Joyrenzia Cheatham, The Whetstone    

The Malmberg Gym now has additional hours – but there is a catch.

The gym’s regular hours – Sunday to Friday 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. when a desk attendant is there – have been increased to from 6 a.m.-midnight, but only if the student signs a waiver that he or she will be using the gym without supervision.

Students may sign the waiver form in the SGA office during office hours. The form goes to security, which will take about a week to approve or deny.

If the student is approved, he or she may access the gym the same way one might a dorm room – just swipe your ID card across the sensor.

The new hours will allow freshman Kwasatiriah Jones to make time in her schedule to work out.

“I can finish my classes and then work out,” she said. “If it were open past midnight, I would use it even more, but I do plan on using it more thanks to the new hours.”

Freshman Rocher Hopkins said the waiver hours fit in her schedule as well.

“I have more time to do homework, work out and eat,” she said. “It fits within my schedule and I know the hours so I can come in, do my workout and leave before other people come in.”

Student workers who operate the gym still be there during normal hours.

“We are still responsible for being here and doing our jobs,” Stephanie Dobyns said.

“SGA does not hire the student workers,” SGA treasurer Austin Pendergast said. “Student Affairs hires them.”

Student workers at the gym are responsible for opening and closing the gym. They are also responsible for checking student IDs and making sure the machines are clean.

Students who have been approved for the waiver hours can be in the gym when a student worker is not there. They cannot, however, use free weights.

For students who want a waiver, SGA office hours are 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Monday, 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. on Thursday and 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday.

The SGA requests that students wipe down the machines after they use them.