SU can not be silent about Vera House crisis anymore

Vera House, a local non-profit aimed to help sexual assualt and domestic violence survivors, hired Marcus Jackson, a registered sex-offender, as a victim advocate in October 2020. Jackson is a level-2 registrated sex offender who worked for an organization that directly supports survivors of sexual assault and domestic abuse.

Vera House administrators were aware of Jackson’s past when they employed him to provide care for victims. This is not a small mistake that Vera House made, and their careless action has cost the trust of Syracuse University and the greater community.

Though the executive director of Vera House issued an apology statement, it’s imperative that the organization understands their critical role in the community. An organization that is supposed to be a refuge to victims of various traumas has now created a controversial and contentious situation.

SU has a strong relationship with Vera House. Students can seek care from the organization if the procedures or resources are not covered by the Barnes Center at the Arch. Knowing that they could access a trusted organization off campus brought great relief and a sense of safety for students. Vera House serves as an option for students for care and resources that the Barnes Center does not cover.

Despite SU’s connection to the Vera House, they did not announce a statement addressing SU’s stance. The student body was not reassured that SU is here for them if they have concerns about Vera House. Upon hearing the disturbing news, students did not receive any level of comfort from the university assuring them that Vera House is going to be held accountable for their actions and in the meantime, alternative resources would be given to those who need it.

Students and the community desperately need Vera House. But now, the student body and community may be hesitant to reach out and access their resources.

“Students should know that we are still here as an option and resource, Vera House campus team will always be in support of the Syracuse community and students and we are here to help,” Chris Kosakowski, Campus Advocacy Director of Vera House, told The Daily Orange.

The organization needs to realize that their care is expansive, therefore, their actions are affecting the people that they are caring for. Vera House has campus outreach with nine institutions around the Syracuse and upstate New York area, including SU. These institutions need Vera House and the resources it provides. More importantly, students should be able to access them without hesitation or distrust.

SU has utilized and relied on Vera House for many years for care that the university is not able to provide for students. Knowing their reliance, the university should have been proactively trying to announce their stance with Vera House when information about Jackson was released to the public. SU could have also been a voice for the Syracuse community, where they make the community members aware and provide reasurement.

SU needs to put out a statement, along with Vera House, addressing their plans moving forward and how they are going to regain the trust of the community that they are serving. SU students deserve to be assured by their university that they are valued and cared for.

Vera House’s actions set a precedent that organizations around the Syracuse community and campus should be held accountable for their actions. The community and SU should learn from this mistake and recognize how an organization that is supposed to be altruistically serving the community has hurt them. This is not fair to the people that the organization has promised to serve.

The Daily Orange Editorial Board serves as the voice of the organization and aims to contribute the perspectives of students to discussions that concern Syracuse University and the greater Syracuse community. The editorial board’s stances are determined by a majority of its members. You can read more about the editorial board here. Are you interested in pitching a topic for the editorial board to discuss? Email [email protected].