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Syracuse University’s University Senate passed a resolution at its Wednesday meeting calling for DPS to reassess its bias reporting process to increase transparency within the department.

The resolution, which had 18 signatories, called on DPS to include SU students, faculty and staff in their process of bias reporting and to publish semesterly and annual reports that would include data summaries and analysis of reported bias incidents.

It also calls for DPS, the STOP Bias and Hate initiative and the Office of Community Standards to report aggregated data of incidents preferably on a monthly basis. If DPS cannot reach that target, the resolution calls for a report for each semester.

“This resolution was introduced and passed because we recognized the importance of transparency and accountability and refused to give up regardless of the aggressions that were sent towards us,” said Jordan Beasley, Student Association vice president for diversity and inclusion.

The resolution highlighted that while STOP Bias and the Office of Community Standards do share some individual bias reporting cases, the university does not currently have a “clear publishing policy.”

University students, faculty and staff from marginalized and multicultural backgrounds have expressed concern over current policies and are asking for change in the public reporting policies of bias-related incidents, the resolution reads.

“It has been a severe detriment for students and the university community at-large to not have access to this aggregated data so we can identify trends and work collaboratively to identify solutions to better ameliorate bias and hate on campus,” SA President David Bruen said in a written statement.

Following an anti-LGBTQ bias incident in Watson Hall reported to DPS on Feb. 24, SU students expressed frustration over a lack of transparency from SU officials and pointed to an apparent lack of student accountability towards those who commit bias-related incidents.

DPS did not publicly report the Feb. 24 bias incident until March 2. In a campus-wide email, DPS officials and SU wrote that DPS delayed communication regarding the incident to avoid jeopardizing its investigation.

According to its website, DPS will publicly notify the university community regarding hate speech and bias-related incidents within 48 hours unless announcing the report jeopardizes its investigation.

In the resolution, university senators condemned acts of hatred and bigotry on SU’s campus. Of the seven reports of bias incidents which DPS received and communicated this semester, four targeted the LGBTQ community, according to DPS’ bias incident tracker.

Most recently, a resident at Lawrinson Hall received a note containing an anti-LGBTQ on the morning of April 13, according to the Department of Public Safety’s bias incidents report page.

A university employee previously reported the theft of the LGBTQ and Haudenosaunee flags on March 27 outside of Hendricks Chapel on the Shaw Quadrangle. DPS also reported anti-LGBTQ bias incidents on Feb. 24 and March 5, both of which involved derogatory language in Watson Hall, according to DPS’ bias incident tracker.

Beasley said SA will likely vote on the resolution at its next meeting on Monday, and will introduce the resolution at the Graduate Student Organization’s next meeting on Wednesday.

If the resolution is approved by all three groups, Beasley said it would call upon SU to respond in some capacity.

“The choice that they’re going to have if they have to publicly make a statement to deny it (the resolution) would call the university into question from a diversity, equity, (and) inclusion standpoint,” Beasley said.

Beasley, who previously met with SU leaders over spring break to discuss potential improvements to DPS protocol, said USen members met with SU community members from marginalized and multicultural backgrounds to draft the resolution.

With the resolution now passed by USen, Beasley said DPS should now work to improve its communication surrounding bias reporting to create a greater sense of inclusion on campus.

“The passing of this resolution is only the beginning, it is now time for the university to finally come through on their behalf after years of failed commitments and promises,” Beasley said.

Other business:

Gretchen Ritter, SU’s vice chancellor and provost, said the university is in the process of revising strategic plans for each of SU’s individual schools and colleges. The university will finalize the plan and begin implementing it this month, according to the Office of Academic Affairs’ website.

Ritter also announced that the university is reaffirming its commitment to diversity and inclusion as the Supreme Court, through two upcoming cases, may deem affirmative action unconstitutional. Ritter said SU plans to onboard new academic leaders and implement the university’s new Academic Strategic Plan – a roadmap outlining academic objectives the university aims to reach by 2028 – while pledging to support DEIA “in the context” of the Supreme Court’s decision on affirmative action.

Chancellor Kent Syverud clarified that the university’s commitment to phasing out single-use plastics by the 2027-2028 academic year includes SU’s campuses in Syracuse and abroad. He also noted that the new Sustainability Oversight Council will provide yearly updates to ensure SU meets its new deadlines for the sustainability goals and emphasized the university’s updated sustainability goals — which include moving SU’s net-zero emissions target year from 2040 to 2032.

Published on April 20, 2023 at 12:35 am

Contact Dominic: dcchiapp@syr.edu | @DominicChiappo2