UPDATED 11/22
After University officials announced agreements on most of student demands, the #NotAgainSU protest leaders read a statement that they did not agree to the memorandum signed by the Chancellor.
The group ended it's sit-in of the university's Barnes Center last night, though as they left issued a statement that said more work needs to be done, and they did not agree to what was signed.
"Let's be very clear, he signed onto an edited version of our demands that we did NOT (sic) agree to. It shouldn't take 12 hate crimes in a week, including direct threats to students and faculty members, for Syverud and his upper administration to prioritize ... safety," the group said in a written statement.
Some members also called once again for the resignation of Syverud, Public Safety Chief Bobby Maldonado and other high ranking officials.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE
Student protestors and the administration of Syracuse University reached agreement on a list of changes aimed at reducing racism on campus – in the wake of more than a dozen hate-crime incidents. However, the early-morning pact and subsequent agreements could not stop still more threats.
Changes agreed to by Chancellor Kent Syverud include mandatory diversity training for all new hires, stronger language regarding hate speech for staff and students, and building multi-cultural offices to house programs. Later in the day Syverud met with Jewish students, who were targeted by some of the racist graffiti messages posted on campus. They wanted change on accepting religious observances and better safety measures.
Dean of Students Marianne Thomson explains different demands form students will have difrfetn timelines fo r progress, as the administration wanted details worked out before just singing off.
“It would have been a lot easier to say yes … and the next day look at the policy and realize, ‘oh, we actually can’t do that for a lot of reasons.’ So before anything was signed-off on, we were all here on Saturday literally working through each one of all of the background needed to say yes. So the yes’s actually mean something.”
Thomson adds there have been behind-the-scenes conversartions with many students, parents and others. She also notes that the process of change will continue, especially because the students who issued the list of demands do not represent all the students on campus, some of whom might have other needs. She expressed desire by the administration to go through changes and praised the students’ role in bring them about.
“I was just in awe of them. … I’ve learned that they can apply themselves to the heaviest and hardest issues facing our world. Syracuse is not immune to hatred in the world … to serious crimes and our students were able to address these issue3s that governments can’t address.”
Students say they still feel unsafe; some took to social media to say they’re trying to leave for the Thanksgiving break early. Faculty have cancelled many classes and students have been told they would be excused if they decided not to go Thursday and Friday. The University has no classes all of next week.
The agreement did not end the student sit-in at the University’s Barnes Center, which some students chose to continue. It also did not end racism. Public safety officials report finding 4 new examples of racist graffiti on campus.
Meanwhile investigations continue into racist graffiti and white supremacist threats. Police did announce one arrest – of a student accused of posting graffiti that supported the protestors.
Syracuse University officials have provided a compilation of updates in connection to the racist incidents that have consumed the campus over the past two weeks. This information was sent to area media outlets, including WAER.
STUDENT UPDATES
Thursday afternoon, Syracuse University Chancellor Kent Syverud reached an agreement with a group of Jewish students about recommendations that will ultimately strengthen the University campus. Earlier in the day, Chancellor Syverud met with the group where he listened to their recommendations to work towards solutions to address the needs and concerns of the Jewish student community.
This follows an announcement early Thursday morning that Chancellor Syverud signed a list of commitments from the University in response to recommendations presented from student groups. On Wednesday evening, Chancellor Syverud sat down for in-person meetings with eight representatives of the students peacefully protesting as well as international students. Of the 19 recommendations made by students, Chancellor Syverud agreed to 16 as written, and suggested minor revisions to the other three.
Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Provost Michelle Wheatley announced Thursday that the University remains open ahead of Thanksgiving Break. Faculty and students have been given broad discretion regarding attendance in class. All absences are excused and no penalty will be applied.
INVESTIGATION UPDATES
The rumored AirDrop of a racist manifesto to student devices at Bird Library remains under investigation by the Department of Public Safety, Syracuse Police and the FBI. So far, no one has been able to produce a device that received that document despite pleas from investigators to come forward to help find those responsible. At this time, the alleged AirDrop remains an unsubstantiated rumor that spread rapidly from Monday night into Tuesday morning. The manifesto, published on the independent website greekrank.com, was hosted on a Syracuse University discussion page.
The Syracuse Police Department has made an arrest after a series of new graffiti markings were discovered on campus Wednesday.
Editor's note: The following information comes from Syracuse Police and was not provided in this update from SU: 18-year-old Kym McGowan of Syracuse faces misdemeanor criminal mischief charges after police identified her as the suspect in connection with four incidents of graffiti in and around the Irving Garage and Bird Library. According to a statement from the suspect, police say it appears the graffiti was in support of the campus protests.
A search of the campus directory shows McGowan is a freshman at SU.
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DPS is investigating four additional bias incidents that were recently reported. Two of the incidents occurred in Day Hall on the 5th and 6th floors, both with racist graffiti using derogatory language. Two other incidents of graffiti containing racist and derogatory language were found, one in Flint Hall and one at the Comstock Art facility.
Anyone with information about any of the incidents on the Syracuse University campus over the last two weeks is asked to call DPS at 315.443.2224.
