Survey regarding the use of exercise facilities
We conducted a survey to learn how students feel about the importance of exercise, and what they do to stay fit. 106 male and 94 female students participated. This survey was conducted from August 8th to August 12th of this year.

U exercise facilities
If you want to use YU exercise facilities, you must inquire about available times with the sports support team; then you must fill out an application form, receive a signature from an academic advisor or the Administrative Office, and submit it to the sports support team. The order of priority for facility use is: regular classes, university wide events, athletic practice, competitions, and finally general student use. These facilities are managed by the sports support team located on the first floor of the Victory House.
Yeungnam University conducts several athletic training programs. These programs include tennis, golf, basketball, and baseball. Tennis and golf classes are offered to students in elementary school to university students as well as the general public. There are baseball classes for the general public and university students. The basketball classes are not available for university students. Golf classes meet 3 times a week and cost 120,000 won. The tennis and baseball classes are given 4 times a week and cost 40,000 won. You can enroll all year round.

YU’s athletic facilities
The main field and multi-purpose complex field are located next to Chunma Arts Center. The facility is used for football as well as track and field events. The complex also includes 6 basketball courts, 2 volleyball courts, a handball area, and a hockey facility. The track is open to the general public. If it is not booked for a specific event or purpose, it can be used by anyone for free. University members can use the facilities free of charge while outsiders have to pay 200,000 won for 4 hours or 300,000 won per day. However, there are no lights, so users cannot use the facility at night.
YU has three soccer fields; one is an artificial turf field, another is grass, and there is also a dirt field. The artificial turf field is part of the multi-purpose complex, the grass field is next to One-Stop Service Center and the dirt field is across from the east gate. The grass field can only be used from April to mid-June and from September to November in order to preserve the grass. One of the main problems is that these facilities are scattered around campus and there are no managers present to manage them. For example, the outdoor restrooms have no gender markings, and 1/4 of the women’s restrooms are locked more often than not.
The baseball field is located in front of the College of Music. In the event of rain, the university prohibits the use of the field to protect the grass. Another problem is that there are very few days that students are able to use it for official purposes because the Athletic Association has an agreement to use the baseball field every weekend until 2015. Moreover, if students are unable to gather the minimum number of required participants, they cannot use the facility.
Chunma gym is located in front of the multi-purpose field. The gym contains a fitness center, a dancing room, 2 volleyball courts, 2 basketball courts, 4 badminton courts, handball courts, a locker room and a shower room. Since the gym belongs to the College of Physical Education, only department majors and physical development programs members can make use of the gym. However, the fitness facility is cramped even for the College of Physical Education students.
The small gym, called Lee Hee Kun gym, is located next to the Open Air Theater. The gym can be used for indoor games such as volleyball, basketball, badminton, and handball. In addition, it is equipped with a locker room and shower room. During summer vacation, the 2nd floor was polished to prevent slipping. However, students cannot borrow necessary equipment such as volleyballs, basketballs , and badminton rackets. Thus, students have less chance to participate in those activities. The sports facility management office member said the university does not have the budget to buy new equipment that has been lost or damaged by “irresponsible students.”
The Central Tennis Court is located in between the College of Arts and the College of Music. They consist of 20 courts. Five are managed by the clubs “YUTA” and “Chungsim” respectively, and the rest are managed by the sports support team. Students can take tennis lessons from YUTA, which wins between 80 and 90 percent of its competitive matches, and Chungsim for free. However, students do not utilize this opportunity because they do not know about it due to a lack of promotion. Moreover, rackets and balls cannot be borrowed from the clubs or the sports support team. YUTA and Chungsim are supported by their alumni.
In the dormitories there are various choices for excercise such as: table tennis tables, a fitness facility on the 2nd floor of Woojung dorm, a basketball court, a multi-purpose arena, and 8 outdoor exercise stations at the Local dorm. In addition, dorm buildings E and F have fitness facilities. Woojung dorm was remodeled in June 2012. The dorm residents can borrow exercise equipment such as table tennis sets, basketballs, soccer balls, baseball bats, after presenting a student ID card. Generally, all facilities in YU do not prioritize general students, and as a result most of us have difficulty utilizing them. Moreover, even though users follow the application processes, they still have to deal with overbooking because of the unstructured system.

Interview with Current Student

Yoon-Seok Sung
Junior
Business
Q) Do you use school sports facilities often? If so what do you use?A) I have used school sports facilities through the “After School Sports Program”, and I run on the Engineering campus track one hour everyday. Q) What was the greatest difficulty you faced when using the sports facilities?A) In the case of the multi-purpose complex field, anyone can use them. Many people use them in the evening. However, the fitness center is too small to even accommodate all the physical education students. There is also a general lack of information about facility times and use. Other than a motivated few, students are not just aware of the facilities.Q) What should be done to develop the university’s sports facilities?A) Building an integrated sport facility is necessary. For example Daegu University provides an inexpensive integrated sport facility that includes a fitness center, and a Swimming pool. In comparison, YU is relatively poor.

Interview with the Sports Support Team

Q) Why did the “After School Sports Program” disappear? A) In 2011, the university opened a sixteen week personal training program to 60 people. This program opened with government support of 20 million won; however, the budget was reduced and the program disappeared. Q) The priority of the sports facilities is for physical education students. What are some alternatives?A) Above all, creating an adequate infrastructure is a prerequisite. Currently, there are facilities for basketball, volleyball, and racket sports. I think yoga, pilates, swimming, golf, and more fitness programs should be included. Having the fields and facilities predominantly occupied by athletic majors makes extending these programs to a wider range of students difficult. Therefore, other fields and facilities are necessary to accommodate the general student. Secondly, the university could create various kinds of programs that help students to play sports. In order to successfully do this properly students’ opinions need to be considered. Since constructing an infrastructure consumes a lot, concrete alternatives are impossible to achieve in the short term. I wish I could provide desirable sports facility and programs.

Other Universities in Daegu
Daegu Hanny University Samsung Campus
The gym at Hanny University is named Kirin gym. The outside track and field is equipped with stands that can seat 1,000 people. The fitness center is many times larger compared to those at YU and it includes multifunctional facilities such as a golf driving range, 4 squash courts, a table tennis room, as well as yoga and aerobics rooms.Hanny University’s Kirin gym currently accommodates approximately 40 students who take a squash liberal arts class at YU. Moreover, every facility has a locker room and shower room. Any student can use the facilities whenever they like. Anyone with a student ID card can use the facilities free of charge. However, gym users must wear appropriate sportswear and sneakers, and if they violate that rule, they are restricted from entering. In the building, administration is always on standby. Due to the concentrated facilities in one place, users can take advantage of them all with efficient movement. In addition, the outdoor exercise facilities include tennis courts, a futsal area, and artificial turf soccer fields. In the Daegu area, only Hanny University turns on the lights to their outdoor facilities until 9 p.m. for free and when users deposit their ID card. Students can also borrow balls and rackets.

Daegu University Gyeongsan Campus
Daegu University is equipped with two multi-use fields, inline skating tracks, futsal areas, gyms, and tennis courts. Every facility furnishes a locker room and a shower room. Facilities are available after completing a signed application form by oneself. Every facility has an administrator on site to manage them at all times. There is an autonomous nighttime lighting system that is coin-operated. Moreover, Daegu University has a welfare center which also serves as a recreation center. On the first and second basement floors there are golf driving ranges which can accommodate 39 students at a time. On the first floor of the building, there is an indoor swimming facility with 3 pools. The second floor of the building also has a small theater; the third floor has a fitness center with 59 different machines for aerobics, and weightlifting, as well as many free weights. Moreover, on the top floor, there is a GX room where students can enjoy yoga, sports dance and other programs. The welfare center opened in December 2011. When students pay a small fee, they can also receive instruction. The fitness center is available for 25,000 won, yoga and pilates programs are available for 23,000 won for a month. The payments are moderate so entrance is available once a day and available 6 days a week, and the facility is closed on Sunday.

Yeungnam University aims to develop students with Y-type talent who are well rounded and possess qualities that society calls for such as: humanity, creativity and initiative. However, the attention to developing sound bodies as well as sound minds at YU is inadequate. At a university of 20,000 students, the facilities are not well-used because of excessive control and confusing regulations. It is necessary to contemplate a proper management for the use of all athletic facilities not only by athletic department students, but also by the general student. If the university provides more support to the basic athletic structure for students, we will be better able to deliver on the demands of society.