Special Release: SEEK surrenders office in Student Org to staff members, ends Fall 2025 semester still searching for alternatives

By Ella Tracy

The Student Events and Experiences for Katies (SEEK) group was moved out of their office, CdC 259, in the Student Org Center last Friday, Dec. 12. The change occurred to accommodate more professional staff members in Campus Life. All equipment and supplies previously kept in the SEEK office are housed in a Caecilian storage location for the winter. Due to widespread shifts in campus spaces, in accordance with the University’s master plan, they are unsure where their next permanent location will be. 

The change has sparked serious concerns from the SEEK staff and other members of the student body, particularly in regards to how the decision to move SEEK was made. 

Inside CdC 259 on SEEK’s moving day.

Summer 2025. After staffing upheavals, students expressed the desire to have professional staff who they interface with be more accessible and closer to where student life happens. Jackie Font-Guzman, Senior Vice President for Student Affairs, Equity and Belonging, said that she “heard that request and wholeheartedly agreed.” 

“I believe in leadership by proximity,” Font-Guzman said. “It did not make sense to me for two of the most student-facing roles on campus (Dean of Student Affairs and Assistant Dean) to be located in [Derham], far removed from where students study, organize, socialize and seek support. So I supported students’ requests and relocated those roles to the CdC.” 

Fall 2025. New hires in Student Affairs and Campus Life began work at St. Kate’s. These include Marissa Machado as Assistant Dean of Student Affairs, Ashley Larson as Associate Director of Residence Life and Glenn Prince as Director of Campus and Residence Life. 

Nov. 14. Bella Lee, student Co-Lead for SEEK, heard from two staff members during a meeting that there were plans to move SEEK out of their CdC office. She said the information seemed to have “slipped out,” implying to her that she was not supposed to know about the move at the time of the meeting. 

Nov. 19. After a series of miscommunications, Ashley Larson removed a desk from SEEK’s office for her own use before confirming it was okay she did so, according to Celina Nguyen, Co-Lead for SEEK. Larson currently occupies Amanda Perrin’s old office in the Student Org (CdC 258), though Larson’s position does not work directly with student groups or organizations. 

Nov. 20. Lee and Nguyen received an email from Glenn Prince confirming that SEEK was going to be moved to accommodate an office for him in the Student Org Center. Prince had previously been working out of an office in Raunhorst Hall. No space had been decided upon to which SEEK could permanently move.

Nov. 21. Nguyen and Lee reached out to members of the Equity & Belonging/Student Affairs office expressing concern at the fact that they had not been communicated with whatsoever about SEEK’s office changes. 

Nov. 25. Student Senate held an emergency meeting to discuss concerns and create a plan for further communication with staff members. 

Dec. 4. Lee and Nguyen met with Mariah Lossing, Interim Dean of Student Affairs, where they confirmed that SEEK would officially be moved from their office on Dec. 12. They were told that a moving company would take all of their items from the CdC and transport them to a storage location. 

Dec. 8. Lee and Nguyen met with Font-Guzman and Lossing, where the message of rapid change with no confirmed replacement office in the CdC was reiterated. They were told via email that day that all items in the SEEK office would have to be packed up and ready for transportation by a moving company on the morning of Dec. 12. 

Dec. 11. Lee and Nguyen were told that the storage location would be in Caecilian Hall. Font-Guzman said that members of the Student Affairs/Equity & Belonging staff had spent some time cleaning out the storage space for use by SEEK. Font-Guzman and Lossing also had a meeting with numerous SEEK student workers to hear concerns, share future plans and receive feedback for how changes like this could occur in the future. 

Dec. 12. A moving company removed all of SEEK’s boxed items and brought them to Caecilian. 

Dec. 15. A new Community Resident Coordinator (CRC) started work at St. Kate’s. This is the first time in years that Residence Life has been fully staffed. 

“We knew staffing changes were coming and staff members should have started the conversation with students sooner and more clearly,” Font-Guzman said. “Despite the meetings staff have had with SEEK student leaders, I am hearing that the timing and communication may not have been what [they] needed, and the experience still felt abrupt and lacking in partnership.” 

Nguyen and Lee both expressed deep frustration with moving the SEEK office without a replacement plan in place, nor input from student leaders. “Removing us from [the CdC’s] central location disrupts our connections and makes it harder for student groups to access us as a resource,” said Lee, explaining why the Student Org office was such an important space for SEEK and the student population that they serve. 

Nguyen added, “SEEK has built a community with St. Kate's students for over a decade through our events, our student advocacy, and our partnerships with clubs and organizations on campus.” She credited their visibility in a high frequency student space as a key factor. 

Both leaders are concerned that removing SEEK from CdC 259 will make it more difficult for SEEK student workers to accomplish their tasks. They noted that having one or more storage locations outside of a working office will make it “a scavenger hunt” to find necessary supplies for hosting events, most of which happen in the CdC or the Butler Center. 

Lee said that professional staff working out of offices in the Student Org isn’t her primary concern. “The issue is that student organizations are being moved out of the Student Organization Center to make room for additional staff,” she explained. 

Both co-leads also expressed that the move taking place during students’ finals week added stress. 

Font-Guzman said, “The staff's intent was never to exclude students from the process; instead, they were working quickly to respond to staffing realities. And yet, the impact on students was that they felt unheard and excluded from the process. After my conversation with students, it became evident to me that the communication did not happen at the pace or depth it should have, and students are right to point that out. I appreciate that they did and came to us with their concerns so we can make necessary changes moving forward.” 

Font-Guzman also said that she is “fully committed” to finding SEEK a space that works for them by supporting “their operations, culture and identity as student leaders. I have already begun working with the Director of Facilities. We are actively exploring options in the CdC because SEEK leaders have clearly stated their preference to remain there. That is our first and strongest priority.” 

In the future, Lossing is the primary point of contact for students. She will work with student leaders to take action on immediate steps to ensure the current situation is not repeated. Font-Guzman suggested standing check-ins between SEEK leaders and Lossing, shared documentation of timelines and established staff contacts. Lossing will also work with SEEK to ensure they have all necessary resources to carry out their events in the beginning of spring semester.