As students return to campus for the spring semester, the new Student Services Tower will offer endless dining, shopping and health facilities.
The UW-Madison Student Services Tower in the University Square complex is now ready to serve students, faculty and staff for the spring semester.
The brand new tower located at 333 East Campus Mall provides all the essential student services including University Health Services, the Office of Student Financial Aid, the Bursar's office, the Office of the Registrar, Student Print, WSUM Student Radio and other student organizations.
The building also houses student government offices in the Student Activity Center with comfortable study areas, computers and multipurpose rooms for yoga, dancing and other meeting events.
It's pretty impressive,"" Project Manager Julie Grove said. ""You can see both lakes from the tower and it has the most beautiful view of the capitol on the other side. You can see the future development of the campus.""
UHS, which was at its previous location for 40 years, is finally able to supply the newest technology for student health.
According to Dr. Sarah Van Orman, executive director of UHS, old film based radiology machines were replaced with a new digital imaging system, and the isolation exam room is now equipped with a negative pressure system.
In addition, UHS has sports medicine, specialty clinics for students with cold flu, asthma and diabetes, allergy and immunization, women's clinic, dermatology and pharmacy.
""For students, I think they are going to have just a lot more pleasant places to visit centrally located,"" Van Orman said. ""For us clinicians, it allows us to do things right. We have state of the art, up to date medical space and equipment which we didn't have before.""
According to Grove, the tower project cost about $60 million all together, which was partially funded by $17 million in student-segregated fees and $39 million from state funds.
Except for WSUM Radio, all tenants are either already operating or ready to open Tuesday, Jan. 20 for the start of the spring semester. WSUM will keep its previous location on State Street until Feb. 20.
""To have everyone here gives a chance to communicate better and collaborate more,"" Lauren Vollrath, chair of SAC governing board, said. ""I think it's great, the more places for people to hang out, the better.""
