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Several leaders of campus multicultural organizations said they feel their sense of belonging on campus is being threatened by Syracuse University’s recent decisions and adherence to federal policy shifts.

SU has recently implemented several changes in response to national rollbacks on diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility at higher education institutions, including closing its Office of Diversity and Inclusion and pausing admission to 20 majors.

Amaya Saintal, president of the Haitian American Student Association, said cultural spaces on campus are “slowly disappearing.” For Saintal, these spaces offer conversations where students can express themselves freely.

“Not having those spaces really does impact your experience here and how you show up as a student, but then also how you continue to grow as a leader,” Saintal said.

Since President Donald Trump’s administration issued a series of executive orders targeting diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility programs earlier this year, colleges and universities nationwide have removed DEIA language, policies and offices to comply with new federal guidelines.

Over the summer, SU replaced ODI with an Office of People and Culture unit under the Office of Human Resources, removing references to “diversity” and its DEIA Strategic Plan from its website.

SU follows other higher education institutions’ decision to remove DEIA language. Currently, 400 United States institutions have eliminated or rebranded centers or programs promoting DEI, according to PBS.

In September, the university also paused admissions to 20 majors within the College of Arts and Sciences, including African American studies and Latino-Latin American studies, without faculty input. The decision was part of SU’s ongoing portfolio review.

“It’s exhausting,” said Jesús Tiburcio Zane, the president of Latiné Undergraduates Creating History in America. “We’ve been pushed to the side.”

In a September University Senate meeting, Vice Chancellor and Provost Lois Agnew cited overextended resources and the university’s attempt to support more programs than it can afford as the reasons for the portfolio review.

Along with limited cultural spaces, Saintal said there’s an increased fear among students that they’ll be punished for speaking out. She said college campuses should be a place where students can speak openly and feel safe doing so.

Tiburcio Zane agreed that the changes have impacted Latine students’ sense of community on campus, and several Latine students have told him they are now considering transferring, he said.

“Some people might be targeted because of their skin color, how they act, how they feel, how they look. And it’s just been extremely difficult to just try to live,” Tiburcio Zane said.

Currently, SU’s fall 2023 undergraduate makeup was 44% minority groups. Eleven percent of students are Hispanic and Latino, 11% are U.S. nonresidents, 7% of students are Asian, 7% are Black or African American, 4% are two or more races, 2% ethnicity is unknown, and 1% are American Indian or Alaska Native, according to National Center for Education Statistic data.

Saintal said while SU is recognized for its connections, failing to prioritize cultural organizations in the same way as other organizations harms students’ overall experience, along with future career opportunities. Without community networks, students aren’t able to form connections.

Tiburcio Zane said he’s noticed a difference this year in how SU supports its cultural organizations. He said they haven’t been given the same platform as previous years, specifically, for the Welcome Fête and the Latine Heritage Month opening ceremony.

Despite planning beginning in July, the university moved the Welcome Fête from the Women’s Building field to the Schine Student Center just two days before the event, he said.

In a Wednesday statement to The Daily Orange, an SU spokesperson said over 2,000 students attended the 2025 Welcome Fête, a record-breaking turnout.

“The move from the Women’s Building field, which was responsive to student feedback, not only allowed for increased visibility and attendance, it also provided a more accessible location, ultimately creating a more inclusive and welcoming experience,” the spokesperson said.

In their comment, the spokesperson did not address The D.O.’s request for confirmation if the location change was made two days prior.

Although Tiburcio Zane doesn’t know the exact funding amounts, he said both events had limited promotion and appeared less organized than in past years.

Registered Student Organizations receive annual budgets through SU’s Student Government Association, which allocates funding based on event proposals and available resources, according to its policies. Earlier this year, SGA implemented catering caps for student organizations due to over allocation to RSOs in previous semesters.

Yogesh Mohapatra, events chair for the South Asian Student Association, said he’s seen a decrease in RSO funding. This semester, SASA received $3,000 for its catering — about a third of last year’s budget, he said. Mohapatra said the cuts have limited the events the organization can host, directly affecting student engagement and turnout.

“That’s really messing up a lot of the community that has been created, and putting a lot of unnecessary roadblocks that did not need to exist,” Mohapatra said. “I think the university could definitely be doing so much more.”

When SU decided to close its ODI, Saintal said the university failed to clearly communicate what the change would mean for students.

Lylla Schindler, president of Indigenous Students at Syracuse, also questioned the university’s decision to change ODI’s name to fit within federal policy guidelines.

As a member of SGA, Schindler said she was involved in the name-changing process, where administrators explained the office would still support students in the same way. She said the office’s reach appears the same, and changing the name shouldn’t impact its values or ideology.

Ainsley Puc, Pride Union’s president, said SU administrators may have “swept things under the table” to avoid student panic, but believes the university has generally been transparent.

Landon Nance, Pride Union’s vice-president, said her organization has been “lucky” to not be affected by SU’s changes. Though she said she’s noticed other groups changing event names and not openly promoting certain language to protect their organizations.

“It’s kind of scary to be threatened with such a big, ambiguous message of ‘Give no one support ever,’ especially on a college campus,” Nance said. “I think they’re just trying to keep what we do have in a safe bubble.”

Puc and Nance said Pride Union’s focus remains on providing a fun, safe environment rather than political discussions. Both said its funding hasn’t changed this semester, allowing the group to operate normally.

In response to SU’s changes, La L.U.C.H.A. and other student organizations have taken to social media, advocating for minority communities hit hardest by the Trump administration’s policies on diversity and immigration.

In June, La L.U.C.H.A. posted a statement on Instagram in response to ongoing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids, encouraging members to stay informed and find strength in their community, promising to fight for students’ “right to live freely and without fear,” the post reads.

Despite being an activism-based organization, Tiburcio Zane said La L.U.C.H.A. was less vocal last year out of concern it would be targeted as a minority organization. This year, he said he hopes to take more of a stand.

Most members have supported activism efforts, Tiburcio Zane said, but La L.U.C.H.A. will continue to prioritize student safety.

“I do notice a change in terms of how confident students feel in the ability to use their voice,” Saintal said. “It’s tough trying to navigate, ‘When I can speak up and when can I not, and am I putting me, my friends, or my work at risk?’”

SU’s Black Student Union also released a statement following the AAS admissions pause, calling on students to take collective action by attending AAS events and enrolling in courses. The post also acknowledged the major’s “slow death” over the past three years, after being “starved of resources” and facing low enrollment.

“The survival of African American Studies depends on us, the student body, recognizing its value and fighting for it in practice — not just in words,” the statement says. “Allowing it to disappear because of our own inaction means complicitly contributing to its erasure.”

Saintal said she worries about how students will learn about Haitian culture without the AAS major. While HASA aims to create educational spaces, the organizations will now have to “tiptoe” around controversial language, she said.

“It does leave a lot of us wondering whether or not the school wants to prioritize us as students and offer more conversation, dialogue and opportunity,” Saintal said.

Schindler said the AAS major, which had existed for decades, stood for cultural change.

With admission to the 20 majors paused, Schindler said she’s worried about what will happen to the Native American minor program and its faculty members.

“It kind of puts us in a position where we’re thinking, ‘SU really only wants students that are from a certain background,’” Schindler said.

ISAS has five professors who self-identify as Native American all of whom are heavily involved in the organization and serve as mentors for Indigenous students, Schindler said. As the only direct representation of the Indigenous faculty on campus, Schindler said its staff provides vital support.

Schindler said with SU’s “lack of transparency,” the organization relies on the Native Student Program Coordinator to inform students about what’s going on. As an SU alum, the coordinator has been “straightforward” and doesn’t avoid controversial topics, she said.

ISAS hopes to provide a community where students can feel safe voicing concerns, Schindler said. She added that several of the organization’s Canadian members have also raised concerns.

“We all feel like family,” Schindler said. “Not being alone in a time of uncertainty just definitely helps, and knowing that other people are kind of in the same situation as you.”

Tiburcio Zane said Latine faculty have inspired students to potentially pursue careers in higher education despite ongoing attacks from the Trump administration.

He said that everyone needs a support system, and La L.U.C.H.A. has helped him form his own.

“Having this community has kept me and other people going,” Tiburcio Zane said. “Knowing that we have similar cultures, traditions and just backgrounds in general, just makes us feel understood and seen within each other.”

After Chancellor Kent Syverud announced his resignation, SU’s Board of Trustees said it would work with “input from faculty, staff, students, alumni and friends of the University,” according to an August campus-wide email.

Schindler said she hopes the next chancellor is more involved with campus cultural organizations, so when the university has to make funding cuts, they understand the importance of these communities.

Tiburcio Zane agreed he would be “disappointed” if the chosen chancellor tried to “hide” or “limit the existence” of minority groups, and restrict what student organizations can do.

“We’re students, we have work and projects, exams. We already have a lot to do,” Tiburcio Zane said. “Having to carry this emotional and mental burden, along with that, it’s just impossible to function.”

Published on October 16, 2025 at 2:07 am