SUNY University at BuffaloFacilities Summary

Written by Christina Reisenauer

Christina Reisenauer

Hometown

Amherst, N.Y.

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Most students who come to UB hate the way North Campus looks at first; it's built not like a traditional college, but like a `70s vision of a "college of the future." In time, though, nearly everyone gets used to the campus, and many grow to like it. South Campus has a more traditional feel. Its ivy-covered facilities are weathered and worn by the years, but its scenic quads and sloping lawns are beautiful. Students give North Campus high marks for the tunnels and bridges that connect all the buildings along the "Spine" (the cluster of academic buildings at the center of campus). It's possible to take off your coat in the winter and go to all your classes without braving the cold. Most students' favorite building on campus is the noisy, crowded Student Union, which is the scene of so many of the serendipitous encounters that make college life memorable. Harriman Hall, which has been a student union since the 1920s, is a popular gathering place for the South Campus crowd. Artsy architecture majors and med students in light blue scrubs gather for lunch in high-ceilinged rooms with chandeliers.

UB's libraries get high marks for their deep collections and friendly staff, but some are better places to study than others. Students praise Lockwood for its big study areas and austere, modern atmosphere. Older students find the Undergraduate Library (more appropriately called the "Freshman Library") to be loud and ugly. The dorm complexes on both campuses are so big that they have their own computer labs, study areas, and workout rooms. In terms of quality of life, the two campuses are nearly opposite experiences. Students on North overcome their dislike for the campus's aesthetics because of its high-quality facilities, while students on South tolerate the worn-out facilities because of the campus's charm.