Candidates campaigning for Student Association president plan to better detail what they would do if elected during the spring’s first SA debate on Monday.

At present, three students have declared their candidacies for president: Kaitlyn Ellsweig, a junior political science and economics dual major; John Jankovic, a sophomore political science and psychology dual major; and Ghufran Salih, a sophomore information management and technology.

The debate will be held at 7:30 p.m. in Maxwell Auditorium during SA’s regular Monday meeting time.

The Daily Orange spoke with the three presidential candidates about what specific programs and initiatives they will discuss Monday night.

Kaitlyn Ellsweig

Ellsweig said she and Ryan Houck, her vice presidential running mate, want to discuss international student support on Monday night.

“We keep hearing that international students want more resources,” Ellsweig said.

She specifically referenced the Slutzker Center for International Services. A recent University Senate budget report noted concerns about the center’s budget remaining stagnant while international student enrollment has increased by more than 130 percent in the past 11 years.

The presidential candidate also said her campaign plans to address a possible “Off the Hill” initiative on Monday. That initiative would help SA better support student groups that organize volunteer work in Syracuse, Ellsweig said. She said her administration would implement Off the Hill, if elected.

John Jankovic

Jankovic said he and Serena Fazal, his vice presidential running mate, want to address gender neutral bathrooms during the debate. The presidential candidate said that, if elected, he would hope to implement an initiative that pushes the university to create more gender neutral bathrooms.

SU is installing all-gender signs at more than 700 single-occupancy bathrooms on campus, said Pete Sala, the university’s vice president and chief facilities officer, in a construction update email in early March.

Jankovic also said he wants to improve physical accessibility in some spots of campus, such as the section of stairs between Schine Student Center and Bird Library.

Promoting more transparency in SA and the university administration would be another goal of his administration, Jankovic said.

“(We might) have assembly members do their office hours on the Quad,” Jankovic added. “We want to make sure people are meeting the people they are electing.”

Ghufran Salih

Salih said her vice presidential running mate, Kyle Rosenblum, and other members of SA are already working to develop a peer listening service. Salih said she would hope to continue that work as president, and wants to discuss it more on Monday.

Current SA President James Franco and Vice President Angie Pati previously said they are urging SU officials to use some of the $100 million Invest Syracuse pledge for “health and wellness” initiatives, including a peer listening service.

Salih also wants to discuss some other effects of the Invest Syracuse initiative on Monday. The plan includes a $3,300 tuition premium for first-year and transfer students starting school this fall. Current SU students will be grandfathered into the plan and won’t have to pay the extra money.

SU is expected to be one of the most expensive colleges in the United States next year, higher education experts previously told The Daily Orange. The university’s total cost of attendance is projected to be north of $70,000, rivaling Ivy League schools including Brown University or Yale University.

Salih said she and Rosenblum would push SU to release a specific, detailed cost report of how Invest Syracuse funds are being spent.

“Right now it’s a lot of broad buzzwords being used,” Salih said. “It’s really important for students to know what they’re paying for.”

Published on April 1, 2018 at 8:58 pm

Contact Sam: sfogozal@syr.edu | @SamOgozalek