Senators Stephanie Gounder ’08 and Nick Pastan ’09 presented the proposal to the AAS at its weekly meeting Monday. The proposal attempts to reach a compromise to accommodate both the MCC and the AAS, explained Gounder. “We want to make this less of a conversation of the AAS just giving up its office space, and turn it into a question of how can we, as the AAS, collaborate on progressive issues on campus.”
The proposal consists of two parts. The first stipulates that the AAS will hand over its office to the MCC, provided that the AAS finds adequate new office space that satisfies its needs. The proposal resulted from the MCC Committee’s request two weeks ago that the AAS relinquish its current office space in the basement of Keefe Campus Center. The space allocated to the new MCC is presently a closet in the Octagon. The committee feels, however, that Keefe would be a much better site due to its central location and close proximity to other cultural groups on campus. Additionally, occupying the Keefe office would not conflict with the charters of affinity-group designated spaces, unlike the Octagon that has prompted concerns since it is designated for the Black Students Union.
Gounder disclosed that the AAS has been asking student groups, that less actively use their office space, if one will willingly cede its space to the AAS. The AAS will likely have several possible locations by the end of this week. She also mentioned a long-term plan to strike an agreement with the administration that would guarantee that the AAS regain its space in Keefe within five years. “By that time, hopefully [the MCC] will get space in the Social Quad tailored to their own needs,” she explained.
The second part of the proposal describes the advisory and advocacy role the AAS will assume to shape the MCC. “As senators, it is important to acknowledge the importance of the center,” Pastan said. “And as representatives of the student body, we need to make sure that the center has the ability to buy the most inclusive things and the most helpful things for all different walks of campus, and for all the kinds of leadership training and programming that will benefit the entire campus.”
Preceding the proposal, Student Affairs Officer Rachel Cardona ’05 and MCC Committee member M.J. Smith ’09 outlined the reasons why a center is needed, what it will do, who will be a part of it and why the center should be located in Keefe.
The MCC Committee’s goals for the center are numerous, but most importantly, they include creating a more inclusive campus environment, providing additional support for students from underrepresented backgrounds and increasing the visibility of diversity programming. The center will include many different events and services, such as leadership training for affinity groups, a mentoring program for students from diverse backgrounds and a centralized calendar of all cultural programming on campus.
All students and faculty will be encouraged to visit and use the resources. “We don’t want to marginalize the center. It’s not just for underrepresented groups; it’s for the student body as a whole, especially the support services,” said Smith.
Nonetheless, several senators expressed concern that the MCC might foster segregation rather than inclusion. Senator Tadeusz Pudlik ’09 described a tension he perceives to exist between inclusive goals and a limited focus of the MCC. “On the one hand, you seem to want to create a more inclusive campus environment where everyone is treated equally, but on the other hand, you seem to be providing alternatives to already-existing programs. We do have a counseling center, career center and mentoring program already in place. These are supposed to treat all students equally. If you want to increase the extent that the campus is integrated, isn’t creating a special segregated facility for them against that goal?”
Cardona emphasized that the center is not for segregated groups. Smith elaborated, “It is about increasing the knowledge and accessibility to existing resources. We’re just making it easier for students to access information and resources that are readily available to them that they don’t know the avenues to take to get them.”
Nevertheless, Senator Pat Benson ’08 also expressed concern. “I think affinity groups happen to be segregated. Whether you promote all of the affinity groups or none, it’s still promoting distinction between our different students,” he said. Cardona disagreed, saying that she does not see affinity groups as fostering segregation, but rather as groups essential to students’ success and to the education of all students on campus. “Our greatest weapon against segregation is providing a diversified program that isn’t specific to one group or one culture. We are all here because of the unique elements that make us up. There’s no reason we shouldn’t be able to promote this,” Smith added.
As the MCC takes shape, the AAS hopes to hold an open forum so the entire student body has a chance to be heard. The proposal on support for the new MCC was passed by the AAS after discussion ended. The senate tentatively plans to vote next week on the temporary site of the AAS office.