Year in Review: The biggest news stories of 2015

The year 2015 saw the unfolding of several major events at Syracuse University, including a tense campus lockdown and the proposal of a National Veterans Resource Complex. Administrative decisions such as divestment and required health insurance also experienced further developments.

Read on to get the highlights from the biggest stories of the year and click the orange text to learn more.

Lockdown

On Oct. 14, two suspects in the homicide of 15-year-old Zavion Escobar fled to Oakwood Cemetery. This proximity to campus caused Syracuse University to issue an Orange Alert that told students to “shelter in place.” The lockdown lasted for nearly two hours while the Syracuse Police Department searched Oakwood Cemetery, where it was unable to locate the suspects. The incident caused the Department of Public Safety to install a single button that will lock all doors on campus. On Dec. 12, the Syracuse Police Department charged Keary Moore, 21, a Syracuse native, in the murder of Escobar. Moore was charged with murder in the second degree in addition to false personation and traffic violations, after SPD patrol officers stopped his vehicle for a traffic infraction and Moore provided a false name.

Paris attacks

Students from SU’s London and Strasbourg centers were on separate trips to Paris during the Nov. 13 terrorist attacks on the city. SU Strasbourg students were at the Stade de France watching a soccer game when suicide bombers caused three explosions, which the students mistook for firecrackers or cannons. That same night, some SU London students dined on the Place de la République, where one of the mass shootings occurred. No SU students were harmed in the attacks that killed 130 people, according to The New York Times. SU lit the Hall of Languages in the colors of the French flag and held a vigil in remembrance of the victims.

National Veterans Resource Complex

SU proposed the creation of the National Veterans Resource Complex on Oct. 23 and has since taken many steps to move forward with the project. The complex will be a “hub” for veterans programming and will house SU’s Institute for Veterans and Military Families and Office of Veteran and Military Affairs, among other offices. On Dec. 10, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that central New York would receive $500 million as part of the Upstate Revitalization Initiative. A portion of that money will go toward building the complex, which is tentatively planned to be built on the western part of Waverly Avenue, closer to South Crouse Avenue than University Avenue.

Carrier Dome

Talks about the future of the Carrier Dome have continued under Chancellor Kent Syverud’s Fast Forward initiative. Earlier this year, Massachusetts-based architecture firm Sasaki Associates proposed a plan that would add to the north end of the building and would connect the Dome to Archbold Gymnasium and the Falk Complex. SU has been deciding between three major options for the Dome: renovating the roof, renovating the roof while making other changes or building a new stadium off-campus. The Board of Trustees is continuing to consider the various options as part of the Campus Master Plan, a branch of the Fast Forward initiative.

Joe Biden visit

Vice President and SU College of Law alumnus Joe Biden visited SU on Nov. 12 to discuss sexual assault on college campuses. The visit was part of a four-stop college tour for the White House’s “It’s On Us” campaign to end sexual assault. Tickets for the event sold out quickly and roads around campus were shut down to accommodate Biden. During his speech, Biden discussed how men need to join the fight against sexual assault and encouraged everyone at SU to take the “It’s On Us” pledge. He also applauded SU student Samantha Skaller, who is on the national committee for It’s On Us, for speaking out about her rape.

DPS body cameras

Armed Department of Public Safety officers are now required to wear a body camera while on duty. This policy began Oct. 1 and was implemented in reaction to increased national controversy surrounding police shootings. Although there has never been a DPS-related shooting on or near campus, the cameras are intended to foster more trust among the community, DPS Chief Bobby Maldonado said. The cameras will only be turned on during an interaction with a community member, he said.

Fraternity members plead guilty

On Dec. 15, the two members of Nu Alpha Phi that were arrested for hazing pleaded guilty to hazing in the second degree, a violation. Jeffrey Yam and Tae Kim were arrested in March after a pledge of the fraternity nearly lost four fingers to frostbite after being told to perform aerobic exercises outside in the snow as punishment. The two were originally charged with hazing in the first degree, a misdemeanor to which they pleaded not guilty. Yam and Kim are no longer SU students and the SU chapter of Nu Alpha Phi was suspended after the incident.

SU begins requiring health insurance

The fall 2015 semester was the first time any SU students were required to have health insurance. This year, all incoming, newly matriculated and matriculated international full-time students and graduate students were required to have health insurance. Next year, all students will have to follow suit. The policy was announced in March as part of an effort to improve health care across campus. Students have the option to purchase a plan provided by the school for $1,890 or can opt out of that coverage if they have their own. Some international students were unaware they would be charged if they did not waive by the deadline and were confused about the criteria for opting out.

Divestment continues

The State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry followed in SU’s footsteps on Dec. 1, when it announced its intention to divest from all fossil fuels, making it the first campus in the SUNY system to do so. In March, SU became one of a handful of institutions to pledge to divest from all fossil fuels. This means SU’s endowment funds are no longer invested directly in publicly traded companies that extract fossil fuels. This pledge came as a result of protests by Divest SU and other campus organizations, including THE General Body. The university did not invest directly in fossil fuel companies before the commitment, but they are now working on minimizing their investment in such companies through index funds or other co-mingled assets, Jonathan Schmidt, a member of Divest SU, said. The university is continuing to invest in companies developing renewable energy.

Healthy budgets

Chancellor Kent Syverud announced in October that the university’s $1.2 billion budget for the 2015 fiscal year was balanced. He also said $4 million was added to the university’s reserves. This was a result of disciplined budgets in colleges across campus and the success of the Voluntary Separation Incentive Program, which allowed some employees to leave the university with half their yearly salary and other benefits. Recently released data from the U.S. Department of Education also found SU Athletics’ finances to have the best revenue-to-expense ratio among all Power Five conference schools last year.