In the coming years, students may see gym equipment, ping-pong tables and foosball tables appearing in campus residence halls.
The Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate Administration and Budget Committee have been meeting with Director of Residential Life Yolanda King to discuss plans for a new budget allotment devoted to improving recreational possibilities in Tufts' dormitories.
The plans arose in response to students' requests for items like ping-pong tables and gym equipment for the common areas of residential halls.
Freshman Senator Pooja Chokshi has taken on this cause, deemed the "Healthy Lifestyle Campaign." Chokshi said that during her campaign for Senate, many students expressed the opinion that such additions would improve the overall campus experience.
"Now that I am elected, I hope to make that happen," Chokshi said.
Chokshi and her campaign are working toward a two-fold goal of enhancing both physical fitness and the community environment in the dorms. The project focuses on both mental and physical health, anticipating that the new additions will facilitate increased social interaction between students and provide more easily accessible exercise machines.
Currently, the committee is focusing on the "mental" aspect of the project, for which Chokshi has created a budget of $9,000. This money will allow for the purchase of pool, ping-pong or possibly even foosball tables to be added to certain dorms.
These purchases are intended to better dorm residents' mental health by improving their social life.
At this time, the committee is in the process of researching and assessing those dorms in which there is enough space and necessity for the new equipment.
"The freshman dorms are the most likely candidates, as the additions will serve to create a more social environment in the lounges and common areas," Chokshi said.
Other likely locations are Lewis and South halls, where there is plenty of space to accommodate the new acquisitions. Tufts students can expect to see some of these recreational items added to a few select dormitories over the summer.
The new funds will come from the Office of Residential Life and Learning's (ORLL) budget, but the official numbers and specifics of the project have yet to be determined.
"I have made a commitment to work with them [the TCU Senate] and the Hall Councils to make these additions over the next couple of years," King said.
Once the funds are approved, each Hall Council Representative will meet with Senate members to make arrangements for their dorms' use of the money.
While acquiring the recreational equipment is a fairly simple process, "placing gym equipment in the dorms has been a challenge because of maintenance and liability issues," said sophomore Bruni Hirsch, chair of the TCU Budget Committee.
A more expensive and complex project, the "physical health" portion of the project will require a separate budget.
The additional equipment will be more convenient for those unwilling to trek across campus to the gym.
"We have spoken with a lot of people and have received a lot of support for the project, but gym equipment is very expensive and we are still looking for more sources for funding," Chokshi said.
Chokshi aims to choose representative uphill and downhill dorm buildings in which to place the equipment. South Hall is a likely contender, as it already has several machines in its basement and is the dorm farthest away from Cousens gymnasium.
