge, holds Ollie, one of the five tabby kittens at the lounge. young-bin lee contributing photographer

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from page 12

breweries A brewery closed its doors in the United States almost everyday in 2019, according to the Brewers Association, a U.S. trade organization for brewery companies and employees. Despite a record 8,000-plus craft breweries in business last year and a boom in the industry over recent years, the coronavirus will exacerbate the number of breweries closing, said Torrey Grant, a professor in Falk College who teaches SU’s wine and beer appreciation course. Middle Ages’ sales are down — the Dome accounted for tens of thousands of dollars — but the brewery is surviving, Rubenstein said. So is Buried Acorn, founded two years ago. Still, the exposure from swaths of fans who come to Syracuse for sports games is a challenge to replicate. “That’s the million-dollar question,” Grant said. Founded in 1995, Middle Ages is Syracuse’s first ever standalone brewery, and a place that away fans or those new in town used to seek out. Off-site events like the New York State Fair and the Inner Harbor Wing Fest were also good for business, Rubenstein and Shore said. But during the height of New York state’s lockdown, those events were canceled. Buried Acorn shifted its focus toward delivery and pickup without the usual volume of wholesale orders it normally depends on for revenue. That change required increased advertising —

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through Facebook, Syracuse’s 95X FM radio station and television commercials — to inform customers of those changes. “People don’t know that you can deliver beer,” Shore said. For Middle Ages, the lockdown also meant three months of home deliveries and pickups. The process “blew my mind how much beer we were going through,” Rubenstein said. That didn’t make up for the beer typically sold by-glass in the taproom — the highest profit margin for a brewery — but the success was likely because customers felt safer buying from Middle Ages than at a crowded grocery store like Wegmans, Rubenstein said. Middle Ages produces 5,000 to 6,000 barrels during a normal year. Rubenstein estimates the number might be closer to 4,500 this year, but he admitted he doesn’t want to look closely at the numbers. Buried Acorn also makes a couple thousand barrels per year. “Beer is kind of recession-proof,” Rubenstein said. “(If) somebody can’t afford to buy a new car or the renovations on their house, cause they lost their job, they’re still going to spend a couple extra bucks to buy the beer they like instead of switching to the cheap brands. It’s something that makes them feel normal… In that way, we have that going for us.” Months without business from restaurants and bars forced Buried Acorn and Middle Ages to convert nearly all their draft beer to cans and bottles. The problem is that cans and bottles require brewers to cover

costs for packaging, labeling and transportation, all of which are more expensive than kegs. Consumers aren’t willing to pay $8 for a can of beer when they can get a pint on draft for $5, forcing brewers to cover those additional costs. “Not only do I make less money, everybody makes less money,” Rubenstein said of cans. The industry’s aluminum can shortage also doesn’t help, Grant, Shore and Rubenstein said. Middle Ages does both canning and bottling, and the brewery was forced to convert only its draft beer — 50% of its total — to a packaged product, Rubenstein said. But for Shore and Buried Acorn, who now almost exclusively do cans, far more beer that previously went out in kegs now has to be canned. “As fast as I can get aluminum is as fast as I’ll make beer, because aluminum is the biggest issue right now,” Shore said. Getting cans is a week-to-week process, Shore said. Every week he asks for three pallets of cans, which amounts to about 26,000, but that’s not enough. The manufacturers simply can’t make them faster, he said, because breweries and other beverage makers across the country are running into the same issue. As Syracuse kicked off its home-opener against Georgia Tech on Sept. 26, Rubenstein strolled through the back door of the Middle Ages’, past the fermentation vessels and into the refrigerated storage space. He dragged open the sliding doors, revealing the orange, red and yellow cases of beer stacked on pal-

lets and piled up to the ceiling and shiny metal kegs stacked one on top of another. There was room to walk in — Rubenstein estimated the space was about a little more than half full. “Our sales are down overall, due to COVID, (but) they’re not as down as they could be in dire situations,” Rubenstein said. The day before, five minutes down the road, Shore walked through his brewroom to open the back garage door. He knew a pallet of cans was arriving later that afternoon, and he wanted to make sure there wasn’t any confusion. His current inventory of cans was growing low, the pallet reaching waist height as opposed to its usual nine feet. The room smelled bad to Shore — a result of the previous day’s fermentation — as he searched for a burner to use for a batch of inverse sugar for that day’s Belgian beer. Outdoor seating had been open for weeks, and indoor seating will open to a limited number of customers within a few weeks. Buried Acorn produced 1,000 barrels in September, Shore said. There’s still a chance fans can fill the Carrier Dome in some capacity this fall. Still a chance that current customers, or maybe new ones, will see the orange handle representing Middle Ages’ Syracuse Pale Ale behind the concession stand counter. But right now, for both Rubenstein and Shore, there isn’t a whole lot to complain about. rferna04@syr.edu | @roshan_f16

emily steinberger photo editor

anya wijeweera staff photographer

anya wijeweera staff photographer anya wijeweera staff photographer emily steinberger photo editor Tim Shore (top left) and Isaac Rubenstein (top right) have shifted focus at Buried Acorn Brewing Company and Middle Ages Brewing Company, respectively, by incorporating delivery and pickup to make up for losses. With no fans in the Carrier Dome for Syracuse games, they also don’t have the brand exposure through concession stand customers. from page 12

roundtable Even after the GT win, SU has the second-least efficient offense in the nation. With a poor offensive line, mediocre running game and a conservative quarterback, SU will likely continue to struggle in the red zone and overall. Adam Hillman: My impulse is to say it’s somewhere in the middle — that UNC and Pitt both have multiple NFL players across their defense while Georgia Tech is improved but still rebuilding. But the offense’s performance Saturday was a drastic shift in strategy. They prioritized the running game, tried to involve the tight ends early and utilized DeVito’s athleticism to get him outside of the pocket. If Tucker can churn out yards on inside carries, as he did so well against Georgia Tech, opposing defenses will be forced to

put more men in the box and leave holes in the secondary. The defense’s performance speaks for itself, so if the Orange can string together a decent running game, they may cobble together six wins. Tommy DeVito had his best performance of the season against Georgia Tech, completing 13-of-24 passes for 194 yards and two touchdowns. Did that solidify his hold on the starting job for the remainder of the season over Rex Culpepper? A.D.: DeVito should absolutely be the starter for Syracuse. I know that Rex Culpepper completed a long touchdown pass to Taj Harris when he had good protection in the loss to Pittsburgh, but DeVito showed he can do the same in the win against Georgia Tech, twice. If Culpepper brought anything different to the Orange offense, such as improved accuracy or running ability, then it would be up for consideration. But what does Culpepper do better than DeVito? DeVito has had plenty of struggles

and processing issues. Sometimes he holds the ball too long. But he’s by far SU’s most talented quarterback with the best arm, and he should be the starter. D.E.: I wouldn’t say DeVito’s job is necessarily safe. Throughout his tenure at SU, even with Eric Dungey, Dino Babers has kept his quarterbacks on somewhat of a short leash. If DeVito reverts to his Weeks 1 and 2 self — holding the ball too long, bailing on plays too prematurely, missing open receivers — Babers won’t hesitate to try another option. One thing Culpepper brings to the table is a quicker release and potentially faster decision-making. Many of his struggles against UNC were due to an understandable lack of timing with his receivers on out routes, but he was still getting rid of the ball quickly. Culpepper also wasn’t sacked in a game where DeVito took seven. DeVito’s the most talented QB in central New York, but if he loses his confidence, Cul-

pepper is a strong option to displace him. So no, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Culpepper back under center at some point this season. A.H.: Yes, DeVito takes too many sacks and can be indecisive in the pocket, but his arm talent is unmatched on the Orange’s roster. This is only a conversation because of Culpepper’s 69-yard throw to Harris against Pittsburgh. But on his other eight passes, he averaged 2.4 yards per attempt, only 0.3 more than DeVito against the Panthers. DeVito’s rebound on Saturday ended any notion of replacing him. He took one sack, instead throwing the ball away or finding receivers within seconds to prevent the offensive line from blocking too long. Is he perfect? No. But he’s the best quarterback on Syracuse’s roster. For more roundtable answers, see dailyorange.com. sports@dailyorange.com @DOsports

oct. 1, 2020 11

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SPORTS

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PAG E 12

oct. 1, 2020

football

Untapped

SU faces turning point in bye week By The Daily Orange Sports Staff

TIM SHORE, co-founder of Buried Acorn Brewing Company, is adapting to challenges presented by a fanless Carrier Dome, including a can shortage and lost revenue. emily steinberger photo editor

Without fans in the Dome, local breweries adjust to lack of brand exposure and revenue By Roshan Fernandez asst. sports editor

ehind the bar counter at Middle Ages Brewing Company, owner Isaac Rubenstein walked by a line of 23 beer taps. Attached to 22 are wooden handles, engraved at the top with the Middle Ages logo and a unique emblem, along with the name of each craft. But about two-thirds of the way down is a larger, orange handle with “Syracuse” spelled out vertically, distinguishing it from the rest. That tap pours Syracuse Pale Ale, Middle Ages’ top seller. The English-style pale ale is accessible to everyone, Rubenstein said, because it’s not too “hoppy” — hops are one of the main ingredients that give beer a bitter taste. Middle Ages’ created the ale in 1998 as a “Syracuse team beer” for SU fans.

The orange handles are also recognizable two miles away, at the Carrier Dome. Syracuse Pale Ale is available on-tap at more than a third of the Dome’s concession stands and draws both avid beer drinkers and those new to craft beer, Rubenstein said. “People see the bright orange Syracuse tap handle, and they like the beer, (so) they seek us out,” Rubenstein said. Without fans in the Dome this football season, and potentially this basketball season, local breweries such as Middle Ages and Buried Acorn Brewing Company are among the many local businesses losing game day revenue. For Rubenstein and Tim Shore, co-founder of Buried Acorn, the Dome is only responsible for less than 5% of sales. But game day is still very significant for business. The Dome provides product exposure unlike any venue, Shore and Rubenstein said. Hundreds of thousands of people attend games every year, so it’s not just about the sales from that specific game day. Fans try the beer in the Dome, “and then they get excited for the brand,” Shore said. That leads to future sales. “We have that exposure in the Dome, and that’s awesome, but right now, I can’t think of any way to make up for that,” Rubenstein said. see breweries page 10

football

3 inconclusive tests delayed Orange football game By Danny Emerman senior staff writer

Three Syracuse football players tested positive for the coronavirus on Sept. 23 but tested negative two days later, indicating inconclusive results leading up to Saturday’s delayed game against Georgia Tech, Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon said in a press conference Monday. The players were retested right before Saturday’s home-opener to confirm the negative tests, delaying the game by more than 30 minutes. The county recommended SU retest the players

prior to kickoff as a precautionary measure, according to Syracuse. com. All three tests came back negative, and the game resumed, with the Orange prevailing 37-20. “Think about the timing of this,” McMahon said. “They get tested on Friday before a game. The game is at noon. Not a lot of turn time. The Wednesday results, it’s my understanding that they came back late Friday night … Friday’s results come in Saturday morning. You see a potential false-positive there, so we went and got an additional test.” At the time of the original kickoff, Syracuse Athletics released a statement that kickoff had been

delayed to reconfirm the tests of three players “out of an abundance of caution.” The statement did not explain why the precautionary measure was necessary. Both Syracuse and Georgia Tech abruptly retreated to their locker rooms shortly before noon on Saturday. Redshirt players remained on SU’s bench, the three rapid tests came back negative and both teams retook the field at 12:27 p.m. “The first thing that passes my mind is this season right now is just weird,” junior defensive back Trill Williams said postgame. When asked in a virtual conference whether he’d been given an

explanation as to why the game was delayed, Georgia Tech head coach Geoff Collins stared silently into the camera for about 15 seconds, ignoring the question. Had the rapid retests come back positive, the game may have been canceled. “I don’t want to talk about hypotheticals,” McMahon said Monday. “But it’s highly likely if you had a positive that close to a game, that game might not have happened. (County Commissioner of Health) Dr. (Indu) Gupta makes that call, not yours truly.”

dremerma@syr.edu @DannyEmerman

Through three games, Syracuse appears to be at a turning point in its season. Two blowouts to top-25 teams left the Orange crawling out of the gates, but a dominant 37-20 victory over Georgia Tech gave fans reason for optimism. With its next two opponents, Duke and Liberty, being weaker on paper, SU can salvage a slow start. Ahead of the Orange’s bye week, The D.O.’s football beat reporters reflect on where the team stands. After three games, Syracuse’s defense has continually played strong, but the offense has been underwhelming at times. Do you think Syracuse is as good as its 37-20 win against Georgia Tech, as bad as its 31-6 dud against North Carolina or somewhere in between? Anthony Dabbundo: There’s a real argument that too many of us, myself included, overreacted to the offense being as bad as it was against two top-25 opponents in the first two games. The Orange will only play two other teams with a defense anywhere near Pitt and UNC the rest of the season. But Syracuse’s offense has to be better than it was against Georgia Tech going forward. Yes, they hit some big plays. Yes, some offensive linemen may be returning. But I’m not sure relying on five opposition turnovers and two deep bombs is a viable long-term offensive strategy. Sean Tucker’s emergence as a consistent running back is the most important development in this offense thus far. If he’s able to grind out first downs, Syracuse’s offense will turn from very bad to just mediocre. Given how well the defense has been playing, mediocre is enough to win multiple ACC games. Danny Emerman: Syracuse’s offense is much more likely to resemble its Georgia Tech performance than its week one and week two duds, but that’s not saying much. If the North Carolina and Pittsburgh games are Syracuse’s basement, the Georgia Tech output is the first floor. For all the same reasons Syracuse’s defense collapsed in the fourth quarter of the seasonopener, Georgia Tech’s defense faltered because of its offensive woes. Over and over again — five times to be exact — SU’s defense put its offense in a great position by forcing turnovers. The Orange had five scoring drives against the Yellow Jackets, and three were below 50 yards (one went zero). Still, Tommy DeVito was able to convert two downfield shot plays, which he’s struggled to do, entering the contest 0-for-14 on throws at least 10 yards downfield.

see roundtable page 10