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Syracuse University faculty members held an information session Tuesday night on the future of the First Year Seminar, a required course for first-year students.

The virtual meeting educated graduate students on course objectives for the fall 2022 semester and how to apply to be an instructor.

The meeting comes after a recent Student Association town hall that discussed student concerns with FYS 101’s curriculum. The one-credit course, according to the SU website, is designed for students to engage in the SU community while discussing topics such as identity and privilege. SA responded to the university’s drafted Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility plan with a list of recommendations to improve FYS 101.

An ad hoc SA committee released a report Friday responding to the university’s drafted DEIA plan and said FYS 101’s curriculum does not accurately discuss or educate students on the #NotAgainSU movement. The committee recommended that the curriculum be created with or by #NotAgainSU leadership.

Tuesday’s meeting focused on the activities instructors would have their students engage in FYS 101, including zip-lining and making blankets for dogs at local shelters. SU faculty spoke about the course’s role in helping new students adjust to campus life and become more conscious of their actions.

There was no mention of any changes to the curriculum during the information session for lead instructors, though Kira Reed, a first-year experience co-chair, said that FYS 101 receives more feedback from students via surveys than most other courses. The course sends supplementary surveys, in addition to the course feedback survey sent at the end of every semester, to students throughout the course to allow for more feedback.

“Every semester we take more extensive course evaluation feedback than other courses and then we always review as a team and reflect on changes,” said Reed, who helps develop the course’s curriculum. “This course is always evolving with each semester.”

Chandice Haste-Jackson, the interim director of the first-year seminar, said SU changes the course content based on student feedback.

“Some of the content this year was a direct result of what was asked for from students in (last year’s) course feedback,” Haste-Jackson said.

Published on December 8, 2021 at 2:14 am

Contact Katie: ksmcclel@syr.edu | @katie_mcclellan