SEEK still searching for stability after office move
By Faduma Ali
Nearly a month after Student Events and Experience for Katies (SEEK) was moved out of its office in the Student Organization Center, student leaders say the impact of the decision is still being felt across daily functions, student workers and the organizations SEEK supports.
SEEK was moved out of their office in the Student Org on Dec. 12. Since then, SEEK has been operating out of four different locations across campus: a Caecilian storage closet, club lockers, behind the Info Center and an advisor's office in St. Mary’s. While student leaders say they have accepted the inevitability of the move, the lack of centralized space continues to create challenges.
“We are doing our best, but to be honest, it’s been unorganized and frustrating,” said Bella Lee, Co-Lead for SEEK. “The way the move was handled has left the team feeling like an afterthought. We are tired, stressed and feeling the physical and mental toll of not having one office right now.”
According to Lee, SEEK has identified a possible office space in the basement of the CDC, but access issues have delayed the move. Until then, SEEK remains split across multiple storage spaces.
The absence of a consistent space has significantly affected SEEK’s visibility and workflow. “We aren’t in the CdC nearly as often as we used to be,” Lee said. “Daily operations have turned into a constant cycle of running back and forth between the Info Center, residence halls and storage rooms.” She added that without a private office, the team lacks space for meetings and focused office hours.
Event planning has also been impacted. With supplies scattered across campus, finding materials has become increasingly difficult. “It has been a logistical nightmare,” Lee said. “We can’t locate specific event items, and many of our lockers are mislabeled, and boxes in Caecilian are too heavy to move easily.” She noted that SEEK has “actually had to cancel events simply because we couldn’t find the supplies we needed.”
Celina Nguyen, SEEK Co-Lead, said the ongoing uncertainty has made it difficult to lead the organization. “As a lead, it’s been difficult to provide our team members and the SEEK community with answers, as our relocation is still up in the air with no guarantees.” She added that many concerns SEEK leaders raised before the move have since become reality, including misplaced supplies and added stress on students.
Nguyen also emphasized how being away from the CdC has affected engagement, noting that they have had “fewer interactions with students and Student Senate.”
One of the locations storing SEEK equipment.
Keycard access issues have further complicated coordination. “Most of the 14 team members don’t have access to the storage areas, so we are constantly ‘hunting’ for our advisor or staff members to borrow keys,” Lee said, adding that carrying heavy items across campus in winter weather has been exhausting.
Despite the ongoing challenges, SEEK leaders emphasized their appreciation for the student body. “The fact that students keep showing up to our events and remain patient with our cancellations and adjustments is what keeps us going,” Lee said.
Looking ahead, both leaders agreed on what SEEK needs most: a permanent, centralized office space with full access for student workers. Until that happens, they say the ripple effects of the move will continue to shape how SEEK operates and how students experience its support.
