Sophomore accounting major Ebony Powell said when things get tough, she likes to dance. Dancing is her favorite way to relieve stress. But she hasn't been able to get space in the Jo Ann Gora Student Recreation and Wellness Center to be able to dance.
“[Autumn Duncan, the recreation center events manager,] basically informed me that they tried to get student organizations and groups in first because they have a better need for the space, and I just thought that wasn’t really fair because everyone pays for the recreation fees,” Powell said.
But Director of the Recreation Services Dan Byrnes said student fees go toward more than granting access to the recreational facilities.
“Fees paid by students go to retiring the debt of the building, facility maintenance/operations, and… give students access to the various recreational spaces," Brynes said. "Multipurpose rooms are among the most-requested spaces available. We try to make use of our buildings from about 5 a.m. to 1 a.m. each day, and we try our best to fairly share all of those facilities."
The recreation center offers a space reservation system on their website. Once a request is submitted, it will be processed.
If a reservation is approved, a confirmation email will be sent from the recreation center to the student, according to the recreation center website. The website does not say if an email will be sent informing the applicant if a request is declined.
“I’ve put in countless, countless requests. And I haven’t heard anything back," Powell said. "And you’re supposed to hear something back from Autumn Duncan, the rec center events manager, or one of her representatives, and I haven’t heard anything back."
Byrnes said the recreation center is busy and can not accommodate every request.
“We certainly understand how folks could become frustrated because sometimes requests are declined," Byrnes said. "Everyone — from clubs and organizations to individual students — wants peak-use times, and while we do our best to accommodate those requests, it is simply not possible for us to say yes to every group or individual."
Powell said she has been persistent in seeking time in the dance studio and has sent emails to the recreation services for clarification. She also said she’s spoken with Duncan over the phone this semester but has reached no resolution.
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