Redesigning campus recreation as an engine for belonging

In the landscape of higher education, “belonging” is often treated as a feeling, an intangible metric we hope students achieve. However, for those of us in Campus Recreation, belonging is not just a feeling; it is an outcome of design. It is the result of a deliberate systems and settings approach that supports how we contribute to a comprehensive campus wellbeing strategy.

Historically, Campus Recreation has been viewed through a transactional lens. Students swiped a card, used a treadmill, lifted weights, played basketball, and left. The interaction was defined by access to equipment and participation. Today, however, we are in the midst of a paradigm shift. For our colleagues across the university, this shift represents a new opportunity to engage with Campus Recreation not merely as a transactional service provider, but as a transformational wellbeing partner.

Physical activity and experiential learning remain our strengths, and when we embed them into the environments we influence, we enhance the broader institutional effort to support thriving students. We are no longer just facilities with strength, cardio, and courts; we are building the community capacity to ensure every student belongs and thrives.

The foundation: Shared language and knowledge

A transformational shift cannot happen by accident; it requires a mindset shift for campus recreation professionals. If we want our facilities and programs to be engines of equity, our staff must first understand foundational elements of wellbeing.

Two years ago, at Indiana University-Bloomington, we recognized that to change our “systems,” we first had to educate our team. We mandated that our entire professional staff complete the NIRSA Recreation for Wellbeing course. This was not a suggestion; it was a foundational requirement. Furthermore, we integrated this course into the onboarding process for every new staff member who joins our team.

This initiative was critical. It moved wellbeing from a buzzword to a core competency. It ensured that our entire team, from facilities managers to aquatics coordinators, possessed a shared terminology and a unified understanding of upstream health promotion. By equipping our staff with this foundational knowledge, we empowered them to look at their specific functional areas not just through the lens of logistics, but through the lens of wellbeing. It gave them the permission and the vocabulary to ask: Is this policy serving the program, or is it serving the student?

From theory to practice: The flag football case study

When staff operate with a transformational mindset, they begin to see barriers where they once only saw rules. A prime example of this surfaced in our Intramural Flag Football program, a staple of campus engagement.

For years, standard safety rules dictated that players could not wear shorts or pants with pockets, as fingers could get caught when reaching for flags. In a transactional model, this rule is absolute: “No pockets allowed for safety.” However, through a health and wellbeing lens, we recognized this rule as a socioeconomic barrier. It assumed every student owned specific, pocketless athletic wear. Students who arrived in cargo shorts, jeans, or the only pants they owned were turned away or forced to sit out. This policy prioritized “sporting tradition” over student participation.

Because our team is trained to identify systemic barriers, we challenged the status quo. We asked: How can we maintain safety without excluding participants based on their clothing?

Last year, we implemented a systems change. We altered the rule to allow participants to play in shorts or pants with pockets. To mitigate the safety risk, we adjusted the gameplay for those specific players. Instead of wearing flag belts, they became “two-hand touch” players.

The impact was immediate. We saw a significant decrease in forfeits and an increase in participation. Teams that previously would have forfeited because a member didn’t have the “right” gear were now able to stay on the field. The response from students was incredibly positive. By tweaking the system, we eliminated a barrier to entry and prioritized the social connection of the team over the rigidity of the sport. We utilized a systems approach to send a clear message: You belong here, exactly as you are.

The ripple effect: Experiential learning

The shift from transactional to transformational doesn’t stop with our professional staff; it flows directly into our largest constituency, our student employees. Campus Recreation is often the largest employer of students on campus. This is not just a labor force; it is a learning laboratory.

When our professional staff models equity-minded decision-making, like the flag football rule change, our student staff absorbs those lessons. They learn that leadership is not about enforcing compliance, but about facilitating belonging. Educating instead of enforcing.

Our student officials, for example, had to learn to manage a game where the rules of contact differed from player to player (flags vs. touch). This required them to exercise adaptability, clear communication, and heightened awareness. These are transferable, transformational skills. When a student employee learns to facilitate an inclusive environment or manage conflict with empathy, they are learning the tangible skills of equity work. They then take these skills back to their residence halls, their academic group projects, and eventually their careers.

Conclusion

As we look toward the future of student affairs, Campus Recreation can be viewed as an entry point for a student’s health and wellbeing journey while on our campuses. By investing in the foundational knowledge of our team and leveraging a systems and settings approach, we ensure that wellbeing is not a privilege, but a shared cultural norm. When we shift from transactional interactions to transformational environments, we do more than improve physical health; we create a campus where every student, regardless of their background or attire, knows they truly belong.