By MICHAEL ZABRODSKY

mzabrodsky@post-journal.com

Effective Feb 1, 2026, JCC Total Fitness will no longer be open to the general public.

JCC President Dr. Daniel DeMarte said the fitness center instead will serve only JCC students, faculty, staff, and select partners such as the local police and fire departments.

“The decision follows a three year review period during which the FSA (Faculty Student Association) attempted to rebuild public membership following the pandemic related shutdown,” DeMarte said. “Despite those efforts, public participation has remained too low to cover the costs associated with staffing and extended public hours. The FSA determined that continuing to operate the Center for Public Use is not financially sustainable. So effective, Feb. 1 will not be open to the public.”

Trustees also learned that the FSA is in the beginning stages of changing its name. DeMarte said the FSA will be renamed Auxiliary Services of JCC.

“There’s still a lot of work to do before we get there, but the work is beginning, and we have to see it through within the next 12 to 18 months,” DeMarte said.

DeMarte added that the Auxiliary Services will still oversee JCC’s residence halls, and JCC’s food service.

The Jamestown Community College Board of Trustees also named Dr. Gregory DeCinque as the college’s President Emeritus. From 1993 to 2013, DeCinque served as JCC president. JCC officials said that Decinque devoted 19 of his 44 years in higher education to JCC, leading the institution with vision, integrity, and a steadfast commitment to student success. Also during his tenure, officials said, Decinque guided numerous transformational initiatives that advanced the mission and impact of JCC.

Among his initiatives are:

– Uniting the college community around shared goals to strengthen enrollment, student achievement, and completion.

– Overseeing the renovation and opening of the $31 million Cattaraugus County Campus in downtown Olean in 2003.

– Expanding the College’s degree and certificate programs to meet the evolving needs of students and employers.

– Enhancing transfer opportunities through articulation agreements with 43 four-year colleges and universities.

– Launching the Manufacturing Technology Institute in collaboration with the Manufacturers Association of the Southern Tier.

– Bringing new residence halls and a state-of-the-art science center to the Jamestown Campus.

“He certainly has left an indelible mark,” Board Chairman Mark Ward said.

According to a written statement, “Dr. DeCinque’s leadership reflected and advanced Jamestown Community College’s enduring vision and mission to provide high-quality, inclusive educational opportunities for all individuals and employers within the Southern Tier West region and beyond.