Student Association President-elect Ghufran Salih and Vice President-elect Kyle Rosenblum said they believe that keeping conversations on diversity going will bring change to Syracuse University following the release of controversial videos related to Theta Tau, an SU fraternity.

Theta Tau was suspended and eventually expelled by SU after videos containing what Chancellor Kent Syverud called “extremely racist” behavior were confirmed to have been created by the fraternity chapter. Syracuse University refused to release the videos, but The Daily Orange obtained and released two videos in April.

Salih and Rosenblum said they attended several forums at schools and colleges to discuss the videos and diversity on campus. The pair listened to stories of doubt and hurt from attendees, but they also heard hope and solutions for the future from students, Salih said.

They both attended the second forum in Hendricks Chapel and moderated questions submitted via Twitter.

Suggested reforms from Salih and Rosenblum included assessing diversity requirements in colleges’ curriculums, developing first-year forums, requiring implicit bias training for faculty and students and hiring faculty from diverse backgrounds.

“It’s taking a closer look at what we’re doing and how that might not be working as well as it could be,” Salih said.

Rosenblum added that while he thinks there needs to be resources available for students who face discrimination, there also needs to be measures to avoid discriminatory situations in the first place.

Salih said she was surprised by the number of university personnel who attended the forums and listened to students. That indicates progress, she said.

Rosenblum cited Chief Human Resources Officer Andy Gordon as an example. At a forum at Hendricks Chapel last Wednesday, Gordon responded to a question from Susima Weerakoon, a graduate student who asked why students have to pay for their Title IX hearing transcripts. Gordon said that funds would be made available the following day for students to access their Title IX transcripts and followed through on his statement.

“It was tangible evidence that there are administrators who are listening and working,” Rosenblum said.

Rosenblum added that while the forums are impactful, administrators need to include students in discussions in the future as well.

“It’s frustrating when your voice isn’t heard,” Salih said. Rosenblum said one reason why students feel as if they’re not being heard is because decisions are still being made behind closed doors.

Salih said she was looking to form a student action committee to ensure that progress and conversation extend beyond this school year.

The pair, elected to SA office in April, included the theme of diversity and inclusion in their campaign platform. SA has successfully acted as a platform for students to pitch ideas or events, and the organization hopes to expand that next year, Salih said.

She added that it has sometimes been hard for her to balance being a student who is upset and hurt at the events and being someone who other students can turn to for help.

Rosenblum said he feels it is important to produce long-term change and that he did not want students to give up hope for that change. Salih said she hopes students continue with activism.

“I hope that everyone else on this campus will keep fighting because I’m going to keep fighting,” Salih said.

Published on April 30, 2018 at 10:25 pm

Contact India: irmiragl@syr.edu