The Syracuse University Student Association approved a final budget for the fall 2016 semester at the organization’s weekly meeting in Maxwell Auditorium on Monday night.

In addition to approving a budget for the fall semester, SA members also discussed an undergraduate research program, the ongoing SA elections, an upcoming reusable bag project and the buses that traveled to the sites of the men’s and women’s Final Four tournaments in Houston and Indianapolis, respectively.

SA recently launched applications for an undergraduate research program it is sponsoring. The organization is continuing the effort after the success of last year’s efforts and is nearly doubling the amount of funding allocated toward the initiative.

Through the program, about 20 students will be chosen and allocated $1,000 each for research. Applications for the program close on April 20 at 6 p.m.

SA President Aysha Seedat said SA is pushing for students who are not studying science, technology, engineering or math (STEM) to apply because she said there are not as many other grant opportunities open to non-STEM students.

SA also approved the final budget for the fall 2016 semester, which included the amount allocated for recognized student organizations (RSOs) that appealed to the SA Finance Board for more money to spend on speakers, events and other activities. The budget was approved at about $75,000.

Seedat also said that SA’s potential reusable bag initiative — which would include distributing a reusable bag to every freshman — has received positive feedback from several officials on campus. Seedat said it looks as if SA will be moving forward with the initiative and that it could be implemented in the fall 2016 semester.

She added that there is a possibility for a student contest to design the bag.

Seedat also said that the buses that traveled to Houston and Indianapolis, the sites of the men’s and women’s Final Fours, respectively, all made it back to campus safely.

This was a different experience than when an SA-sponsored bus broke down and was delayed for hours on the side of Interstate 81 at the end of Thanksgiving break last semester.

Seedat also reported that students, some of whom spent 64 hours on the bus, have been giving her positive feedback on the experience. She added that she is in the process of creating a report for SU Chancellor Kent Syverud about the buses with the hope that, if SU’s men’s or women’s basketball teams make it to the Final Four next year, a similar initiative can be possible.

Published on April 11, 2016 at 10:49 pm

Contact Nina: nsleeds@syr.edu