While Brandeis is praised for its strong academic programming, students need more than just amazing professors to live successful and well rounded lives. One important aspect of a healthy lifestyle is physical fitness, something that college students often struggle to balance with academic pressures. This board would like to acknowledge some challenges faced by students who are not varsity athletes who try to maintain healthy lifestyles through the utilization of athletic spaces for both personal and club activities. 

We would first like to address the state of the non-varsity weight room. On the way to this publicly available site, students walk past the well equipped and updated varsity weight room. The other weight room, available for all students and community members to use, is filled with broken equipment that creates an unsafe environment for those unfamiliar with it. The room is often crowded, as it is still one of the best places for physical activity on campus. Students are at risk of injury, and we urge the University to complete an update similar to the one seen in the Village Gym, allowing students a safer and more efficient fitness experience. While we are unhappy with the state of the weight room, we would like to acknowledge and support the addition of female-identifying only hours. These hours allow community members to feel more comfortable when entering the space and have diversified the users of the resource.

The board would also like to express concerns regarding the booking process of athletic facilities as a non-varsity organization. Not many spaces are available, and many groups are looking to use them. For example, the dance organizations lost one of two main practice spaces and have had to instead book facilities such as Lindsey MPR4 for rehearsals. This is a shared space with both the ping pong and crew teams, causing scheduling conflicts, as only one activity can use the space at one time. The dance space is limited due to the room housing both ping pong tables and stationary rowing machines. We urge the administration to reevaluate policies on the booking of places such as Spingold Theater dance studios, which are currently not available for club use. This would allow  these organizations to be able to have more meeting times and, in turn, increase physical activity on campus. 

There have also been issues, particularly in the winter season, regarding booking practices indoors. While varsity athletes are not able to practice outside, neither are club sports such as frisbee and quadball. Although they are not varsity, these teams spend this season practicing to prepare for their matches against other schools. This board understands that the administration appreciates when teams do well and often use it as an element of promotional material for the University. We encourage them to work on supporting all organizations, giving everyone an equal chance to thrive. 

Even when the outdoor fields become available, they are often not safe for students. The club field, utilized by many teams, is not level, which often results in the pooling of water and large amounts of mud that are not safe for those participating in physical activities. The lights on the club fields are also not sufficient, as they are not easy to utilize and are not always functional. As many club sports practice following the conclusion of the day's classes, a well-lit field is required for the safety of all involved.

We call on the University to acknowledge the importance of health, and encourage students to get involved in the diverse athletic opportunities that the community has created. We request that all teams, no matter the level, have practice spaces that are safe for them and that the equipment that they use is of the same quality as those who have access to facilities such as the varsity weight room. Being physically fit is something that should be encouraged, and that is not possible with the current conditions of University facilities.

Editor’s Note: Justice Senior Editor Isabel Roseth ’25 is a member of the Brandeis Quadball team and did not contribute to this article.

Editor’s Note: Justice Editor Elizabeth Lui ’25 is a member of the Brandeis Lacrosse Club executive board and Adagio Dance Company’s executive board and did not contribute to this article. 

Editor’s Note: Justice Editor Jonas Kaplin is a member of Brandeis Tron and did not contribute to this article. 

Editor’s Note: Justice Editor in Chief Anna Martin ’26 is a member of Adagio Dance Company and on the executive board of Brandeis Ballet Club and did not contribute to this article.

Editor’s Note: Justice Managing Editor Eliza Bier ’26 is a member of Adagio Dance Company and on the executive board of Brandeis Ballet Club and did not contribute to this article.