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dailyorange.com
The Native Student Program at Syracuse University is working to promote visibility and awareness of indigenous cultures through activism on and off campus. Page 9
Invest Syracuse, Syracuse University’s $100 million fundraising initiative, is helping the Counseling Center expand hours and staffing. Page 3
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After losing two-straight games, most recently with a 44-37 defeat at Pittsburgh, the Orange enter their bye week needing a new solution to stop the run game. Page 12
on campus
Students react to Kavanaugh decision
Behind the curtain
By Casey Darnell asst. news editor
Syracuse University students and professors who opposed Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s Saturday confirmation to the Supreme Court expressed “outrage” with the Senate’s vote to support the 53-year-old judge, while the leader of SU’s College Republicans backed the move. Kavanaugh, who was confirmed Saturday by a 50-to-48 vote, faced multiple allegations of sexual misconduct, including sexual assault. Kavanaugh denied the allegations. Crystal Letona, president of Students Advocating Sexual Safety and Empowerment, said she was outraged by Kavanaugh’s confirmation — she was disappointed with how Sen. Susan Collins (D-M.E.) defended Kavanaugh despite sexual misconduct allegations by three women.
We saw a lot of changes being made without consulting students or even the chaplains themselves. Dina Eldawy
member of the su spiritual life council
Members of Hendricks’ Spiritual Life Council have expressed concerns about what they say is a lack of student and staff input in Dean Brian Konkol’s decisions as he works to expand student participation. madeline foreman staff photographer
How Brian Konkol’s efforts to revitalize Hendricks Chapel in his first year have generated praise, tension By Mary Catalfamo asst. digital editor
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ne of Brian Konkol’s goals when he first took over as dean of Hendricks Chapel in August 2017 was to make its programs more relevant to an increasingly nondenominational community.
Since then, his weekly interfaith program has won an award for promoting “spiritual and religious growth” on a college campus. Hendricks also hosted several forums in the wake of the Theta Tau videos controversy.This summer, the chapel received a $1 million donation. “In short, most of my student
leaders and I have witnessed a great support under Dean Konkol’s leadership, and overall, I think he is a blessing and gift not just for Hendricks Chapel, but for Syracuse University and (the) broader community as well,” said Amir Duric, Hendricks’ Muslim chaplain, in an email. see hendricks page 4
student association
2 SA cabinet members resign since August By Natalie Rubio-Licht contributing writer
Two Syracuse University Student Association cabinet members have resigned since the beginning of the fall 2018 semester, leaving vacancies on committees that work closely with SU administrators and help assess the needs of students. Evan Torrisi, the former chair of the Academic Affairs committee, stepped down because of his workload from a job at Fidelity Investments, he said. Noah Cyr,
the former Student Life committee chair, also resigned earlier this semester. Cyr declined to comment on this story. Ghufran Salih, SA’s president, opened both positions to applications from the student body in separate campus-wide emails in September and October. Salih and SA Vice President Kyle Rosenblum selected Torrisi and Cyr during the summer after an application and interview process. The SA assembly confirmed the pair during the first meeting of the
2018-19 academic year. Salih said in an October campuswide email that the Student Life chair plays an important role in assessing the needs of the campus. “In the past, the Chair of Student Life has organized initiatives such as the free menstrual products in the bathroom, trips to go apple picking or skiing, remote access for SU commuters, and more,” she said. Torrisi said his former position involves extensive communication with SA and the administration. “The kind of person that would
really enjoy this position are (those) that really like to make a change,” Torrisi said. Applicants for the Academic Affairs chair can think beyond the obvious aspects of what affects academics, such as looking at food insecurity and the safety of SU students, Rosenblum said. Both positions require attendance at three weekly meetings: committee meetings, cabinet meetings and assembly meetings, Torrisi said. nrrubiol@syr.edu
One side was going to feel the sting of some sort of injustice either way. Domenic Biamonte president of su college republicans
“It is going to make survivors feel like no matter what, even if we’re yelling from the rooftop, people are not listening to us, not believing us,” said Letona, who organized two recent protests against Kavanaugh on SU’s campus. Despite her initial feeling of defeat, she will continue to fight against sexual violence and rape culture, she said. “We only lost a small battle whereas right now there’s a whole war against women survivors, trans folk, women of color, queer folk, and it’s not gonna end here,” Letona said. Domenic Biamonte, a sophomore finance major and president of SU’s College Republicans, said he supported Kavanaugh’s confirmation. He said he believed Kavanaugh’s angry Senate testimony was justified because the judge watched his reputation “sink into a game of ‘he said, she said’” and experienced death threats against himself and his family. “I would probably have the same temperament that he did,” Biamonte said. “I don’t think it disqualifies him at all because his temperament is reflective of all the nonsense that was thrown at him see kavanaugh page 4