NYU’s Swipe it Forward program — a food donation system that allows students to request a free meal swipe at select dining halls — has received 470 donations since its start this semester, 457 of which had been used by students, according to chair Ron Hall during the Student Government Assembly’s meeting on Thursday, Nov. 3. Hall said he has discussed the addition of an online donation option to the program with a senior NYU administrator.

“We’re seeing a clear need,” Hall said. “We have to really be persistent and consistent with how we’re collecting donations before we can ease up on the gas.”

During the meeting, the student government also passed a statement in support of NYU Law’s Immigrant Rights Project after members expressed concerns about an NYU Law event hosted by the school’s Public Interest Law Center, which featured two U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement attorneys. The statement was passed on principle — the event had already been canceled prior to the student government’s meeting after protests from students and faculty.

“We understand PILC’s desire to cater to all public interest students, which inherently involves governmental work,” the statement reads. “However, we urge NYU to not allow agents of an organization that has a long history of oppression and violence to be allowed to promote itself on our campus. ICE has a history of racial profiling, retaliating against immigrant rights activists, ignoring the law, fabricating evidence, relying on false ‘evidence,’ confiscating and destroying documents and belongings of detainees, and purposeless detentions.”

Another resolution was passed in support of the Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors and Science Act of 2022, which allocates $280 billion over 10 years for scientific research. The statement praised the law’s recognition of graduate researchers and support for science and technology education. 

The student government then debated sending a letter to the U.S. Bureau of Consular Affairs regarding extensions and renewals on temporary visas for international students, with some arguing that the bureau does not have the resources to focus more on student visas. The letter, which was ultimately not passed, was meant to address wait times of up to 400 days for non-immigrant student visas.

The letter was specifically addressed to Rena Bitter, the assistant secretary of state for Consular Affairs at the bureau. Student government representative Maggie Knight opposed sending the letter, saying it should instead be addressed to Congress. 

 “This request comes from a really good place, but it could also be very damaging,” Knight said. “While I support that there needs to be something done to reduce these wait times, I just want folks to keep in mind that I don’t think that this is the avenue to do so.”

The SGA will be holding a networking conference with the Student Veterans Association on Monday, Nov. 7, for Military Appreciation Week, and a town hall with President Andrew Hamilton on Monday, Nov. 14.

Contact Yezen Saadah at [email protected].