Community members came together Tuesday night to share stories and discuss the benefits of Union South.
The goal of the meeting was to talk about positive aspects of Union South and bring forward the elements of the facility that are working for students and community members.
Director of Wisconsin Union mini-course programs Jay Ekleberry said in recent surveys students have said they would like to see the new Union South include a movie theater, a convenience or grocery store and a pub or restaurant. Students also said the new Union South should include elements that would better reflect the Badger spirit because of its close proximity to Camp Randall.
Mark Guthier, director of the Wisconsin Union, said he was excited about the Student Union Initiative, which aims to rebuild Union South and renovate Memorial Union to meet the campus' growing needs.
It's not on its face an inviting place""you have to come in and meet people, get to know the place in order to appreciate it,"" Guthier said. ""Our goal is to end up with a facility that is certainly still appreciated by the students who live and work on this side of campus, but also just by walking by it or being in it, you instantly feel at home and welcome.""
Tim Gloecker, a Union employee, has worked at Union South for 20 years and spent many days there as a college student.
Gloecker said he appreciated the fact that it was ""a place for [students] to relax and to interact with each other."" Union South also holds a special place in Gloecker's heart, he said, because he met his wife there.
UW-Madison sophomore McKenzie Aschenbrenner said she studies there almost every day because it strikes the right study environment balance.
""Memorial Union can be too loud sometimes,"" she said. ""Libraries are sometimes too quiet.""
There are numerous available study spaces at Union South.
""It feels more ‘your own' rather than fighting for quiet space,"" Ekleberry said.
Union South also provides a game room where students can bowl and play pool or other arcade games.
