The Student Union Phase II can seem a little imposing.
With numerous different features, state-of-the-art facilities and drool-inducing food options, brought together by a joint venture team of BarberMcMurry architects, McCarty Holsaple McCarty Architects and Interior Designers, wrapping one’s head around everything UT’s newest attraction has to offer may appear unthinkable.
To get a head start, here are five things to know about the new Student Union.
Students have the chance to work there
Want to experience the Student Union Phase II firsthand?
Students are being hired to help staff the Student Union, with tasks ranging from setting up rooms and AV systems, working in the copy center and ticket office, and manning the game room and information desk.
“One of the things from my perspective that’s exciting about a facility like this is that we really as a university can’t help to fulfill the vision for this space without student workers,” Student Union Director Ian Crone said.
Some students were hired during the fall semester, but the hope is to employ over 100 students eventually.
“(We are) looking forward to being able to provide employment to some additional students moving through the spring semester,” Crone said. “And hope that the student employment experiences that students can find here are really developmental.”
A massive ballroom sits on floor two
Step into the Student Union’s new ballroom, and you may just forget you’re on a college campus at all.
The ballroom, one of Phase II’s flashiest attractions, can accommodate roughly 1,000 people for various events, presentations and gatherings.
“This is a community space that is available for student organizations, university departments, others to use for events ranging from speakers to catered events,” Crone said.
The ballroom can accommodate multimedia presentations, with an LCD projector that drops from ceiling. It can also be subdivided into three separate rooms, boasting bays that hold movable walls which staff can use to create three smaller spaces.
A large UT seal at the center of the room and three LCD projectors in each of three bays are also features of Phase II’s ballroom.
A catering kitchen helps with food service
Right beside the ballroom is a state-of-the-art catering kitchen.
Aramark uses the kitchen to service campus, adding to a list of kitchens across campus including one already used in Phase I.
They have active kitchens across campus, as well as one in Phase I, but Crone believes that Phase II’s new kitchen will be vitally important for Aramark’s catered operations at UT.
“Fantastic resources for them to be able to provide great meals to campus … my understanding is that this will be really the focal point for their catered events across campus,” Crone said.
There’s a huge loading dock at the bottom
Arguably the Student Union’s most important feature is right under everyone’s feet.
A loading dock, dubbed as “G1,” is situated at the ground floor of the Student Union and has uses including storage and offices for maintenance and custodial work.
It services not only the Student Union, but also Stokely Hall and the Haslam Business Building.
Crone estimated that the loading dock can accommodate six semi-trucks as well as other service vehicles. With a facility that size, Crone said 24-hour support from facilities and the ability to receive deliveries from providers is paramount.
“It is a precious commodity,” Crone said. “Space, as you can imagine, on campus is very valuable. So we are going to be working closely with Parking Services to be able to protect this so our service providers can use it.”
Its glass torch sculpture was unveiled in style
Phase II of the Student Union's main spectacle was lit on Jan. 8.
A glass torch sculpture, based off of the light held by the Torchbearer in UT’s signature statue, was unveiled in a special ceremony on Jan. 8.
“It was amazing to actually show everybody and celebrate this massive piece that we made that I think is going to be truly something unique that Knoxville has,” creator of the sculpture, local artist and owner of Pretentious Glass Co. said during the unveiling.
The sculpture hangs over the university seal, which marks the intersection of the Student Union’s two main hallways. It was kept hidden with a tarp in Phase II until its unveiling, with multiple UT officials, including vice chancellor for student life Vince Carilli, present for the event.
“I believe that our new state-of-the-art facility,” Carilli said at the unveiling, “will create new memories for the thousands of students, faculty and staff who will occupy it for decades to come.”
The Student Union is one of the largest projects undertaken by UT, taking nearly nine years to complete.
