Diminishing funds forced Simpson Fitness to make tough decisions about budget cuts within the last week, but a recent Student Government Association (SGA) motion to allocate funds to Simpson Intramurals will allow the organization it to continue its services.

Many people are unaware that Simpson Fitness is run and funded by intramurals. A budget intended for one program is currently covering two. When it lacks sufficient funds for both, a decision has to be made about which one needs the money more.

This was the sticky situation which Nicole Darling, director of intramurals, found herself in recently.

“We don’t have any funding for Simpson Fitness. We don’t have any funding to continue our intramurals, and we have all semester left,” Darling said. “I’ve been working really hard to come up with solutions on how we can make things work.”

Originally, making things work meant reducing the number of classes offered through Simpson Fitness and no longer paying outside instructors.

Last semester, the program was able to offer over 30 classes per week for students to take advantage of. The recent budget passing by SGA will allow these services to continue.

The main classes that would’ve been affected were the yoga and Zumba classes, both taught by instructors brought in from outside Simpson. Attendees would have been required to give a $5 “donation” at each class they attend.

Though the $5 may mean less for faculty and alumni who attend the classes, that same payment is a major conflict for students. For those who attend regularly, it can quickly add up.

Annie Collins, who would attend yoga three times per week before, is now reconsidering it.

“Now, for sure, I’m not going to go to yoga,” Collins said. “If I still go three times per week, that’s $15 per week to go to yoga on my own campus.”

Collins also thought this new fee would hurt the attendance of the yoga classes overall. With the same amount of money it would cost to attend seven yoga classes on campus, students could get a discounted membership at the YMCA and have full use of those facilities, not just attend yoga.

Valeria Gonzalez, who had just started attending yoga classes, was shocked to hear about the $5 donation. She had wanted to start attending on a regular basis, but was deterred by the news of the changes.

“I would have to go to the bank and get cash out of my bank account,” Gonzalez said. “I don’t usually have cash.”

However, with the funding Simpson Intramurals received, students like Collins and Gonzalez don’t have to worry about missing out on their favorite fitness activities on campus.