Orientation Guide 2020

Orientation Guide 2020

N • Learning curve Syracuse University students should maintain a schedule to best adjust to this fall’s hybrid learning model, staff said. The university will offer both online and in-person courses.

Page 3

C • Party policies Greek life organizations at Syracuse University won’t be able to hold large parties this fall under state social distancing guidelines, instead limiting gatherings at most 25 people.

Page 7

S • Back for now Syracuse football is moving ahead with its season opener next month, despite cancellations from major conferences and uncertainty about whether fans will be allowed in the Dome.

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2 aug. 17, 2020

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You Have the Power to Save a Life!

Saxton was diagnosed with T-cell lymphoma in May, 2020. He needs to find a matching donor so he can have a lifesaving stem cell or bone marrow transplant. The best chance of finding a match is with someone who shares the same genetic heritage. Because Saxton is African American/White, his best chance of a match is with someone who is also bi-racial.

And we danced, and we cried, and we laughed, and had a really, really good time.

Otto the Orange

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NEWS

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PAG E 3

aug. 17, 2020

Students prepare for in-person classes

Under SU’s hybrid model, students in mid-sized classes will alternate between in-person and online instruction. Large lectures are moved entirely online, while smaller classes are moved to spaces where social distancing is possible.

young-bin lee contributing photographer

Students will have to adopt study habits that fit SU’s new hybrid course model

By Maggie Hicks asst. news editor

S

yracuse University’s learning environment will look different this fall, but staff know that students will be able to adapt.

Students returning to campus this fall will take courses under a hybrid format of in-person and virtual classes, all designed to mitigate the spread of coronavirus while preserving elements of in-person instruction.

SU is also allowing students to take their courses completely online.

As SU adjusts its instructional approach in response to the pandemic, students will also have to adopt new study habits, staff members at SU’s Writing Center and the Center for Learning and Student Success told The Daily Orange.

“Just trying to be as flexible as humanly possible is extremely important for everyone,” said Ava Breitbeck, a junior physics major who works at CLASS, which offers tutoring services for SU students. “(Students) need to remember to relax every once in a while and realize that everything is fluid and a lot can change.”

In-person instruction at SU will begin Aug. 24 and end Nov. 24, with students taking all final exams online following Thanksgiving break. To account for missed

instruction time, some classes will take place on weekends and during Labor Day. SU has committed to reducing the number of students in a classroom at any given time. Large classes will take place entirely online, with faculty both recording lectures and streaming them in real-time. Small recitation and discussion sessions of 60 students or less will follow an alternating attendance model, with half of the students attending the class in-person one day and joining virtually the next.

While the new academic environment may be difficult for students to grasp at first, students should take advantage of the resources they have and adapt to the new course structure, employees from CLASS and the university’s Writing Center said.

When taking courses that include recorded online lectures, planning ahead and managing one’s schedule is important, said Margaret Usdansky, founding director of CLASS. “There’s this temptation to do everything on deadline at the last minute, but that’s really not what you want to do,” Usdansky said. “If you wait until the last minute then you’re really cramming everything and not learning much at all.”

Though there will be less in-person instruction than last fall, Breitback recommended that students stay in contact with professors and classmates. Out-of-class

see classes page 4

coronavirus

How SU plans to test, trace and isolate COVID-19 infections

By Mira Berenbaum asst. copy editor

Syracuse University has spent months developing its plan to test, trace and isolate coronavirus cases on campus in preparation for students’ return to campus this fall.

The university’s Fall 2020 Open Working Group, led by Vice Chancellor Mike Haynie, has created plans this summer to ensure a safe return to campus in August. Extensive testing and contact tracing procedures are among the public health and safety measures included in SU’s plans.

With classes set to resume next week, here’s a rundown of what you need to know about SU’s COVID-19 response strategy:

How is SU monitoring for COVID-19 on campus?

Students must receive a COVID-19 test before arriving on campus and submit a negative result to the university within 10 days of their move-in date. To gain card-swipe access to campus facilities, students must verify at South Campus’ Skytop Parking Lot that they completed the pre-arrival test

before moving in.

The university will then test all students upon arrival using pooled saliva testing. Saliva samples will be tested in groups, or “pools,” of 20 to 25 based on the students’ housing assignments both on and off campus. SU will conduct a second round of the testing two weeks later and will continue to test throughout the semester.

“We are going to do (testing) periodically at various intervals,” said Joe Hernon, director of emergency management and business continuity, at a virtual forum Friday. “(We are) making sure we’re hitting

the various community groups on campus, that way we have an understanding of where the virus is.”

If a pool tests positive, the Barnes Center at The Arch will immediately administer rapid tests to all individuals in that pool to identify any COVID-19 infections.

The university will also test the wastewater of residence halls, academic buildings and surrounding neighborhoods twice a week to monitor for traces of COVID-19. COVID19 can be found in wastewater up to 10 days before an individual begins to show symptoms.

“If there is the presence of (COVID19) in any of those facilities, that would again trigger us to subsequently do diagnostic, individual-level testing, of all the occupants of a given building,” Haynie said at a virtual forum Aug. 7.

To ensure the efficacy of wastewater testing, the university will not allow students to bring visitors into their dorms during the semester. It is unclear exactly how the university will proceed if it finds traces of COVID-19 in the wastewater of an academic building or one of SU’s surrounding neighborhoods. see testing page 4

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4 aug. 17, 2020

on campus

Student organizations plan virtual events, meetings

By Chris Hippensteel news editor

Even as student clubs and organizations adapt to social distancing guidelines, Syracuse University students still have plenty of opportunities to get involved on campus this fall.

Student organizations will hold meetings on campus in the fall, but will have to abide by the expected health behaviors outlined in SU’s Stay Safe Pledge, said Meredith Davis, associate vice president for student engagement. The university is also encouraging organizations to adopt a hybrid meeting format, in which some members meet in person while the rest join virtually.

Organizations will also be able to hold events this fall, Davis said. Similar to meetings, events will have to accommodate social distancing, and many will incorporate virtual elements to reduce density.

“We are working with our (student organizations) to organize hybrid offerings, series of small-scale events and virtual events,” Davis

said. “We expect to continue to have performances, speakers and other communitybuilding events, they will just be delivered in new ways.”

SU’s Student Association, the university’s governing body for undergraduates, is one organization embracing hybrid meetings this semester. SA allocates SU’s student activities fund to different campus organizations, carries out student-focused initiatives and events and advocates for student concerns to the administration and Board of Trustees.

This fall, SA will move from its usual meeting space in Maxwell Auditorium to the much larger Goldstein Auditorium to account for social distancing, said President Justine Hastings. While the capacity of SA meetings will be limited to about 120 seats, students interested in student government can join meetings in real time through Zoom on Mondays at 7:30 p.m. “(Students who join SA) can expect to be a part of a team of dedicated and talented students whose purpose is to improve the undergraduate

experience for all students,” Hastings said.

OrangeSeeds, an organization for firstyear students, is also conducting meetings in person with social distancing protocols in place. The organization, which aims to cultivate leadership skills in first-year students through mentorship and community service, will accept applications and hold interviews during the opening weeks of the semester.

“This year OrangeSeeds’ top priorities are ensuring our students’ safety while still providing them with an excellent (freshmen) experience,” said Abby Gerace, public relations chair for OrangeSeeds. “Our leadership and personal development training will stay relatively the same and will be the focus of most of our meetings.”

SU will also continue to run some club and intramural sports this fall, Davis said. Students who join club or intramural teams should be prepared to adhere to social distancing guidelines in their respective sport, she said.

“Intramural and club sports (this fall) will be

mostly individual sports, and baseball and softball,” Davis said. “All teams and participants will need to adhere to operating guidelines provided by the Barnes Center at The Arch, in accordance with public health guidance.”

Students searching for ways to get involved on campus can attend the involvement fair and club sports fair, Davis said. The university has planned virtual versions of both events for the fall, with the club sports fair taking place Aug. 31. The date for the virtual involvement fair is yet to be determined.

Outside of the involvement fair, the university is exploring other ways for student organizations to safely recruit prospective members, Davis said. Students can also reach out to several of SU’s resource offices to learn more about involvement opportunities, she said.

Davis also encouraged students to check the ‘Cuse Activities website and the university events calendar for events and involvement opportunities. cjhippen@syr.edu

on campus

SU continues to offer mental health service for students

By Sarah Alessandrini asst. news editor

Though Syracuse University has suspended in-person counseling services as part of its coronavirus response plan, students returning to campus this fall will continue to have access to mental health support.

The Barnes Center at The Arch will continue to provide virtual counseling and mindfulness programs to students. Other mental health services, like group therapy, meditation and pet therapy, will also take place virtually. The center’s 24-hour call line is also available to students experiencing an immediate mental health crisis.

Students must call ahead and schedule appointments for counseling at the Barnes Center this fall, said Carrie Brown, counseling clinical director at the center. The majority of appointments will take place via telephone or from page 3

classes interactions could include setting up virtual study meetings with classmates or attending online office hours to receive additional help or guidance from professors.

Students should also strive to stay active and engaged in their real-time online courses, Usdansky said.

“You want to lean in, you want to use the chat function, you want to turn on your video, you want to see and get to know faculty members and classmates,” Usdansky said.

Many smaller classes that are taking place partially in-person have relocated to larger classrooms and lecture halls so students and professors can maintain a safe distance. Outdoor “teaching tents” on Main and South campus will also host classes through at least Oct. 16.

Faculty recognize that in-person courses are going to feel very different this year, said Usdansky, who also teaches an honors seminar.

Small discussion sections that are ordinarily close-knit will take place in large spaces where everyone is separated, making it harder for students to communicate, she said.

“It’s just going to be new and different, but we should recognize that we are fortunate to have from page 3

testing What happens if an SU student or employee contracts COVID-19?

If a student tests positive for COVID-19, the university will relocate them to isolation housing at the university-owned Sheraton Hotel. Students must isolate for at least 10 days and until they’re symptom-free for 24 hours without medication.

The university’s contact tracers will also communicate with the student to identify any individuals who they may have exposed to the virus.

through web-conferencing services like Zoom to expand access to students, Brown said.

The Barnes Center is one of several university offices providing mental health support to students this fall.

Hendricks Chapel, which offers counseling to students of all religious and spiritual backgrounds, has also adapted to continue providing services during the pandemic, Dean Brian Konkol said.

“In the midst of this pandemic that we find ourselves in, we recognize that well-being is by no means limited to physical attributes,” Konkol said. “It’s also about reflecting on our mental health.”

Students may still speak in-person with chaplains through walk-in or call-ahead appointments. The lower level of Hendricks has been rearranged to accommodate social distancing for these meetings, Konkol said. some opportunities to engage in some teaching and learning in-person,” Usdansky said.

For students taking classes at home, finding a quiet study space to focus on coursework will be very helpful, said Benjamin Erwin, an administrator at SU’s Writing Center. These spaces should serve to eliminate distractions and keep students’ attention on their classes.

Taking advantage of study spaces available on campus will also be useful, Usdansky said.

Many heavily-frequented study spaces on campus, such as Bird and Carnegie libraries, will have social distancing measures in place and will allow students to enter by swiping their SU I.D. card.

“I would recommend scoping out different places on campus in your first week or two of class where you can sit down, focus and really work on those classes in a quiet space,” Breitbeck said.

Students should also make sure they’re seeking out resources on campus that can help them manage their workload, Breitbeck said. Both CLASS and the Writing Center offer online tutoring sessions and workshops to help students excel in their classes and improve their writing and study skills.

Finding a sense of community at school is important, even if that looks slightly differStudents in isolation will receive a case manager to help them with their academic and physical needs. Those isolating can also share spaces with other individuals who have contracted the virus.

If a faculty or staff member contracts the virus, they will isolate at home while working with SU’s contact tracing team. Employees with mild symptoms should continue to work from home, if possible, said Cole Smith, dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science and a member of the Open Working Group.

The university is still developing plans for continuing classes if an instructor has severe symptoms, he said.

“We might have another instructor take

While chaplains often meet with students who follow their own religious or spiritual traditions, all students can speak with them.

Everything a student shares during a meeting with a chaplain is completely confidential, Konkol said.

“In many ways throughout the world we’re always graded and evaluated,” he said. “Chaplains are trained to accept people as they are and provide that sense of hospitality.”

Some in-person programs Hendricks will offer this semester include grief support groups and meditation sessions. Other programs, like the Music and Message series, will take place online.

Hendricks Chapel and the Barnes Center often work hand-in-hand to coordinate mental health services for students, Konkol said.

Students living in on-campus housing can also seek mental health resources through

SU’s Residence Hall Association. While students will not be able to bring guests into their dorms this fall, RHA is working to design programs and activities that foster a sense of community inside dorms, said Rosalyn Impink, vice president of RHA. The specifics of these programs have not been fully ironed out yet, Impink said. Nevertheless, RHA is dedicated to helping students feel comfortable in their residence hall.

“Residence hall communities will look different this year, but we want students to know that even apart, we’re together,” Impink said.

Deciding where to seek mental health services depends on the type of services the student is in need of at that particular time, Konkol said. Regardless of their situation, students should know that help is available if they need it, he said. scalessa@syr.edu

SU staff encourage students to participate in online courses and create a schedule for tackling online coursework.

sarah lee assistant photo editor

ent this year, Erwin said. A strong support network can help any student get through an especially uncertain semester, he said.

“The world is incredibly stressful and chaotic right now,” Erwin said. “The least we can all do

for one another as a community is to be kind to one another, to be empathetic with each other, and to do everything in our power to ensure one another’s safety and wellbeing.”

over,” Smith said. “Or, we just simply postpone classes while the instructor recovers, and make them up later by video, which is a common recourse action when someone is sick in normal years.”

The university’s COVID-19 dashboard, which SU updates every Tuesday by 5 p.m., will track the number of SU students and employees who have contracted the virus.

to quarantine for 14 days, where they will selfmonitor for symptoms.

Close contacts include anyone who’s come within six feet of an infected person for more than 15 minutes, Hernon said.

“If you’re in that space and you haven’t had a mask on, or you did not socially distance, that is where those variables become gray, and you could be considered a close contact,” Hernon said.

Individuals exposed to the virus will also have a case manager while in quarantine. While in quarantine, students will have their own room and bathroom and will not interact with any other individuals who are quarantining.

What happens to the contacts of someone who tests positive?

The university’s contact tracing team will notify close contacts of infected individuals by phone and through their SU email account.

The contacts will then relocate to the Sheraton

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OPINION

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PAG E 5

aug. 17, 2020

letter from the editor

The D.O. is working to diversify our newsroom

By Casey Darnell and Emma Folts the daily orange

D

The Daily Orange, located at 230 Euclid Ave, is an independent nonprofit newsroom. We rely on your support to publish essential coverage of the greater Syracuse area.

sarah lee asst. photo editor

letter from the editor

The D.O. to cut Wednesday print for fall

By Casey Darnell and Emma Folts The daily orange

D

ear readers, Faced with many of the same challenges as newsrooms across the country, The Daily Orange has spent the summer finding ways to prepare and adapt to the uncertainty of the fall semester.

As a cost-saving measure, The D.O.’s Board of Directors voted unanimously earlier this month to cut its Wednesday print edition for the fall semester. The decision is temporary, and one that comes as advertising losses continue during the pandemic.

But don’t worry: we will still publish two print editions, on Monday and Thursday, every week beginning Aug. 24. Our staff will produce onlineonly content in place of the Wednesday paper, in addition to the online content we post throughout the week. You’ll also be able to listen to our podcasts, find us on social media and receive our newsletter straight to your inbox.

No matter how often you can pick up a copy of The D.O., our staff will

continue to produce indispensable reporting that serves the Syracuse University and greater Syracuse community. Local, in-depth journalism has never been more important, and our devotion to keeping you informed remains steadfast.

As major news organizations have faced their own budget shortfalls this summer, we also recognized our financial needs. This decision, while difficult, will ensure The D.O. is in good financial standing for the spring semester and next academic year. The D.O. is an independent, nonprofit newsroom that receives no funding from SU, and we instead rely on advertising revenue and donations to sustain operations.

We thank you for your continued support throughout this pandemic.

If able, consider donating to further support our ability to produce journalism that informs and moves you.

The Wednesday print cut for this fall comes two years after The D.O. permanently cut its Tuesday print edition in favor of a “digital night” for Monday production. We recognize that print won’t last forever, and our transition to a digital-only newsroom is inevitable.

As each class of SU students grows more digitally-oriented, The D.O. is working to advance its digital content and website infrastructure. We strive to meet our readers where they’re at, and for college students, that is on their phones and through social media.

In the spring, during the onset of the pandemic, we promised to continue our coverage as classes moved online. Our staff produced more stories viewed by more people than in any summer in recent memory. That work was done completely online, with our reporters and editors scattered across the country.

We don’t know how long we will be on campus this fall, or if we’ll see residential instruction return in the spring. The D.O. is the same studentrun news organization in any format, whether in print or online. Our staff might not always be in Syracuse, but we remain committed to bringing essential content to our readers.

Thanks for your support, Casey Darnell, editor-in-chief 2020-21 Emma Folts, managing editor 2020-21

letter from the editor

From the Editor: Making your voice heard

T

his year, The Daily Orange’s Opinion section is focusing on what really matters: making your voice heard.

After first accepting guest columns last spring, we’re now seeking personal essay submissions from all members of the Syracuse University and greater Syracuse community. We want to hear about your lived experiences to truly capture what it means to live and

Letter to the Editor policy To have a letter printed in The D.O. and published on dailyorange.com, please follow the guidelines listed below: • Limit your letter to 400 words • Letters must be emailed to opinion@dailyorange.com

learn in Syracuse. Write to us about anything: we’re ready to listen.

Also, say goodbye to the column categorization of old — Student Life, Gender & Sexuality and the rest.

We’ll now work with columnists to craft their voice across topics and will determine the categorization of each column on an individual basis. We want to emphasize our writers’ perspectives, not the subject matter of their pieces.

• Please include your town of residence and any relevant affiliations • Topics should pertain to the Syracuse area • Letters should not include any personal information pertaining to other people unless it is relevant to the topic at hand, which will be decided at the

We’re always looking for new voices to add to our team, too. If you’re interested in joining the Opinion section as a columnist this semester, send an email to opinion@dailyorange.com.

And if you’d just like to submit a piece, you can find the full requirements for guest columns and personal essay submissions at dailyorange.com/about.

ear readers, The Daily Orange must do better.

Our newsroom staff is not representative of the Syracuse University or greater Syracuse community we cover. For 117 years, The D.O. has operated as a predominantly white institution focused on a white audience.

The D.O. strives to be an essential news source. But if our reporters don’t reflect all communities, and if our readers don’t find themselves represented in our content, we must ask ourselves: To whom are we essential?

As the nation’s reckoning on the legacy of racism has touched nearly every news organization, we have also come to terms with the many ways The D.O. has failed marginalized communities in our history, particularly people of color.

This year, as many before, The D.O.’s editor-in-chief and managing editor are white.

In discussions with D.O. alumni this summer, we could only identify two editors-inchief of color since the 1970s, one who is Black and one who is Latina. The D.O. has not had a Black section editor on its masthead since fall 2017.

This is unacceptable. For too long, The D.O. has blamed the paper’s lack of diversity on the whiteness of SU or that of the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications rather than facing the hard truth: We have not tried. We have been dismissive. We have been lazy.

We recognize that diversifying our staff won’t be simple, and our efforts might fail. But we must try anyway because a D.O. that does not reflect our community will always be inadequate and out of touch.

To start, The D.O. Board of Directors decided this summer to form a diversity committee, which we will lead. The committee will be charged with discussing how we can improve our inclusion and representation of diverse and marginalized voices.

However, this responsibility falls on everyone’s shoulders.

We have decided against the creation of diversity officer positions within the paper because we believe every staffer, from editor-in-chief and managing editor down, should work

toward these goals.

We’re in the process of conducting an audit of our staff’s diversity, which we will compile into a published report modeled after that of The Daily Bruin.

The audit will look at our newsroom’s diversity across several demographics, including race, ethnicity, gender, ability and socioeconomic status. The report will help The D.O. further reflect on our diversity and outline areas for continued improvement.

Diversifying our staff begins with outreach. The journalism industry is inaccessible to people of marginalized identities, and The D.O. has not acknowledged that we, too, have excluded and deterred students from seeking positions in our newsroom.

We have not proactively sought to hire reporters, designers and photographers of marginalized backgrounds, and our newsroom has not always fostered a welcoming environment to those who come to us.

Once on campus, The D.O. intends to actively recruit interested students from campus organizations that serve students of marginalized backgrounds. We’re also strengthening our policies concerning workplace harassment to ensure all students feel safe and at home in our newsroom.

We’ll also be tracking the diversity of our coverage this fall as part of a content diversity audit following that of the Minnesota Daily. We’ll be asking all staff members to think critically about the perspectives they seek, the voices they amplify and the communities they neglect to cover. Our board’s diversity committee will compile and publish the report semesterly.

We’d like your feedback, too.

The D.O. exists to serve our readers, and we deeply value your insight. You can expect reader surveys from us this year asking where we’ve failed to report on issues affecting your community with fairness and dedication.

By dismissing the necessity of newsroom diversity, The D.O. has done you, our reader, a disservice. This academic year, we’re working to change that.

Thank you for your reading, Casey Darnell, editor-in-chief 2020-21 Emma Folts, managing editor 2020-21

Nick Robertson | Editorial Editor Jewél Jackson | Asst. Editorial Editor Cori Dill | Asst. Editorial Editor

discretion of The D.O.’s editor-inchief and managing editor • Any links to third-party websites will also be published at the discretion of the editor-inchief and managing editor • All letters will be edited for style and grammar Thank you in advance for following these guidelines.

illustration by katelyn marcy digital design director

6 aug. 17, 2020

C

CULTURE

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PAG E 7

aug. 17, 2020

PARTIES ON PAUSE

Concerts reduce crowd size, move online

By Louis Platt

I would really hope that the remaining fraternities on campus are smart and do not throw parties this semester

asst. copy editor

Kate Carniol member of alpha chi omega

Greek life organizations on campus can’t host large parties or registered social events at chapter houses this semester due to coronavirus restrictions. Students must limit gatherings to 25 people. sarah lee asst. photo editor

Large parties and some Greek life events are on hold this semester

By Mandy Kraynak culture editor

S

from the stage

yracuse University sophomore Jake Skolnick joined Delta Chi last semester shortly before in-person classes were suspended. Going into this fall semester, Greek life at SU will be “flipped upside down,” he said.

Skolnick and other members of SU fraternities and sororities will return to a semester devoid of large parties and some of the social events that have been characteristic of Greek life. Some events will happen virtually, while others will not happen at all.

Parties, which have been a staple of Greek life in the past, will also be affected. SU has consistently been listed as a top party school by The Princeton Review and was ranked as the No. 1 party school in the 2020 edition. This semester, though, students must limit gatherings to 25 people and practice social distancing, according to SU’s guidelines in the Stay Safe Pledge.

Large gatherings pose two main risk factors: potential increase of coronavirus transmission and overwhelming

contact tracers, said David Larsen, an associate professor of public health in Falk College. Reducing both the size and frequency of gatherings can help limit transmission of the virus, he said.

Brittany Kmush, an assistant professor of public health in Falk, said that while small gatherings are feasible, hosting socially distanced parties becomes more difficult. If there is food at a party, attendees would have to remove their masks to eat. They also may touch the same surfaces as others and consume substances, such as alcohol, that impair judgment.

Adrianne Morales, a senior and member of Delta Delta Delta, said she is worried students will host parties that could potentially lead to an outbreak. She thinks SU’s plan is fair but is concerned that students will not comply with the guidelines, she said.

“I’ve heard that a lot of people are very intent on keeping people safe and keeping to themselves, which is very promising to me,” Morales said. “But at the same time, that doesn’t speak for everyone, and ultimately, people’s actions will speak volumes more than their words.”

The Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs sent the Stay Safe Pledge to all chapter members and leadership and encouraged them to sign it, said Sarah Scalese, senior associate vice president for university communications, in a statement to The Daily Orange.

Students who are found responsible for violating the pledge by hosting large parties will be subject to suspension or see greek

life page 8

When The Westcott Theater closed its doors after a concert March 11, Dan Mastronardi had a feeling it would be the last time for a while that the music venue would host a large crowd.

“I saw the writing on the wall: this is the last time we’re going to be open for a very long time,” said Mastronardi, owner of the Westcott Theater.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo has upgraded all regions of New York state to phase four of the reopening process, allowing indoor gatherings at reduced capacity. As students and faculty return to campus this month, concert planners in Syracuse are preparing for the music events to take on a different form.

The Westcott reopened in July, this time hosting a virtual concert for Billy Strings, a guitarist and Bluegrass musician. While Strings livestreamed from Nashville, Tennessee, about 100 people watched from the theater, Mastronardi said.

The theater’s staff also enforced social distance guidelines, requiring everyone to wear a mask unless they were seated at their table. Food and drinks were delivered to patrons’ tables after they were ordered through an app.

Mastronardi cited a few instances of audience members disobeying the social distancing measures. But with the overall success of two livestreamed concerts, he’s hopeful The Westcott can continue to host more concerts this fall with small, intimate crowds.

The thought of opening the venue up to the normal capacity of 700 people is a distant thought without a vaccine for the coronavirus readily available, he said.

Adam Gold, the owner of restaurant and musical venue Funk ‘n Waffles, is similarly concerned about hosting events without a vaccine.

Funk ‘n Waffles’ capacity is 200 people, and having 50 to 80 people inside makes the venue “feel cozy,” Gold said.

“That used to be a good thing,” he said.

“But I’m worried about how the stigma of this illness is going to (deter) people who don’t want to be crammed into a space.”

On campus, University Union is preparing for multiple event options that fit within Syracuse University’s policies on social distancing. see concerts page 8

slice of life

Virtual involvement fair to connect new students with clubs

By Gavi Azoff

asst. copy editor

Syracuse University’s first-year involvement fair is going virtual this fall, as orientation events usually held in person take on new forms during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This year, organizations such as First Year Players, Jerk Magazine and Danceworks will participate virtually in the Orange Blast! Involvement Fair on Friday from 8-10 p.m.

The event is geared toward freshmen and transfer students during Welcome Week, which starts Monday.

SU students told The Daily Orange that they got involved in campus organizations by attending involvement fairs, following clubs on social media and checking out bulletin boards around campus.

Last fall, sophomore Zoe Glasser came across the Involvement Fair on the Quad as she walked out of her work-study job in Maxwell Hall. Glasser knew she wanted to get involved with a publication on campus, and Jerk Magazine caught her eye.

Amanda Kruman, a sophomore at SU, researched clubs and organizations she was interested in on SU’s website and followed their social media pages. She ended up joining Danceworks and now runs public relations for the group.

Danceworks is SU’s largest student-run dance organization on campus and is audition-based.

In total, Danceworks is a group of over 100 students, including their executive board. Kruman especially enjoys being part of the e-board, as

it creates a smaller, more intimate team within a large organization.

“We’re all just coming in the same group to do what we love, and there’s no competition,” Kruman said. “It’s just support, there’s no negativity at all and it’s a very supportive group of very positive energy.”

Danceworks usually holds its performance in March, but performancebased groups are unsure of what the spring semester will look like, or how auditions and rehearsals will take place this year. As of now, most meetings and events will likely be virtual.

FYP is also navigating the uncertainty of what this academic year will look like. The student-run musical theater organization puts on a musical every spring performed by first-year and transfer students and see clubs page 8

SU will host a virtual club fair for freshmen and transfer students during Welcome Week. corey henry senior staff photographer

8 aug. 17, 2020

dailyorange.com culture@dailyorange.com

from page 7

greek life expulsion from the university, according to SU’s sanctioning guidelines.

SU suspended its chapter of the Zeta Beta Tau fraternity for allegedly violating public health guidelines at a gathering in April.

“It would just be a horrible reflection of Greek life, and it’s not like we have the best reputation either as a curricular,” Kate Carniol, a junior and a member of Alpha Chi Omega, said from page 7

concerts “We are working closely with school administration to ensure that our events are both safe and enjoyable for students. Our social media pages will be routinely updated with the latest information,” said Annelise Hackett, UU public relations director.

Whether concerts are in-person or online, Slater Ward-Diorio, president of UU, said his top priority is to organize and host shows that “please students and give them good experiences.”

Earlier this week, UU announced that rapper and singer Smino will perform a virtual concert Aug. 22, during Welcome Week, for SU and ESF students. Smino will be the third artist to perform a UU virtual concert since March, following singer-songwriter King Princess and DJ Kaytranada.

UU and the artists encountered some technical difficulties before both performances, like making sure Kaytranada’s audio from his from page 7

clubs organized by returning staff.

Auditions are held in the spring, with workshops and general interest meetings in the fall. While not required, the fall meetings allow the FYP staff and students who plan to audition become familiar with each other prior to auditions.

Senior and co-producer Sam Harasimowicz

of Greek organizations hosting parties during the pandemic. “I would really hope that the remaining fraternities on campus are smart and do not throw parties this semester.”

Skolnick, the public relations chair for Delta Chi, said the fraternity will comply with all of SU’s guidelines. He hopes other Greek organizations will learn from the suspension of ZBT and recognize the role they play in continuing a residential fall semester.

FASA will also host a virtual meeting on expectations and policies with governing coun-

cil leadership and chapter leadership prior to the start of the semester, Scalese said in the statement to The D.O. Also, chapters cannot host registered social events at the chapter houses, and entrance to the chapter houses is restricted to students who reside there or have a meal plan through the chapter, Scalese said in the statement.

While Carniol is disappointed that some events, such as philanthropy events and some sisterhood events, won’t happen this semester, she hopes this will be a temporary

C

sacrifice and that the events will resume in the spring semester.

Students’ main goal should be to remain on campus for the fall semester, which will require making sacrifices, Skolnick said. To him, being on campus with some restrictions is better than being stuck in quarantine again.

“The only way we’re going to get through this is with common sense and knowing that these sacrifices are needed in order to be on campus, ” Skolnick said. ackrayna@syr.edu

soundboard worked on the livestream, but the outcomes outweighed the difficulties, WardDiorio said.

Ward-Diorio believes that the virtual concerts allowed UU to host high-quality artists that they normally would not have been able to host on campus. The artists UU hosted adapted well and made the best of the circumstances, he said.

The live chat feature during Kaytranada’s show allowed the audience to interact with each other and with Kaytranada.

Ward-Diorio appreciated the instant feedback, which can be used for satisfying students’ interests in the future.

“We want to make (the students) as happy as we possibly can,” Ward-Diorio said. “For the Kaytranada show, it was really great to see that students were appreciating it and definitely feeling that it was worthwhile what we were doing.”

—Asst. Copy Editor Gavi Azoff contributed reporting to this article. lcplatt@syr.edu

said FYP is much more than an organization that puts on shows. For Harasimowicz and coproducer Trevor DeLello, FYP has become a home for them over their years in the group.

“We are built around people’s love of musical theater, but for so many people, including me and Trevor, it has become a home on campus, between going to staff meetings and all of the fun projects that we get to work on and all the friends that we’ve made,” Harasimowicz said.

Joining clubs and organizations of interest

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is one way for students to get involved in campus life, make friends and find their niche. For sophomore Thomas Cheng, getting involved in OttoTHON helped him make new friends.

OttoTHON, SU’s 10-hour dance marathon, is one of the larger organizations on campus that students can join. Participants raise money for kids receiving care at Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital in Syracuse. It’s currently unclear what form the event will take this year, given SU has limited gatherings to

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DeLello feels confident that, with all the creativity among the members of FYP, they can find ways to work around restrictions and make this year the best as possible.

“The best part about this organization is that it’s filled with so much creative energy that, as much as the school might say ‘you can’t do this,’ we can tweak it and make it our own,” DeLello said.

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10 aug.17, 2020

the basketball tournament

Recapping the TBT quarterfinal exit of Boeheim’s Army

By Thomas Shults asst. copy editor

Three points from victory, Marcus Keene frantically waved his hands over his head as he stood behind the 3-point point line at The Basketball Tournament. With Sideline Cancer nearly at the 65-point Elam Ending threshold, Boeheim’s Army was crumbling.

After receiving the cross-court pass on the right wing, Keene rose to shoot while John Gillon and Andrew White III stretched to defend. And for the fifth time that Saturday, Keene’s shot hit nothing but net.

Once Sideline Cancer’s 65-48 blowout victory over Boeheim’s Army was complete, guard Eric Devendorf dropped his head and trudged off the vacant Nationwide Arena court in Columbus, Ohio. With its bags packed before tip-off due to COVID-19, BA left the Columbus hotel immediately.

As the No. 3 seed in TBT, Boeheim’s Army was expected to surpass its quarterfinal exit to No. 22 Sideline Cancer. But seeding took place before BA found out that big Tyler Lydon wouldn’t play after injuring his hip and other big Chris McCullough grieved the death of a friend. Without them, Donte Greene was one of two players over 6-foot-8.

General manager Kevin Belbey added former Colgate star Will Rayman, whose inexperience with the 2-3 zone defense meant he played a reserve role. BA struggled to rebound in both its games, forcing a defensive shift that doomed BA’s quest for its first TBT championship in its sixth try.

“Chris McCullough being an athlete at 6-foot-11 with NBA skills, (he) could have made a difference, you never know,” head coach Ryan Blackwell said after his team from page 12

training camp considering opting-out due to concerns surrounding the virus’ long term health effects, The Athletic reported Friday.

“I know I’m not allowed to tell you what the number is, but if they were basing a National Championship, Final Four off of COVID testing and who had the lowest number, I really believe we’d be in the Final Four,” Babers said.

Yet after a supposedly successful summer workout program, SU players presented a list of concerns to Babers and chose to sit out the first two days of training camp practice because they wanted to be tested more frequently and to see improved testing standards across the conference. Although Syracuse returned to the field, they later sat out a third day on Wednesday. from page 12

otto’s army remote learning in March, then-president Kennedy Hagens faced the same challenge as Danilich — finding ways to continue Otto’s Army virtually. Hagens and her executive board increased their social media presence by creating a welcome video for the Class of 2024 and graphics for the NFL Draft.

As Danilich and his team navigate a unique semester, they are forced to be more creative.

They have run into roadblocks with Syracuse from page 12

fall sports following an 81-53 victory over North Carolina in the ACC men’s basketball tournament, it was the final game for a Syracuse team for five months. It was March 11, the day before conferences started canceling their respective tournaments and spring programs postponed their seasons.

March Madness went from limited fans to fan-less to canceled outright, and spring teams began cleaning out their lockers after partway through the season.

For men’s lacrosse, that meant abandoning an undefeated start and No. 1 ranking.

For softball, that meant not even playing a home game. If fall sports were postponed until the spring, NCAA president Mark Emmert

MALACHI RICHARDSON of Boeheim’s Army takes a shot during the team’s 76-69 win over Men of Mackey. The Syracuse alumni roster lost its next game. courtesy of ben solomon

Creek’s deep 3 clanked off the back of the rim, Eric Thompson grabbed his first of 17 rebounds over the outstretched arms of Malachi Richardson. Sideline Cancer grabbed 17 more rebounds than Boeheim’s Army.

Heading into TBT, Boeheim’s Army aimed to stretch defenses with strong shooters, Devendorf said. But against Men of Mackey, BA converted less than 20% of its 3s — even as it won in the Elam Ending. Boeheim’s Army shot even worse from distance versus SC, making just four of 27 attempts.

“Some days you shoot well, some days you don’t,” Demetris Nichols said before BA’s second game. “A lot of guys, sometimes we don’t take our time, sometimes we’re off balance.”

On the defensive end, BA planned to use the 2-3 zone, which Nichols called a “blueprint” that helped most of the Syracuse alumni rotate through seamlessly. But in the second half against Sideline Cancer, Boeheim’s Army switched to man-to-man defense — a similar abandonment it made while trailing in previous TBT games.

After holding SC leading scorer Keene scoreless through most of the third quarter, he began to take advantage of the defensive change.

Before BA’s second game, Nichols had mentioned how important defense was to the end result. Without good defense, offensive opportunities are difficult to find. After the loss to Sideline Cancer, seeded 19 spots below BA, his message resonated.

“It doesn’t matter what your name is, what level of basketball you played at, it all depends on how you play in Columbus,” Nichols said.

“Those underdog teams, they know they have nothing to lose.”

was eliminated.

For months, there was uncertainty if a tournament would take place due to COVID19. Once TBT decided to play solely in Columbus — a decision announced three weeks before the first game — Belbey said it was the easiest year recruiting players since the Syracuse alumni team’s formation in 2015. With professional sports paused across the world, TBT represented an opportunity to experiment with the first sports bubble.

Participants completed multiple COVID19 tests, both pre-arrival and during the tournament, and were isolated on hotel floors.

They couldn’t leave the hotel, pick up their own food orders or practice in the ballroom-

turned-gym outside of their allotted time.

“These guys on our team are like everybody else in this country,” Belbey said before TBT. “They’ve been sitting around on their couch watching Netflix for the last few months and they’re bored.”

Belbey’s roster construction plans relied on recruiting young, versatile forwards. Not only were Lydon and McCullough rim protectors and rebounders, but both players could stretch the floor and knock down 3s. Without the pair, those plans fell apart as Boeheim’s Army was outrebounded by Men of Mackey when their center, Isaac Haas, collected eight rebounds.

BA also struggled to rebound from Sideline Cancer’s very first possession. After Maurice

Looking at the potential 2020 season

If there is a 2020 football season this fall, Syracuse is dealing with plenty of turnover on both sides of the ball. The Orange are replacing both of their coordinators, transitioning into a new base defensive scheme and attempting to replace two of the program’s best defensive players from the last few seasons.

After Babers fired defensive coordinator Brian Ward following a 58-27 loss to Boston College last season, he turned to former Arizona State defensive coordinator Tony White in February to take over and install a new 3-3-5 defense.

In a typical year, the Orange would’ve used a full summer and normal training camp to install White’s defense. But this year, Babers is asking for extra time for him and his players to figure things out early in the season.

“My expectations is this right here: Some-

thing’s going to happen on Sept. 12,” Babers said. “It could be really really good, it could be really, really bad on one or both sides of offense and defense. What I expect after the 12th is I expect them to get better.”

Four of five offensive linemen that started the final three games of the season are returning. Despite improved play from that position group in those final three weeks, the Orange allowed more sacks per game (4.17) than all but two teams in FBS football in 2019. Syracuse will be replacing No. 1 wide receiver Trishton Jackson and leading running back Moe Neal.

New offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert is reuniting with Babers after he coached under him at Eastern Illinois and Bowling Green.

But the shortened offseason could impact new schemes and plays the Orange want to insert into an offense that failed to establish the run game and protect the quarterback in 2019.

Although it may improve the chances of having a season, the Orange’s new schedule will prove more of a challenge than the previous one planned.

Instead of eight ACC games and four nonconference games against Rutgers, Liberty, Colgate and Western Michigan, SU will play 10 ACC games and one nonconference. The Orange essentially replaced WMU, Colgate and Rutgers with road trips to Notre Dame and North Carolina, two teams who should be ranked in the AP Top 25.

“When you really start playing football in September, you may start somebody Sept. 12 who might not be the starter Oct. 10,” Babers said. “But if everybody continues to get better and we’re still evaluating, somewhere after that four through six thing, we should start to settle in.”

Athletics, which has its own COVID-19 obstacles to deal with before the fall season, Danilich said.

“We’re going to be doing our absolute best to ensure that the students feel number one, safe. And number two, they feel connected to the community around them.” said Vice President Matthew Jensen. “Number three, that they have the best time that they can, no matter what the restrictions are, no matter what we’re facing as a community” While no fans will be allowed in the Dome this fall, Danilich plans to expand Otto’s Army’s presence on YouTube, Instagram and Twitter,

while keeping fans connected through possible Zoom watch parties. There are even talks of starting an Otto’s Army TikTok. Yet, none of Danilich’s plans for Otto’s Army are set in stone due to the unpredictability of fall sports. Recently, The Big Ten and Pac-12 conferences have postponed all fall sports until the spring to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Danilich said Otto’s Army’s plans are “day-to-day” like NCAA athletics, but he wouldn’t be upset if fall sports are not played.

“If we lose a year for a while I’m in college,

so be it, if it saves lives,” Danilich said.

Otto’s Army will be looking for more members at this fall’s virtual club fair, Danilich said. He will lead Otto’s Army in a general body meeting open to all students this fall, like the organization’s president would any other semester. It’ll just be virtual.

“I hope that whenever we get back in the Dome, we are rowdier and crazier. It’s everyone’s job on campus to come to defend our house,” Danilich said. “I just want to do that when it’s safe.”

said Thursday night, winter and spring sports would be the primary concern because their championships were canceled last season.

Schools can add other conference and nonconference opponents to their schedule as long as those schools’ medical guidelines and protocols align with the ACC’s, though those games won’t count toward ACC standings. Budgets for Olympic sports will likely be trimmed at all universities — at least for this season, if not longer.

Protocols for football focused on ensuring training camp could begin on Aug. 6 and ultimately a full season could begin in mid-September while providing Syracuse the necessary amount of time for season preparations.

But for Olympic sports, their seasons won’t look anywhere near their normal length — if they happen at all.

place that affect the fall sports seasons for Syracuse. By Aug. 21, the NCAA board of directors is expected to approve eligibility protections for fall athletes who opt out or had their seasons cut short or canceled altogether. It’s a similar step to what the NCAA took in March when it granted spring athletes an extra year of eligibility.

With that protection, more fall athletes will likely opt-out, especially Olympic sports players with drastically reduced seasons. The ACC could also still vote to cancel fall sports all together, although that seems unlikely according to national reports.

“It is incumbent upon all of us in the Syracuse Athletics Department to strictly adhere to the protocols we and the ACC have in place,” Wildhack said in a statement after the ACC released updated scheduling guidelines.

The delay

Even before the ACC released its modified football schedule on July 29, fall Olympic sports had already been altered. Three weeks earlier, the conference delayed Olympic sports games and competitions until Sept. 1, which impacted volleyball, soccer, cross country and field hockey.

While schedules for those teams hadn’t been released yet, Syracuse had 14 games or exhibitions in August last year. Under the new ACC scheduling guidelines, those Olympic programs were limited to playing the minimum number of conference games mandated by the NCAA.

Where from here?

Over the next few weeks, several votes will take

tgshults@syr.edu | @ThomasShults_

amdabbun@syr.edu | @AnthonyDabbundo

skrivera@syr.edu | @skylerriveraa

arcrane@syr.edu | @CraneAndrew

aug. 17, 2020 11

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PAG E 12

aug. 17, 2020

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SU football faces unusual season A month from the season-opener, COVID-19 concerns still loom

By Anthony Dabbundo senior staff writer

S

yracuse has successfully managed to keep coronavirus infection rates low among its athletes, but nationwide rates and players’ health concerns leave the fall seasons in serious doubt.

Two of the Power 5 conferences and many smaller leagues have already canceled their fall seasons. But the Atlantic Coast Conference, as well as Syracuse’s training camp practices that started Aug. 6, are continuing as scheduled.

Here are three storylines that emerged during this most unusual offseason and training camp for SU football:

The status of the 2020 football season

As of Thursday afternoon’s meeting with ACC Presidents, college football is continuing this fall as planned for the conference’s 15 members.

The Big 10 and Pac-12 announced Tuesday that both leagues were postponing their fall seasons and hoping to play in the spring. Two days later, the NCAA announced that all fall sports championships would be canceled. The decision does not affect the Power 5 conferences or the College Football Playoff should the SEC, Big 12 and ACC play their seasons.

The ACC has pivoted from its traditional schedule of eight conference and four nonconference games, instead scheduling nearly all conference games, with the exception of one nonconference game.

The conference also pushed the season’s start back a week. Instead of playing at Boston College on Sept. 4 to begin the year, the Orange will travel to North Carolina on Sept. 12.

“I’m confident that we’ll start,” defensive back Andre Cisco said. “I’m confident that we’ll get some games in. Anything can happen from there. We have a strong enough protocol to at least start.”

Gov. Andrew Cuomo has said there won’t be fans at New York sporting events this fall, and while SU has asked for clarification on that ruling, it appears that the Carrier Dome will be empty if the Orange open their home slate with Georgia Tech on Sept. 26.

While both head coach Dino Babers and Director of Athletics John Wildhack were optimistic as recently as June about having both a season and fans in the Dome, Babers and the players have expressed cautious optimism of late.

“Right now, we’re just taking it day by day,” senior

Syracuse football sat out three practices during its first week of training camp over coronavirus testing concerns at SU and other schools. courtesy of su athletics

Chris Elmore said. “We’re seeing everything that everyone else is seeing with a lot of different conferences opting out of the season and things like that.

Until they cut us off, treat everything like it’s normal.

Treat everything like we’re going to play that game.”

Only one player, redshirt freshman defensive lineman Cooper Dawson, has officially opted out of the 2020 season. Babers said that multiple other players are still considering whether to opt-out as well.

How Syracuse managed to return to football safely

su athletics

Syracuse athletes and athletic staff took about 400 COVID-19 tests between Aug. 2 and Aug. 11, all of which came back negative. Football players first returned to campus in the first week of June for summer workouts, although COVID-19 precautions made the summer much different than those before.

The Orange were placed into pods of four people once players returned to campus and tested negative for the virus. Players have been tested every other week since, and the pods have slowly expanded in size until reaching entire offensive and defensive units. see training

camp page 10

su athletics

Otto’s Army president leads virtually Status of fall Olympic sports remains unclear

By Skyler Rivera

asst. digital editor

Jonathan Danilich arrived a few hours early for his first Syracuse football game in the Carrier Dome and strolled toward section 103.

He wanted to be in the front row for the Orange’s 2018 home-opener against Wagner.

After kickoff, over the buzz of the crowd, the then-freshman noticed there was structure to the student section’s apparent chaos: people were leading chants, waving their arms and screaming in unison. He wanted in. Danilich registered for Otto’s Army after the game, officially joining the largest student-run fan organization on campus.

Two years later, Danilich serves as president of the organization, during a pandemic and a

fall season without fans. In July, New York state Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that college games would be fan-less, though Syracuse later released a statement that it’s looking to clarify the order. Danilich will be the first Otto’s Army president without a fall sports season and, since the organization is fueled by sport, he must find alternative routes to keep students virtually engaged.

“When I first heard about the pandemic, I thought, ‘Oh man, sports could be canceled,’” Danilich said. “That would mean I would have less to do. But that’s not the case. I have a lot more to do.”

Otto’s Army has led the student section at Syracuse sporting events since 2006, its most-dedicated fans in the front rows of the student section clad in orange apparel, mouths

ajar with Syracuse-related chants.

The group travels to a few away games a season and camps outside of the Carrier Dome in the days leading up to the Duke men’s basketball games. Its executive board also works closely with Syracuse Athletics to sponsor events like last season’s “Stripe the Dome” against Duke and student-section whiteout and powder toss against Clemson.

Danilich was elected as Otto’s Army president this spring in the organization’s first-ever virtual election, as opposed to the usual in-person, vote. Since joining, he’d also served as motions officer his sophomore year, where he crafted the public messages released by the organization and encouraged fan attendance.

As Syracuse transitioned to see otto’s

army page 10

By Andrew Crane sports editor

After the NCAA canceled spring championships on March 12, universities across the country embarked on a long path toward fall sports.

Conferences had nearly six months to unify, develop concrete plans and ensure safe participation in football and other Olympic sports.

But as the Atlantic Coast Conference’s revised fall schedule nears, with seasons set to open the week of Sept. 7, numerous uncertainties still exist. Two Power 5 conferences — the Big Ten and Pac-12 — have already canceled seasons. Football Championship Subdivision teams scratched fall competitions altogether. Others,

such as the ACC and SEC, have kept anticipated start dates. “‘Here’s the path to play in the fall,’” Director of Athletics John Wildhack said on July 30. “That trumped everything else … So we just want to get the chance to play.”

Syracuse finds itself balancing hope for college football with the reality that the NCAA canceled championships for six of its fall sports on Thursday. Here’s what you need to know about the path to fall Olympic sports, as schedules, although many unknown, begin in two weeks.

The shutdown

When the Orange strolled off the Greensboro Colliseum’s court see fall

sports page 10