#NotAgainSU urged students to continue protesting outside Crouse-Hinds Hall in a statement issued Tuesday.

The movement, led by Black students, began occupying Crouse-Hinds on Monday at noon. Syracuse University suspended more than 30 protesters for refusing to leave the building after its 9 p.m. closing time.

The Department of Public Safety sealed the building off as of Tuesday morning, preventing food and other resources from entering. Students, staff and faculty have gathered outside throughout the morning, chanting for DPS officers to let food inside.

Students inside Crouse-Hinds were given sandwiches around 12:45 p.m.

The letter — addressed to SU students, faculty and administration — states that denying food from entering Crouse-Hinds and prohibiting access to the building contradicts the university’s claim that administrators are working in “good faith.”

“It is clear DPS is not here to protect students but the oppressive systems this university enrooted with the establishment of the university,” the statement reads.

Organizers inside Crouse-Hinds are free and encouraged to leave the building anytime, and can leave to get food, said Sarah Scalese, senior associate vice president for university communications, in a statement to The Daily Orange.

#NotAgainSU also said in its statement that the occupation of Crouse-Hinds is not in response to any particular incident, but is a result of SU’s failure to address and denounce racism.

Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer Keith Alford and Vice President for the Student Experience Rob Hradsky said in a campus-wide email Monday that some #NotAgainSU organizers were unwilling to engage constructively with university administration.

The officials’ response is an example of SU administration isolating student protesters as academic disruptions, #NotAgainSU claims in the statement. Hradsky said the protesters were disruptive to academic and administrative activities but failed to give specific examples when addressed by students, #NotAgainSU said.

Administrators also haven’t appropriately addressed the hate crimes and bias incidents on SU’s campus, #NotAgainSU said. At least 26 hate crimes or bias incidents have occurred at or near campus since early November.

Hradsky and Marianne Thomson, dean of students, demonstrated a lack of understanding and awareness when meeting with students to have a “productive conversation, #NotAgainSU claimed.

The group also said it desires to seek legal counsel and invites students to call SU administrators to express their discontent.

SU’s Student Association shared the movement’s statement in a campus-wide email. SU faculty also signed a letter Tuesday opposing the protesters’ suspensions.

Published on February 18, 2020 at 2:03 pm

Contact Sarah: scalessa@syr.edu | @sarahalessan