SM 434 Sport Ethics Final Project

University of Michigan
November 2015
Lily Clifford
lfcliff@umich.edu
Richie Grimshaw richgrim@umich.edu
Sarah Kulhanek
skulhane@umich.edu
Lauren Prospect
laurpro@umich.edu
Ryan Silverstein
ryansi@umich.edu

INTRODUCTION
Social responsibility initiatives are becoming more popular than ever in various organizations
around the country. By demonstrating social responsibility, organizations are able to give back to
the community and contribute to the betterment of society. Doing so has the potential to develop
positive public relations and goodwill for the organization, and even serve as a way to
differentiate the organization from competitors.

At the University of Michigan, we are constantly striving to be the leaders and best. This
philosophy should be carried over to every aspect of the University, including being a socially
responsible institution. As Sport Management students, we feel it is unfit that the Sport
Management Program and School of Kinesiology as a whole do not already engage in social
responsibility. Our research has demonstrated that there are a variety of other schools and in
particular, Sport Management programs, that are currently involved in social responsibility
initiatives. As leaders and best we feel that we should be leading the way when demonstrating
our social responsibility, rather than following in other schools footsteps. Thus, it is imperative
that we implement a social responsibility initiative within our program as soon as possible.
The mission statement of the University of Michigans Sport Management Program is as
follows:
The Michigan Sport Management Program prepares students to be tomorrows
sport industry leaders. Through innovative project-based learning, our students
are engaged in real-world consulting with organizations, such as the Detroit
Tigers, Michigan Athletics, the New York Mets, and many other leading
organizations across the sports industry. We prepare students to excel in a broad
array of careers spanning all levels of sports from youth sports through high
school sports and college sports, to professional teams and leagues, and
international organizing bodies.

According to this mission statement, as Sport Management students, we should be prepared in all
aspects to become leaders in the sport industry. As we have learned in class and through various
readings, social responsibility is becoming an integral operational component in virtually all
sport organizations in the United States. If we are truly prepared to be tomorrows sport industry
leaders, then we feel we must also have hands-on experience in the area of social responsibility.

Apart from preparing students for careers in the sport industry, the University of Michigans
Sport Management Program has a responsibility to contribute to the betterment of society for
reasons which can be explained by the mission statement of the University of Michigan as a
whole:
The mission of the University of Michigan is to serve the people of Michigan
and the world through preeminence in creating, communicating, preserving and
applying knowledge, art and academic values, and in developing leaders and
citizens who will challenge the present and enrich the future.
Stated clearly in the first line of the mission statement is the intention to serve the people of
Michigan. As a public institution, we feel responsible to give back to the communities around the
state that support us. As Sport Management students, we feel that doing so will not only
challenge the present, but also enrich the future. We feel it is imperative that the social
responsibility initiatives of the Sport Management program promote sport, fitness, and healthy
lifestyles. By creating these types of initiatives, we can help to challenge one of the most
pressing issues in the United States today: the obesity epidemic. We feel that as leaders and best,
we can inspire children to be more active and healthy through sport and fitness, which will
contribute to the betterment of society. Engaging in social responsibility will not only help the
communities around the University, but the students of the University as well. Research by
Shelley Billig, of the RMC Research Corporation, indicates that student participation in

community service can increase students personal, interpersonal, and social development;
increase motivation, student engagement, and school attendance; and lead to new perspectives
and more positive lifestyle choices and behavior (Billig, 2000). By engaging in social
responsibility efforts, students could see numerous psychological, social, and cognitive benefits
that will help them to develop into leaders and citizens that will contribute to the betterment of
society.

Part of the University of Michigans purpose is to serve the people of Michigan by developing
leaders who will challenge the present and enrich the future. We believe the Sport Management
Program and the School of Kinesiology as a whole has the ability and responsibility to uniquely
contribute to this mission through engaging in sport-related social responsibility. Below are
examples of social responsibility activities undertaken by various other programs and schools
around the country.

BENCHMARK EXAMPLES
West Virginia Corporate Social Responsibility
Corporate social responsibility is highlighted by many college programs across the country, with
one of those being West Virginia University. Although WVU does not have a Sport Management
program, their business majors (including marketing, management, and general business) are
located in the College of Business and Economics. Through this college, students are given the
opportunity to join the Corporate Social Responsibility Club, which was designed to teach future
business leaders the value of contributing to society and the community. The club works with a
Corporate Social Responsibility class to provide time and money to worthy local community

projects in northern West Virginia (Join the elite Corporate Social Responsibility Club,
2011).

Circle K
While WVUs CSR club gives us a good idea of how business-oriented students can learn about
giving back to the local community and doing more with their business than just making money;
we also chose to look close to home at another service-based student organization. Here at the
University of Michigan, there is a large group of students that have formed Circle K, a service
organization sponsored by Kiwanis International. This organization is not strict about volunteer
hour minimums, attendance at specific programs, or even requiring students to become members
to participate in service. They encourage registering as a member (which comes with a cost of
$30 per semester), but a variety of opportunities are available for individuals who want to be
involved in giving back to the community without making a major commitment. (University of
Michigan Circle K, 2015). As we will discuss later, Circle K is a good benchmark program for
community service at the University of Michigan, which helps to frame our proposal for
Kinesiology CSR.

UMich APO
Another University of Michigan organization that we looked into when developing our CSR plan
is Alpha Phi Omega, a co-ed community service fraternity that offers students the chance to get
involved with service while gaining leadership skills. This service fraternity is more formally
established than Circle K, and requires membership, attendance at a minimum of four fellowship
events per semester, and a minimum of 25 hours of community service per semester as well

(APO Gamma Pi, 2014). This structure is similar to our planned CSR program for Kinesiology,
but with additional academic perks for students who take the time to serve the community.

UMass School of Business Isenberg Certificate Program

The additional academic benefits for students, which will be touched on momentarily, would
include a certificate upon graduation that is inspired by the University of Massachusetts School
of Business Isenberg certificate program. The Isenberg certificate is an opportunity for UMass
School of Business students to complete community service projects as a representative of their
school and show future employers and/or graduate schools that they know the importance of
CSR for business. The requirement for these students is 100 qualified hours of community
service (that are approved by the school and signed off on by the time of graduation. Students
must have a minimum of 10 service hours per academic year to remain a member of the
program, which allows for some leeway when other academic, work, career recruiting, and social
responsibilities are overwhelming (Isenberg Citizens First Certificate Program, 2015).

PROPOSAL
Kines Cares
Given our beliefs about the School of Kinesiology and Sport Management programs positions
as leaders and best in their field, we support the implementation of CSR activities within the
department and program. We propose the creation of Kines Cares, a student organization
supported by the School of Kinesiology, which would give students the opportunity to serve their
community and potentially use these community service hours toward a graduation certificate.
From the research gathered, our team has organized Kines Cares to promote community service

in the sports, health, and fitness sectors, while providing students across the School of
Kinesiology to apply their diverse portfolio of skills and highlight how students from health and
fitness, movement science, and sport management fields can compliment each other while
making a difference in the community.

Kines Cares would host one major event each semester, and provide members with a list of
suggested volunteer opportunities that they could use toward their required hours. Additionally,
the organization would have various committees, and be headed by an executive board of
students and faculty, which would allow students of all majors (but especially Sport
Management) to gain applicable business and leadership skills. We suggest that these
committees include event management, marketing, outreach, and sponsorship. While the
specifications may change, we feel as though it is important for students to learn job skills while
still finding time to give back.

Executive Board
The Executive Board would consist of a President and Vice Presidents in Event Management,
Marketing, Outreach, and Sponsorship. The President would oversee the whole club while the
VPs would oversee their respective committees. Each committee would be responsible for
planning a certain part of the event. The Event Management committee would be responsible for
everything the day of the event, setting up the facility, and running the event. The Marketing
committee would market the club and events to the University of Michigan community. This
would involve creating promotional flyers for the event and club to place around campus,
hosting informational meetings for the club, and working hard to increase membership in Kines
Cares. The Outreach committee would be responsible for marketing the events to Ann Arbor

community schools in order to grow attendance numbers and create the best possible event for
all parties involved. Reaching out to Ann Arbor Community schools would further grow the
connection between Michigan and the Ann Arbor Community and give students the opportunity
to give presentations to an audience they have not experienced yet - children. The last
committee, Sponsorship, would have the job of researching potential sponsorships for the major
events that would create a positive relationship for both Kines Cares and the company. Reaching
out to local and national companies in order to generate funding and giveaways for the kids is a
very crucial role in planning the events. This committee would also be responsible for
sponsorship relations on the day of the event.

Each executive board would serve one semester term so that they could fully plan one event. We
would ask but not require that after your term on the board is over you would sit in on the
respective committee in order to help the new VP with the next capstone event. We believe the
one semester term is better than the one-year term because it would allow as many students that
wanted to get involved to get involved. We believe that the executive board feature of Kines
Cares is a crucial part of our plan, it gives students the opportunity to gain real world experience,
that is not currently generated in the School of Kinesiology curriculum, while giving back to the
community.

Requirements
Club requirements will vary depending on the level of involvement that students wish to partake
in. To join Kines Cares, student must pay dues of $30 per academic year; if a student joins the
club second semester, they still must pay the full amount. Once registered as a member, students
need to volunteer for 10 hours (at approved events) each semester to maintain membership in the

organization. Members will be provided with a master list of volunteer opportunities each
semester, along with information about that semesters major Kines Cares event. It is suggested
that students work at these approved events, which will ensure that they are held accountable for
their listed hours. If students choose to volunteer at places and events that are not previously
approved by the organization, they must submit proof of hours (signed by an event organizer,
etc.) to the Kines Cares faculty supervisors.

There will be two club-wide meetings each semester in which members can receive two (total)
hours toward their minimum requirements. For students to receive their certificate upon
graduation, students must have four semesters in which they logged 25+ hours. This ensures that
students who join later in their college careers can still have the opportunity for a certificate.
Additionally, members will be asked to join one committee (and can change committees during
the semester break). This ensures that club members are applying business skills that will be
beneficial to have later in their careers, and allows Sport Management, Athletic Training, Health
and Fitness, and Movement Science students to work together outside of the classroom.

Certificate
Students who log 25 hours or more, each semester, for four semesters, will be awarded a
certificate upon graduation. We selected the 25 hour mark after researching the number of hours
required by other organizations; APO at the University of Michigan requires 25 hours of service
each semester, while the Isenberg Program at UMass requires 100 total hours before graduation
(with most of their students beginning the CSR certificate program during or after sophomore
year of college). This certificate acts as an additional motivator for Kinesiology students to give

back to the community as a representative of the University of Michigan, and show future
employers and graduate schools that they understand the importance of CSR.

Club Events
Kines Cares will strive to provide a wide range of local volunteer opportunities for its members
to engage with the community while gaining their required community service hours. This
aspect of the club will be similar to the Circle K Kiwanis club at the University of Michigan,
which provides opportunities for any student to volunteer in all facets of the community, whether
it be through feeding the hungry, walking shelter animals, or planting seeds to brighten a local
town center with flowers. However, Kines Cares will only be open to Kinesiology students and
the events it will promote will solely be related to health, fitness, and sport.

A few events and organizations that Kines Cares intends to become partners with include the
Ann Arbor Marathon, C.S. Mott Childrens Hospital and the Special Olympics. While these
organizations all serve different people, whether they be the disabled population, sick youth, or
the general Ann Arbor community, they all correlate to the mission statement of the School of
Kinesiology which seeks to promote international leaders in education and research related to
physical activity, health and wellness, and sports management. This list of events and
organizations to become involved with is rather small for now, but as the club grows, gains more
recognition in the community, and does more research, the list will surely grow.

Major Events
In addition to a wide variety of local volunteer opportunities that our club intends to provide, our
club will organize and host a few major events each school year. As the club is starting out and

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building a member base, it may make the most sense to put on one major event per semester.
Then, as the club grows a larger member base with more experience planning events, it could
transition to hosting two or three events each school year. There are several ideas that could
potentially be implemented by this club, including a field day, Winter FUNderland, or an indoor
skating day. Each of these ideas is more clearly outlined below:

A large field day for kids at the Big House or other U-M athletic facilities is one way that Kines
Cares would engage in CSR activities. A day filled with obstacle courses, relays, and games for
kids from the Ann Arbor elementary schools would not only serve as a means to engage and
socialize the variety of Ann Arbor public schools, but it would also serve the community by
emphasizing physical activity for todays youth. Having fun while staying active is one of the
best ways to get kids to want to exercise. This event could also connect the Ann Arbor youth
with University of Michigan athletes who might want to be a part of Kines Cares and/or
volunteer at this event.

The Winter FUNderland idea is similar to a field day in the Big House except that it is planned
to be outside in the snow during the winter months. The event would again be held for the
children in Ann Arbor public schools as a new way of bridging the gap between the various
schools and the college campus. It would include snowball fights, a snowman making contest,
and sledding relay races. The purpose of the event would be to engage kids in fun activities in
the snow and remind them they can stay active in the winter even when it is cold and snowy
outside.

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It is also important to recognize that weather is unpredictable and it may be rather difficult to
plan an event of this magnitude by assuming when there will be enough snow to engage in these
activities. With that being said, an alternative option to teach kids about staying active during
the winter months is a skating day at Yost. This could include anything from learn to skate to
tutorials to mini-pickup hockey games for a variety of different skating abilities.

These are just a few ideas for larger scale events among many others that this group discussed,
including a 5k run and a youth basketball tournament. As the club develops, its leaders will need
to decide what a reasonable workload would be for its members to take on. Each of these events
would require a lot of time and effort by the group members but depending on the number of
people who sign up for the certificate program and need to get 25+ community service hours
within the club, hosting more big events may be doable.

RELATION TO UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN, SCHOOL OF KINESIOLOGY, &

SPORT MANAGEMENT MISSION
In order for our proposal to be effectively implemented, we must ensure that Kines Cares fits
within the mission statement of not only the Sport Management Program, but with that of the
School of Kinesiology and the University of Michigan as a whole. As is stated above, a crucial
part of the mission statement of the Sport Management Program is to prepare students to be
tomorrows sport industry leaders. We feel that Kines Cares is a very valuable tool that can help
prepare students in an aspect of the sports business world that is often overlooked in our classes.
As we know, corporate social responsibility is part of virtually every sport organization, so by
giving our students the chance to have firsthand experience in this area through Kines Cares, we

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will be preparing them for an aspect of the sports industry that could potentially turn into a
career. It seems that many other schools are already involved in social responsibility in one way
or another, so the way that our students will stand out as being leaders and best in this field is
through the certificate portion of the Kines Cares club. As explained above, the certificate in
social responsibility will be for students who go above and beyond in this field and meet all of
the requirements for receiving it. This is a great accomplishment that students can put on their
resumes to help them stand out among the competition.

The mission of the School of Kinesiology is to be an international leader in education and

research related to physical activity, health and wellness, and sport management. We feel that
the Kines Cares club fits in well with this mission, as all of the volunteer activities and events
put on will be related to health and physical activity. We must recognize that education related to
physical activity, health and wellness, and sport management does not need to only happen in the
classroom. The Kines Cares club will give students a chance to learn a different aspect of their
fields of study outside of the classroom, while at the same time sharing their own knowledge
with members of the community around them.

As noted above, a major part of the mission of the University of Michigan involves serving the
people of Michigan and developing leaders and citizens who will challenge the present and
enrich the future. We believe it is quite clear that the Kines Cares club will serve the people of
Michigan by volunteering and putting on events for kids in local communities. Doing so will
simultaneously help develop leaders and citizens who challenge the present and enrich the future.
By teaching kids about the importance of physical activity through the events we will put on, we

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can help to challenge the obesity epidemic plaguing the children of America, and help to build a
better future through our volunteer efforts.

Proposed New SM Mission Statement

After learning the importance and prominence of social responsibility initiatives in not only the
sport industry, but in public institutions as well, we feel it necessary to revise the Sport
Management Programs mission statement to better reflect a commitment to social responsibility.
Our revised mission statement is as follows:
The Michigan Sport Management Program prepares students to be tomorrows
sport industry leaders. Through innovative project-based learning, community
involvement, and internship experience, we prepare our students to become the
leaders and best in all aspects of the sports industry. We prepare students to excel
in a broad array of careers spanning all levels of sports from youth sports through
high school sports and college sports, to professional teams and leagues, and
international organizing bodies.
The bolded sentence is our proposed change to the current mission statement. As one can see, we
did not want to drastically alter the current mission statement, but rather tweak it to include our
commitment to social responsibility through community involvement. We still emphasize how
the program prepares students to be leaders in the sport industry, but we thought it necessary to
include the social responsibility aspect because we believe that is an integral part of being a
leader in todays sport industry.

SUMMARY
With increasing competition to stay at the top, it is pertinent that our Sport Management program
and the School of Kinesiology as a whole becomes involved in corporate social responsibility by
giving back to the Ann Arbor community. As evidenced by CSR efforts by a variety of other
schools Sport Management programs and other clubs around the University of Michigan

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campus, the School of Kinesiology is already behind the curve. As leaders and best, it is time
that we become a part of the CSR movement. We can do this while carrying out our own
mission by promoting active and healthy lifestyles to youth of our community.

Our proposal introduces a new club unlike any of the student organizations currently available
for Kinesiology students: Kines Cares. Kines Cares will be a community service club dedicated
to service in the Ann Arbor community, specifically in partnership with health and fitness
oriented organizations like the Ann Arbor Marathon and the Special Olympics. In addition to
providing service opportunities for its members, Kines Cares will plan and sponsor major events
of its own each semester. These events will provide members with event planning and business
oriented experience, which would be incredibly valuable for students looking to pursue careers in
the sports industry. Furthermore, as the clubs membership base grows, it will form committees,
allowing some members to take on leadership positions in the club. Members who are part of a
committee and complete 25+ hours per semester of club-related service for four semesters
throughout college will be awarded a certificate of recognition for their service and leadership
achievements. This will provide students with incentive to complete additional service that they
may not otherwise have become involved in as well as generate a valuable line item for resumes.

This club is different from any of the clubs already available to Kinesiology students and it
would allow students to engage with peers who have different majors in the School of
Kinesiology and who they do not encounter in their classes. Bridging the Kinesiology students
and Ann Arbor community together could be incredibly beneficial and it is something our school
should be a part of right now.

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REFERENCES
APO Gamma Pi. (2014). Retrieved November 22, 2015, from http://umich.edu/~gammapi/

Billig S.H. (2002). The impacts of service-learning on youth, schools and communities:
Research on K-12 school-based service-learning, 19901999. Denver: RMC Research
Corporation. Retrieved from
http://www.learningindeed.org/research/slresearch/slrsrchsy.html

University of Michigan Circle K. Kiwanis International, 2015. Web. 22 Nov. 2015. Retrieved
from http://www.umcirclek.org/ck/.

Isenberg Citizens First Certificate Program. (2015). Retrieved November 22, 2015, from
https://www.isenberg.umass.edu/programs/undergraduate/on-campus/studentexperience/citizens-first

Join the elite Corporate Social Responsibility Club. (2011, March 1). Retrieved November 22,
2015, from http://www.be.wvu.edu/news_events/csr_club/index.htm

Special Olympics: Get Involved. Ed. Joseph P. Kennedy. Foundation for the Benefit of Persons
with Intellectual Disabilities, 2015. Web. 22 Nov. 2015. Retrieved from
http://www.specialolympics.org/get_involved.aspx.

Support Services: CS Mott's Children's Hospital. Regents of the University of Michigan, 2015.
Web. 22 Nov. 2015. Retrieved from http://www.mottchildren.org/mott-support-services.

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Volunteer/Get Involved. Champions for Charity, 2015. Web. 22 Nov. 2015. Retrieved from
http://theannarbormarathon.com.