MSA: A Desi's only club?
Kejal Vyas
Issue date: 4/24/07 Section: News
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Nadiya As-Samad and Sarah Gharib both consider themselves pious Muslim women. But you won't find them at most activities sponsored by the Muslim Student Association at Rutgers-Newark.
It's not because they don't like the dozens of religious speakers and gatherings that the student organization puts together each year.
Actually, it's because As-Samad, an African American Muslim, and Gharib, an Egyptian American Muslim, feel they are excluded from the organization which is largely represented by Muslims of South Asian descent.
"It's not so much a problem with the organization itself but it's a problem with how cliquey some of the people are," said Gharib, a senior biology major.
The MSA does tend to be a bit cliquey among students coming from Indian and Pakistani backgrounds, said students including many members.
"I'm going to agree with that, at least from a girl's point of view. It is more of a desi clique," said Adel Afzal, a sophomore MSA member.
Desi, a term used by South Asians to refer to others from the same region, comes up often when discussing the ethnic makeup of the student organization.
"Some people think that since the desi population is larger they think it's a desi-only organization," said Shalin Bhatt, another sophomore MSA member.
"Majority-wise there are just more South Asians than Arabs but I think over all there might be just more in general (around campus)," Afzal said.
According to Uzair Sarmast, MSA president, about 65 to 70 people show up for the weekly meetings held at the student center. But Sarmast said the organization's executive board is diverse and represents how the organization tries to "accommodate Muslims from all over." Currently three South Asians, an Albanian, a Moroccan, an Egyptian and a Circassian make up the board.
But it's not only the fact that a large number of desis take part in the MSA, little things that the organization does tend to have a South Asian bend to them, some students said. "The food has been more Pakistani and desi than Arabic," Afzal added.
Bhatt, who works closely with the student organization, said that South Asian food is generally given precedence because its what more of the members want.
"There were days when we had Arabic food. It wasn't getting finished off. We paid three to four times the amount for Arabic food but we figure we could just get desi food because it will get finished," Bhatt said.
Summaya Aziz, an MSA member at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, said students should come out even if they may feel left out because "it will end once you decide what you're goals are and decide what you want to do." She said students should take the initiative to get involved in the MSA, especially if they want to be involved but feel that they aren't welcome for whatever reason.
It's not because they don't like the dozens of religious speakers and gatherings that the student organization puts together each year.
Actually, it's because As-Samad, an African American Muslim, and Gharib, an Egyptian American Muslim, feel they are excluded from the organization which is largely represented by Muslims of South Asian descent.
"It's not so much a problem with the organization itself but it's a problem with how cliquey some of the people are," said Gharib, a senior biology major.
The MSA does tend to be a bit cliquey among students coming from Indian and Pakistani backgrounds, said students including many members.
"I'm going to agree with that, at least from a girl's point of view. It is more of a desi clique," said Adel Afzal, a sophomore MSA member.
Desi, a term used by South Asians to refer to others from the same region, comes up often when discussing the ethnic makeup of the student organization.
"Some people think that since the desi population is larger they think it's a desi-only organization," said Shalin Bhatt, another sophomore MSA member.
"Majority-wise there are just more South Asians than Arabs but I think over all there might be just more in general (around campus)," Afzal said.
According to Uzair Sarmast, MSA president, about 65 to 70 people show up for the weekly meetings held at the student center. But Sarmast said the organization's executive board is diverse and represents how the organization tries to "accommodate Muslims from all over." Currently three South Asians, an Albanian, a Moroccan, an Egyptian and a Circassian make up the board.
But it's not only the fact that a large number of desis take part in the MSA, little things that the organization does tend to have a South Asian bend to them, some students said. "The food has been more Pakistani and desi than Arabic," Afzal added.
Bhatt, who works closely with the student organization, said that South Asian food is generally given precedence because its what more of the members want.
"There were days when we had Arabic food. It wasn't getting finished off. We paid three to four times the amount for Arabic food but we figure we could just get desi food because it will get finished," Bhatt said.
Summaya Aziz, an MSA member at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, said students should come out even if they may feel left out because "it will end once you decide what you're goals are and decide what you want to do." She said students should take the initiative to get involved in the MSA, especially if they want to be involved but feel that they aren't welcome for whatever reason.
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