The Daily Orange Editorial Board met Monday with Chizobam Nwagwu, a Syracuse University senior and undergraduate representative to the SU Board of Trustees, to discuss the necessity of transparency by the administration to enhance the student experience.

Nwagwu visited The D.O. to gauge the editorial board’s input on issues the Board of Trustees should be briefed on in her report at the semester’s end. Nwagwu, a senior policy studies and neuroscience dual major, has also sat down with registered student organizations based on SU’s campus for their thoughts.

Board members discussed the importance of open forums that foster dialogue between students and administration members. This is especially important for university programs that focus on the student experience, including the Invest Syracuse program — which entails a tuition premium and rising tuition rates to fund the Academic Strategic Plan — and the Campus Framework plan, which will dictate the future of the university’s infrastructure.

These open dialogues should be held to address greater cultural and institutional issues at SU, including limited access to mental health resources, a lack of physical accessibility and sexual assault awareness and prevention. The bulk of the board’s discussion with Nwagwu centered on the need to reasonably equip the university’s Counseling Center, the LGBT Resource Center and the Title IX investigation office.

Because the Board of Trustees’ decision-making process focuses on the longevity and success of the university, it’s crucial trustees understand the student experience. Trustees govern a university meant to foster strong individuals, which requires understanding that strategic plans for SU’s future have the opportunity to help correct long-standing cultural issues on campus.

As a small pool of students, The D.O. Editorial Board acknowledges its own limitations when speaking to the student experience on SU’s campus and encourages students to connect with us, challenge us and follow along with the future of SU alongside us.

If you have questions about the future of the university, please email info@dailyorange.com and we will report to find the answers for you. If you are interested in sitting down with the editorial board or writing a letter to the editor to discuss issues facing student life, please email opinion@dailyorange.com.

The Daily Orange Editorial Board serves as the voice of the organization and aims to contribute the perspectives of students to discussions that concern Syracuse University and the greater Syracuse community. The editorial board’s stances are determined by a majority of its members. You can read more about the editorial board here. Are you interested in pitching a topic for the editorial board to discuss? Email opinion@dailyorange.com.

Published on February 6, 2018 at 11:22 pm