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On Feb. 27, 2025, the Haitian American Student Association at Syracuse University released a statement addressing a growing issue: declining attendance at student organization events, particularly within Black and cultural groups.

Their message was clear: if students continued not to show up, cultural organizations risked losing their platform. At the time, national rollbacks of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives were already creating uncertainty for Black student organizations, making the lack of support on campus feel even more devastating.

It’s been a little over a year, and students still aren’t showing up.

For some, nothing has changed. These events are still happening. People just aren’t going.

“I think there’s a lack of engagement because there is no community responsibility,” Amaya Saintal, president of HASA, said. “Especially for cultural organizations, we were created to provide a third space to students … to build community, it takes inconvenience … and that selflessness is gone.”
Saintal’s point goes beyond attendance. Showing up used to be a form of responsibility to your peers and your community.

Now, participation feels optional.

At first glance, it seems like SU students are prioritizing individual needs over collective responsibility. But this explanation is incomplete. Students do care. We’re recognized as one of the most socially aware generations, with strong concerns for societal issues like racial equity, mental health and civic engagement.

Unfortunately, awareness doesn’t always translate into action. On campuses like SU, students may value community in theory, but struggle to consistently show up for it in practice.

I’m not going to pretend I attend every on-campus event, because I don’t. But I do care about our community, and I would be devastated if we lost it.

Many pin this lack of action on the nature of college. Between coursework, jobs and other responsibilities, many students simply don’t have the time or energy to attend events consistently.

This gap in engagement is also seen in cultural Greek organizations. Across campus, some student groups are seeing stronger turnout than others, pointing to differences in visibility and outreach.

“I’ve seen a steady decline in student participation at events across campus. Even for our Greek Unity Step Show, we had to rely on alumni and visitors to help fill seats,” said Zari Heron, president of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., who has been involved in the NPHC community on campus for nearly three years.

Her observations point to a growing disconnect between student organizations and the communities they aim to serve.

“There’s a disconnect between the student body and what we’re doing as a council,” Heron said.

She noted that students are often quick to attend a social gathering after an event, but not to the event itself. Others believe a lack of promotion from these organizations is to blame.

“Students often don’t know certain clubs are available, so more outreach needs to be done,” said Sydney Brockington, president of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

Without consistent outreach, students often don’t even realize what events are happening, making attendance less likely from the start.

While organizations can benefit from promoting events through word of mouth, community engagement and social media, there’s also a broader shift in how students approach their time.

There’s been a noticeable shift in how college students approach their time and priorities. More students have begun to think about careers earlier, and involvement is becoming increasingly tied to professional outcomes.

But this shift comes with trade-offs.

When time is limited, students are more likely to invest in spaces that feel directly beneficial to their future, like internships, leadership roles and networking rather than cultural organizations that may not offer immediate return.

This doesn’t mean students aren’t getting involved anymore. Instead, it means that students are being intentional and strategic about their time. Oftentimes, when an event competes with a student’s perception of productivity, it loses.

But as Saintal noted, cultural spaces were never meant to function as optional spaces.

They were built to sustain a collective identity. When students begin to treat them as something to attend only when it’s convenient, their purpose starts to erode.

HASA’s warning still stands. If students continue not to show up, organizations won’t just lose attendance. They risk losing their presence altogether.

Rebuilding this culture can’t fall on student leaders alone. It requires a shift in mindset from the student body itself. We can’t see community as an obligation, but as something worth showing up for. If participation continues to feel optional, the spaces meant to support students may not be there much longer.

Students don’t need to join an abundance of cultural organizations to promote campus engagement. Instead, do your research on the organization you may be interested in. First, research their mission — see if it aligns with what you may want to contribute to that organization. Then, aim to connect with its leaders and members to see if you click with them.

If the organization piques your interest, join. After joining, realize that you now have a responsibility to serve both the community and members of your organization. This responsibility should transcend how you feel on a given day.

Showing up isn’t always convenient — but it’s what keeps communities alive.

Trayson Blain is a junior majoring in psychology. He can be reached at tblain@syr.edu.

Published on April 22, 2026 at 8:53 pm