TU Campus Rec makes floor changes; some membership fees increase

By Maritza Falchetti, Contributing Writer 

Towson University’s Campus Recreational Center is making floor changes based on usage trends in recent semesters to improve the experience of members and make better use of the space.

The new plans include a recovery zone with massage chairs and individual workout pods with shelves of equipment that allow for a complete but personalized workout, Andrew Lyburn, associate director of business operations, said in an email Wednesday. 

The pods will also be home to new group fitness programming. They will replace the American Ninja Warrior course known as the Jungle. 

“Usage data showed that The Jungle was used very little and though visually appealing, was not meeting the needs of our members,” Lyburn said. 

The installation of the pods was completed over the weekend. The recovery zone is also open for use, and members can reserve massage chair appointments in 30-minute increments.

Students, faculty and other members will see similar updates to the Functional Floor on the mezzanine, including more individualized workout spaces, functional fitness equipment featuring monkey bars and ninja grips, and additional free weights. 

All updates are anticipated to be complete by the end of the month, according to Lyburn. 

Amber Brisbane, a junior, said she is very excited about the new additions. She said it can be difficult to get her workout done in a timely manner when the gym tends to be crowded. 

“Knowing that there will be additional free weights and more space for individual workouts definitely makes me feel happy and motivated about going to the gym more frequently,” Brisbane said. 

Senior Cameron Mosley said he believes the changes needed to be made to better students’ workout experiences. 

“I see a lot of frustration and people waiting around for weights and machines because of the limited amount of space and equipment,” he said. “We pay for the gym and all of its services in our tuition and fees, so we deserve to maximize our usage and have the things that we need most.”

Campus Rec has also increased monthly fees for alumni and household memberships by $5 each. Guest passes also increased from $10 to $13 per day. 

These fees have not changed in five years, Lyburn said. However, student fees have been adjusted according to increased operating costs during that time. 

“We want to ensure that household and alumni memberships are not being ‘subsidized’ by the allocation we are provided from the Auxiliary fee paid by all students,” he said. 

These fees were not increased to fund the floor changes, Lyburn said. Campus Rec receives funding in part from mandatory auxiliary fees. 

“We are not involved in the University administration’s decisions as it relates to changes in student fees,” he said.