SA forum provides much-needed access to Syracuse University administrators

The public Student Association forum to be held Monday is redefining the terms of discussion at Syracuse University.

In place of SA’s weekly meeting, campus officials and administrators will answer students’ questions at the forum in Maxwell Auditorium at 7:30 p.m. The forum is indicative of an increasingly open and accessible student government that connects students with university leadership. And it’s something the SU community probably wouldn’t have seen a year ago.

The 60th Legislative Session of SA, which governed during the 2016-17 academic year, did hold a forum in February, but it only featured a Q&A session with student leaders. Likewise, SU’s forums on campus-wide initiatives, including Invest Syracuse, are held on the university’s terms.

This time around, SA President James Franco and Vice President Angie Pati have made themselves known on campus. Unlike many SU administrators, they’re leaders students actually recognize as they walk through the Quad.

The accessibility of SA’s leaders, combined with the openness of the forum, should make the event a student-run discussion that will put students and administrators on an equal platform.

Universities should encourage a space for open questions, and they should always be breeding grounds for thoughtful discussion and change. In a turbulent time for higher education that has SU students organizing rallies to share concerns with the administration, it’s clear a direct Q&A session with administrators is needed. This forum helps fill that void, and students should jump on the opportunity to get straight answers from those in charge.

The Daily Orange Editorial Board serves as the voice of the organization and aims to contribute the perspectives of students to discussions that concern Syracuse University and the greater Syracuse community. The editorial board’s stances are determined by a majority of its members. You can read more about the editorial board here.