More than 1,300 people have signed an online petition calling for Chancellor Kent Syverud to resign after the university’s handling of racist graffiti in a residence hall. 

The Change.org petition, created by “A Concerned Student,” criticized the Syracuse University chancellor’s handling of several controversies during his tenure, including THE General Body protest, the Theta Tau videos and the assault of three students of color along Ackerman Avenue. 

The petition was created in response to SU’s delayed communications about the writing of racial slurs against black and Asian people. The goal of 1,000 signatories, reached on Thursday, was extended to 1,500. The university issued a statement on Monday, after Renegade Magazine and The Daily Orange reported the slurs. 

Jalen Nash, an SU senior and co-editor-in-chief of Renegade, promoted the petition on social media. He said on Tuesday that he hopes the petition can lead to “tangible, structural changes” rather than apologies and forums. 

“I would love for this petition to be the catalyst for structural change in this university,” Nash said. “Even if it’s not, I want the goal to really start a conversation and make SU students ask themselves, is this the leadership that you want to follow?”

The racist graffiti was written on the night of Nov. 6 but wasn’t reported to the Department of Public Safety until the morning of Nov. 7. Syverud appeared at the sit-in around 12:15 p.m. on Wednesday, but left after speaking for a few minutes. University officials like Chief Diversity Officer Keith Alford and Dean of Students Marianne Thomson spoke with students for hours on the first day of the sit-in.

SU deserves a chancellor who has integrity and delivers on his promises, the petition states. Several alumni left messages explaining why they signed the petition. Bee Poshek, Class of 2019, wrote that it was a “shame” Syverud doesn’t seriously consider the struggles of marginalized students. 

In the list of demands from the protestors, it calls for Syverud and Alford to resign if the university doesn’t respond to their action items in writing within a week.

“While students have spoken, protested and marched for 5-years, the recurrence of these incidents prove that administration is not equipped to deliver on the promise of a safe and inclusive campus,” the petition’s statement reads.

The Board of Trustees renewed Syverud’s contract as chancellor in spring 2018, extending his tenure until 2024.  

Sarah Scalese, senior associate vice president for university communications, did not respond to a request for comment.

— Sports editor KJ Edelman contributed reporting to this article. 

Published on November 14, 2019 at 6:33 pm

Contact Casey: [email protected] | @caseydarnell_