Kinesiology and Sports Studies

What is the program’s mission statement or statement of purpose? Why does the program exist?

The KSS Undergraduate mission statement:

The mission of the department of Kinesiology and Sports Studies at Eastern Illinois University includes:

1. Professionally preparing our students to gain the experience and knowledge needed for careers in pedagogy, exercise science, athletic training, or sport management.

2. Guiding student learning in the development of skills, habits, and attitudes that promote health and wellness.

3. Providing advanced discovery and application of knowledge through guided research and creative activities.

4. Encouraging the development of critical thinking and good communication skills through professional growth opportunities and experiences.

The KSS Graduate mission statement:

The mission of the Master of Science degree program in Kinesiology and Sport Studies at Eastern Illinois University is to engage students in advanced scholarship for the purpose of generating, disseminating, and applying knnowledge specific to physical activity, sport, and their various applied systems in order to professionally prepare students to be critical thinkers, problem solvers, effective communicators, and leaders in their chosen area of concentration.

The graduate mission is supported through foundational pillars modeled in accordance to accreditation standards for each area of emphasis as well as student learning objectives which are aligned with the goals of the graduate school.

How does the program mission align with the university mission?

The Kinesiology and Sports Studies Department's mission guides our curriculum by clearly defining what a graduate of KSS at EIU will experience. It is specifically related to Eastern's mission in that it focuses on applied learning experiences, opportunities for student-faculty scholarship, development of critical thinking and good communication skills, as well as promoting leadership through service.

Whom does the program serve?

The KSS undergraduate program serves KSS majors who specialize in Exercise Science, Sport Management, and Teacher Certification K-12. Athletic Training is also a major within the KSS program.

Our KSS graduate program serves KSS majors who specialize in either Exercise Science (clinical or non-clinical) or Sports Administration. The graduate program strives to prepare graduates for successful careers in the fields of sport and physical activity.

What are the services provided? How do these services align with the university mission and program mission?

The undergraduate concentration in Exercise Science provides students with the scientific knowledge of the underlying principles of exercise training through instruction and practical experience. The K-12 Physical Education Teacher Certification Option provides students with a balanced curriculum in the areas of pedagogy, technique and theory classes, curriculum development, organization and administration, and in-school field experience. The undergraduate concentration in Sport Management is designed to help students develop a foundational understanding and comprehension of management concepts and principles essential to organizational success in the sport and fitness industry. The athletic training program focuses on applied learning experiences and the development of critical thinking through the clinical education, opportunities for student-faculty scholarship focusing on evidence based practice, good communication skills, both oral and written, in both the didactic and clinical settings as well as promoting leadership through service with the student organization. The graduate program strives to prepare graduates for successful careers in the fields of sport and physical activity. Students gain content knowledge, critical thinking skills, and effective oral and written skills and include a breadth of opportunities for scientific inquiry through research activities.

Describe the program’s origins (e.g. year established, purpose, expectations).

The Kinesiology and Sports Studies program dates back to 1902. The first physical education courses were listed in the catalog as "physical culture" and were limited to girls. In 1911, organized physical education for men was developed. In 1938, physical education for men became a four year major. It is uncertain when the women's physical education program was organized but one assumes close to when the men's was organized. In 1973, the men and women's departments merged and became the Department of Physical Education. The programs initially were to prepare students to become physical education teachers. Also in 1973, the Non-Teaching Physical Education major emerged. This major was for students who wanted to pursue a profession in Exercise Science or Sport Management. The Athletic Training program is rich in history. The program has been at EIU since 1972, recognized by the National Athletic Trainers' Association as an academic program in 1974 and is the oldest accredited athletic training education program in the state of Illinois. We were initially accredited in 1994 and have recently received national re-accreditation through the Commission on the Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (ATEP). The ATEP at EIU is one of only four athletic training education programs housed in state institutions in Illinois. In 1981, the MS option in Cardiac Rehabilitation was offered. In 2000, as the non-teaching field grew as a profession in both the Exercise Science and Sport Management areas, the department established concentrations in both the Exercise Science and Sport Management areas.

How has the unit changed or adapted over time?

The KSS academic unit has changed significantly over time. The department originally was for students who wanted to become physical educators in the schools. As time passed, the exercise science and sport management areas came into existence as well as the athletic training field of specialization. With the changing times, the curriculums continually have been revised and new courses have developed and been implemented into today's programs. New equipment and technology have made significant changes to the curriculums and the emphasis on experiential learning and hands-on experiences have increased immensely. The number of majors have increased significantly also.

Athletic training education has a national accreditation body, CAATE, which provides comprehensive accreditation services to institutions that offer Athletic Training degree programs and verify that all CAATE-accredited programs meet the acceptable educational standards for professional (entry-level) athletic training education. CAATE requires that accredited programs verify that they are teaching the 5th edition of the Athletic Training clinical competencies as set by the National Athletic Trainers Association professional education council which was released in 2011.

All areas of specialization in both the undergraduate and graduate programs have national accrediting bodies. These bodies have governing principles that have guided each discipline in program and curricular changes as well as the assessment process within the department. NASPE governs the pedagogy area; NSCA governs the exercise science area; and COSMA governs the sports administration area.

If needed, provide supplemental comments to help the reader understand the program’s history and relevance to university mission.

Provide data showing the four-year trend in the number of majors, minors, options, and concentrations.

Provide data showing the four-year trend in student credit hour (SCH) production, percent of SCHs that are general education, and percent of SCHs that are taught to non-majors.

What elements of the program’s curriculum are offered specifically to support other academic majors, minors, options, and concentrations?

The KSS Department offers one general education course, KSS 2900, International Expression of Dance (Fine Arts). We offer three to five sections of the course both fall and spring semesters. We also offer KSS 5225, a graduate course, to the Gerontology graduate students who are required to take that specific course. KSS 3600 is a course that certain special education majors take as well as elementary education majors. KSS 3000 is a course which is open to all students who are pursuing a teaching profession. The KSS Department does have a senior seminar, EIU 4103, which is a general education course, but it has not been offered the last few years as all faculty's workloads are full with major classes. The KSS Department offers numerous activity classes every semester for all students at EIU to contribute to their fitness and overall well-being. The KSS 2850 course may be taken by Health Studies teacher certification majors to count within one of their areas for that particular major. Many pre-medical students (pre-physical therapy, chiropractic, occupational therapy, and other medical fields) also take our KSS 2440 (Structural Kinesiology) and KSS 4340 (Principles of Exercise Physiology) as they are requirements into those areas of study.

There are certain other undergraduate and graduate students from various disciplines that do take one or more courses within our undergraduate and graduate programs: business, nutrition/dietetics, psychology, sports media relations, sociology, pre-law,  journalism, and communication studies.

If needed, provide supplemental comments to help the reader understand the internal demand for the program. Note any clarifications or special circumstances (e.g., curriculum changes made by another program) that should be considered when reviewing the above data.

Using the data above, in the past four years, the number of Kinesiology and Sports Studies majors has increased 103%. The number of Athletic Training majors has increased 15%. When breaking down the KSS majors by areas of specialization, the number of Physical Education Teacher Certfication majors has decreased 69%. The number of Exercise Science majors has increased by 88%, and the number of Sport Management majors has increased by 17%. Please note, that our faculty has not increased with these large increases in numbers. The department has handled it to the best of their abilities through increase in class sizes and all faculty having workloads at a minimum of 24 CU's and many up to 30 CU's.

Prior to obtaining the 2013 data on November 14th, I had already written the comments below:

When examing enrollments from 2004 through 2012 (over a nine year span), the number of Kinesiology and Sports Studies majors has increased 64% from 582 majors in 2004 to 955 majors in 2012. Our numbers differ from those reported above, but the KSS Department always seeks enrollment numbers as of 10th day reports from Enrollment Management. We utilize these numbers for our data and record keeping. From 2004 to 2012, the Athletic Training majors have increased 74%; Exercise Science and Sport Management majors have increased 188% (228 majors to 657 majors); Graduate students have remained relatively constant; and Teacher Education majors in Physical Education have decreased 51% (354 majors to 175 majors). The huge increase in the number of students declaring exercise science and sport management as their major indicates the increasing interest that new generations of college students have in these two concentrations. The decrease in the teacher education majors in physical education are due to the financial constraints placed on the public school systems in the state of Illinois and the cuts they are making in regards to teaching positions as well as the problems with the pension system and the tests that teacher candidates must take to become certified teachers. Student credit hours are not increasing due to the fact that we are not offering as many sections of our general education classes nor our activity classes and have placed the emphasis on our major classes.

The ATEP majors has increased significantly due to several factors. It is one of the oldest programs in the state of Illinois, and we have a significant number of alumni who are encouraging their students and athletes who are interested in pursuing the degree to apply to Eastern. We are one of only four state institutions that offer the athletic training degree and with EIU being the state institution that is located the furthest south, we draw students not only from the central and northern aspects of the state but also students who reside in the southern part of the state of Illinois. Students have indicated that another reason for choosing EIU to pursue their athletic training degree is the affordability of attending school here.

The graduate program has increased in majors similarly to the undergraduate program. The increase has been in the exercise science and sport management areas.

List relevant data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Outlook Handbook, the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) New Graduate Salary Survey, and the EIU Career Services Annual Report.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, employment opportunities in the athletic training area are expected to grow by 30% from 2010 to 2020, much faster than the average for all occupations. As people becme more aware of sports-related injuries at a young age, demand for athletic trainers is expected to increase, most significantly in the schools and youth leagues. Employment within the exercise science area is expected to grow by 24% from 2010 to 2020, faster than the average for all occupations. As businesses and insurance companies continue to recognize the benefits of health and fitness programs for their employees, incentives to join gyms or other fitness facilities will increase the need for workers in these areas. Employment within the sport management area is also expected to grow much faster than the average for all occupations (29%). This is an average based on several different professions within the sport management area. The employment of teachers is expected to grow about as fast as the average for all occupations.

The New Graduate Salary Survey and other salary websites provided starting salaries for the various professions in the Department of Kinesiology and Sports Studies. All will be given in ranges as the location of the new graduate positions will vary the beginning salary. An athletic trainer will make between $35,000-$40,000. A personal trainer will begin at a salary of $25,000-$35,000. A sport management professional will be compensated between $25,000-$35,000, and a beginning teacher will make somewhere between the range of $31,000-$40,000.

According to the EIU Career Services Annual Report, 50% of the athletic training majors were employed in 2012; 95% of the exercise science and sport management majors were employed; and 67% of the physical education teaching majors were employed. As to the graduate student population, 60% of the students were employed. The average salary was $31,500 - $37,864.

Students who graduate from the Athletic Training Program at EIU typically find their initial employment as a graduate assistant athletic trainer so they can continue to grow professionally while actively pursuing their graduate degree in athletic training or a related field. Students who do not pursue a graduate assistanship find employment in the clinic/hospital outreach setting. It is in this setting that the graduate can provide patient care in a traditional outpatient therapy setting as well as providng outreach athletic training services to area school districts and colleges/universities.

Is the program accredited or approved by a recognized external agency or otherwise certified to meet established professional standards? Provide an executive summary of and link to the program’s most recent accreditation or certification report, if available.

The Athletic Training program is nationally accredited through the Commission on the Accreditation of Athletic Training Education. The program received accreditation in 2012 and is good through 2020-2021. The program's most recent accreditation report may be found in the Department of Kinesiology and Sports Studies main office.

The Physical Education Teacher Education program is accredited through the National Association for Sport and Physical Education. The program received accreditation from 2010-2014. The program's most recent accreditation report may be found in the Department of Kinesiology and Sports Studies main office.

The Exercise Science program recently was awarded the distinction of becoming a National Strength and Conditioning Association Education Recognized Personal Training Program. The program was awarded recognition from 2013-2016. The letter signifying this can be found in the Department of Kinesiology and Sports Studies main office.

Though the Sport Management program is not accredited through the Commission on Sport Management Accreditation, it is aligned to meet all standards set by the organization. Financial constraints have prohibited the department from seeking accreditation.l

Is the program required to meet any regulatory or legal requirements? Is the program subject to any special auditing requirements?

The programs are not required to meet any regulatory or legal requirements other than those established through the accrediting bodies or state/national requirements. The programs are not subject to any special auditing requirements.

What are the most important outreach or public service activities supported by the program?

All four of our areas of specialization have many outreach and public service activities. The Athletic Training program assists with American Red Cross blood drives,Special Olympics medical coverage, food drives, breast cancer fundraisers, and a first aid tent at EIU home football games. The Exercise Science area houses the Adult Fitness Program and hosts the Annual Run for Shannon McNamara (fund raising event to support the Shannon McNamara scholarship). They also have a booth at the EIU Health Fair. The Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE) program also is very involved in the community through volunteering with Special Olympics, the Shannon McNamara Run, and youth coaching opportunities. The Sports Management program provides internships to the community's sport organizations every fall, spring, and summer. They also volunteer for the Special Olympics District meet and assist EIU Athletics with various sporting events and fund raisers.

How do the local community and the region benefit from the program?

The local community and the region benefit from the Athletic Training program through the affiliations we have with area high schools and community colleges. These affiliations provide additional resources to area high schools that serve as clinical education sites (student placement, provide continuing education opportunities). The Adult Fitness Program and the Shannon McNamara Run both promote fitness and wellnes.  In addition the Adult Fitness Program offers an inexpensive fitness facility to 200 plus EIU and the surrounding community members under direct supervision with trained faculty and staff. These participants get a complete health screening and are provided personalized training programs. The Shannon Run raises money to put towards the Shannon McNamara Scholarship which is awarded to one or two outstanding KSS majors every year. The local and region communities benefit from our PETE program by providing the various services to those communities. Through the Sports Management's outreach services the strength of the community's sport organizations is enhanced through the partnerships we have with them. Our students are out in the community providing new ideas from their curriculum to help these sport organizations succeed. We provide a cohort of interns to the EIU athletics department, for instance, and have students who coach youth basketball at Charleston's Jefferson Elementary school every year.

If needed, provide supplemental comments or data sources to help the reader understand the external demand for the program.

 KSS graduates obtain jobs in health clubs, fitness centers, cardiac rehabilitation facilities, sport organizations ranging from the youth to the professional ranks, recreation organizations, intercollegiate athletic departments, K-12 school settings as well as continuing their education through graduate school. The demand of quality physical education in today's society could not be greater with the obesity epidemic reaching staggering heights. It is the first time that today's youth may out live the age of their parents. Over the past years, the U.S. Department of Education has declared a shortage of physical education teachers in the K-8 setting. As society continues to embrace sport and the value of competition at all levels more and more each year, the need for qualified adminstrators of sport programs increases in a corresponding fashion with the increased societal emphasis placed on sport.

The US Department of Labor states that the Athletic Training profession is growing 30% faster than other occupations. This growth can be contributed to the heightened public awareness of injuries and illnesses associated with physically active individuals and the care of those injuries and illnesses by qualified medical personnel (i.e. athletic trainers), the increased understanding of the value of an athletic trainer as an allied healthcare professional and the non-traditional professional settings that athletic trainers are employed. With the increased awareness of concussions and concussion management, the need for athletic trainers is higher than ever. Specifically, in the State of Illinois, athletic trainers and medical physicians are the only healthcare professionals that are qualifed to diagnose a concussion and to release a patient to full activity after sustaining a concussion.

Kinesiology and Sports Studies (B.S.)

Significant Achievements that Document Quality/Improvement

Significant achievements that document support of VPAA and/or University goals

Integrative Learning Opportunities

Student Research/creative Activity

Faculty-student collaboration

Strategies to improve P-16 teaching and learning

External Partnerships

Pass rates on any professional/ occupational licensure exams

Faculty Achievements

Student Achievements

Athletic Training (B.S.)

Significant Achievements that Document Quality/Improvement

Significant achievements that document support of VPAA and/or University goals

Integrative Learning Opportunities

Student Research/creative Activity

Faculty-student collaboration

Strategies to improve P-16 teaching and learning

External Partnerships

Pass rates on any professional/ occupational licensure exams

Faculty Achievements

Student Achievements

Kinesiology and Sports Studies (M.S.)

Significant Achievements that Document Quality/Improvement

Significant achievements that document support of VPAA and/or University goals

Integrative Learning Opportunities

Student Research/creative Activity

Faculty-student collaboration

Strategies to improve P-16 teaching and learning

External Partnerships

Pass rates on any professional/ occupational licensure exams

Faculty Achievements

Student Achievements

If needed, provide supplemental comments or data sources to help the reader understand the quality of program outcomes.

Based on the above information, it is evident that the faculty and students within the Kinesiology and Sports Studies programs are doing noteworthy activities. Faculty are superior in their teaching, research, and service. KSS majors are also outstanding in their academics, research efforts, and service activities.

Note any special benefits (e.g., personnel support, equipment, permanent improvements) that the program has received in the past three years from its grants and other sponsored programs.

The Athletic Training program has received external funding from the Paris Hospital with their assistance with funding an external Graduate Assistant. The PETE program has received external funding from graduate teaching assistantships within the Charleston Public School System and the hosting of the IHSA State Badminton Championships. All four areas of specialization also have received numerous Redden Grants, Faculty Development Grants, and other grants offered through the College of Education and Professional Studies and the university. The funding provides for equipment to improve instruction as well as travel to professional conferences for faculty development. The Sports Management faculty members have received outside funding for their consulting services over the past three years. They have also had numerous faculty members apply for and receive internal grants. Currently, three new faculty members are in the process of applying for external grants. The money that has come in from consulting or internal grants has helped faculty members stay current in the industry. That knowledge has helped our students develop cutting-edge ideas in the field. The money we are in the process of generating will hopefully go towards assistantships and equipment. The Exercise Science area hosts the Adult Fitness Program (AFP). This program is funded by the membership fees of those who particpate. Those who are currently employed by EIU pay $40/year and non-EIU employees pay $70/year. The AFP is managed in part by graduate assistants (GAs) in the KSS department. The GAs perform annual, comprehensive health and fitness screenings on each of the approximately 200 members. The AFP offers a variety of exercise options including access to the EIU Student Recreation Center, pool, indoor and outdoor track and also a Pilates class that is conducted by the GAs. Various other offerings are presented to the members throughout the year as well, such as a cholesterol screening, a semi-annual breakfast social. and a weight management challenge over the Holidays. The money generated through the annual dues is used to buy equipment, fund staff travel and workshops, and keep the program running.

How does the program benefit from donor gifts (e.g., scholarships, endowed chairs)? Does donor support provide a significant percentage of the program’s overall funding?

The Kinesiology and Sports Studies Department has 20 scholarships specifically for KSS majors. These scholarships are given to students who apply for them and then a scholarship selection committee reviews and discusses all applicants and recommends students to receive them. The chair reviews and approves. There is also a donor who has established a discretionary fund for any KSS major who is in need of money quickly for emergency reasons. This can be from needing to purchase a software program for a specific class to gas money to go home to visit an ill grandmother. Other donor gifts which are monetary go into the KSS Gift Account which supports student travel, student organizations, student research, etc... The Athletic Training program has benefited from Sarah Bush through the donation of the Biodex isokinetic unit which all athletic training students are exposed to for accreditation purposes.

Donor support does not provide a significant percentage of the program's overall funding.

List two or three key relationships that the program maintains with external constituencies (e.g., community colleges, other universities, government bodies). How do these relationships advance the university mission or otherwise benefit the university?

The Athletic Training program has key relationships with Sarah Bush Lincoln Health System, the NFL, Carle Foundation Hospital, and area high schools. These relationships allow for integrative learning experiences and help refine their ability to reason and communicate clearly in a variety of healthcare settings. The Exercise Science program has key relationships with Sarah Bush Lincoln Health System through the METS program and the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Sarah Bush provides many learning opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students and the NSCA promotes advanced inquiry of the program with current professional standards. One of the PETE program's major relationships is with the Charleston School district for Graduate Assistantship teaching positions and for the KSS 2000, 3400, and 3401 courses which provide school practicum experiences. The pedagogy program also has a strong relationship with the IAHPERD PETE committee for the state of Illinois and the Chicago Public Schools Task Force for the PETE committee by having representative within the department serve on these committees. The KSS Departmen also has within their faculty the Tournament Director for the IHSA Badminton Championships which are held at EIU so that partnership with the IHSA does exist. These key relationships provide integrative learning experiences for our students. The partnerships enhance the partner relationships between Eastern Illinois University and the broader community. The Sports Management program maintains a number of invaluable relationships. Many of these are with professional governing bodies. Our faculty members are involved in sport management's governing bodies as well as those in sport psychology, sport philosophy, sport history, college sport research, and sociology of sport. Many of these organizations have lists of schools that have sport management programs. We are on these lists. We are also in the process of putting together relationships with major sport organizations in St. Louis, Chicago, and Indianspolis in which we will have our students visit for our courses. These relationships with the professional governing bodies help us to provide superior quality education because they are the ways in which our faculty members stay current in the field. The sport organizations that we are working to connect with will provide our students with unparalleled experiential learning opportunities. One of our key sport industry partners, the EIU athletics department, have had several alumni experience success in professional sport, such as Tony Romo, Mike Shanahan, Sean Peyton, and Brad Childress, which has generated significant positive publicity and management of sport.

If needed, provide supplemental comments to help the reader understand the resources generated by the program. Note any clarifications or special circumstances (e.g., revenue pass-throughs) that should be considered when reviewing the above data.

The Physical Education Material Fee and Towel Fee does generate money, but the department is actually a conduit for these two accounts. The money taken in is then expended to cover costs associated with this revenue. The material fee resources consists of collecting money from students for bowling fees, t-shirt fees, and tape fees. This money once collected is then used to pay the Union bowling alley, the t-shirt factory, or the medical supplier for the tape. The Adult Fitness Program does generate revenue which is then used by the directors/Graduate Assistants of the program to pay for travel, registration to training symposiums whereby AF participants benefit through the students' training, as well as equipment for the program and the department. The money collected through the IHSA Badminton account does generate funding that is used by the department to purchase needed equipment which is a good turn in investment as many faculty work the tournament as volunteers. The Fitness Assessment account takes in revenue from research projects and fitness assessments performed on community members and the money taken in is then used to replenish equipemnt needed for testing purposes.

If needed, provide supplemental comments to help the reader understand the productivity of the program. Note any clarifications or special circumstances (e.g., accreditation requirements, curricular changes, program restructuring) that should be considered when reviewing the above data.

Though our student credit hour production has not changed significantly over the past three years and our majors have increased, we have offered less general education and service activity classes. Our average class size has increased over the past three years, but I think it is important to stress that our teacher education class sizes have decreased with the decrease in teacher education majors. Once having two sections of all core classes in the teaching area, we now offer one section and the enrollment is 15-20 students. Our athletic training classes are also smaller in size (15-18) due to accreditation standards as to clinical sites that can be used for our students to get their clinical experiences. This leaves our exercise science and sport management classes at a much higher enrollment. Many times classes in these two areas are 30-40 students per class. This is due to faculty at maximum workloads (24-30) with many nearing the 30 CU workload. Graduate classes are also reaching high levels with some classes at 25-38. I think it is important to also make the following observations in regards to average class sizes for FY13: 70% of the KSS 1000-2999 courses have more than 24 students; 84% of the KSS 3000-4749 classes have more than 15 students; 100% of the KSS 4750-4999 courses have more than 10 students; and 90% of the 5000 and above courses have more than 8 students. These numbers have changed significantly from FY12. Again, enrollments within the program are increasing; however, the number of faculty and our budget have remained constant.

If needed, provide supplemental comments to help the reader understand the costs associated with the program. Note any clarifications or special circumstances (e.g., expenditures made centrally or externally, expenditures made on behalf of other units) that should be considered when reviewing the above data.

Since 2004, the KSS Department has experienced a significant growth of majors. Unfortunately, the number of faculty has not increased with this increase in majors. As faculty members retire or leave, every effort has been made to hire faculty with areas of specialization that will enhance our programs and help align our programs with the various accrediting bodies. Though the increase in faculty has not kept pace with the increase in enrollment, given the fiscal contraints on campus and the FTE reductions, the KSS Department has contiued to ensure that our majors are taught by qualified and well respected faculty. Class sizes have increased significantly to the extent that we have reached the tipping point in that an additional increase would jeopardize the academic integrity of th courses. Despite the increase in class sizes, alumni survey results do indicate that one of the department's strengths lies in the faculty being accessible and having an open door policy.

How does the program seek to distinguish itself from similar programs at other institutions?

The Athletic Training program distinguishes itself from similar programs at other institutions through their partnership with Sarah Bush Lincoln Health System and EIU Health Services for a general medical clinical rotation that far exceeds those provided by other programs in the state. We are the only downstate public institution to offer the B.S. in Athletic Training. EIU students spend eight weeks with a variety of medical departments which enhances their classroom experience. The physicians and health care providers are incredibly welcoming and provide our students with an outstanding experience.The Exercise Science program takes great pride in faculty who are student-centered. They are caring faculty who have an open door policy and are always willing to assist students when needed. Another strength of the Exercise Science program is in the applied learning and the practical application opportunities through internships and the Assessment, Testing, and Prescription Lab which provides the students with this hands-on learning. Students perform physical fitness assessments on any EIU student, faculty, or staff member free of charge. An exercise prescription may also be conductd after completion of the assessments. We have a strong and rich tradition for teacher training in physical education. Our PETE program is an evidence based curriculum that utilizes strong field-based learning opportunities to enhance the knowledge, skills, and dispositions of our pre-service teachers. Another primary difference between our program and others in the state is the implementation of our field based work sample which students have to complete during the Physical Education methods courses. This work sample has national support and requires pre-service teachers to plan, teach, assess, and thoroughly reflect on their teaching for learning. A number of Illinois public universities have Sport Management programs, and so there is imminent need for us to separate ourselves. We are discussing ways in which we can do so. Most basically, we are working to increase our research output and attendance at conferences. These are the ways in which we will become more visible regionally and nationally. This will allow hopefully us to attract a higher caliber student who might have more geographic diversity than our current student body. We are also thinking aobut curricular options to separate ourselves. These discussions will gain great force once we complete our job search and become fully staffed. Further, our students are beginning to obtain top-level jobs and internships in the field. This might be our unique characteristic that students most care about. Last, we are beginning to set up trips for our students to present at conferences and visit major forces in the sport industry. EIU's Sport Managment program is arguably the largest and most recognized sport management program in this region of the state. One of our key sport industry partners, the EIU Athletics Department, has had several alumni experience success in professional sports, such as Tony Romo, Mike Shanahan, Sean Peyton, and Brad Childress. This has generated significant positive publicity and interest for EIU as a whole, in both athletic and academic programs related to the management of sport. A primary difference between our program and others in the state is that we offer a three semester program with experiential opportunities for each emphasis area. EIU's Sport Administration program at the graduate levels distinguishes itself from other programs in the state with the opportunity to study abroad. The Exercise Science program distinguishes itself from other programs in the state through the hands-on experiences the students gain working with the particpants in the Adult Fitness Program and the cardio-pulmonary patients through the METS Department at Sarah Bush Lincoln Health System.

Note any unique and/or essential contributions that the program makes to the university.

The relationship between the EIU Athletic Training program and EIU Athletics is essential for the continued success of both entities by being the primary clinical site and clinical preceptors for the AT program; additionally, students provide first aid services at all EIU home football games. EIU's Adult Fitness Program and the ATP lab provide essential contributions to the university. The EIU community benefits from the AFP because it provdes a safe, supervised exercise environment where EIU faculty and staff and community members can enhance their health and fitness. An increase in health and fitness correlates well with enhanced productivity and decreased absenteeism. Additionally, the Assesment, Testing, and Prescription Lab (ATP Lab) in Lantz provides a separate, free opportunity for all EIU faculty and staff to receive a physical fitness assessment. PETE faculty are members across campus on a variety of organizations, committees, and clubs on campus. Faculty members also represent groups at the state, national, and international levels. This service promotes our department, college, and university and gives us recognition as a top physical education teaching program. Students also benefit through faculty staying updated amd current and provides many networking opportunites for our students. Our Sport Management program, as previously stated, has made strong contributions to the EIU atheltics department. We always have interns helping them. We also spend time in our courses providing the athletic department with help to market their events, plan their facilities, assess their budgets, and train their athletes. Our students also provide leadership to our student organizations and serve on campus-wide committees.

Provide any program-specific metrics that help to document program contributions or program quality. Examples of some commonly used program-specific metrics may be found here.

The Athletic Training program students take the NATA BOC exam. The first time pass rate is 72% and we have had an overall pass rate of 86% with the inception of the revised curriculum in 2009. The senior exit exams reveal a pass rate of 100%. The clinical proficiency pass rate is 100% on all clinical proficiencies whereby they must score at least an 80% or better to pass. The average cumulative GPA for AT students is 3.3 and their average professional GPA is 3.4. The Exercise Science program provides a tremendous amount of service to the EIU and surrounding communities. The ATP Lab conducts over 3,000 assessments each academic year, and the Adult Fitness Program serves over 250 community members annually. The Exercise Science program just became a nationally recognized National Strength and Conditioning Association Personal Trainer program and our students will begin taking the national certification exam which will supply additional program-specific metrics for the exercise science area. Program quality, within the Physical Education Teacher Education program,  is measured by a Teacher Work Sample and a Unit Plan that addresses both state and national standards. Currently, the PETE program maintains both state and national accreditation. The Sport Management's most recent CASA evaluation noted great improvements in our program's assessment of learning goals, even though we didn't receive any higher marks. We are becoming more closely aligned with COSMA standards - sport management's accrediting agency. There are still only a few programs nationwide that are accredited.

The KSS Department has worked very diligently and deliberately in their assessment efforts over the past three years. Significant assessment activites have been designed and implemented, and data has been collected and analyzed leading to curricular and program improvements. In the Physical Education Teacher Education preparation program, 100% of program completers passed the Illinois Basic Skills Test. One hundred percent of students pass the Content Test prior to student teaching. Assessments which include a work sample, lesson plan assignment, and exit interviews demonstrated 100% of students were at the proficient or advanced level. Exercise Science and Sport Management students complete their capstone experience through an internship. The internship is a culminating experience which provides an invaluable, experiential learning opportunity for students, where theories and principles learned in the classroom can be practically applied in real-world employment situations. All Exercise Science students have passed their internship experience, and over 80% of the students earn a mean score of 80% or higher on the evaluation. The Sport Management students were assessed by their internship supervisor on the following skills: professional behaviors, interpersonal skills, judgement, problem-solving skills, professional improvement, written communication, verbal communication, and listening skills. On a Likert scale ranging from 5-1, all students received a score of 3 or higher on all skills.

The KSS Department has worked diligently and deliberately in their graduate assessment efforts. Results have been most promising. In 2012-2013, eighty-six percent of those student taking the comprehensive exam passed on their first attempt; 98% passed on their second attempt; and 100% passed on their third attempt. Seventy-six percent of students averaged a 4 out of 5 on the competency and knowledge rubric as completed by their supervisor/advisor. Eighty-one percent averaged a 4 out of 5 on the problem solving skills and judgment rubric as evaluated by their supervisor. Students rated their problem solving skills .88 points higher on the exit interview compared to the start of the program. One hundred percent of students received at least an overall score of 30/48 on their oral rubrics. One hundred percent of students received at least an overall score of 20/32 on their written rubrics. One hundred percent of students received a 4 out of 5 on the written communication rubric as evauated by their supervisor. One hundred percent of students received a 4 out of 5 on the verbal communication rubric as evaluated by their supervisor. Students rated their oral communication skills 1.3 points higher at the end of the program as compared to the start of the program. Students rated their written communication skills 9.65 points higher at the end of the program as compared to the start of the program. One hundred percent of students enrolled in KSS 5000 presented at the KSS Research Fair; six students presented their research at other on-campus research fairs; and 100% of students who completed independent studies completed immersive scholarly projects in the areas of sport economics and sport consumer behavior.

If needed, provide supplemental comments to help the reader understand the program impact on the university mission.

The Athletic Training program students take the NATA BOC exam. The first time pass rate is 72% and we have had an overall pass rate of 86% with the inception of the revised curriculum in 2009. The senior exit exams reveal a pass rate of 100%. The clinical proficiency pass rate is 100% on all clinical proficiencies whereby they must score at least an 80% or better to pass. The average cumulative GPA for AT students is 3.3 and their average professional GPA is 3.4. The Exercise Science program provides a tremendous amount of service to the EIU and surrounding communities. The ATP Lab conducts over 3,000 assessments each academic year, and the Adult Fitness Program serves over 250 community members annually. The Exercise Science program just became a nationally recognized National Strength and Conditioning Association Personal Trainer program and our students will begin taking the national certification exam which will supply additional program-specific metrics for the exercise science area. Program quality, within the Physical Education Teacher Education program,  is measured by a Teacher Work Sample and a Unit Plan that addresses both state and national standards. Currently, the PETE program maintains both state and national accreditation. The Sport Management's most recent CASA evaluation noted great improvements in our program's assessment of learning goals, even though we didn't receive any higher marks. We are becoming more closely aligned with COSMA standards - sport management's accrediting agency. There are still only a few programs nationwide that are accredited.

The KSS Department has worked very diligently and deliberately in their assessment efforts over the past three years. Significant assessment activites have been designed and implemented, and data has been collected and analyzed leading to curricular and program improvements. In the Physical Education Teacher Education preparation program, 100% of program completers passed the Illinois Basic Skills Test. One hundred percent of students pass the Content Test prior to student teaching. Assessments which include a work sample, lesson plan assignment, and exit interviews demonstrated 100% of students were at the proficient or advanced level. Exercise Science and Sport Management students complete their capstone experience through an internship. The internship is a culminating experience which provides an invaluable, experiential learning opportunity for students, where theories and principles learned in the classroom can be practically applied in real-world employment situations. All Exercise Science students have passed their internship experience, and over 80% of the students earn a mean score of 80% or higher on the evaluation. The Sport Management students were assessed by their internship supervisor on the following skills: professional behaviors, interpersonal skills, judgement, problem-solving skills, professional improvement, written communication, verbal communication, and listening skills. On a Likert scale ranging from 5-1, all students received a score of 3 or higher on all skills.

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Provide a link to or listing of the program’s goals and/or strategic plan.

The Athletic Training Program's Goals are as follows:

1. Model and promote professional and ethical conduct as outlined by the National Athletic Trainers' Association Code of Ethics.

2. Provide students with opportunities to develop, refine, and maintain knowledge and skills through classroom, laboratory, and clinical experiences.

3. Provide learning experiences and activities that require students to develop effective written and oral communication skills as members of the professional allied health care team.

4. Design learning activities that require students to use problem solving and critical thinking.

5. Facilitate students' competency in the use of technology within the athletic training profession.

6. Provide role models who demonstrate excellent practice in a variety of settings (i.e., classroom, laboratory, on-campus and affiliated clinical settings).

7. Promote professional development through participation in educational conferences, meetings, and workshops.

8. Prepare students to pass the National Athletic Trainers' Association Board of Certification examiniation.

9. Assist students with career planning and placement (i.e., employment or graduate school).

10. Prepare effective entry-level athletic trainers for employment in educational, clinical, and professional settings.

The Exercise Science Program's Goals are as follows:

1. To be the first choice program for students seeking a degree in exercise science at both the undergraduate and graduate level.

2. To have the majority of undergraduate students earn a professional certification prior to graduation.

3. To foster opportunities for student/faculty scholarship.

4. To demonstrate proficiency in assessing, designing, and implementing individual and group exercise and fitness programs for individuals who are apparently healthy and those with controlled disease.

5. To adequately demonstrate both oral and written dommunication skills.

6. To demonstrate competency in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (abilities) learning domains required of an entry-level Exercise Science professional as defined by the Committee on Accreditation for the Exercise Sciences and the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education programs.

The PETE Program"s Goals are as follows:

1. To demonstrate basic skills in reading, writing, and math.

2. To demonstrate competence in the subject matter and professional knowledge of the Illinois Physical Education Learning/Teaching Standards which include the following four sub areas: Health-Related Physical Fitness, Movement and Skill Acquisition, Role of Physical Education in Development, and The Physical Education Program.

3. To be competent in basic first aid, AED and CPR.

4. To develop, teach, and assess developmentally appropriate lessons for secondary physical education students.

5. To develop, teach, and assess developmentally appropriate lessons for elementary physical education students.

6. To successfully complete an exit interview during the KSS 3400 and 3401 courses.

7. To demonstrate competence in teaching physical education during the student teaching experience.

The mission of the Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE) Program is to graduate entry-level professional physical educators who possess a personal and professional commitment to physical education, and will demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to promote learning in the area of physical education. The PETE Program is nationally accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and one of the top programs for physical education majors in the state of Illinois. Students receive a standards-based curriculum in the areas of effective teaching (pedagogy), assessment, technique and theory courses, curriculum development, organization and adminstration, and in-school field experiences. The curriculum instills the importance and value of quality physical education programs for schools, communities, and society. In additon, students engage and reflect on a variety of integrative learning experiences which positively impact self, youth, schools, and the community.

The Sport Management Program's goals are:

1. To comprehend essential management concepts and principles learned in core sport management courses.

2. To develop written communication skills through undergraduate electronic writing portfolio requirements in writing intensive courses.

3. To develop oral/verbal communication skills through class presentations in KSS 4325.

5. To comprehend and utilize essential business management concepts and terminology in business administration courses.

5. To apply management skills in a practical internship setting for a sports/fitness organization.

Other goals the sport management faculty are discussing is to increase the number of students we have presenting at conferences; to increase the number of opportunities we provide our students with to view the industry firsthand; to bring in more external speakers for our students to network with; to increase our program offerings based on student interest; and to increase the cohesiveness of the quality education our students are getting in each class program-wide.

What role will the program have in the implementation of the university’s strategic plan (provide link to strategic plan)?

The KSS Program is directly aligned with the university's strategic plan through its mission, vision, goals, and activities that the department, faculty, and students perform on a daily basis. The KSS Department has created a culture of academic rigor. There have been numerous discussions during faculty meetings to ensure that our programs are rigorous. Curriculums have been revised to make them relevant and current to the students' needs. Student expectations have been set at a higher level now than ever before. Integrative learning experiences are provided in all academic programs at all levels of their study, freshmen through graduate. Faculty have increased their research as well as the mentoring of undergraduate and graduate students, and faculty have incorporated their research into their daily classroom teaching. The number of theses have increased over the last few years and more students are presenting at the department, college, university, and state levels. The KSS Department has offered more online courses and have revised many courses so that they may be offered online if the resources were available. The department has increased its minority students and continue to hire minority faculty whenever qualifed. All classes now address global issues and the global society, and our Sport Management program has a study abroad program with the Univeristy of Winchester which has been successful the past two summers. We have had a faculty exchange with the University of Winchester and a group of faculty and students attended EIU's campus for 10 days just this fall. Another faculty member is working on a Study Abroad program with Turkey as well as another faculty member working with Recreation Administration on a joint Canadian Study Abroad program. Students are completing internships throughout the United States from the West coast to the East coast. Students, faculty, and programs are continuously using the most emerging technologies out there through department, college, and university monies as well as other funding sources such as internal and external grants. The involvement of KSS faculty and students on campus and within the community is a major strength of the department. From Special Olympics to EIU Dancers to athletics are just a few of the volunteer opportunities and community service that occurs within the Kinesiology and Sports Studies Department. An emphasis has been made within the KSS Department to have the students reflect on these experiences and share the value of them. The KSS Department is very proud to have increased/stable enrollments over the years and this is due to caring faculty and strong academic programs. Faculty take pride in staying in contact with alumni, and the department works closely with alumni through electronic newsletters, the Alumni Office, events, and other communication. Alumni are most often our donors who give the most to establish scholarships or to merely give a gift which are all appreciated. We have had an increase in the number of scholarships/cash in cash out awards. The KSS Department also is constantly working hard at recruiting students through various marketing strategies. The departmental website has been updated and is still being worked on to include more student and faculty interaction/stories that help promote our programs. We take part in all Open Houses on campus and provide a departmental showcase to all prospective students/parents. We send emails to students applying in our major as well as when they are accepted. Faculty respond to prospective students via email or on site if visiting campus. The department really opens up their arms and welcomes anyone who comes to the department.

All KSS programs embody the university core values of excellence, personal relationships, accessibility, and service.

What are the program’s two or three most promising opportunities that could help advance the university’s academic mission? Provide an estimate of additional investments or other costs required and additional student credit hours, revenue, or other resources generated.

Athletic Training - The Athletic Training Program has three promosing opportunities: an AT classroom lab, an AT facility for general population and students/SRC injuries, and shifting to an entry level master's program. The entry level MS program should not have any additional costs. This program would generate more students/tuition for the graduate school. If more students would come to EIU, an additional faculty member may be needed. The AT classroom lab and facility for the general population would entail initial set up costs. The department would seek gifts from donors if at all possible. Initially one graduate assistant would be needed and if the number of clients seeking an athletic trainer is excessive, an additional GA would be needed. These opportunities would allow for more students to have on campus clinical rotations; therefore, the number of AT students admitted into the program could increase. There would also be a strong relationship that would be formed with the EIU Health Services.

Exercise Science - The Exercise Science Program also has three promising opportunities: to develop an interdisciplionary major with biological sciences; to seek approval for exercise science to be identified as a degree; and to collaborate with SBLHS as they develop their Center for Healthy Living. The resources needed would be minimal for any one of these opportunities. Developing an interdisciplinary major might require an additional faculty member but the increase in students would pay for this additional faculty member. There are many pre-medical majors (PT, chiropractic, occupational health) that have switched to the KSS major from the Biological Sciences as they want the hands-on experiences as well as working directly with people. The last opportunity also would be at no cost other than having a faculty member possibly mentor and supervise the students who would gain experiences at the Center for Healthy Living. This would be a wonderful integrative learning experience.

One of the most promising opportunities that the PETE program provides is the completion and passage of the PETE new program of study which will be effective Fall 2014. Courses have been revised and/or added new to better match both state and national accreditation standards, and they continue to meet the University Academic Mission and Goals. Increased costs will be equipment items estimated in the amount of $2000. A new fitness based course has been added to the new PETE course of study that will support student increased understanding, knowledge, and application of fitness based activities as they apply to school based settings. Applying current technologies which already exist in the department to include heart rate monitors, pedometers, etc. will be utilized with a focus on using them in schools with students in a K-12 setting. A discussion is ongoing with regard to looking into purchasing contemporary heart rate monitoring equipment that utilizes "blue tooth" technology to better support contemporary fitness activites for teachers, students, and parents. An estimated cost for this technology is approximately $8000. Currently, the PETE program has a faculty representative on an advisory board with the Chicago Public Schools. This will help us explore possibilities for linkages with our PETE program and activities with the Chicago Public Schools regarding in-service opportunities, student teaching opportunities, and collaborative reserch/creative activity opportunities with other State University PETE programs and the Chicago Public Schools.

The Sports Management program would like to offer another track or sub-specialization within sport management (either sport psychology or college sport). This would require one or two additional faculty members to be able to cover new classes and help with the administrative set-up of this new option. We would also require some new marketing for this program that would include bringing in speakers and traveling to the most relevant conferences. Since sport management is such a popular and growing major nationally, this new option would provide us with greater national recognition that will help us attract more and better students. Further, a new option woudl potentially induce students to take more credit hours to obtain an additional minor or concentration specialty. An additional opportunity for sport management students is to offer them more hands-on experiences in the field. This will require taking one trip and having a guest speaker on campus each semester. By doing this, our students will become better at networking at an earlier age and will develop the realtionships they need to succeed at the highest levels of the sport management industry. When they obtain these good and high paying jobs (there is a lot of money in sport), they will hopefully become more generous as they give back to their alma mater. If nothing else, they will at least provide EIU with the vast public exposure that big-time sports provides. This would only require the funds to take our students on trips and host guest speakers. The last opportunity within the Sports Management area is to be able to offer our undergraduate or graduate program online. The programs are almost ready for this to occur;however, due to faculty already at 24-30 CU's, additional faculty would be needed. There is a high demand for sport management online programs and we feel we would defintely have the enrollments to support online programs.

If needed, provide supplemental comments to help the reader understand future opportunities for the program.

Many of our opportunities within each of the four areas involves new programs which would require additional faculty members. We strongly feel that our programs would grow rapidly in numbers and the programs would pay for themselves in regards to tuition dollars. Whether it be a new option in the sport management area or an online program or an entry level master's program for athletic training, these opportunities would increase EIU's enrollment as these programs would entice high caliber students. Our KSS programs are strong in numbers currently due to the highly qualified faculty and the rigor of the programs. We have consistently grown in numbers when most all programs have seen a decrease. Given the financial resources needed, we could expand even further. Again, all KSS faculty are at a minimun of 24 CU's (unless newly tenure-track faculty) and many are at 26-30 CU's. These opportunities would be exciting to the department, college, and university.