Student’s Right to use the Campus our Tuition and Tax Dollars Built at the U of U

"Lack of activity destroys the good condition of every human being, while movement and methodical physical exercise save it and preserve it." ~Plato

A group of approximately 25 students of all races, nationalities and ethnicities, was recently denied access to soccer fields located near the HPER buildings to play “The Worlds Beautiful Game”, soccer, on a late Thursday evening. The students were also warned that security would be called if they proceeded to use the empty soccer field.

The reason’s for denial of use of the field that were stated in a brief conversation with an administrator at the College of Health, the College responsible for the field, were that the students did not reserve the field, but also did not pay $30 an hour to utilize the field.

It is interesting to note that in years past, this fee was not applied to anyone who used these fields but is now being done so due to recent budget cuts. Ironically, all 25 of the students could have swiped their U-cards to use the heated indoor pool inside the HPER complex or have gone to the Field House to play basketball, lift weights, or play indoor soccer. The students would not have been charged further to use those facilities.

It quickly became apparent the ‘Mandatory Fee’s’ that are addendum to students tuition did not cover this field. Rudimentary research to ascertain what the ‘Mandatory Fees’ that accompany the tuition are quickly shows that these fee’s go to: ‘ASUU Activity, Athletic, Building, Collegiate Reader Program, Computing, Fine Arts, Utilities, Health, Library, Publication Council, Recreation, Study Abroad, Sustainability, and Transportation budgets.’ In light of the highlighted budgets, it would seem evident that use of the soccer fields is a fundamental right that students garner when attending this institution

This denial of campus grounds is far more egregious after contacting the city and county about their reservation policies and charges on the use of their soccer fields, softball fields, basketball courts, and tennis courts and discovered that the city and county do not charge for use of their facilities, even in this economic recession. In addition, BYU does not force their students to reserve and pay to use campus ground.

To add to this incendiary act, the group of students was of an international origin, making this denial of use an international disgrace. Despite being a large commuter campus, student life of all forms should be supported; especially those activities that are constructive and healthy in nature. In light of student fee’s paid, burdening students further with financial obligations to play something that is otherwise free elsewhere is in principal a folly and sinister in nature, especially since one of the fields is in near unplayable condition,

Bret Van Ausdall
Graduate Student at the University of Utah