Students from the Black Cultural Center task force rallied outside Parks Library on Monday to increase student support for the reopening of the center.

The Black Cultural Center, located at 517 Welch Ave., closed in 2003 after damage to a sewage line made the building unusable.

“Through our fund-raising campaign, we’re basically trying to raise $40,000,” said Langston Stewart, a member of the task force. “We’re just letting the students know the Black Cultural Center is in need of help.”

Students were able to sign pledges to make donations at the rally. The goal was to get 50 to 100 students signed up to make donations of $20 or more, said Stewart, senior in pre-business. In addition to the $2,000 objective of the rally, $16,000 to $20,000 has already been raised by the center’s board, he said.

“If the school wants to take it over, it would be in adequate condition for them to do that,” Stewart said. “We’re all confident that the school will support our cause.”

Alicia McGhee, a member of the task force, said although she has mixed feelings about turning over ownership of the center to the university, students are not logistically capable of running it.

“It wouldn’t be feasible for us to say we’re going to take care of the house on our own,” said McGhee, senior in journalism and mass communication. “It’s our property, no matter whose name is on the charter.”

Thomas Hill, vice president for student affairs, said the center has a historical relationship with Iowa State, since the university provided programming and support in the past. He said over time, the university has assumed more responsibility for providing programming and facilities for students of color.

“I think over the years, the BCC has served students of color and students in general at the institution very well and has become an integral part of programming and serving students,” Hill said. “I think it’s important that we continue that relationship and continue to have the BCC be in a position to provide those services.”

Task force member Venise McCown said it hopes to collect at least a large portion of the $40,000 by April 16 so the task force can announce collections at the Harambee talent show scheduled for the same date.

“Hopefully, we can get the construction done by the end of the summer, and it will be up and running by fall,” said McCown, junior in psychology.

She said other fund-raising events include a House of Blues musical performance at 8 p.m. Tuesday at the M-Shop in the Memorial Union. Tickets will be $3, with all proceeds going toward the center, McCown said. The task force will schedule several more events in the future, in addition to soliciting donations from the city of Ames and ISU alumni, she said.

“Most of the events we’re doing are to try to get student support because that’s what the university wants to see,” McCown said. “We’re working with as many sponsors as we can get.”

Hill said several things must happen before the university can take over the center. The Board of Regents and ISU President Gregory Geoffroy must approve of the center becoming a part of Iowa State. The center’s board of directors would also have to agree to the merger, he said.

Hill also said there is no timeline for the university’s acquisition of the center.

“You never know when you get into these things,” Hill said.

“There are reasons and things you haven’t really thought about. Hopefully, we can; it’s a little premature to say if we definitely will or not.”