Janice Lozano
Syracuse University students have made a series of demands in response to racist incidents and a lack of diversity and inclusion on campus. The demands were compiled by students in the #NotAgainSU sit-in protest, representing the international student community. The students began to speak out after racist graffiti was discovered in a bathroom stall of a residence hall, and a series of other racist incidents. The demands include: consistent engagement from the Chancellor with minority communities, a better counselor-to-student ratio, more diversity training, and punishment for those involved in racist incidents.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Transparency from the administration | Necessary |
| Safety of students | Paramount |
| Punishment for students involved in hate crimes | Expulsion |
| Consistent engagement from the Chancellor with minority communities | Mandatory annual State of the University Address |
| Investment in student volunteer opportunities | $600,000 |
| No consequences for students participating in sit-ins | None |
| Acknowledgement of hate crimes as indicative of systemic violence | White supremacy |
| Housing services | Prioritize students with disabilities |
| Public acknowledgement and apology for treatment of peaceful student protesters | Email to students, faculty, staff, parents, alumni, and Syracuse University News |
| Mandatory diversity training | Included in new faculty and staff contracts |
| Counselor-to-student ratio | 1:500 |
| Diverse counseling staff | Gender, gender identity/expression, nationality, race/ethnicity, sexuality, religious affiliation, ability, and language fluency |
| Housing options | Multicultural living communities |
| Roommate options | Based on mutual interests and identities |
| Resignations | Chancellor, campus chief of police, vice chancellor for enrollment and student experience |
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What You'll Learn
Expulsion for students involved in racist incidents
Syracuse University students have been protesting against racist incidents and the campus culture. The protests were sparked by a series of incidents, including racist graffiti discovered in a bathroom stall of a residence hall, and fraternity members shouting racial slurs at an African-American student. The students have compiled a list of demands, which includes calls for the expulsion of students involved in racist incidents.
The students' demands include expulsion for any student involved in racist incidents, including perpetrators and bystanders. They believe that different punishments should be meted out based on the level of involvement in such incidents. This comes in the wake of several bias-related and racist incidents on campus, including racist graffiti in Day Hall and a document purported to be a white supremacist manifesto being posted online and shared with students.
The students have called for clear consequences for those involved in racist incidents, with one student asking university officials why clear punishments were not already in place. They have also demanded that the university acknowledge that hate crimes committed on campus are indicative of larger systemic issues and that the university is complicit in perpetuating oppressive systems, specifically white supremacy.
In response to the students' demands, Syracuse University Chancellor Kent Syverud initially hesitated to sign the list of demands, leading to protests outside his residence. However, he later signed the list with three edits. The university also suspended the fraternity members involved in the racial slur incident and halted all fraternity social activities for the rest of the semester.
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Mandatory diversity training for staff and students
Syracuse University students have been actively protesting racist incidents and campus culture. The students have compiled a list of demands, with the #NotAgainSU movement at the forefront. One of the key demands is mandatory diversity training for staff and students.
The students are demanding mandatory diversity training for all incoming students and any new staff or faculty members. They believe that this training should be a requirement, especially for those who are joining the Syracuse University community. This demand arises from the university's failure to establish a diverse and inclusive campus environment. Student leaders of colour have had to dedicate their time to creating safe spaces through organisations, clubs, and events, which has compromised their academic achievements and opportunities.
The diversity training should address 21st-century diversity issues and how they are influenced by history. It should be curated by a diverse group of students and faculty, ensuring that the curriculum is relevant and effective. This committee will be responsible for the content and structure of the training programme.
Additionally, the students are demanding more diversity among the counselling staff. They want to see a better representation of gender, gender identity, nationality, race, ethnicity, sexuality, religious affiliation, ability, and language fluency. This demand is coupled with the request for a “choose your counsellor” feature, allowing students to select a counsellor with whom they feel comfortable and validated.
The students also request housing options that cater to multicultural living communities. They suggest roommate options based on mutual interests and identities, allowing students to live with others who share similar backgrounds or interests.
University Response
Chancellor Kent Syverud initially hesitated to sign the list of demands, which led to protests outside his residence, with students chanting "sign or resign". He eventually signed the list with three edits. Syverud stated that he agreed with 98% of the demands and would sign as a symbol of his support. However, some students still feel that their demands have not been fully met, and they continue to call for his resignation.
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Improved student mental health services
Syracuse University students have made several demands to improve mental health services on campus. One of the key demands is to increase the number of counsellors available to students. The current counsellor-to-student ratio is deemed inadequate, with a demand for a ratio of 1:500 before the fall 2020 semester. This would mean hiring an additional 18 counsellors to meet the needs of the student body.
Students have also expressed a desire for a diverse counselling staff that represents a range of identities, including gender, gender identity/expression, nationality, race/ethnicity, sexuality, religious affiliation, ability, and language fluency. This demand reflects the feelings of marginalised students who have felt alienated by the lack of representation in the current counselling staff.
Furthermore, students are requesting the right to choose their counsellor to ensure comfort and validation during their sessions. This "choose your counsellor" feature would be available when scheduling an appointment.
In addition to the demands for more counsellors and improved representation, students are also seeking mandatory diversity education for incoming students and all newly hired faculty and staff. This education would address issues of diversity and inclusion, ensuring that the entire campus community is better equipped to support one another's mental health and well-being.
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Greater engagement from the Chancellor with minority communities
Syracuse University students have made a series of demands in response to racist incidents and a campus culture that enables them. One of these demands is for greater engagement from the Chancellor with minority communities.
The Chancellor, Kent Syverud, has faced calls for his resignation from students, including the #NotAgainSU movement, due to his perceived inadequate response to their demands and hesitation to sign their list of demands. However, Syverud has made attempts to address the students' concerns and has signed their list of demands, albeit with three edits.
The demand for greater engagement from the Chancellor specifically includes a request for a mandatory annual State of the University Address regarding the experiences of students of colour and other marginalised identities. This address is intended to promote transparency and accountability from the administration, which students believe is necessary for ensuring the safety of underrepresented and underserved students on campus.
To further increase engagement and transparency, students have also demanded that Syracuse University expand and invest in student volunteer opportunities within the city of Syracuse, serving underserved and low-income communities. This expansion would be funded by doubling the university's promised $300,000 for volunteer opportunities, which protesters argue is insufficient given the university's endowment and tax status.
Additionally, students have called for the hiring of more counsellors who better represent the student body, including multilingual counsellors who can speak languages native to students. This demand aims to address current wait-list issues and ensure that all students can access mental health support from counsellors with whom they feel comfortable and validated.
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Acknowledgement of systemic racism at the university
Syracuse University students have made several demands of their institution, addressing a series of racist incidents and a campus culture that has failed to foster an inclusive environment. The #NotAgainSU movement, led by Black students, has been at the forefront of these protests, calling for transparency and accountability from the administration.
One of the key demands relates to the acknowledgement of systemic racism at the university. Protesters have urged Syracuse University to recognize that hate crimes on campus are not isolated incidents but are indicative of larger systemic and institutional violence. They assert that the university is complicit in perpetuating oppressive systems, specifically white supremacy. This demand highlights the students' recognition that racism is structural and institutionalized, and they seek an acknowledgment of the university's role in maintaining these systems.
The students have also demanded that the university address the lack of diversity and inclusion on campus. They have called for the administration to commit significant resources to fostering a diverse and inclusive environment. This includes demands for more diversity training, a diverse faculty, and options for students to choose roommates of the same race or live in multicultural living communities. The protesters have also requested that the university hire more counselors who better represent the student body, addressing the current underrepresentation of various identities within the counseling staff.
In addition to acknowledging the systemic nature of racism on campus, the students have demanded concrete actions to address it. They have called for consistent levels of engagement from the chancellor with minority communities, including mandatory annual addresses on the state of the university as it relates to the experiences of students of color and other marginalized identities. The protesters also demand that the university expand and invest in student volunteer opportunities to better serve underserved and low-income communities in Syracuse.
The students' demands also address specific incidents of racism on campus, such as racist graffiti discovered in a residence hall bathroom stall. They demand different punishments for different levels of involvement in hate crimes, including expulsion for perpetrators and bystanders. The protesters also seek to hold the university accountable for its handling of protests, demanding a formal and public acknowledgment and apology for the treatment of peaceful student protesters, including incidents of starvation and the refusal of medical and hygiene supplies.
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