Dec. 6, 2021

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MONDAY

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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 • Application insight

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S • Recruiting from Hawaii

C • Freestyling R&B

Current graduate students shared personal experiences about applying to graduate programs, both at and away from Syracuse University. Page 3

Dino Babers was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, and he’s recently used his ties to Hawaiian culture to bring recruits to Syracuse. Page 12

ISHE, an SU junior, makes music that reminds listeners that it is okay to feel emotions. The R&B artist plans to drop a mixtape next year and will open at the Westcott Theater on Tuesday evening. Page 7

Denying responsibility SU has denied legal responsibility for sexual abuse by a former student and coach By Michael Sessa enterprise editor

Editor’s Note: This story contains details of sexual abuse.

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ince New York state passed the Child Victims Act in 2019, at least seven men have sued Syracuse University for its role in their sexual abuse by Conrad Mainwaring, a former graduate student, employee and coach. The legislation, which extended the civil statute of limitations for child sexual abuse, opened a two-year window that afforded survivors the opportunity to seek civil justice from the institutions involved in their abuse. In each of the four lawsuits brought by the seven men, the university has denied all responsibility. Among its defenses is the notion that Mainwaring, who survivors say used his status at the university to abuse them, was never formally involved in its athletics program. A review of archival materials, university records and court documents, as well as interviews with former coaches and athletes, showed Mainwaring maintained a close relationship with SU’s cross country and track and field teams — a relationship the university repeatedly downplayed or omitted in public statements and litigation. That relationship — one that records and interviews suggest was likely sanctioned by university officials and well known by some students and employees — is what enabled Mainwaring to abuse minors and young adults for years at SU unchecked, survivors and experts told The Daily Orange. The allegations involving Mainwaring and SU became public in August 2019

photo illustration by meghan hendricks asst. photo editor, photo courtesy of su archives

when ESPN published an investigation detailing decades of abuse by the former Olympian and coach at colleges, camps and tracks across two continents. Mainwaring was arrested in February 2021 on charges related to abuse at a Massachusetts camp where he worked prior to SU. In a statement shortly after ESPN

published its investigation, Chancellor Kent Syverud acknowledged that Mainwaring had earned a graduate degree from SU and worked in a residence hall in the early 1980s. The university first learned of an allegation against Mainwaring from the 1980s in February 2019 and immediately contacted

police, Syverud wrote. The university also hired an external law firm to conduct a review of the allegation, he said. Absent from Syverud’s universitywide communication was any mention of Mainwaring’s ties to the university’s ath letics program — ties survivors say were

see mainwaring page 4

mainwaring investigation

SU policies can still leave minors vulnerable to abuse By Michael Sessa enterprise editor

Editor’s Note: This story contains details of sexual abuse. More than three decades after Conrad Mainwaring allegedly abused young athletes and prospective students, Syracuse University implemented its first comprehensive policy for protecting minors. A review of the university’s policies illuminates critical gaps that experts on sexual abuse prevention

and response said can make it difficult for employees to best protect young people. The strongest policies, they said, are accessible, direct and thorough in addressing the unique needs of the organizations they are designed for — areas where SU’s otherwise sturdy policies sometimes falter. “Based on the reality of the prevalence of sexual harassment, assault and abuse, there is a great likelihood that it will somehow impact your institution and the people that you serve,” said Laura Palumbo, the communications director at the National

Sexual Violence Resource Center. “Part of where transparency starts is having policies that are very outright and accessible to the members of your community.” Prior to 2019, policies addressing sexual misconduct and interactions with minors at SU were scattered. A review of archived policies and administrative records turned up numerous SU pamphlets on sexual harassment and memos to faculty and staff about misconduct, but few enumerated policies governing the conduct of volunteers and employees.

The Safety of Minors and Abuse Reporting Policy, which SU implemented in 2019, was meant to change that. The policy codified existing practices related to youth programs and supplements conduct codes and sexual abuse prevention policies, a university spokesperson said in a statement. It mandates background checks and training for all employees and volunteers who might interact with minors and requires that programs serving minors be registered with the university. But the policy doesn’t address

complaints or allegations that haven’t resulted in an arrest, leaving opportunities for experienced abusers to gain access to young people without detection. “A lot of people escape the attention of human resources departments because we’re not asking the right questions on the application,” said Camille Cooper, the vice president of public policy at the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network. Abusers are often able to avoid detection by institutions

see policies page 4


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Dec. 6, 2021 by The Daily Orange - Issuu