Campus Recreation Services (CRS) was established in January
1996 to provide varied programs and services which contribute
to the health and well-being of the students of Mesa State.
The mission of Campus Recreation Services is to educate
participants in the responsible use of leisure time by providing
an atmosphere that fosters the development of lifelong patterns
of recreational activities and opportunities for participation
in such activities regardless of age, sex, race, or motor
ability. To do so, we develop and maintain recreation facilities
and resources designed to provide appropriate environments
for our participants. This mission is realized by:
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Offering structured competitive opportunities in a
variety of individual and team sports (Intramural and
Club Sports Programs);
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Providing access to recreation facilities, equipment,
and activities for convenient, informal participation
(Open Recreation Program);
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Offering structured and non-structured opportunities
for improving and maintaining physical fitness (Fitness/Wellness
Program);
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Offering students significant opportunities for career
development, including the acquisition of leadership,
management, and technical skills (Student Employment
Program).
The Intramural Sports Program hosts seventeen
or more activities each year for men, women and coed participation
in both individual and team settings. The Intramural Sports
Program also offers drop-in aerobics throughout the school
year.
The Open Recreation Program attends to the
leisure recreation needs of approximately 40% of the student
body and faculty/staff on campus. More than 66,600 participations
are recorded annually.
The Wellness Program conducts more than 160
fitness assessments with follow-up exercise prescriptions
for students, faculty and staff.
Campus Recreation Services employs over 100
students who work in excess of 23,800 hours annually (11.44
FTE) earning over $142,500. Student employees assist two
full-time professional staff: Robby
Kallina, Director of Campus Recreation Services and
Bob Anthony,
Director of Intramural and Club Sports.
The Director of Campus Recreation Services
is responsible for supervising and scheduling the non-classroom
areas of the Student Recreation Center (32,000 SF.), Roe
F. Saunders Fieldhouse (82,300 SF), Bus Bergman Field (9
acres), and the Elliott Tennis Center (10 courts). The Director
of Campus Recreation Services also works in conjunction
with Facility Services in the daily maintenance of these
facilities. More than sixty on-campus as well as off-campus
groups and organizations made use of these facilities during
the past year.
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History
of Roe F. Saunders Fieldhouse & Student Recreation Center
Roe F. Saunders Fieldhouse opened in 1968 on
the Mesa Junior College campus to provide venues for academics
(Physical Education), intercollegiate athletics (NAIA varsity
men's teams) and student recreation. Roe F. Saunders was named
after long time football and baseball coach at Mesa Junior
College in the 1940's and 1950's. Roe F. Saunders Fieldhouse
encompassed more than 82,000 square feet of space including
two gymnasiums, swimming pool, weight room, wrestling room,
dance studio, four racket courts, three classrooms, physiology
lab, athletic training area, laundry room facilities, locker
rooms, and numerous academic, administrative, athletic and
support staff offices.
In the twenty-three years that followed the
opening of Saunders Fieldhouse the Grand Junction College
campus landscape changed drastically. The college became a
four year school and settle on the name of Mesa State College,
student population approached 4,800 students, the academic
department adopted the name of Human Performance and Wellness,
Intercollegiate Sports jumped to NCAA Division II level (men
and women's sports), and interest swelled in campus recreation
programs.
A detailed evaluation of existing student recreation,
exercise and fitness facilities was completed in 1991. At
that time it was determined that there was an overwhelming
need for adequate, modern, and dedicated areas for student
recreation, fitness and exercise. The Facility Planning Committee
began to look in earnest at a new recreation facility during
Spring Semester 1993. Finally, in November 1993, the students
and administration teamed together to provide the funds to
build a new Student Recreation Center and renovate the existing
Roe F. Saunders Fieldhouse. The entire project was priced
at $5.8 million and divided into three phases. Phase I, the
new Student Recreation Center, comprising of 32,000 square
feet and $3.6 million of the entire project was completed
in January 1996. The Student Recreation Center included a
new gymnasium, running track, fitness area, climbing wall,
two racket courts, and administrative space. Students agreed
through a campus wide referendum to pay $41.00 per full-time
student per semester to complete Phase I of this project.
Phase II, the renovation, relocation and modernization
of offices, classrooms, and a dance studio was completed in
March 1997. Phase III, the renovation, relocation and modernization
of the locker rooms, training room, laundry room, HPW laboratory,
weight room, an additional classroom, additional office space,
as well as storage areas was completed in August 1997. One
last phase was added to the project after a $600,000 grant
was made available to renovate and modernize the swimming
pool and private funds were raised to resurface the ten tennis
courts adjacent to the Fieldhouse. The majority of this final
phase was completed November 1999. Phases II, III and IV were
funded though grants, private donations and auxiliary revenues.
The Roe F. Saunders Fieldhouse and Student Recreation
Center as well as the Elliott Tennis Center and Bus Bergman
Athletic Field is managed by Mr. Robert
Kallina, Director of Campus Recreation Services. The Campus
Recreation Services budget for FY2006 is $748,000. Campus
Recreation Services is considered an auxiliary enterprise
and housed under the Assistant
Vice-President for Auxiliaries. For additional information,
call (970) 248-1592.
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