Role of the College Union

During a recent trip to MacVittie College Union, I noticed a posted statement that I had previously ignored. The Role of the College Union clarifies the union’s meaning and goals. (I can’t find this statement online, nor will WordPress allow me to insert a photo of it.)  As a “community center,” the union is an “integral part of the educational mission of the college.” The union’s goal, then, “is the development of persons as well as intellects.” Upon discovering this posting, I started to think about the role community plays in realizing the College’s educational goals. Rather than being confined to Geneseo’s academic halls, the spirit of education is manifested throughout the college campus and surrounding community.

As a physical space, the union works to provide shared experiences for the college community. Imagine if our campus was only comprised of academic buildings; student pursuit of common knowledge and common skills would be hindered. After completing their general education requirements, students would most likely cloister themselves within their respective departments. Such a situation would be understandable; students want to earn their degree as quickly and efficiently (read: cheaply) as possible. Still, the shared learning that is key to a liberal arts education would suffer. This is where the union comes in. On any given day, students involve themselves in GOLD workshops at the union. These workshops unite an academically diverse group of students in the pursuit of leadership skills. Beyond GOLD, the union regularly hosts visiting speakers and cultural dinners. When students gather and listen to a visiting academic, they are exposing themselves to knowledge which can be shared between intellectual disciplines. Furthermore, Cultural dinners unite a culturally diverse group of students over a shared meal. By bringing students together, these dinners promote understanding and mutual respect. While these dinners aren’t inherently intellectual, they do foster personal growth. Without the space the union provides students with, such events would be nearly impossible to organize.

At the same time, the union’s goals are not confined to MacVittie’s walls, nor even the Geneseo campus. The College’s surrounding community provides opportunities that are key to personal and intellectual development. Internships in Livingston County and beyond provide professional experience that is a key supplement to the classroom’s academic studies. Meanwhile, community outreach programs promote volunteerism. It is easy to frame such programs as sacrificing one’s time in order to help the community; however, it is necessary for students to volunteer in order fulfill the College’s goal of personal development. Both the community and the College benefit from such partnerships.

I think the footnote at the bottom of the Role of the College Union is a testament to the importance of the union and its goals: “Adapted by the Associations general membership in 1996, this statement is based on the Role of the College Union statement, 1956.” This document was formed over sixty years ago, and it hasn’t been revised since the mid ‘90s. Still, the union is currently working to fulfill the goals expressed by this statement.

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