Getting physical for graduation

Cornell junior Andrea Segal and her friends bowl together at least twice a week -- for course credit.

Bowling is just one of the many courses offered by Cornell University to fulfill its physical eduction requirement. Students must take two terms of physical education as well as pass a continuous 75-yard swimming test -- using front, back and optional strokes -- to graduate.

"I think it's really cool," Segal said of the requirement reminiscent of high school gym class. "I was skeptical before I came, but there is such a wide variety to choose from."

Many other schools, including Columbia University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Maryland, have a similar requirement and offer courses such as rock-climbing, swing dancing and tennis to help students fulfill it.

Penn once had a similar requirement but got rid of it in the 1969-70 academic year.

"You had to be able to do a shallow dive, swim a couple of laps and do two semesters of phys ed in your freshman year," Assistant Dean for Advising and Study Abroad Flora Cornfield said.

According to Cornfield -- who received her undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees from Penn -- the requirement was abolished since "there were enough people who were interested in doing it anyway and there was a lot of student dissatisfaction with the requirement -- specifically the swimming requirement."

"We were all afraid of dying in a shallow dive," she added.

However, many students at schools where requirements exist enjoy the exercise.

"If we didn't have a gym class, I never would have taken kayaking," Cornell freshman Michele Gersman said.

Gersman says her kayaking course is time-consuming but well worth it.

"I want to take advantage of all the opportunities that Cornell gives us," she said.

Barnard College, a part of Columbia University, sees the gym requirement as an essential element of the experience.

"We subscribe to the theory of whole body -- the mind and the body," said Laura Masone, Physical Education Department acting chairwoman.

"I find most students have no physical education experience or have had a bad one. I think students are surprised how fun phys ed can be," the Barnard fitness coordinator added.

Agreeing, Barnard junior Devorah Fogelman said her African dance class is the highlight of her day.

Since her freshman year, Fogelman has taken five classes -- including self-defense.

"It's the perfect way to release stress," Fogelman said. "People here are so stressed and so uptight, it forces everyone to ... relax."

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