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Theta Tau

Students take over Schine atrium for sit-in protesting SU’s handling of Theta Tau suspension

Jes Sheldon | Staff Photographer

Protesters crashed SU’s Spring Reception, an accepted students event, on Friday, taking over Schine Student Center’s atrium. Department of Public Safety Chief Bobbly Maldonado spoke to the protesters.

By Billy Heyen, Kennedy RoseThe Daily Orange

Families of newly accepted students looked confused as they were ushered into Syracuse University’s Schine Student Center early Friday morning.

About 100 current students, packed into Schine’s atrium, were shouting, “Don’t commit to SU ‘til SU commits to you,” as part of a sit-in criticizing the university’s administration for its handling of the suspension of Theta Tau on Wednesday morning.

Student protesters held signs reading, “ACCEPTED STUDENTS This University doesn’t ACCEPT you,” “Hold Theta Tau Accountable!” and “How About a Student-Led Tour of Campus Discrimination.”

“I wish I could say that this is behavior that is isolated to Greek life, but it’s not,” said Rachel Ameen, a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences. “This is an issue with the underlying bigotry that exists at this university.”

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Kai Nguyen | Photo Editor

SU officials smiled as they guided families into Goldstein Auditorium to a reception event, away from protesters. Department of Public Safety Chief Bobby Maldonado was present during the demonstration, alongside other campus security members and officials who asked protesters to stay out of walkways.

Protest organizers first gathered outside Schine at about 6:30 a.m. Friday before entering the building at about 7:30 a.m. The sit-in lasted roughly two hours.

The university’s chapter of Theta Tau was suspended Wednesday morning after the university confirmed it was involved in the creation of online videos showing fraternity members engaging in behaviors that were “extremely racist, anti-Semitic, homophobic, sexist, and hostile to people with disabilities,” Syverud said in a campus-wide email on Wednesday.

In recordings obtained by The Daily Orange showing the videos, which were filmed in Theta Tau’s house, a person forces another person to his knees and asks him to repeat an “oath” including racial slurs.

“I solemnly swear to always have hatred in my heart for n*ggers, sp*cs and most importantly the f*ckin’ k*kes,” the person on his knees repeats.

Chancellor Kent Syverud, who attended the start of the sit-in, addressed students and apologized for not attending a student forum on Wednesday night, which led to a circulation of the hashtag #WheresKent on Twitter.

“I should have been there,” Syverud said of the Hendricks Chapel forum.

Syverud did not specifically address the demands made by protesters, saying only that he needed to “absorb this.” Protesters demanded that the university hold a town hall with Syverud, the Board of Trustees, administrators and deans by Wednesday at 11:59 p.m., among other things. The chancellor did not specifically address the demand for a town hall.

Protesters also demanded that the university expel members of Theta Tau involved in the video, ban Theta Tau’s charter from campus and apologize.

I wish I could say that this is behavior that is isolated to Greek life, but it’s not. This is an issue with the underlying bigotry that exists at this university.
Rachel Ameen, sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences

Crowd members mostly stood as students, local activists and others took a megaphone and described personal experiences of racism, xenophobia, ableism and sexism they said they have experienced at SU.

Tayla Myree, an organizer of Recognize US, started to tear up when she spoke to the group of demonstrators.

“I’m so happy you guys are here. So we are no longer treated like sh*t by this university,” Myree said.

Protesters left Schine at about 10:30 a.m. and walked to SU’s Quad, heading toward the Carrier Dome. Hayley Bermel, a junior sociology major; Lindsey Dierig, a sophomore architecture major; and Perrine Wasser, a junior sociology major, held a banner near the front of the students reading, “DON’T COMMIT TO SU UNTIL KENT COMMITS TO YOU.”

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Paul Schlesinger | Staff Photographer

Nathan Gansworth a sophomore of Native American descent, he said, added that he recognized the importance of the diversity in the group of protesters.

“It’s going to be hard for just black people to stand up,” Gansworth said. “It’s going to be hard for just Latino people to stand up, just gay people to stand up. We need everybody to come together and stand up together.”

As protesters moved through a parking lot by the Dome, students near the back of the line said they were not quite sure where the group was heading. Michael Moise, a junior in the School of Information Studies, said he was just focused on moving with the rally attendees. Once outside the Carrier Dome’s Gate C, the group resumed chants, yelling “Black Lives Matter!”

“Listen to the Black Lives Matter chant going on right now,” said Jett Cloud, a junior in the School of Information Studies. “This is about a lot more than Theta Tau.”

Student organizations were allowed inside the Dome on Friday afternoon as part of admitted student activities, and most protesters walked to the Dome’s Gate E to wait for families walking toward the venue. Protesters formed two lines, one on each side of Gate E’s stairs, and chanted as they waited for people to arrive.

“What do we want? Justice! When do we want it? Now!” students yelled.

Several families walked through Gate E, just before noon. At one point, a protester said, “We’re not trying to scare you away.” A parent of an admitted student replied, “We’re glad you’re doing it.”

— News Editor Sam Ogozalek and Senior Staff Writer Satoshi Sugiyama contributed reporting to this article.

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