As Student Association elections continue this week, the three pairs of candidates all say they want to see funds from a multimillion-dollar Syracuse University initiative spent in different ways.

SU launched Invest Syracuse, a $100 million initiative to improve academic and other student experiences, in summer 2017. The Euclid Shuttle, a new bus route introduced in part by SA members, was supported by Invest Syracuse funds.

Here’s what the presidential and vice presidential candidates had to say about what they would do with Invest Syracuse funding opportunities.

Kaitlyn Ellsweig and Ryan Houck

Presidential candidate Kaitlyn Ellsweig and vice presidential candidate Ryan Houck said they would plan to focus on providing resources to SU international students and focus on their three campaign pillars: Empowering student voices, promoting diversity and advocating for student needs.

Ellsweig said she’d like to see Invest Syracuse funds spent on renovating campus buildings to make rooms and spaces accessible. She added that she thinks money should be spent on scholarship programs. SU already announced plans as part of the initiative to raise $40 million in the next two years to provide additional scholarship support.

The presidential hopeful said she wants to see the funds go toward increasing staff and advisers at the Slutzker Center for International Services and the Counseling Center. She’d also like to see free tutoring services expanded.

SU has already earmarked Invest Syracuse funds to expand Counseling Center services and launch a search for new staff.

Houck said he and Ellsweig would like to see the university be more transparent about where Invest Syracuse funds are being spent.

“Also, we want the university to make sure that students see a change while they are still students at the university, and not after they graduate,” he said.

Ghufran Salih and Kyle Rosenblum

Presidential candidate Ghufran Salih and her running mate Kyle Rosenblum also said they want to advocate for more transparency from the university in matters related to Invest Syracuse.

Salih and Rosenbaum expressed their support for the $100 million project, but emphasized they would like to see more publicized details regarding allocation of those funds.

“Right now we don’t really know what all that money is being allocated to, which is important to the students,” Salih said.

Along with increased transparency, Salih and Rosenbaum both said they wanted Invest Syracuse funding to be used for health and wellness initiatives. Salih specifically said she would like to see increased support and accessibility for existing campus resources, such as the LGBT Resource Center and the Slutzker Center for International Students.

The presidential candidate also said she wants the funds to go toward making the campus more accessible for students with disabilities.

“In general, a lot of the buildings we have here on campus are not as accessible to students,” Salih said.

Salih said she hoped to see Invest Syracuse expand student community engagement. Salih specifically mentioned expanding the Shaw Center, which helps students engage with the local community.

Rosenblum, in an interview with The Daily Orange Editorial Board on Saturday, said he and Salih would push the university’s administration to release a detailed cost report that shows exactly where Invest Syracuse funds are going, if elected.

John Jankovic and Serena Fazal

Presidential hopeful John Jankovic and vice presidential candidate Serena Fazal also said they’d like to see funding go to health and wellness initiatives, community engagement, academics and residence halls.

Current SA President James Franco and Vice President Angie Pati have advocated for increased funding and attention to health and wellness on campus, Jankovic said. He would like funds to go toward better promoting and expanding those resources on campus, he added.

Jankovic said money allocated for community engagement could go toward events that would benefit both the campus and the surrounding area.

“At Syracuse we are kind of in a bubble, on a hill, so it’s about making sure we empower students to kind of go past that,” he added.

Funding for academics could potentially include expanded research opportunities, Jankovic said. He added that he would like to see funds help provide more labs on campus.

Published on April 9, 2018 at 9:14 pm

Contact Sarah: srslavin@syr.edu