Last semester students were hard-pressed to find intramural sports to take part in, but recent improvements in the program have caused a jump in the success of intramurals at Baker University.

At the beginning of the fall semester the intramural program offered a softball tournament to both Baker students and Baldwin City residents.

Intramural advisers hoped the involvement of community members would increase involvement among Baker students.

“We were trying to do something with the community and see if we got more participation but that ended up not being the case,” senior Nicole Baumgartner said.

The failed attempt at a new intramural program and lack of intramural sports options during the fall semester sparked several student complaints.

“Every student that had been involved in intramurals before or had been promised that there would be an intramural program was pretty disappointed last semester,” Student Senate President Chad O’Bryhim said.

To resolve these issues, student senate and the intramural advisers set up a panel of students to increase student input within the program.

“We put together an intramural student advisory panel and we got together what people wanted,” Baumgartner said. “I think it was easier to plan everything when we knew what people wanted and how to get more participation.”

The intramural advisers also sent out a campus-wide e-mail providing students the opportunity to answer various questions regarding their intramural preferences.

Students were able to vote on what intramural sports should be played, at what times and how they preferred to be notified.

The campus-wide e-mail helped the panel of advisers create a spring schedule for intramurals that reflected students’ preferences.

“I think when we sent the all-campus e-mail asking what people wanted to do, I think that helped a lot,” Baumgartner said. “That is where we got the top three sports that we are going to do this semester.”

Director of Multicultural Affairs Ron Holden recently took over as the faculty adviser for the intramurals program and said student input and involvement is important for the program’s success.

“It’s key to have the students on-board and excited about intramural programs because without them you really don’t have a program,” Holden said.

This semester the intramurals program will be offering five-on-five basketball, volleyball, flag football and softball.

“I hope to build on the work that has been laid down by (former Director of Student Activities) Cassie (Gilmore) and the previous advisers for the intramural program and make sure that students have a good outlet for being active,” Holden said.