In the eyes of most students close to her, Monfries was the victim of a series of tragic events, with her death becoming the target of intense scrutiny nationwide drawing criticism and commentary from the furthest reaches of the country. Misperception of the events and a national search to place blame quickly overshadowed the impact of Monfries’ loss to the Fordham community.

Historically, conversations between Fordham’s student activists and its administration have ranged from the cordial to the contentious. However, under Fordham’s Chief Diversity Officer Rafael Zapata, it appears as though the many conversations surrounding identity and inclusion on Fordham’s campus have finally come to a head.

A task force called together by Father McShane developed the idea of a required credit-bearing diversity course for Fall 2019, but it is likely to undergo a three to five year delay. The program is a part of the newly implemented First Year Experience, a multifaceted interactive yearlong program for freshmen.

“Sustainability is one of our number one concerns and Fordham takes it very seriously,” said Gerardo Galiano, assistant director of facilities operations.