Brandeis Division of Student Affairs announces initial SCC reimagination plans for the next year

In an April 18 press release, the Division of Student Affairs at Brandeis University announced a multi-phase enhancement project to the Shapiro Campus Center.

As stated in the press release, the initial phase — which is expected to be completed by the beginning of the fall 2023 semester — will focus on reallocating and improving spaces for student organizations. They also plan to introduce additional amenities in common spaces, such as new furniture in the Multipurpose Room and TV Lounge. Food insecurity resources will be relocated from inside the game room in lower Usdan to the SCC as well.

“We are excited to give a refresh to one of most utilized, student-focused buildings on campus after two decades of use,” Associate Vice President for Student Affairs Shelby Harris said in the press release. “From our review, we know that students spend a great deal of time in the Shapiro Campus Center and we are making these changes so that the space better meets their needs.”

The Student Affairs Division also plans to form an “SCC Advisory Board” during the 2023-2024 academic year. The board is to consist of students, faculty, and staff “to ensure representation in the ongoing assessment and planning of SCC use.” During the school year, additional aesthetic and functionality upgrades will take place, such as updated signage, increased club and organization storage, furniture revampment, centralized resources, and moving the game room into the campus center, where it is more accessible.

According to the SCC website, Student Affairs initiated a review of the SCC earlier in the semester to better understand how “current programs, services and spaces align with best practices as identified by the

Association of College Unions International and the College Union principles outlined by the Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education, the University’s Framework for the Future, and the needs of today’s students.” through campus. The march began at the base of the Rabb steps, where students were able to take fidget toys and water bottles, which is an aspect of the event advocated for by the Disabled Students Network. Participants also carried LED candlesticks, teal awareness ribbons, and posters as they walked together. After looping around the Shapiro Campus Center, participants reached the end of their route at the Light of Reason.

652 stakeholders, including but not limited to students, the Student Union, and Student Affairs staff responded to a survey sent out on Feb. 13 by Harris. The survey expressed desires for upgraded food options, independent and collaborative study spaces, and flexible meeting and event spaces in the SCC.

“These updates will modernize and energize the Shapiro Campus Center, making the building the true living room of campus,” Matt Galewski, director of student engagement, said in the press release. “We are excited to bring together a broader variety of student interests, organizations, and resources into a key central hub of student life at Brandeis."

More information can be found in the executive summary on the SCC website.

TBTN facilitators placed great emphasis on participants staying vigilant about their emotional wellness throughout the course of the event and being unafraid to do whatever suits their needs. Three trained and confidential peer advocates of PARC were present to walk students to the PARC office and provide support either during or after the march if need be. Organizer Maya Ungar ’24 encouraged participants to march in silence to foster a sense of reflection, community, and safety in reclaiming the night.

After the protesters reached the Light of Reason, attendees were given the option to follow the event coordinators to the Hassenfeld Conference Center for a private, attendee-only space focused on self-preservation and education on activism. The self-preservation space was dedicated to personal reflection, with tables of art supplies as well as supplies for self-care bags. The activism space comprised different tables where attendees could learn about the various avenues of activism, along with information and resources that can get them involved with the anti-sexual violence movement.

In their introductory speech, student organizers stressed the importance of recognizing intersectionality within the anti-violence movement, especially given the fact that at Brandeis Black women, students of color, trans folks, students with disabilities, and gender-nonconforming students experience sexual violence at disproportionately higher rates, according to the 2022 Campus Climate Survey. The team expressed their commitment to holding space for those disproportionately affected by sexual violence and the ways in which their intersecting identities place them under greater risk.

They proceeded to note that known data does not reflect the actual number of those who have experienced sexual assault, as survivors often choose not to report their experiences for reasons that include, but are not limited to, “fear of retaliation, of not being believed, and distrust of institutions that have continuously perpetrated violence.”

Some students may want to report their assault but do not have access to the necessary resources or are unable to speak out on their own terms. For instance, the student speakers explained that the Office of Equal Opportunity was previously located in East Quad, which used to be a hindrance to many students because the quad is highly inaccessible to students with disabilities. The speakers also emphasized that the OEO is currently located in the Bernstein-Marcus Administration Center, which presents its own set of complications — Berstein-Marcus also houses many upperlevel administrators’ offices, which might discourage students from visiting OEO and thus restricting overall accessibility to this resource.

The community members that took part in the 2023 TBTN marched and gathered together to recognize the prevalence of sexual violence on campus and the importance of all the student activists working to combat it.

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