Through a host of projects and initiatives now underway, the University of Georgia is expanding the number of spaces available for student groups to meet, network and hold events. The additional auditoriums, multipurpose rooms and other locations will augment UGA’s significant lineup of venues available to student organizations across campus.
The university’s strategy is to add high-quality meeting and activity spaces incrementally because, without a defined source of funding such as mandatory student fees, the institution is unable to construct designated student space. All of these new areas are being introduced without increases in mandatory student fees to support the spaces.
“At the University of Georgia, our foremost priority is our students, and I am very pleased that we are enhancing UGA’s ability to support students without placing additional financial burdens on them or their families,” said President Jere W. Morehead. “I am committed to meeting the needs of our student organizations while keeping costs low, and this pathway allows us to achieve that goal.”
In May, the university announced that it will build a $60.7 million dining, learning and well-being center in concert with a new residence hall opening in fall 2026 and a new parking deck to open in 2025. The 68,000-square-foot facility will provide a new, two-story dining commons, along with a third floor that includes eight to 10 general purpose classrooms available to student groups on nights and weekends, as well as additional flex space for student groups, a University Health Center ancillary clinic and a nutrition counseling space.
The $30 million renovation of the Holmes-Hunter Academic Building will include areas for students to gather as well. Once open next fall, the renovated facility—named for UGA’s first African American students, Hamilton Holmes and Charlayne Hunter-Gault—will provide several new multipurpose rooms and spaces that student organizations can use.
Morehead recently launched a fundraising campaign to support a major renovation of the Memorial Hall Ballroom, which will be named in honor of Vice President for Student Affairs Victor K. Wilson, who is retiring on Sept. 30. This initiative will expand space in the center of campus for student meetings and activities.
“At UGA, we are focused on providing an exceptional student-life experience that strengthens the university’s world-class learning environment,” said Wilson. “First-rate venues that provide students places to gather, interact and build community are vital to these efforts. I am proud that we are adding even more locations to an already impressive collection of student activity spaces across campus.”
The university currently provides an array of sites for student organizations to meet and hold events. With 200,000 square feet of space, the Tate Student Center features more than 30 meeting rooms, lounges and gathering spaces for student organizations, along with a 12,000 square foot multipurpose room for large-scale activities and events. In 2022, Morehead charged a group with developing a proposal to eliminate room charges for student events held in the Tate Student Center. The proposal was implemented in fall 2022, and student organizations may now hold meetings and events in the Tate Center at little to no cost.
In addition to the many multipurpose spaces and auditoriums provided by UGA’s colleges and schools, the university’s iconic Chapel also provides significant space for student events in the heart of North Campus. The Miller Learning Center is another popular choice, with numerous event spaces and meeting rooms that can be scheduled by student groups. Meanwhile, Multicultural Services and Programs, located in Memorial Hall, and the Greek Life Office, located in the Tate Student Center, provide dedicated spaces available to student groups.
The university also offers numerous outdoor venues where students can meet and network. These include Herty Field, the North Campus Quad, D.W. Brooks Mall, and many more.
“Every year, more students commit to attend the University of Georgia, and these investments provide necessary infrastructure advancements that meet a collective student need,” said Student Government Association President George Moore. “The addition of these new venues will only enrich the already outstanding student experience by providing spaces that foster student well-being, belonging, and engagement.”