A student center (or student centre ) is a type of building found on university and some high school campuses. In the United States , such a building may also be called a student union , student commons , or union . The term "student union" refers most often in the United States to a building, while in other nations a " students' union " is the student government . Nevertheless, the Association of College Unions International (largely US-based) has several hundred campus organizational members in the US; there is no sharp dichotomy in interpretation of union in this context. The US usage in reference to a location is simply a shortened form of student union building .
55-547: The Mountainlair , commonly called " the Lair " by students, is the three-floor student union building at West Virginia University . The current building dates to 1968 and replaced an earlier structure built in 1948. The Mountainlair is also the site of American sculptor Donald De Lue 's 1971 statue The Mountaineer , a bronze representation of West Virginia University's Mountaineer mascot. The student union offers many services to students including an information desk, lounges,
110-410: A Nobel Peace Prize laureate. The University of Vermont was founded as a private university in 1791, the same year Vermont became the fourteenth U.S. state. The university enrolled its first students ten years later. Its first president, Daniel C. Sanders, was hired in 1800, and served as the sole faculty member for seven years. Instruction began in 1801, and the first class graduated in 1804. In 1865,
165-507: A post office , bank, movie theater , bowling alley , pool hall , video game arcade , cafeteria, and several chain restaurants . Along with these recreational facilities, the Mountainlair is also home to a large events ballroom, several meeting and conference rooms, and many administrative offices of the university. In addition, The Student Government Association (SGA) and other student organizations of special interest hold offices in
220-446: A yield rate (the percentage of accepted students who chose to attend) of 17.1%. UVM's first-year retention rate is 88.25%, with 77.5% graduating within six years. Of the 35% of the incoming first-year class who submitted SAT scores; the middle 50% composite scores were 1270-1410. Of the 11% of enrolled first-years in 2023 who submitted ACT scores; the middle 50% composite scores were between 29 and 32. The average high school GPA
275-416: A 50-acre (20 ha) parcel of land for establishment of the university. Most of this land has been maintained as the university's main green, where stands a statue of Allen. The citizens of Burlington helped fund the university's first edifice. When it was destroyed by fire in 1824, they also paid for its replacement. This building came to be known as " Old Mill " for its resemblance to New England mills of
330-814: A Title VI complaint filed by The Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law and Jewish on Campus . The investigation concluded in April 2023, after the university and the Office of Civil Rights settled in a voluntary resolution. A press release from the Department of Education stated that the university failed to adequately respond to incidents. University administrators denied the allegations, insisting that they responded appropriately. The university agreed to adopt new practices around bias reporting, edit their discrimination and harassment policies, and provide extra training to staff and students, but it did not adopt
385-571: A U.S. Representative (1855–1867), and Senator (1867–1898) from Vermont, author of the Morrill Land-Grant Colleges Act that created federal funding for establishing the U.S. land-grant colleges and universities, served as a trustee of the university from 1865 to 1898. In 1924, UVM's WCAX, now called WVMT , sent out the first radio broadcast in Vermont. It was run by UVM students and faculty before being sold in 1931. WCAX
440-471: A charter declaring that the "rules, regulations, and by-laws shall not tend to give preference to any religious sect or denomination whatsoever". In 1871, UVM defied custom and admitted two women as students. It was the first American university to admit women (1875) and African Americans (1877) into Phi Beta Kappa , the country's oldest collegiate academic honor society. Justin Smith Morrill ,
495-469: A dentist office, a used book store, piano rooms and study rooms that can be reserved for use, and a multi-faith prayer room. University of Vermont The University of Vermont ( UVM ), officially titled as University of Vermont and State Agricultural College , is a public land-grant research university in Burlington, Vermont . Founded in 1791, the university is the oldest in Vermont and
550-477: A solution for reducing alcohol consumption and partying on college campuses across the country. WVU administration have been asked to speak about its success at national conferences, and estimate the program's cost at $ 350,000 annually. 39°38′05″N 79°57′12″W / 39.63472°N 79.95333°W / 39.63472; -79.95333 Student activity center The first student union in America
605-506: A variety of programs, activities, services, and facilities. It may contain lounges, wellness centers, dining facilities or vendors, and entertainment venues. The student center is often the center of student affairs and activities and may house the offices of the student government or other student groups. It may also act as a small conference center , with its meeting rooms rented out to student groups and local organizations holding conferences or competitions. An example of this for instance
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#1732771785240660-539: Is also home to the Center for Rural Studies. The college also offers programs in conjunction with the college of arts and sciences. Students who choose these majors, such as Biological Sciences, can choose between either college. As a land-grant college, UVM receives an annual grant under the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service to provide agricultural research services to
715-400: Is now the call sign of a commercial television station . A new radio station was set up in 1955, dubbed WRUV . It currently runs a FM broadcast at 90.1 MHz and an internet stream at wruv.org . The station, run by students, faculty, and local community members, dubs itself Burlington's Better Alternative . It is known for playing a wide range of music, boasting "the largest catalog in
770-668: Is one of the original eight Public Ivies . Athletically, UVM’s teams, known as the Catamounts , compete in NCAA Division I , primarily in the America East Conference and Hockey East Association . The university fields 18 varsity teams, and has a strong reputation in alpine skiing . UVM has produced numerous Olympians , as well as notable alumni in politics, along with being a producer of Fulbright Scholars , Truman Scholars , Goldwater Scholars , and
825-614: Is the Michigan Union , which hosts the University of Michigan Model United Nations conference. Depending on the school and its location it might have unique amenities such as a bowling alley, cultural or prayer rooms and unique services. At Eastern Michigan University Student Center the building offers a kiva , a round, 360-degree room patterned after spaces used in Native American cultures. The Kiva Room at EMU
880-554: Is used as a meeting space, for collaboration, or for musical purposes. In the Ohio State University-Ohio Union , the student union offers an interfaith prayer room which has feet washing area for Muslim students. The University of Central Florida has an eyewear and optometric consumer service location. Likewise, a Canadian example would be at the University of Waterloo where the student life centre holds many different businesses and services such as
935-545: The Communist Party . In March 1957, student protests against a motel owner who refused service to an African-American woman led the Vermont General Assembly to outlaw discrimination in public accommodations. UVM held an annual " Kake Walk " where students wore blackface for 73 years, until the practice was abolished in 1969 under pressure from the student body and the community. In 1972
990-481: The Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University is available); biochemistry; biological science; community entrepreneurship; community and international development; dietetics, nutrition and food sciences; ecological agriculture; environmental science; environmental studies; microbiology; molecular genetics; plant biology; public communication; and sustainable landscape horticulture. The college
1045-613: The Darfur genocide , and divestment from cluster munitions and depleted uranium weapons in 2009, during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars . In 2013 and 2016, trustees rejected calls to divest from fossil fuels. On July 1, 2019, Suresh Garimella was appointed UVM's 27th president. Under his tenure, the university faced record enrollment and a 50 percent increase in research funding to $ 250 million; however, he has been criticized for his public relations with students and faculty. In 2021,
1100-666: The NRHP include O'Hara Student Center ( University of Pittsburgh ), McKenny Hall ( Eastern Michigan University ), and the Tivoli Student Union . The Tivoli Student Union was originally home to the Trevoli Brewing Company but since has been converted to serve several institutions in Denver , Colorado . In 2007, the University of Vermont 's student center became the first LEED Gold certification by
1155-826: The Robert Larner College of Medicine , the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Education and Social Services, the College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences, the College of Nursing and Health Sciences, the Graduate College, the Grossman School of Business, and the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources . The Patrick Leahy Honors College does not confer its own degrees; instead, students concurrently enroll in one of
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#17327717852401210-691: The U.S. Green Building Council . Other examples of student centers include West Virginia University 's Mountainlair , the J. Wayne Reitz Union at the University of Florida , the Bronco Student Center at Cal Poly Pomona , the McCormick Tribune Campus Center at the Illinois Institute of Technology , and Price Center at UC San Diego . The first student center in the United Kingdom
1265-579: The 1980s, the university faced increasing pressure from the student body to divest from companies doing business in apartheid South Africa . Student protests against investment in apartheid culminated in the construction of a "shantytown" on the green across from the Waterman building on October 12, 1985. On December 6, the board voted 12-7 to divest. UVM has undertaken several other divestment actions due to advocacy from student groups, including divestment from " Sudan -friendly" companies in 2006, during
1320-583: The Center on Disability and Community Inclusion. Studies leading to a master's degree or doctorate (Ed.D. or Ph.D.) also are offered. In 1804, John Pomeroy began teaching students in his house in Burlington, as the first medical department at a state college or university . In 1822, the College of Medicine was established as the seventh medical school in the United States, founded by Pomeroy and
1375-637: The College of Nursing and Health Sciences, as well as the physicians , and other health care providers at the University of Vermont Medical Center. The library also meets the health sciences information needs of the university's undergraduate and graduate programs and is open to the residents of the state of Vermont with health sciences information questions. The College of Nursing and Health Sciences at UVM comprises four departments: Biomedical and Health Sciences, Communication Sciences and Disorders, Nursing, and Rehabilitation and Movement Science, as well as
1430-686: The Department of Computer Science and the Department of Mathematics and Statistics. It also features three research centers: the Transportation Research Center, the Complex Systems Center and the Vermont Advanced Computing Center. The college has about 1400 undergraduate students, 250 graduate students, and 85 faculty members. The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) offers programs in animal science (early admission to
1485-994: The Institute of Integrative Health, a shared program with the Robert Larner College of Medicine offering a Certificate in Integrative Healthcare.Some of these undergraduate degrees prepare students to enter graduate degree programs for Speech-Language Pathology, Audiology, or a doctorate of physical therapy program. The college also utilizes clinical facilities at the UVM Medical Center (formerly known as Fletcher Allen Health Care). The Patrick Leahy Honors College sponsors opportunities for students to participate in co-curricular programs and extracurricular activities — special symposia, dinners with visiting scholars, and trips to museums and theaters in Montreal and Boston. Faculty are selected from throughout
1540-661: The Mountainlair the "heart of the WVU campus." WVU "Up All Night" is a program designed to provide a safe environment for WVU students to socialize during weekends. The Mountainlair has hosted "Up All Night" every Thursday through Saturday during the fall and spring semesters since 1998. The University provides free food and beverages, and entertainment such as movie screenings at the Gluck Theater, laser tag, game shows, astro bowling, comedy caravans, and casino night. The program has garnered national attention from other universities as
1595-464: The State of Vermont" at over 50,000 albums. In the second half of the 20th century, UVM gained a reputation for its political activism , and struggles ensued on campus between student and faculty activists and the university administration. In 1953, the university's board of trustees ousted Alex B. Novikoff , a tenured professor and cell biologist in the College of Medicine , over his association with
1650-652: The Student Organization Wing (SOW) of the Mountainlair, including the Hockey Club, Muslim Student Organizations, and Alpha Phi Omega National Service Fraternity. The Mountainlair's north wing additionally houses a coffee shop and the campus's main bookstore (managed and stocked by Barnes & Noble ) and university shop. Located behind the main building is the Mountainlair parking garage, containing 245 short-term spaces and additional space for long-term. These facilities and its central location make
1705-586: The UK following World War II with architectural styles ranging from classical to modernist ; the brutalist Dunelm House , built in 1966 for Durham Students' Union , is considered "the foremost students’ union building of the post-war era in England" and was listed in 2021. As of 2021 , these are the only three student centers to have been listed in England. The conversion of former polytechnics to universities in 1992 sparked further construction of student centers at
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1760-420: The board of trustees intervened again to deny tenure to Michael Parenti , a popular Marxist political science professor who drew ire from the authorities due to his participation in anti-war demonstrations. The board overrode the recommendation of the faculty, the deans' council and the administration. Parenti later brought a federal suit against the university, which was settled out of court for $ 15,000. In
1815-466: The building one of the largest student activity centers in the world at 611,000 sq ft (56,800 m ). Some student centers carry unique origins and historical significance with some on the National Register of Historic Places . The William Pitt Union was originally constructed in 1898 as a hotel and was converted into a student center in 1956. Some student activity centers on
1870-467: The demands of the complainant. The Department of Education did not make a finding of guilt or wrongdoing or create new federal policy in closing the investigation. In October 2023, UVM's Division of Safety and Compliance abruptly canceled a planned guest lecture by Palestinian author Mohammed El-Kurd , citing an inability to provide adequate "safety and security" for the event. An investigative report by Seven Days found no evidence of threats related to
1925-669: The event. The university's graduate students voted to unionize with the UAW in March 2024. In April 2024, UVM's chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine established a protest encampment on the Andrew Harris Commons, demanding transparency in the university's endowment and divestment from "all weapons manufacturers, Israeli companies, and companies involved in the occupation of historic Palestine.” They also demanded that
1980-476: The fifth-oldest in New England , making it among the oldest in the United States . UVM comprises ten colleges and schools, including the Robert Larner College of Medicine , and offers more than 100 undergraduate majors alongside a range of graduate and professional programs. Vermont's largest hospital complex, the University of Vermont Medical Center , has its primary facility on campus. Known as one of
2035-590: The humanities, the sciences, engineering, nursing, medicine, education, business and more. In May 2023, the college was renamed in honor of former U.S. senator Patrick Leahy . From its origins in the School of Natural Resources (originally established in 1973), the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources (RSENR) was created in 2003. The Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources seeks to cultivate an appreciation and understanding of ecological and social processes and values aimed at maintaining
2090-528: The largest single gift in the university's history. In 2023 , Corporate Knights ranked the Grossman School as the 5th best MBA program in the world for social and environmental impact. As of 2024 , according to the Princeton Review , the Grossman School has the 2nd best Green MBA in the United States. CEMS is home to five ABET-accredited engineering programs—Biomedical, Civil, Environmental, Electrical and Mechanical Engineering—in addition to
2145-492: The medical educator Nathan Smith . UVM enrolls approximately 100 medical students in each class; there are approximately 400 medical students. The University of Vermont Medical Center is the primary site of clinical education. The College of Medicine currently ranks tied for 29th for overall quality in primary care training among the country's 89 programs ranked by U.S. News & World Report for 2016 and 43rd out of 120 in 2019 . On October 21, 2016, Joe Biden visited
2200-473: The most sustainable campuses in the U.S, the university has pledged to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030. UVM is also recognized by a longstanding tradition of student-led activism , playing a key role in movements for civil rights , environmental justice , and divestment from fossil fuels . It is classified among "R2: Doctoral Universities – High research activity". In 2024 , the university attracted $ 266 million in research and development funding. It
2255-467: The new universities, examples including the students' union buildings of Sunderland University and the University of the West of Scotland , both built in 2004. Broadly speaking, the facility is devoted to student recreation and socialization. A student center or student union is the community center of the college, serving students, faculty, staff, alumni, and guests. A student activity center might offer
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2310-517: The outer ring "Collegiumque Agriculturae" in the inner one, noting the establishment of the College of Agriculture in 1865. Offering over 100 undergraduate majors, the university comprises seven undergraduate colleges, an honors college, a graduate college, and a medical college. The University of Vermont is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education . Bachelors, masters, and doctoral programs are offered through
2365-507: The state of Vermont. UVM's College of Education and Social Services (CESS) offers degrees in teacher education, human development & family science, and social work. Minors are also available in American Sign Language, special education, and education for cultural and linguistic diversity. The college comprises the Department of Leadership and Developmental Sciences, Department of Education, Department of Social Work, and
2420-498: The time. The Marquis de Lafayette , a French general who became a commander in the American Revolution, while in Vermont laid the cornerstone of Old Mill, which stands on University Row along with Ira Allen Chapel , Billings Library , Williams Hall, Royall Tyler Theatre, and Morrill Hall . A statue of Lafayette stands at the north end of the main green. UVM was the first American institution of higher education with
2475-478: The tools to succeed in all academic endeavors. It offers 45 areas of study in the humanities, fine arts, formal sciences, social sciences, and natural sciences. UVM's Grossman School of Business is accredited by the AACSB International and offers undergraduate and graduate programs. In 2015, the school was renamed Grossman School of Business in honor of a $ 20 million gift from alumnus Steven Grossman,
2530-440: The university administration imposed budget cuts that terminated three departments, 12 majors, 11 minors and four master’s degree programs in the College of Arts and Sciences. In 2020, under pressure from a student campaign, UVM trustees voted unanimously to divest from fossil fuels by July 2023. In 2022, the U.S. Department of Education opened an investigation into the university's response to antisemitism on campus based on
2585-682: The university campus to discuss Cancer Moonshot . The largest medical library in Vermont, the Charles A. Dana Library, is the Vermont Resource Library of the National Network of Libraries of Medicine and serves the information needs of the Academic Health Center at the University of Vermont. The Academic Health Center is composed of the faculty, staff and students at UVM's College of Medicine and
2640-552: The university cancel a planned commencement speech by Linda Thomas-Greenfield . The university first adopted an official seal in 1807. The seal depicts the sun rising over the Green Mountains with the original college edifice, now the remodeled Old Mill. It includes a diagram of Euclid 's "windmill proof" of the Pythagorean theorem , a globe, and a sextant . It includes the motto "Universitas V. Montis. A.D. 1791" in
2695-434: The university merged with Vermont Agricultural College (chartered November 22, 1864, after the passage of the Morrill Land-Grant Colleges Act of 1862 ), emerging as the University of Vermont and State Agricultural College. The university was granted 150,000 acres, which it sold for $ 122,626. Much of the initial funding and planning for the university was undertaken by Ira Allen , who is honored as UVM's founder. Allen donated
2750-514: The university to participate in the college as lecturers in a first-year ethics course and advanced seminars, as participants in reading groups, as speakers at the Plenary Lecture Series, and as mentors to honors students conducting research. Through a required ethics course, small seminars, informal gatherings, and special research projects, students work alongside scholars from a section of the university's academic disciplines in
2805-483: The university's seven undergraduate colleges. As of 2024 , U.S. News & World Report ' s annual university rankings place UVM as tied for 61st among public universities and tied for 121st nationally. In 2024 , Forbes ' America's Top Colleges list ranked UVM 181st overall out of 500 private and public colleges and universities in America, and also ranks it 79th among public universities and 129th among research universities. The University of Vermont
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#17327717852402860-454: Was Houston Hall , at the University of Pennsylvania , which opened January 2, 1896 and remains in operation to this day. The first Ohio Union at Ohio State University was Enarson Hall. The building opened in 1911 and was the first student union to be built at a state university and the fourth of its kind in the United States. Oklahoma State University 's student union opened in 1950. Subsequent additions, and renovations in 2010, have made
2915-469: Was 3.85. UVM is classified among "R2: Doctoral Universities – High research activity". For the 2024 fiscal year, UVM attracted $ 266 million in research and development funding. Research expenditures topped $ 216 million in 2022 . The College of Arts and Sciences is the largest college, with the greatest number of students, faculty, and staff. The college also offers the bulk of the foundational courses to help ensure that students all over campus have
2970-577: Was at the University of Liverpool , built 1910–1913 for the Liverpool Guild of Students and listed on the National Heritage List for England from 1975. Another historically important student center is Newcastle University Students' Union Building , built in 1924 for what was then Armstrong College of Durham University and listed from 1987. Many student centers were built as part of the rapid expansion of higher education in
3025-492: Was ranked 40th on a list published by BusinessWeek.com of the top 50 U.S. colleges and universities whose bachelor's degree graduates earn the highest salaries. Undergraduate admissions are classified as "more selective", indicating that test score data for first-year students is in the 80th to 100th percentile of selectivity among all baccalaureate institutions. For the class of 2026, UVM received 28,236 applications, accepting 16,947 (60.0%). Of those accepted, 2,896 enrolled,
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