To the Editor:
Every year I endure a phone call regarding the U.S. News & World Report College Rankings from a friend of mine at Duke. In my mind, and I think in the minds of most Dartmouth students, the Big Green is in fact number one.
However, recently while I was riding the one old Lifecycle in the Kresge Fitness Center I was finding it very hard to refute the college rankings even to myself. A prestigious college like Dartmouth, that has so many students who strive to improve both there minds and there bodies, should not have such an ill furnished gym.
Moreover, as I pedaled I noticed that the number of Concept II Model B (the old model) Rowing Ergometers had risen from three to four. How odd ? As a former rower I can say that "Ergs" are certainly little loved by even the Crew team. Why would the administration see fit to obtain another "erg" when the original ones were hardly used in the first place ?
Clearly, the administration has simply been putting its emphasis elsewhere, and so the Fitness Center has been overlooked. Nevertheless, people and institutions do make mistakes. Unquestionably, the real issue is whether or not the Administration will be willing to "mend there ways" as it were.
The student body through the will of the Student Assembly has made it very clear that the Fitness Center is a priority. Therefore, its seems only reasonable that the Administration be willing to at least match the Student Assembly's pledge of $8,500 for new equipment. I refuse to believe that the money is not available as last year the school had a surplus from operations of $17.55 million. Moreover, issue of space in the Fitness Center are also nullified as at least two those ergometers need to removed.
Personally, I will still tout Dartmouth's virtues regardless of the state of our Fitness Center. But I would certainly feel much better if Dartmouth's purse followed its "principals."
