OT: Simon Rec

[WUH]

Just a random, off-topic, throw-away comment.

The next fundraising campaign and capitol project needs to be for a revitalized Simon Recreation Center.  Renovate the entrances, modernize the paint, lights, carpet, signage.  Transform the cardio overflow area on the second floor.  Bring in the latest equipment for the lower floor.  Integrate student health center services.

In 2024 and beyond, a relatively modern recreation center is going to be key for undergraduate student recruitment. 

[Box and Won]

6 minutes ago, WUH said:

Just a random, off-topic, throw-away comment.

The next fundraising campaign and capitol project needs to be for a revitalized Simon Recreation Center.  Renovate the entrances, modernize the paint, lights, carpet, signage.  Transform the cardio overflow area on the second floor.  Bring in the latest equipment for the lower floor.  Integrate student health center services.

In 2024 and beyond, a relatively modern recreation center is going to be key for undergraduate student recruitment. 

Expand it onto the parking lot next door...

[billikenfan05]

Simon felt dated in 2013.

 

It would be nice if the Athletics Department can co-op the upgrades to the pool similar to Field Hockey facility. 

[WUH]

I imagine SLU had one of the best fitness centers among midwestern colleges and universities when Simon opened, but that was 1985 or 1986 maybe.

SLU might be able to find a major gift to name the expansion in to the parking lot next door. 

The Ross Chaifetz Health and Wellness Center or Taylor Family Whatever at the Simon Rec Center or something.

A major expansion could then host an expanded health center, counseling center, health promotions center and such.

[billiken_roy]

1 hour ago, WUH said:

I imagine SLU had one of the best fitness centers among midwestern colleges and universities when Simon opened, but that was 1985 or 1986 maybe.

SLU might be able to find a major gift to name the expansion in to the parking lot next door. 

The Ross Chaifetz Health and Wellness Center or Taylor Family Whatever at the Simon Rec Center or something.

A major expansion could then host an expanded health center, counseling center, health promotions center and such.

it was in 82 i believe.   that's the year i graduated and i remember going in and shooting hoops between day and night classes.  at that time it seemed to me to be a wonderful facility.   other than the pool though, not sure how this falls under the guideance of the athletic department.  

[WUH]

Thanks! It had to be the best recreation center in that state in 1982 and one of the best in the nation.

And not directly related to athletics, though this is going to be a challenging year enrollment-wise and anything that helps enrollment is going to be good for athletics.

[Taj79]

I would think Simon Rec comes under facilities and not the Athletic Department.  Of course, all we had was West Pine Gym.  Anything above that and I’m inclined to say ‘quit your b*tching.’  But I get the upgrade talk with today’s easily distracted youth.

[JMM28]

14 minutes ago, Taj79 said:

I would think Simon Rec comes under facilities and not the Athletic Department.  Of course, all we had was West Pine Gym.  Anything above that and I’m inclined to say ‘quit your b*tching.’  But I get the upgrade talk with today’s easily distracted youth.

Its not todays easily distracted youth. Its todays youth is being asked to pay $50-70,000 per year to attend SLU and it better be a really damn good experience all around for that amount of money. 

[billikenfan05]

2 hours ago, Taj79 said:

I would think Simon Rec comes under facilities and not the Athletic Department.  Of course, all we had was West Pine Gym.  Anything above that and I’m inclined to say ‘quit your b*tching.’  But I get the upgrade talk with today’s easily distracted youth.

Jesus Christ, the Old Boys club of course comes over the top with a b*tchy post telling people to "quit there b*tching". Of course it's a poster who creates the most pointless topics here. 

Nobody is attacking your best buddy, Roy. You can go back to your kennel. 

Adapt or die. If having an honest conversation about how Saint Louis University should approach dwindling domestic enrollment, is considered b*tching. I do wonder what is eligible to discuss around here. The point was raised that given enrollment issues and financial questions facing private universities, it would be a good idea for SLU to upgrade it's supplemental amenities for students. And I pointed out that SLU athletics now has a history of working with SLU proper to co-opt facility upgrades. So if SLU is going to renovate Simon and that's where SLU swim and dive resides, it would be a good idea to work with SLU to ensure that facility brought up to division 1 standards.

FFS....For a generation who supposedly has a much longer attention span than my fellow millennials, you sure find reading an entire thread difficult. 

[billiken_roy]

what are the upgrades Simon needs?   honestly asking as i havent been in there since the early 80's.   does it just need to be freshened up i.e. paint lighting flooring kind of thing or is there major needed "adds" to make it more with 2024?

 

[Pistol]

2 hours ago, billiken_roy said:

what are the upgrades Simon needs?   honestly asking as i havent been in there since the early 80's.   does it just need to be freshened up i.e. paint lighting flooring kind of thing or is there major needed "adds" to make it more with 2024?

It got some upgrades a few years after I graduated - maybe late 00s is when they were completed? - mainly to build out the cardio area and move it all downstairs. That room is pretty nice, as I recall, but I haven't been in there in over a decade.

The pool was already inadequate for a D-I program and rec center facility when I showed up in fall 2001. The gym has always been fine - nothing special, but gets the job done. They might need some more racquetball courts and the weights area is dated.

I always thought Simon Rec was fine but maybe a little old, and then I saw more campus rec centers over time and realized it's on the small side for a school the size of SLU in addition to being a bit dated.

Other capital projects have been prioritized by SLU in recent years but I wonder if Simon might be back on the slate for another revamp.

[Taj79]

My daughter, most certainly a segmented member of today's distracted youth, went to a school for four years costing about $40k per year.  I footed that bill as it was my investment in her.  When she decided to pursue a Masters in Dietary Science and then a Registered Dietician's license, she footed that bill.  That was her investment in her.  She now makes six figures in the Phoenix area, is married to an ex-MLBer, and has two beautiful children.  Mission accomplished.  

At her undergrad institution, the President would address the parents and constantly quote the line that our children "were getting an extraordinary education, in an extraordinary setting, with extraordinary teachers and mentors."  Which frankly is a guarantee of nothing.  Which is likely exactly what SLU can guarantee at $70k per annum.  

I would have killed to go to the school my daughter went to.  State of the art athletic facilities.  State of the art Student Union.  State of the art fitness center.  Roving campus ice cream truck at no charge.  Kiosks around campus where you could grab-n-go fruit, yogurt, energy drinks, etc., again no charge.    A four-star steakhouse with seating by reservation to teach kids the art of civilized dining.  A student center with free video games, free air hockey, free skeeball, etc.  A decent dining hall with additional options such as Subway and Chik-fil-A.  Three swimming pools with open bar-be-que grills staffed by the college.  A Starbucks.  Multiple hosuing options.  

Frankly, having lived through SLU in the 1970s, and put two kids through college since then, I think most colleges are playing with 'funny money' nowadays.

[almaman]

has she paid her loans off if she had any?

have 26 year old not making triple figures but doing great, seems less concerned with debt than I would be.

[willie]

I keep seeing this 50 to 70k for a SLU education per year. What is a more realistic number? Doesn’t everyone get aid? 

[WUH]

2 hours ago, willie said:

I keep seeing this 50 to 70k for a SLU education per year. What is a more realistic number? Doesn’t everyone get aid? 

Tuition is $54,760 next year.

I think the minimum scholarship is in the $30-35K range but I am not sure. 

A substantial percentage of students are getting other forms of need-based and merit aid and students who live on-campus get more aid than those who do not.

[WUH]

Simon Recreation Center is highly functional as far as I can tell, but it looks and feels date.  And has so much potential.

My proposal would be for SLU to convene a committee of staff from admissions, student involvement, health center and such along with students and faculty from related programs (e.g. counseling, physical therapy) to develop a set of plans to improve around the following priorities:

1) Cost effective short term improvements.  Namely paint, flooring and signage.  Maintenance for the most part.

2) Revitalize the second floor cardio area which has high-end tread mills, but otherwise appears to have machines left over from the last renovation.

3) Reconfigure the dance studios, meeting rooms, smoothie bar.  Also the adjacent common areas where students can socialize away from the machines.

4) Renovate the main entrance and equipment room.

The committee would also work with architectural consultant to develop multiple plans for a major overhaul. 

I could imagine several expansions to the North and West to add a building within the building.  The idea could be to create a hub for all things health and wellness including space for the health center, counseling, religious life and so on.

I could imagine a major donor being interesting in the naming rights of a project of this kind over a classroom and lab building or dorm.

Between the ability to fund raise off the project and knowing how important facilities are for recruitment, for me this is a no brainer.

 

[Taj79]

@almaman: no to has she paid off her loans yet.  Working her way through it though.  As usual, any Biden relief to student debt did not reach her for whatever reason (demographics, income, etc) which she would have loved.  Her debt capped off at around $65k.  I agree with you, that generation does not seem to be as occupied with debt as we might have been.  Her sister, three years older, went to a smaller, local school but lived on campus for four years with about the same cost.  She did some things requiring some loans but her and her husband were debt-free within three years of graduating.  They went to a school known for its degrees in their majors and he is making six figures in motion graphics while she has decided to bail on law school and be a stay-at-home mom of two and start a farm.  Yep .... a farm.  Pigs, chickens/eggs and beef cattle.  He's out in Vegas coordinating light shows for folks like Elton John.  

All in all, proud success stories.  

I don't believe WUH's statement that the "minimum scholarship" is $30k to $35k.  That just seems unreal.  

[meerkat]

5 hours ago, Taj79 said:

I don't believe WUH's statement that the "minimum scholarship" is $30k to $35k.  That just seems unreal.  

As a current student, I would think this has a decent chance of being true. A lot of aid gets thrown around

[WUH]

I have no insider knowledge, but the market is such that $30-35K is a good guess.

Keep in mind, SLU is not only competing with Creighton, Loyola and Marquette for students, but is also competing with Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Mizzou and to a lesser extent, Missouri State, SIU and UMKC.

The vast majority of institutions will see their discount rate increase in 2024-2025 as they try to mitigate the effects of the disastrous FAFSA overhaul.

[willie]

43 minutes ago, WUH said:

I have no insider knowledge, but the market is such that $30-35K is a good guess.

Keep in mind, SLU is not only competing with Creighton, Loyola and Marquette for students, but is also competing with Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Mizzou and to a lesser extent, Missouri State, SIU and UMKC.

The vast majority of institutions will see their discount rate increase in 2024-2025 as they try to mitigate the effects of the disastrous FAFSA overhaul.

I would assume a fair chunk of INCOME from the endowment goes to there. 

[BrettJollyComedyHour]

4 hours ago, meerkat said:

As a current student, I would think this has a decent chance of being true. A lot of aid gets thrown around

Whoa we have current students on the board? 

[meerkat]

57 minutes ago, BrettJollyComedyHour said:

Whoa we have current students on the board? 

Having your first memories of basketball being Jordair Jett changes a man.

[Taj79]

Okay then .... I stand corrected.  Seems to me then that the quoted $54, 760, knocked down by $35,000, is quite a loss leader/misnomer then.  Soooooooo very glad I am through that stage of my life.  I'll likely be long gone before the grandkids make it to that stage.

[BrettJollyComedyHour]

20 hours ago, meerkat said:

Having your first memories of basketball being Jordair Jett changes a man.

My first memories are of Chris Sloan and Marque Perry

[thetorch]

3 hours ago, BrettJollyComedyHour said:

My first memories are of Chris Sloan and Marque Perry

My first memories are Pee Wee Lenard & Abdur Rahim Al Mattin