William F. Stier

Job satisfaction for campus recreation professionals within NIRSA institutions

An international investigation was conducted to determine the overall job satisfaction of college campus recreation employees who are members of the National Intramural Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA). Demographic information was gathered to provide statistical analysis based on (a) region; (b) size of school; (c) private versus public; (d) four-year versus two-year schools; (e) rural, suburban, and urban location; (f) years in the profession; and (g) reporting structure. The following work related areas were examined to determine if NIRSA members were satisfied with their job environment: (a) personal/individual satisfaction, (b) staffing and organizational structure, (c) financial support, (d) salary and professional development, (e) department and individual expectations, (f) campus recreation facilities, and (g) campus collaboration and communication. The study found that overall the respondents indicated they were satisfied with their job situation/environment with greater satisfaction being shown by those with loftier job titles when compared with those with lesser job titles. Differences in job satisfaction were noted in terms of (a) supervisors expectations of them, salary, and hours worked (based on amount of experience); (b) salary (based on title held); (c) budget allocation (based on reporting structure); and (d) a desire to leave their present position/job (in terms of job title held, experience/length of service and reporting structure).

Reporting Structure and Job Satisfaction of Collegiate Campus Recreation Directors

The differences in reporting structures among educational institutions, along with how satisfied campus recreation directors were with specific components of their jobs were studied. Directors, on a survey instrument, indicated to whom they reported and their level of satisfaction or dissatisfaction pertaining to 16 employment related areas within campus recreation. Overall, directors predominately reported to student affairs (62%), while 24% reported to athletics. Directors indicated highest levels of satisfaction in their organization and with other departments (89%) and expressed high levels of dissatisfaction with outdoor facilities and publicity related matters (56%). In order to attract and retain quality campus recreation directors, upper administration should make efforts to satisfy facility-related needs and publicity related matters of programs.

Club Sport Legal Liability Practices at NIRSA Institutions

Current legal practices in collegiate club sport programs were studied. A 23-item questionnaire consisting primarily of close-ended questions was mailed to 563 campus recreation directors representing all six National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA) regions. Data obtained showed that mean club sport budgets ranged from

A Survey of Campus Recreation Directors at NIRSA Institutions: Activities Emphasized, Student Participation Patterns, Trends and Future Offerings Contemplated

51,657 in Region 4 to

The Financial and Facility Status of Campus Recreation Programs at NIRSA Colleges and Universities

135,657 in Region 6, with an overall mean of

What Every Public School Physical Educator Should Know about the Hiring Process.

69,138 across all regions. Signing a waiver before participating was required by 91% of the directors. Lack of consistency in waiver language and font size was reported. Only 9% of campus recreation directors always require that an institutional employee travel with a club sport team. The most frequent modes of approved travel for club sport participants were students driving personal cars (94%), renting vans from outside vendors (95%), and the use of private transportation such as a chartered bus (70%). Paid coaches were used by 15% of the directors.

Title IX Compliance in NCAA Athletic Departments: Perceptions of Senior Woman Administrators

A survey, using an instrument constructed expressly for this investigation, was conducted of directors of campus recreation at all 682 NIRSA colleges and universities in the United States and Canada to determine the current status of: (a) the degree of emphasis institutions currently place on nine categories of sports and recreational activities, (b) the percentage of students, undergraduate and graduate, actually participating in each of these nine categories of activities, (c) future recreational activities and programs, not currently offered to students, but being considered for inclusion within the next 12 months, and (d) future trends in terms of problems (challenges and opportunities) facing college campus recreation departments. Two hundred and sixty-nine schools returned usable surveys for a 39% rate of return. This investigation provides a snapshot of specific current practices and programming offerings of campus Recreation Directors, as well as their opinions in terms of future programming plans and anticipated trends affecting their campus recreation departments. The data were analyzed in light of the locations of the responding institutions within the six regions of NIRSA, the size of the institutions and whether the schools were classified as public or private. The nine categories of recreational activities included: (a) intramurals, (b) club sports, (c) open recreation, (d) outdoor recreation, (e) group exercise/aerobics, (f) aquatics, (g) instructional programming, (h) special events, and (i) youth and family activities.

Important Characteristics of Successful NCAA Division III Basketball Players and Programs as Perceived by their Coaches

Directors of campus recreation at NIRSA colleges and universities in the US and Canada were surveyed to determine: (a) the number of schools that have built, within the preceding three years, major indoor as well as major outdoor campus recreation facilities and the number of institutions planning to do so within the next three years; (b) the usage and scheduling priorities covering all campus recreation facilities; (c) the sources of funding for the construction of these major facilities and sites; and (d) the sources of funding for operational activities for campus recreation. The data were analyzed in terms of school size, location, and whether public or private in nature. The findings revealed that 56% of the institutions surveyed had either recently built new major indoor student recreation centers or were planning to do so, within the next three years. In terms of major outdoor facilities or sites, the percentage was 41%. The majority of construction funds for indoor and outdoor facilities/sites as well as operational funds for programs and activities came from future student fees at most of the public schools. Typically, private schools had the majority of their monies for both indoor and outdoor facilities emanating from private sources while the majority of operating costs was covered through the general fund of the institutions. The sharing of facilities continues with both physical education and with athletics; and, the directors of campus recreation, generally speaking, felt comfortable with such arrangements, even when such arrangements include having athletic and physical education activities take precedence in usage over those of campus recreation.

Senior women administrators' perceptions of factors leading to discrimination of women in intercollegiate athletic departments.

JOPERD • Volume 78 No. 1 • January 2007 I t has long been recognized that securing the services of top quality physical education teachers is essential to establishing and maintaining a strong physical education program (Horowitz, 1999). Therefore, when attempting to develop and maintain secondary physical education programs of high quality, principals seek to attract and hire outstanding physical education teachers. Prospective physical education teachers need to understand the hiring process from the perspective of the school (i.e., the principal) if they are to put their best foot forward and become competitive and marketable for vacancies. In addition, candidates should be aware that although the actual hiring process and assessment strategies may differ somewhat from school to school and from district to district, there are many practices that are common to all or many of the schools seeking to hire physical educators. This article explains the hiring process for the benefi t of physical education teacher candidates, both new teachers and those who wish to change positions. The fi rst part of the article discusses the general mechanics of the process based on selected references. The second part presents a research study conducted by the authors, which provides insight into how various aspects of the hiring process are perceived by principals of secondary schools. Teacher candidates will gain from reviewing how secondary school principals view the hiring and recruiting processes and how they proceed and operate in terms of seeking and assessing candidates for teaching positions.

Survival Strategies for Physical Educators during Recessionary Times.

Title IX Compliance in NCAA Athletic Departments: Perceptions of Senior Woman Administrators Perceptions of Senior Woman Administrators (SWAs) were sought regarding the equal provision of 13 Title IX compliance areas in womens athletic programs as compared to mens. A five point agree/disagree Likert-scale survey was electronically mailed to all SWAs at National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) membership institutions throughout the United States. Of the 841 surveys mailed, 406 were returned for a 48.3% return rate. The SWAs disagreed or strongly disagreed at the highest rates that the following five Title IX compliance areas were being provided for equally in the womens programs when compared to the mens: publicity (31.0%), locker room facilities (27.1%), coaching (20.0%), recruitment of student-athletes (15.4%), and equipment and supplies (14.7%). Significant differences between Likert-scale items of agreement/disagreement were found among the following SWA demographics: marital status, NCAA Division, years of experience, and reporting structure. The SWAs agreed or strongly agreed that the 13 Title IX compliance areas were being provided for equally in the womens programs when compared to the mens at the following rates: housing & dining facilities (84.4%), medical & training facilities (84.3%), scheduling of games (81.1%), travel & per diem allowances (80.5%), practice facilities (78.7%), competitive facilities (78.4%), equipment and supplies (77.7%), support services (76.0%), tutoring (74.3%), recruitment of student-athletes (73.2%), coaching (70.3%), locker room facilities (63.2%), and publicity (55.3%).