The recreation center has been open for two years. In those two years few improvements in the programs have been made. Strange policies have been implemented to fill the inherent problems generated by existing programs. Here are some examples of what I call strange:

. If an intramural volleyball team forfeits a match without proper notice a $15 fine is charged to the captain’s university account.

2. Students have to sign up for a court, in person and one day in advance. Why not phone in a reservation?

3. Aerobics classes cost $15 to $20 above student fees for a semester.

4. If a student forgets something in a locker there is $1 fine to get it back from the lost and found.

5. Racquetballs are sold in a vending machine at 75% above current retail prices.

I transferred from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, where these services were provided without fines or charges. At SIU-C every time I filled out a suggestion for improvement form, 2 days later it was answered by an administrator and hung on a bulletin board. SIU-C uses this system to learn of students’ needs and they act upon feasible suggestions. I have made suggestions for improvement but I have always been turned down immediately, without anyone considering the suggestion. This demonstrates a strange attitude that the Office of On-campus Recreation at NIU has.

Catering to the needs of the students, faculty and staff should be THE guideline to developing programs. Studying the programs of other universities, and better management, will help develop a system that works for NIU. It is one thing to just run the recreation center, and another thing to innovate it.

Rob Mercado

sophmore

Pre-computer science