Dear Chancellor Kent Syverud, the Task Force on Sexual and Relationship Violence, and the Council

on Diversity and Inclusion:

We are writing to you all at this moment of national reckoning where America is beginning to scratch
the surface of holding perpetrators of sexual and relationship violence accountable. We would like to
see Syracuse University do the same with regard to addressing Jim Brown’s extensive history of
violence against women.

Jim Brown, number 44, was awarded the Arents Award for Excellence in Athletics and Social Activism.
There is a statue of Mr. Brown outside of the Ensley Center and a banner commemorating him inside
the Carrier Dome. Through the tremendous courage displayed by the many women coming forward,
Jim Brown’s history of sexual and domestic violence became public123456. As a community we cannot
accept the idolization of a man who has been perpetrated numerous acts of interpersonal violence.

In the interest of transparency we would like to dedicate a portion of this letter reminding its recipients
of our past and ongoing efforts directed towards this matter thus far:

- April 28th, 2017: We met with Athletic Director John Wildhack and Executive Senior Associate
AD/Chief Communications Officer Sue Edson
- May 15th, 2017: We met with Chancellor Kent Syverud and Special Assistant to the Chancellor,
Barry Wells

At these meetings we opened a dialogue and had the understanding that these issues would be
brought to both the Task Force on Sexual and Relationship Violence and the Council on Diversity and
Inclusion where decisions would be made with the best interest of the Syracuse University community
in mind.

As activists and advocates for interpersonal violence prevention, we have both personally seen the
efforts Syracuse University has put forth in combating rape culture on our campus. We commend such
efforts, including: the Sexual And Relationship Violence response Team in the Counseling Center, the
Chancellor’s Task Force on Sexual and Relationship Violence, the Office of Health Promotion, and the
incredible student-led efforts to address this pervasive issue. We know from personal experience the
positive effects of these efforts and hope they have extended into discussions about Mr. Brown and
what the number 44 symbolizes.

1
http://articles.latimes.com/1985-02-21/news/mn-617_1_jim-brown
2

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1986-08-23/sports/8603030213_1_debra-clark-assault-charges-sign-free-agent
s

3
http://articles.latimes.com/1989-09-15/news/vw-270_1_jim-brown/3
4

https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2238&dat=19850625&id=1Z8lAAAAIBAJ&sjid=WPUFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1
233%2C2287567&hl=en
5

https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1314&dat=19650715&id=u50zAAAAIBAJ&sjid=t-gDAAAAIBAJ&pg=56
74%2C4095744&hl=en
6
http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/15/us/jim-brown-fast-facts/
It would not only be problematic but also extremely harmful to ignore the complexity of Jim Brown’s
subjectivity. We recognize that Mr. Brown is a complex man with a long history of anti-racist activism
and strong community leadership in addition to his long list of athletic accomplishments.

We are also conscious of our position as two white people (Samantha Skaller, a cis white queer woman
and a rape survivor and activist, and Seth Quam, a cis white heterosexual male ally). We understand
the danger of furthering the destructive trope of the hypersexualized, violent black man, which has been
a tool of racial oppression throughout American history. And that is why we implore you to engage
Syracuse University community members that inhabit a multitude of intersecting identities to be a part
of this discussion regarding Mr. Brown’s decades long history of sexual and relationship violence.

In summary, we ask that Syracuse University formally and publicly address Jim Brown’s history of
sexual and domestic violence. We would like your consideration on how Jim Brown is represented in
campus culture, specifically looking at his statue, his Arents Award, and the branding of the number 44
in general. We urge you to make a formal recommendation to the Chancellor to take action on each of
these aspects of this important issue. We also ask for SU to continually look critically at other
representations on our campus of individuals who have perpetrated interpersonal violence. Lastly and
even more broadly, we ask for the University’s continued effort to end rape culture on our campus and
to further support the various student-led activism on interpersonal violence prevention.

Again, in the interest of transparency we​ intend to publish this formal letter in the Daily Orange. For this
reason, we would like to share resources for students, faculty, and staff that may feel upset by this
letter and subsequent article at the bottom of this letter.

And to all of the survivors or victims reading this, we believe you, we support you, it’s never your fault,
you are not alone, and we will continue to fight for you.

-Syracuse University Counseling Center: Services are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Phone Number: 315.443.4715

-Vera House: 24 hour crisis and support lines

Phone Number 315.468.3260

-National Sexual Assault 24 hour Hotline

Phone Number: 1-800-656-4673

Thank you for your consideration and support on this matter.

In solidarity,
-Samantha Skaller ‘17
-Seth Quam ‘17