Jewish Student Concerns

1. DPS Monitored Cameras
   1. Ensure that all University cameras are in working order with clear imaging and effective field of view
      1. Servicing to be done before students return for Spring Semester 2020
      2. Following the assessment a message will be sent to relevant and responsible parties
2. Spaces
   1. Work with individual groups to understand their unique security concerns
      1. In the case of Hillel, staff have recognized the need to work with the Department of Homeland Security to make updates that will require assistance and assessment from university departments (Physical Plant, CPDC)
         1. Example: Getting a video-intercom system for the front door

Lead Responsible Party
Senior Vice President for Campus Safety and Chief Law Enforcement Officer

Status Complete

Progress

October 2021

• Two student employees continue to review camera functionality in a systematic manner.
• The remaining 128 recommendations from the Marsh assessment have been broken down into 12 task areas. Standard policies or a study/analysis need to be developed and conducted. The original time frame for the assessment was a 60-month completion cycle.
• The Department of Public Safety (DPS) partnered with the Student Association to host student focus groups. DPS and an advisory committee composed of various student groups have held meetings.
• The Campus Peace Officer Academy began on Wednesday, Sept. 1.
• The new DPS South Campus Community Center will open in the next few weeks.
• The safety escort program is now managed by Parking and Transportation Services. Safety escort shuttles can be requested by calling 315.443.7433 (RIDE). To learn more about this new service, visit parking.syr.edu.
• DPS has added important content to its website, including the following:
  • Standard operating procedures
  • Investigative steps
• Updates have been made to the campus safety brochure, which are available in print format in various offices across campus.
• DPS staff completed in-service training, which included all elements and the definition of a hate crime, terminology and proper investigative steps needed up to conclusion.
• DPS has a Student Advisory Committee, as well as a Students of Color Advisory Committee. Chief Bobby Maldonado’s team has advertised and communicated with SROs for participation.

February 2021

• Phase 2 of camera installations was temporarily paused due to COVID. Phase 2 includes additional camera installations in stairwells, near vending/laundry areas.
• Two student employees continue to review camera functionality in a systematic manner.
• The remaining 128 recommendations from the Marsh assessment have been broken down into 12 task areas. Standard policies or a study/analysis need to be developed and conducted. The original time frame for the assessment was a 60-month completion cycle.

August 2020

• A total of 75 recommendations from Marsh Risk Consulting have been completed.

March 2020

• A total of 75 recommendations from Marsh Risk Consulting have been completed. Following the meeting with Campus, Planning, Design and Construction, 12 areas of recommendations from the 2018 assessment were identified that warrant development of a standard or policy as well as those that require further study. It is anticipated the drafting of the standards and policies will be complete by July 1.
• A meeting was held on March 5 with Campus Planning, Design and Construction to identify security upgrades that are a priority. An assessment will be underway to identify costs associated with projects.

February 2020

• Camera installation in Flint Hall is planned to start on March and end March 22. The Division of Enrollment and the Student Experience will seek student feedback in terms of what locations the cameras are covering.
• Phase 1 camera additions for all other residences, including installing cameras in first floor lounges/public areas and elevators, are scheduled to start May 11. Planning meetings currently taking place
• Phase 2 additions, including installing cameras in stairwells of all residence halls, are in the planning stages. Planning meetings are currently taking place.
• A total of 71 recommendations from Marsh Risk Consulting have been completed. Following the meeting with Campus Planning, Design and Construction, 12 areas of recommendations from the 2018 assessment were identified that warrant development of a standard or policy, as well as those that require further study. It is anticipated the drafting of the standards and policies will be complete within six months.
• Improved access control and monitoring of front entrance has been implemented.
• The Department of Public Safety (DPS) is working with CPDC to coordinate/scope building security upgrades.
• On Feb. 7, DPS met with the executive director of Hillel, Jillian Juni, to begin reviewing the security assessment from Peter Owen (approximately 50 percent complete). Another meeting to assign priority/feasibility identified goals and obtain quotes for the work to be done is being scheduled. The primary building enhancements/modifications have been identified. A meeting with CPDC and other departments is being planned to obtain estimates for security improvements listed above.

January 2020

• Cameras were installed in Day Hall as a pilot and were fully operational on Dec. 1. 
• Campus Safety and Emergency Services (CSES) staff has evaluated the current installation and has developed a phased approach and budget estimate for installations in additional residence halls. 
• A CSES employee is dedicated to daily review of camera functionality status. Reports of any camera malfunctions will be addressed immediately by CSES and Facilities Services. 
• Marsh Risk Consulting conducted a comprehensive security review of campus facilities: 64 of 211 Marsh Risk Consulting campuswide safety recommendations have been completed to date and are continuing. Risk management is meeting with Campus Planning, Design and Construction this month to coordinate next phases of campuswide safety improvements.
• All security reviews of resident halls, dining halls and laundry facilities were completed on Nov. 28.  
• Peter Owen, of the U.S Department of Homeland Security, along with Commander James McLellan, completed a security assessment of Hillel on Oct. 7. The Department of Public Safety (DPS) is scheduling a review of the assessment with Hillel leadership.

1. Two open forums per semester for students to express safety concerns to the community
2. Student advisory committee to DPS made up of representatives from various student groups on campus
   1. Committee is to be advertised to all SROs on campus. It is asked that organizations send delegates to the committee to ensure maximum representation of the student body

Lead Responsible Party
Senior Vice President for Campus Safety and Chief Law Enforcement Officer

Status Complete

Progress

October 2021

• The Department of Public Safety (DPS) partnered with the Student Association to host student focus groups. DPS and an advisory committee composed of various student groups have held meetings.
• The Campus Peace Officer Academy began on Wednesday, Sept. 1.
• The new DPS South Campus Community Center will open in the next few weeks.
• The safety escort program is now managed by Parking and Transportation Services. Safety escort shuttles can be requested by calling 315.443.7433 (RIDE). To learn more about this new service, visit parking.syr.edu.
• DPS has added important content to its website, including the following:
  • Standard operating procedures
  • Investigative steps
• Updates have been made to the campus safety brochure, which are available in print format in various offices across campus.
• DPS staff completed in-service training, which included all elements and the definition of a hate crime, terminology and proper investigative steps needed up to conclusion.
• DPS has a Student Advisory Committee, as well as a Students of Color Advisory Committee. Chief Bobby Maldonado’s team has advertised and communicated with SROs for participation.

February 2021

• The Department of Public Safety (DPS) partnered with the Student Association to host student focus groups. DPS and an advisory committee composed of various student groups have held meetings.

August 2020

• The Department of Public Safety (DPS), in collaboration with the Student Association, will host a series of student focus groups regarding DPS. The focus groups will be facilitated by InterFaith Works Central New York, a local nonprofit, via Zoom. Each focus group will have a maximum of 15 students, including a student note taker from the Student Association, and will each run for one hour. These sessions will ensure student anonymity, but there will be student note takers so that recommendations can be formed as a result of these focus groups.

February 2020

• DPS has a Student Advisory Committee, as well as a Students of Color Advisory Committee. Chief Bobby Maldonado’s team has advertised and communicated with SROs for participation.

January 2020

• DPS is developing the spring 2020 campus community forum format, dates and locations. 
• DPS has a Student Advisory Committee, as well as a Students of Color Advisory Committee. Chief Bobby Maldonado’s team will advertise for SRO membership in the spring semester. 

1. Re-evaluate the message given to faculty and staff at the beginning of the Spring 2020 semester
2. Students should not be pressured to choose between observing sacred holidays and going to class or participating in group projects
   1. This is of particular interest to the Jewish community since our major holidays fall during the semester (Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Shmini Atzeret/Simchat Torah, Passover)
3. Provide a more user friendly interface for students to identify their religious observances by the beginning of Fall 2020
   1. The current system of requesting religious exemption is hard to navigate and understand unless someone who has previously requested an absence assists
4. Reconsider the time frame within which students must submit their religious observance absence form
   1. The current system requires that students submit their religious absences within the first two weeks of the semester.

Lead Responsible Party
Chris Johnson, Associate Provost

Status Complete

Progress

October 2021

• Technical upgrades have been made to University systems to assist students in requesting religious exemptions. Faculty have been reminded to avoid scheduling exams or group presentations on sacred holidays contained on a list provided by Hendricks Chapel.

February 2021

• MySlice updates have been completed and will be implemented in fall 2021.

August 2020

• Delayed as a result of COVID-19, the PeopleSoft developer time was diverted to make the changes necessitated by the change in the fall semester calendar. A new target date of implementation is for the Fall 2021 semester.

July 2020

• As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the change in the fall semester calendar, PeopleSoft developer time was diverted away from making changes to the current online system of requesting a religious exemption. A new target of implementation is for the fall 2021 semester.
• A discussion with 20 participants in the curriculum interest group was held on Feb. 21. Consensus was reached on guidelines for a reporting time frame. Valuable feedback was obtained on key issues of user interface.

February 2020

• The Office of the Registrar and Office of the Chief Information Officer met to start scoping out the technical issues with this concern. The work will focus on updating MySlice.
• A discussion with 20 participants in the curriculum interest group was held on Feb. 21. Consensus was reached on guidelines for a reporting time frame. Valuable feedback was obtained on key issues of user interface.

January 2020

• The “Syllabus Letter” that was sent to faculty prior to the spring 2020 semester was revised to more forcefully encourage faculty not to schedule exams or group presentations on sacred holidays. Language from the concern was directly used in the letter, and a link to the list of holidays curated by Hendricks Chapel was included.  
• The Office of the Registrar and Office of the Chief Information Officer have met to start scoping out the technical issues with students’ concern to better request a religious exemption.

1. For many Jews, we identify as Jewish independent of our faith or religious practice. Curriculum for SEM 100 needs to be updated to understand that Judaism, for many, is both a cultural identity, ethnic identity, and religion
2. Training for faculty and staff to recognize Jewish identity in the curriculum and implement such recognition, as well as when interacting with students with this identity
3. Implement anti-Semitism training that has been developed, reviewed, and deemed ready
   1. To include awareness of micro-aggression
   2. To work towards including this training in University spaces, such as Fraternities and Sororities, when other diversity trainings are being offered.

Lead Responsible Party
Chris Johnson, Associate Provost

Status Complete

Progress

May 2021

• The working group is finalizing plans to roll out additional anti-Semitic training in collaboration with the Office of Student Living.

March 2021

• Training dates for fall 2021 are being planned.

February 2021

• Anti-Semitism training has been completed for spring 2021.

December 2020 and January 2021

• Anti-Semitism training dates for student groups (including Fraternity and Sorority Affairs, Athletics, Barnes Center, registered student organizations) are set for Feb. 18 and March 2.

The working group provided an update to the Office of Diversity and Inclusion and is planning a strategy to increase facilitators in advance of fall 2021 full implementation.

October and November 2020

• An SU News story on the new anti-Semitism training ran on Oct. 19. A successful pilot of the anti-Semitism training was held on Oct. 21. All of the participants reported that the training helped them learn the essential elements of the topic and that the training was a good use of their time.

The anti-Semitism training will be offered remotely to students in spring 2021, with full implementation planned for fall 2021 when in-person training is again permitted.

September 2020

• A run-through of the final presentation of the anti-Semitism training was held on Sept. 9. Twenty-five students will be able to participate in the pilot session.

August 2020

• Facilitators have been identified (a Hillel student; Deka Dancil, manager of bias response and education; and Rabbi Joel Goldstein) to conduct the pilot presentation scheduled for Oct. 21.

A run-through of the final presentation, with the approved facilitator's guide, was scheduled for Sept. 9. Twenty-five students will be identified to participate in the pilot session. Dancil is coordinating an announcement of the program with Division of Enrollment and the Student Experience communications staff.

July 2020

• Hillel Executive Director Jillian Juni and Rabbi Joel Goldstein solicited Jewish students to review content of an additional interactive 90-minute training session and finalized the content on July 20. The final training format and facilitator guide are expected mid-August. The pilot, scheduled for October, will be virtual. The Anti-Semitism Roundtable (Juni, Deka Dancil, Goldstein, Rebecca Reed Kantrowitz, Diane Wiener) has been working on this module. Leaders are working on outreach plans for the Residence Hall Association, resident advisors and Greek life, to name a few.

May 2020

• Anti-Semitism customizations were incorporated into the EVERFI DEI module as part of the launch on May 18 to incoming students. Five percent of students have completed the DEI module in May (178 out of 3,727). Students will continue to complete the module as they are enrolled and leading up to the July 1 deadline. The work continues to offer this training in other University spaces.

February 2020

• A working group has been assembled to draft and review anti-Semitic training through Everfi. The group includes Rob Hradsky, vice president for the student experience; Jorge Castillo, interim director, LGBT Resource Center; James Duah-Agyeman, eirector, Office of Multicultural Affairs; Elizabeth Taets Von Amerongen, director, Disability Cultural Center; Deka Dancil, manager, Bias Response and Education; Jillian Juni, executive director, Syracuse Hillel; Katelyn Cowan, director, Health Promotion; and Rachel Evans, assistant director, Health Promotion.
• Discussions continue with Everfi to develop the format of the online module.

January 2020

• Judaism as an identity is being addressed through the “Identity Wheel” exercise included in the SEM 100 curriculum.
• The recommendation to include training for faculty and staff to recognize Jewish identity in the curriculum and implement such recognition, as well as when interacting with students with this identity, has been referred to Cathryn Newton for incorporation into faculty training programs.  
• Leaders from ESE met with Hillel leadership during December and January.   
• The updated curriculum covering anti-Semitism will launch this fall using the Everfi platform for delivery to students. 

1. University sponsored student coalition of marginalized-identities supported by willing faculty and staff
   1. Coalition will meet in two different capacities each month
      1. In one meeting the coalition will congregate to discuss campus climate and address individual groups' concerns
      2. The Chancellor, Dean of Hendricks Chapel, and Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer will be present at the second meeting of each month to listen to and appropriately respond to student concerns
         1. The Chancellor, Dean of Hendricks Chapel, and Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer will refer various departments to student coalition to enact further change

Lead Responsible Party
Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer

Status Complete

Progress

October 2021

• Following consultation with Jewish student representatives in August 2020, the Student Leadership Coalition for Marginalized Identities was renamed the IDEA Coalition, which stands for Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility Coalition. In May 2021, it was further decided, in consultation with Jewish student representatives, that the IDEA Coalition would be absorbed under the Student Association Diversity Committee, as the committee was deemed to have built-in student buy-in for the mission and vision of the IDEA Coalition. Through the guidance of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, the IDEA Coalition student leaders are currently moving forward with this initiative in coordination with the Student Association.

February 2021

• A Student Coalition Survey is being developed.

August 2020

• The Office of Diversity and Inclusion is working with Jewish students to form the coalition formally named, IDEA Coalition, which stands for Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility. The vision of this student coalition is to listen to the concerns of students with marginalized identities, understand what struggles multiple groups of students share, and formulate action-oriented plans (“ideas”) alongside those students (using their strengths) to be implemented on campus.

June 2020

• Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer Keith A. Alford, Hendricks Chapel Dean Brian Konkol and Vice President for the Student Experience Robert Hradsky have a draft charge, structure and process for students to review of the Marginalized Identity Student Leadership Coalition in the fall. The commitment will now be charged to the chief diversity officer, who will be accountable for implementation.

February 2020

• In March, a working group, consisting of Rob Hradsky, Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer Keith Alford and Hendricks Chapel Dean Brian Konkol, is planning a meeting with student leaders to reach consensus on the structure of the coalition.

January 2020

• The vice president for the student experience is working with Hillel staff on a draft structure for the Marginalized Identity Student Leadership Coalition.  
• Student engagement will be conducted during the spring semester. The coalition will launch in fall 2020. 

1. 1. Monthly reports
      1. Bias on Campus
         1. Report published by DPS and/or Anti-Bias that is accessible to the university community
            1. In a month when there are no founded bias based incidents, notification would be sent to the campus community.
            2. The person reporting can decide if their report is available publicly
         2. Bias related incident reports to be sent directly to the Chancellor and other appropriate directors, VPs, department heads that includes all DPS and/or Anti-Bias reports
      2. Progress report on updates on progress of demands put forth by students during the fall 2019 semester
   2. When incidents arise
      1. More timely updates and notifications
         1. To students
         2. To parents/family
         3. To faculty/staff
   3. Speak to student worries, concerns
      1. Example: Just because there isn't a legally recognized presence of a threat doesn't mean that students feel safe

Lead Responsible Party
Tony Callisto, Senior Vice President, Campus Safety, and Chief Law Enforcement Officer

Status Complete

Progress

February 2020

January 2020

• DPS has established a Bias Incident Reports page on its website. Bias incidents are posted within 48 hours, unless posting would compromise an investigation into the incident.  
• DPS is developing the Spring 2020 forum format, dates and locations. 
• DPS has a Student Advisory Committee, as well as a Students of Color Advisory Committee. Chief Maldonado’s team will advertise for SRO membership in the spring semester.