Two cultural centers previously thought to be nonexistent were actually relocated because of renovation efforts.

However, the rooms are far from comfortable, groups who use the rooms said.

During the summer of 2003, renovations in Helser Hall forced the Centro Latino to move out of a room across the hall from the Multicultural Action Group into the room next to the group’s office.

“At first we were kind of mad, but we couldn’t do anything about it,” said Brenda Vargas, president of the Mexican-American Young Achievers Society.

In the past, students and organizations such as the young achievers society and the Organization of Latino Students used Centro Latino to conduct meetings, study, hang out with friends and hold small events like potlucks.

The former Centro Latino was an adequate space with seating, tables, computer and a closet to store traditional clothing for demonstrations. It was about the size of two dorm rooms. The present area is the size of one small dorm room, Vargas said.

“It barely fits 10 people,” she said.

It lacks space and has no air conditioning, making it an undesirable place for students to go, Vargas said.

The location is far from ideal, said Yanira Pacheco-Ortiz, minority liaison officer for the College of Family and Consumer Sciences and adviser for the Latino Heritage Month committee.

She said she would like to see a more user-friendly space with books, information and resources for all students.

A fully-staffed center that was visible and welcoming to students would be preferable, Pacheco-Ortiz said.

“It has possibilities to become all those things because we know that there’s an interest for it,” she said.

Aside from the room not being ideal for activities, not many people know about the move, which affects the number of people who use the space, Pacheco-Ortiz said.

The key to the room is kept at the Helser Hall desk, but those who want to use the new space have sometimes had trouble obtaining the key to access the room, Vargas said.

“They sometimes tell you they don’t have the key, that a key doesn’t exist,” she said.

Students said that they are disappointed with the new space and feel that the Department of Residence didn’t consider their opinions when they moved the center, Vargas said.

“I’m just really disappointed in the residence hall for not recognizing the Centro Latino or the Asian center,” Vargas said. “By saying these places never existed, in a way they’re saying we never existed.”

The Asian-American Cultural Center was moved to A149 Friley this spring, said Kay Souvatrat, co-president of the Asian Pacific American Awareness Coalition. The center in Helser Hall was closed a few years ago because of renovations, she said.

The coalition uses the room as its headquarters, though the space is inadequate for its needs as well, Souvatrat said.

Only the eight cabinet members hold meetings in the Friley space, she said, because general group meetings usually draw 20 to 30 students.