News

Students’ recreation fee increases by $5

Non-use of Rec Center not considered valid criteria for students to waive $107

By Melinda Hart

Posted on Sept. 21, 2009, at 1:01 a.m.

Student fees for the University of Maine Recreation and Fitness Center have increased $5 since the fall of 2008, according to Robert Dana, vice president of Student Affairs.

The price has increased to compensate for rising oil prices and other utility costs. Regardless of their patronage, waiving the Rec Center fee is difficult for students taking six or more credits.

UMaine built the Rec Center based on a student willingness to pay extra fees and feasibility studies, Dana said. These studies showed 87 percent of students agreed to pay for a new facility and 67 percent supported the $100-per-semester option.

“These students have been committed to a promise made by previous generations, who unfortunately did not get to use [the Rec Center],” said Kenda Scheele, senior associate dean of students. “We could have started charging right away when we started building the Rec Center. Instead, we waited until it was done so students could use what they’re paying for.”

The Rec Center fees are added to every student bill at UMaine. Students taking six or more credits on campus have been charged $107 this semester, and those taking fewer than six credits were charged $65.

According to Scheele, the criteria for waiving the fee have nothing to do with whether students use the facility or not. Waivers are considered for those taking classes online, offline classes but not directly on campus and for students with a medical condition verified by a physician.

“Not all universities offer the option to exempt these kinds of fees,” Scheele said.

“Is this a joke?” said Brittany Brown, a fourth-year English student, when she heard past students had supported the extra fee. “I think [payment] should be an option.”

“I think the fee is a little high,” said Molly Ravis, a second-year parks, recreation and tourism student. Ravis said when she used the Rec Center, she attended a “freshman 15” class, which cost an additional $40.

UMaine uses the Rec Center revenue to pay debt, utilities and salaries according to Jeffrey Hunt, director of campus recreation. Money goes to instructors and personal trainers, who often require certifications. It pays for auxiliaries such as MaineBound and the Mahaney Dome and to buy replacement equipment.

“No one gets a free ride here,” Hunt said. “The president uses the facility, and the president pays to use it.” Students are the core of the center’s membership, followed by employees, alumni and those unaffiliated with the university.

“Right now, we have about 1,800 to 2,000 people coming in a day. Come winter, we’ll be above 2,000,” Hunt said.

It is difficult to determine how much the fee will be each year because utility bills are unpredictable, according to Hunt.

This entry was posted on Monday, September 21st, 2009, 1:01 am. You can follow any responses to this article through the RSS feed.