University of Central Arkansas

Our next Region IV featured department is the Department of Campus Recreation at the University of Central Arkansas. UCA was founded in 1907 in Conway, Arkansas, roughly 30 miles north of Little Rock, AR. UCA has just under 11,000 students (About UCA, 2020). Campus Recreation, a department of the Division of Student Services, resides in the Health, Physical Education and Recreation Center (HPER).

The original HPER, located in the southwest corner of the UCA Campus, opened in the spring of 2001, covering approximately 75,000 sq. ft. over two floors. It housed a 5,500 sq. ft. combination cardio/weight room, three side-by-side recreation-sized basketball courts, a large unfinished 6,000 sq. ft. area on the 2nd floor, a four-lane banked track above the basketball courts and office space. The 6,000 sq. ft. area was eventually converted into a weight room, allowing the shared fitness space to house only cardio equipment. Campus Recreation also had three intramural softball fields housed in the Farris Softball Complex, while the pool was housed in another building across campus.

In an effort to adhere to their mission of providing students, faculty, and staff state of the art facilities and innovative programming, the HPER Center underwent a $13.5 million dollar expansion and renovation project in 2014. This project expanded the facility to approximately 115,000 sq. ft.

This new construction was an open design concept. Windows were placed around the pre-existing Mondo X indoor track to allow exercisers to look out to the nature reserve and provides an open feel that coincides with the architectural style of the new portion of the HPER.  Also added to the HPER is the natatorium, featuring a six-lane, 25-yard lap pool.

Other additions include lounge areas, recreational game space, three racquetball courts, and an outdoor recreation center, where the campus community can check-out kayaks, canoes, camping equipment and even get basic bicycle services and repairs done.

Programming Highlights

In speaking with Director Richard Hammond, he shared the following about their programming opportunities:

Our goal is to offer a variety of programs and services within our state of the art facilities that allow opportunities for citizenship, development of interpersonal relationships, and opportunities to engage in activities that provide lifelong health and wellness. Our newest addition to our Campus Recreation Programs was the opening of our Challenge Course, fall 2019. The programs offered through the Challenge Course provide leadership and team building experiences to our student groups as well as the surrounding community/businesses.

Our Intramural and Group Exercise Classes are two of the most highly attended programs in our department. Intramurals allows our students to engage in a variety of individual, team, co-ed, competitive sports while Group Exercise Classes provide an opportunity to get a variety of workouts in a non-intimidating, fun, social environment.

Our facility offers a wide range of selectorized, plate loaded, functional training equipment in our weight room and a wide variety of cardiovascular equipment for promotion of good health and wellness. We also offer Fitness Assessments, Nutritional Assessments and Personal Training opportunities. Our department hires an average of 130 student workers throughout the academic year to help run our facilities and programs. We offer student development opportunities to our staff through extensive trainings and in house workshops that promote life skills which they can take with them upon graduation.

Central Arkansas Campus Recreation has hosted and collaborated with campus partners on a few unique events. Here are a few to highlight:

  • Trick or Trot
    • This nighttime, non-competitive fun run/walk around campus encourages participants to wear Halloween costumes while moving about campus. This event is open to all students, faculty and staff. Registration, race warm-up activity and Start/Finish all take place on the UCA Football Stadium Field. By having it in the stadium, students have the opportunity to set foot on the field their athletic peers compete on.  The top 6 female and male finishers are awarded fun prizes.
  • Underwater Concert
    • In conjunction with Conway Eco + Arts Fest 2018, the College of Fine Arts and Communication created a project titled “The Water about Us.” This project used the arts to highlight our relationship to water, its influence on our everyday lives, how our common reliance on it binds us together, and that our relationship to water is the source for stories about how we exist. For this live arts experience, collaborating artists performed special instruments and devices underwater, projected video on the water, on poolside screens, and executed movement sequences in the water and poolside. Audience members, could chose to sit poolside or float in the water along with the artists, to experience a full sensory awareness of water, not only how it feels but how it sounds and affects our movements. The intent was to help people connect to water in a deeply personal way in the hope that their emotional responses to it will influence how they think about this precious resource and how they behave around it.
  • Welcome Week
    • In collaboration with Office of New Student Programs, several of their activities are hosted at the HPER Center and Rec Fields during Welcome Week. By hosting their programs at Campus Recreation facilities, we have the great opportunity of introducing all participating new students to our facilities. It is our hope that Welcome Week will help students adjust to college life and ultimately reach a goal shared by faculty, staff, parents, and students alike – a college degree.

Mission, Core Values and Goals

Mission

The mission of the Department of Campus Recreation is to provide students, faculty, and staff with state of the art facilities/equipment and innovative programs that offer competitive, noncompetitive, health promoting, and physical activity conducive to their personal development and overall wellness within a safe and fun-filled environment.

Campus Recreation also provides leadership development opportunities for students and participants. The department personnel recognizes the value of developing the total person and feel that recreational activities and intramural sports are an essential component of the educational experience at the University of Central Arkansas.

Core Values

  • Excellence –  We strive to be the best every day. Our team of talented people provides high quality recreational facilities, programs, and services by listening to our customers, seeking innovative solutions, maximizing our resources, and developing our staff.
  • Integrity –  We are authentic, honest, and follow through on our commitments. Our actions and decisions are guided by an uncompromising adherence to ethical principles.
  • Leadership – We set a high standard in collegiate recreation, enhancing the educational experience and supporting student success through opportunities in leadership, sport, and wellness. We lead by example, create a culture of empowerment, and encourage on-going learning.
  • Loyalty – We support the students and community of UCA and always seek to act in their best interest. Through collaboration and teamwork, we demonstrate our commitment and  dedication to each other.
  • Respect – We value our diverse community and treat each other with fairness and dignity. We provide a fun, inclusive environment that encourages individual opportunity and honors differences.
  • Selfless Service – We put students first. We commit our time, talent, and resources to create memorable moments and provide exceptional customer service to those we serve.

Goals

  • Provide students with access to recreational programs and services.
  • Provide modern, state of the art recreational facilities and equipment.
  • Provide outside the classroom opportunities for citizenship, develop interpersonal relationships, engage in activities that provide lifelong health and wellness.
  • TEAM
    • T = Teamwork – working together to achieve our common goal for UCA
    • E = Excellence – striving for excellence in our work and service to the university community
    • A = Adaptability – being adaptable and responsive to the needs and expectations of our constituents
    • M = Mentoring – serving as mentors and role models for students and peers

Meet the Central Arkansas Campus Recreation Professional Team!

Contact information and a brief bio can be found by clicking on each link above.

To connect with UCA Campus Recreation, check out their social media accounts below: