free
MONDAY
oct. 5, 2015 high 64°, low 48°
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 |
N • Mountain to climb
dailyorange.com
P • Make it work
The Division of Student Affairs held a Student Diversity Summit this week. It was led by Kathy Obear, who also led an SU administrator retreat. Page 3
The SALT Makerspace, an advanced technology center, moved to West Jefferson Street from its Delavan Center location, on Thursday. Page 9
S • Goal rush
Syracuse field hockey broke out, scoring seven second-half goals against Cornell on Sunday. The Orange tallied the most goals it has in a game all season. Page 16
KNOCKING IT BACK Annual crime report shows decrease in alcohol-related offenses
why does dps have to compile an annual report? The Jeanne Clery Disclosure Act requires U.S. colleges and universities to publish an annual security report by Oct. 1 every year. The act requires three years of statistics and other security information.
what is a drug law violation? “The violation of laws prohibiting the production, distribution and/or use of certain controlled substances and the equipment or devices utilized in their preparation and/or use. The unlawful cultivation, manufacture, distribution, sale, purchase, use, possession, transportation or importation of any controlled drug or narcotic substance.” source: dps annual security report
drug violations
2013
263 240
2014
87 82
NON-CAMPUS BUILDINGS
2012
2013
2014
1258 1193 900 833 4
news editor
he number of disciplinary referrals for liquor law violations at Syracuse University went down about 30 percent from 2013 to 2014, according to the university’s recently released annual security report. The decrease comes after there was a 25 percent increase in referrals in 2013. There were 1,303 liquor law violation referrals in 2013, but in the 2014 calendar year, there were 918. The number of disciplinary referrals for drug law violations is also down from last year — 87 compared to 273, or 68 percent. Nationally, the amount
of drinking in the college demographic is down, but intensity is up. On campus, SU administrators say university-sponsored programs are helping combat alcohol abuse. The annual report, released Wednesday, is mandated by the Jeanne Clery Disclosure Act, which requires U.S. colleges and universities that receive federal money to publish a security report by Oct. 1 every year. The act requires three years of statistics and other security information. The report, most of which is text that describes security policies, includes data on the number of crimes committed on campus and properties owned by the university. It also includes numbers on crimes that
burglaries ON CAMPUS RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS
40
straight fire
18
There were 172 fire alarms in 2014, according to the report, and this is how the alarms break down:
2012
2013
2014
COOKING UNKNOWN CAUSE
MALICIOUS
ACCIDENTAL
ELECTRICAL
CONTRACTORS
SPRINKLERS
STEAM
FIRE
DUST/BUG
Good news is that percentage wise young people are using less alcohol. It’s a small drop but still down. Bad news is there’s an increase in the intensity of those who do choose to binge drink. George Koob
director of the national institute on alcohol abuse and alcoholism
graphic illustration by emma comtois design editor
occur on nearby streets and sidewalks. Pam Peter, the director of the Office for Student Rights and Responsibilities at SU, said Thursday she had “not had time to read the report or compare the numbers from this report to last year’s report in order to answer any questions about the numbers.” George Koob, the director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, said percentage-wise, young people are using less alcohol. “It’s a small drop but still down,” Koob said. “Bad news is, there’s an increase in the intensity of those who do choose to binge drink.” Koob added that students want to “get as (drunk) possible, as fast as possible” and don’t entirely under-
SA leaders working with SU administrators By Michael Burke
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fire alarms
Group aims to publish syllabi staff writer
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11
1020 956 22
By Justin Mattingly
T
The Department of Public Safety uses the Cleary Act definitions of crimes and violations in its report.
liquor violations
ON CAMPUS RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS
155 105
2012
what definitions are used to categorize the crimes?
student association
stand the effects of alcohol. That line of thinking is reflected at SU. “We unfortunately continue to see a lot of students drink to the point of alcohol poisoning and/ or have other alcohol related problems,” said Cory Wallack, director of the Counseling Center, in an email. He added that programs like BeWise and Orange After Dark have helped the university combat alcohol abuse. BeWise, he said, has helped students get a better understanding of the warning signs of alcohol poisoning and how to be safer about drinking in general. Wallack added that the Counseling Center’s available data shows see crime
report page 9
The Student Association is taking steps to make syllabi available to students prior to class registration. The organization posted a survey to its Facebook page requesting student feedback on the initiative, and SA’s Academic Affairs Chair Sonia Suchak will be meeting with Syracuse University administrators Monday to discuss the possibility of students seeing syllabi before class registration. So far, students of varying majors and class years have filled out the survey, Suchak said. Suchak and SA President Aysha Seedat said the purpose of the survey is to garner that kind of student support, so they could use it in pushing the initiative. “When we talk to administrators, we need to show them ample evidence,” Seedat said. Suchak will meet Monday morning with Associate Dean of Advising Kandice Salomone, Associate Provost of Academic Programs Andria Costello Staniec and College of Arts and Sciences Dean Karin Ruhlandt. Suchak’s primary concern is ensuring that students can be aware of textbook costs before deciding to take a course. She called the current system unfair to students. “You take a class and you pay $130 for a textbook, but you didn’t know you had to pay it (before registering),” she said. Suchak said she also wants to give students a chance to evaluate the time commitment a class will require before registering for it, since some students might want to scale back their workload in a given semester. Seedat said if students had this information readily available to them when they register, it would reduce the number of courses that see syllabi page 6