Dear students,

 

I imagine it is hard for some of you to believe that…you are about to finish your college degree, while for others, you are starting a Master’s degree. I feel privileged to have the opportunity to work with you at these pivotal points in your life.  In the next year, many of you will be transitioning to situations where you’ll be challenged to figure things out in order to best serve your clients and get along with your colleagues.  I would like to challenge you to use this course as a stepping-stone to feeding your own curiosity and taking initiative in your learning process.  I look forward to getting to know each of you.

 

My goals in this class as your teacher are to: if you have fears about management, to dispel them, cover the basics, show you how management tools are used by recreation professionals, and give you an opportunity to practice those skills so that you will feel confident when called on to use them in your internships and careers.

 

My content goals for you as a learner are that you will take advantage of the opportunities in this class: to see how management tools can increase the quality of programs to better serve participants, and to build a foundation of basic management skills and knowledge.

 

My goals for you in your life and profession are that you will participate fully so that:

“Learning together strengthens the process for all”
 
 

 

 


It’s going to be an adventure!

RLST 5340/7340 Advanced Administrative Practices in Leisure Services             Fall 2003

Instructor: Gwynn Powell, Ph.D.                       Office: 353 Ramsey Center

Telephone: 542-4332                                       Class hours: M  6:30-9:00

Classroom: 203 Ramsey Center                        Office hours: T 1:15-2; M 6-6:30

E-mail: gpowell@coe.uga.edu               Other times by appt.

(30% of my time is research; 10% is public service)

 

COURSE DESCRIPTION (from University Bulletin): Techniques in budgeting and finance, personnel management, facility management, and public relations, as well as organizational theory and legislative issues. Prerequisite for RLST 5340: RLST 4870 or POD

 

Required Course Materials:

Quinn, R.E., Faerman S.R., Thompson, M.P. and McGrath, M.R. (2002). Becoming a Master

Manager: A Competency Framework, 3rd Ed. New York: Wiley. (ISBN 0-471-00744-7)

Registration for a professional conference…one day at the student rate.

 

Recommended Course Materials:

Sawyer, T.H. and Smith, O. (1999). The management of clubs, recreation and sport.  Champaign,

IL: Sagamore

 

Attendance and Due Dates: Attendance will be taken on a regular basis and reinforced by in-class quizzes, activities, discussion and skill development.  There is a strong connection between class attendance and comprehension of material and grade performance.  Make-up and acceptance of late work will be allowed for excused absences only. Excused absences must be cleared with the instructor in advance (e-mail/phone message acceptable), unless documentation is provided after an unexpected illness/emergency. Make-ups for any assignment that is collected or occurs during the class meeting will not be allowed for an unexcused absence.  In the case of an excused absence, the paper or a make-up written assignment for in-class activities is due the next class week. All assignments must be turned in at the beginning of class; otherwise, they will be considered late.  Late assignments will result in automatic lowering of the grade 10% for each 24-hour period.  This course requires a significant out-of-class time commitment. If you will be unable to complete an out-of-class assignment, you need to notify the instructor by September 8, so that an alternative assignment can be developed.  Students who do not notify me by that time will be held accountable for the assignments as designed in this syllabus.

 

Content Application and Exercises: Due to the nature of the class and the integration of content and application to work-place scenarios, it will be important to gain an understanding of the content quickly and at a steady pace.  Frequent quizzes will be used to help you stay accountable for the “learning” section of the assigned reading. In future careers, the application of information is the key, so this course will also give you the opportunity to apply the textbook content in written form. Your work will be collected weekly and used as a springboard for discussion and activities in class.  The two lowest quiz grades will be dropped (if class is missed, a score of zero will be entered).  If the absence is excused, the make-up quiz will be a detailed summary of the reading material assigned for that day.  It must be submitted within one week of the date missed or it will not be accepted.

Written assignments: All assignments (except your management portfolio) are to be TYPED, 1-inch margins, 12-point font, follow APA formatting guidelines (double-spaced, in-text references, reference list).  Spelling, grammar, and formatting mistakes will count against the overall grade of the assignment.  Take advantage of the computer services and writing center!

 

Academic Integrity: “Academic honesty is vital to the very fabric and integrity of UGA.  All students must comply with an appropriate and sound academic honesty policy and code of honest behavior (p37-38 Undergraduate Bulletin).”  “All students are responsible for maintaining the highest standards of honesty and integrity in every phase of their academic careers. The penalties for academic dishonesty are severe and ignorance is not an acceptable defense (A Culture of Honesty).” All academic work must meet the standards contained in "A Culture of Honesty."  Each student is responsible to inform themselves about those standards before performing any academic work.  See: www.uga.edu/ovpi   Please be aware, the most common mistake made by writers is that of paraphrasing without giving credit.  Make sure when you use information from another source that you give appropriate credit…direct quotes or ideas with reference.

 

Special Needs: Any student with special needs should speak to the instructor the first week of class.  Every effort will be made to effectively accommodate disabilities and special needs.

 

Course Assignments (5340):

Assignment

Percentage

Course Objectives

Content Quizzes and Management Application Portfolio

Discussion Participation

20%

C1-4, L1, L3

Public Policy Awareness participation & write-up

     ACC Commission (one)

     School Board meeting (one)

 

 

10%

 

 

C1, C3-4, L1-4

GRPA conference participation and write-up

15%

all objectives

Performance Review Project

10%

all objectives

Agency partnership:     

     Mentor application journal

     Case study write up and summary paper

35 %

all objectives

Comprehensive Reflective and Objective Final exam

10%

all objectives

 

Course Assignments (7340):

Assignment

Percentage

Course Objectives

Management Application Portfolio and Discussion Questions

Discussion Participation and Leadership

20%

C1-4, L1, L3

Public Policy Awareness participation & write-up

     ACC Commission (one)

     School Board meeting (one)

 

 

10%

 

 

C1, C3-4, L1-4

GRPA conference participation and write-up

15%

all objectives

Performance Review Project

10%

all objectives

Management Project:   

     Review & provide feedback on application portfolios

     Manage case study process, leadership paper

35 %

all objectives

Comprehensive Reflective and Objective Final exam

10%

all objectives

ASSIGNMENT DESCRIPTIONS:

More details will be discussed and rubrics will be provided as a guide.

 

5340 Only:

Content Quizzes: 

Each week there will be a quiz or in-class assignment based on the “learning” portion of each of the three competencies in each chapter of assigned readings. The purpose of the quiz is to reward you for studying and increase the quality of class discussions.

 

Agency partnership:

To strengthen your ability to apply the course content to real-world settings, each student will identify an agency.  You will need to find someone in a management position of a recreation agency (preferably in Georgia), and get their consent to serve as your mentor during the semester. This link will be an integral part of your learning opportunity and could be a springboard to your career.

 

7340 Only:

Discussion Questions:

Each week when there is a reading assignment, you are responsible for emailing me by 4pm on Friday two discussion questions you would suggest for the topics covered in the chapter.  The purpose of this process is to encourage you to think about the chapter in an integrative fashion. I will select one question for the class to discuss and you will have an opportunity and responsibility to lead a small group.

 

Manager Application Portfolio Reviews:

Each week when there is a reading assignment, you will review two-three undergraduate’s manager application portfolios and provide feedback for them (during their quiz time).  You will be held accountable for the quality of the feedback you provide them and be responsible for leading a discussion with your group about how the management role plays out in the assignment.

 

Case Study Management:

You will be responsible for coaching two-three undergraduates through the case study process: development, presentation, and recommendations.  You are accountable for the quality of the feedback you provide them.  You will be responsible for writing a reflection paper about your personal leadership style and the styles of the other members of your group.

Everyone:

Manager Application Portfolios

Each week when there is a reading assignment, a section of your manager application portfolio (in looseleaf notebook form) should contain documentation that you have completed the “assessment” and “analysis” portions for each of the three competencies in the chapter assigned for that class period.  This assignment can be hand-written (as long as I can read your hand-writing J).  Each week small group will discuss the chapter content, as an incentive, I will draw out of a hat a group and group member to summarize the discussion.  If a quality report is provided, the group members will receive 5 bonus points in the discussion section.

 

Public Policy Awareness participation & write-up: As a class we will follow the course of public policy in Athens-Clarke County.  Each student will sign-up for the appropriate number of meeting so that we can cover the meetings and communicate with each other about the discussions and actions. A summary report needs to be posted on Web-CT within two days of attendance (by Thursday noon or Saturday noon) to include: Topics (what were the issues debated regarding the topic), Process (how was the discussion managed), Decisions (what was the decision and possible result), Issues that could effect recreation and leisure services (think broadly …programming and life issues), Connections (what could RLST/rec club/UGA do to share our knowledge and improve our/their program).  Come to class the next week prepared to report on your experience.  Each week you need to read the web-ct posting to keep current.

-Attendance and write-up of one ACC Commission meetings: They meet the first and third Tuesday of every month, 7:00pm City Hall Commission Chamber 301 College Ave. 

-Attendance and write-up of one School Board Meeting: They meet the second Thursday of every month, 7:00pm and hold agenda setting meetings the first Thursday at 6:15pm, Administrative Offices 500 College Avenue.

 

GRPA conference (Tuesday-Thursday, Nov. 4-6) and presentation of interview findings:  As a beginning step toward professional involvement, attendance of at least one day of the conference is a course assignment.  The registration is $25, and the conference will be in Athens this year.   If you do not plan a career in the park and recreation field and know of another professional conference you prefer to attend, bring the instructor the conference brochure by September 15 for approval consideration as an alternative.

 

Performance review project: To provide you with an opportunity for real-world human resource practice, our class will be participating in the departmental initiative with Athens-Clarke County Leisure Services and Chase Street and Gaines Elementary schools.  The elementary students will be on campus for a one-day field trip (8am-2:30pm) on Wednesday October 14.  You will serve as a chaperone for that one day and accompany the students around campus. Your assignment is to observe how the school staff members and other program leaders around campus work with the children. You will choose someone you think is doing an outstanding job and someone who needs some help.  After observing them, you will be able to write up performance review document and come to class prepared to discuss how you would present that information to the person if s/he was your employee.

 

Final Exam: A comprehensive reflective and objective final exam will be given during the exam period.

 

Tentative Schedule

DAY

DATE

IN-CLASS TOPIC

ASSIGMENTS DUE

M

Aug  18 

Introductions & Course planning

Management History

In-class pre-assessments

 

 

Aug 21  (last drop/add day)

 

M

Aug  25

Intro to Competency Framework

De-brief Pre-assessments

Agency Diagnostic Overview

Chapter 1

5340--Agency mentor ideas

M

Sept  2

No Class: Labor Day Holiday

 

Wed

Sept 4

Welcome Back Picnic at Lake Herrick

Hope to see you there: 6:00-8:30

RSVP and bring food to share

M

Sept 8

Mentor Role

Network planning for Conferences

Chapter 2

 

W

Sept 15

Agency Overview Presentations

5340- Overview of your agency

Professional Talking Points

M

Sept 22

No Class: ACA Camping Conference

 

M

Sept 29

Facilitator Role

 

Chapter 3; Integration 1

Conference Reflections

M

Oct 6

Monitor Role

 

Chapter 4

M

Oct 13

No class: Intersession project

 

Wed

Oct 14

Chaperones for Intersession Trip

Be at Ramsey by 8am-done by 1:45

 

 

Oct. 15 (Withdrawal deadline)

 

M

Oct 20

Coordinator Role

Performance Review De-briefing

Chapter 5; Integration 2

Performance Review Paper

M

Oct 27

Director Role

 

Chapter 6

5340- Case Write-up (2 copies)

Th-F

Oct 30-31

Fall Break

 

M

Nov 3

Case Study Feedback Roundtable

5340- Engaged Presentation

M

Nov 10

Producer Role

Chapter 7

Conference Reflections

M

Nov 17

No class: GRPA

 

M

Nov 24

Broker Role

Chapter 8

5340-Case Summary Paper

RSVP to Brenda for banquet

W-F

Nov 27-29

Happy Thanksgiving!

 

M

Dec 1

Innovator Role

Chapter 9; Integration 3

7340-Leadership Reflection Paper

Fri

Dec 6

Recognition banquet-hope to see you!

At Georgia Center

M

Dec 8

Wrap-up and Reflection

Chapter 10

Wed

Dec 11

Final Exam: 7-10 pm

 

The course syllabus is a general plan for the course; deviations announced to the class by the instructor may be necessary. This syllabus is as accurate as possible at this time; any changes will be announced in class and communicated through e-mail. 

It is your responsibility to check the email address you have provided regularly.