UPDATED: Nov. 17, 2019, at 11:30 p.m.

Editor’s note: This article details the usage of racial slurs.

Syracuse University has suspended all social activities of fraternities on campus after members and guests of a fraternity yelled a racial epithet at a black woman on Saturday night.

Chancellor Kent Syverud announced the decision in a campus-wide email sent around 6:13 a.m. on Sunday. The fraternity involved was suspended. Social activities at all fraternities were suspended for the rest of the fall 2019 semester as of 4 a.m. Sunday.

SU’s chapter of the Alpha Chi Rho fraternity, “Crow,” has been suspended, according to the website for the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs. That is the only change in chapter status listed after SU announced a fraternity was suspended for a racist incident near College Place. Crow is located at 131 College Place.

The Department of Public Safety announced Saturday night that a group of individuals were yelling the N-word near College Place as the woman walked by. The department has “substantial evidence,” including camera footage, eyewitness accounts and interviews, Syverud said. Those responsible will be held accountable to the Code of Student Conduct and to the law, he said.

At least 10 hate crimes or bias-related incidents have been reported on or near SU’s campus since Nov. 7, including racist graffiti against black and Asian students.

“While only one fraternity may have been involved in this particular incident, given recent history, all fraternities must come together with the university community to reflect upon how to prevent recurrence of such seriously troubling behavior,” Syverud wrote in the email.

“This report of an affront to our student’s — and our whole community’s — safety and well-being is the latest incident of several against Jews, Asians and African Americans,” Syverud wrote.

The national organization of Crow sent a statement to The Daily Orange on Sunday saying that it was “disgusted” by the alleged hateful language and “harassing behaviors” used by members of the fraternity on Saturday evening. The statement also said the fraternity is working with SU to investigate the situation and said that, if confirmed, it will hold members involved accountable.

“Such loathsome behavior is contrary to Alpha Chi Rho Fraternity principles that aim to cultivate men of word and deed based on character, honor and integrity,” the statement read.

The Interfraternity Council, a group of 15 fraternities at SU, issued a statement on its Instagram on Sunday disavowing “racist words and actions” from one of its chapters. IFC chapters will attend diversity training in the coming weeks and training will expand next semester.  

“There is no place for intolerance on our campus, and we will work with all proper authorities to ensure that this never happens again,” the statement read. “We extend our deepest condolences to those hurt by these intolerable actions, and we stand ready to support them however we can.”

The Panhellenic Council, the group of 13 sororities at SU, condemned the actions of fraternity members involved in the racist incident near College Place. The Panhellenic Council has promoted #NotAgainSU in the days since the sit-in began and shared the group’s Instagram handle. 

“We want to make it clear that we do not tolerate any kind of hate towards members of the Syracuse University student body and outside our community,” the statement on Instagram read. “We continue to stand with the #NotAgainSU movement fully and whole heartedly.”

DPS is continuing to investigate other bias-related incidents, including racist graffiti and vandalism, Syverud said. A “generous” university donor has offered a reward for evidence that helps authorities apprehend the individual or individuals responsible.

— Asst. News Editor Gabe Stern contributed reporting to this story

This post was updated with additional reporting

Published on November 17, 2019 at 7:29 am

Contact Casey: [email protected] | @caseydarnell_