Last spring, students voted to keep the Recreation Fee at $35 instead of increasing it for a new Wellness and Recreation Center. Since last spring, staff at the Rec Center have reconsidered their plan based on student feedback, resulting in another referendum, or campus-wide process of adjusting a student fee.
Celeste Torsney is our campus’ Outdoor Adventures Coordinator for Campus Recreation. She sat down with the Chronicle to break down what Campus Rec currently does, but she also gave more insight on what the changes are from last Spring’s fee referendum.
ESSENTIAL CHANGES FROM SPRING TO FALL PLAN
| PREVIOUS PLAN: | CURRENT PLAN: |
| FEE: $265 | FEE: $245 |
| Charge students a year before the building opens | Charge students when the building opens |
| Multifunctional space | More multifunctional space (i.e. additional rooms for fitness classes/reservations) |
The vote for the new plan will be open from 7am on October 21 to 5pm on October 23 on the Rec Center’s website. Any current CSUSM student who pays the Recreation Fee can vote.
The Center would be next to the Quad. The first level would be the Rec Center and housing would go above, with 530 beds for students. Campus Rec still wants to have an outdoor space, a rental/outdoor adventures shop, an intramural sports office, and more, the details of which are on their website.
CONTEXT FOR FEES
Jumping from a $35 fee to $245 is a big change and Campus Rec knows that. Torsney says the fee hasn’t been increased in over 10 years and Campus Rec hasn’t been able to keep up with rising costs, student wages, and travel expenses, especially post-pandemic.
“Usually, I offer about 16 trips a semester, sometimes even 17,” Torsney said, “And we’ve had to cut down…[to] 12.” These cuts also apply to the number of students she can hire and certifications or career opportunities she can offer them.
Torsney compares the fee and the opportunities side by side and concludes, “We’ve definitely outgrown this current space we’re in, it’d be great to offer more opportunities for [students] to get involved.”
If the new referendum or plan passes, the building is set to open during the Fall 2026 semester.
(This article is part of three discussions about what Campus Rec has
done so far, what they hope to accomplish with the fee referendum passing, and the pros and cons. Part 1 of the discussion series can be viewed here.)