The University Recreation Center began its arduous renovation process in October 2014. Years passed, deadlines for the renovation were delayed and students learned to exercise in a repurposed basketball court, where the University housed the gym equipment until the renovations were complete.
In 2017, the UREC opened its newly renovated doors to a mass of students in awe at its shiny new equipment, an elevated track and a lazy river in the shape of the letters “LSU.” The University even had a plan for those students who attended the University while the UREC was under construction. With the UREC’s supported fee membership, students get free post-grad UREC for their time spent exercising in the makeshift gym.
While many see free membership as a blessing from the “gains gods,” don’t count your macros before you swallow the bitter truth. In a 2013 study by the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems, it was found that Baton Rouge only retains 53 percent of its college graduates.
Although Baton Rouge technically retains a majority of its college grads, almost half of those graduates relocate. To put this further into perspective, the number of Baton Rouge graduates includes both alumni from the University and Southern University, so this 53 percent isn’t all University graduates ready to take advantage of the supported fee membership.
This program is the equivalent of someone handing you a mop after you’ve already cleaned the house. Why might the UREC not want all those graduates filling up the new exercise equipment and taking up all the weight benches? Maybe it has something to do with the fact that the UREC barely has enough equipment for its student body as it is. Spill the protein shake, sis.
If you’ve attempted to park near the UREC around one of its high-traffic times, then you’ve noticed it’s near impossible to even park some days, let alone use any of the equipment. The supported fee membership program is a way for the UREC to seem like they’re benefiting the alumni — I’m assuming to get some donations out of the grads’ pockets — while also being a blatantly inconsequential non-answer to the problem.
It’s 2019 and the renovated UREC still looks amazing. Too bad I’m about to graduate, and my free membership will go to waste as I, along with the other 47 percent of Baton Rouge graduates, move out of the city. At the sake of sounding like an old man thinking back on the good times in his life, the current freshmen have no idea how good their UREC is. I still remember the days when the prospect of getting on one of the weight benches was only plausible if you watched the guy before you chug a red bull and play candy crush until he decided he felt ready to work out.
My graduating class went through those dark times so the incoming students don’t have to.
Michael Frank is a 22-year-old political science and English senior from New Orleans, Louisiana.