Editorial : SU Showcase should focus on different topics

On May 2, Syracuse University will host its third SU Showcase, a day devoted to students presenting their academic work. The event began under the name MayFest in 2005 as a day to showcase student research and creativity through presentations, displays and performances, among other things.

The day and its cause have gradually diminished, as well as student appeal and participation. The administration’s decision to make the overarching topic sustainability for the second year in a row represents a major flaw in the potential scale of the event.

Environmental sustainability is an immensely important and relevant topic, especially to Syracuse, which is trying to brand itself as the Emerald City. But seeing as this was the topic of SU Showcase last year, perhaps the day would have drawn greater student participation if the theme targeted a new section of students on campus. Though nearly every profession touches environmental sustainability in some way, students are moved and inspired by a variety of other broad, appropriate topics for such a day.

If SU Showcase means to unify student work across campus, as it has the potential to do, than it must be better organized to attract more student participation. This could include tailoring the topic for each school and college’s focus; simply changing the topic from year to year; basing the focus off one or more university lectures, which already have campus-wide appeal; or marketing the event more thoroughly.

The university reuses the term ‘sustainability’ to reference a host of university issues, including finances, benefits, environment, infrastructure and other policies. It is a buzzword and a go-to word that is losing its effectiveness and meaning, no matter how important and loaded that meaning is.

There are hundreds of students who are proud of work they’ve produced in class and would likely want to show it off. There must be a way to tap into this talent and interest. Likewise, cloistering the exhibit in Panasci Lounge may facilitate the presentation process, but it removes it from its very public previous location on the Quad. If the university likes the way the day has evolved into a smaller, green-focused event, then perhaps it should rename SU Showcase to the Sustainability Showcase.