Bilsky pledges to repair Hutch Gym

Athletic Director Steven Bilsky said yesterday that he and his department take responsibility for the problems in Hutchinson Gymnasium's weight room and will make efforts to correct the situation. He said after the department has assessed the University's recreational need in its entirety, plans would be made and presented to other University administrators. "[Hutch Gym] is an issue that needs to be explored within the athletic department, before it gets presented to the provost and president," he said. "Their charge to me is -- you are responsible for inter-collegiate athletics and you are responsible for recreation," he added. "And I accept that charge. We are studying it here and at some future point the provost and the president can be expected to get this plan." The problems in Hutch's basement free weight room began last spring when the concrete floor began to collapse under the weight of the equipment. After the floor of the gym was declared unsafe, the work-out equipment had to be moved into the adjacent hallway. In the gym's new location students said they work-out amidst stained carpets, hanging pipes, dirt and dust. The basement is not air-conditioned and there is little air circulation. Bilsky said he is in the process of collecting information through a global study of athletics and recreation. "My role is first to become as educated as I can about it," he said. "And formulate that into some type of presentation or plan?advocating what I think should be done." Bilsky said the studies are being conducted to ensure that the best long term solution is found. But he said he also recognizes the University's immediate need for a solution to the situation. "I think that the University is very sensitive and interested in the well being of students," he said. "Therefore it becomes a high priority to me, I put [the gym] as a high priority item." The athletic director added, however, that the gym is only one of 20 or 30 other problems that need solutions. Having only been in his position for three months, Bilsky could not say when the University would enact a plan to alleviate the problem. "I can't give you a sense of where the weight rooms priorities are in conjunction with all the other requests that are out there," he said. "How long the study takes place has a lot to do with the extent and the size of the problem and trying to get a handle of solutions. "Something like the weight room maybe could be added this year," he continued. "Something like a field house, maybe in the next five years." Bilsky added that student members of the Committee on Intercollegiate Athletics are being included in the decision process through a study they are conducting on general facilities and specifically on recreational facilities. And although Bilsky has taken responsibility for examining the weight room, the problem underwent further complications last week due to what seemed like miscommunication. President Judith Rodin said she was not aware of the problem when asked about it last Wednesday night. But Director of Recreation Bob Glascott claimed last week that the president's office had been notified about the gym's condition. "Maybe they informed another president," Rodin said last week. "This president was never notified." And Vice Provost for University Life Valerie Swain-Cade McCoullum said she was not aware of the problem either. "I was very concerned because neither [Director of Recreation] Bob Glascott or Steve Bilsky had discussed it with me," McCoullum said. "And I think it is essential that we move forward." But Bilsky defended his department's course of action. "I think what we're doing is absolutely the right way of doing it," he said. "Let's get a sense of all the things that are out there and lets get a sense of priorities in terms of time tables. And we're talking a lot of money." Glascott said last week gym repairs may cost as much as $180,000.