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University Union marks 30 years as the campus gathering place

It’s a home away from home for the campus community, a place to grab something to eat, cram for an exam, see a show or even take a nap. The University Union is celebrating its 30th year as the hub of campus life at Sacramento State this month. And Thursday, the Union is throwing a party that is sure to be remembered for years to come.

Disco icons The Village People—featuring Sacramento State alum David Hodo—will bring their hits “YMCA,” “Macho Man,” and “In the Navy” to the University Union Ballroom at 7:30 p.m., April 6.

Hodo, who graduated from Sacramento State in 1969, has portrayed The Village People’s “construction worker” since the group’s 1977 inception. His appearance is one of many Alumni Month events in April which recognize Sacramento State alumni and their achievements.

Earlier in the day, the Union will be the site of the first-ever “State of the Students” address, where Associated Students will unveil its new logo. CBS News “Early Show” host and Distinguished Service Award recipient Rene Syler will be on hand for the event.

Tickets for the Village People are $30 general, $25 for Alumni Association members and $20 for Sacramento State students. They are available from the Sacramento State Ticket Office at 278-4323 or Tickets.com.

The making of a hangout

The history of the University Union mirrors the Sacramento State’s growth. It opened in September of 1975 under the direction of late Donald Hinde, for whom the Hinde Auditorium is named. Hinde came to Sac State in 1973 charged with creating a University Union for a burgeoning campus then serving around 15,000 students.

When the ribbon was finally cut, the facility featured an ice cream parlor, the original Hornet’s Nest dining area complete with striking orange booths, and a “rap” room with a sunken octagonal conversation pit. The building’s Redwood Room at 3,200 square feet was the biggest space for campus events outside the gym.

The staff included five custodians, a scheduler and a secretary along with former assistant director Richard Schiffers. In 1978 Schiffers recruited 20 student volunteers and started the Union Network for Innovative Quality University Entertainment, universally known on campus as UNIQUE, to bring outside acts on campus. The “A Night with…” series was UNIQUE’s initial offering, booking entertainers like Harry Anderson, Dana Carvey and Ellen DeGeneres early in their careers.

Through the ‘80s the Union hosted prominent personalities such as Alex Haley, G. Gordon Liddy, Maya Angelou, Jesse Jackson and Geraldine Ferraro. Hypnotist Tom Deluca made the first of his now-annual appearances in 1980. Funding for many lectures came from the campus’ cultural affairs budget, so speakers came from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds.

Growing pains

As the campus grew, the need for a larger Union was felt. The facility’s South Lawn was often pressed into service to host large events, but with no electrical power or permanent stage, it was a makeshift solution. A push was started to fund expansion, leading to the passage of a student referendum to pay for upgrades in 1991. Construction began the next year on a minor expansion, but real changes happened in 1998.

The facility more than doubled in size to its current 183,000 square feet in ’98, adding a new lobby, the Hinde Auditorium, the Ballroom and other improvements. “The addition of the Ballroom was huge. It was really the cornerstone of the whole expansion,” says Union Assistant Director of Operations Donald Tucker. With the capacity for 1,700, it became the premier venue of the facility. The Hornet’s Nest was updated and the “rap” room became a computer lab.

Food, long a fixture of the Union, was improved as well. A cafeteria serving mashed potatoes and meatloaf was replaced with outside vendors—restaurants like Gordito Burrito and Burger King. Java City took over coffee operations in the former ice cream parlor, and in 2000 Round Table began serving pizza in the Hive.

Now a modern, large facility, the Union was able to host bands from Greg Kihn to They Might Be Giants, speakers like Molly Ivins, and the highest-profile events to date—the California gubernatorial recall debate in 2003 and the inaugural Green and Gold Gala last fall. UNIQUE grew to a volunteer corps of about 60 students under the direction of Dean Sorensen, Union associate director of programs, and puts on 70 to 100 events annually.

The Union at 30

Today the Union is run by a staff of 25 as well as 80 students. Forty to 50 meetings a day happen in its 21 rooms, about 8,000 annually. The Union was also the first campus facility to provide wireless access to the campus computer network, and staff can screen DVDs and provide LCD projectors and wireless microphones for clients. Expansion continues with a new outdoor seating area off the east walkway near Serna Plaza slated to open this spring.

“The University Union is a community center for the University, for all members of the University family—students, faculty, administration, staff, alumni and guests,” says Leslie Davis, current director of the Union. “A building is just bricks, mortar and glass until the people arrive. It is the community using this building that makes it special. Visit other places and you will find out how special our Union really is.”