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THURSDAY
march 11, 2021 high 66°, low 37°
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 • Suspension lifted
C • Homegrown artist
S • Offensive barrage
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A state supreme court justice ruled Wednesday that an university official’s decision to suspend Alpha Chi Rho “has no rational basis.”
Claud Mintz recently released their debut bedroom-pop album, “Super Monster,” which features nods to Syracuse University. Now, the artist is signed to Phoebe Bridgers’record.
Syracuse scored its most-ever points in an ACC Tournament game in its 21-point thrashing of NC State. The Orange advanced to the quarterfinals.
on campus
How SU’s conduct process works By Michael Sessa news editor
The conduct process at colleges and universities can sometimes be controversial. Since its procedures differ so much from the ones that play out in courtrooms, the process can often leave students and their families unsure of their rights and the basic functions of the system. Here’s a breakdown of who is involved in the conduct process at Syracuse University and how it works:
Who is involved?
At SU, the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities oversees any alleged violations of the Code of Student Conduct. The vice president of enrollment and the student experience is responsible for overseeing the university’s student conduct system. Amanda Nicholson, who was filling the role on an interim basis, retired in September. Three current administrators — Robert Hradsky, vice president for the student experience; Ryan Williams, vice president of enrollment services; and Brittany Zaehringer, senior associate vice president of operations and strategic initiatives — are filling the position while SU searches for a permanent replacement. Sheriah Dixon, the director of OSRR, is responsible for the university ’s student conduct system procedures. Any member of the university community, including students, faculty and staff, can file a complaint against any student or student organization.
Lawsuits provide small glimpse into SU’s conduct process, wide-reaching discretion By Michael Sessa and Gabe Stern Illustration by Emily Steinberger the daily orange
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hen Alpha Chi Rho sued Syracuse University in June after being suspended, the fraternity argued that university officials led a conduct proceeding riddled with errors. Most alarming to the fraternity and its lawyers was how one university official single-handedly changed the trajectory of the case. After a student alleged that members of the frater-
nity shouted a racial slur at a student, a University Conduct Board suspended Crow, claiming that a guest of the fraternity may have shouted the slur. But a University Appeals Board said no policy exists at SU that would make the fraternity responsible for the actions of a guest. The appeals board overturned the prior ruling and threw out the suspension. A week later, Dolan Evanovich — who oversaw the conduct process and has since retired — rejected the board’s decision. He reinstated the suspension, saying “it was more likely than not that the guest used a racial slur.” see proceedings page 6
What happens when someone files a complaint?
After a complaint is filed, OSRR will assess whether the complaint concerns students or student organizations and whether it falls within the jurisdiction of the university conduct system. If a complaint is proven to have violated the Code of Student Conduct, OSRR will reach out to the student involved to offer them the opportunity to participate in an informal resolution meeting. According to SU’s Student Conduct System Handbook, the informal resolution meeting can result in one of three possible outcomes. If the university finds the see conduct page 6