A little over two months ago, the university broke ground on a new building, the Joseph P. Mack Catholic Center, on Goergen Field (behind the GAC). Recently, a fence has gone up, and heavy machinery is in place to start construction. For some, this is a good moment and for others it raises some concerns. I’d like to take a little time here to better explain this building, how it came to be, and how it will impact us as students.

This project was approved several years ago (2017) by leaders no longer in power, who signed binding contracts to build this building, along with eventually the Greenbaum Center for Jewish Life. The Newman community is large, and their fundraising efforts have accounted for the cost of the entire building. While this building has no financial cost to us as students, we do have to pay a different kind of price––losing valuable green space.

The field that is being torn up is a place where club sports held their practices and events, where the Dandelion Day concert used to be held, where the senior picnic was, where we line up graduates for commencement every year, and so much more. And beyond that, we are shifting away from the model that the Interfaith Chapel has long represented: a space where students of all religions can gather and worship together, share resources, and foster community.

The Interfaith Chapel began construction in 1967 after a committee of faculty and administrators from major religious groups decided that the best path forward for religious life would be to create a multi and interfaith facility promoting cooperation and shared space. While the needs of our campus community have certainly evolved since the 1960s, it’s important to acknowledge the roots of that vision and appreciate the identity and sense of belonging we’ve built around it. The inscription on the front façade of the chapel reads, “Mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people” (Isaiah 56:7). Interfaith isn’t just special because all are technically welcome, it’s special because all feel welcome.

This building will be built; that’s the contractual reality. But the location was chosen without proper student or community feedback, which is evident in the fact that many of you have reached out asking what’s happening on the field. As your elected representatives, we weren’t initially informed either, which is why I believe it’s important to communicate all of this to you.

The construction of this building is great news for some members of our community, and I hope everyone can recognize the benefits the building will bring. That said, we must hold its usage accountable. We must ensure that all are welcome there, that spaces labeled “open to all” truly are, and that the interfaith cooperation we value remains strong. I urge you to stay engaged, ask questions, and help shape how this building serves the diverse and vibrant community we share.

Elijah Bader-Gregory

President, Students’ Association