THE UNIVERSITY continues to grow as the "it" school for fitness. Newsweek recently announced that our school is the "Hottest for Fitness" in its annual "America's 25 Hot Schools." With renovations and new facilities, many members of the University community question the importance of fitness and athletic programs. Yet, an athletically sound student body is necessary for a thriving university, both academically and physically.
Of course, for matters of great importance to University ideals, we must rely on good ol' Thomas Jefferson. The quote which adorns every fitness facility at the University is the best example. "Give about two hours every day to exercise, for health must not be sacrificed to learning. A strong body makes the mind strong."
Many students and faculty complain about the millions of dollars spent on fitness and athletic programs. They would rather devote these funds to retaining professors and improving academic studies and scoff at the University's newly acquired emphasis on athletics. This includes, most recently, the AFC expansion and renovations to Memorial Gymnasium and the North Grounds and Slaughter Recreation Centers. Also, there are plans to develop an artificial playing surface for club and intramural sports and the marching band. Mark Fletcher, director of Intramural Recreational Sports, said the University tried to beef up all facilities this summer.
Going along with TJ's strong body, strong mind principle, an athletic and healthy student population is far more desirable than an out-of-shape campus which focuses solely on academics. Not only is this a boring college experience, but it is also unhealthy. When a student utilizes one of the four indoor recreation centers, the huge athletic park on North Grounds or is involved in intramural, club or varsity sports, he is staying healthy, which in turn, helps the student to stay focused and perform better academically.
It is difficult to assess the academic value of fitness at the University, because 94 percent of undergraduate students participate in sports or use recreational facilities. However, the National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association released a publication, "The Value of Recreational Sports in Higher Education," in 2001 which concluded that heavy users of recreational facilities have a happier college experience. Also, a 2001 Washington State University study demonstrates a positive correlation between grade point average and fitness use.
Child & Family Canada, a public education research newsletter, finds that physical activity improves mental health and academic performance. Exercise will decrease anxiety and depression, which in turn gives students more self-esteem. Therefore, students are able to cope with mental stress and improve discipline and skill ability, which are related to better academic performance.
Fletcher attributes University students' fitness use to a "dress for success" mentality. Students take care of themselves because they want success in important positions once they graduate.
The University is definitely fostering an athletically active campus. In Princeton Review's 2005 "Best 357 Colleges," the University ranked 13 in the jock school category. This measure includes survey questions pertaining to intercollegiate and intramural sports. Also, the Institutional Assessment and Studies Office at the University performed a longitudinal study of the undergraduate class of 1999. They concluded that intramural-recreational sports is the number one student service at the University.
Although the University should not devote disproportionate spending to improving fitness facilities, a healthy balance between athletics and academics is necessary for a thriving student body. Luckily, students take advantage of the University's athletic and fitness programs, and this helps to maintain our higher academic excellence.
Granted, there is too much of a good thing. Students cannot become obsessed with athletics and fitness and lose focus on academic education. We do not want to turn into a large state school comprised of meatheads who take the most pride from its athletic talent, rather than its academic programs.
Working out at nice facilities and improving our status as a big sports program are both necessary goals of the University. Although both of these ventures are expensive, they should not be taken lightly or substituted for academic programs. Academia is what distinguishes this university, but fitness and athletic facilities fuel the student body to keep pushing forward in the school's quest to be among the elite universities.
Exercise may not be a part of every student's life, but those who realize the value of combining health and academics need an environment where they can thrive. This is why the most elite fitness centers and athletic programs must match the academic caliber of students at the University. Both of these levels are admirably high, and we should continue to support the principles of strong body, strong mind through allotting funds to athletic programs and fitness centers in balance with academia.
Michael Behr's column appears Wednesdays in The Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at mbehr@cavalierdaily.com.
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