USU charges students to use recreational facilities

Student fees cover a lot of costs, including the use of Utah State University’s many recreational facilities. These fees also carry into the summer, which has come as a surprise to some students.

Students who have decided to stay in the valley for the summer will need to pay fees if they would like to use the new Aggie Recreation Center, the Health, Physical Education and Recreation building, and the Fieldhouse.

Chase Ellis, the director of campus recreation, said the fees for use of the facilities are for the students who took classes in the spring and are registered for the fall, but are not registered for summer classes.

“Students who were enrolled in the previous spring semester and currently registered for the upcoming fall semester can opt into paying the same fee as a student who is taking summer classes,” said Daniel Lawrence, the associate director of programs and assessment.

Ellis said this will allow students to use the ARC and the HPER as well as have access to all the summer campus recreation programming if they chose to stay in Logan for the summer and not enroll in summer classes.

Some students were unaware of these fees.

“Finals are finished, and it’s time to hit the gym,” said Michael Scott Peters, a USU student. “This summer I will compete in the Ogden Marathon and Spudman Triathlon. I was excited to have extra time in the mornings to use the HPER lap pools and ARC stationary bikes until I learned that a fee will be charged to anyone not currently registered for classes. Despite my initial reaction, however, I understand this is a fair approach, and I am grateful for the facilities Utah State provides.”

Peters said he will purchase a pass in the coming week, and he looks forward to training alongside his fellow Aggie friends this summer.

Even though some students were surprised to hear of the summer fee, Lawrence said student access to recreational facilities has never been free in the summer or academic year.

“The fee charged during the summer is the exact same fee that the students pay during the academic fall and spring semester,” Lawrence said.

There are two optional fees students can pay:

· Option 1 for $27.54, gives students access to the Fieldhouse, HPER pools (lap swim and open swim), and Outdoor Programs discounts.

· Option 2 for $110 gives students access to the Fieldhouse, HPER pools (lap swim and open swim), the ARC, Aggie Legacy Fields, fitness classes and Outdoor Programs discounts.

Normally, the fitness classes are an additional fee of $35 during the academic year, but during the summer it is included in the package.

—jillian.mccarthy@aggiemail.usu.edu