The Value of Wellness at the University of North Dakota
Abstract
As new wellness and recreation centers are being built throughout the United States, many people are trying to determine the value that these facilities and their associated programs have on the students who participate. There have been several claims that universities benefit from increased recruitment and retention rates because of these facilities and programs. While that may be true, this study is an attempt to determine the value of the wellness and recreation opportunities at the University of North Dakota (UNO). While many faculty and staff members utilize the services of the Wellness Center at the University of North Dakota, this study focuses on students.
The purpose of this study is to:
1. Determine the value and contribution of wellness to the lives of participants at the University of North Dakota
2. Document the buying power of wellness participants at the University of North Dakota
3. Compare behaviors related to participation in recreational activities of UND students to students throughout the country
4. Provide a baseline measure so that the impact of the new Student Wellness Center can be later determined
The University of North Dakota Wellness Center is building a new facility on campus and will have new programs associated with its operation; therefore, the timing of this survey allows for a baseline measure to be taken. This survey will show the behaviors, habits, and attitudes of University of North Dakota students before the new facility is operational. This will allow for a future study to be administered and the data compared, in order to accurately determine the impact of this new facility and its associated programs on University of North Dakota students.
While the study asks questions related to several factors, not all of them were analyzed for this study. Those that were analyzed include: Factors contributing to the satisfaction and success of students Happiness with college life Benefits of participation in wellness and recreational programming Buying power of UND students.