The Spartan Recreation and Aquatic Center (SRAC) should reopen to San Jose State students if coronavirus protocols can be met.
According to its website, the SRAC remains closed because of Santa Clara County guidelines.
The SRAC is paid for by the university with campus fees that are included in student tuition, yet students currently cannot access most of the services on campus, including the SRAC.
According to Tamsen Burke, executive director of Student Union, Inc., the Aquatic Center outdoor pool is still open for students.
Burke said that the university is referencing the SJSU Adapt plan as well as Santa Clara County guidelines when it comes to deciding to reopen the SRAC completely.
The interior of the SRAC could open if SJSU meets certain requirements set by Santa Clara County Burke said.
“[The Student Union, Inc. and the University] are currently re-evaluating and updating our existing plans to incorporate other permissible services and activities as allowed by State and County guidelines,” Burke said in an email.
Some students believe that the SRAC should be open because it’s a facility that is included in tuition fees.
“The SRAC should be open because students pay to use those facilities and because the school could be earning additional revenue from others paying to use the gym,” said economics senior Francis Costello. “It’s not right for the school to not make an effort to open the gym when students are being charged to use it.”
Costello also said he had ideas for students staying safe from the risk of getting COVID-19 while using the gym.
“Certain students based on last names can have the right to use the gym on certain days, equipment can be wiped down a few times a day and spread out reasonably,” Costello said.
Santa Clara County moved to a less restrictive tier of COVID-19 guidelines two weeks ago, meaning more businesses are allowed to reopen including gyms, which can operate indoors at limited capacity.
This is a promising sign for students who want to use the SRAC.
Local gyms, like 24 Hour Fitness, have started to reopen at 10% capacity and are enforcing social distancing, according to a Sept. 10 KRON news article.
It makes sense for the SRAC to reopen after this news because it would allow students to exercise on campus while also taking precautions to lower the risk of Covid transmissions.
If other gyms in the area are getting the green light to reopen from officials, then the SRAC should be next.
According to a Sept. 2 New York Times article, there are experts who say there are some risks to reopening gyms, even with regulations put in place.
“Gyms can be high risk depending on the setup — from crowding, to close contact, a lack of masks, adequate ventilation, high-touch surfaces and a need for disinfection,” said Saskia Popescu, an epidemiologist at George Mason University, who was quoted in the article. “The challenge is that people really need to be spaced out and wearing masks the entire time, and this includes the locker rooms.”
While there is a potential risk of spreading COVID-19 if the SRAC reopens, it’s ultimately up to students to decide if they want to use the facility or not.
It’s understandable that students want to use a service that they pay for with student fees.
Communications senior Samarah Alqadhy said that exercise is important for students’ physical and mental health.
“Having the SRAC open can create an outlet for people who want to get their frustrations out through exercise, focus on physical health and boost some serotonin for their mental [well-being],” she said. “With access to exercise, students would most definitely perform better in their courses and improve their grades.”
