Brandeis students have been exercising in a gym filled with unsafe and broken equipment.

On Feb. 21, personal trainers in the Gosman weight room at the Gosman Sports and Convocation Center released a petition to the Brandeis community, calling for refurbishment of the space.

This petition states that the weight room needs new equipment and renovations. It lists examples of features that need to be improved or replaced, and provides solutions to each problem.

As of April 24, the petition has 670 signatures from Brandeis students, faculty, and alumni. The organizers of this project have been spreading the word around campus, through placement of posters, social media, and word of mouth. 

“As a personal trainer I’ve worked at Brandeis for around two or so years. At this point, when you end up using the common weight room area, you notice that a lot of the equipment is very old,” personal trainer Mo Re Kim ’24 said in an April 20 Zoom interview with the Justice. 

Kim confirmed with Fitness Coordinator Kat Page that the equipment in the weight room has been there for 10-20 years. All equipment exhibits signs of wear and tear and should be replaced after this amount of time if heavy maintenance is not performed. 

“You have a hundred pound load, and it breaks, and you go flying forward. That’s not the most ideal situation,” Kim said. He explained that the equipment does break, and this unreliable equipment can become a health hazard as well as a significant liability for all students and staff that utilize this campus resource.

Kim noted that it is not just students who use the gym facility; it is common to see professors and other Brandeis faculty members in the space as well. He explained that the condition of the weight room is a community issue, not just something that affects a small portion of the University population.

The ultimate goal of this project is to completely replace all equipment in the Gosman weight room. The organizers would also love to move equipment to other parts of campus, making working out more accessible.

They have received funding to revamp the gym located in the Village which will allow community members to complete full body workouts at times when the Gosman Sports and Convocation Center is closed. 

“We are hoping to get details finalized and switch out all weight room equipment by the end of the fall 2023 semester. If not, by the end of the spring 2024 semester” Kim said.

The organizers of this project are hoping to receive the funds they require for this renovation from the Community Emergency and Enhancement Fund. The petition has been put into place so that if the organizers do not receive enough funding, they will be able to request further funding from the University with the support of the community.

“The Student Union is also getting involved. Right now, there are discussions with the director of Athletics and the future Student Union President, Noah Risley ’24, so that they can see if they can potentially start a fundraiser during the 75th anniversary of the University,” Kim said.

The team is determined to find the funding that they need to create a safe weight room for all who wish to use it.