Syracuse University has ended negotiations with #NotAgainSU protesters in Crouse-Hinds Hall, a university official announced Saturday.

#NotAgainSU, a movement led by Black students, has been occupying Crouse-Hinds since Feb. 17 in protest of SU’s response to at least 30 racist, anti-Semitic and homophobic incidents that have occurred at or near Main Campus since November.

Protesters met with university officials four times this week to negotiate on the movement’s revised demands. After Friday’s negotiation ended without a resolution, organizers said they’d be available to meet again Monday. An SU official said talks would resume “at a later date.”

SU will continue to provide other means for discussion with students, Interim Provost John Liu said in an SU News release. He cited the university’s campus engagement committees, which launched in December to collect input on implementing the demands and concerns of #NotAgainSU and other student groups.

“We understand this work requires persistence, intentionality and a collective commitment to the work and to each other,” Liu said. “Working together, we will surely make steady progress.”

#NotAgainSU and university officials made slow progress negotiating on the movement’s demands throughout the four meetings this week. Organizers have said they plan to occupy Crouse-Hinds until negotiations are complete. It is unclear whether the occupation will continue in light of Liu’s announcement.

The university reached common ground with protesters on several issues, Liu said.

Administrators agreed to increase student printing funds and implement mandatory diversity training for non-tenured faculty, Liu said. Officials also agreed to hire five new counselors and revise SU’s Campus Disruption Policy as it relates to peaceful protests, he said.

University officials agreed to student demands whenever possible, but some agreements could not be made, Liu said.

#NotAgainSU demands that SU release a statement acknowledging hate incidents on campus as indicative of institutional white supremacy. Organizers warned officials Friday that escalated action will take place if the university refuses to release the statement.

The university will not issue that statement, Liu said.

During Friday’s talks, Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer Keith Alford said SU would need until the end of the semester to craft the statement. Gabe Nugent, deputy general counsel for SU, later said in the meeting that the university couldn’t comment further on the demand.

SU will also not implement #NotAgainSU’s demand for the university to publicly share the identities of students responsible for bias incidents. Federal privacy laws prevent the information from being shared, he said.

Department of Public Safety Officers will also not be disarmed, Liu said. Organizers have criticized DPS officers’ interactions with protesters throughout the movement’s occupation of Crouse-Hinds.

The movement also demands the resignation of four university officials, including Chancellor Kent Syverud and DPS Chief Bobby Maldonado. The university will not support or ask for the resignations of any of the officials, Liu said.

#NotAgainSU’s occupation in Crouse-Hinds has continued as of Saturday evening.

Published on March 7, 2020 at 8:01 pm

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