September 19, 2020
Dear students, faculty, and staff:
Health and wellness are vital to the success of students during their academic pursuits. That is why safely opening the sports center to serve our students’ fitness needs is a top priority. In keeping with Oregon requirements for fitness centers, and after an extensive review of protocols implemented at other college, university, and private health club athletic facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Athletics Fitness & Outdoor Programs (AFOP) team has devised an opening plan for the fall semester.
Detailed information (and any future changes) will be shared on the Athletics, Fitness, & Outdoor Programs website.
Starting on September 21, we will launch a gradual reopening of areas within the sports center. During this initial reopening, we will serve currently enrolled students only. I know this news will be disappointing to many faculty, staff, family members, and alumni, but I feel certain we all understand the need to keep the density low and to make students a priority.
As of this writing, we are hopeful air quality conditions in the region will have improved by Monday, September 21. However, if it is determined that air quality does not remain in a healthy range, we may need to postpone the reopening until a later date.
Keeping the sports center open will take strict adherence to the new protocols by all those using the facility. To achieve low density and enable participants to maintain proper physical distancing, the gym will be available by reservation only via an app on your smart device or computer. To make an appointment via Schedulicity, you will need to provide your name, email, and phone number to create an account. Under the Schedulicity Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, that company reserves the right to share your information with advertisers and other partners. You can opt out by visiting the Schedulicity Do Not Sell My Information page.
Current students will be able to reserve 45-minute time slots for the cardio room, weight room, dance studio, and gym 1. After each session, the equipment will be cleaned and sanitized before the next session begins.
Before accessing the gym, students must watch a training video on the new protocols, which includes proper equipment wipe-down methods, and inside the facility they must wear face coverings at all times. The new protocols will be strictly enforced.
Beginning on Monday, September 21, the facility will be open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. and on weekends from noon to 4 p.m. Time slots will be reserved through the Schedulicity.com. (This link is private to Reed College, please don’t share it with anyone other than fellow students.) Students should arrive in workout gear as the locker-room dressing areas will be closed, and there will be no access to showers or saunas. The swimming pool, climbing wall, and backpack co-op will also be closed until further notice. Additionally, the Reed Ski Cabin will continue to be closed for the fall semester.
Access to rental equipment will be confined to those items that can be sanitized and quarantined for an appropriate time between rentals. Such items include basketballs, soccer balls, jump ropes, frisbees and table tennis paddles and balls. No other items will be rented at this time.
The AFOP team understands the important role the sports center plays in your daily life and a sense of routine. This was not a decision we arrived at lightly. We believe these are necessary adjustments to help combat the spread of COVID-19 during this global health crisis, and we look forward to opening the facility to the whole community as soon as possible.
Sincerely,
Michael Lombardo
Director of Athletics, Fitness & Outdoor Programs