EDITORIAL: An Arm and a Leg

The University mustThe University mustprovide not only for theThe University mustprovide not only for theacademic and social well-The University mustprovide not only for theacademic and social well-being of students, but forThe University mustprovide not only for theacademic and social well-being of students, but fortheir physical needs as well.The University mustprovide not only for theacademic and social well-being of students, but fortheir physical needs as well._______________________________ At one of the top universities in the country which serves as a home for a top-notch, cutting-edge hospital, the administration must know the importance of staying healthy through exercise. Therefore, we urge the University to do away with the $125 fee that has hindered students from keeping physically fit. We hope the University administration will better recognize and address the health needs of the students on campus. The ability to remain fit is no longer an amenity; it must be a basic right. Just as computer labs allow students to exercise their minds, a free fitness center must be made available so students can exercise their bodies as well. The Hutch Fitness Center, while providing a place to work out, limits access due to the fees charged. Furthermore, the other incomplete exercise locations are spread all through campus -- free weights in Hutch's basement and a universal machine at Gimbel Gymnasium. To make amends, the University must develop a free all-encompassing centralized weight room/fitness center so that students can remain active during their college years. All other Ivy League institutions, with the exception of Cornell, offer this service. The $125 fee is an unnecessary expense once the loan is paid, especially when students pay upwards of $25,000 per year to attend the University. We urge the University to rectify this situation. We ask the administration to finance a centralized all-encompassing gym by either reshuffling the athletic department budget or soliciting alumni donations so that this student need can be met. By charging $125 for the Hutch fitness center and failing to provide a centralized work out facility, the University is not offering students a full college experience -- a healthy mind and a healthy body.