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ABSTRACT
Physical education debuted in higher education in 1860 at Amherst College. The program, aimed at the general student body, thrived under the leadership of Edward Hitchcock, Jr., M.D. Similar programs were developed elsewhere. At its high point, an estimated 97% of colleges and universities required their students to partake in some form of physical education in order to earn a bachelor’s degree. The early physical education pioneers were trained as medical doctors responsible for all aspects of student hygiene. Physical education ultimately evolved into its own academic discipline, known today as kinesiology. As the discipline codified, physical education programs aimed at addressing the needs of the total student body became increasingly marginalized. Regardless, quality college and university instructional physical activity programs (C/UIPAP) continue to this day and they have enormous unrealized potential for addressing student, institutional, and societal needs. Recommendations for helping C/UIPAP thrive in the 21st century are advanced.
Notes
1. In an effort to increase readability, a portion of this introductory narrative is intentionally undocumented. Substantially greater documentation is available elsewhere for those who might be interested (Cardinal, Citation2013, Citation2016b; Cardinal, Kang, et al., Citation2015; Cardinal, Sorensen, et al., Citation2012).
2. Space prohibits a detailed analysis of what occurred and some of the associated ramifications. Readers are referred instead to Rikli’s (Citation2006) Amy Morris Homans commemorative lecture and Sage’s (Citation1984) Dudley Allen Sargent commemorative lecture for deeper insights. Carlson’s (Citation2015) article, which appeared in The Chronicle of Higher Education, is also enlightening. Several points are raised in his piece, including the growth of posh campus recreations centers. Unfortunately, everyone does not feel welcome or included in such environments (Hoang, Cardinal, & Newhart, Citation2016).
3. Anecdotally, I have attended institution-wide committee meetings on more than one occasion where the values and benefits of C/UIPAP have been espoused by college and university administrators in terms of the important role they can and do play in facilitating student success, particularly as part of a first-year or transfer experience. In another instance, I was in attendance when a Dean announced receiving a substantial financial gift from an alumni donor couple that met during a ballroom dance class (offered by the institution’s C/UIPAP) while they were undergraduate students many years before. I am sure there are countless testimonials such as these that could and need to be shared.