Creating Healthier Places

Rochester Institute of Technology

2017 Progress Report

Year Committed: 2015
Length of Commitment: 3 years
Select a Progress Report:

Committed to meet 23 guidelines—developed by PHA in collaboration with some of the nation’s leading nutrition, physical activity and campus wellness experts—around nutrition, physical activity, and programming on campus.

Verified Results

  • Implementation Date

    September 2017

    Reporting Date

    November 2017

    Commitment Element

    Offer a minimum five (5) types of fruits, five (5) types of vegetables and two (2) 100% whole grain products at both lunch and dinner (if served).

    Progress To Date

    Rochester Institute of Technology offers at least five fruits, five vegetables and two 100% whole grain options at both lunch and dinner in all five campus dining venues.

  • Implementation Date

    September 2017

    Reporting Date

    November 2017

    Commitment Element

    Offer only a total number of fried foods that does not exceed the total number of platforms available at both lunch and dinner (if served) across all venues.

    Progress To Date

    Rochester Institute of Technology offers a total number of fried foods that does not exceed the total number of platforms available at both lunch and dinner at its four campus dining venues.

  • Implementation Date

    September 2017

    Reporting Date

    November 2017

    Commitment Element

    Label food and beverage items offered with calories per serving at the point of presentation.

    Progress To Date

    No update provided.

  • Implementation Date

    September 2017

    Reporting Date

    November 2017

    Commitment Element

    Implement a local food procurement program that increases procurement of local and sustainable foods.

    Progress To Date

    Rochester Institute of Technology supports several programs and initiatives that aim to increase the procurement of local and sustainable foods and reduce food waste. Programs to increase access to local foods include a Community Garden established and maintained by employees and students and the Good Food Collective community supported agriculture program which provides deliveries of local foods to campus. Food waste reduction efforts include the FoodShare Facebook group which allows students to post when food is available for other students to retrieve and the Recover Rochester student organization which recovers left over food items and delivers them to homeless shelters and food kitchens in the community.

  • Implementation Date

    September 2017

    Reporting Date

    November 2017

    Commitment Element

    Make free water available in all dining, recreational and educational facilities.

    Progress To Date

    Rochester Institute of Technology makes free water available in all dining, recreational and educational facilities through a combination of water fountains and bottle filling stations.

  • Implementation Date

    September 2017

    Reporting Date

    November 2017

    Commitment Element

    Make available Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs) for personal nutrition assessments and counseling to all students.

    Progress To Date

    Rochester Institute of Technology provides students with access to a Registered Dietitian for consultations on special dietary needs and preferences, food allergies and nutrition counseling on healthy eating on campus.

  • Implementation Date

    September 2017

    Reporting Date

    November 2017

    Commitment Element

    Provide at least one (1) bicycle parking space on campus for every fifteen (15) individuals on campus.

    Progress To Date

    Rochester Institute of Technology provides 2,658 bicycle parking spaces, which equals one space for every nine individuals on campus. All bike racks located in academic areas can be found on an interactive campus map online.

  • Implementation Date

    September 2017

    Reporting Date

    November 2017

    Commitment Element

    Offer a bicycle share/rental program and/or a subsidized bicycle purchase program for all individuals on campus.

    Progress To Date

    The Rochester Institute of Technology launched the RIT Bikeshare in 2014, as a collaborative effort which includes Student Government, The Center for Residence Life, Facilities Management Services and Parking and Transportation. The bikeshare maintains a fleet of 20 bikes and students may rent bicycles from Parking and Transportation for 24 hours at a time.

  • Implementation Date

    September 2017

    Reporting Date

    November 2017

    Commitment Element

    Implement a bicycle and pedestrian accommodation program/policy (e.g., Complete Streets) or participate in a national bicycle or pedestrian recognition program (e.g., Bicycle Friendly University)

    Progress To Date

    Rochester Institute of Technology first received the Bicycle Friendly University designation at the Bronze level from the League of American Bicyclists in 2012. In the most recent award cycle for 2017, the University again achieved the Bronze designation.

  • Implementation Date

    September 2017

    Reporting Date

    November 2017

    Commitment Element

    Provide, without a user fee, sixteen (16)-hour per day access to at least one (1) fitness or recreation center for all students.

    Progress To Date

    Rochester Institute of Technology provides students with access to the Hale-Andrew Student Life Center and Gordon Field House for 16.1 hours per day, on average, over each week. The Better Me Wellness Center, express fitness room equipped with treadmills, elliptical machines, weight machines and free weights, is available to students 24 hours per day, seven days per week.

  • Implementation Date

    September 2017

    Reporting Date

    November 2017

    Commitment Element

    Offer a minimum of twenty (20) diverse recreation, physical activity/movement or competitive sports opportunities during each academic year.

    Progress To Date

    Rochester Institute of Technology offers a diverse range of recreation, physical activity and competitive sports opportunities each year outside of its wellness education offerings. Activities include three unique group fitness classes, 11 different intramural and 24 club sports, a rock climbing gym, an ice rink and a weekly couch to 5K program offered at the Institute’s indoor track.

  • Implementation Date

    September 2017

    Reporting Date

    November 2017

    Commitment Element

    Offer, without a user fee, a minimum of one (1) monthly "how to" physical activity/ movement class that introduces students to new activities.

    Progress To Date

    Rochester Institute of Technology offers a wellness education curriculum designed to assist students in learning new physical activities and making healthy decisions to support their academics and social interactions in college and beyond. The learning experiences provided throughout the wellness curriculum are an integral part of the students' total educational experience and completion of two wellness classes is required for graduation. The Institute covers the cost of the two required classes, however there is no limit to the number of classes students may take. The wellness education curriculum offers 74 unique wellness education offerings within the fields of fitness, dance, recreation and martial arts.

  • Implementation Date

    September 2017

    Reporting Date

    November 2017

    Commitment Element

    Provide at least one outdoor running/walking track that is open and available for use to individuals on campus and the community for at least three (3) hours per day.

    Progress To Date

    The Rochester Institute of Technology Varsity Game Field and Track Complex offers 400-meter track, available for recreational use daily from dawn until dusk during the fall, spring and summer. The track is open to members of the campus community including students, staff, faculty and paid members. Individuals without a Institute ID, must have a campus sponsor and purchase a membership to use the track.

  • Implementation Date

    September 2017

    Reporting Date

    November 2017

    Commitment Element

    Offer at least one (1) free, organized and facilitated, outdoor physical activity/movement opportunity each week.

    Progress To Date

    Rochester Institute of Technology provides free access to 11 intramural sports each year including several offered outdoors. During the fall of 2017, soccer, flag football, Frisbee and softball were all organized, outdoor opportunities available each week.

  • Implementation Date

    September 2017

    Reporting Date

    November 2017

    Commitment Element

    Offer a rental outdoor recreation equipment program for students.

    Progress To Date

    Rochester Institute of Technology offers daily outdoor sports equipment rentals for students for a nominal fee. Examples of items for rent include basketballs, volleyballs, kickballs, footballs, soccer balls, tug-o-war ropes and badminton equipment.

  • Implementation Date

    September 2017

    Reporting Date

    November 2017

    Commitment Element

    Make available certified personal trainers for all students.

    Progress To Date

    Rochester Institute of Technology provides access to one certified personal trainer at the Fitness Lab. The Fitness Lab provides students with full fitness evaluations, exercise program creation and personal training services. Sessions are free, one hour in length and can be scheduled as often as needed.

  • Implementation Date

    September 2017

    Reporting Date

    November 2017

    Commitment Element

    Implement an integrated, comprehensive wellness program for individuals on campus that is provided annually.

    Progress To Date

    The Rochester Institute of Technology Wellness Initiative is a cluster of programs and services focused on supporting student success by enhancing the overall health and wellness of students. Ten cross-divisional wellness teams were established to work on different dimensions of wellness including alcohol and drug education, emotional, fitness, nutrition, spirituality, sexual health, financial, environmental and physical wellness and the Tigers Care steering team. Teams plan, create, initiate and work toward collaborative wellness education and experiences for students. Faculty, staff and students are welcome members of Wellness Teams. Collectively, during the 2016-2017 school year, 73 student, staff, and faculty team members participated, over 107 unique programs and events were delivered and over 8,300 students participated in the events.

  • Implementation Date

    September 2017

    Reporting Date

    November 2017

    Commitment Element

    Implement a service learning program available to all students that focuses on food and nutrition and/or physical activity/movement and/or coaching.

    Progress To Date

    Through a partnership between Student Wellness in the Division of Student Affairs and the College of Health Sciences and Technology in the Division of Academic Affairs, Rochester Institute of Technology students are able to provide nutrition and fitness-based services to other members of the student-body as part of stand-alone programs, as well as through involvement with various academic coursework. One stand-alone program is the Fitness Lab in the Exercise Science facility where students administer fitness assessments, create exercise programs, and provide personal training sessions to other students. In the academic class Fitness Prescription, students enrolled in the class are assigned a non-enrolled “student client” that they work with throughout the course of the semester. Students enrolled in Fitness Prescriptions take part in weekly discussion, lecture and other assignments to further their understanding of working with a client and then directly apply this material to their assigned student client. The institute also maintains a Student Wellness Ambassador Team where students are charged with developing creative ways to improve healthy eating and fitness habits for individuals on campus.

  • Implementation Date

    September 2017

    Reporting Date

    November 2017

    Commitment Element

    Offer non-academic cooking skills classes that are available to students.

    Progress To Date

    The Better Me Wellness program, in collaboration with Dining Services, offers faculty and staff an opportunity to learn how to cook a different quick and healthy meal each month. Classes are videotaped and available for students via YouTube.

Partner Statement

“At the Rochester Institute of Technology, we are committed to supporting the health and well-being of our students. Some exciting new initiatives have evolved during the 2016-2017 academic year, that we are proud to share. Our Wellness Teams, comprised of faculty, staff and students who create programming initiatives on topics most relevant to student needs, continues to expand in meaningful ways. Using the National College Health Assessment-II data as a guide, we have added Wellness Teams that focus on Sleep, Stress Management, and Sexual Violence and Assault. These teams will compliment those already in existence, such as WADE (Wellness, Alcohol and Drug Education), Financial Wellness, Sex in the Brick City, Emotional Health, and more. In addition to our revised Wellness Team model, we also started offering cooking classes for students, faculty and staff. These video-taped sessions are uploaded to an online portal for recurring viewing as needed. RIT continues to offer at least one vegetarian option per dining platform, has expanded our on-campus food share program to incorporate local and sustainable foods, and we have further cultivated our bicycling community by expanding our bike shop operations, increasing the number of bicycle parking spaces and obtaining bronze level accreditation as a Bicycle Friendly University.”