Pluto reported two issues ago that the Multi-Faith centre on St. Peters Square had been branded “unfit for purpose” by Director of Student Affairs, Ian McMillan.
Since then, and as published in Pluto issue 196, it was reported that McMillan actually claimed the centre was only unfit for purpose on Friday evenings, when Muslim staff and students seek to pray as a congregation; these views however have been greeted with a degree of animosity from users of www.pluto-online.com
The centre has been labelled impractical by the majority of the religious societies that use it, with many feeling the University has failed to provide the students with what they need.
One contributor, who remained anonymous, said: “A lack of consultation, or very little, has been exercised with the actual students of the university. The ‘new’ and ‘improved’ Multi-Faith Centre was refurbished with little regard to the needs of the actual students.”
In the weeks following the original article, a group on the popular social networking site Facebook, has been created, entitled: ‘Group against UCLan’s discrimination of religions and their societies!’
The group’s description reads as follows: “This group is here to highlight and protest against the University of Central Lancashire’s discrimination against the religious societies who use the Multi-Faith Centre.”
McMillan defended the centre and promised the University would continue to work to establish the best solution to benefit all who wish to use the facility, with a ‘new build larger Multi-Faith Centre’ to be built within two years.
The Director of Student Affairs spoke on the issue at the Student Unions Annual General Meeting, which has an ethos to implement change and make facilities at the university better.
Another user of Pluto-Online, ‘K’, said: “If their original plan was to mess up the MFC, why didn’t they just leave it as it was? Waste of OUR money whilst not catering for OUR needs!”
One major change to the running of the centre has been its early closure, at 6pm everyday, leaving many unable to pray in the evenings, without the presence of a member of staff with a key.
The university has clearly acted to improve the centre and comply with new disability laws, but many question whether this has been achieved.
One contributor, ‘Ira’, said: “The current state of the MFC is totally unfit for purpose as it is too small and ONE toilet is illogical 200 people to use. We need a new place for MFC to satisfy everyones needs.”
A UCLan spokesperson was unavailable for comment.
January 25th, 2009 at 6:52 pm
Our voices have not been heard…everytime the students address a issue to the facilities management team there is no response..
**********URGENT*************
The University built an Unfit MFC then on top of that they have the cheek to give is COLD..What is this??? Its Cold outside and then studetns are faced with cold water inside..We have had Students off SICK because they have fallen ILL using the COLD water…Over 200 International Students use the MFC a day…they are finding it hard to adapt to the current Climate here in the U.K…they are absolutely freeezing..then when they come in to the MFC the Water is even Cold…Not only that the Friday Prayers is becoming a even bigger issue…I only have these words to say ” There is NO room at all to Pray on a Friday” The females room is another Issue in its self…then theres the toilets…arghhhh the list is endless…
Hope the University take all this into consideration….enough has been said We need Action..!!!!
What do we want?
A new MFC
When do we want it?
NOWWWW NOWWW NOWWW
January 27th, 2009 at 12:20 pm
That’s odd, all of the posts have disappeared! Just as well I have a copy of them eh?
April 1st, 2011 at 11:18 am
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