SA debates MayFest strategies

Syracuse University students want a day off in the spring, and they gathered at Monday's Student Association meeting to discuss how to go about getting it.

This student initiative comes in response to Friday's announcement that the university will reinstate classes on the day of SU Showcase, April 19. In the past, students had spent the day of SU Showcase attending Euclid Avenue parties, an event called MayFest.

SA supports separating the activities into two days: one for social events, MayFest, and another for academic events, SU Showcase.

SA invited the student body to Monday night's meeting in hopes of gathering student input. Around 30 students attended the meeting, a low turnout compared to the 547 students who said they were attending the meeting on a Facebook group promoting the SA meeting. No SU administrators were present at the meeting.

Students at the meeting said that MayFest is an important university tradition that brings students together and gives them a chance to unwind after a long Syracuse winter.

"It's a day for celebration of community, a day for SU pride and a day for inclusion on this segregated campus," said Larry Seivert, SA president. "It's a complete breakdown of social barriers."

SA members have already received more than 1,000 signatures from students petitioning a day off from classes. They will present the petitions along with student opinions from the meeting to Vice President and Dean of Student Affairs Tom Wolfe later this week, Seivert said.

Some students argued that presenting a petition or a resolution would not be an effective way for students to protest the university's decision.

Hari Iyer, a candidate in the upcoming SA president election, proposed a plan to protest the decision this Friday by not attending classes and having a block party on Euclid, similar to the ones on MayFest.

The administration is well aware that students are upset with the decision, Iyer said, and the petition will have little effect. "Restating the obvious to them is not going to make a significant change," Iyer said.

His proposal received opposition from the crowd, who felt the measure was both unsafe and would hurt the student's cause.

In a statement released later that night, the Barnhart2010 campaign condemned Iyer's comments, and said his "concept of attacking university administration is ignorant." Barnhart will face Iyer in the SA presidential election Nov. 9-12.

"The Barnhart2010 campaign strongly urges Iyer to reconsider his 'protest first' philosophies and engage students, administrators, and community members in an open dialogue," the statement said.

At the meeting, Eric Bortz, a sophomore political philosophy major and former SA member, said students should go about things in the appropriate way. "Fighting divisiveness with divisiveness will not work."

After working with the administration last year to keep students safe on MayFest, SA member Tim Wilke is confident that the student body can achieve its goal.

"I'm really confident that we should be able to save MayFest again," he said.

Some attendees said they feel students would skip classes and party on Euclid Avenue anyway, to keep with tradition.

"It's right before finals, and a capstone to senior year," said Bridget Schultz, SA's public relations chair. "As a senior, I'd really hate to see this day taken away."

The administration is not out to get the student body, said Neal Casey, SA Chief of Staff. Working together is the best way to address student concerns, Casey said.

Another SU student, Matt Luciano, created the Facebook group "Operation Rescue MAYFEST." The group's membership was up to 4,400 as of Monday night.

"Having the two separate days is a really great compromise between the university and the students," said Luciano, a psychology and English and textual studies major.

Kaitlyn Eberle, an SA member, argued the university wouldn't give students a separate day off from classes.

"We came together to get back SU Showcase, not to get two days," Eberle said.

kronayne@syr.edu

mcboren@syr.edu