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ASUCLA discusses proposal for inclusive prayer, meditation space

Students pray outside of Kerckhoff Hall throughout the day because there is no nondenominational prayer and meditation space on campus. (Efren Piñon/Daily Bruin)

By Hannah Rosson

Nov. 20, 2015 12:20 a.m.

An undergraduate student government office suggested creating a nondenominational prayer and meditation space on campus during last Friday’s Associated Students UCLA meeting.

Aaliya Khan, the Undergraduate Students Association Council general representative who presented the proposal, said UCLA is one of the only UC campuses that does not have a prayer space on campus.

Khan said the multicultural engagement component of her office would maintain the proposed prayer space. The space will only be open to UCLA students, faculty and staff.

“The room will serve as a safe space,” Khan said.”It provides students with the resources they need to take time for themselves and focus on their faith and mental health.”

Ayesha Rasheed, external vice president of the Muslim Student Association, said the proposed space would be a place where students of all faiths and religions could meditate, pray and hold interfaith conversations.

Rasheed said some Muslim students currently pray behind Kerckhoff Hall, but some feel uncomfortable because it is not a private space. She added she thinks it is difficult for Muslim students to find a private place to pray because the nearest mosque is in Culver City.

Khan said she approached ASUCLA because she thinks the union has under-utilized space in Ackerman Union and Kerckhoff Hall.

Bob Williams, executive director of ASUCLA, said in an email statement there are no open spaces that would be suitable for the prayer and meditation space. He added the association would have to weigh the impact of modifying an existing space in order to accommodate the proposal.

Khan said she thinks temporarily using a room in Kerckhoff Hall or Ackerman Union as a prayer space would be the first step in establishing a permanent space on campus. She said in the Friday meeting she hopes a permanent space will be established within the next four to five years.

Williams could not provide an estimate of how much it would cost to turn a room into a temporary prayer space. Rasheed said MSA or Khan’s office could purchase furniture, pillows and bookshelves to hold religious scriptures for the space.

ASUCLA’s board of directors will continue to discuss the proposal at its next board meeting on Dec. 4.

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