Here’s what happened this week in news:

Hoverboards temporarily banned

Syracuse University decided to temporarily ban the use and storage of hoverboards on all campus property, according to an SU News release published Friday. The ban was issued because of numerous reports of the devices catching on fire, according to the release.

The ban includes the possession, storage and use of hoverboards in all university-owned facilities, including residence halls and South Campus buildings. First-time violators will be issued an informal warning, according to the release.

Allen Chiu | Staff Photographer

 

Computers stolen from Link Hall

Students in the College of Engineering and Computer Science were notified Monday via email that 22 computers had been stolen from a computer lab in Link Hall on Feb. 19. The theft included LCD monitors, mice and keyboards.

The college will be adding more security measures to computer labs, including having students swipe their student IDs to get into the labs. The Department of Public Safety is investigating the theft.

Lab hours are modified while the additional hours are being added.

 

Ride-hailing services draw criticism and praise

Ride-hailing services are currently illegal in New York state — with the exception of New York City — but a bill to the New York State Assembly that would legalize the services throughout the state will likely occur before June. Not everyone is hoping it will pass, though.

Those in the taxi industry are concerned the services will not have to provide the same benefits to its workers that taxi companies are required to. Opponents across the country have also cited concerns about driver’s background checks.

Supporters of the services, including Student Association President Aysha Seedat and Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner, have said the services will actually promote safety in Syracuse and reduce drunk driving.

Devyn Passaretti | Head Illustrator

 

Student talks about her mental health leave of absence

SU student Delaney Arias, a second-year newspaper and online journalism major, shared her story of taking a year-and-a-half leave of absence after fighting anxiety and depression. After in-patient treatment back home and seeing a regular therapist, Arias was readmitted to SU and the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications.

At some schools, Arias wouldn’t have been able to take this leave of absence because the schools cap mental health leaves at one year. At SU, though, the only stipulations for readmission are continuing therapy with a mental health provider and getting readmitted to a home college.

Devyn Passaretti | Head Illustrator

 

Experts and community members discuss merger

The debate over the merging of the governments of the city of Syracuse and Onondaga County continues as feedback is gathered from the community. Consensus, the citizen group that proposed the merger, is holding meetings across the county to inform the public about the proposal and to hear complaints.

Some concerns about the merger include pouring too much money into the city and the lack of solutions for the poverty concentration in Syracuse. William Coplin, the director of the public affairs program in Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, said he does not think the merger would fix the root cause of the city and county’s economic issues.

The city may be put under the state’s fiscal control if something does not change, though, said Minchin Lewis, an adjunct professor of public administration and international affairs at the Maxwell School.

Devyn Passaretti | Head Illustrator

Published on February 28, 2016 at 6:57 pm

Contact Delaney: dovanwey@syr.edu