The Student Recreational Center is a central part of an active Texas A&M student’s life, but over the summer, students who are not enrolled in summer courses at A&M have found themselves having to pay a fee to use it.
The Rec requires a $106, or $53 per summer session, fee for any student who is wanting to use the facility but is not currently enrolled in classes at A&M. While students who are enrolled in classes for fall and spring have the fee included in tuition, the fee does not carry over during the summer. This means that students who opt to take classes at a community college or work while staying in town are required to pay the fee as well.
“Texas A&M Rec Sports has been operating with a semester fee since we were first put into place in fall of 1995, after our facility originally opened,” Assistant Director of Communications Kelly VonDrehle said.
Students who stay in the Bryan-College Station area to work or take classes at other colleges have voiced displeasure with the policy.
“It’s honestly a little ridiculous if I’m paying tuition all year long and working in the summer and have to pay to use the Rec,” recreational parks and tourism senior Eric Walker said.
VonDrehle said since A&M is not receiving any tuition from non-enrolled students, the Rec needs the money to maintain its upkeep and stay afloat financially.
“This money helps to cover operational costs for the facility, equipment and staff for that semester,” VonDrehle said.
Students not enrolled in a summer class through A&M may consider other options aside from the Rec and its fee’s.
English senior Emery Ives said that she uses a separate facility close to her house.
“I had to stay in town to work but I actually got a membership at a gym and it was around the same price as the Rec, but it’s closer to my house so I just did that instead,” Ives said.
Any student not enrolled in A&M can chose to pay for either one summer session or for both for which they are in town. Fees for local citizens who are not students pay different fees to use the facility. Information on these fees can be found on the Rec’s website.
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