131: Campus Recreation Sports Center Usage: Evaluating the Impact on Academic Outcomes

The current literature indicates that the use of campus recreational facilities is correlated with higher grade point averages (GPA) and higher retention rates. This study uses an analytical approach to evaluating the impact of recreational facility usage on academic performance, and to identify areas of growth using trend analysis. We used multiple years of facility usage data, time-series data, and institutional enrollment data to analyze usage trends and academic outcomes among disaggregated groups. Bi-variate and multi-variate logistic regressions were performed to determine the statistical significance of the correlation between facility usage and academic outcomes. Time-series analysis was performed to identify trends among the disaggregated groups. The findings of the study were surprising and contrary to the literature.

Dheeraj Machiraju, M.S. – Graduate Assistant, Student Services Assessment, University of North Texas