Syracuse University students should take advantage of Student Association’s newly introduced program, Chat & Dine. This is a universal program all students could benefit to from, but SA and students share equal responsibility in its pending success.

Chat & Dine was implemented in November 2014 after SA approved a $3,000 allowance, which drew from Student Advancement Fund. The program gives students the opportunity to interact with professors, faculty and staff outside of the traditional classroom or office hours setting. Groups of two to four students will be paired with one faculty or staff member for luncheons at the Goldstein Alumni and Faculty Center’s dining area.

Students should make the most of this new program by applying to participate in Chat & Dine. In addition to free lunch, it provides a unique opportunity for students to engage with faculty. The application is available online and at the Office of Student Association, and only requires a few short answers about how students would benefit from lunch with a professor. Students should not let the idea of an application deter them from partaking in the new initiative.

Likewise, while Chat & Dine is a good use of SA’s budget, the organization will have to make sure the program is known. SA has spent time and money organizing this initiative; it would be unfortunate for its efforts to go to waste because of poor advertising.

Learning is not exclusive to the classroom. It is beneficial for SA to provide a casual setting for students to become more familiar with their professors. This will certainly help those who are in need of some more personalize attention.

Chat & Dine is a valuable addition to the programs offered at SU in theory, but with proper advertising and student engagement it will become a reality.