The WRC hosts its events in front of Welch Hall, this is their temporary location. Photo provided by the WRC.
By Mary McFadden, Staff Reporter
After closing off women’s history month, the university’s own women’s center continues to not have a physical space on campus. After several trips to and from the library front desk attempting to track down the Women’s Resource Center’s (WRC) location, The Bulletin was informed they are not on campus but are working remotely. The department serves the campus community, which is made up of 65% of female students, two-thirds of the student body, and is nowhere to be found in a physical location.
Currently, because of the WRC’s less than ideal site, student engagement has dropped by 60%, according to Megan Tagle Adams, director of the WRC and the Multicultural Resource Centers. The center has a scheduled placeholder in the Classroom Village, which is still under construction; as far as its open date, it is tentatively scheduled for the fall of 2022. Matt Smith, Assistant Vice President of Student Life, and Tagle Adams both have expressed their concerns about the lack of communication, construction delays, and issues, and with the promise of the WRC open date seems futile.
Jennifer Hernandez, a CSUDH junior who frequently uses the services of the WRC said, “It is such a shame. I feel disappointed, kind of disheartened, in fact, because I know, if and when, the WRC is up and running with a physical location, that location is going to excel with care, love, and support.”
The WRC has a rich history of fading in and out of the university since its inception in 1972. Once located in the Small College Complex for five years bouncing over to the library and ultimately backtracking to a virtual capacity, the WRC has not had a place to call home since 2019. This campus resource has made great contributions to the students of California State University, Dominguez Hills with support programs for single mothers and parents, talks of women in politics, anti-rape groups, the sponsorship of several events during “Women’s week” in the 80s and 90s, and its current G.L.O.W. (Growth & Leadership Opportunities for Women+) Internship. And though the center is rooted in women’s issues, everyone is welcome. To meet with the WRC staff, appointments can be made online with Tagle Adams or Alyeska Gutierrez Estrada, the WRC coordinator.
While COVID-19 has played a major role in the lack of progress for the WRC. The most recent update being construction delays, a leak is preventing the resource center from opening. The Bulletin has reached out to Roshni Thomas, Director of Facility Planning, Design and Construction, for clarification and has not responded to the emails. However, even with these setbacks, the lack of location poses the question: Why has it taken the university so long to find an appropriate space for it?
“If our needs for what type of space is essential for us to function were listened to and respected from the beginning of this process, it could have been streamlined much faster. It took […] the president to come down and walk through the physical space for it to finally be shut down and choose an alternative location. I would love for there to be better communication as well as to see the affinity centers prioritized as they should be,” Tagle Adams said.
Tagle Adams further emphasizes that the WRC, requires a space dedicated to people that is inviting and accessible, and its once proposed location, the EAC (East Academic Complex), a rundown building with concerns of mold, is the exact space that would nip its growth in the bud. Comfy couches, artwork on the walls, some coffee and tea, and a spot to decompress from a long day are essential for engaging and heart-warming conversations for the enrichment of student life and community.
“Currently it just feels like you have to just be in the know of the Women’s Resource Center,” says Hernandez. Most students are not aware the WRC is not present on campus. The personal issues many students are facing right now have limited access to where they can reach out, the WRC is a safe haven. Two weekends ago, a University Housing student had sadly passed away. These sentiments are echoed by Dean Smith, AVP of Student Life, “It’s important to keep pressure on the university, and on Roshni, and let them know this is a priority, and this needs to be prioritized and anything we possibly can do to reduce that cost, should be done.”
“While we were in the library, it was not an adequate space for what we do, and we do deal with students who are survivors and that’s not a space where students can come in and talk about issues that require privacy,” Estrada said. Now, the only other option is to make an appointment over zoom. This makes it challenging to develop a genuine connection, while talking about personal issues such as a pregnancy scare or self-harming, through a computer screen. That connection becomes minimized because initially meeting with someone over Zoom can be rigid and intimidating.
“I have gained friendships so much, from the cohort. I speak very strongly for the G.L.O.W. internship because those who have gone through it, have truly grown and have now gained skills to succeed in various aspects of Dominguez Hills. Out of the 12 members of my cohort, 3 are now McNair scholars,” says Hernandez. Student success is fundamental to students bonding with one another all while striving for higher education.
It is necessary that the WRC is a place that should be warm and welcoming, reminiscent of a place to call home. Not having a permanent home on campus is a huge disservice to the study body because the WRC serves as a supportive environment for many people that come and speak about sensitive topics that they would not normally share in other departments, or other areas on campus.
March is Women’s History month, the WRC has, in the past, organized large events, but due to the lack of space, celebrating the month has been a challenge to fill the calendar. However, the WRC does have upcoming events, such as Journaling for Black Women, a sexual liberation workshop, sexual assault awareness programs, closeline project, and Take Back the Night event, to celebrate women every month, not just in March.
The WRC is still making strides in the efforts to show CSUDH the strength of the program through its strong online presence on social media platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Torolink. Although there is no physical location, their phones and, according to the WRC’s website, one-on-one support services are available, as well as referrals for on and off-campus resources.
With a prospective WRC home on the horizon, the 50th anniversary of the WRC is next year.
