Editorial : SA finally reaches full representation after more than a decade

Students have full representation in Student Association for the first time in at least a decade.

SA, the student governing body of Syracuse University, has suffered from a lack of student interest and involvement for years. Articles published in The Daily Orange dating back to 1998 discuss student apathy toward SA. Even articles published in the early ‘90s, when thousands of students organized with student government to protest an 8 percent tuition hike, show the organization had less-than-full representation.

Neal Casey’s initiative, and the work of dozens of assembly members, succeeded. For the first time in years, SA decisions will include the input of students from every undergraduate school and college. It means SA will be living up to its name.

Initiatives that ultimately affect students, whether it’s free buses to Target and Wegmans or a common space for students in the College of Arts and Sciences, come from the assembly. More members means more proposals. And more voices means more vibrant and thoughtful debate within SA.

The next hurdle for SA is making sure it retains its membership. It may be a constant fight to keep those seats full with active members. We hope future SA presidents will continue Casey’s commitment to full representation.