History of Student Unions & Activities
The role of a college union focuses on three outcomes:
- To create a campus community
- To connect the curricular and co-curricular aspects of the student experience
- And to provide a center for student development and leadership
The union complements the academic experience through an extensive variety of cultural, educational, social, and recreational programs that provide the opportunity to balance course work and free time as cooperative factors in education.
At the University of Minnesota the "Student Union Idea" began in the early 1900s. The first gathering place for students was Shevlin Hall, where women organized a meeting space for themselves and the male students were granted space in Nicholson Hall to house the beginnings of the "Minnesota Union."
Coffman Memorial Union
Inspired by President Lotus Delta Coffman's statement in 1935 that, "someday, the University of Minnesota will have a Student Union as the center of its social life," construction of a student union began in 1939 and Coffman Memorial Union opened its doors for the first time on October 4, 1940. Coffman Memorial Union featured a main ballroom accommodating up to 1,200 dancers, a game room with bowling alley, cards and chess, a billiards room and men's and women's lounges. Coffman Union underwent its first renovation in the 1970’s at a cost of $7 million to overhaul the main entrance and lounge spaces, and renovated again from 1999 to 2003 to accommodate the growing University community and the changing needs of its students.
St. Paul Student Center
The "Student Union Idea" on the St. Paul Campus began in 1930 when male students of the Farm Campus (later renamed the St. Paul Campus) were granted space in the Old Dairy Hall. In 1934, the "Farm Union," as it was called, opened to women and housed a game room, lounge and snack bar. Soon, the “Farm Union” could no longer accommodate the growing needs of the St. Paul campus and discussions of planning a new union began in 1947. Construction started in 1958 and by December of 1959 a few sections of the union were completed and occupied. The St. Paul Student Center fully opened its doors in 1960 and underwent a major renovation from 1978 to 1980 to double its space.
West Bank Skyway
In 1960, Coffman Union's programs and services became so popular that momentum grew on the West Bank for an additional gathering place for students. Coffman Program Director Carl Nelson became the first director of the newly established West Bank Union in 1968. The West Bank Union, St. Paul Union and Coffman Memorial Union operated under the Minnesota Union Coordinating Board. In 1976, a $1.8 million proposal was brought before the University administration to create a West Bank Skyway to create an enclosed walkway between Blegen Hall and the West Bank Auditorium Classroom Building, now Willey Hall. The project was approved and construction on the West Bank Skyway was completed in 1980. In early spring of 2005, the West Bank Skyway closed for renovations and reopened August 15th of that same year with new floors, fresh paint, better lighting and an open atmosphere.
In 1987, the Minnesota Union disbanded and each union operated separately until 1991 when the West Bank Union merged with Coffman Memorial Union. They operated separately from the St. Paul Student Center, each with its own student governing board and administration until 1999, when all three student unions united and became Twin Cities Student Unions. In 2001, the unions merged again with the Campus Involvement Center and in 2006 became known as Student Unions & Activities.