PMU has social setting

By Tom McHenry
Summer Editor

Over 14,000 Purdue students a day enter one building on campus that has no classrooms.

The closest thing to a lecture hall, the Purdue Memorial Union has its own Bowling Center, where a course in bowling is taught for credit.

Not that the Union isn't important to campus life, though.

"We're providing a place where people can talk, congregate, and exchange ideas," Robert Mindrum, director of the Purdue Memorial Union, said. "It's our way of making a big campus smaller."

"A lot of students relate to the Union in different ways," Mindrum said. From services as small as buying stamps to larger ones like jobs and a hotel, the union offers a wide variety of opportunities to Purdue University students.

Dining-wise, the Union offers five different eateries. The Union Market Food Court is open for all meals Monday through Thursday and for breakfast and lunch on the weekends. The Food Court offers a large variety of specialty foods ranging from stir-fry to Italian. The Sweet Shop Grill is a more casual restaurant in the Union offering more snack type selections. The Stripe Shop Pizzeria offers a variety of pizzas by the slice and breadsticks. The Oasis Café offers a coffeehouse-like setting and menu. The Sagamore Room provides a table-service restaurant to the Union and a lunch buffet on weekdays.

Mindrum said that in addition to the five current restaurants, a new Italian restaurant may be added by the fall of 2001.

The restaurants are more than just a social setting as they may also be used as study space for students, a place to meet new people and as a possible workplace, Mindrum said. The Union continually employs more than 300 students in dining, recreation, services and the Purdue Memorial Union Hotel.

In addition to food and employment, the Union provides an outlet for recreation. The Bowling center has 14 bowling lanes and both open and league play. Purdue University Bowling classes are taught in the Union Bowling center. The Billiard room has 22 pool tables and league and open play both open to students, faculty and staff. The Amusement Games Arcade has pinball and arcade games.

The Union is also home to the Purdue Student Union Board (PSUB). PSUB plans, organizes, and puts on each of the activities and programs held both at the Union, and campus-wide throughout the year.

Mindrum said that though most people think of PSUB they think of their activities, there's far more to the group in its planning and organization, and that it teaches important leadership skills.

PSUB can be contacted at their office in the Union room 268. PSUB's fall activities will begin on at 10 a.m. on August 25th in the Union with the Activities Carnival, Main Event, and the Taste of PMU.

The event is designed to showcase the various student organizations around campus and will feature a wide variety of free food, programs, and activities.

Mindrum said that the event is one of the most important events put on through the year in that it sparks student involvement in the university right away.

"There's more to a first-class liberal arts education than what's in the classroom," Mindrum said.