Despite the majority of classes being held remotely this quarter, many of the on-campus amenities remain accessible to students both in physical and online form. 

The Recreation Center in the SURC, Dining Services around campus and an array of activities and opportunities through Student Involvement continue to be available for students.

University Recreation Director Matthew Boyer said the Recreation Center has opened most of its services this quarter, though it feels much different now than it did in the past. 

“The biggest changes, aside from spacing all equipment out, are that we require facial coverings at all times while in our facilities and that each person is receiving a cleaning bottle and towel when they enter,” Boyer said. 

According to Boyer, the climbing wall is open for bouldering, and personal training is accepting clients. Intramural sports are offering small scale tournaments, esports and virtual events. Sports clubs are having practices and meetings and Outdoor Pursuits and Rentals is renting equipment for students to create their own adventure.  

Boyer said the Recreation Center has decreased their hours slightly in the evenings to allow for the staff to do a thorough cleaning. Over the weekends, they are closing earlier as well to perform the same cleaning procedures and are open nine hours fewer per week than last year. 

Dining Services Director Dean Massucio said main dining operations at Central Marketplace, Cat Trax East and West, Holmes Dining Room, Panda Express, Northside Cafe and Market and Jimmy B’s in the library remain open.

“These first couple weeks have been a kind of trial and the next couple of weeks we’ll continue to be monitoring just how active those locations are, so they are all contingent or subject to change I guess I would say,” Massucio said. 

Massucio said Dining Services has introduced mobile ordering to campus which allows students to order and pick up their food without causing congestion in the dining areas. The option is currently available in Central Marketplace and Cat Trax East but will likely be at other locations in the future. 

“All of the food is packaged to go, so it’s easy to take with you wherever you choose to dine. We do have reduced seating available within the student union operations. So, the Holmes seating area is available and Central Marketplace has seating available and we’ve modified the seating to meet the current guidelines,” Masuccio said. 

Executive Director of Student Involvement Jeffrey Rosenberry said although many of the usual on-campus events have been altered to be held virtually this quarter, his department has worked to organize in-person activities as well. 

According to Rosenberry, there will be many in-person events happening outdoors for as long as the weather permits. He said they hope for a long fall and that they can continue to hold activities and events until the first or second week of November. 

“We’re really trying to keep the spirit alive of what it means to be a Wildcat and to keep that engagement in as many ways as we possibly can,” Rosenberry said.