Low student interest nixes facilities meeting

A series of meetings planned by USG to address student concern over the inadequacies of recreational athletic facilities were canceled Wednesday because the student body had not expressed significant interest.

Mike Murray, a Class of 2006 Senator, was in charge of organizing the talks but received only seven emails expressing a desire to attend. USG President Matt Margolin had emailed the student body soliciting interest on Nov. 22.

The deterioration of Dillon Gym and overcrowding in Stephens Fitness Center have been problems for years. Stephens was constructed with half the capacity then deemed necessary by the athletics deparment.

To address some of the issues related to this situation, the USG planned and sponsored a series of "open forums" that would allow the participating representatives from the Office of Physical Education "to get students' input about what is good, bad and ugly about the gym," according to Margolin's email.

Because of the low level of interest expressed to Murray, the three meetings, which had been scheduled to take place at noon, 4:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Wednesday, were canceled.

Associate Director of Physical Education and Recreation Eric Stein, who was scheduled to take part in the meetings, does not attribute the lack of student response to apathy, however. Instead, he said he feels that the event's timing — near Thanksgiving — was the culprit.

The meetings have been tentatively rescheduled for this February.

Stein remains positive about the prospects of improving the athletic facilities based on student concerns.

"I think there's a lot of enthusiasm coming from the task force of fitness and student groups on campus," Stein said. "I think, come February, when we have the time and focus, we can get together and come to an understanding of what we all really want."