Members of the Recognize Us movement, a social coalition organized at Syracuse University this week to advocate for minority students, promised “unbending” and “unbroken” opposition to university administrators if they fail to fulfill student demands in the wake of the Theta Tau video release.

“We demand that the Administration shifts away from its corporatist tendencies, and dedicates more of its endowment to cultivating a center of inclusivity, culture, higher learning, and social progress for all,” the movement said in a statement released Saturday afternoon.

The statement came hours after Chancellor Kent Syverud announced Theta Tau’s permanent expulsion for its involvement in the creation of a video he called “racist, anti-Semitic, homophobic, ableist and sexist.” Theta Tau was initially suspended on Wednesday. The statement also came before The Daily Orange published a second video showing people in Theta Tau’s house miming the sexual assault of a person with disabilities.

Recognize Us, in its statement, said they believe the administration has made it clear they failed to support people of color, religious minorities, people with disabilities, the LGBTQ community and others.

Jes Sheldon | Staff Photographer

The movement said the university promised in 2014 to fix those issues, but added that their response in the last four years has been “far from enough.” THE General Body, a coalition of student organizations, organized an 18-day Crouse-Hinds Hall sit-in in 2014 to protest topics in a 45-page list of grievances and demands. Those demands included additional diversity training and more transparency in student services.

“The voices not heard by the Administration at Hendricks Chapel made that very clear,” Recognize Us said, referring to a Hendricks forum on Wednesday night. “Story after story recounted feelings of exclusion, dejection, and pain owing to the lack of accessibility and support on this campus from the institutions that are supposed to protect and serve us.”

The movement said it recognized that Syverud and Department of Public Safety Chief Bobby Maldonado attended a Schine Student Center protest on Friday morning. Recognize Us also said it recognized that SU permanently expelled the Theta Tau fraternity.

The coalition hopes SU administrators will continue to engage with the student body to cultivate a “community that provides justice for all,” according to the statement.   

Recognize Us organized the Schine protest on Friday, where Syverud apologized for missing the Wednesday night Hendricks forum.

Students presented a list of demands to Syverud at the sit-in. Among other points on the list, Recognize Us demanded that the university organize a town hall with the chancellor, Board of Trustees, administrators and deans by Wednesday at 11:59 p.m.

Syverud said in an interview with The Daily Orange Saturday that SU is working to hold the meeting on Wednesday.

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MORE COVERAGE:

• SU chapter of Theta Tau says video depicts a ‘satirical sketch’
• Syverud: SU will start ‘top to bottom’ review of all Greek life policies, activities and culture
• Student Association leaders call for SU Greek life audit in wake of Theta Tau suspension
• Students protest Theta Tau videos outside Chancellor Kent Syverud’s house

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Published on April 21, 2018 at 11:25 pm

Contact Jordan: jmulle01@syr.edu | @jordanmuller18