Despite the wide variety of on-campus activities and organizations, many students prefer to spend their free off campus. Results of the Spring 2000 CASPER telephone survey indicate that 50 percent of students spend only 1-5 hours on campus per week outside of class.

Sixteen percent of students spend no time at all on campus outside of class, while 20 percent spend 6-10 hours on campus, according to the survey. Only 14 percent of students spend more than 10 hours a week on campus outside of regular class time. “I like to just chill outside by the library quad,” said senior Glenn Secrest, a computer science major.

Another senior, Cacee Beltron,a criminal justice major, likes to spend time in the Listening Room in the Union, which he said he “found on accident one day.” Sacramento State offers a variety of extra-curricular activities, ranging from recreational sports like Hatha Yoga and Flag Football, to live concerts by artists such as the Beer Dawgs and the Reggie Graham Trio.

“If a student can do so, participating in some sort of extra-curricular activity will benefit these students,” said John Williams, communication studies professor and an academic advisor. For many individuals, friendships that endure beyond graduation are made as a result of such activities, he said.

“The decision of becoming involved in the life of the University is parallel to the decision of getting a degree or getting an education,” according to a publication of the Leadership Development Resource Library. Benefits may include self-development, personal growth, valuable campus and community contacts and a larger circle of friends.

The goal of the Campus life theme of the Sac State Strategic Plan is to develop a campus that is welcoming, inclusive, vibrant and intellectually stimulating for students.

Injo McGraw, a junior business major spends 5-10 hours a week on campus outside of class. “When I?m on campus, it?s for business,” he said. “I think building campus life is great, but it?s not the same here, people are juggling jobs and family.”

Sac State offers an assortment of places to relax or recreate, such as The Games Room in the Union, featuring numerous pool tables, ping-pong tables and video games.

“It was created in an effort to entice students to stick around during their breaks,” said Games Room employee Beth Maul, sophomore student. “It seems to be successful. We see an average of 70 to 80 students here during the busy times.”

Information about upcoming events and activities can be found at www.csus.edu/events/ or in the Campus Calendar (published six times per year by the CSUS Student Activities Department of the Division of Student Affairs, in cooperation with the University Union Public Relations Office).