The Student Association Chat & Dine Program will be reintroduced to the Syracuse University community next semester after updates are made to the program’s application process.

The program was approved in November 2014 and was introduced last semester by then-Student Life Committee Chair Aysha Seedat, who is currently president of SA’s 59th Session. The purpose of the program is to allow students the opportunity to invite members of the university faculty or staff to an SA-paid lunch at the Goldstein Alumni & Faculty Center. Chat & Dine was put on hold this semester in order for SA members to make changes to the program’s application process.

“It was a really, really diverse group of individuals being invited to the program, which is exactly what we wanted,” Seedat said. “ … I’m happy to see that was something quite natural for this program — it’s not like we had to push it.”

Seedat said the program received many applications from graduate students, but since the undergraduate student activity fee funded the program, graduate students are ineligible to apply. She added that students invited faculty and staff from all around campus to the lunches.

Seedat said that last semester, 37 applicants for Chat & Dine were accepted and participated in the program. She said “way more” than 37 students participated, though, as there were often more students who attended the lunches than were accounted for.

Not knowing the exact number of students who attended the lunches was one reason Seedat decided to stop the program for a semester.

“It’s just organizing those kinks and ensuring that nothing falls through the cracks like what happened a few times last semester,” Seedat said.

Applications for the program were originally inputted online through OrgSync, a Campus Engagement Network, but last semester Seedat was responsible for inputting all of the information from applications.

Keelan Erhard, student life chair of SA, has made changes to the application process, including putting the application on Google Drive.

When the Google form was created in mid-to-late October, Erhard said SA decided to hold off on the program because the form was created too late in the semester. He said he plans to release the application form over winter break.

Erhard added that he hopes SA can start funding the program this semester, though it will be reintroduced during the spring 2016 semester.

Seedat said SA allocated $3,000 for the program this semester. Erhard said the approval for the funding will be determined by a vote by the SA cabinet most likely at its next meeting.

“Hopefully in the future, we can even set aside more money for it as the program continues to grow and gain traction,” Erhard said.

Erhard said the days allocated for the program will be Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. He said he plans to learn the exact amount of students who attend the lunches by communicating with staff at the Goldstein Alumni & Faculty Center.

“I think (the program) is very successful, and I think that we will go through our funding,” Erhard said. “That’s why I definitely think there’s room to expand in the future and maybe partner with groups on campus and expanding this — like off of Student Activities and things like that.”

Published on December 1, 2015 at 10:37 pm

Contact Katelyn: kmfaubel@syr.edu