Bruce D. Nesbitt African-American Cultural Center at the University of Illinois
The University of Illinois campus has committed $4.9 million to build a new Bruce D. Nesbitt African-American Cultural Center, which was founded in 1969 and later named for its longtime director, reported The News-Gazette.
The new Bruce D. Nesbitt African-American Cultural Center has been using temporary quarters since its original home had to close for safety reasons last year is scheduled to open by 2018.
“The promise was that we were either going to renovate the old house or build them something new,” said Gigi Secuban, interim director of the cultural center and associate vice chancellor for student affairs, tells Belleville News. “In terms of cost, it makes more sense to just rebuild.”
The building, which housed the cultural center, was not accessible. Safety concerns arose as the basement ceiling was falling in and the main staircase had pulled away from the wall. Renee Romano, vice chancellor for student affairs told The News Gazette that finding a temporary space was the best solution at the time.
“That building had deteriorated to the point where it didn’t make much sense for us continue to put money in it because it was in such bad shape,” Romano said.
The center has been on the University of Illinois’ campus for 45 years so renovating or rebuilding it were the only two options. In addition to the university and its foundation launching a fundraising campaign last summer, half of the money for the new building will come from two student fees for diversity education programs and facilities, The News-Gazette reports.
According to the Office of Inclusion and Intercultural Relations at University of Illinois, the mission of Bruce D. Nesbitt African American Cultural Center is to provide a network of programs and support services promoting the individual, social, cultural and academic well being of Illinois’ African-American students.
Renee Romano, vice chancellor for student affairs, told Belleville News the center is a place where African-American students can “feel at home.”
“It also helps admissions with recruitment and educates the campus about African-American culture.”
