Editor’s note: This story is part three of a weekly series tracking Syracuse University’s Invest Syracuse initiative.

Syracuse University’s Student Association leaders said they’ll use student feedback to further develop the Euclid Shuttle, one of several projects funded by the Invest Syracuse initiative.

Invest Syracuse is a $100 million fundraising plan, first announced in July 2017, that aims to improve academics and the student experience. The plan includes efforts to improve SU’s academics, student life and financial aid opportunities, according to the Invest Syracuse website.

Former SA President James Franco said in a text message to The Daily Orange on Sunday that the university allocated $50,000 at the beginning of the spring 2018 semester to fund the shuttle’s pilot program. He added that he was unsure how long that money was meant to maintain the shuttle’s operations.

Current SA President Ghufran Salih was not available for comment Sunday.

The Euclid Shuttle, which first launched as a pilot program under Invest Syracuse last spring, is a bus service that provides access to areas around University Hill such as Euclid Avenue, Lancaster Avenue, Ostrom Avenue, Marshall Street and Westcott Street. It also makes stops near several residence halls, including Sadler Hall, Lawrinson Hall and the Brewster/Boland/Brockway Complex.

The shuttle, which is operated by Birnie Bus, currently makes 10 runs per night on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays between 10:30 p.m. and 3:25 a.m. An SU ID is required to board.

SA collaborated with the university to launch the initiative. Franco worked to develop the shuttle during the 2017-18 academic year to help improve student safety on and around campus. Both Franco and former SA Vice President Angie Pati pushed to start the shuttle initiative to bring the various university neighborhoods together and unify campus.

Salih and Kyle Rosenblum, SA’s vice president, said earlier this month that they want to increase advertising, use permanent signage, mark stop locations on schedules and possibly add more trips during the week.

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Rosenblum said he believes issues with the operation of the shuttle will need to be addressed if it is to continue to service the Syracuse community. He also cited usage and knowledge being fairly low, which can be addressed through better advertising.

Rosenblum and Salih said that they will spend the next few weeks reaching out to students to gather opinions about the shuttle. The leaders will also discuss shuttle issues internally within SA, Salih said.

A breakdown of Invest Syracuse is on the agenda for Monday’s SA meeting. Vice Chancellor and Provost Michele Wheatly and Senior Vice President for Enrollment and the Student Experience Dolan Evanovich will both attend the meeting, which begins at 7:30 p.m. in Maxwell Auditorium.

Published on September 23, 2018 at 9:21 pm

Contact Colleen: cefergus@syr.edu | @ColleenEFergus2