Note: Due to the constant changing of COVID-19 restrictions from the Ontario government some information may no longer be accurate. For up to date information regarding Carleton athletics, click here.
As the school’s athletic facilities reopen, Carleton Athletics announced a 50 per cent rebate on athletic fees for the current academic year.
Athletic fees, which usually cost students $102.30 per semester, are compulsory for both undergraduate and graduate students. With the 50 per cent rebate applied, students will now only have to pay $51.15 per term.
In a statement published on Sept. 22, Suzanne Blanchard, vice-president (students and enrolment) said the rebate was approved due to the limited capacity protocols Carleton Athletics is adhering to amidst physical distancing requirements.
Students and other members of the community who wish to access the reopened athletic facilities, which include the fitness centre, swimming pool and in-person fitness classes, are now required to book a time slot in advance.
To accommodate students not living in Ottawa, Carleton Athletics is also offering over 20 free online fitness classes per week, including yoga, pilates and Muay Thai.
Despite the rebate, the fall portion of the fees will be applied automatically to student accounts in the first week of October. Some students are still calling for a full opt-out option.
Marissa Barzo, a third-year mathematic and statistics student, said she is glad she is getting her money back because she doesn’t use any of the athletic facilities.
“I’m not someone who would ever go to the gym and work out with a bunch of other people. That’s not my scene,” she said.
Barzo is currently studying from home, eight hours away from Ottawa.
“Some students are never going to use [the athletic facilities], specifically in this pandemic climate, and we should be able to opt out,” she said.
Barzo said she is okay with having to pay for certain compulsory fees every semester, such as for the University Centre, since it benefits all students on campus. However, she said it’s not the same when it comes to the athletic facilities, which is something not all students use.
“I don’t feel it’s necessary for me to be paying like $200 a year, where realistically, that $200 could go to something like groceries for me and that’s much more beneficial,” she added.
Although Barzo said she likes the idea of the school providing free virtual fitness classes, she said she most likely won’t be taking them.
“We live in the age of the Internet. If I wanted to work out at home, I’d just watch a YouTube video and it would kind of be the same thing.”
As an ancillary facility, the department of athletics relies on student athletics fees as a part of their revenue, said Yolana Junco-Pascual, director of finance and operations at Carleton Athletics.
The department lost an additional $2.5 million on top of the $1 million lost during the summer term with the introduction of the 50 per cent rebate.
“We believe that was the right thing to do to our students. Nonetheless, it has a huge financial impact on our department in the long term,” Junco-Pascual said.
Junco-Pascual said that the department is facing increased cleaning, material, and staffing costs in order to adhere to public health, safety, and university guidelines.
“Like most of the athletics departments in Ontario, this department is facing […], a multimillion-dollar deficit in this fiscal year,” she added.
Despite the financial impacts of the rebate, Junco-Pascual said the department is committed to maintaining a high level of support for its student athletes.
“As a student, you would like to come back to a vibrant and competitive department of athletics, able to provide the services that we provide and compete at the level that will make students proud to be Carleton Ravens,” she said.
Sean Kim, a third-year student and player on the Carleton men’s varsity soccer team, said he thinks the rebate is a good choice, especially considering the uncertainty surrounding COVID and athletic facilities.
“The gyms might get shut down again, intramurals might get cancelled and even if they don’t, a lot of students don’t feel comfortable going into those environments right now,” Kim said.
Although the men’s soccer team is currently training on campus, Kim, who lives in Toronto, said he opted to stay and train at home since the team’s season has been cancelled.
Kim said his team isn’t currently facing any increased fees, which is the norm for varsity player. Unlike varsity teams, club teams are often responsible to pay for their gear and to participate in competitions.
Still, Kim said athletes are feeling the brunt of the department’s changes.
“Some of our services, like athletics therapy or even just using the changeroom, we don’t have access to those things anymore,” Kim said.
Despite not being on-campus with the rest of his team, Kim said he still feels supported as an athlete.
“I think all the staff in athletics are doing their best to help us return to some kind of normalcy. I can tell they’re really doing everything they can to support us.”
— with files from Miranda Caley
