Dear Editor,

Every quarter, each full-time undergraduate at Eastern pays $65 toward a recreation fee. In return, students gain “free” access to the campus gym and recreation center. Along with this $65 fee comes a great frustration. The recreation fee is automatically accounted for in all students’ fees and tuition; however, not all students use the facility that they are paying for. Some students may a have membership at another gym, some exercise outdoors or at home and others may not exercise at all. The assumption that all students want, are able or will choose to use the recreation center on campus is false, and students who do not choose to use the facility should not be forced to pay for it. Let’s put this in perspective: When we shop, we are not forced to pay for groceries that we don’t buy.

It is understood that Eastern is a money-making institution and therefore must find ways to fund programs and student services; however, the way the university goes about gaining monetary resources could use revision.

An obvious solution to this controversy would be to have students choose if they would like to gain access to the recreation center for the quarter and then charge accordingly. As far as a process change, one possibility would be to have students select if they would like to use the facility during the quarterly registration process.

No change comes without ripples. It is very possible that once a smaller percentage of students are paying for use of the facility that the cost of doing so will go up. Still, on a more important note, it is very likely that there would be great responses of gratitude and appreciation from students who are tired of being charged for amenities that they don’t need or want.

Sincerely,

Kassandra J. Clark, Faith J. Mehal, Jake D. York