Nutshell: “What is your opinion on the new music policy for the athletic facilities?”

MISHAWAKA—Welcome back to the Nutshell! Each week, the Beacon staff poses a question to you, the Bethel student body, and publishes your answers.  

On Jan. 24, the Athletic Department announced a new music policy for the athletic facilities, specifically that publicly broadcasting any music is prohibited. Athletes must now use personal listening devices such as headphones to listen to music while using the facilities.  

This week, we asked you: What is your opinion on the new music policy for the athletic facilities? 

Cassandra Shupert – Junior Math Education and Youth Ministry double major, “I think it’s a very good thing, because before there was some very bad music being played and it wasn’t being monitored, so I think that if that’s how it had to go about to get it to stop then I think it’s a good idea.” 

Carson Bolinger – Freshman Psychology Major, “I think it’s responsible, but I think it also limits the students here, maybe a little too over the top; I mean, obviously we need restrictions, but I feel like taking all of it away is probably not the best decision.”  

Tony Natali – Head Track Coach, “I think that anything that we can do over here that enhances our total mission with the college and total mission with what we’re about is something that’s positive.”  

Dimitri Taylor – Freshman ASL Interpretation Major, “I would say that’s pretty reasonable considering that you have multiple people listening to music out loud, and I think that’s kind of distracting I guess.” 

Annelotte Letens – Senior Business Administration Major, “I see where it’s coming from because it can be a problem when it’s five o’clock and that’s, I think, peak hour, like everyone’s there, and so I’ve seen it where people have had their music playing over speakers, and everyone else has headphones in, and then you hear their music over it, so it can be a problem; but I think it’s hard to generalize the solution, you know, because if it’s nine o’clock in the evening and no one’s there, I don’t see why it would be a problem for me to play my music out loud. But I don’t know; I think it’s more like something that should be an unwritten rule, just like ‘Hey, this is good behavior to just kind of be kind to your neighbor,’ you know, and not to play music out loud if someone else is listening to different music. But if no one else is around or you can ask that person, ‘Hey, do you mind if I play music?’ So, I think it’s just more good manners than it should really be a rule.” 

Evan Herr-Knispel – Senior Exercise Science Major, “Well, I’m not sure that I entirely agree with it; I think people should be able to use their speakers and listen to what they want to within reason, as long as it’s not too loud and obnoxious and disturbing people, but if, I don’t know, I think people should be able to listen to music on speakers as long as it’s not interfering with what other people are doing.” 

Corbin Alexander – Freshman Criminal Justice Major, “I use a speaker, I don’t use headphones ever, so that’s kind of a bummer, you know, I’ve got a huge speaker I brought, so I’m kind of against the whole headphones thing only. But you got to do what the people say you got to do, you got to obey the rules.” 

Natalia Johnson – Junior Biology Major, “I think it’s a good policy because I know some people will play crazy music, but I also know that if I’m working out in there it can be a problem because I don’t like it when my headphones get in the way, and then I pull my headphones off and then my phone’s on the treadmill. So, when you’re doing hard workouts, it’s a problem, but I understand the need to be respectful.” 

Jessica Duvall – Junior Business Administration and Liberal Studies double major, “I understand the policy, like why they did it, but I think that it’s nice for when our team goes in there to do the stair-climber workout, that we can play over our speaker and have it out for everyone to hear rather than being individual.”