Athletics and Student Affairs release joint statement on Quinn Recreation Center
November 22, 2019
Athletic Director Doug Gillin, Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs JJ Brown and Student Body President DeJon Milbourne released a statement about Quinn Recreation Center Friday evening.
“University Recreation’s programs and services will remain at the front entrance of the Quinn Center, and we will continue to work together on shared use of facilities,” the three wrote in the statement.
University leadership has been encouraging athletics and Student Affairs to work together to meet the needs of all students, according to the statement.
“We have had ongoing conversations about how to work together on many aspects of student wellness,” the statement read. “On many campuses, there is tension and competition between club sports and Athletics. At Appalachian, we have committed to see beyond this and work together.”
Brown, Gillin and Milbourne wrote in the statement that Athletics and Student Affairs are committed to working together more closely than ever before and that they share a goal to meet “the recreational and practice needs of all of our students with current facilities.”
“We recognize the importance of the Quinn Recreation Center. It is used by a number of academic classes, and club sports teams, as well as all students, and many faculty and staff,” Gillin, Brown and Milbourne wrote in the statement.
While not all the details are in place, the statement did say Gillin, Brown and Milbourne are “happy to discuss” further with the Sports Club Executive Council in the coming weeks.
“We are committed to thinking beyond divisional boundaries to find solutions to meet the needs of all of these groups and to honor all of the recreation and training needs within our existing facilities. Our ultimate goal is to increase the options for all of our students,” Gillin, Brown and Milbourne wrote in the statement.
The statement mentioned that Student Affairs has worked with Watauga County this year to increase options for club sports at no cost. A $10 fee that students voted and board of trustees approved and went into effect this semester will be used to begin to develop and design a new recreational facility.
“This addition will enhance our wellness initiatives for the entire campus community. Until that additional space is built, we will work collaboratively to meet the demands on our existing space and are committed long-term to working together to support our university commitment to prioritizing health, wellness and student success,” Gillin, Brown and Milbourne wrote in the statement.
Emily Norris • Nov 23, 2019 at 9:46 am
As reported, this does NOT deny that athletics will be taking over parts of the Quinn Center. UREC being at the front of the building? Is athletics controlling the rest? We must be careful because Athletics lies to us repeatedly. It already pushes us (19,000 students) out of the facilities they use for serious academics and wellness just to hold practice for a few hundred student-athletes. Hey Athletics, we are the 19,000 students that fund your operation and pay for these facilities that you feel entitled to prevent us from using. And please stop increasing our fees to pay for your overspending! Learn how to live within a budget like everyone else!