News

Students divided on Rec ceremonies

By Tiffany Dean
The Daily Cougar

Offended students spoke out against the official grand opening ceremony of the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center that took place Monday, while hundreds of others enjoyed the events at Tuesdayis Grand Opening Student Festival.

Although the studentsi role in the production of the facility was emphasized, Mondayis ceremony included only VIPs, university officials, student leaders and project planners.

The student body took on the financial piece of the production puzzle with a $75 fee to create the $53 million facility.

"We paid for it, we should be in there first," said Darius Monroe, a communication junior. "For us, by us. Not for them by us."

The $75 Campus Recreation and Wellness Center fee is tacked on to the six other fees added to tuition, including: student services fee, computer use fee, one card fee, UC fee, international education fee, and library fee. This does not include other "incidental" fees, such as parking.

"We pay for all of these fees, and most students donit even use the facilities," said Monroe. "This is just one more to add to the list."

Some commuters said that they wouldnit use $75 worth of the new center. Regardless, the fee is the same for all students.

While enthusiasm runs high for the new center throughout campus, the students who wonit be using the facility but still have to pay for it speculated about the service.

"This wasnit a choice for me; this was just another fee. Then they give them a special opening ceremony. Thatis not fair," said Jakalia McCadney, a sophomore communication major.

"I didnit vote for it," said Monroe. "And if we paid for it, we should be the VIPs."

The facility actually was voted on by students during a student referendum in November 1998, though it passed by a margin of fewer than 300 votes. Moreover, many of the students who voted in i98 have graduated. However, students have also been included throughout the creation and planning process. 

Despite some angry feelings about the fee, thousands of students use the center each week. The center offers three gyms, six racquetball and squash courts, six multipurpose rooms, two class meeting rooms, menis and womenis locker rooms with more than 2,400 lockers, a computer and study rooms, a 53-foot climbing wall, a hot tub and a whirlpool. 

The Rec Center saw its highest usage yet during the week of March 16, getting 10,404 student visits. Last week, 7,219 visits were recorded by the Rec Centeris student visitor counter.

The two-story, 264,000 sq. ft. University Campus Recreation and Wellness Center officially opened to the UH community Tuesday, though it has been open for student use since January.
 

 Send comments to dcnews@mail.uh.edu