SUNY Oswego merges Campus Recreation and fitness centers

The staff at SUNY Oswego’s Campus Recreation and fitness centers are sprinting into a new era for student recreation by merging the two. 

SUNY Oswego is catching up to its competitors. Most colleges already have combined fitness and recreation programs. This change is one that was needed, said Brain Wallace, director of the department of campus recreation and fitness. 

“That was always kind of a frustrating thing. I mean we have a good rec program here, but it was always kind of segregated into different areas,” Wallace said.

The merge just began this spring and staff are still in phase one of the transition. Graduate Assistant Caroline Pace said she is getting more comfortable with this new normal.

Pace explains that the merger will bring new opportunities for overall wellness programming and collaboration among the two departments. 

“It’s definitely making it easier for students to access facilities on campus. Our programs now work to get students into the pool or the basketball courts and the fitness centers and our group exercise classes as well,” Pace said. “So instead of doing extra work, we are focusing on making all of the students comfortable in all our facilities.”

So far this semester, the fitness and rec program has organized the color run, the bench press competition, and the pumpkin run. Cassie Para, campus recreation coordinator, explained that the merge opens the doors for new projects in the future.

“The goal is to increase more programming. WIth the transition specifically this semester, we haven’t done a lot of programming but come next semester, we’re ready to go,” Para said.

Anyone looking to get more involved in the campus fitness and rec programs can visit their website.