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The Student Association nominated six new members to official positions in its first meeting of the fall semester, including Vice President of University Affairs, Student Advocate, Board of Elections Commissioner and members of the Finance Board.

The meeting also covered SA’s response to the United States Supreme Court’s Affirmative Action ruling, as well as an outline of priorities the executive branch is focusing on accomplishing this year. And the organization plans to continue to fund trolleys that will take students to supermarkets on weekends.

The nominees that were elected Monday include: Olivia Curreri as Vice President of University Affairs; Lara Gerstman as Board of Elections Commissioner; Lucio Maffei as Student Advocate; Adam Baltaxe, Kenneth Rosario and Ryan Nkongnyu as members of the Finance Board.

In her new role, Curreri said she plans to host a flea market event on the Shaw Quadrangle on Sept. 22., with all proceeds going to a local environmental nonprofit.

SA is still in need of more members, particularly on the Community Review Board, Executive Vice President Yasmin Nayrouz said. SA is looking for two students who are interested in helping the CRB accomplish its goals related to SU’s Department of Public Safety.

SA passed a bill to approve $11,139 in funding for the grocery trolley initiative. The first trolley will run on Sunday to Target, Nayrouz said.

“A lot of students, especially underclassmen, don’t have cars or struggle to get groceries and fresh food on campus, so to ensure that all students have access to the food they need, we fund a weekly grocery trolley which provides students free transportation to the grocery store,” Nayrouz said.

The trolleys will rotate every Sunday between the three grocery stores, with the last trolley of the semester departing on Dec. 10, Nayrouz said.

Nayrouz and President Will Treloar outlined their priorities for the upcoming year in their Presidential and Vice Presidential report, including the school’s response to SCOTUS’ Affirmative Action ruling in June which declared race can no longer be a factor in college admissions.

Nayrouz and Treloar are currently working with the administration in order to determine how to ensure inclusivity on campus. Alongside this motion, SA is looking to connect with the university’s multicultural registered student organizations directly in order to establish a supportive network on campus.

Another main focus for SA members moving into the fall semester is mental health, which SU promotes during its ninth annual Mental Health Awareness Week, taking place from Oct. 2 to 6.

“Mental Health Awareness Week is big for us because we get to give to students and talk to them one-on-one,” Sukhleen Atwal, SA’s director of internal operations, said. “We table and make sure everyone gets involved, and it’s a good time to learn and inform.”

Other business

Treloar and Nayrouz are planning several entertainment events for SU students, including a Harvest Festival and a Spring Formal. SA’s executive branch also plans on providing students with information and support to help them navigate the upcoming national elections.

An NYPIRG representative announced at the meeting that a march to the United Nations in New York City will take place to pressure President Joe Biden to declare a climate emergency. The representative asked that SA gather as many people as they can to come for the march.

Published on August 29, 2023 at 2:15 am