Following the announcement to introduce a new student sports membership from September 2011, there have been a number of questions about the scheme.
Below are the answers to the most frequently asked questions:
Q1. I am disappointed about the introduction of this fee as it is another cost for students on top of the imminent hike in tuition fees. How can you justify doing this?
A. The introduction of student sports memberships is about our commitment to improving the student experience.
The University has been very proud to offer free access to students to the majority of its sports facilities. By introducing student sports memberships now, we can enhance the sports provision for our students, particularly at peak times (which won’t just be at lunch times)
Any student who currently pays more than £7000 per annum to the University in tuition fees will have their sports membership included as part of the package.
Q2. Won’t the introduction of student sports memberships make it expensive for students to use the facilities?
A. We are the only university that has offered the majority of its sports provision to students free of charge. This is currently worth £350,000 a year and includes student club use and student casual and recreational bookings.
However, we have not always been able to meet the requirements of students at certain times because a priority has been given to commercial users in order to meet our budget.
We wanted to increase what we can offer to students to enhance their sporting experience at the University but this does require us to generate additional income.
All other universities have already adopted this model, so this brings us into line with them.
Students at the University of Bath continue to have access to some of the best sports facilities in the country that compare very favourably to what other universities can offer.
Q3. Will the introduction of these fees really lead to an improvement in the student experience?
A. The University is committed to reinvesting all of the income from student sports memberships into its sports provision, enhancing the facilities and opportunities for recreational student sport and additional accessibility for student sports clubs.
Q4. What sort of benefits can we expect to see?
A. There will be an increase in the facility availability to students both for recreational and club use. We will now be discussing with the Students’ Union the exact details of how this will work.
A proportion of the money will be invested to purchase additional facility time for students, both at lunchtime, when we will introduce a two-hour slot for staff and students, as well as at other times.
During the two-hour slot students and staff (who will continue to pay for sport as they currently do) will have exclusive use of certain facilities, such as the main sports hall and astro pitches. Other facilities, such as the 50m pool and gym, will be available on a shared use basis as currently.
Q5. What if I don’t play sport very regularly and don’t want to pay the £100 charge?
A. You have the option to continue to pay and play. This means that you would turn up at the STV and pay at the reception for the particular sport or activity you wanted to participate in (eg. swimming). This would be a one off fee for that visit/activity only.
Q6. What if I am on placement?
A. You have the same options as other students to either purchase a membership or purchase pay and play options. However, for those on a 6-month placement, you will have the option to pay a proportionate membership fee.
Q7. What if I am based at a partner college?
A. We are working on scale of membership fees that reflect geographical distance from the University i.e. students based at Swindon or Weymouth will be offered a reduced membership rate.
Q8. How will I be able to pay my membership fee?
A. You will be able to pay via the online shop the University is about to launch. This can be done from your own PC, PCs at the Sports Training Village or through the Sales team at the Sports Training Village.
Q9. How will you control access to those that have paid an appropriate fee?
A. As now, the library card will double up as a sports membership card and those who have paid will be able to get their card appropriately activated at the STV reception.
We are installing a new reception area downstairs in the STV and only those that have paid as sports members or through a pay and play option will be able to enter the STV playing arenas.
Spectators will not need to become a member to watch a particular event.
Q10. What about the Founders Hall?
A. Staff based at the Founders Hall will be asked to check users of the squash courts and sports hall to ensure they have paid to use these facilities.
Q11. I am a member of sports club and already pay for that privilege and for the use of the STV to practice/play with my team – how can you justify charging me even more?
A. The University has provided sports facilities, currently valued at £350,000 per annum, to students free of charge. Most of this facility time has been allocated to Student clubs. This new income stream will enable us to not only maintain that provision, but also to increase it in order to offer members of sports clubs greater access to facilities at the times they require it.
Q12. Tell me more about the student exclusive (lunchtime) slot – how will it work?
A. We will discuss the precise details of how this will work with the Students’ Union.
The creation of a dedicated slot (be it at lunchtime or another period of the day) will mean that some facilities, such as the main sports hall and the astro pitches, will be reserved to be booked by students and staff alone.
Some other facilities, such as the fitness suite and the pools, will continue to be available to students and staff along with other users on a shared basis.
Q13. Tell me more about the priority booking scheme?
A. Students will be able to book facilities at least three days in advance. Currently many facilities are only bookable on the day.
Q14. Your statement talks about investing this income into sports facilities and services – exactly what is planned and how will I benefit?
A. Our broad intentions are clear and we will discuss the details with the Students’ Union to ensure that what we put in place meets the needs of students.
We will also be flexible in order to respond to changing student requirements over time.
Q15. Who will decide what we get for our money?
A. There will be a joint working group from the Department of Sports Development and Recreation and the Students’ Union Sports Association working on the offer through the rest of this academic year.
Q16. What about sports trials at the beginning of the year?
A. Students will be able to partake in trials without paying the new sports membership to allow them to decide whether they wish to take up the membership. .
Q17. What if I am a member of the gym?
A. If you are a member of the gym or of fitness classes, your gym and/or fitness membership will be discounted by £50 if you are also a Sports Member
Q18. What about Wednesdays – I know they are reserved for BUCS matches – will this continue to be the case?
A. Yes, this will be reserved for students as it is now. However, we can look at providing additional dedicated timeslots on that day if there is demand.