Wellness Center may close occasionally on hot days Statement Regarding Wellness Center Closings Due to Heat During Summer Months Patron and employee safety is our number one concern at the Wellness Center. We do our best to provide a safe environment for exercise for the entire campus community. However, once we can no longer do so because of high temperatures in our facility, it is our responsibility to protect the safety of our patrons and employees by closing the facility. Quite simply, the Hyslop Sports Center, in which our interim center is now housed, was not designed with full-year use in mind and the air handling systems are not ideal for meeting the challenges that a fitness center brings. Due to the temporary nature of the interim center and the high cost of installation, air conditioning is not an option in the current facility. Our current policy is to begin closing procedures when the facility temperature reaches 88 degrees. Our numbers are based on a Human Factors Handbook, which is cited in facility standards from the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). The ACSM is one of, if not the, most highly regarded organizations in the fitness industry. Basically, we do not want anyone in the facility once the temperature reaches 90 degrees so we begin closing procedures at 88 degrees. Regular temperature readings are taken not only by our guest service personnel, but confirmed by calling the 24-hour desk at Facilities. As the temperature reaches an unsafe level, a professional member of the Wellness Center staff is contacted and he or she makes the decision to close the facility. We always work closely with UND Facilities to help monitor and deal with the situation. We appreciate your patience and understanding in this matter through these next couple of months. -- Wellness Center.