Welcome back to Chapel Hill, everybody! As you get settled into campus, whether it’s for the first time, the last time, or somewhere in-between, you may not be aware of all the great spaces and resources your Carolina Union has to offer. We hope you will come by often and use all the great amenities -- because this building belongs to you.
We’ve got an art gallery in Room 2200 (this is on the side of the Union that’s closest to Davis Library, right by our Welcome Desk). We invite you to walk around and not only see the pieces in this room, but also the numerous works throughout the Union. The Gift is one of our favorites -- it forms the walkway facing Student Stores, and is a brick mosaic created by Senora Lynch of the Haliwa-Saponi Indian Tribe.
The Union’s ground floor is dominated by The Underground, one of our largest and most engaging areas! Collaboration spaces are right by the foot of the stairs and feature AV-equipped conference tables, while treadmill desks are located at the back. The Meditation Room sits in the very back of The Underground in room 1101A (and it’s cold, so bring a sweater!), while ping pong and pool tables can be found down the stairs in the old bowling alley, soon to be joined by a brand new video gaming area.
Our dance rehearsal space is to the right of the ping pong and pool tables in room 1306 and is often used by various dance and movement-oriented student organizations. As a major bonus, day lockers are available free of charge to any UNC student! Just make sure you get your stuff at the end of the day since they’re cleaned out every night around 11pm.
The Union offers gender-neutral restrooms to all students, faculty, and staff, which are located by Wendy’s. The Union provides a lactation room for parents to nurse their children and also contains a changing table and rocking chair. This is room 3200 on the third floor near the Aquarium Lounge.
We hope that knowing a bit more about the amenities offered here helps you settle in a little faster. Knowing what you have access to is just the start and we hope that you all make great memories here in the Union this school year!
The Carolina Union has undergone some exciting renovations just in time for the start of the fall semester, rolling out improvements to the West Lounge and the Aquarium Lounge. Carolina Union Board of Directors Chair Jordan Bermudez shared her excitement for the project, describing it as an effort to make students to feel like they are at Carolina as soon as they walk into the Union.
“I’m most excited about the West Lounge space and the new Carolina additions we will be adding in,” Bermudez said. “I think it will be a great way to create a more welcoming spaces for new students and let them know that the Carolina Union as their home from day one of Orientation until the day they graduate.”
Updates to the furniture in the West Lounge and Aquarium Lounge will create more spaces for group study, increase charging units, and create a welcoming space full of Carolina tradition. Bermudez remarked upon her excitement for the project, stating “I think the updates will be a great way to create a more welcoming spaces for new students and let them know that the Carolina Union is their home from day one of Orientation until the day they graduate.”
Student input was widely considered when designing the new updates, reflecting the desire for more adaptable furniture and a more connected space between the two lounges. Student leaders on the Carolina Union Board of Directors, as well as student employees of the Union, were welcomed to view design samples and layouts throughout the planning process, ultimately leading to a new space created by and for the student. “My hope is that with the furniture selection we have chosen the spaces are much more adaptable for a plethora of group study options,” commented Bermudez. “I think the new-age and innovative design also reflects the aesthetic students have been asking for the building to take on as well.”
These building updates come at a momentous time for the Union, as the current Carolina Union building celebrates its 50th anniversary this coming year. With the Carolina Union’s unique position as a student-focused building, something it has been for fifty years, it was important to consider how the space could adapt to serve the students who study, work, and enjoy the building every day. “The Carolina Union is everyone’s home,” said Bermudez. “I think making these building updates reflects this idea.”
FallFest 2018 Welcomes Students to Campus with Fun, Food, Free Swag
Hosted by the Carolina Union and now in its 22nd year, FallFest has become an important tradition at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-CH) by providing an engaging, safe, and alcohol-free event that introduces new and returning students to the many opportunities to get involved in campus life through student organizations academic departments and campus recreation.
“The Carolina Union is proud to welcome students to campus at FallFest,” said Crystal King, director of the Carolina Union. “This is an opportunity for Tarheels, new and returning, to discover a place where they belong here at Carolina.”
Who: New and returning students kick-off the 2018/19 campus year
What: FallFest
When: Sunday, August 19, 2018
Immediately following New Student Convocation about 8:15 p.m.
Where: Hooker Fields, UNC-CH campus
Cost: FREE!
Visit our FallFest event page for further information and announcements.
“There’s not a better way to meet new friends, find a student organization that shares your interests or a UNC department that may spark your imagination,” says Jordan Bermudez, chair of the Carolina Union Board of Directors and a senior from Durham. “The event will include student performances, a student organizations activities fair, interactive exhibits and games, and plenty of free food and swag.”
Approximately 25,000 people are expected to attend, with about 400 UNC-Chapel Hill student organizations, university departments, and sports clubs on hand to meet students and attract new membership. The evening features demonstrations, giveaways and prizes, free food, competitions and performances. FallFest is open to the entire University community, and starts immediately following New Student Convocation, held nearby at Carmichael Auditorium.
Jordan Bermudez, a junior from Durham majoring in exercise and sports science, will serve as the 2018-19 Chair of the Carolina Union Board of Directors.
The Board of Directors Chair is the student representative on the Board and for the Union. Bermudez has already been heavily involved with the Union in her time at Carolina thus far; she currently serves as the Vice Chair of the Board of Directors, in addition to serving as the President of the Carolina Union Activities Board (CUAB). Within these positions, Bermudez has learned the ins and outs of the operations of the Board, as well as which methods and tactics are best to reach students.
Bermudez initially applied to the Union Board of Directors Chair position because of her familiarity with the organization. She looks forward to spreading that familiarity to the rest of the student body, prioritizing visibility and accessibility.
“I want the students to see the Union as a place to come and talk about issues. Not only in times of crisis, but even when we think that things are OK around campus. I want the Union to be the hub where students can voice opinions and foster those needed conversations early on,” said Bermudez.
For more information, contact the Carolina Union at (919) 966-3128 or [email protected].
Check out our full interview with Jordan in the video below!
Whether studying or hanging out with friends, one time-honored tradition on our campus is staying out into the late night. For Tar Heels burning the midnight oil this academic year, there is a great way to get home safely!
SafeWalk at UNC is a student-led organization that offers an escorted walk home during nighttime hours, led by students with training from the Department of Public Safety. Safewalk covers all on-campus locations, and many areas off campus. They are available from 11pm to 3am outside the Davis and Undergraduate libraries, or by calling 919-962-SAFE. SafeWalker escorts use their cell phones and stay in regular contact with a dispatcher in the Union. The Walkers are also equipped with bikes, reflective vests and flashlights.
SafeWalk is also taking applications for SafeWalkers visit their website if you are interested. “I really liked working there," said SafeWalker Sam McNeill, class of 2021. "It’s definitely for night owls! My coworkers were awesome, and getting to sit down for hours and get to know people was fantastic. You learn the campus really well, and you get to meet people from all walks of life, and learn the student culture that way. It really helps you see campus from a different perspective.”
So don’t walk home solo this school year – get in touch with SafeWalk and get home safely!
The Office of Student Life and Leadership sent five UNC students to the 2018 Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Student Leadership Symposium to represent the University this past month.
The five student delegates were Travis Broadhurst ('18), Raymundo Garcia, Jr. ('19), Vincent Lewis ('18), Amruth Sriperumbudur ('21), and Vaishnavi Vankayala ('20). The ACC Student Leadership Symposium brings together student leaders from each of the 15 ACC Colleges and Universities to build community, engage in discussion about global issues, and work collaboratively to create innovative initiatives that advance students' capacity of global leadership and citizenship.
Student leaders had the opportunity to engage in educational sessions, hear keynote addresses, explore topical content, and participate in experiential application through their group project collaboration and presentations.
This year, the Symposium was hosted at Duke University, where the theme was "Contentious Times: A Call for Courageous Leadership." Participants in this year’s symposium explored how to lead courageously and handle conflict during a time when our universities, communities, and politics are ripe with tension.
The 2019 ACC Leadership Symposium applications will open in Fall 2019 on the Student Life and Leadership HeelLife portal.
The mission of the AIDS Memorial Quilt Archive Project is to preserve the powerful images and stories contained within The Quilt while expanding AIDS awareness and HIV prevention education efforts.
The Quilt--then made up of almost 2,000 panels of this size--was first displayed in 1987 on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., covering more space than a football field! Today, over 48,000 individual panels have been created by friends and family members, making it the world’s largest community project. It’s estimated that 36.7 million people were living with HIV in 2015, with 1.8 million being children.
On January 24 at 7 p.m. in the West Lounge, the UNC Center for AIDS Research (CFAR) will host a public event in front of the AIDS Memorial Quilt panels. The event will include insights into fighting against HIV and AIDS in NC, as well as an opportunity for students to shine their cell phone lights onto the quilt in an act of unity.
More media cover:
Daily Tarheel: http://www.dailytarheel.com/article/2018/01/memorial-quilt-0115
UNC Black Student Movement celebrated their 50 year anniversary on November 7, 2017. The installation at the art gallery commemorates 50 years of activity and growth, featuring documents, photographs, and art. Here is to another 50 years of continued ground breaking achievement!
Nothing can beat having our students back on campus!
Wishing the entire Tar Heel family the best of luck this semester!#GoTarHeels
The Carolina Union and Chancellor Carol Folt request your nominations of our most outstanding students for the Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence in Student Activities and Leadership. Nominations are due by 5:00pm on Friday, February 9, 2018.
A full letter of request detailing the intent of these awards, and the online nomination form, can be found at http://chancellorsawards.unc.edu. For additional information, see the website or contact [email protected].
