Merrill Brown, a veteran news executive and media consultant, has been named a visiting professionals fellow for spring 2026 by the (IDJC).

He plans to use his fellowship to study existing and evolving business models across the media landscape and new ways to sustain quality journalism.

The founding editor in chief of MSNBC.com (now ms.now), Brown brings decades of experience at the intersection of journalism, media innovation and business strategy.

He also served as senior vice president at RealNetworks, editorial director at G/O Media, founder and CEO of the News Project, co-founder of the Online News Association and inaugural director of the School of Communication and Media at Montclair State University.

In addition, Brown has served in roles at The Washington Post and Court TV, and with numerous nonprofit and advisory boards related to journalism, media and civic engagement.

Exploring Sustainable Journalism Models

Brown’s fellowship project will examine revenue strategies, emerging technologies, artificial intelligence and opportunities for innovation to support high-quality journalism, particularly at the local level.

Brown, who holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Washington University in St. Louis, has also served as a judge for the Newhouse School’s��.

A joint initiative of the and the , the IDJC engages in research, teaching, experiential learning and industry partnerships to address challenges to democracy related to the information environment.

“I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to become a fellow at the IDJC,” Brown says. “I’ve been an admirer of the research and teaching done at Newhouse and the Maxwell School. Joining with the experts at the two schools and with [IDJC Kramer Director] to explore media business models and new ways to sustain quality journalism is a timely and important opportunity.”

As part of the fellowship, Brown will engage with students through guest lectures and public programming. His goal is to develop a long-term structure for studying media business models within an academic setting.

“I look forward to being able to conduct research on this vital topic and to share that work and my news industry experience with the University community,” Brown says. “Syracuse is at the center of the urgent future of news research and experimentation, and I look forward to contributing to those efforts.”

Talev sayd Brown’s work and experience will complement two trailblazing initiatives announced recently by the University, including IDJC’s own .

Led by , associate professor of communications, Local NeXT Lab is the first project of its kind that will connect newsrooms, funders and academics to pioneer journalism innovations, with the goal of strengthening local news.

Brown’s work will also be instrumental to the development of the University’s��. The center, which is led by Newhouse and the , is building real-world skills in media, entrepreneurship and digital strategy to prepare students for the 21st-century economy.

“We are proud to host Merrill this year as he develops this important work,” Talev says. “Merrill’s research and engagement with students will focus on developing and sustaining the media and communications industries of the future.”

About IDJC’s Visiting Fellow Program

The IDJC’s fellowship program for visiting professionals reflects the institute’s broader mission to connect students with leading voices in journalism and civic life. Through public events, classroom visits and collaborative projects, fellows contribute to a dynamic learning environment that prepares students to become thoughtful, engaged communicators and citizens.

Story by Emma Hudson

The in the raised $76,540 for at its 21st Annual Charity Sports Auction. The ceremonial check was presented to Golisano officials Jan. 13 before the Orange men’s basketball game at the JMA Wireless Dome.

During the Syracuse men’s basketball game on Nov. 18, supporters purchased items and placed bids on sports memorabilia, electronics, jewelry, gift baskets, experiences and trips, among other items. In addition to the in-person event, an online auction ran through Nov. 23, allowing supporters to bid on hundreds of items.

served as Title Sponsor for the 2025 auction.

Proceeds from this year’s Charity Sports Auction benefited the Upstate Pediatric and Adolescent Center (UPAC) at the . UPAC is a full-service pediatric and adolescent primary care clinic that provides well-child care, adolescent medicine, foster care support through its ENHANCE program, behavioral health integration, immunizations, and other family-centered services to children, adolescents and young adults.

“At Upstate Pediatric and Adolescent Center, we take care of 11,000 patients from 25,000 visits every year,” says UPAC Director Dr. Steven Blatt. “These are children and families like every other family in the community, but often with economic or logistical challenges in their life. We at UPAC have done many things to help them, but the money the students have raised will help with the extras.”

The auction donation will create a Sport Management Club of Syracuse University Endowment in honor of Blatt and is being highlighted by recognition at the playground at , and naming in the UPAC elevator lobby on the fourth floor of the Nappi Wellness Institute.

“We are incredibly grateful to the Falk College Sport Management Club for their extraordinary generosity and commitment to Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital,” says Dave Bartell, assistant vice president of development for The Upstate Foundation. “Through their leadership, dedication and passion for service, these students are making a meaningful difference for the children and families served by the Upstate Pediatric and Adolescent Center, and we are honored to partner with them in this important work.”

The Sport Management Club is a student-run organization. Since its founding in 2004, the club has raised more than $849,000 for local charities.

Previous beneficiaries of the club’s annual charity auction include Boys & Girls Clubs, the Ronald McDonald House Charities of CNY, the Central New York SPCA, Upstate Cancer Center, Special Olympics New York, Food Bank of CNY, the Salvation Army, Rescue Mission Alliance, American Diabetes Association, Make A Wish CNY, Meals on Wheels, the Jim and Juli Boeheim Foundation, McMahon/Ryan Child Advocacy Center, Vera House and Tillie’s Touch.

Over the years, the club has contributed more than $125,000 to , a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation. Notable gifts include $20,000 to Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital in 2009–10 and $30,444 to the Upstate Cancer Center in 2011–12.

“Students from the Sport Management Club, for the past 20 years, have done what I think is one of the most important activities you will do, not only in college but in your life, and that’s making efforts to help people in your community,” Blatt says.

The Sport Management Club meets weekly during the academic year. For more information about the annual charity auction, visit , , or the .

Story by James Stickel

Mary J. Goodwin-Oquendo L’09 learned what true advocacy looks like long before she ever stepped into a law school classroom. Growing up, she watched her mother tirelessly fight to secure appropriate educational services for her younger brother, who has autism and learning disabilities. Seeing firsthand how complex systems can fail families, she began to ask a powerful question: Who helps students who do not have anyone able to challenge the system for them?

Today, Goodwin-Oquendo is that advocate. As the founder of The Goodwin-Oquendo Law Firm in New York City, she champions disability civil rights, particularly related to education, standardized testing, professional licensing and employment. Getting to this point took grit, talent and determination. She credits the College of Law for providing the foundation, flexibility and mentorship she needed to earn her law degree and pursue the work that drives her—advocating for others through the legal system.

Goodwin-Oquendo will speak about her experiences and the process of advocating for bar exam accommodations later this spring during a webinar hosted by the ).

The presentation was purposefully planned as a virtual event, as it accommodates Goodwin-Oquendo’s disability-related needs, as well as those of attendees with disabilities, and allows both on-campus and online JDinteractive students—in addition to other guests around the country—to participate.

Walking in the Steps of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Goodwin-Oquendo’s desire to be a lawyer started early. She studied at the James Madison High School Law Institute in Brooklyn, New York—the same school the late U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg attended.

The four-year program helps students understand the legal system through law classes, moot court and mock trials. She came to see attorneys as “helpers,” and realized the law could be her pathway to advocate for those who needed a voice.

Facing Her Challenges and Finding a Mentor

While pursuing her undergraduate degree at St. Joseph’s University in New York, Goodwin-Oquendo was diagnosed with fibromyalgia and learned first-hand how difficult it was to navigate higher education with “an invisible, poorly understood disability.”

However, she learned how to self-accommodate her disabilities, graduated as valedictorian and set her sights on law school. She ultimately chose the College of Law because of its various clinics, particularly the Family Law Clinic, because she knew the challenges from clients who felt vulnerable or unheard would make her a more respectful and transparent lawyer.

Her first year wasn’t easy, as Goodwin-Oquendo navigated the demands as a first-year law student while managing a physical condition that fluctuated day to day. This was compounded by her lack of health insurance (prior to the Affordable Care Act), which limited her ability to receive the care she needed.

“I went from graduating first in my class in college to struggling in my first semester of law school because I didn’t have the physical stamina to keep up the pace,” she says. “Some of the strategies that had worked in high school and college just didn’t work anymore because the expectations of law school were much higher.”

Fortunately, she enrolled in a class led by�� who took emeritus status in 2024. Kanter is an acclaimed expert in international and comparative disability law and helped Goodwin-Oquendo understand the accommodations she was entitled to. (Kanter founded the DLPP at Syracuse Law in 2005, one of the nation’s most extensive disability law programs in the U.S.)

She is forever grateful to Kanter—who remains a role model—for helping her find ways to manage her disability and continue to succeed. For the past five years, Goodwin-Oquendo has been an adjunct professor at Fordham University School of Law, in part, she says, “to be for my students what Professor Kanter was for me.”

Professor Kanter had many resources, including this ‘holy book’ of disability law firms in the New York area, which were few and far between. She encouraged me during my 2L year to reach out to Jo Anne Simon, a disability civil rights attorney in Brooklyn, who later became a state assembly member, to learn more about working in this part of the legal field.

They connected, and soon Simon offered Goodwin-Oquendo a summer job at the firm. In 2008, the Americans with Disabilities Amendments Act was passed, reaffirming Congress’s commitment to disability rights. That law ��shaped a lot of the work Goodwin-Oquendo did at the firm.

“It was not light work,” she says, “but the job training I received was nothing short of phenomenal—so much so that I joined her firm after law school and stayed there for the next 14 years. Jo Anne remains a dear friend and mentor, and she has done so much to advance the rights of individuals with disabilities.”

Establishing Her Own Firm for Educational Advocacy

In 2024, she launched the Goodwin-Oquendo Law Firm in New York City, dedicated to representing individuals with cognitive, physical and psychiatric disabilities who face discrimination or need accommodations in education for admissions tests, professional licensing exams, state bar exams and medical boards.

“People come to me because they clearly need certain accommodations to fully access and complete an exam, for example, and they are being denied this for the highest stakes exam of their lives,” she says. “Others come to me because they’ve received a diagnosis later in life or have been living with a disability that wasn’t as challenging for them until they reached college, law school or medical school, and now they need someone to help them understand their options and advocate for their rights.”

The Nutrition Initiative consists of three programs:��Books and Cooks, a literacy, culture, and cooking collaboration with Syracuse City School District elementary schools;��Food Busters, a program for Syracuse high school students that explores the science behind food through hands-on activities and experiments; and��Cooking on the Hillside, where Hillside employees in the�� program provide cooking lessons to Syracuse high school students.

Shaw Center Assistant Director����oversees a team of seven Nutrition Initiative leadership interns who create the curriculums, purchase and prepare food, and arrange travel for Nutrition student volunteers who participate in the program.

The current faculty advisors from the Department of Nutrition—Associate Teaching Professor ��(Books and Cooks), Associate Professor����(Food Busters), and Associate Teaching Professor�� (Cooking on the Hillside)—suggest and review lesson plans for the interns.

The leadership interns for the fall 2025 semester included Nutrition Initiative coordinator Zoya Ansari ’26 (nutrition science major), Trinity Delgado ’27 (exercise science major in the Falk College), Sophie Denham ’27 (neuroscience and psychology major in the College of Arts and Sciences), Lily Judelsohn ’28 (nutrition major), Natalie Kloman ’27 (nutrition major), Mae Neuman ’27 (nutrition major) and Tracey Rodriguez ’27 (nutrition science major).

For the leadership interns, the common threads for joining the Nutrition Initiative are their fascination with nutrition, and their interest in giving back to the Syracuse community.

“Nutrition is important, especially for young children and teenagers to keep their bodies going and to maintain their health to prevent other problems,” Ansari says. “So going into these classrooms and teaching children nutrition is very important, and we’re doing it in a fun way that makes them excited about making food and trying it.”

Story by Matt Michael and Cathleen O’Hare

Kivanc Avrenli, professor of practice in finance in the Martin J. Whitman School of Management, has been named one of , a distinction recognizing exceptional teaching, mentorship and impact on students.

The honor is based on Poets&Quants’ comprehensive evaluation of nominations from schools worldwide. Professors are scored on both research (30%) and teaching (70%), with reviewers considering scholarly influence, media visibility, teaching awards, innovations in the classroom and the depth of student impact.

A Transformative Teacher

Avrenli was nominated by David Weinbaum, chair of the school’s Department of Finance, who highlighted the extraordinary reach and quality of Avrenli’s teaching. “Between Fall 2021 and Fall 2025, Dr. Avrenli has taught 65 in-person, 3-credit courses, reaching approximately 2,700 students,” Weinbaum wrote. “He consistently earns near-perfect ratings from students, and he is the highest-rated professor at Syracuse University on Rate My Professor.”

Poets&Quants noted this quote from a student evaluation, “Dr. Avrenli is hands-down the best professor I’ve had. He walks into class with a contagious smile, turns stats into something you actually look forward to, and makes you feel like you can tackle anything. He’s the gold standard for what a professor should be—clear, hilarious and always in your corner.”

When asked what sets him apart as an educator, Avrenli joked: “My energy level, which is the human equivalent of a quad-shot espresso, and the lively animated visuals I deploy to demystify complex concepts.”

A Record of Excellence

At Whitman, Avrenli teaches managerial statistics and specializes in applied statistical methods, probability theory, statistical modeling and experimental design. He received the Faculty of the Year Award in both 2021 and 2022, was named Undergraduate Faculty of the Year in 2020 and has been selected six times as Best Faculty and Class Marshal by U.S. Army students in Syracuse’s Defense Comptrollership Program. He has received the universitywide Laura J. and L. Douglas Meredith Teaching Recognition Award, the Whitman School Teaching Fellow Award and a Faculty Recognition Award from the Office of Disability Services.

Before joining Whitman, he taught at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, where he was named to the List of Teachers Ranked as Excellent by Their Students seven consecutive times and received the Alumni Award in Teaching Excellence.

Academic and Industry Impact

Avrenli holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in civil engineering from Bogaziçi University in Istanbul—formerly Robert College, the first American college established outside the United States. He later completed a second M.S. in statistics and a Ph.D. in civil engineering with a specialization in commercial aviation safety at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign. His expertise in commercial aviation safety and statistical modeling has made him a frequent media commentator in outlets including Newsweek, Law360 and The Washington Post.

Well-Deserved Global Recognition

Poets&Quants received more than 1,200 nominations representing nearly 200 individual professors from more than 60 of the best undergraduate business programs worldwide. The recognition spotlights educators who shape the next generation of business leaders through extraordinary dedication and impact.

When asked what he is most grateful for, Avrenli says “my students, my colleagues and any student who watches my lecture and homework solution videos before asking me the question the video already answers.�� Also, the cloudy, cold and snowy Syracuse winters.”

To read Avrenli’s full profile and interview, visit

In continuation of the University’s commitment to providing comprehensive benefits and in appreciation of the contributions of faculty and staff, the University will operate under its holiday schedule and Orange Appreciation Days format for the winter break period from 5 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2025, through Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026. Normal business hours will resume on Monday, Jan. 5, 2026.

In addition to the regular University holidays of Dec. 25 and Jan. 1 and bonus days Dec. 26 and 31, the following days have been designated as paid Orange Appreciation Days: Dec. 29 and 30 and Jan. 2.

Units providing essential services that will remain fully operational during the Winter Break include the Department of Public Safety and Facilities Services.

Services During Orange Appreciation Days/Winter Break

Admissions and Enrollment Processing

The office will be closed for the holidays and Orange Appreciation Days and will reopen on Monday, Jan. 5, 2025, at 8:30 a.m.

Advancement and External Affairs

Advancement Services staff will maintain business hours at the 640 Skytop Office Building Dec. 29, 30 and 31, 2025, to receive and process fundraising gifts.

Building Occupancy

During the Holiday/Orange Appreciation Days period:

Request for Building Access (locking):
If you require your building to be open over the holidays/Orange Appreciation Days period, please submit a request to your building coordinator, noting the specific dates and times. Requests should be made by 5 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 12. (Note that faculty and staff will be able to access the buildings you work in, as usual, by using their SU I.D. cards, even when the buildings are locked.)

Building temperatures will be lowered to 60 degrees unless prior arrangements have been made.

Deans, directors and department heads may submit a detailed request for adjustments to temperature and lighting during the holidays/Orange Appreciation Days period. Please review the University’s temperature guidelines. We ask that requests be made using the Maximo Maintenance system by 5 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 12. Requests will be reviewed and approved by either the vice president and chief facilities officer or the provost.

Important: Buildings Not Included in the Reduced Occupancy Schedule

The following buildings will be excluded from the temperature setback and will remain on normal access, temperature and lighting settings:

• 640 Skytop Road
• Heroy Geology Laboratory
• Bowne Hall Fourth Floor
• Lyman Hall Fourth Floor
• Sims Hall, Department of Public Safety
• Center for Science and Technology
• Bird Library
• Life Sciences Complex
• Link Hall
• Physics Building
• Ensley Athletic Center
• South Campus Library Facility
• Lally Complex
• Carmelo Anthony Center
• Tennity Ice Rink
• Crouse Hinds Hall

Questions on building occupancy can be directed to the Department of Energy Systems and Sustainability Management, 315.443.1535 or��energy@syr.edu.

Bursar’s Office

The Bursar’s Office will be closed from Thursday, Dec. 25, through Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026,��and will reopen on Monday, Jan. 5, 2026, at 9 a.m. Student account payments can be made through MySlice under the billing/payments tile. Questions may be directed to the Bursar’s Office online form. The Bursar’s Office will monitor incoming questions sent through this form and will respond as quickly as possible during this time.

Campus Bus Shuttle

The campus shuttle service will operate on a reduced schedule until the conclusion of Winter Break. For schedule updates, visit . Please note that there will be no regular campus shuttle service from Dec. 25 through Jan. 3, 2026. During this period, transportation will operate under the 24-hour Safety Escort Service, and all ride requests must be submitted through the Orange Safe app. For urgent matters, on-call staff can be reached through the Department of Public Safety at 315.443.2224.

Campus Dining

Hours of operation for campus cafes and other dining facilities can be found on the����or on the OrangeNow app.

Campus Planning, Design and Construction

Campus Planning, Design and Construction (CPDC) will close on Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2025, at 5 p.m. and reopen on Monday, Jan. 5, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. If you have project-specific questions, please reach out to the assigned project manager. For general information, email cpdc@syr.edu.

Campus Store

The Campus Store will be closed Saturday, Dec. 20, through Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026. During this time, the online store will be available for customer orders. Orders received on or after Friday, Dec. 20, will be processed beginning Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. Staff will be available beginning Friday, Jan. 2, at 8:30 a.m. Please contact��sm8551@bncollege.com��with questions or for assistance.

Cash Operations (Bowne Hall)

The offices at Bowne Hall will be closed. For questions, email cashops@syr.edu. Email will be monitored daily.

Counseling

Counseling will be closed from Thursday, Dec. 25, through Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, as well as Monday, Jan. 19. However, in the event of a mental health emergency, or if there is a need to contact a member of the Sexual and Relationship Violence Response Team, 24-hour services remain available. These services can be accessed by calling 315.443.8000.

Custodial Services��

Custodial Services will be provided, on a reduced basis, in academic and administrative buildings. All residence halls close on Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2025, and no custodial services will be provided. If assistance is needed, call 315.443.1234.

Deliveries��

Materials Distribution and Mail Services delivery and pick up will be provided to departments requesting service. Arrangements for service can be requested by contacting Materials Distribution at e-materials@syr.edu or mailsrvc@syr.edu.

Deliveries (UPS and FedEx)

Materials Distribution will be delivering UPS and Fed Ex deliveries during the holiday/Orange Appreciation Days period from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. with the exception of Thursday, Dec. 25, and Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026. If your department has a specific request pertaining to deliveries over Orange Days, please email e-materials@syr.edu.

Disability Benefits and Workers’ Compensation Benefit Payments

Disability benefits checks will be on regular payroll schedule. For those who don’t use the direct deposit option, checks will be mailed to the employee’s home address by the payroll department during the week of Dec. 23. For assistance with workers’ compensation checks, please contact our third-party administrator, PMA, at 1.888.476.2669. For assistance during Orange Appreciation Days, contact Sheera Buckley at slbuck01@syr.edu��or 315.416.9066.

Drumlins

The Tennis Club will operate as follows:

• Tuesday, Dec. 23: 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• Wednesday, Dec. 24: 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Thursday, Dec. 25: closed
• Friday, Dec. 26: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Saturday, Dec. 27: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Sunday, Dec. 28: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Monday, Dec. 29: 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• Tuesday, Dec. 30: 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• Wednesday, Dec. 31: 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Friday, Jan. 2: 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Saturday, Jan. 3: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Sunday, Jan. 4: USTA Gold Tri-Level Regionals; no public access to courts on this day

Normal hours of operation will resume on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025. Call 315.446.2323 for court times and reservations

Bistro 1926 will be closed Dec. 24 to Jan. 1, 2026, reopening Friday, Jan. 2.

The banquets office, Pro Shop and management office will be closed Dec. 24 to Jan. 4, reopening Monday, Jan. 5.

Energy Systems and Sustainability Management��

The Energy Management Operations Center is staffed 24/7. For building systems scheduling questions or concerns, call 315.443.1535. For building access issues, contact the Department of Public Safety at 315.443.2224.

Enrollment Management

The office will be closed during the holiday/Orange Appreciation Days period and will reopen on Monday, Jan. 5, 2026, at 8:30 a.m.

Environmental Health and Safety Services

Environmental Health and Safety Services will have on-call staff available to assist in the event of a hazardous materials spill or emergency during the holiday/Orange Appreciation Days period. Environmental Health’s on-call staff can be contacted through the Department of Public Safety at 315.443.2224.

Equal Opportunity, Inclusion and Resolution Services

The office will be closed on Thursday, Dec. 25, and Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026, and bonus days on Dec. 26 and Dec. 31. On Dec. 29, Dec. 30, and Jan. 2, this year’s designated Orange Appreciation Days, the office will be available to employees by email at��equalopp@syr.edu.��Email will be checked once a day on Orange Appreciation Days and emergencies will be addressed within 24 hours. The office will return to normal business hours on Monday, Jan. 5, 2026, at 8:30 a.m.

Financial Aid and Scholarship Programs

The office will be closed for the holiday/Orange Appreciation Days period and will reopen on Monday, Jan. 5, 2025, at 8:30 a.m.

Fire and Life Safety Services

Fire and Life Safety Services will be staffed on Orange Appreciation Days from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. If assistance is needed, call 315.443.5474 or the Department of Public Safety at 315.443.2224. On Thursday, Dec. 25, and Thursday, Jan. 1, 2025, contact the Department of Public Safety at 315.443.2224.

Health Care at the Barnes Center at The Arch

Health Care at the Barnes Center will be closed from Thursday, Dec. 25, through Friday, Jan. 2, 2026; 24-hour on-call service is available at 315.443.8000.

Hendricks Chapel

The Coach Mac Food Pantry will be available upon request (chapel@syr.edu) for those in need, and will fully reopen on Monday, Jan. 26, 2026.��For additional information please visit the chapel����or call 315.443.2901.

Housing, Meal Plan and I.D. Card Service Centers

The offices at 111 Waverly Ave. and 210 Goldstein Student Center will be closed beginning at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 24. Both location centers will resume regular business hours on Monday, Jan. 5, 2026. If you have an emergency that requires immediate attention, please contact the Department of Public Safety at 315.443.2224.

Human Resources

The office will be closed for the holiday/Orange Appreciation Days period, However, employees can reach HR Shared Services by emailing��hrservice@syr.edu��or leaving a message at 315.443.4042. Emails and voice messages will be checked daily on Orange Appreciation Days, and urgent requests will be addressed promptly. All other matters will be addressed when the University returns to regular business hours, 8:30 to 5 p.m., on Monday, Jan. 5, 2026.

ITS Support

ITS support staff is available by calling 315.443.2677, by emailing help@syr.edu or by chatting with the support staff on ��or����during regular business hours through Friday, Dec. 19, and at the following dates and times:

• Dec. 20 to 24, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Dec. 26 to 30, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For ITS support during days and times outside those listed above, email��help@syr.edu��or call 315.443.2677. If you choose to call, follow the automated prompts and leave a message for the on-call ITS staff. On-call support is available outside the hours listed above and on the following dates: Dec. 25 and 31 and Jan. 1, 2026.

The ITS Help Desk will��resume regular business��hours on Friday, Jan. 2, 2026.

ITS��Service Center In-Person Support Hours����������������������

The ITS Service Center in the first-floor lobby of the Women’s Building will be closed starting Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025, and will reopen on Friday, Jan. 9, 2026. Users needing assistance can call 315.443.2677 or��help@syr.edu��before we reopen.

Updates and hours of operation will be available on the��.

Libraries

All libraries will be closed beginning Wednesday, Dec. 24, through Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, with the following exception of the following: Bird Library, floors LL-5, will be open from noon to 6 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 29, Tuesday, Dec. 30 and Friday, Jan 2. Special Collections, located on the sixth floor of Bird Library, will not be open on these days. All library hours can be found on the .

Maintenance Requests

Maintenance requests for academic and administrative buildings, residence halls, dining facilities or South Campus apartments may be requested by contacting Facilities Services immediately at 315.443.1234.

Materials Distribution

Materials Distribution deliveries and pick up will be provided to departments requesting service. Arrangements for service can be requested by contacting Materials Distribution at 315.443.1940 or using a list of forms provided on their website. Service requests should be emailed to e-materials@syr.edu.

Media Inquiries/University Communications

The University’s media relations team’s email, , is monitored regularly over Orange Appreciation Days/Winter Break. Urgent media inquiries should be directed to Sarah Scalese, vice president for University communications, at sescales@syr.edu.

Paycheck Distribution��

All paper paychecks are delivered to the employee’s home department on payday. As a reminder, anyone with a NetID and password is able to set up direct deposit through MySlice.

Weekly and Semi-Monthly Pay During Winter Break

Pay for the work week ending Wednesday, Dec. 24, will be paid on Wednesday, Dec. 31. This is the last paycheck of the calendar year 2025 Form W-2 reporting period.

The semi-monthly pay period ending Wednesday, Dec. 31, will be paid on Wednesday, Dec. 31. This is the last paycheck of the calendar year 2025 Form W-2 reporting period.

Employees who have not signed up for direct deposit, and will therefore receive a paper paycheck, should ensure their permanent address is accurate by going to MySlice and clicking on the personal profile tile on the employee home page. Weekly paper paychecks dated Wednesday, Dec. 31, and semi paper paychecks dated Wednesday, Dec. 31, will be mailed via the U.S. Postal Service to the employee’s permanent address on file.

Direct deposit for the weekly payroll will be available in individuals’ accounts on Wednesday, Dec 31. Direct deposit for the semi-monthly payroll will be available to individuals’ accounts on Wednesday, Dec. 31. Payments by direct deposit can be viewed anytime on MySlice by clicking on the payroll tile on the employee home page.

Weekly Pay Immediately After Winter Break

Pay for the work week ending Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025, will be paid on Wednesday Jan. 7.

Payroll Deadlines

Weekly Payroll Deadlines Immediately Prior to Winter Break

• The week ending Wednesday, Dec. 17, paid on Wednesday, Dec. 24:
• Time approval is due by 3 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 18.
• Online RAP approval is due by 5 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 18.

Semi Payroll Deadlines for Winter Break

• Semi Online RAPs for the pay period ending Wednesday, Dec. 31, are due by 5 p.m. Monday, Dec. 22.

Weekly Payroll Deadlines During Winter Break

The week ending Wednesday, Dec. 24, paid on Wednesday, Dec. 31:

• Time approval is due by 10 a.m. on Monday, Dec. 29.
• Online RAP approval is due by 10 a.m. on Monday, Dec. 29.
• Employees will be paid (or not paid) based upon the time that has or has not been approved in the system. Any adjustments or corrections will have to be submitted for payment in the following pay period. There will be no special checks processed.

Payroll Frequently Asked Questions

If I do not have direct deposit, how will I get my paychecks on Wednesday, Dec. 24, and Wednesday Dec. 31?

Paychecks will be mailed to your permanent address. You can verify your permanent address is accurate by going to MySlice and clicking on the personal profile tile on the employee home page.

Where can I sign up for direct deposit?

Log onto MySlice and click on the payroll tile on the employee home page.

Why might I not receive a paycheck at my home by Wednesday, Dec. 31?

Several reasons could result in you not receiving your paper paycheck on or before Wednesday, Dec. 31. Your permanent address in MySlice has to be correct. For example, if you have moved and did not change your address, the paper paycheck will be delivered to the address per MySlice and either forwarded to your new address (if you have filed a change of address form with the U.S. Postal Service) or it will be returned to Payroll. Either case will result in potentially significant delays in your receipt of your paper paycheck.

What happens if my permanent address is incorrect in MySlice?

Since paper paychecks will be delivered by the U.S. Postal Service, Syracuse University cannot control, track or locate your paycheck once mailed. If you have filed a change of address form with the U.S. Postal Service to forward your mail, delivery of your paycheck will be delayed. If no such form has been filed, the paper paycheck will be returned to Payroll. Either case will result in potentially significant delays in your receipt of your paper paycheck.

How do I change my permanent address?

Log in to MySlice and click on the personal profile tile on the employee home page.

If I receive my weekly paper paycheck before Wednesday Dec. 31, or my semi-monthly paper paycheck before Wednesday, Dec. 31, can I cash/deposit it?

No. Paychecks dated Wednesday, Dec. 31, are not valid prior to that date.

What happens if I don’t receive my paper paycheck?

If you have not received your paycheck by Friday, Dec. 26, you can call Payroll at 315.443.4042, option 2, and leave a message with the following information:

• Indicate that you did not receive your paycheck.
• Give your name and SU I.D. number.
• Give the name of the University department that you were expecting pay from.
• Provide a telephone number where you can be reached.

Messages will be reviewed at various times during the day and calls will be returned as soon as possible.

No special checks will be issued during Winter Break.

Public Safety

The Department of Public Safety will remain open 24/7 during the holiday/Orange Appreciation Days period. For emergencies or assistance, call 315.443.2224, connect with us via the Orange Safe app, or text or email 711@syr.edu.

Procurement and Supplier Payment Updates

Procurement��(formerly Purchasing)

With Orange Appreciation Days approaching, the Procurement Department wishes to make you aware that any eProcurement requisition received��after Monday, Dec. 8,��may not be sent out until after Monday, Jan. 5, 2026. If your purchase requires an RFQ (Request for Quote) to be completed, the requisition should be received by��Monday, Dec. 8,��to ensure processing it will be completed prior to Winter Break.

All JPMC credit card transactions, for activity through Nov. 30, should be submitted in the My Slice Travel and Expense Center on or��before 5 p.m. Friday, Dec. 19.

Other Procurement and Sourcing considerations to take into account as we approach the break:

• Should your purchase request require additional approvals such as those for sponsored or restricted funds, please build in additional time to your planning process.
• If your purchase request is over $50,000, please allow additional time, as the Office of Budget and Planning must review and approve those orders before they are released. Contact��procurement@syr.edu with any questions.

Supplier Payment (formerly Disbursements)

Supplier Payment will not be processing payments after Tuesday, Dec. 23. The last payment run will be on the night of Tuesday, Dec. 23, for distribution and handling on Wednesday, Dec. 24. After Tuesday,��normal processing will resume on Monday, Jan. 5, 2026.

To ensure timeliness of payments your department may have, please make appropriate arrangements to have requests received in the Supplier Payment email��disburse@syr.edu, in the��Automated Payment Request module or in the��MySlice Travel and Expense Center��on or before 2 p.m. Monday, Dec. 8,��for the following:

• Supplier invoices on a PO
• Requisitions with invoices attached off PO
• Consultant forms
• Stipend payments
• Wire transfers: foreign and domestic
• Out-of-pocket travel submissions for employee or non-employee guests
• Travel advances for travel scheduled during the end of December 2025
• Clearing any outstanding travel advances for travel that occurred prior to December 2025

Other considerations: Should your time sensitive payment requests require additional approvals such as Sponsored or Restricted Fund approvals, please allow additional time to your planning process.

All��JPMC credit card transactions, for activity through Nov. 30 should be submitted in the MySlice Travel and Expense Center��on or before 5 p.m. Friday, Dec. 19.

• If you have any questions on supplier payments, please contact��disburse@syr.edu.
• If you have any questions on��travel and expense reimbursements and credit card deadlines, please contact��travelandexpense@syr.edu.

Recreation and Fitness

The recreation and fitness areas at the Barnes Center at The Arch, Ernie Davis Hall and the Tennity Ice Skating Pavilion are closed from Thursday, Dec. 25, through Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. For updates on operating status, visit the��.

Registrar’s Office

The office will be closed for holiday/Orange Appreciation Days period. If you need to reach our office during the closure, please email��registrar@syr.edu.

Research Integrity and Protections

Facilities Services will have staff on campus throughout Orange Appreciation Days/Winter Break to monitor and maintain building systems for research spaces. For emergencies or assistance, please call the Department of Public Safety at 315.443.2224.

Residential Living

Residential Living’s main offices will be closed Thursday, Dec. 25, through Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. On-call staff will be available in the event of emergencies. If issues arise during this time, please contact the Department of Public Safety at 315.443.2224 for assistance.

Snow Clearing

Normal snow clearing activities will take place. If assistance is needed, call 315.443.1234.

Sponsored Programs

The Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) will have limited staff checking email during the Orange Appreciation Days/Winter Break period. OSP can be contacted at ospoff@syr.edu��or Stuart Taub can be contacted directly at��staub@syr.edu.

Submission of applications with deadlines during the Orange Appreciation Days/Winter Break period should be coordinated with OSP staff in advance of the break to ensure timely review and authorization.

Student Box Office

The Student Box Office is now virtual. Please email any questions to��boxoffice@syr.edu.

Student Engagement

The Hildegarde and J. Myer Schine Student Center and the Ann and Alfred Goldstein Student Center will be open during the following times:

• Dec. 10 to 12: Schine: 7:30 a.m. to 2 a.m., Goldstein: 7:30 a.m. to midnight
• Dec. 13 and 14: Schine: 9 a.m. to 2 a.m., Goldstein: 9 a.m. to midnight
• Dec. 15: Schine: 7:30 a.m. to midnight, Goldstein: 7:30 a.m. to midnight
• Dec. 16: Schine: 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., Goldstein: 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Dec. 17 and 18: Schine: 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., Goldstein: 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
• Dec. 19: Schine and Goldstein: 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
• Dec. 20: Schine: 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., Goldstein: closed
• Dec. 21: Schine: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Goldstein: closed
• Dec. 22 and 23: Schine and Goldstein: 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
• Dec. 24: Schine and Goldstein: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Dec. 25 to Jan. 4, 2026: Schine and Goldstein: closed
• Jan. 5 to 8: Schine and Goldstein: 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
• Jan. 9: Schine: 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., Goldstein: 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
• Jan. 10: Schine: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Goldstein: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Jan. 11: Schine and Goldstein: 9 a.m. to midnight

Student Experience

Career Services, Greek Life, Health Promotion (Barnes Center), Student Employment and the Office of Community Standards will all be closed from Thursday, Dec. 25, through Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. If issues arise during this time, please contact the Department of Public Safety at 315.443.2224 for assistance. New Student Programs will be closed Monday, Dec. 22, through Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026. To support the arrival of our new and returning first-year and transfer students, staff members will respond to voicemails and emails during this time.

Student Outreach and Support

The office will be closed for the holiday/Orange Appreciation Days period; however, the Division of the Student Experience staff is on call during this time in the event of a student emergency; please contact the Department of Public Safety at 315.443.2224 for assistance. For 24/7 health and wellness support, contact the Barnes Center at The Arch at 315.443.8000

Student Title IX Case Management

The office will be closed for holiday/Orange Appreciation Days period; however, on-call staff will be available to respond if issues arise. To file a report, email��titleix@syr.edu.��In the event of a student emergency, please contact the Department of Public Safety at 315.443.2224. For 24/7 health and wellness support, contact the Barnes Center at The Arch at 315.443.8000.

��Syracuse Abroad

Syracuse Abroad will be closed 5 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2025, through Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. Normal business hours will resume on Monday, Jan. 5, 2026.��The general voicemail (800.235.3472 or 315.443.3471) and email (suabroad@syr.edu) will be checked daily. In case of an emergency, please call the Department of Public Safety at 315.443.2224. For more information, visit the .

Technology Transfer

Staff will be checking email during the holiday/Orange Appreciation Days period and will respond to urgent matters as needed. Invention disclosures with imminent publication (conference presentation/poster session, grant application, paper submission) deadlines prior to Monday, Jan. 5, 2026, should be coordinated with the Office of Technology Transfer staff well in advance of Friday, Dec. 19, to ensure timely review and filing for protection.

Treasurer’s Office

The Treasurer’s Office at 621 Skytop Rd. will be closed starting Thursday, Dec. 25, through Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026. Only critical functions will continue to be performed during this time, including secure gift processing, bank transfers and electronic payments. For any requests for the Treasurer’s Office of an urgent nature, please e-mail treasoff@syr.edu��with the subject heading URGENT or call Scott Kemp at 315.443.6204.

University Credit Card

Please contact J.P. Morgan directly at 1.800.316.6056 for any issues related to lost or stolen cards, fraud charges or declined transactions. Please be aware that the digits 6 through 9 of your SU I.D. number is the pin number on file. University staff will also be available to handle credit issues relating to University procurement or credit cards by email to��JPMCSUCC@syr.edu��or by calling 315.443.1957.

Additional information regarding Orange Appreciation Days/Winter Break services and resources may be found at:

Jill Nelsen L’27 playing soccer and loving sports. She was recruited to California State-East Bay with a four-year athletic scholarship to play women’s varsity soccer, while also earning a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology. When she later decided to pursue law school, she hoped to stay connected to the world of sports and entertainment—but she never imagined that would open doors to opportunities like Miami Swim Week and New York Fashion Week.

During her first year year, Nelsen joined the Entertainment & Sports Law Society, often attending networking events with alumni thriving in this space. At one such event, she met Riley Christian L’16, now an entertainment and sports attorney with , a firm he founded in 2022.

Nelsen and Christian had a lot in common; she had been a collegiate soccer player and he a collegiate baseball player. At the time, Christian was rebranding his boutique law firm in New York City to focus more on the areas of sports and entertainment that dealt with navigating the NCAA’s new Name Image and Likeness (NIL) rules for college athletes and handling legal issues related to artificial intelligence in the entertainment and music business.

Nelsen later reached out to Christian, asking if he might need an intern, and he agreed to bring her onboard.

At first, she helped navigate the logo development for the firm’s rebranding, later moving on to legal research for defamation cases, statute of limitations issues, trademark infringements and intellectual property, while learning as much as she could about the ever-evolving NIL rules.

Piecing Together Sports, Fashion and the Law

While her whole internship experience was exciting, Nelsen says two highlights were attending Miami Swim Week and New York Fashion Week.

“Riley knew these big events would be good networking experiences for me, and he also knew I liked to talk to people and that would be a good way to spread the word about the rebranding of Artifex Athleta,” she says.

The annual Miami Swim Week is the world’s largest swimwear and resort wear event that includes runway fashion shows, trade shows and pop-up shops, as well as the chance to meet and network with all kinds of people connected to this area of fashion— from designers and buyers to athletes, agents and the media.

“Yes, it was focused on swimwear, but there are so many aspects of the law attached to the fashion space, including trademarks, sponsorships, negotiating and closing NIL and more,” Nelsen says. “It was a fascinating experience to see it in action.”

She also attended New York Fashion Week, one of the “big four” fashion events in the world, showcasing what’s going to be “in” for the upcoming season. The biannual event includes exclusive runway shows by world-class designers that are attended by celebrities, influencers, fashion buyers and the media.

This, too, gave Nelsen an opportunity to network with a host of agents, attorneys and other business leaders in the fashion space.

“The experience of not only attending these fabulous events but also having the chance to work with Riley helped me begin to make a name for myself as more than just an athlete,” she says. “The younger version of me would be emotional to see all the things I’ve accomplished both in my course work, as well as internship opportunities. My takeaway from this entire experience is that I can do it, and there are people who truly believe in me and see my potential.”

Uplifting Women Is the Ultimate Win

After completing her education at the College of Law, Nelsen’s dream is to one day work as general counsel for a NBA or NFL team and negotiate from the team’s side with players and their agents. But her ultimate goal is to one day be a general manager or even owner of a WNBA team.

“Sports, and now working in sports—has always been the dream,” she says.

Her older sister has been a role model, she says, “moving mountains” as director of services and retention for the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers.

“I’ve also learned a lot about creating space for people like me, particularly as a first-generation Latina woman,” Nelsen says. “I’ve been told I’m too much, too blunt, too Californian, but I’ve also been told ‘don’t dim your light to fit into a box that’s been predefined for you.’ I am proud to be a Syracuse law student with the opportunity to contribute to uplifting women in the sports and entertainment business and also within the legal field. That is a real win for me.”

��was founded on a powerful premise: self-expression through writing holds transformative potential.

This year, the honored Project Mend with its 2025 Outstanding College-Community Partnership Award, the initiative’s efforts to empower justice-impacted individuals through writing and publishing.

The project, developed by , associate professor of writing and rhetoric in the College of Arts and Sciences, is a multimodal, grassroots-level, open-access national archive centered on the scholarly and creative work of incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals and their communities. It is grounded in a digital storytelling and publishing apprenticeship for justice-impacted people, providing practical skills and professional opportunities.

Complementing the effort is “,” a print and digital journal that publishes works by anyone impacted by mass incarceration, amplifying voices that are often marginalized or silenced.

“Both components concern the power of writing to bring about change, exploring how individuals learn to write themselves into new identities and new lives,” Berry says.

The��‘s Outstanding College-Community Partnership Award specifically honors initiatives that embody collaboration and reciprocity between universities and communities. The Coalition’s array of programs and member projects help catalyze community-based writing for the public good.

Berry’s work exemplifies the spirit of the award through meaningful partnerships that center the voices of justice-impacted individuals.

David Todd talked about Project Mend’s transformative role at a�� in the spring.

“Writing is one of the factors that boosted my confidence,” he said during the dialogue facilitated by the . “I was able to express myself, and when I’m able to express myself, people start to listen to me.”

The success of Project Mend has been made possible through partnerships with the Center for Community Alternatives and support from the Humanities New York Post-Incarceration Humanities Partnership, funded by the Mellon Foundation and the CNY Humanities Corridor.

At the University, Project Mend is supported by the Engaged Humanities Network, CODE^SHIFT (Collaboratory for Data Equity, Social Healing, Inclusive Futures and Transformation), the Humanities Center, the SOURCE, Syracuse University Libraries and the Department of Writing Studies, Rhetoric and Composition. Berry also received an award from the Office of Research’s Good to Great (G2G) Grant Program, designed to help faculty secure major external funding by supporting the revision of promising grant proposals.

The multifaceted support has helped Berry strengthen the initiative as it prepares for its next phase of growth. Its new work includes a series of animated films that highlight selections from the pages of “Mend.” On Thursday, Nov. 13, Wade and animator Evan Bode will premiered “Prison and Time,” adapted from a piece in the 2025 issue of the journal.

In January, Project Mend will also launch “Mend Fences,” a podcast series of recorded conversations inspired by contributions to the journal.

As Project Mend applies for new grants and reconfigures as a comprehensive national archive, it continues to demonstrate how writing can be a powerful tool for transformation. By giving formerly incarcerated individuals and their families platforms to share their narratives, Berry’s initiative creates opportunities for justice-impacted people to reimagine themselves, their communities and their futures.

As the holiday season approaches, there are several ways for members of the University community to make the season brighter within the City of Syracuse and greater Central New York communities. Some giving opportunities include:

Coach Mac Food Pantry

Syracuse University Libraries is offering an end of semester opportunity for students to help others while reducing their library fines. “” will run from Friday, Dec. 5 through the end of the Fall 2025 semester. All Libraries patrons with overdue circulation fines can reduce their fines by donating healthy, nonperishable food and hygiene items that will be donated to the . Donations will be accepted at the circulation desks of Bird, Carnegie, Law, Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, and King + King Architecture Libraries. Fine reductions exclude interlibrary loan and lost book fees. Even those without library fees are encouraged to donate!

Fines will be reduced by $1 per item for canned beans and vegetables; $2 per item for soap, canned fish/soup, single serving cereal or oatmeal, lip balm, pasta, sauce, tissue, toilet paper and toothbrushes; $3 per item for baked beans, cereal, canned meat/fruit, oatmeal, ramen noodles, rice, shampoo/conditioner, toothpaste; $4 per item for granola bars, deodorant, jam/jelly, hot chocolate, peanut butter, tea; and $5 per item for coffee and lotion. Contributions should not be open or expired and single-use items are preferred.

PEACE Inc.

 is a nonprofit, community-based organization that serves nearly 10,000 clients in Syracuse, Onondaga County and portions of Oswego County.

Give-A-Holiday

PEACE Inc. is changing their approach to this program due to this year’s unprecedented challenges. The organization has three critical objectives this holiday season:

• Warmth and Learning for Head Start Youth (Ages 0–5): To ensure more than 800 Head Start children receive the new books and warm winter items (unisex hats, gloves, scarves, and socks) that they need to learn and to succeed.

• Essential Relief for Families: Provide families served by the organization’s Family Resource Centers and Big Brothers Big Sisters program with essential gift baskets containing much-needed new items not covered by SNAP, such as toiletries, diapers and towels.

• Emergency Support: Maintain��the agency’s ability to meet��the critical, emergency needs of our families throughout the challenging winter season.

To register, visit the .

The University will offer two pick-up/drop-off options for employees. When registering, please specify what��option��you prefer.

Option 1: Friday, Dec. 5, from 9 to 10 a.m., Quad lot near JMA Wireless Dome Gate D.

Option 2: Friday, Dec. 5, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Monday, Dec. 8, from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Frank DeFrancisco Eastwood Community Center, 401 S. Midler Ave., Syracuse.

For more information or questions, contact PEACE Inc. at 315.634.3740 or giveaholiday@peace-caa.org.

United Way��of CNY

 is an innovative and collaborative local nonprofit organization that drives solutions to the most pressing human service community needs of Central New York.

CNY Children’s Book Drive

The United Way  is collecting new books to be distributed at the county’s annual Christmas Bureau distribution on Dec. 17 at the OnCenter. Families are able to hand-select a book for each child in their family. The greatest need is for books for pre-teens and teens. Donations may be dropped off at United Way, 980 James St., Syracuse by Dec. 14. You can also:

• Shop and drop at Parthenon Books in Downtown Syracuse, Golden Bee Bookshop in the Village of Liverpool or That’s What She Read Bookshop and Boutique in Marcellus.

• Hold a Children’s Book Drive at your business or organization. .

• Donate from a distance! Visit the organization’s  to��easily��purchase��and ship items directly to United Way of CNY.

• Donate funds directly to United Way and let their literacy team members choose books for you. .

Salvation Army

Each year, the  provides Christmas food and toys to nearly 10,000 people with the help of dozens of community partners. Here are some ways for you to get involved:

Toy Drive��and Food Drive

Each year at the Christmas Bureau, more than 5,000 children in Onondaga County receive toys and nearly 2,000 families in Onondaga County receive a box of food to take home for the holidays. Participating is easy—just set out a collection box at your workplace and let your team know. We’ll provide a poster with the most requested items. We ask that a member of your team deliver the collected (unwrapped) toys and food to the OnCenter (Montgomery Street Entrance) at Community Drop-Off Day, Friday, Dec. 12, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Volunteers will be available to remove donations from your car.

Volunteer

The Salvation Army��utilizes��hundreds of volunteers��every holiday season.��This year, volunteers are needed for the following events:

• Christmas Bureau: Sign up to help with the drop-off, organization, distribution, and packing of toy drives, food drives and angel gifts at the OnCenter! The Salvation Army is also looking for translators to volunteer at these events. To sign up, contact Alison LoVuolo by email at alison.lovuolo@use.salvationarmy.org or by phone at 315.956.2108.

• Ringing the Bell: Through Christmas Eve, you will find 24 red kettles across Onondaga County. Want to help ring the bell? Sign up now, as an individual or as a group at .

InterFaith��Works

  provides services to address the needs of people who are vulnerable, low-income, targets of oppression and refugees who arrive through the federal refugee resettlement programs. InterFaith Works also strives to address the needs of the frail or elderly, those in prisons, hospitals, and nursing homes, and to address hunger and housing needs.

Gift Basket Initiative

This year,�� Interfaith Works is extending its reach to New American families, families who receive services from food pantries and individuals in nursing homes. Suggested items include:

• Gift cards (Walmart, Tops, VISA)

• Hygiene products

• Non-perishable food items (Kosher/ Halal��friendly)

• Blankets

• Entertainment Items (board games, card games, crosswords, etc.)

• Toys (balls, dolls, Legos, etc.)

. All baskets must be dropped off to the InterFaith Works offices at 1010 James St. in Syracuse on or prior to Friday, Dec. 12. For more information, contact Jennie Prouty, community engagement manager, at JProuty@ifwcny.org ��or 315.449.3552 x128.

KG Tan��Endowed Professor of Artificial Intelligence Paulo Shakarian was as one of 10 speakers to address emerging trends at the�� in Singapore from Jan. 20-27, 2026. AAAI is the premier scientific society dedicated to artificial intelligence (AI), advancing the scientific understanding of the mechanisms underlying behavior and their embodiment in machines.

The emerging trends in AI track at the AAAI conference aims to expose the AI community to exciting, under recognized or fast-developing ideas from the various AI subdisciplines, as well as from adjacent disciplines and domains. Talks will summarize new developments and competitions that are likely to shape future AI research agendas.

Shakarian will be discussing metacognitive artificial intelligence and a recent paper titled “Towards Artificial Metacognition.” Metacognitive AI deals with the study of artificial intelligence systems that can self-monitor and/or regulate resources.�� The concept has its roots in cognitive psychology studies on human metacognition.�� It has led to the understanding of how people monitor, control and communicate their cognitive processes.

“It is an honor to have been selected to present an emerging trend talk at AAAI,” Shakarian says. “I am really grateful to the community of researchers that have coalesced around artificial metacognition over the past two years.�� An exciting community has formed consisting of not only computer scientists, but from diverse disciplines including cognitive psychology, systems engineering and aerospace, among others. Developing artificial systems that reason about themselves is, in my view, a key challenge that we must address in order to deliver AI systems that are more resilient and robust.”

Shakarian has written numerous papers on metacognitive AI and has also edited a book on the topic.�� He has received several grant awards on the topic from the Army and DARPA, and most recently he has received funding for several high-end Nvidia-based GPU systems that will soon arrive at Syracuse.

Shakarian has also sought to create a , holding several workshops on the topic since 2023.

“Paulo’s innovative work in metacognitive and neuro-symbolic AI represents the next wave of AI research,” Alex Jones, chair of , says. “His recognition by AAAI signifies both his leadership in the field and Syracuse University’s growing role at the forefront of artificial intelligence.”

was an Iraqi Kurdish refugee and respected imam living in Albany, New York, when as part of a controversial FBI sting operation in 2004. Though critics argued that the government failed to provide evidence of Aref’s guilt, he was before to Iraq.

What role did media coverage play in Aref’s story? That was the focus of a research project sponsored by the and conducted by and five Lender Student Fellows.

Their findings, which will be presented at a symposium, “: The American War On Terror,” on Nov. 7 and Nov. 8, showed how local and regional news coverage shaped public understanding in ways that supported prosecution narratives and made conviction more likely.

The findings are also being showcased as an exhibition on Nov. 8 and Nov. 9 at . That event is sponsored by the Lender Center with support from the New York Humanities Center, Coalition for Civil Freedoms, Muslim Counterpublics Lab and Syracuse Peace Council.

The research team’s comprehensive examination of news coverage around the case found the following themes and patterns.

Over-Reliance on Official Law Enforcement Sources

• Reporting contained official government narratives and cited law enforcement and government officials more frequently than any other source, an imbalance that presented readers with primarily one perspective on the case.
• Coverage failed to question the legitimacy of the sting operation via independent experts.
• Alleged connections to terrorist organizations in news reports were based on weak or unverified evidence.

• Most media misreported, and then failed to correct, a claim by federal government translators that Aref’s name was found with a Kurdish word meaning “commander” in front of it; the word actually means “brother.”

Uncritical Framing of Sting Operations as a National Security Necessity

• 60% of articles portrayed terrorism stings as essential to national security and helped normalize controversial law enforcement practices.
• Coverage celebrated the sting as a counterterrorism success before the trial had concluded.
• Articles linked the arrest to heightened terror alerts, even when officials said cases were unrelated.

Direct Impact on Public Perception

• An emphasis on potential terrorist connections influenced how the public viewed Aref’s credibility.
• News coverage emphasized Aref’s identity as a Muslim more than any other identity he held.
• Most reporting was incomplete and did not include the voices of his family, community or even his lawyer.

Gauging Fair Reporting

Husain, an assistant professor of magazine, news and digital journalism in the Newhouse School, examines and reports on the ongoing “war on terror,” including the impacts of its news coverage. She believes that newsrooms have the potential to use their resources to assure more accuracy in reporting, and that the public has the ability to assess the reliability of news coverage they see.

“One of the big solutions is to give journalists enough time to properly report a story using objective and investigative methods,” she says. “It’s Journalism 101, but reporters speaking to many and varied sources about a situation is an important step in getting as close to the truth as you can.”

News outlets can also guard against poorly reported stories and assure better accountability to their audiences “by making sure their reporting is driven not by those in power, but by the people who are most affected by the decisions of those in power,” she says.

Journalists can also audit their own systems to make sure their reporting is not harming communities, she says. “When newsroom leadership fails to do this, it falls upon individual journalists to take responsibility. Reporters have always been able to push editors and higher-ups to change coverage or to pursue certain stories.” Husain also cites the resource ��and its as a tool for news consumers.

The student fellows for the project are:

• Mohammad Ebad Athar (College of Arts and Sciences/history); and Azadeh Ghanizadeh (College of Visual and Performing Arts/writing studies, rhetoric, and composition); both current doctoral candidates
• Olivia Boyer ’26 (S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications/magazine, news and digital journalism)
• Mary Hanrahan ’25 (College of Visual and Performing Arts)
• Tia Poquette ’25 (Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs)

As a “serial entrepreneur” and interactive marketer, has applied his across varied careers. More recently, he has worked with global audiences in a dozen countries, sharing his knowledge of the creator economy.

A 1980 graduate of the , Branagan returned to the school in 2011 to found the and teach media innovation courses.

The center runs the , a where students test digital content and media ideas and connect with faculty and media mentors and entrepreneurs. Branagan has also launched student startup competitions, entrepreneurship programs, the interactive series “” and ��, a seed fund for tech hub startups. He coaches numerous startups and venture funds.

Branagan’s global journey began with a 2021 grant to help universities in Estonia create media entrepreneurship programs. Affiliated with Tallinn University’s Baltic Film and Media School, he spent two months in 2022 conducting workshops, making presentations and immersing himself in the country’s startup scene.

He returned to Estonia to keynote the 2023 -Net Summit on Media Entrepreneurship. The organization is comprised of European university professionals focused on improving research into and teaching entrepreneurship teaching for the screen media industry.

More speaking requests followed. He has since spoken to journalism students in Belgium, government officials and business leaders from across the African continent in Ethiopia, sports leaders in Ireland, media researchers in Lithuania, corporate communicators in Germany, musicians in Slovakia and policy makers in the United Kingdom.

He has also participated virtually at universities and conferences in India, Nepal and South Africa, and is teaching creative entrepreneurship in a virtual format to 500,000 high schoolers across India, Indonesia and the Middle East. Recently, he traveled to the U.K. to brief members of Parliament on the creator economy and existing technologies as they considered a bill proposing to ban cell phones in schools. In December he (along with Newhouse Professor and other education technology and government leaders) will address hundreds of top students at the at in Coimbatore, India.

We asked Branagan about those experiences, his reaction to questions he receives from media innovators worldwide and how his global work impacts his teaching.

As the founder of the highly successful construction services firm Component Assembly Systems (CAS), Lew Rapaport’s life’s work can be seen throughout some of the country’s most iconic structures: Yankee Stadium, Carnegie Hall and the Freedom Tower at One World Trade Center, to name just a few.

But the most important legacy we have, he says, is the way that we treat others.

“Nobody blooms alone,” says Rapaport ’59 of his achievements as the chairman and CEO of CAS.

“If you get there,” he adds, “you didn’t do it on your own—there were a lot of people behind you.”

Rapaport, who received a bachelor’s degree in American studies from the ��in 1959, credits a “huge amount of folks” with helping him to get where he is today, including the professionals at CAS and his wife, Susan, a 1959 graduate of the who had her own successful career.

He also credits the lessons he learned as an undergraduate at Maxwell. To help others just starting out and to show their gratitude to Maxwell and celebrate its recent 100th anniversary, Lew and Susan Rapaport have the Maxwell Endowed Undergraduate Scholarship fund.

“This generous gift by Lew and Susan demonstrates their enduring commitment to supporting Maxwell and Syracuse University in a most meaningful way—by reducing the financial burden on undergraduates, enabling them to focus on their academics and related learning opportunities,” says Dean David M. Van Slyke. “We are grateful to the Rapaports for their longstanding friendship and generosity to Maxwell, not only because of the benefit to our students, but also because their gift may inspire generosity among others.”

The $100,000 gift marks the Rapaports’ second endowed scholarship at Maxwell; in 2018 they the Susan and H. Lewis Rapaport Endowed Scholarship to benefit undergraduate students studying history or political science.

Modest Beginnings

Growing up in Queens, Lew Rapaport’s work ethic and business sense were shaped by his grandfather, a plumber and business owner on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, and his father, an architect who owned his own firm. However, the younger Rapaport’s main interests were not construction; they were American history and military history.

“I read just about every book my high school library and the local library had on the Civil War,” he says.

Rapaport came to the University in 1955 as a young ROTC candidate during the Korean War. ��He began taking classes in history and economics, eventually declaring a major in American Studies.

“The professors I had, some of them were world famous,” he says. “Stuart Gerry Brown was one of the foremost experts in the United States on Ralph Waldo Emerson.”

He credits the school with helping to broaden his perspective, see the world from multiple viewpoints and to understand how democracy works.

Another Maxwell professor, Władysław Kulski, served in the Polish foreign ministry before World War II and helped to negotiate the Anglo-Polish military alliance.

“He used to read to us every day from ‘Pravda,’ telling us what they were saying from the Russian point of view and then read from ‘The New York Times’—and there were two different stories,”�� Rapaport says. “I realized right away … you needed world information and you needed information from people who were there and lived it, like Dr. Kulski.”

He also learned how to disagree respectfully while staying true to his values—an especially important lesson for today’s undergraduates, he says.

Rapaport recalls an incident on campus in which an anti-war protest group tried to disrupt ROTC marching drills.

“I said to myself when it was all over, and I would say this today to young people: Stand up for what you think is right. You may not agree with my side, and I may not agree with your side,” he says. “But you must try to negotiate.”

Meanwhile, Rapaport’s fiancé, Susan, transferred to the University from Skidmore College and earned a business degree from Whitman.

Helping Hands

By the time Lew and Susan graduated from the University in 1959, the Korean War had ended. The two married before Lew went into the Army and graduated from the U.S. Army Artillery and Missile School at Fort Sill, later serving as a training officer at Fort Dix. After completing his service, he took a job as a construction supervisor for the Webb & Knapp Co. in New York City, which built the Lincoln Towers.

Soon, in 1964, he and a co-worker started a small business of their own, called Score Carpentry—the precursor to CAS. Their first project was the Gas Pavilion Building at the New York World’s Fair. Over the next six decades, Rapaport grew the company nationally with eight locations in major cities throughout the U.S.

A longtime Maxwell School Advisory Board member, Rapaport is a Life Trustee of the USS Constitution Museum in Boston and a member of the Patriots Circle of the World War II Museum in New Orleans. In 2024, the Maxwell School awarded Rapaport the Centennial Changemaker Award in Economic Development.

Key to his success, Rapaport says, has been his enduring credo.

“Never give up,” he says, adding, “and always do unto others as you would have done unto you.”

When Aidan Rogers, Matt Grossman and Zack Gusenoff arrived on campus in August to move into their residence halls, the first-year students were greeted by more than just the Goon Squad.

Otto the Orange visited each of them, bringing presents and high-fives alike.

The reason? They are part of the Otto community. Each of them has a parent, who, during their own time at Syracuse, was Otto as part of the mascot program.

Dr. Marc Grossman ’93, who was Otto during his own senior year, says it was beautiful to see his son, Matt, experience firsthand how tight-knit the Otto community is.

“It’s a family,” he says.

What It’s Like Being Part of the Otto Community

Dan Gusenoff ’95 says his two sons, Zack and Alex, have been wearing Syracuse and Otto the Orange T-shirts since they were born.

They have also always known their dad once wore the costume.

“Both the kids got to try on the costume many years ago when they were real little, so it’s been in their blood for a while,” he says.

For himself, Gusenoff has so many wonderful memories from being Otto, he says it’s hard to pinpoint a favorite.

“Otto represents happiness and spirit, and it was always great to be part of that,” he says. “Now, it’s really fun for me to see Zack start his Syracuse journey surrounded by that same Orange pride.”

Grossman says he made close friends participating in the mascot program.

“Even though it’s very funny and it’s entertainment, it’s also very serious. It’s a sport,” Grossman says. “We had a lot of intense practices and workouts.”

When Col. Pia Rogers ’98, G’01, L’01 was part of the Otto program, between 1995 and 1998, there were only three members on the team.

Now, she says it’s “bigger and better.”

“Sometimes you look back on your time at a university and you say, ‘Oh, it was better when I was there.’ I can’t say that about the Otto program,” she says. “Julie [Walas ’07, mascot coach of the Otto program] is doing such an awesome job. It has grown by leaps and bounds.”

Cheering for Otto

Both Grossman’s children have been cheering for Syracuse since they were very young. When he took them to see games, half the time they’d be watching Otto and not the game itself.

At those events, they gained an in-person understanding of what exactly their dad meant when he told them he was Otto at college, he says.

Interacting with the fans and other mascots was always exciting, the former Ottos all agreed.

Rogers recalled the first Bowl Game she attended as Otto during her undergraduate years was the Gator Bowl.

“It’s very exciting” she says of being Otto. “I remember it being very hot. Unbelievably hot in that costume. But I was vibing off the crowd with all of the fans.”

She says her son, Aidan, grew up knowing his mom was on the mascot team and the significance of Syracuse University in his family’s history. His dad, Akima Rogers ’94, is .

“Being a military child and having to move a lot through elementary, middle and high school, Aidan sensed the sense of community from Syracuse University,” Rogers says.

Despite their families being steeped in Syracuse spirit, Rogers, Grossman and Gusenoff say their sons were drawn to the University by their own interests.

“He’s excited to be there,” Rogers says of Aidan.

Advice From Former Ottos About Starting at Syracuse

Gusenoff says it was special to return to campus as a parent to help Zack move in.

“Walking around, I couldn’t help but remember the excitement when I moved in and the energy of being Otto,” Gusenoff says. “And now seeing Zack experience the same energy as a new student, it’s really a great feeling.”

He says Zack knows it’s a place where he was happy, but otherwise, Gusenoff says he just wants to see his son embrace his own experience.

“My wife and I are really excited to watch Zack create his own Syracuse story,” he says. “That’s really what we’re looking forward to.”

Rogers says she and her husband told Aidan to get the best grades he could.

“Do things, but also remember what your focus is,” she says of the advice they offered him. “Your focus is to learn and excel. But we also are happy he’s social and he gets out and he meets new friends. We’re proud of that too.”

Grossman says based on his own experience, he urged his son not to get singularly focused on one activity or another since the University presents broad experiences and opportunities.

He began his time at Syracuse wanting to be a photography major. But when he joined at the encouragement of a friend, he discovered his interest in medicine. He’s now an emergency room physician.

“If you go in with a preconceived notion of, ‘This is what I’m going to do, this is where I’m going to be in four years,’ I think you’ll really miss the opportunities that exist at Syracuse University,” Grossman says. “There’s just so much to offer on campus.”