An Evaluation of the Popp Martin Student Union

Jacob C. Watson

The University of North Carolina at Charlotte

A student union is typically recognized as a building centered somewhat in the middle of a

college campus which allows easy access of amenities for students, as these conveniences serve

to draw students closer to campus as well as connecting them with fellow peers. When

examining the impact of a student union on contemporary aspects of college life, it seems that

the location serves to provide students with four key aspects which ultimately encompasses the

building’s purpose as the hub of activity for any campus. Throughout this paper, I will examine

the purposes and implications of these intended applications while also determining how each

can be applied to aspects of our own Popp-Martin Student Union using observational research.

When you consider an idea of a modern student union, you may picture a plethora of students

socializing and studying among various restaurants or lounging areas designed to accommodate

your needs, so it may surprise you to know this somewhat stereotypical outlook is not far from

the intended purposes of the location. The student union is usually situated towards the center of

campus, as this allows students the most ease of access when considering the various amenities

offered by the building that provide many students with essential functions of campus life such

as student service alongside a place to socialize with fellow peers. This can be seen through the

placement of many of these primary amenities on the first floor, as it allows many students

relatively direct access to their destination despite the fact that students looking to get a quick

meal may also find themselves tempted by the indulgent offerings of the in-house restaurants
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which also provide further convenience while catering to the college culture. Through the simple

examination of these basic purposes of a student union, we have outlined two primary principles

that seem ubiquitous to the function of any campus; these characteristics can be summarized

under the categories of socialization and convenience. In order to most effectively accomplish

this intended purpose, I have utilized three separate one-hour periods of observation throughout

different portions of the building to obtain the best data in regards to student tendencies. I will

now consider how each of these aspects independently affect college life, and also how they

contribute to a student union’s intended purpose of making an effective impact on its students.

Throughout any student’s time in college, the experience is generally regarded as an chance for

one to socialize with their fellow peers and explore fellow interests while also pursuing an

education that will develop your future career. When you consider the possibility of working a

job in the mix of all these responsibilities, it is evident that college is a long and strenuous

process for dedicated students, so it should not surprise many to know that a majority aspects of

college are centered around this idea of socialization. Whether this is found in a lecture hall,

where students have to share notes after late alarms or sick days, or in the library where two

friends work through the night to study for a big test, it works to proves the point that college

allows students many opportunities to use these aspects of social life to their advantage. As you

consider how these same qualities are supported by a student union, this coherence is most

immediately exhibited by the name “student union”, whose informal definition literally implies

the bringing together of students. This idea of cohesive unity is supported by an article on the

Organization and Function of Student Affairs (2003), which refers to the student union as “the
 An Evaluation of the Popp Martin Student Union

“Heart” of the Campus”, before reaffirming this statement with the implication that the building

functioned as a “service center and gathering place for students”. I believe this can be accurately

applied to our student union on campus, as the building is often recognized as a central location

for students to study together or just simply have a lunch, chatting in the dining or lobby area

while upcoming assignments linger in their minds. Throughout my observational experiences, I

found that our own student union directly promotes these same characteristics through its open

design which incorporates many different entrances while also maintaining a feeling of cohesion

and openness throughout the design of the building. Though this sprawling space is meant to be

comfortable for students, it is also meant to serve their social natures and this can be recognized

through the placement of the large lobby in the middle of the building alongside the food court

which is also placed in the center of the dining area, as these areas are frequently utilized for

conversation amongst a group. This potential is also recognized by many other campuses, as

having some sort of restaurant or fast-food directly on-campus has almost come to be considered

as a common amenity, and students occasionally look to these eateries for a chance to meet up

with friends while also having a nice meal or coffee. It is also typical of universities to utilize the

student union’s central location on campus to host various events that are intended to boost

school morale while providing a short-bit of entertainment for college students who are often

buried in work and things to do which would seem to make for a good time considering this

well-minded intention. It seems that in contemporary college campuses, these activities are often

overlooked by students who prefer to be a little bit more social in their outgoings throughout

college, as it can be assumed that many who tend to look for more opportunities to drink alcohol

and solicit other rambunctious activities in their past-times ignore these activities or even go as
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far as to dismay them. Despite this perspective on the matter, various social events sponsored by

a university can help provide minority students with an outlet to connect with their fellow peers

in a safe environment as reflection in an article concerning “The Use of Campus Facilities By

Race”. Though I was unable to find any school sponsored events to attend during my periods of

observation, my experiences with these types of activities have not been negative so far and

though a majority of my peers have agreed with me, I think this could be attributed to Charlotte’s

student’s tendencies to host less alcohol related events when compared to other schools. Despite

these efforts, a host of negative opinion is reflected in an article regarding the Socialization of

Students in a Mid-Western College (2012), as a on-campus student survey that was conducted

in-person considered student’s opinions on their experiences socializing throughout college life

“reaffirmed the need for programmatic efforts that can draw students in larger numbers without

the use of alcohol.” (p. 129). Though this view reflects many contrasting values in comparison to

the intended purpose of a typical student union, it should also be noted that the same student

referred to the location as one of the few on-campus where students could comfortably gather in

larger numbers (2012), which further supports this idea of socialization that seems ubiquitous to

the modern college experience of any student.

As we examine other purposes of a student union, I will start by reexamining a concept that was

previously mentioned in regards to student socialization, as I believe this will further my

development of the building’s overall purpose while also reflecting its impact on students.

Though the internal structure of the student union is what we generally consider to contain the

bulk of services or amenities that are offered by our universities, I believe the simple inclusion of
 An Evaluation of the Popp Martin Student Union

this location is one that should not be taken for granted considering the ease of access it allows

any student who goes to our university. As we previously examined the concept of a student

union serving as “the Heart of campus”, it is evident that the general location of the building is

generally meant to be centralized among the main campus of the university to effectivize these

initial intentions. When we consider tasks that might be out of the ordinary in comparison to our

normal college routine, it is a good chance that intelligent forethought into the natures of college

students will allow us the luxury of completing this task from the comfort of our own college

campus. The many amenities offered by the Popp Martin Student Union also include a full-

service salon, Post Office, tech store, campus bookstore, and movie theatre along with other

various conveniences to allow the most ease of access to a college student looking to accomplish

just about anything. This inclusion of amenities so close to students primary place of residence or

study will also immediately save them the time and money that would be used to travel off-

campus for any of the same commodities which further entices students to capitalize on these

opportunities. As you consider the possibility that these conveniences would be neglected or

under-used, an afternoon walk-through of the student union on any particular day will be sure to

prove you wrong, as the location begins to thrive with activity starting around 8:00 each morning

before gradually building to a bustling center of commotion by lunch-time. Though this center

for student service provides many conveniences to its users, it should also be noted that these

offerings are sure to generate consistent revenue for the university throughout the school year

which could make for further benefit from a financial standpoint.This consistent flow of people

is a result of the included amenities and further substantiates the universities realization of

potential for the location, as there is no doubt that this wide range of utilities makes the location
 An Evaluation of the Popp Martin Student Union

essential for students looking to accomplish many different tasks. This effort to provide the most

possible ease of access to the student union exemplifies the university’s attempt to integrate the

location into the layout of campus in a manner which provides opportunity for students to fulfill

their purpose by utilizing and capitalizing on these provided services. While we might sometimes

overlook the usefulness of these commodities in the haste of our busy lives, the range of

purposes throughout these various inclusions show the extensive measures taken by the

university to analyze our needs and respond to meet them as effectively as possible.

As I consider my initial goal of analyzing the characteristics of a modern student union, I believe

I have successfully accomplished this goal by thoroughly examining the building’s impact on

college students alongside their tendencies or expectations. Though this research may not

completely apply to every single student union in existence, I feel that my observations worked

in combination with this information to accurately determine the quality of these characteristics

in regards to their implementation in Charlotte’s own Popp Martin Student Union. Aside from

the possibility of potential bias, I think that this examination of the general purposes of a student

union has led me to conclude that our campus provides students with a space that is more than

adequate to meet many of the needs that could possibly arise from the daily life of a college

student. Considering the fact that it would be theoretically and financially improbable to design a

student union that accommodates every possible wish of each individual student, I believe that

our university has done an excellent job analyzing a majority of students primary needs and

implementing strategies to provide conveniences that adequately satisfy these desires. In the

future, I am sure that these needs will continue to change and evolve along with the commodities
 An Evaluation of the Popp Martin Student Union

that the student union is meant to offer, though I also believe that the location will always serve

as a central hub of campus for many university students in the years to come.

Citations

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the critical geographies of the university campus. Social & Cultural Geography,

17(4), 471-490. doi:10.1080/14649365.2015.1089585

Komives, S. R., & Woodard, D. B., Jr. (1980). Organization and functions of student

affairs. Student Services: A Handbook for the Profession, 4th, 0-768. Retrieved

March 27, 2019

Mallinckrodt, B., & Sedlacek, W. E. (2009). Student retention and the use of campus

facilities by race. Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice, 46(4).

doi:10.2202/1949-6605.5031

Rader, M. S. (2012). The socialization of students at a midwestern college. Master's

Theses, Doctoral Dissertations, and Graduate Capstone Projects, 1-169.

Retrieved March 27, 2019.

Webster, D. W., & Sedlacek, W. E. (1982). The differential impact of a university student

union on campus subgroups. NASPA Journal, 19(4).

doi:10.1080/00220973.1982.11071827