As the library finally begins its first floor renovations, it was announced that the MSA Prayer Room would also be relocated.
The prayer room was first given to the MSA a little less than a year ago. They were excited to receive the room, which had be carpeted and painted for their use, and thought at the time that they had finally found a permanent home on the SXU campus.
This changed a few weeks ago when the MSA received an email explaining that the library renovations were causing the school to relocate the MSA to a new prayer room.
Renovations to the library are paid for by a grant provided be the state of Illinois. Money from the grant has more-or-less been received by the school in two batches. The first portion of grant money was received a few years ago and paid for the renovation of the second floor of the library into what it is today.
When the school established the prayer room for the MSA, they had no clue when the rest of the money would arrive to fund the renovation of the first floor.
Eileen Doherty, the Dean of Students, was informed that the money had finally arrived for renovations to proceed a few weeks ago and contacted the MSA about the fact that renovations would require a relocation of the prayer room.
Being used to being moved from temporary room to temporary room, the MSA was initially worried but hopeful about the prospective of being relocated once again.
“MSA is hopeful in getting a better space, yet it must be a permanent one before our current one is taken,” said Ahlam Shaabneh, Co-President of the MSA.
The school is planning on making a permanent new prayer room for the MSA
“A new permanent location is being identified,” said Doherty, “In the transitional period, the MSA will be given a temporary prayer room in L209 for their Friday prayer.”
The University hopes to have a permanent prayer room readied by the fall semester.
Joshua Humphrey
News Correspondent