With services for both students and the general public alike, having a university nearby can offer some pretty good perks. Here’s a look at what’s available to near neighbors–not just students–as the university year kicks off again.
General Assistance
The Direct Assistance Center and Union Information Just inside the front doors on the ground floor of the Union, these two windows provide students and visitors answers to just about any general question about the university.
Recreation & Entertainment
The Klotsche Center The Klotsche Center is a recreation and exercise facility at the north end of campus. Klotsche offers students and guests the use of basketball and racquetball courts, a volleyball court, a track, a pool, and a weight room. Classes and lessons available. For more info call 229-5287 or go to www.klotsche.uwm.edu. Union Outing Center At the far east end of the Union’s ground floor, the UOC offers info on outdoor adventures, as well as a rental equipment including tents and camping gear, kayaks and canoes, skis, snowboards, rollerblades, bikes, and more. The center also plans adventure trips. For hours and info call 229-5256 or 229-5513. Recreation Center For an on-campus way to blow off steam, head to the Rec Center on the lower level of the Union to play pool, video games, ping pong, or bowl a game or two. Open from 8 a.m. to 11:45 p.m. Monday through Friday and 12 p.m. to 11:45 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, the Rec Center also sponsors pool tournaments throughout the semester. Union Theater Touted as having one of the finest film programs in the country, the Union Theater features new and re-released independent films and restored classics as well as experimental and documentary films. Admission prices are nearly half that of first-run theaters ($5/$4 staff, students, alumni, and seniors), and the variety of programming is unmatched by any other theater in the state. Check out Musical Mondays for $1 off regular admission prices and free popcorn, and Saturday Night Movie Fever featuring kitschy classics for $1 off at midnight. For more info call 229-4070 or visit cinema@aux.uwm.edu. 8th Note Coffeehouse With the cheapest coffee on campus, an eclectic mix of music determined by the barista, and arguably the best conversation on campus, this little coffeehouse at the center of the Union is a merciful diversion from the hustle and bustle of campus, if only for a few minutes between class. Hours are Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The 8th Note also invites promising local bands to play about a dozen free shows over the course of the semester. For booking info call 229-5961. The Gasthaus Open 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 11-8 on Sunday, the Gasthaus is the only place on campus to get a burger AND a beer. Found on the lower level of the Union, it’s also the best place to catch up on the news, your soap operas or whatever T.V. fare you might be missing, as the walls are lined with projection screens and the booths are equipped with speakers. Last semester the Gasthaus began featuring popular local acts for its music series. The Kenwood Inn This veggie-friendly restaurant is tucked away on the third floor of the Union among the administration and student organization offices. The atmosphere and view are almost as good as the food; unfortunately, this little oasis is only open from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Enrichment
Studio Arts and Craft Center The Craft Center offers non-credit classes and memberships to students and members of the community in photography, jewelry making, stained glass, sculpture and pottery. Facilities include a darkroom with nine enlargers and a dry mounting press and a ceramics studio with eight pottery wheels and three kilns. For more info or to sign up for classes call 229-5535. Multi-Cultural Resource Center This drop-in center on the first floor of the Union provides info on multicultural events and scholarship and employment opportunities. The center also provides on-campus referrals, an audio/video library, computer access, and a lounge for informal student networking. Call 229-6997 for hours and info. The Women’s Resource Center Located in the Terrace Cafe on the west side of the ground floor of the Union, the UWM Women’s Resource Center offers students a host of information regarding gender-related issues. The center features a lending library and free literature as well as providing group services to help femal students in “identifying and eliminating barriers to reaching academic, professional, and personal goals.” For more information call 229-2852. The LGBT Resource Center Located next to the Women’s Resource Center in the Union, the LGBT Resource Center is also a drop-in center that aims to provide increasing awareness to the general student population as well as social and emotional support to LGBT students. The center sponsors events such as Coming-Out Week and movie nights, as well as providing students with a lending library, free literature, and the opportunity to become part of support and advocacy groups. For more information call 229-4924 or visit www.lgbt.uwm.edu. The Center for Volunteerism and Student Leadership With a goal of empowering students by placing them in service settings, the CVSL, on the south end of the ground floor of the Union, connects students to volunteer opportunities with local non-profit agencies. The center also aims to form relationships between organizations in order to maximize their benefits to the community. For more info call 229-3161 or visit www.volunteer.uwm.edu.
Conveniences & Useful Services
Be On The Safe Side (BOSS) Escort Service Available to students who live in the areas surrounding UWM, including Riverwest, BOSS provides walking escorts or van transportation from campus from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. daily. BOSS is located on the ground floor of the Union next to the Direct Assistance Center. For more info call 229-6503 or visit www.boss.uwm.edu. UWM Parking & Transit Offices A UPASS, one of the best benefits of being a student, can be obtained at these offices on the Union’s ground floor next to the Terrace. Any student enrolled in classes for credit at the university is eligible for this unlimited bus pass good for the duration of the semester. The friendly folks at the office can tell you how to get just about anywhere in the city by bus, as well as provide you with route and schedule information. For more info, contact the office at 229-4000. Off-Campus Housing Information Information on off-campus housing is available online at < ahref=”http://www.aux.uwm.edu/offcamp”>www.aux.uwm.edu/offcamp. The site provides a comprehensive listing of housing in the Milwaukee area, organized by type of housing and price. For more info call 229-6999 or 229-2308. Capricio Creative Hair Design On the lower level of the Union, Capricio is a full-service, on-site hair salon. The off-campus location is a full-service salon and spa. For more info call the campus salon at 967-4844 or the salon on Oakland at 967-0100 or visit www.capriciosalon.com. UW Credit Union The campus branch of the UW Credit Union is located at the west end of the first floor of the Union and is a full-service bank providing checking and savings accounts, mortgages and loans to its customers. It’s open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information call 1-800-533-6773. Contact Eye Care In the west end of the Union Concourse on the first floor, doctors Richard Miller and Christopher Winter provide students with quality eye care on campus. The opticians perform eye exams and provide prescription glasses and contact lenses. Hours are Monday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. UW-Milwaukee Bookstore At the southeast end of the Union concourse on the first floor, the bookstore carries course books, UWM logo gear, school supplies, snacks, music, and knickknacks to make your dorm or apartment feel more like home. Open 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, Friday 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Riverwest Currents – Volume 2 – Issue 9 – September 2003