International students involved in University Study at the Beach were permitted access to the Student Recreation and Wellness Center last Thursday.
Access to the recreation center is now available to all University Study at the Beach [USB] students, provided they pay the mandatory membership fee.
“The College for Continuing and Professional Education [CCPE] and the rec center have made the necessary arrangements for students wishing to purchase the membership,” director of the American Language Institute Lynne Richmond said.
“Students have been contacted by staff of the American Language Institute either by e-mail or flyers and announcements. All they need to do is go to the [rec center] with their ID cards and they can sign up and pay for membership, on a prorated basis,” she said.
Students were generally satisfied with the result. However, some said this change should have occurred sooner.
“It’s really nice that we all have access now, but for those who wanted to join intramural sports teams, the deadline to join was two weeks ago, and so many of us have missed out on that opportunity,” international student Bettina Diez said. “Luckily, I contacted the [rec center] staff immediately and explained our situation, and I have been allowed on the intramural softball team,” she said.
When asked how the issue initially occurred, ASI communications coordinator Christina Esparza said, “Because the CCPE program is run completely independent from the normal [CSULB] registration system, the data on the CCPE students was not pulled down with the rest of the students enrolled in the university. The CCPE students have never paid a mandatory student fee and the logistics of allowing the students to opt into the fee for the [rec center] was complicated.”
Both ASI and CCPE said it was pleased with the change.
“We are very happy that those of our CCPE international students who wish to can now have the opportunity to enjoy the SRWC, as it’s a wonderful and much welcomed facility here on campus,” Richmond said.
Esparza agreed with the change and encouraged USB students to make use of the facility.
Some international students said a more proactive approach should be taken if similar issues arise again.
“In the future, if there are any administration issues, they need to handle them outside of the semester. In this case, it has taken four weeks for a change to occur, and the majority of international students are here for just one semester,” Diez said.
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