After speculation and rumors about the future of the OASIS center and confidential advocacy program on campus, the truth has finally come out—funding for the confidential advocate at the OASIS center will be cut starting June 30, 2025. When this news broke, many students found themselves frustrated and confused that such a program could be dissolved with what seemed like little regard or care.
The OASIS center is a place for students who have experienced sexual or domestic violence to confidentially report what happened to them and get the support they need without needing to make a formal report through the police as their first action. While the OASIS center itself will remain funded for the foreseeable future, the confidential advocate who works at the OASIS center will no longer be there unless more funding is allocated. While there are still resources for survivors of domestic and sexual violence in place, this creates one more obstacle that may prevent a victim from taking the first brave step on their journey of healing.
On Monday, April 7, Student Senate held their meeting in the Kryzsko Solarium where dozens of students showed up to support the passing of a motion to reinstate funding for the confidential advocate. Third-year film studies major and College of Liberal Arts Student Senate seat Kendra McClure was the student senator who wrote and proposed this motion. McClure is a member of the Sexual Violence Advisory Committee, where she learned about the potential for funding to be cut for the confidential advocate.
“My reaction right away was that something needs to be done about this,” McClure says. She began drafting a motion, and on April 1st, when it was confirmed that funding would be cut, she worked even harder to finish the motion. She found a second for the motion and brought it before student senate. As the news slowly broke around campus and was disseminated through various clubs’ social medias, anticipation for Monday’s student senate meeting mounted. “It was the fullest gallery I’d ever seen. People were standing because there weren’t enough seats for everyone…a lot of senators spoke up on [the issue] and it was a very overwhelmingly positive reaction, which I could only hope for, and I was really grateful for. There were a lot of stories that were shared that were very powerful and moving…it demonstrated the anger and the frustration that students are experiencing finding out this information.”
Phoenix Crass, a third-year Criminal Justice major and College of Liberal Arts student senate seat, was the second for McClure’s motion. Also a member of the Sexual Violence Advisory Committee, Crass knew that this issue was something she wanted to get involved in. Helping McClure write the motion and seconding it was part of that. “As a university that prides themself in being inclusive and trying to do what they can for the students,” Crass says, “taking away a confidential advocate for sexual assault and sexual violence, domestic assault, domestic violence victims was so insane to me.”
While some may argue that the impact of taking away the confidential advocate will not be very far-reaching since there are still resources in place for survivors, Crass notes, “The more barriers you put in someone’s path, the harder it’s gonna be for them to get help. So, taking away [the advocate] who could be the first step for someone who is a survivor and who wants to talk, may be hard.”
McClure stresses the importance of student voices in making change. “I think just spreading the word, and letting people know that this is something that’s happening on our campus is very vital… we can channel the frustration that we have against the university, and we can turn that into something positive that can create change and will ensure that we have the OASIS Center for years to come.”
Since McClure’s motion passed, it will go to administration. From there, one cannot be certain of the future of the confidential advocate, but more and more students are being made aware of this news and are speaking out about the importance of having a confidential person to talk with about sexual and domestic violence.
