by BODERRA JOE
When there’s not much going on after classes during the weekdays on the IAIA campus, students tend to lounge around in their room. One of those students is a studio arts major who finds himself contemplating what he should do when there are no activities taking place on a specific day.
“When there isn’t an activity scheduled, I usually spend my time in my room,” he said. “Or I find a group of people who are up to doing something on or off campus.”
A recent IAIA CHRONICLE survey shows the student isn’t the only one who wants more activities. When asked if IAIA needs more recreational activities, 13 out of 14 respondents answered yes.
Pitching Ideas for the Rec Center
One place that students go whenever they want to workout, hangout or play pool is the rec center. The center is equipped with machines for working out in one room. The other room is equipped with two pool tables, couches where students can lounge and watch TV. But survey respondents say there are not enough pool tables to meet the demand.
Students were asked what the rec center needed to invest in. They suggested a ping-pong table, more pool tables, and a foosball table.
Other suggestions include a thunderdome, a snack stand, more bikes to rent, better or new dartboards, pinball machine, videogame machine, karaoke machine, soda machine, and more study areas.
Planning Activities
Student activities are planned by the student activities department. Nocona Burgess, student activities coordinator and Ben Calabaza, recreation assistant, research various events on and off campus for the students. Once their research is complete, they determine which activities will fit within their monthly budget.
The month’s activities that they schedule are suggested by first-year students in a survey conducted during orientation week. Other suggestions come from upperclassmen.
“All we ask is that students do the research and tell us if any cost is associated with the activity.”
Since the activities department has a monthly budget, they cover transportation and food but make sure the money won’t be used up in one trip.
The activities that students have suggested for the past years mostly involve off-campus events in or around the area of Santa Fe.
Students’ Suggestions
The survey respondents had a variety of ideas for on-campus activities. One student suggested having a themed dance every month, for example, a luau or 50s night or other theme dances.
Another student suggested holding video game tournaments and encouraging more games like Magic, Yu-Gi-Oh, Pokémon, and even board games. The student also suggested having more movie nights with different movies shown on a specific day, and a study night.
One student said that acting on student suggestions will not only benefit the students’ interest, but also would be a great way to make friends and build community relations.
Take Charge, Students
A few students do go biking, walking, skateboarding, practicing craft as an artist, including photography, and rock climbing on their own time but the student activities department doesn’t have any of those scheduled as a group activity.
After classes end on the weekday, 76 percent of respondents said they would like a specific activity to take place once or twice every week. For example, stickball, Mondays and Fridays at 6 p.m., volleyball, Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6:30 p.m.
“The activities department is a resource for students,” Calabaza said. “If you are needing help with planning an event, come see us and we can facilitate the process.”
He added, “I would like to see more student programming, meaning students taking initiative to plan events they like and want.”
(Featured Photo: Inside the rec center. Photo by Boderra Joe.)
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