NASPA Journal, Vol. 38, no.

2, Winter 2001

Relationship Between Student Recreation Complex Use, Academic Performance, and Persistence of First-Time Freshmen
Holley A. Belch Melinda Gebel Gerald M. Maas

The authors examined the persistence rate and academic achievement of three cohorts of first-time freshmen that had used the recreation complex and those freshmen that had not used the facility.

Introduction
Over the course of the past 30 years or so, a body of research has emerged on the retention of college students. Freshmen, in particular, have received considerable attention in the literature on persistence and retention. Throughout the literature researchers have acknowledged the high rates of attrition among college freshmen (Astin, 1975; Beal & Noel, 1980; Tinto, 1987, 1990).

Holley A. Belch, PhD is an assistant professor in the Student Affairs in Higher Education Program at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania; Melinda Gebel, PhD is the principal planning management analyst for the Office of Institutional Analysis at Arizona State University; and Gerald M. Maas, PhD is the director of the Health and Safety Unit at the Department of Education for Wyoming.

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Freshmen attrition accounts for more than one half of all attrition at 4-year colleges and universities (Tinto, 1993). In the early 1990s, Ferguson (1990) estimated freshmen attrition to be between 34% and 60%. Several researchers have acknowledged that attrition rates have not changed measurably since the 1970s (Levitz & Noel, 1989; Tinto, 1993). Most recently, however, Tinto (1993) maintained that the national first-year attrition rate for 4-year public institutions was 28.3%. The seminal works of Feldman and Newcomb (1969) and Pascarella and Terenzini (1991) have provided an exhaustive examination of the research. Studies in a variety of institutional settings all provide support that no single variable can explain persistence. The comprehensive and longitudinal studies by Astin (1975, 1977, 1993) concluded that prior academic achievement, college academic performance, living on campus, and involvement in cocurricular activities all contribute significantly to persistence. Tintos (1975) model posits that a students personal and preenrollment characteristics in concert with the students integration into the institution influence the decision to persist or drop out. The more integrative the experience, the more likely the student will persist to graduation. Specifically, Tinto (1975) noted that academically integrated students have a higher grade point average and grade performance is the single most important factor in predicting persistence in college (p.104). Lenning, Beal, and Sauer (1980) and Bean (1980) supported Tintos findings that commitment to an institution was positively related to persistence. Many highly respected scholars have found substantive evidence associating the benefits of college attendance with participation in out-of-class activities (Astin, 1977; Bowen, 1977; Boyer, 1987; Feldman & Newcomb, 1969; Kuh, Schuh, Whitt, & Associates, 1991; Pace, 1990; Pascarella & Terenzini, 1991; Tinto, 1975). Numerous studies have been done to confirm that persistence at an institution is related more to what occurs when a student becomes part of the campus environment rather than what may take place prior to entry (Pascarella & Terenzini, 1977, 1979; Terenzini & Pascarella, 1977). For years collegiate recreational sport administrators have maintained that student participation in recreational sport and fitness participation contributes to the learning, development, and persistence of college students. These contentions, however, have lacked substance due
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to a paucity of research. As a result, the contribution of recreational sport programs to the core educational mission of institutions of higher education has been misunderstood and undervalued (Banta, 1991; Little & Guse, 1988).

Background
In recent years, studies have provided evidence to substantiate those earlier claims of the role of recreational sports and fitness participation on academic performance and persistence. Smith and Thomas (1989) examined academic measures (i.e., GPA, ACT score, COMP score) and cocurricular activities among recent university alumni and found that academic indicators are predictors for academic satisfaction but are limited in their relationship to social and cultural experiences. Social and cocurricular involvement proved to be better predictors of educational impact than academic measures. Two variablesrelationship with faculty and participation in intramuralshad the most positive correlations . . . (Smith & Thomas, 1989, p. 12). Research conducted at Harvard University provided a new slant on the value of in-class and out-of-class activities for students. Light (1990) found that more involvement in collegiate activities is strongly correlated with higher satisfaction with college life. The research indicated that student patterns of seeking advice, engaging in part-time work, and participating in other college activities all connect to academic performance (Light, 1990, p. 9). Both Light (1990) and Smith and Thomas (1989) suggested that recreational sports and cocurricular activities are better indicators of academic success than academic measures. Bucholz (1993) studied undergraduate and graduate students at a large southwestern university and found that freshmen who used the recreational sports facility and programs reported higher levels of perceived benefit in personal development. In addition, nearly one half claimed that participation in recreational sports activities provided a venue for interactions with other students (Bucholz, 1993). Astins (1993) pivotal work clearly establishes the relationship between participation in intramural sports and exercise with satisfac-

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tion and degree attainment. Physical health, alcohol consumption, degree attainment, satisfaction with college life, and leadership are positively affected by participation in intramural sports programs (Astin, 1993). In a study to understand more about undergraduate students use of discretionary time, Wade (1991) found that 39% of the students studied participated in intramural sports. Wade (1991) concluded that an essential and critical component of retention and persistence for students was their feeling of belonging to a community. Churchill and Iwai (1981) discovered that students who persisted with low GPAs were more likely to have used campus recreational facilities than their counterparts with low GPAs who dropped out. In an interinstitutional national study, 30% of the students reported that campus recreation facilities and programs were key factors in their decision to either attend or continue at the institution (Bryant, Banta, & Bradley, 1995). The present study was an attempt to address a gap in the current research and literature regarding the role of recreational participation on freshmen persistence. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship of participation at the Student Recreation Complex (SRC) on persistence rates of freshmen at a large public university in the southwest.

Method
Data Collection The three cohort groups were established by using the institutional definition for first-time freshmen entering in fall 1993, fall 1994, and fall 1995. The total number of freshmen in the cohorts was 11,076 (fall 1993: 3,298; fall 1994: 3,833; fall 1995: 3,945). The SRC maintained an electronic scan system to verify membership and record each visit in an access control database. Students were required to have their student identification card scanned, which created a record for each time a student accessed the SRC facility. These records were used to identify SRC users among the three freshmen cohorts and the number of visits each student made during the fall semester.
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Data Analysis The institutional definition of persistence was used for the purpose of data analysis. For this study, 1-year persistence was defined as the proportion of first-time freshmen in a fall cohort who enrolled on the official census enrollment date the following fall semester. An institutional database was used to identify the freshmen in the three cohort groups who had persisted to the following fall semester. General demographic data (i.e., gender, ethnicity, residency) and indicators of academic performance (i.e., high school GPA, high school rank, SAT/ACT score, first-semester GPA, and first-year GPA) were extracted from the institutional database. T tests were used to determine the statistical significance between SRC users and nonusers. Alpha levels were set at .05 and p values were computed to determine the probability of the difference being attributable to chance. In order to determine the persistence of freshmen SRC participants based on level of activity during the fall semester, the SRC access control database records were used to establish groups. Discrete categories emerged after a close examination of the database records (i.e., 14 visits; 519 visits; 2049 visits; 50+ visits). These categories were determined by observing the natural breaks or groupings that emerged while maintaining large enough numbers in each discrete group to preserve the meaning of these data.

Results
Demographics Of the 11,076 first-time freshmen in the three cohorts, 52% are female, 53% are Arizona residents, and 21% are ethnic minorities. Nearly three quarters (73%) were SRC users during their first semester at the university. Table 1 provides a demographic breakdown of the freshmen cohorts and the SRC participation rates for each group. SRC participation by African Americans was the highest (80%) among ethnic groups, while American Indians had the lowest rates (66%). Nine out of ten nonresidents used the SRC compared to six out of ten residents. Males participated at slightly higher rates (77%) than females (69%).

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Table 1 Characteristics of First-Time Freshmen Who Use the SRC Fall 1993-Fall 1995 Entering Cohorts

Academic performance indicators revealed that SRC participants had slightly lower academic credentials entering the institution. The t test analysis revealed a significant difference between the two groups (see Table 2). Nonusers had higher mean scores for both the SAT and ACT exams, had earned higher GPAs while in high school, and were ranked higher in their high school class.

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Table 2 Entering Academic Credentials of First-Time Full-Time Freshmen Fall 1993-Fall 1995 Entering Cohorts

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Academic Performance and Persistence Table 3 provides data on the academic performance of the SRC users and nonusers in the entire cohort group. The t test analysis indicated a significant difference in first-semester GPAs and first-year cumulative earned hours (see Table 3). On average, the SRC users earned higher first-semester GPAs and first-year cumulative GPAs (CGPAs) and accumulated slightly more earned hours both in the first semester and at the end of the first year. The most striking difference among SRC users and nonusers is the difference in the persistence rates. Persistence rates for SRC users for 1 semester (92%) and 1 year (71%) clearly outpaced that of their nonuser counterparts (86% and 64% respectively). An examination of academic performance and persistence of SRC users based on the level of activity revealed that as the number of visits increased, parallel increases in both first-semester and first-year GPA and persistence occurred as well (see Table 4). The persistence rates (both 1 semester and 1 year) for high-end users (20 or more visits) were higher than for all freshmen. Among subgroups (as defined by the selected demographic variables) SRC users achieved higher first-year CGPAs in all subgroups with one exception (White SRC users). Statistically significant differences were found among several variables: gender (females), residency (Arizona residents), minorities as a group, and specifically American Indians and Hispanics (see Table 5). One-year persistence rates indicated that SRC users were retained at a higher rate than nonusers except among Asian American students.

Discussion
The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of using the SRC on persistence rates of freshmen in three cohort groups. The results revealed that freshmen who used the SRC persisted at a greater rate after 1 semester and after 1 year than their counterparts who did not use the SRC. Not only did SRC users persist at a greater rate, but also these students earned slightly higher GPAs and earned more credit hours at the end of the first year. This finding was of particular interest because the study also revealed that the SRC nonusers entered college with higher high school GPAs and higher ACT/SAT scores than SRC users.
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Table 3 Academic Performance of First-Time Full-Time Freshmen Fall 1993-Fall 1995 Entering Cohorts

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*p<.05

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Table 4 Academic Performance of First-Time Full-Time Freshmen by Number of Visits Fall 1993-Fall 1995 Entering Cohorts

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Table 5 Academic Performance of First-Time Full-Time Freshmen by Subgroups Fall 1993-Fall 1995 Entering Cohorts

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*p<.05

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One of the distinguishing features of the SRC is the sense of community that is intentionally introduced in the recruitment and orientation of new students. The SRC staff and facility serve as the university hosts for the opening fall orientation event that welcomes new students and parents. The facility provides a venue for representatives of student organizations and university services during the fall orientation to educate new students regarding the opportunities available and to encourage student involvement in the university experience. Symbolically, the facility is the focal point for new students to learn about opportunities to connect and find places where they belong within the larger university community. This sense of belonging is critical on a large, urban campus of over 40,000 students. Wade (1991) posited that establishing membership and a sense of belonging in a community is a critical component of retention (p. 7). How apropos, particularly on a university campus, that a recreational facility uses the language of membership as a means of identifying the participants. Recreational sport programs, particularly intramural sports, provide a powerful medium for student interaction. This interaction may provide freshmen with the opportunity to informally develop support groups, find study partners, and seek advice from other students regarding the best classes or faculty. Faculty and staff are also a highly visible part of the membership, which may provide ample opportunity for informal interaction with students. A recreational facility with diverse programmatic offerings based on student, faculty, and staff needs can serve as a dynamic community and in so doing establishes an expectation of engagement and belonging by students. This activity is symbolic of the individual students ability to connect to others in the environment and to the university community itself. In this study, simple t-tests indicated that freshmen SRC users differed at statistically significant levels from their nonuser counterparts on first-semester GPA and cumulative earned hours at the end of 1 year. Further, statistically significant differences were found on first-year CGPAs between ethnic minority freshmen SRC users and particularly among American Indian and Hispanic freshmen users and nonusers. The differences in academic achievement are even more meaningful when examined in light of the statistically significant difference in the entering academic credentials of freshmen users and nonusers.

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Among freshmen users in this study, the SRC may have effectively created an environment that may serve as a subculture within a larger community. The results of this study found a substantial difference in the persistence rates between users and nonusers. It should be noted that in every aspect (i.e., gender, ethnicity, and residency) between the two groups, there is a notable differential in the persistence and a statistically significant difference in academic achievement. It appears that the facility provides manageable spaces for freshmen, in particular, not only to engage in recreational activity but also to interact with each other. More importantly, it may provide freshmen with an initial place where they inherently feel a sense of belonging as they seek additional or alternative ways of affiliating within the larger community. Participation at the SRC may, in fact, be a viable means for freshmen to mediate the sometimes overwhelming enormity of a large, urban institution. Persistence is a complex issue with multiple layers, and rarely does one program provide the answer to why students persist or drop out. It would be naive and ill-advised to conclude that involvement in recreational sports activities is the reason why these freshmen persisted at a higher rate than their counterparts. It is, however, reasonable to conclude that membership and participation in the SRC enhances the opportunities freshmen have for informal interaction with other students, which may lead to greater satisfaction with the collegiate experience and thus increased persistence.

References
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Beal, P. E., & Noel, L. (1980). What works in student retention. Iowa City, IA, and Boulder, CO: American College Testing Program and National Center for Higher Education Management Systems. Bean, J. (1980). Dropout and turnover: The synthesis and test of a causal model of student attrition. Research in Higher Education, 12, 155187. Bowen, H. R. (1977). Investment in learning. San Francisco: JosseyBass. Boyer, E. (1987). College: The undergraduate experience in America. New York: Harper and Row. Bryant, J. A., Banta, T. W., & Bradley, J. L. (1995). Assessment provides insight into the impact and effectiveness of campus recreation programs. NASPA Journal, 32 (2), 153160. Bucholz, D. (1993). Evaluation of recreational sports facilities and programs at Arizona State University. (Unpublished masters thesis, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, 1993). Churchill, W. D., & Iwai, S. I (1981). College attrition, student use of campus facilities, and a consideration of self-reported personal problems. Research in Higher Education, 14, 353365. Feldman, K., & Newcomb, T. (1969). The impact of college on students. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Ferguson, M. (1990). The role of faculty in increasing student retention. College and University, 65 (2), 127135. Kuh, G. D., Schuh, J. H., Whitt, E. J., & Associates. (1991). Involving colleges: Successful approaches to fostering student learning and development outside the classroom. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Lenning, O., Beal, P., & Sauer, K. (1980). Retention and attrition: Evidence for action and research. Boulder, CO: Colorado Higher Education Management Systems. Levitz, R., & Noel, L. (1989). Connecting students to institutions: Keys to retention and success. In M. L. Upcraft & J. N. Gardner (Eds.), The freshmen year experience (pp. 6581). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Light, R. J. (1990). The Harvard assessment seminars: Exploration with students and faculty about teaching, learning and student life. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Graduate School of Education and Kennedy School of Government. Little, S. L., & Guse, D. (1988). Campus recreation services: An enterprise in higher education. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance, 59 (8), 6263.

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