Spring 1997 - Digitized Resources Murphy Library University of ...

This combination of cutting-edge
research and student-centered instruction
and participation makes HPER "very
unique, very special," says Doug Hastad,
HPER college dean.
As one of the largest U.S. colleges of its
kind, HPER "affords us the opportunity to
attract quality students and quality faculty,
who bring with them expertise in both
teaching and research," Hastad says;
Steve Simpson, a recreation management
and therapeutic recreation professor, says
graduate students are thrilled to be taking
classes with professors actively engaged in
research. "It's something I never had when I
worked on my master's degree," he notes.
"It's a really exciting aspect of the college."
Many HPER students are interested in
physical education and recreation not only
for their careers, but also for themselves.
Nancy Butts, an exercise and sports
professor interested in fitness
among the elderly, says her students
"develop a better understanding of research
results, learn how to read and evaluate the
data. They also become better consumers of
the information, which they can use in their
own lives," she explains.
Experienced students also are marketable
students, says Dan Duquette, a health
education and health promotion professor.
"In our field, health professionals aren't
making full use of important concepts we're
studying and teaching to our students.
That's a real plus for them to enter their
careers with tools and skills they might use
or need," Duquette says.
Robin Yaffe, a recreation management
and therapeutic recreation professor, agreed,
noting that students in the RMTR department
are thrilled about its new leisure
lifestyles center, which will allow students
to meet with clients and assess their leisurelifestyle
interests.
"Students crave hands-on experience,
and we all learn better when we apply our
knowledge," Yaffe says.
Hastad says 1,250 undergraduates, and
between 100 and 150 graduate students, are
enrolled in the College of HPER. Nearly
all the graduate students participate in
research, and many undergraduates get
the opportunity, too.
"We try to impress upon all the students
the importance of creating new knowledge
as well as transmitting the existing knowledge,"
he explains. "That's what makes our
focus on teaching and research such a good
combination."
Here's a look at some of the research
College of Health, Physical Education and
Recreation faculty are undertaking:
John Porcari -
exercise and sports science
Porcari is researching the effectiveness of
commercial exercise equipment months
before the public sees it at fitness clubs or in
the store. His Human Performance Lab has
evaluated equipment from NordicTrack,
Reebok and many others.
''Whether or not we've had an influence
on what persists in the market is debatable,
since that's the company's decision, " says
Porcari. "But, we're known for designing
studies that have merit, aren't slanted one
way or another and give a fair comparison
of similar products."
Typically, a company has a new product
or design it hopes to successfully market.
Porcari and student assistants find subjects
similar to the target market, then test for
oxygen consumption, heart rate elevation,
other aspects of fitness - even general
iriferestirithe apparatus and exercise itself.
A hot new trend at fitness clubs is
"virtual reality" machines, which incorporate
computer screens and games into a
workout. "We've found that people work
about 10 percent harder," Porcari says. "The
feeling is, the exerciser gets caught up in the
computer game; the faster you pedal, the
faster you propel yourself, the more points
you'll score."
Dan Duquette - health
education and health promotion
On nine u.s. campuses, Duquette is studying
why college students choose to binge drink,
and how educational programs can be
tailored to change their behaviors.
As he's discovered, students say they
drink excessively because of peer pressure.
The surprise is that, when polled, students
insist they don't force others to drink.
"In fact, they said they don't want their
friends to do that," Duquettenotes. "It
demonstrates that the marketing of the
alcohol, and the whole party atmosphere,
really creates that focus."
In response, Duquette developed "socialmarketing"
strategies to counter the popular
ads. For example, an ad might say "Do you
know that two-thirds of students prefer to
party without alcohol?"
John Porcari, director of the
La Crosse Exercise and Health
Program, tests the effectiveness
of a new J'Jvirtual reality"
exercise machine.
UW-La Crosse Alumnus / Spring 1997 3