Course Syllabus
RECREATN 450/650, Design, Maintenance, and Management of Recreation Facilities
University of Wisconsin, Whitewater
Department of HPRC
Instructor:
Dr. Thomas F. Gustafson
telephone-262-472-1649
e-mail-gustafst@uww.edu
office-WC 132
Office Hours:
TBA
Credits:
3
Course Time and
Location:
TBA
Required texts:
none
Course Description: This course will introduce management theories and provide
practical experience in the design, development, operation, maintenance, and
administration of various recreation facilities.
Learning objectives: Upon completion of this course students should be able to:
1. Pre-design, design, construction, and renovation
2. Conduct facility feasibility studies
3. Identify and demonstrate area and facility management skills
4. Understand recreation facility and park design and their relationship to program
planning and usage
5. Identify and apply labor standards and laws pertinent to recreation facilities
6. Interpret equipment needs, purchases, and maintenance
7. Understand management of facility personnel
Course content and schedule
Week 1
Introduction to facility planning, design, and management process
Week 2
Feasibility study, needs assessment, relationship to existing facilities
Week 3
Architectural guidelines/requirements, federal, state, and local regulations
Week 4
Demographic data and site development
Week 5
Master planning, initiating design and construction, program statement
development
Week 6
Specification sheets, selection and working with architect, construction
phase, and building committee
Week 7
Midterm examination, Principles and concepts of indoor and outdoor
facilities
Week 8
Facility complexes, health and fitness facilities, sport facilities
Week 9
Recreation centers, parks, Aquatic facilities
Week 10
Technical considerations, natural vs. artificial surfaces, lighting, HVAC,
pedestrian and motor traffic patterns
Week 11
Spectator/non-participant amenities, ancillary spaces, participant amenities
Week 12
Health and safety considerations, general risk management
Week 13
ADA, Title IX, and OSHA, facility and equipment/negligence and product
liability
Week 14
Facility and personnel management
Week 15
Presentation of graduate student projects
Undergraduate course requirements:
1. Read and critique two articles pertaining to facility design from 2 different
journals or magazines. Critiques should be approximately 2-3 pages in length,
double spaced, in 12 point font, and be accompanied by a copy of the article. The
critique should contain a summary of the article and any personal observations
that you have.
2. Select and visit one site relating to your interest, excluding UWW facilities,
facilities with which you have prior experience, and facilities that were toured
during regular class periods. This should include a brief description of the facility,
the function of the facility, the observed strengths and weaknesses of the facility,
and suggestions that you would make as a result of your observations.
3. Midterm and final examinations. Please note: Once the exam begins, students
will not be allowed to leave the classroom until they have finished the exam.
There will be no bathroom breaks. Students leaving the classroom will be
presumed to have completed the exam. Any student either talking or text
messaging on a cell phone during an examination will be asked to leave the
classroom and will receive a zero for that exam. There are no exceptions.
Graduate course requirements:
1. Content (What are additional presentation/project requirements?)
Graduate students will plan and create a recreation/sport facility of their
choice. They will complete a literature review of facility design, acquire skills
in Turbo CAD (Computer Aided Design) or an equivalent program and
provide a physical layout of the facility. Student will then provide a
management plan to include a feasibility study, organizational structure, and
marketing plan. A presentation to the class will accompany the written
product.
2. Intensity (How are the processes and standards of evaluation different for
graduates and undergraduates?)
Evaluation of the graduate project is unique, and 30% of the graduate
grade is weighted to the graduate project.
3. Self-Directed (How are research expectations differ for graduates and
undergraduates?)
Review of literature to support facility design and management plan are
above and beyond the undergraduate expectations. Students are allowed to
focus on a facility related to their own professional goals for development.
1. Read and critique two articles pertaining to facility design from 2 different
journals or magazines. Critiques should be approximately 2-3 pages in length,
double spaced, in 12 point font, and be accompanied by a copy of the article. The
critique should contain a summary of the article and any personal observations
that you have.
2. C. Plan and create a recreation/sport facility of your choice. Graduate students are
expected to review literature in facility design, acquire skills in Turbo CAD
(Computer Aided Design) or an equivalent program and provide a physical layout
of the facility. Student will then provide a management plan to include a
feasibility study, organizational structure, and marketing plan. Details and
components of evaluation will be provided.
3. Midterm and final examinations. Please note: Once the exam begins, students
will not be allowed to leave the classroom until they have finished the exam.
There will be no bathroom breaks. Students leaving the classroom will be
presumed to have completed the exam. Any student either talking or text
messaging on a cell phone during an examination will be asked to leave the
classroom and will receive a zero for that exam. There are no exceptions.
Undergraduate student evaluation
Article critiques
Site visit
Examinations
15% each
20%
25% each
Graduate student evaluation
Article critiques
Facility plan
Exams
15% each
30%
20% each
Grading scale
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
CD+
D
DF
94-100
90-93
87-89
83-86
80-82
77-79
73-76
70-72
67-69
63-66
60-62
59 and below
There will be a grammar, punctuation, and writing component in the evaluation of
the assignments, where applicable.
Classroom Decorum: Please note the following regarding cell phones. Students are
expected to turn cell phones off while in class. Students who answer cell phones
during class, will be asked to leave for the day and will not be credited with
attendance for that day.
Expectation: We expect students to do their own work on all graded material
submitted for all departmental course requirements.
Subject to change, if necessary
The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater is dedicated to a safe, supportive and nondiscriminatory learning environment. It is the responsibility of all undergraduate and
graduate students to familiarize themselves with University policies regarding Special
Accommodations, Academic Misconduct, Religious Beliefs Accommodation, Discrimination and
Absence for University Sponsored Events (for details please refer to the Schedule of Classes; the
“Rights and Responsibilities” section of the Undergraduate Catalog; the Academic Requirements and
Policies and the Facilities and Services sections of the Graduate Catalog; and the “Student
Academic Disciplinary Procedures (UWS Chapter 14); and the “Student Nonacademic Disciplinary
Procedures" (UWS Chapter 17).