Diversity center has potential, but still needs more discussion

Among the campaign platforms in last year’s Associated Student Government elections, the need for a diversity resource center became a major point emphasized by the candidates. ASG is now working to make that happen.
The Advocate believes in the need for more clarification on the center.

Specifically, we would like to know that the center is going to be well used and well received by students, especially for the money that might be allocated for the center.

The center would take the space that is currently the Lake Room in the College Center and would need new carpeting and painting.

At the ongoing Finance Council meetings, proposals for the center involve a total budget of $89,000, which covers the start-up and maintenance costs.
Included in the $89,000 is $54,000 for a full-time staff member in the center, $20,000 for the renovations and $15,000 for materials and resources that one would not find in the library. As part of that budget, the co-curricular section of the Finance Council is being asked to fund $35,000, leaving $39,000 to use on another project.

Let’s clarify: This is a lot of money. That being the case, we just want to make sure the money is going toward something that will be used to its full potential.

The Advocate is not opposed to a diversity resource center. We only want to make sure that MHCC does not create a diversity center just to have one like other colleges, like Portland Community College for example. If we are going to have one, let it be useful to the students.

So far, there has not been much clarification on what exactly a diversity resource center will be used for, or what the potential full-time staff member will be paid to do. There has been no indication of student feedback on this center.

Last year a diversity coalition, which has since disbanded due to graduation of student leaders, proposed the idea to help students cope with going to school in such a diverse environment. They travelled classroom-to-classroom talking to students about the specific need for the center and what the benefits would be. This year, that has not been the case.

No specific information has been given out about what ASG has done to find out what students want out of the center.

Have they done the research? If they have, we would like to see that information released to the student body. We would also like to see ASG put in work talking to frequenters of the most popular congregation points on campus to see if there’s something missing from these sites. Would students like somewhere else to go? What would they like to see in that space?

What would they expect to be offered by staff that works in that space? Do they feel diversity is an important subject that needs attention on campus?

If this research has already been done, we need to see the results. The conversation so far has been between the President’s Cabinet, some district board members and ASG. With such a big decision being given to only a few students, there really needs to be more of an attempt by ASG to show why this space is needed and who specifically it will be serving. ASG members have shown they are passionate about this project. We need to know why.

Perhaps some posters informing the student body would be appropriate.

The Call of Nature News has proven to captivate audiences in the past.

An announcement calling for feedback in that space would be an effective way to not only inform but encourage response from the campus community on such an impactful decision.