Lower Sproul Plaza, seen from Upper Sproul

Successful Student Unions: Essential Qualities and Best Management Practices

Top Five Quick Reference Chart

  Arizona Maryland Michigan UCLA Wisconsin
Student Population 36,000 35,000 39,000 37,000 42,000
Number of Unions 2, one large/one small One Three and soon four 2-connected by bridge 2-separate identities
Location of Unions Central Campus Central Campus Edge of city & campus Central Campus Central Campus
Components (all have office spaces, meeting rooms, lounges, food services, ballroom, info center) Theater, bookstore, travel office, gallery, post office, bank, ATMs, game room, hair salon, CSIL, student svcs. & organizations. Theater, bookstore, gallery, art & learning ctr., food co-op, student exam ctr., bank, police office, rec. ctr., student svcs. & organizations. Bookstore, travel office, computer store, copy center, Mailboxes, etc., bank, credit union, ticket office, gift shop, banner room, game room, hotel rooms, student activities & organizations. Auditorium, bookstore, gallery, post office, travel office, computer store, copy center, Copeland Sports, credit union, ATMs, ticket office, campus newspaper, ASUCLA student support services and government. Pub, theater, travel office, gallery, ATMs, game room, hotel rooms, student prog. offices, mini-courses, craft shop, outdoor rec., tutoring.
Food Services Hybrid franchise/self run Hybrid franchise/self run Hybrid franchise/self run Mostly franchised No franchises
IT Hardwired with labs- lacks wireless Wireless - laptop check out program info terminals, computer center, starting wireless Internet access, some wireless Wireless. Six terminals. Lab in next building.
Connection to Campus Mostly in-house operations Mostly in-house operations, uses campus HR Mostly in-house operations Mostly in-house operations Mostly in-house operations
Reporting Lines VP for Campus Life VP Student Affairs Sr VP of Student Affairs Chancellor Chancellor
Board of Directors/Advisory Board Advisory Council - student majority Advisory Board Advisory Board of Directors - student majority Board of Directors - student majority - decision making Union Council - student majority- policy making
Yearly Budget $18-20 million $11 million $14 million $75 million $22 million
Funding Sources 98% commercial revenue, 2% university 65% student fees, 20% bookstore, 15% other 50% food & retail, 40% meeting rooms, 10% university 86% Retail/Licensing, 14% student fees 52% food & retail, 27% Student Fees, 26% other
Dedicated Marketing Department Yes including graphics department Yes and in-house research department Yes including graphics department Yes Yes including graphics department

For more detail on each university, see Appendices 9 - 13.

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“Top Five” Unions: [ Methodology ] [ Essential Qualities ] [ Management Practices ]
Campus Stakeholders: [ Methodology ] [ Essential Qualities ] [ Management Practices ]
[ Recommendations ]

Appendicies: [ 1 ] [ 2 ] [ 3 ] [ 4 ] [ 5 ] [ 6 ] [ 7 ] [ 8 ] [ 9 ] [ 10 ] [ 11 ] [ 12 ] [ 13 ] [ 14 ]