Former Knight Spot to reopen as the Multicultural Center
The space on campus formerly known as the Knight Spot is in the process of being renovated and will be renamed the Multicultural Center. The center will serve as a lounge and community space for students on campus, as well as an event center for culture clubs.
The renovations were announced in an email to all SUNY Geneseo students from the Office of the President on Mar. 30. According to the email, renovations will not be completed in full until the Fall 2022 semester, but there will be opportunities for students to visit the space this semester. A formal opening of the center will be held next semester.
Natalie Weathers, Director of Multicultural Programs and Services, said that the center will be primarily used as a lounge and community for multicultural students who feel marginalized in community spaces like residence halls or the College Union.
“The primary use of this space would be lounging and lounging specifically for multicultural student populations, who often feel marginalized in other spaces where they're allowed to lounge like residence halls and the Union,” she said. “However, there will be the opportunity to host events in that space as well. We also will have a stage that will have equipment that students can use if they wish to host events. We also will have the opportunity for students who may not be associated with organizations to come in and teach a class, perhaps a workshop, or to just lead some sort of activity within that space so that they can cultivate the community that they want. We will also have supplies like board games and little things that students can work with located in a kind of cubby storage area that will be open to anyone who uses the space. We will have computers as well as a printer in that space, so that students can complete work while they're there hanging out, and then there is also a kitchenette and two all-gender bathrooms.”
Weathers said that the idea to create this kind of space on campus for multicultural students has been around for decades.
She said, “With not only current students but also alumni who have been advocating for a space for multicultural students, it seems that [the idea for the multicultural center] has been around for decades at this point. The Black Student Union was founded about 34 to 35 years ago, and they have pushed to have a space where students of color can come and be able to unite as one and just exist together outside of the residence halls.”
According to Weathers, while the Multicultural Organization Space for Activities, Inclusion and Collaboration (MOSAIC) was originally intended to be that space, it has transitioned to a more general-use space in recent years.
“I think the MOSAIC served as that space for a little while…however, over time it transitioned into a multi-use space. So, at this time, I think moving forward with plans has been in the works for quite some time,” said Weathers.
The former Knight Spot was chosen as the location of the center for its central location on campus and has been closed for the last year due to asbestos renovations and COVID restrictions.
Weathers said, “I know that that is the space that we selected because of its central location and because of its familiarity with student populations. Renovations, I believe, occurred within the last year but due to COVID [the Knight Spot] were shut down before those renovations started. I believe it was also partly due to asbestos, just needing that update with it being an older building.”
According to senior psychology major and Geneseo Hillel Alliance for Cultural Enrichment (ACE) representative Misha Firstein-Rudder, Geneseo culture clubs are excited at the progress being made and the prospect of having a space to hold events.
“I meet with representatives from the other cultural clubs on campus and we meet to discuss ways in which we can culturally enrich, support, and create a more diverse Geneseo. We have all been invited and have seen the current progress of that building, the Multicultural Center, and we’re very excited for what it’s going to be turning into soon,” said Firstein-Rudder.
Firstein-Rudder extended thanks to Weathers for the work done by the Office of Multicultural Programs and Services.
“I would love to give Natalie Weathers a huge round of applause for the hard work they've put into this building and all the hard work they've put in since they've started here. I'm truly grateful to have had them as an advisor for ACE and an advocate for all the cultural clubs,” he said.
Weathers said that the completion of the Multicultural Center was due to the efforts of a large number of individuals, as well as students from several culture clubs.
“I don't want to really claim a majority of the work. I do want to turn that back over to the students because they are the ones that not only pushed for this space, them and their alumni, but also their organizations. Their visions have been incorporated, they have gone and toured the space, as well as other individuals from different departments including Michael Taberski, Vice President for Student and Campus life, and robbie routenberg, Chief Diversity Officer. We do have a lot of student engagement and students I will say have actually led the project for the most part,” said Weathers.
She hopes that the center will be a space that cultivates culture on campus for all students and gives students a space to spend time with others.
“I hope that this space will be an area that cultivates community in a in a diverse way, or in a way that truly embodies the idea of belonging. We want people who honestly are working toward the idea of diversity and belonging. That really, really has been our priority,” she said.
