February 12, 2020

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free

WEDNESDAY

feb. 12, 2020 high 38°, low 31°

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 |

P • Aspiring educator

N • Lecture series

dailyorange.com

Justine Hastings, a recipient of the Unsung Hero Award, is committed to supporting the youth in her community through education and filmmaking. Page 7

Jelani Cobb of the New Yorker discussed race, politics and media Tuesday night. Cobb’s talk was part of SU’s University Lectures series. Page 3

S • Short-handed

After Elijah Hughes injured his groin during warm-ups, SU men’s basketball couldn’t replicate its leading scorer’s production in a 79-74 loss to NC State. Page 12

Hope for home Chinese international students view coronavirus outbreak from afar

(LEFT TO RIGHT) LOUIE LIU, CHENHUI LIU, ZE ZENG AND NATE PAN are four of more than 2,000 Chinese international students studying at Syracuse University while the novel coronavirus spreads through their home country. corey henry photo editor

By Chris Hippensteel

A lot of people are saying, can they even go back for summer, because what if it doesn’t end? Joyce Chen taiwanese international student

asst. news editor

T

he video on Linda Jiang’s phone seemed to show two different cities. The first was full of pulsing, neon-lit avenues and monuments swarming with tourists. The second was stark gray and abandoned, its subway stations desolate and its four-lane highways deserted at midday. “That’s a place where me and my friend hang out all the time when I’m back home,” Jiang said, smiling as the camera panned over a street lined with empty shops. In the next shot, she picks out a particular skyscraper from the city’s skyline. “That’s where I live.” The city in the video is Jiang’s hometown of Nanchang, depicted before and after the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, a respiratory disease that has spread rapidly through China and at least see coronavirus page 6

on campus

SU delivers response to ongoing Title IX investigation By Maggie Hicks asst. news editor

Syracuse University filed a response Monday to a federal lawsuit from a former SU student who claims the university led an “inadequate and biased” Title IX investigation into a sexual assault complaint. The plaintiff, referred to as John Doe, alleges in the November lawsuit that SU violated seven Title IX guidelines and showed extreme gender bias during the investigation because Doe was male, according to court documents.

Chancellor Kent Syverud is one of four university officials listed as defendants in the lawsuit. Also listed is Assistant Dean of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs Pamela Peter, who served as assistant dean and director of the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities at the time of the investigation. SU submitted a request to dismiss all claims from Doe and present an oral argument in court. Doe did not have evidence that SU intentionally discriminated against him during the investigation based on his gender, the uni-

Doe had no meaningful response to the evidence on which the Conduct Board relied Syracuse University official statement

versity’s response states. Doe was expelled due to a sexual assault complaint from Jane Roe, whose name was redacted during the investigation. The complaint was filed after a joint party between SU’s Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity and the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority on April 22, 2017. Both students reported not remembering much from the party, court documents show. Roe reported a sexual assault on April 24, 2017 while at Crouse Hospital. She received a Sexual Assault Nurse Examination at the hospital

and later began remembering parts of the night after meeting with a therapist, according to the lawsuit. The Syracuse Police Department and the District Attorney’s office said there was no credible evidence of a sexual assault. Doe states in the lawsuit that Roe’s allegation was false and the university’s investigation was “a sham with a predetermined outcome.” Doe is suing for emotional, mental and economic harm. The university “erred” in its credibility assessments as it found see title

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