Baylor University

IMAGE COURTESY OF BAYLOR UNIVERSITY

Baylor University

Waco, TX

MISSION STATEMENT

Campus Recreation engages students and the Baylor community in experiential learning, recreational, and leisure activities that equip individuals to live balanced, holistic and healthy lifestyles.

CORE VALUES

Three core values bring clarity to the things that matter most in the Baylor University Department of Campus Recreation. They guide how we achieve our mission, how we make strategic decisions, as well as decisions about every day program and facility plans.  These values help us navigate staffing and budget issues and keep us focused on the unique place and calling we have in student life. These values are predicated on a foundation of Christian faith, excellence and integrity in an active setting.

• HEALTHY LIFESTYLES: We value active, healthy lifestyles that bring fun, leisure and balance to the individual. This includes enthusiasm, laughter, nature and reflection that enhances our physical, social and emotional well-being.
• GROWTH: We value the personal growth and development of the students we serve. This includes leadership, cultural humility and character development.
• RELATIONSHIPS: We value teamwork and growth in interpersonal relationships. This includes creating a welcoming environment where all students find a place to belong and providing customer service that treats others with respect, regardless of commonalities or differences.

FACILITIES

McLane Student Life Center is supervised, maintained and staffed for campus recreation programming, as well as life fitness classes and club sport training.

The facility houses the following:

• Four basketball/volleyball courts
• Seven racquetball courts
• One squash court
• One outdoor basketball court
• Two sand volleyball courts
• One leisure pool
• Men’s and women’s locker rooms
• Four competition table tennis table
• Three lap lanes
• One 53-foot climbing rock
• One bouldering area
• One running track 1/8 mile in length
• One F45 functional fitness area
• One group exercise studio
• One outdoor fitness court
• One weight training and cardiovascular training area
• Massage therapy room
• University health center
• University counseling center
• Pharmacy
• Wellness suite
• Physical therapy

Facility Features

• Russell Gym: two basketball/volleyball courts, one weight training area, one boxing workout area, functional fitness area
• Marrs McLean Gym: one basketball/volleyball court, classrooms
• Parker Brothers Sports Fields: four full-sized, multipurpose fields with lights
• BSB Fields: two full-sized fields for rugby, soccer, lacrosse and ultimate frisbee overlaid
• BearTrail: 2.25 loop around campus with water stations, signage and quarter mile markers
• Edgefield: one multipurpose field – soccer classes, informal recreation
• Bear Park: one sand volleyball court, one half-sized multipurpose field
• Marrs McLean Tennis Courts: 10 regulation-sized courts
• Pullin Family Marina: canoes, kayaks, sailboats, paddleboards, beach volleyball court, slack line, fire ring
• Eastland Lakes Challenge Course: low elements, high elements, two ziplines
• Eastland Lakes Leadership Team Center Clubhouse

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

• Intramural Sports – includes both team and individual sports offering both competitive and recreational levels among Baylor students.
• Club Sports – includes both team and individual sports which are student-lead competitions among other colleges and universities; seven of 26 clubs went to nationals.
• Outdoor Adventure – includes experiential educational opportunities and services including both land and water-based skills and activities comprised of:
  • Rock Climbing – last year had 2,273 different climbers
  • Challenge Course activities – last year 86 groups and 4,841 participants
  • Adventure Trips – kayaking, biking, backpacking, hiking, climbing, rappelling; 17 trips
  • Skill Clinics – sailing, biking, kayaking, canoeing, belaying, etc.; marina had 11,056 visits in seven months

• Health Services – last year had 19,694 appointments:
  • Outreach and Prevention – immunizations, international travel
  • Educational Conversations – primary care topics
  • High quality health care – clinic, pharmacy, physical therapy

• Counseling Services – last year saw 2,131 students in 1,728 appointments:
  • Community and diversity programs focusing on reducing mental health stigma
  • Clinical services for counseling – group and individual
  • Education and training
  • Trauma recovery

• Wellness Services – has 2,065 group exercise members in over 1,900 classes in 12 months:
  • Peer leadership – healthy lifestyles
  • Fitness and nutrition – FitWell program, group exercise program, personal training
  • Beauchamp addiction recovery center

FUN FACTS

• Built in 1999, the McLane Student Life Center (SLC) intentionally combined what is now known as student health and welfare departments, which seek to transform lives through programs and services that encourage and support holistic and healthy lifestyles among students and staff.
• McLane SLC was built 100 percent through donations. There were 2,100 different donors, all of whom are recognized by name in the Atrium of the SLC.
• Membership to the SLC is an employment benefit of all Baylor faculty and staff as well as spouses and dependents. This is also true of student spouses and dependents. There are no “outside” memberships.
• Last year, there were over 523,000 visits (swipes) into the McLane Student Life Center.
• The signature back-to-school event is called Late Night at the SLC. This is the first Friday of the fall semester and highlights our sport clubs, counseling center, rock and our large dodgeball tournament. Over 6,200 students come into the SLC that night in four hours.
• Intramural sports program offers 24 different sports. Last year, they had 39,192 participations – 40 percent were female participants.
• Last year 554 people (264 staff) were trained in CPR, first aid and lifeguarding. Additionally, 31 people were certified as a wilderness first responder.
• The doctors, nurses and counselors’ issue “Green Rx” to students who need to reduce anxiety, alleviate stress or make connections. Campus recreation facilitates each of these activities.