Who We Are

The Old Union and Old Union Complex of buildings (Old Union, Courtyard, Clubhouse and Nitery) is a vibrant gathering place for students, faculty, staff, alumni and guests of Stanford University.

The Old Union Complex is home to: Asian American Activities Center, ASSU/SSE, Axe & Palm Café, CIRCLE, El Centro Chicano, Native American Cultural Center, Nitery Theatre, Student Activities and Leadership, The Stanford Chaparral, AVP & Dean of Educational Resources, and AVP & Dean of Student Life.

History

In the 1920s, Old Union was built as the first campus union to bring men and women students together. The YWCA provided programming in the Clubhouse (originally the Women’s Clubhouse, built with the help of Cap and Gown) for many years. Religious Life activities have been housed in the Clubhouse for a number of years.

Over the last decade, Stanford has made major investments in undergraduate education and in residential/living environments for undergraduate and graduate students. Complementing these investments, and in support of the “whole” student, in 2005 the Board of Trustees authorized the renovation of the Old Union complex to return to its original use as a student center.