Augustana University student group gets their interfaith space back

An interfaith student group at Augustana University is getting their interfaith room back after the administration removed sacred items from the space without their consent or knowledge several weeks ago, students and administration confirmed Tuesday.

Earlier, a private meeting was scheduled for Tuesday between students and university administrators to go over the issue. However, Barsha Shah, a Hindu student and leader of the Better Together interfaith group on campus, said administrators canceled that meeting and gave the room back to the students.

Shah said this is “definitely a step in the right direction,” and said to her understanding, Augustana University President Stephanie Herseth Sandlin will call a meeting to discuss the utilization of that space.

More:Augustana University students 'shocked' at removal of interfaith space from campus commons

Augustana spokeswoman Jill Wilson confirmed the meeting was canceled, that the students will get their room back and that Sandlin intends to call such a meeting to meet with students on the interfaith space in the future.

However, since that future meeting hasn’t yet been scheduled, Shah said the students don’t feel as though they have the security of having their space back officially yet.

On Monday morning, a group of diverse clergy and religious leaders had urged the university to restore the space to the same status as it was Dec. 30 before items were removed.

In an emailed statement, several religious leaders from other states -- Nevada Greek-Orthodox Father Stephen R. Karcher, Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, Buddhist minister Reverend Matthew T. Fisher, California-Nevada Jewish rabbi ElizaBeth Webb Beyer and senior United Methodist Pastor Reverend Dawn M. Blundell -- said that by dismantling the interfaith space without students’ consent, Augustana was blatantly contradicting its own core values of welcoming all faiths, respecting human differences and centering on worship.

The interfaith leaders also suggested Augustana send its senior executives for training in religious and cultural sensitivity, and said the university should have handled the sacred items with due respect.

This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Augustana University's interfaith group is getting their space back