This fall, eight centers at UW-Milwaukee that serve specific groups of students are expected to be merged into one resource hub. That hub will become part of the Division of Student Affairs. UWM says the move will “provide greater collaboration, shared goals and broad-based student support to enhance student success.”
But many students and staff are worried about the consequences. That includes people who use or work at the Women’s Resource Center. It was established in 1993 by UWM student government to focus on the needs of female students.
The center in the UWM Student Union offers services like education about safe sex and violence prevention, and advocacy for women who have been victims of violence or harassment. For sophomore Sierra Lee, it’s been the welcoming space she’s needed as a Black woman on campus. "When I popped in, immediately Mia — she instantly opened her arms and was like, 'hey, what’s up? What’s goin’ on?' And I immediately felt welcomed, like it was an energy and a vibe that I never received at any other college," Lee says, referring to Mia Valenzuela, the assistant director of the Women’s Resource Center.
Lee is disappointed that the physical space will disappear this fall when eight student centers are merged into one. "I don’t wanna just come into a open center hub and be like, 'yeah, I’m going through some womanly things right now,' and I’m looking at a man and a man (who says), 'yeah, so let’s go in my office.' That’s weird for me because I’ve had negative experiences with men, so to connect with a woman — specifically me being a Black woman — a Black woman or a woman of color would do me justice. And I don’t get that on campus a lot where I’m interacting with other like-minded women such as myself," Lee says.
The other student hubs that are being merged into one new facility are centers that serve Black students, Latino students, Southeast Asian students, LGBTQ+ students, veterans and students who are in the military, commuters, and first-generation college students.
The union that represents UWM faculty and academic staff is opposed to the merger.
AFT Local 3535 calls the merger an “unnecessary decision to ‘comply in advance’ with dictates from the Trump administration which already have been overturned in the courts.” The union accuses UWM of making the decision “amid manufactured austerity.”
Mia Valenzuela of the Women’s Resource Center is another critic. She questions whether the single center can be effective. "Each of the different centers that are going to be combined into this new hub came to fruition for a reason. Each of us have four walls for a reason. We are supporting and championing many different identities," Valenzuela says.
Valenzuela says there’s a desperate need for the Women’s Resource Center. "I’ve seen students pace the hallway for minutes, minutes, minutes, minutes. They walk by and they see the Women’s Resource Center, and they keep pacing and then eventually they get the courage to come in and they’re really timid, and really quiet, and then they finally say they’re ready to disclose something that happened to them. And that’s with the Women’s Resource Center — that's with this space that’s made for them (but) they’re still so nervous to come in and talk to somebody," Valenzuela says.
Valenzuela says students need to know there’s a space where they can talk to someone with a similar identity who’s trained to support them.
Earlier this year, UWM held meetings and conducted a survey to get feedback from the campus community. A summary of key findings shows there’s “overwhelming opposition” to the merger, "particularly under the current proposal.” Another key finding shows that “students repeatedly credited the centers with their persistence, academic progress, and wellbeing, and expressed concern that consolidation would undermine these outcomes.”
The university declined to be interviewed for this story. But a spokesperson says “UWM is currently analyzing feedback to shape next steps, and updates on the process will be shared in the coming weeks.”
And on April 2, the university announced that an assistant vice chancellor has been hired to fill a new position that will oversee the student centers. Alberto Maldonado became vice chancellor for connection and achievement effective April 6. He has served as director of UWM's Roberto Hernández Center and as special assistant to the vice chancellor for community empowerment and institutional inclusivity for multicultural student success.
In a statement to the campus community, UWM says Maldonado’s “work at UWM has been deeply rooted in collaboration with communities and school districts across southeastern Wisconsin, building strong partnerships with students and their families. Alberto has led the development of programs and initiatives designed to support college access, informed course selection and successful degree completion."
