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on campus
Report alleges admin turned ‘blind eye’ to antisemitism at SU By Kendall Luther news editor
A group of Syracuse University students and parents have submitted a report to the United States House of Representatives alleging the university administration is turning “a blind eye to antisemitism, or giving no consequences for flagrant violations,” according to a release sent to The Daily Orange Wednesday. The report is in response to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce’s establishment of a centralized reporting system in December 2023 for investigating antisemitism on college campuses in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The document is part of a larger filing involving 20
universities and colleges, according to the report. Under Title VI, antisemitic harassment becomes a violation when the harassment creates a hostile environment where the conduct is “sufficiently severe, pervasive or persistent so as to interfere with or limit a student’s ability to participate in or benefit from the services, activities or opportunities offered by a school,” the report stated. The report lists 13 specific complaints of antisemitism, which illustrate “persistent” and “ongoing” incidents that created a “hostile and discriminatory” environment, as well as the university’s failure to address their occurrence. A university spokesperson wrote in a statement to The D.O. that uni-
versity leaders have said on multiple occasions that student safety is SU’s top priority. In a November University Senate meeting, Chancellor Kent Syverud said the university’s administration was prioritizing student safety over free speech and academic freedom amid the Israel-Hamas war. “Consistent with our educational mission, we also permit the discussion and debate of difficult and controversial topics inside and outside the classroom, so long as our policies on impermissible harassment are respected in that process,” the spokesperson wrote.
Women and Gender Studies
The report alleges a visiting teaching professor in SU’s Women’s and Gender Studies Department “incorporated an
antisemitic opinion” into an Oct. 12, 2023, lecture. The report states the visiting teaching professor referred to Israel as “Palestinian occupied land” and issued “defamatory condemnation of Israel” as an “oppressor.” “Jewish students in the class felt very uncomfortable and attacked by (the teaching professor’s) slander of the Jewish state,” the report states. Later that day, the teaching professor sent a follow-up email, acknowledging the student response and referred students to the website for Jewish Voice for Peace, which the report claims is a self-described Jewish organization that uses its identity to “directly confront the American Jewish community about its positions on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.”
On its website, JVP describes itself as a Jewish organization that stands in solidarity with Palestine. A Syracuse chapter was started in Fall 2016 and has been active in various demonstrations in the city and in Wednesday’s commemoration of lives lost in Gaza at the Schine Student Center. “(The visiting professor’s) editorializing views about oppression and occupation, coupled with suggestions for aligning with Hamas and Palestinian interests and against Israel is hostile, antisemitic, and – especially in the time frame of being issued only five days after the outbreak of the most horrific war on Jews since the Holocaust — abusive of the teacher-student power dynamic by dismissing the Jewishsee report page 3
on campus
University Neighborhood businesses reflect on the area’s future By Siron Thomas
senior staff writer
Collin Smith remembers frequently visiting J Michael Shoes on Marshall Street as a child in the 2000s. Even though the store took up 300 square feet at the time compared to the 3,000 square feet of space now, Smith said you could feel the pulse that came from community and customer interactions. Now an assistant manager at the retailer, Smith said he felt a change in the “vibration” of the store, which
he sees as a second home, and in the university neighborhood as a whole. “You would feel an energy when you stepped on those bricks,” Smith, who’s been working at the store for around two and a half years, said. “That energy is still there, but I just don’t feel like it’s quite as strong as it used to be.” After years of sales, construction and disruption in the university area, some local business owners are worried about the future state of the neighborhood. This comes
as Syracuse University raises the cost of attendance to the highest it’s been in years and struggles to house new students. In November, SU announced it will convert the Sheraton Syracuse University Hotel & Conference Center — which the university bought in 2000 — into undergraduate housing, with construction set to be finalized before the fall 2024 semester. Students have already been living at the Sheraton as well as at other non-traditional locations like 206 Walnut Ave.
While Smith said the conversion of the Sheraton may help bring more students closer to local businesses, he expressed concern about visitors losing vital lodging close to campus. The nearest hotels to SU’s campus as of now — besides the Sheraton — include Collegian Hotel & Suites, Crowne Plaza and Hotel Skyler. “A majority of families that we’ve seen over the last couple of years book way in advance for the Sheraton,” Smith said. “What are these families gonna do when they come to visit now?”
The university’s influx of purchases and acquisitions is ongoing. In 2019, SU demolished nine buildings on the 700 block of Ostrom Avenue. It also acquired and demolished property on the 800 block of Comstock Avenue in 2022. In July 2021, SU bought The Marshall, which originally opened in 2018, for $69.4 million to increase student housing. The university recently announced it will function as a second-year residence hall in the spring 2024 semester.
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2 february 1, 2024
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NEWS “I get them a lot.” - Anika Sahityani, Syracuse senior on increase in phishing emails Page 3
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“I felt like when I came here, a lot of people do dress really nicely, it’s just not documented.” - Duane Tilghman, sophomore in charge of Syracuse Fits Page 7
OPINION “Most popular rom-coms star white, middle class, heterosexual characters, leaving characters of various underrepresented groups to take on background roles.” Kaitlyn Paige, columnist Page 10
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WHAT: Turkish Movie Night WHEN: Feb. 6, 5:15 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. WHERE: Huntington Beard Crouse Hall (HBC), 323A
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WHAT: Tennity Ice Skating Pavilion: Open Skate WHEN: Feb. 4, 6:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. WHERE: Tennity Ice Skating Pavilion
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february 1, 2024 3
on campus
Students, ITS see increase in phishing affecting SU emails By Claire Samstag asst. news editor
Syracuse University’s Information Technology Services has seen “high volumes” of phishing activity in recent weeks, according to a Jan. 17 campus-wide email. Phishing emails are a form of online scam in which a phisher will try to “trick” users into revealing their password or other sensitive information to infect computers with malware, the ITS Phish Bowl website states. The phishers will utilize companies’ or institutions’ logos, fonts and colors to make their emails look more realistic, according to the website. Anika Sahityani, a senior dual major in finance and information management and technology, said she has noticed the most phishing emails this year. “I get them a lot,” she said. ITS has reported three phishing emails on the ITS Phish Bowl website throughout January 2024. The last report of phishing emails before January was from August 2023. Joon Park, a professor with a focus in cybersecurity in SU’s School of Information Studies, said he discusses phishing email attacks in his classes. In one of his classes, he conducted a survey with his students regarding the frequency at which they receive phishing emails. Park said advancements in artificial intelligence have contributed to an increase in phishing emails. “We can easily generate phishing emails with generative AI, which can make phishing emails sound more realistic and more attractive,” Park said. There are two typical forms of attack when it comes to phishing: malicious email attachments and URL links, Park said. Users can fall victim to malicious email attachments when a file is opened, while malicious URL links can affect users when the email convinces the potential victim to click the link, Park said. Erin Makarova, a senior in the iSchool and the vice president of SU’s Information Security Club, said phishing emails are not just a technology issue, but a social one too. “Email is more personal (than the internet).
You trust it more, usually, so you’re more prone to click on it,” Makarova said. “It’s a big social thing.” Makarova said that the most dangerous part of phishing emails is its effect on the recipient. “It’s a good practice to not run as your admin account, your daily business and to kind of separate your passwords and change them,” Makarova said. Phishing attacks, in all forms, remain one of the top threats for all organizations, including SU, according to a statement to The Daily Orange from Eric Ferguson, director of communications at ITS. In 2020, a successful phishing attempt gave someone unauthorized access to a university employee’s email account, allowing the attacker to access thousands of students’ sensitive information, including social security numbers and credit card information. The data breach affected over 9,800 students, applicants and alumni, who now may be entitled to up to $10,000 for “extraordinary losses” following the settlement of a class action lawsuit. In the settlement, SU agreed to integrate “meaningful information security improvements” and provide “sufficient documentation” that proves it has either implemented or will implement security-related measures, according to the memorandum. The university previously told The D.O. it does not share the specifics of protection methods in order to prevent bad actors from using the knowledge to “propagate system-level and social engineering attacks.” “The level of sophistication runs a broad spectrum from poorly written email blasts reaching large populations of students, faculty and staff to highly sophisticated targeted social engineering attacks against select individuals,” Ferguson said. Through her enterprise risk management class with Professor James Enwright, Sahityani said she learned various ways to prevent phishing. She recommended securing backups, using security software, practicing safe surfing, only using secure networks and implementing a security awareness program. Sukhleen Atwal, director of internal operations for SU’s Student Association and student
emma lee contributing illustrator
consultant for ITS, delivered a presentation on phishing during SA’s Dec. 4 meeting. She gave tips about how to prevent phishing and outlined a course of action for phishing victims. Atwal also warned assemblymembers about the potential dangers of falling for one of these schemes, telling them phishing schemes do not only have the potential to impact the individual but can compromise “entire departments” on campus. “I promise you it has been at a much higher rate over the past month or so,” Atwal said during the meeting. “Almost every third student has been phished and has fallen for it.” Ferguson wrote in his statement that if students feel their University account has been compromised, they can contact the ITS Security Center and ITS will walk them through securing their account and will contact the Information Security Office to look for any evidence of compromise. Eric Ferguson: email statement have phishing emails gotten worse over the last year at SU? Phishing attacks continue to be the most active threats for all organizations, including the University. Activity levels vary but often intensify around the holidays or the start of a new semester. The level of sophistication runs a broad spectrum from poorly written email blasts reaching large populations of students, faculty and staff to highly sophisticated targeted social
engineering attacks against select individuals. University members should continue to watch out for suspicious links, urgent demands and job offers that seem too good to be true. Also, it’s important to remember that there is never a reason to share a password or MFA code with anyone else. Nobody at Syracuse University will ever ask for your NetID password or for you to provide them a multi-factor authentication code for any reason. If somebody does, they’re not representing the University or any of its offices. Report any occurrences to itsecurity@syr.edu. What should students do if they receive a phishing email? First and foremost, do not reply or interact with any suspicious email. If you need help verifying whether an email is legitimate, please contact the ITS Security Department (itsecurity@syr.edu) or the ITS Service Center (315.443.2677 and help@syr.edu). Similarly, if you feel your University account has been compromised, contact the ITS Service Center at 315.443.2677. They will walk you through securing your University account and contact the Information Security Office to look for any evidence of compromise. If someone feels their information has been compromised from other sources, they should follow the guidance provided by the Federal Trade Commission at http://consumer.gov. csamstag@syr.edu
on campus
Palestinian advocacy groups commemorate Gaza’s dead By Roxanne Boychuk asst. copy editor
The Syracuse University chapter of Faculty for Justice in Palestine and the Syracuse chapter of Jewish Voice for Peace hosted a commemoration for Palestinians killed in Gaza in the Schine Student Center Wednesday afternoon. Attendees took turns reading about 30 names from a list of victims originally published by the Palestinian Ministry of Health. As of Friday, 26,000 people have been killed in Gaza since the war started, according to the Ministry. Throughout the two-hour event, speakers read about 1,100 of the 6,000 names included on the list. Members of FJPSU, JVP and other organizations in support of Palestinian liberation — such as the Syracuse Collective for Palestinian Liberation, 315Students4Liberation, blackatcuse and the Resilient Indigenous Action Collective — attended the event along with SU students and community members.
Biko Gray, an assistant professor of religion at SU, opened the event by telling the story of a boy and his family who were killed in Gaza. Gray also read “If I Must Die,” a poem by Refaat Alareer, a Palestinian writer, poet and professor who was killed in an airstrike in Gaza this past December. “We cannot read (all the stories) now and we won’t ever be able to, but we can say their names and cry for the living and the dead,” Gray said. “Just cry.” Many attendees who spoke, including Gray, teared up as they recited the list. While reading the list, Gray would stop to tell the group to “remember them,” to which the audience responded, “we remember.” “A number is a number, but it also holds more than that,” Gray said. “Each number represents a story, a life.” Since the war started on Oct. 7 when Hamas killed 1,200 people in an attack on Israel, the International Court of Justice found that it was “plausible” the country
violated the Genocide Convetion, according to NPR. Evan, an adjunct faculty member at SU who chose not to give his last name, said he attended to support the event and the cause of FJPSU — of which he is a member. He also said he hoped hosting the event in Schine would cause a “disruption” to get students’ attention. Evan also said he believes it is important for people to grieve and acknowledge any “ongoing genocide” as recognition for the victims. “Each of those names represents a full human life,” he said. “That’s as real as me and as real as you.” Attendees wore various articles of clothing to show their support, including sweatshirts with images of watermelons — a symbol of resistance and solidarity for Palestine — and keffiyehs, traditional Arab headdresses that originated in historic Palestine. One shirt read, “end the Israeli occupation.” Many attendees who did not read names cried and embraced as they listened to the speakers.
“It’s very moving, hearing the names and recognizing that it’s only a fraction of the people who’ve been killed,” Evan said. Andy Mager, a coordinator and social movements liaison at Syracuse Cultural Workers, said SU seems “very concerned” about the emotional state of Jewish students and “relatively unconcerned” about what Arab and Muslim students are facing. A Syracuse resident, he said he came to support the people at SU who are looking to better understand their “responsibility” in the conflict in Gaza. A speaker, who did not give their name, closed the event by thanking attendees for “refusing to forget” and “collectively mourning” as a community. “We come together to grieve and mourn, because we grieve (as a) community,” the speaker said. “We will not forget these names.” rmboychu@syr.edu @Roxanne_Boychuk
on campus
New steering committee to guide SU’s academic strategic plan By Julia Boehning asst. news editor
Syracuse University has created a steering committee of administrators to carry out its “Leading With Distinction” academic strategic plan, according to a Wednesday news release. It has also established five “thematic groups” that will monitor SU’s adherence to the five key points of the ASP. Provost Gretchen Ritter will oversee the new committee as its chair. She and 18 other administrators — including the deans of several colleges — will audit the university’s adherence to the goals outlined in the ASP. The thematic groups will be chaired and co-led by steering committee members.
The thematic groups will monitor the five “key aspects” of Leading with Distinction: curricular; diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility; research transformation and STEM expansion; enrollment innovation as well as veterans. These core tenets reflect the language featured in the ASP, which also divided its goals into five categories: emerging technologies, human thriving, global diversity, experiential inquiry and engaged citizenship. “‘Leading With Distinction’ ref lects deep engagement from our University community. I am grateful to the individuals who are serving on the steering committee and thematic groups for their continued commitment to the plan and its successful
implementation,” Ritter wrote in the release. In Sept. 2022, SU announced it would create an updated ASP, and released its first draft later that academic year. Before unveiling its final draft of the ASP in Sept. 2023, SU held a symposium where it publicly presented its objectives and gauged feedback from community members in February. Jamie Winders, SU’s associate provost for faculty affairs, visited multiple on-campus governing bodies, such as the Student Association and University Senate, to discuss the ASP throughout the fall semester. Winders will be the chair of the “Veterans Thematic Group” on the steering committee, according to the university. Winders, along with several other SU
administrators, held a forum during an SA meeting on Nov. 13, collecting insight from assembly members on student concerns surrounding the ASP. She also held a similar session during SU’s Graduate Student Organization’s Dec. 6 meeting. The new groups and committees will also have representatives from faculty, staff and students, according to SU’s website. Community members can find more information about the steering committees and thematic groups — including a list of its members — on the ASP website. The university will also post future updates surrounding the plan’s implementation on the website, according to the release. jmboehni@syr.edu
4 february 1, 2024
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report aligned view as illegitimate and disfavored and directing students only to resources antagonistic to Jewish supporters,” the report states. In the report’s screenshot of the email and in its description of the lecture, the visiting professor makes no mention of Hamas. A parent of a student in the class reported the incident to Gerald Greenberg, the senior associate dean for academic affairs in the College of Arts and Sciences, according to the report. In response, the report claims Greenberg did not state that the visiting professor’s conduct violated university policy or standards. “I can say that while we don’t prohibit members of the campus community from expressing their views, we have been encouraging our faculty to be more mindful of our students and what they are experiencing,” Greenberg wrote in an email to the parent, according to the report. About a week later, the Women’s and Gender Studies department issued a “statement of solidarity,” which the report claims used “antisemitic, targeted, hostile and frightening language.” The report took issue with the statement not making reference to Hamas’ attack on the Re’im music festival on Oct. 7. The report claims this statement “(violated) the use of University communication channels to convey personal opinions.” Many parents and students contacted the university with concerns about the language of the statement, according to the report. One parent was told by an unidentified senior vice president of SU that they recognized the statement “violated the University policy when they posted their statement from a work-related platform” and that the remarks were “so profoundly antisemitic and offensive,” according to a Facebook post in the report from a parent whose name was redacted. On Oct. 20, the university issued a public statement, which the report claims “downplayed” the language of the WGS statement in an attempt to “discount the significance of the Statement’s violative content.” “The University allowed an official department to speak through its employees in order to represent an official position through official channels using University property. The University statement referenced no prohibition on the issuing employees continuing such conduct in the future,” the report states. In the university’s statement, Provost Gretchen Ritter and Chief Student Experience Officer Allen Groves wrote that faculty and departments’ statements are permitted by principles of free speech and academic freedom. “Any statements made by individual faculty or departments should not be interpreted as the University’s position,” Ritter and Groves wrote in the email, which is included in the report’s evidence. On Campus Demonstrations The report references several demonstrations that have occurred on campus in response to the Israel-Hamas war. The first on-campus protest, titled “Shut it Down for Palestine,” was held on Nov. 9. The report claimed the university did not properly handle its investigation into the “Shut it Down for Palestine” demonstration, at which administrators said a speaker called out specific Jewish student organizations “based on their identity” for being “complicit in genocide.” The investigation was deemed inconclusive, according to the report, but the report alleges there were no advertisements or tip lines to report information for the investigation. “If the speaker could not be identified, it was because the University made no effort or did not want the speaker’s identity to become known,” the report states. A speaker did criticize specific Jewish orgafrom page 1
marshall These moves are part of the university’s Ca mpus Fra mework , a 20 -yea r infrastructure plan started in 2017 to analyze and develop SU’s campus. “Our Community Engagement team has attended meetings with area stakeholders, and as always, remain engaged with our neighbors on issues that impact our community,” a university spokesperson wrote in a statement to The Daily Orange. Bill Nester, a manager and co-owner at Manny’s on Marshall Street, has been working at the campus apparel store for the past 40 years. Even with the long-standing connection he’s developed with the local area, Nester said the university’s expansion is on the right pace as it plays an important role as a “powerhouse” for Syracuse. “I hate to see some of these old houses go, but they only have a certain lifespan like the rest of us,” Nester said. “Eventually we all have to go and let somebody else take over.”
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nizations for their participation in an event hosted by Hillel and Athletes for Israel in which they shipped household and medical supplies to Israel. The speaker also stated that the university should not have allowed the event to happen. “Reports alleging harassment that creates a hostile educational environment or threats of violence against any person or group based on shared ancestry, religion, nationality, ethnicity, or race, or other protected characteristics are taken seriously by Syracuse University,” the university spokesperson wrote in its statement to The D.O. The report also takes issue with a letter that was prominently displayed at the School of Architecture on Nov. 14 which did not mention the Oct. 7 attack or other “salient facts” relating to the Israel-Hamas war, the report states. The letter — addressed to Dean Michael Speaks, Associate Dean Kyle Miller, Professor Daekwon Park and Professor Julie Larsen — asked for the School of Architecture to release a statement “condemning the genocide occuring in Palestine,” according to the report’s evidence. The letter also said “so many, including Palestinian Israeli, Muslim and Jewish faculty, staff and students in our school are suffering.” “As an architecture school responsible for training the next generation of designers, it is crucial that we recognize the role for the built environment in perpetuating settler colonialism,” the letter reads. “We call on you to take responsibility for your silence and support your students in calling for an end to Israel’s apartheid regime and colonial occupation of Palestine.” In response, Speaks thanked the writers of the letter for a “thoughtful communication” and assured students that Syracuse welcomes students to express views and discuss issues, according to the report’s evidence. The report claims the writers of the letter were “praising antisemitic communications acknowledged by the University to be ‘reprehensible’” and “placing students in fear based on their Jewish identity.” “Dean Speaks’ approval and encouragement of the letter is hostile, discriminatory and antisemitic,” the report states. The report also discusses flyers distributed in December 2023 with QR codes that led to websites of materials distributed by US Campaign for Palestinian Rights and Shut It Down For Palestine, which are both not registered as student organizations at SU. “As these were not approved student organizations subject to University compliance and oversight, and they express hostility toward Jewish interests coupled with disabling the ability to communicate and travel, the appearance of these flyers reasonably made Jewish students feel unsafe,” the report states. The report references pro-Palestinian demonstrations at Schine Student Center throughout December 2023. The report states many students wore Palestinian flags, waved signs in support of Palestine, chanted and wore face and head coverings. “The loud chanting in unison by masked protestors, coupled with the shoulder-toshoulder human chain formations made access to and use of the Schine Center difficult, uncomfortable and frightening for Jewish students,” the report states. In December 2023, students in the Schine atrium were participating in a “study-in” for final exams that began on Dec. 11. Students were wearing signs with phrases, including the word “intifada” which is typically used to mean “uprising” but is directly translated in English to “shaking off.” On Dec. 14, SU Vice President for the Student Experience Rob Hradsky told the student wearing the sign that they needed to take down the poster and, if they did not, it could result in charges related to the Student Conduct Code.
The Instagram account blackatcuse posted several videos from the interaction — alleging Hradsky engaged in “physical intimidation” of the demonstrators without providing a university policy prohibiting the demonstration. The account posted a petition which gathered over 850 signatures calling for an investigation into SU Associate Director of Facility Operations Rebecca Bruzdzinski and Hradsky. Classroom Interactions The report claims a teaching assistant “prominently” displayed a poster and “encouraged” students in their class to attend the Oct. 20 “Protest to End the Gaza Occupation” in Syracuse. The report states their actions were an “abuse of power” and an “unwarranted and hostile insistence on adherence to antisemitic views.” During a discussion for another class, a professor projected a list of questions that were related to the “current war in Palestine,” with one specifically inquiring about the “difference between violence and self-defense or counter-violence,” according to a photo included in the report. One student told the professor she was u ncom for t able add ressing t he points w ithout including the information that “Hamas initiated the massacre and kidnapped hundreds of hostages, and raped, tortured and assaulted civilians in Israel,” according to the report. The report alleges the professor called the student ’s commentar y “lies and propaganda.” The student filed a bias claim following the incident, and was later contacted by a university vice provost, the report states. The report also includes a video of a separate professor delivering a virtual lecture in which they attempted “to create justification” for Hamas’ actions on Oct. 7, according to the report. The professor claimed Hamas’ actions did “not meet the definition of ‘terrorist,’” but later characterized the Israeli military as “terrorists,” the report states. “Further, the professor described the Israeli military as ‘terrorists,’ qualifying that judgment as a ‘fact.’ To wit, (they) stated [again, labeling as fact, not opinion]: ‘when we’re talking about what is terrorism, we don’t talk about war as terrorism, but that’s dropping bombs on people – that is terrorism,’” the report states. The report states the professor was “believed to be” Renée de Nevers, an associate professor in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. In a statement to The D.O., de Nevers wrote that she was not the professor included in the video and that she has received hate mail and harassment as a result of the misidentification. The report suggests that the professor’s “unhalting readiness” to share WGS’ statement of solidarity demonstrated the university’s inadequate measures to “discourage further dissemination.” In early November, a parent reported that her daughter’s unnamed professor “blamed Israel” and when a student responded by asking the professor to declare Hamas a terrorist organization, another student stood up and told them to “shut the f*ck up,” according to the report. The report states many of the students in the class became upset and went to Syracuse Hillel for consolation. On Dec. 11, a teaching professor stated that their class was canceled as “part of a global labor strike to protest the increasingly genocidal conditions in Gaza,” according to the report. They also referred students to resources, which the report claims all aligned with Palestinian viewpoints. University Response The university’s “failure” to address the occurrence of the various incidents listed is a consistent concern throughout the report. The report states the university’s reasoning for the cancellation of a planned Middle East-
ern studies scholar teach-in on Oct. 31 implied the Jewish community was “posing a safety risk to those interested in attending,” which the report states was unfounded. Students and faculty were notified — the same day the event was scheduled — by Syverud and Ritter that, due to “safety concerns,” the teach-in would not go on as planned. In the campus-wide email, there is no mention that the Jewish community was part of the safety concern. Students and faculty involved in the teach-in took issue with how the university handled the event. “These missteps elevated the safety risk to the Jewish community on campus,” the report states. A community of parents and alumni with the organization End Jew Hatred wrote a letter on Jan. 2 with complaints regarding the university’s handling of antisemitism on campus, according to the report. The letter took issue with a professor teaching a class that covers Israel and Palestine, raising concerns that the professor was biased against Israel. The letter doubted their ability to provide a comprehensive curriculum that addresses the “full spectrum of historical and contemporary realities on both sides of a conflict,” the report states. The letter also discussed SU’s offer of employment to Palestinian poet Mosab Abu Toha, who graduated from SU’s College of Arts and Sciences with a master of fine arts in creative writing in 2023. Toha, who was detained by Israeli forces on Nov. 19, 2023, was released two days later following international coverage. Within 24 hours of his release by Israel, SU offered the poet a visiting scholar faculty position at the university through the Scholars at Risk network. “Curious about the record timing of the poet’s employment offer, coupled with the seemingly growing collection of Palestinianviewpoint faculty, parents and alumni became concerned about the dearth of viewpoint diversity issues and other issues this new hire presented,” the report states. The letter also requested that Himika Bhattacharya, the chair of the women’s and gender studies department, be terminated. The report claims parents and alumni filed multiple complaints with the administration regarding her ability to “faithfully lead a department without recognition that the department statement was ‘profoundly antisemitic and offensive,’” the report states. A change.org petition asking for the termination of Bhattacharya received over 7,700 signatures, as of 11 p.m. Wednesday. Senior Vice President for Academic Operations Steven Bennett stated in a Zoom meeting hosted by Syracuse Hillel with close to 1,000 parent participants that “he would not respond to or even acknowledge a complaint that came in the form of a petition,” the report states. Regarding the petition, Bhattacharya wrote to The D.O. in November that she was unfairly singled out and that the WGS petition was collectively released by the department. “(The petition) generated racist and antiimmigrant language, false accusations, defamatory remarks, hate mail, and violent threats against me,” Bhattacharya wrote. The report alleges “countless” communications to the university regarding “violative” Jewish discrimination did not receive a reply from any SU official. “We have a system in place to investigate such reports and, where warranted by our findings, impose appropriate accountability. We are confident that these University systems and processes, which comply with federal and state law, address any violations of our applicable policies governing students, faculty and staff,” the spokesperson wrote in the statement to The D.O. kaluther@syr.edu @
Ken Zhou, a part-time manager at Hi Tea, said he sees the Sheraton’s conversion as an “excellent” way to get more students to come to Syracuse. He enjoys getting to see fresh faces walk into the bubble tea cafe and sees the new dorm as a way to keep business busy. Nester echoed Zhou’s thoughts — interactions with students, families and the local community motivated the store manager to remain with Manny’s for the past four decades. “You have to earn an income, too, but it goes beyond that,” Nester said. “Being here for 40 years, you get to see customers come back with their kids. And now, I’m starting to see some grandkids.” Jim Quinn — co-owner of retail store Down Under Leather — said because of the recent changes, the university neighborhood now feels more like it’s controlled by SU rather than a college neighborhood that is supported by local stores. “I just think Syracuse (University) wants to commercialize everything, which isn’t good,” Quinn said. “We need to have relationships.”
Smith echoed Quinn’s remarks about the importance of communication in the area. He said over the past few years, local business owners have visited each other’s stores numerous times to maintain relationships with each other. “Not being involved with the university is its own thing, and it is what it is when it comes to that,” Smith said. “Keep your community in the business and keep the business in your community.” In 2022, the university bought the spaces occupied by Varsity Pizza and Faegan’s Cafe & Pub in a $12 million deal. Matthew Robinson, the manager at Varsity Pizza, said the university has always treated the business fairly and has given them multiple opportunities to showcase their food on campus, including at the JMA Wireless Dome. “We help them and they help us,” Robinson said. “They always keep us in the loop.” Quinn has seen a noticeable decline in foot traffic in his store compared to years prior. He said the decrease in customers came due to the construction of the National Veterans Resource Center blocking off walkways, as well as the
COVID-19 pandemic altering the way people interact with each other and buy items. Quinn, who grew up near Syracuse, remembers frequently interacting with stores like Down Under Leather as a teenager. The long-time local said the store now feels like “more of a museum.” “You can try so much to establish a media presence, but at the end of the day, how are you going to compete with big bucks stores, or something like that, when it comes to the same business models?” Smith said. “It’s tough being the little guy sometimes.” Smith is optimistic that businesses in the campus area will return to the level of activity they had in prior decades but said communication between everyone will be key. “It doesn’t feel quite as homey as it used to be, but I’m hoping down the road we can get it back to where it should be,” Smith said. “We need to bring Marshall Street back. We need Marshall Street back to what it used to be. Right now, this is not Marshall Street.” sthoma10@syr.edu
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CULTURE
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‘CUSE
CATWALK Syracuse Fits account is showing off student style on Instagram ByRosina RosinaBoehm Boehm By
asst. culture editor asst. culture editor
Some days, when students swarm outside in between classes, the Einhorn Family Walk is more than a busy crowd of students — it’s a runway. A photographer captures the best outfits of the day to be featured on the Instagram account @sufits_. “I think it’s really amazing because I think it recognizes people on a more creative and personal level,” freshman Max Dickman, a lucky featured student said. “Sometimes when we’re in school, we don’t get that recognition, so I think it’s a really beautiful thing to compile people with different sorts of styles, different tastes.” Syracuse Fits is an Instagram account dedicated to highlighting Syracuse University’s most stylish students. Sophomore Duane Tilghman created @touringtheworldfits in high school and wanted to reinvent it on campus. He started filming videos with “fit checks” during his first year at SU until he joined forces with Jamari McNabb to take photos on the promenade. Tilghman, a student majoring in Health and Exercise Pre-Physical Therapy, has always been interested in fashion. Before starting Syracuse Fits, Tilghman used to take submissions of anyone’s outfits to post on the same
see fits page 3
from the stage
Syracuse Stage’s ‘Clyde’s’ is a lesson on second chances By Kelly Matlock culture editor
On the first day of rehearsal for “Clyde’s,” Syracuse Stage’s latest play, director Chip Miller made the same announcement he makes at the beginning of each new show: “It’s a process, not a product.” “We are in our own process together, which is a very vulnerable thing,” Miller said. “In that vulnerable space, that’s where you make the deli-
cious discoveries of what’s possible, what it can hold. It gives you the space to play and try things and get inspired by your collaborators.” “Clyde’s” is about a group of formerly incarcerated individuals working in a sandwich shop. It tells the story of how the individuals navigate their lives at work and adapt to life after incarceration with wit, humor and heart, Miller said. The show is a co-production with Portland Center Stage (PCS),
and after its six-week run in Syracuse, the cast will perform the show again in Portland, Oregon in June. The show’s cast and crew are all from PCS or independent, besides two SU students who are assistant directors. SU junior Micaiah John, one of the assistant directors, described the show as a wonderful introduction to the world of directing. The show has set the bar high for her future productions, John said.
“(The actors) approach the work with such sensitivity, and did their homework in terms of bringing life into these characters,” John said. “That’s definitely inspired me as an actor myself. I’m seeing the standard for which I need to come into rehearsal rooms.” John said sharing the experience with the other assistant director, Jakobi Oliver, has been very helpful. It’s overwhelming to be a student surrounded by professional work and important people.
While working on the show, John made sure to speak to every member of the team, from set designers to stage managers. From her conversations, she learned to cultivate a collaborative rehearsal space, a component of the show emphasized by actor Setareki Wainiqolo. “I strongly believe that a good rehearsal room will turn out a very strong work of art,” Wainiqolo said. “Folks who believe in the same thing,
see clyde’s page 7
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CONCERTS
from the studio
‘No Roses in December’ unveils our ‘ghosts’ THIS WEEKEND By Varsha Bhargava
asst. culture copy editor
The Lost Horizon
Mixed-media artist David Edward Johnson believes in ghosts. The artist’s new piece, “No Roses in December,” displayed in Syracuse’s Everson Art Museum, reflects the ghosts of his father’s flitting memory as he experiences the effects of late-stage Alzheimer’s disease. “This series is really about capturing (my father’s) experience,” Johnson said. “It was about capturing the shards of broken memory.” “No Roses in December,” a collection of eight mixed-media collage works centered on desire, identity, loss and the American Dream, debuted at the Everson on Jan. 27 and is on display until Mar. 31. Johnson’s father was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s 15 years ago, and cannot attend the exhibit because of the progression of his memory loss. “It’s a shame that he can’t (attend the exhibit), because I would love to share this with him,” Johnson said. “(My mom seeing the exhibit has) been gratifying. Even if (my dad) can’t, somebody who was very close to the process was able to see and understand it.” Based in Skaneateles, NY, Johnson creates his art to illustrate the “ghosts” we live with every day. Each piece in “No Roses in December” blends original photography and “found objects,” coming together to portray his dad’s Alzheimer’s. Johnson culled the final selection of 16 photographs from a pool of 1,000. Set in West Texas, the photographs share glimpses of lost life in the desert heat. Fragments of forgotten adobes and abandoned possessions hint at a landscape once abundant with activity. “We have these vestal remains — these things left on the landscape,” Johnson said. “It was a pretty perfect metaphor for my dad’s experience.” Art curator Steffi Chappell, whose own grandfather suffered from dementia, helped select Johnson for a solo showing at the museum. Johnson’s art struck a chord with Chappell because of the vivid imagery and ability to create far-reaching emotional connections. Johnson created this art for himself and for his father, but also to identify with his audience. Viewers reach out to Johnson with stories of
On Saturday, Michale Graves is scheduled to perform at The Lost Horizon. Graves’ sound incorporates punk and heavy metal beats. While known for his career with rock band Misfits, he has been touring as a solo artist since his departure in 1998. Tickets for the unique show are available online. WHEN: Feb. 3 at 6 p.m. PRICE: $15
Funk ‘n Waffles
David Edward Johnson illustrates his father’s memory loss through art. His exhibition, “No Roses in December,” will be on display until Mar. 31. maxine brackbill photo editor
uncles, fathers, mothers and grandparents who share his experience. “It’s something that a lot of people have dealt with, either directly or indirectly,” Chappell said. “It speaks to a lot of people, and it’s something that a lot of people can relate to.” Manuel Matias, a museum visitor, was surprised by the “found objects” Johnson included to transform the one-dimensional piece into a tactile three-dimensional piece. “I would love to run my hands through all of his pieces,” Matias said. “The texture, to me, is completely different (from most art pieces).” On Wednesday, Johnson spoke at the Everson and unveiled “Division,” a new, large-scale piece taken from the nearly 1,000 photographs that hadn’t been selected for the original eight pieces. “Right away, it just hit me. It took me to my childhood,” Sylvie Prendergast, SU alum and museum-
goer said. “It’s time passing, it’s traveling. I see it as a metaphor for life.” Upon walking through Johnson’s exhibit, Johnson’s wife, Stephanie Johnson, cried. She supported her husband every step of the way through the creation of “No Roses in December.” From shooting photos in Texas, to watching him work in the studio, she said she loved being a part of the art. Through the process of his father’s diagnosis and the progressive loss of his memory, Johnson has used art as a method of communication. He considers his audience and the message he wants to convey to them while he creates, Johnson said. “The desire to create is not really a choice. It’s a need. It makes me feel complete,” Johnson said. “It makes me feel happy.” vbhargav@syr.edu
humor column
Our humor columnist is unhappy with the ‘24 Oscars
Honey for the Bees is taking center stage this weekend at Funk ‘n Waffles. The Syracuse-based trio merges indie and folk genres in their music while also combining their fields of creative writing and theater when performing their original hits. Tickets for this show are available online. WHEN: Feb. 3 at 8 p.m. PRICE: $13.07
The Mudpit The Mudpit is hosting Susannah Joffe, Rhodes Corduroy and Bella Fiske this Saturday. Joffe, whose sound is reminiscent of Amy Winehouse, is releasing an EP on Friday, the day before her performance at the venue. Rhodes Corduroy is adding their alternative rock music to the 315 venue while Bella Fiske, known for her indie songs on campus, is completing the trio of performers. WHEN: Feb. 3 at 9:30 p.m. PRICE: $7 presale, $10 at the door
By Sarah Wells humor columnist
Disappointing news for Margot Robbie fans everywhere: Oscars nominations came out last week! In 2023, we got to experience masterpieces such as “Oppenheimer,” “Killers of the Flower Moon,” “Barbie” and, of course, the new “Mean Girls” musical movie. Just kidding – the new “Mean Girls” came out in 2024. Like everyone else, I have a lot of thoughts and opinions about these nominations. One of my most controversial opinions? Best Picture nominee “Anatomy of a Fall”? Not that good. Not one person even topples. I think. I haven’t seen it. Oh, don’t look at me like that. It’s two and a half hours long and I barely have the attention span to write this 500-word column. A movie I did see? “Barbie,” Duh. Ryan Gosling was great and deserved his nomination, of course, but I can’t get past one specific snub… you know the one I’m talking about… Michael Cera. Where is that man’s damn Oscar? He did so much for this movie! As Allan, he really showed how diverse of an actor he is by being silly and awkward in this movie … just like he is in his other movies. That Margot Robbie, on the other hand, did not deserve that nomination at all!* There are a lot of worthy animated feature films on the list, at least, like “Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse” and “The Boy and The Heron.” They even had Disney’s “Elemental” nominated, because god forbid Disney goes one year without having a mediocre animated feature on the ballot. (Forgive me, I just got rejected from the Disney College Program and I’m feeling very slighted. This is a joke.) Fun fact about “Elemental”: I saw it at the drive-in movie theater with my two 7-year-old sisters and even one of them said, “Isn’t this just ‘Zootopia’ but with, like, water and fire instead of animals?” And I nodded through my tears because even though the movie wasn’t that good, the fire and water were in love. And that’s a beautiful thing. And on that note, this has been my audition to host the 2024 Oscars. I’d like to thank the Academy. *MARGOT ROBBIE I’M SORRY YOU ABSOLUTELY DID DESERVE THAT NOMINATION PLEASE FORGIVE ME FOR THAT JOKE PLEASE OH PLEASE DON’T COME FOR MY NECK(!!!) sswells@syr.edu
Middle Ages Brewing Company Hailing from Ithaca, Tenzin Chopak is set to perform Friday night. Chopak combines his songwriting expertise and vocals to create a folky vibe. In early 2023, he released a live EP featuring songs like “Tunnel Cloud” and “Who Are You Now” at Red Newt Cellars in the Finger Lakes. Tickets are free of charge. WHEN: Feb. 2 at 6:30 p.m. PRICE: $25 for SU, ESF students
The 443 Dan Bern is showcasing his folk and rock style this Friday at The 443 in the heart of Syracuse. Bern’s songs have been featured in several films such as “Get Him to the Greek” and “The Bubble.” Tickets for the show are available online. WHEN: Feb. 2 at 7 p.m. PRICE: $23.31 - $55.38
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from page 5
fits
account, which had 500 followers. When he got to SU, he thought the followers were going to waste. Tilghman originally decided to transition to “fit checks,” or videos where SU students showed off their outfits. “I felt like when I came here, a lot of people do dress really nicely, it’s just not documented,” Tilghman said. “There’s a lot of people that literally try every day — you can see it.” McNabb came to Tilghman suggesting they take the account in a new direction, mirroring the @watchingnewyork Instagram account where the photographer stands at the end of a city block and captures candids. “I would have done it with my account. I wanted to try the idea out in Syracuse. So I already knew that (Tilghman) had the account for fashion,” McNabb said. “I just hit him up and asked ‘What do you think about this?’ and he was down, so it was like an experiment.” So, McNabb and Tilghman started posting photos of SU students on Einhorn. Tilghman had gotten the account to 1,000 followers by himself, but once they adopted McNabb’s suggestion last from page 5
clyde’s who collaborate with an open heart, with grace, with generosity and who are willing to listen and change and adjust.” Wainiqolo described Director Miller as the group’s “fearless leader.” With complex emotions and themes, the show required harmonious rehearsals and a safe, supportive environment for the actors and crew. “C hip Miller is absolutely tapped into the size of this story, both emotionally and physically, and has such a nuanced touch when it comes to choreographing the emotional journey of all these characters,” Wainiqolo said. “It’s been such a privilege to
fall, the account grew to over 3,500 followers. Now, almost everyone on campus knows about the account, Tilghman said. When McNabb is motivated to take photos, he texts Tilghman, who will post on their Instagram story that McNabb will be on the promenade at certain times during the day. McNabb took photos on Jan. 31 from 12 to 2 p.m. for the first time in 2024. The platform has allowed SU Fits to help support other events on campus. A friend of Tilghman’s asked if he could post about a clothing pop-up at the Blackstone LaunchPad. Tilghman posted on Instagram to support his friend. Afterward, Tilghman found out that about 10 people showed up because of SU Fits. For students, the account creates a community where they can be showcased, Dickman said. Dickman regularly talks to his friends about clothes, and now, he’s been on SU Fits twice. Students often find out they’ve been featured when they get a bunch of notifications from their friends. “It was very overwhelming. I found out actually because someone in one of my clubs sent a picture of it in our group chat,” junior Kennedy Smith said. “And I was like, ‘Oh, that’s me,’ … and I’ve been trying to get on the Instagram page for a minute.”
Smith had been featured in their “earth tones” series where they requested everyone wear their best green and brown outfit the night before. Smith dressed up specifically to be featured like many students who have found themselves on the Instagram page. Dickman usually wears nice outfits but dresses up a little more when he knows an SU Fits camera will be on the promenade, he said. “It was a coincidence,” junior Ashton Sanford said about being featured on the account. “But there are some days where I try and put on something nice because I know they’re gonna be out.” Both Tilghman and McNabb are surprised that there are people making decisions around the SU Fits account. The whole reason this is happening is because the two decided to have a conversation and take the account to the next level, Tilghman said. However, Tilghman doesn’t want to take too much credit for the account, because it’s supposed to showcase the community. He’s happy that people have an opportunity to show their passion. “The goal is to just make good content while I’m here, just be behind the scenes of it all,” Tilghman said. “I don’t really want to be like the main face of it.” rlboehm@syr.edu
nora benko illustration editor
watch Chip work and to be in collaboration with him.” Miller said that he owes the “well-oiled machine” of the rehearsal process to his team. Hiring good people and trusting them is key to a solid production, he said. Orion Bradshaw, who plays Jason, said the trust and support of the group has been instrumental in his process. Playing a formerly incarcerated white supremacist, he has had to reconcile his internal disagreements with the character to capture him honestly. John said that while she doesn’t relate to the life experiences of the characters in “Clyde’s,” she does relate to their journeys of finding their place in the world. As a college student, she understands what it’s like to look for personal value.
“You see the humanity in the characters from beginning to end, even if they don’t see it in themselves and you see the worth of these people and you see what they have to have to give to the world,” John said. “That carries you as a reader or as a watcher through the play.” Bradshaw shared a similar sentiment and said the show has emphasized a thoughtful perspective on life. He described the cast and crew as supportive and the experience overall as incredibly special. “One of the reasons that I stayed in theater … was for the community,” Bradshaw said. “This rehearsal, this process space which I love so much is a microcosm of … why I continue to keep theater in my life, whether it’s as an actor or a teacher.”
Miller hopes that when people leave the theater, they are not just talking about the events of the play, but its deeper meaning. Through the events of the sandwich shop, the play makes a commentary on job security, socioeconomic status and the U.S. prison system. He hopes that the events of the play inspire people to “reach our human potential.” He described the play as a call to action for the audience. “If there’s one thing that I will leave with, it’s the bedrock of this play and that is … put simply, you can’t judge a book by its cover,” Wainiqolo said. “I’d like to believe that after this play, I will look at the world with a little bit more patience, that I will approach new people with more grace.”.
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OPINION
media
The box office is due for rom-com comeback with diverse representation KAITLYN PAIGE
A
MODERN MEDIA GURU
s Valentine’s Day approaches, many people, myself included, log on to Netflix in search of their favorite romantic comedies for a little escapism — the ones where Julia Roberts, Drew Barrymore or Kate Hudson live in a luxurious New York City apartment and work a glamorous job at a magazine or in a law firm. Looking at their life, they seem to have it all. The only thing missing is their Hugh Grant, Adam Sandler or Matthew McConaughey to sweep them off their feet. Throughout the 1990s, 2000s and early 2010s, rom-coms dominated the box office. Movies like “My Big Fat Greek Wedding,” “The Proposal” and “Pretty Woman” were acclaimed, high-grossing blockbusters that people of all ages flocked to theaters to go see. This is in part because watching throwback rom-coms is a stress-free and easygoing viewing experience. They’re somewhat cliche yet still charming, allowing audiences to cry and feel joy all at once. A major part of the rom-com’s initial success is its ability to tackle crucial parts of the human experience: love and heartbreak. Since the 20th century, many rom-coms have mimicked the works of William Shakspeare, whose pieces were targeted to broad audiences making them universally loved. According to Neuroscientist Aditi Subramaniam, one of the defining features of rom-coms is their comfort and familiarity: viewers can both “escape” the realities of their own romantic lives and experience what feels familiar during times that might feel the opposite. “They’re also comforting,” Syracuse University junior Camille Rowlands-Rees says. “They don’t need to be deep but there’s still
romance, and then a conflict but there’s always a happy ending.” Despite their popularity, the rom-com genre has seemed to die out in mainstream media. The last rom-com to perform incredibly well in the box office was “Bridget Jones’s Baby” in 2016. Since then, most rom-coms are only released on streaming services. Movies like “The Lovebirds,” “Happiest Season” and “Always Be My Maybe” saw success on streaming services but failed to receive the critical acclaim of many rom-coms of the past. These movies, which told the stories of underrepresented groups in Hollywood, have earned high reviews on sites like Rotten Tomatoes and Letterboxd. But this same representation is not often seen in the movies that get released into the theaters. Most popular rom-coms star white, middle class, heterosexual characters, leaving characters of various underrepresented groups to take on background roles. And often, they are absent from the story completely. As society progresses in terms of diversity, the push for more inclusive stories within Hollywood, including romantic ones, must progress as well. Recently, 2023 rom-com, “Anyone But You” starring Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell, performed well in the box office. Many took to X, formerly known as Twitter, and TikTok to express their love for the movie and the genre as a whole — Reddit pages were filled with the hopes of a rom-com comeback. People also praised the movie for its take on intimacy while still providing a similar humor to their nostalgic favorites. The movie tells the story of the romance between two white, heterosexual characters: Bea (Sweeney), a law student, and Ben (Powell), a wealthy Goldman Sachs employee. But a good portion of the film focuses on a queer interracial couple played by Alexandra Shipp and Hadley Robinson. The box office and online success of “Anyone But You” proves people still love and want more from the genre, but many viewers want
leah bowman contributing illustrator
movies that tell inclusive stories where characters that remind them of themselves are not side characters or in the background. SU senior, Ashtha Singh, says, “I don’t see myself as the target audience for them. As a woman of color, I rarely see girls of color as love interests.” According to UCLA’s 2022 Hollywood Diversity Report, amongst all movie genres, only 2.2 out of every 10 lead actors are people of color. For leads with disabilities or queer leads it’s even less, but it has proven that “films with diverse casts continued to outperform their less-diverse counterparts.” “If we’re not seeing marginalized groups at the center of them, it feels as if we’re saying their love stories aren’t worth portraying,” Singh said. “There’s a ton of potential for the new age of rom-coms and I’d hate for this new
age to continue leaving out groups that often don’t get the chance to feel romanticized.” If movies highlighting diversity and promoting inclusivity are there, the audience will follow. It’s clear that people’s appreciation for rom-coms hasn’t died out, unlike the genre itself. But, audiences simply want more diverse and inclusive stories. Hollywood directors and writers need to develop films featuring stories that those watching can relate to you and feel represented in. People of all backgrounds deserve to enjoy rom-coms with characters that represent them and their life experiences, making them feel as if “meet-cutes” and love are attainable for everyone, not just the Jennifer Garners and Mark Ruffalos. Kaitlyn Paige is a junior studying Public Relations. Her column appears bi-weekly, and she can be reached at kipaige@syr.edu.
pop culture
Reboots might be the new norm, but they’re doing our nostalgia a disservice SOFIA AGUILAR
I
POP CULTURE PRINCESS
t seems like I’m always hearing about a new reboot of a show I used to love watching as a kid – “iCarly,” “Raven’s Home,” “Bel-Air,” the failed “Lizzie McGuire” revival series. Just a few weeks ago, Disney Channel announced that “Wizards of Waverly Place” would be the latest show to get a sequel series. Even – or especially – as such a huge fan of the original show, I was less than enthusiastic about the news. After years of continuous live-action film remakes, TV reboots, sequels, spin-offs and the general sense that the industry keeps inventing excuses not to make new, original content, I’m jaded. I’m tired of seeing the nostalgia of my generation being used to rake in profit and, worst of all, make a show that rarely lives up to the original. It’s not that this hasn’t been happening for decades. Reboot culture is so commonplace that even I’m surprised they’re still the topic of discourse. As an overarching umbrella, reboots describe any rebranding of an original project, though what we typically end up with is a reset that ignores all the narrative continuity of the original. Sometimes it morphs into a spin-off, following a singular character from the original cast in a new location, like “Joey” based on the “Friends” character or “Frasier”
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from “Cheers.” Other times, it jumps ahead to see where the original cast ends up in modernday. Or it may bring in new characters, like “Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life” and the new “Wizards of Waverly Place” series. From an economic standpoint, it makes sense to rely on existing intellectual property, or IP, because you have an established audience and therefore lower marketing and publicity costs. If it’s a familiar name, face or universe, people are more likely to tune in, whereas new content is almost always a toss-up. As a bonus, reboots have been shown to cause an uptick in subscriptions to streaming services that are distributing the content, enabling other services to continue to support and cash in. Everybody, including the viewers, supposedly wins. Nostalgia has also proven itself to be a powerful marketing tool. Communications Professor Makana Chock, who has taught at Syracuse University for 19 years and conducted groundbreaking research in media psychology, shares that this “sentimental longing for the past and affection for memories of our childhood” can play a major role in determining the content we consume as adults. “Particularly when people are going through stressful times, there’s this desire to turn back and re-experience that sense of simpler times, particularly if you were a child or maybe a younger person who was not yet facing a lot of the complexities and challenges that were going on around you,” she says. The problem, however, is that nostalgia is being taken advantage of at rates like never
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before in the industry. Perhaps I’m more chronically online than I used to be or it’s just that I’m older and more aware, but new TV reboots always seem to be announced or in production. Oftentimes, profit and reliance on name recognition are prioritized over actual quality storytelling, cheapening what might otherwise have been an opportunity to return to familiar places and people we know. Whether we came into it feeling excited or frustrated, we’re more often than not left feeling disappointed. And while there are ways nostalgia can warp our memories, the quality of a piece of media from the past is often less important than how it made us feel the first time we watched it. “People have these wonderful memories of what the stories were like and may feel disappointed that they don’t appeal in the same way or don’t feel as good,” Chock says. To me, however, reboots aren’t being made just because they guarantee a return on investment or because they want to continue the legacy of a successful show to new viewers. They’re also capitalizing on everything young people lost during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic – time, normal adult development and opportunities for socialization – so much so that it’s been dubbed a “pandemic time skip.” It’s no wonder that we want to return to the past. After feeling like we were stuck in a time lapse for three years, many of us have no idea how to be functional adults in the world that, thanks to additional factors like geopolitical conflict, economic uncertainty and global climate imbalance, seems to be crumbling around us.
“One of the advantages of age is that you’ve lived through enough traumas that you know that you can continue to do so,” Chock says. “But the first time it happens, it hits particularly hard because then you have to figure out what you’re going to do and how you rebuild from this. So there’s this perception that there’s a need for ‘comfort food,’ including reboots of formerly popular shows.” One of the advantages of today’s television landscape is that we aren’t in the world of cable anymore where we only have access to three channels recycling the same programming. We aren’t obligated to watch anything we don’t want to and are more likely to have more choices than not enough. In that way, we have power too, not only to choose what we watch and support, but also how we reconnect with our inner child. Maybe we do that by watching the originals instead of the reboots or looking through the early years of our social media or asking to see old photographs and physical mementos from our childhood. In essence, it’s about finding healthy ways to honor how we’ve grown despite circumstances outside of our control. So while reboots might not be going anyway any time soon, here’s hoping studios will, at the very least, understand what we’re nostalgic for and make content our younger selves would actually want to watch. Sofia Aguilar is a first-year grad student in the Library and Information Science program. Her column appears weekly. She can be reached at saguilar07@syr.edu.
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men’s lacrosse
Beat writers predict SU will best Vermont in season-opener By Daily Orange Sports Staff
Expectations are high for Syracuse to make its return to the NCAA Tournament. It failed to qualify for the big dance in each of head coach Gary Gait’s first two years at the helm. But heading into a crucial 2024 season — where SU begins ranked No. 9 nationally, fortified the Faceoff X and added Preseason First-Team All-American midfielder Jake Stevens — this is primed to be the year for Gait to meet the “orange standard.” Before it enters the heart of its daunting schedule, which includes facing seven of the top eight preseason ranked teams in the country, Syracuse’s first three contests come against unranked, nonconference opponents. The Orange begin their campaign Saturday versus Vermont, a program they defeated 7-5 in the 2023 season opener. The Catamounts are the reigning America East Conference regularseason champions after they went undefeated in AEC play last year. Here’s how our beat writers think No. 9 Syracuse will fare against Vermont in its season opener at the JMA Wireless Dome:
Zak Wolf (0-0)
Uneventful opener Syracuse 14, Vermont 7 It’s a brand new season for Syracuse who opens up 2024 with a relatively easy matchup. Despite being the reigning AEC regular season champions, Vermont has lost a lot from last season. The Catamounts lost starting defenders Jackson Canfield and Danny Manning, both of whom combined to make 46 starts in the last two years. Goalie Matt Shaffer is gone as well along with faceoff man Tommy Burke who had a 64.1% career faceoff percentage. In 2023’s opening game, Vermont tested Syracuse, but the Orange survived, eventually pulling out a tight win. This time around I expect a more lopsided result. With questions surrounding Vermont’s defense and faceoff spot, I expect SU to exploit these weaknesses. Vermont’s two returning faceoff specialists, Gavin Bergeron and Henry Dodge, are a combined 7-for-26 on attempts with neither ever starting a game. Mason Kohn should dominate whoever lines up against him, which in turn will help give the offense more opportunities to score. I could see this game being tight in the first quarter, just because it’s the first real game action
Our beat writers agree that Syracuse men’s lacrosse will open its 2024 campaign, and quest for a return to the NCAA tournament, with a win over Vermont. jacob halsema staff photographer
from page 16
mond, Fitzmaurice has capitalized on brand deals, attending Super Bowl LVII and the 2023 NBA All Star Game as an influencer. Additionally, Fitzmaurice has reached brand deals with companies like Seat Geek, 2K Sports, Draft Kings, House of Highlights and MGM Resorts to engage her fans and new potential customers through NIL. When
lolofitzmo from the beginning, I wanted her to be the face of our women’s basketball creators and she’s been that for the last year and a half,” said Michael Raymond, Fitzmaurice’s agent. In a year-and-a-half of working with Rayfrom page 16
harper Harper said. “It’s not always the easiest situation to be in when you’re facing 40-to-45 shots at night, so we asked her to control what she can control. She’s very competitive. She’s out there. She wants to win … She has done an outstanding job.” Kelley came to Syracuse as a polished goalie, but has still improved, especially on the little details of her game, Smith said. Kelley said Harper’s confidence in her has led to her historic season. Van Vliet, SU’s backup goaltender, has played in four games this season, highlighted by her shutout against Lindenwood on Nov. 17. Harper’s dialogue-based coaching style has helped her improve, Van Vliet said. “Whenever we review tape or review stuff, (Harper) is always open to our suggestions and then he will also give his own suggestions,” Van Vliet said. “We work together in tandem. It’s awesome having a goalie coach like (Harper) who is open to our feedback as well. It’s just a very good dynamic.” Van Vliet has handled the backup role well, despite not knowing when exactly she’ll have to play, Harper said. Gould, the No. 3 goalie, pushes Kelley and Van Vliet at practice, impressing Harper with her questions. Gould and Van
for either team. But ultimately I expect Syracuse to outclass Vermont as the game progresses. But if SU fails to win or even lets Vermont hang around it’ll only raise more questions about a program which has been stuck in mediocrity the past two seasons.
Cooper Andrews (0-0) Déjà vu Syracuse 10, Vermont 6
An unanswered four-goal outburst by Vermont left Syracuse trailing 5-4 in the third quarter the last time the two sides met. It was a sloppy affair for SU, which lost the faceoff battle 9-7 and went a season-worst 17-for-24 on clears. Ultimately, though, the back end held strong through the fourth while Joey Spallina and Jackson Birtwistle netted a pair of goals to regain the lead. I think this next season-opening edition versus Vermont will play out similarly for Syracuse. A new-look defense, with defensive coordinator
Vliet have shown improvement in their lateral quickness and their hands to control rebounds, Harper said. On Thursdays ahead of a weekend series, Harper makes and sends his “goalie pre-scout report” to Smith and Kelley, who can then learn from his comments. Smith shares the film with the team, which helps Syracuse prepare for its opponents — specifically, the opposing goalie. Harper’s impact expands to the skaters on the team, too. In the “puck plan” he brings to practices, the defenders learn the goalie “lingo.” Harper’s oversight gives the Orange cohesive defensive zone coverage and enables them to get clean puck breakouts, Smith said. His pre-scout helps the entire team understand the weaknesses of the opposing goalie, leading to scoring strategies. When Harper attends games, he helps explain how to exploit the opposing goalie, Smith said. “As coaches, it’s really helpful to see what he’s talking with our goalies about so we can make sure we’re watching for it and reiterating it,” Smith said. “For goalies to really be able to go back and watch clip for clip and have those points, (it gives them) a focus for the week as well.” tswilcox@syr.edu @TimmyWilcox32
John Odierna pushing the buttons, should limit UVM top goal-scorer Brock Haley’s production yet again after being held to one point in their previous matchup. Even through potential struggles with a relatively young defensive group, fifth-year goalie Will Mark can easily hold his ground. Yet I also believe SU’s attack needs to knock off some rust. Spallina still needs time to truly gel with five-star freshman Trey Deere, Lehigh transfer Christian Mulé and offensive-minded midfielders, and Princeton transfers, Stevens and Sam English. As a result, I envision a back and forth flow for the majority of the game. But the Orange have far too much firepower not to pull away late.
Anish Vasudevan (0-0) Clawing Catamounts Syracuse 9, Vermont 7
The Catamounts 2023 season came to a resounding halt in the first round of the AEC executed correctly, Raymond estimates that high-level athlete-creators can make $500,000 or more in a year. Fitzmaurice wouldn’t be in this position without basketball, which she says has “opened every door” in her life. She’s not a professional athlete, but she’s expanded her influence as an athlete-creator.
Tournament. After going undefeated in conference play for the second consecutive year, their offense sputtered against UAlbany, tying a season-low four goals. They’re coming into 2024 looking for revenge, trying to get back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2022. Yes, it is losing a lot of key weapons in all three facets of the game, but the reigning AEC Coach of the Year in Chris Feifs is back. They’re going to find the replacements they need and, because of this, I think the game is going to be a lot closer than Zak predicted. This is going to be a close game until the fourth quarter, just like it was last year. Still, I think Syracuse is going to come out on top with Spallina, Owen Hiltz and Deere leading the attack. This is the game for Spallina, the faceoff unit and Odierna’s new-look defense to experiment with their identity for the year. sports@dailyorange.com
“Although she didn’t have the opportunity to take advantage of NIL while she was in school, she is the perfect example of what certain female athletes can do if they don’t go to the WNBA or they don’t go pro,” Raymond said. justingirshon@gmail.com @JustinGirshon
Syracuse’s first-year goaltenders coach Nick Harper works two other jobs, yet has helped SU’s goalies set multiple program records this season. courtesy of su athletics
from page 13
wf predictions defense plays against Wake Forest. The game will be close for the most of it, but I think the Demon Deacons will pull away with a late double-digit lead.
Tyler Schiff (17-4)
Now or never Syracuse 75, Wake Forest 71
Syracuse’s loss to Boston College hurt its hopes at an NCAA Tournament bid immensely. On Jan. 23, the Orange’s shock loss at home to Florida State marked the first time they lost to a team outside the AP Top 25 poll. The defeat to BC injects severe doubt on whether SU can dance again in March following a three-year absence. Yet wins against teams like Wake Forest amplifies Syracuse’s postseason chances, despite
not forgiving prior losses. The Demon Deacons rank fourth in the ACC in field goal percentage (52.8%) and third in 3-point percentage (38.2%). It’s a tall task but one that’s achievable if the Orange play to the best of their abilities. If Starling continues to show up — provided he plays after taking a hard fall Tuesday against BC — and Brown persists to be a powerful inside presence, Syracuse stands
a chance. It needs to tighten up defensively opposite Sallis and sharpshooter Cameron Hildreth but matches up well with Wake Forest on paper. Yes, it’s hopeful thinking, but provided SU’s small margin for error throughout the tail end of conference play, I believe the Orange pull off a surprise win in North Carolina. sports@dailyorange.com
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women’s basketball
Opponent Preview: Everything to know prior to Louisville By Justin Girshon asst. sports editor
After a statement 79-65 win over Notre Dame on Jan. 25 — SU’s first-ever win against the Fighting Irish in South Bend — the Orange won their sixth consecutive game, their largest winning streak since winning eight straight games at the start of the season. On Sunday, Syracuse hosted then-No. 19 Virginia Tech, but the Hokies’ 3-point shooting and suffocating zone defense snapped the Orange’s winning streak. Unlike its recent fourth-quarter dominance against Notre Dame, Clemson and then-No. 15 Florida State, Syracuse was outscored 20-15 in the final frame, losing 75-62. Despite its loss against Virginia Tech, SU’s upset win over Notre Dame moved it to No. 21 in this week’s AP Poll — its highest ranking under second-year head coach Felisha Legette-Jack. Now, the Orange travel to the KFC Yum! Center to face Louisville — who are first place in the ACC at 7-1. The Cardinals are 11-0 at home this season and have won their last two games against Boston College and Pittsburgh after falling to then-No. 23 North Carolina 79-68 on the road. Here’s everything to know ahead of No. 21 Syracuse’s (17-3, 7-2 ACC) matchup with No. 16 Louisville (18-3, 7-1 ACC):
All-time series
Louisville leads 19-7.
Last time they played...
After defeating the Orange a month earlier at home, Louisville traveled to Syracuse on Jan. 29, 2023, looking to complete a season sweep. Starting guard Teisha Hyman only played five minutes due to injury, but the Orange commanded a 36-34 halftime lead. Georgia Woolley came off the bench to score a team-high 20 points while Dyaisha Fair notched 19, but the rest of the team combined for just 28 points. Down the stretch, the Orange’s offense stalled, shooting 4-for-18 from the field in the fourth quarter. The Cardinals outscored SU 45-31 in the second half, fueling a 79-67 win.
The Cardinal report
After an Elite Eight appearance last season, Louisville is a completely different team. Hailey Van Lith, a First Team All-ACC selection who led the team with 19.7 points per game, transferred to LSU for her senior season. Meanwhile, Chrislyn Carr and Morgan Jones,
the Cardinals’ next leading scorers, graduated from the program. To re-tool, the Cardinals utilized the transfer portal. Kiki Jefferson (12.9 points) is a graduate transfer from James Madison and Jayda Curry (9.3) is a junior transfer from UCLA. Louisville has also improved internally, with senior Olivia Cochran playing the best season of her collegiate career while sophomore Nyla Harris has more than doubled her scoring from last season. Five Louisville players average more than nine points but none total more than 13 per game. Depending on the game, the Cardinals’ rotation ranges from nine to 11 players, with Corchran the only player to average more than 25 minutes per game (25.3). Despite Van Lith’s departure, Louisville is averaging 2.6 more points per game (75.9) — the 37th best in Division I per HerHoopStats — than it did last season. The Cardinals’ defense has also improved drastically, as its 59.4 points allowed per game is the 62nd lowest in D-I, over 100 spots better than the 2022-23 team.
How Syracuse beats Louisville
Louisville is one of the most well-rounded teams in the ACC and NCAA. It can score from anywhere on the court, plays solid defensively and has a deep rotation. But the Cardinals’ biggest deficiency is their front-court. Cochran and Harris are the Cardinals’ only two forwards to appear in all 21 of their games while reserve forwards Alexia Mobley and Hennie Van Schaik play sparingly, if at all. This has led Louisville to corral only 23.7 defensive rebounds (247th in D-I) and block 1.8 shots (336th in D-I) per game. If Syracuse continues its offensive rebounding success — its 16.8 offensive rebounds per game rank fourth in D-I — against the Cardinals, secondchance points could prove to be the game’s difference maker. Additionally, without a shot-blocking force in the middle of Louisville’s defense, SU needs to pound the rock inside on dribble penetrations and pick and rolls to spur success.
Stat to know: 19.2%
In Syracuse’s loss against Virginia Tech on Sunday, the 3-point disparity hurt the Orange. But against Louisville, SU likely won’t get torched from behind the arc. Only 19.2% of the Cardinals’ points come from 3, the 329th lowest in D-I. When Louisville does shoot the ball from deep, it shoots a respectable 33.0% clip, but
Following its six-game winning streak being snapped Sunday, SU faces No. 16 Louisville on the road. arnav pokhrel staff photographer
its only true 3-point threats are Jefferson, Curry and reserve guard Eylia Love. If Fair, the ACC’s leader in 3-point makes per game, continues her success from deep and Syracuse receives a lift from its secondary scorers from behind the arc, the Orange can flip the script that hampered them against VT.
Player to watch: Kiki Jefferson, guard, No. 12 After a campaign in which she averaged 18.3 points, 7.9 rebounds and 2.9 assists
per game, Jefferson was named the 2023 Sun Belt Player of the Year. But for her fifth collegiate season, she transferred to Louisville, where she has emerged as the Cardinals’ leading scorer. Although her scoring average has decreased by over five points per game, Jefferson is shooting a career-best 50.6% from the field while her 39.5% 3-point percentage is the second-best of her career. justingirshon@gmail.com @JustinGirshon
men’s basketball
Beat writers split on whether Syracuse will defeat Wake Forest By Daily Orange Sports Staff
Despite winning its first meeting with Boston College on Jan. 10, Syracuse slumped to a 80-75 loss at Conte Forum Tuesday. The Orange gave up a 21-0 run — spanning both halves — which built up a 14-point deficit they couldn’t overcome. Though Judah Mintz and J.J. Starling tallied 18 points each, BC’s Claudell Harris Jr. canned four 3’s down the stretch to seal a home victory. SU forward Maliq Brown totaled 15 and seven rebounds, while holding Eagles’ star Quinten Post to single-digit scoring, but Syracuse couldn’t finish with the win. SU rounds out its two-game road trip with a visit to Wake Forest. The Demon Deacons are coming off of a 77-72 loss to Pittsburgh and cur-
rently sit at sixth place in the Atlantic Coast Conference rankings. Here’s how our beat writers think Syracuse (14-7, 5-5 Atlantic Coast) fares against Wake Forest (13-7, 5-4 ACC) Saturday:
Cole Bambini (17-4)
0-3 in NC Wake Forest 77, Syracuse 71 Syracuse comes off a loss to Boston College, a team it should’ve beaten for the second time this season. Instead a dominant Eagles run and strong second half 3-point shooting kept the Orange’s comeback at bay. Entering Wake Forest, a team that’s a perfect 11-0 at home, I
find it difficult for the Orange to bounce back in this game. Sure, Syracuse has found a way to bounce back following conference defeats, but taking on a Wake Forest team that boasts four scorers averaging above 14 points a game, might be a tough task Saturday. What hurt SU versus Boston College was the Eagles’ 50% mark from deep and 60% overall from the field. Wake Forest is the third-highest 3-point shooting team in the conference, and if the Demon Deacons get going from the perimeter, I think Syracuse might be playing another game of catch-up.
Henry O’Brien (17-4)
Can’t stop the shooting Wake Forest 81, Syracuse 71
Syracuse has been proficient at stopping the 3-point shot in this past month. But that came to a screeching halt against Boston College. A 21-0 run between the first and second halves doomed the Orange. While I don’t expect them to allow that again, I have a feeling Wake Forest, a team that has one of the best effective field goal percentages in the ACC, will have a solid shooting night. Gonzaga transfer Hunter Sallis has been the scorer the Demon Deacons need. He shouldn’t have too much trouble against the Orange, but Mintz and a mixture of Brown and Quadir Copeland will certainly be up for the challenge. Still, the game will come down to how SU’s man see wf predictions page 12
After falling in two of its last three ACC contests, our beat writers are split on whether Syracuse will bounce back on the road against Wake Forest. Last season, the Orange and the Demon Deacons split in their two meetings, which included former head coach Jim Boeheim’s last game on March 8, 2023. nick luttrell staff photographer
14 february 1, 2024
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Syracuse’s inconsistent 3-point defense has hindered it throughout ACC play in January, leading to a 4-4 record. Against Boston College Tuesday, the Orange allowed BC to shoot over 40% from long range. maxine brackbill photo editor
men’s basketball
SU’s inconsistent 3-point defense leads to middling ACC slate By Henry O’Brien senior staff writer
Throughout January, Syracuse has been inconsistent in conference play. It went 4-4, without a winning streak of more than two games, but never went on a multi-game losing streak. One stat defining SU’s inconsistency is its 3-point defense. Over the past month, Syracuse allowed opponents to shoot 40% from 3 just twice in losses to then-No. 7 Duke and Boston College. The defense hasn’t always been perfect even in wins; UNC’s RJ Davis made 4-of-6 attempts in the blowout loss at Chapel Hill. But the Orange have undoubtedly improved from the start of the season when they allowed 10 3-pointers to Canisius. Head coach Adrian Autry said the reason his team has defended better around the arc is because the players have improved on staying tight to prolific 3-point shooters. “I think defensively in the last couple of games our alertness to where shooters are has been a lot better,” Autry said on Monday. There was no better example of this than on Jan. 16 against Pittsburgh. Facing the Panthers, Syracuse encountered Blake Hinson, the Atlantic Coast Conference leader in 3-point field goals.
The Orange already contained him once in the JMA Wireless Dome, forcing Hinson to go 1-for-7 from beyond the arc. On the road, they did it again, limiting Hinson to just two makes on 11 shots from deep. On nearly all of Hinson’s 3-pointers, he had an SU defender in his face. With just over three minutes left and the Orange up 11, Hinson received a pass near the Pitt logo and tried to pull up from deep. But as Hinson received the catch-and-shoot 3, SU’s Quadir Copeland had a hand in his face. In turn, Hinson’s shot barely hit the rim and J.J. Starling got the rebound. Hinson isn’t alone in struggling against the Orange on 3-point shots. Miami’s Wooga Poplar (1-for-5), NC State’s DJ Horne (3-for-10) and Florida State’s Darin Green (3-for-10) all struggled against SU from beyond the arc in January. Horne, who has the third-most 3-pointers in the ACC, only made one 3-pointer on five attempts in the first half. SU’s stifling defense forced Horne into one of his worst performances of the season. “I feel like we took away their 3-pointers like we did against Pitt,” Chris Bell said following the 77-65 victory. “...Really (it’s about) staying focused, staying with the shooters, playing defense.” Along with the assistant coaches scouting the opponents’ personnel, Bell mentioned
how working on defense over the summer helped players defend the 3 better. He said one of the biggest aspects that the team worked on was how to rotate off each other and keep the defensive unit intact. If one player got beat in their spot, Bell said others didn’t have to feel like they had to become a help defender. On the 3s that the Wolfpack made off secondchance opportunities, Bell noted that getting the rebound was crucial, as four of NC State’s 3-pointers came off offensive rebounds. But in the Orange’s last game of the month in Chestnut Hill, their 3-point defense showed their inconsistency. Boston College hit 10 3-pointers, which Autry said was the difference in his team failing to come back against the Eagles. Starling said Syracuse stopped playing as a unit and stopped defending. BC flawlessly found open spots around the 3-point line and Claudell Harris Jr. ended up making half of the team’s shots from deep. “He just made shots,” Copeland said of Harris Jr.’s performance on Tuesday. “He got shots, you contest it. He made it.” Harris Jr. made his first 3-pointer in the first half from the left wing after a BC pickand-roll drew SU defenders. In the second half, Harris Jr. heated up Boston College’s lead and hindered a Syracuse comeback.
Harris Jr. isn’t the only shooter to dissect Syracuse’s defense as Duke’s Jared McCain shot 4-of-6 from beyond the arc on Jan. 2. With SU defenders focusing on Blue Devils like Jeremy Roach and Kyle Filipowski, McCain — the fourth-best 3-point shooter on the roster — was left all alone. The rebounding that had helped NC State have marginal success also helped put Boston College in the lead against Syracuse. With the Orange up by seven points in the first half, Devin McGlockton’s layup attempt was too strong, causing a scramble for the ball. Quentin Post was the first to grab it and immediately kicked it out to Chas Kelley III. After one more pass, Mason Madsen nailed a shot from the right wing. To the Orange’s credit, they had two more offensive rebounds than the Eagles in the contest, but Boston College won the overall rebounding battle by 10. While Autry didn’t mention rebounding after the loss, he did on Monday and simply highlighted how his team can maintain a healthy 3-point defense. “There’s two things that are hard to defend, especially when you talk about the 3-point shot: transition and offensive rebounds,” Autry said Monday. “We got to do a better job of rebounding the ball.” henrywobrien1123@gmail.com @realhenryobrien
men’s lacrosse
Opponent Preview: What to know before matchup with Vermont By Anish Vasudevan
The Catamounts report
Syracuse kickstarts seven straight home games Saturday, facing Vermont for the third-time ever. The Orange are coming off a 8-7 finish where they didn’t qualify for the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season. It was the first time SU has ever missed out on the tournament in back-to-back years since first making it in 1979. Meanwhile, the Catamounts are coming off to a 9-5 record in 2023 which ended with a 10-4 loss to UAlbany in the America East Conference tournament despite going undefeated in regular season conference play. Here’s everything you need to know before Syracuse (0-0, 0-0 Atlantic Coast) faces Vermont (0-0, 0-0 America East):
Vermont is coming off another strong performance in the America East, finishing undefeated in conference play for the second consecutive season. But its offense was mostly carried by Brock Haley and David Closterman, who finished with 52 and 49 points, respectively. Both players have since graduated from the team. The Catamounts were one of the best defensive teams nationally, finishing the 2023 season with the 10th-best (10.29) scoring defense. In 2022, they allowed 9.21 goals per game, but like their offense, starting goalie Matt Shaffer has since left the team. Overall, their faceoff specialists, goalies and poles don’t have a lot of experience. All of Vermont’s 2023 All-Conference First Team selections have graduated.
All-time series
How Syracuse beats Vermont
editor-in-chief
Syracuse leads 2-0.
Last time they played
The Orange opened the 2023 season against Vermont, narrowly winning 7-5. Syracuse trailed 1-0 by the end of the first quarter, but it used a four-goal second quarter to take control of the game. SU did blow a three-goal lead in the third quarter, tying things up heading into the final period. But Jackson Birtwistle and Owen Hiltz delivered the final blows, helping Syracuse get its first win in 315 days. “It was a good test for us,” Head coach Gary Gait said postgame, not wearing a suit for the first time in his head coaching career. “And, obviously, we’re a young team, a new team, (we) are different than what we were last year. And we got a lot of work ahead of us to improve.”
A win is expected from the Orange on Saturday. This is the game to test out their depth in every position, most importantly the faceoff unit. Everyone who followed SU’s 2023 season knew faceoffs were its biggest Achilles heel. Now, with Division III’s best faceoff specialist, Mason Kohn, and four-star freshman John Mullen, these issues should be fixed. Saturday will be the time to try out Kohn and Mullen as well as see how they work alongside new wings Jake Stevens and Sam English. To put away any doubt about this new faceoff unit, SU should win almost 70% of battles at the X. The Catamounts are also without Tommy Burke, who recorded the third-best faceoff percentage in the country last year (64.8%). Offensively, Syracuse might run into issues versus Vermont. The Catamounts only gave up double-digits in goals in half of their games last year. Joey Spallina also faced issues opposite its
In the opening game of the 2024 season, Syracuse faces the reigning America East Conference regular-season champions Vermont. jacob halsema staff photographer
defense last year, but it was his first game in an SU uniform. If Spallina can get going early, feeding the other returners on the attack like Michael Leo, Hiltz and Birtwistle, it should open up the field for even more new additions to score.
Stat to know: 12.13
While the Catamounts had a top defense in the country, Syracuse had one of the worst. The Orange allowed 12.13 goals per game last year, which was 44th nationally. Gait addressed this problem in the offseason, hiring former Manhattan coach John Odierna to take over for defensive coordinator Dave Pietramala. Replacing the greatest defensive player of all-time is a tall task, but Odierna has rou-
tinely produced the best defenses in Division I lacrosse with Manhattan. Last year, the Jaspers allowed 8.00 goals per game (the best scoring defense in the country). He’s looking to make the same changes at Syracuse.
Player to watch: Tristan Whitaker, forward, No. 23
With the loss of Haley and Closterman, Vermont is in serious need of a main offensive option. Tristan Whitaker made the America East All-Conference Second Team last year as a freshman, finishing third in scoring with 16 goals and 11 assists. There’s no question the offense will be centered around him Saturday. anish.sujeet@gmail.com @anish_vasu
SPORTS
16 february 1, 2024
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TRENDSETTER @lolofitzmo 1m followers
Lauren Fitzmaurice stars as an athletecreator with over 1.6 million social media followers
By Justin Girshon asst. sports editor
L @lolofitzmo 320k followers
@lolofitzmo 290k subscribers
auren Fitzmaurice is no longer a Division I basketball player. Nor does she play professionally. But in many ways, she’s a professional athlete, morphing her athletic lifestyle and social media content to reach millions. Through a unique blend of content leveraging her name, image and likeness, Fitzmaurice is a full-time athlete-creator — a newfound profession made possible by the ever-changing landscape of social media and sports marketing. Out2Win Sports, a media company which has popularized the “athlete-creator,” ranked Fitzmaurice as the third-best professional in the world. With her unique platform, she wants to put a spotlight on women’s basketball. “I’ve made a focus on women, women’s basketball … which is no easy task because the primary audience on YouTube, especially for sports, are boys that can be hateful,” Fitzmaurice said. “In the last two years, I have been able to convince a primarily male audience that women’s basketball is worth watching.” Fitzmaurice, a guard on Syracuse’s women’s basketball team from 2017-2020, has used her creative background to produce basketball and lifestyle videos. Fitzmaurice has generated 1.6 million followers across TikTok, Instagram and YouTube. In the process, Fitzmaurice has leveraged her NIL to secure partnership deals with brands including Amazon, Adidas and Gatorade. “She takes the sport of basketball, which people have such an affinity for, and makes it into
content,” said Jack Adler, the founder and CEO of Out2Win Sports. “That’s what an athletecreator really is and she’s just a perfect example of someone who does it in amazing fashion.” While athletics has been at the forefront of Fitzmaurice’s life, she always wanted to work in video and film. As a student-athlete, she filmed SU games, edited footage and brainstormed video concepts and social media content as a creative intern for Syracuse Athletics. Fitzmaurice also founded Opulent Productions in college, which she utilizes to make her content today. The brand’s mission is to serve as a premier media production company and talent agency, according to its Instagram. As a result of her media success while at Syracuse, Fitzmaurice moved to Los Angeles after graduation. She originally moved out west to grow Opulent Productions, but after being featured in a YouTube video by AMP — a group with over five million subscribers — her career path drastically changed. A collection of LA-based YouTubers, including AMP, influenced Fitzmaurice to start making her own videos. Ten days later, on July 22, 2021, she posted her first YouTube video — an 11-minute question-and-answer session. After her first two uploads, which now have over 110,000 views, Fitzmaurice said she became monetized. Then, her next YouTube video energized her success. Along with female influencers Jenna Brandy, Stephania Ergemlidze, Grace Hunter and Kookie, Fitzmaurice dominated basketball runs at LA Fitness. Her highlevel basketball play stood out, but her creative prowess is what shined, as the video has since garnered 220,000 views. After her next video, Fitzmaurice said her YouTube channel
was already more profitable than her production company. But instead of abandoning Opulent Productions, Fitzmaurice used the production company to create content for the channel. “Most YouTubers are just the star of their video, they don’t do much else,” Fitzmaurice said. “They hire people that have a background in media to film (and do) everything else. But because my background is in media … I’ve edited all of my videos.” Fitzmaurice is the star, director, editor and producer for all of her videos. While she would produce more content if she split responsibilities, Fitzmaurice said she ensures her content is produced at the highest quality by taking full control. Throughout her content creation process, Fitzmaurice emphasizes creativity and empowering women’s basketball. On April 24, 2022, Fitzmaurice — because her comments thought boys didn’t play as hard against girls — dressed up as a man while playing. After the game, Fitzmaurice revealed who she was, stunning the players. The video exploded for eight million views and 1.5 million likes on TikTok. “(Engagement is) something that can be hard once you start growing,” Fitzmaurice said. “Once you have followers, you have this expectation to perform and it can be really hard when you’re only focussing on followers and views when it’s really a creative process.” Using her creative skills, Fitzmaurice produces one-of-a-kind viral videos. On April 14, 2023, she dressed up as a doctor alongside Ty Glover. In the 30-second TikTok, Fitzmaurice drains a long-range 3-pointer, but the viral moment came when she threw an alley-oop lob to Glover, who dunked on an opponent. Notching 18.3 million views and 2.9 million likes, it’s one of her most viral videos. As an athlete-creator, Fitzmaurice has utilized her NIL, but it was amplified after she signed with Raymond Representation on Sept. 13, 2022. “I told (Fitzmaurice)
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By morphing her athletic lifestyle and social media content, SU alumnus Lauren Fitzmaurice stars as an athlete-creator. She’s amassed over 1.6 million followers across all social media platforms while empowering the sport of women’s basketball. courtesy of lauren fitzmaurice
ice hockey
Nick Harper works 3 jobs but has transformed SU’s goalie room By Timmy Wilcox asst. digital editor
Nick Harper first met the Syracuse women’s ice hockey goalies at a Starbucks. Harper wanted his first meeting with Allie Kelley, Amelia Van Vliet and Bella Gould to be off the ice, creating a bond beyond the game. “(Harper) got to know us, which I think is good because it’s not just about goaltending,” Van Vliet said. “It’s also about getting to know us as a person and how we respond to certain types of coaching styles.” In Aug. 2023, Harper, originally from Syracuse, was hired as SU’s goaltenders coach. At the same time, he works as a
physical education and health teacher at Onondaga Nation School and is the goaltenders coach for Cortland men’s hockey. Having multiple professional commitments means he can’t attend every Syracuse game. But so far at SU, he’s led a goalie group which has set multiple program records. “(He brings) consistency every week with our goalies,” Smith said. “We’re extremely lucky to have someone like him who’s as dedicated as he is.” Harper coaches at weekly goalie sessions and attends as many games as possible that fit with his Cortland schedule. According to head coach Britni Smith, he’s yet to miss a SU home game this season.
“It’s something that doesn’t feel like work,” Harper said. “It’s that feeling of enjoying going to the rink every day and I’m fortunate enough to do it, six or seven days of the week.” Despite limited in-person coaching, he has been crucial to SU’s preparation. Harper spends most of his week going over film, where he leaves critiques for goalies. Harper sends a list of plays soon after games so they can improve. “With (Kelley) I like doing both goals against and also the positives,” Harper said. “(I like to) show her what she did well and what we can work on.” On Tuesdays, Harper holds “goalie skates,” with SU’s goalies and two or
three skaters. There, Harper bases the sessions off of the team’s previous games, focusing on goals allowed while perfecting the smaller “nitpick” things, Van Vliet said. Harper intends to take the goalies through different situations and drills that always have a purpose. He has implemented setting up blockers in front of the goaltenders to simulate screens. Harper said there’s no excuse not to find the puck, so spotting the opponents’ release point through distractions is key. At the end of goalie sessions, Kelley and the other goalies get to tailor the time toward their personal improvement.
“(Harper) will let me pick the drills that I want to work on,” Kelley said. “We always play out the rebounds and it’s just focused on me, which is nice. I can really ask for anything that I need.” In each of their first years at SU, Harper helped Kelley set two program records. On Jan. 16, Kelley set the single-game save record with 65 saves against St. Lawrence. Eleven days later, Kelley stamped her name atop the SU single-season saves record, eclipsing the 946 mark set by Lucy Schoedel in 2010 with six games left in the regular season. “We’ve asked a lot out of (Kelley) and she’s done a phenomenal job,”
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