In late January, UWM students and staff received an email announcing the school’s plan to create a new student space that houses all existing multicultural centers.
This decision is based on data that student-centered, holistic support improves student well-being, which will improve graduation rates, according to the site dedicated to the merger.
The Black Student Cultural Center, First Generation+ Resource Center, LGBTQ+ Resource Center, Military and Veterans Resource Center, Off-Campus Resource Center, Roberto Hernandez Resource Center, Southeast Asian American Student Center and the Women’s Resource Center will be included under one umbrella on the ground floor of the Student Union.
Students are invited to give suggestions on the services, space and goals provided by the unnamed hub at eight design input sessions beginning Feb. 11 and ending with a virtual session on March 9.
Chia Youyee Vang, Vice Chancellor for Community Empowerment and Institutional Inclusivity, and Kelly Haag, Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs, have been chosen to lead the discussion sessions.
The pair say the idea for a new student center has been under works for around a year. Pro staff and student employees that currently work at these existing centers will not lose their jobs, according to Vang.
“This is a very difficult moment for me to be saying these things, knowing how impactful these offices have been for the past 55 years,” said Vang at the input session for the Roberto Hernández Center. “In this moment, what we are trying to do is find a way for UWM to better serve our students together.”
There are currently no set plans for vacant office spaces in Bolton Hall.
Student employees in the existing offices say they are frustrated with how the university is not equally communicating with staff about the change. Lua Pederson works at the LGBTQ+ Resource Center, located on the first floor of the Student Union. He said he found out about the merger from student employees in the Bolton Hall centers.
The staff is trying to keep each other informed on what is going on to support each other and doing what they can to let UWM administration know they are not happy with the decision.
“The whole situation is incredibly disrespectful, not only to the students working at the cultural centers, but also the students that benefit from the cultural centers,” said Pederson.
Staff have been attending meetings about the merger and UWM’s Chancellor has not been present for most of them. When Chancellor Gibson is present, he seems to be out of the loop and has to ask for clarification from university admin, according to Pederson.
The university “says they’re listening, but they’re not showing any action whatsoever to show that they are listening,” he said. “The most they’ve been able to offer is to slow down the process. We aren’t giving up, there are more meetings to go to and let them know what we think.”