@EconPop: Couldn’t agree more
@TheGreyKing Yes, these problems pop up in many places, but the University’s response (or lack thereof) is what concerns me the most. After reading several articles reporting on this, it is clear the university has had several racial incidents over the past few years and simply swept them under the rug. This is part of a larger pattern. While there is no perfect college, I do expect much better from administrations when these situations occur.
After visiting last spring, my D20 had Syracuse as one of her top 5. But as a URM we cannot simply overlook these issues. After hearing about the incidents, I contacted a colleague who has a daughter enrolled there now. She is a junior, and also a URM. Her advice for other URMs: if you have other options, take them. She said she felt this way even before the recent events. She does not dislike her experience enough to transfer, but she admitted she would go someplace else if she had a chance to do it all over again. According to her, it’s not a hostile environment for URMs, but certainly not welcoming either.
D20 applied ED to another college, so hopefully this won’t be an issue. But I will be VERY concerned if this is one of her only options.