New UNC Campus Recreation director settles in

Bill Goa, the new director of UNC Campus Recreation, said he wants every student to knowhis department goes well beyond fields and courts.

“It’s way more than a gym,” he said.

“That’s a challenge to me. We’re more than just the Rec Center, we’re way, way more, and involved in so many aspects on campus — whether it’s student employment or student wellness.”

Goa, who joined the University in July, said he wants to collaborate with students and clubs as much as possible — especially when it comes to changing facilities and student fees.

In order to pay for potential upgrades to Campus Recreation facilities, Justin Ford, director of intramural sports for Campus Recreation, said the department might consider raising student fees by $10 or $15 per semester.

But Goa said before raising the fee, the department would seek input from students and campus groups about what changes they would like to see and how much they would be willing to pay.

“We’re providing a service for students on campus, and we want the best experience for the least amount of money and fees,” Goa said.

Lauren Mangili, associate director of Campus Recreation, said Goa will get a feel for the department’s large amount of responsibilities — the fields, the gyms, department staff and about 700 student employees — before he changes anything.

“He’s looking at how we’ve been doing things and taking it all in,” Mangili said. “Because we have such a close relationship with exercise and sports science and athletics, it’s figuring out all the different pieces.”

Goa said before he implements any big changes, Campus Recreation will research what students want to see change. The department also plans on using an outside consulting firm to research how facilities, such as the Student Recreation Center or Rams Head Recreation Center, can improve.

“The first thing we’re going to do is a facility feasibility study to investigate our existing facilities and programs to see what improvements need to be made and what our current situation is,” he said.

He said one change could be to improve the technology in the gyms.

“Today’s students, especially in North Carolina — they know what brands of equipment they want, the consoles, being able to play iPods,” he said.

Goa previously served as senior associate director of Campus Recreation for 12 years at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Ford said Goa is quickly adapting to the culture at UNC — a slightly larger university than his previous employer.

“It’s always good when someone comes in and energizes the staff,” he said. “It’s been a seamless transition for him.”

And Goa said he is enjoying the new campus.

“It’s a tremendous educational environment,” he said. “Walking through campus last weekend and seeing people moving into Avery Hall — it was really impressive. That’s always a good feeling.”

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