Oct. 15, 2020

Page 1

free

THURSDAY

oct. 15, 2020 high 73°, low 46°

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

N • Left behind

C • Recipe reflections

S • Halting progress

Halfway through the fall semester, some SU students with disabilities said they are still unable to receive accommodations for hybrid or online classes. Page 3

Members of the Latino community share family recipes such as flan and pasteles de yuca, reflecting on the dishes and the memories behind them. Page 7

Beat writer Anthony Dabbundo argues that Syracuse shouldn’t schedule games against Liberty, which routinely insults ideas of racial sensitivity and inclusion. Page 12

on campus

Trolley driver on leave By Chris Hippensteel news editor

Mourning together Students gathered Wednesday evening at a memorial to freshman Trevor Pierce at the intersection of Comstock and Waverly avenues. The memorial included flowers, candles and photos of Pierce spread across the sidewalk. Pierce died Tuesday afternoon when he collided with a Syracuse University trolley while skateboarding. emily steinberger photo editor

su athletics

SU, NCAA improve LGBTQ athlete inclusion By Allie Kaylor

asst. copy editor

Mitchell Harjo had to get something off his chest. After a late March rowing practice his freshman year, he felt distraught and emotional — unable to calm his thoughts. He had come out as gay to some of his close friends, but no one else knew. Harjo walked to the boat bay and saw his coach, Jason Elefant, packing up for the end of the day. Holding back tears, Harjo managed to choke out the words “I’m gay.” “My world had felt so different after that moment,” said Harjo, now a senior. “I started crying and (Elefant) gave me a hug.” In the past decade, the NCAA has expanded its support of LGBTQ athletes, creating a 80-page resource guide in 2010 and partnering with several activist organizations to continue efforts toward inclusion. In 2017, Athlete Ally established the Athlete Equality Index, a scale that measures inclusivity within collegiate athletic departments. But there’s still work to be done nationwide to make all athletes comfortable, said Alyssa Hellrung, who teaches the University of Washington’s gender and sport course. Syracuse’s athletic department scored a 65/100 on that first Athlete Equality Index ranking, though the number rose to 85 on

its latest update in 2019. The index, which rates schools on eight criteria — including non-discrimination policies, LGBTQ resources and open allyship — gave SU a 0/10 for its lack of an LGBTQ athlete group, something Harjo and women’s lacrosse player Lila Nazarian said they would benefit from. “The biggest thing when you’re a young person who’s queer or LGBTQ, is to feel like you have people who are like you, but you are not separated from your community,” Nazarian said. After coming out to his team, Harjo felt like he had something to prove, he said. He didn’t want his teammates to think of him as weaker or less masculine because he was gay, so he started a mental competition between him and his teammates. If he outperformed them, Harjo felt like that proved he was masculine enough to fit in. “I didn’t just want to be the gay guy on the team and not be able to perform well,” Harjo said. At Syracuse, there are no out athletes currently on the football or men’s basketball team, despite these two teams having 120 players combined, Harjo said. A reason for that might be the national spotlight those sports attract, he said, and many of these players have hopes of playing professionally after college and wouldn’t want scouts looking at them differently. “The consequences (of coming

Syracuse University has placed a trolley driver on administrative leave pending an investigation into the collision that killed freshman Trevor Pierce. An SU trolley collided with Pierce, 18, on Tuesday evening while he was riding his skateboard at the intersection of Comstock and Waverly avenues. An ambulance transported Pierce to Upstate University Hospital in critical condition, where he was pronounced dead, according to a statement from the Syracuse Police Department. A university spokesperson confirmed the trolley driver’s employment status in a Wednesday statement to The Daily Orange. Neither the university nor SPD has released the identity of the driver. SPD is reviewing evidence, including camera footage and witness statements, to determine how the crash occurred, SPD spokesperson Sgt. Matthew Malinowski told Syracuse.com. see driver page 4

guest column

Students helped to comfort Pierce

MICHELLE TUMOLO (LEFT), a former SU athlete, started MT35 to promote equality in sports. courtesy of michelle tumolo

out) don’t feel as heavy for me as they would for a football or basketball player to go professionally,” Harjo said. In 2014, All-American Missouri defensive end Michael Sam experienced just that. He came out as gay three months before the NFL draft and two weeks before the scouting combine — becoming the first NFL draftee to do so. Previously projected as a third-round pick, Sam fell to the seventh round and was released by the Rams after playing

in multiple preseason games. Former Syracuse women’s lacrosse player Michelle Tumolo, who is gay, has also noticed intolerance in men’s sports. While some professional men’s lacrosse teams have pride nights or make team statements supporting the LGBTQ community, there is always some pushback — especially on social media. “I don’t know any men’s lacrosse players (that are out),” Tumolo

see lgbtq page 10

On my way home from campus early Tuesday evening, I came upon the scene of Trevor Pierce’s tragic accident. The ambulances screamed up Waverly Avenue behind me, so I did not stop. But I will never forget what I saw: a group of students — probably strangers — carrying Trevor to the side of the road and trying to make him comfortable. To the students who helped Trevor: You were so very brave during a horrific and traumatic situation. You showed care and compassion to another member of our community. You made sure he was not alone at the end of his life. I share sorrow with Trevor’s family, friends and classmates. May the actions of these kind students help bring them comfort. Aileen Gallagher Associate Professor, Magazine, News & Digital Journalism


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.