Steve Clark YMCA and Student Wellness Center Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is open at the Steve Clark YMCA building?
Q: How do WSU students become members?
Q: How long does my membership last?
Q: I am a WSU student and already have a YMCA membership; do I need to cancel it?
Q: Do faculty, staff or Innovation Campus partners get a discount?
Q: Can members of the general community become a member of the Y?
Q: I'm a YMCA member at a different YMCA; what do I do?
Q: Can I use this YMCA membership at the Y in my hometown?
Q: Can I upgrade to a family membership?
Q: Since there is no pool at this YMCA, can I use the pool at the nearby Heskett Center?
Q: How do I get to the YMCA, and where can I park?
Q: What is open in the YMCA building?
Q: What are the hours?
Q: What kind of classes and equipment are there?
Q: What is the Student Wellness Center, and can the community use it?
Q: Can I rent space at the YMCA?
Q: How was this project funded, including student fee allocation?
Q: Why couldn't WSU finance and build its own new fitness facility?
Q: What will happen to Campus Recreation jobs?
Q: How will WSU continue to use the existing Heskett Center?
Q: What role will WSU Wellness, including Campus Recreation, have in implementing
the new facility?
Q: Who will operate and maintain the Wellness Center / YMCA facilities?
Q: Why did the YMCA decide to partner with WSU?
Learn more about the Steve Clark YMCA
Do you have a question that you don't see listed here? Let us know.
Q: What is open at the Steve Clark YMCA building?
The YMCA and Student Wellness Center -- which houses Student Health Services and Counseling and Prevention Services -- are open. The YMCA Kid Zone and Kid Zone Plus (exclusively for children of WSU students) will open Jan. 21. The Wesley Urgent Care Center will open some time in 2020.
Q: How do WSU students become members?
All fee-paying WSU students are automatically members of the Steve Clark YMCA and all other eight Wichita-area YMCA locations. They simply need to go to the front desk of the Steve Clark YMCA with their WSU ID to get started. The student activity fee assessed by WSU covers all aspects associated with student life, including but not limited to access to Student Health Services, Campus Recreation, student activities, athletic events, Counseling and Prevention Services, Fine Arts events, Child Development Center reduced rates for students, the Sunflower, Student Government Association and access to the YMCA and its Kid Zone and Kid Zone Plus (only for children of WSU students). See a full list of benefits for YMCA members.
Q: How long does my membership last?
Memberships are for six months at a time: Fee-paying Wichita State students enrolled in the fall semester have an active membership from August to February. Fee-paying students enrolled for the spring have a membership from January to August. If you pay your fees after Aug. 1 or Jan. 1, please allow three (3) business days following payment for your YMCA membership to be initiated.
Q: I am a WSU student and already have a YMCA membership; do I need to cancel it?
You should receive details and instructions via email from the YMCA regarding your current membership. If you did not receive instructions, please email wsu@ymcawichita.org.
Q: Do faculty, staff or Innovation Campus partners get a discount?
To receive a discount, the employee must be benefits eligible. This encompasses most faculty and staff at WSU, the WSU Foundation, WSU Intercollegiate Athletic Association, Rhatigan Student Center and the Alumni Association, but does not at this time include those in adjunct or emeritus status. Details about your discount can be discussed when obtaining your membership at the front desk of the YMCA. Innovation partners may be eligible if their employer has a corporate account with the YMCA. Those employees are encouraged to talk with their employer regarding their membership at the Steve Clark YMCA.
Q: Can members of the general community become members of the Steve Clark YMCA?
Absolutely. They just need to come to the front desk to get their membership started.
Q: I'm a YMCA member at a different YMCA; what do I do?
That’s awesome! Each YMCA is locally owned and operated, so your next step may vary by location.
Send information about your current membership to wsu@ymcawichita.org. Include your name, your YMCA location, and the type of membership you have (i.e. single adult, family, other).
Q: Can I use this YMCA membership at the Y in my hometown?
Each YMCA is locally owned and operated, so member privileges may vary by location. Visit www.ymca.net and find the location in your hometown. If they participate in the YMCA Nationwide Membership program, you should have access with your YMCA Student Membership. You will be asked to sign a Nationwide Membership waiver on your first visit to a YMCA outside of the Greater Wichita YMCA area. Please note that some limitations may apply. Ask your hometown YMCA for complete details on the Nationwide Membership participation.
Q: Can I upgrade to a family membership?
Yes! A special discounted rate is available for WSU students to upgrade to a family membership with a second adult and/or children. Consult the Steve Clark YMCA Student Membership website for pricing, or visit any Y location to change your account for this upgrade.
Bring a canceled check or other means of verifying your checking account to set up a monthly bankdraft for the fee.
Q: Since there is no pool at this YMCA, can I use the pool at the nearby Heskett Center?
Yes. Coming soon, there will be an option for YMCA members who want to utilize the Heskett Center to get a card from the front desk that they'll use at the front desk of the Heskett Center.
Q: How do I get to the YMCA, and where can I park?
There are multiple ways to get to the Steve Clark YMCA. The most direct method is to enter Mike Oatman Drive from 21st Street and follow it directly to the YMCA at the southeast corner of the intersection of Mike Oatman and Mid-Campus Drive. Any student, faculty, staff or community member who is actively using the YMCA facility, utilizing the child watch, Student Health and Wellness Center or the Wesley Urgent Care, will be able to park in the YMCA lot for up to two hours at a time.
Q: What are the hours?
Consult the Steve Clark YMCA website for facility hours and schedules
Q: What kind of classes and equipment are there?
There are a variety of cardio and weight equipment options on the second floor of the building. Classes on the first floor include everything from bootcamp and yoga to Zumba fitness and Turbokick.
Q: What is the Student Wellness Center, and can the community use it?
The Student Wellness Center encompasses Student Health Services and Counseling and Prevention Services, which had previously been in separate locations, making it more challenging for students to seek comprehensive physical and mental health services. The Student Wellness Center is only for WSU students.
Q: How was this project funded, including student fee allocation?
YMCA contribution
YMCA will take on the risk and responsibilities for design, construction, maintenance
and operations of the facility. The YMCA's contribution will cover two-thirds of the
cost.
Capital costs
Capital costs for the building will be shared by YMCA and WSU Board of Trustees.
These funds are not available for upgrading the Heskett Center, and can only be used
for development on the Innovation Campus. The WSU Board of Trustees contribution will
cover one-third of the cost.
Student fees
Based on feedback from students regarding construction of a Health and Wellness facility
through a partnership with the Greater Wichita YMCA, the university proposed and the
Kansas Board of Regents approved a change in the existing fee structure. The new fee,
effective in fall 2017, replaces the existing per credit hour fee for Intercollegiate
Athletics and Student Services with a tiered flat fee system, while adding the new
Health and Wellness component.
With a three-tiered, flat fee structure, rates are assessed based on the type of
student (undergraduate/graduate), number of enrolled credit hours and in which semester
classes are taken. For example, an undergraduate student taking 15 credit hours will
pay $18.55 more a semester for a package of services including Health and Wellness.
Non-bonded facility
The proposed facility is a non-bonded partnership building. The YMCA would design,
build and maintain, under WSU oversight. The university would carry no debt obligation.
Q: Can I rent space at the YMCA?
There is a multi-purpose room that seats 30-40 people. To inquire about renting, call the YMCA at 316-776-8370 or email steveclarky@ymcawichita.org.
Q: Why couldn't WSU finance and build its own new fitness facility?
A new facility would cost approximately $15 million, which would need to be bonded, and the university would have to take on additional debt.
Q: What will happen to Campus Recreation jobs?
Campus Recreation employees will continue in their employment. The shift in programming will add to the learning, work and recreational activities available to students.
The addition of the YMCA on WSU’s Innovation Campus will increase applied learning opportunities and jobs in the health and wellness field. The proposed facility will add approximately 50 student positions to campus.
Full-Time Staff
Full-time staff responsibilities within existing positions may change.
International Student Positions
“International students can work on the Innovation Campus as long as the job provides
direct services to students. Anybody working for the [on campus] YMCA would definitely
be providing direct services to students and, therefore, be eligible as an employment
opportunity for international students.” - Vince Altum, executive director, Office
of International Education
Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTA) Positions
The new facility will be able to employ domestic, international and work study students
(same as the Rhatigan Student Center and Heskett Center).
Work Study Positions
“Work study students will have the opportunity to be employed on the on-campus YMCA
much as they do at the RSC.” - Judy Espinoza, director, Office of Human Resources
Q: How will WSU continue to use the existing Heskett Center?
The facility represents a partnership between WSU, Campus Recreation and the YMCA to provide fitness and wellness services for WSU students. The Heskett Center will continue to house intramurals, sport clubs, aquatics, Esports and rentals to community groups, along with several academic departments. Athletics will continue to use the facility for its indoor track program. In addition, Campus Recreation has recently added an Esports Hub and Boat and Bikes at River Vista.
Q: What role did WSU Wellness, including Campus Recreation, have in implementing the new facility?
Campus Recreation will continue to operate intramurals, sport clubs, aquatics, Esports
and rentals to community groups.
The YMCA facility will further enhance wellness and fitness on campus by providing
unmet needs such as a Kid Zone center and improved strength and fitness facilities.
WSU Wellness operates the comprehensive Student Wellness Center, which includes Student
Health Services and Counseling and Prevention Services.
WSU will form a joint advisory board for this specific WSU YMCA composed of staff
members from Campus Recreation, Student Health, WSU students (Student Government Association
or appointed by SGA) and YMCA staff. This group will coordinate programming between
Campus Recreation, Wellness Services and the YMCA to the mutual benefit of WSU students.
Q: Who operates and maintains the Wellness Center / YMCA facilities?
The YMCA designed, built and will maintain the facility under WSU oversight. The YMCA
operates the fitness and Kid Zone programs.
WSU operates comprehensive student wellness services. The Child Development Center
will continue to operate as is under Student Affairs. Wichita State will continue
to operate and maintain the Heskett Center.
Q: Why did the YMCA decide to partner with WSU?
A WSU-YMCA partnership represents a unique opportunity to provide additional services to WSU students. The YMCA has a proven track record, strong commitment, excellent community ties and deep expertise in providing fitness activities and drop-in child care. In addition to providing added fitness programming, the YMCA facility also houses a new, comprehensive Wellness Center to better serve the academic, physical, mental and emotional health needs of our students.