As part of a “portfolio review,” Syracuse University is pausing the enrollment of new students in BA programs in Religion, Jewish Studies, Middle Eastern Studies as well as foreign languages and other programs in the Humanities.

The onus is placed purely on faculty to come up with what are basically band-aid solution to the nation-wide crisis in majors in the Humanities. Rather than create mechanisms that encourage students to enroll in these impacted programs, the Administration is taking a sink-or-swim approach to the undergraduate curriculum.  This at a time marked by massive confusion about things like religion and political life, Jews, and the Middle East, and the value of humanistic study.

The other day I ran into an Associate Dean on my way to class who has been involved in the portfolio review. I believe she is acting in good faith, even as the situation is probably helpless. We started chatting, I’m sure about the portfolio review. Completely at random, a very bright student approaches us and warmly introducing himself to me. Turns out he’s the son of an old friend from my days in Habonim and he knows my 21 year-old.

The Dean was, I think, very much aware of the interaction.

Here’s what I wrote to her:

Hi K.: 

I wanted to reach out after what I thought was a funny encounter re: that student we ran into who recognized me and started chatting me up. He’s the son of a friend of mine who recognized me from a photo and by reputation. He just spent a year in Israel with a progressive Jewish youth movement. A first year at student. INTENDED INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS major. 

As he and I continued walking, I told him that given his interest in Israel and the Middle East and North Africa that he should consider a double major in MESP (Middle Eastern Studies Program).  We’ll meet, I hope, and I’ll continue to push this with him..

The issue here is that ADVISING and DEGREE WORKS and especially COLLEAGUES in the larger departments should be recommending the smaller programs of study to students as complementary to their own programs of study. They should be actively seeding students across the colleges to programs like MESP, RELIGION, JEWISH STUDIES, etc. 

Wishing you all best,

Zak