Essentials for a student experience at school include socializing, access to resources and a convenient place to shop for school supplies. All of these can be offered in one place—a student union building, which Pierce is missing.
Higher Education Review stated “there’s one central building that’s often at the heart of campus life: the student union,” and Honor Society describes them similarly as “the heartbeat of a college campus.”
There have been plans for having a student union at Pierce, and it is part of the master plan of projects, according to Interim President Ara Aguiar. But the project has not gained momentum.
Meanwhile, two other LACCD campuses have student union buildings, with Los Angeles City College opening its student union in 2012 and Los Angeles Harbor College opening one in 2022. Los Angeles Southwest College has a student union project underway.
Student unions could contribute to student success because studies show students who spend more time on campus do better academically, according to HMC Architects’ website for LA Harbor College’s student union project.
These spaces also encourage students with wide time gaps between classes to stay on campus. Many students still depend on their parents for transportation and cannot leave campus at will to either socialize or return home before their next class, but student unions can make the campus convenient by offering a place to socialize, study or relax.
After the period of isolation and social distancing because of the COVID-19 pandemic, a place for young adults to interact and make connections is necessary for their mental health. While student unions can contribute to students potentially making lifelong friendships, they also give them a chance to “build a strong foundation for networking in the future,” according to Higher Education Review.
Student unions can also be a one-stop shop for information, supplies or study spaces. For instance, LACC has its student store inside the student union building, which makes it convenient for students who are already studying in the location.
As a stopgap while the student union project gains momentum, accommodations could be made in empty portions of the Library, cafeteria, and surrounding Library and Learning Crossroads or in the Student Services Building to encourage student interactions in the courtyard or provide a space to study. The Student Services Building is also a short distance from the Student Store, which makes it a convenient location to host a student union-like facility.
The construction of a student union building should be given a higher priority because it would help modernize the campus, could increase enrollment and have numerous benefits for students, both academically and socially, as well as making campus easier to navigate.