Syracuse University Chancellor Kent Syverud on Wednesday addressed the University Senate to provide several updates on future campus events, SU fundraising goals and policies regarding inappropriate sexual relationships between students and faculty.

Vice Chancellor and Provost Michele Wheatly also spoke to faculty members about the university’s reaccreditation process. Here are four main takeaways from Wednesday’s meeting:

Honoring “Buzz” Shaw

In April, Syverud said the university plans to hold a series of events honoring former Chancellor Kenneth “Buzz” Shaw and his wife, Mary Ann. Although the exact dates have not been set, the events will coincide with Syracuse Press’ upcoming publication of the book “Syracuse University: The Shaw Years.”

Syverud said Shaw and Mary Ann will be visiting campus in April and the Shaw Quadrangle will be rededicated in the former chancellor’s name, along with the new Hendricks Chapel steps. A panel will also convene to discuss Shaw’s time as chancellor and the book about his tenure.

University fundraising

“Fundraising is going well, that’s the update,” Syverud said, causing several faculty members to laugh.

Elaborating further, the chancellor said six months into the year, SU has raised $80.4 million in new gifts and pledges. That’s 57 percent more than this time last year, which was a good year, he said. The university has a goal of fundraising $150 million by the end of the year.

The number of donors giving to SU has “increased very substantially,” Syverud said. As of Dec. 31, 2017, the number of donors was up 26 percent compared to the previous year.

Fundraising for undergraduate financial aid in connection to Invest Syracuse, in particular, will be a focus of the university this year, Syverud added.

Sexual relationships

At Wednesday’s meeting, the chancellor announced that the Committee on Academic Freedom, Tenure and Professional Ethics will be reviewing policies that govern sexual relationships between faculty and students and forming a workgroup for the review, along with members of the Women’s Concerns Committee.

Syverud said the committee will also review the section of the faculty manual that focuses on campus climate. The chancellor said he hopes to hear from the workgroup about its findings and recommendations by May.

At the December Senate meeting, Syverud said he suggested that it would be an appropriate time for the university to re-examine all of its programs, policies and processes in these areas “to ensure we’re doing the best we can to address this issue.”

“There has been a remarkable awakening in many areas as people step forward to report sexual abuse by those in power or authority over them in the workplace, in academic and athletic settings, recently,” Syverud said.

Reaccreditation process

Wheatly provided a brief update on the university’s Middle States reaccreditation process. She said this spring is the “final stretch of the process,” after the self-report was presented in December.

The Middle States team of peer visitors will be on campus March 25 to 28 “to observe, meet with faculty, students and other constituents, and to determine what they see and hear on the ground matches with what they have read in our self-study report,” Wheatly said.

SU expects to receive a decision from the Middle States team in June, the provost said. If approved, the university will move into the next cycle of the process, she said.

“Once that hurdle is cleared, the real work begins, as we begin to strategize on how best to move forward on the recommendations in the report,” Wheatly said.

Published on January 17, 2018 at 9:50 pm

Contact Sara: smswann@syr.edu | @saramswann