Syracuse University unveils in-the-works mobile ordering system at SGA
Syracuse University’s SGA welcomed Chief Operations Officer John Papazoglou to its Monday meeting. Papazoglou spoke to assembly members about a new mobile ordering system that uses the app Transact and is set to take effect next semester. Charlie Hynes | Staff Photographer
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Syracuse University’s Student Government Association welcomed Chief Operations Officer John Papazoglou at its regular Monday meeting, where he spoke to assembly members about a new mobile ordering system that SU plans to implement next semester.
The new system will use the Transact Mobile Ordering app, which is still undergoing “beta testing,” Director of Information Technology Mark Romano said. When the app launches in the fall, it will first be available at Dunkin’, Yellas and a third undecided campus dining option.
“Everybody’s going to be using the mobile app,” Romano said. “(The) mobile app will be the primary point of entry, specifically for Dunkin’ because everybody has stood in line before.”
Before the launch, SU will explain to students, faculty and staff how to download and sign into the app. Romano compared Transact to food delivery services such as Uber Eats and GrubHub, except students can order from anywhere and pick up their food.
Romano demonstrated how the app works and showed how to place an order at Dunkin’. The app tells users how long until the order is ready for pickup and stages of the preparation process.
It also shows nutrition and allergen information for every food product. Students can use dining dollars, Apple Pay and personal credit cards as payment options, Morano said. The app also features a “pre-order” option, allowing users to schedule pick-up times.
“It actually does make it a lot easier because they can actually start early,” Papazoglou said. “So (what) we’re trying to do is eliminate the reason why people actually stand in line for 20 minutes.”
The current kiosks at Dunkin’ will be replaced by larger screens with interfaces that mirror the Transact app.
Some SGA assembly members raised concerns about the app’s order bandwidth, but Papazoglou and Romano said Transact functions well at other institutions and that they will adjust to campus feedback as necessary.
Later in the meeting, representatives from the New York Public Interest Research Group returned to the assembly floor to share information about its upcoming events and argue for the reinstatement of its funding.
NYPIRG had its fall 2026 funding cut from $95,000 to $0 through SGA’s advanced allocations process.
Representatives from NYPIRG handed out an appeal packet to the audience, which included testimonials from NYPIRG members, emails to SU administrators and a QR code to a petition in support of the funding reinstatement, which has been signed by over 2,000 students.
“We ask that you provide us the opportunity by considering our appeal today, and that an SGA member will send a motion through that proposes that funding,” John Roberts, a senior at SUNY ESF and member of the NYPIRG board of directors, said.
Anne Lombard, the executive director of student engagement, said SGA has given NYPIRG a path forward by creating a student-led organization, and she’s “not sure what’s unclear about that.”
NYPIRG’s full-time project coordinator, Azaria Chapman Walker, explained that while the group will consider going through the process to become a registered student organization, the program will be unable to operate as it has been.
The matter was left unresolved as NYPIRG’s time ran out, and SGA moved on with the remainder of its agenda.
The final SGA meeting of the academic year will take place next Monday, where the 69th session will end, and the 70th session will officially begin.
