When it comes to upholding diversity within an institution, finding the right medium of communication between students, the administration and third-party organizations can be tricky. But with the selection of Bea González as the Syracuse University liaison to the Posse Foundation, SU has made the right choice.

The university announced Wednesday that González, who serves as the dean of University College and is a special assistant to Chancellor Kent Syverud, has been appointed as the formal liaison to the Posse Foundation, which has partnered with SU since 2011. Despite the university cutting funds for the Posse program in September 2014, the recent appointment of a liaison, particularly González, positions the university to finally make amends with the program and its place at SU.

Because the Posse Foundation aims to help promising high school students from underrepresented backgrounds, the 2014 decision to scale back SU’s involvement with Posse from Los Angeles, Atlanta and Miami to just the Florida city had a domino effect of discontent on the SU community. Students and faculty protested in September 2014 with Rally for a Difference, and THE General Body’s 18-day sit-in confronted the administration’s funding cuts among other demands.

But between the back and forth between student protesters and the administration, González was a fair constant. She embraced the role of a student liaison during a time of literal unrest when THE General Body was holding its sit-in. As was proved then and been consistent since, the dean’s ability to maintain a positive working relationship with members of the student body, even when they’re challenging the university, is why she is a strong, if not obvious, choice to truly bridge gaps where they are lacking.

Still, it is important to acknowledge that the timing of González’s appointment is questionable, if not entirely late, considering a liaison was arguably needed two years ago when SU was grappling with these cuts and the unsettling waves it may have created for those involved with the program.

Moving ahead two years after the protests and downsizing of the Posse program, a main focus of the university and the role of the liaison should be fostering and building on the potential for the university community and the foundation to reconnect in a way that is mutually beneficial. And by re-evaluating SU’s current relationship with the foundation, González can be the voice students wish they had two years ago.