thursday, april 9, 2026
celebrating 122 years
free
O • Cutting classics
C • Double life
S • Standard bearer
Page 12
Page 8
Page 16
SU fails to recognize the contribution of the classical world by “sunsetting” its classical civilizations program, our columnist writes.
Every March 24, senior Otto the Oranges get to unveil their longtime secret on National Orange Day.
‘Sunset’
Syracuse lacrosse icon John Desko will be immortalized Saturday when he’s inducted into the JMA Wireless Dome’s Ring of Honor.
By Brenne Sheehan
L news editor
Syracuse University’s academic portfolio review comes as universities cut programs nationwide
ast week, Syracuse University joined several colleges and universities across the United States in announcing the “closure” and pausing of almost 100 programs. SU Vice Chancellor and Provost Lois Agnew announced in an April 1 campus-wide email that the university would be “sunsetting” 93 majors and programs, including undergraduate, graduate and certificate degrees — meaning new students cannot declare these majors in the fall. This number, however, lacked important context. The university provided The Daily Orange with a list of the programs and award types separated into four categories — closing, paused to closing, paused and “pausing” — on April 1. The following day, the university’s Office of Institutional Effectiveness published a report with “notes” on several closures, providing additional context. The report revealed that most of the programs included in the 93 were dormant, renamed or transitioned years before the portfolio review was conducted. During the review, SU worked to clean up its inventory of registered programs in the New York State Education Department, which still lists several programs that SU hasn’t offered in years. Of the programs listed in the portfolio review’s results, only 26 active programs are closing. The remaining programs were either closed, consolidated into new programs or renamed years ago. Though, SU wasn’t alone in its decision to reevaluate its majors and programs. Several colleges and universities, including major institutions like West Virginia University, the University of North Carolina and Indiana University Bloomington, have effectively paused, closed and consolidated a number of their majors — particularly in the humanities. In 2023, WVU cut several of its liberal arts programs to balance its $45 million budgetary deficit. Citing declining enrollment and high operational costs, the school cut 28 of its programs and fired 140 faculty members, Axios reported. Last summer, just a few months before Agnew announced SU’s academic portfolio review, the IU system moved to close or consolidate 400 of its programs statewide, per the direction of its Republican state legislators. Jefferey Selingo, a higher education author and former editor of The Chronicle of Higher Education, see national impacts page 4
zabdyl koffa staff photographer
city
Fran Brown’s Vera House remarks reflect SU collaboration By Ben Butler
senior staff writer
After controversies and executive turnover, Vera House has found steady leadership in CEO Tricia Matthews. Wednesday marked a new covenant between Syracuse University and Vera House, highlighted by Syracuse football head coach Fran Brown’s remarks at a Vera House event on how men can help prevent violence against women. “Everything’s back. We’re involved,” Brown said of SU’s relationship with the nonprofit. “We’re big supporters of doing the right thing.” Vera House, an organization committed to ending domestic and sexual
violence and other forms of abuse, hosted its 32nd annual White Ribbon Campaign Breakfast on Wednesday. The event serves as part of its White Ribbon Campaign, which raises funds for programming. Last year’s honorary chair, District Attorney William Fitzpatrick, symbolized the county’s faith in Vera House’s new executive leadership. This year’s honorary chair, Brown, symbolized SU’s renewed faith. The White Ribbon Campaign began in 1991 as a response to the École Polytechnique massacre in Montreal. In 1989, a gunman entered a classroom at the engineering school and asked the men to leave, then killed the remain-
ing 14 women because they were in “traditionally male fields,” said George Kilpatrick, director of education and prevention services at Vera House. “(The White Ribbon Campaign) is a commitment that as men, we will never commit, condone or stay silent about violence,” Kilpatrick said. “Too many men are still on the sidelines, but in this game, there is no bench.” In her remarks, Matthews said that Vera House was there to “recommit ourselves to this important work,” sharing milestones about the nonprofit’s advocacy, prevention and accountability services, including their shelter, which Matthews said houses over 325 residents yearly.
“This past year has been a testament to both resilience and progress,” Matthews said. “We face challenges head-on.” In 2020, then-co-executive director Randi Bregman knowingly hired a registered sex offender. After a CNY Central investigation in 2022, Bregman stepped down. At the time, the university requested that Vera House include an SU staffer on its governing board in order to continue their partnership. Vera House is included on SU’s Title IX page as an off-campus resource for SU students seeking confidential advice on sexual and relationship violence. An
SU spokesperson told The D.O. Wednesday that SU does not have a formalized relationship with Vera House at this time. “We continue to work closely with Vera House in a number of ways but do not have a formal MOU at this time,” Sarah Scalese, SU’s vice president of communications, wrote in a statement to The D.O. “We appreciate their partnership and value their contributions to the campus and Central New York communities.” Brow n shared his family ’s experience with domestic violence, mentioning how his mother had him at 13 and four kids total see vera house page 6