Sarah Mastroni – News Editor –
The campus’ Fitness Center, located on the second level of the Michael J. Adanti Student Center, defends their right to charge students a semesterly fee after concerns arose.
Many students who found out the Fitness Center charges a $60 usage fee per semester found the number to be unfair—especially because they don’t know where that money actually goes, or why student activity fees don’t have access to the gym.
Fitness Center coordinator, Jessica Scibek, thinks the price is within reason.
“The fee was decided after the center opened in 2006,” Scibek said. “The money goes towards operating costs, programs and staff.”
Southern’s prior Fitness Center, which was located in the basement of Farnham Hall, charged $40 for a semesterly membership but was also old and worn.
The fee, which was discussed with members of the Student Government Association, was set at $60 because there are costs to running the facility, which is equipped with new and modern gear in a bright, energetic environment overlooking Fitch Street.
Brad Crerar, director of the Student Center, said that if everyone had access through student fees, the facility would not be able to accommodate them due to size.
“Right now there are about 1,100 members,” he said. “Instead of everyone paying and not everyone using it, the people who want to use it have that option.”
For many students, such as commuter Spencer Artaiz of Hamden, the $60 price tag is in the ballpark of area gyms.
“If there is no pool for students to use, it doesn’t seem worth the $60, but at the same time it’s really good to have a gym on campus,” she said. “Also, at other gyms you have to pay for [group] classes.”
The campus Fitness Center includes classes like Zumba, yoga and cycling within your membership at no extra cost.
“The hardships make sense,” Scibek said. “Sometimes students think this [fee amount] is a struggle and others believe it is an amazing deal.”
“If students have concerns regarding anything on campus, they should make their needs heard to the student government- the student voice.”
As of Oct. 14, the Fitness Center lowered the joining cost by almost half, making a membership for the remainder of the semester a prorated fee of $35.
