WSU employees can become YMCA members for reduced rate
A focus group will be held Thursday for students to offer their input on what should be included in the YMCA and wellness facility set to be built on Innovation Campus within the next few years.
Effective Nov. 1, Wichita State employees can join the Young Men’s Christian Association, or YMCA, for a reduced rate, funded in part by tuition and state funds.
Employees who opt to join the YMCA will pay either $16.87 a month for an adult membership or $29.07 for a family membership. Standard monthly rates are $37.70 for an adult membership and $49.90 for a family membership.
The university will be billed $12.50 per employee per month. “The fund source is from benefits and follows the salary funding source as all other benefits,” Vice President for Finance and Administration Werner Golling wrote in an email. University employee benefits are paid, at least in part, by tuition and state funds.
An agreement between Wichita State and the YMCA originally stated the reduced rate would be available starting Oct. 1, but a Shocker Blast email amended the date to Nov. 1.
Students saw a fee increase this school year, due in part to a three-tiered “Health and Wellness Fee” to fund bringing a YMCA and updated wellness center to Innovation Campus.
An undergraduate taking 15 credit hours a semester will pay $190 for the health and wellness fee.
August, Vice President for Student Affairs Teri Hall said the YMCA and wellness center will likely be up and running by fall 2019, but no official agreement between Wichita State and the YMCA exists regarding an on-campus facility, even though the Kansas Board of Regents approved the fee increase in June.
Matthew Kelly is a former editor-in-chief and managing editor for The Sunflower. Kelly graduated in 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in political science...
Fake Pres. Bardo • Oct 4, 2017 at 11:38 pm
Im finally going to get that six pack!
As always,
Fake Pres. Bardo
Sweet Deal • Sep 29, 2017 at 7:51 am
And after the YMCA uses the $10M they were paid by WSU students to cover the cost of construction (with the Board of Trustees paying $5M) they will receive $245M over the next 49 years according to past information in the Sunflower. Super sweet deal.
Sedgwick County taxpayers have already subsidized Innovation Campus with millions of dollars through the $70M bond approved by the County Commissioners back in September 2014 that comes from the Mill Levy. Now it seems WSU needs taxpayers from the entire state of Kansas to chip into the kitty to subsidize even more with this part going to the YMCA of Wichita. Another super sweet deal.
Reminds me of the ending of the book Animal Farm. Still looking for the transparency call from Regent Murfin.
And...... • Sep 28, 2017 at 10:17 pm
Students will pay $10M from fees to the YMCA before a facility even exists. Seems like the $10M construction contribution from the YMCA is actually coming from student fees. Pretty slick way to bypass a student referendum for construction of a facility for recreation and wellness. Pretty Innovative!!!
Soooo • Sep 28, 2017 at 10:12 pm
Now the Wichita YMCA is subsidized by state funds as well as student fees? $255M of student fees isn’t enough? Is there a connection between the YMCA Board of Directors and WSU? Is the YMCA a non-profit entity?