Here is the Hawkeye’s forum for the students and any others to post their ideas and opinions about the on-going discussion about the future of the natatorium. Post your opinions and discussions, but please be civil. Everyone is entitled to an opinion. As a newspaper, we are proud to provide you the opportunity to express your mind.
Cheri • Oct 7, 2011 at 6:23 pm
I didn’t use the pool much when I was a student either, I went straight from class to work but now as an alumna I go 3x a week to exercise and take my young sons along too. They both took swimming lessons 3 summers in a row and this is a great place for them to practice their skills plus a great source of exercise. Plus they love to jump off the high dive. It so nice to have this community option and much more beneficial to our family than joining an outdoor pool just for the summer.
Emi McIntyre • Oct 3, 2011 at 3:28 pm
ULM’s Natatorium is a wonderful asset to the campus. There would not be a single positive outcome from closing down this $12 million dollar facility. The Nat offers a wide variety of activities for students, but it seems that they are not very well advertised. For those who like to lay out and get a tan, there is a large sun deck, equipped with tables, chairs, and lounge chairs, with a beautiful view of the bayou. Monday through Friday mornings, from 7 to 8 AM, lower intensity water aerobics classes are held; the challenge classes are Tuesday and Thursday afternoons from 5:30 until 6:30 PM. For a better workout swimming laps, the Nat stocks swimming equipment that is free to rent, such as swim fins, kickboards, hand paddles, and pull buoys. Aqua jogging is a great alternative to running laps around the track, especially for athletes recovering from an injury, and at the Nat, Aqua Joggers are free to rent, as well! For those who do not know how to swim and would like to learn, the Nat offers, up to, three FREE swimming lessons to students, taught by certified Water Safety Instructors. These lessons can be planned to fit YOUR schedule, at a time that is most convenient for you!
The Natatorium is open from 6 AM until 9 AM, then opens back up at 12 noon until 7:15 PM, Monday through Friday. It is also open on Saturdays, excluding home game days, from 10 AM until 1 PM. With such convenient operating hours, and the many benefits it offers for students, I do not see any reason to shut down the Natatorium.
Troubled Student • Sep 28, 2011 at 12:02 pm
It is way too common to read articles about how people in the US are becoming overweight and obese. What is also known is the health factors associated with being overweight, high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes, etc. The benefits of 30-45 minutes of exercise a day helps to prevent all of these health problems. In addition, research by the Tufts University has also shown that regular exercise helps students concentrate and do better in school.
Unfortunately, there is not one form of exercise that is right for everyone or that everyone enjoys. That is why it is a great idea to have many forms of exercise available. This is also why I support keeping the Natatorium open. The Nat offers another form of exercise to either break up the monotony of your current exercise regiment, or it allows you a completely different alternative altogether. And an indoor pool offers comfortable, year round exercise opportunities.
So with the benefits of exercise being so well known, and health risk of not exercising so alarming, why are we considering closing the pool because of low usage instead of trying to find ways to get students involved in the pool. Our pool is a $12 million facility that most Universities would love to have and could find many uses for. Can anyone think of any activity that this pool has offered to the students in the last 5 years? What have they been doing with the money that we pay every semester? They have not been maintaining the pool and they have not offered any programs to get students to the pool.
There are endless possibilities that could be done with a pool. The Aquatics Director can offer swimming classes for credit, lifeguard training, and can also arrange to have Scuba lessons taught in the diving well for interested students. In addition to the many community programs that the LA Tech Aquatics Director offers, they have also developed a college swim team. This is not a school sponsored team, but rather an individual student sponsored team which the students travel to other universities to compete with other college students. This provides a social environment with students at LA Tech and students from other universities. It also allows the students to compete and stay healthy. What is preventing ULM from having such a program?
Dr. Lisa Colvin has offered more opportunities for students to utilize the pool than the Aquatics Director has in the last 5 years. Dr. Colvin offers a Triathlon class in which students learn to swim and compete, again on their own dollar, to represent the school.
So rather than demand that the pool get closed because there is little use of the pool, let’s demand that the Aquatics Director offer programs that gets students interested in the pool. We need to demand that the $600,000 that we have already paid to maintain the Nat be spent to maintain and upgrade the Nat. Why does this administration think it is ok to take money allocated for the pool, and just set it aside. Use our money to offer services we are paying for and keep the Natatorium open. If programs were offered, people would use the pool.
Concerned Student • Sep 26, 2011 at 1:01 pm
I would like to know why the Nat is in its current shape. According to student fees of $10 and university board fees of $15 along with the current student enrollment based on credit hours, I do not understand why the Nat repairs where not made every year. When looking at the budget vs. the money the Nat should have received, there is a large amount of money missing over the past 5 years. The Nat’s budget got pulled under Aux. Services, so there is no exact way to track the money spent on the Nat. However, the Nat should have been given nearly double what they were receiving. I think that this is an administration agenda item, and SGA is taking the lead because they are the only ones who can change student fees. All of it seems a little fishy to me. I know people are going to hide and say that what is written here is false, but I know this to be different. I have been involved on this campus, and I along with others have done some digging. We have the numbers and facts to prove everything that I stated. I hope that the Hawkeye or another group on campus will bring the truth out about whole thing.
Alex Jobe • Sep 21, 2011 at 8:06 pm
As the only olympic sized pool in the city of Monroe, I just think closing the Nat is a terrible idea. Yes its in a state of disrepair, but with the repairs made and the addition of many elements that cater to students looking for a more casual/social experience ( lounge area, slide, zero depth entrance, lazy river, outside pool area, recreational area etc, etc.) I think the Nat would be much more appealing to the student body. I work there as a lifeguard, and have been swimming quite often as part of my workouts. I agree its not great for casual fun but it CAN be. There was a push this summer for a new outside pool, so the interest seems to be there.