I and many others live around the Rutgers campus all year round and want to use the field to play sports or engage in any activity after a long day. It helps us stay active and connected with the Rutgers community during the summer months between semesters. It's absolutely soul-crushing when groups like COPA come and kick us off because they have the capital to rent out a campus field, forcing students who deserve these open spaces to play on unkept and uneven grass or not even on campus at all. Students do not have the financial or logistical resources to rent out the fields, and students will not settle being told to come at different and available times. The summers are hot and it only makes sense for people to enjoy these spaces once it cools down but that is when the fields are taken by registered groups.

Rutgers administration should designate a turf field on Busch Campus or any other campus as an open space allowed to be used by members of the Rutgers community at all times of the year, with no threat of outside organizations renting out the space. A turf field should be available, opened, and lit up at night throughout the year, including summer. One proposed solution would be one of the turf fields at University Park, across the street from the Werblin Center, should be kept open and lit up while the other field can be reserved. This is a basic solution that is enjoyed by other collegiate institutions. Our tuitions pay for these fields; we deserve access without being priced out by non-affiliated organizations. 

Sign this petition if you believe in keeping our fields accessible for students!