Skip to main content
  • Home
  • About
  • Faculty Experts
  • For The Media
  • Videos
  • Topics
    • Alumni
    • Events
    • Faculty
    • Library
    • Research
    • Students
    • All Topics
  • Contact
  • Submit
Campus & Community
  • All News
  • Arts & Culture
  • Business & Economy
  • Campus & Community
  • Health & Society
  • Media, Law & Policy
  • STEM
  • Veterans
  • |
  • Alumni
  • The Peel
  • Athletics
Sections
  • All News
  • Arts & Culture
  • Business & Economy
  • Campus & Community
  • Health & Society
  • Media, Law & Policy
  • STEM
  • Veterans
  • |
  • Alumni
  • The Peel
  • Athletics
  • Home
  • About
  • Faculty Experts
  • For The Media
  • Videos
  • Topics
    • Alumni
    • Events
    • Faculty
    • Library
    • Research
    • Students
    • All Topics
  • Contact
  • Submit
Campus & Community

Message from Chancellor Kent Syverud

Sunday, April 22, 2018, By News Staff
Share

Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff:

Last night the Daily Orange released an additional video of the behavior at the Syracuse University chapter of Theta Tau. The video depicts sexual assault, physical violence and grotesque hostility toward and mockery of people with physical, intellectual and other disabilities.

This additional video is part of the evidence Syracuse University received on Wednesday and immediately referred for potential criminal investigation to local law enforcement and for student judicial proceedings. It is not the only evidence, and there are other videos as well. We do not reveal evidence in an ongoing potential criminal and judicial investigation so as not to prejudice that investigation and so as not to enable those being investigated to escape responsibility for all of their actions. For this reason, I have been constrained in what I could say to date about this incident. I do not know what videos or other evidence the Daily Orange or other media may possess, and the media are not necessarily subject to the same constraints as I am in releasing information.

Now that the media has released this second video, I can comment more specifically on it than I have been able to in my previous statements on Wednesday, April 18, Thursday, April 19, Friday, April 20, and Saturday, April 21. In my specific comments on the first video, I have noted that its disgusting content included extreme and egregious racism, sexism, ableism, anti-Semitism and homophobia. I deeply believe it was important to name that video for what it is, and I will be consistent in responding to this second video.

The words and behaviors in the second video are appalling and disgusting on many intersecting grounds. They especially offend all Syracuse University holds dear about diversity and inclusion of people with disabilities. Diane Wiener, director of Syracuse University’s Disability Cultural Center (DCC), has explained why in careful and thoughtful detail, which I link here. I believe the second video depicts egregious behavior, including sexual assault, violence and discriminatory mockery and hostility toward people with disabilities that is unacceptable and deeply harmful in many ways. I ask all of us who care about our community and its values to reaffirm them by emphatically rejecting all this video represents. There is absolutely no place at Syracuse University for tolerance of this behavior.

I am deeply concerned about how the continuing exposure to hateful videos is causing further hurt and distress to members of our campus community who are still dealing with the last public display of bigotry and hatred. Following tonight’s 7 p.m. Dean’s Convocation at Hendricks Chapel, I along with the Dean of Students Robert Hradsky, DCC Director and Co-Chair of the Diversity and Inclusion Council Diane Wiener, Associate Vice President Colleen Bench, Senior Vice President and Chief of Staff Candace Campbell Jackson, Special Assistant and Co-Chair of the Diversity and Inclusion Council Barry L. Wells, Department of Public Safety Chief Bobby Maldonado and other concerned leaders, will be on hand. We will go to an appropriate and accessible space to engage with students and community members who desire to do so until 9:30 p.m.

Sincerely,

Chancellor Kent Syverud

  • Author

News Staff

  • Recent
  • Graduate Student Works With Food Policy Council to Combat Rising Food Scarcity Due to COVID
    Monday, March 8, 2021, By Brandon Dyer
  • Online Master of Social Work Opens Doors to Career Changers, Working Professionals
    Monday, March 8, 2021, By Ellen de Graffenreid
  • Turning Gratitude Into Opportunity
    Friday, March 5, 2021, By Dan Bernardi
  • University Selected to Host Hult Prize Regional Competition
    Friday, March 5, 2021, By Cristina Hatem
  • Message From Chancellor Kent Syverud
    Thursday, March 4, 2021, By News Staff

More In Campus & Community

University Selected to Host Hult Prize Regional Competition

The prestigious Hult Prize Foundation has selected Syracuse University Libraries’ Blackstone LaunchPad & Techstars (LaunchPad) to host the Hult Prize Regional Summit. Hult Prize Impact Summits are hosted in 100 locations around the world, and this year Syracuse is one…

Activities for the Weekend of March 4-7: Get Involved, Stay Safe, Have Fun!

Dear Students and Families: Welcome to the first weekend of March! It’s hard to believe we’ve already been on campus for a full month. I hope that despite the unusual nature of this semester, you are finding ways to enjoy…

Message From Chancellor Kent Syverud

Dear Students, Faculty and Staff: Today you received a message from University Trustees Richard Alexander and Jeffrey Scruggs, co-leads of the Board of Trustees Special Committee on University Climate, Diversity and Inclusion. The committee has completed its comprehensive review and…

Final Report of the Board Special Committee on University Climate, Diversity and Inclusion

Dear Members of the Syracuse University Community: We are writing today to share the final report of the Board of Trustees Special Committee on University Climate, Diversity and Inclusion. This committee was convened in December 2019 with the goal of…

Stadium to Reopen to Fans Saturday, March 6

Dear Students, Faculty and Staff: There are very few things more uniquely Orange than attending an event at our iconic stadium. This is an experience many of us have been missing throughout the pandemic. For that reason, we are pleased…

Subscribe to SU Today

If you need help with your subscription, contact sunews@syr.edu.

Connect With Us

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Youtube
  • LinkedIn
Social Media Directory

For the Media

Find an Expert Follow @SyracuseUNews
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Youtube
  • LinkedIn
  • @SyracuseU
  • @SyracuseUNews
  • @SUCampus
  • Social Media Directory
  • Accessibility
  • Privacy
  • Campus Status
  • Syracuse.edu
© 2021 Syracuse University News. All Rights Reserved.