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

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.

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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 ���ǰ�����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:

 

The University the recipients of the Fall 2025 Orange Innovation Fund, a competitive grant program that fuels early-stage ideas developed by student entrepreneurs. The fund supports innovative projects across campus that demonstrate strong potential to commercialize research.

The fund, administered through the University Libraries, is designed to help student founders move their ventures from concept to prototype on the path to commercialization. The grants range up to $5,000 and enable recipients to build MVPs (minimum viable products), test ideas with real users and validate market potential. Since its inception, the fund has helped dozens of student teams advance toward competitive accelerators, patent filings and commercial launches.

Winners were selected by reviewers from across the campus innovation ecosystem, along with alumni who are successful founders and industry experts.

The Fall 2025 recipients are the following:

• Gabi Josefson ’28 (Martin J. Whitman School of Management and S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications) and Mitchell Breakstone ’28 (Whitman School ) received funding for EXCHKR, a platform that simplifies how clubs, sports teams and Greek organizations manage payments and track budgets. EXCHKR’s team will use this grant to develop the platform’s full MVP, integrating Stripe and Plaid for secure payments and real-time dashboards.
• Jack Venerus ’27 (School of Information Studies) received support for WingStat, a software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform that makes aircraft sales data more accessible for brokers. The Orange Innovation Fund will help WingStat build its MVP and launch a beta test with aircraft brokers nationwide.
• Trey Augliano ’27 (Whitman School) was selected for Utopia Beauty, a retail startup exclusively curating science-backed beauty products. Funding will support the creation of a proprietary tool that grades beauty products using the company’s Lab Protocol, integrating AI and customer testing to refine results before launch.
• Haley Greene ’26 (Newhouse School) received support for Miirror, a nonprofit digital platform addressing the urgent gap in accessible support for the 30 million Americans who struggle with eating disorders. Greene’s grant will fund backend development, accessibility certification and an 8- to 12-week campus pilot to assess user engagement and mental health outcomes.
• Ronan Hussar ’26 (Whitman School) was awarded funding for MacroFlow, which allows users to automate Excel tasks using simple language instead of code. The grant will support secure software development and beta testing with 25 early users.
• Jacob Kaplan ’28 (School of Information Studies) was awarded funding for The OtherGlasses, the world’s first adaptive eyewear that automatically adjusts to users’ changing vision throughout the day. Grant funds will help build a functional prototype using liquid crystal lenses and develop a companion app for real-time adjustment testing.

“We’re incredibly grateful for the continued support of Syracuse’s entrepreneurship ecosystem and excited to receive this grant as we prepare to launch EXCHKR,” Josefson says. “This funding will help us accelerate development and bring a much-needed financial management solution to student organizations nationwide.”

“Being selected for this award could not have come at a better time,” says Hussar. “The grant will take MacroFlow from an MVP to a market-ready product at a point where every dollar truly matters. Being selected also means that judges believe in my idea. That support motivates me to keep building.”

“Winning the Orange Innovation Fund award is incredibly meaningful,” says Venerus. “It gives us the momentum to finish our MVP and get WingStat market-ready, and it’s validating to know others see the impact and potential in what we’re building.”

“I’m very grateful to receive this award,” says Augliano. “I want to thank Orange Innovation team for recognizing the value that Utopia brings to the beauty industry. With this award, I will be able to build out the infrastructure for our product grading tool.”

“Being selected for the Orange Innovation Award tells me that people believe not only in Miirror, but in the future we’re trying to build, one where access to help is a right, not a luxury,” says Greene. “This grant, and every bit of support, moves us closer to turning something painful into something that gives others access to care and helps them feel less alone, which is all I’ve ever wanted to do.”

“These students represent the creativity, technical skill and drive that define Syracuse’s innovation community,” says David Seaman, dean of University Libraries. “The Orange Innovation Fund helps student founders take the important steps to move from idea to reality and achieve important milestones along their product development roadmap.”

The Orange Innovation Fund was supported through a leadership gift from University trustee Raj-Ann Gill. Through programs like the Orange Innovation Fund, the University continues to strengthen its reputation as a leading national hub for student innovation, supporting entrepreneurs who blend creativity, technology and purpose to make real-world impact.

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.”

A turning point in Pete Buttigieg’s public service career came with unrelenting rainfall while he was mayor of South Bend, Indiana. The city of roughly 100,000 experienced flooding that washed out roadways, damaged properties and endangered lives.

Buttigieg activated the city’s emergency operations center and hit the streets to assess the damage. At the urging of a councilmember, he knocked on the door of a woman who needed assistance.

Inside, he saw her family’s possessions floating in the flood water.

“And that was the moment that my mental image of climate change stopped being polar bears and ice shelves,” he said. “I think of political rhetoric around climate change. Not that I don’t care about what happens in the Arctic, but this was happening on the west side of South Bend, Indiana.”

Capacity Crowd at Syracuse

Buttigieg reflected on the flood’s aftermath during a conversation-style event in the National Veterans Resource Center at the Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello Building on Friday, Oct. 3. Part of the Pontarelli Speaker Series—named for its sponsors, alumnus and University Trustee Kenneth A. Pontarelli ’92 and his wife, Tracey—the talk was co-hosted by the and the .

Buttigieg shared the stage with , Pontarelli Professor of Environmental Sustainability and Finance and director of the Syracuse University . Their conversation encompassed environmental issues, leadership, American democracy and more.

In his opening remarks, Maxwell Dean said he was heartened to see so many students in the audience—all tickets for the event were claimed less than 20 minutes after it was announced. “These individuals are passionate about the issues we’re going to discuss today, and they are our future leaders,” said Van Slyke.

Before welcoming Buttigieg to the stage, Whitman’s interim dean, , shared some of his accomplishments. Buttigieg became mayor of South Bend in 2012 at age 29. He was elected for two terms and departed for a 2014 deployment to Afghanistan as a Naval reservist. In 2020, he sought the Democratic nomination for president, winning the Iowa caucuses. As U.S. secretary of transportation from 2021-25, Buttigieg implemented the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act which funded over 70,000 projects.

The Syracuse event occurred three days into a shutdown of the U.S. government. Golden’s first question presented an opportunity for a general assessment: “Where are we today as a nation?”

Facing Unprecedented Challenges

“I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that not since the Civil War has our country faced this level of challenges—certainly not since World War II,” replied Buttigieg. “And so much of it is actually happening not because of an external threat.”

Social media, with its misinformation and algorithms, has distorted perspectives and relationships, he said. At the same time, Buttigieg said, the U.S. is witnessing an unprecedented level of government assertion of control over not only its own branches but also entities that have long remained independent such as academia and even late-night television.

“That makes this an extremely challenging time, but also a particularly important time for universities, because universities exist for the purpose of finding the truth, for the purpose of fostering dialogue and healthy difference and for charting where we are supposed to go next in ways that maybe won’t fully resemble the status quo that we inherited,” said Buttigieg, who later said universities need to fiercely guard their independence.

Several of Golden’s questions focused on the environment. For instance, he wondered what the current administration is trying to accomplish by repealing and diminishing protections. Buttigieg shared his view that much of the transitions have served to benefit certain friends and allies.

“Part of the tragedy of this is there is a healthy conservative critique to be made of environmental policies that are either self-defeating or unreasonable,” added Buttigieg. “And I say that as a strong believer in environmental protection.”

Several students posed questions, some related to climate change and the recent downsizing and dismantling federal departments like USAID.

Donough Lawlor, who is pursuing a master of science in sustainable organizations and policy, asked Buttigieg to comment on the impact of doing away with USAID and the worldview of U.S. leadership.

While he expressed deep concern, Buttigieg pointed out that many entities were formed in the 1940s and 50s “based on the way the world was.”

“Sooner or later, it’s going to be somebody’s job to figure out what to put in there next,” he said. “And that’s actually a huge opportunity to set up development aid in a way that is more responsive to the needs of the people it’s supposed to serve.”

He added, “my main impulse is not despondency, even though it can be depressing to watch, but actually propulsion.”

Looking Forward, Not Back

In South Bend, he said, prior generations often reflected about the economic boomtime prior to the 1963 closure of a main employer, the Studebaker auto plant. His community had a breakthrough in part, he said, because his generation was the first that didn’t experience its automaking heyday. As mayor, he said, all he could consider is “what do we do next?”

A parting message seemed directed toward students.

“If you’re considering participating in civic processes, which I hope you will, don’t underestimate the moral authority that you carry as a young person saying, ‘This decision you’re about to make affects me,’” he said. “The longer you are planning to be here, the more you have at stake, and I think, the more you have to say.”

Don’t expect Cheryl Meany ’02, G’06 to take much of a step back when she is honored at two upcoming West Genesee High School volleyball meets during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. She will be on the sidelines as usual, serving as assistant coach of the Wildcats girls’ varsity team just as she was throughout her recent aggressive treatment for breast cancer.

Her tireless work as a mother, teacher and coach provided not only diversion and wellness during her fight, but inspiration for her students, colleagues, friends and community.

She will be honored at West Genesee’s Pink Ribbon Classic, which takes place at the high school on Saturday, Oct. 11. The tournament—featuring seven other teams—is fundraising for , a Syracuse-based nonprofit that provides wellness, mentoring, transportation and other supports for cancer patients.

West Genesee’s annual Dig Pink game follows on Oct. 14 against their Syracuse-area rival, Westhill High School. Both teams will hit the court wearing pink for breast cancer awareness and fundraising proceeds will again go to Cancer Connects.

Triple Responsibilities

Meany, an English teacher at Baldwinsville High School, was diagnosed with cancer in November 2024, a personal blow just before Thanksgiving. What followed was—to use a volleyball term—a multiple offense combination of chemotherapy, surgery and radiation, from late 2024 through July 2025.

“It’s been crazy,” Meany says.

Although she is still wearing her signature head wrap, as of her most recent scan, she is cancer free. Her hair is returning, and she has embarked on a new regimen of preventative medicine.

To say that Meany kept active throughout this tumult is an understatement. Apart from a few days to rest after each chemotherapy treatment, she took no significant time off from her triple responsibilities and continued to serve others, even “digging” herself out of a few more challenges along the way.

For instance, as a mother to three girls—a West Genesee sophomore and twin fifth graders—she�� had to adjust her family’s schedule to accommodate her husband’s work. A , Jason Meany develops training materials for Scuba Divers International, a job that often takes him on the road.

Then, as the Wildcats assistant volleyball coach, she has helped manage the team’s step up to class AAA competition. The trainers must be doing something right because this promotion only seems to have propelled the blue-and-yellow forward. As of this writing, the team has a perfect 10-0 record and recently swept local AAA powerhouse Baldwinsville, Meany’s alma mater.

Even her current teaching assignment—Government, Economics and Literature—is not for the faint of heart. Introducing high schoolers to concepts of society and democracy through texts such as “1984” and “Lord of the Flies” is no mean feat during a contentious political moment.

Finding Balance

Meany says teaching high school seniors during her treatment was a “special situation” because they understood her diagnosis.

“I told the class when my chemotherapy started, and I said that if I’m here, I’m well enough to be here, so we can be normal and have our normal relationships,” she says.

“I was either going to be at home thinking about my diagnosis or out living my life,”�� Meany adds.

She even found the strength for a school trip with 17 students to Portugal between her third and fourth chemotherapy sessions.

Staying active, she says, was a choice.

“Everyone was onboard with it,” Meany says. “I needed to stay busy. There were side effects, but I could manage them if I didn’t think about them.”

Meany says her students took care to recognize when she was having an off day. And when her body said to rest, she listened, even if that meant occasionally missing her eldest daughter’s evening wrestling matches.

A double alumna, Meany has kept in close touch with her literacy teacher and mentor, Dean . During the COVID-19 pandemic, the pair mentored student teachers, and she assisted with the research phase for Chandler-Olcott’s next book—a collaboration with Sarah Fleming G’16—on equitable assessment.

“Cheryl was an exceptional undergraduate who turned into one of SOE’s staunchest collaborators once she had her own classroom,” Chandler-Olcott says. “She’s mentored many teacher candidates who became strong practitioners in their own right, and she has modeled for all of them what it means to be a collegial professional committed to continuous learning. I’m so grateful for her continued commitment to all things Orange.”

So, in her 25th year of teaching and having bested breast cancer, what special advice does Meany have for young teachers embarking not only on their professional but life journeys?

“You are going to have challenges,” Meany says. “We teachers tend to put our students, families and others above ourselves, but my cancer diagnosis made me take a step back from giving of myself, to taking care of myself more. I needed that balance, and now I have found it.”

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.”

Amazon’s Prime Day has evolved from a simple membership perk into a mid-year shopping phenomenon that forces every major retailer to respond, especially ahead of the holiday season.

Syracuse University has two faculty experts who can speak to the broader implications of this shift—from how these manufactured shopping holidays affect consumer psychology to what they reveal about the current state of e-commerce competition. Both are available for pre- or post-Prime Day analysis and are able to provide strategic context beyond the sales numbers.

Keep them in mind for your upcoming Black Friday stories too!

******

is a professor of practice in supply chain management and director of executive education in the Whitman School of Management. Penfield has over 15 years of industry experience in supply chain management and manufacturing working for such companies as the Raymond Corporation, Johnson & Johnson and Philips Electronics. Professor Penfield’s research focuses on forestry, natural resource management and sustainability. He has appeared on , NBC, and ABC evening news programs and conducted dozens of media interviews for outlets like USA Today, , , , Newsweek and many more.

******

Fellow Whitman School faculty member and retail expert is a highly accomplished and driven senior retail executive and consultant with more than 25 years of success in the retail industry. She has worked throughout the industry and across many functions including general management, marketing, operations, merchandising, buying, and human resources.

She also hosts a weekly podcast series called “Retail Unwrapped” which discusses timely retail and consumer product trends and consumer behavior.

 

To request interviews with Professor Penfield or Professor Kohan, or to get more information, please reach out to Daryl Lovell directly.��

Forced labor in global supply chains may decline in coming years as Generation Z—today’s teens and young adults—gain financial influence. Unlike previous generations, they are more willing to pay a premium for products manufactured ethically.

These and other findings are the result of a two-year study by the University’s (DSL) on behalf of Thomson Reuters, a global content and technology company based in Canada.

In addition to revealing data that helps inform industry leaders, policymakers and the public, the collaboration provided valuable research and experiential learning opportunities to numerous University students engaged with the DSL.

It also laid the groundwork for a strategic collaboration that DSL Director Jay Golden says will complement the lab’s endeavors while giving students opportunities to interact with industry thought leaders and examine critical sustainability issues under the mentorship of Thomson Reuters experts.

“Given the impactful and positive experiences our students have had with the forced labor in global supply chain collaboration, we are thrilled to deepen our relationship with Thomson Reuters,” says Golden. “It provides student and faculty researchers within the Dynamic Sustainability Lab greater opportunity to tackle important real-world challenges in companies and governments around the world and come up with innovative, next-generation solutions, models and tools.”

Golden founded the Maxwell-based DSL in 2021 after he joined the school as the inaugural Pontarelli Professor of Environmental Sustainability and Finance. He describes the lab as a cross-disciplinary, nonpartisan think tank that examines the “opportunities, risks and unintended consequences” that arise from the adoption of new technologies, new strategies and growing dependence on foreign-sourced resources and supply chains used in energy, climate and sustainability transitions.

Students engaged with the DSL represent a wide range of programs including many Maxwell majors. They share their data findings in government reports and technical bulletins and at sustainability symposiums the DSL hosts annually in major cities like Boston, New York City and Washington, D.C.

A Student and National Thought Leader

The DSL’s connection with Thomson Reuters began with Maxwell graduate student Heather Panton G’26 when she enrolled in the executive master’s in international relations program in Washington, D.C. Today she is senior advisor for human rights crimes and social impact at Thomson Reuters.

In 2023, Panton was awarded an Eisenhower Fellowship to advance her study of forced labor—a form of human trafficking—in global supply chains. She traveled to Malaysia and Thailand to study best practices and drive public awareness to educate consumers about making ethical purchasing decisions. She received academic guidance from Golden and shared with him a growing interest in the potential impact of up-and-coming consumers.

“When I was abroad, so many people asked about demand from the next generation,” Panton says. “Historically, American baby boomers often prioritized price, without fully considering how cost-cutting would ripple through suppliers and vendors across the supply chain. That has put pressure on companies to reduce costs in ways that sometimes affect workers’ wages and living conditions abroad. We believe Gen Z will play a critical role in shifting that dynamic by asking tougher questions, such as, ‘Was this product made with slave labor?’”

Golden was excited for the opportunity to work with Panton. Her resume included roles with the McCain Institute, the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Department of Justice and the White House. Among them: special advisor for human trafficking and the inaugural human trafficking czar during the first Trump administration.

“She was not only our student but also a thought leader in the country,” says Golden. “I’ve learned a lot—probably more than she’s learned from me.”

Golden brought Panton’s Eisenhower Fellowship research to the DSL, where students spent the next two years expanding her work, studying generational purchasing trends, gathering data and refining her findings.

“They’re such smart students—they’re right on the mark,” she says. “We’ve worked to expand the scope of what they’re thinking about. We want them to be focused and driven, thinking about exposing things that I don’t know that many people are talking about in the mainstream. We want them to be able to present in a way that’s not only academically rigorous but also digestible—something that industry or government can consume right away.”

Presenting Research to Global Industry Leaders

The students produced a by the DSL, and a has been posted on Thomson Reuters’ website. Both share that by 2030, Generation Z will represent 17% of retail spending in the U.S., and 81% of consumers in the age group have changed their purchasing decisions based on brand actions or reputation, with 53% participating in economic boycotts.

While pursuing a bachelor’s degree in policy studies, 2024 Maxwell alumnus Ka’ai I worked as a student researcher with the DSL. He gathered information about forced labor laws across the globe, collected related policies for multi-national corporations and assisted with surveys.

“We basically did a level-set in terms of ‘How do we understand where we are at now, where are we at in terms of forced labor, and how that is affecting the market?’” says I.

The experience was empowering and prepared him for his current work with Deloitte Consulting.

“As a young professional, I’m working on many of the same things I did with the Dynamic Sustainability Lab—data analysis, survey development, stakeholder engagement,” I says. “As I navigate the professional workspace, I feel much more confident and capable going in to a pretty competitive workforce.”

Another outcome of the DSL forced labor collaboration with Thomson Reuters: two events in the 2024-25 academic year at which data findings were presented and expanded upon by subject area experts. The symposia in Washington, D.C., and in Portland, Oregon, drew representatives from footwear and apparel companies as well as government officials.

“Our students helped push the notion, ‘We are your growing customer segment,’” says Golden. ��“The leadership from these companies that were in attendance really acknowledged that and were receptive. The work that started with Heather has expanded to where we have the attention of the global footwear and apparel industry. It’s a rare occasion that the type of research finds its way into the mainstream in consumer decisions and draws the attention of international governments and especially the top leadership of global companies.”

Panton says the collaboration with DSL is mutually beneficial.

“The academic rigor is unbeatable,” she says of the research and resulting data. “It’s a great combination of practitioner-meets-academic—we’re taking substantive work and making it very easy for anyone in a C-suite to look at it.”

University faculty and staff can receive flu and COVID-19 vaccines at no cost this fall through the following options:

On-Campus Clinics

In partnership with Wegmans Pharmacy, flu vaccine clinics will run through November. Both flu and COVID-19 vaccines will be available and there is no cost to you. , though walk-ins will be accepted as space allows. For more information including dates, times and vaccine information, visit the����webpage.

Upcoming clinics:

• Friday, Sept. 26, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., 003 College of Law (Dineen Hall)
• Thursday, Oct. 2, 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Skybarn (South Campus)
• Wednesday, Oct. 22, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Milton Room, Whitman School of Management
• Thursday, Nov. 13, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., 500 Hall of Languages

Coverage Through the University’s Health Plans

Benefits-eligible employees enrolled in the ��can receive flu and COVID-19 vaccines at no cost when administered by an in-network provider or pharmacy using your Optum Rx or Excellus BCBS member cards.

Continued Access to COVID-19 Vaccines in New York State

On Sept. 5, Gov. Kathy Hochul signed an ��authorizing pharmacies in New York State to administer COVID-19 vaccines without a prescription to individuals ages 3 and older. This ensures broad access across the state while providers await updated Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance. Employees outside of New York State should check with local providers for vaccine availability and requirements.

For questions, please contact��HR Shared Services��at 315.443.4042.

Filmmaker and cinematographer , a graduate of the ’ (VPA) , has been nominated for a prestigious student award from the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC).

Edelson is one of six nominees for the George Spiro Dibie ASC Award—Undergraduate Category—one of the society’s , which champions rising talent at the formative stages of filmmakers’ careers. She was nominated for the narrative short student film “,” on which she served as director of photography. The ASC will announce the winner on Oct. 12.

“My experience working on this film forever changed me as a cinematographer, thanks to my collaboration with the writer and director of ‘The Wren in the Wood,’ [fellow Class of 2025 film major] Emma Baker,” says Edelson. “An important inspiration for the film came from Guillermo del Toro’s ‘Pan’s Labyrinth.’ I studied the visual style of that film and noted techniques that suited the story Emma and I hoped to tell. I was struck by how it felt as if the camera knew more than the characters it was following. We wanted to incorporate this feeling to hint at the presence of something supernatural. By using soft, fluid camera movement, we gently guided the audience into the world of the film.”

As a film major in VPA’s Department of Film and Media Arts, Edelson was introduced to the art of cinematography and developed a strong technical and aesthetic foundation, which she continues to build on through practice and exploration. She polished her skills while studying abroad for a semester through Syracuse Abroad’s in Prague, Czech Republic, and completed her education with the , part of the Syracuse University Dick Clark Los Angeles Program, which enabled her to connect with the film industry during her senior year.

Edelson also received a�� (SOURCE)��Fellowship to fund her senior thesis film “.” The SOURCE supports undergraduate research and creative inquiry. It provides financial assistance for original and innovative work, fostering student-driven exploration and development.

“I am proud to have begun my journey as a cinematographer at Syracuse University,” says Edelson. “I was able to take advantage of once-in-a-lifetime opportunities that deepened my appreciation for the art of filmmaking and prepared me for a professional career in the industry. I was especially fortunate to learn from professors such as , whose encouragement and support strengthened my love for cinematography and motivated me to pursue the art form with confidence.”

“The American Society of Cinematographers is one of the most prestigious and globally recognized associations in the film industry,” says Méndez, associate professor and program coordinator of film in the Department of Film and Media Arts. “Having one of our students receive such an honor is a clear confirmation that our film education effectively prepares students to compete on an international stage.”

Edelson’s cinematography has been awarded Best Cinematography by the Indian Independent Film Festival. Her work was also selected for the Kookai International Film Festival, Indie Shorts Mag Film Festival and Syracuse University’s New Filmmakers Showcase. Now based in Los Angeles, she works as a freelance filmmaker in the camera department.

National Science Foundation (NSF) funding for Syracuse University faculty research projects totaled $19.7 million in fiscal year 2025, an increase of $5.8 million over last year’s total, according to the .

NSF also recognized four faculty members with prestigious.

Duncan Brown, vice president for research, says expanded NSF funding and the selection of four faculty for CAREER recognition is a testament to the strength, quality and innovativeness of research taking place across campus. “Such positive outcomes show how important it is that our researchers continue to apply for federal grants. Doing so helps assure that continuing projects can maintain their momentum without interruption and that new research ideas have the support they need to realize societal impact,” says Brown.

CAREER Awards

CAREER Awards are NSF’s highest recognition for early-career academic professionals. The awards are designed to help recipients build the foundation for a lifetime of leadership and integration of education and research. Receiving the awards this year are:

• , assistant professor of chemistry in the
• , assistant professor of electrical engineering in the
• , assistant professor of physics in the
• , Maxwell Dean Associate Professor of the Politics of AI��in the

Hu works on that are super sensitive to mechanical forces and that can show visible signs, like changing color, when they are deformed or damaged. This helps materials report damage on their own and makes it possible to study how subtle force moves through complex systems, such as synthetic plastics and biological materials. He also designs smart materials that adapt their behavior or properties in response to other triggers, such as ultrasound, light or chemicals.

Kim aims to bridge the information gap between software systems and hardware devices by embedding implicit hints between systems and devices. The research helps��improve data storage performance and data retrieval reliability while maintaining compatibility. It supports complex, large-scale computing needs of modern businesses and technologies such as artificial intelligence and big-data analytics.

Mansell builds and fine tunes , the tools that detect the tiny ripples in space caused by cosmic events such as black hole mergers. She also works with a special kind of light called “squeezed light” that helps make the detectors more precise.

Zhang uses quantitative methods to study how the interests of citizens and technical experts could shape the. She explores the politics of digital technologies regarding AI governance; the international political economy in the age of advanced automation and quantitative social science methods.

Record Year for NSF Funding

The $19.7 million in awards is the highest amount since 2022, according to Chetna Chianese, senior director in the (ORD). She says the success highlights the faculty’s continued striving for research success regardless of a shifting federal funding landscape.

The NSF funding supports dozens of projects across five schools and colleges in multiple research areas, including:

• An for doctoral students in emergent intelligence biological and bio-inspired systems for the
• A cluster of three projects to support the Center for Gravitational Wave Astronomy and Astrophysics
• One new and two renewed Research Experiences for Undergraduates projects
• A project to further explore new physics at the LHCb experiment at , the European center for nuclear research
• A training program for upskilling photonics technicians in advanced optics and quantum research-enabled technologies
• A project to explore the science of social-psychological processes and AI companionship

Support for Proposals

The Office of Research offers broad support for faculty pursuing sponsored funding, including through , departmental research administrators and ORD. Faculty beginning to pursue external funding and resources to support their research and creative activities can start by working with , who bring deep knowledge of external funders and stakeholders to provide strategic consultations.��The Office of Research additionally supports faculty through the , which helps them plan, draft and complete their proposals. That program will resume in the spring semester ahead of the summer 2026 deadline.

ORD also provides guidance regarding the ongoing changes to federal funding, the changing federal funding landscape, updates on new executive orders and adjusted administrative policies and regulatory requirements. “We are keeping faculty updated via email and an internal SharePoint, but our team can also provide project-specific guidance to principal investigators who reach out to us,” Chianese says.

Faculty��interested in applying for NSF and other grants can contact the ORD staff at resdev@syr.edu.

Whether you’re a first-year student or returning to campus, staying connected and informed is key to a successful year. From mobile apps that streamline your daily routine to social media accounts that keep you in the loop, this guide highlights the essential digital resources to bookmark, download or follow. Make your campus experience smarter, safer and more connected!

Mobile Apps

• ��is the official Syracuse University daily companion app. Whether you’re navigating your class schedule, catching up on campus news, finding dining options or checking real-time bus arrivals, OrangeNow has you covered.
• , from the Department of Public Safety (DPS), allows users to stay connected and receive important campus notifications, communicate with campus safety and gain access to tools that can help keep you safe on campus.
• The�� is your digital Syracuse University I.D. card! Use it to update your I.D. card photo, add ’CUSE Cash and pay at Campus Dining locations.
• The facilitates connection between students and recognized student organizations.

Social Media

Campus News, Events and Fun

������Ƶ

Syracuse University Official

Student Experience

Syracuse Athletics

Otto the Orange

Syracuse University Alumni

University Leadership

Universitywide Information and Services

Campus Dining

DPS

Hendricks Chapel

Information Technology Services (ITS)

Military-Connected and Veteran Services

Parking and Transportation Services

Syracuse Abroad

Syracuse University Libraries

Websites

• ��(Student Employment)
• (activities, events, Greek Life)
• ������Ƶ

There are many additional social media accounts you can connect with, including ones for every school/college and many of our academic programs and initiatives across campus. Visit the University’s����for a comprehensive list.

Three decades ago, Terence J. Lau L’98 walked the corridors as an eager student in the , then located in White Hall. He knew he had been given a rare chance—and a full scholarship—to be a part of Syracuse Law, and the opportunities ahead were endless.

Today, his eagerness and enthusiasm are stronger than ever as he again walks through the halls of the law school with the same sense that a rare opportunity has come his way. In August 2024, Lau began his role as the College of Law’s 13th dean—and the first alumnus to lead the college in its 130-year history.

The Foundations for a Career

Prior to applying to law schools, Lau was training to be a commercial airline pilot, but without the funds to continue, he needed a new plan. So Lau set his sights on the law. Syracuse Law not only offered him a scholarship but gave him the foundations for a successful career in law and higher education.

“Attending Syracuse Law changed the trajectory of my life,” says Lau. “I enrolled sight unseen, and it became my home for the next three years. I’m eternally grateful for the education and career opportunities the law school gave me. Returning to serve as dean is a true full circle moment.”

Lau stands out not only as an alumnus, but also for his unconventional path to becoming a law school dean. While he was a practicing attorney early on, much of his career has been in higher education, particularly in the business school space, giving him a distinct perspective in his new role.

Pivoting to Business in Academia

After receiving his J.D., Lau joined Ford Motor Corp. as an attorney, working in transactional, distribution and international trade practice. In 2006, he became a fellow for the U.S. Supreme Court assigned to the Office of the Administrative Assistant to Chief Justice John Roberts.

Lau’s career quickly pivoted to a more business-oriented path when he joined the University of Dayton’s School of Business Administration, first as a professor of business law and then as director of international business programs, department chair of management and marketing, and, eventually, associate dean of undergraduate programs. In 2017, he spent a year in China serving as executive director of academic and corporate relations for the University of Dayton China Institute.

The following year, he returned to the United States to take on the role of dean of the College of Business at California State University Chico, a position he stepped down from just before coming to Syracuse.

Building a Long-Lasting Foundation

Taking on the role of dean at Syracuse Law has given Lau a chance to reflect on where he started and the path he took to get here today.

“I have great memories of law school, and I was also fortunate to experience the campus life of the greater University because, as part of my scholarship, I lived in the dorms as an employee of the Office of Residential Life for undergraduates,” he says.

He says many of the best moments from law school revolve around the faculty. “When I run into other alumni, it seems everyone will talk about a specific faculty member who had a lasting impact on them,” Lau says. “And it’s that incredibly student-focused faculty who are a very integral part of what makes Syracuse Law much different from what you get elsewhere. They are practical and solution-oriented individuals who come to us having had a tremendous impact on the law through their scholarship and work experiences.”

Lau has his own list of faculty who made a lasting impression, including Professor of Law Emeritus Travis H.D. Lewin and former Dean Daan Braveman, now a distinguished lecturer in Syracuse Law’s .

“I was Professor Lewin’s research assistant, and he also coached me on the trial team. When we went into competitions, he would say, ‘Go to war; return in peace,’” says Lau. “Dean Braveman taught Civil Procedures my first year and told us, ‘You have to pass the “look yourself in the mirror every morning” test,’ referring to conducting yourself within the ethical and legal limits of the law. Both of these lessons have stuck with me as I navigated my career.”

A Personal Desire to Give Back

When Lau heard that Dean Craig Boise was stepping down, he offered his insights as a board member to the search committee, helping to shape the qualities they should seek in the next dean. His passion for Syracuse Law and his thoughts on new leadership clearly made an impression, as not long after, the search committee approached Lau to see if he was interested in the position.

The timing seemed right, as Lau was looking for another opportunity. Where better to further his career than his alma mater?

“Terence has a passion for the Law School and credits this place for a lot of his success,” says Professor of Law Todd Berger, co-chair of the Dean’s Search Committee. “For him, joining us as dean didn’t seem to be just the next step in his career. It was a very personal desire to give back to a place that truly impacted his life and his profession.”

According to Berger, the search committee was impressed by Lau’s background in higher education, particularly in a business school environment, as well as his foundation as a lawyer. “It gave an insider-outsider quality that made him a very intriguing candidate,” Berger says.

Nina A. Kohn, the David M. Levy Professor of Law, also co-chaired the search committee. “I think Terence brought a really sophisticated understanding of higher education and a sense of his vision of how the law school fits into the big picture of a research university,” she says. “And he has an outstanding ability to connect with a very broad and diverse group of stakeholders here, which is so important to our success.”

“I think it’s wonderful that he comes to us as an alumnus with a deep history of the College of Law,” Kohn adds. “He cares about the school in a very personal way, and I think it says a lot about how we value our students and about our confidence in the education we provide.”

Richard Alexander L’82, chair of the Syracuse Law Board of Advisors and partner and chair emeritus at Arnold & Porter, also admires the qualities Lau offered to the college.

“During the search process, Terence demonstrated a sophisticated understanding of the opportunities and challenges facing the Law School in the current environment,” says Alexander. “He impressed us with his enthusiasm and energy, as well as his commitment to driving success at the Syracuse University College of Law.”

From First-Year Student to First-Year Dean

Now that Lau has settled into his position as dean, he is solidifying his goals to retain the history and excellence of the school, while also working to see Syracuse Law reach its full potential.

Lau acknowledges that going from the dean of a business school to that of a law school is not the most common path. “Being a dean is largely the same skillset, but being a dean of a business school is not a natural step for a lawyer,” he says. “However, this dual path has allowed me to become familiar with the study and operations of business such as management and budgeting, which are as necessary to running a law school as knowing the law. And it has allowed me to make decisions from both perspectives, which I believe will be a real benefit.”

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