Student Association President James Franco and Vice President Angie Pati at the organization’s Monday night meeting announced a possible plan to make the Carrier Dome “more open” to Syracuse University students.

Options discussed included an end of the year event for seniors and time for students to participate in activities in the Dome throughout the week.

“We wanted to make facilities more open to students,” Franco said. He also said there are great buildings around campus that students should have more access to.

The Dome hosts about 300 events each year and five sports teams, so SA is trying to find ways to fit student events into that schedule, Franco added.

Franco said a senior-focused event could resemble “Own the Dome,” an event in which incoming SU freshmen spend the night in the venue to meet some of their classmates.

“It would be cool to start and end your time at Syracuse at the Dome,” Pati said.

SA is also looking to create time for students to use the Dome for recreational activities, as is currently the case with the Carmelo K. Anthony Basketball Center, Franco said. The center is open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8 to 11 p.m. for students to play pick-up basketball.

“We definitely think it would be (a) really cool idea, especially when the weather gets colder,” Franco added.

SA has been meeting with Dolan Evanovich, the university’s senior vice president for enrollment and the student experience, and Pete Sala, vice president and chief facilities officer, to discuss possible options for the Dome, Franco said.

Franco and Pati also said they have discussed plans to modify the current first-year forum program with Evanovich and Chancellor Kent Syverud. Students have said they could have gotten more out of the forum experience, Pati said.

Pati added that she and Franco have been involved in discussions to revamp the program to include an increased focus on campus resources, diversity, alcohol consumption safety and sexual assault.

“It’s something that impacts students lives for the entirety of their time here,” Pati said.

Other business

SA assembly members voted to pass a modified version of the organization’s constitution. The vote was delayed until after spring break after SA failed to meet quorum for the vote during its previous meeting.

The revised constitution will have to be approved by SU undergraduates before it can be implemented. Students can vote on the changes starting April 9 on the same ballot as candidates for SA president, vice president, comptroller and other assembly positions.

Franco and Pati said 125 of the 150 tickets available for the bus ride to March For Our Lives in Washington, D.C. have been sold, as of Monday night.

The pair announced a series of other initiatives at the meeting including a screening party for the upcoming Syracuse-Duke men’s basketball game and a modification of the university’s meal plan system.

SA worked with various departments on campus to create the screening party, which is set to take place on Friday in Schine Student Center, Franco said.

He added that he hopes the event will be a way for the Syracuse community to come together while watching the school’s men’s basketball team.

Franco and Pati also said they are trying to find ways to prevent money allocated for meal swipes from going to waste if those funds are not used by students. They suggested creating a system that allowed the unused money to be donated back to either the university or the surrounding Syracuse community.

Published on March 19, 2018 at 11:02 pm

Contact India: irmiragl@syr.edu