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One confirmable shared experience among all undergraduate students at Syracuse University is the requirement of the First Year Seminar course, which first kicked off in 2021.

Four years have passed since SU introduced the mandatory program. Considering President Donald Trump extended a finance-based deadline to American universities to delete diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, per the Associated Press, now is more than an appropriate time to reflect on our FYS curriculum, its shortcomings and how the university needs to restructure the class in order to maintain our inclusive learning environment.

“First Year Seminar (FYS) 101 is a…course that engages all first year and transfer students in guided conversations, experiential activities and written assignments about transitioning to Syracuse University campus life (and) exploring their identities,” SU’s website states. It’s evident the course intends to place added care on education about DEI literacy.

Under the current presidential administration, colleges across the nation have begun removing DEI-related courses from their curriculum, with some states going as far as to pass legislation banning these courses at their public universities.

Threats of suppression and the dismantling of comprehensive higher education make the manner in which FYS attempts to teach students unsustainable.

The robotic design of the curriculum leaves students feeling a lack of genuine connection with their peers and the lessons the course is trying to instill in them.

Nick Ewanchuk, a freshman majoring in mechanical engineering, described the instruction given in the class as “broad” and hypothesized that making the curriculum more personal would encourage collaboration among students, taking away the course’s repetitive feel.

I spoke to other SU students who shared similar experiences. Milan Hortua, a freshman majoring in information management and technology expressed that the class felt like one where he was expected to “sit there and let (the professor) talk about whatever they needed to talk about, and then leave.” This lack of classroom involvement is especially alarming considering the relatively small class size for FYS sections of roughly 25 students each.

Creating a new structure for the enrollment of each FYS class in a way that encourages cooperation — while still preserving the diversity within the course — could alleviate some of these shortcomings.

The university needs to group students studying the same major into FYS classes. This would allow the curriculum to speak directly to specialized types of students rather than making generalizations that appeal to the majority. This way, students are more likely to collaborate with one another thanks to shared interests and aspirations as members of the same program. It would help students develop familiarity with classrooms in their home college, too.

Another struggle in many FYS classes is the physical environment. My section was conducted in a small, crowded room, one that failed to reflect the diverse visual landscape SU is known for.

One redeeming quality of the course for me was the singular outing that each FYS class takes together during the semester. For these excursions, students visit notable SU landmarks like the JMA Wireless Dome or the Syracuse University Art Museum in the Shaffer Art building.

Stevie Walsh, an undecided freshman, said his experience visiting the Center for International Services office introduced him to a new aspect of campus. “The trip my FYS class took to the office made the lessons I learned about diversity feel more applicable,” Walsh said.

Ilana Zahavy | Design Editor

By increasing the frequency and depth of these experiences, the course would escape the constraints imposed by the cramped classrooms in which nobody wants to engage.

Increased student involvement with the campus would help FYS accomplish one of its main goals of making students familiar with their new home and inspire confidence while exploring it.

It’s worth noting that SU seemingly shows interest in improving the course, as seen in the surveys each student is encouraged to fill out upon completion of FYS.

These questionnaires, though, are nearly identical to the ones students can fill out at the end of the semester for every other class they take. They’re basic and non-descriptive, falling short in helping expose the holes in the FYS curriculum, as well as in reflecting the lived experiences of students in the class.

This suggests that, as of now, the university is not giving specific, direct attention toward revamping the course, despite students expressing desires for reform and inclusion of nationally important topics.

The FYS course is a critical facet of the SU curriculum, and must not only exist, but be a prioritized and protected institution at our private university. For most people, college is the first time they are truly exposed to the vital concepts and ideas these DEI courses should be revealing, so it’s on our representatives at this school to get it right.

It’s imperative the FYS program is restructured in a timely way that fosters involvement, collaboration and awareness for all students so that the course can be practical in its mission to promote inclusion on a diverse SU campus.

Will Chadwick is a freshman psychology major. His column appears weekly. He can be reached at wchadwic@syr.edu.

CORRECTION: A previous version of this article incorrectly referenced the Syracuse University Art Museum. The Daily Orange regrets this error.

Published on February 18, 2025 at 10:35 pm