Colleges Are Tracking When Students Work Out at Rec Centers

By Rachel Bachman. Amid a Building Boom, Schools Mine Data to Justify Their Spending and Tailor Their Offerings to Undergrad Demand.
UCLA discovered its recreation center drew 43,734 unique visitors last year, or almost 5,000 more than its student enrollment. Purdue University discovered students who worked out more often had higher GPAs.
That is some of the research colleges are mining amid criticism of a building boom of gyms with rock-climbing walls and specialty swimming pools. Working to justify their expenditures, schools are tracking student habits and... More...

By Rachel Bachman.