free
TUESDAY
sept. 5, 2017 high 68°, low 52°
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 • Return to campus
P • Fighting back
A Syracuse University junior from the Houston area had a delayed return to the SU campus due to flight cancellations caused by Hurricane Harvey. Page 3
dailyorange.com
Hope for Heather’s Men of Teal is a group that spreads awareness about ovarian cancer, which takes the lives of about 14,000 women each year. Page 11
S • Play for keeps
Goalkeeper Courtney Brosnan is one of Syracuse’s most consistent players. But she’s still searching for her first NCAA tournament appearance in her senior season. Page 16
university politics
city
Drop deadline isn’t compliant with federal law Harvey aid efforts organized EFFECT ON TRANSCRIPT
SPRING 2018
ACTION
On or before the academic/ financial drop deadline (Feb. 6)
Drop a class or take a leave of absence
After the academic/ financial deadline and on or before the withdrawal deadline (April 17)
Drop a class or take a leave of absence
After the withdrawal deadline
Take a leave of absence
All classes are graded as “F”
FALL 2017
ACTION
EFFECT ON TRANSCRIPT
On or before the financial drop deadline (Sept. 18)
Drop a class or take a leave of absence
Class or classes dropped
After the financial deadline and on or before the academic deadline (Oct. 23)
Drop a class or take a leave of absence
Class or classes dropped
After the academic deadline and on or before the withdrawal deadline (Nov. 17)
Drop a class or take a leave of absence
Class or classes remain(s) on transcript as withdrawal
Class or classes dropped
Class or classes remain(s) on transcript as withdrawal
In the spring semester, Syracuse University’s academic drop deadline will come five weeks earlier than it has in the past. Here is a look at how the changing deadlines from this fall semester to the spring semester — and future semesters from then on — will affect students.
55
Percentage of SU undergraduates who receive need-based aid, which can be affected if a student has too many withdrawals
38
Number of leaves of absences that were initiated per semester last academic year between the financial and academic drop deadlines
3
Approximate percentage of all courses for which SU students were registered that were dropped after the financial deadline and before the academic deadline in recent semesters
graphic illustration by kevin o’toole design editor
By Michael Burke senior staff writer
Syracuse University’s academic drop deadline comes several weeks later in the semester than federal law says it should — a discrepancy that will be addressed by the university moving the deadline up this spring and in future academic years. This spring, the deadline will come on Feb. 6, the same date as the financial drop
deadline and five weeks earlier than the deadline has come in past semesters. Individual courses dropped after that date will appear on a student’s transcript as withdrawals. Additionally, students who initiate a leave of absence from the university after that date will be considered as having withdrawn from SU and the courses will appear on their transcripts as such. Under the rules that have long been in place at SU, students who initiated leaves
of absences after the financial deadline but before the academic drop deadline had that semester’s courses wiped from their transcripts — even though the courses should have appeared as withdrawals under federal law. That loophole gave SU students an advantage, likely resulting in inaccurate transcripts for some and possibly affecting their Satisfactory Academic Progress statuses. see drop
deadline page 6
city
Principals take helm at 3 Syracuse schools By Katelyn Faubel staff writer
Three new Syracuse City School District principals are starting the school year this week at area high schools. The positions were filled for the 2017-18 academic year after SCSD Board of Education commissioners approved the candidates this summer. Maggie McRobbie-Taru will lead the Public Service Leadership Academy at Fowler High School, Brian Kavanagh will lead Henninger High School and Tara Jennings will lead Corcoran High School.
Kavanagh has worked in upstate New York education systems for more than 15 years. He previously worked as an SCSD teacher and administrative assistant. He took the position of Henninger High School principal after leaving his job as Oswego City School District Executive director of education and personnel. “I missed working with students and having more contact with teachers,” Kavanagh said. Henninger High School is Kavanagh’s alma mater. He has wanted this job for 20 years, he said. This is Kavanagh’s first time working as a high school princi-
pal. Kavanagh said he imagines the most rewarding part of his job will be watching seniors receive their diplomas at graduation. “I had some very good teachers when I was in Henninger and my favorite teachers were in social studies,” Kavanagh said. “It inspired me to get into education.” Getting as many students as possible to graduate will be Kavanagh’s main goal, he said. He said one-fifth of Henninger High School’s population comes from foreign countries. Having those students graduate on time is the “biggest challenge,” Kavanagh said. “The second biggest is the pov-
erty rate and all the challenges that come with that are daunting,” Kavanagh added. “A lot of ninth graders are two to three grade levels behind. Getting them up to speed is a lot of work.” According to data from the United States Census Bureau, 45.3 percent of children in Syracuse under the age of 18 lived in poverty in 2015. Living below the poverty line is defined as living in a household with an income below $24,257 for a family of four. Patricia Body, vice president of the SCSD Board of Education commissioners, said when an employee gets promoted or chooses to leave,
see principals page 6
By Mary Catalfamo asst. copy editor
Groups in Syracuse are organizing outreach and donation opportunities to assist relief efforts in Houston, which was devastated by recordbreaking rainfall after Hurricane Harvey slammed into the Texas coastline near the end of August. Harvey, which was downgraded to a tropical storm as it moved across southern Texas, dropped more than 20 trillion gallons of rainfall, making it the strongest hurricane to affect the United States since 2004. It resulted in the deaths of at least 45 people and $125 billion in damages. Harvey’s emotional toll has resonated far and wide. People across the U.S. have made financial and material contributions in support of Houston residents. Syracuse is no exception. Multiple organizations in the Salt City are coordinating opportunities to donate or volunteer in areas hit by the storm. Brian Konkol, dean of Syracuse University’s Hendricks Chapel, is organizing Hurricane Harvey outreach efforts at the university. “Houston’s in for the long haul,” Konkol said. “It’s not just the next few weeks.” SU’s outreach efforts will focus on how to best help Houston residents in the long term, not just during the fall semester, Konkol said. In terms of immediate action, Hendricks will not accept material donations such as care packages or food. In an SU News release, Konkol provided a vetted list of nine organizations people could donate to, though. The American Red Cross, Catholic Charities, Houston Food Bank and SPCA of Texas, among others, were included on the list. “There’s a natural desire to want to send physical objects — whether it’s clothes, diapers. We made a decision to really try to discourage (that) in our communication,” Konkol said. That’s because material donations require human labor which can delay urgent relief efforts, while financial contributions are “fast, flexible and most importantly, far more effective,” according to the news release. Fleet Feet Sports is one corporation that said it put in the time to sort and send physical donations to Houston. Store locations across the country collected gently-used shoes over Labor Day weekend. Amber Gray, operations manager for a Syracuse Fleet Feet Sports location, said the public response to that see relief page 8