Bold statement: UWM students are standing up against the university’s plan to merge eight cultural and resource centers into a single hub, and their resistance is far from over. But here’s where it gets controversial: a county supervisor is urging a reversal, arguing the decision was made with little input from students.
Milwaukee — The pushback from University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee students continues weeks after the administration unveiled a plan to consolidate eight cultural and resource centers into one shared facility. On Friday, Milwaukee County Supervisor Justin Bielinski called for the university to reconsider the move, criticizing the process for lacking meaningful student engagement.
The proposed consolidation has already sparked demonstrations, including a Thursday protest led by Students for a Democratic Society. Demonstrators argue that the centers are essential for support and community on campus, and they fear the change could erode that sense of belonging.
Sierra Lee, an UWM student who has relied on these centers since arriving on campus, described the spaces as welcoming and like a second home.
"As students who use these resource centers, we weren’t asked for our input directly on how this should unfold," Lee said.
Bielinski asks for three concrete steps: pause the consolidation, hold robust and transparent student engagement sessions, and safeguard the individual identities and purposes of each cultural and resource center.
In a statement, a university spokesperson said students will continue to find the support and community they need on campus and that UWM is actively seeking input from the broader campus community to shape the new center.
Isaiah Martin, another student who participated in one of the university’s input meetings, suggested the sessions missed the point. "The meeting focused on what our new center should look like, but the real point is that we don’t want a new center; we want what we already have to be preserved," he remarked.
Martin hopes the reversal comes before the plan takes full effect in fall 2026. "If we lose our spaces, who knows what they’ll do to other spaces and schools?" he warned.
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