Students, future staff await gym opening

From Facebook notes to petitions being passed around the school’s campus, many students and faculty would like to know when the new gym will open.

The gym was set to open Monday, but, because of funding and budget problems, the gym’s opening has been postponed.

From a spectator’s point-of-view, the real reason why the date has been pushed back is unknown. Rumors have circulated that Activities and Services did not disperse money evenly to the many campus activities. This situation could have been the reason why the new facility, in high demand by students and faculty, did not receive enough funding to open.

Department heads and trainers for the new building were present at the April 10 senate meeting. Many questions were asked about the hold up on the new gym, but little to no response was given. There are still puzzled employees who have no answers to give people.

I asked several employees what they knew about the situation. No one seemed to know more than the obvious: the grand opening has been postponed. They were not given any specific details as to why the opening date is delayed.

Since there was no response from the senate, the students and faculty have taken action. Students have asked permission from teachers to discuss the issue in class, and teachers have placed several petitions in other teacher’s mailboxes.

Last Friday, some students were gathering signatures on the Set from concerned students.

Not only were women looking forward to the new gym, but people who have strayed away from the gym. Many looked at the gym as a beginning to a new fitness plan. A lot of students whose apartments do not have a fitness center were also looking to relocate their time this summer to the new gym.

On a positive side, the gym is designed to be more convenient and comfortable for students. There’s only so much you can do with limited resources.

In the new gym there’s more space and it will have better hours for people with late classes, jobs, or who are involved in activities that end late.

What is the hold up?

No one but A&S seems to know. I’m upset that it’s taking so long for the building to open. As an incoming freshman, I recall upperclassmen happy to brag about the new fitness center that was being built. I have lost much excitement about the gym. It confuses me that Florida A&M University would construct a building without thinking through the necessary funding to operate it. We have sat and waited patiently while they changed the opening date several times.

It would not surprise me if the gym did not open until spring 2020.

I’m exaggerating, but I think we can all crack a joke or two about when the new gym will open.

De Nishia Yearby is a freshman newspaper journalism student from Chicago. She can be reached at denishia1.yearby@famu.edu.