UMass Amherst Student Union: A Hub of History and Services
The UMass Amherst Student Union stands as a testament to the university's commitment to student life and extracurricular engagement. From its origins as a war memorial proposal to its modern role as a central campus hub, the Student Union has evolved to meet the changing needs of a diverse student body.
A Landmark Building
The Student Union is a sizable multi-purpose building located in the heart of the UMass Amherst campus. Constructed in 1957, it was the largest building on campus at the time and the first facility dedicated to accommodating student extra-curricular activities and organizations. This was a significant development, as such activities became an increasingly important part of the post-WWII academic experience.
Architectural Details
The two-story building features a rectangular design with projecting bays on the front (west) and rear (east) elevations. Its architecture reflects a modern aesthetic, characterized by a steel and concrete frame, flat roofs, limestone coping, and common-bond brick veneer. Large bays, glazed with rectangular hopper windows framed in limestone, unify the facade. Noteworthy details include semicircular bay windows defined by limestone piers on the southwest corner and octagonal windows on the upper floor of the south elevation. Glazed curtain walls adorn both the west and east elevations.
The primary entrance on the west elevation is marked by a two-story portico with polished granite piers, leading to an atrium lobby finished with marble and wood wall panels. Open staircases within the west wall feature decorative metal grillwork. Adjacent to the lobby is a two-story ballroom with a glazed curtain wall offering views of the surrounding landscape.
Historical Context
The construction of the Student Union was driven by the need to expand campus facilities to accommodate a growing student body. In 1948, the university initiated the $7 million Van Meter Building Program to double student capacity within three years. The Student Union project emerged from a 1946 proposal to create a dedicated war memorial. After fits and starts, the campus planning council commissioned a study in October 1953 to determine the best location for a free-standing union.
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Four sites were considered, including an addition to Memorial Hall and locations near North Pleasant and Clark Hill Roads, across from the pond, and within the central oval. The final choice was based on walking distances to the planned men's and women's housing districts. The project was financed through the institution's self-liquidating alumni corporation.
The Student Union's location also influenced the construction of Machmer Hall, completed in 1957. Although designed by separate architects, both buildings share similar architectural details and contribute to the central campus academic complex.
Architectural Style
Following the completion of Hasbrouck Hall in 1950, UMass adopted a modern approach to the design of new academic buildings. The Student Union, designed by UMass alumnus Louis Warren Ross, was a departure from the Georgian Revival style that dominated dormitory construction. While the building's construction technology was similar to Ross's other projects, its exterior form embraced the symbolic connotations of modern design, a common trend in post-WWII campus architecture.
Changes Over Time
New construction in 1970, including the Lincoln Campus Center and the Parking Garage, altered the views to and from the Student Union. In recent years, the building has undergone renovations to meet the evolving needs of the student body, including upgrades to its infrastructure and interior spaces.
A Hub of Student Life
Today, the UMass Student Union remains a central gathering place for students. It supports over 30,000 students and 200 registered student organizations, serving as a social, cultural, and entrepreneurial hub for the university.
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Renovations and Modernization
Recent renovations have transformed the Student Union into a modern, dynamic space. These updates include the installation of EFCO Interior Storefront System, EFCO Entrance Doors, EFCO Curtain Wall System, and Nanawall Folding Glass Storefront System. Noise Barriers Windows were also added to provide sound control in offices.
The renovated Student Union features an interior "Main Street" showcasing student-run businesses, a black box theatrical event space, a renovated ballroom, and a craft center. It also includes a Global Campus Living Room for events, symposia, and workshops that support trans-disciplinary learning and connection. The campus media center, housing the University's Radio and TV station, is also located in the building. Exterior renovations have created a "campus connection" with a new entryway, outdoor plaza, seating areas, and stone walls and walkways.
The goal of the renovation was to create a space that fosters connections and collaboration. By lifting the 8,000-square-foot Ballroom one story, the architects opened up the building's interior, creating visual connections between spaces and the surrounding campus landscape.
The interior design concept focused on the industrious nature of UMass Amherst students, the eclectic nature of the student population, and the need for a vibrant and active space. The design incorporates raw materials like wood and steel, variations in visual identity for student-owned spaces, and a color palette that complements the building's exterior. Interior glazing allows daylight to fill the space, creating a more inviting atmosphere.
UPub: A Social Hub
Located in the heart of the Campus Center, directly across from the renovated Blue Wall Café, UPub is a popular destination for students of legal drinking age. Originally founded in the early 1990s as the Graduate Lounge, the bar was renamed and renovated several years ago.
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For a brief time in the 1970s, the old Blue Wall was known as "the largest bar east of the Mississippi." In 1973, a law allowed the University to extend alcohol sales to the entirety of Blue Wall, reasoning that students would likely drink regardless and that a safe space on campus would discourage reckless behavior.
Today, UPub offers a variety of wines, ciders, and 25 varieties of beer, with a focus on customer demand in its selections. It also hosts weekly comedy and trivia nights and occasional special events.
The history of alcohol sales on campus has evolved over time, with periods of serving mixed drinks in bulk and hosting live music acts. Changes in drinking age laws eventually led to the cessation of alcohol sales in Blue Wall, but the current UPub offers a welcome space for students to relax and socialize responsibly.
Student Government Association (SGA)
The Student Government Association (SGA) is the undergraduate student governmental body. It provides funding for registered student organizations (RSOs) and agencies, including the Student Legal Services Office (SLSO) and the Center for Student Business (CSB). The SGA also makes formal recommendations on campus policy and advocates for undergraduate students to the Administration, non-student organizations, and local and state government.
A Space for Expression and Expression
Built in 1957, the Student Union at UMass Amherst was the first building on campus dedicated to student organizations and extracurricular activities. Designed in the modernist style, its curved brick vestibule entrance has served as an architectural backdrop for events, student expression and campus tours over the years.
Student Affairs: A Historical Perspective
The Student Affairs profession has a long history in American higher education. Early institutions were residential colleges where tutors lived with students, serving as precursors to student affairs professionals.
The first Dean of Men was appointed at Harvard University in 1870, with responsibility for academic advising and disciplinary duties. In 1892, Alice Freeman Palmer at the University of Chicago became the first Dean of Women. Today, all residential colleges have a Student Affairs executive area, with most professionals holding advanced degrees in relevant fields.
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