Facilities Issues
Over the years, the Trotter Center was in need of serious repairs. In 2004, students were rallying for renovation to Trotter in the wake of Office of Multi-Ethnic Student Affairs (MESA) funding cuts. An article in the Michigan Daily, “Student Trotter House Badly in Need of U-funded Repairs,” published shocking photographs of the state of Trotter Center.
In the photographs published above, the image on the left shows a gaping hole in the wall while a student walks by, and in the image on the right, an exposed pipe in the bathroom shows severe rust and decay. In 2005, Trotter facilities manager Edward Burnett was quoted in an article in the Michigan Daily by Carissa Miller saying, “I’ve been here for eleven years and there was definite need for renovations.” The university allocated $800,000 for renovations and an additional $200,000 for immediate repairs.
However, students from many campus organizations, including La Voz Latina and the South Asian Network, cited the condition of the building as evidence of the university’s lack of commitment to diversity.
Trotter Center Directors
New Trotter on State Street