‘More and better contemplation rooms needed’

Contemplation rooms are spaces students and staff can use for prayer, meditation, reflection, and rest. The current options do not suffice, says Ozobodo. ‘Through consulting with students and staff, I noticed a growing demand for these types of spaces on campus.’

Where other universities already offer good contemplation rooms, WUR does not, Ozobodo says. Currently, some buildings on campus feature so-called ‘silent rooms’, which serve a multifunctional purpose: they can be used for feeding children, quiet study, and contemplation. However, these silent rooms come with challenges, such as poor accessibility, a lack of privacy, and uncomfortable room conditions. In 2023, Resource discovered that these rooms can be pretty hard to find.

Ozobodo has spoken with a diverse group of students and staff about their needs, including members of the Students Support Students community (where students with special needs or challenges meet each other), multiple departments of the Student Service Center such as the grief counsellors and the Diversity and Inclusion Team, and the chaplains of Spectrum. ‘They all agreed that students need good spaces for solitude and meditation.’

Survey and suggestions

To better understand the needs for contemplation rooms, Ozobodo created a survey. ‘People can fill it out until April 30. After that, I aim to finalise a report on the need for contemplation rooms based on the survey findings and consultations.

That report will also contain suggestions for the executive board to address this need, Ozobodo says. ‘One option would be to improve the current rooms into more suitable spaces for contemplation. From the preliminary survey results, I gathered that students want a contemplation room in all the main student buildings to improve accessibility. Currently, there is no option in Forum, for example. Another option could be to add an option on TimeEdit to book rooms on campus for contemplation.’

For an overview of WUR’s spaces for contemplation, click here. Ozobodo’s report is expected later this month.

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