Regular physical activity has been shown to decrease the risk of many chronic health problems (Haskell, Lee, Pate et al., 2007). Recent research has shown a steep decline in physical activity as children develop through adolescence and into young adulthood (Sallis, 1993; Stone, McKenzie, Welk, Booth, 1998). Many universities across the country have updated their campus recreation programs and facilities to promote physical activity and healthy living. Overall health and wellness is one of the many benefits offered from campus recreation services. To maximize physical activity outcomes, an assessment of motivations to participate in campus recreation services should be considered. The purpose of this study was to investigate motivational factors that are associated with students' participation in intramural sports and compare these motivations across different demographic groups. The theoretical basis for this study was the Self-Determination Theory (SDT) developed by Deci and Ryan (1985). Motivational factors were measured using a modified version of the Motives for Physical Activity Scale developed by Frederick and Ryan (1993). Data collection occurred during the spring 2005 semester at a university in the southeastern United States. Significant relationships were identified between gender groups. Recommendations for campus recreation professionals are also presented.
The nature and tradition of campus recreational services stresses the importance of recreation staff evaluating their programs. The increasing diversity among college students and the escalating expectations of campus patrons, donors, and accrediting bodies have required campus recreation professionals to increase their foci on standards and benchmarks of practice and outcomes of services. While most campus recreation programs engage in some form of evaluation, very few have invested in the development of a comprehensive evaluation system that critically reviews program outcomes. Outcome evaluation is accomplished with careful planning and attention, similar to many other operational systems and activities such as risk management or budgeting. The result can be useful information that can position the campus recreation program for more growth as well as increased integrity across campus. The purpose of this article is to introduce the growing need for comprehensive program evaluation in campus recreational services. In addition, this article will present a case report on establishing direction for evaluation. Recommended actions by the campus recreation staff for establishing comprehensive evaluation plans are also discussed.
Graduation rates, academic success, and health status are top priorities of universities related to student success. Overall it has been found that students academically and socially integrated to the campus are more likely to remain in college and graduate. This article presents a strategy and results of a study that analyzed the overall relationship Student Affairs programs had with student GPA and health status. The goal of this research was to discover what helps students thrive, not just survive at school. To study thriving, the theoretical model of salutogenesis was adapted to investigate factors related to student success as measured through academic performance and health status. Using electronically collected data from a sample of 691 students, the results of relationships between student engagement in Student Affairs programs, student academic performance, and health status have been reported. Emphasis areas for student affairs programs are suggested.
Higher expectations among campus recreation professionals for establishing and tracking learning outcomes have become essential components of effective program planning and assessment. This has been motivated by college/university accreditation procedures, the increased expectation to illustrate performance of all college/university services, and the growing transparency of college/university administrative decision making. The demand for quantifiable learning outcomes has exposed the need for continued training of staff and highlighted the need for cultural change among campus recreation programs. Illustrations of a systematic evaluation of learning outcome efforts can provide guidance to campus recreation professionals to make progress toward implementing their own systems. This article presents an example of establishing learning outcomes assessment as part of a campus recreation challenge course program. A general overview of establishing a learning outcomes plan is presented followed by an overview of the challenge course case in point.
Campus intramural sports officials often participate in external officiating experiences beyond campus intramural contests, such as community sport programs, middle and high school sports, and even intercollegiate sports. While these external opportunities may enhance an official's skills and abilities, there are concerns that the demand from external agencies and competing salaries result in campus intramural programs being left with underdeveloped officials. This in turn contributes to the critique that encouraging external officiating experiences does not contribute to the college or university mission of learning, research, and professional development. The purpose of this article is to present a justification why campus intramural sports officials should engage in sports officiating experiences beyond campus intramural and extramural contests. A conceptual framework known as Communities of Practice (Wenger, 1998) is presented to illustrate how external officiating experiences may contribute to the college or university mission of learning, research, and professional development. Benefits of participating in external officiating experiences are also presented.
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