The brand new student center, The U, is now up and running on the UW-La Crosse campus for the start of the 2017 spring semester. The U has officially replaced Cartwright Hall as the student center. The project took almost two years to complete and is now located in the heart of campus.

But how does the UW-L community actually feel about the change?

UW-L junior, Riley Stiemsma shared his thoughts on The U compared to Cartwright, “I think it’s a big step up. When you walk in you get this really modern and progressive feeling. The architecture really encapsulates what a student union should be.”

The U has many new and updated features from Cartwright. The building has eight different dining options including Einstein’s Bagels, Mondo’s Subs, The Cellar, which now has fire cooked pizza, among others.

UW-L junior, Mark McCarville, stated, “It’s an impressive building to walk into. The architecture is visually appealing, and it really stands out compared to some of the other buildings on campus.” McCarville elaborates, “The wide staircases and placement of facilities make the overall flow of the building smoother.  The Spotted Cow on tap certainly is a great addition, and I hope they add more.”

Heading downstairs, The U has a lot of entertainment options available to students free of charge. It features pool tables, arcade basketball, air hockey, foosball, big TVs and even a full movie theater. McCarville stated, “The U is definitely a more social and inviting environment compared to Cartwright. I also like how they included a lot of communal and social areas where students can more easily mingle. They even have big balconies to hang out on above campus.”

Though The U is more modern from Cartwright, students still have some complaints on what could be made better. Stiemsma stated, “The major thing I’m disappointed about is the lack of Qdoba in the building. I was displeased to find out there wasn’t one.” Stiemsma expands “Also it gets crazy busy during the day and almost impossible to find a seat on the main floor.”

McCarville adds in, “I’m really not a fan of the name. I wish there was a little more thought into one of the most expensive buildings on campus. Also, why are there so many fireplaces? I wish they had a couple more water fountains instead.”

The recently opened student center had a lot of events taking place during the grand opening. Fiona Boler, Building Manager of The U, said, “The opening week was pretty crazy. It seemed like everyone on campus was in the building on opening day. I’m really looking forward to working here this year. There’s a lot more space in the building so that should open the door for regular campus events. There is also expanded study space and meeting rooms for all of the student organizations.”

Overall, students continue to express excitement with the new building and it has become a popular spot for students to hang out, eat, and study due to its state-of-the-art facilities and central campus placement.