Gray Campus Center
Kaul Auditorium is connected by a covered portico to the other Gray Campus Center buildings.
The commons dining hall east of Kaul is a welcome expansion of the community center or commons building completed in 1965. The spacious and well-lighted interior of the commons area, remodeled in 1997, offers meals and comfortable seating for students, staff, and faculty members. Food service at Reed offers hot and cold entrees, and vegetarian as well as vegan options also are available.
On the floor below commons you'll find the bookstore, mail services, and the pool room. To the east are the Quest office, where the weekly independent student newspaper and a host of other student publications are produced; a darkroom and a student print shop; and a band-practice room. In the courtyard between the Gray Campus Center and the Old Dorm Block are some magnificent London Plane trees (Platanus x acerifolia).
The student union or SU, once the commons eating area, is a favorite hangout for many students. With a fireplace, grand piano, and comfortable couches, it is a place for relaxed conversation and study. It is also home to many Reed community activities: formal dances and discussions on topics affecting the community are traditionally held in the SU. Concerts frequently take place here, as do coffeehouse meetings, as well as card and chess games. The lofts in the SU hold old books and the tool co-op. The student-run Paradox Café, in the southwest corner of the student union, features gourmet coffees, espresso, and home-baked desserts. It also doubles as a student art gallery.
