The Reflection Room, on the second floor of the Union building, room 202, is designed to provide students and staff with a safe space to relax, reflect, pray, and meditate.
“We call it the Reflection Room, but since we added the ablution basin, funded by ASUW Special Projects, and different furniture, it has become much more flexible,” Quinn Marquardt, the Associate Director of Union Operations, told the Branding Iron.
“People use it for reflection, prayer, yoga, a lunch break, a study room, a lactation room, a quiet space, and more. We have tried to make the space feel as welcoming as possible for everyone who visits the space.”
The recently-remodeled space includes a washing, or ablution, basin, a comfortable chair, a yoga ball, and various other furniture items. Prayer rugs are available at the Union Information Desk.
ASUW allocated $15,000 to install the ablution basin in December of last year.
“While the recent refresh of the physical space is complete, we are still awaiting newer furniture to arrive,” Erik Kahl, the Union Director, said.
Currently, in order to access the space, one must go to the Union Information Desk to get the room unlocked, but this may change in the future.
“[Union Administration] is exploring options for timers, occupancy indicators, etc. for the Reflection Room to better help folks know when it is in use and to prevent people from using the space for too long,” according to Kahl.
Rami Alloush, a graduate student majoring in Petroleum Engineering, expressed his gratitude for the space, explaining that the Reflection Room provides him with a place to wash before prayer, a fundamental part of his religion.
“When you’re stressed or whatever, you just go pray. I need someone who understands me; He knows everything about me,” said Alloush. “So out of courtesy, it is appropriate that you are clean.”
To prepare for prayer, Muslims perform Wudu or “ablution,” which is essentially a partial cleaning of one’s body.
“It’s not like having a shower, it’s just like washing your hands, your mouth, your face, and then your feet,” said Alloush. “Now it’s a little bit challenging if you don’t have a facility prepared– like, we have shoes, we have socks, it’s cold and snowing, so it’s usually tricky to just walk into the bathroom and make Wudu.”
For many students the reflection room has helped alleviate this problem. The Union Administration hopes that the space will be more used by students of many walks of life.
