Outreach to registered student organizations, community service within the Student Association and updates regarding an upcoming Board of Trustees meeting were some items included in reports presented by cabinet members at Monday’s general assembly meeting.

Janine Savage, chair of the Student Engagement Committee, delivered the lengthiest report of the 40-minute meeting in Maxwell Auditorium, emphasizing projects aimed at providing outreach and resources to registered student organizations, and highlighting community service opportunities available within SA.

In an effort to better interact with registered student organizations, members of the Student Engagement Committee were each assigned a day to speak and interact with student organizations tabling in the Schine Atrium, Savage said.

Savage also reminded SA members of the student organization recognition program, a monthly award that provides the winning student organization with $100. Orange Seeds, a leadership program dedicated to first-year Syracuse University students, received the first award in the fall. Nomination forms for the February award are available on SA’s website.

“It’s an opportunity for us to highlight an organization that does great work,” Savage said after the meeting.

Building on SA’s first Impact Week during the 56th Session, SA members will partake in “little impacts” leading up to the weeklong community service event slated for the fall.

“It’s a good way to get our reps ready for Impact Week,” Savage said.

This semester, Savage said, SA will also participate in the Interfraternity Council’s after school mentoring program for a week, adding that the collaboration could help strengthen SA’s relationship with greek organizations.

SA President Allie Curtis delivered her report, as well as a report on behalf of Jesse Feitel, the undergraduate student representative to the Board of Trustees. Both reports centered on next week’s board meeting. As SA president, Curtis automatically serves on the board.

Curtis and Feitel will deliver a report to the board that includes recent changes made to SA’s financial vision. Last Tuesday, the assembly approved bills that increased the amount of event funding student organizations can request. The two will also relay students’ opinions regarding Joe Shanley, the well-liked Department of Public Safety official whose position was changed from corporal to public safety officer as part of a wider restructuring effort within DPS, Curtis said.

SA released a statement early Monday morning acknowledging students’ anger and frustration regarding Shanley’s position change.

“We will be in contact with administration over the coming days to ensure the rights of students are protected and help make sure Officer Shanley continues to be available as a resource,” the statement read.

Other business discussed:

• The assembly approved approximately $32,083 in programming funding for six separate student organizations. About $152,700 in special programming money remains for spring 2013.
• In his report, Comptroller Stephen DeSalvo said registered student organizations must submit their financial budgets to SA by March 1 and must attend one fiscal training session.
• Round-trip busing from the Schine Student Center to New York City, Philadelphia, Boston and Washington, D.C., will be available during the week of Spring Break, said Jenny Choi, chair of the Academic Affairs Committee.
• Bus trips to Wegmans and Target will be available for two Sundays each in the months of February, March and April. The buses will depart from Schine every hour from 11 a.m.-4 p.m, said Ivan Rosales, chair of the Student Life Committee.

Published on January 29, 2013 at 12:43 am

Contact Debbie: dbtruong@syr.edu | @debbietruong