Viterbo users are required to present their current student or employee or alumni I.D. to scan at the Mathy Center welcome desk.

The recreation and leadership staff are asked to enforce the I.D. rule for all users. Here's why we follow that system...

• Your safety
  • In the event that something happens to you, we can assist you properly if your I.D. is with you. The Mathy Center is a popular place and we want to make sure all who enter are here for the right reasons.
• Your investment
  • Viterbo fitness and sports equipment are paid for by Viterbo student fees and we are in charge with granting use to approved users only.
• Your convenience
  • 50,000+ people come through this door each year. Although our staff is great, we cannot possibly remember everyone’s face. Having your current I.D. will ensure your entry.
• Your needs
  • Accurate tracking of all our users helps us plan for the future of Viterbo recreation. By knowing our users and their needs, we will be better able to serve you.

Currently, family members fall under the existing guest policy for the Mathy Center. The university reviews these policies each year and is responsible for making the decisions on granting other users access to the facility.

Guests are welcome at the Mathy Center. Review the existing guest policy for the Mathy Center. The university reviews these policies each year and is responsible for making the decisions on granting other users access to the facility.

Opened on Sept. 12, 2005, the Amie L. Mathy Center for Recreation and Education is a facility constructed for the benefit of Viterbo University and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater La Crosse and their constituents. Programs for each entity are created and administered by the respective programs. The supervision, maintenance, and security of the facility is the responsibility of Viterbo University, specifically, the recreational sports department.

We request that you make arrangements to store your items in a locker, on your person, or within eyesight so you can "guarantee" you know where they are at all times. Our staff do a great job supervising the facility and equipment, but we can not take responsibility for your personal items.

The lost and found is located at the Mathy Center welcome center (front desk). Although some items may be left in the facility, we cannot assure you that we will pick them up before someone else does. Items will be left at the welcome center for a minimum of one week, but generally longer than that. Once or twice a semester, we empty the lost and found and donate the goods to the local Goodwill.

The Mathy Center provides users access to a fitness center, indoor track, a multi-purpose room, locker rooms, and gymnasium. The Mathy Center also offers a variety of equipment for users to check out for use and houses the department of recreational sports programs. These programs include, but are not limited to intramurals, group fitness, and special events.  More information on specific programs.

Facility peak usage hours are usually Monday–Friday 11 a.m.–1 p.m. and 3–8 p.m. The Mathy Center suggests using the facility in the early mornings or late evenings to avoid crowds.

The Mathy Center will be closed during university holidays or other occasions when the entire university closes. The facility may close on occasion for necessary maintenance or deep cleanings as well as for the rare special events. If any closing should occur, members will be notified in advance to make accommodations and information will be posted in the facility hours section of the Mathy Center website.

Memberships are available to current Viterbo University students, alumni, employees, FSPA, Follett employees, and Aramark employees. All individuals will be issued Viterbo I.D. cards which will be used to gain access to the facility, the fitness center, and recreational sports programs. Alumni members are required to pay a membership fee. Click here for a link for a list of user and membership types.

Once you have been issued a valid Viterbo I.D. card you will need to bring it with you to the Mathy Center. You will have your I.D. card scanned at the welcome center by the staff to verify who you are and your membership as well as identify where you are visiting for the particular visit. Once you have been approved you will be allowed to enter the facility. Your I.D. card will also be used to gain access to the fitness center as well as check out equipment such as basketballs and towels.

Memberships are currently not made available to the community-at-large. To obtain a membership or a Viterbo I.D. one would need to be either a current Viterbo student, alumni, employee, FSPA, Follett employee, or Aramark employee working on campus.

Each graduate has until the start of the next semester to use their student I.D. card to access the Mathy Center. Once the next semester begins, the new alumni would need to present their alumni card and pay a membership fee at the Mathy Center.

Yes, students who are continuing on in the fall will have the Mathy Center available for them to use throughout the summer, regardless if they are taking summer classes or not.

Viterbo employees, alumni members, and students are permitted to have a partner or spouse join the Mathy Center for a fee. 

The “Plus One” member would have access to the entire facility during specified non-peak hours (2-5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday). The member would have access to recreational sports programs, including Group Fitness classes and Intramural sports, but would be responsible for additional program fees. 

 The “Plus One” membership would be defined by the following guidelines: 

1. Can only be one individual
2. The individual must be at least 18 years of age.
3. The individual must reside with the Viterbo member and show proof of shared residency.
4. Must complete an application and the Viterbo member must be present with the new member at the time of the registration.
5. The new “Plus One” member must pay the appropriate fee
6. The new “Plus One” member must obtain a Viterbo issued I.D. from the Physical Plant to gain access to the Mathy Center.

Pricing

Single-term pass (4 months): $70
Two term pass (8 months): $125 (~10% discount)
Full year pass (12 months): $190 (~15% discount)

Terms

• Jan. 1–Apr. 30
• May 1–Aug. 31
• Sept. 1–Dec. 31

Memberships are free to current Viterbo students, employees, FSPA, on-campus Follett employees, and on-campus Aramark employees. Individuals who fall in these categories may use the facility with their current Viterbo I.D. card.

Viterbo alumni may purchase a membership for each semester and summer, however, we do not allow anyone to try out the facility.

Yes, members may rent a locker each semester for a nominal fee. All locker rentals take place at the Mathy Center front desk. Click here for more locker rental information. 

If you currently rent a locker, you may keep your belongings in your locker 24/7 for the duration of your locker rental. However, if you are using a drop-in locker, you must remove all of your belongings and personal lock from the locker before the facility closes for the day. Click here for current facility hours.

Warnings will be posted on the locker 24 hours prior to a lock being removed from a locker. All the contents from the locker will be placed in a black garbage bag and labeled with the locker number in which it was found. Items will be kept for two months. Unclaimed items will be taken to the local Goodwill.

Yes, the Mathy Center and recreational sports department does have a supply of sports equipment available for rental. To use the equipment, you will need to present a valid photo I.D. (primarily your Viterbo issued I.D.) to the welcome center staff, ask for the selected piece of equipment and turn over your I.D. Your I.D. will be held at the welcome center and will be returned to you once the rented equipment is returned.

A picture I.D. is required so that the recreation and leadership sports staff can keep track of the piece of equipment rented, who rented out the piece, and ensure the safe return of the equipment.

Yes, you may bring your own equipment. However, the Mathy Center and recreational sports department is not responsible for any lost, stolen, or damaged personal items.

If you chose to bring a lock with you, you are asked to remove it with your personal belongs at the end of the day. If any personal locks are found, a written warning will be posted of removal and if the lock still remains, it will be removed.

Equipment may only be checked out for the duration of the current visit by the member. Lost, stolen, or unreturned equipment may be subject to a replacement charge, which can be assessed to the individual whose I.D. is held at the welcome center.

The university examined policies at many colleges and universities across the country in crafting this policy. Although it may not be norm at community gyms, it is being implemented at many institutions of higher education. Here's how we got there...

Just Remember…S-H-I-R-T

Standard Definition:

We have more than 3,000 individuals who are able to use the fitness center. An average of 1,000-1,500 different people use the fitness center each year. 

Q. What do you get if you asked 1,500 different people to define the word shirt?

A. We got everything from sports bras to long sleeved shirts. The term shirt is insufficient for describing what is expected in the fitness center.

Health of our users:

The fitness center users create frequent, continuous, and direct contact with the cardio and weight equipment, increasing the risk of passing diseases such as ringworm, impetigo, and staph infections from one user to the next. Although wearing a full shirt alone will not completely eliminate this risk, it is reasonable that it will aid in reducing the spread of germs. It is well known that certain viruses may occur at college campuses more frequently than in the normal community, so the university acts to prevent the spread of such viruses in a practical and acceptable manner. 

Image issues:

The fitness center is open to students, employees, and alumni members of Viterbo University. Additionally, the FSPA  have access along with Aramark and Follett employees. With such a broad range of users, it is difficult to convey what is appropriate attire. The goal we promote is one related to "health and fitness" and thus the primary reason a person is in the facility is to address these components. As an institution of higher learning, we would like to promote an environment with a focus on health and fitness for people of all shapes and sizes.

Recognized standard:

More college and community recreational centers are adopting this policy each year. The University of Minnesota has had this policy in place since 1993. By our count, the policy is in force in more than 32 states on college campuses ranging from 1,200 students to more than 50,000 students. Private and public institutions alike are recognizing the need for keeping their users and equipment safe.

The equipment:

It is the university's goal to keep and preserve the fitness equipment for no less than six years. The better we are at diminishing skin to surface contact, the more likely we can meet this goal. The fitness center staff do an excellent job of deep cleaning the equipment on a routine basis, but we also ask our users to be cognizant of the cleaning needs and to act proactively to assist us in this task. Remember...student fees pay for the equipment you use. 

The recreation and leadership department may be able to provide personal trainers during the academic year who are able to provide equipment orientations to explain and demonstrate the purpose and how to properly use each piece of equipment. The fitness center student staff are not authorized to show users how to use equipment or provide a spot. 

TV stations are set based on general consensus as well as what is appropriate for all of our users. 

If you are interested in avoiding crowds, the best time to work out in the fitness center is in the early morning, usually before 10 a.m., and late evenings. The peak usage times for the fitness center are 11 a.m.–1 p.m. and 3–8 p.m. (these are subject to change based on user data).