Abby Barahona ’25
Staff Writer
On Jan. 17, Scripps students received an email from Assistant Dean Deborah Gisvold announcing that Tiernan Field House (TFH) will now be open to the larger Claremont Consortium community.
The Sallie Tiernan Field House is a health and wellness center created to foster students’ physical and emotional well-being. In addition to a strength training room, aerobic studio, and 25-meter swimming pool, TFH also has a wellness room for students that need a place to relax and focus on their mental health. The Field House hosts bingo nights, crafting activities, and snack-making events as well.
Prior to this announcement, the gym was open only to Scripps affiliated students, faculty, and staff, while the pool was limited to CMS students, faculty, and staff, since they all share other athletics facilities. Starting this semester, the building and pool are accessible to those affiliated with Pitzer, Pomona, Keck Graduate Institute, and Claremont Graduate University. However, non-CMS individuals must purchase a membership or day pass in order to use the facility.
Day passes are $5 for Pomona and Pitzer students and $10 for Pomona or Pitzer faculty and staff and Keck or Claremont graduate students, faculty, and staff. For all non-CMS students, faculty, and staff, a semester membership is $150, an academic year membership is $275, and an annual year membership is $450.
Many students have expressed confusion about these prices. “I would love to go to the pool with my Scripps friends, but I think it’s kinda silly to make non-CMS people pay,” said Angela Trinh PZ ’25. “Especially because the Pitzer pool is open to everyone!”
Those who want to use the TFH building, which includes the gym and wellness room, have to make a reservation through the new portal: wellness.scrippscollege.edu. Using the pool does not require a reservation.
In addition to making a reservation, students, staff, and faculty can sign up for FitScripps classes, register a bike on campus, or view a live occupancy report for the gym through the portal. FitScripps classes are group fitness classes held weekly or biweekly that include body sculpt, HITT, kickboxing, pilates, yoga, and Zumba workouts.
Since Scripps is a historically women’s college with a gender-diverse student body, it is important to many students that some Scripps-only spaces are maintained on campus to ensure that students feel safe and comfortable.
“I really value having a safe, supportive place to exercise, so I hope that the opening doesn’t take away from that,” said Elle Propp ’25. To honor this, Tiernan provides Scripps undergraduate only hours and Scripps student, faculty, and staff only hours for both the building and the pool.
Through the Field House, 7C students and staff also have access to day bike rentals, sports equipment, and lawn games. These reservations can be made by visiting the TFH front desk by speaking to a Customer Service Associate.
Ultimately, students feel that this is not a true 7C-wide opening. “I really love Tiernan and all the resources available to us there,” said Quincy Solomon ’25. “But I wish that it was open to all of the 7Cs without charge because I want to go with my friends.”
Spring Semester 2023 TFH Operational Hours
Building Hours* (Reservations are required)
Monday–Friday: 7 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Saturday–Sunday: 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
*Note: 3 p.m. – 7 p.m. the drop-in facility use for Scripps students, faculty and staff only.
Pool Hours (Reservations are NOT required)
Monday – Thursday: 7:30 a.m. – 9 a.m., 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m., 3 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Friday: 7:30 a.m. – 9 a.m., 12 p.m. – 5 p.m.*
Saturday–Sunday: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m.*
*Note: Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays 12 p.m. – 2 p.m. access to Scripps undergraduate students only. Pool Hours are contingent upon staffing.
Image Source: Frances Walton ’26
