The Student Union Building is the hearthstone of our campus. It is the only building on campus that is for the students, by the students, with the students. It creates a common space for everyone enrolled at SUNY New Paltz to engage and reflect during their time here. Below are the offices, spaces and services students can obtain. For building reservations, policies, and forms, please see the Forms and Policies page on our website.

FAST FACTS OF THE STUDENT UNION

• The Student Union opened in 1971 with 103,800 square feet
• The first expansion opening Summer 2010 to the Student Union will add approximately 12,000 square feet
• We currently have a total of 9 meeting rooms, 1 medium size multipurpose room/lounge, 1 large multipurpose room, and 16 student club offices (not including the radio/tv/newspaper/student association/campus ministries offices)
• The Student Union is also home to the following offices:
  
  • Campus Media Center
  • Campus Bookstore
  • Center for Student Development
  • Dining Services
  • Disability Resource Center
  • ID/Meal Plan/Conference Services
  • Student Association
  • Student Information Desk
• The addition will add 3 more meeting rooms, 1 large dividable conference room, a billiards area, lounge areas, a TV viewing area, and a large atrium lobby
• The Student Union averages (over the last three years) 4,700 reserved events a year.
• The Student Union is connected to the Haggerty Administration Building through the lower level walkway

ROLE OF THE COLLEGE UNION - A Statement of the Association of College Unions International:

The union is the community center of the college, serving students, faculty, staff, alumni, and guests. By whatever form or name, a college union is an organization offering a variety of programs, activities, services, and facilities that, when taken together, represent a well-considered plan for the community life of the college.

The union is an integral part of the educational mission of the college.

• As the center of the college community life, the union complements the academic experience through an extensive variety of cultural, educational, social, and recreational programs. These programs provide the opportunity to balance course work and free time as cooperative factors in education.
• The union is a student-centered organization that values participatory decision-making. Through volunteerism, its boards, committees, and student employment, the union offers first-hand experience in citizenship and educates students in leadership, social responsibility, and values.
• In all its processes, the union encourages self-directed activity, giving maximum opportunity for self-realization and for growth in individual social competency and group effectiveness.

The union's goal is the development of persons as well as intellects.

Traditionally considered the "hearthstone" or "living room" of the campus, today's union is the gathering place of the college. The union provides services and conveniences that members of the college community need in their daily lives and creates an environment for getting to know and understand others through formal and informal associations.

The union serves as a unifying force that honors each individual and values diversity. The union fosters a sense of community that cultivates enduring loyalty to the college.

Adopted by the Association's general membership in 1996, this statement is based on the Role of the College Union statement, 1956.

MEETING AND COMMON SPACES IN THE STUDENT UNION:

• First Floor Lounge *
• Multi-Purpose Room (MPR) *
• 4th Floor Conference Rooms: *
• Room Capacity Information (Updated 1/09)

CONSTRUCTION LINKS:
24 Hour Live Camera! Watch the construction on the Student Union Live!
Architectural Designs
The Student Union Addition

CONSTRUCTION UPDATES (July 29, 2009):

Check back here for current updates on the Student Union Addition Project. Should you have any questions about the Student Union project, please see the Office of Student Activities and Union Services in Student Union 211.

• The Student Activities and Union Services office moved to our new permanent location in the former Purple Lounge.  Our new room number is 211.  All other contact information is the same.
• The first floor entrance (from the HAB Concourse) is closed. Access to the Student Union is still available through the lower level passageway from the HAB and the 2nd Floor entrance. Student Union 100, the ID/Meal Plan office, and dining operations will still continue to be operational as per normal. Please use the side stairwells or the elevators to access the 1st Floor.
• The Information Desk has moved to its new temporary home in the 2nd Floor Lobby, be advised that the Trailways ticket operation has moved into the main office of Student Activities and Union Services.
• The concrete slab of the new addition is being poured this week and by next week, the crane will be arriving.  Once the crane is put together, the crew will begin raising steel.  By the start of classes this fall, we should have a good framework of what the building will look like.
• The MPR (Multipurpose Room) is available for reservations for the 2009-2010 academic year.  We strongly advise event sponsors that construction noise will be present from the hours of 7:30 AM - 4:00 PM and hosting events in the MPR will be impacted by this noise.  We also encourage event sponsors to have a back-up location reserved in the event we need to close the MPR unexpectedly due to construction.

PICTURES FROM CONSTRUCTION:

• Student Union Construction Pictures

  Purple Lounge, November 2008	New Office Space, March 2009	New Office Space, March 2009
  Purple Lounge, November 2008	New Office Space, March 2009	New Office Space, March 2009

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