APOYO

CWU has recently made the decision not to renew its lease with APOYO, a non-profit food and clothing bank that serves students and the spanish-speaking community in the area. In response to this decision, students and faculty gathered in support of APOYO outside of their building on Saturday, Jan. 25.

Student government called upon those who are impacted by APOYO to email [email protected] about why the organization should be retained. They also said students should continue to utilize APOYO’s services until June to show support and build up the community.

The resolution demanded that a new and adequate space be provided for APOYO by the end of June. It also stated the building should be maintained weekly in order to slow down the depreciation process and placed responsibility on the CWU administration for fixing this issue.

One community member expressed that because CWU is a public institution, they should serve their community without the expectation of receiving something in return.

“I think Central has an obligation to support the community in which Central is located and APOYO serves a very vital purpose in this community,” one community member said.

She went on to say that APOYO not only provides food, clothing and necessary items to students, but also volunteer opportunities.

Patricia Garrison, secretary and treasurer of APOYO, is one of the founding members of the organization along with her husband, Philip Garrison. She thanked the students and community for their support for APOYO and discussed the university’s decision to end the lease.

“There’s no shortage of food in this country, we all know that,” Garrison said. “But you know what there is a shortage of? Kindness. Compassion. Empathy. And that’s what I see lacking here.”

Garrison said she hopes the CWU administration will reconsider their decision.

Jessica Hernandez, vice president of equity and community affairs, stepped down from the podium in order to make her comment “as a student.” She reflected on the impact APOYO has made in the community despite being in an inadequate facility.

“APOYO has helped me, and other students as well, build a sense of community,” Hernandez said. 

Hernandez recalled meeting a local mother who had just moved to Ellensburg and didn’t speak English very well. 

“The first thing I told her to do was to go to APOYO,” Hernandez said. “That’s one of the many resources that Ellensburg can provide to marginalized groups and it would be a shame if it does go away.”

Parking

ASCWU presented both a draft for a resolution on parking issues and a letter addressed to CWU’s Vice President of Operations Andreas Bohman. 

The letter showed support for a new parking lot to be constructed using funds generated from parking passes. The new lot would be located along East University Way. According to ASCWU, a new parking lot is necessary to reflect the yearly increase in enrollment.

“As our campus community and enrollment has continued to grow, we have not seen an increase in available parking space,” the letter said. “This new parking lot will allow more students, staff, and faculty to access campus.”

ASCWU President Jasmin Washington explained to students parking is a self-sustaining system, with parking pass fees going towards repair and upkeep of the current lots.

A draft of a resolution on parking issues, presented by ASCWU Vice President for Student Life and Facilities Mickael Candelaria, stated that CWU should stop selling more parking passes than there are spots on campus. CWU’s 2019-29 Capital Master Plan states in 2018 there were 4,456 parking stalls on campus, but approximately 5,546 parking passes were sold in the 2017-18 academic year.

The resolution stated people with a physical handicap or impairment should not be required to pay for parking in a parking stall dedicated to those with ADA needs. It also stated CWU Grounds and Maintenance need to better maintain the free lot (X-22) to ensure students’ safety. The final item in the resolution stated that CWU Chief of Police and CWU VP of Operations should work on solving these issues regarding parking.

Wellness Center

A draft of a resolution regarding the location of the Wellness Center was presented by Washington. According to the resolution, the Wellness Center asked to be placed inside the new health education building because of the intersectionality between their missions, goals and objectives, but they were denied the “only space available to serve CWU student appropriately.” The resolution states in order for the university to continue to build on their success as outlined in President James L. Gaudino’s five-year plan, students need resources to support their overall wellbeing and wellness. 

Washington noted that the walls inside the Wellness Center are thin enough to hear conversation through, which can make students feel uncomfortable when sharing personal information.

“Students have no confidential space to discuss intimate partner violence, recovery, and mental health,” the resolution stated.

The resolution requested CWU cease avoiding finding the Wellness Center a new space and demanded the Wellness Center be placed in the new health education building. According to the resolution, this change in location has been requested by the student body “countless times” and ignored by CWU administration.

Sustainability Funding

The final resolution presented at the forum focused on sustainability funding. The draft cited one of Gaudino’s five-year goals to reduce CWU’s carbon footprint by 5% within the next five years. The resolution said in order to achieve this goal, the new sustainability coordinator needs a budget to complete the initiative. According to the resolution, CWU has given no funding to students or faculty for research projects or sustainability goals, despite stating that sustainability is a top priority for the university.

“Without funding the university address is solely a promise and not an initiative,” the resolution stated.

The resolution stated CWU should cease avoiding their search for funding for sustainability, and if there is no option for a budget that a green loan or green fee is placed to address sustainability concerns on campus.

Executive Vice President Alejandro Alcantar said he would be abstaining from any voting on the introduction of a green fee because he believes campus sustainability should not be a responsibility placed on students. The resolution demands CWU administration take accountability for finding funding to make the campus an environmentally safe place for all students who attend.