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University Recreation will
increase membership rates for faculty, staff and alumni effective July 9 to
support expanded services and hours now offered in two fitness center locations
on the University of Arkansas campus.
In March, the department of
University Recreation opened a new 11,700-square-foot fitness center in the
Arkansas Union. This additional space
features a 6,000-square-foot fitness center, 1,500- square-foot multi-purpose
room, state-of-art equipment and locker and shower facilities. A UREC
membership will allow access to the Health, Physical Education and Recreation
(HPER) Building and to the UREC Fitness Center in the Arkansas Union.
A membership rate increase is
necessary to keep up with the cost of inflation and to help cover the daily
operating cost for maintaining the HPER and the new University Recreation
Fitness Center.
The last membership rate
increase took place in 2006.
“The
increase in membership rates is necessary to sustain the quality of equipment
and facilities we strive to provide the university community,” said Jeremy
Battjes, director of University Recreation.
A UREC membership gives
access to the HPER Building and the UREC Fitness Center. Facilities include the
Donna Axum Fitness Center in the HPER, an Olympic-size swimming pool,
racquetball courts, four basketball courts, an indoor track, the Outdoor
Connection Center, a climbing wall, group exercise classes, personal training
opportunities, locker and shower facilities along with the option to rent
spaces including the UREC Sports Complex (formerly known as the intramural
fields).
For faculty and staff, a membership may be
purchased for $75 per semester (fall/spring/summer) or $202.50 for one
year. Based on the annual rate, the monthly fee will be $16.88. Faculty and staff may add family members for
$40 per semester or $108 per year. An annual membership that includes a staff
or faculty member and their family is $25.88 per month. This is the first time
that a discount has been given to family members. Faculty and staff also have the option to
purchase a membership via payroll deduction with up to five payments per year.
“It is our goal is to meet our members needs and
wants,” said Battjes. “This increase
will also allow us to continue to offer group exercise classes to faculty and
staff at no charge, to be open on selected holidays and stay open more than 350
days a year.”
Alumni may purchase a membership for $125 per
semester or $337.50 for the year. Based on the annual rate, the average monthly
fee for alumni members will be $28.13. Alumni members may add family members
for $55 per semester or $148.50 per year, making a monthly membership for an
alumni member and their family total $40.50.
Lockers will also be available for purchase
each semester. The locker fee will include towel service at the new UREC
Fitness Center.
Memberships purchased for one year receive a 10-percent
discount.
Student memberships for both the HPER and the
UREC Fitness Center are included in tuition.
Rates still remain among the lowest of
Southeastern Conference peer institutions. The average annual membership price
of the SEC schools is $329.
A survey conducted in fall
2011 showed that UREC members want the HPER Building open before 6 a.m. The
rate increase will allow for lengthened operation hours, with the HPER building
opening at 5:30 a.m Monday through Friday beginning in August.
For questions, please contact Linda Fricke at lfricke@uark.edu or 479-575-6381 or Lindsay Smith at ltlarso@uark.edu or 479-575-2662.