Recreation Center

General Policies

• All general policies are throughout all areas of the Recreation Center
• A valid NIU One Card is required for entrance (One Cards are non-transferable)
• Participation is at your own risk
• Use of video recording devices and photography must be approved by Recreation and Wellness staff
• Spitting is prohibited
• Facilities and equipment should be used for their designated purpose
• Entrance and exit of the facility must be through the front doors
• Recreation and Wellness is not responsible for lost or stolen items
• Personal belongings are not allowed in activity areas
• Secure all personal belongings in a locker
• Use of bicycles, roller blades or skateboards is prohibited within the facility
• Animals, other than trained service animals, are not permitted in the facility
• Participants are encouraged to report any maintenance, repair, theft or safety issues to Recreation and Wellness staff
• Failure to abide by Recreation and Wellness policies may result in loss of facility privileges (Recreation and Wellness staff and the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards have the authority to determine the extent of this loss of privilege)
• Recreation and Wellness staff have the authority to ask patrons to leave the facility for failure to abide by any facility policy

Clothing and Footwear

• Appropriate athletic attire and closed-toe, non-marking shoes are required
• Shirts that cover the chest, abdomen, sides and back are required in all areas except the locker rooms
• Street clothing (i.e. jeans, dress pants, boots, flip-flops, etc) are prohibited during activities
• Jewelry should not be worn during activity

Food, Beverage and Tobacco Use

• Food is permitted only in the lobby and vending areas
• All beverages must be in re-sealable, plastic containers
• Glass containers are prohibited
• Gum is not allowed in the facility
• Consumption of alcohol or the appearance/smell of intoxication will result in removal from the facility
• All Recreation and Wellness facilities are smoke free and tobacco free

Facility Behavior

• Abusive, vulgar or disruptive language will not be tolerated
• Fighting is grounds for immediate removal from the facility
• Inappropriate sexual behavior and/or sexual misconduct is prohibited
• Patrons must refrain from behavior that is distracting or disruptive to the recreational pursuits of others
• Uncooperative individuals, or those not following posted policies, will be asked to leave and be referred to Student Conduct

Guests

• All NIU guests must present a valid photo ID
• NIU Faculty/Staff members may purchase a guest pass without a sponsor
• Holmes Student Center Hotel guests, university contractors, and university conference attendees may purchase a guest pass without a sponsor when presenting proper documentation
• All other guests must be sponsored by a current Recreation and Wellness member
• Sponsors are responsible for guests at all times
• Guests must be accompanied by a sponsor each time they enter the facility
• Fifteen-visit passes require a sponsor each visit
• One-day guest passes are valid for the day of purchase
• Fifteen-visit passes expire one year from the date of purchase
• Guest passes are not transferable

Age Restrictions

• Children aged 16 and under must adhere to Recreation and Wellness Family Hours
• Family Hours are 6:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and 6:00 a.m. Fridays through 10:00 p.m. Sundays
• Children may utilize the facility anytime during summer or interim sessions
• All children must purchase a valid child membership or guest pass
• Children may not enter the Cardio Room, Weight Room, Deadlift Room or Boxing/Plyometric Room
• Children must be accompanied by a parent/guardian at all times
• Children are allowed as spectators only during approved Recreation and Wellness Special Events

Advertising and Publicity

• All publicity must have a stamp of approval from Student Involvement and Leadership Development
• All posters and flyers must be submitted to the front desk
• Recreation and Wellness staff will post approved flyers
• Items displayed in areas other than the designated bulletin boards will be removed
• Advertisements will not be displayed on front counters or in the front lobby of the facility

Multipurpose Court Policies

• Dunking or hanging on the rim are prohibited
• Disassembling or removal of equipment is not allowed (i.e. badminton, tennis, etc)
• Frisbees, footballs, batons, baseballs, etc are prohibited
• Court priority is determined and posted by Recreation and Wellness staff
• Intramural games and special events supersede court priority
• Full court activities are prohibited while tennis nets are up
• Badminton and tennis courts should be reserved prior to use
• Volleyball and basketball courts are first come, first serve and cannot be reserved
• Use of courts for the purpose of paid lessons or coaching is prohibited

Cardio Room Policies

• Shirts that cover the chest, abdomen, sides and back are required
• Cardiovascular machine use is limited to 30 minutes during peak hours
• Wipe down equipment when finished
• Dropping/slamming of weights is prohibited
• Personal training is permitted by Recreation and Wellness staff only
• Patrons may not move the equipment
• Additional weights may not be placed on the strength machines
• Report damaged or faulty equipment to Recreation and Wellness staff

Weight Room and Deadlift Room Policies

• Shirts that cover the chest, abdomen, sides and back are required
• Re-rack dumbbells, barbells and weights after use
• Wipe down equipment when finished
• Chalk is not permitted
• Vibram shoes are prohibited in the free weight areas
• Dropping/slamming of weights is prohibited
• Use of weight belts for heavy lifting is recommended
• Spotters are strongly recommended
• Personal training is permitted by Recreation and Wellness staff only
• All equipment must remain in the weight room
• Patrons may not move the equipment
• Report damaged or faulty equipment to Recreation and Wellness staff

Boxing and Plyometric Room Policies

• Use of all equipment is at your own risk
• Gloves or wraps are required when using boxing equipment
• Sparring-type activities are prohibited
• Closed-toed shoes are required in all areas except mats
• Users may not wear shoes while kicking long bags
• Kicking of short punching bags is prohibited
• Users are not encouraged to use plyometric boxes after a strenuous workout
• A 30-minute time limit will be enforced during peak hours

Jogging Track

• Patrons must follow daily direction signs
• Slower traffic should use outside lanes
• Multipurpose Court participants must yield to track users before crossing
• Spectators may not loiter on the track

Locker Room Policies

• Due to photo/video capabilities, all cell phone usage is prohibited
• No personal padlocks (key or combination) may be used on any locker
• Recreation and Wellness staff will remove personal locks, and no funds will be reimbursed for users’ loss of the lock
• Recreation and Wellness reserves the right to open any locker at any time
• Children age five and above must use respective locker facilities
• All items left unattended will be confiscated by Recreation and Wellness staff
• Users are discouraged from bringing valuables to the Student Recreation Center
• Users should report issues or problems concerning the locks or lockers to the Recreation and Wellness staff

Day Use and Rental Lockers

• Only users who have purchased a locker rental will be permitted to use rental lockers
• Designated rental lockers are 1078-1193 in the women’s locker room and 1056-1220 in the men’s locker room
• Day use lockers are 1000-1077 and 1194-1232 in the women’s locker room and 1000-1055 and 1221-1329 in the men’s locker room
• Additional day use lockers are located outside the cardio/weight rooms and near Courts 7 & 8
• Belongings must be removed from day use lockers each night

Confiscated Locker Belongings

• Items left in day use lockers will be confiscated nightly
• Items left in expired rental lockers will be confiscated by Campus Recreation
• Confiscated items may be claimed at the service counter
• Users will be charged a $10.00 retrieval fee to claim belongings
• Items will be kept for 30 days from the confiscation date

Dry Sauna Policies

• Pregnant women, elderly persons, and those suffering from heart disease, diabetes, seizures, epilepsy, or high or low blood pressure should not use the sauna without prior medical consultation and the permission of their doctor
• Use of the sauna is restricted to individuals 14 years and older
• Recommended temperature range is 160˚-190˚
• Temperature should not exceed 190˚
• Observe reasonable time limits (10-15 minutes per sauna session)
• Do no put water on sauna heater
• Do not cover vents or thermostat control
• Saunas are public spaces; appropriate clothing is required (swimsuit or gym shorts) at all times
• Constrictive or excessive clothing should not be worn
• Remove all jewelry; avoid clothing with metal snaps or zippers
• Please follow appropriate hygiene practices: shower before entering the sauna and ensure a cloth barrier is between the bench and yourself
• Paper, plastic or glass products are prohibited in the sauna
• Do not use the sauna while under the influence of alcohol, tranquilizers, or other drugs that can cause drowsiness or that can lower your blood pressure
• Strenuous activity is prohibited in the sauna
• Drink plenty of water before and after using the sauna
• Take a cool/cold shower after each sauna session
• Report any injury or feeling of dizziness, faintness, or nausea to a Recreation and Wellness staff member immediately

Equipment Check-Out Policies

• Sports equipment is checked out free of charge for Recreation and Wellness members
• A valid NIU OneCard or Recreation and Wellness membership card must be presented to check out equipment
• Guests – except for Faculty/Staff – may not check out equipment
• A maximum of three (3) pieces of equipment may be checked out at one time
• All check-out equipment must remain in the Student Recreation Center
• Equipment left in activity areas will be assessed a $10 retrieval fee
• Replacement costs for damaged, lost or stolen equipment will be the responsibility of the individual who checked out the equipment
• All protests for equipment charges must be submitted in writing to the Assistant Director of Open Recreation

Items Available for Check-Out

• Men’s Basketballs
• Women’s Basketballs
• Racquetball Racquets
• Tennis Racquets
• Badminton Racquets
• Pickleball Racquets
• Volleyballs
• Wallyballs
• Table Tennis Paddles
• Jump Ropes
• Sting Ray/Manta Ray
• Items Available for Purchase
• Racquetballs
• Racquetball Goggles
• Tennis Balls
• Table Tennis Balls
• Pickleballs
• Badminton Birdies
• T-Shirts
• Belly Dancing Scarves

Transgender Policies

Locker Rooms

Anyone utilizing Recreation and Wellness facilities shall have access to the changing, shower, and toilet facilities that correspond with their gender identity.

Intramural Sports

People participating in any Intramural Sports may participate in accordance with their gender identity, should that be relevant, regardless of any medical treatment.

Towel/Cleaning Policies

• Patrons should use red towels and spray to clean equipment before and after use
• Towels should be returned to the hook on the machines in the cardio room
• Towels should be returned to the towel stands in all other parts of the facility
• Red towels should only be used to clean equipment and should not be taken away from the fitness floor
• Using red towels on your body may result in the spread of sickness or disease
• Towels to be used on your body can be checked out at the front desk