A schedule listing in the 1987-88 spring schedule booklet resulted in a conflict between the Student Advisory Recreation Committee and the Office of Campus Recreation regarding who decides the allocation of Recreation Center use.

The conflict occured when the spring schedule booklet was released listing two physical education classes to be held in the rec center.

Student Association Recreation Adviser and SARC Chairman Todd Lokken said although it is the nature of SARC to decide which groups should be permitted to use the rec center, SARC had not been asked permission.

“SARC is concerned that the decision is being taken away from it. It makes it look like they (OCR) want SARC to be an advisory committee not a policy-making committee like it is now,” Lokken said.

Campus Recreation Director Betty Montgomery said, “According to Dr. Dalton, this is a management decision and the person responsible, being myself, should have final decision in how the building is run. That’s what Dr. Dalton’s feeling is and he’s my supervisor.”

The College of Education rented the rec center activity room for fall semester for PHED 102 Figure Fitness because of damage to a Gable Hall gym where the class usually was held.

Although no rental agreements were made for spring semester, PHED 102 and PHED 122 Racquetball were listed in the schedule book to be held in the rec center.

College of Education Dean Jerry Ball said the physical education department “didn’t have any time to negotiate with the Recreation Center” because it had to meet the printing deadline of the schedule book.

Ball said it was easier to list the rec center as a tentative location and change the location of the classes later rather than having to add them to class lists when a definite location is found.

Jon Dalton, vice president for student affairs, said Ball entered the schedules “without really having gone through the formal procedure” of renting the space. “That’s how this issue became an issue,” Dalton said.

Lokken said, “That should not have been authorized. All they had to do was ask if they could use the OCR. It’s no big deal, but doing it without any consideration of us shows that SARC is not being taken seriously by the administration.”

Dalton said SARC plays a very strong role in policy making. He said Montgomery did attempt to discuss the request that was made. “That’s always the practice,” he said.

“It’s not a question of them (SARC) not being made aware. No decision has really been made,” Dalton said. “On the other hand, SARC does not manage day-to-day operations of the building. There is a difference between policy making and day-to-day decisions,” he said.

Montgomery said, “Someone has to make the decision as to what groups use the Recreation Center. I never would rent a portion (of the center) when students are using it, but when rooms are sitting idle, they should be (rented).” She said she has determined certain times when the activity room is not being used.

“We’re not talking about renting to an exclusive group in town. We’re talking about students. If it (the space) isn’t being used, we have a good case,” she said.

Montgomery said, “We never discussed renting the racquetball courts.” However, she said the racquetball classes listed are scheduled early in the morning when the courts are usually not busy.

“I would hope students and administration trust my judgment that I’m not going to rent space when the space is already being used,” Montgomery said.

Montgomery said the racquetball courts in the stadium which the classes could use are “totally unacceptable” for instruction purposes.

Dalton said, “When a facility is not being used, or is being sparsely used, we need to look into generating income that would help operate the facility.”