To: CU Student Government
Women's Locker Room at the Rec
This petition is in favor of bringing back a workout area in the Women's Locker room of the Rec Center of the University of Colorado at Boulder (specifically Mats and free weights).
Why is this important?
In the Spring 2011 CU Student Government Election, a referendum was passed to “Buff up the Rec.” This was brought to a vote of the students because it was projected to raise student fees approximately $122-125. In voting on the referendum, students were not given specifics of what the new Rec Center would look like, but rather were asked the following yes or no question:
“Do you, as a University of Colorado-Boulder student, approve an increase in funding for the extensive renovation and expansion project of the University of Colorado Recreation Center at the rate of $121-125 ($102-104 for construction bonds and $19-21 for operations) per student, per semester, beginning Fall 2013 in student fee dollars and spanning a period of 25 years?”
The referendum passed with a vote of, “yes,” and construction began in Spring 2012. While the blueprints and floor plans were presented to CUSG, there was not clear indication that the Women’s Workout area would be removed from the Women’s locker room. In the midst of the “Buff Up the Rec” construction, the Women’s Workout area was taken out of the Women’s Locker Room over the summer of 2013, and there are no concrete plans to create a similar workout area for women elsewhere. After speaking with Gabrielle Krupp, member of the Rec Center Board, she stated that the completed construction will foster a more private workout environment.
This has caused temporary concerns for many women who previously used that workout area. Many women in the CU community have expressed that they do not feel comfortable working out in the same weight room as men. Some have even expressed that without the privacy of the women’s workout room they will no longer use rec center facilities to workout. In a recent survey that was conducted by Representative at Large, Coco Wham, women indicated that they would like free weights and mats to be returned to the women’s locker room.
“Do you, as a University of Colorado-Boulder student, approve an increase in funding for the extensive renovation and expansion project of the University of Colorado Recreation Center at the rate of $121-125 ($102-104 for construction bonds and $19-21 for operations) per student, per semester, beginning Fall 2013 in student fee dollars and spanning a period of 25 years?”
The referendum passed with a vote of, “yes,” and construction began in Spring 2012. While the blueprints and floor plans were presented to CUSG, there was not clear indication that the Women’s Workout area would be removed from the Women’s locker room. In the midst of the “Buff Up the Rec” construction, the Women’s Workout area was taken out of the Women’s Locker Room over the summer of 2013, and there are no concrete plans to create a similar workout area for women elsewhere. After speaking with Gabrielle Krupp, member of the Rec Center Board, she stated that the completed construction will foster a more private workout environment.
This has caused temporary concerns for many women who previously used that workout area. Many women in the CU community have expressed that they do not feel comfortable working out in the same weight room as men. Some have even expressed that without the privacy of the women’s workout room they will no longer use rec center facilities to workout. In a recent survey that was conducted by Representative at Large, Coco Wham, women indicated that they would like free weights and mats to be returned to the women’s locker room.