Our topic this week involved student unions. I tried to find the history of the Ole Miss student union, but was unsuccessful. However, (and I will be revealing my age with this one) I remember when the Student Union was located in what is now Weir Hall. Well, actually we called it "The Grill." Sounds strange, but it was really a neat place. People gathered each morning and discussed everything from the next sporting event on the University to world events. If you were looking for someone, odds were, they were at "The Grill."
Since I was unable to find information that specifically addressed the Ole Miss student union, I decided to write a little about the design of student unions in our country and how they have evolved.
During the late 1800’s several building types, not previously associated with a university began to spring up on college campuses. Among these were gymnasiums and student centers. According to an article I came across in the Chronicle of Higher Education, student centers began in the 1890’s as the university student population began its break from the homogeneous history. Students were from a more diversified income level, ranging from the very poor to the socially elite. The faculty members of this era were almost strictly focused on scholarly research, while the students were there for “social grooming.” There was no longer a collective identity to the university. The birth of the student center, or student union, provided an outlet for students to exercise their desire for a life outside the classroom.
According to my research, the first student center was erected on the University of Pennsylvania campus. Houston Hall, as it was named, was a cozy setting that resembled a country estate and featured a “clubhouse,” in the traditional English style and donned with dark oak paneling in every possible area. Almost a century passed before the building was remodeled to include outside concessions and a more commercial atmosphere. The discrete clubhouse gave way to the open atrium and a more contemporary atmosphere. Most every student center/union was followed this architectural design.
The Ole Miss Union seems to have been built along this same design. So what’s wrong with that? Personally, I think the design of the Ole Miss Union is more like a “visitor’s center” at a national park. Nothing against having an atrium, but our union just doesn’t have any personality. Too much concrete and glass for me. A modern student center should not only serve the students, but also act as a recruiting center for prospective students. When prospects visit the Ole Miss campus, in which single building do they spend the most time? Okay, maybe it’s the Turner Center, but I’ll leave that for another time.
Since I was unable to find information that specifically addressed the Ole Miss student union, I decided to write a little about the design of student unions in our country and how they have evolved.
During the late 1800’s several building types, not previously associated with a university began to spring up on college campuses. Among these were gymnasiums and student centers. According to an article I came across in the Chronicle of Higher Education, student centers began in the 1890’s as the university student population began its break from the homogeneous history. Students were from a more diversified income level, ranging from the very poor to the socially elite. The faculty members of this era were almost strictly focused on scholarly research, while the students were there for “social grooming.” There was no longer a collective identity to the university. The birth of the student center, or student union, provided an outlet for students to exercise their desire for a life outside the classroom.
According to my research, the first student center was erected on the University of Pennsylvania campus. Houston Hall, as it was named, was a cozy setting that resembled a country estate and featured a “clubhouse,” in the traditional English style and donned with dark oak paneling in every possible area. Almost a century passed before the building was remodeled to include outside concessions and a more commercial atmosphere. The discrete clubhouse gave way to the open atrium and a more contemporary atmosphere. Most every student center/union was followed this architectural design.
The Ole Miss Union seems to have been built along this same design. So what’s wrong with that? Personally, I think the design of the Ole Miss Union is more like a “visitor’s center” at a national park. Nothing against having an atrium, but our union just doesn’t have any personality. Too much concrete and glass for me. A modern student center should not only serve the students, but also act as a recruiting center for prospective students. When prospects visit the Ole Miss campus, in which single building do they spend the most time? Okay, maybe it’s the Turner Center, but I’ll leave that for another time.
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