thursday, april 3, 2025
celebrating 121 years
free
N • Anthony’s address
C • Sticker stories
S • ‘Stay tuned’
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Syracuse basketball legend and recently elected hall of famer Carmelo Anthony will deliver SU’s 2025 commencement speech.
Laptop stickers showcase the SU community’s sense of style and individuality. There’s usually a story behind them.
Football players Darrell Gill Jr., Malachi James and Malachi Coleman are chasing down SU’s 4x100 relay record with sprinter James Nmah.
ASA case from SU alum faces delays Tim Kearns, who attended SU in the 1980s, filed a lawsuit against the university and a former professor under the Adult Survivors Act
The New York State Adult Survivors Act opened a window to file lawsuits regardless of the statute of limitations from 2022-23. Tim Kearns, a SU alum, sued the university and a former professor under ASA but has faced delays. lars jendruschewitz senior staff photographer By Stephanie Wright
editor-in-chief
Content warning: This article contains mention of sexual abuse.
T
im Kearns was waiting for his daughter’s college graduation ceremony to begin when his son showed him an article on his phone about the New York State Adult Survivors Act. It was May 2023, a year after Gov. Kathy Hochul signed the act into law, opening a oneyear window for adult survivors of sexual abuse
who had passed the statute of limitations to file revival action lawsuits. Kearns, who attended Syracuse University, said he was shocked to hear about the window. He knew right away that he wanted to find an attorney and pursue a case. In his lawsuit, Kearns alleges that Theodore Wallin, then a professor in the Whitman School of Management, allegedly sexually abused Kearns while he was a student at SU. The lawsuit alleges that Wallin’s conduct caused Kearns to suffer physical, psychological and emotional injuries. The lawsuit — filed against Wallin and SU on Nov. 21, 2023 — also alleges that the university breached its duty to protect Kearns from injury. It alleges
negligence in the university’s hiring and retaining of Wallin as an employee. “I wanted to forget about it. I wanted to bury it, never to think about it again,” Kearns said. “I was so ashamed of what happened that I didn’t tell anybody.” Wallin’s attorney wrote in a statement to The Daily Orange that Wallin denies the allegations brought against him. A SU spokesperson wrote in a statement to The D.O. that the university does not comment on active litigation. Over a year after its filing, the lawsuit has faced delays because it implicates a former insurance provider for SU that has since filed for bankruptcy. Arrosee asa page 6
on campus
SU hosts DEIA symposium to foster community discussions By Sydney DePietto staff writer
Mary Grace Almandrez emphasized Syracuse University’s continued commitment to inclusivity and the importance of advancing diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility efforts on campus during SU’s semi-annual DEIA forum on Wednesday.
Almandrez, vice president of SU’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion, said the university will continue to be a leader in the space amid President Donald Trump’s anti-DEIA orders. The forum was an opportunity for faculty, staff and students to discuss DEIA on campus. “I think about this moment in time, being very dynamic and at times, deal-
ing with unexpected circumstances,” Almandrez said. “What remains consistent is our commitment to community and connection.” Tanya Williamson, ODI’s assistant vice president, joined Almandrez in moderating the discussion in the Schine Student Center. The talk focused on the university’s spring semester DEIA initiatives and the
future of such policies under the Trump administration. Almandrez highlighted several accomplishments from this semester, including professional development events focused on addressing the challenges students of color face on campus, cultural barriers across academic disciplines and dialogue about wellness on campus.
She shared the results of the university’s CORE Four Workshops and said participants are applying its teachings in their roles on campus. The workshops, open to SU faculty, staff and students, focused on the foundations of DEIA, allyship, identifying microaggressions and strengthening the sense of belonging on campus. see deia page 7