CHANGING ETHNIC POPULATIONS IN THE STATE OF MICHIGAN: ETHNIC INPUT IN LEIUSRE SERVICES PROVISION AMONG MICHIGAN PARK AND RECREATION DEPARTMENTS

Abstract: The rate of ethnic population change in the U. S. is rapidly changing the social fabric of the nation. Following a multicultural concept of inclusiveness of ethnic groups and their subcultures in the mainstream of community life, the quality and diversity of community life can be enhanced. Leisure and recreation can serve as important means of providing social cohesion and social identity among the various ethnic groups as well as integrating these groups and their subcultures into community life, for example, arts and crafts, music, dance, food, clothing, and literature. Recreation managers in the State of Michigan were surveyed to examine the extent to which ethnic groups were involved in recreation department decision making or various input areas, for example, decision making for strategic planning, policy making, designing the department mission statement, and surveying and marketing leisure services. Results of the survey indicate that no change versus positive change is dominant in ethnic input in management decision making across 12 decision making areas over the last 10 years. Recommenda-tions for recreation agencies are suggested