From ensuring there are ample paper towels to hiring lifeguards for the pool, preparing for a new school year can seem like an endless feat. Here’s how the University of Montana is avoiding back-to-school chaos through thoughtful preparation.
Another academic year is right around the corner. While new and returning students are gearing up for classes and orientations, many campus recreation departments have been deep in preparation for months. From hiring to facility upgrades, the University of Montana (UM) started preparations before the previous year ended.
“It’s a lot of non-sexy kinds of things that happen in a lot of places,” said Steve Thompson, the director of Campus Recreation. “It’s not flashy new gear or anything like that. It’s asking if we have enough paper towels, or if there’s soap in the bathrooms. It’s making sure everything’s clean and checking all the weights are labeled and stacked properly — that kind of stuff.”
On the facility side of things, Thompson said his department isn’t replacing equipment this year since their current lineup is still in good shape. Their last equipment exchange was five years ago, and he noted it should all last another 20 years.
A lot of the changes happening to the facility are behind the scenes. Over the summer, the department replaced the bridge into the facility and got a new chiller on the roof — upgrades Thompson said students would never know happened.
Thompson and his team also have to prepare the indoor pool facility — which means training and hiring lifeguards and making sure they have enough carbon dioxide and chlorine tablets. While he said the pool doesn’t get used a lot during the summertime due to an outdoor facility being nearby, he said it does get a lot of use starting in the fall. Not only do UM students use it, but high school teams and the Missoula Aquatic Club also swim there.
Another aspect of campus rec requiring adequate preparation is staffing and recruitment. Thompson’s team does a lot of recruitment in the spring, so they’re prepared for the fall. They generally have an idea of what staff they’ll need to replace by the time the school year ends in May. They continue throughout the summer, using social media and online platforms to post about recruiting events for admitted students.
Each individual area of campus rec does their own staff training at the beginning of the year. “I’ll come around and talk whenever I can to let them know they’re part of a bigger functional unit called Campus Recreation,” said Thompson. “They’re not just working for the pool or the outdoor program, they’re working for Campus Rec at large.”
When it comes to preparing for a new school year, Thompson’s advice is to be ready for anything. He emphasized how COVID-19 taught him about being able to pivot and go in a different direction if needed. “You need rigid flexibility, to be constantly willing to change on a dime,” he said. “One of our core values is resilience. We want to be up for whatever comes our way and be open to any new ideas.”
Preparing for a new school year is no small task for campus rec professionals, but with flexibility and ample planning, departments like UM Campus Recreation prove it’s possible to hit the ground running — and stay ready for whatever comes next.
