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The Syracuse University Student Government Association elected four new members to its assembly during its Monday evening meeting, filling several seats which will be vacated by former assembly members at the end of the semester.

All four candidates ran unopposed for their respective assembly seats, including a Whitman School of Management representative seat, two College of Arts and Sciences representative seats and an at-large representative seat. During the proceeding, Speaker Pro Tempore Max Lachut asked each candidate to name an initiative they would like to see through as assembly representatives.

Ryan Schwab, a sophomore in Arts and Sciences and Renée Crown Honors student, talked about the importance of pushing health initiatives and promoting awareness of SU’s mental and physical health resources.

“As college students, we really don’t think about our health sometimes because we’re caught up with our academics,” Schwab said. “So, it’s important we let students know there’s plenty of mental health resources available.”

Schwab said he would like to see the student body “take better advantage” of the vast opportunities provided at SU.

Leandra Hernandez, a freshman and member of SU’s mock trial team, said, as an at-large representative, she wants to start a campaign to highlight the uses of Syracuse’s bus system.

“What I’ve found from questioning various peers is that most people either don’t know that the bus loops exist, or they don’t know how to use them,” Hernandez said. “There’s very little signage and there’s no way to know where the stops are.”

Hernandez said she thinks improved signage around the university would improve students’ experience using the bus system and navigating campus, as well as the city.

Sara Paredes, a freshman in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and honors student, said she would like to use her connection with the CEO of Girl Scouts for the Central New York Council to increase the scouts’ involvement on campus from just selling cookies.

“I think it’s important to invite young women to the school to experience what it’s like being on campus and being a campus leader,” Paredes said. “That’s what, at the end of the day, what Girl Scouts is about.”

Paredes said she has pledged a lifetime Girl Scouts membership, meaning she committed to fostering the organization’s mission even after she aged out of the program.

Kaveri Deepak, a freshman at Whitman, said she wants to push for more “community-building” events on campus, like those held in the Schine Student Center.

“Being able to see new people around you and getting to share experiences with them like ‘Midterms are actually hard,’” Deepak said. “I think those are really nice.”

Preceding the elections, Syracuse Senior Vice President and Chief Operations Officer John Papazoglou presented an enrollment-based analysis on money spent on textbooks by SU students.

The report showed SU students spent a total of $2.7 million annually on just the 50 most expensive textbooks. However, 34% of those textbooks have “actionable” saving opportunities, Papazoglou said. These more cost-effective alternatives could save students $583,000 per semester if the university utilized other resources.

Papazoglou said the university is working on lowering the amount students spend on textbooks by licensing them with SU Libraries, allowing students to have access to free digital copies.

Students would automatically enroll in an opt-out inclusive access system, which charges students the cheapest textbook price through their bursar account, Papazoglou said. He also said students must now be informed at the time of registration if textbooks can be accessed by students for free through the libraries.

Papazoglou suggested SGA could play a role in spreading awareness.

At the end of the meeting, President German Nolivos briefly mentioned that SU’s administration asked SGA to revise its constitution and bylaws following conversations with prospective assembly members.

“Long story short, we got asked by the administration to rewrite our constitution, so we decided to entertain the idea,” Nolivos said.

Nolivos asked non-SGA members to leave the auditorium before the conversation about potentially revising its constitution and bylaws.

Other Business

• SGA unanimously passed a resolution affirming support for Mayor Sharon Owens ahead of her guest appearance at next Monday’s meeting. SGA also announced Chancellor-elect Michael Haynie will appear at the following Monday’s meeting and current Chancellor Kent Syverud will appear at its April 6 meeting.
• Azaria Chapman Walker of the New York Public Interest Research Group Fund spoke to SGA about its March 25 Climate Lobby Day. The event will rally for the protection of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, which aims to reduce carbon emissions from 1990 by 40% by 2030.

Published on March 17, 2026 at 1:21 am