News

Newly Installed Solar Panels on Schine Student Center Roof to Begin Producing Clean Energy

Campus sustainability encompasses a broad range of actions and choices—some of which are subtle, while others are eye-catching. The renovation of the Schine Student Center has meant the addition of another attention-grabbing clean energy element: new solar panels on the building’s roof, the latest demonstration of the University’s commitment to sustainability.

The photovoltaic (PV) panels, installed this past summer, will begin generating clean energy for the campus community on Oct. 15. The new panels were installed in support of the renewable energy credit for LEED certification at the National Veterans Resource Center at the Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello Building.

Read the full story at Syracuse University News.

University Completes Steam Station Review, Enters Partnership with Enwave Energy

Syracuse University today announced a long-term alliance with Enwave Energy to operate the University Steam Station. The partnership will support ongoing campus growth with reliable and sustainable energy.

The University first announced the review of its steam operations in 2018, as part of the Division of Business, Finance and Administrative Services’ (BFAS) strategic planning process, which sought to align University resources and assets with its vision and mission. After a comprehensive evaluation, the University decided to transfer operation of the Steam Station.

Read the full story at Syracuse University News.

Purchasing Office Institutes Change to Streamline Invoice Processing

In an effort to streamline the procurement and payment process at the University, the Purchasing Office is instituting changes to the way the department handles payment of invoices.

Department business managers should now send invoices directly to the Disbursements Office instead of the Purchasing Office for remittance. Invoices should be signed to confirm receipt of all goods and then sent to disburse@syr.edu or 640 Skytop Office Building, Suite 120.

Read the full story at Syracuse University News.

October Is Campus Sustainability Month

As­­­ autumn rolls in and temperatures begin to cool off, Sustainability Management has several events and activities planned throughout Campus Sustainability Month, some of which are already underway.

On Oct. 1, Sustainability Coordinator Meg Lowe, teamed up with Director of Engagement Programs Syeisha Byrd to offer a virtual cooking class, which used ingredients from the food pantry and Pete’s Giving Garden to create a simple, yet delicious Taco Bowl. The pair is hosting two more virtual Pantry Cookin’ classes on Oct. 22 and on Nov. 12. Sign up on Pete’s Giving Garden website to claim a spot today.

Additionally, the honey from the honeybee hives on South Campus was harvested on Oct. 3 by Associate Professor of Public Health Lisa Olson-Gugerty, a Campus as a Lab for Sustainability grant recipient. She harvested 15 gallons of honey, all of which will be jarred, but will be missing a label as Sustainability Management is hosting a competition for students to design the label for the honey jars. Members of the Syracuse University Bee Campus USA Committee will pick the top five, and then the campus community will vote for the winning design. Learn more about the honey label competition by visiting the Bee Campus USA website on the Sustainability page. Once the winning design is decided, the honey jars will be labeled and placed in the bookstore and café stores on campus for sale.

Read the full story at Syracuse University News.

Syracuse University Completes First Phase of Multi-Year, Multimillion-Dollar Stadium Project

The first phase of Syracuse University’s multi-year, $118 million stadium project, unveiled in 2018, was completed this week. This marks a new era for Syracuse University, the Department of Athletics and the many students, faculty, staff and community members who have come to consider “the Loud House” the home of their sports world. Today’s announcement also represents a major milestone for the Campus Framework, a 20-year roadmap designed to align the University’s vision and mission with its physical space and infrastructure.

Read the full story at Syracuse University News.

New Stadium Experience

Someday, fans of Syracuse University sports, music concerts and monster trucks alike will return to a place they’ve been before and will experience something different. Something they’ve never felt when going to a local event in the loud house. Something they typically felt right at the front door. Something missing.

“It’s the rush of air,” says Pete Sala, vice president and chief campus facilities officer overseeing the replacement of the Teflon bubble. The Stadium’s roof is no longer air supported, meaning the structure no longer requires air pressurization. The familiar whoosh of air when one enters the building is now a thing of the past. “One of the things we’ve never done here is to open both big overhead doors at once,” says Sala, referring to the past need to avoid letting too much air out of the building at once.

Read the full story at syracuse.edu.

Erin Archer Named University Treasurer

Erin Archer, CFA, has been named Syracuse University treasurer. With nearly 20 years of experience, Archer has an impressive track record of significant accomplishments in managing complex treasury and investment responsibilities. Most recently, she served as the treasurer at DePaul University in Chicago, where she oversaw the university’s overall investment strategy and endowment. Prior to joining the higher education sector, Archer was an equity analyst, covering domestic, international and emerging market companies for a number of investment banks and asset managers.

Archer’s appointment was approved by the executive committee of the University’s Board of Trustees. She will begin her tenure on Oct. 12 and will report to Amir Rahnamay-Azar, senior vice president for business, finance and administrative services (BFAS) and chief financial officer.

Read the full story at Syracuse University News.

Syracuse University Will Not Implement 2020 Payroll Tax Deferral

On Friday, August 28, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and Treasury Department issued guidance on a potential employee payroll tax deferral directed by a presidential memorandum released on August 8, 2020. The deferral provided employers the option to defer withholding the employee portion of social security tax payments from September 1 through December 31, 2020, with the deferred taxes to be repaid from January 1 through April 30, 2021. The deferral applied only to employees whose wages are less than $2,000 for a weekly pay period and to salaried workers earning less than $104,000 per year.

After consulting with tax, legal, and compensation experts, the University has decided not to participate in the optional deferral. Since this program only postpones tax payments, the University chose this option in an effort to safeguard our employees from higher withholdings beginning January 2021.

If you have any questions, please contact the Payroll Service Center at 315-443-4042 or payroll@syr.edu.

New SU I.D. Cards Allow Students, Faculty and Staff to Use Their Preferred Name

This fall, the Housing, Meal Plan, and I.D. Card Services Office is debuting a new SU I.D. card design. Behind the new design is a new system—one that allows University community members to choose to use their preferred name on their SU I.D.

The ability to use preferred names on SU I.D. cards comes after years of work by the Pronoun, Gender and Preferred Name Advisory Council (PGPNAC). The council, led by Jenny Gluck, associate chief information officer, and Jorge A. Castillo, director of the LBGT Resource Center, has been active since its inception in June 2018. It was formed in response to Long-Term Recommendation #32 from the March 11, 2016, Chancellor’s Workgroup on Diversity Inclusion Final Report. The report affirmed that the University, “Expand (its) Preferred Name/MySlice process for choice of gender pronouns, email display names, ID cards, and issues related to Blackboard and other relevant platforms.”

Read the full story at Syracuse University News.

2020 South Campus Composting Program Update

Sustainability Management is bringing back the South Campus Composting Program for the 2020-21 academic year, with a few changes from the past years.

Due to health concerns surrounding COVID-19, Sustainability Management is implementing a more hands-on experience for participants. Students will be provided a compost bin but will be required to bring their food scraps to a receptacle outside of 161 Farm Acre (where Sustainability Management is located). Participants will also be responsible for cleaning their bins each week. The food scraps schedule is Mondays and Wednesdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Tuesdays from noon to 4 p.m.; and Fridays from 4 to 8 p.m.

Read the full story at Syracuse University News.