VOL. CXVIII, NO. 151
DAILYBAROMETER.COM
FRIDAY, JUNE 3, 2016
OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY
Offering support
SEAN BASSINGER | THE DAILY BAROMETER
The Ettihad Cultural Center is one of the resources that are available to Muslim students on campus for prayer, support, academics and other potential needs.
Several resources available to Muslim students on campus for prayer By Lauren Sluss News Reporter
For Khalifa Alaqeel, being a Muslim student on campus was not met with difficulty or struggle—his religion has been constantly supported by the programs Oregon State University has offered. He found comfort through the Ettihad Cultural Center and University Housing and Dining Services’ commitment to providing for students during Ramadan. “I’m really comfortable here, and OSU has given rights to us as Muslim people,” said chemical engineering junior, Alaqeel. “There are a lot of Muslim students here, and OSU is taking care of them. If we ask anything for religious purposes, they will always help us out.” OSU’s commitment to aiding Muslim students has been restructured this year with the establishment of a multi-faith prayer room in the ECC. In years past, Muslim students had used the third floor of the Valley Library behind the archives for a prayer space, but were met with opposition, according to Mohamed. “We’ve requested a room from the library several times, but the library didn’t feel as though it should give religious support, and that wasn’t their goal,” Mohamed said. “The library actually tried to stop us, but they eventually gave up on that and accepted that the Muslim students go there to pray.” This year, however, both the INTO OSU program in the International LivingLearning Community and the ECC
located in the Student Experience Center Vice President of MSA, Omar Mohamed. offer prayer spaces and footbaths for “The point of the MSA has been to Muslim students. Although these spaces help serve the Muslim community are new, they still might not be enough, at OSU, educate the general student according to population about Alaqeel. Muslims and the “ The more str uggles and t h e b e t t e r,” needs of differAlaqeel said. ent Muslims at “Muslim peoOSU and eduple are spread cate them generaround camally about Islam,” pus, so just Mohamed said. those two The MSA will spaces are not provide Muslim enough. A lot students a comof people don’t munity of supk n ow a b o u t port, which can the SEC prayer help Muslim stuspace, and dents through would go home their OSU expeor find a very rience, accordsecluded area ing to Ahmed to pray.” Al-Manji, senior OSU is lookin mechanical ing to conengineering. tinue to supKhalifa Alaqeel “It’s not just port Muslim OSU that proOSU student students in vided me with years to come the environment through the rethat helped me establishment practice my reliof the Muslim Student Association. gion, it’s the community within OSU Being dormant for the past two years, that made me comfortable with living the MSA is currently working on writing here,” Al-Manji said. “I engage a lot with a new constitution and officially return- people from my own country, mostly ing to OSU next year in order to help the Arab people who identify as Muslims, Muslim community, according to the and that’s why I didn’t experience a lot
IN THIS ISSUE
I’m really comfortable here, and OSU has given rights to us as a Muslim people.
>>>
of difficulties.” For other Muslim students, however, the transition to OSU might be more difficult. Senior and radiation health physics major Roa’a AlBish’s transition to OSU may have proved easier if she had known about more resources, such as the Ettihad Cultural Center. “When I first came, I had difficulties. When I got more involved in the OSU community, however, things got better,” AlBish said. “I think if more people knew about the ECC, they would feel more welcomed when they first come here.” One of the programs in which OSU is striving to support Muslim students on campus begins this weekend. In recognition of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, UHDS will be hosting a Ramadan Meal Program to allow students and their dependents a space to gather and break nightly fast with halal meals. The meals provided by UHDS for Ramadan will begin on June 5 and lasts through June 9. Ramadan begins either this Saturday or Sunday night, depending on where the moon has been sited. Although those practicing Ramadan will not know its official start date until Saturday, UHDS will begin hosting meals Sunday night, according to Jacqueline Chambers, international student housing coordinator. “We are starting the event on Sunday
See Resources Page 3
Beaver Bold Block Party, NEWS, PAGE 3 Yearly staff picks, SPORTS, PAGE 5 End of Years Yeas & Nays, FORUM, PAGE 7