Editor’s note: The Daily Orange Editorial Board fielded statements from each campaign to discuss the issues and priorities of their campaigns and their planned student government leadership. The Daily Orange also co-hosted a debate with the candidates. Video of the debate is available here.

The Daily Orange Editorial Board endorses presidential candidate Justine Hastings and vice presidential candidate Ryan Golden to represent Syracuse University’s undergraduate student body during Student Association’s 64th legislative session.

All of this year’s candidates have demonstrated tenacity and professionalism through difficult circumstances. However, Hastings and Golden seem best prepared to enact substantive change for the student body amid a turbulent time in SU’s history.

Hastings and Golden have presented tangible plans of action to support marginalized communities and address campus accessibility. We commend their proposals to overhaul the sexual assault reporting process, to create an online portal through the Office of Disability Services for students to report violations and to allow students to declare preferred names on university records.

After a tumultuous academic year in which students protested SU administration’s response to hate incidents on campus, it is important to have student leaders who are willing and able to represent student interests in the face of opposition from the university. Hastings and Golden have committed to advocating for the demands of the #NotAgainSU movement. Their experience in advocacy and student government shows that they are best equipped to work closely with university administration on issues important to the student body.

Both Hastings and Golden have extensive leadership experience in student organizations and as resident advisers. Hastings, a dual secondary English education and English and textual studies major, has held leadership positions in Sigma Tau Delta and Pride Union. She was also awarded the 2020 Unsung Hero award for her commitment to her community. Golden, a triple major in policy studies, political science and religion, served in SA for several semesters and more recently in the University Senate.

Hastings and Golden have garnered support of more than 15 student leaders and organizations, including the Student African American Society, Muslim Student Association and Pride Union. Hastings and Golden have proven their willingness to advocate for marginalized communities by taking time to listen to students’ concerns.

The Editorial Board encourages Hastings and Golden to focus on the most actionable promises of their campaign. With their diverse background of experience, which includes more experience inside SA than any other campaign, Hastings and Golden have proven that they understand the inner workings of SA and can use that knowledge to best implement change quickly.

SA leadership will likely face unprecedented challenges this fall as the SU community and the world continue to face the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. We encourage Hastings and Golden to find realistic middle grounds in their policy proposals — such as freezing tuition — and facilitate realistic change through negotiation and common understanding with university administration.

All three campaigns this year have committed to supporting the student body no matter the result of the elections. We hope that each of these campaigns can continue to make their important voices heard and bring their ideas to fruition.

But overall, the Editorial Board is most confident in Hastings and Golden’s ability to spearhead necessary change that will better the student experience at such a pivotal moment in SU’s history.

In the two weeks that #NotAgainSU protesters have occupied Crouse-Hinds Hall, there has been little visible progress toward tangible solutions. Now, as the two sides finally sit at the negotiation table, it is time for compromise.

The Daily Orange Editorial Board commends the work of #NotAgainSU protesters in bringing inequality on Syracuse University’s campus to light. The Board supports the protesters’ mission and recognizes the necessity of action. Now, it’s time for serious concessions from both sides in an effort to bring resolution.

Until recently, SU officials have shown reluctance to work with protesters. Administrators should have prioritized meeting with students in the lobby of Crouse-Hinds Hall, just like they did six years ago during the occupation of Crouse-Hinds by another student-led protest group, THE General Body.

Instead of taking time to listen, SU officials handed out suspensions. This was a dangerous first move that cost them protesters’ trust.

By suspending students on their first night occupying the building, SU administration strayed away from its previous strategy of interacting with student protesters. Though students were able to leave Crouse-Hinds at any time, other students, faculty, food and medical supplies were barred from getting to protesters inside.

SU now faces a leadership crisis which confuses the entire SU community. Who is in charge? Chancellor Kent Syverud has been sympathetic to protesters in public speeches, reversing suspensions and pleading ignorance to claims of misconduct by Department of Public Safety officers. While Syverud attempted to placate students, other SU administrators claimed that protesters have an “unwillingness to engage” and directed Department of Public Safety officers to blockade Crouse-Hinds. It is crucial now that the SU administration comes to protesters with a unified goal and a clear leader.

#NotAgainSU protesters must also strive to negotiate in good faith. On Feb. 24, protesters added 10 demands to their list of 24, and now insist that all 34 demands be accepted by SU. While their cause is valiant, the lack of compromise is concerning.

In any negotiation, difficult concessions will need to be made. Just as SU must acknowledge its mistakes and listen to #NotAgainSU protesters now, the protesters must understand the limitations of SU administrators by both the legal system and the SU Board of Trustees.

Across the country, collegiate administrators have learned to sit down with, understand, and negotiate with students instead of working against them. At the University of Oklahoma last week, a similar Black student-led sit-in lasted only three days after administrators quickly entered negotiations with and agreed to terms with protesters.

SU administrators must work with protesters to enact demands to the best of their ability. But now they must also work to rebuild the trust in the campus community that the administrations’ poor actions have torn down, and construct a plan to work with future student protests that doesn’t involve suspension and restricting access to buildings.

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. Are you interested in pitching a topic for the editorial board to discuss? Email opinion@dailyorange.com.

The 2019 District Attorney’s race in Onondaga County features three major candidates for the first time in decades. Republican DA William Fitzpatrick faces both democratic opponent Charles Keller and Republican Gary Lavine.

In recent months, Fitzpatrick has been embroiled in multiple scandals and has been accused by his opponents of abusing the power of his office for political gain. He has lost the trust of the community that is essential to effectively lead, especially in law enforcement. Now, nearing 30 years as Onondaga County District Attorney, it is time for Fitzpatrick to be voted out of office.

Lavine, a local lawyer and Syracuse University graduate, is running against Fitzpatrick with the explicit purpose to remove him from office. Lavine is a lifelong Republican just like Fitzpatrick, but he has cited a number of instances where he claims Fitzpatrick has used his office to cover-up the crimes of an aide and remove a deputy police chief who feuded with him.

“I was a strong supporter of the District Attorney and a contributor to his campaign,” Lavine told The Daily Orange. “The abuses of the office became so visible, so overt … that something had to be done within the Republican party to challenge him.”

Keller, the Democratic nominee, is focusing his attention on the issues he’d be faced with if elected to the position, specifically “breaking the inadequacy of the current justice system,” according to his website.

Without naming his opponent, Keller vows to remedy “corruption, lousy policy and a level of arrogance that has deteriorated the respect once held by the office of District Attorney.”

While some of the statements by both Keller and Lavine are classic election year hyperbole, Fitzpatrick’s record of service as DA since 1992 has come with a number of blemishes.

In 2015, Syracuse Police pulled out of a state drug task force after Fitzpatrick placed Peter Rauch, a part-time police officer and a close aide, on the force. The department “became concerned about the professional qualifications of a member added to the task force,” then-Syracuse Police Chief Frank Fowler said in a statement to Syracuse.com.

That same aide was convicted of a hit-and-run in 2017 while drunk. Lavine has accused Fitzpatrick of covering up Rauch’s conviction and investigating and later firing Deputy Police Chief Shawn Broton for criticizing his actions. Broton claims his removal was a politically motivated move by Fitzpatrick, and the claim has been investigated by the Onondaga County Ethics Board.

“[Fitzpatrick has] weaponized the office, settling several personal scores and to gin-up bogus criminal investigations against his political opponents. And the only offense of his political opponents is not criminal — it’s they disagreed with him,” Lavine said.

Fitzpatrick has also stated that he will collect a pension in addition to his salary if elected, after being denied it earlier this year. Fitzpatrick, now 66, is allowed to do so under state law, though few officials have. This practice has been viewed by some as “double-dipping,” though Fitzpatrick cites the financial stability of his family as his motive.

“Prosecutorial abuse is corrosive. It fundamentally subverts the entire criminal justice system. All other reforms spoke out of the hub of integrity,” Lavine said.

Fitzpatrick has been called out for more than just his involvement in alleged scandals, though. Keller’s campaign website states that he “understands that zealously pursuing serious punishment for minor infractions can foster resentment without addressing the true threats to our community.”

Both Keller and Lavine have emphasized ethics and integrity as key campaign points. The fact that promises of ethical behavior by candidates are even strong arguments against an incumbent shows how fragile trust in the current DA’s office is.

“Now the office is feared, not respected,” Lavine said. “When integrity is restored, the office will be respected, not feared.”

A lot has changed since Fitzpatrick first took office in 1992 when the internet was in its infancy and police were less frequently held accountable by the public for their actions. Change is needed at the DA’s office, and William Fitzpatrick won’t be the one to bring it. He should be voted out of office this November, not only due to the numerous scandals he has found himself in, but for the policy changes needed to make Onondaga County a better and safer place to live for all of its residents.

At a recent village meeting, Solvay Mayor Derek Baichi demanded a vote that the village pay his legal bills in a planned suit against Solvay for a hate crime regarding his sexuality. Baichi is straight.

He ended the meeting calling his fellow board members “babies” and “idiots,” and slammed shut the laptop on which a fellow board member was Skyping into the meeting. He then demanded that the Sergeant-at-Arms, newly appointed this month, remove the laptop from the meeting. Earlier, he declared the village in a state of emergency in an attempt to block a vote he disagreed with.

Baichi was elected mayor of the village last year after beating the incumbent Ron Benedetti by only 116 votes. Baichi, one of three republicans on the village’s Board of Trustees and its youngest member at 38, likens himself to Howard Stern — shocking and boundary-pushing. Now, he has been asked to resign by a majority of the board after committing gross abuses of his executive powers.

His abuses of power are unheard of in central New York politics, and he needs to be removed from office.

While Baichi refuses to compare himself to President Donald Trump, though he “respects the hell out of our president,” the similarities are eerie. His brash, vulgar personality has garnered support from many locals, some of whom have almost formed a cult of personality around him. Baichi has been constantly feuding with the board since coming into office, even saying “if the rest of those guys don’t like me, f*ck ‘em,” Syracuse.com reported.

He’s made claims of a “shadow government” in Solvay and frequently rants on Facebook Live videos. He even gives Trump-esque belittling nicknames to his political opponents like “Little Man,” or “Mr. Florida.” To no surprise, Baichi has never before held public office.

Executive power is the most pure embodiment of the public’s trust in an individual. Out of every citizen of Solvay, Baichi was selected to lead, and with his title comes power. Baichi has repeatedly used this power to belittle, annoy, disrupt and obstruct village business. He has threatened to sue his employer, threatened to fight his colleagues and has even claimed that his office holds influence above the law.

Many New Yorkers and SU students look to Washington D.C. as a dumpster fire of dirty partisan politics, with both sides of any argument gunning for each other like a dog fight in a back alley.

In the Village of Solvay, mere minutes from Syracuse University, there is one very loud, angry fighter.

What is going on right here in central New York is exactly what is going on in Washington. One king-like personality has driven a deep divide in the foundations of democratic society. Instead of pursuing the business of the government, many have resorted to vulgar name calling or blatant obstruction.

Solvay needs to find a new mayor, not just for the sake of the village, but for the sake of the democratic underpinnings of American political culture.

In a radio interview Tuesday, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo used the n-word while quoting a New York Times op-ed about Italian racial slurs. While his statement was not malicious, it still holds serious weight and reinforces racial norms in this country that many have been trying to change for decades. Cuomo’s use of the word, uncensored, is yet another sign that he is out of touch with the average New Yorker.

New York Assemblyman Charles Barron, an African American activist and former member of the Black Panthers, said the Governor’s remarks were “very inappropriate” and “disrespectful” and said Cuomo “owes the black community an apology.”

Barron is exactly right. Under no circumstances is it appropriate for a government official to say such racially charged things publicly. While Cuomo meant no harm, by just saying the word, he entrenches the idea that saying the n-word is just fine in the minds of many New Yorkers.

This is not the first time a Cuomo’s views on anti-Italian sentiment has gotten headlines.

In August, a clip of Chris Cuomo, a CNN host and the governor’s brother, went viral showing Chris yelling and getting belligerent towards a man who called him “Fredo” in reference to the movie The Godfather. Chris claimed that “Fredo” is a racial slur against Italians and berated the man who was likely just trying to get a rise out of Chris.

The rants about Italian heritage from both Cuomo brothers is out of touch with what matters to New Yorkers and Italian-Americans in this country. Gov. Cuomo will likely spend the next few days defending himself and running the press gambit in defense of his statements while crucial issues in the state go unsolved.

Nearly a dozen corner stores in Syracuse are now participating in a program aimed at offering healthier food choices, especially to children. A new report showed that more than 14 percent of children in New York have obesity. The state now ranks 25th in the country. The new program focuses on stores in north and west Syracuse.

Hawley Market co-owner Rita Algattas was one of the first to make fruits and vegetables more visible nearly three years ago. She says they’re making a difference, even if it isn’t always easy.

"A lot of [kids], we can't convince them. I say "Why don't you leave the candy and take the banana?" and some kids they listen, and some kids they don't, and if they have their parents with them, I don't want to be their parents, it's their parent's job to do that. But [a healthier option is] there, it's availible, that's what we are trying to do."

Her market is just down the block from Dr. Weeks Elementary School, which had 796 students as of August this year. About half of the market's floor space is devoted to healthier options like low-fat dairy, granola bars, nuts, trail mix, whole grain products and bottled water, versus items high in fat, sodium, and sugar.

Algattas tries to combat the common misconception that eating healthier foods is more expensive by providing healthy foods at reasonable costs and even helping parents with cooking tips and recipies.

"A lot of people live check by check and they don't have the extra money to eat healthier... but you don't have to be rich to eat healthy. You can spend ten dollars to make a whole pot of soup for the family. You don't have to have a lot of money to eat healthy," Algattas said.

The Onondaga County Health Department and Trinity Health are helping stores by providing mini-grants and technical assistance. Grants will help stores purchase appliances like coolers or freezers so they can widen their variety of availible healthy food options.

Onondaga County Community Health Counselor Adriana Sereno says stores are often reluctant to use their limited space on less profitable products that might not sell or have a short shelf life. But she says the opposite is true.

"In most of our stores, there's a 65% increase in the sale of healthy foods. So, we have that kind of data to back us up and the numbers kind of speak for themselves because you can turn it into a profit if it's done the right way."

Sereno says many neighborhood residents with limited transportation options rely on corner stores for all of their groceries because they can’t get to supermarkets that carry a wider selection of produce and healthier foods. Sereno hopes the program can help Trinity Health's bigger goal of reducing obesity and increasing accesss to healthier foods in the Syracuse area.

In the 2020 Onondaga County budget, County Executive Ryan McMahon proposed creating the Office of Diversity and Inclusion. The office will combine the Commission on Human Rights and the Purchasing Division’s Compliance Office, with some added staffers.

This new office, while important, isn’t enough to combat the lack of diversity in Onondaga County government by itself.

According to David Knapp, Chairman of the Onondaga County Legislature, the percentage of the county workforce that are minorities is in the teens. Peggy Chase, another member of the legislature, quoted the figure to be as little as 13%. This office will help bring that number to the county’s goal of 22% by 2020, Knapp said.

But that is still significantly less than the 33.4% of the county’s population that is nonwhite, according to a 2018 U.S. Census Bureau estimate.

Linda Ervin, the minority leader in the Onondaga County Legislature who represents parts of the Syracuse University campus in the 17th District, proposed the idea for the office to McMahon along with fellow legislator Monica Williams.

“It was a collaborative thing,” Ervin said. “We went to the County Executive a while ago, and he agreed. That’s how it all got started.” Ervin said.

The Office of Diversity and Inclusion will take over the responsibilities of the CHR, while also expanding diversity programs in the county. Chase represents the majority of SU’s campus in the 9th district of the legislature.

“I think right now, the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, besides handling the things that the Human Rights Commission is set up to do, will also be to make sure that people … are offered an opportunity to have the jobs that are out there,” Chase said.

The CHR currently promotes understanding and acceptance of diversity and to reduce conditions that can lead to discrimination. What is unclear with this budget is what will change about the CHR’s work when it transforms into the ODI.

This new office, while it will house new staff and allow closer work with the Compliance Office, as McMahon states, will be doing work already done by the CHR. The CHR already handles all Title VI policies for the county, which forbids racial discrimination as part of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and oversees the Jail Oversight Committee.

The commission also teaches numerous courses on diversity education for county staff and the public. This year alone, CHR will hold a total of 12 workshops focused on “Welcoming Diversity / Building Effective Relations in a Diverse Community” in partnership with the National Coalition Building Institute.

“It’s a good thing to be able to recognize the fact that there are people that are discriminated against, and as a county we try everything we can to make sure that everybody gets a fair chance,” Chase said.

According to Ervin, diversity training will expand under the ODI, and at least three new staffers will be added.

Diversity training is a good step to foster a more inclusive and diverse environment. These training workshops, in addition to other diversity and awareness programs, can help foster a more welcoming environment in Onondaga County, in addition to additional minority hiring efforts.

“You can’t make decisions for others,” Ervin said. “You have no idea what works for them. Making sure that we have people that work for the county who have had those experiences, both racial and economic, is important.”

The ODI is clearly a step in the right direction towards increased diversity in the Onondaga County government and Syracuse community, but more needs to be done to ensure that minorities can feel safe, welcome and at home in Onondaga County. The county’s 22% minority staffing goal is not high enough, and more must be done to ensure that even that is achieved.

“It’s kind of sad that we have to develop a department to get this done,” Chase said. “It’s only fair to the people that are living here, that they be able to take advantage of the opportunities that are here.”

Diversity is an ultimate good for all parties, especially in democratic government. The efforts of Executive McMahon in his 2020 budget show that he understands that and is making strides towards the county’s goal of a more representative governing body. But more drastic action is necessary.

This week the Department of Public Safety released SU’s annual security report, federally mandated by the Jeanne Clery Act since 1990. The report lists the last three years of crime statistics from SU as well as the campus’ safety procedures and policies. Crime decreases may be proof that changes to DPS and security measures on and around campus are increasing student safety.

In this year’s report, crime decreased overall across campus, with the biggest drop coming from disciplinary action due to liquor law violations, a 35% decrease last year. Sex crimes and crimes that violate the Violence Against Women Act also saw a drop of 30% in 2018.

Actions taken by DPS in the last school year have likely had a positive effect on the safety of the student body, as the report shows. These statistics show promise for the future of student safety at SU, and continued policy reform by DPS and the university should further this improvement, to continue the trend into this school year.

After an assault on Ackerman Ave. last February, which the SU Student Association described as “racially charged”, SA voted to review DPS through a third party. In response to this incident, DPS expanded late-night shuttles on campus, and made other policy changes. DPS also increased transparency into their actions and jurisdiction, in response to a student forum held the same month.

So far this year, DPS has continued policy reform, planning to add security cameras in the Euclid area and further expanding late-night escorts. Other security measures have also been added this year, including the use of Wildfire, a crowd-sourced public safety app that collects tips and notes from students and can push notifications to users of important safety information.

Certain crimes, such as burglary, did increase in the last year, however, showing that current reforms are not enough to curb crime at SU. In 2018, burglary instances increased by 36% to a total of 38 instances compared to 2017.

Every year, hundreds of thousands of people are victims of sexual assault or harassment. The National Crime Victimization Survey estimated that more than 430,000 cases of sexual assault and harassment were not reported to police in 2015 alone.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo, continuing his push to bring justice for some of these victims in New York, recently signed into law a bill that extends the statute of limitations for second and third degree sexual assault from five years to 20 and 10 years, respectively. This bill is a big step in the right direction and a victory for victim’s rights activists across the state.

“A lot of the laws on the books, especially as they relate to sex crimes or sexual harassment or discrimination in the workplace, are outdated,” said State Sen. Alessandra Biaggi (D-NY), who sponsored the bill. “Extending the statute of limitations for specific degrees of rape and sexual assault and incest gives survivors the time they need to process what has happened, to report it. Most people don’t come forward about their abuse until they’re 51 or 52,” Biaggi said.

By extending the statute of limitations of these crimes, victims are more likely to come forward and bring justice against sexual predators. Many men and women who are victims of sexual assault choose not to report the crime to police, many out of fear of retaliation in their workplace or at home, or of not being believed.

“This new law recognizes the injustice that has gone on for far too long and honors all the women who have suffered this pain and all the advocates who had the courage to come forward and tell their story so that other women may be spared the pain,” Cuomo said when he signed the bill.

Biaggi originally wanted to completely eliminate the statute of limitations for all sex crimes, but landed at extending them due to compromise in passing the legislation. She said though it’s a start, the work isn’t done yet.

National social movements like #MeToo and Time’s Up, focusing on combatting sexual assault and harassment in the workplace, have pushed for similar legislation in dozens of states across the country. When Cuomo signed the bill in Albany, he was flanked by a group of spokeswomen for the Time’s Up movement, including actresses Julianne Moore, Mira Sorvino, Amber Tamblyn and Michelle Hurd.

This legislation sets a high bar for the rest of the country to follow, in addition to the Child Victims Act passed in February. The Child Victims Act extends the period of time when victims of sexual abuse as children can sue and press charges against their abusers. Arizona has the shortest statute of limitations for sexual assault in the country at only three years. Six states have also eliminated the statute of limitations for sexual assault entirely.

Biaggi is also working on bills to formally make sexual harassment a crime in New York state, and to create a sexual harassment hotline.

“That is one of the best things that we can do for people that feel that they really don’t have anywhere to go, because so much of what’s around that crime is silence and shame, and when you feel like there’s not even an outlet for you, you are more likely to stay silent,” Biaggi said.

For every person that ends a tweet with #MeToo, or shows support for Time’s Up, there is one who believes that these men women should just be quiet and forget the past. According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, one in five women are raped in their lifetimes, and one in five are victims of sexual assault in college. That number is about one in six for men. According to the same study, 90% of victims on college campuses do not report the incident.

Syracuse University is no stranger to sexual assault controversies. According to SU’s Annual Security Report, there were 35 rapes on campus between 2016 and 2018. There were 24 instances of dating violence on campus in the same time period — and those numbers just account for assaults that were reported.

Thousands of people around New York, including college students, can now come forward with their stories to authorities more easily. Thanks to New York Democrats like Sen. Biaggi and Gov. Cuomo, these men and women have more time to tell their stories and find the justice that every victim deserves.

Since the summer of 2015, Syracuse University has been a “tobacco-free” campus, meaning that no smoking is allowed. This includes cigarettes, chewing tobacco, e-cigarettes and vapes like the popular Juul. Despite this policy, smoking and vaping is still easy to spot around campus.

Senior Ashley Lin said that as a resident adviser she often saw freshmen vaping in Lawrinson Hall last year.

“A lot of them were obsessed with their Juuls, and they would freak out every single time they didn’t have it on their bodies,” Lin said.

Vaping poses a serious health risk to the SU community, and SU can do more to combat vape use and nicotine addiction on campus.

Fifteen percent of college students reported that they vape nicotine products, and 11% report that they have vaped marijuana products, according to an annual study from the University of Michigan this year. That’s more than twice the rate compared to last year’s study. Vapes are an especially increasing trend, and little research has been performed on the effects of vapes in the long term.

Recently, new information about the health risks of vapes has come into public focus. At least 450 cases of severe lung illnesses and at least five deaths have been linked to vaping products. Researchers also noted in their report in the New England Journal of Medicine that “e-cigarette aerosol is not harmless” and can expose users to dangerous substances like ultrafine particles, heavy metals, volatile organic compounds and other harmful ingredients.

One SU student, Maxwell Berger, has even sued Juul Labs, makers of Juul, claiming that the vape device played a major role in a hemorrhagic stroke he suffered in 2017, which partially paralyzed him and caused brain damage.

While SU does explicitly ban vaping products like Juul, more can be done to ensure that students are aware of the policy.

“From what I know, for the Office of Student Living, we don’t really talk to the residents about Juuling or vaping,” Lin said.

Lin also said that RAs should speak to residents about the health risks of Juuls and vapes.

“It should be included in one of the first floor meetings, just so residents know what they’re inhaling,” Lin said.

“There’s definitely room to re-evaluate some of the policies currently in place,” said John Jankovic, a co-chair of the Student Life Committee of the SU Student Association.

Traditional “No Smoking” signs are posted around campus, but these signs do not specify e-cigarette or vaping products, which output flavored water vapor, not smoke. New signage should be posted on entrances to campus buildings, especially dorms, specifying vapes and other e-cigarette products to ensure that the student body is better aware of the policy.

Additionally, campus smoking and tobacco policies should be included in August orientation sessions, like dorm hall meetings, and first-year student seminars.

“There’s already avenues that exist that we can incorporate this kind of education or information,” Jankovic said. “SEM 100 is a good example, or any first-year class that comes with a focus on health and wellness should come with the incorporation of maybe vaping, or smoking as well.”

Jankovic said SA is open to discussion of tobacco and nicotine policies on campus this year.

By taking time to explicitly talk to students about the dangers of tobacco and nicotine products, as well as SU’s policies, students may be discouraged from using these products. SU should also encourage students to report violations of these policies to faculty or administrators, as part of their effort to encourage healthy habits.

While some have warned of vapes’ possible health risks, most young people have ignored the concerns, viewing vapes as a better alternative to cigarettes. Recent illnesses have brought to light the legitimate health risks that come along with vaping and nicotine addiction. SU, as part of its large-scale effort to help students in both physical and mental health, must do more to combat this ever-increasing epidemic.

Just hours before the deadline to qualify for the third Democratic presidential debate to be held in Houston in about two weeks, two-term New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand has finally elected to end her presidential campaign.

The announcement surprised few, as Gillibrand had failed to meet both the donor requirement and the polling requirement to qualify. Sooner is better than later, allowing other more promising Democrats to take center stage — not that Gillibrand was hogging the limelight. She never surpassed two percent support in any major polls, and recent polling had her within margin of error of zero percent support.

Her campaign started off soft, likely handicapped by her support for the resignation of Minnesota Senator Al Franken after a sexual harassment scandal. For many, Gillibrand is too similar to the last failed Democratic presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton.

Gillibrand floundered on the national stage during the first two televised debates, leaving no lasting impact on potential voters and sinking her chances at a nomination.

In her exit video on Twitter, Gillibrand admitted that “it is important to know when it’s not your time, and to know how you can best serve your community and country.”

She knows there is no chance of her being president, but her renewed push to “unite us to beat Donald Trump in 2020” is the exact attitude every Democratic candidate needs to take, whether in the race or not.

I applaud Gillibrand for admitting defeat when it was apparent, and for being one of the first doomed candidates to drop out of the race.

Without a failing campaign to distract her, Gillibrand can now return to representing the Empire State in Washington.

To successfully debate, inform and discuss gun policy reform, there needs to be understanding. You must be able to realize the perspective of the other side of the argument.

I first visited a shooting range when I was 15 years old. I come from a liberal family, but one that often goes duck hunting. By visiting a shooting range and becoming familiar with firearms — how they work and how they’re regulated — people can begin to understand why gun rights advocates hold such strong beliefs. They can also better realize the sheer violent power of firearms.

“I do think in terms of how guns work, and why people feel they need to own guns, what people use them for,” said Shana Gadarian, Associate Professor of political science at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. “The empathy is really important in these conversations.”

Posters hanging at the range displayed phrases like “Keep weapons pointed downrange at the donkey” — at the Democratic party logo. I met firearms enthusiasts who owned dozens of weapons each, and I learned the true strength of a firearm.

It was fun, but that experience taught me that guns are not like the toys I played with as a boy, but weapons of destruction, violence and death.

I learned, first hand, why gun legislation reform is necessary. I can relate to these gun rights activists that disagree with me now. I can see them as people, not just as political opponents.

Experiences like this one, however, are just a piece of the puzzle that is good faith gun reform advocacy. Gadarian said building empathy for other people’s perspectives is important for issues like gun control.

There is common ground between the left and right on this issue. The problem is cracking our stubborn outer shells. Many liberals start the debate at a disadvantage.

Grant Reeher, a professor of political science in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs said it’s important to understand the details of major issues to form an opinion.

To be a good faith gun control advocate, you need to be educated about firearms, even if you don’t like them.

“There’s a lot of gun control advocates that don’t like what they see when it comes to gun violence,” said Reeher. “They don’t particularly like guns. They wish guns didn’t exist. And so they’re not going to learn very much about guns.”

In a time when mass shootings are heavily reported, it is important to be informed and prepared. College students, like those at Syracuse University, are usually some of the most politically active people — and they should be the most informed. First-hand experience gives you the chance to learn, and the knowledge to successfully debate. And on top of that, you might just have some fun.