As you enter the Lowry Center, there is a sign that reads in large letters, “You Belong Here.” This sentiment invites all students — athletes and nonathletes alike — to enjoy its facilities, from the gym and tennis courts to saunas and showers. Yet, despite this inclusive message, there’s a surprising discrepancy that weakens this welcoming notion: Nonathletes are not allowed to use the towels.

This policy came to my attention one day when a friend and I tried to use one of the Lowry Center towels. We were promptly stopped by the director of equipment operations, who informed us that towels were reserved exclusively for varsity athletes. Naturally, I was curious as to why this rule exists. After a meeting with the director of Athletics, I learned that the reasoning behind the policy is financial. The department doesn’t have the budget to provide enough towels or hire more student workers to handle a larger laundry load. The director even joked that the facility coordinator always runs low on soap.

Despite this explanation, I still have several thoughts about this policy. Nonathletes should be allowed a towel since we can use the showers, saunas and steam rooms. I spoke to several nonathlete friends, and they all agreed that carrying a towel down the hill is an added inconvenience — one that’s particularly challenging during the winter when wet towels begin to freeze on the walk back up.

Even some athletes I spoke with found the rule baffling. Initially, they laughed at my suggestion to extend towel access to all students, but after some discussion, they agreed it was a reasonable request. The policy feels inconsistent, especially considering the athletes often use multiple towels at a time or have access to them even outside their need for varsity activities. Hypothetically, a football player can get two or three towels after going to free swim. My boss in the Office of Admissions, a former varsity athlete at Kenyon, teased me by sharing his experience of using multiple towels during his time at the college — one for his feet, one for his hair and one for the rest of his body. Extending towel access to nonathletes wouldn’t strain the system too much.

I posed the option to the director of Athletics of having a trial period but was told the budget prohibits that from being possible. This seems absurd. Nonathletes would not need that many towels since some of them rarely use the Lowry Center, and many do not use the locker rooms with great frequency. The more significant issue would be hiring more staff to run extra laundry cycles. With that being said, the budget for the Lowry Center should be revisited to explore the possibility of reallocating funds for additional towels and necessary maintenance.

At the heart of this issue is the question of accessibility and fairness. If Kenyon prides itself on being an inclusive and welcoming institution, every student, regardless of athletic status, should feel equally valued and respected, especially at the athletic center. The towel policy is a small but significant barrier to reaching that ideal. Providing towels for all students using the Lowry Center is a simple change, but it would go a long way toward creating a more welcoming environment for everyone.

Bronwyn D. Kraebber ’27 is an English major from New York. She can be contacted at kraebber2@kenyon.edu.