Athletics department joins student life division
June 08, 2006
Beginning in June, the athletics department will be part of the student life division under the direction of Laura Majovski, vice president for admission and student life.
Previously, the department was under the direction of the provost. Reassigning the department to the student life division will better integrate campus athletics, recreation and student life, and it will enhance student recruiting.
“The Department of Athletics encompasses one of the largest co-curricular programs at PLU,” Majovski said. “The possibilities for enhancing partnerships with the other programs in student life are exciting, as is the opportunity to advance wellness and fitness more broadly on campus.”
The athletics staff will maintain their partnership with physical education faculty, who will continue to report to the provost. As in the past, coaches will teach activity courses, the two programs will share common space, and they will collaborate as the university moves forward in planning improvements to the physical education, recreation, and athletic facilities.
The change supports the university’s commitment to strengthen the ties among campus co-curricular programs. With more than 500 students participating in intercollegiate athletics and hundreds more participating in club sports and intramurals, integrating the athletics program into the student life division will allow new synergies in the programming.
Additionally, the reorganization will enhance the efforts of the admissions office, which is also part of the student life division, to recruit new students and retain the best student-athletes by bringing PLU coaches into the mix. In the past few years, the coaches have become increasingly important in recruiting these students.
The transfer of athletics, club sports and intramurals to the student life division will also allow the new acting provost, Patricia O’Connell Killen, to concentrate more time and energy on the academic program and faculty interests.
“The Department of Athletics encompasses one of the largest co-curricular programs at PLU,” Majovski said. “The possibilities for enhancing partnerships with the other programs in student life are exciting, as is the opportunity to advance wellness and fitness more broadly on campus.”
The athletics staff will maintain their partnership with physical education faculty, who will continue to report to the provost. As in the past, coaches will teach activity courses, the two programs will share common space, and they will collaborate as the university moves forward in planning improvements to the physical education, recreation, and athletic facilities.
The change supports the university’s commitment to strengthen the ties among campus co-curricular programs. With more than 500 students participating in intercollegiate athletics and hundreds more participating in club sports and intramurals, integrating the athletics program into the student life division will allow new synergies in the programming.
Additionally, the reorganization will enhance the efforts of the admissions office, which is also part of the student life division, to recruit new students and retain the best student-athletes by bringing PLU coaches into the mix. In the past few years, the coaches have become increasingly important in recruiting these students.
The transfer of athletics, club sports and intramurals to the student life division will also allow the new acting provost, Patricia O’Connell Killen, to concentrate more time and energy on the academic program and faculty interests.