APTOS – The new Multicultural Student Center at Cabrillo College opened Monday after years of discussion about creating such a space.
The space, which was previously a bookstore, underwent minor renovations and touch-ups over the past year, including taking down walls and adding some furniture and other finishings. The project was funded by money that rolled over from a Student Equity and Achievement fund, according to Cabrillo President Matt Wetstein. He and other leaders at the college, including Devin Walker, Director of Student Success and Equity at Cabrillo, hope that the center will provide a space for students and community members to host club meetings or catch their breath between classes. Both noted that research suggests spending time on campus and engaging with one another increases students’ odds of success, and they hope the new center can help facilitate that.
“It has all the benefits of being a space that can contribute to their successes,” Wetstein said. “To me, that’s the payoff long term.”
The space is an open-concept room with desks, couches and chairs, a reading nook and a pingpong table. It features murals with photos of students and the words “Welcome” and “Bienvenidos.” Around 130 people gathered there to celebrate the grand opening, including some of the alumni who first advocated for a gathering space like this one in 2015.
Caroline Hemphill
A group of leaders from Cabrillo prepares to cut the ribbon signifying the opening of the new space. (Caroline Hemphill — Santa Cruz Sentinel)
“We planted the seed, and today, it finally bloomed,” said Martin Vargas-Vega, an alumnus and former student body president who was a part of that student group 10 years ago.
The event doubled as the kickoff for Cabrillo’s Hispanic Heritage month and its HSI Week, celebrating the college’s federal designation as a Hispanic Serving Institution. Institutions with Hispanic student populations over 25% are eligible for the HSI program, which provides awards to help institutions strengthen programs and expand educational opportunities for Hispanic students. Cabrillo, which has a student body that is more than 50% Hispanic, has been a designated HSI since 2007 and has received 5 HSI grants totaling $29 million since 2010, according to its website.
Walker felt the grand opening of the Multicultural Student Center was a fitting start to celebrate HSI week.
“When I think about HSI, the word that stands out to me is the S,” Walker said. “We are trying to serve the students with this space.”
The HSI program has recently been challenged. Twenty states sued the Department of Education, claiming that the program is unlawful. In August, the Department of Justice stated that it will not defend the program, calling it unconstitutional. If the program is discontinued, the university could lose some grant funding, Wetstein said, but it would not change the how the college serves its students.
Wetstein said the statement by the Department of Justice was “misguided,” and that the program followed all of the necessary legal steps to be established in the first place.
Caroline Hemphill
A mural in the new center reading “Bienvenidos” showcases Cabrillo students. (Caroline Hemphill — Santa Cruz Sentinel)
“Government support for underrepresented groups is not discrimination,” he said. “My hope is that the courts will actually uphold the programs and the designation.”
“We’re going to continue to stand on our values here, on our morals and the California laws, which certainly allow us to serve our students and focus on those who might need the most support,” Walker said.
Adam Spickler, a trustee on the college’s governing board, hopes that the center will help prospective students see themselves at Cabrillo.
“The multicultural center is at the heart of giving a college experience to our soon-to-be students,” he said. “Folks, whether you are a student or not, are welcome here. And it’s a really great way to support the students who are going to leave Cabrillo with certificates and degrees that benefit this community.”
