While on campus, people wanting to study can go to the University Library, go exercise at the Well and grab a bite to eat at the University Union or River Front Center.

Want somewhere to pray on campus? Simple. Just go to the …nearest sanctuary you can find, which won’t be on campus.

Students of all faiths who want a quiet place to pray, unfortunately, have to go searching for secluded areas, especially if they don’t want to make a spectacle of themselves or pray in a manner that is not silent.

Whether it be in the back of the Library or on top of a parking garage, students shouldn’t need to wander around looking for somewhere quiet to be able to comfortably exercise their religious beliefs.

Sacramento State obviously doesn’t have enough rooms to accommodate every faith on campus, but there has to be one room that can be made available and designated as an interfaith room.

UC Berkeley has an interfaith room that no one is able to reserve and it is open to all students. It is a good idea Sac State and other colleges across the nation should adopt.

While many of the rooms on the second and third floors in the Union are used for meetings, events and other purposes, usually one of the rooms is empty. New student orientation days bring a large number of students to campus and do require use of all the rooms, but for the rest of the semester it is rare for all them to be occupied.

“I think it would be nice to have a place to pray,” said Kayla West, president of the InterVarsity Christian Fellowship on campus.

With people of different beliefs, people would need to learn to share the space and respect others they may have strong disagreements with. While the occasional disagreement is bound to happen, learning about other faiths and perspectives is a positive experience from which everyone can benefit.

“The actual practice of it might be more awkward than one might think,” said Sac State alumnus and IntraVarsity staff member Jonathan Elliot, of an inter-faith room. Elliot said he is in favor of people of different religious backgrounds having conversations.

“I’m totally for an interfaith council,” Elliot said.

Having a place on campus for prayer would also benefit students in the residence halls who rely on public transportation to get around town.

Senior music performance major Kate Drennan, who is Catholic, isn’t bothered by the lack of a prayer room on campus because she can drive to church if she feels like going.

“It sucks for those who live on campus,” Drennan said.

Nonbelievers could use the room just as much as anyone else. The Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center has its interfaith room that also serves as a meditation room. It could be a place where students go to escape for a minute or two and get some much-needed silence.

Junior sociology major Ricky Le, who is an atheist, wouldn’t use an interfaith room, but wouldn’t be opposed to one on campus.

“If there was one, it would be fine – wouldn’t bother me,” Le said.

The benefits of an interfaith room on campus would outweigh the occasional awkward moments intolerant people would bring. Faith is a huge part of many students lives and a place where they can go to share it would be a blessing to Sac State.

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