Discover The Lounge at The University Union

San Luis Obispo, Calif. 9/20/2024 — Associated Students, Inc. (ASI) is pleased to introduce a new free-use space available to Cal Poly students and community. Located on the first floor of the Julian A. McPhee University Union (Building 65, Room 119) The Lounge at the University Union, or simply “The Lounge,” will open at the start of fall quarter, Monday, Sept. 23, and will provide the campus community with an additional area for studying and relaxation.  

Planning for the project began in the spring of 2024 after a campus-wide survey conducted by ASI in winter 2024 revealed that students were seeking more recreational study spaces. Following the decision by Campus Dining not to renew its leases for Red Radish and Mustang Station at the University Union with the opening of 1901 Marketplace, ASI Student Government, through the University Union Advisory Board (UUAB) branch, identified an opportunity to repurpose the vacant space.  

“We’re committed to turning opportunity into reality by actively listening to our students. Through direct feedback from the student body in the surveys we conducted, we advocate for their needs and priorities. With our winter survey and an open date this fall, we’re ensuring a quick turnaround on the initiatives that matter most to our student body,” stated Marc Cabeliza, Chair of the UUAB. 

Construction for the project spanned from July 5 through Sept. 20, 2024. The Lounge is a 4,176-square-foot space and comfortably seats 125 people. Students can now enjoy the refreshed space with a variety of indoor and outdoor seating areas, lots of natural lighting, tabletop and outdoor game options, window decal artwork designed by students from the ASI Graphic Design Department, plants managed in partnership with the Ornamental Horticulture department, and a free community library. The Lounge is a versatile recreational space designed to offer students areas to relax, study, or connect with friends. While there are no dining facilities within The Lounge, visitors are more than welcome to bring food from other dining locations on campus—visit Campus Dining for a full list of offerings and locations. 

The Lounge will be open Monday–Friday from 6 a.m.–midnight and Saturday–Sunday from 8 a.m.–midnight, aligning with University Union hours. Visit bit.ly/ASIFacilityHours for a complete list of all ASI Managed Facility hours. 

For more information about the project, contact Assistant Director Facility Operations—University Union, Daren Conner (dconnor@calpoly.edu) or visit ASI Facilities Projects. 

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