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feb. 15, 2021 high 25°, low 18°
t h e i n de p e n de n t s t u de n t n e w s pa p e r of s y r a c u s e , n e w yor k |
dailyorange.com
N • Campus operations
C • The next date
S • Paving the way
As COVID-19 cases continue to rise on campus following a series of Greek parties, SU may need to adjust campus operations to curb the spread of the virus. Page 3
From Funk N’ Waffles to Oh My Darling, here are the restaurants we recommend you try if you didn’t get to eat out with your significant other on Valentine’s Day. Page 6
Kadary Richmond competed in different youth basketball tournaments all throughout New York City. Now, the freshman is dazzling off the bench for the Orange. Page 12
Security failure
su athletes
Over 50 attend SU athletes’ party By Allie Kaylor
asst. sports editor
illustration by nabeeha anwar illustration editor
SU defends response to data breach as community members express concerns By Michael Sessa news editor
R
omane Gutenbrunner was at work when she heard that a data breach at Syracuse University had exposed the names and Social Security numbers of nearly 10,000 students, alumni, applicants and their family members. Gutenbrunner, a senior political science and career and technical education major, had seen posts about the data breach and the letters that those affected were receiving. She got home and checked her mailbox. “I opened it, and I immediately knew,”
she said. Like thousands of others, Gutenbrunner quickly called her bank and made sure her family members knew to be on the lookout for suspicious activity. She also signed up for identity theft and credit monitoring services from Experian, a consumer credit reporting company SU coordinated with to provide temporary, free services to those affected by the breach. Since letters about the security failure arrived in mailboxes across the country last week, those who’ve received them have said that the breach raises red flags about the amount of personally identifiable information SU employees have access to and the
amount of time it takes SU to communicate about critical issues. Despite the complaints, SU officials said they fulfilled their legal obligations to those affected by the breach and have taken aggressive action to strengthen cyber security at the university going forward. “We feel like we’ve been very thorough in our response,” said Steven Bennett, senior vice president for international programs and academic operations, in an interview with The Daily Orange. The breach occurred late on Sept. 25 after a university employee fell victim to a phishing attack in which the employee see breach page 4
on campus
SU invests $272 million in offshore funds By Michael Sessa news editor
In the last decade, Syracuse University has invested more than $272 million in Central America and the Caribbean. The offshore investments, which SU is required to detail in its tax filings, are a common theme at universities with large endowment funds. But some tax experts warn that the investment strategy can be risky and often leaves high-level administrators and board members in the dark about how their university’s money is being spent. In many cases, some experts said, the investments are also at
odds with universities’ stated educational mission. “What is worrisome in these offshore investments is a continued increase in a lack of transparency and a continued increase in risk taking,” said Thomas Gilbert, an associate professor of finance and business economics at the University of Washington. “That’s what should be of concern to people.” On SU’s Form 990, which provides the public with information about nonprofit organizations, the university lists its yearly investments in geographic regions around the world. In its form for fiscal year 2009, the university didn’t invest a single dollar in Central America
or the Caribbean. The next year, it invested more than $165 million there. By fiscal year 2017, the last year data is currently available for, its investments increased to $272 million in the region. The investment strategy, also utilized by private corporations, puts money toward private equity and hedge funds located in offshore tax havens, such as the Cayman Islands. But tax rules for nonprofit organizations like colleges and universities mean it’s often near impossible to know where exactly the money is going and what kind of risks are involved, experts said. Though some tax laws, such as Unrelated Business Income Tax,
were enacted to protect nonprofits from for-profit businesses, they sometimes blur the details of a university’s investments, said Norman Silber, a law professor at Hofstra University. “The original intention may not have been to obscure or hide the true nature of investments, but the effect of the existing structure is to make it very difficult for faculties at major universities, even sometimes for members of boards, to know precisely where the money is being invested,” Silber said. At SU, an outsourced chief investment officer manages endowment investments. The university see investments page 4
Syracuse athletes hosted a party Saturday night with over 50 people, Director of Athletics John Wildhack said in an email to athletes, parents and head coaches. Department of Public Safety Chief Bobby Maldonado informed Wildhack that no one in attendance was wearing a mask, according to the email obtained by The Daily Orange. DPS responded to a noise complaint made to the Syracuse Police Department, Wildhack said. The party was held a day after SU announced its chapter of the Sigma Chi fraternity was placed on interim suspension for violating public health directives. Members of Syracuse University’s Greek community hosted at least three off-campus parties last week, resulting in at least 20 new COVID-19 cases among students. “Gatherings like this have proven to be a source of COVID-19 superspreader events,” Wildhack said.
Gatherings like this have proven to be a source of COVID-19 super-spreader events John Wildhack syracuse director of athletics
Wildhack didn’t specify in the email how many athletes attended the party or whether any athletes will face disciplinary action. SU Athletics did not immediately respond to a request for comment Sunday night. It’s unclear if the party resulted in new COVID-19 infections. As of Sunday night, SU has already recorded 20 cases within the 14-day reporting period that began Saturday. Like last semester, the university will suspend in-person instruction if it exceeds 100 cases within the two-week period, which ends Feb. 26. Rob Hradsky, vice president for the student experience, said in a campus-wide email on Friday that leaseholders of residences where the Greek community’s parties were held will face conduct sanctions, and SU will refer those who attended the parties to the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities. The university will also report violations to city and county authorities, he said. “Neither I nor the leadership team of Athletics will tolerate behavior which puts our Athletics community and our University at risk,” the email said. aekaylor@syr.edu | @cincinnallie