by Teny Odaimi
New policies on PE credit and resource management are just two of the many recent changes to Stevens’s club sports. In an interview with students Colin Aitken and Matthew Hunt, updates to club sports policies were discussed as well as changes to the administration. After sending out a survey to all participants of club sports, data and feedback were gathered on their club sports experience, noting recommendations for improvements and categorizing them into five main categories: physical education credit, resource management, space utilization, financial management, and discontent with administration. Under the financial umbrella, eboard elections were changed from the end of the spring to the end of the fall, coinciding with a more efficient budget handling. The point system was taken away entirely and instead, fines were implemented for circumstances such as turning in forms late. The idea behind this new penalty is that it is in fact a financial penalty (ranging from $25-$50) that directly affects those who aren’t keeping up properly. The point system, in turn, hurt the team as a whole and didn’t place the consequences in the hands of those who were responsible. Resource management improvements include the gas expenses that team members had to pay when commuting to games, as their gas spending was not reimbursed. Now, buses are more accessible and available for the club teams, and the payment does not come out of club budget, so there is no need to worry about reimbursement. Many new EMTs have been hired and have made it much more convenient for the sports teams. Last fall there were only about two, and now there are between four and six EMTs and the hiring process is still in motion. In regard to risk management policies, all club sports were split into tiers based off of the amount of possible injury inherent in the sport: Tier 1 requiring EMTs at practices and games, Tier 2 (where there is mild to no contact) requiring EMTs for games, and Tier 3 not requiring EMTs in general. There are new adjustments to coaching requirements and it assists students in having a better idea of who they should be looking for. Furthermore, there is an improvement in advertising the coaching positions. Space reservations have been made easier for the teams now that it can be managed virtually. Weekly field and gym availability schedules are available on the Stevens Athletics website. The most prevalent issue that most people were united behind within these improvements is PE credit. In order to receive PE credit, club sports must have a coach and participate in 80% of events. With this, they receive one credit per semester for a maximum of two credits for gym overall. In regard to administration, they have become more clear about their policies, where they are much more tangible for the student body to see and understand, being much more transparent and accessible with the students. More information about club sports and policies can be found in the club sports handbook, which is released every year, the lines in red indicate changes and updates.
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