Baruch College held its first Family Day in decades on Sept. 4, where students and parents were introduced to college life at Baruch. This event marks a step towards Baruch promoting more involvement in student life, serving as a reminder of the importance of spreading awareness of events that increase student involvement.

The last documented occurrence of Family Day, formerly called “Parents’ Day,” was in 1957 in an issue of The Ticker. 

This year’s Family Day included several events, from workshops and campus tours to performances. The event introduced new students and their families to the campus and its social life.

While the turnout for Family Day was reasonable due to the college using several promotional channels such as social media and postcards, Baruch could have taken a different approach to further drive involvement. 

The event was scheduled for a late Thursday afternoon, when classes were still ongoing. A Friday after work hours would have been more optimal as the campus is typically less crowded and more students are free.

Additionally, Baruch could have utilized more of its resources to increase awareness by mass emailing first-year seminar professors to help spread the word. The college could have also informed clubs to share the news among their members, especially if they were participating in the events to promote additional student life opportunities. Providing advance notice to students and clubs can help encourage involvement.

If Baruch’s goal is to promote student life, it should utilize school and club resources to help spread awareness. For example, the school did not invite clubs to participate in Convocation Day to help involve freshmen in student life.

Despite these drawbacks, the effort is a positive shift in Baruch’s push for greater student involvement. Continuing to promote student life could lead to a great tradition and a stronger sense of community among Baruch students.

With better planning and communication to include the student body on the matter, Baruch can ensure that no one’s needs are not sidelined.