Princeton is the nation's best university. Our professors are second to none, our student body is unparalleled and we have one of the most beautiful campuses in the nation and the world. Sadly, however, not every single facility on this campus is up to snuff, and no building disappoints its users more than Dillon Gym.
We are pleased, but not surprised, that President Tilghman recognizes the facility's inadequacy. Below are our prime concerns and recommendations. They focus on five key areas.
First: Stephens Fitness Center. At last count, the University had nearly 5,000 undergraduate students, over 2,000 graduate students and thousands of faculty, staff and community members who are eligible to use the facility. Stephens, at last count, has six or seven functional treadmills, and only a few dozen functional StairMasters, exercise bikes and elliptical machines. At peak times, waits can be as long as 30 to 45 minutes. While we can't expect zero minute wait times at every hour of the day, lengthy delays can prove a serious impediment to a quick workout during a busy day.
Second: group exercise rooms. As spinning, yoga, pilates and other activities continue to grow in popularity, Dillon (or its successor) will need to fully accommodate demand in these areas. An expanded facility would offer more extensive spinning rooms and group exercise areas.
Third: the main courts are increasingly over-scheduled. We are grateful for recent improvements in intramural and club athletics. The current floor plan, however, does not and cannot accommodate a full-fledged recreational sports program. In light of scheduling pressures from frequent fairs, all-day varsity competitions, badminton, club and intramural activities, multipurpose court space must be greatly increased. Club lacrosse practice shouldn't end at 1 a.m.
Fourth: locker rooms. Currently too large, outmoded and under-utilized by undergraduates, the locker rooms must be modernized and retrofitted more closely to the needs of its users. I still haven't met a student pleased with the locker room space. If the locker rooms were more hospitable, more students could exercise quickly between classes without a return to their dorm.
Fifth, and finally, the overall building must be upgraded. The perpetually locked side door to Stephens Fitness Center should be equipped with an employee for entrance purposes. Both the building's heating and cooling systems need overhauls. And, as per the USG's continuing efforts, Dillon Gym should house a healthy snack foods cafe, as do nearly all other health clubs and university gyms.
Lest we forget, it was the University that first recognized the need for extensive campus recreation upgrades in the November 2004 report of the Health and Wellbeing Task Force. We're always pleased to see renovations across campus, and we commend the administration for its diligence in this area. The USG believes, however, that renovations are far more urgently required in Dillon than in Firestone or other current focus areas.
The USG also appreciates the difficulties in coordinating, managing and funding multiple large-scale construction projects simultaneously. We aren't asking for Dillon to be renovated this spring.
We are realistic. We know that Dillon's problems cannot be remedied overnight. We understand that renovation and expansion will last many years and cost millions of dollars. This is exactly why, however, the USG urges the administration to quickly adopt a timetable and specific architectural and engineering framework for the new Dillon Gym. The countdown clock to an improved reopening can only begin once renovations have been initiated. As always, and as with all issues, we stand by, prepared to advise and aid the University however needed. Rob Biederman is USG president and writes on behalf of the USG. He can be reached at rdb@princeton.edu.
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