School of Public Health

Education

• Re.D at Indiana University, 1980
• M.S. at Memphis State University, 1975
• B.S. at Memphis State University, 1973

Background

Dr. Craig Ross is a Full Professor in the Department of Recreation, Park, and Tourism Studies at Indiana University. He has been involved in recreation and sports programming and administration in a variety of work settings for over 40 years including municipal parks and recreation, high school athletics, and campus recreational sports. However, since 1993, college teaching has been the most rewarding aspect of his responsibilities at I.U. His courses reflect current issues in the field and are closely related to his research focus and service activities.

From a global prospective, Dr. Ross has had the opportunity to be a part of a faculty delegation to Beijing, China that conducted a teaching seminar for the China Sport fo All Federation at the Beijing University of Physical Education. On three different occasions, Dr. Ross has been invited to present teaching lectures to practitioners on behalf of the Hong Kong Olympic Committee pertaining to the topics of recreational sport management and technology. He also delivered presentations on web technology and its impact on teaching and learning at the first International Society of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning held in 2004. Dr. Ross has served as the Project Director for the Unity through Sport (USPORT) projects which were an ambitious initiative of public diplomacy, sports diplomacy, cross-cultural exchange, in-country grassroots projects, and international cooperation. These projects, funded by the U.S. Department of State, provided youth in the region of the Middle East and specifically Kyrgyzatan, Algeria, and Lebenon with many positive and constructive youth sport and leadership development opportunities.

In regards to teaching, Dr. Ross has received 12 national or University teaching awards including the NRPA-SPRE Excellence in Teaching Award, the HPER Outstanding Teacher Award, the IU President's Award for Excellence in Teaching, the IU system wide Faculty Colloquium on Excellence in Teaching (FACET) award, and five IU Trustee/HPER Teaching Excellence Recognition awards. Dr. Ross has also received four National Intramural Recreational Sports Association Journal Award of Excellence for research and the NIRSA President's Award for Outstanding Writing.

Research Interests

Dr. Ross' research activities have focused on collecting and examining data that contribute to the building of the infrastructure and body of knowledge of recreational sport management as well as the envisioning the future for the profession. His research work focuses on youth sport and physical activity, recreational sport management, and the scholarship of teaching and learning.

Recent Research Funding

Indiana University, Department of Recreation, Park, and Tourism Studies - Collaborative Faculty, Center, Institute, and Auxiliary Research Support Program Grant. Factors affecting the retention and attrition of youth 8-14 years old in instructional youth tennis programs, 2011. Role and responsibilities: Principal Investigator.

Indiana University, Department of Recreation, Park, and Tourism Studies, Leisure Research Institute, A Validation of a Healthy Community Global Measure: A vulnerable Youth Perspective, 2010. Role and responsibilities: Principal Investigator.

Indiana University, Dean of Faculties Office. School of HPER Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Leadership Award-Assessment of Studentt Learning Outcomes of Selected HPER Majors Using Shared Goals of the New General Education Requirement, 2010. Role and responsbilites: Co-Principal Investigator.

Indana University, School of HPER. Healthy Communities Surveillance and Management: An Ecological Model to Increase Youth Participation in Physical Activity in Sentinel Public Indiana Park and Recreation Agencies (Bloomington). 2010. Role and Responsibilities: Project Coordinator.

Publications

Refereed Articles

Sturts, J.R., & Ross, C.M. (2013). Collegiate Intramural Sports Participation: Identified Social Outcomes. International Journal of Sport Management, Recreation and Tourism, 11.

Wollenburg, J., Mowatt, R.A., Ross, C.M., & Renneisen, M. (2013). A Partnership Agreement Model for Muncipal Parks and Recreation in Developing Sports. Managing Leisure, 18.

Young, S.J., Sturts, J.R., Ross, C.M., & Kim, K.T. (2013). Generational Differences and Job Satisfaction in Leisure Services. Managing Leisure, 18, 1-19, DOI:10.1080/13606719.2013.752213.

Ross, C., Kim, K., & Sturts, J.R. (2013). Factors Affecting the Retention and Attrition of Youth 8-14 Years Old in Instructional Youth Tennis Programs. USPTA Midwest Connectiion: United States Professional Tennis Association Midwest Division, January/February 3, 5.

Ross, C.M., Young, S.J., Kim, K.T., & Sturts, J.R. (2012). Factors Affecting Job Satisfaction of Public Park and Recreation Employees. Applied Recreational Research and Programming Annual, Vol 2, p. 1-31.

Ross, C.M., Young, S.J., & Sturts, J.R. (2012). Evaluating the Student Learning Outcomes Assessment Process in Undergraduate Parks and Recreation Academic Programs. Schole: A Journal of Leisure Studies and Recreation Education, 27(1), 25-38.

Hritz, H.M. & Ross, C.M. (2010). The perceived impacts of sport tourism: An urban host community perspective. Journal of Sport Management, 24(2), 119-138.

Ross, C.M., Jamieson, L.M., and Mitchell, D.W. (Winter, 2008-2009). Cross-cultural understanding through youth sports: Bridging the tolerance gap through youth development. Journal of Youth Development, 3(3), 153-161.

Forrester, S., Ross, C.M., Hall, S., & Geary, C. (2007). Using past campus recreational sports participation to expain current physical activity levels of alumni. Recreational Sport Journal, 31, 83-94.

Refereed Poster Presentations

Ramos, R. & Ross, C.M. (2013). Patterns of Use and Physical Activity Levels at an Indoor WaterPark, 2013 NIRSA Annual Conference & Recreational Sports Exposition, Las Vegas, NV, March 4-7.

Allen, R. & Ross, C.M. (2013). An Assessment of Proximity of Fitness Facilities and Equipment and Actual Perceived Usage by Undergraduate University Students. 2013 NIRSA Annual Conference & Recreational Sports Exposition, Las Vegas, NV, March 4-7.

Sturts, J.R., Young, S.J., Ramos, W.D., & Ross, C.M. (2013). Using Professional Feedback to Enhance Recreational Sport Curriculum. 2013 NIRSA Annual Conference & Recreational Sports Expostion, Las Vega, NV, March 4-7.

Sturts, J, Ross, C., & Kim, K. (2012). Factors Affecting the Retention and Attrition of Youth 8-14 Years Old in Instructional Youth Tennis Programs, 2012 World Leisure Organization Congress, Rimini, Italy.

Sturts, J. Ross, C., Young, S.J., & Kim, K. (2012). Indicators of Physically Active Friendly Communities: Measuring a Healthy Community for Youth 10-14 Years, 2012 World Leisure Organization Congress, Rimini, Italy.

Sturts, J., Ross, C., & Young, S. (2012). Examining Outcomes Assessment in Parks and Recreation Academic Programs, 2012 NRPA Leisure Research Symposium, Anaheim, CA.

Sturts, J, Ross, C., & Young, S. (2012). Personal Correlates Impacting Job Satisfaction Among Campus Recreational Sports Employees, 2012 NIRSA Annual Conference & Recreational Sports Exposition, Tampa, FL, March 28, 2012.

Young, C. & Ross, C. (2012). The Status of Sportsmanship at Select Intramural Sports Programs, 2012 NIRSA Annual Conference & Recreation Sports Exposition, Tampa, FL, March 28, 2012.

Sturts, J, Young, S.J., Ross, C.M., & Kim, K.T. (2011). Generational Differences in Campus Recreation Professional Staff Job Satisfaction, 2011 NIRSA Annual Conference & Recreational Sports Exposition, New Orleans, LA, April 13, 2011.

Compton, D.M., Muehlenbein, M, Ona, F., Ross, C, Mowatt, R., Kim, K., & Penbrooke, T. (2011). Communities Surveillance and Management: An Ecological Model to Increase Youth Participation in Physical Activity in Sentinel Indiana Public Park and Recreation Agencies, 2011 Community Advisory Council (CAC) Forum, Indianapolis, IN, March 11, 2011.

Kim, K., Ross, C., Compton, D., Muehlenbein, M., Ona, F., & Saubert, S., (2010). Surveillance & Management of Healthy Community: Systems Modeling. 2010 World Leisure Congress, Chun Cheon, South Korea, August 30, 2010.

Refereed Abstracts

Ross, C., Kim, K. & Sturts, J. (2012). Factors Affecting the Retention and Attrition of Youth 8-14 Years Old in Instructional Youth Tennis Programs, 2012 World Leisure Organization Congress, Rimnin, Italy, p.59.

Ross, C., Young, S.J., Kim, K., & Sturts, J. (2012). Indicators of Physically Active Friendly Communities: Measuring a healthy Community for Youth 10-14 Years, 2012 World Leisure Organization Congress, Rimini, Italy, p. 60.

Ross, C., Young, S.J., & Sturts, J. (2012). Examining outcomes assessment in parks and recreation academic programs, 2012 NRPA Leisure Research Symposium, Anaheim, CA.

Ross, C.M., Penbrooke, T., Kim, K.K., Muehlenbein, M., McDevitt, P., Compton, D.M., & Saubert, S. (2010). Healthy community surveilliance and management: A framework for parks and recreation agencies. Abstracts from the 2010 World Leisure Congress, Chun Cheon, South Korea, August 30, 2010.

Kim, K., Compton, D.M., Muehlenbein, M., Ona, F., Ross, C.M., & Saubert, S. (2010). Systems modeling for management of healthy community factors. Abstracts from the 2010 World Leisure Congress, Chun Cheon, South Korea, August 30, 2010.

Muehlenbein, M., Compton, D.M., Ross, C.M., & Saubert, S. (2010). Assessing relationships between health, diet and physical activity in youth. Abstracts from the 2010 World Leisure Congress, Chun Cheon, South Korea, August 30, 2010.

Books

Ross, C.M, Beggs, B.A., & Young, S.J. (2010). Mastering the Job Search Process in Recreation and Leisure Services (2nd Edition). Boston, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.

Book Chapters

Ross, C.M. (2012-13). Preparing for a Career in Recreation. In A career with meaning: Parks, recreation, sport management, and tourism, 2nd edition, Champaign, IL: Sagamore Publishers.

Ross, C.M., & Gray, H.J. (2012). Recreational Sports Management. In Introduction to recreation and leisure, 2nd edition, Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics Publishers.

Courses Recently Taught

HPER R/P206 Recreational Sport Programming

HPER R237 Computer Applications in Parks, Recreation, Sports and Tourism

HPER R472 Youth Sports Management

HPER R570 Recreational Sport Administration

HPER R572 Seminar in Recreational Sports