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Student Association passed a resolution Monday night supporting the Syracuse University resident advisers who sent demands last week to the Office of Student Living.

A group of RAs presented a list of nine demands to OSL on Sept. 15. The demands include adding hazard pay for RAs due to their potential exposure to the coronavirus, providing more personal protective equipment and clarifying the role of RAs in the event of a campus shutdown due to a COVID-19 outbreak.

While SA supports the RAs’ initiative to write the demands, the organization did not endorse any specific demands or commit to negotiating with SU on behalf of the RAs.

“The Syracuse University Student Association supports the endeavor of RAs to seek a more supportive, safe and positive work environment and further implores both RA’s as well as the Office of Student Living to negotiate in good faith and resolve this in a fair and equitable manner,” SA Vice President Ryan Golden said at Monday’s meeting.

The demands come as the university requires RAs to enforce its COVID-19 health guidelines on top of their normal responsibilities.

Both Golden and SA President Justine Hastings have worked as RAs in residence halls.

“Basically they’re being asked to do a much harder job right now without any changes over the past year,” Golden said. “For instance, they’re dealing with COVID and 2020 as a year, in concept, but in 2019 standards, and that’s really a huge issue.”

The most significant help that SA can give to RAs is in the form of support, Golden said.

Ammar Asif, a co-chair of the Academic Affairs Committee and an RA in Day Hall, co-sponsored the resolution. Asif also co-authored the RAs’ list of demands to OSL.

“If RAs were not enforcing the Stay Safe Pledge guidelines, our university would literally be shut down by tomorrow,” Asif said. “It’s vital. We’re risking our lives.”

Other business:

• Listeners on Call, a peer-to-peer listening service that is partnering with SA to give free over-the-phone counseling services, will be live this Wednesday, Hastings said.
• The Assembly passed a bill to add an undergraduate and graduate student vote to The Board of Trustees. The legislation will be sent to the Graduate Student Organization to vote on in two weeks.

Published on September 22, 2020 at 12:08 am

Contact Kailey: kmnorusi@syr.edu