UW Oshkosh
OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – The sports bubble at UW-Oshkosh will remain open, for now, but its long-term fate is still a budget issue the school will examine.
The Rec Plex, as it is formally known, is an air-inflated dome over a turf field used by a variety of athletic teams, clubs, and students for practices and recreation. Among the activities listed on the schedule this week are frisbee club practice, kickball, a game hosted by the Oshkosh United youth soccer club, ROTC, lacrosse practice, women’s varsity soccer practice, and a student GLOW party.
Last week, students were told the bubble would be taken down, prompting an online petition.
“With Wisconsin’s inclement weather conditions, the availability of an indoor athletic facility is critical to ensure our athletes can train effectively year-round and perform their best during regional and national competitions. Failing to maintain such a facility could hinder our teams’ ability to compete, potentially affecting recruitment and retention of student-athletes,” it reads in part.
Students gathered Tuesday morning to protest the decision. There, Chancellor Andrew Leavitt said it will remain operational for the remainder of this academic year, but a task force will examine the budget issue, one student said.
UWO officials confirmed the facility will remain open, but there are concerns with the costs associated with its operation.
Leavitt and Oshkosh Student Government president Jack Marotz released this joint statement:
We met this morning and agreed that the UWO Rec Plex domed field will remain open this academic year. Outreach from student government leaders and student-athletes in the last several days convinced us that we need more time to examine the facility’s use and sustainability.
The Rec Plex proposal originated more than a decade ago and opened in 2018. It was subsequently approved and built with student segregated fees as an investment in general UWO student recreation and wellness. Since it was first conceptualized, its seasonal use, users and costs have dramatically changed. Together, we agreed it is time for a deep review of the facility. We support the creation of a representative task force that will include administrative, student government, intramural sports and Athletics representatives to assess its financial and environmental impacts, in accordance with the UWO2030 strategic plan.
With Oshkosh Student Government’s support, we aim for the task force to be formed, charged and underway by October 1 with a December 1 deadline to deliver a recommendation on the Rec Plex dome field’s future.
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