After being overruled by the administration, the athletic department has decided to hold a month-long trial period for late-night hours at the Wilson Recreation Center. Last night, the gym began keeping its doors open Sunday through Thursday until 2 a.m.
Although WilRec director Bill Harvey would not comment on why the athletic department agreed to extend the hours, the decision comes after Executive Vice President Tallman Trask said Nov. 4 that repeated student concerns warranted further administrative attention.
Previously, Harvey and the athletic department had determined that the numbers of WilRec users between 10 p.m. and midnight-the gym's original hours-did not justify the extension.
"We wanted to get clear data and this [trial period] was the only way to do it," Trask said.
Still, Harvey maintains that the numbers amassed during the gym's previous hours were sufficient to determine student demand: "We already gave it a trial," he said. "We've been taking count of everyone who comes in [since the gym opened]."
Duke Student Government officials-who pushed adamantly for a trial period to determine late-night demand-are pleased with the outcome of their lobbying.
"The trial period is important because it gives students the opportunity to demonstrate their demand for later gym hours to the athletic department. It will also give students more hours in the day in which to work out...," said Trinity senior Bob Koch, DSG vice president for facilities and athletics, who submitted DSG's original resolution to extend the gym's hours. "I definitely expect to see more late-night gym usage and to see students take advantage of the later hours."
At 12:15 a.m. Monday, small groups of students trickled into the gym as about six used cardiovascular machines, five used the weight room and 15 played basketball. "After a long night of studying, you just want to come in here and shoot some hoops," said Greg Bruland, a second-year student at the Nicholas School of the Environment, as he walked into the gym with a group of friends.
The Graduate and Professional Student Council is currently pushing for a trial period for early-morning hours, but they had not heard anything from administrators about their request. "The fact that the athletic department and the administration have granted this trial period shows they are responsive to student needs," said GPSC Treasurer Scott Keane, a second-year student at the Fuqua School of Business. "Hopefully, they'll be able to include earlier hours in that as well."
Harvey noted that he could only find two employees to operate the gym during the 10 p.m.-to-2 a.m. shift.
"It wasn't a problem for me-just extra money," said Brian Good as he manned the front desk late Sunday night. He added that he did not expect many people to work out past 12:30 or 1 a.m., but that gym users have been stopping to peruse the WilRec's posted new hours as they have come in.
This decision follows another override by the upper administration over the athletic department, in which Trask slashed by half the athletic department's recreation fee for employees, faculty and alumni. Still, both sides maintain that the departments are working together to meet student need.
Trask said the athletic department is becoming more attentive to the needs of the general student body. "They're doing better than they used to," he said. "They're paying lots of attention to the student body in general, more than they have in the past."
Athletic Director Joe Alleva could not be reached for comment this weekend.
DSG President Lisa Zeidner agreed that the department was improving, but added that DSG's lobbying should not have gone unacknowledged for so long. "The purpose of the Wilson Center is to be a student recreational facility, so student opinion should be taken seriously," said the Trinity senior. "I think that the athletic department is beginning to understand this.... I hope that they are learning their lesson about how important it is to involve students in the decision-making process."
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