Universities are increasingly reflective of the diversity of our society, and of the wider world. The flourishing of faith groups and religious societies on campuses has made the issue of multi-‐faith space and provision for religious expression an issue for campaigning on the part of students’ unions and student societies. This short report aims to look at the level of provision in London: what has been achieved so far; and what work remains to be done to ensure that all students have the facilities they need to exercise their right to religious expression. Different sorts of provision The National Union of Students, cites a distinction between three different types of faith spaces: • • •
“Single faith spaces that are provided solely for members of a single religion or belief group Multi-‐faith spaces that are used at different times by different religion or belief groups Multi-‐faith spaces that bring together groups of people of different religion or beliefs for the purpose of shared activities”1
Many campuses provide one, both or all of these spaces, which serve quite distinct purposes. For instance, the third variety may take the form of an inter-‐faith forum for positive interaction and shared activities (which may not require a unique physical meeting space); in which case, there is still a need for space for prayer, meditation or reflection that is open and accessible, and where the use of which does not require a disturbance to one’s studies. On the other hand, where multi-‐faith or single-‐faith prayer rooms exist, it should not be presumed that prayer constitutes an inter-‐faith activity, and that a prayer room will automatically create a positive dialogue-‐ this requires careful planning and organisation that is quite distinct from the need to provide facilities for prayer.2 The state of London campuses It is of course not for ULU to prescribe the sort of provision that should be made available on particular campuses. Decisions should be based on the knowledge and experience of those on campus, and take account of the particular needs of students (and staff) at a given institution. It is on this basis, in consultation with students, students’ unions and faith societies, and their involvement in the process of planning and development, that provision should be made available. It is more useful for ULU to provide information on what provision currently exists, so that campaigners have a basis on which to work towards improving the sort of provision where it does not exist or is inadequate. 1 2
K. Lukock, ‘Shared Campus Spaces? An NUS Perspective’, Ibid., p.9.
University College London (UCL) UCL provides a multi-‐faith space for men and women called the Quiet Contemplation Room, found in Hut 34 behind the Molecular Research Council Laboratory.3 It is show on the map below:
There has been controversy4 over the provision of facilities for religious observance in UCL, whose history and ethos is one of secularism.5 According to the UCL ISOC: “The facility that was initially provided was done so after students took to praying in major pathways through the campus.”6 There has been a long-‐running campaign, as part of which student-‐led action has seen the installation of ablution facilities nearby and improved facilities since 20117. However, the building is still the same 50-‐capacity venue and according to the campaign, there are already over 1,500 unique visit each week: “With UCL expanding, this number is growing every year, and it is already quite clear that the facility is over capacity.” The campaign wishes to “obtain a larger Quiet Contemplation Room to meet the needs of it's users for the years until UCL's Masterplan is implemented”, after which “a contemplation room that meets the needs of it's users is to be designed into the Student Centre...”8 King’s College London (KCL) KCL provides rooms for private prayer and reflection on all its campuses. On the Denmark Hill Campus, there is a Quiet Room, Portakabin T0.05, next door to the chaplaincy office. Guy’s Campus is home to the Chapel of Thomas Guy, opposite Boland House; the College Chapel, is situated in the 3
http://www.uclcontemplationroom.co.uk/the-‐qcr.html http://archive.muslimnews.co.uk/index/press.php?pr=123 5 http://www.ucl.ac.uk/academic-‐manual/part-‐5/religion-‐belief-‐equality 6 Correspondence with UCLU Islamic Society, 04/09/2013. 7 http://www.uclcontemplationroom.co.uk/the-‐qcr-‐campaign.html 8 Ibid. 4
main building of the Strand site; and the Waterloo Campus contains a Prayer and Quiet Room in Room 1.2, Franklin-‐Wilkins Building. In addition to these facilities, there are dedicated Muslim prayer facilities for the use of staff and students. Guy’s Campus: the basement of the Hodgkin Building Strand Campus: the first basement at the Strand (1B08) Waterloo Campus: the first floor of Franklin Wilkins building at Waterloo, opposite the Prayer & Quiet room Denmark Hill Campus: Room W1.07, Main Building, Institute of Psychiatry.9 Goldsmiths Goldsmiths offers a Multi-‐Faith Prayer Room, which can be found in the Richard Hoggart Building in Room 2.106. According to the Chaplaincy: “It is designed to be a welcoming and accessible space for people of all faiths and traditions, but because of the range of religious and cultural traditions involved this inevitably requires all users to accept some infringement of their religious sensibilities.”10 The room is divided by a curtain to allow men and women to pray separately, for Muslims and others for whom this is part of their tradition. When not otherwise booked, the “male” side can be used by mix-‐gendered groups of different traditions but the other side is a women’s-‐only space. There are no designated ablutions facilities. 9
http://www.kcl.ac.uk/aboutkings/principal/dean/pray.aspx http://www.gold.ac.uk/chaplaincy/multifaith/ (accessed 04/09/2013)
10
Royal Holloway The Royal Holloway Prayer Room is located opposite the Founders Reception, as shown on the map provided by the Royal Holloway ISOC:
The prayer room contains both prayer and ablution facilities for men and women. Its library stocks Qur'ans, Tafsir collections and books of Hadith and Seera, and spare garments are available.11 Queen Mary Queen Mary Students’ Union (QMSU) currently has two Multi-‐Faith Rooms that it manages on behalf of the college in the Student Hub in Mile End. Both are “designed for prayer, worship and reflection by students and staff from all faiths and beliefs.”12 However, the high number of Muslim students on campus (22% according to a recent survey), a large proportion of whom prayer five times a day, has led to concerns about whether the current facilities are capable of meeting everyone’s needs. A motion passed into policy at QMSU in November which noted that the existing facilities are “insufficient” and resolved to “actively campaign to the University and other relevant bodies on behalf of the Muslim students, working with the Islamic Society, to establish, support and help maintain a Muslim prayer room.”13 QMSU reports that: “After successful Students’ Union lobbying, the College, has agreed to keep the IRC building available as an ‘overflow’ space for Muslim prayer for the next three months, in order to gauge need.”14 11
http://www.rhulisoc.com/prayerroom.php (accessed 05/09/2013) http://www.qmsu.org/news/article/6965/Multi-‐Faith-‐Rooms/ (accessed 05/09/2013) 13 https://www.qmsu.org/pageassets/policy/15.-‐Muslim-‐Prayer-‐Rooms.pdf (accessed 05/09/2013) 14 http://www.qmsu.org/news/article/6965/Multi-‐Faith-‐Rooms/ (accessed 05/09/2013) 12
Central School of Speech and Drama CSSD is currently without prayer facilities.15 St. George’s At St. George’s, the Faith and Quiet Contemplation Room was established in the academic year 2011-‐12, replacing a previous facility in need of “significant upgrading.” It was secured at an initial cost of around £6,700 in consultation with faith groups across the university under the guidance of the Equality and Diversity Manager. A monthly Interfaith Forum meets and is open to suggestions and issues arising from the use of the facility.16 Birkbeck Birkbeck currently has no facilities but is in the process of founding a multi-‐faith room for students and staff at the college. According to the institution, it is scheduled to be open for the beginning of the academic year 2013-‐14. Describing the consultation process, Birkbeck told us that: “We established a group of interested and relevant groups, including students union and London University wide faith advisors.”17 Heythrop In addition to the on-‐site chaplaincy, Heythrop provides a Muslim prayer room in the basement of the main building in Kensington. Courtauld Institute of Art The Courtauld currently has no such facilities.
15
Correspondence with CSSD, 16/09/2013 Freedom of Information Request, 02/09/2013 17 Correspondence with Birkbeck, 13/09/2013 16
