Polytechnic Student Union: Functions, Activities, and Community Hub

The Polytechnic Student Union at Arizona State University (ASU) serves as a central hub for student life, offering a wide range of services, activities, and spaces designed to enhance the campus experience. It is the first public-use ASU building on the Polytechnic campus constructed from the ground up. From dining and recreation to events and student organization support, the Union plays a vital role in fostering a vibrant campus community.

A Modernized Space for Student Life

After undergoing extensive updates funded by activities fees and designed with student input at the forefront, the Polytechnic Student Union has transformed into a modern and inviting space. Director of the Union Dr. Charlie Potts emphasized that the project was carefully managed “on budget” and “on time.” These renovations, the first major upgrades since 2000, have revitalized the Union, ensuring it meets the evolving needs of the student body.

Dining and Retail

The dining area features expansive seating, and the food court offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The bookstore, located at the main entry, includes an overhead door that can be opened for outdoor patio sales and during the "rush" season at the beginning and end of each semester.

Recreation and Relaxation

The Games Room now features glass partitions to the Arcade, providing visibility without letting too much sound in. The room formerly known as Mother’s has been converted into a billiards and ping-pong space with high-top seating and precisely engineered counters, per Potts’ report. A carpeted seating area equipped with integrated screens, the Ballroom creates a quiet, inviting environment similar to the McNeil room, but with better lighting and ambiance. While some soft chairs are still pending, the space is no longer the “dingy basement” it once was.

Event Spaces

Unique to the Student Union is a covered exterior lobby that extends the use of the Cooley Ballrooms, a large banquet facility. The introduction of the Theatre introduces a space with 90 seats with exceptional acoustics, ready to host performances, presentations, and events. However, there have been some grievances about certain technical challenges to manage the theatre space. Specifically, there are reports of technical deficiencies in place that makes it ineffective for light technicians to adequately set up the space in order to have professional lighting on the stage.

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Supporting Student Organizations

The Polytechnic Student Union provides essential support and resources for student organizations, fostering a thriving environment for extracurricular involvement. ASU clubs gather communities around sports, culture, academics, advocacy and more. There are thousands of students involved in organizations ranging from entrepreneurial groups to dance teams and more.

Navigating Union Guidelines

There were subsequent modifications made to the Rensselaer Union Guidelines and Procedures in order to accommodate the language of the new space in the Union. Additionally, there was a discussion about alternatives to the current Club Management System, which was thoroughly discussed in the Student Senate meeting the preceding day.

Case Study: RPI Amateur Radio W2SZ

Alongside the renovations this summer, one club has been fighting hard for its place on official channels. RPI Amateur Radio W2SZ, long recognized for their technical skill and community service, are now in a dire situation: their iconic repeater has been down. A repeater takes in a radio signal at one frequency and retransmits it at a higher power and wider range, effectively boosting smaller, more inexpensive radios. A $30 handheld that normally reaches five miles can span 50 to 100 miles with a repeater. This makes radio more accessible for beginners and more critical in times of emergency. The club has previously volunteered communications support for marathons and could serve as a vital emergency lifeline during disasters. Upper New York Repeater Council, the regional frequency coordinator, notified the club that if their repeater wasn’t operational by August 5, they would have only 60 more days before the frequencies were reassigned. Once lost, there’s effectively no way to reclaim them because the waiting lists for amateur radio frequencies stretch decades. This summer, with only a single student on campus to carry the load, they had to move over 300 pounds of equipment to prepare for a potential restart. Now, with the semester underway, they asked for temporary accommodations to finally bring the repeater back online. Their proposal requested permission to place the repeater rack in the corner of the Student Government Suite and string antennas off their balcony for just one week, while they find permanent alternatives. The discussion that followed explored alternatives, including drilling a small hole through the Student Veterans Lounge wall to connect to the club’s permanent shack, or eventually securing roof access. The motion ultimately passed 9-0-1, granting the club two weeks to operate inside the SGS, with the option to extend slightly if needed.

Campus Safety and Well-being

Arizona State University prioritizes the safety, health, and security of its community members. The Polytechnic Student Union plays a role in promoting these values by providing resources and information to students.

ASU LiveSafe Mobile App

The ASU LiveSafe mobile app allows you to send ASU Police real-time, anonymous tips that include audio, pictures, text and video.

Read also: Innovation at PolyU

Dining Services and Options

Sun Devil Dining offers quality, value, variety and convenience with over 50 dining locations including dining halls, fast casual restaurants, cafes and on-campus markets. Each campus offers students an all-you-care-to-eat dining option featuring everything from vegetarian to hot-off-the-grill comfort foods. With extended hours, quick snacks and plenty of outlets to recharge your laptop, we make delicious, quality food super convenient.

Spirit and Traditions

Sun Devils bleed maroon and gold and cheer for ASU at every opportunity. School mascots change and evolve to capture the spirit, pride and tradition of the institution. Before Sparky, ASU’s mascot was a bulldog from 1922 to 1946. Originally designed as a logo by artist and former Disney® employee Berk Anthony in the late 1940s, Sparky made his debut as a mascot in 1951. His costume was created and portrayed by ASU student Dick Jacobs, who performed stunts that may be considered dangerous today.

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