3 May 2024
In Support of Valeria Herrera

Dear Chancellor Syverud and Members of the School of Architecture Advisory Board,

We, the undersigned alumni of the Syracuse University School of Architecture, express our solidarity with and support for Assistant Teaching Professor Valeria Herrera, and are disturbed by the allegations of racial discrimination and the creation of a hostile workplace under the direction of Dean Michael Speaks.

Many of us had the pleasure of working with Professor Herrera during her time as an architecture student and teaching assistant at Syracuse University, as well as in Florence at SU Abroad, and as an Assistant Teaching Professor. We believe Professor Herrera’s interdisciplinary academic and professional background contribute greatly to SU SoA’s representation and design courses, and to the School of Architecture in general.

Less than 25% of registered architects are women. Approximately 1% are Latina. We do not believe that the Syracuse University School of Architecture has done enough to recognize this reality. Professor Herrera’s allegations point to the persistence of institutionalized racism and inherent bias within the School of Architecture and more broadly within Syracuse University.

Finally, we reiterate our support for Professor Herrera in this difficult moment and affirm that Syracuse University School of Architecture has a responsibility to promote, retain, and celebrate students and faculty from marginalized backgrounds. We encourage the school to take real, tangible steps towards a more diverse and inclusive environment at every level, from the student body to faculty, up through the school administration and leadership.

At present, this lawsuit alleges behaviors and practices that we, as alumni, have also witnessed: students and faculty of color have not been treated with the same level of respect and encouragement as their white peers. Rather than perpetuating biased, racist, and unjust trends in the profession, SU SoA should be a leader in rooting out and reversing these trends.

Regardless of the outcome of this lawsuit, we are frustrated and angered by the allegations that SU SoA tokenizes and glosses over the contributions of faculty of color in order to misrepresent itself as a diverse and equitable institution. Professor Herrera’s allegations fit within a broader pattern of institutional racism experienced by alumni. While no one institution can solve systemic racism, every institution should strive to create an inclusive, equitable, and anti-racist environment. We demand that the Syracuse University School of Architecture do better by publicly sharing ways in which it plans to address these allegations and the larger underlying power imbalances that led to them.

Sincerely,

The Undersigned Alumni of the Syracuse University School of Architecture

55
signatures
52 verified
  1. Jesse Ganes, Class of '14, Brooklyn, NY
  2. Michael Kowalchuk, Class of 2014, Northampton, MA
  3. Zachary Ranieri, Class of ‘14, Brooklyn, NY
  4. Casie Kowalski, Class of ‘14, New York
  5. Betsy Daniel, Class of ‘14, Brooklyn
  6. Noy ramon, Class of 14, Tel Aviv
  7. Franklin Romero Jr, Class of ‘14, New York
  8. Elizabeth Mikula, Designer, Class of ‘13, Boston, MA
  9. Stephen Tortorella, Class of 14, New Orleans
  10. Kaan Sanalan, Designer & Project M., B&A, Jersey City
  11. Max Kronauer, San Francisco
  12. Eli Gustavo Austin, Class of 23’, SLLIP, Washington, D.C.
  13. Jake Copich, Architect, Independent, Syracuse
  14. Apoorva Rao, Class of '19, MGA, Princeton, NJ
  15. Sofia Gutierrez, Architecture, Syracuse University, Philadelphia
  16. Julia Bolukh, Class of 2025, Syracuse University, Detroit
  17. Ying Hong, Designer, Class of 2016, San Francisco
  18. Mark Zlotsky, Class of 2015, Brooklyn, NY
  19. Alexander Estes, Syracuse University, Class of 2023, SLLIP, Montclair, NJ
  20. Steven O'Hara, Class of 2015, South Salem, NY
  21. Michaelle Solange Williams, Architect, Class of 2015, San Jose
  22. S. Alex Weiner, Architect, McKissack and McKissack, Chicago
  23. Michael ambrose, Architect, Raleigh, NC
  24. Gina Fernandes, Designer, NCSU, Raleigh, NC
  25. Frank Visconti, ARCHITECT, Rowell Brokaw Architects, EUGENE, OR
  26. Kristen Ambrose, Architect, Class of 2005, Raleigh, NC
  27. Lia Margolis, Class of 2023, Architectural Designer, NK Architects, Philadelphia
  28. Gary Rudoren, Architecture Teacher, Montclair
  29. Victoria Lee Via, Class of 2014, Portland, OR
  30. Bram Monson, Class of 22', Syracuse University, New York
  31. Dr. L. David Stewart, Designer, Territory NFP, Chicago
  32. junjie wang, student, Syracuse, Syracuse
  33. Eric Freedman, Class of ‘89, Innovator, user friendly corp., White Plains
  34. Qi Liu, Student, Syracuse University School of Architecture, Syracuse
  35. Iris Yee, Class of ‘21, Brooklyn, NY
  36. Dipal Mistry, class of 2021, london
  37. Richard Rosa, Professor, Syracuse University, Class of 1988, Syracuse
  38. Andrea Herrada, Artist/Designer/Playworker, play:ground nyc, Brooklyn, NY
  39. Sarah Ritchey, Architect, Boston
  40. Morgan Graboski, Class of ‘15, Richmond, VA
  41. Ebonia Moody, Class of 2023, New Brunswick, NJ
  42. Yasemin Canarslan, Design Professional, TPG Architecture, New York
  43. Houston Parke, Set Designer, ABC Studios, New York
  44. Alexander Michel, Class of '22, Columbia, MD
  45. Christina Hoover, Architect, Class of ‘15, Boston, MA
  46. Miles Forminard
  47. Richard Prantis, Architect, Class of ‘86, Los Angeles
  48. Jody Chan Menos, Class of 2012, Hart Howerton, New York
  49. Cara Cecilio, Class of 2015, New York, NY
  50. Bhumi, Engineer, Earth
  51. Maxwell Baum, New Haven
  52. Mario Benedict, Class of ‘23, Fishers, IN
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