Feb. 19, 2018

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free

MONDAY

feb. 19, 2018 high 37°, low 27°

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 |

N • Diversity partnership

SU’s Student Association has partnered with the InclusiveU organization to increase representation of people with disabilities in student government. Page 3

O • Expanding horizons

Gender and Sexuality columnist Lianza Reyes explores the importance of taking on a global perspective of human rights during Black History Month. Page 5

P • Making history

As SU’s first black Panhellenic president, Linda Bamba is working to expand women empowerment and diversity in the Greek community. Page 7

dailyorange.com

S • The catalyst

Isis Young was always the star basketball player. A knee injury during high school changed that, and shaped her career at Syracuse University. Page 12

Grant gains SU officials push to support graduate student research Story by Catherine Leffert asst. news editor

Illustration by Sarah Allam head illustrator

A

s part of a major academic initiative, Syracuse University officials say tweaks to existing programs and new funding opportunities will better support graduate students, whose work is key to the university’s standing as a major research college, professors say. By increasing research opportunities and support for graduate students and faculty, SU aims to continue to develop its standing as one of the top research universities in the country, said John Liu, vice president of research. “They’re kind of an overlooked group, but they’re actually kind of the lifeblood of the university in terms for research,” said David Althoff, an associate professor of biology, about graduate students. “If we don’t have good graduate students and resources available for them, research just doesn’t get done.” Several professors said finding solutions to improving research at the graduate student level could allow them to teach less and provide monetary support for research and travel. As part of Chancellor Kent Syverud’s broad Academic Strategic Plan, the university has said that it plans to better support doctoral and postdoctoral student research. “We will work to attract and retain outstanding doctoral students, including those from underrepresented groups,” the document states. “We also will enhance recognition of and support for doctoral programs by providing competitive stipends, benefits and workloads; increasing University and dissertation fellowships and awards for summer research and travel; and facilitating professional growth and networking opportunities.” SU is a major Research 1 designated university, according to the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. That organization determines a Research 1 classification based on, in part, the see research page 6

university politics

2 internal Title IX investigations opened at SU By Michael Burke senior staff writer

Two internal Title IX investigations were opened this academic year at Syracuse University after complaints were made against faculty members, according to a document forwarded Friday evening to members of the University Senate. Thomas Keck, a professor of

political science and chair of the Senate committee on Academic Freedom, Tenure and Professional Ethics, wrote in a message to senators dated Feb. 14 that the committee investigated the two cases and reported its findings to the university’s Office of Equal Opportunity, Inclusion and Resolution Services. Further details about the investigations and their findings

were not immediately available. Keck and a universit y spokesperson did not immediately return a request for comment on the investigations Friday evening. The committee on Academic Freedom, Tenure and Professional Ethics is scheduled to provide its annual report at the Senate’s Wednesday meeting. On Thursday, the day after

Keck’s message was sent, the university announced it had named Sheila Johnson-Willis as SU’s permanent chief equal opportunity and Title IX officer. Johnson-Willis had previously served in that role as an interim officer, a position she was named to in 2015. In November 2017, the university launched a search to fill the position permanently. see investigations page 4

student association

Franco addresses concerns By India Miraglia staff writer

Student Association President James Franco has responded to frustrations over a private meeting held to discuss a possible reconfiguration of Student Legal Services. Jack Wilson, president of Syracuse University’s Graduate Student Organization, expressed concerns on Wednesday after he said he learned GSO representatives were left out of a meeting regarding SLS between Franco, Chancellor Kent Syverud and M. Dolan Evanovich, the university’s vice president for enrollment and the student experience.

Nothing is set in stone, nor were formal options given. James Franco

student association president

SLS, which is jointly funded by the SA and GSO, provides free law services to Syracuse University undergraduate and graduate students. Franco said there was no deliberate decision to leave Wilson out of the conversation about SLS. He added that SA wants to collaborate with GSO as much as possible moving forward. Wilson was not immediately available for comment Sunday evening. “Nothing is set in stone, nor were formal options given,” Franco said. The topic of making changes to SLS was first raised with Syverud last semester, who then directed SA to Evanovich, Franco said in an interview with The Daily Orange. A meeting was held with Evanovich in early February to see if SA would be able to revisit how SLS operates and serves the undergraduate student body, Franco added. Wilson on Wednesday said he was notified of a meeting between Franco and SU officials after it had taken place, adding that it raised concerns that the interests of GSO members were deliberately left out of preliminary talks. “We do not like this,” Wilson said. “The degree of independence that the SLS provides is absolutely critical.” At Wednesday’s meeting, GSO members said they were concerned that SLS would be replaced by lawyers working for the university and SLS would subsequently lose its status as an organization independent of SU. “I think Jack may have misperceived that nature of the first two see franco page 4


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