Space Committee will announce Veteran’s Center location

The+current+Student+Veterans+Committee+office+if+located+in+the+lower+level+of+the+CUB.

The current Student Veterans Committee office if located in the lower level of the CUB.

The WSU Space Committee is expected to reveal its recommendations on the placement of a student veteran’s center to ASWSU by the end of the week. 

ASWSU Vice President Kevin Massimino said after many months of communication with university administration, they are excited about a center.

“By getting this veteran’s center and starting this discussion of the Master Plan, we’re not only catching up with the rest of Washington state, we’re not only catching up with the rest of the PAC-12 or the rest of the country, but I think we’re catching to our own expectations on what we should be offering our students,” he said. 

The WSU Space Committee sat down with Massimino to discuss temporary and permanent locations for a veteran’s center. Massimino said he could not share explicit details regarding actual locations.

“We were told there are three spaces they’ve identified on campus,” he said.

Dan Bernardo, interim provost, executive vice president and WSU Space Committee member, said in an email to The Daily Evergreen that the three locations under consideration are temporary spots for the student veteran’s committee.

“I can’t provide any detail of the potential sites at this time because they are all occupied and don’t want to heighten anxiety until we have decided on the location,” he said.

However, the Space Committee will continue to work with ASWSU to make resources available that student veterans need, Bernardo said.

“Rest assured, we are doing our very best to provide a temporary location for the SVC (Student Veterans Committee) and look forward to working with ASWSU and others to come up with a longer-run solution,” Bernardo said.

During their campaign, Hennessey and Massimino met with the Student Veteran’s Committee to listen to its concerns about the lack of veteran resources at WSU. After talking, the ticket earned the committee’s endorsement by agreeing to push for a student veteran’s center.

Hennessey said even though the issue may extend beyond his presidency, a center is on its way to becoming a reality.

“I’m optimistic, but at the same time I’m realistic,” he said.  “I understand that it’ going to take more than just checking off a box.”