Sacramento State alumni who graduated after 2006 can purchase a discounted membership to the Well.

The special membership allows alumni, who paid into the construction of the wellness center, to use all the facilities available to current students, with the exception of the Student Health Center.

The Well’s management calls this membership a “prepaid membership,” which costs $16 per month for a period equal to the semesters the alumni paid into the construction.

This discounted rate was determined by adding the fees that a person paid per academic calendar year he or she attended Sac State, subtracting that number from a traditional alumni membership, which is not available, and dividing the total by 12 months.

To be considered a qualified alumnus or alumna, one must have graduated without owing any money to the school subsequent to 2006. Only those who paid a minimum of one semester into the construction of the Well will be eligible for a prepaid membership.

“By having a flat rate, this benefits alumni who no longer operate on the campus calendar,” said Jessica Roesemann, manager of membership services. “They are able to redeem a total number of months during any time of the year rather than semesters.”

On top of the prepaid membership, alumni will have to choose between paying $6 for a daily parking pass or $3 for a two-hour pass.

“I think it stinks,” said alumnus Marcus Watstein. “Promised free and now we have to pay more.”

The Sacramento State Alumni Association declined to comment on the prepaid memberships.

As of fall 2004, Sac State added a $10 per semester fee increase to pay for the student-funded wellness center.

After construction began in 2008, the fee went up by $110 per semester. Students are now paying $118 for custodial costs, upkeep and programming costs.

Students voted to increase the fees so that construction of the fully student-funded wellness center could begin. According to the original proposal, the Well was supposed to include a movie theater, bowling center, indoor pool, dental facilities and child care. But the originally 260,000-square-foot facility has been downsized to 150,000 square feet due to increased construction costs.

Over the next few months and years, the Well’s administration will be monitoring the usage of the facilities to determine if access for all alumni would be permitted, Roesemann said.

“There is a daily guest pass at a rate of $10 for anyone who is a guest of a member,” Roesemann said. “We have had lots of friends and parents of students taking advantage of this pass.”

Alumni who qualify for the prepaid membership must show up in person to the Well’s front desk and submit the same release of liability form current students must fill out.

The liability form is then sent to Student Financial Services so verification of the alumni’s degree can take place.

Roesemann said the Well has received complaints from alumni because the process of communication between the Well’s member service department and the Student Financial Services Center has been slow.

“However, both departments are working on perfecting this process and we are grateful that the prepaid alumni have been so patient,” Roesemann said.

Roesemann said before deciding to purchase a membership, alumni can tour the facilities free of charge.

If someone is not available to give the tour, alumni can fill out a visitor’s pass, pay $10 and take a self-guided tour.

“The Well is a state-of-the-art recreation facility. Beyond its outstanding facility features, membership for prepaid alumni offers the connection to the Sac State campus and a source of pride for their alma mater,” Roesemann said.

Mike Suechting can be reached at [email protected].