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AGM 2008

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Open Letter

August 1st, 2004
 
Dear Mr. Ballarin,
 
Further to our last e-mail about rumours of the Trent Women's Centre may be leaving Stratton House, the Women's Centre Steering Collective has decided to move to the new Sadleir House Student Facility. We will be moving our office (101.1) for September 13, 2004 and our library (101) for November 1, 2004.
 
While we are very excited about being a part of this new project and community, our decision to leave Stratton House is mainly based our disappointment with the lack of communication, stability and services provided by the university. Since the closure of Peter Robinson College we have not been able to receive a clear answer from the university as the status of our space at Stratton House or what provisions would be made if the building was sold, despite many attempts on our part to open a dialogue. We learned that the building was taken off the market two years ago by reading a Super Build report. We are a large organization that provides employment to 7 part-time staff, we also have about 50 active volunteers and a resource library of over 3000 books. Stability of our space is essential for our operations and going year-to-year not knowing if we will have our space next year or next month is not acceptable.
 
Further, since the closure of PR university services and maintenance to Stratton House have steadily declined. We have taken on the responsibility of not only cleaning our own office but also common spaces, the bathroom and kitchen with other Stratton House groups taking valuable time away from work on women's issues. We also have had to provide our own toilet paper and soap for our staff and volunteers. This past year, when our second story fire escape collapsed, it was not replaced. During the flood this July we were not contacted by the university at any time to check on the status of the building. Finally, as a group committed to providing safe space and resources to Trent students we need a visible and accessible space. However, Stratton House is no longer on University maps, or part of March Break tours. This level of neglect has left us feeling ignored and frustrated as well as hindering our operations.
 
The Trent Women's Centre strongly believes that universities should provide quality and stable space for student groups but that Trent University has failed to do this. The fact that we have university space, while many groups do not, made our decision to leave quite hard. We regret that we did not receive any response to our inquiries regarding the future of Stratton House if we were to leave and therefore were unable to take that into consideration. However, we can no longer wait for the university to make a solid commitment to student space at the cost our group's stability and well-being. We feel the benefits offered by the Sadleir House Facility outweigh the costs of leaving Stratton House.
 
The Trent Women's Centre hopes that our current space in Stratton House will be retained by the university with a new commitment to keep it maintained for other groups who need it. And that our leaving will help urge the university to change the way it deals with student groups and their space.
 
Sincerely, Trent Women's Centre Steering Collective
 
Cc: Bonnie Patterson, President
 
Meri-Kim Oliver, Office of Student Affairs Director
 
Christopher Glover, TCSA President
 
Arthur Student Newspaper

 

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