Issue date: 11/10/09 Section: News

As a veteran student, I've seen my fair share of changes at Northwest Vista College. I remember when a majority of my classes were held in the portables or back when classrooms were a shared space between disciplines. I also remember the small fitness space in Huisache Hall, old and needing a renovation, but an open facility for students no less. Well, the renovation came and Huisache Hall re-opened with a new workout facility. This brought a great deal of excitement for a student like me. Yet, my excitement only lasted until I realized I had to pay $60 just to use the facility!

Now, I am optimist individual. You know - a glass half full kind of person. So, I went to check out the facility for myself. Now, I have a question for those who manage the place: how are the 14,555+ students enrolled this semester going to use the limited amount of equipment, especially during your limited hours of operation?

For those students not enrolled in a fitness class, the equipment available to you includes 4 treadmills, 1 elliptical, 10 strength circuit stations, 2 leg press machines, and a few weight benches. Is this enough? The section of the fitness center enclosed and reserved for kinesiology courses has just as many machines and equipment, but this section is for classroom use only. So, I can pay less to use this space if I register for the credit hour in a fitness course. If I do so, I at least have a guarantee to use the equipment twice a week, at a time of my choosing.

Many students are upset about the fitness center's hours of operation. Why only from 8-5?

"I'd want to keep the gym open 16 hours a day, but I can't do it all by myself," says Daniel Johnson, student recreation and wellness coordinator. "We are in the process of hiring staff to keep the facility up and running longer. I'd like to have the hours from 6:30 am to 10 pm". Johnson and his staff are in the process of evaluating high traffic points throughout the day. He wants to hold various fitness events during times in the day that don't conflict when the fitness center is being most used.

Yet, the main concern and complaint students have expressed about the new fitness center is the additional non refundable $60 membership fee per semester. According to Northwest Vista College [NVC], the $60 fee is used to maintain, buy, and replace equipment. This fee is also utilized to pay for instructors to teach fitness sessions. Just like any good business, NVC makes this fee sound like it's the best deal you can get. As an incentive, this year the $60 fee includes both fall and spring. But next fall students must pay the $60 fee for each semester, a $120 fee for a whole academic year that excludes summer. Yes, there is another fee for summer. How is that fair?

Continued...

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