At Syracuse University, members of the LGBTQ community are celebrated and appreciated. The university provides a variety of resources for students, but a more recent addition to the SU curriculum could be what really makes Syracuse different from other schools.

Last year, SEM 100 was introduced as a required course for all first-year students. The university said the goal of introducing this class was to foster a more inclusive and diverse community on campus for students. While met with some resistance from students as a waste of time, the course has since accomplished even more than what it set out to.

What many students figured would be a requirement to check off the list before graduation has become a vital stepping stone for SU students to learn how to open up to classmates and engage as active listeners to their LGBTQ peers.

Students in SEM 100 classes have demonstrated openness and willingness to engage in discussion with their classmates about subjects such as sexuality and family backgrounds. When discussing topics as sensitive and personal as gender and sexuality, students said instructors made it clear that everyone was allowed to be vulnerable. Some students share their pronouns and instructors encourage students to announce their own pronouns before speaking.

“One thing teachers should do is assume that LGBTQ students will be in the class and let them know they are welcomed — through respect for students’ pronouns and chosen names,” said Margaret Himley, director of LGBT studies.

For some students, the SEM 100 classroom is the only place they feel they can truly talk about their sexuality.

Freshman Charlotte Kreissler said she is thankful for the opportunity to participate in SEM 100.“We have a chance to meet people that we probably wouldn’t converse with in the first place and talk about subjects like diversity at SU and sexuality,” Kreissler said.

 

To Charlotte and many other students, the principle of why the course was made alone is enough to create a welcoming environment at school. Charlotte said the class is a good place to discuss sexuality.

“I think it’s probably more appropriate than any other class just because it was made for the reason of welcoming students,” she said. Knowing that a class was designed so that students have the opportunity to talk about these subjects prompts them to do so, cultivating unique discussions in the classroom.

Some students don’t believe SEM 100 is a place where meaningful conversations about diversity and inclusion will occur. The course has made many students question if it is even worth their time at all, but if everyone participates in discussion and supports each other’s contributions, the class can be successful.

This course has everything it needs to be a helpful tool for new students. The only thing it is missing is students willing to get the most out of it. By actively contributing and participating in class discussions, students are going to gain insight about axes of diversity they might not have otherwise encountered. Every student has something to say, and the SEM 100 classroom is the place to vocalize and hear those things.

Syracuse University has made profound efforts to cultivate an accepting and welcoming environment on campus. It’s important to appreciate and take advantage of these resources.

Alex Battaglia is a freshman newspaper and online journalism major. Her column appears bi-weekly. She can be reached at abatta02@syr.edu. She can be followed on Twitter at @alex_battaglia.

 

Published on September 18, 2019 at 1:02 am