The A.S. Council adopted on Oct. 22 a resolution supporting the construction of an on-campus interfaith center that would serve the needs of the more than 40 student religious organizations at UCSD. The final vote on the resolution was 17-0-3.
“”Culturally, there is a widespread spiritual renaissance occurring Š a hunger in many that seek guidance, daily practice of meditation, and ritual expression,”” said Lynn Neu, a pastoral associate at the Newman Center and a volunteer at the Office of Religious Affairs. “”These are the kinds of needs that can be met by such a center.””
Thurgood Marshall College Chair Travis Silva, who authored the resolution in conjunction with students and staff members, hopes the resolution will send the right message to the campus community.
“”The goal is to show that an interfaith center is indeed a priority for the student body,”” Silva said. “”A lot of people are involved with this ‹ some of the religious S.O.L.O. orgs, individual members of the Office of Religious Affairs, and many students on our campus.””
Neu, who calls the proposed building a center for ethical and spiritual guidance, said that original plans for an interfaith center were halted in 1989 following a question raised on another campus regarding the constitutionality of interfaith centers at public universities.
Supporters of the resolution hope that construction of an interfaith center can coincide with the Price Center expansion project that students approved in spring 2003.
“”The construction footprint for the Price Center expansion has additional unfunded square feet of space that should be sufficient for a privately funded interfaith center,”” said David Six, a chemistry research associate at UCSD and member of the Interfaith Center Advocacy Committee.
Neu says that if construction of the interfaith center cannot coincide with the Price Center expansion, “”we anticipate that it will be delayed for a number of years.””
Debate on the council floor lasted less than ten minutes.
“”All the discussions of the possible center have been fully cognizant of the need to maintain the state-church separation and that any plans to proceed to develop a center would have to be approved by University General Counsel,”” said Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Joseph W. Watson. “”Consideration of a center is the result of student interests and the desire to provide facilities and services on the campus that respond to student-expressed interests and needs.””
Current plans call for a 17,730-square-foot center. The $7 million price tag will be funded exclusively through private donations and not with student fees or state funds.
The push for an interfaith center is not unique to UCSD. UC Irvine, UCLA and Cal State Northridge have interfaith centers, as nine other universities throughout the country, according to Neu.
The resolution states that the center would bring people of different religions together and “”increase their interaction and cooperation, leading to increased trust and support between those students.””
The resolution comes on the heels of tension brought about by the distribution of controversy over the Oct. 14 distribution of The Koala’s “”Jizzlam”” issue, which was first distributed in June 2003.
The text of the resolution draws upon the UCSD Principles of Community, which affirm the right to freedom of expression “”within the bounds of courtesy, sensitivity, confidentiality and respect.””
