Future Ball State University students will have to squeeze out more money to enjoy on-campus exercise facilities.
Tom Morrison, associate vice president for business affairs, said although no student fee estimates have been approved, students should expect to pay about $100 per year to offset the cost of the Student Wellness and Recreation Center.
The center will be paid for by student fees and private donations for the next 20 years, Morrison said. Because the recreation center is not an academic institution, the costs of building the center can't be paid by taxes, he said.
The university has raised more than $10 million in private donations for the $39 million project, Morrison said.
Student Government Association recommended creating a payment plan that did not collect money from graduating students who would not use the new facilities, Morrison said. He took their concerns into consideration, he said, and the university will not ask students to pay the extra fees until the facility is completed and open to students.
"It won't all fall on students who are here now," Morrison said. "All people who use it will pay for it."
Jason Adamowicz, associate director of recreation services, said complaints from students about the small size of the fitness facilities is what spurred the project forward.
"The whole reason behind it is that we don't have enough student-specific physical activity areas," Adamowicz said. "Irving Gym is grossly inadequate. The equipment we have is good, but the spaces aren't as good."
The center's additional space will also decrease the wait students have during popular exercise periods, he said.
"It will give students more priority access," Adamowicz said. "Not that they don't have access already, but now they'll be able to access it more at times they would prefer."
Morrison said staff members have researched similar facilities at other universities in the region, such as Miami University of Ohio, Kent State University, Ohio State University and Central Michigan University to see what improvements needed to be made.
Plans for the recreation center include increasing the number of basketball courts from three to five, installing a climbing wall, creating an indoor multisport area for lacrosse and soccer and adding multipurpose rooms and an indoor track, he said.
Adamowicz said sports clubs will be able to reserve the multipurpose rooms for meetings and games.
Costs
- Students will pay about $100 per year. These payments and private donations can be expected to come in for the next 20 years.
- The university has raised more than $10 million in private donations.
- The project will cost $39 million.
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