November 14, 2019 by The Daily Orange

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‘They don’t want me here’ 10:30 a.m. About 30 students began the sit-in in the lobby of the Barnes Center at The Arch. They handed out papers with their demands. If the demands go unmet, students will call for the resignation of top administrators. 12:15 p.m. Chancellor Kent Syverud arrived at The Arch. He left shortly after to go to meetings with other students. One student asked “Where’s our conversation?” 2:30 p.m. Several administrators. arrived at the sit-in. Students began voicing their concerns and going over demands with university officials. About 300 students attended a sit-in Wednesday at The Barnes Center at the Arch. Students organized the protest to urge the university to implement change after racist graffiti was found in Day Hall. corey henry photo editor

Hundreds of students participated in Barnes Center sit-in. SU officials answered demands for hours. By Gabe Stern

asst. news editor

Editor’s note: This article contains details about the usage of racial slurs.

tudents have been raising their voices since Monday. They met in Watson Theater, hours after reports surfaced of racist graffiti in Day Hall. They spoke up Tuesday night, when Residence Hall Association held an open forum. Four

officials were there to hear their concerns. But they wanted someone else. “We want Kent,” dozens of students chanted Tuesday. “We want Kent,” they said again. Meanwhile, Chancellor Kent Syverud was in Washington, D.C. at a conference at the National Press Club. He flew back to Syracuse on Wednesday morning and drove directly to the Barnes Center at The Arch, where many of those same students sat. It was there that students held a

sit-in, the first public protest since the racist graffiti was uncovered. What started at 10:30 a.m. with a few dozen students ballooned as The Arch entrance crowded. The organizers of the event, using #NotAgainSU as a rally cry, stemmed from a group chat of about 580 students of color on campus. They wanted a face-to-face dialogue with administrators and donors of the university. The lobby was loud Wednesday.

day hall graffiti

see sit-in page 6

3:26 p.m. “We have no faith in you,” one student said to administrators, calling for more accountability from SU. 4:48 p.m. DPS Chief Bobby Maldonado began answering questions. One student told him “the resignation list is growing” if their demands aren’t met. 8:45 p.m. Protesters asked the remaining SU administators and media personnel to leave the Arch. Students said they would remain in the space until 1 a.m.

day hall graffiti

Students release list of demands Campus organizations support #NotAgainSU By Emma Folts

asst. news editor

Editor’s note: This article contains details about the usage of racial slurs. About 30 Syracuse University students sat quietly in protest in the middle of the Barnes Center at The Arch at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, a week after racist graffiti was found in Day Hall. By 6:30 p.m., more

N • Unrest abroad

SU will end its Hong Kong study abroad program early due to intensifying civil unrest in the territory, Chancellor Kent Syverud announced Wednesday night. Page 3

than 200 students had gathered. The students were there to speak with university officials. Some students cried. Some spoke out in anger. In frustration. The protesters organized the sitin under the hashtag #NotAgainSU. They wanted to make sure their demands were heard. A list of shortterm and long-term demands, nine in all, were passed around those in attendance and written on posters taped to the walls.

The list ended with an ultimatum. If the students’ requests weren’t met by Nov. 20 — a week after the sit-in — they would call for the resignation of Chancellor Kent Syverud and Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer Keith Alford. “Every single specific demand here is important because it matters to every single student on this campus,” said Hawa Touray, who attended the sit-in.

see demands page 6

P • Campus home

The co-presidents of Indigenous Students at Syracuse strive to bring cultural awareness to the SU campus through events and lectures. Page 7

By India Miraglia asst. news editor

Campus organizations have posted online and released statements in support of the more than 100 students sitting in at the Barnes Center at The Arch to protest the university’s handling of racist graffiti found in a residence hall.

S • Empty stands

Before Syracuse men’s basketball Wednesday game against Colgate, Otto’s Army asked students attending the game to unpack the dome. Page 12

The students’ sit-in began at around 10:30 a.m. and is expected to last until 1 a.m. Thursday morning. At the sitin, students presented demands for Syracuse University officials. If the demands are not meant by 3 p.m. on Nov. 20, students call for the resignation of Chancellor Kent Syverud

see support page 6

2 nov. 14, 2019

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inside P • On display

@dailyorange • @DOsports • @DO_pulp @DO_Visuals • @DO_Alumni • @DO_DailyDeals

Jerome Witkin, a former SU professor, will have his art on display at ArtRage Gallery. His work discusses social issues as well as historic events. Page 7

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S • Back on track

Syracuse men’s basketball handled Colgate 70-54 in their 172nd all-time meeting. The Orange’s win comes after a season-opening loss to Virginia. Page 12

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Thinking Grad School?

Falk College Offering GRE Waivers and Scholarships to Alumni November 15 Info Session. Ask about no GREs and the 25% Alumni Scholarship Eligible Graduate degrees include: • Food Studies • Human Development and Family Science • Marriage and Family Therapy • Nutrition Science • Public Health • Social Work • Sport Venue and Event Management

Falk College is offering GRE waivers and a 25% tuition discount* to any SU alum matriculating into a master’s degree at Falk. We look forward to answering your questions! Visit our website or contact us at Falk@syr.edu, 315.443.5555.

*Tuition discount incentive awards will be applied after all other scholarships, scholarship credits, remitted tuition credits, assistantships, etc. are applied.

Financial access

Second chance

Members of the University Senate discuss their work on the issue of student financial holds. See Monday’s paper

Syracuse has launched a veterans court to help veterans who commit crimes. See Monday’s paper

NEWS

Demanding change Check out our Instagram for photos from the 14-hour sit-in at the Barnes Center at The Arch. @dailyorange

dailyorange.com @dailyorange nov. 14, 2019 • PAG E 3

on campus

SU names dean for inclusive excellence By Natalie Rubio-Licht asst. digital editor

Rethinking addiction ELIZABETH TAETS VON AMERONGEN, director of the Disability Cultural Center, moderated a panel on addiction-related topics on Wednesday. Bruce Alexander, a psychology researcher and visiting scholar at SU, was a panelist, among others. The panel is part of a series of events on the topic of addiction that were held Tuesday and Wednesday. areca wilson contributing photographer

su abroad

Hong Kong abroad program to end early By Casey Darnell news editor

Syracuse University will end this semester’s Hong Kong abroad program early due to civil unrest in the territory, Chancellor Kent Syverud announced Wednesday night. SU’s partner campus, City University of Hong Kong, has been the site of recent protests, including a fire at one of the university’s academic buildings, said Sarah Scalese, senior associate president for university communications, in a statement to The Daily Orange. No SU students or staff were injured. “This was not an easy decision,” Syverud said. “While we do not believe our students are in imminent

danger, safety and security conditions are deteriorating in Hong Kong.” Most universities in Hong Kong have cancelled classes or suspended programs for the rest of the semester, Syverud said. Until recently, protests were localized, and SU students remained safe. However, increasingly violent protests have disrupted mobility and public transportation. SU will ensure that students are able to complete required academic work. All students will leave Hong Kong by Tuesday. No SU students were near the City University of Hong Kong campus because most have finished their courses and are now doing an independent research project, said

Brian Bauer, a sophomore studying through the Hong Kong program. “I am grateful for the tireless work that our Hong Kong center team has done on behalf of our students,” the chancellor said. “They have provided exceptional support under very challenging circumstances.” Dozens of SU students were studying abroad in Hong Kong in September. The protests began on June 9 with a march against an extradition law proposed by the local government. The law would allow individuals who committed a crime to be sent to countries that Hong Kong doesn’t have a formal extradition treaty with, including China. The British Empire ruled Hong Kong as a colony until 1997, when

Britain returned it to China as a special administrative region. Since then, China promised 50 years of “a high degree of autonomy,” including free speech, free press and capitalist markets. However, Hong Kong residents have said China is beginning to infringe on the city’s rights before the promise of autonomy expires in 2047. Syverud said SU Abroad is registering students for the spring 2020 semester at the Hong Kong Center on the condition that security conditions improve. Students at SU’s program in Santiago, Chile, have also experienced protests as city residents reject the high cost of living. cdarnell@syr.edu

graduate student organization

Senators discuss language test requirements By Richard J Chang asst. copy editor

The Graduate Student Organization discussed lowering the required score for international students on the English Language Proficiency Exam. Glenn Wright, director of graduate school programs, and Matthew Hammill, an assistant professor in the languages, literatures and linguistics department, proposed lowering the required score for graduate students in the TOEFL iBT and the IELTS language placement tests. Under the proposition, a graduate student who earns a TOEFL iBT score under 90 or under 6.5 on the IELTS would be required to take

the English Language Proficiency Exam. Currently, a non-English speaking graduate student who receives a TOEFL score under 100 on the iBT or under 600 on the PBT would be required to take the exam. After students take the English Language Proficiency Exam, their advisers are given recommendations of English language classes for them to take. But there are no requirements associated with the recommendation. The exam is also required for all undergraduates for whom English is not their native language. Colleges would have flexibility to determine their own TOEFL score requirements for course recommendations. “We came up with this proposal

to drop the cut score to 90, which would let a very large number of grad students off the hook from having to take the TOEFL exam,” Wright said. He said this would allow advisors to know which students in their department would benefit from language services.

Other business

GSO President Mirjavad Hashemi said the university has waived the graduate students’ dependent fee for using recreational facilities. Hashemi also called for a new survey to provide updated input on graduate student life at SU. “We need more inclusion of grad students on campus, and we also need to learn more about how

graduate students are feeling about their workspace, about their courses, about their lifestyle,” Hashemi said. “The way it was conducted in 2016 was more undergrad focused and didn’t cater to the exact needs of graduate students.” The Senate will create a task force to find out what services online graduate students use and will create a survey seeking the opinion of online graduate students. The GSO Senate voted last year to elect online graduate students to the Senate because they use some of the services the organization provides. But the Senate had trouble reaching out to these students for feedback on the election process. rjchang@syr.edu

The College of Engineering and Computer Science named Karen Davis as permanent assistant dean for the Office of Inclusive Excellence. Davis has led the Office of Inclusive Excellence in an interim capacity since October 2018. She led the first Inclusive Excellence Council, which includes students, faculty and staff from multiple departments and organizations. The Office of Inclusive Excellence was created after Theta Tau, a professional engineering fraternity, made a video containing racist, anti-Semitic, homophobic and ableist comments. The office’s role is to look at the College of Engineering and Computer Science’s diversity and culture. During Davis’s time as interim assistant dean for the office, she led the council in conducting a diversity audit of the college. She also implemented the Inclusive Excellence Dialog Circles initiative. Davis and the council worked with Syracuse-based organization InterFaith Works to create and implement the Inclusive Excellence Dialogue Circles initiative, offered as six-week elective courses ECS 400 and 600. The goal of the initiative is to engage more than 500 students, faculty and staff in talks about diversity and campus climate over a two-year period. Davis helped surpass the initial goal for implementation of the initiative by 26%, according to a Wednesday SU News release. “The work that has been accomplished thus far was not done alone,” Davis said in the release. “I recognize and appreciate our college community members for embracing our vision and contributing to our ongoing success.” nrrubiol@syr.edu

regional news Here is a roundup of the biggest news happening around New York state. BUCKNER CERTIFICATION Syracuse Police Chief Kenton Buckner will have an extra year to complete his New York state certification. Buckner requested additional time to train for the physical fitness test involved in the certification requirements. He has already completed the practical requirements of the certification. source: spectrum news

SENATE RUN John Mannion announced his campaign for New York’s 50th Senate district on Wednesday. The current state senator, Bob Antonacci, was recently elected to serve on the New York Supreme Court. Mannion ran against Antonacci in the 2018 election and earned 49% of the vote. source: cny central

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dailyorange.com news@dailyorange.com

MAKING DEMANDS

Students who organized the sit-in passed around a list of short-term and long-term demands they would like Syracuse University to meet to sufficiently address the racist graffiti found in Day Hall. The list concluded with an ultimatum: if the demands were not met by Nov. 20, a week after the protest, the students will call on the resignation of SU Chancellor Kent Syverud and Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer Keith Alford. Rob Hradsky, vice president for the student experience, and Alford responded to each of the demands at about 9 p.m. Any individuals involved in the graffiti will be expelled. A mandatory, threecredit social justice curriculum for all students will be created. SU will also solicit student feedback in revising itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s harassment policy, another demand. corey henry photo editor

OPINION

dailyorange.com @dailyorange nov. 14, 2019 • PAG E 5

student life

Response from university long overdue

ckerman, Theta Tau, Madrid, and now adding to the list of racist incidents that have occurred at Syracuse University, Day Hall. Today, students at Syracuse University gathered at the Barnes Center at the Arch to participate in a sit-in protest surrounding the events of racist graffiti found in Day Hall. The protest was organized by students of color who have been communicating with each other in various ways since the incident occurred. Students have already spoken to several administrators and even were surprised by the appearance of Chancellor Kent Syverud. Once he arrived, students handed him a list of demands in response to the accident. Some include reviewing the Student Code of Conduct and implementing a zero tolerance policy toward any harassment,

FERYAL NAWAZ

NEWS WITH AN EDGE especially to any students of color. Also, as per any other violation of the student code of conduct, students want to see explicit consequences for anyone who were to violate the bias-related incident part of the student code of conduct. Many other students also want to see SEM 100, a class created after the Theta Tau incident, reconstructed and only taught by people of color. The class, by many facilitators, has been deemed unhelpful and the curriculum completely irrelevant. Personally, I am glad that changes which should have been made years ago are now finally being looked at. As a student of color, I would want to see a mandated diversity course, which is

another one of the demands from the students. DPS also needs to be held accountable in this incident as they informed students not to spread this issue on social media. If I were a student on the mount, I would want to know this occurred immediately. If someone is capable of ripping light fixtures down and throwing them into water, which is already dangerous, I cannot imagine the harm they could have caused other people if they are not careful. DPS is quick to report crimes committed by black people, but white people and their crimes are kept out of the eye of the media and email inboxes of students. I am saddened by these actions and can only wish for a change in attitude and heart.

Feryal Nawaz is a junior political science major. fnawaz@syr.edu @feryal_nawaz

liberal

Students doing work SU should have

he fallout from the racist graffiti in Day Hall has been swift and loud. Only three days since the hate crime became public knowledge, student leaders and organizations have facilitated sit-ins, hosted forums and compiled a list of demands for the administration. The list includes a variety of short and long term demands for Syracuse University, including reforming SEM 100, requiring diversity training for new faculty members and the development of new and increased resources for underrepresented students at SU. One of the demands, the option for students to select a “same race” option on the housing application, has proven more controversial than the others. You want to live in a room with students who share your identity because you know that students who don’t share your identity cannot understand your experience, your culture and your fears. Students of color are expressing a need for the university to ensure their safety in their homes, and since on-campus housing is mandated for first- and second-year students, there is no argument that the university isn’t obligated to provide it. But there is something plainly insidious about offering white students the option to check a box News Editor Casey Darnell Editorial Editor Michael Sessa Feature Editor Diana Riojas Sports Editor KJ Edelman Presentation Director Talia Trackim Photo Editor Corey Henry Illustration Editor Sarah Allam Copy Chief Kaizhao (Zero) Lin Digital Copy Chief Ryley Bonferraro Co-Digital Editor Kevin Camelo Co-Digital Editor Amy Nakamura Video Editor Anna Genus Asst. News Editor Emma Folts Asst. News Editor India Miraglia Asst. News Editor Gabe Stern Asst. Editorial Editor Brittany Zelada Asst. Feature Editor Sarah Slavin Asst. Feature Editor Allison Weis Asst. Sports Editor Anthony Dabbundo

SYDNEY GOLD

WRITING FROM THE LEFT demanding they live with another white kid. It’s important to underscore the fact that this reaction was not written to undermine the list of demands as presented by the students protesting. They did incredible and difficult work — work that was not theirs to do, in order to craft a thoughtful, comprehensive list of changes SU needs to make. But students who have been targeted, who are frightened, who are sitting on the floor and begging to be heard, are being made responsible for planning the actions of SU’s administration, and that’s not their job. It should not be their burden to tell Chancellor Syverud, and the board of trustees, and Dolan Evanovich and DPS what it takes to keep students at SU safe; that’s the responsibility of those very administrators. White students being able to demand they live exclusively with white students is wrong, because unlike students who identify with minority groups, white people do not share a single unifying culture other than privilege. White people demanding an all-white space at a university that is already Asst. Sports Editor Danny Emerman Asst. Photo Editor Elizabeth Billman Asst. Illustration Editor Cassianne Cavallaro Design Editor Nabeeha Anwar Design Editor Katie Getman Design Editor Shannon Kirkpatrick Design Editor Katelyn Marcy Design Editor Emily Steinberger Asst. Copy Editor Richard J Chang Asst. Copy Editor Christopher Cicchiello Asst. Copy Editor Andrew Crane Asst. Copy Editor Gillian Follett Asst. Copy Editor Adam Hillman Asst. Copy Editor Mandy Kraynak Asst. Video Editor Casey Tissue Asst. Video Editor Camryn Werbinski Asst. Digital Editor Izzy Bartling Asst. Digital Editor Arabdho Majumder Asst. Digital Editor Natalie Rubio-Licht

overwhelming white is plainly racist. But that doesn’t mean students of color shouldn’t be able to make requests to live with another student of their race, and it doesn’t signal a greater issue with the demands made by the protesting students. What it does is two things. First, it underscores the pervasive fear students of color are living with here at SU, a fear they may not be able to escape even as they lie in their beds. Second, it illuminates the fact that students are the ones having to pull SU towards equity and inclusivity. For every discrepancy you find in the list of demands or the questions being asked of administrators, of which there have been near none, remember that these students were not given the opportunity to put hate-crime in their planners and calendars. These students are stepping up to do the work SU officials are paid to do with no warning, no resources, no compensation and no time. And they are doing it in the wake of a potentially traumatic experience. And then ask yourself why the university was incapable of doing the same.

Sydney Gold is a freshman policy studies and public relations major. segold@syr.edu @Sydney_Eden

See dailyorange.com to read more from columnists about Wednesday’s demonstrations, student demands and SU’s response letter to the editor

Racist acts carried out by small percentage of people

ear Editor, I am writing this from the fourth floor of Day Hall at Syracuse University, the supposed epicenter of racism. I am sure by now you have seen the events that took place on our floor, and the far-reaching effects of one individual’s poor decision. I am not writing this as a distraught student who has been affected by this incident, surprisingly. I am writing this from a very different point of view. I have spent the first three months of my college career living in Day Hall, and I can honestly say I have never felt so much racial inclusion in my life. My experience with Day Hall and Syracuse University as a whole is quite contrary to how this school is being portrayed. Every day I see positive interactions between students of all races. The student responsible for the racial vandalism acted very poorly and in a malicious manner, but the terrible actions of one student shouldn’t be responsible for the stigma looming around Day Hall and Syracuse as a whole. This young generation is more accepting than any other, and while racism is clearly still evident, there’s no doubt that racist acts are being carried out by a very small percentage of people. Not until online posts were made, which slightly exaggerated the vandalism, did we see attention from all over New York reaching as far as Gov. Andrew

Cuomo. It’s a shame that this event occurred, but as someone living on the fourth floor of Day Hall, I can say with confidence that we are not all racists, nor have these terrible acts really stirred up much divide. If anything, the overreaction from media has contributed more with regards to increasing racial tensions than the vandalism itself. This being said, what could have been done to prevent this from happening? The perpetrator of this incident will probably not be caught. Unless an eye witness can point to a suspect, the hunt will continue. The reason the perpetrator will not be caught is because they took advantage of a privilege that we take for granted: privacy. There are no cameras in the hallways or bathrooms, and that’s the way we like it. We can’t change the minds of racist people, so if we want to prevent acts like this from happening in the future, it leaves us with one tough option — forfeit our privacy and allow ourselves to be monitored in all of the residence halls across campus. In no way am I supporting further acts of racism or vandalism, but I think most people would agree that there are prices to pay if you would like to maintain privacy, and I don’t think people should be so eager to give it up. Sincerely,

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6 nov. 14, 2019

from page 1

sit-in But when Syverud walked toward the crowd around noon, students hushed each other. The crowd dispersed, giving him a path to the center of the room. He said he hadn’t read the demands they had listed that morning, so an attendee handed him a sheet full of them: Expel the students who wrote the graffiti. Hire more counselors from marginalized groups. Allocate a new building for multicultural offices. Agree to offer a “Same Race” option for roommate selection. Syverud scanned the paper. The lobby was quiet. Then he spoke. “I’m going to need time to work with the team on these,” he said. “It seems like some of these things can be done effectively. Some of them are not entirely within the purview of me alone as chancellor.” “So, I’m going to have to work to respond.” He didn’t mention a small statement on the back of the sheet. It called for his resignation, along with that of Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer Keith Alford, if plans to fulfill the demands are not unveiled by Nov. 20 — a week from that day. “Thank you, I’m going to go now,” he said, while walking out. He had to speak with more students in other meetings, he said. A student called after him. “Where’s our conversation?” He shuffled into the back seat of a van, which drove away. Syverud did not return to the sit-in but sent a campus-wide around 3:30 p.m. He promised to implement a new protocol for how SU responds to bias incidents. He also directed Dean of Students Marianne Thomson to work with student leaders on potential changes to the Code of Student Conduct. Still, the sit-in continued for more than eight hours until 1 a.m. on Thursday morning. Students filtered in and out as others continued to sit in the lobby. A banner with written messages lined the back entrance. Individual signs written on sheets of paper covered the front doors. “Where’s the zero-tolerance policy?” read a sign. “What now?” read another. Around 2 p.m., several administrators shuffled into The Arch again. They stood by the information desk as students formed a semi-circle around them and filled the spaces in between. They stood with their backs toward the information desk as 100, 200 then 300 students surrounded them. The turnstiles leading to the gym were taken out. A worker directed people to create a flow of traffic, then gave up. They started to go through the demands one by one. Administrators agreed to expel whoever was involved in writing the racist graffiti. They would look into the Code of Student Conduct. As the night went on, students said the problems students of color experience on campus run deeper than one policy or administrator. They relived many of their personal experiences that made it hard for students of color to be here: Most of the mental health counselors are white. White students say the N-word with no repercussions. Parties hosted by black students often get shut down. “When you look at us, would you let your kids come here and suffer how we suffer?” from page 1

support and Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer Keith Alford. The demands came after racial slurs against black and Asian people were written on two floors Day Hall. Wednesday’s sit-in follows two forums held Monday and Tuesday to discuss the racist graffiti. “This most recent incident in Day Hall serves as a catalyst for actions currently being taken, as this incident is just one of many that have occurred on campus in recent years,” a post on the #notagainsu Instagram page reads. Some campus organizations have canceled events in support of the sit-in, while others have posted supportive messages online. Otto’s Army, SU’s student-run fan organization for athletic events, announced on Instagram that it would not attend Wednesday night’s SU men’s basketball game “in light of the university’s handling of recent hate crimes that have occurred on campus.” The post used the hashtag #unpackthedome. The Carrier Dome’s student section was mostly empty at the game. Student Association in a campus-wide

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a student yelled at LaVonda Reed, associate provost for faculty affairs. “We’ve had the same conversations we’re having right now,” said a student who was at the Ackerman Avenue assault and led a forum about the incident. “I’m scared for next year,” a freshman living in Lawrinson Hall said. “People that I know are going to say the N-word while they’re pregaming to go to their party that won’t get shut down.” As the night went on, eight hours since they first arrived, students continued to share what made them feel uncomfortable here — what made them shout “I hate it here” in unison in front of administrators. Students previously said SU’s inaction to racist incidents is a pattern — after the videos of offensive skits by Theta Tau, an assault of students of color on Ackerman Avenue, people saying the N-word in Madrid classes and what students described as a lack of funding for counselors and faculty of color. One student, a senior, said she’s grappled with the possibility of dropping out. She said the graffiti, and SU’s delayed response, was the last straw. “You sit here in your office, and you lie to us,” she said. “Y’all tell us you’re going to do this. Y’all tell us you’re going to do that. And you don’t f*cking do it. I am fed up.” A major point of discussion was the decline in SU’s black student enrollment over the past several years. Black or African American students represent 6% of the full-time student population in fall 2019, nearly the same as fall 2018. But the percent of students of color has also declined from 28% in fall 2015 to 24% in fall 2019. “They don’t want me here,” a student said. “I want you here,” Alford said back. “I need you here with me.” Shortly after the interaction, Alford walked away from the information desk and shuffled toward the back of the crowd. For a few minutes he listened, like everyone else. Dolan Evanovich, senior vice president for the student experience, stood near the turnstiles to the gym, no longer in plain sight of the crowd. Only feet away, students questioned SU’s admissions process and why there are fewer full-time enrolled black students on campus than before. Thomson, dean of students, stood toward the front, then walked back toward Evanovich. “There’s some questions about admissions…” Thomson said to Evanovich. “I think we need to have Ryan here,” Evanovich told Thomson. He looked down at his phone. Ryan Williams, associate vice president for enrollment management, arrived soon after. The administrators tried to get in contact with SU’s athletics director, John Wildhack, as questions arose about how athletes of color can comment on campus issues. As students covered more topics, more administrators came to speak: Cory Wallack, interim executive director for health and wellness at The Arch. James Duah-Agyeman, director of the Office of Multicultural Affairs. LaVonda Reed, associate provost for faculty affairs. But more than four hours after the administrators came, students wondered why another one hadn’t returned. “Where is Kent?” they shouted at 6:40 p.m. “Where is Kent?” they said again. gkstern@syr.edu | @gabestern326

email said that it stands in solidarity with the students. The organization will use its position to put pressure on the university to adopt demands presented by students, per the email. SA listed concerns and solutions members heard while attending the forums held this week. Those points included improved and mandated diversity training for faculty and staff and revised SU policies regarding hate speech. “We recognize as Student Association that our advocacy for Black students and marginalized communities has not been sufficient enough in creating change,” read the email, which was sent by SA Vice President Sameeha Saied. Both Saied and SA President Mackenzie Mertikas participated in the sit-in. SU’s Panhellenic Council in an Instagram post encouraged all council members to participate in solidarity with the protesters. Interfraternity Council also issued a statement supporting the protest and asking its members to join in. First Year Players cancelled its general interest meeting in support of the sit-in. The Remembrance Scholars’ Twitter also posted a message encouraging people to support or participate in the protests. irmiragl@syr.edu | @IndyRow

from page 1

demands The first short-term demand of the protestors was the expulsion of anyone involved with the racist graffiti. Slurs against black and Asian people were written in Day Hall on Nov. 7. Reports of the slurs surfaced Sunday night. DPS Chief Bobby Maldonado said at a press conference Tuesday night that the department is working with the Syracuse Police Department and New York state police to investigate the incident. He was present at the sit-in where university officials agreed to the first of the protester’s demands — those involved would be expelled. In demand No. 4, students said SU should reform faculty and staff contracts to include a clause mandating diversity training. In Demand No. 3, they called for a reformed curriculum for SEM 100, a five-week seminar on diversity and inclusion for first-year students. “I definitely think that the SEM 100 reform needs to happen because I took the class last year, and they did not address the problems of racism or incidents of racism in this school,” said Destiny Ellison, a sophomore at the sit-in. There’s currently an interim approach to reforming SEM 100, Rob Hradsky, vice president for the student experience, said around 9 p.m. A three-credit social justice course required of all SU students will be created. “We recognize that SEM 100 in its current format is not working, and there is a committee of faculty, staff and students who are actively engaged with creating that curriculum,” Hradsky said. Demand No. 2 called on SU to create a public forum for students to share their experiences on campus with the university’s Board of Trustees. The forum, held twice a year, would allow students to explain what they expect of the university. The students couldn’t speak to the board until May, Alford said. The students also called for the university’s current anti-harassment policy be revised to enforce a zero-tolerance policy for hate speech. The policy should also include stated consequences for any infractions.

SU will solicit student feedback concerning changes to the harassment policy, Hradsky said. Specific steps for meeting each demand will be given to students. Protesters, as part of demand No. 8, want SU to construct a building to house multicultural offices, organizations and programs. There’s a need for a physical space — as well as emotional and cultural spaces — for black students on this campus, Alford said. Students at the sit-in discussed at length their experiences with mental health on campus. Demand No. 7 called on SU to hire counselor representatives of minority students. About a third of clinicians in the Counseling Center are people of color, Hradsky said. “We are going to work to bring more staff to campus and try to do that sooner rather than later,” Hradsky said. Alford urged Cory Wallack, executive director of health and wellness, to come forward during the sit-in and answer questions. Students spoke to him about experiences of being denied help, long waiting periods and not feeling represented. Since the opening of the Arch, the center has seen over 1,000 students seeking counseling services and an 85% increase in drop-in services. This increased demand for services was not predicted, he said. A student said he should’ve predicted it. “We’re not perfect,” Wallack said in response. Another student said SU stole her mental health. She was “one of the happiest people” before she came to the university. “I hate it here. I hate it here,” she repeated. The protesters later joined in with the same chant. One student, a freshman, choked up as she asked university officials why the racist graffiti in Day Hall happened within her first three months at SU. She asked why the protesters are doing work SU should be doing. The protesters aren’t asking SU to solve racism, another student said. They’re asking for clear consequences to be in place. “You guys should be able to say, ‘We do everything in our power to make sure these things don’t happen.’” esfolts@syr.edu | @emmafolts

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The Ark’s return Underground music venue The Ark will host four shows in partnership with Syracuse University. See dailyorange.com

PULP

Handmade goods The Haudenosaunee Arts and Crafts Fair will feature handcrafted items and live performances. See dailyorange.com

dailyorange.com @dailyorange nov. 14, 2019

from the studio

Former SU professor displays artwork By Morgan Tucker staff writer

At eight years old, Jerome Witkin was asked a question by his Catholic school teacher that he’s continued to contemplate throughout his life. “Will you keep your promises?” Sister Jeromina, asked him. But what Sister Jeromina was really asking, Witkin said, was if he would continue to become the painter that she saw in him. And, whether he would grow into his art. Seventy-two years later, Witkin has kept his promise to Sister Jeromina. He is now a widely recognized figurative painter, and will debut his most recent work at the ArtRage Gallery in Syracuse from Nov 9 to Jan 11, 2020. Titled “Jerome Witkin: This Time, This World,” the exhibition is his first at ArtRage. The duration of the show will include a screening of “Witkin & Witkin,” a documentary about Witkin and his brother, on Nov. 20 and an artist talk with Witkin at the gallery on Jan. 8. Witkin joined the Syracuse University faculty in 1971 as an art professor at the College of Visual and Performing Arts. He depicts different social issues that are both current and historic. His work includes issues like homelessness and the Holocaust. He draws on personal experiences, like losing his 16-yearold son to a rare blood disorder, and his father’s homelessness. “I think a lot of people simply paint what they think they should be doing instead of saying ‘I know you’re not going to like this, but I am going to paint this because I need to,’” said Witkin. “I need to do this or else I am not me anymore.” With white walls covered in penciled notes and pinned sketches, Witkin’s studio is in the backyard of his home. Covering the floor is a worn, paint-splattered tarp. Sunlight streaming through the windows, he works in an open space in the front, while the back rooms are packed with stacks of his older paintings. Three years into retirement, Witkin still paints in his studio six days a week. He said creativity isn’t a trait that can be stopped on command. “It’s like saying I’m not going to use my legs or I’m not going to use my tongue to speak,” he said. Glasses perched on his nose above his full white beard, Witkin said he works with canvases of five feet or more, as the efficient space for him to communicate his message. Kimberley McCoy, ArtRage community engagement organizer, said the sheer size of his work brings audiences into a world that they can almost step into. Using different figures to create a narrative, Witkin’s paintings offer a voice for people often ignored in society, said Katrin Naumann, a model for Witkin. “It’s when people remain silent that these atrocities in the world can see artrage page 8

Film sneak peak The Daily Orange will cover the Syracuse Film Society’s screening of A24’s “Waves” on Nov. 14. See dailyorange.com

•

PAG E 7

on campus Native American Heritage Month 2019

Identity focus Indigenous Students at Syracuse co-presidents bring awareness to heritage

Film society to host A24 ‘Waves’ screening By Cydney Lee staff writer

In partnership with A24, the Syracuse Film Society is continuing its slew of movie screenings with an advanced screening “Waves.” Directed by Trey Edwards Shults, the film follows a suburban African American family navigating the trials and tribulations of love, forgiveness, and unity following a loss. The screening will take place Thursday in Shemin Auditorium in Shaffer Building at 8:30pm. SU senior, A24 intern, and copresident of the Syracuse Film Society, Alex Smithline, talks about how the screening came to be and what he expects for its impact on SU’s film community:

The Daily Orange: Why did you guys decide to screen “Waves”? A.S.: There are a few reasons. When

MARIS JACOBS and NATHAN ABRAMS host events like lectures and a fashion show to bring more awareness to the indigenous community. lucy messineo-witt staff photographer

focused on activities geared toward the club’s members, they said. The spring activities are part of its “identity aris Jacobs knew coming to Syracuse series,” which can involve members traveling University would be different than to the University at Buffalo for a conference on the small indigenous communities Native storytelling and visiting Washington, she was accustomed to. She was going to an D.C. to visit certain places such as the National institution, a predominantly white one. But by Museum of the American Indian, Jacobs said. attending the Native student pre-orientation While the U.S. celebrates Columbus Day, program and living in the indigenous learn- Jacobs said that her freshman year the universiing community, she felt she ty decided to not recognize the wasn’t being thrown in but holiday, but rather Indigenous rather building a community. Peoples Day. Now, Jacobs is a leader of Indigenous students, On the last Indigenous PeoIndigenous Students at Syrawe don’t quite have ples Day, the club had a table cuse. She not only continues to on the quad with brochures the same experience and information on indigbuild her community but also seeks it wherever she goes. in higher-ed, socially, enous culture. Jacobs said a “Anywhere I go, now I’m non-indigenous student asked academically, going to be looking for this, to help but wanted to perform this kind of thing, this kind of low-profile tasks like cutting economically community, and it’s not that I and taping paper on the table. Maris Jacobs need to have some kind of secuShe wanted indigenous stuco-president of indigenous students at syracuse rity someplace, that’s not a bad dents to focus on those visitthing,” Jacobs said. ing the booth. Jacobs and senior Nathan Abrams are the coAbrams said that those conversations would presidents of the organization. ISAS hosts events be about educating people and making ISAS’s for members and the Syracuse University com- presence known. He said that a lot of people at munity throughout the year, including several SU are unaware of a lot of the topics surroundevents during Native American Heritage Month. ing Native people. During the month, the organization hosts Encouraging these conversations is what speakers and events like the Indigenous Run- Jacobs said is important for the club. They also way Fashion Show. Jacobs and Abrams said that welcome non-indigenous students to come to the fall semester is aimed to educate students meetings and learn more about their culture. on campus about indigenous culture and what The organization currently has over 100 people the club is about. The spring semester is more on its Listserv, and around 20 to 30 people By Sarah Slavin

asst. feature editor

see co-presidents page 8

we look for screenings to show, we try to find movies that we think people that aren’t traditional film people may see, that are a little bit out of their wheelhouse but at the same time are conventional enough where people will actually go. With “Waves” it was really cool because it was made by the same producers as “Euphoria,” and we know that people love the show. We’ve viewed a lot of research on this movie. This movie has got into all these festivals and it’s become a couple people’s fan favorites — it’s just been doing really well in the whole awards circuit. What I really like about the movie is that it does a lot of cool things with storytelling and story structure, which you’ll see in the movie, that I personally haven’t seen in a movie before.

D.O.: As co-president of the Syracuse Film Society, how do you think the A24 partnership has been impacting the society and the film students as a whole? A.S.: I think the best part about

this A24 partnership is we’re able to show a lot of movies that we normally wouldn’t have the chance to go see here in Syracuse. Traditionally, a lot of A24’s films are shown in limited release in the cities like New York City and in California. If they are shown in a wider release, it’s generally not until two or three weeks after that. So the fact that we as film students are able to go see these movies as soon as they come out—or even right before they come out—is huge because it allows us to stay up-to-date with the conversation of the film scene.

D.O.: How would you describe SU’s film community? A.S.: I would describe it as they’re

hungry to make films and they’re super collaborative. What’s cool about the SU film community is that it doesn’t matter if you’re a part of TRF, VPA, Arts and Sciences, or if you’re

see waves page 8

8 nov. 14, 2019

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from page 7

co-presidents attend meetings. All club meetings and many activities are run out of the Native Student Program’s office which is located on 113 Euclid Ave. Abrams said that indigenous students often come to the office to relax and spend time together. There is a lounge where students hang out and the program’s assistant director, Regina Jones, often brings food for the students to eat — her specialty is peanut butter and jelly. Jones is also the faculty advisor for ISAS and helps facilitate club meetings and activities. But Abrams said that a lot of the e-board positions are more of a formality, as they all work together to put on events. Abrams said that the difference between ISAS and the Native Student Program is that one is funded through the Office of Multicultural Affairs and the other is funded as a registered student organization. But he said there is much overlap between the two programs. For Jacobs, the best part about the programs is that they’ve been able to make incoming students have a better experience on campus. She emphasized the need for a community for indigenous students. “Indigenous students, we don’t quite have the same experience in higher-ed, socially, academically, economically,” Jacobs said. These different aspects play into their experience, she added. from page 7

Historically, she said, there have been fewer options for indigenous people to branch out in a higher education programs and that over time their stories aren’t told in classrooms. Jacobs said it’s frustrating because in classrooms students don’t know the stories of their culture when the history of this country started with their stories. There’s a lot of added pressure for students because they often come from communities that are far away, she said. Even for those who live near SU, Jacobs said that it’s different living in a place where they’re not always around somebody they know. Jones echoed this sentiment. Students who live on territories around SU’s campus have different experiences than other students. She emphasized the need for those students on campus. “We’re more, more than just a community but a family. Often I think that is the most important thing that they need,” Jones said. Jacobs said after joining the organization and program, she felt more comfortable at SU. While she wasn’t unhappy at home, being at SU has taught her more about herself. She added that being surrounded by those who she has a lot in common with helped her become more open to sharing her ideas and being involved. “I didn’t think I’d be president of anything,” Jacobs said. “It gave me a lot of confidence being here with people that I share things in common with.”

from page 7

artrage continue to be perpetrated,” said Naumann. “He just feels compelled to wake people up and say you must be present, you must look, you must feel something.” In his Holocaust series, Jack Rutberg, a representative and curator of Witkin’s art of about 20 years, said his portrayal of people’s sufferings has a redeeming visual experience. One painting, “The German Girl,” shows a young girl hunched in the corner offering a bowl of potatoes to a crowd of concentration camp prisoners. Showcasing the series in his gallery, Rutberg remembers watching an older whitehaired woman approach him during the exhibition, fists clenched at her sides. “Mr. Witkin, I’m a Holocaust survivor,” she said, “and you’re the first one to understand.” Rutberg said he admires how these paintings show the indescribable. “This is a quality that has changed people’s lives,” said Rutberg. “I think they’re some of the great masterpieces of the 20th century.” Born in 1939 in Brooklyn, Witkin attended

art schools in his early years. He was later awarded a Pulitzer traveling fellowship, and he studied at the Berlin Academy and later earned his master’s degree at the University of Pennsylvania. Joel-Peter Witkin, his identical brother, is a renowned photographer, and though both developed into their art as children, they held their first exhibition together in 2014 called “Twin Visions.” The brothers are currently planning an international exhibition of both Jerome’s paintings and Joel’s photography in places like Brooklyn, Japan, Israel, Europe and other U.S. museums. Witkin’s work is displayed in museums and galleries, such as The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy, and the Smithsonian’s Hirshhorn Museum. “Jerome has never lost respect for his art and his thrill is in discovery,” said Rutberg. “His creativity comes out of a genuine desire to search and to reveal.” Over the year, Witkin believes he’s kept that promise to Sister Jeromina. “At 80 years old, plus two months, I just feel like I’ve been given a wonderful life.” mctucker@syr.edu

srslavin@syr.edu | @sarahslavin3

A.S.: I learned that people want to do things

waves not even related to film at all, people love being at film sets and they love creating stuff. Here at SU, you can get a bunch of people together that have never made anything before and spend your weekend making a short film that gets into festivals. I think that’s super special just how close people in the university are and how supportive everyone is.

D.O.: What have you learned since the beginning of the semester?

on campus where they’re able to have a discussion and talk about things. Specifically with film, for some of our screenings that have been a little bit smaller, the people who still showed up want to talk about the movies they were seeing. They wanted to discuss with other cinephiles and discuss the future of filmmaking and talk about why the film mattered to them. For a lot of us, stories are how we connect and through the film society and through these screenings, we’re connecting with more and more people. I think that’s amazing. cmlee100@syr.edu

JEROME WITKIN’S exhibition is titled “Jerome Witkin: This Time, This World.” It is the painter’s first exhibition at ArtRage gallery. courtesy of jerome witkin

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