Ackerman Union recently received new plasma television sets, and officials say the Union is scheduled to undergo a number of similar upgrades in the next few months.
Roy Champawat, Associated Students UCLA student union director, said ASUCLA wants to install “state-of-the-art” equipment because students should be able to enjoy Ackerman at the “best it can be.”
Champawat said ASUCLA conducted a survey of students last quarter to see if the TVs were worth keeping, and the results indicated that many students enjoyed watching them.
“We thought students would appreciate an upgraded TV,” Champawat said.
The content on the TVs is still exclusively mtvU, which is an affiliate channel of MTV Networks.
According to a previous Daily Bruin article, mtvU “is dedicated to college students and broadcasts 24 hours a day to more than 720 colleges in the United States and features music videos marketed to the college scene paired with news and student life features.”
The televisions were installed by mtvU at no cost to ASUCLA, and the upgrade was part of the service offered by mtvU in return for exclusive content, Champawat said.
Andy Green, an undergraduate representative on the ASUCLA board of directors, said the new TVs provided a space for students studying or eating alone.
“The volume is kept low, so it benefits students who want to watch but does not disturb (those) who want to study,” Green said.
In addition to the television sets, other parts of Ackerman Union will be undergoing major renovations in the next few months.
Cindy Bolton, food service director for UCLA restaurants, said the Cooperage portion of the Union is being completely redone.
Bolton said the Cooperage will receive an “exciting and vibrant” feel with the expansion of the Taco Bell and the addition of a coffee and sandwich shop.
The Cooperage will also receive new equipment, furniture, and additional lighting.
“We want to create an impression of more daylight in the Cooperage,” Bolton said.
Bolton added that the hours of the Cooperage will change and reflect the hours of the entire Union, which she said would add flexibility to its operations.
In addition, customers will order and pay for food at the restaurants rather than the current “scramble system” of paying at a cashier.
The new plan will feature the restaurants in the eastern end and a media wall, seating, and a stage in the center.
Bolton said she expects the renovations to be completed over the summer, but the Taco Bell portion may last until next fall.
“We are going to slowly phase in the remodel so the Cooperage can continue to be open,” she said.
The final part of the Cooperage remodel will be the implementation of an online gaming center, set to be completed in the fall.
“The (new center) will allow students to compete with each other or with players around the globe,” Bolton said.
In February, the ASUCLA Board of Directors voted to up the budget for the Cooperage remodel from $2.5 million to $3.5 million, citing the possibility of unforeseen costs.