ASM celebrates SAC anniversary, roasts pork
Students celebrate the opening of the Student Activity Center with a festive pig roast, corn on the cob, baked beans, chips, soda, a University Housing-catered birthday cake and gallons of Babcock Ice Cream.
With musical performance by a cappella group, Fundamentally Sound.
While there was no on-site pig roast as promised, pork filled plenty of student stomaches as they celebrated the first year anniversary of the Student Activity Center.
The event was celebrated in an elaborate fashion with a full wood-grilled rotisserie pig barbecue, a birthday cake and a performance by a capella group Fundamentally Sound.
According to Associated Students of Madison Secretary Kurt Gosselin, the large amount of people slowed the proceedings of the evening, which prevented ASM Chair Tyler Junger and SAC Governing Board Chair Katy Ziebell from giving their speeches.
Despite the deviation from the schedule of events, Dean of Students Lori Berquam and other leaders still considered the event a success.
Gosselin said ASM was able to get about 300 signatures and e-mail addresses from students interested in getting involved.
“What we’re really celebrating today is not only that ASM has been able to provide this to the students of this campus, but also the students are recognizing this building … as a beneficial resource to campus,” Gosselin said.
Completed last January, the SAC’s purpose is to provide a centralized area where many UW organizations can work and collaborate.
“The general idea is that we have this unique building where we’ve been able to combine most of the student service elements of the university into a single building,” Gosselin said.
The SAC’s permanent anchor tenants are Student Print, WSUM radio, the student-run business incubator and the ASM offices.
UW freshman Rob Richlen, who comes to the SAC to take advantage of the quiet study space, said he looks forward to spending more time in the center now that he is joining Engineers Without Borders.
“It’s brand new, there’s a nice atmosphere, it’s close and there are a lot of big, quiet conference rooms you can go into,” Richlen said.
Berquam emphasized how unique the SAC building is and endorsed its ability to bring students with such juxtaposing viewpoints together.
“I think that [the SAC] has really instilled a sense of pride in being involved in our campus and the Wisconsin experience,” Berquam said.
