History
In 1969, the Texas Legislature created The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) as a component of the University of Texas System. The master plan, approved in 1970, was developed for a campus of 30,000 students and did not include a student union. By 1979, enrollment at the University topped 9,000 and activities and events were scattered around the campus. A student referendum in November 1979 approved the establishment of a student union organization which would offer co-curricular activity space for the University's students. The student union was pictured as a gathering place for the university community and the focal point for programs, meetings, dining, and relaxation for students, faculty, staff and university guests.
The economic climate of the early '80s made formulating a project-planning budget difficult. The project consultants recognized that the scope of desired facilities would exceed initial funding and decided a multi-phased building plan would best serve the needs of the university by allowing the most vital facilities to be constructed first. In fall 1982, a total project budget of $5 million was established.
The feasibility study completed in early 1983 recommended construction of a 38,000 square foot building to be known as the University Center (UC). Construction of Phase I began in July 1984. Opening in July 1986, the new UC featured a main lounge, several meeting rooms, a multi-purpose room banquet hall, a student activity complex, a recreation room (the Roost), and food services. The main lounge, known as the Ski Lodge, was designed as and remains the living room of the UC. The meeting rooms are used primarily by student organizations for various meetings and events.
In 1993, the building program for Phase II, an addition to Phase I of the UC, was established and approved. Representing the needs of the student body, the Student Government Association (SGA) played an important role in the design process. The design called for an addition 100,000 square feet. When the expansion opened in 1996, included was a 16,000 square foot bookstore, 7,485 square foot student activities complex, the Retama auditorium (350 seat, tiered-style theater), several more meeting rooms, and the offices of Student Life, Career Services, Alumni Programs, Orientation Programs, and a copy center. Included in the building program for Phase II was also renovation of Phase I that included expanding the Roost, adding the Counseling Center, the Tomas Rivera Center and a Special Events Office.
Today's UC is the hub of student organizations and activities, a vibrant and vital piece of the UTSA campus.
Amid the pressures of UTSA's extremely rapid growth and huge space deficit, in 2003 the student body approved by referendum the construction of a UC expansion scheduled to open in 2008. The building program for Phase III, a primarily student-driven project, will include a 650-seat ballroom, additional meeting rooms, entertainment areas, lounge space, and more space for the 230+ student organizations at UTSA. Renovations of the existing UC will include life safety upgrades to bring the building up to code and new technology such as wireless Internet. Students will pay the total project cost of $33.3 million once construction is complete through a $8 per credit hour fee. This expansion will help build a stronger UTSA community and expand the hub of campus activities.