Gathering Space for Spiritual Well-Being Updates

Mon, 20 Sep 2021 21:07:23 -0400

We recognize that the return to in-person classes and on-campus activities, while navigating Covid compliance, has been difficult. We are excited to welcome students into our new Center for Well-Being (CWB), which was developed to support students' physical, mental and spiritual well-being. But, we also recognize that the transition from the former shared interfaith space to the new shared Gathering Space for Spiritual Well-Being has been challenging. We appreciate the work of students and student organizations who have advocated to ensure that students' concerns regarding the hours and access are being heard.

As a result of ongoing conversations with students about their needs, we can share the following updates regarding access to the Gathering Space:

Gathering Space Reservations:

Reservations for use of the Gathering Space are officially open. Religion and Belief organizations can reserve the space using 25Live. Reservations are approved by i3b and are prioritized for Religion and Beliefs organizations. Please note that the number of people who can use the space at any given time is currently limited by COVID requirements.

Gathering Space Hours:

The Gathering Space is now open 8:00 a.m. - 9:30 p.m. daily. Due to safety considerations, students are not able to use the space outside of staffed hours.

Our Next Steps:

We recognize that our students need safe, comfortable, and convenient spaces to gather and to pray. We also know that there is high demand for Religion and Belief students to use the Gathering Space. While we do not yet know what the ideal long-term solution is, we are working with impacted students to help them meet their spiritual needs. Our current work includes:

1. For instances where the Gathering Space is reserved and unavailable, we have identified other campus spaces for students. This includes two spaces on the first floor of the CWB including:

1. The Mind Spa; and

2. The shared spiritual advising office.

We also have spaces available including:

1. The Mosaic Center (Commons 2B23)

2. The Women’s Center (Commons 004).

3. The Pride Center (UC 201D), and

We plan to share additional information about access to each space soon.

2. At the request of our students, the Division of Student Affairs has committed to making training available for their staff on inclusion of diverse religious communities and religious practices.

3. We know that the work is not yet done. We pledge to continue to work with students and community members to identify issues and to actively work toward solutions.

We thank our community for their commitment to our students and for their partnership in these sometimes challenging conversations. UMBC deeply values the diversity of our students, including the religious diversity represented across our campus. If you have concerns to share or would like to partner in this work, please contact Initiatives for Identity, Inclusion & Belonging (i3b) at i3b@umbc.edu or Dr. Jasmine Lee directly at jaslee@umbc.edu.