ENG 3310 MEMO

To: Dr. Smeller

From: Samiya Mohamed-Fawzy
Date: May 12, 2020
Re: Lack of Equity in “Equally Shared” Labeled Spaces

In order for my proposal to create a change in the way students are being treated in the
Martin Center, I believe it should be addressed with the following individuals. Dr. Dennis
Hall, Christian Garcia and President Slabach. Dr. Hall is the Dean of Students, Ms. Garcia is
the Associate Director of Alumni Relations and President Slabach, or course, the President
of Texas Wesleyan University.
Dr. Hall would be an audience member because he is the Dean of Students and is
responsible for trying to resolve issues students may have as it relates to the university as a
whole. He is also in charge of the majority of what happens in the Martin Center, and
whenever there’s a conflict in the building, we (employees) are required to answer to him. I
believe that would qualify him to be a member of the audience. Ms. Garcia would be an
audience member as well being that the entire Martin Center was funded by donations from
alumni and she would be able to tell me if the solutions for the problems are acceptable and
will keep the alumni happy with their financial donations. President Slabach would be a
member of the audience because requiring a workshop to be mandatory would be more
likely to work if he were supporting that idea.

Revisions:
Only changed wording of some of my sentences, and a few grammatical errors.
 Mohamed-Fawzy 1

Sam Mohamed-Fawzy

ENG 3310-01- Advanced Writing

Dr. Smeller

May 3, 2020

Lack of Equity in “Equally Shared” Labeled Spaces

Introduction:

Since early 2017, Texas Wesleyan University has been raising funds to go towards their

“2020 Vision” of having a new center for students, faculty, and staff to share. The Nick and Lou

Martin University Center was officially open in the Fall of 2019, and was intended to replace the

“student center” in the Brown Lupton building. The Martin Center was supposed to be used by

students, faculty and staff equally as stated on the Martin Center page on the Wesleyan website

as a “common ground for a diverse group of people, from all walks of life to meet and develop a

shared community” (Texas Wesleyan Site, Martin Center page). Although the Martin Center is

advertised to be at least in part a student center, there are many problems that prevent it from

being one. These problems include: the lack of basic equipment that would normally be found in

a student center like vending machines and microwaves, restrictions on areas students can enter,

and the monopolization of “student” labeled rooms.

The Problem:

Lack of vending machines and microwaves is not only a problem for students, but it is

also an issue for faculty who also share this building. Although we are provided with a café and

Starbucks for lunch options, some people, especially those without meal plans, cannot afford to
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eat at the café daily. Some just prefer to bring their own lunches, but have no access to a

microwave since there aren’t any where a student or faculty member would be able to have

access to. The only microwaves in the Martin Center are both located in the staff breakrooms,

which are locked and require a code to access. This means that if someone needed to use a

microwave, they would have to go to another building.

In regards to microwave access in the breakroom, I have had my own person experience

with being restricted from certain rooms in the building. I work for the Division of Student

Affairs and when I was originally hired, I was told that if I needed to keep food or drinks cold, I

could use the refrigerator in the upstairs breakroom. I was also told I could have coffee or tea

from upstairs if I wanted since I am an employee. I ended up going in there to grab some tea and

I ran into a former manager and he didn’t say anything until we were around other coworkers

and he mentioned jokingly that “some students who work here think they’re entitled to use our

staff room like they own the place.” I ended up going in there another time when Dennis Hall,

he’s in charge of everything that goes on in that building, and he did not see my presence there as

a problem. It was just other staff members who had an issue and it made me feel extremely out of

place even though I am employed there.

It is understandable that staff wouldn’t want just anyone being able to use their

breakroom, however, it shouldn’t be assumed that someone’s status as a student automatically

means they don’t belong somewhere or that they are inferior to staff members. I had an

encounter in which I was asked to leave the “Student Organization” room because a staff

member needed it for a meeting. Since the building is for everyone’s use, it is understandable

that a staff member may have to use a “student” labeled room, however, in this situation, the way

the staff member asked me to leave was disrespectful and it was more of a demand than a
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question. She raised her hand and waved it in a dismissive way and before I could speak, she

began shaking her head and saying “nope.” I ended up leaving, but it got me wondering how

many other students had to endure this type of disrespect from a staff member in a place that is

supposed to be accepting of everyone and a replacement for our student center.

Unfortunately, I am not the only student who has experienced this type of encounter. The

president of the Lambda Tau Zeta sorority, Cate Pitre, informed me that she had a similar

encounter to mine with another staff member in that same room. She told me she went in there to

grab something from the storage lockers provided for us and a staff member was there. “She told

me to get out and I was like ‘I need to grab something’ and she told me that I could come back

later because she was busy” (Personal Interview, April 28, 2020). Unlike me, Pitre told her the

staff member she would grab what she came for, and she did so before leaving.

Another student I interviewed, who asked not to be named, had an issue with the same

staff member as Pitre in the Student Organization room. The student I interviewed was at his

fraternity meeting held in the student organization room when the staff member walked in and

noticed them all there. The staff member remained in the room for a while as if she was making

sure they weren’t doing anything they weren’t supposed to. “She just stood there for about 10

minutes before going outside and just waiting there. That whole thing made us uncomfortable, so

we just went to the library.”

The fact that students don’t feel welcome in a student center is wrong and this problem

should be addressed as soon as possible.

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The Solution:

There are a couple of solutions that could easily fix this problem of the Martin Center not

being inclusive of everyone. For the issue of the lack of vending machines and microwaves for

students and faculty to use freely, it can be resolved by purchasing two microwaves and two

vending machines. One of each on the first floor and the other two on the second.

For the issue of restricting areas to student, a solution would be to allow all employees,

including student workers, who work in the Martin Center to have access to the breakrooms.

Finally, for the issue of the monopolization of student rooms, the school should hold a

mandatory workshop for students, faculty, and staff in order to encourage team work between

them and to create a sort of mutual respect between everyone.

How Will These Solutions Help/Conclusion:

For the installation of microwaves and vending machines, that would resolve the issue of

faculty and students not having to go all the way to another building to prepare their lunches or

to buy something affordable, making them feel welcome in the Martin Center. This would also

resolve the issue of people’s use of the staff breakroom in that it would minimize other’s needs

to use the breakrooms, allowing for staff members to not have to worry about their space being

invaded. The placement of the vending machines and microwaves would be in the back areas of

the building or in certain rooms so the managers of the building won’t have to worry about it

ruining the new look of the building for alumni.

The workshop would resolve the issue of respect in that it would allow faculty, staff, and

students to have to work together for a teambuilding exercise so they understand that they’re all

equally a team. It would help everyone understand that everyone at Texas Wesleyan is an adult
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and that the students no longer need to be treated as they were in high school in a sort of

hierarchy system. The Martin Center is our “common ground” and a workshop would help

everyone understand that for the betterment of our university.

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Works Cited

Lambda Kappa Kappa Fraternity Member, Personal Interview. 17 April 2020.

Martin Center - Texas Wesleyan University - Fort Worth, Texas, txwes.edu/martin-center/.

Pitre, Catherine. Personal Interview. 28 April 2020.

Texas Wesleyan University. “Nick and Lou Martin University Center Groundbreaking.” Texas
Wesleyan University, txwes.edu/alumni/news-and-events/all-events/nick-and-lou-martin-
university-center-groundbreaking/#.Xq-LoahKjIV.

Texas Wesleyan University. “Staff Offices Move into Martin University Center Beginning July
29.” Texas Wesleyan University, txwes.edu/news-and-events/all-news/2020-vision/staff-
offices-move-into-martin-university-center-beginning-july-29/#.Xq-LnahKjIV.