UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN IOWA
WELLNESS AND RECREATION SERVICES (WRS)
ANNUAL REPORT 2011
WRS At-a-Glance:
MISSION:
To enhance the personal, professional and academic lives of university students, faculty, and staff through
structured and self-directed activities, educational programs and services, skill and leadership building activities, and campuswide initiatives. WRS staff is committed to being the leaders in fostering healthy lifestyles among members of the UNI
campus community.
STAFF:
A Director, two Associate Directors, 8 Program Coordinators; 2 Secretaries; an Office Coordinator; and over 300
Student Employees.
SERVICES:
Aquatics &Certifications, Wellness, Informal Recreation, Intramural Sports, Outdoor Recreation, Personal &
Instructional Fitness, Sport Clubs, Violence Intervention and Substance Abuse Services.
OVERSIGHT:
Director of University Health Services, Vice President for the Division of Student Affairs, UNI President, and
Iowa Board of Regents, plus input from the WRS Student and Employee Advisory Committees, Northern Iowa Student
Government, and WRS clientele.
.
Accomplishments and Changes:
The Employee Wellness Program was transferred from WRS to Human Resource Services (HRS) for closer connection with the
UNI Benefits program. This has necessitated review and adjustment of WRS programming and increased collaboration with
HRS, which is on-going. Both departments seek to provide UNI employees wellness services that are comprehensive and
beneficial.
A productive CAS review was conducted with resulting goals incorporated into the departmental 2011-2015 strategic plan.
With the resignation of a WRS health educator, the department (and wellness program specifically) adjusted to the reduction of
staff by reducing or eliminating previously offered programs and services or, in some cases, assigning responsibility to other
staff.
The online Student Success: Unless There’s Consent, Sexual Assault prevention program was implemented, which broadens
student awareness and understanding of sexual misconduct, including dating violence, harassment and stalking. 91 percent of
all new students successfully completed this program, and data indicates significant student learning between the pre-test and
post-test.
The American College Health Association National College Health Assessment was conducted during spring of 2011, with 686
respondents and an informative summary report that assists with tracking of student health behaviors and attitudes over time
(conducted bi-annually) and guides programming decisions.
Four newly developed graduate assistant positions were filled for fall 2011 and leadership manuals were developed to
standardize WRS processes for training, expectations, professional development, and evaluation of graduate assistants, as well
as interns.
A multi-cultural recruitment plan was developed, with input from UNI colleagues, and implemented to guide WRS involvement
and outreach to assist in the recruitment of multi-cultural students to UNI, to WRS-related majors, and to WRS student jobs.
With a change in School of Health, Physical Education, and Leisure Services leadership and College of Education Leadership, new
productive working relationships are being developed that will enhance collaboration and service to students; an agreement for
simplifying payment of shared expenses was established between the COE Dean and WRS Director.
A successful first annual reunion of former WRS student employees was held and will be held again in 2011 as WRS seeks to
maintain mutually beneficial relationships with WRS alumni student employees.
A 2011 – 2015 WRS Strategic Plan was developed to guide WRS budgeting and initiatives over the next five years.
The Mandatory Recreation Fee was increased from $35.00 annual in FY10 to $45.00 annual in FY11 and was approved by the
BOR to increase to $60.00 annual in FY12. The Mandatory Recreation Fee supports roughly 1/3 of the WRS budget.
As indicated by the charts that follow, participation by the campus community in WRS programs and activities continues to
increase.
The WRS Advisory Committee was re-designed to be a WRS Student Advisory Committee; WRS has representation on a newly
established Employee Wellness Advisory Committee through Human Resource Services as an avenue to communicate with and
seek input from UNI faculty, staff and retirees
1
WRC & Health Beat
Total Visits
10-11
281,796
09-10
256,411
Unique Users
Students
Faculty/Staff
Others
9,019
241
192
8,827
250
175
Intramural Sports
Total Participations
Unique Students
10-11
26,270
3,072
09-10
27,561
3,229
10-11
155
131
42
443
09-10
168
101
22
458
Outdoor Recreation
Sports Clubs
10-11
Number of Clubs
Club Members
09-10
20
516
17
425
Trip participants
Belay Clinic Participants
Other Clinic Participants
Rentals
Climbing Wall Usage (monthly average )
Academic year
1,712
Summer
323
1,523
273
Fitness/Leisure
Classes
10-11
09-10
Personal Training
Total Registered
Fall
Spring
Summer
Total
Unique Students
Fall
Spring
Summer
Unique Faculty/Staff/Other
Fall
Spring
Summer
1,039
1,134
178
2,351
1,051
1,056
173
2,280
890
993
79
892
900
86
Total Sessions
10-11
1,076
09-10
936
Students
Faculty/Staff/Other
34
28
19
47
Unique
WRS Facility Rentals
149
141
99
159
156
87
10-11
$103,914
$56,188
Gross Income
Net Income
10-11
09-10
$77,311
$40,895
09-10
Learn-to-Swim
Children of Students, Faculty
Staff & Alumni
664
505
Students
372
379
Employees/Other
332
337
798
not
available
613
Massages
Red Cross Training
Participants
Library Check Outs
201
2