The Recreation and Wellness Center Gets 90 Percent Approval Rate.

California State University East Bay’s Recreation and Wellness (RAW) Center was said to be a success in its first quarter of operation, attracting over 3,600 student members, staff reported.

“I’ve never witnessed so many CSUEB students participating in something the campus has to offer,” said RAW member Alisha Guzman. “The RAW center has bettered student involvement on campus.”

The $42 million, 55,000-square-foot facility is funded by student fees and is almost entirely run by students, said Kyle Lewis, ASI Recreation’s programs coordinator.

During the winter 2011 quarter, the RAW center averaged 1,300 visitors on Tuesdays, its busiest day of the week, said Krista Smith, ASI director of recreation and wellness.

“Every penny we collect, including our dedicated student tuition fee, membership and day pass sales, as well as the user fees associated with ASI Recreation programs, all goes directly back into covering the costs associated with operating CSUEB’s RAW center, and ASI Recreation’s programs and services,” said Smith.

Construction began on CSUEB’s RAW center May 21, 2009. The facility was voted on by students through surveys and forums two years prior to the groundbreaking, according to CSUEB records.

In a recent staff-generated satisfaction survey, 91 percent of RAW users are happy with the fitness center. Eighty-five percent of members are satisfied with customer service and 80 percent are happy with the programs and services offered at the RAW center.

“The word around campus is that the RAW center has been a big hit, but this survey gives us statistical evidence that proves the fitness center really has been successful in its first months of operation,” said Ylva Sandberg, assistant supervisor of marketing at the RAW center.

Programs like intramural sports leagues, tournaments, special events, wellness workshops, and fitness classes, including, cardio kickboxing, hip hop, pilates, yoga, zumba, body blast, and spin class, were a hit among students during the winter quarter.

“It’s great that there’s so many sports to choose from,” said Allison Doughty, intramural volleyball participant. “Intramural leagues allow me to participate in sports I’ve never played before.”

If there was anything plaguing the center during the winter quarter, it was its lengthy registration process, said Guzman.

“It’s not practical or efficient to have to sign a waiver for fitness classes every single time you enroll in a class,” she said.

The staff is working on streamlining the registration process for the spring quarter.

“I am looking forward to what the spring quarter will bring for the RAW center,” said Smith.