Syracuse University has signed a resolution supporting social justice and human dignity authored by the National Association of Schools and Colleges of the United Methodist Church.

The resolution calls for “new patterns and practices of communication and by attending to questions of justice within our own institutions.” By signing the resolution SU has committed itself to two actions between March 1 of this year and Dec. 31, 2016, according to an SU News release.

The first of these actions is “Conversations that Matter about Matters that Matter,” which says that each school that signs the resolution will sponsor a series of conversations regarding concerns of justice and dignity, according to the release.

The second of these actions is institutional action, which says that each participating institution will assess its own practices and then take action “to prioritize and reshape its policies and institutional culture to foster more fully the dignity of all people,” regardless of race, sexual orientation, gender preference, social class and other aspects of human difference, the resolution says.

Chancellor Kent Syverud has named Dean of Hendricks Chapel Tiffany Steinwert the SU representative to the National Association of Schools and Colleges of the United Methodist Church. Steinwert is responsible for sharing information on SU’s participation in the resolution, which was announced last week.

“This resolution is both an affirmation of the historic work we have done as an institution and the future tasks that lie ahead as we press forward ever, expanding our welcome in our common struggle for a better, more just world,” Steinwert said in the release.

The National Association of Schools and Colleges of the United Methodist Church is an organization of the chief executive officers of educational institutions that are related to the United Methodist Church. SU is a member of the organization.

SU was founded by Methodists, and has maintained a strong tie with the United Methodist Church. However it has identified as nonsectarian since 1920.

Published on March 22, 2015 at 7:04 pm

Contact Justin: jmatting@syr.edu | @jmattingly306