In disability advocacy circles, the has gained a national reputation as one of the most progressive cities in the U.S. for incorporating the ideas and feedback of users with disabilities when creating new handicapped-accessible spaces, according to two prominent disability advocates.

, Baylor University professor of physical therapy and founder of mobility design studio , and , founder of the and a fellow, point to the work on and the adaptive design circles here as a model for other communities to follow.

The Creekwalk is a 4.8-mile paved pathway that runs from the Southside neighborhood to . When city planners and engineers decided to make accessibility a major focus of the Creekwalk, they tapped into local individuals with a range of backgrounds—medical and social model disability advocates, inclusive design experts, students at and local individuals with disabilities. , a city facilities engineer, and , City of Syracuse deputy commissioner of planning and sustainability, first invited local resident to provide a first-person perspective on the plans. McGough, a quadriplegic as the result of an accident��at age 21, is the program coordinator at ARISE Inc., a local independent living center.

The project soon drew in others McGough knew: faculty members , professor of industrial and interaction design, and , professor and coordinator of the , who are both ARISE volunteers.

Also joining the group were Upstate Medical University developmental pediatrician and staff members from the , an inclusive preschool in Syracuse. Galloway and Truesdell were aware of the initiative through their involvement with the adaptive design community here.

Carr involved School of Design master’s students because he recognized how the project presented an exceptional opportunity to learn inclusive design via a “living laboratory” at a site adjacent to their class space. He also knew the project supported key University goals for students: experiential learning; community-engaged scholarship; enhanced awareness of diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility; and a commitment to human thriving.

The city’s project leaders welcomed student involvement, Houck says. “These projects are something we’ve collaborated on with Don Carr and with other organizations in the community. Our projects are better for it, and it’s wonderful we can have that resource. Carr is raising the profile of the work that’s being done and it’s great that he’s involving his students in these efforts.”

Kerney agrees. “Whether it’s the first fully inclusive and accessible playground, our sidewalks, our recreational amenities, boat launches or trails that are available to all users, increasing access is an important part of serving the entire community. It’s something Mayor Walsh and the whole administration has prioritized,” he says. “The city has a responsibility to serve everybody, and these types of improvements do just that.”

The User View

The student designers began determining how to create a practical experience at the Inner Harbor site based on the disability community maxim, “Nothing about us without us is for us.” Their first step: borrowing a wheelchair to look at the pathway from a disabled user’s perspective.

They digitally mapped the entire Creekwalk path, then started ideating. One student created a video game to familiarize users with the trail virtually before they visit. Another made an app that offers information about all pathway features. A third designed an accessible interactive information kiosk housing electrical ports to recharge electric wheelchairs. Others created an animation of the trail that featured a series of accessible kiosks, each equipped with a joystick controller for those with limited dexterity.

Amaan Khan ’23, a student who worked on that project and who is now a product and branding designer, said the class with Carr was “an absolute pleasure. It taught us that even though societal paradigms are shifting toward inclusivity, we must unlearn many of our ways to better connect people with disabilities to the facilities that already exist. Doing that can unite people and guide them forward as a collaborative community.”

McGough says he welcomed the chance to offer ideas based on his lived experience. “I was excited that they listened to my feedback and wanted to follow up on it, and that they were open to suggestions about accessibility in the community spaces,” he says.

McGough was able to try the kayak launch last fall. It’s built so someone can comfortably transfer into and out of a boat via a bench, pull bars, hoists and a gradual rolling launch system. “I was so excited about this project. Getting out in the boat is such a great experience, getting some sun, being around water and nature, having some exercise and recreation,” McGough says. “It’s really freeing because once the boat is in motion, it’s all me making it happen. It’s a really nice thing to have when a lot of the time you require assistance from other people and aren’t able to feel so independent.”

Three Phases

The project has three access points—the kayak launch at the Inner Harbor and a wheelchair-accessible waterside access ramp at Kirk Park have been built. An access/launch point at Dorwin Avenue is planned as part of the third phase of the Creekwalk trail that is now under design.

A $70,000 grant from the Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration program supported the Inner Harbor site, and $380,000 from the Honeywell remediation settlement, for improvements connected to Onondaga Lake, was used for the more extensive construction at Kirk Park. The city continues to apply for grants for ongoing accessibility projects.

A Model Partnership

Working together came naturally to this group, so it’s unlikely they were aware of the “ripple effect” of their cooperation. Fathers believes the city’s openness to including disabled users from the start, the involvement of interested supporters and the inclusion of University faculty and students in the project helped the group gel. “The way the group came together was kind of an organic thing—because disabled people, designers and clinicians began working together in a matter of hours,” he says.

Fathers tells how Truesdell, who was involved in Syracuse’s adaptive design collaboration, referenced that coalescing as “the Syracuse effect”—something she said she had not seen previously in her experience, he says. “She means that in Syracuse, it’s very easy to connect to people with disabilities, their advocates, their families and designers in a way that she hasn’t seen in any other place. It’s all about the people here. She said it was a very powerful thing to observe,” Fathers says.

Galloway says the collective advocacy spirit here “is particularly rare. It’s a model the world needs to come here to look at to see what Syracuse does and how they continue it,” he says. “Where Syracuse jumps into the ‘I’ve never heard of this before’ category is that here, the people with the lived experience are the ones with the power. To step back and let the disability community lead and to have city planners listen and take direction from the folks having lived experience, that’s very unique. So many people in Syracuse break the mold—you’ve got a really radical set of individuals who, from the beginning of the idea, listened and believed and took action from the disability community.”

Hands-On Rewards

The hands-on learning students experienced was important to their training as designers, Carr says. “In teaching design, this is a great way to get students to co-design with individuals in our community to address real needs. Together, we’re able to build, test and modify these ideas on the fly. It’s very rewarding to work alongside someone and then see their immediate reaction vs. purchasing a product that, in the end, might not address their actual need.”

From an inclusive design standpoint having projects where faculty can jump in helps Syracuse be a leader in the accessibility space, and having an adaptive design focus is a major attractor for the University’s graduate design program, Carr says. “That’s because there are opportunities for students to do grant-based work as part of their studies and then apply ideas throughout their careers.”

We want to know how you experience Syracuse University. Take a photo and share it with us. We select photos from a variety of sources. Submit photos of your University experience by sending them directly to ������Ƶ at newsphoto@syr.edu. You might see it featured here.

Coach Fran Brown with his son on the field in the JMA Wireless Dome, surrounded by players and fans, after the Orange upset Miami in their final game of the season over the weekend. (Photo courtesy of Syracuse Athletics)

As part of National Coming Out Day, students and Otto the Orange participated in a Chalk the Quad event. (Photo by Jeremy Brinn)

Representatives from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and University staff members from the D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) pose for a photo on the parade ground at the National Veterans Resource Center (NVRC). The SBA representatives were visiting the NVRC to learn more about the IVMF’s entrepreneurship programs, post-program support and research initiatives in support of veteran small business owners. (Photo by Charlie Poag)

attended the Fulbright Pre-Academic Program at Syracuse University’s English Language Institute this summer for four weeks to participate in a variety of workshops, field trips and textual and oral communication courses before matriculating into their degree programs at institutions across the United States. (Photo by Amy McCoy)

New students move into the residence halls with help from orientation leaders, volunteers and the Goon Squad. (Photo by Marilyn Hesler)

Syracuse University thought leaders, events and research news were showcased in the following news outlets this month:

• Robert Thompson (Newhouse): ��, , , ,
• Carl Schramm (iSchool):
• Osamah Khalil, (Maxwell): |
• Gregory Germain (Law): |
• Cameron Miller (Whitman):
• Dennis Deninger (Falk):
• Bill Werde (Newhouse):
• Hamid Ekbia (Maxwell):
• Thomas Constable and John Dean (Whitman): ����
• Jun Li (Maxwell):
• Alan Allport (Maxwell): I ��
• Vanessa Marquette (University Communications):
• Emily Thorson (Maxwell):
• David Driesen (Law):
• Lee McKnight (iSchool):
• Jack Graves (Law):
• J. Christopher Hamilton (Newhouse):
• Lindsey Darvin (Falk):
• George Theoharis (Education):
• Austin Kocher (TRAC): ,
• Jeffrey Karson (Arts & Sciences) and Robert Wysocki (Visual and Performing Arts):
• Ryan Griffiths (Maxwell): ��
• Robert Murrett (Law/Maxwell):
• Pat Penfield (Whitman) : , , , ,����
• Sylvia Sierra (VPA) :
• Lisa Manning (Arts & Sciences): ��
• Roy Gutterman (Newhouse): , , I I
• Jacob Bendix (Maxwell):
• Jing Lei (Education):
• Lauryn Gouldin (Law):
• Dean Cole Smith (Engineering and Computer Science):

To get in touch and learn more about Syracuse University faculty members available for interviews, please contact��media@syr.edu.

We want to know how you experience Syracuse University. Take a photo and share it with us. We select photos from a variety of sources. Submit photos of your University experience using #SyracuseU on social media, fill out a ��or send it directly to ������Ƶ at��newsphoto@syr.edu. You might see it featured here.

The Center for International Services took a group of students to enjoy all that fall in Central New York has to offer, including apple and pumpkin picking. This picture is from their stop at Tim’s Pumpkin Patch in Marietta. (Photo by Meriel Stokoe)

At the start of his keynote address at the Oct. 12, Jonathan B. Wanderstock “Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility in Sport” lecture, had one request for the large gathering of students in attendance in the Dineen Hall. “If nothing else, I want you to walk away with one new concept or tool that will help you on your journey to success,” said Clayton, senior vice president and head of social impact and equity for the Rock Entertainment Group, which includes the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers.

It’s safe to say that the students—and everyone else who attended—walked away with more than one concept to consider and a far better understanding of what it means for an organization to practice what it preaches when it comes to diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility (DEIA).

Clayton explained that his job title is his “what,” but it’s a person’s “why” that has more impact because your why is your purpose. For Clayton and the Cavaliers, their “why” became clear after George Floyd, a Black man, was murdered by a Minnesota police officer in May 2020.

“It wasn’t until post-George Floyd that we knew our why: connect the platform of sports to social justice,” Clayton said. “We’re the only city where three sports teams [the Cavaliers, the NFL’s Browns and MLB’s Guardians] have met every two weeks for the past three years around issues for social justice. We focus on law enforcement, education and voting/civic engagement, and for all three teams to be involved the impact is like 1+1+1 equals 100 and not 1+1+1 equals three.”

The “Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility in Sport” lecture series is made possible through a generous gift to the from alumnus Jonathan B. Wanderstock, who earned his undergraduate degree in public communications and management from Syracuse University and is a for the University of Colorado’s Anschutz Medical Campus.

The second annual event featuring Clayton and four other sports industry executives was hosted by the Department of Sport Management in conjunction with the Syracuse University College of Law’s Office of Career Services and Entertainment and Sports Law Society.

“The establishment of the Sport Management DEIA symposium by Jonathan Wanderstock has impacted the lives of hundreds of students across campus, not only those attending the symposium but from having our panelists attend eight classes as part of their supportive contributions,” said , director and chair of the Department of Sport Management.

“Our department stands in solidarity with our commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility as we focus on areas of awareness, training and education,” Veley added. “We seek to use sport as a platform for social justice and social responsibility while encouraging open, honest dialog, including those related to racism, privilege and allyship.”

In addition to Clayton’s keynote address, the event featured a panel discussion moderated by , associate dean for inclusivity, diversity, equity and accessibility at the . The panel included:

• , George and Betty Blanda Endowed Professor in sport leadership and director of the Future of Sport Institute at the University of Kentucky;
• , volunteer executive director of Syracuse Challenger Baseball and founder and board member of the Carrier Park Field of Dreams All-Inclusive Sports Park;
• , assistant athletic director for diversity, equity and inclusion at Villanova University; and
• , head women’s basketball coach and diversity, equity and inclusion athletics director at Rochester Institute of Technology.

The panelists explained their roles in DEIA and social justice initiatives and answered questions from Brown Burton. After a Q&A with the students, Clayton and the panelists remained for one-on-one discussions with students.

In his address, Clayton said one of the ongoing issues with DEIA is that “we have not come to a universal understanding of what diversity is.” He said the Cavaliers and NBA have defined diversity as the “collective mixture of our fans, team members, properties, teams and partners characterized by our differences as well as our similarities.”

He said it’s possible to have diversity but not inclusion unless you create a trusting environment in which all are included, respected and supported. And equity, Clayton says, is building an “organizational landscape where all are empowered to be their authentic selves and contribute.”

At the end of the Q&A, Lewis—a Syracuse native who attended Villanova University—offered advice for students courtesy of a conversation she had with renowned political activist, author and University of California professor Angela Davis, who notably once said, “I am no longer accepting the things I cannot change. I am changing the things I cannot accept.”

“I asked her, ‘What hope do we have?’” Lewis said. “She said, ‘Ask the youth; they are the future.’”

“I came away from that meeting (with Davis) asking myself, ‘What am I going to do to help (students) be ready to fight for social justice?’” Lewis said. “So, I would say that we all have a role to play.”

Reporters looking for experts to help offer insight on the war in Israel, please see these Syracuse University experts. To arrange an interview with any of the professors listed, please contact Ellen James Mbuqe, media relations executive director ejmbuqe@syr.edu or Vanessa Marquette, media relations specialist, at vrmarque@syr.edu.

, associate professor of political science and researcher and writer on Middle East affairs and politics said diplomacy must still be considered during this deadly time.

“The escalating conflict between Hamas and Israel has the potential to become a broader regional conflagration. While the Biden administration has publicly supported Israel and promised additional military assistance, it also needs to emphasize high-level diplomacy with the goal of de-escalating the conflict,” said Khalil.

“U.S. partners and allies in the region, in particular Turkey, Egypt, and Qatar, can play an important role in coordinating with Washington. Even though a short-term cease-fire will prevent the further loss of innocent lives, it will only maintain the untenable status quo,” said Khalil. “The Biden administration needs to commit to robust diplomacy and renewed negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. This would include Hamas as a party to any talks and participation in a Palestinian national unity government. Otherwise, the increasing cycles of violence will continue without a political horizon for a solution.”

Khalil is a historian of U.S. foreign relations and the modern Middle East. He is the author of “” (Harvard University Press, 2016), which examines the influence of U.S. foreign policy on the origins and expansion of Middle East studies from World War I to the Global War on Terror. .

is a professor of practice at Syracuse University’s Maxwell School and deputy director of the Institute for Security Policy and Law. He writes:

“The USS Gerald R. Ford strike group, which is comprised of the aircraft carrier, a cruiser and three guided missile destroyers, has been in the Mediterranean since June. The decision to shift this strike group to the eastern Mediterranean is a prudent and sensible move in response to unfolding events in the Levant. While the scope of the conflict between Israel, Hamas and other actors in the region remains to be seen, relocating the battle group and other U.S. military assets in the region will provide additional response options to U.S. and allied decision-makers in the days and weeks ahead.”

is a professor emeritus at Syracuse University College of Law and the founding director of Syracuse University Institute for Security Policy and Law. His expertise focuses on constitutional law and national security and counterterrorism law; laws of war and asymmetric warfare; drones and targeted killing; cybersecurity, cyberespionage, and cyber conflict; emergency powers; emergency preparedness and response; civilian-military relations; and government surveillance and privacy.

He writes:��“The Hamas attacks in Israel are horrific, and they have committed countless war crimes, as they refuse to distinguish civilian from military targets and brutalize or murder their captives. Israel will reciprocate, but largely with the bounds of law,” said Banks.

“The winner so far is Iran, which gains more proxy clout among Palestinians and manages to scuttle at least for now the Israel/Saudi Arabi diplomacy,” said Banks.

“Americans have been killed in this assault, so U.S. security is threatened directly. We will aid Israel, of course, although they have the resources to fight this war on their own. The most surprising aspect so far is that Israel was caught completely by surprise, and they were unprepared to respond to the attacks for several hours after they were first launched. The intelligence sector and PM’s office will be sorely tested, whatever happens next,” said Banks.

is a professor at Syracuse University’s Maxwell School and author of The New Rules of War: How America Can Win — Against Russia, China, and Other Threats. McFate is an expert on 21st century war and changing international relations, and is one of the world’s leading expert on mercenaries. He can discuss military strategy, national security, and future warfare. In regards to the war in Israel, he was recently interviewed by the Die Presse for the article titled ““.