The University of Connecticut Rec Center’s newest scandal has to do with the fact that the facility will not let dance groups use the space to practice. Photo by Nicole Jain / The Daily Campus.
First, they charge $500 per year, and now, they won’t let dance groups use the space to practice.
When the University of Connecticut Rec Center opened, students were mostly ecstatic; finally there was a new, better facility that would replace the archaic one, and it seemed like there would be a lot of improvements to the equipment and the space in general. However, something that has not changed for the better is the fact that UConn dance groups are not allotted space in the Rec Center to practice.
UConn dance groups are considered part of student activities, rather than club sports, and are therefore not given this space, despite the fact that according to the schedule posted online, there is definitely time and space in the studios for these groups to practice in.
What UConn is doing is ridiculous. The schedule clearly shows that the Rec Center has enough space and available times for the dance groups to practice. UConn dance groups should not have to practice in classrooms or Student Union rooms when there are perfectly outfitted and available rooms in the Rec Center.
The university gave a plethora of bogus reasons for why the dance groups cannot practice in the Rec Center, ranging from them being student activities instead of club sports to the type of flooring in the studios. Honestly, that’s ridiculous.
What UConn should do is prioritize the groups that count as a part of UConn Recreation, and allot the remaining available space in the studios to the UConn dance groups that are not a part of UConn Recreation. After all, we are not 3-year-olds who use the logic “if I can’t use it, nobody can.”
Is UConn purposely making preposterous decisions regarding the Rec Center? The fact that UConn dance groups cannot practice in the studios makes it seem as if UConn actually wants to anger students. What else could they possibly expect to happen?
UConn should re-evaluate their decision. The Rec Center is meant for students to use, which is exactly what these dance groups want to do.
