Nov. 9, 2020

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S • Creating his plan

N • Voting barriers

Before he became a starting centerback for Syracuse, Abdi Salim played for Empire United Soccer Academy and SUNY Buffalo State.

Page 12

Syracuse community members experienced challenges voting in the 2020 election. Some activists said it’s part of a systemic problem.

Page 3

MySlice Guide PAGES 6-7

STUDENTS CELEBRATE BIDEN, HARRIS WIN

University Neighborhood residents on Euclid Avenue celebrated Biden’s victory on their front lawns and roofs, or taped signs to their houses denouncing Trump. Other students joined the celebration from their cars.

emily steinberger photo editor

Students took to their cars, roofs and front lawns to celebrate Biden and Harris’ victory.

By Chris Hippensteel, Maggie Hicks, Sarah Alessandrini the daily orange

C

ars lapped Syracuse University’s campus on Saturday afternoon, drivers laying on their horns and blasting the day’s unofficial anthem from open windows.

“F*ck Donald Trump,” the chorus of “FTD” by YG and Nipsey Hussle,

We need unity now more than ever Isabella Salgado senior civil engineering major

blared from one car as it rolled down Waverly Avenue, passing Bird Library. A passenger leaned out the window, shouting along to the lyrics.

On Saturday morning, former Vice President and SU College of Law alumnus Joe Biden defeated incumbent Donald Trump to become the 46th president of the United States. Almost immediately after cable networks projected Biden’s victory see election page 4

election 2020

How Onondaga County plans to count mail-in ballots

By Sarah Alessandrini asst. news editor

The Onondaga County Board of Elections will begin counting over 57,400 absentee ballots on Tuesday, which will potentially decide the outcome of several local races.

The county planned to begin counting on Nov. 9, until multiple candidates, including Rep. John Katko

(R-Camillus) of New York’s 24th Congressional District, filed lawsuits for greater oversight of the counting process. As a result, the board of elections will delay the counting by one day.

Onondaga County had received 57,407 ballots out of 68,468 applications as of Friday, according to the county board of elections.

As the county prepares to count mail-in ballots, here’s a breakdown

on what the process will look like:

Who is counting ballots, and what are they doing to prepare?

Forty bipartisan board of elections inspectors and employees will count ballots in Onondaga County, said Dustin Czarny, the county’s Democratic board of elections commissioner. He and Michele Sardo,

the Republican commissioner, will oversee the counting.

New York state law mandates that every board of elections have a Republican and Democratic commissioner.

To prepare, the staff is currently organizing the ballots that have come in and looking for any problems with provisional ballots, Czarny said. Voters receive a provisional ballot if a polling place questions

their eligibility to vote, then the provisional ballots are later counted if officials verify the voter’s eligibility.

What happens if a ballot has an issue?

If there’s a problem with a ballot, it will go through a cure process, Czarny said.

This process entails sending a letter to the voter notifying them of the issue see ballots page 4

2 nov. 9, 2020

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PAG E 3

nov. 9, 2020

election 2020

on campus

Syracuse voters face barriers during election SA works to improve textbook affordability

By Kailey Norusis staff writer

The community’s efforts to engage a diverse group of voters often fail, activists said, as organizers don’t recognize the technology divide that disproportionately impacts people of color. emily steinberger photo editor

By Marnie Muñoz staff writer

Syracuse natives Maxine and Otto McDonald cast their ballots together on Election Day at Erwin First United Methodist Church, the same polling place they’ve chosen since 1995. They did so even as a new wave of coronavirus cases spread across Onondaga County, posing a potential risk to voters.

“I vote every year in person — every year,” Maxine said, smiling behind her mask at her husband beside her.

“It makes you feel like you voted,” Otto said.

The coronavirus pandemic, which continues to ravage the United States and forced many Americans to reconsider how they voted this year, is just one of many accessibility issues that voters faced in the 2020 election. Even as Onondaga County experienced record-

breaking voter turnout, Syracuse community members, especially people of color, experienced barriers to casting their ballot.

The voting process is not equitable for everybody in Syracuse, said Cjala Surratt, a co-founder of the Black Leadership Coalition.

The pandemic only illuminated obstacles that have historically disenfranchised Syracuse’s Black and brown communities, she said.

For some marginalized communities, voting in 2020 has been particularly difficult because of barriers to accessing information.

Although county officials and local activist organizations have distributed election information online, Surratt said the community’s efforts to engage a diverse group of voters often fail, as organizers don’t recognize the technology divide that disproportionately impacts people of color.

An estimated 18 million U.S.

households do not have internet access, according to the Migration Policy Institute. A 2019 Pew Research study found that 25% and 23% of Black and Hispanic people can only access the internet via their cell phones, respectively.

The Onondaga County Board of Elections has worked diligently to send out information through mail and social media to inform county residents about voting this year, said Dustin Czarny, the Democratic commissioner of the board.

“We’ve done pretty much everything we can do at this point,” he said. “I don’t think anybody doesn’t know that an election is happening.”

But civic engagement groups also tend to exclude the most relevant information that some people need to know to register and vote, Surratt said.

Many previously incarcerated people falsely believe that they can’t vote because of previous con-

victions, but voting rights are automatically restored once a person is released from state prison and is off parole, she said.

Black people are incarcerated at a rate five times more than white people, while Hispanic people are almost twice as likely as white people to be incarcerated, according to the Prison Policy Initiative.

“When you have a community that’s disproportionately affected by the carceral state, that information should be readily known,” Surratt said.

Other times, city residents don’t receive voting information by mail because of incorrect addresses or because they live in a building complex with confusing apartment numbers, said Gina Iliev, a Black Leadership Coalition member.

Proximity to polling places and access to transportation also affects voting accessibility, Surratt said. see voting page 4

on campus

SU petitions to modify scholarship funds

By Michael Sessa asst. news editor

Syracuse University has petitioned to modify the purpose of endowment scholarship funds allocated for the School of Nursing, which has been closed for nearly 14 years, to support students in Falk College.

The petitions, which were filed in Onondaga County Supreme Court on Sept. 24, come after SU closed the School of Nursing in 2006 and more than 50 years after some of the scholarship funds were established.

SU established two funds — the School of Nursing Fund and the Special Fund — to provide scholarships for nursing students. SU is asking the New York State Attorney General to modify the purpose of

the funds to provide scholarships for students in similarly-aligned majors in Falk College’s public health program.

“Endowment funds are designed to last in perpetuity, and Syracuse University, as steward of these funds, is required to take prudent actions to ensure that a donor’s wishes are honored,” said Jennifer Horvath, communication directors for SU’s Business, Finance and Administrative Services.

The current fair market value of the School of Nursing Fund, which was established in 1943, is approximately $494,668. The Special Fund, which received its first donation in 1966, has a current value of $940,099.

SU awarded approximately $419,598 worth of scholarships from

the Special Fund, records show. The university awarded approximately $147,076 worth of scholarships from the School of Nursing Fund between 1982 and 2006 but doesn’t have records about the fund’s expenditures before 1982.

No expenditures have been made from either fund since the School of Nursing closed in 2006. It’s unclear why SU waited until 2020 to modify the purpose of these funds.

Scott Kemp, SU’s associate treasurer, said the university reviews its ability to spend all endowments and looks for candidates for modification “on a regular basis.”

The state passed new rules for modifying endowments in 2011, he said.

“Obviously, in these instances, we just have to be very careful that we honor a donor’s wishes in a closely-aligned purpose,” Kemp said.

Officials from SU’s Business, Finance and Administrative Services declined to comment further when asked why the university had not modified the funds earlier.

SU also petitioned to amend The Edith Roddy, Frank & Dora Horle Memorial Fund, which provided scholarships for juniors or seniors with a background in farming admitted to SUNY Upstate Medical University or in a nursing program at SU. The university is asking to modify the fund to provide scholarships see scholarships page 9

Student Association is coordinating with Syracuse University Libraries on an ongoing initiative to improve textbook affordability for students.

SA is working to expand students’ access to open educational resources — class materials and texts that are freely available online for public use — and provide more e-books through SU Libraries, said Ryan Golden, SA vice president. The program has been in its “beginning stages” for almost two years. “(The cost of textbooks) is a significant financial burden on many students, and they are integral to class,” said David Seaman, the dean of SU Libraries. “Classes are built around these materials, so you don’t really have the option of not having the textbook and whether it’s online or physical, it’s a significant cost.”

University libraries have a difficult time buying and accessing textbooks, which tends to make them more expensive, Seaman said. Publishers make money by selling individual textbooks to each student taking the class, so many will not sell textbooks to libraries because it contradicts their business model, he said.

To mitigate some textbooks costs, SU utilizes Open Educational Resources Commons, an online program where professors and students can search textbooks and other materials based on the title, subject area and education level. Textbook authors can publish their work on the site to offer quality textbooks at a reasonable price, Seaman said.

SU Libraries’ goal is to urge faculty to use more textbooks available on the resources commons so students don’t have to spend as much money on a list of textbooks every semester.

“We’re not in the business of telling the faculty what to use in the classroom, but if they’re unaware or if the individual doesn’t know these things are there, it might be helpful to put them into the mix of options,” Seaman said.

But since writers profit from textbook sales, authors are hesitant to publish their work on publicly accessible platforms like resources commons, Seaman said.

“It’s a difficult question because you are really asking someone to give up something of real value, for something else of real value,” he said. “It would come down to that individual professor’s sense of mission.”

Affordable textbook options for science, technology, engineering and mathematics classes are SA’s first priority, Golden said. While many students can find their classes’ readings online, STEM courses usually use traditional textbooks rather than materials that are easily accessible virtually or at the library.

Two years since SA launched the initiative, Golden said the organization is on a “fact-finding mission” for how to make textbooks more affordable to students. The next step is to promote different options the library has to faculty and students, Seaman said.

“This is the beginning of a student-led campus conversation around this topic,” Seaman said. kmnorusi@syr.edu

dailyorange.com news@dailyorange.com

4 nov. 9, 2020

from page 1

election around 11:30 am on Saturday, SU students and University Neighborhood residents took to their cars and front lawns, finding socially distanced ways to celebrate the victory.

Celebrations of Biden’s win also extended into downtown Syracuse. Over 100 demonstrators gathered in front of City Hall on Saturday night to celebrate the victory. The rally included several organizers from local activist groups — and others broke out into dance to music playing from loud speakers.

“I was so happy, like, ridiculously happy,” said Erin Manion, a junior studying music industry at SU. “I was cheering the whole day.”

A small line of vehicles brandishing Biden campaign signs looped around Walnut Park on Saturday afternoon, honking and playing music.

On Comstock Avenue, another driver laid on the horn of his car as he tore past a fraternity house, while the passenger hoisted a Biden sign out of the sunroof. A cheer rose up in return from the residents amassed on the house’s lawn.

Other University Neighborhood residents celebrated the victory on their front lawns or roofs, or taped signs to their houses, many of them denouncing Trump.

One group of students on Euclid Avenue held a “honk for Biden” sign for passing cars and played “FDT” on their speakers. Another house close by blasted Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’.”

Several SU students told The Daily Orange they felt relieved and proud upon hearing the news of a former SU alumnus’ election to the from page 1

ballots and allowing them seven days to mail back their corrected ballot.

The county has already found 800 ballots with problems that it has sent back to voters, Czarny said. Of those 800 ballots, voters have returned 500 to the board of elections, he said.

How are ballots counted, and how many will be counted per day?

After staff members sort the ballots, they will run them through high-power scanners. The results from those ballots will then be combined with the Election Day and early voting results to get the total number of votes.

The scanners can count about 8,000 ballots an hour, but the by-hand sorting from staff members could drag out the process by several days, Czarny said. The board will count ballots from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day and is hoping to complete between 8,000 and 10,000 ballots per day.

“We’re gonna have several days of counting ahead of us,” Czarny said.

Are there any concerns about voter fraud?

President Donald Trump and other Republican politicians have alleged, without evidence, that mail-in voting could result in voter fraud.

Czarny said voter fraud claims like Trump’s are baseless and damaging to voters’ trust in the electoral process.

“I’m always concerned about conspiracies, because at the end of the day, they tend to act in a way that’s oppressive,” Czarny said. “People don’t think their vote counts, and so they decide not to vote, and that’s really what their (conspiracies) intended to do.”

Katko, Sen. Rachel May (D-Syracuse) and from page 3

voting Three of the six early voting places in Onondaga County were located in Syracuse. Czarny previously pushed to increase the number to eight, but the effort fell through without the support of the BOE’s Republican commissioner, the Republican-controlled county legislature or the county executive, he said.

New York state expanded mail-in voting options ahead of the 2020 election due to the coronavirus pandemic . But voting in person remains important to some people, said Ayanna Harris, who voted at Salina Town Hall on Election Day. Some voters, especially essential workers, have to cast their ballot around their work schedule. James Boyd, who works in local parks, arrived at the Spiritual Renewal Center polling place on Lancaster Avenue around 6

presidency. Others expressed joy about Sen. Kamala Harris’ barrier-shattering election to the vice presidency. Harris will serve as the first woman, first Black and first Asian American vice president.

“I just felt safer,” said Isabella Salgado, a senior civil engineering major.

Salgado said she believes Biden has a set plan in place to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic, among other pressing issues facing the U.S.

Now that there’s a new administration in office, I feel like I might feel safer on the streets Aman Johnson freshman design studies major

While Trump has faced criticism over his response to the coronavirus pandemic, Biden plans to expand rapid COVID-19 testing across the country and implement a national mask mandate. The president-elect said in his victory speech on Saturday night that controlling the pandemic and mending political division in the country will be among his first priorities upon taking office in January.

“He’s not just working for the Democratic party. He’s working for all the parties,” Salgado said. “We need unity now more than ever.”

When Aman Johnson, a freshman design studies major, saw that Biden had won, he finally felt like he could breathe.

Growing up as a Black man, Johnson said his dad taught him to exercise caution if pulled over by police, something his white friends never had to worry about. His fear of being the victim of a hate crime increased over the past four years under Trump’s administration.

While Johnson doesn’t believe the Trump administration has done anything to promote racial discrimination in the U.S., he said it hasn’t condemned it either.

“Now that there’s a new administration in office, I feel like I might feel safer on the streets,” he said.

Trump faced criticism during his presidency for not taking a strong stance against white supremacy. After a 2017 clash between white nationalists and counter-protesters in Charlottesville, Virginia resulted in the killing of counter-protester Heather Heyer, Trump said there were “very fine people on both sides.”

Biden’s victory also comes in the wake of nationwide protests after the killing of George Floyd in May. Biden has firmly rejected calls to defund police departments, but he plans to spend an additional $300 million a year on community policing initiatives and other reforms.

While Biden will not solve systemic racism as president, underrepresented communities now have a leader who says he will look out for them, said Mikey Behr, a junior studying television, radio and film.

“Just people feeling protected, or minori-

ties feeling protected,” Behr said. “I don’t know if I care so much if straight, white people feel protected because they already are. Just to have a figurehead that at least says ‘I care about all of you’ (is important).”

Other students said they’re proud of Biden’s SU roots.

Lily Menk, a freshman magazine, news and digital journalism major, said she takes pride knowing that the current president is an alumnus of the university she’s currently attending.

“We’re freshmen, so it’s really weird that all four years (the president) will be an SU alum,” said Maggie Grinnell, a freshman international relations and classics major.

Kevin Ordonez, a senior civil engineering major, said having an SU alumnus as president gives him confidence as he prepares to enter the workforce and has inspired him to pursue his goals.

“I’m a first-generation student, so it’s great to be in a university where our president has attended,” Ordonez said.

For many students, the most exciting aspect of Biden’s election was having Harris in the White House.

Rey Kirby-Zullu, a freshman citizenship and civic engagement major, said she started crying in the library when she heard the news that Harris would serve as vice president. She cried again watching Harris’ victory speech.

“I was so excited to see someone who looks like me up on stage,” she said. “I’m gonna cry again.”

Asst. Digital Editor Abby Weiss contributed reporting for this story.

Angi Renna, a Republican candidate for New York’s 50th Senate District, filed lawsuits demanding greater oversight of the counting process for mail-in votes.

Renna’s campaign was demanding a large volume of documents that would have caused a one- or two-week delay in counting the absentee ballots, Czarny said. The resolution to delay counting by one day allowed the campaign to review the documents in person over the weekend before the board of election could begin counting, he said.

Katko declared victory over his challenger, Democrat Dana Balter, after polls closed on Election Day, although Balter has yet to concede the race.

The three-term incumbent was leading Balter by about 20 percentage points as of Tuesday night. Katko earned 155,830 votes after all ballots cast in-person on Election Day and during the early voting period were counted. Balter received 100,728 votes.

The number of ballots that Democrats returned would likely not surpass Katko’s existing lead over Balter.

Czarny said Katko’s lead does not impact the way the board counts ballots, especially since they still have to account for other local races.

“We count every ballot every year,” Czarny said.

When will we have the final results?

Czarny is unsure when the counting will be completed. The goal is to finish within a week, but he can’t guarantee that, he said.

“This is the first time we’ve done it in such large quantities,” Czarny said. “No estimate on when it’ll be done. (But) I would love to get done within seven days.”

scalessa@syr.edu @sarahalessan

a.m. on Election Day so he could cast his ballot before going to work.

Voting this year felt more accessible to Harris because of the accommodations her employer and her child’s school made in light of the pandemic, she said.

The inability to access public transportation can also pose challenges for voters who would prefer to cast their ballot in-person, Surratt said.

Only 27.6% of Syracuse households do not have access to a vehicle, according to a recent CNY Fair Housing report. While most Centro bus routes are concentrated in Syracuse, reliable transportation is still a significant issue for many people living in the city’s public housing, the report stated.

Besides maintaining expanded early and mail-in voting options, other policy changes could make voting more accessible, Iliev said.

Adding pre-paid postage to ballots, for exam-

The county board of elections had received 57,407 ballots out of 68,468 applications as of Friday, corey henry senior staff photographer

ple, could mitigate barriers people with low incomes face in casting their ballot, she said.

In an earlier congressional primary election in central New York, voter turnout soared after the state provided postage for mail-in voters at the time.

“The mode of voting changes the outcome,” Iliev said. “So the easier you make it –– the closer to home, rather, that you make it –– the more likely it is that Black and brown communities are going to engage.”

Many Syracuse community members are experiencing anxiety about the impacts of the election for Black people and people of color, especially as communities of color are disproportionately impacted by the pandemic, Surratt said. Immigrants who are unable to vote have rallied to encourage those who can to do so, she said.

Now more than ever, it is crucial that Syracuse voters can make their voices heard in

local politics, Surratt said. The local community, not just city developers or officials at Syracuse University, which some residents have said has an outsized influence in the city, should have a say in determining their elected officials, she said.

In a display of solidarity, Black Leadership Coalition members spent several days handing out coffee to early voters waiting in line to cast their ballot, some of them in near-freezing temperatures.

“We wanted people to see that we were rooting for them and that we really want to support our community,” Iliev said. “(Voting) is something that we are owed. This is our responsibility, but it’s also something that’s been taken away from us.”

Asst. Digital Editor Abby Weiss and Asst. Copy Editor Mira Berenbaum contributed reporting to this article. ammunozc@syr.edu

OPINION

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PAG E 5

nov. 9, 2020

ABSENCE OF LIGHT

Absence of Light: Incarcerated people share their perspectives Editor’s Note: Absence of Light is a project created in collaboration with incarcerated people at Auburn Correctional Facility in Auburn, New York.

By Cliff Graham

contributing columnist

I

nside the prison industrial complex, there are voices. Voices yearning to be heard. Yearning to attract the attention of those willing to listen. Willing to comprehend.

Willing to understand. Willing to share what life is currently like in the absence of light. What life is currently like on the other side of America.

“The Earth’s energy needs to be renewed.

New ideas need space.

Body and soul need new challenges.

The future has become the present, and every dream - except those dreams that involve preconceived ideas will have a chance to be heard.

Happiness and life’s little miseries

Anything of importance will remain; anything useless will disappear.

However, it is not the warrior’s responsibility to judge the dreams of others and he does not waste time criticizing other people’s decisions.

In order to have faith in his own path, He does not need to prove that

someone else’s path is wrong.”

An excerpt from “The Manual of the Warrior of Light” by Paulo Coelho It is with that in mind that Absence of Light is presented. To show the minds of those whose ideas are creating that space. Have overcome challenges. Have accepted their path.

Our mental bubbles

Acknowledging the mental bubbles of life and our minds in relation to the criminal justice system. emily steinberger photo editor From our contributor, his thoughts on happiness, suffering and the purpose of the little miseries of life all brought about by an absence of light. illustration by antoine johnson | contributor

By Cliff Graham contributor

I

t is the natural right of every human to be happy, to escape all the miseries of life. Happiness is the normal condition, as natural as the landscapes and the seasons.

It is unnatural to suffer, and it is only because of our ignorance that we do suffer. Happiness is the product of wisdom. To attain perfect wisdom, to comprehend fully the purpose of life, to realize completely the relationship of human beings to each other, is to put an end to all suffering, to escape the ill and evil that afflicts us.

Why do we suffer? Because in the scheme of nature we are being forced forward in evolution, and we lack the spiritual illumination that

Letter to the Editor policy To have a letter printed in The D.O. and published on dailyorange.com, please follow the guidelines listed below: • Limit your letter to 400 words • Letters must be emailed to opinion@dailyorange.com

can light the way and enable us to move safely among the obstacles that lie before us. Usually we do not even see or suspect the presence of trouble until it suddenly leaps upon us like a concealed tiger.

Once our family circle is complete and happy, a week later, death has come and gone, and joy is replaced with agony. Today we have a friend. Tomorrow he will be an enemy, and we do not know why.

A little while ago, we had wealth and all material luxuries.

There was a sudden change, and now we have only poverty and misery, and yet we seek in vain for a reason why this should be.

These are times when health and strength are present. But they have both departed, and no trace of a reason appears.

Aside from these greater trag-

edies of life, innumerable things of lesser consequence continually bring to us little miseries and minor heartaches. We must earnestly desire to avoid them, but we never see them until they strike us, until in the darkness of our ignorance we blunder upon them.

The thing we lack is spiritual illumination that will enable us to look far and wide, finding the hidden causes of human suffering and revealing the method by which they may be avoided.

It’s like passing through a long, dark room filled with furniture promiscuously scattered about. In the darkness, our progress would be slow and painful, and our bruises many. But once the electrical light is flicked on, we could then make that same journey quickly and with perfect safety and comfort.

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By Henry Holifield contributor

I

don’t know much, but I do know that, if we were more aware, things would go a lot smoother. I noticed that I had built a bubble. Now, this is no ordinary bubble. This bubble contains all that I enjoy and all that I can benefit from. It could not sound selfish enough. Even if all that I did was good, I’m still in a bubble.

Bubbles have barriers. Limits.

I was unaware of so much. I’ve noticed that prison reform would benefit if we were more aware. Not of just what’s going on in the prison system, but also with each other. I am aware that there are so many of us going through many of the same things differently. Uniquely.

Right now at my moment, and the moment you should come upon these words, a great many of us would have experienced elation, sorrow, rejection, confusion and all the other emotions a human has.

Though a great many of us are going through the same things, no one can live our life the way we are living our life. The processing of these emotions, the reactions, have a ripple effect. For anger and sorrow, meditation, exercise and prayer just has not worked. The leaving of such emotions behind is next to impossible. Whether it be your house, cell or living quarters.

So many of us have built a bubble. Only concerning ourselves with the betterment of ourselves.

I am becoming better at being aware. The effects fluctuate, but I see the subtle change. That positive spark of goodness does have a ripple effect. A simple “hello” goes a long way. Even the most lackluster of greetings have diffused many of my “grumpy” moments.

But there’s more to it than that.

More to being aware.

We need to be healthier mentally. An unhealthy mind contributes greatly to the injustice that is rampant in the prison system. It’s as if the criteria for a corrections staff is the bare minimum. Such an institution should be more diligent in assuring that corrections staff are mentally capable.

Every prisoner in the prison system is not some calculated criminal. A great percentage of prisoners are battling some form of mental illness. An even greater percentage of corrections staff lack the proper training to handle many situations. We need to be more aware of what’s needed and how to go about ascertaining it.

We need to be more aware of each other. Not an easy task, but a much needed one.

But again, I don’t know much.

I am just someone capable of stepping back and seeing so much more. I am someone undeterred. I am someone hopeful.

I am someone capable of being an asset. And last, I am someone sharing with you...

n

6 nov. 9, 2020

Prepared for cla Looking for classes to take for the spring 2021 semester? The Culture section has you covered.

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N95 m why n in this

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By The Daily Orange Culture Staff

T

he Daily Orange Culture staff has compiled a list of courses available for the spring semester that are as unique as the masks students wear on campus.

Before registration begins Dec. 7, here are some recommendations of classes to take based on your go-to mask:

If you for Di your k on pre

BIO

N95 m small huma

SURGICA

MAT 121 - Prob Liberal Arts

Although a math class may be rock the simple medical mask in ing along with basic statistics.

PSY 205 - Found

Now that wearing a surgical m a fundamental part of life, try human behavior. This psycholo

dailyorange.com culture@dailyorange.com

ass

BANDANA FST 202 - Agroecology Bandanas are a staple of farm wear, so embrace your inner farmer with FST 202, which will look into the food production system and topics including soil fertility, nutrient cycling and socioeconomic and policy-related elements of agriculture.

PED 289 - Backpacking

95 MASK

Maybe you wear a bandana as a face covering because you love the outdoors and wearing one reminds you of adventures in the wilderness. If you take PED 289, class time can double as an opportunity to explore the great outdoors. The class, which includes both course study and field experience, focuses on developing skill and knowledge to enjoy the outdoors. PED 289 does not require any experience in camping or hiking.

P 401- Epidemiology

masks are typically worn by people in the health care industry. If you like N95 masks, not take a class that teaches you about the ins and outs of epidemics? Students enrolled s course learn about the distribution and control of disease.

P 219 - Human Health & Disease

u’re a habitual N95-wearer, you’ve probably been listening to every word the Centers isease Control and Prevention has said over the last few months. If you want to expand knowledge of disease prevention even further, this is a must-take course that focuses eventable illnesses and the goals of public health in disease prevention.

O 448 - Evolutionary Medicine

masks are game-changing medical devices that are made to block up to 95% of l particles. BIO 448 focuses on the evolution of methods to prevent and treat an diseases.

AL MASK

bability and Statistics for the

ATHLETIC MASK EXE 295 - Introduction to Exercise Science There is no better time or place to wear your athletic mask than the gym. By taking EXE 295, you can learn about what makes humans move and athletes succeed through motor physiology and sports psychology.

PED 226 - Bootcamp Fitness An athletic mask is well-suited for PED 226, a full-body workout class that combines cardio and strength training. The class challenges students to improve their strength, flexibility and balance.

mandatory — just like face coverings — you can still n MAT 121. In this course, you learn data and reason-

dations of Human Behavior

mask has become a part of your daily routine and y taking PSY 205 to study fundamental aspects of ogy course also covers human relationships and self-

HIGH-END MASK IST 486 - Social Media in the Organization If fancy masks have become a part of your personal brand, IST 486 is the class for you. The course will teach you how to manage your social media technologies and will inform you of how to analyze your platforms to make your business or personal brand succeed.

FAS 336 - History of Fashion Design II: Contemporary Trends

HAND-SEWN MASK GEO 215 - Global Environmental Change You may have decided to wear a reusable cloth mask to reduce your environmental impact. To learn more about the environment, consider taking GEO 215, which covers topics such as the patterns and social consequences of environmental change.

FAS 104 - Fundamentals of Fashion Design If wearing a hand-sewn mask has piqued your interest in other elements of fashion, taking FAS 104 can help you learn more about fashion design. The course covers the fundamental principles of fashion design and provides an introduction to fashion design processes and production techniques.

The fashion industry is a complex and expanding industry that’s grappling with issues such as environmental sustainability and workers’ rights. With FAS 336, you can take an in-depth look at the industry behind the mask you’re wearing.

C

8 nov. 9, 2020

dailyorange.com news@dailyorange.com

Biden became the first SU alumnus elected president, and Harris became the first woman, first Black person and first Asian American elected vice president. Students celebrated both victories.

Students danced and sang outside of their house on Euclid Avenue while holding up a “honk for Biden� sign for passing cars. Other students gathered on rooftops and in their front lawns and played music.

emily steinberger photo editor

In downtown Syracuse, demonstrators with Black Lives Matter Syracuse and other groups gathered on the steps of City Hall to celebrate Biden and Harris’ win while acknowledging there is work left to be done.

emma folts managing editor

nov. 9, 2020 9

dailyorange.com news@dailyorange.com

from page 3

scholarships for students accepted to Upstate Medical University or enrolled in a public health degree program at SU, with a preference given to students who have an agricultural background.

The fund, which was established in 1962, is currently valued at $253,580. SU awarded approximately $106,910 in scholarships from the fund between 1982 and 2006.

Records for the fund before 1981 have been lost or destroyed, court documents show. SU has not awarded any money from the fund since 2006.

Of the 33,000 enrollment applications SU received in 2019, only 22 students disclosed that they came from agricultural families, and none of the applicants planned to study medicine or nursing, court documents show.

SU also petitioned to modify the Polly Adelphi Loope Fund, which was meant to provide up to $500 loans to students.

Records from SU show that the university has not made a single loan from the fund since its creation in 1959. The fund is currently valued at $3,652,981.

Statutes related to consumer and student loans, including the Truth In Lending Act, Regulation Z and the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 make loans of $500 or less to students impractical, SU said in its petition. Though SU said in the petition that the fund’s restrictions have prevented the university from fulfilling the donor’s intent, SU didn’t explain why it hadn’t sought to modify the fund in the 61 years since it was created.

SU is asking to modify the fund to provide scholarships for students with financial need in amounts determined by the university.

SU is also asking that the fund’s assets be pooled with and invested within the university’s managed endowment program. SU’s managed endowment consists of approximately 2,400 individual endowments and was valued at approximately $1.35 billion as of June 30. msessa@syr.edu

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dailyorange.com sports@dailyorange.com

10 nov. 9, 2020

from page 12

salim

By the time he booted a clearance into Virginia Tech’s end, he’d broken up two additional passes destined for the Orange’s box, despite the cramping.

“What’s wrong with you? I thought you were a machine?” Valenti texted Abdi right after the game.

“I couldn’t feel my legs,” Abdi messaged back.

He, along with the rest of SU’s backline, were “naive” at times throughout its winless season, head coach Ian McIntyre said. But sandwiched between those moments — those glimpses of technical drills with associate head coach Jukka Masalin paying off, those 43 minutes of game time against the Hokies spent down a man — were spans that put Syracuse in position to earn more than two points this season.

Abdi had been a cornerstone of Buffalo State’s backline the previous season, despite numerous Division-I offers. He paired with Saleman, then a junior, and helped them to from page 12

dabbundo according to a FiveThirtyEight study of college football 4th down decisions.

Yet when the Orange trailed then-No. 1 Clemson by six late in the third quarter, Babers opted to punt on 4th-and-1 from his own 41-yard-line.

The defense had played well to that point, but Babers couldn’t reasonably expect his defense to continue holding the Tigers off the scoreboard.

Play totals are mounting up, time of possession by the opponents’ offenses is wearing the defense down, and the Orange’s offense isn’t good enough in 2020 to justify not trying to steal an extra possession. SU was a 46-point underdog in that game, but Babers’ decision to take the safe route moved them no closer to winning.

“The whole thing about going for it on 4th down,” Babers said. “Is when everybody in the booth is saying you should go for it, that’s probably when you shouldn’t go for it.”

Clemson would have loved to get the ball

a 15-4 record by kick-starting the Bengals’ possession-based offense and moving the ball quickly upfield. Abdi’s short-passing, as well as his movement off the ball afterward, started to improve.

“He always told me he was good and I was like, ‘Yeah, alright,’” Saleman said. “But at Buffalo State, I saw. I was like, ‘Damn, he’s probably better than me.’”

Abdi’s development as a defender and an aggressive on-ball player started when he was five years old. He and Saleman walked from their house to their cousins’ and played soccer in parking lots and streets, using t-shirts, cans or sticks to mark the goals.

The brothers had emigrated from Kenya with their family three years earlier, with their father securing a visa after living in a Kenyan refugee camp. Abdi had contracted malaria and needed to recover before the move.

Eventually, the family settled in Buffalo.

“My dad said he was waiting a long time to get a visa to come here, so I can only imagine how happy he was when he got it,” Abdi said.

Those experiences shaped Abdi as he

developed on the field. Before his first-ever organized soccer game, which was with the Delaware Soccer Club, a family friend of Abdi and Saleman’s knocked on their door with Abdi’s first pair of cleats — Adidas Cobras.

Abdi previously played in sneakers on pavement because his mom didn’t want grass stains on his shoes.

The physicality of playing street soccer with his cousins translated to the grass pitch.

Abdi rarely practiced the tactics he learned, he said, and only worked headers, free kicks or dribbling with Saleman at local parks.

Late in the second overtime of Syracuse’s tie against Virginia Tech, on the next Hokies rush after Abdi’s earlier clear, a pass cut through a group of Syracuse’s defenders and needed just a final touch before finding its way on net. As a Hokie attacker fell, with Abdi holding off his attempt to direct a shot past Russell Shealy, he kept his left hand raised — pleading that he didn’t force the tackle.

It was a long way from his first tournament with Empire, when Abdi looked “like a deer in headlights,” Valenti said. The Empire coaches

told recruiters that Abdi had potential, though, and that resulted in the Buffalo State scholarship. Abdi’s 2001 birth year allowed him one year of academy eligibility left, pending a letter of recommendation, for a potential career beyond collegiate soccer.

After an Empire connection with the Columbus Crew vouched for his potential, Abdi participated in the US Soccer Development Academy cup, where Empire finished 10th in the country. McIntyre, watching Abdi for the second time, attended every game, Valenti said.

“Any coach will want that, any player wants to play with it, not many players want to play against it,” Valenti said.

That tournament built the foundation for a relationship that resulted in Abdi officially entering the transfer portal. He departed for Syracuse, filled a hole on the left side of its backline as a right-footed defender and completed the final step of his plan — an unusual one to some Division-I college coaches initially — that led him to Buffalo State in the first place.

“He’s done it,” Saleman said.

back. It was happy with the punt. It didn’t want SU to put any more pressure on by scoring points.

Still, Babers defended the decision. He said his defense had been playing well, and he’d hoped they would generate another turnover. He didn’t want to put his defense in a tough position.

There were multiple decisions on Saturday where Babers coached not to lose, instead of coaching to win. The Orange crossed midfield on their second drive of the game, and reached the Eagles’ 45-yard line for a 4th-and-3.

According to a 2014 study that analyzed win probability changes and how they’re impacted by fourth down decision making, the outcome is clear: Babers should’ve gone for it.

Computers can’t be the only tool used to make this decision. But the Orange had a 1-6 record at the time, and its offense has struggled to move the ball. On possessions when they do cross midfield, Babers needs to do everything possible to maximize the potential points. By punting, Syracuse sacrificed pos-

session for some field position, which did not matter when the Eagles marched down the field and scored a field goal.

Later in the game, Babers opted to kick field goals on two separate occasions inside the BC 30-yard-line. First, the Orange had a 4thand-2 at the Eagles’ 17-yard-line. He opted for the field goal to tie the game at three.

Then, trailing 10-3 midway through the third quarter, the Orange had one of their best offensive drives of the game and reached the Boston College 28-yard-line for a 4th-and-4.

Without hesitation, kicker Andre Szmyt kicked the ball through the uprights for a field goal to cut the lead to 10-6.

“I thought we gave our team a chance to win. We got to the fourth quarter, we lost by three points,” Babers said.

The problem: SU still needed a touchdown, even after the field goal. Perhaps their best chance to get a touchdown all afternoon was squandered by a lack of aggression. Syracuse didn’t get another first down until its final

drive, when the Eagles were in prevent defense up 10 with two minutes remaining.

The Orange’s offense only crossed midfield three times in the opening 58 minutes of Saturday’s game. All three times, Babers was presented with a chance to be aggressive and try to find points. All three times, he chose to take the field goals or punt. He coached hoping that his offense would continue to sustain drives and create scoring opportunities. It didn’t. Just like it hasn’t all season.

If they go for it and succeed in the future, Babers gives his team a better chance to win.

And if they fail, Babers might hear it from the fanbase, or even the media. But he won’t hear it from me.

Because he’ll have been right. He’ll have given them a better chance to win.

Anthony Dabbundo is a senior staff writer at The Daily Orange, where his column appears occasionally. He can be reached at amdabbun@ syr.edu or on Twitter @AnthonyDabbundo.

from page 12

In a time like this, I’m just happy I have my profile and my voice to do that. Hopefully we can just keep moving in the right direction.

D.O. How do you look back on your time at Syracuse?

T.B. I think Syracuse was a huge part of my career. I enjoyed it. I loved those guys, (the) coaching staff was excellent and Syraucse was my dream school. I was able to go to Syracuse for a year and a half, and I was very happy with that. Syracuse was a part of my journey, and I’m very happy I was able to experience that.

D.O. Where did you see yourself develop at Syracuse?

T.B. I think just the coaching staff and my teammates really helped me learn how to express myself on the field. They gave me the freedom to really express myself as a player and try new things. I think that was huge for me to gain confidence and to show everyone. In (Real Colorado’s) academy, I wasn’t playing a lot because obviously I wasn’t allowed. So having Syracuse, a big school in the ACC, and me going there, it was huge, and I’m just happy I was able to experience that and meet all those guys.

D.O. You’ve said before that coaches at youth level were telling you to not look at schools that big, yet you came here, and you’re an MLS starter now. Do those past doubts still motivate you, or have you moved on?

T.B. I think, in everyone’s career, you have your own story. Even to this day, people still probably doubt me. I don’t really pay attention, it just makes me work harder. No matter if you’re in the pros, playing academy or playing club, you’re always going to have people that doubt you. But if you keep your head down, work hard — at the end of the day, I’m not here to make the doubters happy or anything. I’m here to make myself, my family and the ones close to me happy.

D.O. And you shined for a year and a half at SU before signing a Generation Adidas contract and opting for the MLS draft. What went into that decision for you?

T.B. I always had a goal to leave school early.

So when that came upon me, it was never really something I really thought a lot about.

I’d always wanted to go pro, so when they approached me with the Generation Adidas, that started the process of signing with an agent and talking it over with your family, but my family already knew this was my dream,

so it was an easy transition. I’m just happy everything worked out.

D.O. Getting picked by the Revolution ninth overall in the 2019 draft, were you surprised about where you went, and what do you remember about that moment?

T.B. Draft day is — it’s very different. There’s a lot of emotions, and a lot of things play a factor now that I see how everything is. There (were) a bunch of mock drafts. You don’t try and look at those things, but you definitely do see them.

On a lot of them, they had me going top three to top five. But on draft day, you never know where you’re gonna go. You have an idea, but like I said — the Revolution, I didn’t meet with them at the combine or anything like that — so it was a surprise to me. But whoever I was selected by, I was going to give my all for, and I’m just happy everything did work, and now I’m playing for the Revs and loving life.

D.O. The Canadian pipeline to Syracuse is still going strong, and your former roommate and club teammate Simon Triantafillou is still on the team. Do you still keep in touch with those guys?

T.B. Definitely, I keep in contact with the coaches a lot. Simon is one of my closest friends from back home. We try (to) talk every day. Ryan Raposo is another close buddy of mine. I played with Simon at Sigma (FC) for years before Syracuse and obviously during (my time) at Syracuse.

(Triantafillou is a) great guy and one of my closer friends, so we definitely do stay in touch a lot.

Honestly, we talk about soccer a little bit. But when we talk, it’s not really about soccer, it’s more about life in general and how everything’s going with the family. It’s mostly just having a giggle and just catching up.

D.O. You said earlier that you feel like the sky’s the limit for you. What are the next goals for you?

T.B. Definitely a big goal of mine is to play internationally, to play for my national team.

So that’s definitely one of my bigger goals right now is to play for Canada. At this moment, I’m just taking it day by day and working hard every time I get onto the practice field or the game field. Just seeing where life takes me. If something happens in the future, it does. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t. Keep my head down and keep working.

buchanan

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was tough because it was such a long season for me. I think my body, mentally and stuff like that, I hit the wall a little bit. So this year, understanding that more and taking care of my body, it’s really helped. Eating the right foods and taking in all the information from my coaches and my teammates, that’s really helped this year.

It’s very hard having to show up to training every day and giving it your all. And I think, as a young player last year, that was difficult for me. But this year, I was able to put that aside and really transition into that a lot better, and it’s been showing. This year, I’ve played in a lot more games, and I feel ready to go. Every game I’m feeling good.

D.O. It definitely doesn’t seem like that wall is playing a factor anymore. Just a few weeks ago against Philadelphia, you scored an incredible goal. Can you take me through that moment?

T.B. Yeah, definitely one of the best goals I’ve probably ever scored. Taking you through it, I was just trying to be aggressive and take my chances when I get them. When the shot came to me, I just wanted to hit it with confidence, and I’m glad it went in. But at the end of the day, we didn’t get the three points, but we play them next, and it’s going to be a fight, and hopefully we can get the three points.

D.O. Coming back to you playing more this season, part of that was in the bubble. What was that experience like for you?

T.B. That was different. It was probably tougher for everyone (else). Everyone has their different situations, but I was happy to get back out there and play again. The MLS did a great job with testing and scheduling and organizing. I’m happy we ended up doing that because we were able to continue the season. So I enjoyed it, it was good for us and very beneficial.

D.O. Along the lines of new developments this season, another big one in the MLS, and in pro sports generally, has been the public support of the Black Lives Matter movement. What has that meant to you to express your support for that movement on the pitch?

T.B. I think the community and MLS, like I said, has done an excellent job with that. To have a voice and to share your thoughts is always huge.

arcrane@syr.edu | @CraneAndrew

amdabbun@syr.edu|@AnthonyDabbundo

athamer@syr.edu | @alexhamer8

CLASSIFIEDS

dailyorange.com

nov. 9, 2020 11

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PAG E 12

nov. 9, 2020

Abdi Salim shines in 1st SU season

ABDI SALIM started his college career playing at Division-III SUNY Buffalo State. After transferring to Syracuse, the defender has become a starting centerback for the Orange. gavin liddell staff photographer

From street soccer in Buffalo to a D-III transfer, Abdi Salim now anchors SU’s backline

By Andrew Crane sports editor

P

aul Valenti and Rory Charcholla weren’t convinced that Abdi Salim would join Empire United Soccer Academy.

Salim had only completed five years of organized soccer, but Valenti and Charcholla still had driven up from Rochester and spent three hours on Salim’s porch, talking to him about the academy while he babysat his younger siblings. His mother was on her way home, and when she arrived back on Grant St., Salim joined his older brother at a local Buffalo park for practice.

As Empire’s academy director and associate academy director, Charcholla and Valenti always made trips like these, ensuring that every prospect recommendation, every submission to their website’s Player Evaluation Request form, received an answer. Salim, who was entering his junior year of high school, had a note at the end of his: “This player could maybe play beyond school.”

Charcholla and Valenti followed Salim to the park and spoke with Saleman, his older brother, while the pair trained. In the weeks that followed, the two waited for Abdi’s response.

Eventually, the response came through a tryout appearance that summer and a spot on the U17 team. Abdi’s two years with Empire solidified a roster spot at Division-III SUNY Buffalo State, followed by Division-I at Syracuse this year. Abdi won rookie of the year in his only season with the Bengals and transferred to Syracuse for his final three seasons of eligibility — his plan all along, he said. And the Orange’s new centerback — one shaped by physical games of street soccer and one who started all five games for Syracuse (0-3-2, 0-3-2 Atlantic Coast) — accomplished just that.

“He could stay at Buff State, be the guy for four years, be an All-American Division-III,” Charcholla said. “(But to) go into Syracuse, was elite. That’s tough.”

From his video stream of the Orange’s Oct. 24 game against Virginia Tech, Valenti could tell Abdi was cramping.

It was the third overtime period in four games. With under five minutes remaining and the Hokies streaking down the left side toward the net, Abdi leapt, extended his leg to block a cross and knocked the ball back. see salim page 10

men’s soccer

Q&A with former SU forward Tajon Buchanan

By Alex Hamer

asst. sports editor

Tajon Buchanan has appeared in every one of the New England Revolution’s 23 games this season.

It’s been a fast rise for the Canadian forward, who has 11 starts, two goals and assists to his name in 2020 after appearing in just 10 matches in 2019.

In some ways, though, Buchanan’s rise mirrors his time at Syracuse. Though he started all but one match in his SU career, his

output drastically improved from his freshman season in 2017 (four goals, two assists) to his sophomore campaign (eight goals, four assists).

The Daily Orange caught up with Buchanan to discuss his development in his second season with the Revolution, how he reflects on his career with the Orange and more.

The Daily Orange: You’ve appeared in every game this season, making that position on the right side of the Revolution’s 4-2-3-1 your own in recent weeks. Do you feel like you’re in the best period of your

professional career right now?

Tajon Buchanan: I think this season has been an improvement for me, going from fighting to make the roster (last year). So I think this season has been a huge step for me as a player, definitely. But I’m still very young, and I’m still learning every day. Right now, I’m just keeping my head down and continuing to work hard, and the sky’s the limit for me, I believe. Working toward my goals and stuff like that, I guess we’ll see where soccer takes me. I don’t think this season has been a

highest peak or anything like that.

I’m just gonna keep working hard and fighting to reach my goals.

D.O. How different was last season to this one? What was the biggest adjustment for you coming from Syracuse to the MLS? T.B. I would definitely say taking in the whole professional lifestyle.

Showing up to training every day, having to give it 110% every training session and every match. I think coming out of Syracuse that season (before), transitioning to the MLS see

buchanan page 10

football

SU not aggressive enough on 4th down Quarterback Tommy DeVito took the snap under center and tried to jam his way in between his offensive line. He only needed a yard.

Syracuse head coach Dino Babers opted to go for it on 4th-and-1 at the Duke 1 3 -y a r d - l i n e when leading 14-10 in the ANTHONY second quarDeVito DABBUNDO ter.

DA B ON ’EM failed to get that yard.

The failure does not change the reality of the situation. By choosing to go for it, Babers improved Syracuse’s presnap win probability. He prioritized trying for seven points instead of settling for three.

Recently, with an even more depleted offense, he has not displayed the same aggression.

In two separate games now, the Orange have been overly conservative with fourth down decisions, and it’s hurt their chances of winning.

Syracuse is 1-7, 1-6 Atlantic Coast, and it’s a lost season. Babers needs to be more aggressive on fourth down decision-making to squeeze all the points he possibly can out of his struggling offense. The Orange’s defense has already proven an ability to keep opponents’ out of the end zone, even when faced with shorter fields. They rank second best in points per scoring opportunity allowed in the ACC. Even though the Orange haven’t been effective on the fourth down attempts they’ve tried, Babers should go for it more. He needs to give the offense an extra down to potentially find points — and wins — with three games remaining in the 2020 season.

“They know that we go for it on fourth down,” Babers said. “Sometimes it’s a flow of the game type thing. They need to be ready to put the fire out regardless of what we decide to do on offense. We wish we had a better percentage, but that’s not going to keep us from doing the things we need to do to win the game.”

Football coaches are typically too conservative with their fourth down decision making. They’ll punt on 4th-and-short in opponent territory.

They’ll settle for a field goal in the red zone. The psychology is simple: risk averse decision-making is how we’re usually wired and it’s easy to explain kicking field goals or punting if the game goes wrong.

If the coach decides to go for it, and fails, they will be incorrectly ridiculed. Too often, the media and fans judge coaches’ decisions based on results, not process.

There’s been a paradigm shift throughout both the NFL and college football as analytics become a bigger part of football decisionmaking. In reality, it’s just using additional information to make reasoned decisions. At both levels, coaches are slowly becoming more aggressive. Coaches are punting in opposition territory and on 4th-andshort less, which the math shows hurts the team’s win probability, see dabbundo page 10