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UPDATED: Nov. 16, 2021 at 6 p.m.

Syracuse University’s Student Association passed a variety of bills, including endorsing a permanent test-optional policy and advocating for a return of wellness days. 

Jimmy Luckman, program coordinator in the Office of First-Year and Transfer Programs, and Kira Reed, an associate professor of management, spoke to SA about the new FYS 101: “First-Year Seminar” course, which replaced the previous SEM 100 course requirement. FYS 101 was one of the debated topics at SA’s town hall last week, with multiple students criticizing the course content and lead instructors. 

FYS 101 is a new required one-credit course that covers topics in diversity and inclusion, as well as navigating SU campus culture. Luckman and Reed informed SA on what the class sections accomplished over the past couple of weeks. A total of 3,985 students are enrolled in 210 sections of FYS 101, Luckman said. 

SA discussed a new community engagement project called Thankful for Syracuse Food Drive, which will collect nonperishable food items for local food banks. SA will be placing move-in bins starting Tuesday across all residence halls for students to drop off nonperishable foods. 

On Monday, SU extended the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility draft plan review period to Dec. 3. Malique Lewis, the vice president of diversity and inclusion of SA, provided details on what the ad-hoc committee is specifically seeking from the DEIA plan. 

“We want to make sure that the university is creating this plan and creating a safe environment for diverse and unique groups of students, because they know it’s the right thing to do and because they believe in their heart that this is important,” Lewis said. “We want to make sure that the administration cares about students and that they are not just doing their job, but are going beyond the call of duty.” 

Lewis said the ad-hoc committee likes the plan, but they want to be sure it is actually implemented. 

“When they want to get something done, they do it because they have the money, the resources and the power,” Lewis said. “This extension to Dec. 3 should always be ongoing. This should always be an ongoing process. They should always be asking for feedback from students.”

Lewis also announced that the SA ad-hoc committee on diversity and inclusion is planning a catering event with student organizations that allows students to come and voice their concerns and opinions on the DEIA plan and diversity and inclusion as a whole. The date of this event is yet to be determined. 

SA passed a number of bills that have been waiting in the docket. The first bill provides funding for tickets and transportation for members of Otto’s Army to attend the SU men’s basketball game against Georgetown University on Dec. 11. 

SA also passed a bill advocating for the implementation of more student wellness days in the future. Since there is no break from early September to mid-November, students are feeling burnt out and unmotivated, members said. They believe some sort of break will relieve the pressure students experience during the long weeks of the semester.

SA called for the university to implement a permanent test-optional admissions policy, according to a bill passed during the meeting Monday. Many SA members expressed vocal support for this, as they said it will increase SU’s diversity. Members also said standardized tests are a misleading representation of the academic ability of many high school students. SA President David Bruen expressed his support for the implementation of the policy.

“A single test on a single day does not represent the entirety of a person and their worth to attend an institution of higher education,” Bruen said. “Becoming test-optional will make our campus community better. Period.” 

Darnelle Stinfort, vice president of SA, and Yasmin Nayrouz, vice president of university affairs of SA, plan to set up a women in leadership event for female SA members. SA could increase the number of women represented among its members, Stinfort said.

“This is a problem SA has had for a while. It’s been quite male-dominated,” she said. “This event has to hold some accountability to reaching out to female identifying students to take positions within the SA.”

Disclaimer: Yasmin Nayrouz was a staff writer for The Daily Orange. Nayrouz no longer writes for The D.O. and has no bearing on editorial content.

CORRECTION: In a previous version of this post, the intention of the Thankful for Syracuse Food Drive was misstated. The Daily Orange regrets this error.

Published on November 16, 2021 at 1:03 am

Contact Danis: dwcammet@syr.edu