SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) - A student activist group at Syracuse University has rejected a college administration attempt to end its three-day sit-in protesting the handling of racist graffiti and other bias-related incidents on campus.
The group #NotAgainSU launched the protest at the administration building Crouse-Hinds Hall on Monday with more than 20 students. They said the school has failed to address allegations of racism, anti-Semitism and homophobia that prompted student protests last fall.
At least 30 students were placed under interim suspension Tuesday after they refused to leave the administration building.
The university’s Vice President for Student Experience Rob Hradsky said Wednesday the protesters rejected an offered compromise aimed at finding “common ground.” The offer included support for peaceful daytime protests at Crouse-Hinds Hall with overnight protests moving to Bird Library and a meeting between protesters and administrators on Thursday.
In a statement shared on social media Tuesday, #NotAgainSU said “The administration has not appropriately addressed the 25+ hate crimes that have occurred on campus since November 2019, and they have not addressed student protesters in any way that is reflective of a commitment to equal safety and support.”
Six bias incidents have been reported to campus security since the spring semester began in January. They included a driver shouting a racial slur at two students and other incidents of verbal harassment and racist graffiti.
In his annual winter address last month, Chancellor Kent Syverud said the university has allocated $5.6 million toward addressing issues of diversity and inclusion in response to racist incidents on campus.
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