Athletic Dept. rejects UA proposal for temporary recreation facility

The Athletic Department refused an Undergraduate Assembly request for a temporary recreational weightroom during last Wednesday's University Council meeting, saying the department needs to devote its resources to long-term planning. The proposal, written by UA member and College junior Josh Rockoff and approved by the UA three weeks ago, was addressed during UA Chairperson Tal Golomb's report to Council. The request called for $75,000 in renovations to make the former Sports Medicine site at 33rd and Spruce streets into a recreational weightroom, as a temporary stop-gap while permanent facilities undergo evaluation. But Senior Associate Athletic Director Carolyn Schlie Femovich said the department's priorities lie elsewhere. "We certainly would like to upgrade and improve existing recreational weight training facilities, but I don't think we would gain much from moving the weightroom, and it would cost a lot," she said. "It is a question of a long-term solution versus a short-term fix." Femovich said athletics administrators have begun meeting with a consulting group that will conduct a detailed study of how to make the best use of existing facilities, adding that students will be involved in the process. Eventually, athletic and recreation officials hope to build an entirely new recreation complex that could replace Hutchinson and Gimbel gymnasiums. The former Sports Medicine site may continue to serve as a medical facility or it could become a meeting, study and office space for athletes, Femovich said. But she noted that administrators are reluctant to do anything with the facility until the heating and air-conditioning systems are fixed. College junior Meredith Hertz, who represents the UA on University Council's Steering Committee, explained that the administration doesn't want to make short-term investments that will be outdated by the time long-term plans are implemented. And Golomb said he understands where the administration is coming from. "I'm happy they are not going to waste money without having a long-term plan," the College junior said. Hertz said the depth of the administration's vision impressed her. "I understand their perspective, and it is important to keep the big picture in mind to build for a better Penn," she said. "It's too bad we're not going to benefit from any of the long-term plans, but one day Penn will be an amazing place." Stan Ma, a University employee who works out in Hutchinson Gymnasium, called the Athletic Department strategy unfair to current students, but noted that it is best for the University in the long run. Rockoff expressed some pessimism about the long-term plans for a recreation facility. A similar project at Tulane University -- where Recreation Director Mike Diorka used to work -- took 10 years to complete, Rockoff said, estimating that the new complex at Penn would take seven to 10 years to finish. Rockoff has said the recreational weightrooms in Hutch and Gimbel suffer from a lack of funding. While the intercollegiate athletics weightrooms are well-funded and state-of-the-art, he said Hutch has second-rate equipment, peeling paint, a sinking floor and air-conditioning that doesn't work. "We will do everything we can to improve the situation for current students while they are still here," Femovich said.