Resolution: Free Use of University Recreational Facilities (Huston Huffman Center and Murray Case Sells Swimming Pool) for Faculty and Staff

 

Whereas even small increases in the number of employees participating in physical activities will improve the overall health status of our workforce and will directly reduce the health care costs and health care premiums for all employees and for the University, and

 

Whereas the University has a clear financial interest in a work force that is as healthy and productive as it can be, and

 

Whereas recreational facilities that promote healthy behavior should be viewed as contributing to employee productivity, and

 

Whereas it makes financial sense for the University to remove any barriers, even small ones, to health-conscious behavior, and

 

Whereas provision of a recreational facilities benefit will be appreciated by faculty and staff during a period in which there are no pay raises, and

 

Whereas the cost to the University of providing free use of University recreational facilities by faculty and staff is minimal: 

 

Be it hereby resolved that the University provide free use of University recreational facilities (Huston Huffman Center and Murray Case Sells Swimming Pool) for faculty and staff.

 

 

Background:  The University has a clear financial interest in a work force that is as healthy as it can be.  Thus, it is counterproductive for the University to impose any barriers, even small ones, to health conscious behavior.  Accordingly, the University should not charge its employees to use the Huston Huffman Center or the Murray Case Sells Swimming Pool.  Because healthy employees are more productive employees, these facilities should be viewed as contributing to employee productivity in the same way, for example, the library is.  The University wouldn’t think of charging members of the faculty to use the library.  Similarly, the University shouldn’t charge its employees to engage in healthy behavior.

 

Currently, there are approximately 570 faculty/staff members who pay $240 a year for access to the Huston Huffman Center and the Murray Case Sells Swimming Pool.  Thus, their contribution to the recreational facility budget is about $137,000 annually.  The University needs to have a long-term perspective.  Encouraging activities that lead to improvement in employee health will yield significant savings in the future in terms of reduced health insurance and health care costs. These savings would more than compensate for a modest loss of revenue in the short-run or any nominal increases in the recreational facilities budget caused by equipment wear and tear and any additional staff demands.