The way the campus community accesses the Woodruff Physical Education Center (WoodPEC) will soon change.  

Later this month, the flagship fitness facility will implement access control to the workout areas. And level 2 will open for foot traffic passing through to campus.  

"The reality of our facility is that we are a members-only facility, but we have a lot of unauthorized use," explains Meg Ahrens, assistant director of facilities and recreation.  

"So we thought it would do us well to lock down the facility in a way that would permit walk-through and also allow access to those who have bought their memberships and students who pay their fees."  

Members will now have to swipe their Emory Card to access a workout area.  

"It will work a lot like the [Woodruff] library," Ahrens explains.  

Turnstiles will be installed at the base of the central spiral staircase on level 2. Turnstiles will also be installed by the stairs near the men's and women's locker rooms.  

The entry desks that were located at the entrances on each end of the building will be consolidated into a main control desk near the central spiral staircase area. Two student workers will man the desk, and will direct anyone without an active membership to the membership office or to WoodPEC's online system to purchase or renew a membership.  

The move to controlled access is expected to increase revenue and decrease thefts, Ahrens says. It will allow more control over "who's here, who's eligible to be here, and who doesn't really have privileges to be in our building."  

"In the end, this is really for the protection of our students and paying members," says Ahrens.  

The changes are expected to go into effect before the end of the year, but details and policies are still being finalized.