Minutes of the Meeting of the
Faculty Athletics and Recreational Policy Committee
The meeting was called to order by the Chair, Ruth Pagell, in the Woodruff PE Center (WPEC). Members present were David Edwards, Ron Johnson, Harvey Klehr, Ruth Pagell, Eric Rangus, and Betsy Tanner; student representatives Rohit Agarwal, Kate Bowler, and Kari Schneibel; and ex officio members John Arenberg, Dan Magee, Mary Romestant, Don Schroer, Myra Sims, and Betsy Stephenson.
Betsy Stephenson reviewed the status of the WPEC renovation. Whiting-Turner
Contracting will take over the interior work. The University has contractual
and reputational guarantees from Holder Construction for the exterior work.
The first floor work should be finished by early January. New carpet will
be installed on the second and third floors over the winter break. Fourth-floor
finishes will be chosen soon. Requests for additional funding to complete
the fourth floor are pending. This floor can be opened for use in stages,
as long as the rest rooms are finished.
Upcoming Events: During Emory University’s Family Weekend, October 22-24,
Rec Services will offer lots of events for parents, including club sports
competition; Emory is hosting a volleyball tournament; athletes’ families
will be encouraged to look at the fourth floor; four athletic/club sports
parents serve on Emory’s Parents Council. Emory will be submitting bids to
host athletic events and playoffs as a revenue source.
Funding: Betsy met with Johnnie Ray, Development and University Relations,
to investigate fund-raising ideas, including naming of the fourth-floor spaces.
The commitment is there; the Committee is encouraged to help figure out how
to get it done. The best idea to date is using the University’s Annual Fund
to solicit contributions to the athletic programs.
Woodruff Physical Education Center: The building staff are working hard to
provide services, facilitate, use, etc., but there is a sense of discontent
from the faculty and staff users, especially with the condition of the locker
rooms. Staff agree there are custodial challenges, and Facilities Management
cannot control the temperature fluctuation. On-line registration and membership
use were up, but not to the extent desired due to late implementation. Any
“selling WoodPEC” must target the broad constituency using the facility. The
resources provided by WPEC are a big selling point for undergraduate recruitment
and need to be well maintained.
Varsity Athletes: The housing issue for student athletes during winter break is being resolved; housing before and after the school year is also being discussed with the Housing Office. The issue of missing classes brought up the following observations: Can or should athletes have priority in scheduling classes and labs around practice? Who should talk/mediate with whom - athlete, coach, professor, lab director? How to raise awareness of students needs – should Betsy talk with the department chairs? Should a pilot program for specific sports be tried?
On the NCAA website (NCAA.org), there are articles on the future of Division
III. John Ford, Ruth Pagell, and Betsy Stephenson will participate in the
UAA meeting.
Respectfully submitted, Betsy Tanner