thursday, mar. 21, 2024
celebrating 120 years
free
N • Bargaining breakdown
C • Decades of hardcore
S • ‘Lax rat’
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SGEU will vote on a tentative contract agreement next week after six months of negotiations with Syracuse University
The hardcore rock community in Syracuse gathered to celebrate and honor the long legacy of the genre in the area.
Alexa Spallina set to bring a relentless mindset to Syracuse women’s lacrosse as the No. 1 ranked recruit in the class of 2025.
university senate
USen announces housing updates By Griffin Uribe Brown asst. digital editor
leah cohn design edior
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Architecture professor Valeria Herrera files discrimination lawsuit against SU By Kyle Chouinard
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managing editor
yracuse University Assistant Teaching Professor Valeria Herrera is suing SU, the School of Architecture and its dean, Michael Speaks, alleging she faces racial discrimination and a hostile work environment at the university. Herrera, a Latina woman, joined SU as a part-time instructor in the School of Architecture in 2018 and became a full-time assistant teaching professor, the position she holds today, in 2019. The civil lawsuit alleges that, during her time at the university, she has been denied or passed over for tenure-track positions, program director positions, research grants, awards and participation in the school’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Access Council. Many of the positions she expressed interest in applying to were ultimately filled by white men, according to the lawsuit filed on Feb. 20. “The school uses (Herrera) as a prop, as a lure for recruitment, for mentoring of graduate students, and for producing the image of diversity representation in their efforts to appear as if they are committed to diversity, equity, access, and equality while simultaneously working to prevent (Herrera) from opportunity, access, and equal treatment,” the lawsuit states. The complaint demands $3.2 million, according to the case’s civil cover sheet. Citing university policy regarding active litigation, a university spokesperson did not provide comment on the lawsuit. The lawsuit lists eight causes of action, including discrimination claims under the 14th Amendment, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the New York State Human Rights Law as well as retaliation claims under Title VII, NYSHRL and the Family and Medical Leave Act. The causes of action also included the creation of a hostile work environment under NYSHRL and the violation of rights derived from the state’s constitution. The lawsuit states that, under the leadership of Speaks, Herrera has “effectively been excluded” from DEIA involvement. She allegedly was never included or invited to participate in any DEIA events and meetings. Even as the only
Latina working full time on the school’s faculty, she was never asked to participate in events for Latin and Hispanic Heritage Month, the lawsuit states. The lawsuit alleges Speaks spoke to Herrera about serving as the school’s DEIA director, but only with increased restrictions as well as reduced support and autonomy compared to her white predecessor, Lori Brown. While Speaks allegedly first expressed interest in her taking the position in March 2022, he next spoke to Herrera about the topic that August. At the meeting, he allegedly asked Herrera to “construct a blueprint-proposal for DEIA that (Herrera) would submit for his review.” However, while Brown’s position allegedly did not have any term limits, Speaks offered Herrera a single nine-month term, according to the lawsuit. At one point, Speaks also called the position “interim,” according to the lawsuit, which he would later amend “only after showing his true intent.” Speaks also offered Brown “absolute autonomy” on programming, scheduling, agendas and the purview of DEIA at the school, none of which were offered to Herrera, according to the lawsuit. But, by meeting with her two weeks before the fall semester started, Speaks allegedly restricted her ability to “construct any meaningful fall programming.” Instead, he articulated his agenda and control over DEIA, the lawsuit states. Speaks allegedly provided Brown 15 credit hours of course relief per academic year for the position and offered Herrera none. In his communications with Herrera, the dean allegedly was “adamant” in his suggestion that she not speak with Brown until after she signed an agreement. Herrera claims that she then “immediately” reached out to Brown, who explained her own compensation, course relief and autonomy to her. Brown allegedly recommended that Herrera decline the offer. The lawsuit also alleges that, in a November 2020 email to Speaks, then School of Architecture Undergraduate Chair Larry Davis nominated Herrera for a Meredith Teaching Recognition Award, a university award for untenured faculty. see lawsuit page 6
Construction of the new Syracuse University residence hall on Ostrom Avenue will begin later this year, Chancellor Kent Syverud announced at Wednesday’s University Senate meeting. The “modern, new” residence hall, which is located by Thornden Park, is currently being designed, Syverud said. He said the size and timeline for the demolition of Marion and Kimmel Halls to be replaced with two new modern residence halls remains under evaluation. Announced on Feb. 26, the pair will be the first new dorms built since Ernie Davis Hall 15 years ago, according to a Monday press release. Neither will be completed for the 2024-25 school year’s housing selection, Syverud said. Syverud said the university held “listening sessions” with first and second-year students, peer educators, living learning community students, Student Living staff and the Student Advisory Council to ensure the Ostrom Avenue hall “meets student needs.” The two new residence hall announcements come after plans to convert the Sheraton Syracuse University Hotel and Conference Center and The Marshall — which are now known as 801 University Ave. and 727 S. Crouse Ave., respectively — into second-year student housing. The university will begin converting the Sheraton after commencement in May, and both units will be part of second-year housing selection for the 202425 academic year, Syverud said. The added housing comes as the result of a three-year housing review and is part of a push to get sophomores “onto central campus and off of South Campus,” Syverud said. At the meeting, Vice Chancellor and Provost Gretchen Ritter confirmed that Syracuse Graduate Employees United and the university’s bargaining committees reached a tentative agreement that includes “significant increases” in some minimum stipends for both Ph.D. and master’s graduate assistants. The agreement also includes “enhanced health care coverage” and “an agreed upon workload,” Ritter said. “I want to thank the members of both bargaining committees for their thoughtful, diligent and constructive engagement to get us here,” she said. “I’m hopeful that the union will ratify this contract in the weeks to come, and in the meantime, we’ll be meeting with all of the deans and helping them to think about how to manage some of the budgetary impacts of this new agreement.” Ritter also discussed the ongoing efforts to generate the “Syracuse Statement” — the university’s upcoming statement on academic freedom and free speech. She said over 200 students, faculty and staff have joined the working group in recent forums and that the campus-wide survey has received hundreds of responses. “Our goal is to collect as much feedback from as many people as possible,” Ritter said. “This input will directly inform the development of agreed-upon principles and a guiding senate.” see usen page 6