‘Daras Inner Circle Versus Everybody Else: How Syracuse University Marketing Turned Toxic
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After meeting in March and April 2021 to discuss the internal culture of the Syracuse University Marketing Department, the findings of 21 participants were compiled into a 15-page document. In addition to accusations of sexism, the document details how employees feel they are in "survival mode" and unable to question management.
Much of the reaction to the report has focused on Dara Roy, the university's current director of marketing, and her role in the department's dysfunction. On page 10 of the report, which records comments from staff "administrators and above", Royer's name appears 21 times.
“When Dara is indoors, people are quiet,” one interviewee said of the department’s culture.
Today, most of SU's marketing department is based in Nancy Kantor's warehouse in downtown Syracuse. Royer's office is located about two miles from the main campus at Crouse-Hinds Hall.
“The team was afraid to give something to Dara [Ror] because he was removed from his daily work,” the employee said.
“Dara (Roy) is literally hard to hit,” said one person. "When he is 'in the office', he physically withdraws from the team, spending most of his time in his office on campus."
Former SU employees wrote memos expressing concerns about mismanagement by SU's human resources department, the ombudsman, and the university's marketing and communications department, especially Royer.
Several employees said they were met with silence after voicing their concerns on campus to Royer and the department. These employees, according to internal emails and statements to The Daily Orange, contributed to internal divisions, stifled dissent and created a hostile work environment.
Over the past few months, several people have spoken to DIO about SU, and Royer's marketing department has expressed concern that Royer will get back at them if they speak up. In a June 2022 letter to Royer obtained by DO, former SU program director Brittany Terwilliger wrote that she was in a "privileged" position to speak out after college without fear.
“When I got a new job last winter, you had such a huge impact on my self-confidence that I was surprised when people thought I was impressive,” wrote Terwilliger, who also copied the work of the university’s human resources department. "I've heard the same thing from other people who recently left SU Marketing."
Terwilliger wrote in a letter that Royer was bossy and mercilessly criticized him and his colleagues. He said that his patronage during Royer's tenure at the university had incentives such as increased access to Royer and better opportunities to support the ideas of his staff. Those who disagreed or backed down were ridiculed.
"Many times I've seen you challenge someone's ideas/work, even ideas/work you once supported, because that person was insulting you," Terwilliger wrote.
Another former employee who worked with the SU web team said that while people could approach outside companies SU worked with about marketing campaigns, whenever someone did the same with department management, they were fired. .
"Dara's inner circle is always against everyone else," they say.
Terwilliger said that Royer chooses his favorite based on his loyalty to him.
“The way to stay on top is to tell yourself what you want to hear, praise yourself, never challenge yourself, and never blame other people for your mistakes,” Terwilliger wrote in Roy.
Cultural group publishes – Sy… by The Daily Orange
Another marketing employee who dropped out of college in the fall of 2021 also said that Royer promotes people in his department who say yes to him.
“When you get down to these high-profile conversations… there is no one who is wrong… fundamentally disagree with the respect and cooperation that will create a healthy work environment,” they said. "It's nothing."
In his farewell letter, Terwilliger also wrote that Royer was "very bad" at disseminating information.
“You have a close circle of people with whom you share information, and others remain in the dark, like plebeians, until you decide to make an official statement,” Terwilliger wrote.
An article in the 2021 Internal Executives and Leadership Report also says that those Royer recommended had better access to management and were promoted faster. Terwilliger, who contributed to the review, wrote in an email to the DO that the notes to the report were "generally agreed upon" among the contributors.
February 17 D.O. wrote a number of questions to S.U. and at the same time separately to Royer. Ryar didn't answer directly. At the university, they first answer six questions in one sentence.
"The university has thoroughly investigated and examined these allegations and has determined that they are unfounded," a university spokesman said.
Upon receiving a second request, the university wrote in another email that "change can be difficult" in organizations.
"Dara Royer was hired over five years ago to bring the necessary transformational change and new strategic vision to the university's marketing operations, and she has achieved those goals," a college spokeswoman wrote. university
Lisa Thompson previously worked as a liaison between SU Central Marketing and Advancement and External Relations with the specific goals of building relationships with alumni and donors. In September 2021, Royer asked Thompson to "sever ties" between Central Marketing and AEA, according to Thompson's memo to the SU board of trustees and the Syracuse University administration.
Turning a blind eye to Royer meant forgoing AEA's marketing support until Royer and his team worked on strategy. Thompson wrote in a post that he felt compelled to listen. He understood that, from Royer's point of view, he must follow orders unquestioningly.
After protesting some of Royer's instructions, Thompson wrote that Royer met with him and offered Thompson a "pass" without a clear definition. Thompson said that after the meeting he was asked to resign and then told to leave when he refused to do so.
“If you do your due diligence,” Thompson wrote to league officials, “you will find that… Dara Royer is not the leader she claims to be.”
Thompson said he never heard from SU.
The former senior marketing manager, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that despite years of experience in higher education marketing, he was constantly encouraged to share his observations with Rower. Royer didn't have one before joining SU.
“I came to the conclusion that my role was to uphold Dara’s vision and never question its direction,” they wrote in a letter to their colleagues after leaving campus, “even though that direction was controversial. Internally indeterminate, untimely, or incorrect. - They advised. : Given the likely reaction of university voters.
Stephanie Jasso |: Digital Design Director
The same former employee wrote in a letter that he had "hundreds" of times seen Royer "brutally, unfairly, and sometimes untrue comments on his colleagues and colleagues."
“He unprofessionally called his immediate peers 'stupid', 'incapable of leadership', 'smart and infallible', 'dirty' and completely unskilled.
In one case, a former senior manager said she saw Royer place "unreasonable" expectations on an employee on sick leave. They said that Royer repeatedly intimidated and attacked employees during his time at SU, calling them "unreliable, incompetent and overly dramatic."
Moreover, in their last message to colleagues, they stated that the AEA team was one of Royer's most frequent targets.
In a 15-page report, the university defined "psychological safety" as a person's feeling that they can speak up without punishment or embarrassment. One person in the report said he did not feel emotionally safe in the department under Royer. Participants in the meeting of directors and noted above that "it is not always safe to disagree."
In the findings of the report, which the group wants to discuss further, participants noted that men receive much more positive feedback than women in the office, which makes women feel "lower".
One person noted that "men and women are unequally represented in management and creative teams." Monica Rexach Ortiz, a former member of SU's creative marketing team, said she saw the imbalance while working in college.
“Women were doing the same things they didn’t know and it was very frustrating to see,” Rexach said. “It was not good for the women in the office. And it's weird because Dara is a woman and you hope it helps, but I think it's a long way to go at work.
Shortly after Royer entered university, SU reorganized the Department of Marketing and Communications. On June 12, 2018, Royer and the leadership of EHU transferred the department to the premises of the Shine Student Center. Behind the staff were stacks of white envelopes with staff names and meeting instructions.
For some, the notice means their work has been cut. SU gave these employees a gracious job interview for which they had three days to prepare. Many eventually give up or retire early.
At the time of the meeting, Royer was the university's director of communications. In the recording of the meeting, he told the group that he knew the deadlines were fast.
“We understand that there are many concerns,” Royer said. “And we want to help people learn and understand what that means to them personally and professionally.”
In 2018, DO reported that SU cut about 30 jobs as part of its restructuring. After completing the recertification process, 13 of them stopped working in the marketing and communications department. Recent documents show that six people who went through this process have worked at the university for at least 30 years.
The restructuring prompted EHU professors Tulu Goenka and Koran Claver to create a petition to express their concerns about the restructuring process.
“This could be the fastest way to change job titles and descriptions,” Goenka told DO in 2018. - but the price of a human life per week and a cause for concern are simply unacceptable.
Rexach called the whole process a "shock".
“It was a feeling of disbelief and you try not to be afraid, but you are terrified,” he said.
Stephanie Jasso |: Digital Design Director
While many employees were disappointed with their experience at SU, some were positive about Royer and the marketing department in general.
SU hired Alex DeRos as chief media officer in April 2019, a year after the restructuring. He said he grew as a leader during his college days and is more fulfilling in his current role than anything he did before college.
“Marketing is evolving rapidly, and I think as you step into those roles and bring in new people, I think the culture is constantly evolving and changing,” DeRosa said. "We've come a long way in this and I personally feel like we're working with great people."
Another employee also spoke positively of SU Marketing and Roy. Robin Wade, SU campus leadership member and the university's chief executive of digital marketing, said it was one of the largest institutions he has worked for.
“I am very proud to work here,” said Wade. “We are teaching the future of our world… it is a great honor.”
Some internal review comments also justified some of Royer's actions, citing pressure on him.
“This university is behind modern marketing,” wrote one reviewer. “ড্যারি (রোর) কে 10 বছরের বিপণন বৃদ্ধিকে 3 বছরে পরি . েহত্যা করেছিল। আত্মা শ্বাসরুদ্ধকর।"
বিভাগের সৃজনশীল পর্যালোচনা প্রক্রিয়া নিয়ে আলোচনা করে েছেন যে এমনকি কিছু লোকের সমালোচনা সত্ত্বেও, রয ়ার একটি কঠিন অবস্থানে রয়েছেন।
"দারা (রয়ার) ইতিবাচক এবং গঠনমূলক থাকার জন্য তা র যথাসাধ্য চেষ্টা করছেন," তারা বলেছে। "সৃজনশীল পর্যালোচনা যাই হোক না কেন, আমাদের সবা ইকে কঠোর হতে হবে।"
Royer র ইভেন্টগুলিতেও জড়িত ছিলেন, যার 2022 ফেব্রুয়ারিতে বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়ের উইমেন ইন লিড ারশিপ উদ্যোগের জন্য প্রভোস্ট গ্রেচেন রিটারের সাথে কথোপকথন রয়েছে। রায়ার নিজেও SU wiL স্য।
যাইহোক, রেক্সাচ এবং থম্পসন সহ বেশ কয়েকজন কর্ মচারী বলেছেন যে বিভাগের বিষাক্ত পরিবেশের কারণ ে "অনেক" রেক্সাচ এবং টেরউইলিগার উভয়েই বলেছেন যে তারা স্বেচ্ছায় ক্যাম্পাস ছেড়েছেন। su প্রশ্নের উত্তর দেয়নি।
, তাদের জন্য এর অর্থ নতুন কর্মীদের প্রশিক্ষণের জন্য চলমান দায়িত্ব।
"যখন আপনাকে ক্রমাগত লোকেদের প্রশিক্ষণ দিতে হয ়, তখন এটি সত্যিই আপনাকে এমন একজন হিসাবে আরও বেশ ি উপযোগী করে তোলে যিনি সেখানে কিছু সময়ের জন্য আছেন এবং এমন একজন যিনি জানেন যে তারা কী করছে," রে ক্সাচ বলেছিলেন। "আপনি এমন একজন ব্যক্তি যিনি সবেমাত্র শুরু করছে ন এমন লোকদের সাহায্য করেন।"
2021 সালের ীতে যে প্রশিক্ষণটি ধ্রুবক ছিল, তবে কথোপকথনও ছিল। প্রাক্তন কর্মচারীর মতে, কর্মচারীদের "ওয়ার্ক শপ'
টেরউইলিগার ডিও পোস্টে বলেছেন যে তিনি রয়ার এব . . হয়নি। তিনি বলেছিলেন যে 18 ালয় ইমেলের জবাব দেয়নি।
“এসইউ মার্কেটিং হল দারা রয়ের শো। আপনি কী পছন্দ করেন, আপনি কী চান, আপনি কী অনুমোদ . ম্পর্ক রয়েছে,” টেরউইলিগার রয়ারকে লিখেছিলেন। "আপনি সেখানে কয়েক মাস থাকার পরে, আপনার সমস্তভ ালকথাগুলি ফাঁকা হতে শুরু করে।"
লিন্ডি ট্রুইট ইলাস্ট্রেশন রাইটিং সহকারী দ্ব ারা চিত্রগুলি
27 এপ্রিল, 2023 সকাল 1:46 এ পোস্ট করা হয়েছে
কাইলের সাথে যোগাযোগ করুন [email protected] @Kyle_Chouinard:
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