The Department of Transmedia in the School of Visual and Performing Arts will cancel classes on Tuesday from 2:15 p.m to 5 p.m. Instead, all faculty and students will be required to attend a forum to discuss the list of demands made by #NotAgainSU, a protest movement led by black students. 

Doug DuBois, chair of the transmedia department, announced the forum in an email to the department listserv.

“I anticipate our discussions on Tuesday will be honest and difficult,” DuBois said. “I am committed to developing an innovative and integral framework that addresses racism and inequality on an ongoing and proactive manner.”

#NotAgainSU has occupied the Barnes Center at The Arch since 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday. The group presented a set of demands to Chancellor Kent Syverud and expects him to respond in writing to their requests by 5 p.m. on Nov. 20. The current list involves 18 demands, such as increasing the budget for resident adviser training and funding support for students of color.

The movement began after racist graffiti against black and Asian students was written on the fourth and sixth floor of Day Hall. Since Nov. 6, nine bias-related incidents have occurred on or near Syracuse University’s campus.

The email from DuBois explains the agenda of the Department of Transmedia’s forum. From 2:15 to 3 p.m., students and faculty will discuss recent incidents and expectations of a faculty response. This time will also be used to “design follow up forums to continue this dialog and demonstrate an ongoing commitment,” DuBois said.

All transmedia students, faculty and administrators will discuss how to change the “persistent climate of racism and intolerance on this campus to one that embraces diversity and tolerance” from 3:15 to 5 p.m.

After the forum, all faculty members in the department will meet to debrief and discuss further actions. Plans created from this meeting will be announced either through another forum, online platform, or both.

Published on November 16, 2019 at 8:14 pm

Contact Amy: abnakamu@syr.edu