Dear Orange Friends:
I have been visiting dorms these past few weeks. Most nights, after work, I walk through a different (mostly empty) dormitory. I’ve been up on Mount Olympus, at Flint and Day, over beyond the Dome, at Sadler and Lawrinson. I am now working my way through the dorms between Life Sciences and my house, including Ernie Davis, DellPlain, Kimmel, Marion, Haven, Booth and Shaw.
Part of what I see when I visit is a frenzy of maintenance and improvement work by our staff. The instant students left for the summer, major projects began in Shaw Hall and in Graham Dining Hall, which is between Flint and Day halls. Shaw is undergoing a comprehensive renovation of the dorm rooms, bathrooms, lounges and public areas, and all the serving, seating and dining areas in Graham are being renovated and improved. There is a short window to get these done before all students return.
I also see, in touring dorms, a lot of ways we can improve the undergraduate experience. I think students, staff, faculty and alumni—working together—can help a lot to improve the daily living and learning environment of students here. I hope we all can get started on that later in the summer.
I also want to inform you of the conclusion of the faculty disciplinary case that I told you about in my May 12th message . In the case, a male associate professor engaged in a consensual relationship with a female undergraduate student whom the faculty member taught, advised and supervised during the course of the relationship. Following the procedures set forth in Section 4.51 of the University’s Faculty Manual, the University brought charges against him. A hearing panel comprised of three faculty members deliberated and found that the faculty member violated the consensual relationships provision of the Policy on Inappropriate Conduct by Faculty Members and the University Code of Ethical Conduct. The panel recommended that he be dismissed from service, including revocation of tenure. I accepted that finding and recommendation. In accordance with his right to do so, the faculty member requested the Board of Trustees review the record of the case. Last week, after hearing verbal arguments from the faculty member and the University, the Board of Trustees upheld the hearing panel’s findings regarding dismissal and revocation of tenure. Effective today, the faculty member is no longer employed by Syracuse University.
Chancellor Kent Syverud