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Syracuse University’s Student Association introduced a resolution in support of adding caste as a protected category within SU’s existing anti-discrimination policy during its Monday meeting.

If passed, the association will share this recommendation with university administrators to “p​​revent incidents of (caste-based) bias on campus,” the bill reads. The resolution also recommends that SU address caste-related biases, educate students and staff on caste and take other proactive measures.

The resolution primarily focuses on Casteism, which is discrimination and bias against people based on a caste system. The caste system, which originated in South Asia, divides people into social groups based on birth. Historically, the caste system has continuously disadvantaged people of lower castes by limiting their access to education, employment, housing and medical care.

“​Casteism is a concern for South Asian students, professors of Caste and Inequality in Modern India, practicing and non-practicing Hindu students, and all other students who value equality in the classroom and outside,” the bill reads.

According to the university’s current Non-Discrimination and Equal Opportunity Statement, SU prohibits discrimination based on “creed, ethnicity, citizenship, sexual orientation, national origin, sex, gender, pregnancy, disability, marital status, political or social affiliation, age, race, color, veteran status, military status, religion, sexual orientation, domestic violence status, genetic information, gender identity, gender expression or perceived gender.”

Leela Amarasiri, SA’s academic affairs committee chair who authored the resolution, said she worked with SU professors who teach classes on caste, linguistics and gender studies to develop the legislation.

She said the resolution’s goal is to further protect Hindu and South Asian students from bias and discrimination.

“We have a very large South Asian student population here on campus, and this is a concern for a lot of them,” Amarasiri said. “It’s really necessary for the word caste-related bias, or also caste, to be defined as a protected group on campus.”

Amarasiri said that, although the association can’t change SU’s discrimination policies directly, approving this resolution would be vital to securing the protection of students against caste related-bias.

Other universities, such as Brown University and Harvard University, have already adopted this language in their discrimination policies. Amarasiri said she believes SU is behind.

Amarasiri also summarized next steps, including discussions of caste-related violence and discrimination in First Year Seminar courses and other classes to ensure it will be recognized in discussions of diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility.

“I think we kind of forget about it sometimes,” Amarasiri said.

SA leaders also discussed a bill funding a collaboration between the association and the overarching Greek Council in SU’s Fraternity and Sorority Affairs office. Proposed by Greek Council President Lola Bollmann and Secretary Ashlyn Woo, the bill focuses on raising awareness and providing education about sexual assault prevention and support for survivors.

If approved, the two organizations will collaborate for a “Prevent, Report, Support: Together Against Sexual Assault” event in the spring. The event would feature Bonny Shade, an advocate for sexual violence prevention, as its keynote speaker.

“Prevent, Report, Support” would aim to educate the university community on sexual violence and prevention, the bill states. Shade previously spoke at SU last April about how to end sexual assault and respond to women in crisis.

“It’s really important to continue the good work we’ve been doing,” Bollmann said.

The association plans to vote on both bills during its next general assembly meeting on Dec. 2.

Other business:

• SA conducted its last weekly semester allocation vote and will not accept new requests for the remainder of the semester, Comptroller Alexis Leach said. The advanced allocation appeal process — open to those denied during the Finance Board’s initial review — opened Monday morning and will remain open until Dec. 3 at 11:59 p.m.
• SA unanimously passed its “Food for Finals” bill to offer free meals for five days during the upcoming final exam period.
• Meghavarshini Iska, a sophomore economics major, was appointed to SA’s academic affairs committee, and Max Lachut, a sophomore biotechnology major, was appointed to its community guidelines committee.

Published on November 18, 2024 at 11:55 pm

Contact Sydney: sadepiet@syr.edu