The survey is being administrated by the National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA) and StudentVoice, a provider of curriculum-assessment software. It will gauge the usage of programs and facilities, assess the impact of recreation services on student learning outcomes and measure overall satisfaction.

"We will assess where our program stands among our peers," said Executive Director of Campus Recreation Doug Franklin said in explaining the value of the university's participation.

The main objective of the survey is to create a national benchmark among universities. An additional goal for Ohio University, Franklin said, is to use the data to help determine which recreational programs to invest in as the university sets budget priorities.

In all, 75 universities are participating in the survey, including Case Western Reserve, Northwestern University, the University of Colorado and UCLA.

Invitations to take the online survey will be sent via e-mail to a random sample of students in early spring. Collective results from all the participating universities will be made available by early summer.

The survey will contain no more than 50 questions, and it is expected to take less than 15 minutes to complete, according to StudentVoice. Topics will include usage and satisfaction with facilities, sports programs, fitness classes and wellness classes. The study also will touch on the role of campus recreation in achieving academic, social, emotional and health-related outcomes for students.

The Division of Campus Recreation is part of the College of Health and Human Services.