This is a letter to the editor from Chris Patterson, an adjunct faculty member with the Sacramento State Communication Studies Department. This letter is in response to a recent story from The State Hornet about the university’s decision to remove California Family Fitness as a tabling vendor on campus and students’ experience with the gym. Patterson was a source in the story.

I’m glad the university has decided to stop Cal Fit from operating on campus. My hope is that the university increases its attempts to expose students to The WELL and the services they already pay for in their student fees.

Additionally, I’d like to see more effort in outreach for students to go use the services in The WELL, beyond the gym related activities, like the student health and counseling services, meditation, etc.; services not directly offered by Cal Fit. 

I don’t know the exact reason behind the university’s choice to stop Cal Fit from operating on campus, but I’d like to think that it is because someone cared about a student, and cared about an international student, especially, and that eventually the university realized they were putting students in harm’s way by having an organization on campus which seems to target folks who are at an information disadvantage — which seems counter to our mission as an educational institution.

I hope this news story inspires and encourages those who see or learn about any student being taken advantage (professor, student, or administrator) to do something to stop it. It will go a long way to preventing future students from being subject to the same abuses. 

RELATED: Sac State students say Cal Fit tricked them with aggressive sales tactics

My only sadness is that we had to reach out with our case to the State Hornet. In the end, this problem could have been resolved months ago if the powers that be picked to fight for the students rather than budgetary concerns, business relationships and property supporting programs the campus already has and for which students already pay a lot of money.

Maybe the point here is to emphasize the benefits and needs of a free and protected media to fight against power that would not succumb to the pressures of a lowly adjunct faculty member and an international student. If you can’t get the resolution you seek, then seek out a reporter!

Chris Patterson