Machines are empty in the Student Recreation Center. The storage nooks have less in them.

The attendance at the Student Recreational Center is noticeably different this time of year.

“Right now we are seeing more future students than current students,” said Ken Baker, director of campus recreation.

Baker sees more students coming through with camps and programs than Eastern students right now. With summer classes attended less by students than those offered in the fall, it is to be expected.

The campers use their camp-issued identification to use the recreation center. The Department of Housing provides this to all campers coming through Eastern. Students enrolled at Eastern must use their Panther Card to enter into the Center and use the equipment.

Baker asks campers or programs here more than one week to purchase a pass to the Center.

The camps get use of the gym, but not the equipment. The exception is the recent presence on campus of Illinois Boys and Girls State.

“It’s in liability,” said Janelle Wargo, a junior communications major.

Wargo, who swipes the Panther Cards, does not see many Eastern students on a consistent basis. Some of the faces can be recognized on a daily basis.

“I get to see consistent people with all the camps going on,” Wargo said.

The Student Recreation Center has regulations in place for those who may use their facilities.

Any Eastern student, both full and part time as well as paying the student fees can use the Student Recreation Center. Students can purchase a membership for the summer after taking classes in the spring semester and registering for the Fall Semester.

Eastern Alumni may purchase a pass just for one semester directly after graduation.

New faculty and staff can obtain a free membership to the Center during their first semester of employment only. Faculty and staff members, as well as their spouses, can purchase a membership for themselves as well as their spouses.

Anyone who contributes $500.00 annually to the university can purchase a membership to the Center.

“We’re a private health center, so we reserve the right to limit our membership,” said graduate assistant Mark Donahue.

The camps and programs have not been the only way for new clientele to be attracted to the Center.

A table spotlighting the benefits of it has been sitting outside the Food Court in the Martin Luther King, Jr. University Union. The EIU Debut groups also lead the students through the Recreation Center when giving incoming freshman campus tours.

The Center opens later and closes earlier during the summer. The current hours to the Student Recreation Center are 6 a.m. to 8 p.m Monday through Friday. Saturday and Sunday it is open from 1 to 6 p.m. This is in comparison to being open 18.5 hours per day in the spring and fall semester.

The Center will be closed on July 3 and July 4 for observation of Independence Day.

Senior communications major Dan Sechrist does some close grip presses Wednesday afternoon at the CRC. Cloes grip presses work on a persons chest and tricep muscles. Amir Prellberg/The Daily Eastern News

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