The 麻豆原创 Recreation and Wellness Center, RWC @ Downtown and RWC Lap Pool will open again with extended hours. The RWC is also reopening the Climbing Tower and RWC @ Knights Plaza. The RWC will continue to offer in-person outdoor programming that optimizes student safety (intramural sports, Outdoor Adventure trips, on-campus adventures, and outdoor group exercise classes).

The 麻豆原创 Recreation and Wellness Center and RWC @ Downtown will reopen for students starting Jan. 11 with extended hours. The RWC is also reopening the Climbing Tower and RWC @ Knights Plaza. The RWC will continue to offer in-person outdoor programming that optimizes student safety (Intramural Sports, Outdoor Adventure Trips and On Campus Adventures, and outdoor Group Exercise Classes).The RWC will continue to offer programming through its RWC+ virtual platform, as well.

Each facility will have limited hours for students and paying members to work out and will feature new safety and check-in procedures to help comply with COVID-19 guidelines at 麻豆原创. Paying members at the RWC can opt back into their memberships starting Jan. 4.

Scott Mauro 鈥�94 鈥�19MA, marketing and communications manager at the RWC, says the staff has attended trainings to properly and safely welcome back students.

鈥淓very system we have in place is meant to promote the health and well-being of our students, staff, and members,” Mauro says. “It鈥檚 important to our team to give our users that peace of mind.鈥�

鈥淲e鈥檝e been looking at best practices in the campus recreation field as well as adhering to university guidelines to keep everyone safe.鈥�

Mauro also stresses that the 麻豆原创 RWC does not fall into the same category as for-profit gyms open to the public.

鈥淲e adhere to the best practices in the campus recreation field as well as university guidelines to help promote everyone’s safety,鈥� he says.

Here are some details of their current operational practices.

Which facilities are currently open?

Outdoor Venues

• William E. and Mary Jo Davis Recreation Area at Lake Claire
• RWC Park
• Tennis courts
• Outdoor Adventure Center
• Outdoor basketball courts

Fitness classes will be offered in person at Lake Claire, RWC Park and Garage B, as well as virtually through RWC+. .

These facilities have modified hours to accommodate cleanings, inclement weather and adjusted policies regarding equipment rentals, group gatherings, reservations, etc. Weather alerts will also be available on the RWC website to help students with planning.

Indoor Venues

• RWC (including the Lap Pool and Climbing Tower)
• RWC @ Downtown
• RWC @ Knights Plaza

The RWC will have a maximum capacity of 125 users and will require reservations in advance for time slots throughout the day. The RWC @ Downtown and RWC @ Knights Plaza facilities will have a maximum capacity of 15 users at any given time, with real-time capacity listed on the RWC website.

What are the hours of operation?

You can find the most up-to-date hours of operation for all facilities on the RWC’s openings, reservations and safety measures webpage.

More than 30 pieces of cardio equipment have been moved to one of the basketball courts to open more space on the main floor and help adhere to physical-distancing guidelines.

Only currently enrolled 麻豆原创 students and individuals with a current RWC membership may access the facilities.

Watercraft rentals at Lake Claire are available and will be cleaned after use. However, other equipment rentals for sports such as tennis or badminton will not be offered. Students must bring their own equipment.

The RWC is has transitioned to contact-free entry and has installed barcode readers at check-in stations. Each student will be assigned a barcode, which is available through the RWC to Go mobile app. To download on your mobile device, search 麻豆原创 Recreation and Wellness Center in IOS and Android app stores.

All students will be required to sign a liability and risk assumption waiver, which can be accessed through the RWC website and mobile app. The waiver is valid for one year. Students will not gain entry to facilities without signing the waiver.

In order to provide the safest environment, the RWC is committed to extensive cleaning and disinfectant practices following university, CDC guidelines and industry-best standards. The RWC will use EPA-registered disinfectants proven to eliminate COVID-19 on surfaces.

Sanitizing stations will be provided at all indoor and outside facilities during operating hours as well as increasing frequency of custodial rounds to address high-touch points.

Extra disinfectant wipes for gym equipment will be available.

In accordance with university and CDC guidelines, the RWC will require face coverings in all inside spaces at all times.

In a situation such as outdoor singles tennis, students will not be required to wear a face covering.

When the RWC closed its physical spaces in March 2020, it created RWC+, an online extension of the RWC that includes a variety of programs to reduce stress by staying active. From virtual group fitness classes to esports leagues, RWC+ allows Knights to continue to connect with the 麻豆原创 community from anywhere.

RWC+ is also planning to create more programs that encourage students to get outdoors whether it is fitness classes or special programs like virtual 5k training.

鈥淚 believe some form of RWC+ will be offered to students from here on out.鈥�

Mauro says he expects RWC+ to continue, even as the department resumes more of its in-person services.

鈥淚 believe some form of RWC+ will be offered to students from here on out,鈥� Mauro says.

RWC+, esports, online games and sports trivia are offered at this time.

In the fall, esports will continue to be offered, and small-group, in-person sports that allow physical distancing will be permitted, including singles badminton, cornhole, golf, tennis, etc. Team sports where physical distancing cannot be maintained will not be offered.

Where to Find Up-to-Date Information

• RWC app
• RWC鈥檚 Safety page
• @麻豆原创RWC on Twitter and Instagram

For the latest information about returning to campus, visit 麻豆原创鈥檚 coronavirus and Returning to 麻豆原创 websites. Students, faculty, staff and visitors will be required to complete the COVID Self-Checker 鈥� available via the or online 鈥� each day before arriving to campus.

Whether you’re looking for a quiet spot to check social media for a moment or want to spend an afternoon getting some fresh air, here are nine great spots to take a study break on campus.

1. Memory Mall

2. Burnett Honors College Koi Pond

3. Cyclorama Sculptures

4. Lake Claire

5. CFE Arena Courtyard

6. Student Union Game Room

7. Health and Public Affairs Courtyard

8. Leisure Pool

9. 听Education Complex Courtyard

President John C. Hitt led the dedication, saying 鈥淸To] the entire Davis family, you have our deepest gratitude for all that you have done 鈥� and continue to do 鈥� to advance the great university that your family helped establish.鈥�

听The Davis family has continued to support 麻豆原创 over the decades, most recently establishing scholarships in the College of Business Administration and the College of Medicine. Their contribution to the Recreation and Wellness program within the Office of Student Development and Enrollment Services is the first endowment to support that program. Because it is an endowed fund, it will provide support to the program for Knights of today and tomorrow.

听

Delta Delta Delta and Sigma Chi organized a dinner and kickball tournament philanthropy to be held Tuesday, April 12.

The sorority will host dinner at the Tri Delta house starting at 4 p.m. Participants and spectators will migrate over to Lake Claire, where 16 teams will compete to be kickball champs.

Team spots to play in the kickball tournament already have been filled, but spectator tickets, which include dinner at Tri Delta, can be purchased at the door and will cost $10.

Organizers say the fundraiser is a way of bringing community service, an important tenet of Greek life, back to 麻豆原创 by supporting a campus project. Each year, 麻豆原创鈥檚 Greek organizations contribute more than 50,000 hours of service to local philanthropies and community organizations.

鈥淏y bringing the 麻豆原创 community together to raise money for the K-9 unit, it will not only benefit 麻豆原创 but strengthen the relationship between 麻豆原创PD and the Greek community,鈥� said Karis Lockhart, a sophomore public administration major who is organizing the fundraiser.

鈥溌槎乖碢D does so much for the Greek community to ensure our members stay safe, and this is just one way for us to say 鈥榯hank you鈥� on behalf of not only Tri Delta, but Greek life as a whole,鈥� Lockhart said.

Money raised from the event will support the future purchase of a police dog, as well as the cost of training, buying equipment for the animal and its handler, and purchasing a specially designed car.

The average untrained police dog can cost nearly $10,000, and officers and dogs must train together for nearly 500 hours before earning certification.

The 麻豆原创 Police Department includes four K-9s and their trainers. Two of the dogs sniff for drugs and paraphernalia, and the other two are trained in detecting explosives.

The dogs are used for traffic stops and area checks before large campus events. 麻豆原创PD鈥檚 K-9 unit also supports other local agencies, helping to train their K-9 teams or serving as back-up for agencies who don鈥檛 have K-9s or whose dogs are unavailable.

Max, 麻豆原创PD鈥檚 8-year-old narcotics detection dog, is in good health, but the average police dog retires between ages 8 and 10. Funds raised next week are expected to support the purchase of his replacement.

I have spent most of my life outdoors. I identify with nature; it is my home. But too many miss the opportunity to understand the value and relationship we have, or could have, with nature.听

When I started at 麻豆原创 more than 10 years ago as a graduate student, I was drawn to the 520 acres of natural lands on our 1,415-acre campus. We have such unique grounds that not only serve as home to migrating students, but host federal- and state-protected plants and animals, and a mosaic of Florida habitats. Since 2000, we have expanded the opportunities by creating more than five miles of hiking trails, managing the green space through a prescribed-burn program, and creating opportunities for the 麻豆原创 community to get involved.

Some know of this hidden treasure on campus, but many do not. I鈥檇 like to share the significance of these natural features with you 鈥� but more importantly, convince you to connect to the great outdoors, wherever you may be.

The natural lands managed on campus comprise more than 320 acres of upland and wetland habitats preserved in perpetual conservation easements to the St. Johns River Water Management District. More than 200 additional acres of natural areas on campus have verbal commitments for preservation, and are currently being preserved and managed, such as the Arboretum and smaller isolated wetland areas.

In addition, the campus contains an extensive network of storm water ponds. These areas, in combination with the large area occupied by wetlands on the east side of campus, constitute a significant percentage of the 麻豆原创 campus (approximately 50 percent of the campus acreage).

Similarly, 麻豆原创鈥檚 urban areas host unique plants and habitats, including approximately 7,000 trees, which shade about 60 percent of the campus. In 2013, 麻豆原创 students completed an evaluation of 麻豆原创鈥檚 tree campus. They estimated that carbon emissions sequestered, or removed, by the canopy were approximately 5,000 tons, which is equivalent to the emissions of about 555,000 gallons of gasoline, or nearly 1,000 听passenger cars annually. The total amount of pollutants reduced by the urban forest was estimated at 36,000 pounds per year. Primary pollutants removed from the canopy are ozone and particulate matter, which contribute to respiratory illness.

This success story is also noted nationally. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently finished the first assessment on the impact trees have in removing pollutants. The study found that trees within the continental United States successfully removed more than 17 tons of air pollution in 2010, resulting in a $6.8 billion savings in human health costs.听

While these statistics are meaningful, they still do not present a case for connection to the natural world. My opinion is that most of us understand the importance of nature, but still do not see how we fit into the fabric of the natural world.听听

Beyond the bugs, snakes and heat, which I understand can be limiting factors in experiencing the outdoors, there are new experiences when we connect to something bigger than ourselves. As a child growing up in rural Louisiana just outside of New Orleans, my memories are of adventures in the nearby woods. We created rope swings over small creeks and built forts up in the trees for a nearby escape. I would have never known that those experiences as a child would connect me to my present career. However, the times have changed.

In 2005, Richard Louv wrote the book, 鈥淟ast Child in the Woods,鈥� which highlighted nature-deficit disorder, or the mental disorder that occurs in those who spend less time outdoors, especially in children. Although controversial, his findings are similar to the biophilia hypothesis presented by ecologist Edward O. Wilson, who suggested that humans have an instinct to connect to other forms of life, or nature.

With all the known benefits of our connection with nature, why do we stay inside!? I am sure you can think of at least five excuses immediately, but I invite you to find your roots and go outside.

Just take a short hike around campus, through the Arboretum or around Lake Claire. It will ease your mind, reduce stress, and connect you to the beauty of nature.听

One of my favorite quotes from Jeff Johnson, host of the exploratory documentary 鈥�180藲 South,鈥� is: 鈥淭he best journeys answer questions that in the beginning you didn鈥檛 even think to ask.鈥�

I invite you to take a journey across campus — or wherever you are — to notice the lovely beauty of nature that surrounds you, and take the opportunity to learn something you didn鈥檛 even know existed.

My hope is that this experience will connect you to our true home, the outside.

Alaina Bernard is 麻豆原创鈥檚 assistant director of Landscape & Natural Resources. She can be reached at alaina.bernard@ucf.edu.

Trustees approved spending about $35.6 million of Capital Improvement Trust Fund fees on the two projects, which were recommended by a committee that includes students. The per-credit-hour fee funds student-related projects on campus.

Before any construction can begin, the state Board of Governors, which oversees all Florida public universities, must authorize spending the fee on the two projects. The state Legislature also must vote to release the money to 麻豆原创 next year.

The library expansion would accommodate a four-story Automated Retrieval Center that would hold up to 1.5 million volumes, freeing up much of the main library to add individual and group study spaces.

The new addition also would enable 麻豆原创 to keep a portion of the library open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The 24-hour space is something many students want to see at the library, said Cortez Whatley, president of the Student Government Association

The most frequently used materials would remain in the main library, while materials that are rarely used would be moved to the expansion. An automated retrieval system would fetch those materials when needed, and the system would save the university money as well as space.

The Lake Claire enhancements would include a student services building with space for boats and other outdoor equipment. Usage of the recreational area has nearly tripled during the past three years as a result of prior improvements such as sand volleyball courts.

In other action, the Board of Trustees:

Recognized several faculty members who earned at least $1 million in external research funding during the past year. A total of 35 faculty members achieved Millionaires Club status in 2011-12.

Heard an update on a 麻豆原创 initiative that involves the collection and interpretation of data examining topics such as which students are at risk for dropping out of a course or not completing a program. That data then would be used to help identify barriers to student success and to help students overcome those barriers. The goals of the initiative include increasing student retention and graduation rates.

Learned that 麻豆原创 will host the 2014 Science Olympiad National Tournament, which will be the 30th anniversary of the competition. The invitation was a result of 麻豆原创鈥檚 success with hosting the Science Olympiad earlier this year. The tournament includes about 2,500 of the nation鈥檚 best science, technology, engineering and math students.

Congratulated the 麻豆原创 women鈥檚 soccer team on winning the Conference USA tournament and earning an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. The Knights defeated Miami on Saturday in the first round and will play at Florida on Friday in the second round.

Lauded Eric Van Stryland, professor of optics in CREOL, The College of Optics and Photonics, for earning the R.W. Wood Prize of the Optical Society of America for his work that revolutionized the measurement of nonlinear properties of materials.

Congratulated Eduardo Salas, of Psychology and the Institute for Simulation听& Training, for winning the Michael R. Losey Award presented by the Society for Human Research Management.

Met briefly with newly elected State Rep. Joe Saunders, a 2005 麻豆原创 graduate whose district will include the university. Saunders earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree in Political Science with minors in Women鈥檚 Studies and Legal Studies.

听The RWC apologizes in advance for the inconvenience but this closure is needed to enhance the Lake Claire Recreation Area. Once renovations are completed the area will feature additional pavilions, new sand volleyball courts, updated infrastructure and a more park like feel. For more information, call 407.823.2408 or visit .

RWC is in the Division听of Student Development and Enrollment Services.

Additional pavilions, sand volleyball courts and updated infrastructure will be added to the outdoor adventure space. The renovations will result in a more park-like feel.

Visit or call 407-823-2408 to learn more.

The Late Knights program has been a great success and continues to attract a large number of students to each event. About 1,000 students came out to the Lake Claire recreation area for this 90鈥檚 themed affair. Activities included an inflatable Rock Wall, Human Foosball, Gladiator Jousting, Moonwalk and Segway rides. Novelties such as personalized street signs, spin art shutter shades, airbrush pillowcases, T-shirts, snap bracelets and magnetic photo frames were given out. The midnight buffet was catered by Huey Magoos and other snacks were provided by Subway and Smoothie King. The night was filled with music, dancing, and fun in a safe and alcohol-free environment.

The Late Knights is run by students and overseen by the Office of Student Involvement in the Division of Student Development and Enrollment Services. Mark your calendars for the upcoming Late Knights this fall semester on October 2 and November 6.