ANJALI DALAL-WHELAN / NEWS EDITOR

USD’s new Wellness Center has been slowly sprouting from its foundation this spring, but construction still has a long way to go before the building is open to students.  Construction began on the Wellness Center in March 2023; the building was originally planned to be opened in August 2024.  However, due to construction delays, it may not be in full use until next winter. 

USD’s Associate Director of Media Relations Cameran Zech shared    information about the delay on   behalf        of    the     University. 

“We  have  experienced a range of challenges, including delays   in the City issuing building permits, unusually high rainfall both last year and this year (resulting in weather delays), significant cost escalation in the commercial   construction industry  (resulting in adjustments to the project design) and logistics and supply chain issues.” 

Zech explained that it is difficult  to know exactly  when the  building   will     be      open to  students. 

“Right now, the project completion is currently tracking late fall semester 2024, which could be as early as October or as late  as December,” Zech said. “And   even when    the   construction is ‘complete,’ there are still important building systems having to be commissioned and balanced, the City issuing the Certificate of Occupancy, etc.  For all of these reasons, it’s difficult for us to pinpoint   an exact date when there is still so much work to be done, and  still so many variables to navigate,   between now and then.”

In   March  2023,    construction began on the USD Wellness Center and Basketball Practice Center, with   a   variety of features including fitness areas, exercise  class rooms and a teaching kitchen; USD’s website shares a projected walk-through, detailing the new building in a 3-D model. The three-story 80,000 square foot facility will  also include NCAA practice facilities for student-athletes. 

However, the new building comes  at   a   price.  Senior  Director of Media Operations Lissette Martinez   explained  on the behalf   of  USD that a new student  fee will be added, to pay off   the cost  of the Wellness Center.  

“The University issued new debt to construct the Wellness Center; in conjunction with the debt commitment, a mandatory student fee of $150 per semester was established to support the annual principal and interest payments specifically associated with the construction of the Wellness Center,”  Martinez said. 

Zech clarified that the fee is anticipated   to   commence   the   first   full   semester that the building is open, meaning it will likely    begin     next   spring semester. The  fee will exist perpetually  to  cover all operational expenses for the facility. It  will be added on  top of the $170 per semester student wellness  fee that students already pay.   Starting  next spring, students will pay a total of $320 per semester in wellness-related costs. 

Some USD students are excited about the new facility. 

USD sophomore Camille Van Bruaene explained that she is looking forward to using the new Wellness Center. 

“[At the current gyms] there are  definitely  a  lot  of people who are there, and sometimes it can be really   really busy, so you just have to go at  odd  hours,” Van Bruaene said. “I am hoping that the  new Wellness Center has more machines that are available.” 

However, many students, including Van Bruaene were unaware of the fee associated with the building. 

 “What… no, I did not know [about the fee]. $150 for a whole semester honestly isn’t that bad, but imagine other people who don’t want to use it. I feel bad for them… I didn’t know. It’s interesting; they should publicize that,”  Van Bruaene   said.  

USD sophomore Makenna Tarsitano is the Director of Communications for USD’s Pilates Club. She hopes that the Wellness Center will provide more areas for athletic clubs.

“For   Pilates  Club, it definitely is    a   struggle  for space [currently]. Just    in  general the studio is   pretty  small, we can pack 30 people in   there max… I  know   they   do  offer bigger rooms, but not that   much bigger.  In terms of time slots, even today, there   were some people that came in  midway through and wanted to use the space  for   dance rehearsal, and we   were like, ‘no we actually have the  space reserved.’”

Tarsitano also did not know about the fee associated with the new Wellness Center. 

“I had no idea there was a student fee… for probably half, or the majority of students, it might be worth it, but it does seem like a lot, just because we already   have the student wellness fee,” Tarsitano said.   “And on top   of   that, [rec] classes  cost  usually around $90, so that does seem a little much. Not every student is going to use it  I think it is  especially   catered to basketball, so if you don’t play basketball… that’s a lot  of money.   I’m  assuming most  people  weren’t aware of it.”  

First-year David Simon is on USD’s   basketball         team and shared his opinion on the new building. 

“This  new   practice   facility    is   a  great   resource  to   help      improve our   athletic ability,   it shows the school  is invested in building our athletics programs as we gradually improve,” Simon said.

However, Simon was also surprised to hear about the additional cost. 

“I   wasn’t aware of     the financial  impact on  the students at USD.   I  hope this wellness center will ensure its commitment to help students in many aspects and be beneficial to their health mentally and physically,”  he shared.

Wellness fees are not uncommon for private universities. Pepperdine University charges a wellness fee of $500 a year, while Loyola Marymount University  charges a $215 fee for their student recreation facilities.  

While  it is still uncertain exactly when the new Wellness Center will open, students look forward to utilizing the new facilities next academic year, despite the cost of an additional student fee. 

A construction worker looks on as the skeleton of the Wellness Center starts to emerge from the ground up. Emma-Kate Squires/The USD Vista