As we mature, taking financial responsibility becomes more and more of a reality. Chances are, students are a lot more careful with money they earn compared to money they’ve received from someone else.
Student loans are another unfortunate part of growing up. At this point in our lives, it’s safe to say most of us ha
ve never had the responsibility of dealing with large amounts of money before.
When paying for college, like any other purchase, students want to make sure they’re really getting what they pay for.
Many are concerned with the way their school divides its spending. For a portion of students, there seems to be a concern for the amount of money being spent on campus athletics outweighing what’s being put into the wellness of all students. Every school is different, but I understand where these concerns are coming from.
Plattsburgh State’s Fitness Center opened in September 1994, according to Plattsburgh’s website. For $80 per semester, students gain access to the 5,000-square-foot Fitness Center that’s fully equipped with a free weight area, cardiovascular and resistive weight equipment.
A separate, 1,800-square-foot aerobics studio is dedicated to offering classes such as Zumba, HIIT and other dance fitness classes. A 2,700 square-foot group activity room is home to spinning and cardio-kickboxing classes. Memberships average at out at around 3,000 students per semester.
That’s 55 percent of enrolled students, in addition to over 100 college faculty, staff and alumni, according to plattsburgh.edu.
Sure, it would be nice if, instead of trekking down to Memorial Hall on a 10 degree morning, I could walk downstairs to the gym in Hood Hall, and have the same choices. Having the gym located in Hood open only in the evening really doesn’t allow a large portion of students to use it.
Walking up and walking down the street to Memorial isn’t the worst thing in the world, but I could see how some students hate it.
Our Fitness Center does a great job of offering classes that can fit anyone’s needs. The size of the facilities where classes are held could potentially become an issue in the future.
I love going to spin class at 7 a.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, but I don’t love having to get there 15 minutes early to get a bike. Waiting for one of six treadmills in the gym can be frustrating, too. The Fitness Center should make the expansions it needs in order to accommodate all active students on campus.
The changes I’m suggesting obviously come at an expense, but just think about it. With 3,000 student memberships at $80 a piece, that means that the fitness center takes in roughly $240,000 a semester in memberships alone.
PSUC is constantly renovating something.
Last year, it was Mason Hall. This year, it’s Moffitt Hall.
In the summer of 2008, the Ronald B. Stafford Ice Arena underwent a $2.1 million construction project to install 1,517 theatre-style seats and 407 standing-rail positions.
It’s time for the improvement of wellness facilities for non-athletes, too.
Setting time aside to be active shouldn’t seem like a chore. We’re encouraged to be healthy and treat our bodies well, but with limited options and schedules, this can be difficult. It’s time for change.
Email Madison Winters at madison.winters@cardinalpointsonline.com
