SA President Andrew Lederman announced to the assembly that the USA Today pilot program will begin March 22 and run until April 16. In this program, students will receive both USA Today and The New York Times at no cost in the Schine Student Center, HBC Blinker Snack bar, School of Management, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, Haven, Brewster, Boland, Flint and Day Residence Halls, and Marshall Hall of the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry.

If students respond well to the program, they can pay $5 a semester for the service in following semesters, Lederman said. SA is working with the university to fund the program if it is successful.

Also, Chancellor Kenneth A. Shaw decided Monday that the Department of Public Safety will upgrade to peace officer status, said Chief Marlene Hall of DPS to the Student Association members at Monday’s meeting.

The transition process will be completed within three years, as officers undergo their 281-hour training process, which includes 12 to 14 weeks of field training and evaluations, Hall said.

Not all of DPS’s officers will become peace officers. Some will continue to work within other duties such as parking patrol, Hall said.

‘There’s always a chance that some will not be able to cut the mustard, and I mean that with all due respect,’ Hall added.

DPS will also reassess its agreement with the Syracuse Police Department on policies and procedures, examine start-up and yearly costs, and update the DPS vehicles and additional security software, Hall said.

In other SA news:

n SA sent a proposal to administrators in various departments about plans for the Juice Jam concert, tentatively planned for Labor Day weekend in 2004 as part of orientation.

n The assembly passed a bill approving the sponsorship of a free bus shuttle service running from Hancock International Airport and the Regional Transportation Center on March 13 and 14 for students arriving home from spring break. $2,000 from SA’s Operating Account will pay for the service.

n The assembly passed a revision of a bill amending that organizations must not spend more than $100 on a policy campaign, according to the proposed bill. The organizations also cannot run a campaign-related advertisement in any campus source on the day of elections or referenda, but SA can place ‘informative advertisements’ on those days.

Published on March 1, 2004 at 12:00 pm