The RAC: Whose responsibility is it?

BY MARY GLEICH
Guest Writer

We all know what the RAC is like on any given day. There are at least two treadmills not working, only one leg of the stair-stepper works, the pedals fall off of the bikes, and there are chunks of wood missing from the dance studio floor. They tried to give the weight room a facelift by painting all of the equipment white, but now all the paint is peeling off so instead of walking away with bulging biceps, you walk away covered in paint shavings!

Every year, the school submits a capital improvement request to Student Senate for money to improve the RAC. They say that the equipment is outdated, broken and unsafe. While we agree, the Student Senates of the past decided that it was not our responsibility as students to pay for the safety of our facilities. For two years, Student Senate boycotted any capital improvements for the RAC—if the administration and athletics department realized that the RAC is in dire need of new, safer equipment to attract more potential students, then they should pay for it. While justified, this boycott was ultimately ineffective. During those two years, the RAC simply got worse.
Last year, Student Senate finally decided to fund a capital improvement request for a
stair-stepper and a bike in the RAC. As this year’s Student Senate president, I am unsure as to whether we should reinstate the boycott and continue trying to make our point about how it is the school’s responsibility to maintain the quality and safety of our facilities or to give in and fund improvements to the RAC for the benefit of SMU students.

I would like your help in this decision. I think that we all agree that changes and improvements need to be made. The question, is who is responsible for the RAC? Should you pay for the safety and quality of the RAC, or should the school pay for it? Please let me know at senate@smumn.edu.