After setting up a tent on the Quad in March, Allies for a Women’s Center chose to “take up space” at the plaza in front of Swanlund Administration Building on Wednesday. The group hopes to gain support for a space for gender equity on campus.

“We have to do it on the plaza in front of Swanlund because we have no space,” said Elise Ruark, senior in LAS and member of the Allies.

The group set up its temporary women’s center in front of Swanlund to show administrators that it is serious about this cause, said Alessandra Musetti, sophomore in LAS and president of Allies for a Women’s Center.

For two hours, about 25 students gathered on the plaza and acted like they were at a women’s center by reading, eating lunch and handing out information about gender equity.

The group brought tables, chairs, a bookcase and a microwave. In addition, the group members labeled different sections of the plaza as a kitchen, conference room, classroom, resource area, office and lounge.

The group believes it has strong student and faculty support, and it is trying to convince administrators, such as Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Renee Romano, that building a women’s center should be a priority.

“Right now we’re fighting for acknowledgement of space with the administration, that we even deserve the space to discuss women and gender equity,” Ruark said. “I don’t think that’s been explicitly supported by the administration yet.”

Romano said the administration cannot approve this idea until all opinions have been considered and all questions about the center’s purpose, location and cost have been answered.

Because improving the Office of Women’s Programs is on the University’s strategic plan, Romano said the next step will be to design a vision statement describing the types of improvements needed to meet students’ needs.

“Every group with needs feels like they should be at the top of the list, including Women’s Programs,” Romano said. “But we have to weigh all the needs we have in student affairs and on campus to determine how best to use our resources because there aren’t unlimited resources available.”

Any opposition from students usually comes from people who wrongly believe that a women’s center would be a place for females only, said Drew Keiser, senior in LAS and First Year Campus Acquaintance Rape Education instructor.

Seth Hill, freshman in Business, said he understands the administration’s point that a lot of factors go into constructing a new building.

“Money and space could be problems, but that’s probably about it,” Hill said. “Or maybe just the fact that they have to build a whole new building.”

Romano said making separate buildings for each cultural or ethnic group was a trend in the 1960s and 1970s, but today, collaboration is a viable option.

“We’re looking at not only providing resources for each particular group, but also how we can serve the whole campus educationally,” Romano said. “How we can educate everyone about a particular group.”

Romano and leaders of the Allies met once and have another meeting scheduled to discuss ways to improve the Office of Women’s Programs and the possibility of building a women’s center.