Eventually, talk turned to the idea of a podcast, which would offer another avenue to engage with students and ensure that they were aware of the resources available through ASI.

Little did MCT members know that another on-campus group, USU Live!, had a similar thought.

“It was something we were both working on without realizing the other group was doing it,” said Julianna Castro, an MCT member majoring in business administration with an emphasis in marketing.

“The podcasts have a very different feel in general, but it’s great that we’re both doing it and hopefully reaching more students.”

ASI’s podcast, “Amplify,” dropped its first episode on Oct. 14 and plans to release episodes monthly. USU Live! has released three episodes of “USU Rewind” since Sept. 23 and is moving toward a biweekly schedule.

While “Amplify” focuses on helping students learn about available resources and initiatives, “USU Rewind” is geared more toward the college experience and pop culture.

“With everything that’s going on, a lot of people can feel isolated and kind of miss that college life and what it’s like to be at CSUSM,” said Annie Fenton, a USU outreach specialist majoring in communication. “I hope our podcast can help them feel that sense of life on campus, especially the friendship part and the social part. We all miss being on campus. I just really hope students know that if they're having a bad day or just need to relax and have some entertainment, they can come to our podcast.”

It’s a sentiment echoed by Carolina Gil, another member of the USU Live! team.

“It's pretty difficult now that the semester started and it's all virtual,” said Gil, a business administration major. “My hope with this podcast is that students feel a connection to campus and to the student body in general.”

The idea for “USU Rewind” was first broached almost as a joke. During the summer, Fenton and Gil were talking while waiting for a meeting to begin. They didn’t realize that one of their supervisors was also on the line until, listening to them casually chatting, he said they should start a podcast. Later, another acquaintance made a similar remark.

“It’s funny how two small little comments got the ball rolling,” Gil said. “And then we just started planning from there.”

Though the pandemic waylaid hopes to do segments on group activities, Fenton and Gil said “USU Rewind” will explore ways to remain connected during such a challenging time.

The USU Live! team works collaboratively to generate episode topics and then compiles a broad outline that still allows hosts to be spontaneous.

“We meet and get an idea of what direction we want to go, but we want it to be more conversation based, like you're just sitting with your friends at lunch talking,” Fenton said.

Similarly, Castro said during the MCT’s initial brainstorming process, team member Brian Leonardo suggested “Amplify” should have a feel of “we’re just here and we’re talking.” It morphed into the podcast’s slogan: “So we're here. We're talking.”

“It’s something that we say in the podcasts,” said Castro, who serves as the producer of “Amplify.” “I feel like it represents it well. We’re here to bring attention to things. We're doing our best to adapt to the needs of the students, especially during this virtual environment, and we hope that this podcast can be a way where they can find out about the things they need in a different way than what they're used to.”

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Public Affairs Specialist

ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

“Students and campus leaders at California State University San Marcos have fulfilled a vision with the 2014 opening of its University Student Union,” ACUI wrote in a press release announcing the award. “This space serves as the heartbeat of campus—a welcome space for all students to gather, supporting a community of campus spirit and the development of campus life.”

Located near the center of campus between Kellogg Library and Chavez Plaza, the CSUSM University Student Union is a four-story, 89,000,000 sq. ft. building. Highlights include dining options, an open-air amphitheater, a student activity center with a game lounge, a rooftop patio, and a 9,000 sq. ft. ballroom. Designed and built with sustainability in mind to meet LEED Gold standards, a live roof garden is among the key sustainable features, helping regulate the building’s temperature and reduce energy use. Other green attributes include solar panels on the pavilion roofs, use of natural lighting throughout the building and a water reclamation system. The $43.9 million project, funded through student fees, opened in spring 2014.

Other 2015 awardees included: KSS Architects, OPN Architects and Cornell College for the Thomas Commons; Mackey Mitchell and the University of Alabama–Huntsville for the Charger Union; Moody Nolan and Purdue University for the France A. Cordova Recreational Sports Center; and Perkins+Will and Colorado State University for the Lory Student Center.

A Sustainably Designed Student Union

CSUSM’s new student union, built to LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold certification standards, opened to students during spring semester. The new four-story, 89,283-square-foot building is located near the center of campus, adjacent to Cesar Chavez Circle, with the fourth floor entrance opening onto Kellogg Plaza. The $43.9 million project was funded through student fees.

“To have a LEED Certified building is no easy feat as it requires the building to be designed, constructed and maintained to eliminate negative environmental impact through skillful and sensitive design,” said Vice President for Finance and Administrative Services Linda Hawk. ”While these are amazing accomplishments, we are not stopping here – we will continue to seek innovative and environmentally conscious ways to improve our practices. And the University Student Union stands as a monument of our capabilities and the value our campus community places on sustainability.”

The vision of the USU was simple. Create a building that meets the needs of the CSUSM community while leaving the smallest imprint on the environment. Green building highlights of the USU include:

• Use of environmentally friendly building materials.

• Tempering of intake air for the HVAC system (heating, ventilation and air-conditioning).

• Control of storm water runoff through bioswales and olive groves.

• Extensive use of natural light that reduces dependence on artificial lighting.

• Water use reduction through low flush and flow, dual flush fixtures.

• 3,000-square-foot green roof consisting of native vegetation that naturally cools the ballroom space below.

• A 100-Kw photovoltaic renewable energy system built on the conventional roof with SRI compliant roofing material.

“I would like to congratulate CSUSM for their beautiful new University Student Union,” said Dawn Welch, director of commercial and industrial services for SDG&E. “They are truly leading the way when it comes to building sustainability in from the ground up. Our goal at SDG&E is to be our customer's energy advisor. We have solutions for any business that wants to make changes that will translate into real energy savings. CSUSM has demonstrated this amazingly well with their latest addition, the USU.”

A Green Campus

Sustainability is interwoven into the fabric of CSUSM’s campus culture. LEED Gold is the standard for all of CSUSM’s new buildings and the University also places an emphasis on green procurement practices, curbing waste and improving recycling, creating and implementing a sustainable water management plan and much more.

Later this year, CSUSM will be recognized at the 2014 California Higher Education Sustainability Conference’s Energy Efficiency and Sustainability Best Practice Awards competition for best practices in three categories: water efficiency and site water quality; innovative waste reduction; and sustainability in academics. CSUSM received recognition in more categories than any other California State University or University of California campus.

Celebrations kicked off with a formal ribbon-cutting ceremony on April 15 with special remarks by President Haynes, student leaders Matt Walsh and Domenica Ranieri, Vice President of Student Affairs Lorena Meza and Alumni Association President Dayleen Coleman. Following the ceremony, attendees gathered in the ballroom to sample cuisine from the USU's various eateries and meet the organizations and departments that call the nearly 90,000 sq. ft. building home.

"The USU truly represents the spirit and tenacity of our campus and our ability to get things done for the benefit of our students," said President Haynes in her blog post.  "We really do march to our own beat at CSUSM."

The arts were also showcased throughout the weeks. On April 16, local artist Amy Burkman led an interactive art workshop where participants created their own canvas painting. Following the workshop, Burkman performed a speed painting demonstration, painting a CSUSM Cougar in mere minutes. Later that evening the amphitheater filled up for an outdoor showing of the Disney film Frozen. On April 17, USU Unplugged featured live acoustic performances by CSUSM students in the east pavilion near Jazzman's Cafe.

During the second week of celebrations, CSUSM welcomed Dr. Terrence Roberts to speak on his experience as a member of the "Little Rock Nine," a group of high school students who were committed to fighting segregation in the South in the 1950s. At the event, he was awarded an honorary doctorate from CSUSM, presented by CSU Trustee Debra Farar and President Haynes. Read more about this event.

A special sustainability event on April 24 highlighted the unique green features found throughout the four-story building. The USU was built to achieve LEED Gold Certification, a benchmark established by the U.S. Green Building Council to measure the sustainability, efficiency and innovation of high performance buildings. At the event, community representatives from SDG&E were on hand to award the University a $96,000 rebate check for the building's many sustainable features.

A variety of other celebratory events were also held, including Tukwut Nights, a party for students with food, live entertainment, games and giveaways. The Grand Opening celebration concluded with an Alumni Casino Night held in the ballroom.

View the video recap of the events:

View information on all the weeks' events on the USU's website.

View photos from the celebrations on Flickr

10,170 students have registered for classes so far.  The last day to add/drop a class is Monday, Jan. 27.

University Student Union Opens

CSUSM’s new student union, built to LEED Gold certification standards, opened to students for the first time today. The new four-story, 89,283-square-foot building is located near the center of campus, adjacent to Cesar Chavez Circle, with the fourth floor entrance opening onto Kellogg Plaza. Features include an outdoor amphitheater with seating for 400; an activity center with a game lounge; six new food options; a 3,000-square-foot green roof with outdoor seating areas; and a 9,000-square-foot ballroom. The outdoor pavilions and rooftop patio add an additional nearly 10,000 sq. ft. of useable space. The $43.9 million project was funded through student fees.

A formal grand opening ceremony is planned for Tuesday, Apr. 15.

On-going Construction Update

Construction continues for the University’s new Student Health and Counseling Services (SHCS) building with the installation of the roof at the end of this month. The new 20,000-square-foot, two-story building will be located adjacent to Parking Structure One and across the street from the University Student Union, on the corner of Campus Way and Campus View Drive. The Center is returning to campus after being housed across from campus in the Palomar Pomerado Health Building for the last 17 years. Construction is scheduled to be completed in fall 2014. The SHCS Building will feature clinical and counseling offices, a group conference/library room, a laboratory, waiting areas, health education spaces and a pharmacy. The $9.5 million project is funded through student fees.

The new stand-alone Veterans Center will start to take shape this semester. The new 1,000-square-foot house, donated by the Stevens Institute of Technology, will be constructed on a currently empty lot to the west of Markstein Hall and behind Science Hall 1, replacing a much smaller facility that opened in Craven Hall in 2008. The center will include an office, a conference room, a kitchen and a lounge and event space.  Unique technological features and innovations include solar shingles; a rainwater harvesting system with green wall and green roof; and energy-saving and water-saving heating, cooling and plumbing systems.

In support of CSUSM’s School of Nursing, renovation of an entire floor (approximately 11,000 square-feet) in University Hall will begin in February. The School of Nursing was established in 2006 in a medical office building across from campus. This project will allow the School of Nursing to be located on campus for the first time. The $2.5 million project is funded through the CSU Chancellor’s Office. Construction is expected to be completed in October 2014, with the opening scheduled for January 2015. The renovated floor includes art skills labs, simulation labs, mock exam rooms and administrative spaces.

Student Health Finds a New Home on Campus

Construction continues for the University's new Student Health and Counseling Services (SHCS) building with the installation of the roof at the end of January. The new 20,000 sq. ft., two-story building will be located adjacent to Parking Structure One and across the street from the University Student Union, on the corner of Campus Way and Campus View drive.The Center is returning to campus after being housed across the street in the Palomar Pomerado Health Building for the last 17 years. The SHCS Building will feature clinical and counseling offices, a group conference / library room, a laboratory, waiting areas, health education spaces and a pharmacy. Construction is scheduled to be completed in fall 2014.

An Eco-Friendly Space for Veterans

The new stand-alone  Veterans Center  will start to take shape this semester. The new 1,000 sq. ft. house, donated by the Stevens Institute of Technology, will makes it home on a hört empty lot to the west of Markstein Hall and behind Science Hall 1, and will replace a much smaller facility That opened in Craven Hall in 2008. The center will include an office, a conference room, a kitchen and a lounge and event space.

The Veteran's center was originally created by a team of interdisciplinary students at Stevens to be a net zero energy solar house. The facility is expected to retain many of its unique features and technological innovations,-including solar shingles; a rain water harvesting system with green wall and green roof; and energy-saving and water-saving heating, cooling and plumbing systems. It is anticipated to be in use in fall 2014.

Renovation for the School of Nursing

In support of CSUSM's School of Nursing, renovation of an entire floor (approximately 11,000 sq. Ft.) In University Hall will start in February. The School of Nursing was established in 2006 in a medical office building across from campus. This project will allow the School of Nursing to be located on campus for the first time.Construction is expected to be completed in October 2014, with the opening scheduled for January 2015. The renovated third floor will include art skills labs, simulation labs, mock exam rooms and administrative spaces.

Located near the center of campus between Kellogg Library and Chavez Plaza, the USU features new dining options, an open-air amphitheater, a student activity center with a game lounge, a rooftop garden and patio, and a 9,000 sq. ft. ballroom.

“The USU was designed with the input of students and is all about serving students,” said senior Dominica Ranieri, chair of the student-led USU Advisory Board. “The new space brings a new vibe to campus, and will help create a stronger sense of community and collaborative spirit.”

While the Union is open to the campus, during the next few months CSUSM will continue putting the final touches on the building and fine-tuning its many services in preparation for the grand opening in April 2014.

Explore the USU

Tours of the building will be held during opening week, Jan. 21-24, every hour on the hour from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. accommodating 15 people per tour. The 30-minute tour will start at the Information Desk located in the East Pavilion, adjacent to Jazzman’s Café and Bakery.

Eat at the USU

The fourth floor West Pavilion is home to four full-service eateries including SubVersions, a made-to-order deli and sandwich shop; Wholly Habaneros, offering a selection of fresh Mexican cuisine; WOW Cafe and Wingery, serving American grill favorites with over 20 signature sauces; andPanda Express, featuring robust flavors of Mandarin and Szechuan cuisine.

The USU also adds a new coffee house to campus. Located in the East Pavilion, Jazzman’s Café and Bakery brews up specialty coffee beverages and offers fresh pastries daily. A convenience store featuring a Jamba Juice smoothie bar can also be found in the East Pavilion.

Relax at the USU

Student lounges both indoor and outdoor offer ample space for students to relax. A commuter lounge on the first floor features couches, microwaves, nearby lockers, a shower facility, computer and printing stations, vending machines, an ATM and more.

The outdoor pavilions, rooftop patio and multiple terraces add an additional 10,000 sq. ft. of useable space. The signature rooftop patio offers picturesque views of San Marcos and the campus, and features a sustainable live roof garden with 16 species of indigenous plants and grasses. The live roof garden is among the key sustainable features of the USU, helping regulate the building’s temperature and reduce energy use. The USU was designed and built with sustainability in mind to meet LEED Gold standards. Other green features include solar panels on the pavilion roofs, use of natural lighting throughout the building and a water reclamation system.

The open-air amphitheater can seat up to 400 people and sliding glass doors on the stage can open up into the ballroom to create one combined venue. The 9,000 sq. ft. ballroom has moveable walls to accommodate events of all sizes.

The Reflection Lounge and Tranquility Lounge on the fourth floor offer restful spaces for students to meditate or recharge between classes.

Play at the USU

The USU Activity Center, located on the fourth floor of the East Pavilion, features two recreational areas: the Hawks Nest and the Game Lounge. 

Nicknamed in honor of the hawks that watch over CSUSM and were visibly present on and around the construction site, the Hawks Nest includes a variety of pay-to-play table games, including billiards, foosball and air hockey. The space also houses the Ticket Center where students and university employees can purchase discounted tickets to amusement parks and local movie theaters. The Hawks Nest will be open for preview hours and free play during the first two weeks of the spring semester, before its official opening on Thursday, Jan. 30.

Hawks Nest Preview HoursPreview Day and Free Play:  Tuesday, Jan. 21 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.Free Play: Wednesday, Jan. 22 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.Free Play: Thursday, Jan. 23 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.Free Play: Friday, Jan. 24, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Coming soon, the Game Lounge will feature pay-to-play console gaming, including PS2, PS3 and the new Xbox One.

Connect at the USUStudent life has a new home in the USU. Student Life and Leadership (SLL), Associated Students, Inc. (ASI), the Dean of Students Office, and the Cross-Cultural Center, Gender Equity Center and Pride Center are all located on the third floor. Meeting rooms, the Social Justice Training and Resource Center and the Tukwut Leadership Center offer space for students to engage in meaningful dialogue and develop leadership skills.

The New Heart of Campus

“The University Student Union will undoubtedly become the new focal point of campus,” commented Lorena Meza, vice president of Student Affairs. “The transition of student-focused services to the USU – including ASI, Student Life & Leadership, the Cross-Cultural Center, the Gender Equity Center, the Pride Center and the Dean of Students Office – will provide for a new level of collaboration with, and on behalf of, students.”

The concept and ideas behind the USU began nearly seven years ago, as students met with administrators to design a collaborative space that would bring student life together. The $43.9 million project, which broke ground in February 2012, was funded through student fees.

Gearing Up for the Grand Opening

Training will continue over the next few months for the USU’s more than 100 new student employees while final amenities are still being installed. Communication major and USU student employee, Hugo Pinales, encourages people to explore the new space and ask questions either to a building lead or a student worker at the Information Desk.

“Never be afraid to ask questions,” he said. “We’re all learning and becoming familiar with this new space. We want students to feel at home in their new USU.”

CSUSM will celebrate the grand opening of the USU with a week of festivities from April 14-18. A special ribbon-cutting event will take place on April 15, 2014.

For more information, visit the USU website.