In an effort to offer more courses centered around physical education, one ASUA senator is looking to implement a course that would earn students three credits for a few hours a week in the Student Recreation Center.
Political science junior and Associated Students of the University of Arizona Sen. Danielle Novelly said she plans to structure a class that will broadly cover topics such as health and wellness, but have physical recreation activities included, too. The health portion would be similar to the currently offered general education Nutrition, Food and You course.
While Novelly has yet to determine a curriculum for the course, an idea for the recreation portion of the class includes going to the Rec Center and participating in various activities, much like other classes on campus that have a separate discussion section.
“As opposed to a discussion, like a normal course,” Novelly said, “maybe go to the Rec and there would be like a spin class or like something like that.”
Novelly has been working with Mark Zakrzewski, the Rec Center’s associate director for programs, to develop the course.
“Any program that inspires healthy lifestyles, campus and community engagement and lifelong learning is consistent with Campus Recreation’s vision and mission,” Zakrzewski said in an email.
Some students, like Christine Kaufman, a speech language and hearing sciences junior, said they think the class would be a benefit for many students who don’t necessarily have time to go work out, but would do it for a class.
“I think it would be a good idea because I feel like it’s hard for college students to take time and work out,” she said.
For others, being able to take the course would allow some students a bit more control over their schedule and the types of classes that they can take.
“I think mixing it up and having a more physical class and people being able to have credits that way, you can demonstrate things physically and more kinesthetically as opposed to just sitting in class doing book work,” said Rosemarie Turk, a biology freshman.
Inspiration for the project came from Novelly’s own frustrations in trying to take a pilates class, she said.
“I wanted to take it and I couldn’t because I wasn’t a dance major and so that was frustrating to me,” Novelly said.
The course has to be structured under a nutrition type course because the UA dropped its physical education major in 2008.
If the course is included with a lecture on health and wellness topics, it could count as three credits. Otherwise, it will be a one-credit course.
