Raising the Bar: A Partial Set of Recommendations to Improve the Climate for Service in Kinesiology Programs

Service is sometimes referred to as the “third” pillar of academia, taking a lower priority behind teaching and research. The purpose of this article was to discuss the attitudes and expectations toward service held by kinesiology faculty in institutions of higher education. The authors conducted an informal assessment of service expectations and how they are quantified in different institutions. In total, 41 faculty responded to an informal survey about improving engagement in service, and a subset of six also participated in a semistructured interview. The assessment suggests that faculty (a) believe that an unequal distribution of service occurs, (b) perceive an undervaluing of service at their institution, (c) experience burnout and overload, and (d) believe that a lack of clear expectations exists. Faculty also had variable attitudes toward service. We provide some recommendations to enhance engagement in service, manage expectations of service, and improve the culture related to service among kinesiology faculty.