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Syracuse University’s Student Association voted in support of appealing the university’s decision to decrease university-wide Google Workspace storage quotas. The appeal, presented at its Monday meeting, would urge the university to provide unlimited Google Workspace storage access for SU and SUNY ESF students.

SU students, who previously had unlimited storage, expressed confusion and frustration with the new 10GB per user storage quotas, which were announced in an email on Jan. 17 from SU’s Information Technology Services. The decrease impacts students whose majors require large files, such as graphic design or architecture students.

SA’s petitioner received over 400 signatures in support of the bill, SA Comptroller Dylan France said. The bill was approved during Monday’s meeting.

After serving as the organization’s digital director for three semesters, Abigail Wright was unanimously appointed as SA’s communications director. SA also reappointed Kempton Bohn as a Board of Elections commissioner.

SA has been working on a Black History Month committee for the past couple of months, France said. It has several Black History Month events planned for February.

SA is co-sponsoring the Black History Month kickoff and closing ceremony at Goldstein Auditorium on Feb. 1. The closing ceremony will be presented as a full gala, featuring a special guest singer, SA’s Executive Vice President Yasmin Nayrouz said. It also announced a Feb. 8 art exhibition called “Night at the Museum,” showcasing African American art and culture at SU’s Art Museum.

On Feb. 20, SA will work with locals advocating for the alleviation of medical debts, “rallying” outside the Beauchamp Branch Library, Chet Guenther, project coordinator for the New York Public Interest Research Group, said.

“Basically, hospitals in New York … constantly go after people who cannot afford their medical bills, suing them and taking away their property,” Guenther said. “We want to protect those people and make sure that hospitals aren’t being allowed to perform these predatory practices.”

SA also plans to go to Albany at the end of February to speak with elected officials about “making higher education more accessible and affordable for everyone.” They intend to advocate for SUNY and CUNY schools to become tuition-free and put more money into the New York State Tuition Assistance Program, Guenther said.

SA’s Vice President of University Affairs Olivia Curreri, Chief of Staff Reed Granger and Vice President of Community & Government Affairs German Nolivos are attending the Atlantic Coast Conference Student Advocacy Days in Washington, D.C., to meet and speak with policy makers about issues impacting higher institutions.

“We’re going to speak with our representatives about issues that matter to us,” Nayrouz said. “We’ll be meeting with other students as well — other student leaders, and it’s a great event to do this work and represent Syracuse.”

Other business:

• SA plans to meet with the university administration this semester to share concerns and talk about improving dining facilities.
• Assemblymembers voted in favor of the grocery trolley running again this semester.
• SA revised its campaign rules. Per the changes, campaign managers don’t have to join SA anymore.

Contributing Writer Shrishti Saha contributed reporting to this article.

Published on January 30, 2024 at 2:10 am

Contact Ahna: arflemin@syr.edu