By JONAS MILLER
Managing Editor
As the days get shorter and the weather gets colder, those who exercise find themselves limited by the chilly outdoor air. Luckily for students at The College of Saint Rose who prefer more comfortable conditions, the fitness center was equipped with brand-new cardio machines late last week.
On Wednesday afternoon, five new treadmills, three new ellipticals and four new stationary bikes were installed on the third floor of the Events and Athletics Center.
Students were notified of the switch via email by the fitness center coordinator, Anthony Barker.
According to Barker, the cardio equipment is leased, and replaced every three years.
When the fitness center was first opened, a set of machines was purchased, but after several years they began to break down.
“We extended the life of the machines with repairs,” said Dennis McDonald, the Vice President of Student Affairs.
The repairs worked as a short term fix, but as the condition of the equipment began to worsen, student complaints started pouring in.
After reaching out to the vendor, Barker and McDonald decided it would be more cost effective to switch to the current model of leasing. Now, old equipment is sold back to the vendor, saving the College money on repairs and purchasing costs.
The three-year agreement is made by obtaining quotes from two or three different vendors in the area. The College compares manufacturers and specific machine features, as well as price. After a bid is chosen it is submitted to Financial Affairs and the President’s Cabinet for approval.
“The best value for our investment is the primary concern,” Barker said. The College will save approximately $3,000 on this lease compared to the previous three-year contract.
With the current financial situation at Saint Rose remaining uncertain, questions of funding came up as the news of the equipment plans spread.
Nicole Foster, a senior in the Communications department, questioned the priorities of the College.
“We have computers in this building that are broken, and have been all year, but the athletes get new fitness equipment,” Foster said. “That doesn’t seem fair.”
McDonald said the money for new equipment comes directly from the Fitness Center’s operational budget, and did not specify otherwise that additional funds were requested or used.
Student athlete Taylor Solomon said the equipment was a necessity, saying she would often visit the gym only to find that several of the treadmills had “out of order” signs posted on them.
“Cardio is essential to any person that works out,” Solomon said. And although she added there are other items in the fitness center that could use an update, the cardio machines needed to come before anything else.
While she is pleased with the new machines, Solomon said there is a much bigger issue facing the fitness center.
“Our gym is not big enough to hold all of us,” Solomon said. Of the approximately 1,100 students who live on campus, only 25 to 30 can squeeze comfortably into the small third-floor workout space.
Barker and McDonald both noted that the most up to date and space-efficient models are sought out, as the ultimate goal is to meet the needs of the student population.
Despite their efforts, Solomon remains upset.
“There is not enough space or equipment to satisfy all of our needs as students in the gym.”
The Saint Rose fitness center is open Monday through Thursday from 6 a.m. to midnight; Friday from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.; and Saturday/Sunday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. No access will be granted unless a valid Saint Rose ID is presented.
