Muslim Cultural Community Center Proposal

Muslim Cultural Community Center Proposal

Presented by : Muslim Students Awareness Network (MSAN), Islamic Society of Stanford University (ISSU), Organization of Arab Students in Stanford (OASIS), Lebanese Student Association at Stanford (LSAS), the Muslim Board, the Stanford Egyptians Association (SEA), the Muslim Board, Pakistanis at Stanford (PAS), the Coalition for Justice in the Middle East (CJME), Malaysians at Stanford (MaS)

Supported by : Students of Color Coalition (SOCC), Stanford American Indian Association (SAIO), Asian American Student Association (AASA), MEChA, Black Student Union (BSU), Sanskriti, Asian American Activities Center Advisory Board

February 8, 2006

Executive Summary

The Stanford Muslim community is one of the oldest established communities in Stanford’s history dating back nearly half a century. Today it incorporates over a dozen cultural student organizations comprising nearly 10% of the student body. With growing interest, the community has expanded to include more than just Muslims, and is made up of individuals who identify with or have an academic, political, historical or social interest in Islam and/or global Muslim communities and cultures. The steady growth of the community over the last twenty years and the explosion of organizational activity in the last five years warrant the allocation of resources afforded to communities of similar size. This can be properly addressed through the establishment of a Muslim Community Center on campus and the hiring of a full-time Muslim Community Director.

The mentioned growth has created certain needs which go beyond the current resources available to the community and its student leaders; these include but are not limited to:

(1) counseling and guidance services sensitive to Muslim organizational, cultural and religious needs that provide students and groups with institutional memory and increased access to university resources and other campus groups

(2) space for meetings, events, activities, offices, and community gatherings that would make the community more visible and accessible to the Stanford community

A Muslim Community Center and a Community Center Director would serve the needs of the Muslim cultural community and enhance the campus environment. In light of recent world events there is a great focus on the Muslim World on a global stage, this Center would stand to the benefit Stanford by promoting much needed dialogue about Muslim culture. By creating a Muslim cultural community center on campus and hiring a community director, Stanford can establish itself as a leader among American collegiate institutions in its support of Muslim students, re-affirming its commitment to promoting cultural diversity and serving the needs of all communities at Stanford, and create a richer, vibrant, and more welcoming campus community.

Proposal Summary

Objective

The Muslim community is inviting Stanford University to take a leadership role to promote intercultural relations by the establishment of a venue that attracts and engages students who identify with the Muslim Culture. Hence, the Muslim community is requesting funding and approval for the use of space on campus for the construction of a Muslim Community Center, and funding for hiring a full-time Muslim Community Center Director.

The Community that We Serve

The center will serve the community that identifies with or has an interest, scholarly or otherwise, in Islamic culture, the Muslim world, global Muslim communities, non-Muslim minorities within the Muslim world, etc.

This community encompasses, but is not limited to, the following student organization: Islamic Society of Stanford University, The Muslim Student Awareness Network, Organization of Arab Students in Stanford, Persian Student Association, Pakistanis at Stanford, Malaysians at Stanford, Stanford African Student Association, Sanskriti, Indonesian Club at Stanford, Lebanese Student Association at Stanford, Stanford Egyptian Association, Turkish Student Association, and the Coalition for Justice in the Middle East.

History of the Muslim Community

The organized Muslim community at Stanford has a history that dates back to the 1950s when the first Islamic Society at Stanford University (ISSU) was formed to promote cultural and social events for its members. This organization faced up and down times until the 1990s when a wave of second generation Muslims entered the University and expanded the focus of the organization. To fulfill their goals, a host of new organizations grew out of the ISSU in the mid 90’s including, the Muslim Student Awareness Network, the Coalition for Justice in the Middle East, Pakistanis at Stanford, among many others. Through this decade, the organizations have continued to grow and have strengthened their presence on campus to accommodate the increased interest in Islam and the energy of its growing constituencies.

The Needs of the Community

The needs of the community can be grouped into three main categories; personal needs of member individuals, institutional needs of the member organizations, and educational needs for people with interest. The following is a brief of some of the needs discussed in the proposal.

Personal Needs

A safe space, or a home away from home; students need a place to which they belong with the ever increasing pressure on anyone identifying with Islam
A place for socialization and cementing personal relationships, and furthering intercultural constructive interactions
Directed Counseling, sensitive to the cultural aspects of Islam.
Consultation on visa issues; as a focused and continuous level of support beyond the much needed general services provided by the Bechtel Center.

Institutional Needs

A centralized location; allowing the organizations of our community to break out from their isolation and rare communication.
Institutional memory; as the organizations find it difficult to maintain their identity and achievements as their leaders graduate.
Large-scale community projects; student leaders, no matter how motivated, have been unable to carry out such daunting projects themselves
Liaison to university resources and other cultural communities; the student leaders lack any established reference to the resources available and any long term relationships with other cultural communities that is established through community centers.
A place within the university’s structure that will allow the cultural Muslim community a formal voice within the administration
Unified space for organizational needs including space for offices, meetings, and events. This will free the university resources to the aid of other organizations.

Educational Needs

A pivotal resource about the Muslim cultures and Islam that provides interested students with links and connections to people and institutions here and overseas
A venue for learning about and discussing issues relating to Islam, given the current increasing interest in Islam, as a civilization, culture, and faith.

How to Address the Needs

The needs listed above can be addressed through the establishment of a cultural Center that serves this community. This center should be directed by a staff member within the DOSA structure. The cultural center will be inviting to the community members that identify with it and an accessible resource to the Stanford community.

In order to achieve the set criteria, the center needs to include offices, meeting rooms, computer rooms, a community library , a lounge, and a kitchen.

The staff member will act as a liaison to the University’s administration and a link to the other community centers’ heads. His/her work should cover two two dimensions; as an advisor and a resource. As an advisor, the staff member will help students with counseling, visa issues, orientations, etc. As a resource, he/she will promote cultural interactions within the community, strengthen ties with other community directors, promote academic and cultural programming and help direct interested students to available resources.

Achieving the Goals

Given the clear need for a Muslim Community Center and a staff presence in the Muslim Community and the strong commitment Stanford University has shown to promoting cultural diversity and serving the needs of all communities at Stanford, we propose having Stanford University approve the allocation of space for the Muslim Community Center, finance its development, and incorporate the position of the Muslim Community Center Director within the DOSA hierarchy, making the DOSA accountable for paying his annual salary. This mirrors the most effective approach Stanford has used with other community centers on campus (BCSC, El Centro Chicano, etc.).

The Center

Due to our limited exposure to the processes and regulations of Stanford, we do not advocate a specific location or strategy. Nevertheless, we offer three possible scenarios which we aim to discuss in detail with the administration. These three are constructing a new facility, renovation of a current campus facility, and incorporation into the Tressider Student Union. A more elaborate discussion of these scenarios is available within the full proposal.

The Director

The director of the Muslim Center will play a vital role in achieving the goals listed above. The director has to work closely with both the Bechtel International Center and the Student Counseling Services. The director will ideally be an experienced relatively young American national, who is a practicing Muslim with a background in counseling or a related field. Such characteristics will allow him/her to relate to our community members as he/she will be close to their age and well versed in the American culture. His/her working knowledge of Islam will allow him/her to relate to both secular and religious community members. A background in counseling or education will allow the director to best address the advising needs of the students.

There are several resources from which we can draw some help in locating/training a director. Such resources include the Islamic Society of North America’s Leadership Development Center, and the Council for American Islamic Relations.

Conclusion

By creating a Muslim cultural community center on campus and hiring a community director, Stanford can establish itself as a leader among American collegiate institutions in its support of students of all cultures, re-affirming its commitment to promoting cultural diversity and serving the needs of all communities at Stanford, and create a richer, vibrant, and more welcoming campus community.

Full Proposal

Introduction

With an organized presence that dates back nearly half a century, the Stanford Muslim community is one of the oldest and most established communities in Stanford’s history, now incorporating over a dozen cultural student organizations comprising nearly 10% of the student body. This vibrant community represents a faith which includes nearly one fourth the world’s population and embraces cultures and ethnicities spanning from Morocco to Indonesia--- an area which includes 52 nations and 60 languages--- in addition to established minority communities in the Americas, Europe, and Australia. In spite of the steady growth of the community over the last twenty years and the explosion of organizational activity in the last five years (symbolized by the awarding of the 2004-2005 ASSU VSO of the Year title to the Muslim Student Awareness Network), the Muslim cultural community has constantly failed to receive resources from the university that have been afforded to organizations of similar size. The community lacks any meeting, office, event, storage, or community congregation space on campus, and instead is allotted only a small prayer room in Old Union. This, although sufficient for religious practice needs, has significantly hampered the ability of organizational leaders to plan community and public events, and has rendered the Muslim community invisible and inaccessible to most students. The community also lacks a staff presence on campus--- an important source of guidance and direction--- making it exceedingly difficult for the community to maintain an identity over time, carry out long-term projects, or preserve institutional memory. These needs can only be properly addressed through the establishment of a Muslim Community Center on campus and the hiring of a full-time Muslim Community Director.

Background

History

The organized presence of Muslim students at Stanford University dates back nearly half a century, making the Muslim community one of the most established communities in Stanford’s history, and one of the oldest collegiate Muslim communities in the country. In 1958, graduate student Marghoub Quraishi, a new international student, approached the foreign student advisor to ask if there was a Muslim student group on campus or a mechanism for getting in touch with other Muslim students. When the advisor informed him that no Muslim group existed on campus and that the university did not permit the use of facilities for religious purposes, Quraishi, along with several other international graduate students, made plans to pray the obligatory Friday prayer together. Not having a room for prayer, they prayed on the lawn of the old International Center. After a couple of weeks, this group of graduate students approached the advisor and, later, the registrar to formally create a Muslim student group. At the conclusion of a two-year process, the Islamic Society of Stanford University (ISSU) was born, then as a cultural organization, headed up by a small group of international graduate students. They congregated weekly at the International Center and received funds for programming. However, after a fire destroyed the International Center in November 1961, the students were once again left without a place to congregate and pray. Over the next two decades, they met in various locations around the area, the different members’ residences, and a room on College Avenue in Palo Alto. In addition to the weekly congregational prayer and Friday night social event, the group, then called the Stanford Islamic Society (SIS), held occasional guest lectures and cultural events. The growth of the American Muslim community, symbolized by the founding of the first continental organization of Muslims in North America in 1963 (The Muslim Student Association), was reflected in the organization on campus. However, the membership still largely consisted of married graduate students living at Stanford Village in Menlo Park. Activities and attendance within the SIS increased as the needs of the students grew and changed. When more Muslim students moved into the area with their families, the group decided to create a summer youth camp for the growing group of children. In 1969-70, such a program was created for about 25-30 children from Stanford and UC-Berkeley and lasted about three years. At the same time, the SIS began to increase its visibility on campus, including hosting cultural "Muslim Evenings" in Dinkelspiel Auditorium. Their productions included a Muslim wedding and an enactment of the celebration of Eid--- a Muslim religious holiday. With food booths at multicultural events and receptions at the International Center, the Stanford Islamic Society gained limited visibility on campus. However, lacking office or community space on campus and forced to meet off-campus, the Society was in practical isolation from the rest of the student body. In 1981, a new group of student leaders, led by Hussein Al-Hussein, approached the administration for a room in the Old Union Clubhouse, in which other religious organizations had their office. The next year they were given Room 19 (named ‘the musallah’ – meaning a place of prayer in Arabic – by Muslim students) on the 2 nd floor of Old Union, which they shared with another organization. In 1983, Room 19 officially became the SIS’s room to use as a library and a prayer area. Its convenient on-campus location allowed it to be utilized as a library, community gathering area, information center, and prayer room open for the five daily prayers. This move to the Old Union Clubhouse also officially marked SIS’s new formal role as a religious organization. With a prayer room on campus, the Society became more active and visible within the Stanford community. In the early 1980’s, students volunteered with the International Center to host new Muslim students, and Muslim students began to work with RA’s and dorm staff to hold dorm presentations on Islam and Muslim life. The society hosted the Islamic Society of North America's (ISNA) West Zone Conference in Memorial Auditorium and invited prominent speakers to give lectures in Kresge and Dinkelspiel Auditoriums. In 1987, Stanford required all groups not university-sponsored to change the names of their organizations out of the Stanford possessive, so SIS became the Islamic Society of Stanford University (ISSU). By the late 1980s and early 1990s, the second generation Muslims in the United States began going off to college, increasing the number of active Muslim undergraduates in the area. Instead of having a concentration of international graduate students on student visas leading the organization, the ISSU began to have younger and younger leaders who were better integrated into the American system, and this in turn had a tremendous influence on its activism, policy, and visibility in Stanford. In addition to serving the spiritual needs of the community--- through Friday congregational prayers in Bechtel International Center, daily prayers in Room 19, a regular study group that met on Friday evenings, and nightly communal breaking of the fast during Ramadan--- the ISSU also became involved in prison outreach, community service, a weekend Sunday School for Muslim youth, and activities to raise awareness about Islam. In 1999, the ISSU was awarded the inaugural Dean’s Award for outstanding campus contribution, highlighting its role in enhancing campus life. Over time, Muslim students, especially the new wave of second generation Muslims, began to realize that the ISSU could not serve the spiritual needs of Muslim students, represent the cultures of American Muslims (including indigenous American Muslims and immigrants), and promote awareness about Islam and political, economic, and social life in the Muslim World to the entire Stanford community all at once. As such, the mid 90’s featured the emergence of cultural organizations that served to expose the Stanford community to the diverse cultures in the Muslim World. PSA (Persian Student Association) was founded in 1993 and PAS (Pakistanis at Stanford) was formed in 1996, soon followed by OASIS (Organization of Arab Students in Stanford), the Malaysian Students at Stanford, and an increased Muslim participation in SASA (Stanford African Student Association), Sanskriti (South Asian student organization), BSU (Black Student Union), and other cultural organizations. Muslim students also became more active politically, playing vital roles in organizations like the Coalition for Justice in the Middle East (CJME) and the Stanford Community for Peace and Justice (SCPJ). In addition, 1996 featured the birth, out of the ISSU, of the Muslim Student Awareness Network (MSAN), a cultural, non-religious organization that raises awareness about Islam and the Muslim World to the general Stanford community. In 1997, Muslims on campus, mainly through MSAN and the ISSU, held the first Islam Awareness Week at Stanford, which featured speakers, a calligraphy workshop, displays, and a banquet for the entire Stanford community. The immense popularity of the event has made it an annual tradition where MSAN, ISSU, and various cultural organizations come together to promote awareness about Islam and life across the Muslim World. The aftermath of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 greatly affected Muslim activity on campus. The immediate backlash against Muslims in America highlighted the ignorance about Islam among people in the U.S. and inspired many second generation Muslims to become more active in spreading awareness about their faith and culture. This led to a growth in all organizations related to the Muslim World on campus. The work of Muslim students on campus suddenly became very important, especially given the absence of a rigorous Islamic Studies program at Stanford before and after 9/11. MSAN became the epicenter where the most drastic transformation took place. In 2002, MSAN ran for and, by majority vote of Stanford undergraduates in the spring elections, received special fees, providing them with access to about $9000 a year. However, the organization was still run primarily by about seven core members, who met once a week over weekend brunch, and narrowly focused primarily on political events in the Middle East. The 2004-2005 academic year was a watershed year for MSAN: its membership core tripled (with an active group of twenty principal members), it settled on a permanent meeting location (in the Sequoia Room of Tresidder on Monday nights), the size of its e-mail list doubled (to include over 500 members), it held roughly three times the number of events held in the past with a diverse range of events, and event attendance skyrocketed with better publicity. MSAN increased its annual budget by 50% (to nearly $14000), became a well-known organization across campus, and, most importantly, created a diverse cultural community committed to creating change. This success led MSAN to receive the 2005 Dean’s Outstanding Distinction Award and be named 2005 ASSU VSO of the Year. Community Served

The Muslim cultural community involves more than just Muslims – it includes all individuals who identify with or have an academic, political, historical or social interest in Islam and/or global Muslim communities and cultures. This includes, among others: (1) non-Muslim minorities from the Muslim World (many of who identify themselves as being part of the Islamic culture) (2) members of the Stanford community who study the culture or region and regularly attend campus events related to these issues; and (3) activists who raise awareness about the political and economic situation in the Muslim World. Our community is unique in the sense that, while we are represented by people from all over the globe, our members are closely tied together by a common culture and way of life. Although no precise data has been collected, we estimate there are about 400 Muslims at Stanford (about 40% South Asian, 20% Persian, 20% Arab, 20% other). The larger “Muslim cultural community”, defined here, is estimated at close to 1000 students. On average, roughly 110 people regularly attended the community breaking of the fasts during Ramadan and about the same number regularly attend the congregational prayers on Fridays and are active among Muslim or cultural organizations related to the Muslim World. The MSAN announcement list, alone, includes 511 people and events Muslim organizations hold regularly draw 100-200 people in attendance (with audiences sometimes as large as 300-400).

The Muslim Community at Stanford primarily expresses itself through: (a) the Islamic Society of Stanford University (ISSU), an organization that directly serves to strengthen Stanford’s Muslim community spiritually and socially and develop students to become future leaders; (b) the Muslim Student Awareness Network (MSAN), a group that seeks to raise awareness about Islam and the Muslim World to the Stanford community through speaking events, panels, film screenings, cultural dinners, etc.; and (c) various cultural groups (Pakistanis at Stanford, Organization of Arab Students at Stanford, Turkish Students Association, etc.), which serve to represent the various cultures of the Muslim World and promote cross-cultural dialogue.

Current

Although no precise data has been collected, we estimate there are about 400 Muslims at Stanford (about 40% South Asian, 20% Persian, 20% Arab, 20% other). Moreover, there is a larger “Muslim cultural community, estimated at 800 students,” which includes non-Muslims from the Muslim World and Stanford students who have displayed an active interest in the politics, cultures, economies, and societies of the Muslim World. On average, roughly 110 people regularly attended the community breaking of the fasts during Ramadan and about the same number regularly attend the congregational prayers on Fridays and are active amongst the organizations mentioned above. The MSAN announcement list, alone, includes 511 people and events Muslim organizations hold regularly draw 100-200 in attendance (with audiences sometimes as large as 300-400).

Muslim student organizations currently utilize a wide variety of spaces on campus to meet their spatial needs. Until very recently, Room 19 in Old Union was used as a prayer room (for the five obligatory daily prayers) and a community library, and the Friday Congregational Prayer was held in the Ballroom of the Old Union Clubhouse. With the renovation of Old Union for the next eight months, Room 19 will be closed, replaced by a small room in the Religious Studies Building (Building 60, Room 61E) and the Friday congregational prayer will be rotating between various rooms in Tressider such as Cypress and Oak Lounge East. In September, Muslims will be given a room – similar in size to Room 19 – on the 3 rd floor of the renovated Old Union, and the Friday congregational prayer will likely be held in the communal prayer room on the same floor. Stanford Associated Religions was keen to take care of the religious needs of the Muslim community within their limits. The new center should suffice the community needs in fulfilling religious obligations.

Without a centralized meeting place, MSAN and ISSU hold weekly general body meetings and weekly leadership meetings (with organizational directors) in Tresidder Union, in meeting rooms and the 2 nd floor lounge. The Muslim Board (composed of the leaders of MSAN and ISSU) meets monthly between the Nitery and the study lounge in Kimball. PAS meets weekly on the first floor of Tresidder Union (in the area between Peete’s and Subway), OASIS congregates in the CoHo, CJME meets in the Sequoia Room of Tresidder Union, PSA meets in the lounge on the 2 nd floor of Tresidder Union, and other cultural organizations meet in similarly varying locations across campus. Without a centralized location, these organizations operate in isolation from one another and hardly communicate.

Lacking a staff presence on campus (including a representative in the Office of Religious Life), the Stanford Muslim Community currently uses several sources for advising purposes and has a limited senior presence. Its primary guidance comes from PhD students (who have been on campus for several years) and occasionally from contacts in the Bay Area Islamic community (once or twice a year). Finally, this month, Thom Massey has created a Muslim Students Advisory Group, consisting of Thom Massey, Khalil Barhoum, Jamila Rufaro, and Jim Cadena, which met once this quarter with the leaders of the Stanford Muslim Community.

In spite of the tremendous progress Muslim organizations have made over the past few years, the Muslim community still has strong community needs that urgently need to be addressed. Similarly, Stanford University faces unique challenges that coincide directly with the needs of its Muslim community. Some of the most salient needs include:

Counseling : Like other students, Muslim students face difficult life situations, such as deaths in the family, internal struggles with faith, broken relationships, etc. They are forced to make tough decisions, from everything regarding marriage to academics to family, without much-needed external support. Specifically, there is a need for counseling that has an Islamic touch. Currently, community members tend to turn to senior community members and student leaders, but given their academic and organizational commitments, students lack the time to help all the students in need,. More importantly, they lack the proper training and expertise in psychology, counseling, and even basic Islamic knowledge to provide useful help. Considering that we have a diverse community with various levels of religiosity, such a person would be able to help meet the needs of students from all various backgrounds.

Institutional Memory : Like many groups at Stanford, the Muslim community lacks institutional memory, as the long-term organizational visions, structures, and event focuses of the group drastically change from year to year. Because the student life span at Stanford typically lasts only four to seven years, students in the Muslim community tend to reinvent the wheel and unwittingly think they must give rebirth to the organization each year. It also creates an environment that produces ambitious, active, reform-minded community leaders, whose work immediately becomes undone with their graduations. Thus, there is a need for a community presence that can connect short-term ambitions to long-term goals, maintain contacts and relationships over time, engage in long-term planning (five to ten year visions), and ensure that the organization stays active and remains closely tied to their vision over time.

Working Cultural and Religious Knowledge : One of the chief challenges Muslim leaders at Stanford have faced is ensuring that organizational undertakings reflect basic Islamic principles and cultural practices. However, student Muslim leaders often lack a deep, working knowledge of Islam and Muslim culture, making it difficult for them to evaluate how to approach situations, such as whether or not to host a particular event or a discussion on a certain topic. While such answers will never be cut and dry regardless of the level of expertise, a senior advisor could help moderate such discussions and provide a framework by which to approach such issues.

Help with Large-Scale Community Projects : Because students ' highest priority is academics, it is difficult for student-run organizations to handle very intensive projects (especially ones that require day-to-day work), such as fundraising, alumni relations, external relations, etc. Because the Muslim community lacks a staff person, such projects either do not happen or happen unsuccessfully, depending on the initiative of particular student leaders.

Adult Presence : From day-to-day guidance to support to even writing letters of recommendation, an adult and staff presence greatly aids student leaders in an organization. Without such a presence on campus, Muslim students today lack real-world perspective, a mentor, and a centralized source of guidance.

Consultation on Visa Issues : The post 9/11 climate at Stanford for international students, especially those from the Muslim World, has been very difficult. In the last few years, members of the Muslim community have faced FBI requests for interrogation (in one case, an FBI note to speak with Muslim community organizational leaders was even posted on the door to Room 19; in other cases, FBI agents have shown up to people’s doors), struggles in getting visas to return to campus on time, detention by authorities, and difficulties traveling. In fact, within the last three months over 20 Iranian students were faced with FBI requests for interrogation. When these events happen, community members have nowhere to turn. Inevitably, they turn to Muslim student leaders, who, in two cases last year and one this year, invested exorbitant amounts of time contacting lawyers and seeking outside help. While the Bechtel International Center provides helpful services, it only gets involved when approached by students and cannot provide the close, continuous contact and support that is needed to help those in need in these situations A staffed Muslim community center would help cater to the legal needs of the Muslim community by serving as a reference point for all legal needs. The services provided could range from everything from I20 workshops, to a source of aid and support when events like those in previous years take place.

Resources for New Students and New Muslims: It often takes new students or students who have an interest in getting involved in the Muslim community some time to find organizations like MSAN and ISSU and figure out how to get involved. Unlike other communities, who hold widely publicized Admit Weekend and Orientation Week events, the lack of a centralized meeting place for the Muslim community makes it difficult to conduct such widespread outreach. Having such a centralized location which could be used by all of the various cultural groups would immensely help in reaching out to the new students, and helping them with their basic needs during their first few months at Stanford. Moreover, Muslims who are not involved in the community and do not personally know their community leaders find it difficult to know where to ask questions or how to get involved in a limited capacity.

Visibility and Campus Accessibility: Stanford community members interested in learning about Islam lack a central resource point for obtaining information, finding out about upcoming events, and gaining exposure to an Islamic environment. Without an established Islamic Studies or Near Eastern Studies Center on campus, Stanford lacks a strong Islamic presence on campus (as a mere look at a campus map will reveal). While many communities have similar needs, the sheer size of the Muslim World and of the Muslim community at Stanford, its importance in contemporary times and its misunderstood nature, and the centrality of faith and culture to Muslims make the need particularly urgent

Academic Resources about Islam and the Muslim World: The clear absence of a Near Eastern Studies program and with the Islamic Studies program at its early stages make it difficult for Stanford students to learn more about the second largest religion in the world and for Muslims to challenge their beliefs and engage in high-level discussions about their faith. The university lacks sufficient class offerings, faculty that can teach these subjects, and the resources (books, videos, space, connections) necessary for high-level investigation.

Liaison to University Resources: Other than student leaders who have developed individual connections, the Muslim community lacks an official liaison to university resources, someone who knows the administrative structure and can guide students through the university labyrinth and work with people across departments to help Muslim students.

Networking: One of the major ways of networking among communities on campus is through relationships between community center directors, who find ways to institutionalize programs for inter-group collaboration (which often take place in community centers).

Cross-cultural Interaction: Without a large centralized place to congregate, the Muslim community often finds itself divided into cliques along cultural lines (Pakistani, Persian, Arab, etc.) and various cultural groups (PAS, OASIS, PSA, MAS) that rarely interact or hold joint programming.

Place within University Structure: Despite the significant size of its community, Muslims lack a formal voice in the university structure and a community leader who receives administrator training and develops administrative relationships.

Access to Practical Resources: The Muslim community does not have access to computers, copiers, printers, a TV, phones, microwave, VCR, a physical address, a kitchen, etc.

Office Space: Muslims also do not have access to office space, where community leaders can make telephone calls, receive faxes, and do other organizational work.

A Safe Space: Muslims simply lack a communal gathering place, where students can come together at any time and study, hang out between classes or on evenings, celebrate birthdays, or grab halaal food. Community dynamics are seriously debilitated by this and planning communal gatherings is daunting.

Meeting space: From the smallest of meetings (three people) to the largest (50-60), Muslim organizations are forced to run from place to place and are dependent on places such as Bechtel, Tresidder, or academic rooms being available. In many cases, meetings have had to be cancelled because of the inability to find space. Additionally, it is impossible for Muslim organizations to find space on short notice given the rules on reserving space in other locations. Moreover, without a centralized space, the many Muslim organizations on campus are forced to make many requests at other locations, which clogs up the reservation process and limits the space available to other groups.

Event Space: Much as in the case of meeting space, Muslim organizations face a similar bind in reserving space for events, large and small. Thus, from community iftars in Ramadan (held in the 1 st floor Tressider Union) to community banquets (often held in dorm lounges) to meetings/dinners with invited speakers and guests (often held at restaurants off campus), members must constantly reserve space in various places, often facing the uncertainty of finding it.

Community Library : The small size of Room 19 has seriously inhibited the size of the Muslim community library, forcing the community to limit the amount of books it orders and throw away the books that aren’t most immediately relevant.

Storage Space: The Muslim community lacks a centralized place to store things (posters, easels, banners, art materials, etc.), forcing them to store valuable items in cars, dorm rooms, etc. Relying on such unreliable sources has caused community members to experience loss and damage to valuable items.

Needs Assessment of Groups Involved

Stanford University: meeting space, storage space, event space, access to practical resources, networking, cross-cultural interaction, visibility and campus accessibility, resources for new students, institutional memory, counseling, consultation on visa issues
MSAN (Muslim Student Awareness Network) : meeting space, storage space, institutional memory, adult presence, office space, event space, help with daily organizational work, networking
ISSU (Islamic Society of Stanford University) : meeting space, storage space, institutional memory, adult presence, office space, event space, help with daily organizational work, resources for new students and new Muslims
Muslim Board : meeting space, institutional memory, adult presence, help with daily organizational work
OASIS (Organization Arab Students in Stanford) : meeting space, storage space, institutional memory, office space, event space, cross-cultural interaction
PSA (Persian Student Association) : meeting space, storage space, institutional memory, office space, event space, cross-cultural interaction
PAS (Pakistanis at Stanford) : meeting space, storage space, institutional memory, office space, event space, cross-cultural interaction
MAS (Malaysians at Stanford) : meeting space, storage space, institutional memory, office space, event space, cross-cultural interaction
SASA (Stanford African Student Association) : meeting space, office space, event space
Sanskriti : meeting space, office space, event space
Indonesian Club at Stanford : meeting space, storage space, institutional memory, office space, event space, cross-cultural interaction
LSAS (Lebanese Student Association at Stanford) : meeting space, storage space, institutional memory, office space, event space, cross-cultural interaction
Stanford Egyptian Association : meeting space, storage space, institutional memory, office space, event space, cross-cultural interaction
TSA (Turkish Students Association): meeting space, storage space, institutional memory, office space, event space, cross-cultural interaction
Coalition for Justice in the Middle East: meeting space, storage space, institutional memory, adult presence, office space, event space, help with daily organizational work, networking

Goals and Objectives

The Muslim Community is requesting funding and approval for the use of space on campus for the construction of a Muslim Community Center and funding for hiring a full-time Muslim Community Center Director.

Muslim Community Center

The Muslim Community Center would serve the needs of the Muslim cultural community, representing the culture of American Muslims and Muslims from across the Muslim World (incorporating 1.5 billion people, 52 nations, 60 languages, and over a dozen Stanford student groups). By having a permanent, visible location on campus, it would bring visibility to Muslim organizations on campus and accessibility for Muslims in need of community service and non-Muslims interested in learning about the faith and culture. One center serving the needs of so many different cultures within the Muslim Community would also breed cross-cultural interaction and relationships. The center would hold the following facilities:

Computer Room : Equipped with five computers, a printer, and a copier.
Three Offices : Each office will be equipped with a desk, a telephone, a bookshelf, three chairs, a computer, a clock, and other necessary office accessories. One office will be used by the Muslim Community Center Director, one to be shared by ISSU and MSAN, and one to be charged by the cultural organizations.
Lounge : The lounge will be set-up with a large couch, big screen TV, VCR/DVD, and a ping-pong table.
Meeting Rooms : The center will have three meeting/study rooms: one that can hold 25, one that holds 12, and another that holds 6. This would replace the many reservations Muslim organizations make across campus and would be open for reservation by the entire campus (other groups would likely utilize the opportunity to use the space when it is offered to them).
Large Open Area (capacity 120): This area would be used for all large events (movie screenings, speaker events, community dinners, etc.). Ramadan dinners (currently held on the 1 st floor of Tresidder) would be held here, as well as Islam Awareness Month events, and most cultural and religious awareness events. This would replace the need for most MSAN events currently held at random locations across campus
Community Library: The center would include a community library, expanding on the library currently in Room 19, and include books about Islam and Muslim culture that would be accessible to anyone on campus.
Storage Space: Storage space would be made available either in the basement or attic for the over dozen Muslim organizations on campus and, if space permits, outside organizations that request it.
Kitchen : The center would have a kitchen and a small dining area, which will be used to cook halaal food, warm up food for Muslim community dinners, and for snacks for anyone at anytime who is interested.

Muslim Community Center Director

The Muslim Community Center Director would be a part of the DOSA organizational structure (under Thom Massey; much like the directors of El Centro, BCSC, LGBT-CRC, and the Women’s Community Center), who would be accountable for the actions of the Muslim community and who would serve as a resource for all Muslims on campus and Muslim cultural and religious organizations. Some of his/her responsibilities would include:

Liaison to University Resources : Would collaborate with other university officials to serve the needs of Muslim students.
Counseling : Would be available for consultation with Muslim students on personal, religious, and academic affairs (especially new students and new Muslims).
Consultation on Visa Issues: Would serve as a primary contact for Muslim (and non-Muslim international) students when problems arise regarding visa and immigration issues.
Advisor to Muslim Cultural Organizations: Would help advise campus Muslim organizations, especially serving as a source of institutional memory and working religious knowledge and providing a desperately needed adult presence in the Muslim community.
Undertaking community projects: Would be the primary person in charge of fundraising, maintaining alumni relations, and other important tasks difficult for students to carry out.
New Student Orientation: Would help in making new Muslim students on campus feel welcome through coordinating communication with them from the moment of their acceptance through their freshman year, including planning Orientation and Admit Weekend events.
Networking : Would develop relationships with other community center directors and work to establish long-term partnerships with other communities on campus.
Cross-cultural Interaction : Would help to create programming that brings different various cultural communities together.
Organizing academic programs : Would organize academic programs for interested members of the Stanford community to learn more about Islam and the Muslim World, and Muslims to learn more about their faith and culture, which would include inviting renowned experts in the field to conduct seminars, lectures, and other programs.

Realization and Implementation

Possible Center Locations

Because of the scarcity of space across campus and the limited knowledge writers of this proposal have about available sites on campus, this proposal does not seek to advocate a specific site for the development of a Muslim Cultural Center nor a specific strategy. Rather, it offers three possible approaches, the most effective of which should be decided upon after consultation with the Stanford administration.

Construction of a new facility on open spaces on campus : Possible locations: (1) Open Space in front of Castano Dorm in Manzanita near the intersection of Campus and Escondido (2) The Parking Lot of the BCSC/Harmony House (currently holding portables for the community centers during Old Union Renovation) (3) Grassy Area behind Florence Moore Dormitory
Renovation/Conversion of Use of Current Campus Facilities: Possible Venues: (1) One of theportables currently Inhabited by El Centro/A3C/Native Center in the BCSC/Harmony House Parking Lot (these portables will be vacated in September 2006 when Old Union Renovation is complete and would admirably serve the needs of Muslim students) (2) Row House (Chi Theta Chi or Phi Sig, for example) (3) Rogers House (Note: It is our understanding that, with the renovation of Munger, several houses, including Mariposa will be moved to the area in front of Bechtel in the current Tresidder parking lot and that the Rogers House, except for the Bridge Peer Counseling Group, will be unoccupied) (4) Old Union (some section within)
Tressider: With the relocation of the ASSU and DOSA offices to Old Union, plenty of space will be available for allocation within Tressider. With the entire complex undergoing a comprehensive review, an allocation of space for the Muslim Community can be made.

Sourcing a Director

Given the varied role the Muslim Community Center will play on campus, an ideal candidate would possess the following characteristics:

A practicing Muslim (in order for him/her to be able to relate to and guide members of the community)
Relatively young (20s/30s/40s) (in order for him/her to understand the needs of college students, be energetic, and relate to the community)
American (or someone established long enough in the USA to understand its culture and people)
Background in counseling/psychology/education/related field
Experience working with Muslim organizations and Muslim communities

Possible places to source for a Muslim Community Center Director:

Muslim Community Association (based in Santa Clara, CA)
Islamic Society of North America’s Leadership Development Center
Council for American Islamic Relations (CAIR)
Other local/national connections to Islamic organizations held by the members of Stanford’s Muslim community

Conclusion

In the post 9/11 America where misunderstandings about Islam and the Muslim World run rampant, the need for cross-cultural dialogue about Muslim culture and for vibrant Muslim communities on college campuses is as strong as ever. This is especially true at a campus like Stanford, which lacks an established Islamic Studies Program or resources for students to learn about the Islamic culture or faith outside the classroom. By creating a Muslim cultural community center on campus and hiring a community director, Stanford can establish itself as a leader among American collegiate institutions in its support of Muslim students, re-affirming its commitment to promoting cultural diversity and serving the needs of all communities at Stanford. Moreover, the presence of the Muslim Cultural Community Center will undoubtedly create a richer, vibrant, more attractive and welcoming campus community for generations to come.

Muslim Student Awareness Network at Stanford University

MSAN