The importance and growth of campus recreation is being felt by leaders throughout the country. Daniels (2, p. 38) summarizes the importance of the total organism in modern education as follows: "Ample justification for a consideration of, the problem of recreation may be found in the latest and most authoritative literature in the field of educat1on, as well as in a direct study of conditions found on many college campuses throughout the country. Rooted firmly in the philosophy of modern educatlon is the thought that the total organism must be given the opportunity for experiences of an all-round nature, with these experiences based on the social and biological needs which enable an individual to live most successfully in relation to his particular social group." Acceptance of this philosophy implies the responsibility of devising ways and means whereby campus recreation purposes may be achieved. By no manner of reasoning can such purposes be realized without due consideration of, and provision for, opportunities in a wide range of recreational activities, such as crafts, music, nature, dramatics, sports, and games. Furthermore, these opportunities must be made available to all students and not merely the most talented and highly trained.

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This mini-dissertation deals with the market demand for campus recreation at the North-West University’s (NWU) Potchefstroom Campus. The market demand refers to the proposed needs for recreation activities on-campus among fulltime undergraduate students studying at the Potchefstroom Campus. For the purpose of the study, undergraduate students (n = 327) were requested to complete a questionnaire containing questions related to reasons for recreational sport participation and constraints hindering participation, as identified by literature. The study was undertaken by using historic, fulltime first- to third-year students studying at the Potchefstroom Campus of the NWU. Participants consisted of a diverse group residing both on-campus and off-campus and also from different faculties, with the exclusion of the Faculties of Law and Theology. Data collected by means of questionnaires was organised and analysed by the Statistical Consultation Services of the NWU (Potchefstroom Campus). Descriptive statistics were used to determine frequencies. It was found that the majority of students participate in the seven major sport codes of the university, and in particular hockey and soccer, followed by tennis and athletics. Even though participation figures for rugby are lower than those for the other seven major sport codes, the participation frequencies by the students are the highest of the major sport codes. The highest additional sport codes that students participated in are cycling, squash, golf, swimming and table tennis. The additional sport codes are predominantly participated in either through hostel teams or with private clubs. It was found that there are five main reasons why students participate in recreational sport, namely for the purpose of challenge and enjoyment, for recognition and achievement, to socialise, for health and physical wellness and to relieve stress. From the mean scores, it appears that the students’ primary reasons for participating in recreational sports are recognition and achievement and to a lesser degree for health and wellness. The study found participation constraints, namely lack of knowledge, lack of interest, individual psychological aspects and accessibility or financial constraints. The constraint experienced most by the students, according to the mean scores, is lack of knowledge about recreational sport. Regarding the students’ recreational sport needs, hockey was mentioned the most, followed by netball, cycling, swimming, tennis and squash. Students prefer to participate in the above mentioned recreational sport activities with hostel teams, whereas very few students prefer to participate on their own. The first recommendation would be to include student development, health and wellness as key components in the current vision of NWU sport. It is also recommended that the NWU revise the information obtained from the Marketing Department regarding the recruitment of future students. Valuable knowledge could be obtained regarding which sports the students were exposed to during their school years and to adjust the additional sport codes accordingly. The third recommendation is the introduction of leisure education during the orientation programme for first-year students. Leisure education will provide the students with the skills to prepare for future events peculiar to campus life. Fourthly it is recommended that, due to the increase in demand for multi-gender sport, the university shall focus on marketing and public awareness of sports such as women’s cricket and rugby for women. The last recommendation refers to the need for more information regarding the management of facilities and grounds. The implementation of a web-based system could increase productivity and may decrease the pressure placed on the utilisation of facilities and grounds. / MBA, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

This mini-dissertation deals with the market demand for campus recreation at the North-West University’s (NWU) Potchefstroom Campus. The market demand refers to the proposed needs for recreation activities on-campus among fulltime undergraduate students studying at the Potchefstroom Campus. For the purpose of the study, undergraduate students (n = 327) were requested to complete a questionnaire containing questions related to reasons for recreational sport participation and constraints hindering participation, as identified by literature. The study was undertaken by using historic, fulltime first- to third-year students studying at the Potchefstroom Campus of the NWU. Participants consisted of a diverse group residing both on-campus and off-campus and also from different faculties, with the exclusion of the Faculties of Law and Theology. Data collected by means of questionnaires was organised and analysed by the Statistical Consultation Services of the NWU (Potchefstroom Campus). Descriptive statistics were used to determine frequencies. It was found that the majority of students participate in the seven major sport codes of the university, and in particular hockey and soccer, followed by tennis and athletics. Even though participation figures for rugby are lower than those for the other seven major sport codes, the participation frequencies by the students are the highest of the major sport codes. The highest additional sport codes that students participated in are cycling, squash, golf, swimming and table tennis. The additional sport codes are predominantly participated in either through hostel teams or with private clubs. It was found that there are five main reasons why students participate in recreational sport, namely for the purpose of challenge and enjoyment, for recognition and achievement, to socialise, for health and physical wellness and to relieve stress. From the mean scores, it appears that the students’ primary reasons for participating in recreational sports are recognition and achievement and to a lesser degree for health and wellness. The study found participation constraints, namely lack of knowledge, lack of interest, individual psychological aspects and accessibility or financial constraints. The constraint experienced most by the students, according to the mean scores, is lack of knowledge about recreational sport. Regarding the students’ recreational sport needs, hockey was mentioned the most, followed by netball, cycling, swimming, tennis and squash. Students prefer to participate in the above mentioned recreational sport activities with hostel teams, whereas very few students prefer to participate on their own. The first recommendation would be to include student development, health and wellness as key components in the current vision of NWU sport. It is also recommended that the NWU revise the information obtained from the Marketing Department regarding the recruitment of future students. Valuable knowledge could be obtained regarding which sports the students were exposed to during their school years and to adjust the additional sport codes accordingly. The third recommendation is the introduction of leisure education during the orientation programme for first-year students. Leisure education will provide the students with the skills to prepare for future events peculiar to campus life. Fourthly it is recommended that, due to the increase in demand for multi-gender sport, the university shall focus on marketing and public awareness of sports such as women’s cricket and rugby for women. The last recommendation refers to the need for more information regarding the management of facilities and grounds. The implementation of a web-based system could increase productivity and may decrease the pressure placed on the utilisation of facilities and grounds. / MBA, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of two models, namely an adaptable wellness programming model and an action research model, when creating and administering a stress management initiative for campus recreation settings that will have a positive effect on freshmen participants at the University of Tennessee. Eight freshmen from the University of Tennessee (6 females, 2 males) volunteered to complete a five week stress management initiative entitled the FROSH! (FResh Out of Stress, & Healthy!) Program which was based upon action research methodology. Program participants completed an exit interview and exit interview questionnaire after the program to determine if their levels of perceived stress had changed and to measure the effect that the program had on each individual. The Perceived Stress Scale was also administered before and after the program to detect any changes in perceived stress levels that participants experienced, but the sample size was too small to detect any significant changes in perceived stress levels. E. T. Stringer’s Categorizing and Coding procedure was used to decode responses from all meetings as well as from the exit interviews. Results indicate that the FROSH! Program was rewarding in various ways for participants, and 86% of participants said that their stress levels had lowered by the conclusion of the program. All participants thought that setting weekly goals was helpful in lowering their stress levels. Furthermore, the revised adaptable program model was perceived to be successful in creating the stress management initiative. It is recommended to increase the number of participants for future programs, and also to test the success of such action research-based wellness programs in campus recreation centers.

This thesis is a quantitative research design that examines the upward mobility of women administrators in campus recreation. The purpose of this study is to examine the career mobility of women currently working in the administration of campus recreation. A criterion sampling method was used to select women currently holding administrative level positions in campus recreation as well as solicit participation using the National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA) Member Database. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS 18.0) was utilized to analyze the data. For the quantitative data, basic descriptive statistics were performed which included means, standard deviations, and frequencies. For the research questions Pearson Chi Square tests, ANOVA tests, and Tukey’s Post Hoc test were conducted. The respondents’ narrative comments were analyzed objectively for common themes. A total of 348 women administrators successfully completed the e-survey, generating a 45.7% response rate. Some significant findings from this study include: (1) The current study supports the literature of previous studies in that women in different sport industry segments are experiencing the same barriers to career mobility; (2) Women still perceive the same challenges as women over 30 years ago; (3) The status of women has increasingly changed as women continue to make inroads into the campus recreation profession, however women’s perceived career development remains unchanged.

The presence of students with disabilities on university campuses is steadily increasing; however, their total integration and inclusion into campus life has not been as successful (Merchant & Gajar, 1997; Promis, et al., 2001). Canadian students with disabilities continue to be marginalized within universities, mainly because a framework for inclusion has not been firmly established (Promis et al., 2001). Although universities offer services to support academic success, other facets of campus life offered to the general student population, such as recreation or athletics, are often neglected for students with disabilities. These aspects of student life should not be considered trivial as they have many benefits and can enhance a person’s experiences and quality of life at university (Ashton-Shaeffer et al., 2001; Blinde & McLung, 1997; Blinde & Taub, 1999; Promis et al., 2001). Guided by critical disability theory and the concept of embodiment, this dissertation used a participatory action research approach that united key partners from the University of Guelph community in order to examine issues around accessibility and inclusion of students with disabilities in campus recreational and athletic opportunities. The team included representatives from the University’s Centre for Students with Disabilities and the Department of Athletics, an undergraduate student with a disability, and two university alumni. The ultimate goal was to develop a planning framework to guide universities in supporting the human rights and inclusion of students with disabilities in extra-curricular campus life. Interviews were conducted with five research team members and 18 University of Guelph stakeholders, including: students with and without disabilities, staff members from the Department of Athletics and the Centre for Students with Disabilities, faculty members, and senior administrators. A focus group was also held to share findings and generate feedback on a preliminary draft of the framework. What emerged from data analysis of the interviews, the focus group, team meetings, and journal entries was the development of a framework for Creating a Campus Culture of Compassion. This framework identifies how universities can implement programs, policies, services and practices that better respond to the changing and diverse needs and interests of students with disabilities in order to ensure their full engagement in all areas of campus life. The framework centres around six guiding principles that help guide universities toward developing a campus culture that is compassionate. Essentially, a campus culture of compassion values: (a) access for all; (b) diversity and uniqueness; (c) interdependence and social responsibility; (d) diverse knowledge basis, voices, and perspectives; (e) the power of learning and education as a tool for social change; and (f) the whole person. The framework also indicates three fundamental characteristics that a campus culture of compassion must possess. In essence, post-secondary institutions and their community members must be: (a) interconnected, (b) supportive and enabling, and (c) informed. Six process pieces are included in the framework which enables a campus culture of compassionate to be fuelled and sustained over time. These pieces include: (a) creating a vision for the future, (b) constructing a plan to achieve the vision, (c) securing funds to put the plan in place, (d) thinking critically and measuring actions against the vision, (e) being proactive to make change happen, and (f) reaching beyond compliance. The framework encourages university stakeholders to collectively reflect, dialogue, and collaborate in order to create broader systemic changes. These changes are necessary since constraints to campus engagement can threaten a student’s well-being and sense of self. This framework can serve as a starting point to initiate these conversations and inspire universities to use a participatory approach to encourage positive social change within the university context.

The presence of students with disabilities on university campuses is steadily increasing; however, their total integration and inclusion into campus life has not been as successful (Merchant & Gajar, 1997; Promis, et al., 2001). Canadian students with disabilities continue to be marginalized within universities, mainly because a framework for inclusion has not been firmly established (Promis et al., 2001). Although universities offer services to support academic success, other facets of campus life offered to the general student population, such as recreation or athletics, are often neglected for students with disabilities. These aspects of student life should not be considered trivial as they have many benefits and can enhance a person’s experiences and quality of life at university (Ashton-Shaeffer et al., 2001; Blinde & McLung, 1997; Blinde & Taub, 1999; Promis et al., 2001). Guided by critical disability theory and the concept of embodiment, this dissertation used a participatory action research approach that united key partners from the University of Guelph community in order to examine issues around accessibility and inclusion of students with disabilities in campus recreational and athletic opportunities. The team included representatives from the University’s Centre for Students with Disabilities and the Department of Athletics, an undergraduate student with a disability, and two university alumni. The ultimate goal was to develop a planning framework to guide universities in supporting the human rights and inclusion of students with disabilities in extra-curricular campus life. Interviews were conducted with five research team members and 18 University of Guelph stakeholders, including: students with and without disabilities, staff members from the Department of Athletics and the Centre for Students with Disabilities, faculty members, and senior administrators. A focus group was also held to share findings and generate feedback on a preliminary draft of the framework. What emerged from data analysis of the interviews, the focus group, team meetings, and journal entries was the development of a framework for Creating a Campus Culture of Compassion. This framework identifies how universities can implement programs, policies, services and practices that better respond to the changing and diverse needs and interests of students with disabilities in order to ensure their full engagement in all areas of campus life. The framework centres around six guiding principles that help guide universities toward developing a campus culture that is compassionate. Essentially, a campus culture of compassion values: (a) access for all; (b) diversity and uniqueness; (c) interdependence and social responsibility; (d) diverse knowledge basis, voices, and perspectives; (e) the power of learning and education as a tool for social change; and (f) the whole person. The framework also indicates three fundamental characteristics that a campus culture of compassion must possess. In essence, post-secondary institutions and their community members must be: (a) interconnected, (b) supportive and enabling, and (c) informed. Six process pieces are included in the framework which enables a campus culture of compassionate to be fuelled and sustained over time. These pieces include: (a) creating a vision for the future, (b) constructing a plan to achieve the vision, (c) securing funds to put the plan in place, (d) thinking critically and measuring actions against the vision, (e) being proactive to make change happen, and (f) reaching beyond compliance. The framework encourages university stakeholders to collectively reflect, dialogue, and collaborate in order to create broader systemic changes. These changes are necessary since constraints to campus engagement can threaten a student’s well-being and sense of self. This framework can serve as a starting point to initiate these conversations and inspire universities to use a participatory approach to encourage positive social change within the university context.

This thesis is a quantitative research design that examines the upward mobility of women administrators in campus recreation. The purpose of this study is to examine the career mobility of women currently working in the administration of campus recreation. A criterion sampling method was used to select women currently holding administrative level positions in campus recreation as well as solicit participation using the National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA) Member Database. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS 18.0) was utilized to analyze the data. For the quantitative data, basic descriptive statistics were performed which included means, standard deviations, and frequencies. For the research questions Pearson Chi Square tests, ANOVA tests, and Tukey’s Post Hoc test were conducted. The respondents’ narrative comments were analyzed objectively for common themes. A total of 348 women administrators successfully completed the e-survey, generating a 45.7% response rate. Some significant findings from this study include: (1) The current study supports the literature of previous studies in that women in different sport industry segments are experiencing the same barriers to career mobility; (2) Women still perceive the same challenges as women over 30 years ago; (3) The status of women has increasingly changed as women continue to make inroads into the campus recreation profession, however women’s perceived career development remains unchanged.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of two models, namely an adaptable wellness programming model and an action research model, when creating and administering a stress management initiative for campus recreation settings that will have a positive effect on freshmen participants at the University of Tennessee. Eight freshmen from the University of Tennessee (6 females, 2 males) volunteered to complete a five week stress management initiative entitled the FROSH! (FResh Out of Stress, & Healthy!) Program which was based upon action research methodology. Program participants completed an exit interview and exit interview questionnaire after the program to determine if their levels of perceived stress had changed and to measure the effect that the program had on each individual. The Perceived Stress Scale was also administered before and after the program to detect any changes in perceived stress levels that participants experienced, but the sample size was too small to detect any significant changes in perceived stress levels. E. T. Stringer’s Categorizing and Coding procedure was used to decode responses from all meetings as well as from the exit interviews. Results indicate that the FROSH! Program was rewarding in various ways for participants, and 86% of participants said that their stress levels had lowered by the conclusion of the program. All participants thought that setting weekly goals was helpful in lowering their stress levels. Furthermore, the revised adaptable program model was perceived to be successful in creating the stress management initiative. It is recommended to increase the number of participants for future programs, and also to test the success of such action research-based wellness programs in campus recreation centers.