Wichita State University houses a diverse student body representing many cultures and religions.

Student Government Association’s campus issues committee is hoping to accommodate for this diversity by creating a designated area for prayer. The area would serve people of all faiths and without any specific faith.

Campus Issues Chair Afshan Khan felt the need for this space and ran for senate on the promise to work toward creating it.

“I feel like there is a need for this on campus,” Khan said.

So far, Khan and her committee have worked to communicate with different faith-based clubs to get their opinions and find out what they would need in a new center.

The committee is even hoping to get the input of the atheists and agnostics group on campus.

“I want their input too,” Khan said. “If they want to use the space for meditation, I want to be able to facilitate that as well.”

The Harvey D. Grace Memorial Chapel currently serves as a prayer center, but does not necessarily accommodate all religions.

“We are very well-equipped to serve Christian students,” Khan said. “Right now, the chapel still gives off that Judeo-Christian vibe with the structure and the pews.”

Muslim students, while being allowed to pray in the chapel, require floor space, which is limited because of the pews.

Khan said that many Muslim students currently pray at a mosque near Hillside and 17th street. She said that an area for them to pray on campus “would make it easier.”

Farha Tariq, Acting President of the Muslim Student Association, agreed saying that a new center on campus would be “a very great thing” for Muslim students.

Muslim students would not be the only ones being served, however. Madhulika Srikanth, President of the Association of Hindu Students in America, said that Hindu students generally worship at a temple near Central Avenue and Greenwich Road.

A prayer center on campus would save Hindu students from having to make the trip.

Khan also hopes the space can serve as a place to educate the student population on different religions and cultures. She hopes to do this by creating an ”Interfaith Council” that includes the leaders from faith-based clubs on campus.

Although the process of creating the space is still in its beginning phase, Khan hopes to get feedback from all of the faith-based clubs by the end of October to find out what the groups need and want.

To assist with this, the campus issues committee is developing a survey to gather feedback from all students.

“I am very open for discussion,” Khan said. “Whatever we can do to meet the students needs that’s what I want to do.”

She hopes the center will be operating by the end of May.