���ӽ�

Neither Will Treloar ’24 nor Yasmin Nayrouz ’24 possessed any previous experience as student government leaders when they stepped onto the ���ӽ� University campus as first-year students three years ago.

Now in their final year at ���ӽ�, Treloar and Nayrouz feel confident they can fulfill the campaign slogan they ran on—to amplify student voices and meet the needs of students—when the dynamic duo was elected president and executive vice president, respectively, of the . The SA is the official student governing and advocacy body for the nearly 16,000 ���ӽ� University and SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry undergraduates.

Treloar and Nayrouz are excited to hold these student government leadership positions while striving to get as many student voices as possible involved in the decision-making process on campus.

“Throughout my time in Student Association, the one thing that keeps me going is seeing the difference you can make on campus. Becoming SA president offered another opportunity to make a difference on campus, and it’s hard to turn that down,” says Treloar, who is studying economics and policy studies in the .

Treloar and Nayrouz have been involved in SA since their first year on campus. Before being elected to their current leadership roles, Treloar was speaker of the assembly and Nayrouz was vice president of university affairs.

They both credit their previous student government leadership roles with preparing them for the challenges of leading the SA.

“This organization has enabled me to make positive changes on campus, and I want to continue helping our students. Student Association advocates for and on behalf of students when speaking with administration to address student concerns—from Title IX policies to dining hall concerns—and by legislating to fund and create events or initiatives that support the well-being of our students,” says Nayrouz, a dual major who is studying English in the and public relations in the .

Serving as the leaders of the University’s undergraduate student population, Treloar and Nayrouz say the best way for them to have an impact is by listening to the needs of the students, making themselves accessible and working hard to ensure student concerns are heard and addressed.

With the fall semester underway, SA’s leaders continued a tradition started in the Spring 2022 semester, when the inaugural Student Body Needs Survey was delivered across campus. Treloar says the feedback from the survey has been tremendous, allowing SA’s elected leaders to put their fingers on the pulse of the student body.

The survey is just one way SA engages with ���ӽ�’s undergraduates, but incorporating student feedback has guided the goals Treloar and Nayrouz have for the 2023-24 academic year.

Their main objectives include:

• following through on the Sustainability Report that was passed last year;
• continuing to foster an inclusive, accessible and welcoming campus for all;
• engaging with traditionally underrepresented student populations;
• supporting registered student organizations;
• improving the quality of the food in the dining halls and student accessibility to food through complimentary grocery trolley runs; and
• ensuring American Sign Language services are offered at all student events.

They’re also looking forward to organizing on-campus events, including the Harvest Festival, Mental Health Awareness Week and the Fall and Spring Into Action volunteer efforts.

“This year will be considered successful if we’re able to get students involved in more University decision-making processes,” Treloar says.

“If our students know and feel that they can confidently come to the Student Association to address their concerns and make a positive impact on campus,” that will be a successful year, adds Nayrouz.