Student protesters say Syracuse University response to demands doesn’t adequately address concerns
THE General Body, a group that has occupied the lobby of Crouse-Hinds Hall since Monday, put out a release on Friday stating that the Syracuse University administration’s response to their demands was not adequate.
In the release, the group addresses an email sent by Bea Gonzalez, dean of University College and the liaison between protesters and Chancellor Kent Syverud, as well as the administration’s response to the group’s list of grievances and demands. The release stated that neither the email nor the response “address the full scope of the concerns of THE General Body, and fail to adequately respond to urgent student needs.”
In addition, the group said that the sit-in will not end without written confirmation that Syverud and Gonzalez are willing to commit to a “clear timetable moving forward” on each item in the group’s demands document.
In a separate release, the group said that it understands Crouse-Hinds will be closing at 5 p.m. Friday, and they plan on staying in the building for the weekend. It is currently unclear whether the group will be allowed to stay in the building for the weekend, or under what terms.
A few protesters said Friday morning that there were no real commitments made on certain issues. One example given was the group’s demand that SU Libraries need an additional $7 million in the budget to reach the median of its peer group. The timeline given by THE General Body for this to be accomplished was fall 2015.
“We have pretty realistic timelines,” said Dan Freeda, one of the protesters. He added that the university has told the group that most of its timelines are reasonable.
On Friday morning, protesters stood outside the University Sheraton hotel, where the Board of Trustees was scheduled to meet. They held signs and chanted, and protesters said it “was a good time.”
Published on November 7, 2014 at 1:55 pm
Contact Brett: blsamuel@syr.edu | @Brett_Samuels27