NIRSA NEEDS YOU!!!

2009-2010 Regional Student Representatives Wanted!!!


I am sure all of you are getting back into the school routine after a very relaxing and exciting break. I want to encourage all of you to apply for the Region V Student Representative position. It's a great way to get acquainted with great professionals in our region and nationally. Applications are Due February 1. Apply Here As a NIRSA student member this is your opportunity to promote and enhance the recreational sports profession.

Not a member? Not a problem! Join Here

Questions? email me at amr300@gmail.com

Nine for Nine Candidate #4

Tom Lovins, Director of Recreational Sports at Penn State
Tom has been the Director at Penn State since 2000, and was at Marshall University prior to that. I had the pleasure of working for Tom as an intern.


From your experience, how important is it to be involved in NIRSA?
Your involvement in any professional association shows evidence that you are committed to that profession. The more active a person is in the business of an association the more they can keep track of current issues. If you are an active member you not only support the association through your attendance, and dues; but it also affords you an opportunity to have a say in how your association makes their decisions and moves forward. Our association in particular allows for many ways of expanded development opportunities through the workshop, conferences and other state and national meetings. It’s of critical importance for a professional and for students to be involved in an association especially one that is connected to their career and career aspirations.


What positions have you held and how was it rewarding professionally and personally?
I served as a State Director, and as a Region II Vice President. I’ve hosted state workshops, a regional conference, a winter directors meeting and a spring conference for recreational sports. The rewards have been many. Coordinating conference activities is always a learning experience, showcasing my university and how we operate, the exchanges with friends and professional members, initiating contact with peer institutions, and viewing other institutions are some of the rewards. I would say acting as a Region II Vice President was the most challenging position because I was coordinating workshops for eight states and served on the board of directors for NIRSA.
I’ve always had the philosophy that whatever I do makes me a better person, whether it’s a social or cultural situation. Whatever I’m engaged in has benefitted me in some way shape or form. My contacts across the field have expanded inside and outside the profession. My work with NIRSA has made my life more enriching and more satisfying. There’s a sense of accomplishment which always enhances your self esteem when helping further the work of your association. I can say I’ve become a better professional by hosting meetings because of the feedback you receive on the job you and your staff did. Professionally, it has opened my eyes to how other people and schools operate; the challenges they have. I can honestly say, it strengthened my belief in people and concreted my interest in working in a very rewarding profession.


What are some advantages of working at a large big ten institution? Disadvantages?
Marshall had about 10,500 students when I started and is currently at about 13,500. We were a one person operation outside of graduate assistants, and it is certainly a hands on operation at that size. The thing I enjoy the most about working at a mega institution is the exchange and interaction with a very active campus. There is no lack for participants and interested people. I also enjoy working with professionals at similar institutions. I’ve been able to develop close relationships with directors and other staff at those schools. With only about 30 mega institutions in the nation, these professionals are some of the leaders in the field, the dreamers, and the innovators. The interaction with them socially or professionally is always rewarding. I always come back rejuvenated from our meetings, and knowing I can call on their expertise and advice at any time is comforting. The network of professionals is a big advantage. The Big Ten director’s association which dates back to 1922, and has met every year outside of war years and continues to meet and is an opportunity to interact with those from conference institutions. Since 1995 the meeting was moved to each institution to see their facilities and operating procedures. We are always taking ideas from other schools to use at our own institution.

At a large institution, the scope of the program is much larger, which means your funding must accompany it. Because of the size of the institution, you find you are one of many areas that are fighting for a very limited amount of resources. Your slice of the pie is much smaller. It’s a realization that your program has to define its’ role in student development. Many large institutions are research institutions and are highly academic oriented, often resulting in departments looking at your job differently then you do. These departments do not fully appreciate what you do, which can eventually determine your funding possibilities.

How have you seen our association, NIRSA, change over the years?
I have certainly been a part of many changes over the years. Here’s just a few: a name change of the association (which was a very fiery and contentious time), the establishment of a national headquarters for our association, my first professional conference had 300 members attend and Austin had over 2,000 members (a huge growth), NIRSA was a once a very small operation and now it has grown to a large full time staff and executive director. My most memorable experience was watching my first graduate assistant become my first assistant and then watching her become a director, to then become a regional vice president and then have her be a two time NIRSA President. So as much as I’ve seen NIRSA change over the years, it was accompanied with the growth and development of a great professional.


What is the most rewarding aspect of being a Director?
The most rewarding aspect of being a Director is certainly the interaction with students I’ve had throughout the years. As campus recreation professionals we have to remember that without students we wouldn’t have a customer base, and without a customer base we wouldn’t have a job. It’s always rewarding to see students develop and succeed and then having them succeed in their professional goals. Knowing that I’ve helped them in some way is a huge reward to my job. Many university administrators look at students as ones who just come and go after every four or five year cycle. And by having that outlook they lose touch with students. Now you have to understand, students can be demanding and outrageous in their wants, but you work at a university, and working with the students is your job and part of that job is to educate them- as a result you need to take a keen interest in those who are providing you a job.


Campus recreation is often misunderstood and not granted the respect it deserves from other professions or academic areas. In your opinion, how can students change the current reputation of campus recreation?
Students can become involved in their campus recreation departments and programs through participation, employment or both. As participants and employees they need to exhibit model behavior. Students should take advantage of the research opportunities within our field and publish those findings. They should also take advantage of any opportunity to educate and promote those who do not know what we do and how we do it. Anytime someone asks you “what you do” those individuals are giving you an opportunity to share the mission behind campus recreation. Although NIRSA is very small, in the Big Ten we impact approximately one million people annually. That’s a large population that we are serving. Students need to continue to speak positively and be model employees and get involved.

The interview process when looking for a job can be a little nerve racking. Can you give students an idea of what you look for when interviewing candidates? What traits you notice most, and any advice on how to impress an employer?
First, I look for people who have experience in the job they are applying for. It’s amazing how people apply for jobs and do not have the right experience. I also look for an orderly and brief resume. It’s important that it gets to the point quickly. When I interview people, I look for proper language, people who know how to dress for success, and proper manners. Nothing is more embarrassing when you take a candidate to lunch or dinner and they do not have proper table etiquette. I look how the candidate answers questions- often times they answer a question with a question. Interviews often go longer than the allotted time, and are much too wordy. I would recommend keeping your answers short to make every word count. It’s good to have some knowledge of the university and department of which they are applying to. Some more key components: someone who has a sense of humor and sense of humility. And it’s important that the candidate be able to vocalize their own accomplishments and interests.


As you know, campus recreation has changed tremendously in the past 25 years. Change is often hard to incorporate in strategic planning. How would you advise students to go about implementing change in our profession/at their institution?
Change is threatening to people. People who do not embrace change are destined to repeat their past mistakes. Change is a part of life, if you don’t accept it you continue to provide stale programs and stale ideas and you are stuck in an era that doesn’t exist anymore. Change is good but also scary. I advise students to create change in steps, organize your thoughts on your desires and what you hope to accomplish with change. Remember, university administrators listen to students, so work through the channels of university personnel to press your issues and get student voices to back up your claims. Have patience. This is a key element to being successful at administering change at your institution. Be careful not to pressure the administration, but meet with them and conduct yourselves in a professional manner. If you can earn their respect you are more likely to get a response from them. Certainly students can become more active, take a role in NIRSA, and gather research to help your cause. Give yourself a presence no matter where you are, you never know who you will meet.


In your opinion, what aspect of the annual conference do students fail to take advantage of the most?
I think they pass up on engaging and networking with other region members and professionals. Students tend to clump together. They should engage with people, many students miss out on that. They hang out with their friends and hang out with the same people they work with day in and day out. If you want a job, you have to get out there and meet people. Take the opportunity to learn about people, not just for networking, but to cultivate relationships. You have no idea when they may come to help you professionally. There’s a lot of opportunity to relax and become known to other people. The more the students get to know other people, and get involved, the more it serves them. You may not be applying for a job at their institution this year, but in five years you might be. Students also tend to forget about the regional and state meetings at the annual conference. It’s a small population and offers great one on one time with professionals.


Thank you Tom for your time and effort in helping the students of Region V become better professionals!

Nine for Nine Candidate #3

Stan Campbell, Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, Director of Campus Recreation at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and Past President’s Representative on the NIRSA Board of Directors.


1. You have been involved in campus recreation for thirty-four years. How have universities changed their perception of campus recreation over the years?
I’ve seen perceptions change significantly. At first, a lot of campus recreation programs were under athletics or academic departments. And because of where they were placed, campus recreation was often viewed as the step child and was neglected when it came to funding, staffing and facilities. Currently, over 70% of campus recreation departments nationally are under student affairs and have become major departments. This is the most significant change because it shows that institutions are recognizing the benefit of recreation departments. Campus recreation programs and facilities are used as recruitment tools for students and we are a major player in wellness initiatives on campus. In addition, I’ve seen campus recreation departments assume increased responsibilities, add staff and programs, and construct new facilities to meet the demands of their student populations.

2. Describe the future of campus recreation as you see it.
I see the future as very bright for this profession. I envision an increased emphasis on wellness and fitness initiatives throughout the country, as the government takes notice of the increased incidence of obesity, heart disease, cancer, etc. I see campus recreation professionals becoming leaders in solving these problems. The more we play a role in solving global problems the more others will start to value our profession as much as we do. I see learning outcomes tied to assessments and those objectives justifying the worth of campus recreation to institutional leaders. This can be a real positive outcome for campus recreation because we play a huge role in educating students outside the classroom.

3. Campus recreation is often not taken seriously by other university departments. What advice would you give to students to help change that reputation?
I would tell students to first identify what is important to your university administration whether it’s meeting admissions goals, holistic education, retention of students, etc. Then determine strategically how you can assist your university in meeting those goals. The department gains credibility by assisting the institution to address those pressing issues. The days when campus recreation was just a programming entity are coming to an end.

4. Your job is to enhance student development, among other things. From your experience, what is one of the biggest mistakes you see students make professionally?
I see a lot of students’ pigeon holing themselves with their experiences. They are not seeking broad enough opportunities and this often makes it difficult to find employment. I believe students should develop goals and a plan for achieving those goals. Skills and competencies acquired through employment at campus recreation are transferable to a wide variety of work settings. I encourage students to explore options, seek involvement opportunities and be willing to take risks.

5. One could argue students are the future of our association and profession. How will the proposed governance changes influence the students’ role in NIRSA?
The students’ role in NIRSA will certainly change, but I believe it’s for the better. Currently, the national student representative sits on the board of directors, and with the proposed governance change, the NSR will be in the Network. The role will change positively as they will be allowed to focus their energies on student concerns and goals. The regional student representatives and national student representative will be focusing on communication with student members, and facilitating lead-ons and other student development initiatives (actions with direct impact to the student population). Many are concerned that a student will not be on the board of directors in the new model, but I would be very surprised if the board went away from seeking input from student members.

6. You hold two roles at Lincoln. Can you tell us a little about them. How does your Associate Vice Chancellor’s role affect your Director’s role?
The affects of the positions on each other can at times be both positive and negative. I’m not physically present at the campus recreation center as much as I once was. I have two separate offices in two separate buildings, and I’m often in meetings. My Associate Vice Chancellor’s role often puts me in a position to help campus recreation. For example, I am the Division of Student Affairs representative for campus planning which recommends the master planning of facilities on campus, thus I am aware at a very early planning stage of the potential impact of facility projects on campus recreation. I am also in a position whereby I interact with the administration, academic deans, department chairs, business & finance colleagues, etc. on a frequent basis. This allows me to build relationships with these individuals and to form strategies whereby campus recreation might be able to assist them in meeting their goals and objectives. The more we can assist other units to achieve their objectives, the more valuable we become to the university.
I serve as an advisor to the Committee for Fee Allocation, a group of 11 students that makes allocation recommendations for in excess of $17 million of student fee revenue. Campus Recreation has a budget of approximately $7.3 million and approximately 77% of the revenue comes from student fees. In addition, I am in frequent contact with our student government president and vice presidents, Residence Hall Association president, Panhellenic and Interfraternity Council officers, etc. All of these contacts have the potential to benefit campus recreation.

7. Many professionals lose touch with the students as they move up the administrative chain in their recreation department. What efforts do you make to stay connected to the student population and to your student employees?
This year I had my administrative assistant schedule individual appointments with all the full-time employees and graduate assistants working for campus recreation so I could meet with them to talk about their needs and desires as an employee, and to gauge how we are meeting those needs as a department. This helps me get to know the employees better and I believe helps them feel connected to all levels of administration in our campus recreation department.
As for staying connected to student employees, it is difficult. I have asked staff members to take pictures and provide background information on their upper level student employees. By doing so, it helps me put names with faces and allows me to talk with them on a more personal level. In addition, Vicki Highstreet and I have a student seminar that meets once per month with our graduate assistants and undergraduate students that have indicated an interest in learning more about a career in campus recreation. I also meet biweekly with the Campus Recreation Advisory Council, which is a group of 12 students and 3 faculty/staff members, to get their input on our programs, services, facilities, policies, budget requests, operating procedures, etc. We are also developing a Student Employee Council that I will meet with once per month, beginning with the start of the spring semester. As much as time permits, I speak to student employees during their staff trainings.

8. How has this job enabled you to accomplish other life goals?
I am an extrovert; therefore, I enjoy meeting and interacting with people. My jobs have certainly put me a position to do that on a frequent basis. I know colleagues from around the nation and often get together with them during my vacation and/or professional travels. I also enjoy physical activity and participating in activities offered by campus recreation. This allows me to view our department from the participant’s perspective, which I have found to be both valuable and enjoyable. As examples, I led one of our sailing trips to the Bahama Islands, have participated in the faculty/staff intramural golf league for 28 years, continue to assist with the administration of extramural events held on our campus, play noon basketball, jog, hike, ride a bicycle, etc.

9. How would you encourage students to deal with employees who are not meeting expectations and departmental standards?
First, I would make sure the employee understands the expectations. If they do and they are not meeting the expectations, assuming one is in a supervisory role, meet with them one on one to discuss their work performance. Don’t assume the employee understands that he/she is not meeting expectations. Ask questions to determine the employee’s level of understanding of what is expected of them. Assure them that you want them to be successful. Identify the deficiencies and together develop a plan of action to help them improve work performance. Once the plan has been agreed upon, hold the employee accountable. Acknowledge and praise improved work performance. However, if performance does not improve address that as well. Realize that you may not successfully improve work performance for all employees. If that is the case, be honest with the employee and let them know their employment is being terminated. In some cases, termination of employment may motivate them to perform better in their next job.

Thank You Stan and Good Luck in 2009!