Dear Editor,

We are writing as alums and current Syracuse students who fought this same administration as members of The General Body five years ago this month. We want to express our full support for #NotAgainSU and their demands and for the petition asking for Chancellor Kent Syverud’s immediate resignation.

In November 2014, we sat in the administration building for 18 days to advance justice and equity at SU. We hoped that our work then would ensure that students today wouldn’t have to demand the same. Unfortunately, Chancellor Syverud refused to meet any substantial demands addressing persistent racism in 2014, when he cut several programs for BIPOC students. With his continued inaction, it comes as no surprise that the same issues have come up again and again in the five years since.

While we are proud of the students’ activism now, we are disgusted that this administration continues to evade responsibility and accountability as a culture of white supremacy flourishes. The students sitting in have been generous in granting the administration another chance to change course — they do not deserve it.

In 2014, at the start of Syverud’s chancellorship, he closed the rape crisis advocacy center, ended POSSE scholarships for students of color and cancelled the Paris Noir study abroad program. Instead of taking the opportunity to help students of color, the following summer his administration built a six million dollar walkway.

Meanwhile, students are subjected to one wave after another of racist violence on campus. After each incident, the chancellor shows up, usually a few days late, to say he is listening. But he and other university leaders can do more than listen — they are the ones making decisions about the structure of the university. They can change policy, fund programs, hire more diverse staff and prioritize the things that matter. That they continually choose not to means they are not fit to lead.

Do not settle for listening meetings, carefully crafted emails, videos or invitations to workgroups. Do not settle for mayors or coaches showing up to say they hear you. Do not settle for the administration bending on the least significant of your demands while ignoring the rest. You deserve immediate and significant action on problems many years in the making, including new leadership.

Sincerely,

Sherri Williams

Yanira Rodríguez

Tessa Brown

Laura Jaffee

Vani Kannan

Montiniquë McEachern

Nikeeta Slade

Michael Kelly

Susima Weerakoon

Pamela Sertzen

Ben Kuebrich

Jennith Lucas

 

Published on November 19, 2019 at 12:35 am