The Carleton University Students’ Association (CUSA) and the Mawandoseg Centre staff have decided to relocate the centre to the current Scholarship Co-ordinator office, located on the third floor of the University Centre.
For Summer-Harmony Twenish, the Mawandoseg Centre co-ordinator, the relocation started off “a little rocky.” CUSA faced backlash after removing the centre’s office space and proposing that Twenish move to the administration-run Ojigkwanong Centre in Paterson Hall.
While she is reasonably satisfied with the end result, Twenish said she wishes more people were aware of the needs of Indigenous students.
“I think as Indigenous students on campus, we often have to not only play the role of a student, but also the role of an educator,” she said. “That kind of moves into positions like this where you’re working with CUSA and you’re working in this organization, and you have to remind them Indigenous students have different needs.”
Despite this, she acknowledged how CUSA held themselves accountable after the initital backlash.
“It’s not because we want special treatment,” she said. “It’s because we feel like it’s important we acknowledge these differences.”
According to CUSA president Zameer Masjedee, the Scholarship Co-ordinator office would “make the most amount of sense.” He also added that he was pleased with how the process had gone to solve the issue.
He cited reasons such as its proximity to the old Mawandoseg Centre, its location relative to the other on-campus spaces they could use for programming, and its prominent location on the third floor.
“I think everyone’s happy, and now it’s just a matter of monitoring it over the course of the next semester and seeing if we have to make any changes going forward,” he said.
Masjedee also said there were concerns with how the space would be used, but said he is supportive of the programming planned for the space and hopes to see students dropping in.
Twenish expressed interest for creating a separate, designated space for students to study and host Indigenous programming. She also said she wanted a space that would “cater to students’ needs” and would engage both the Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities.
“I’d like to see a space that isn’t small or off in the corner, but something where even non-Indigenous students can feel like they can come in and learn things and start a dialogue and realize that Indigenous students aren’t scary and unapproachable,” she said. “We’re actually part of the student community.”
The move is currently underway and should be done by the end of the week.
Photo by Shvaugn Craig
