By Abigail Connolly

SUNY Oswego is now offering free gym memberships to students. The memberships allow access to the Glimmerglass and Cooper Fitness Center facilities as well as the numerous group exercise classes throughout the week. Why did it take so long?

The fact that there is some way to now afford this as an option for students, after the financial impacts of COVID-19 calls into question why this move was not made sooner. 

The fitness centers on campus are generally regarded as having more than adequate resources, machines and support, and they do a decent job at promoting health and wellness as well as engaging the campus community. These are incredibly valuable resources on campus as they allow students a space to improve physical and mental health, something that may otherwise be difficult for studetns to do in the collegiate settting. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that students who are physically active are more likely to have better grades, school attendance, memory and classroom behavior. Additional studies confirmed that the higher the physical activity and physical fitness levels are, the better cognitive performance will be. Not only does offering the gyms as a resource keep cups more phsyically fit, it has the potential to improve class structure and students potential. 

SUNY Oswego made a fantastic decision in allowing students free access to these facilities. Students who may not have been able to afford the previous fees now have access to a healthy outlet on campus. The only thing to look out for is whether this initiative can be sustained beyond this semester. For the sake of the students, let us hope that it can be. 

Kailee Montross | The Oswegonian