THE USD VISTA New Wellness Center closes Valley Field

In an email released onFeb. 13, University Operations informed the USD community of the new Wellness Center being built. This new project will begin March 1, and conclude in Fall 2024, for its grand opening. The three-story Wellness Center will be accessible to all faculty and staff and provide a space for physical activity as well as mental health and wellbeing, diet and nutrition upkeep and overall campus engagement.

According to University Operations, the facility will be 80,000 square feet of indoor space and 69,000 square feet of outdoor space. Special features include both “advanced strength training and cardio equipment,” and “teaching kitchen for healthy diet and nutrition programs.”

As a result of construction, the infamous “Valley Stairs” will be closed, with Valley residents’ only access to the Student Life Pavilion (SLP) being rerouted through the Main Parking garage stairs and elevator. Alcalá Way will also be closed to through traffic during the day, with restricted access to parking behind the Hahn University Center (UC).

In an email sent by University Operations, the reasons to open this new center was explained.

“At the University of San Diego, we place great importance on providing students with the programs, experiences and support services necessary to achieve their full potential. Our holistic approach to education includes mind, body and spirit — as well as knowledge, values and skills,” the email to students stated. “The three- story Wellness Center, part of the campus master plan, will be open to all students, faculty and staff. The facility will set a new standard for inclusive wellness resources and NCAA practice facilities for our scholar-athletes.”

In preparation for the construction, Campus Recreation also sent an email on Dec. 9 to club sport leaders and coaches, notifying them of the Valley Field’s pending closure. The email stated that the closure of the Valley Field would also begin March 1, and it announced that all recreational activity will be moved onto the Manchester Field for the spring semester. All sports teams were further informed of changes made to their scheduling, including a reduction of overall practice hours for the individual club teams and no full-field practices; teams will have to share halves of the field, among other changes.

Associate Director of Media Relations at USD, Elena Gomez, shared information about the number of students who actively participate in a club sport or are on an intramural team, shedding light on who and how many will be affected.

“Our sport club program currently has over 700 members, which is the most in USD history and a 40% increase compared to fall 2021,” Gomez said. “Our intramural program has just over 900 participants. We have 25 active sports clubs (the most in USD history) and of the 25, 19 of them practice/compete on campus.”

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Tragedy struck the campus of Michigan State University (MSU) on Feb. 13, when a gunman opened fire, killing three students and wounding five others. It marked the 67th shooting of 2023, NPR reported. The gunman entered MSU’s Berkey Hall at 8:18 p.m. and began firing at students in classrooms before moving to the MSU student union. He was found about three hours later, having died of an apparent selfinflicted gunshot to the head.

The 43-year-old gunman has no known connections to MSU. MSU sophomore Porter Grutter described the aftermath of this devastating event. “I have classes in Berkey. My best friend works in the union.

We go to these places every single day and never think twice about it. I was fortunate to be off campus when it happened, but my friends were hiding in closets and peeing in trash cans, because they couldn’t leave their room, praying that no one would text them so their phones wouldn’t buzz,” Grutter said. “When we went to the vigil last night, there were thousands of people just crying and holding each other, even complete strangers.”

As students, faculty and staff begin to make efforts to recover, the thought of having to return to campus looms over students.

“I have to go back to school, because I have no choice. Even if they move classes online, I still have to go to work, because I have to pay for school and my house. There are people in that same position who are horrified to even be near campus, let alone on campus and working. For some of us, it’s not an option, and we either

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