Just shy of 20 years ago today, a familiar-sounding story stamped page three of The Daily Orange. Under the heading read seven words: “Diversity forces colleges to face racial division.”

For nearly every Syracuse University student, this phrase should be an unfortunate echo and the realization of a solemn fact: in 20 years, not enough has changed.

Diversity-related concerns make up one of the greatest social issues experienced and witnessed at SU for both students and faculty today, just as it did in 1993. For decades, the university’s chancellors have been attempting to solve SU’s unwavering racial distresses.

Finally, one may actually be able to do just that.

In January, Chancellor-designate Kent Syverud will take over Chancellor Nancy Cantor’s position as SU’s top administrator, as announced last week. Syverud read up on SU’s history to prepare himself for the role.

It would be wise of Syverud to include SU’s past diversity struggles in his research.

Last spring, the most recent wave of diversity-related discontent peaked due to efforts by Ronald Taylor, president of SU’s NAACP chapter. Through a forum and a peaceful sit-in demonstration, the formulation of three main diversity concerns for students surfaced: self-segregation, the tokenizing of minority students by professors and a general discomfort among students about diversity issues.

These problem areas are remarkably similar to those expressed by students in the 20-year-old piece, which focused on the university’s need to halt the fostering of substantial racial divides.

Taylor and several other students met with Cantor and additional administrators soon after to discuss the concerns, but little immediate action was taken – a concept that is problematic given the entrenched nature, persistence and current prevalence of the issues.

Just weeks before this meeting, the Chancellor Search Committee released its initial search criteria for the next chancellor, which included the charged of “strengthening the residential experience of the diverse and inclusive community.”

Given the events within the last year, it seems this criterion for SU’s chancellor may not have been fully met thus far.

Though Syverud has yet to develop his complete vision for the university, he has repeatedly stated he is focused on serving the students. Though Syverud also has admirable aspirations to better SU’s use of technology and increase the institution’s national rankings, focusing on one of the largest everyday problems for a large number of students already enrolled at SU should be an utmost priority.

During Cantor’s chancellorship, she worked to increase the diversity of SU’s student body. In the past 10 years, she has nearly doubled the number of first-year students from minority, and also low-income, backgrounds.

It is now up to Syverud to take imperative action in helping the rightfully changing community to reach contentment within SU.

Developing a successful way to address issues of diversity will take time, but initial efforts to change a persistent problem should begin at the start of 2014. The first step is the essential realization that here at SU, and across the United States, aspects of prejudice are arguably still present.

My goal is not to promote politically correct idealism. It is not necessary or right to force the connection of students who choose to identify and socialize with niche groups centered upon, or connected on the basis of, a certain culture.

What is absolutely necessary is the action of SU’s administration to address one of the largest concerns the student body has repeatedly voiced; the past several months – and decades – can attest to that. How Syverud decides to approach this should be a defining factor of his tenure at SU.

Rachael Barillari is a senior political science and Middle Eastern studies major. Her column appears weekly. She can be reached at rebarill@syr.edu and followed on Twitter at @R_Barillari.

Published on September 19, 2013 at 2:54 am