The Voice

Issue date: 5/11/09 Section: Kaleidoscope

Media Credit: Chris Asadian John Prosper, an auto body repair major, comes to the Health & Fitness Center almost every day and says the PEA 115 class credit was an incentive to become a member.

Imagine signing up for a pricey gym membership and not showing up. Happens so much it's become a cliché - even at Washtenaw Community College.

Of more than 1,300 students who signed up for a new class at the WCC Health and Fitness Center, 114 never showed up to break a sweat, according to numbers made available a few weeks before the Winter Semester ended.

Nevertheless, those charged with creating the class to make the Fitness Center more accessible to students are deeming it a success.

A year ago, the gleaming new facility had a dismal student membership of just 350, and President Larry Whitworth took action to create a viable and efficient system to increase student participation by offering them lower rates. A committee of four administrators, led by Vice President of Instruction Roger Palay, created PEA 115.

Offered for the first time a year ago in the Spring/Summer term, the course requires students to sign up for the Fitness Center, show up 15 times in a semester and complete a survey for a passing grade. The cost for the course is $160, or the equivalent of the $40 per month dues.

"It's easier for students on financial aid, and it helps students who utilize the various payment plans," Palay said.

For a first-time offering, and with little promotion other than word-of-mouth, the course was well-received. Enrollment jumped from 385 students to 907 in the Fall Semester.

In the just-completed Winter Semester, there were 1,337 students enrolled. Of those, 25 withdrew, and of the 1,308 remaining, 1,194 had shown up at least once at the front desk and 712 had attended at least nine times. Of those, 453 already had fulfilled course requirement and 250 were expected to complete them before the end of the semester.

On May 8, there were more than 700 students enrolled in the class, with more signing up each day.

"I consider PEA 115 to be a success," Palay said, "However, I don't understand why so many students would sign up and not take advantage of such a wonderful place?"

Continued...

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