University of Rhode Island - Renaissance / Grist Yearbook (Kingston, RI)

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The Union Provides URI Students With Life Between Classes The Union 17

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E very day, thousands of students converge on the place we call the Union — to pick up something at the bookstore, to sit and chat with friends or just to pass through on their way to class. Although it ' s not located in the exact geographical center of the campus, the Memorial Union is a place around which much of the URI community revolves. It ' s a building just for students — a place to get away from it all and, at the same time, a place to get in- volved in it all. Some choose to go there to relax in the Ram ' s Den or the Commuter Lounge while others choose to busy themselves with the myriad of activities available . there: the Student Senate, The Cigar, Renaissance, the Union Board, the Student Entertainment Committee and WRIU among many others. Because the students at URI are enrolled in such widely diversified curriculums, they spend much of their academic lives in the same group of buildings. But what makes the Memorial Union dif- ferent is that it ' s the one place that every student shares, the one building that everyone has in common. ‘OEg 16 Union Joann Muller

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►The URI Bookstore. That place every student must go at least once a semester. And although these particular visits may be rather unpleasant, there are other times when the bookstore can be a lot of fun. A favorite pastime for students is to stand near the back of the store and read all the magazines from cover to cover — and then put them back without buying them. The candy shop is also very popular — especially for Secret Santa gifts and items for sorority raids. The bookstore also carries greeting cards, posters, sportswear, toiletries, munchies, stationery, records and knick-knacks — to satisfy just about every student ' s needs. Business as Usual Union Businesses Strive on Student Patronage ◄This shop on the first floor of the Union is the place everyone goes when they suddenly remember it ' s their roommate ' s birthday and they don ' t have time to go to Wakefield to look for a gift. It carries clothing and accessories for both men and women at reasonable prices. It ' s also a great place to browse when you need to kill a little time bet- ween classes. ◄URI is notorious for its long lines of students and one of the best known lines is the one that winds its way around the tiny branch of Rhode Island Hospital Trust bank on the first floor of the Union. For- tunately, Hospital Trust offers ins- tant teller machines for those who don ' t want to stand in line all day. But while these little machines are a convenience to some, they can also be quite dangerous. That ' s because it ' s very easy — in fact, much too easy — to walk up to the machine, punch a few buttons and come away with plenty of money for a night out. It ' s fun for a while — until you realize there ' s nothing left in your account to withdraw and the machine eats your card. 18 Union Businesses