With the first semester coming to a close, Student Association Co-Chair of Student Life Anjani Ladhar said she has seen success with a number of the committee’s initiatives.

Those initiatives include the launching of products and programs, the development of an application that tracks bus schedules and work to allow students to list preferred names.

Working alongside Keelan Erhard, the committee finalized the menstrual hygienic product project and launched the pilot remote access program for students within the College of Engineering and Computer Science.

During a presentation to Student Association assembly members on Nov. 28, Ladhar spoke about an application through the Syracuse University mobile app called SU BusTime.

SU BusTime uses a user’s location through a GPS system that shows estimated arrival times of Centro buses that run through Syracuse University’s campus, according to the application. By choosing the route, direction and intended stop, the user can see when buses are projected to come. This application is through the SU’s Information Technology Services department and worked on along with SU’s Parking and Transit Services.

With the BusTime application, though, it is more energy-efficient and easier for students to know when buses are arriving, Ladhar said. The application is still working to become more feasible, though, she added. Ultimately the app may be offered as an alternative to providing more heat lamps around bus stops, as with the current infrastructure it is not feasible.

Ladhar worked to continue former SA President Aysha Seedat’s initiative to bring heat lamps to more bus stops around South Campus. This initiative brought heat lamps to two bus stops during early 2015. However, Ladhar ran into some issues with adding more heat lamps.

The current bus stops on South Campus are too short in height compared to those on College Place, meaning there would need to be less powerful, costly heat lamps, she said. Adding additional heat lamps throughout campus would go against an energy agreement the university made to reduce energy, Ladhar said.

There is also work going on within the Student Life Committee to launch the option for students to list a preferred name on class lists for next semester. For this process, they have been working closely with the LGBT Resource Center to figure out the logistics behind this. This option will promote inclusivity for students wanting to list a different name, Ladhar said.

Published on December 4, 2016 at 11:20 pm

Contact William: wgmuoio@syr.edu