Student Association President Aysha Seedat introduced a proposal to the assembly to change the use of Syracuse University’s “Kiss Cam” at SU football and basketball games at SA’s Monday night meeting in the Hall of Languages.

Additionally, the assembly elected new members to the Finance Board, Judicial Review Board and University Senate.

Seedat and Parliamentarian James Franco’s proposal to change the Kiss Cam includes two main adjustments. It calls for banning the use of the Kiss Cam in the student section and limiting the Kiss Cam to “those most likely in a relationship.” This could be done by predetermining the people who appear on the Kiss Cam, Seedat said, though that is not yet officially in the proposal.

Seedat met with Chancellor Kent Syverud on Monday to discuss the future of the Kiss Cam. Seedat said Syverud didn’t think losing the Kiss Cam entirely would be a big deal, as he said it’s a tradition more popular at universities in the South. Seedat added that Syverud and SU have not taken an official stance on the issue.

SA did not vote on the proposal at Monday’s meeting but will do so at its meeting next week, Seedat said. SU has not shown the Kiss Cam at its two most recent football games after a letter to the editor of Syracuse.com said that the Kiss Cam condoned sexual assault and male entitlement. In the letter, SA was called upon to “review what happened” with the Kiss Cam at SU’s game against Wake Forest University on Sept. 12.

In the Finance Board election, five candidates competed for five open seats, but SA Comptroller Phil Kramer had recommended that the assembly elect only four new members — one SA assembly representative and three regular student members.

Kramer said this was because the Finance Board needs 60 percent of its members to be present at meetings to meet quorum. Thus, with fewer members on the board, Finance Board has to rely on fewer members to come to meetings.

The assembly elected Nachanan Mekto, a sophomore finance and supply chain major, to serve as its representative on Finance Board. It also elected to the board Blair Finkel, a senior finance and marketing major; Kevin Gonzalez, a junior accounting, finance and policy studies major; and Michael Lerner, a sophomore who is currently undeclared but intends to major in finance.

In the Judicial Review Board election, four candidates competed for two open seats. The assembly elected Abdulaziz Al Sulaiti, a freshman biology and policy studies major, and Krista Maloney, a sophomore policy studies major.

Student Association also elected Madeleine Fitzgerald, a freshman political science major, to the Academic Affairs Committee of University Senate in the night’s only election that wasn’t contested. Fitzgerald is also a member of SA’s Academic Affairs Committee.
Within University Senate, Fitzgerald hopes to change what she called a “lack of respect” for student members. She said she wants to do that by creating more structured forums with more speaking time for students and organizing events that would allow faculty members to engage with student members.

Published on October 5, 2015 at 11:24 pm

Contact Michael: mdburk01@syr.edu