Wellness Advisory Committee

Frequently Asked Questions about WAC and Wellness

How do I get a locker at these fitness facilities?

At ML and FL1, there is a limited number of lockers available for overnight storage. At JEFFCO, and FL4, all lockers in the locker rooms are for DAY USE ONLY. At FL1, several lockers in the locker rooms are labeled for DAY USE ONLY. All other lockers may be claimed on a first-come, first serve basis by placing a tag or label on a locker. The tag should include your name and phone as a minimum. The WAC cleans out the lockers every spring. At that time, locker users must remove locks and items for a short period while this is done. This process also identifies when a locker has been abandoned.

At ML, lockers in the mens' and womens' locker/shower rooms (ML57, ML59) adjacent to the fitness classroom, are available for temporary/day use only. Lockers in the 1B mens' restroom (ML036) and outside of the 1B fitness equipment room (ML045C) may be claimed on a first-come, first-served basis by tagging a locker with your name and phone number.

What occurs during a locker cleaning?

A locker cleanout is done periodically for several reasons -- clean and maintain all lockers and identify unused lockers. After staff has been adequately notified, the locker cleaning is performed by a crew made up of members from the Wellness Committee, Maintenance group and Custodial service. Staff must remove all locks and personal items and leave the name tags in place. The cleaning begins around 3 pm on the day specified. The "crew" goes through each locker, removes items left, and cleans, inspects and repairs them. If a locker is locked, the crew cuts off the lock, places any contents in a plastic bag and affixes a tag identifying name and locker number, and removes any name tag from the locker door. This makes the locker available for further use.

Once the cleaning and repairs are done, the bags of personal items are delivered to the building's front desk. Then staff are sent a message asking them to claim their personal items there.

Who maintains the equipment in these facilities and how do equipment and facility repair request get reported?

The maintenance group in Facilities Support Services has been trained on how to maintain and repair most pieces of fitness equipment by manufacturer reps. The maintenance staff periodically check on the equipment to lubricate or adjust items as needed. When something needs repairs, Facilities staff will disable the equipment to ensure it is not used before repairs can be made. Facilities then repairs the equipment when the parts are received. You can report a problem with any fitness facility equipment or room by calling Facilities at ext. 1120.

Why do some fitness classes cost and others do not?

The price of any fitness class is set by the instructor. Several classes are taught by UCAR/NCAR employees and they have donated their time.

Can anyone off the street take one of the fitness classes taught at UCAR facilities?

Since space is limited in both the FL and ML facility we must limit the size of fitness classes. This limit, however, is set by the instructor who is responsible for the safety of class participants. Therefore, we allow family members of UCAR staff to take classes and use the facilities on a space available basis. If you are interested in a particular class, pleases contact the person noted as liaison or the instructor directly to determine if the class in which you are interested has space available.

I am interested in starting a new fitness class at UCAR, how do I get started?

To start a new class at UCAR, you must arrange for the instructor and request a spot on the fitness calendar for the center where the class will be held. Past experiences have shown that the successful classes (i.e., classes that last longer than one year) are those with a loyal following. So you can help your class be successful by generating interest from coworkers before you start the class.

Classes that require special equipment may take longer to be successful because funding and space is very limited. This makes it difficult to approve the purchase of equipment for a new, untested class at first. The WAC will assist you with advertising and promoting new classes by adding them to the calendar, adding informational pages to the Web site, and placing announcements in This Week, UCAR's weekly newsletter.

For additional information, contact Jim Menghi at menghi@ucar.edu or extension 8685.

What do WAC members do and how often does the committee meet?

WAC members serve as communicators mostly. They gather thoughts from their coworkers on fitness and wellness issues and bring them up at the meetings. In addition, they help spread the word and promote wellness seminars that the WAC sponsors. The members also monitor the suggestion boxes in each facility and the equipment when possible and address any issues that are raised or repairs that are needed.

The WAC meets infrequently but, on average, about twice a year. Most committee business is conducted using email among the members. When enough issues arise that necessitates a meeting, the chairperson calls a meeting that typically lasts about an hour.

How do I suggest a wellness seminar?

The WAC is always looking for ideas from staff for wellness seminars. If you have any ideas for a seminar, contact any WAC member or send email to wac@ucar.edu.

Calendar of Events | FL Fitness Schedule | ML Fitness Schedule