As a recent transfer student stepping on to the beautiful San Diego State campus for the first time this fall, I arrived eager to explore the many opportunities available to students. I’m impressed not only by the number of resources provided to us on a daily basis, but also by the fact they are offered to students at no additional cost.
Whether you need something serious, such as a health checkup, counseling services or a bit of tutoring, it’s available to students. Even if all a student needs is some condoms or time on a massage chair, SDSU has it covered.
It seems SDSU has put a great deal of effort into making these services available to students to keep the student body healthy and functioning at the top of its game. Unfortunately, one resource provided by SDSU not offered free to students is membership to the Aztec Recreation Center and Aquaplex.
SDSU has clearly made the health concerns of its students a priority, but I’m slightly dismayed as to why the extension of free services stops when it comes to physical fitness. If SDSU students want to utilize the fitness or swimming facilities they must sign up for an ARC membership or purchase a day pass.
An ARC membership is $19 a month if you sign up for a minimum of four months, which gives you access to both the ARC and Aquaplex. If a student desires to only have access to the Aquaplex, he or she may purchase an Aquaplex VIP card, which is good for 10 visits and costs $24. For single-use visits students can purchase ARC day passes for $6 and Aquaplex day passes for $3.
While these fees may not seem like a steep price to some, students should not be paying them at all. Other than California Polytechnic University Pomona, SDSU is the only school in the California State University system requiring its students to pay a membership fee to access campus fitness and aquatic centers. The other 21 CSU campuses cover their students’ costs with basic tuition and fees.
The costs are specifically covered by the breakdown of student body association and student union fees. According to SDSU Student Account Services, student body association fees are used to help support student body organizations and the student union fee “supports the financing, construction, and operation of student body centers.” SDSU’s ARC and Aquaplex are both run by Associated Student. Therefore, the fees we are paying to support A.S. and to operate student body centers, including the ARC and Aquaplex should essentially cover our membership. It doesn’t seem right students should have to pay another fee in addition to that.
The ARC and Aquaplex are also both open to SDSU affiliates, as well as the surrounding community. Memberships for SDSU affiliates and the community are offered at slightly higher prices, bringing in an additional income to both facilities.
All of those great student health services mentioned before are offered to us at no cost for a reason. Every semester they are covered by our Student Health Services and health facility fees; also included in basic tuition and fees. A student membership to the ARC and Aquaplex should be one of the amenities covered by the fees we already pay.
Some students may not use the gym very often, or may want to only use it for one class. If students were not forced to pay an additional membership fee, they might be more inclined to utilize the facilities. This would also be more convenient for students wishing to only use the Aquaplex.
Students already have countless expenses to worry about and it’s not right that 21 out of the 23 CSU campuses provide their students with free membership to their school’s facilities. As students in the CSU system we should be provided with the same amenities as other campuses, especially because we are essentially paying for them with our tuition and fees.
