Eastern Michigan University Student Center
Encyclopedia
The Eastern Michigan University Student Center is Eastern Michigan University
's student union. Since its opening in 2006 the EMU Student Center replaced McKenny Union
as the student hub of campus life. The building is simply referred to as "The Student Center" by students faculty and staff. The building is located in University Park near the Rec/IM and Library. It is also the location of the EMU Bookstore, a 24/7 computer lab, two art galleries, various offices and Admissions. The Student Center also includes the Kiva Room
.
Eastern Michigan University's first Student Union was McKenny Union. McKenny was first proposed by President Charles McKenny in 1924. McKenny Union opened in 1931 it was the first student union
on the campus of a teachers' college. In the early 2000's EMU began to look at a possible expansion and renovation of McKenny Union. The University found that rebuilding a new student union and renovating McKenny would be cheaper. In 2004, construction began on the former site of Pine Grove Apartments and tennis courts. The building officially opened on November 17, 2006. Since its opening EMU Student Center uses the slogan "Centered on You!". When opening in 2006, the EMU Student Center replaced McKenny Union
as the student hub of campus life. Once the Student Center opened McKenny Union closed for renovations and reopened as McKenny Hall.
(Savage Geckos); purchased by the university in Spring 2008 and renamed E-Zone.
Current food vendors in the Student Center include sites run by EMU's Dining Services, Starbucks
, Wendy's
, and Subway
. Past vendors include Taco Bell
, KFC
, Sbarro
, Panda Express
. In recent years EMU has transitioned away from chain restaurants to sites run and owned by the university.
, a round, 360-degree room patterned after spaces used in Native American
cultures, on the north end of the second floor. The Kiva Room is used as a meeting space, for collaboration, or for musical purposes.
Eastern Michigan University
Eastern Michigan University is a comprehensive, co-educational public university located in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Ypsilanti is west of Detroit and eight miles east of Ann Arbor. The university was founded in 1849 as Michigan State Normal School...
's student union. Since its opening in 2006 the EMU Student Center replaced McKenny Union
McKenny Union
McKenny Hall, previously called McKenny Union and Charles McKenny Union, is one of four buildings comprising the Eastern Michigan University Historic District in the National Register of Historic Places on the campus of Eastern Michigan University...
as the student hub of campus life. The building is simply referred to as "The Student Center" by students faculty and staff. The building is located in University Park near the Rec/IM and Library. It is also the location of the EMU Bookstore, a 24/7 computer lab, two art galleries, various offices and Admissions. The Student Center also includes the Kiva Room
Kiva
A kiva is a room used by modern Puebloans for religious rituals, many of them associated with the kachina belief system. Among the modern Hopi and most other Pueblo peoples, kivas are square-walled and underground, and are used for spiritual ceremonies....
.
History
- for the history of McKenny Union see McKenny Hall
Eastern Michigan University's first Student Union was McKenny Union. McKenny was first proposed by President Charles McKenny in 1924. McKenny Union opened in 1931 it was the first student union
Student activity center
A student activity center is a type of building found on university campuses. In the United States, such a building is more often called a student union, student commons, or student center...
on the campus of a teachers' college. In the early 2000's EMU began to look at a possible expansion and renovation of McKenny Union. The University found that rebuilding a new student union and renovating McKenny would be cheaper. In 2004, construction began on the former site of Pine Grove Apartments and tennis courts. The building officially opened on November 17, 2006. Since its opening EMU Student Center uses the slogan "Centered on You!". When opening in 2006, the EMU Student Center replaced McKenny Union
McKenny Union
McKenny Hall, previously called McKenny Union and Charles McKenny Union, is one of four buildings comprising the Eastern Michigan University Historic District in the National Register of Historic Places on the campus of Eastern Michigan University...
as the student hub of campus life. Once the Student Center opened McKenny Union closed for renovations and reopened as McKenny Hall.
Facility
The building offers student services, a Chase Bank branch, dining facilities, meeting rooms, two art galleries, administrative offices, student organization offices, an auditorium, a 24-hour computer lab, a Kiva Room, bookstore and a gaming center. The cost of the Student Center is estimated around 40,500,000 (USD). The building's Architecture Style is Post Modern. The building is approximately 181000 square feet (16,815.5 m²) in size. The building is located in University Park near the Rec/IM and Library. During the buildings construction a lake was made adjacent to the Student Center. This completed the area known as "University Park". Outside the building to the south is a small reconstructed prairie and a bridge. The Student Center is home to offices such as Campus Life, VISION, a box office, Service EMU, and Admissions. The Student Center was the home of the first LAN Gaming CenterLAN Gaming Center
A LAN Gaming Center is a business where one can use a computer connected over a LAN to other computers, primarily for the purpose of playing multiplayer computer games. Use of these computers or game consoles costs a fee, usually per hour or minute; sometimes one can have unmetered access with a...
(Savage Geckos); purchased by the university in Spring 2008 and renamed E-Zone.
Current food vendors in the Student Center include sites run by EMU's Dining Services, Starbucks
Starbucks
Starbucks Corporation is an international coffee and coffeehouse chain based in Seattle, Washington. Starbucks is the largest coffeehouse company in the world, with 17,009 stores in 55 countries, including over 11,000 in the United States, over 1,000 in Canada, over 700 in the United Kingdom, and...
, Wendy's
Wendy's
Wendy's is an international fast food chain restaurant founded by Dave Thomas on November 15, 1969, in Columbus, Ohio, United States. The company decided to move its headquarters to Dublin, Ohio, on January 29, 2006. It has been owned by Triarc since 2008...
, and Subway
Subway (restaurant)
Subway is an American restaurant franchise that primarily sells submarine sandwiches and salads. It is owned and operated by Doctor's Associates, Inc. . Subway is one of the fastest growing franchises in the world with 35,519 restaurants in 98 countries and territories as of October 25th, 2011...
. Past vendors include Taco Bell
Taco Bell
Taco Bell is an American chain of fast-food restaurants based in Irvine, California. A subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc., which serves American-adapted Mexican food. Taco Bell serves tacos, burritos, quesadillas, nachos, other specialty items, and a variety of "Value Menu" items...
, KFC
KFC
KFC, founded and also known as Kentucky Fried Chicken, is a chain of fast food restaurants based in Louisville, Kentucky, in the United States. KFC has been a brand and operating segment, termed a concept of Yum! Brands since 1997 when that company was spun off from PepsiCo as Tricon Global...
, Sbarro
Sbarro
Sbarro is a bankrupt chain of pizza restaurants that specializes in traditional Italian cuisine, including its most popular menu item "pizza by the slice." Its headquarters is located in Melville, Huntington, New York.- History :...
, Panda Express
Panda Express
Panda Express is a fast casual restaurant chain serving American Chinese cuisine. It operates mainly inside the United States, in casinos, shopping malls, supermarkets, airports, train stations, strip plazas, theme parks, stadiums, college campuses and The Pentagon...
. In recent years EMU has transitioned away from chain restaurants to sites run and owned by the university.
Kiva Room
The Student Center also includes the Kiva RoomKiva
A kiva is a room used by modern Puebloans for religious rituals, many of them associated with the kachina belief system. Among the modern Hopi and most other Pueblo peoples, kivas are square-walled and underground, and are used for spiritual ceremonies....
, a round, 360-degree room patterned after spaces used in Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
cultures, on the north end of the second floor. The Kiva Room is used as a meeting space, for collaboration, or for musical purposes.