Dear Campus Community,

All of us were saddened if not horrified by the murder of a Chinese undergraduate last week. Our hearts go out to his family, who in good faith sent their child off to school in this unknown place, expecting him to complete his studies and return home.

I write as a faculty member, who did not know this young man but have watched the response of the University to the situation.

The University’s response has been nothing less than a disgrace. Two of my Maxwell colleagues with a member of DPS were sent to the airport to meet the parents. These two were chosen simply because they are fluent in Chinese. They were exploited. Not a single member of the upper administration was present – not even the VP for Student Affairs.  All day Saturday, as the parents went to the funeral home and meals, it was the two interpreters who cared for them.  They are not grief counselors equipped to deal with an inconsolable mother.

Our international students are cared for by the Slutzker Center, an extremely competent operation run by the extraordinary Pat Burak. Student Affairs’ crisis manager was away for the weekend. In January, SU removed Slutzker’s associate director. Since May, the assistant director has been out on medical leave.  IT at Student Affairs hired away Slutzker’s functional business specialist. Since the student’s death, Pat has worked around the clock to put things into place, including finding translators somewhere at SU. So this kingpin in our internationalized student body is down to three staff to handle 5000 international students and scholars.

SU has proposed further internationalizing the university. A committee has been empaneled. The idea is to bring even more international students. Who will take care of them when they get sick or face psychological problems?

Syracuse University has profited greatly from a large Chinese student population. And yet, it is unwilling to underwrite the most basic of services that will serve that population.

Going into the weekend my colleague was already overworked. The role he was thrust into is not one he is trained for and is emblematic of how overworked faculty are.

Crouse-Hinds is filled with lawyers. Is no one concerned about liability?

I am both sad and enraged by the behavior of the institution where I have spent most of my professional life. I clearly work for a corporation with little human concern.

Deborah Pellow

Professor, Dept. of Anthropology

Published on October 10, 2016 at 5:47 pm