2008 Woodie Awards
Letters to the Editor
Issue date: 1/30/08 Section: Opinion
Have the morality police taken control of the Reed Gym weight room and cardio room?
The folks at Reed Gym have taken it upon themselves to impose a dress code for the weight and cardio workout rooms. The new policy requires patrons to wear sleeved shirts to gain access to these rooms. While no explanation was initially given, those that inquired were told simply that this is the industry standard. This was also the exact reply posted in the cardio room to written inquiries placed in the suggestion box. This policy, and the parrot like reply, raises some disturbing issues.
First, this policy does not seem to be the industry standard. Over the fall recess I contacted several regional and national fitness centers. Not one of them had a policy requiring sleeves. In fact, on more than one occasion, my questions were meet with laughter and surprise. Further, even if requiring sleeves was the "industry standard," Idaho State University is a public institution. ISU is in no way part of the gym industry. The Idaho State Board of Education notes that no state institution of higher education has a dress code. The ISU student code lists no dress code. These factors seem to contradict the new dress code policy.
In addition to my concern that this is an infringement on our rights, my biggest concern with this policy is: it gets hot down in these rooms - really hot! Last Thursday I brought along a thermometer. The weight room was slammed with students and the temperature hit 81 degrees. There is no air exchange at all, only a few fans, and even fewer that work. So, at best they blow hot air around.
Can you imagine working out in a convection oven? Now, do it with clothing that inhibits evaporative cooling. That's not cool. When you look at most of the students now, they are wearing cotton t-shirts (since many of the wick-dry workout clothes sold are sleeveless, especially for women's clothing).
Also, many people already own sleeveless workout-clothes. It seems unfair to ask everyone to buy a new wardrobe just for the ISU gym.
The folks at Reed Gym have taken it upon themselves to impose a dress code for the weight and cardio workout rooms. The new policy requires patrons to wear sleeved shirts to gain access to these rooms. While no explanation was initially given, those that inquired were told simply that this is the industry standard. This was also the exact reply posted in the cardio room to written inquiries placed in the suggestion box. This policy, and the parrot like reply, raises some disturbing issues.
First, this policy does not seem to be the industry standard. Over the fall recess I contacted several regional and national fitness centers. Not one of them had a policy requiring sleeves. In fact, on more than one occasion, my questions were meet with laughter and surprise. Further, even if requiring sleeves was the "industry standard," Idaho State University is a public institution. ISU is in no way part of the gym industry. The Idaho State Board of Education notes that no state institution of higher education has a dress code. The ISU student code lists no dress code. These factors seem to contradict the new dress code policy.
In addition to my concern that this is an infringement on our rights, my biggest concern with this policy is: it gets hot down in these rooms - really hot! Last Thursday I brought along a thermometer. The weight room was slammed with students and the temperature hit 81 degrees. There is no air exchange at all, only a few fans, and even fewer that work. So, at best they blow hot air around.
Can you imagine working out in a convection oven? Now, do it with clothing that inhibits evaporative cooling. That's not cool. When you look at most of the students now, they are wearing cotton t-shirts (since many of the wick-dry workout clothes sold are sleeveless, especially for women's clothing).
Also, many people already own sleeveless workout-clothes. It seems unfair to ask everyone to buy a new wardrobe just for the ISU gym.
Be the first to comment on this story