WHEREAS, Students across colleges and universities work hard to maintain their physical and mental well-being through fitness and exercise, balancing academics with healthy habits to achieve overall success, yet internal data collected by Chaffey College Student Government during Fall 2025 shows that out of 111 California community colleges, 19.81% do not provide general gym access and only 22.52% offer free gym access to students, revealing a significant statewide gap in student fitness availability [7];
WHEREAS, The research conducted also shows among the colleges that provide access to the fitness gym, 71.17% require enrollment in a Physical Education/Kinesiology class or participation in collegiate sports, and 37.83% of community colleges require fees for access to the fitness gym, creating financial and structural barriers that disproportionately impact low-income, working, and first-generation students [7];
WHEREAS, Peer-reviewed public health and neuroscience research shows that regular physical exercise improves mental well-being [1], reduces symptoms of depression and anxiety [2], and enhances cognitive performance, including memory, attention, and executive function [3]; and
WHEREAS, Research also demonstrates that higher levels of physical activity are strongly associated with increased happiness, life satisfaction, and overall student well-being [4], meaning that access to fitness facilities contributes to academic success and emotional balance [4], [5], [6]; Now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges work in collaboration with the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, state legislators, and relevant stakeholders to advocate for statewide legislation requiring all California community colleges to provide accessible fitness options for enrolled students by January 2029, ensuring statewide consistency in physical, mental, and cognitive health support;
RESOLVED, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges encourage that any legislation require campuses by January 2029, to fulfill this requirement by either: (A) offering free or low-cost access to on-campus fitness centers where facilities permit; or (B) establishing partnerships with nearby community gyms or fitness facilities to provide discounted or free memberships for currently enrolled students;
RESOLVED, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges encourage colleges implementing on-campus gym access are to create student-worker employment opportunities to help facilitate, maintain, and monitor fitness areas, providing valuable job experience, leadership development, and peer-to-peer engagement; and
RESOLVED, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges, in collaboration with local student governments, compile and share research including survey data, participation metrics, and mental-health and academic-outcome indicators to evaluate the impacts of campus fitness access and to support future statewide expansion.
Citations:
[1] Ferrer-Uris, B., Ramos, M. A., Busquets, A., & Angulo-Barroso, R. (2022). Can exercise shape your brain? A review of aerobic exercise effects on cognitive function and neuro-physiological underpinning mechanisms. AIMS neuroscience, 9(2), 150–174. https://doi.org/10.3934/Neuroscience.2022009
[2] Wang, F., Gao, C., Wang, Y., Li, Z., Zheng, F., & Luo, Y. (2024). Relationship between physical exercise and cognitive function among older adults in China: Cross-sectional population-based study. JMIR Public Health and Surveillance, 10. https://doi.org/10.2196/49790
[3] An, H. Y., Chen, W., Wang, C. W., Yang, H. F., Huang, W. T., & Fan, S. Y. (2020). TheRelationships between Physical Activity and Life Satisfaction and Happiness among Young, Middle-Aged, and Older Adults. International journal of environmental research and public health, 17(13), 4817. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17134817
[4] Zhang, Z., & Chen, W. (2018). A systematic review of the relationship between physical activity and happiness. Journal of Happiness Studies, 20(4), 1305–1322. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-018-9976-0
[5] van Woudenberg, T. J., Bevelander, K. E., Burk, W. J., & Buijzen, M. (2020). The reciprocal effects of physical activity and happiness in adolescents. The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity, 17(1), 147. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-020-01058-8
[6] Mahindru, A., Patil, P., & Agrawal, V. (2023). Role of Physical Activity on Mental Health and Well-Being: A Review. Cureus, 15(1), e33475. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.33475
[7] Chaffey College Student Government (2025). Community College Gym Data in California. Compiled by Senators Nistha Aryal, Branden Flanagen, Alexis Medina, Gabriel San Diego, Bir Shoker, Sebastian Rodriguez, and Daniel Yao. Unpublished internal report. Available at: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1-Iu3vGQUsyxixZam_Vrw0g_vGRDzIeM… id=111562041189223021340&rtpof=true&sd=true