SA to continue last semester’s first-time advocacy initiatives, fill vacant seats

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Syracuse University’s Student Association will continue holding several student advocacy initiatives that were initially piloted last semester.

Following its Dec. 4 internal spring planning meeting, several SA leaders have confirmed the return of its sexual violence prevention kit distribution and Donuts with the Dean events — both of which were held for the first time last semester.

SA will also continue to work with administrators to address ongoing student concerns, such as transportation, dining services and sustainability efforts on campus.

Yasmin Nayrouz, SA’s executive vice president, said she was pleased with SA’s response to student concerns and hopes it can continue to “advocate for students.” She also hopes the association will complete the goals it set in the fall semester.

“I’m pretty proud of everything we’ve been able to accomplish, but there’s always more to be done,” Nayrouz said.

In November 2023, SA passed a bill establishing a system for internal auditing to ensure its adherence to SU’s sustainability goals, following collaborations with university administration after the release of its sustainability report in December 2022.

The bill included a sample Green Purchasing Guide — a list of sustainable vendors that SA will consult when drafting funding bills — originally written by SUNY-ESF students, SA President William Treloar, said. Nayrouz confirmed SA is drafting its own internal guide and a five-year “plastics phaseout” plan.

SA also passed its Undergraduate Call for Peace, a document defining its official stance on the ongoing Israel-Hamas war and a list of suggestions directed at administrators for how to address the conflict, during its Dec. 4 meeting.

The suggestions included encouragement for SU to call for a “permanent peace process” and to protect academic freedom in the classroom. Chancellor Kent Syverud said SU administrators are prioritizing student safety over free speech and academic freedom because of the Israel-Hamas war in a November University Senate meeting.

Nayrouz said SA met with Syverud shortly after releasing the Call for Peace, and she was pleased to see it recognized during the Dec. 13 USen meeting.

These bills were just a few of SA’s attempts to respond to student feedback on campus, which it “constantly” works to collect and address, Treloar said. He said SA is also working with administrators to address concerns regarding SU’s Food and Parking and Transportation Services — something he said is a consistent concern when collecting student feedback.

“This semester, we’re definitely still focusing on transportation and food accessibility,” Treloar said. “While we’ve made some great progress, we have to continue to work on it.”

In the fall, SA’s collaboration with SU Food Services encouraged the university to extend the operating hours of Bird Library’s Pages Cafe, which Nayrouz described as “a start” in their goal to improve food accessibility on campus.

Treloar said SA has planned a general programming schedule for the spring semester, which includes several volunteer opportunities and multicultural events, adding that the organization’s goals are flexible and can shift focus to address student needs. More information about new initiatives and events will be released at a later date, he said.

“Working with administration to add student input into every aspect of the university decision-making process is absolutely crucial,” Treloar said. “The more student voices we have in the room, the better the outcome is for student experience.”

Along with preparing new initiatives, SA is also accepting applications for several appointed positions, according to a Dec. 4 email from SA’s Board of Elections Chair Otto Sutton.

Sutton said SA is looking to fill vacancies from the fall semester as many students have left the organization due to graduation or participation in study abroad programs. He said the positions listed in his December email are available to any interested undergraduate student.

Among the appointed positions, Sutton said SA is primarily looking to fill the chief justice position formerly held by Aldrick Cade, who graduated in fall 2023. He also urged students to consider applying for a spot in USen.

“It’s always important to bring new voices in to fill that void and keep the organization going,” Sutton said.

Sutton said the general elections, which are voted on by the SU student body, will be held in April, while elections for appointed positions are internal to SA. Petitions for the general elected positions will open on Feb. 5 and remain open until March 5.

“Every election year is different, and it’s always exciting to see the different perspectives and voices that decide to go out and run,” Sutton said. “We’re always looking to have a diverse group … that brings new ideas and new energy to the organization.”

Sutton said students interested in applying to a position should reach out to active SA members and attend one of the public assembly meetings on Monday evenings. The first meeting of the spring semester will be held on Jan. 22 at 7:30 p.m.

Sutton, Treloar and Nayrouz want to remind students ahead of the semester that SA is a resource for students to express their concerns. The leaders hope to continue increasing student engagement with SA to inspire change on campus.

“We’ve learned to never let one ‘No’ stop us from still pursuing what students want,” Nayrouz said. “We take wins as they come and keep pushing forward for more and more each time.”