In an effort to increase awareness and accessibility, services offered to students on the eighth floor of Foundation Hall will soon be moving to the S Building. The Center for Driver’s License Recovery, the Hunger Task Force, FoodShare Employment and Training (FSET), Mental Health of America, and the Milwaukee Fatherhood Initiative will consolidate with the Resource Center on the downtown campus and move to Room S215.

The eighth floor of Foundation Hall is not widely known to students, primarily due to its limited size and classroom activity. However, when the eighth-floor space became available for use, organizers jumped at the opportunity with the future in mind.

“We knew it wasn’t a great location but it was a ‘starting’ location,” said Walter Lanier, director of community engagement. “There are faculty and staff who don’t know where Foundation Hall is located. But we knew if we got the resources closer to students that we would increase the utilization and that would help students persist in their academic goals.”

Finance student Jnai Harris is encouraged that the college is making additional strides to help students with their non academic needs. “I think if you are out of sight you are out of mind,” said Harris. “Everyone here at school has so much to do that it’s sometimes difficult to take the time to search for assistance. Having the resources more visible and convenient is good because it will help a lot of people who otherwise may not seek help. This move to the S Building will be great.”

In addition to the consolidation of student resources at the downtown campus, the college plans to periodically offer the ability to meet face to face with students at the regional campus locations, according to Lanier.

“We will be working to take the resources from the main campus on a periodically scheduled basis out to the regional campus locations to start,” explained Lanier. He added that the ultimate goal is to develop additional resource locations at the regional campus locations.

“All students, whether it’s MATC, UWM or Harvard students, have needs of non academic support including housing, food insecurities, clothing and mental health needs,” he said. “The services we provide can help better equip our students in reaching their goals.”

After the move to the S Building, the department is hoping to increase the resources they provide. Ideas include eye care, a food pantry and a clothing closet (both professional and non professional clothes). Lanier stated he will continue to listen to students and staff regarding ways to improve services based on their needs and data from student surveys, before and after the move.