OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT

December 18, 2008

Kathy Robinson
President
Faculty Association
University of North Florida

Dear President Robinson;

Allow me to provide an answer to the various questions asked concerning the reassignment of the locker room in the arena.  This locker room, which is presently used by male faculty and staff, will be reassigned to the women’s softball team. We are taking this action in response to a recommendation that UNF received during its most recent NCAA certification visit.

During this visit, the NCAA onsite review team noted that the women’s swim team was forced to share a locker room with the general public using UNF’s Aquatic Center, causing some awkward moments.  The onsite team told the university that we had to come up with a plan to solve this problem.  After examining different possibilities, it became apparent that we needed to raise money to build additional locker room space for women’s athletics. Until we are able to accomplish that goal, the only way we could solve the problem was to relocate the softball team, which currently has its locker room in the Aquatic Center to the arena, thereby giving the women’s swim team their own locker room in the Aquatic Center.  This, of course, meant moving male faculty and staff into the general locker room in the arena.

With regard to questions about the size and season of the softball team: The team currently has 16 members, but could have as many as 25. Practice extends from August through May.

As the questioner rightfully points out, we should have taken additional and earlier steps to inform the entire university of these necessary changes. 

Respectfully,
Tom Serwatka