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Syracuse University leadership made statements in support of Heather Lyke, special advisor to the chancellor and director of athletics, in a response to a Monday article published in The Daily Orange regarding a human resources complaint the paper obtained about Lyke.

The Daily Orange reported on and published a complaint filed on Dec. 1, 2025, to the university’s Office of Human Resources, which cited concerns of Lyke “repeatedly directing employees to disregard instructions given by our department’s top leader” and “overstepping the appropriate boundaries of her role.” The complainant alleged this ongoing pattern of behavior contributed to “a culture of intimidation” within SU Athletics.

The D.O. reported in its Monday article a member of human resources found “some lack of clarity” about Lyke’s role and authority compared to the current director of athletics and that the allegations did not violate university policy.

“The characterizations in The Daily Orange article do not reflect the environment we have built in Syracuse Athletics. Heather Lyke has been a valued partner in our Athletics Department, and any suggestion that her presence has created confusion or dysfunction is simply not accurate. The University’s own Human Resources review found no policy violation, and that conclusion is consistent with my own experience working alongside her. I am proud of the work our staff does every day and remain focused on the continued success of our student-athletes and department,” Director of Athletics John Wildhack said in the statements released Tuesday.

“Heather Lyke was brought to Syracuse University to drive meaningful transformation in our Athletics Department. That kind of work is difficult and is not always welcomed by everyone. Growth and change can be uncomfortable, but that is very different from a policy violation, and it should not be confused with misconduct. Publishing anonymous and unsubstantiated allegations does a disservice to the dedicated professionals in our Athletics Department and to the integrity of the Human Resources process itself. Every workplace concern brought to the University’s attention is taken seriously. The University’s review found no misconduct and no interference by anyone. I am confident not only in how this matter was handled, but also in Heather Lyke,” Chancellor Kent Syverud said in the released statements.

Lyke was hired as the special advisor to Syverud and Wildhack on July 1, 2025. Lyke is a contender in the active athletics director search, three people close to SU Athletics told The D.O.

Published on March 6, 2026 at 9:29 pm