Athletic department staff brought old rules back from the dead in the fitness center last week, as an announcement on e-Services said students are now required to present their DePauw IDs when entering the fitness center.
The rule was implemented in the past but never enforced.
Assistant men's basketball coach Brian Oilar discussed this policy with Athletic Director Page Cotton and, due to former complaints, both agreed that it was necessary to begin enforcing the existing rule.
"We've had a few complaints about people who were in there that weren't supposed to be in there, that is people who aren't DePauw students, faculty or staff," Oilar said.
While the policy should monitor those allowed in the fitness center, it may also help keep traffic to a minimum. These changes, while possibly causing some unhappiness among students, were made with the student's best interests in mind.
"You have to have your ID to get into the building anyway, so I don't think it's too much of an inconvenience for anyone," Oilar said. "We only want people in there who are supposed to be in there and that way, with the limited resources we have there, our students, faculty and staff can get the most out of it."
Oilar held a meeting with work-study students last week and informed them of the importance of enforcing the policy. While this system of imposing the rule is not "air tight," it is "the best we can do with the resources we have at our disposal," Oliar said via e-mail.
One work-study student in the fitness center said she hopes students will be agreeable, making the transition go more smoothly.
"It's a lot easier if students cooperate," said senior Kate Shipley. "As workers we have to ask for their IDs — it's a safety precaution — and it's a lot easier if people just show it to us instead of making us chase them down."
While there are both positive and negative consequences for this decision, Oilar said he is hopeful that it will benefit students, faculty and staff, rather than burden them. Sophomore Andrew Ledbetter said he agrees with both sides.
"It will be annoying to have to remember to bring my ID every time I come to the gym," Ledbetter said. "But the gym gets pretty packed around certain hours, so maybe it will keep non-DePauw people out and help fix that."
Although the rule is being enforced due to complaints heard by Oilar and Cotton, freshman Abby Dickey said she does not think there is a problem with unauthorized individuals utilizing the fitness center. She also said she does not feel that the policy places too strong of an inconvenience on students.
"I think that most people that come in are students to begin with, so I don't really know if it's necessary to do," Dickey said. "If they do think it's necessary, I don't think it's too much of a burden because students have to have their IDs to get back into the dorms anyway. I don't think it's too much to ask."
