The Academy Papers : Meeting the Challenges of the 21st Century in Higher Education

In the past decade, kinesiology and physical education departments have seen a steady decline of state resources and university support.

Departments have had to become more resourceful and innovative to preserve the integrity of their programs.

This special issue of Quest includes papers describing the circumstances and occurrences surrounding the downsizing or elimination of numerous physical education or kinesiology departments across the United States.

It presents advice from leaders in the field for how to protect programs and keep them strong.

Authors share their personal experiences as they presented them at the Sixty-Ninth Meeting of the American Academy of Kinesiology and Physical Education.

Ideas and strategies for strengthening and preserving programs include- initiating and sustaining interdisciplinary projects;- keeping good records of your department's accomplishments;- maintaining activities that are important parts of campus life, such as undergraduate service programs, intramurals, fitness centers, fitness testing services, and health and wellness counseling;- building ties with other groups in higher education;- creating international ties to provide visibility and present a positive image;- studying new options for working with students, such as distance learning;- establishing prominence within your own institution; and- keeping abreast of the issues facing your university and department.A superlative concluding paper by Larry Locke summarizes previous papers and challenges those in higher education to remain committed to the physical education concerns of teachers and children in public schools.

The Academy Papers: Meeting the Challenges of the 21st Century in Higher Education arms physical educators with a one-volume arsenal they can use to protect themselves from cost-cutting onslaughts.