I, a driven and passionate biology student, have faced a challenge that is not unique to me. The current professor for the Bio 101 course at City College of New York - Fardad Firooznia, has proven to be an obstacle in my, and many other students’ academic journeys. His attitude, examination questioning styles, and content presentation is making an introductory (!) course unnecessarily difficult.

This is not the future I envision for fellow students who are eager to deepen their understanding of biology. City college must foster an environment that cultivates passion and interest, not fear and anxiety of a subject. An introductory class should incite curiosity and love for the subject, not deflect it with unreasonable difficulty, as it is important to remember that this course does not require a previously taken chemistry or biology class, however Professor Firooznia does not explain basic concepts, and while relying on the self study of students is necessary, it should not make bulk of course studying, because after all, why are we paying tuition in a college to self study?

Before taking this class, numerous students advised me against it due to the only professor available being Fardad Firooznia, but I took it with a grain of salt because of potential biases. However, I have since found out from staff members and an overwhelmingly large number of students that more than half of the students fail this class. I though to myself, if a person will ace bio 102 and other, non-introductory and more content-heavy biology courses while almost failing an introductory biology course, maybe the students are not the problem.

Change is necessary for the sake of future biology enthusiasts, aspiring medical school students, and the reputation of the college itself. We urge the City College of New York to reconsider the current Bio 101 professor in light of this feedback, for the benefit of future students and the overall learning environment.

If you too believe in a balanced educational environment that pushes for student success rather than breaching their confidence, please support this cause and sign this petition.