The University-Student Union is a thirty year old landmark surrounded by art, knowledge, and beauty. Its existence is the result of satisfying the needs of Cal State L.A. students.

Since 1975, Cal State L.A. students have believed that our campus needed a place to “hang-out” and devoted the University-Student Union to students for academic and nonacademic purposes. Over the years, the Union has fulfilled a commitment—that of meeting the changing needs and expectations of Cal State L.A. Services provided by the Union include Café L.A., Union Reservations, Ticket/Information Center, and Union Walkway. All service centers are geared toward the enhancement of the daily interactions between students and the University.

In 2001, the University-Student Union initiated a project to renovate the space to be vacated by the University Bookstore and Credit Union. This project triggered a requirement for seismic evaluation of the structure. The analysis determined that a seismic retrofit would be necessary of the entire building. The additional cost for seismic retrofit to meet the California Building Codes will result in little program benefit to the students and will cause significant disruption of services during construction. Plans are underway to determine the options, timing, and future costs associated with this recent discovery. It is likely that a new building which would include modern program features will best serve the students at Cal State L.A. and allow for an enhanced return on investment.

The mission of the USU is to provide a unique setting for the encouragement of broad social, cultural, recreational, and educational programming for the university and its surrounding. Through its facilitities and programs, the U-SU becomes the focal point of the campus where students, administrators, alumni, faculty, staff and guests can meet to interact and explore vital issues conce4rning the greater community.

Over the past years, the Center for Student Development and Programs and Cross Cultural Centers have implemented over 300 programs on campus attended by over 70,000 people. The Center for Student Development and Programs is responsible for providing quarterly events series: Mardi Gras, Haunted Union, Spring Fling, Student Fest and University Cash. In addition, the CSDP recognizes over 130 student organizations, with 25 new student organizations established during the last year.

The Student Resource Centers are responsible for planning and implementing events for the Lunar New Year Celebration, Black History Month, Take Back the Night, Chicana/o Latina/o Awareness Series, Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Awareness Series and Women's History Month. In addition to coordinating programs and events, the Cross Cultural Centers also offer a variety of services to the Cal State LA community.

For the convenience of the campus community, the Union provides office spaces for student services entities such as the Associated Students, Incorporated, ASI Student Service Center, Alumni Relations, Union Link Computer Lab and the Golden Eagle One-Card Center.

Since it's opening in 1975, the University-Student Union has depended on student fees for operational funding. Due to the recent seismic analysis, the U-SU will be required to undergo a complete seismic retrofit to meet the California Building Code requirements. The additional costs for seismic retrofit will result in little program benefit for students and will cause the U-SU to suffer a fiscal deficit leading up to and including closure of the existing structure. It is likely that a replacement building that incorporates modern program features may best serve students and allow for an enhanced return on investment.

At this time, we are surveying students to help us determine the direction and options associated with this recent discovery. Support for either a retrofit or replacement building would ensure that the University-Student Union would continue to maintain the high quality services and student employment it provides to the University community.

Your support is necessary if you want to sustain your student union and prepare it for the new century. Support to the retrofit would mean that we would utilize the funding to retrofit the existing structure “as is”. Support for a replacement building would mean that we would build a new structure that would offer more services and benefits for students. No support for the building would mean that we would close the structure and many services currently offered would be eliminated until enough of the current fee was collected to retrofit the structure.

It is vital that you take part in the decision making process that would effect what most of us call “home away from home” – the University-Student Union.

Your feedback about the University-Student Union Building Initiative is meaningful. Help the U-SU make an informal decision about a very important matter.