Report from the 59 th Annual Cortland Recreation Conference 2009 Dr. Eddie Hill, Conference Advisor The 59 th Annual Cortland Recreation Conference ( Destination Rec-GREEN-ation ) held November 5-6, 2009 was planned, implemented, and evaluated by eight students in the spring class and fall class. This number of students proved to be quite effective. They performed at an outstanding level! Highlights: 37 educational sessions and 12 research sessions were presented. 50 registrants paid for and received CEU s. 215 professionals and students attended the conference (109 students, 106 professionals). Of the professionals, 48 were alumni of Cortland. 26 exhibitors had tables for the internship/exhibit fair. The Metcalf Endowment Keynote Speaker was Ms. Fran Mainella, former superintendent for the National Park Service. The topic was National Parks: America s Best Idea. The lecture was well attended (approx. 160 people) and well received. The lecture was co-sponsored by the Metcalf Foundation, the Campus Artist and Lecture Series, and the Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies. Two pre-conference workshops were offered, of which, one filled (Inclusion U) and one (LNT) was cancelled due to lack of registrants. The All-Conference Social was hosted by the Alumni Association and the Cortland College Recreation Association. The Alumni Advisory Committee, the Central New York Recreation and Park Society, and the Metcalf Foundation Board all held their annual meetings at the conference. Changes from recent years: The entire conference was based on sustainability. The class took measures such as re-using last year s (and 57 th ) folders, centerpieces, evaluations, etc. All conference proposals and resumes were submitted electronically and stored as such. Hosted the first Research Symposium. Four blocks, containing three sessions, were extremely well received. Each person offered a 15-minute presentation, followed by five minutes of Q & A. Offered an opening General Session on Climate Change, and a positioned the Metcalf Keynote as the last conference offering. Created REC 527/528 for graduate students. This year, there were 49 walk-in registrations. One post-conference workshop, Laughter Club, which was also successful with 12 people in attendance. Mailed reminder cards that the Alumni Newsletter was on-line. o These, unfortunately, went out too late (partly due to confusion with how bulk mailing should be done with cards). Continued some procedural changes from the previous conference o In-house production of logo o In-house printing of program o Use of web-page for program and registration information o Continued bundling meals with registration Other changes: o Provided free internship site/exhibitor tables to anyone who wanted them, who also registered at full rate for the conference. o Had the internship/exhibit fair in the Function Room along the back and side areas. o Raffle raised $401 for the Metcalf Endowment. General Recommendations for Future Conferences:
Mail reminder card [alumni newsletter] at the end of August, if possible. Consider using senior seminar students instead of general volunteers (see 54 th Annual CRC). There is much more accountability and a much higher level of performance. Continue to offer free exhibit tables with full conference registration Be consistent with presenter registration fees. This year, we ended up reducing the cost to only $35.00 for presenters due to some discrepancies in what presenters had paid in the past. The $35.00 fee seems to be appropriate. Consider reduced, group rate for outside colleges (proposed $25.00 for ten or more). Increase attendance/accountability of conference class for attending daily meetings by having daily/intermittent submissions (with points attached). For example, daily participation points, typed copies of what of their job has been completed by that class period. Consider publishing on-line conference proceedings from the Research Symposium. Consider eliminating the use of the textbook, since it was not used over the past two years.
58 th Annual Cortland Recreation Conference 2008-2009 Report Patrick Mercer, Instructor Theme of the conference: Reaching for Recreation Metcalf Endowed Keynote Speaker: Carol Ash, Commissioner, NYS Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation Number of educational sessions offered: 48 Students in the conference class: Brandon Seymore of Camden, N.Y., conference co-coordinator, internal services, exhibits, and internship forum Tommy Gill of Scipio Center, N.Y., social services and program support Kevin Green of Cortland, N.Y., program coordinator and special speakers Jennifer Smiley of Phoenix, N.Y., conference co-coordinator and registration and tracking Emily Kishbaugh of Unatego, N.Y., program design and printing, office manager, and volunteer coordinator Nate Smith of Greene, N.Y., bulk mailing, public relations, and marketing
Report from the 57 th Annual Cortland Recreation Conference 2007 Dr. Wayne Stormann, Conference Advisor The 57 th Annual Cortland Recreation Conference, held on November 1 st and 2 nd, 2007, was successfully planned and executed by 6 undergraduate recreation majors. Every phase of the conference was given full attention by the Conference Planning Class. The conference theme, Time to Recreate, was reinforced by 40 conference sessions and a particularly inspirational keynote address. The conference, as in the previous year, hosted approximately 350 professionals and students with nearly 40 exhibitors in attendance at the Internship/Exhibition Fair. The All-Conference Social featured the Cornell Swing Dance Club instructing participants in swing dancing and Vitamin L, a diverse group of nine Ithaca area singers, provided the entertainment during Thursday s All-Conference Luncheon. The Metcalf Endowment Keynote Speaker, Ms. Cathy O Keefe, delivered a message entitled, When Time is More Than Money. Over 300 professionals, students, and interested individuals from the Cortland and campus communities attended the lecture. Co-sponsors for the lecture were the Metcalf Foundation, the Campus Artist and Lecture Series, and the Department of Recreation, Parks and Leisure Studies. As has been an on-going tradition, the Alumni Advisory Committee, the Central New York Recreation and Park Society, the New York State Therapeutic Recreation Association, and the Metcalf Foundation Board all held their annual meetings at the conference. In the end, the 57 th Annual Cortland Recreation Conference has helped maintain the long-standing tradition of a student-directed conference begun by Dr. Harlan Gold Metcalf while he was Chair of the Recreation Education Department at the State University of New York College at Cortland. Dr. Harlan Gold Metcalf
Report from the 56 th Annual Cortland Recreation Conference 2006 Dr. Wayne Stormann, Conference Advisor The 56 th Annual Cortland Recreation Conference, held on November 2 nd and 3 rd, 2006, transpired in a manner that one alumnus cast as flawlessly delivered. This description of the conference and its actualization was the result of the maturity and attention given the planning and execution of the conference by 11 undergraduate recreation majors. Every phase of the conference was given their full attention beginning with the conference theme, Focus on Recreation: A Closer Look at Health, Commercialism, and the Environment. The students placed a special effort on the substance of the conference sessions and were able to find presenters of high quality. The conference sessions were demarcated into the three thematic tracks of the conference to enable attendees to follow a specific theme throughout the two-day conference. The conference, as in the previous year, hosted approximately 350 professionals and students with nearly 40 exhibitors in attendance at the Internship/Exhibition Fair. The All-Conference Social featured Colleen Buchanan instructing participants in ballroom dancing and Dryden High School s a cappella group, Beyond Measure!, provided the entertainment during Thursday s All-Conference Luncheon. The Metcalf Endowment Keynote Speaker, Dr. Gerald S. Fain, delivered a message entitled, Global Civil Society: The Despairing Optimist. Over 300 professionals, students, and interested individuals from the Cortland and campus communities attended the lecture. Co-sponsors for the lecture were the Metcalf Foundation, the Campus Artist and Lecture Series, and the Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies. As has been an on-going tradition, the Alumni Advisory Committee, the Central New York Recreation and Park Society, the New York State Therapeutic Recreation Association, and the Metcalf Foundation Board all held their annual meetings at the conference. In the end, the 56 th Annual Cortland Recreation Conference has helped maintain the long-standing tradition of a student-directed conference begun by Dr. Harlan Gold Metcalf while he was Chair of the Recreation Education Department at the State University of New York College at Cortland.
Report from the 55 th Annual Cortland Recreation Conference 2005 Dr. Sharon Todd, Conference Advisor The 55 th Annual Cortland Recreation Conference ( Leisure Fever: Catch It! ), held November 3-4, 2005, was planned, implemented, and evaluated by nine students enrolled in the spring and fall special events planning class. They approached this educational endeavor with the enthusiasm and energy characteristic of their theme. Highlights: 43 educational sessions were presented across all areas of the field from 45 different speakers. Of the speakers, 21 were alumni. 57 registrants paid for and received CEUs. 354 professionals and students attended the conference (213 students, 169 professionals). Numbers were lower than the previous year, attributed to a significant drop in professionals (408 total for 2004, including 200 students and 208 professionals). Significant gasoline price increases after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita may have affected professional attendance. 32 exhibitors had tables for the internship/exhibit fair. The Metcalf Endowment Keynote Speaker, Dr. Deb Bialeschki, delivered a lecture entitled Making a Difference: The Power of Recreation. The lecture was well attended (approx. 300 people) and well received. The lecture was co-sponsored by the Metcalf Foundation, the Campus Artist and Lecture Series, and the Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies. The All-Conference Social, hosted by the Alumni Association and the Cortland College Recreation Association (CCRA), featured entertainment by the a cappella group, Sons of Pitches. The conference class cooperatively sponsored this professional group s visit to campus with CCRA, the Student Activities Board (SAB), and Student Affairs. After performing a special 30-minute teaser during the Conference Social, Sons of Pitches gave a full-length concert in Brown Auditorium, which was free and open to the Cortland campus community, including Recreation Conference attendees. According to SAB, it was the best attended event of the fall semester. The Alumni Advisory Committee, the Central New York Recreation and Park Society, New York State Therapeutic Recreation Association, and the Metcalf Foundation Board all held their annual meetings at the conference. Changes from recent years: Due to renovations in Sperry Building, many Corey Union rooms were being used as large lecture classrooms, and were thus not available for the conference. Creative use of smaller spaces was an issue. This situation will continue for the next one to two years. Construction also limited parking to the 281 lot, with overflow at Big Lots. Great care was again taken in highlighting the Metcalf Endowment and all it does for the conference and department. Dr. Marcia Carlson eloquently addressed the Metcalf Keynote attendees on Gold Metcalf s impact prior to Dr. Bialeschki s lecture. Tours of the Alumni House were arranged throughout the conference. Procedural changes from the previous conference were continued: o In-house production of logo and printing of program. o Use of web-page for program and registration information. o Use of senior seminar class instead of volunteers. o Bundling of meals with registration. o Provision of free internship site/exhibitor tables to anyone who wanted them, if they also registered at full rate for the conference. o Had the internship/exhibit fair and professional roundtables right after lunch as a plenary session with dessert. o Held a live auction and 50/50 raffle, which raised $833 for the Metcalf Endowment. General Recommendations for Future Conferences: Mail alumni newsletter at the end of August and insert the conference brochure. Continue to offer free exhibit tables with full conference registration. Time the auction right after lunch on Thursday to guarantee a captive audience.
Though time-consuming to arrange, cooperative live entertainment and evening concert benefits both the conference and the college community. Consider raising the registration fee to counter significant increases in ASC catering prices. Work with Transportation Services to make bus shuttle experiences friendly for conference attendees as well as students.
Report from the 54 th Annual Cortland Recreation Conference 2004 Dr. Lynn Anderson, Conference Advisor The 54 th Annual Cortland Recreation Conference ( Creating Connections ), held November 4-5, 2004 was planned, implemented, and evaluated by six students in the spring class and four students in the fall class. Even with such a small number of students, they did an exemplary job with this educational endeavor. Highlights: 48 educational sessions were presented across all areas of the field from 62 different speakers. Of the speakers, 25 were alumni. 72 registrants paid for and received CEU s. 408 professionals and students attended the conference (200 students, 208 professionals). Of the professionals, 105 were alumni of Cortland. 32 exhibitors had tables for the internship/exhibit fair The Metcalf Endowment Keynote Speaker was Dr. John Dattilo. The topic was On Being an Enlightened Professional. The lecture was well attended (approx. 350 people) and well received. The lecture was cosponsored by the Metcalf Foundation, the Campus Artist and Lecture Series, and the Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies. The All-Conference Social was hosted by the Alumni Association and the Cortland College Recreation Association. The Alumni Advisory Committee, the Central New York Recreation and Park Society, New York State Therapeutic Recreation Association, and the Metcalf Foundation Board all held their annual meetings at the conference. Changes from recent years: Great effort in procuring speakers who were well regarded across all areas of the field, and were alumni of SUNY Cortland Great care in highlighting the Metcalf Endowment and all it does for the conference and department Increased marketing efforts to reduce walk-in registrations. This year, there were 62 walk-in registrations. Continued some procedural changes from the previous conference o In-house production of logo o In-house printing of program o Use of web-page for program and registration information o Using senior seminar class instead of volunteers o Continued bundling meals with registration Other changes: o Provided free internship site/exhibitor tables to anyone who wanted them, who also registered at full rate for the conference. We had a record number of exhibitors. o Had the internship/exhibit fair right after lunch as a plenary session with dessert o Held a live auction, which raised over $700 for the Metcalf Endowment General Recommendations for Future Conferences: Mail alumni newsletter at the end of August and insert the conference brochure. Continue using senior seminar students instead of general volunteers. There is much more accountability and a much higher level of performance. Prepare earlier how these students will help. Clear class contact time with instructor well in advance. Continue to offer free exhibit tables with full conference registration