Dean Dora Grossenbacher and President James Wagener cut the ribbon to open the new student union.
Gathering Spot
UTSA’s student union opens with a ribbon-cutting event
[ This article was originally published in the UTSA newsletter The Roadrunner on July 14, 1986 ]
After six years of planning and preparation The University of Texas at San Antonio students, faculty, and staff will have their own University Center. The new University Center will open July 15, 1986, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Construction on the project began in January 1985 with a project cost of approximately $4 million.
“The building was designed to be a people place,” Jane Duckworth, UTSA director of student activities, says. Money to support programs for the new center was provided by students through a University Center fee, which students agreed to pay in 1980. The center was built with bond proceeds, not state-appropriated funds.
The University Center will house work space for student organizations on a limited basis as well as provide recreational space for rest and relaxation. Besides a lounge area, which features a large fireplace, the center also provides a game room, several television rooms, and eating areas. The center is also the home of the multipurpose room that was designed for showing films as well as a large meeting hall.
The building was designed by O'Neill, Conrad and Oppelt Architects, although a planning committee comprised of students, faculty, staff, and alumni was also involved in the planning and design.
A grand opening and dedication ceremony are planned for September.