SYRACUSE -- A Syracuse University graduate student is accused of choking another student in a ground floor office of the Eggers Building.
Chief Tony Callisto, of the Department of Public Safety, says the two people involved are a couple. They were having an argument about their relationship at the time. Callisto says the man choked the woman, then she fell and hit her head.
The man has been charged with criminal obstruction of breating and harrassment.
The following email was sent to the faculty at Eggers from Michael Wasylenko, dean of The Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs:
From: Michael J Wasylenko
Sent: Saturday, December 10, 2011 12:58 PM
To: James Steinberg; Michael J Wasylenko
Subject: Serious matter to report
Dear Colleagues:
We want to report that on Wednesday evening December 7, 2011, one of our graduate students was arrested for allegedly choking another graduate student. The incident occurred in an office on the ground floor of the Eggers Building. The alleged attacker is forbidden contact with the alleged victim. There are formal charges against the alleged attacker both in Onondaga County and at judicial affairs at Syracuse University. Furthermore, the alleged attacker is suspended from Syracuse University until the matter is resolved at judicial affairs.
We assure you that we are taking this matter very seriously and in resolving it we will have in mind the best interests of our students, staff and faculty. To those students and faculty who have reported this incident to our office, we very much appreciate your attention to our community. Please continue to report behaviors that you find unwelcome.
You may have questions that we have not addressed here. We need to be sensitive to legal and judicial affairs proceedings, so there are limits to what is reported to us and thus to you through us. I can tell you that the alleged victim has been checked at a hospital. She was released and is now on campus.
James B. Steinberg, Dean
The Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs
Michael Wasylenko
Senior Associate Dean
