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Annual Report - 1994 - 1995
National Center for Health Fitness and Department of Health and Fitness

Organizational Mission
The Department of Health Fitness/National Center for Health Fitness (DHF/NCHF) seeks to stay abreast of the growing and changing needs of the health fitness profession, to stay at the forefront of national as well as international health fitness issues, and to maintain the DHF/NCHF's established leadership position as the premier health and fitness academic center. In the process of striving to achieve these goals, the DHF/NCHF has made significant contributions in the areas of educational programs, health promotion programming, research and program evaluation, and community service.
In fulfilling the above mission the DHF/NCHF has managed the academic activities of the Master's program in Health Promotion Management; provided an array of elective undergraduate health promotion and fitness activity-related courses; maintained daily operations at two large scale health promotion programs; provided University and community support and advice in the area of health promotion; continued to be an active research center in the area of cost-benefit; and finalized the merger of the NCHF and Department of Health and Fitness.

Department of Health and Fitness
Enrollment Trends
The Department of Health and Fitness draws students from all of the colleges in the University. While more than half of the Department's fall 1994 enrollment came from CAS, over 41% of our students were from KCBA, SIS, and SPA. During the spring term 32% of the Department's enrollments came from academic units other than CAS. The enrollments for the academic year 1994-1995 have a mixed outcome. The fall 1994 enrollments were increased by seventy-three students. The spring 1995 total enrollment dropped by sixty-six students.

With the development of new courses and the revisions and/or cancellations of current courses, the Department of Health and Fitness is striving to increase enrollment for the 95-96 academic year at the undergraduate and graduate levels. As can be seen in Figure 1, enrollments for the Department have decreased from the late eighties. One of the Department's key objective is to reverse this trend. To that end, in addition to course changes, a marketing program will be in place by fall 1995. This program will not only increase overall campus awareness as to the many offerings of the Department, but will also provide the Department with a vehicle to promote the benefits of programs to select target audiences.

Another important objective for the Department of Health and Fitness and the National Center for Health Fitness is the completion of the faculty search. A nation wide search was initiated in June 1994 for a full-time Associate/Assistant faculty member for the Department of Health and Fitness. This search was conducted by direct contact with other health promotion professionals, advertisement in trade and professional journals, and notices in career bulletins. A diverse pool of applicants was gathered in hopes of selecting a candidate by September 1995. After formal interviews with three candidates, the decision was made to continue the search into the 1995-96 AY. The Department plans to complete the search by January of 1996.

Analysis of Teaching Evaluations
Overall, the faculty in the Department of Health and Fitness are perceived by the students as competent instructors who are teaching good courses. In the fall, 88.1% of the students rated the department's courses good to superior. In evaluating the instructors, 85.2% declared instructors to be good to superior. A moderately higher outcome occurred for the spring 1995 semester. A total of 91.3% rated the courses to be good to superior and 90.6% rated the instructors in the same categories. While acceptable, the Department faculty believes that this is not good enough. Thus, during the 95 - 96 AY, the Department will undergo a quality review of all of its offerings and with that the teaching of both full-time and adjunct faculty.

Major Service Contributions
The faculty in the Department of Health and Fitness continue to make quality service contributions to the field. The activities expand beyond the Department, College of Arts and Sciences, and the University to both local and national professional organizations. A sample of the more notable service contributions is described in the following paragraphs.
Several faculty members have served in capacities of special note in the University setting during the previous year. Professor Karch, in addition to serving as Department Chair, served on the NCAA Self Study Committee. He also has worked closely with the University Office of Media Relations as a university subject expert for numerous written, radio, and television requests in the area of health, fitness, and health care reform. Professor Margaret Safrit has served on the Senate Committee on Commitment to Equity from 1992 to present. She currently is chairperson of that committee as well as the chairperson for the NCAA Subcommittee on Equity and the Senate Wellness Committee (Subcommittee of the Benefits Committee). Dr. Safrit was also appointed to an all-campus Task Force on Diversity. Several faculty have served the campus in a variety of ways. For example, Professor Coward presented "Exercising at Home" for the Wellness Luncheon Series. He is also an evaluator for the APEL program. Professor Nyce contributed in many capacities, including the College of Arts and Sciences Phon-A-Thon in the spring semester. While Professor Mehlert was contributing to areas on campus, he was also highly visible in the local community. Professor Mehlert made several presentations, including one to the Northern Virginia Youth Soccer Association Olympic Development Program. He was also interviewed on three radio stations, including the National Public Radio. All three interviews were in reference to youth soccer and the World Cup. Dr. Robert Karch gave several presentations at both national and international sites. He was a Keynote Speaker for the Association for Worksite and Health Promotion Region II Conference. He also traveled to Brazil to present information on health promotion.
Outside the University, several faculty members were active in professional organizations. Dr. Karch serves on the Executive Committee of the American Council on Exercise as well as the National Fitness Leaders Association were he also serves as Executive Director. In addition, he is also a member of the Board of Directors of the International Academy of Preventive Medicine . Professor Nyce is a member of the Professional Tennis Registry, the United States Tennis Association and several other national organizations. Professor Mehlert has led clinics and presented workshops on soccer in the metropolitan area. Dr. Safrit is a member of six national organizations that are focused on health fitness and related topics.

Awards and Honors
The department is proud to note that Dr. Safrit was elected President of the AIESEP International Society on Measurement and Evaluation and that Dr. Karch was elected Secretary/Treasurer of the American Council on Exercise. Dr. Karch also led the U.S. Delegation to the first World Forum on Physical Activity and Sport.

Health Promotion Management Program
The Department of Health and Fitness and NCHF has continued to provide direction and leadership to the Health Promotion Management program. As a result of last year's aggressive marketing plan, enrollment in the HFM program has increased substantially. This current marketing strategy will be continued and further expanded for the AY 95-96. Admissions for the fall 1995 class include eighteen students from nine states and one foreign country. Seven additional students are enrolled as nondegree candidates pending spring 1996 admissions.

Student Admissions 1979 - 95
Figure 2 depicts trends for student admissions between 1979-1995. As the Masters program operates during all twelve months of the year, the dates presented in Figure 2 reflect a calendar year, i.e. spring 1995 - fall 1995. Twenty graduate students were admitted into the HFM program during the calendar year while 14 were admitted during the academic year 1994-95.
The current HFM students have accomplished much this past year and several achievements in particular are worth noting. The Department of Health Fitness was represented by five HFM students, Robin Brookfield, Cynthia Stout, Bruce Heon, Cynthia Forstmann, and Mahlon Chase who participated in the College of Arts and Sciences 1995 Research Conference. Presentations were respectively entitled, "An In-Depth Look at the Health Status of The American University Graduate Students Between the AY of 1991-92 and 1993-94," "Campus Police Project," Ergonomics in the Workplace," On the Road Again: A Weight Management Program for the Traveler," and "Physical Fitness Programming for the Enhancement of Healthy Choices in Adolescents."
In addition, students in the masters program sponsored the Region II Student Conference for the Association of Worksite Health Promotion at the University. This conference focused on career tracks in the field of health promotion, certifications, resume writing, and preparing for interviews. Thirty students from the Mid-Atlantic area participated in the conference.
Connections, a document designed to provide both personal and professional information on each of the 219 alumni, was distributed for the sixth consecutive year. As can be seen in Figure 3, current occupations of HFM alumni are becoming more diverse in the field of health promotion which is a direct reflection of the growth of the profession.
Other alumni activities included the presentation of the Dean Meyerson Award, given to an alumni who demonstrates commitment and leadership in the field of health promotion. The 1994 award was presented to Daniel L. Newton. At the same award ceremony, two graduate students in the Health Fitness Management program were presented with the Second Annual Club Business Industry Scholarship. The student recipients were Robin Brookfield for her essay entitled "Addressing the Health Promotion Objectives for Multicultural Populations Presented in the Healthy People 2000 Documents" and Steve Bennett for his essay "Health Promotion, Disease Prevention, and Multicultural Populations".
The Center continues to provide job opportunities to the students in the form of health fitness specialists (both full and part-time), fellowships, assistantships, teaching positions, and a variety of other positions for a total of twenty-three positions. Eighty-eight percent of all HFM students are employed (part- and full-time) while enrolled in the graduate program.

AU LIFE Club
In 1994-1995 the campus health promotion organization, The American University Lifestyle, Information, Fitness, and Education (A.U. LIFE) Club, continued to provide many diverse services to the University's students, staff, faculty, alumni, and local community members. All activities were successfully organized by graduate students in the Health Fitness Management Program. Membership reached 225 in the fall semester, 235 in the spring semester and 64 during the summer session. AU LIFE remains by far the largest student group on the university campus. Figure 4 shows the revenue generated by the AU LIFE Club between 1981-1995. The fall and spring semester activities included: 15 - 19 weekly aerobic classes, weight training sessions, monthly newsletters and two campus Fit Stops. The Fit Stops which were conducted in both fall and spring semesters included blood pressure, cholesterol and body composition screening and provided a variety of informational materials on various health and fitness topics. Other activities during the AY 94-95 included health education programs in the dorms (i.e., exercise and nutrition), a Safe Fit demonstration in the Tavern, and participation in Student Appreciation Day on the Quad with yoga and aerobics.
During the final weeks of the summer program, the staff met to develop new procedures and goals for the AU LIFE Club. These goals include focusing AU LIFE programs in the AY 95-96 school year on the aerobics program, health education, weight training, Fit Stop screenings, coordination with other units on campus, and a monthly newsletter.

Special Programs
International Institute of Health Promotion
The International Institute for Health Promotion (IIHP) made significant progress in its first phase of operations over the past nine months. A number of promotional materials were developed to acquaint the global community with the goals and proposed operations of the IIHP. In addition to ongoing contact by telephone, fax and e-mail, Wolf Kirsten, International Project Specialist, traveled to Europe twice and Robert Karch to Brazil. In addition, health promotion leaders from several areas of the world (Japan, Korea, China, England, South Africa, Switzerland) made their way to The American University to discuss the International Institute of Health Promotion as well as current issues in health promotion. These efforts resulted in the establishment of a global network in the field of health promotion and regular communication with many renowned institutions.
Directly related to the development of the IIHP, the NCHF has been extensively involved with the World Forum on Physical Activity and Sport held in Quebec, Canada, May 21 - 25, 1995. The NCHF was instrumental in the development of the programming for this major international event. The World Forum was endorsed by the UNESCO, the World Health Organization (WHO), the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and the World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry. Dr. Robert Karch led the U.S. Delegation in Quebec City and coordinated the American consultation process by assembling key professionals in the health fitness field (e.g., from the Center of Disease Control (CDC), the U.S. Olympic Committee, and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) not only in Quebec but also at the North American Regional Meeting in Toronto in November 1994. In addition, Dr. Karch gave a presentation to the Forum on "Promoting the Values and Benefits of Physical Activity and Sport".
In advancing the development of its information sharing, education, research, and communication network, the International Institute has created a home page on the Internet. As a result, the IIHP is currently accessible on-line worldwide and represents the first international health promotion organization on the Internet. The World Forum on Physical Activity and Sport provided the IIHP with the chance to increase visibility on the Internet and begin developing a central repository for select health promotion data on global health issues. The IIHP set up a page on the Internet dedicated to the World Forum (conference proceedings, organizers, addresses, North American delegates, North American regional report, etc.) which can be accessed through The American University World Wide Web site. To ensure maximal use of potential and effectiveness for the University, the NCHF has worked closely with various American University faculty and staff members. In December 1994, 25 faculty and staff members discussed the IIHP concept in a roundtable format. In addition, several faculty members have carried out specific tasks for the IIHP in conjunction with their world travels.

Campus Police Bicycle Patrol Study
Students in the Masters program began a long-term research project with The American University Campus Police personnel in the fall 1995. The campus police decided to initiate a bicycle patrol program but required assistance in determining the physical fitness status of their personnel. HFM students designed a study to provide the Public Safety Department with the necessary screening and recommendations to undertake such a program. The study included an orientation screening, completion of a health risk appraisal, assessments of necessary diagnostic tests including heart rate and blood pressure and the recording of height and weight. In addition, blood chemistry values were assessed through an off-site laboratory. These data were then reviewed by the NCHF Medical Screening Coordinator. After the initial screening process was completed, a fitness assessment was performed on all personnel which included muscular strength and endurance, body composition, flexibility, and a sub-maximal bicycle test. Individuals were then briefed as to their results and an appropriate exercise prescription was provided. The prescriptions were specific to the needs of each persons participation in the cycling patrol or other police responsibilities. Exercise prescriptions included proper instructions for warm-up, heart rate training zones, cool-down, stretching and flexibility, and strength training. Issues relating to diet and performance were also addressed. Figure 5 shows a flow chart of the fitness testing steps used in the study. A second re-test will be conducted in the fall 1995. In addition, any new campus police employees will be provided with an initial screening. By ascertaining the fitness levels and health patterns of the entire department, general areas of wellness could be addressed. This identification of patterns could enhance the health and fitness levels of the individual employed as campus police personnel. In doing so, it is believed that they in turn would be better prepared to carry out their assigned duties.

Contract Activity
The NCHF continued to maintain its major contract services to the Army Materiel Command and the United States Postal Service. In addition, the NCHF provided Project Fit programs through contracts with Unfoldment, Inc. and TEAM, Inc. to special populations within the District of Columbia.

Army Materiel Command (AMC)
During the past ten years 3,637 AMC employees have passed the screening process. This year 80 employees have been diagnosed with elevated cholesterol, 20 with elevated blood pressure, and 11 with elevated glucose. One individual was diagnosed with coronary artery disease after being referred by the NCHF Medical Director.
There were 102 new participants cleared for exercise during this period. The active exercise database at the Fitness Center during this period averaged between 450 and 550 participants and included only those participants who had exercised at the facility within the previous six months. This year 155 participants who had become inactive reactivated their membership. The average daily attendance for participants was 90 with May having the highest attendance average of 109 participants. Of the participants in that group, 75% were civilian and 25% were military, 61% were male and 39% were female.
The change in civilian leave policy which went into effect in June 1994 has precipitated many changes in the Fitness Center operations. The new policy rescinded the administrative leave waiver which had authorized civilians to utilize the Fitness Center for up to three hours per week without any charge to leave or loss of pay. Although modifications had been implemented in June 1994 to accommodate participants and to optimize their ability to participate, a considerable decrease in exercise participation was experienced during September-December 1994. Several steps have been taken to gather feedback from participants and augment management support. Participation since January 1995 has been on a level comparative to that of the last report period.
Health promotion programming continued as a major staff effort during this period. Some of the special activities designed and implemented to provide education and promote healthy lifestyles included the Holiday Health Challenge in which 105 participants took part, The Total Wellness Health Fair which drew 100 participants, and the Cancer Awareness Competition with 125 participating. There has been an increased focus in health education this year which is reflected in a wide variety of classes and intensified marketing activities. In addition to the traditional classes, health education programming was expanded to include classes such as Exercising the Spirit, Safe Stress on the Job, Abs of Steel, and New Innovations and Technology in Dentistry. Attendance at this year events has average 21 participants per class.
The current NCHF research contract with AMC requires a Management Report which includes a section on participation data and an evaluation of the following dependent measures: health age, absenteeism, and productivity. This report was delivered to AMC.

United States Postal Service (USPS)
In the seven and one half years of existence, the staff at the USPS has been responsible for screening 1,488 employees. This year 52 employees have been diagnosed with elevated cholesterol, 16 with elevated blood pressure and 2 with elevated glucose. One positive treadmill test was completed and the employee was sent to his own physician for follow-up.
There were 115 new participants cleared for exercise during this period. The active exercise database at the Fitness Center during this period averaged 436 participants. This year 57 participants who had become inactive reactivated their membership. The average daily attendance for participants was 107 with February having the highest attendance average of 122 per day.
The Health Education program was updated in order to increase participation. Changes in the program include; the introduction of single session, one-hour seminars; reduction in the number of courses offered; intensification of marketing efforts; presentation of door prizes and incentives; and inclusion of an on-going weight management support group. Unique offerings included Creative Risk Taking, Learning to Support Someone with Cancer, and a jazz band. Attendance at this year's events has averaged 19 participants per class.
The Health Promotion Program moved under the National Medical Director's office in the Office of Safety and Health this year. This has enhanced the integration of the Health Promotion Program into the overall objectives of the organization. The incentive program in the Fitness Center for spring 1995 was "Postalolopy". Approximately 100 employees participated in this program. Incentive prizes were awarded to participants who earned points for activities such as strength training, cardiovascular conditioning, stretching, and health education questions.

Hopi
The NCHF's relationship with the Hopi people is in its fourth year. Regular conversations and correspondence continue between the NCHF and the Hopi on issues related to a reservation-wide health promotion program. Recently, the Hopi asked the NCHF for assistance in acquiring sports equipment for their youth recreation program and in providing their aerobic instructors with a national aerobic certification. The NCHF has made contact with key individuals who are interested in contributing these services to the Hopi. The NCHF is also actively involved with the Hopi Health Manpower Development Program (HHMDP), an entity that provides direction and support to Hopi college students. The HHMDP is working with the NCHF to market TAU's Masters of Science in Health Fitness Management Program to all Hopi undergraduates. The NCHF will host Hopi officials on campus this year and make trips to the reservation to continue the health promotion program strategic planning process. The NCHF will also work with Hopi Tribal Council Officials to jointly seek funding for their health promotion program.

Project Fit
In March and April of 1995, The American University was notified by the Mayor's Youth Initiative Office, that it had been awarded two grants in partnership with two community-based organizations. Unfortunately, both grants were terminated by the DC government prior to their conclusion due the severe budgetary crisis in the city.
Both projects featured campus-wide involvement. The NCHF staff worked closely with individuals and departments from across campus including Sociology, Education, Justice, Law and Society, The Office of Continuing Studies, The Office of Multicultural Affairs, The Office of Student Activities, Computer Science Department, Department of Health Fitness, The School of International Studies, The Career Center and Community Relations who were all actively involved in these collaborative partnerships.
The Turning Points Program was the cornerstone of Mayor Sharon Pratt-Kelly's Youth Initiative Office whose mission was to deliver comprehensive preventative intervention services to youth and families in high-risk communities. A five-year was awarded to the Unfoldment/American University partnership in April, 1994. In partnership with Unfoldment, a community-based organization with a history of working with youth and families in Southeast D. C., in the area of substance abuse, violence, and deviant behavior, The American University provided extensive services to the population at Sousa Middle School from July 1994 to January 1995. Project FIT, a health enhancement and lifestyle development curriculum, was delivered by the NCHF staff member John Studach as part of an integral component of the overall program strategy. The NCHF staff worked closely with personnel from Sousa Middle School, the Department of Recreation, Metropolitan Police, and parents during this project.
The second grant, "Collaborative Youth Development and Prevention" project was awarded in March of 1995 to a partnership between TEAM Inc. and The American University. The one-year grant was designed to provide project development and training to adult and youth leaders from the Arthur Capper/Carrollsburg Public Housing Community. The community leaders were trained in August to deliver TEAM FIT, a health enhancement and lifestyle development curriculum, to the Arthur Capper/Carrollsburg residents. The program was terminated prior to completion due to the financial crisis of the city.
In collaboration with Howard University's Center for Urban Programs, The American University submitted a grant to The Department of Housing and Urban Development to provide economic, community development and health programs to the Shaw Community.
The NCHF staff continue to meet regularly and conduct exploratory discussions with funding agencies and organizations who could possibly play a role in the development of Project FIT sites. These groups include; the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Washington DC., Koba Institute, The DC Public Schools Department of Comprehensive Health, The Metropolitan Police Youth Affairs Office, and The National Guard. Additionally, calls are tracked for proposals from the National Institutes of Health, Office of Substance Abuse Prevention, Office of Minority Health, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development as well as private foundations and corporations.
Program efforts by NCHF have been featured in several public forums. An article on Project FIT at Sousa Middle School has been submitted to a scholarly journal. Inquiries have also been received by NCHF as a result of postings on the internet.
NCHF staff member, John Studach participated in Fitness Intervention Training in Chicago where he met with local leaders and trainers and toured FIT sites. Mr. Studach was also invited to participate in the recent city wide Turning Points staff retreat and the Positive Peers Award Ceremony.

Objectives for AY 95-96 Beyond
National Center for Health Fitness and the Department of Health Fitness
The AY 94'-95' was the first full year of the merger of The National Center for Health Fitness and the Department of Health Fitness into the College of Arts and Sciences. The past year was a time of transition and planning for the two units. The upcoming AY will continue to be a time of exploration and development as strategic plans are broadened to build on the strengths of the units. The following major initiatives that will be developed during the AY 95-96 are:

Academic Initiatives
Health Fitness Management Program
The Department will continue its search for a full-time Associate/Assistant faculty member. It is in hopes that this faculty member will be in place by January 1996 or soon there after. The nation wide search is continuing through publications and direct contact with other health promotion professionals.
During the upcoming year, the DHF/NCHF will also continue to focus on increasing the quality of it's programs through selective curriculum changes. These changes will include minor and major course adjustments and developing new courses where necessary. These changes are scheduled to take place for the Spring 1996. The faculty of the masters program and the NCHF staff will continue to mentor the students at the contract sites, through the Association of Worksite Health Promotion, and through research activities such as the CAS Annual Research Conference.

Undergraduate Major
One of the Department's highest priority this academic year is the creation and establishment of a new and innovative undergraduate two year majors program. The primary objective of the undergraduate major will be to provide a highly structured two year course of study for selected students interested in transferring from a community college (as well as other institutions) and focusing their education in the field of health promotion. It is expected that the students will transfer approximately 60 credit hours of study in a related field (Health Education, Nursing, Physical Education, Adult Fitness, Business, Psychology, Nutrition, etc.) into this new major. This process will be facilitated by establishing articulation agreements with select community colleges throughout the United States. It is anticipated that the fall 1995 and spring 1996 will be used to develop the program and submit the necessary Masters Program Forms through the university channels. Recruitment will begin as soon as approval is granted and it is anticipated that 10 - 12 students will begin in the fall 1996.

International Institute of Health Promotion
An immediate goal of the International Institute for Health Promotion (IIHP) will be to develop formal partnership agreements with other universities, institutes, and other organizations. The signing of this agreement, which is currently being drafted, will take place within the next few months. The NCHF anticipates a formal partnership with 20-30 leading institutions which will greatly enhance the likelihood of external funding from foundations and multinational corporations. Acquiring external funding, with the assistance of the University's Office of Development, will be a strong focus within the coming months.
The first organizational summit for IIHP members is planned for the spring 1996 at American University. At this time, the specific focus of the IIHP will be determined as leading health promotion professionals will present their perspective and priorities.
During this next year, the IIHP is planning the expansion of on-line services. In addition to the publication of the World Forum proceedings and abstracts on the Internet, the IIHP will develop a global news group and listserve and coordinate on-line interactive discussions. This will enable the IIHP faculty to communicate on a frequent basis to address the critical issues of health promotion. Existing resources on the Internet will also be utilized and connection to the IIHP home page will be added. In addition, the inclusion of multimedia (photos, audio, and video) in the home page will continue to be enhanced. The emergence of CD-ROM use has spurred the NCHF to develop its own CD which will be used to recruit prospective institutions for the IIHP and prospective students for the Master's program and new undergraduate transfer program in health promotion.

Corporate Health Promotion Initiatives
Army Materiel Command
AMC management has consistently demonstrated firm support for the AMC Health Promotion Program. The current five-year contract is in effect through September 1998. It is anticipated that through the maintenance of established open lines of communication and immediate response to the changing needs of Headquarters AMC, the positive relationship between NCHF and HQ AMC will continue. Further, during the AY 95 - 96 the DHF/NCHF will develop a plan and process to electronically link the AMC headquarters building with the University so as to expand the command center's access to on-line health program information.

USPS
The NCHF was once again been awarded a contract with USPS on November 1, 1994 for the next three years. The multi- year contract will permit the DHF/NCHF to continue to offer a state of the art worksite health promotion program for the employees at the USPS located in Head Quarters Building in L'Enfant plaza. Further, this will also continue to provide opportunities for students in the Health Fitness Management program to gain valuable "hands-on experience" in a model worksite health promotion program while pursuing the Masters degree.

Special Population Initiatives
Project Fit/Inner City Youth
Staff from NCHF will continue to work on plans for the development of additional linkages and program development within the DC community. Once the economic status of DC solidifies and funds are identified, additional grant proposals will be developed and submitted.

Internet
NCHF staff will continue to increase the presence of the center on the internet. Additional uses and applications for the new media in the field of health promotion will be explored use at the corporate fitness sites, the urban projects, The International Institute for Health Promotion, and the Native American Initiatives. Projects under development or consideration that feature CD-ROM technology, and or other forms of interactive multimedia will continue. NCHF staff have continued to track funding opportunities and develop and update our data base of foundations, businesses and organizations who have an interest in funding our initiatives.

Hopi Project
The DHF/NCHF continue to build a relationship between The American University and the Hopi Nation with the goal to provide health promotion services to the Hopi people. The Department of Health and fitness, the NCHF and the Hopi Nation will begin seeking private and public funding for the initiative, which will be the next phase in developing a reservation-wide health promotion program with the Hopi.

AU LIFE
To increase membership in the upcoming year, AU LIFE will be coordinating with other units at the University, which also provide other health services, to increase its visibility and explore new options in providing classes in other spaces on campus. In addition, AU LIFE will be participating with Student Activities in Alcohol Awareness Week and with Student Health Center fairs during the upcoming semesters. Further, AU LIFE will seek to build a strong working relationship with the Office of the Vice President for Student Services so as to expand the clubs health promotion activities into the dormitories as well as other campus subgroups.

Manuscript Initiatives
Several manuscript ideas are being considered for development within the next six months. Discussions have been initiated with the Office of Personal Management concerning the funding of a monograph summarizing all the cost-benefit/cost-effectiveness research conducted at the United States Army health promotion programs. In addition, Dr. Karch is currently in discussions with the President of the Beijing Institute of Physical Education concerning the translation of several of NCHF research and program programmatic documents into Chinese.

Scholarly Professional Actions
Robert Karch, Ed.D.

• Advisory Board, HR Health Promotion Update Newsletter, Rodale Press, 1994 - present.
• Curriculum and Operational Review Board, the Health Promotion Masters Program and the Fisher Institute for Wellness at Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana, January 1994.
• "Nitchmanship: Capitalizing on the Health Fitness Industry Trends." Mid-Atlantic Club Management Association Regional Meeting, McLean, Virginia, November 1994.
• "Wellness Programs That Work." National Capital Area Healthcare Human Resource Institute, Washington, DC, November 1994.
• "The Future of Wellness Care." Interviewed as a Wellness Expert for The Journal of Healthcare Resource Management (in press, September) April 1995.
• "Promoting Values and Benefits of Physical Activity and Sport." World Forum on Physical Activity and Sport, Quebec, Canada, May 1995.
• "Catching the New Wave." Keynote Speaker for Opening Session of the Region II Association for Worksite Health Promotion Conference and Trade Show, Ocean City, Maryland, June 1995.
• "Cost-Effective Health Promotion." Keynote Speaker for International Seminar on the Quality of Life, EXAME Business Magazine and the Brazilian Association for the Quality of Life, San Paulo, Brazil, June 1995.
• "Health Promotion and Human Resources." Presentation for the Corporate Community of Brazil, June 1995.
• Interviewed by Innovation Magazine on Improving Employee Health, San Paulo, Brazil, June 1995.

Margaret Safrit, Ph.D.

• Safrit, M.J. (1995). "Complete Guide to Physical Fitness Testing." Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics Publishers. (released December 1994).
• Safrit, M.J. (1995). "Measurement and Evaluation in Physical Educations and Science. (3rd Ed.) St. Louis: Mosby Year Book, Inc. (released March 1995). Safrit, M.J. (1994).
• "Settings and Interpreting Criterion Referenced Standards." In Morrow, Falls, and Kohl (Eds), Fitness Gram Technical Manual Dallas: Cooper Institute for Aerobic Research.
• "The Validation of a Physical Fitness Knowledge Test." Paper presented at the AIESEP International Society of Measurement and Evaluation, Berlin, Germany, June 1994.
• "Interpreting Research Reports." Trinity College, Washington, DC, September 1994.
• "Effective Fitness Assessment." Keynote Speaker for the Hawaii Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, Honolulu, Hawaii, October 1994.
• "A Review of Fitness Assessment of Children and Youth." Keynote Speaker for the Michigan Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, Detroit, Michigan, November 1994.
• "AAHPERD New Fitness Assessment." Presentation given at the Michigan Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, Detroit, Michigan, November 1994.

Peter Mehlert, M.ED.

• "Player Development" delivered to the Northern Virginia Youth Soccer Association, Olympic Development Program, Falls Church, Virginia. October 1994.
• Conducted the Northern District Olympic Development Program Coaches Clinic, Fair Oaks, Virginia. October 1994.
• Interviewed by Basler Zeitung's Johann Aeschlimann on Youth Soccer in America and Washington, DC. July 1995.

Billy Coward, M.A.

• "Exercising at Home" delivered to The American University community during the Wellness Luncheon Series, Washington, DC. April 1995.

Collaborative Efforts of the Professional Staff

• Heilbraun, J., A.M. Snelling, M.A. Schaeffer. "Comparison of Total Cholesterol Measurement Using Capillary Analysis and Laboratory Venous Blood Analysis." American Journal of Health Promotion, September/October 1995.
• "Positive Outcomes in Health Risk, Absenteeism, Productivity, and Health Claims as a Function of Worksite Health Promotion Participation," M.A. Schaeffer. Presentation to the American Journal of Health Promotion Annual Meeting, Orlando, Florida, March, 1995.
• "The Health Risk Improvement as a function of Military or civilian Status," A Snelling, M.A. Schaeffer, R.C. Karch, J.B. Ostensoe. Presentation to the Association for Worksite Health Promotion Annual Meeting, Portland, Oregon, September 1994.
• Schaeffer, M.A., Snelling, A.M., Bergel, M., Williams, L.P., Ostensoe, J.B., Karch, R.C. Annual Management report for the Headquarters, Army Material Command Health Promotion Program 1994.
• Technical Report prepared for the Office of the Surgeon General, Department of the Army, U.S. Department of Defense, Washington, D.C., September 1994.