Campus recreation professionals share how flexibility, culture and thoughtful development help attract and keep staff in a competitive environment.
Recruiting and retaining staff has been a top challenge facing campus recreation departments in recent years. Rising costs of living, fluctuating applicant pools and shifting expectations for workplace culture are affecting both professional and student staff.
While there’s no one-size-fits-all solution, some campus rec departments are finding success by combining strategy, flexibility and intentionality to keep teams engaged and committed. At the University of Arizona and Harper College, leaders are tackling staffing challenges head-on and sharing campus rec staffing strategies other departments can adapt to fit their own environment.
Finding the Right Fit
Campus rec departments face many different hurdles when it comes to hiring, from salary constraints to limited applicant pools. Certain positions requiring additional certifications — like in fitness or aquatics — may be more difficult to fill. Because of this, campus rec departments are getting creative with recruitment.
Frank Wawrzyniak, the assistant director of Membership and Fitness Center Operations at Harper College, said his team found recruitment success through student conversations and partnerships both on and off campus.
“Word of mouth is our biggest asset,” explained Wawrzyniak. “I’d say second are the ads on Rec Radio. Students in the facility will hear them and ask about job availability at the welcome desk. Athletics also brings in plenty of applicants. When it comes to full-time staff, I have to give credit to CENTERS and the network we’ve established.”
At the University of Arizona, Troy Vaughn, the executive director of Campus Recreation, has found success by recruiting through organizations like the NCAA and the National Recreation and Park Association, along with social media, on-campus job fairs and other campus groups.
Vaughn stressed the importance of directors being involved in the recruiting process. “Many directors don’t take any part in the hiring process,” he said. “I’m active in it. I understand that creating the right climate starts with the person in charge.”
Both Vaughn and Wawrzyniak have adapted recruitment messaging and job descriptions to better reflect the realities of the roles they’re hiring for.
Vaughn’s team adjusts descriptions for each opening, sometimes combining positions due to budget constraints or departmental needs. Wawrzyniak has reimagined interview questions for part-time staff, using creative prompts like asking how they do their laundry.
“I’ve received responses ranging from three to 18 steps,” explained Wawrzyniak. “The specifics given indicate how meticulous the student is, and that matters for my welcome desk staff. Aligning questions with your needs can help identify the right candidates.”
The first step of retaining new staff is onboarding, which can either reinforce the hire’s decision to join the team or unintentionally push them away.
“Our No. 1 concern is onboarding for every one of our new employees,” stressed Vaughn. “We’ve seen a lack of proper onboarding for both student and professional staff, and we’re working hard to improve this.”
Without clear expectations and structured training, new hires can quickly disengage. Vaughn’s team has been reevaluating how they introduce staff to the department culture and communication styles from day one.
Once staff are hired and trained, retention relies heavily on leadership flexibility and workplace culture.
The Role of Flexibility and Culture in Retention
Both leaders agree on flexibility and workplace culture playing a central role in attracting and retaining staff.
For professional staff, Vaughn said offering one work-from-home day a week has been a meaningful adjustment. Flexible hours and higher student wages have also helped with retention at the University of Arizona.
Wawrzyniak echoed how essential flexibility is across both professional and student roles. Professional staff often balance parenting and caregiving, while student employees navigate classwork and extracurriculars.
“Flexibility may be the most important aspect of a job,” said Wawrzyniak. “If I don’t understand my staff’s priorities, I’ll lose them quickly.”
Beyond flexibility, both Vaughn and Wawrzyniak emphasized the importance of culture. For Wawrzyniak, retention is closely tied to creating a strong “third place” environment where students and staff feel welcome outside of home and class. This culture extends to how the campus rec team treats one another.
“If your culture is one of mutual respect and support, it’s easier to let someone else be the pillar for the day, explained Wawrzyniak. “It takes pressure off one individual to be strong enough for the whole team.”
Vaughn emphasized how professional staff are more likely to stay when they feel their work makes an impact, and student employees return semester after semester when they feel included in the campus rec community.
Overall, providing opportunities for input, reinforcing purpose and maintaining open communication all contribute to long-term commitment.
Lessons Learned About Campus Rec Staffing Strategies
Staffing challenges persist among campus rec departments, but both leaders agree long-term success comes down to intentional leadership and investing in your team.
Professional staff often leave for higher-paying opportunities somewhere else — a reality both departments acknowledge as part of the campus rec career pipeline. Rather than viewing it negatively, Vaughn sees it as a sign of growth.
“That’s why we do what we do,” explained Vaughn. “To allow them to grow professionally and climb the ladder in our field. Morale remains positive because people are leaving for better, and other staff can see that.”
Wawrzyniak described retention through a metaphor: “Sometimes you grow roots, sometimes branches,” he explained. “If people don’t have the opportunity to grow roots and truly make a position their own, it won’t be long-term. Only when someone feels settled can they grow branches and make visible change.”
For departments struggling with recruitment or turnover, Vaughn and Wawrzyniak offered similar advice: be present in the hiring process, communicate expectations clearly and prioritize culture as much as compensation.
Ultimately, campus rec staffing isn’t about filling shifts or managing payroll. It’s about building a team capable of navigating transitions, supporting one another and creating an environment where all feel welcome.
As Vaughn put it, working in campus rec is “an honor and a privilege, not just a job.”
