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The Rec: No shirt, no service
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The REC, Boise State’s new recreation center, opened its doors on Aug 26, and with the new facility came specific rules.
Joyce Grimes, director of Campus Recreation, said they are requiring patrons to wear cotton T-shirts in order to maintain the equipment and ensure sanitary conditions.
“This is not a dress code,” Grimes said.
“It is a way to preserve the equipment and prevent the spread of disease.”
The Board of Governors, composed of 50 percent students, came to the conclusion that there needed to be a guideline implemented regarding sanitary issues.
The guideline states that patrons must wear cotton T-shirts, not tank tops, and closed-toed athletic shoes. Grimes said proper attire is required in order to soak up perspiration.
These requirements apply mostly to the weight room and any room where students come into contact with equipment.
“When people lift, they perspire and they lay on those benches and they move around,” Grimes said.
The REC staff has researched the need for proper attire with a health official to find out about skin irritations and infections. Experts say that lying on a sweat-soaked bench can cause skin irritations. In an effort to avoid this problem, students are asked by staff members to clean up after themselves.
Grimes said even though disinfectant spray and towels are provided, wearing a T-shirt is imperative to ensure sanitary conditions.
However, the dress code is only required for certain facilities, students will still be allowed to play “shirts and skins” on the basketball court.
“I don’t know how many people don’t play because they don’t want to come in contact with other people,” Associate Director for Programs Jenny Nigrini said.
The REC said they might enforce a similar rule on the basketball in the future. The Board of Governors is still discussing whether they should provide jerseys for the players to wear during basketball pick-up games to contain players’ perspiration.
“My major concern is the perspiration on the floor causing slipping,” Grimes said.
Another area of The REC where T-shirts aren’t required is the group fitness class. Patrons are allowed to wear tank tops or workout uniforms because there is no equipment involved in the exercises.
“Our major goal is to keep the equipment in the best shape that we can for people,” Grimes said.
Grimes said because perspiration contains salt that it would quickly deteriorate the new equipment.
Although the old recreation center had a come-as-you-are mentality like other gyms around the community, the new facility wants to follow the same rules and guidelines used by many other institutions and colleges. The Board of Governors has researched other institutions and colleges, such as UCLA, and found they have implemented similar policies in their campus exercise facilities as well.
According to Delphine Macy, a district manager for Gold’s Gym, members there are not required to wear T-shirts, but management does require patrons to clean up after themselves as a common courtesy.
“It shows respect to the other members,” Macy said.
The REC plans to enforce the dress requirements starting Sept. 16.
Colleen Underwood, The Arbiter