As we come back after a month of winter break, the campus is a little different. Unfortunately, I am not writing about the how the ever-present fenced-off scar in the middle of Library Mall is gone, because it will probably always be there costing me time to and from Bascom Hill. But I digress. As we see one student landmark meet its end (Union South), we see the birth of another student space that will be bringing students together for years to come. I am referring to the new Student Activity Center. If you have not visited the new SAC, the sooner you do the better, since you are missing out on this campus’s new gem. But for posterity’s sake where did this new student space come from?
The new Student Activity Center did not just appear out of thin air, but was the culmination of years of hard work by your student government, the Associated Students of Madison. The story of how the SAC came together should not just be limited to the SAC, but should be viewed as a lesson on how students can make their aspirations literally more concrete. The seeds of the current SAC were planted 15 years ago in 1994, when an unassuming intern working for ASM recognized the problem of limited space for student groups on campus. The solution this intern put together was summarized in a report that convinced enough people in ASM to progress this idea onto the next stage.
Convincing the campus planning committee that they should build a separate building for the SAC alone was a tall order. ASM’s solution to make the SAC more beneficial to the campus was to collaborate with University Health Services, making one building that had multiple uses. Finally, after several times before the campus planning committee the building project between the SAC and UHS was approved in the early 2000s. Initially the new building was planned to go on the block that Brother’s bar is currently located. Noticeably, that location changed when the university decided to team up with University Square to create the largest mixed-use building in Madison. This second collaboration between University Square and the university resulted in the current building public/private mixed use building we have today.
The SAC, specifically the third and fourth floors of the Student Services Tower, took a unique route in its design. The building plan was heavily influenced by ASM brain storming sessions, where students voiced what they wanted in a student space. An example of a student voiced need is a padded wooden floor room. This room was created in response to students’ desire for a room that could accommodate yoga or dance practice. The result of this process is a building that was designed by students for students, creating an especially functional design.
ASM is very proud of your new student space, and we encourage all students to take advantage of new SAC that they had a part in making a reality. Stop in and see WSUM’s new studios or visit the Student Business Incubator. If you need to get something copied, come by StudentPrint. And if nothing else, chill out in a cool, modern study space. Student organizations asked for this facility, students voted for it, and ASM worked on behalf of students to make it happen.
Eddie Anderson ([email protected]) is the ASM Associate Press Director and a senior majoring in economics.
