Launching the Case for Campus Activities

We are excited to share a new, member-only resource that puts your work front and center in the student success conversation, The Case for Campus Activities. The case includes a set of resources to help you communicate the value and impact of your work to your institution's leadership, to faculty partners, to student leaders, and across campus.

At the core of the case is a new white paper, Making the Case for Campus Activities, that provides a compelling, research-based argument for what you already know firsthand: Campus Activities are critical for student belonging, retention, and persistence. 

Here are a few key takeaways:

• Campus Activities Defined. Campus Activities are beyond-the-classroom experiences that intentionally connect, engage, and develop a college community where everyone belongs.
• Campus Activities Programs & Events Build Belonging. Whether it is a welcome week concert or a quiet craft night, Campus Activities programming creates spaces where students feel connected, affirmed, and "at home." Providing various opportunities for engagement ensures that students with different needs and preferences can find ways to connect, participate, and feel a sense of belonging within the campus community (Ahn & Davis, 2020).
• Engagement Supports Retention & Persistence. Students who are involved, whether actively or passively, are more likely to stay enrolled and complete their degrees. Sense of belonging is a significant factor in student retention, as it is positively associated with institutional commitment and intentions to persist (Ahn & Davis, 2020; Hausman et al., 2007; O’Keefe, 2013). A strong sense of belonging is crucial for student success and retention in higher education (McCall & Castles, 2020; Meehan & Howells, 2019; Museus et al., 2017; Thomas, 2012).
• Diverse Involvement Matters. Providing a mix of active and passive programming ensures everyone can find a way to belong. By promoting a diverse and inclusive range of activities, institutions can cultivate a more vibrant and supportive campus environment for all students (Astin, 1984; Johnson et al., 2024; Jones & Morrow, 2022; Komives, 2019; Kulp et al., 2021). The field of Campus Activities is called to build belonging for ALL students (Peck, Rosch, & De Sawal, 2022).
• Your Story Deserves to Be Told. The research calls on Campus Activities professionals to track, measure, and share how their programs impact students. Your work directly contributes to institutional success metrics. This is your chance to make your case.

What's in the Case?

We invite you to read and use these resources to advocate for your work, inform your programming, and strengthen your campus collaborations.

• The Making the Case for Campus Activities white paper provides an academic foundation that outlines the connections between Campus Activities, sense of belonging, and retention and persistence by discussing: The Foundations of Campus Activities, Sense of Belonging, The Influence of Campus Activities on Sense of Belonging, and The Influence of Campus Activities on Retention and Persistence
• An executive summary and an abridged version of the white paper.
• A recorded staff presentation and a slide deck for professional staff audiences outlining the connections between Campus Activities, sense of belonging, and retention and persistence.
• A recorded student presentation and a slide deck for student audiences, outlining the connections between Campus Activities and sense of belonging and the role students play in fostering a sense of belonging.
• A Considerations for Belonging resource
• Discussion guides to assist with conversations with various campus stakeholders
• A deep dive guide and action planning resource for Campus Activities departments
• More to come!

Whether you're planning your next large-scale event or mentoring student leaders, know that your work has a lasting impact. NACA is proud to stand with you in that mission and we're ready to support you with tools, data, and community.

Why does this matter?

The more a student engages with and is involved on campus, the more they learn and develop. Further, institutional effectiveness is proportional to the capacity for fostering that involvement (Astin, 1984). As outlined in the Making the Case for Campus Activities white paper, Campus Activities increase sense of belonging and, in turn, sense of belonging increases student and institutional success. When a student feels like they belong, they are more likely to remain at the institution. Campus Activities offer opportunities for various student groups to feel engaged and integrated into their college community.

As the higher education landscape changes (almost daily!) budgets are reconsidered, structures are reviewed, and staff are rearranged. Campus Activities professionals may find themselves forced to justify their budgets, programs, or even their existence.

In this challenging environment, the “fun” that campus activities work brings to campus may seem superfluous. That is why it is essential for campus activities professionals to connect to our higher purpose – and communicate that with clarity to others. (Peck, et al., 2020, p. 6).

The Case for Campus Activities can help you communicate the purpose of Campus Activities.

How can I use the Case on my campus?

• White paper
  • Share with upper administrators
  • Include in onboarding resources for new staff
  • Read as a staff and discuss
  • Think about how you can affect change on environment, involvement, and relationships to increase belonging on campus
• Presentations/slide decks
  • Watch and discuss the presentation for staff at a staff meeting
  • Use the slide deck to make your own presentation to upper administration
  • Watch the student presentation as part of student organization training
  • Watch and discuss the student presentation at a meeting
  • Use the slide deck to make your own presentation to students
  • Encourage students to use the slide deck to present to peers or upper administration
• Resources
  • Use the Discussion Series Guides to facilitate discussions around belonging across campus
  • Complete an environmental scan 
  • Use the Considerations for Belonging resources to design events with belonging in mind

How are you using the Case? Let us know!

We invite you to share how you are using the Case. Tag @theNACA #MakingtheCase #CampusActivities