Policies and Practices for Equity: Perspectives of Campus Recreation Staff in North America

Abstract

Given continued physical activity disparities among college students based on gender identity, race, and sexual orientation, it is important to identify policies and practices to support more equitable physical activity participation opportunities. This mixed-methods study examined perceptions of equity policies and practices among North American campus recreation staff (n = 254). Institution and staff characteristics along with department values, existence of written policies, and perceptions of current and potential equity policies/practices were collected via an online survey in November 2020. Quantitative data were analyzed with descriptive statistics and importance-performance analysis; qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analyses. Findings indicate an apparent disconnect between campus recreation departments’ stated values and written policies, and reveal gaps between perceived importance and performance of equity priorities. However, qualitative responses included many promising equity practices which could help facilitate physical activity participation for all students through creation of an inclusive, safe, and welcoming environment for diverse student populations.

Transgender and Nonbinary College Student Inclusivity in Campus Recreation: Perceptions of North American Staff

“…Though data covered a range of topics this study focusses exclusively on the perceived inclusivity of transgender and nonbinary students. Findings pertaining to wider policies and practices and the response of campus recreation departments to the pandemic are reported elsewhere (Wilson, Powers et al, 2022). All equity-related questions were framed to participants such that they answered questions as they would have prior to the pandemic, as opposed to in the midst of the pandemic.…”

“…In doing so, institutions are potentially constraining participation of students who may stand to benefit from such amenities, such as transgender and nonbinary students, from using facilities. This is concerning for various reasons, including that it potentially prevents all students from realizing the benefits of physical activity participation, and because in most instances students are paying for such facilities as part of mandatory student fees (Wilson et al, 2020;Wilson, Powers et al, 2022). The purpose of this study was to examine whether the campus recreation staff member's perceptions of inclusiveness of their campus recreation facilities for/of transgender and nonbinary students differed based on institutional characteristics (e.g., religiously affiliated or minority-serving institution), staff characteristics, or the existence of antidiscrimination policies, and/or antiharassment policies and all gender locker rooms.…”