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EPPLEY INSTITUTE FOR PARKS AND PUBLIC LANDS ANNUAL REPORT 2009 – 2010 Department of Recreation, Park, and Tourism Studies

EPLY Annual Report FY10

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Eppley Institute for Parks and Public Lands at Indiana University Annual Report for fiscal year 2009-2010

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Page 1: EPLY Annual Report FY10

EpplEy InstItutE for parks and publIc lands

AnnuAl RepoRt2009 – 2010

Department of Recreation, Park, and Tourism Studies

Page 2: EPLY Annual Report FY10
Page 3: EPLY Annual Report FY10

The mission of the Institute is to partner with recreation, park, and public land organizationsto enhance access, choice, and quality of natural, cultural, and recreational experiences.

The eppley InsTITuTe prIdes ITself on ITs core values and goals. Mission

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Our Commitment to Our StakeholdersThis year’s eppley Institute annual report continues our tradition of commitment and accountability to our many stakeholders including Indiana univer-sity officials, department of recreation, park, and Tourism studies faculty members, our many partners and sponsors who fund much of the operation of the eppley Institute, and to the profession of park, rec-reation, and public lands management. This effort is important as the eppley Institute continues to grow, change, and emerge as a national leader in profes-sional training and technical assistance.

The annual report gives readers insight into how the eppley Institute addresses the needs of the next generation of leaders in our field, as well as the greater needs of the nation and state. This year is again one of growth in a number of projects, amount of funding received, and important recognition of the Institute’s programs and services. however, as

always at the eppley Institute we continue to emerge, change, and grow based on our values of inquiry, responsiveness, unity, improvement, excellence, and accountability.

We are proud of the work we do on behalf of our university, department, and profession. We are prouder still of the accomplishments of the many students, communities, and professionals we impact. We hope that after reading this annual report, you will have a better understanding of the eppley Insti-tute and our continuing role in parks, recreation, and public lands management.

Indiana ProjectsIt has been a busy, productive year for planning and design projects at the Institute. as parks and recre-ation departments across the country seek innovative ways to balance their budgets and serve the public, many agencies turn to the master planning process to help set their strategic direction for the facilities and programs they offer. although the state of Indiana requires communities to develop park and recreation master plans in order to qualify for special fund-ing, more and more departments are embracing the planning process as an opportunity to address today’s tough challenges.

The eppley Institute encourages communities to make the master planning process rich and valuable – not to rush through it and merely “check the box.” some of the strategically-driven agencies working with the Institute include:

•The Town of Montezuma, IN: Work on the Montezuma parks and recreation Master plan concluded in spring. This was the town’s first master plan for parks and recreation and it set the stage for the organization to grow and to establish identity in the community.

•The City of Wabash, IN: Institute staff are work-ing with citizens and officials in this community to update the existing plan, published in 2004. The project was launched in spring. a burgeon-ing downtown, improved infrastructure, and expanding partnerships help set the stage for an exciting parks department in coming years.

•Hendricks County, IN: recently initiated, this project will update the county’s latest master plan. hendricks county is one of the fastest growing counties in the nation, making the update even more valuable. This plan will address trail connectivity, economic impacts, and the role of a county-level department in ensuring ad-equate service for all of its constituents.

The Eppley Institute for Parks and

Public Lands Staff

To anoTher year of groWTh and progress.WelCoMe

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RPTS – EPLY Collaboration and Work Effortsover 2009 – 10, the eppley Institute was asked to contribute to the department of recreation, park, and Tourism studies in a variety of continuing and new roles that totaled over $215,680 in assistance or direct subsidy to the department. The continued contributions were enabled when the department agreed to continue the fifteen year practice of re-turning its share of indirect revenues to the eppley Institute as reinvestment in the Institute and these projects.

•GA Appointments: eppley appointed two gradu-ate assistants at full costs totaling $52,558. These individuals assisted in various projects of the na-tional park service, carmel clay parks and rec-reation, Indiana dunes national lakeshore, and the city of Wabash, In, among other projects.

• Assistant Scientist Appointed: chair david compton appointed the first ever research scientist in department with the collabora-tion of the eppley Institute, which contributed $16,417 in benefits and salary to the position. In exchange, dr. Kiboum Kim assisted eppley with many survey research projects, including fundamentals and the facility Manager leaders program return on Investment analysis for the national park service.

• Seminar in Organization Leadership: once again, steve Wolter taught this and other organizational leadership efforts for the department, increas-ing his and the department’s reputation in this important area ($6,377 in student credit hours).

• Strategic Plan Development: The eppley Institute staff assisted dr. compton and a team of rpTs faculty members in developing the rpTs strate-gic plan as part of the effort to maintain nrpa

accreditation. eppley not only provided person-nel but facilitated and managed the project as requested ($6,702 value).

•Distance Education MS Degree in Parks and Pub-lic Lands – faculty approved this degree in late spring 2010 after six years of work and research by the eppley Institute staff. The de expertise of the eppley Institute staff allowed them to develop a course of study, two new proposed graduate courses, and a curriculum that is hoped to be approved by the Iu-B campus and offered in spring 2011 ($15,465 value with potential revenue of $45,000: $204,000 per year depend-ing on registration of up to forty students).

•Certificate in Heritage, Conservation and En-vironmental Interpretation: Working off of the national park service Interpretive development distance education platform, the eppley Insti-tute was able to partner with dr. doug Knapp

We WIll Be The fIrsT source for advancIng KnoWledge In parKs, recreaTIon, and puBlIc lands organIzaTIons WorldWIde.

Vision

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and nps personnel to create a twenty-four credit undergraduate certificate. With a plan to gain Iu-B approval in fall and offer classes in spring 2011, this certificate could generate as much as $146,000 – $256,000 annually in revenue for the rpTs department, depending on the number of registered students ($10,890 in value).

•NRPA Booth and Attendance: eppley staff attend-ed, presented, and provided a booth at nrpa this year, helping to raise rpTs visibility and ef-ficacy at this annual conference and contributing $3,425 to the costs incurred by rpTs.

• IPRA Booth and Attendance: staffing the Ipra booth to gain visibility for rpTs and eply cost $4,456, but resulted in higher visibility and net-working for both units.

•Courses in Practicum at GLPTI: The Institute generated $3,598 in tuition dollars and allowed students to gain valuable exposure to event plan-ning, internships, and potential employment with public agency representatives attending the great lakes park Training Institute.

•Committee Service: eppley staff members at-tended numerous committee and other group meetings, including faculty meetings, school distance education committee meetings, rpTs strategic planning meetings, and others valued in total at $1,847.

• Indirect Revenues: Indirect revenues were gener-ated for the school and department totaling over $119,000.

•other contributions included assistance with fac-ulty grant proposals, tourism development, and programs with the eppley Institute contributing $1,300 to rpTs in staff time and supplies.

Contribution ValueGA Appointments $52,558

Assistant Scientist Appointed

$16,417

Seminar in Organization Leadership

$6,377

Strategic Plan Development

$6,702 value

Distance Education MS Degree in Parks and Pub-lic Lands

$15,465 value

Certificate in Heritage, Conservation, and Environmental Interpretation

$10,890

NRPA Booth and Attendance

$3,425

IPRA Booth and Attendance

$4,456

Courses in Practicum at GLPTI

$3,598

Committee Service $1,847

Indirect Revenues $119,000

Other $1,300

Total Return on Investment

$215,680

W. Edwards Deming Awardnational park service (nps) of-ficials and the eppley Institute for parks and public lands’ executive director, steve Wolter, met in Washington, d.c., on april 19, 2010, to accept the prestigious W. edwards deming award for their collaborative efforts on the

national park service (nps) facility Manager leaders program (fMlp).

The W. edwards deming award is granted annually to a deserving organization of the federal government that has put into practice a workforce development and training program that has quantifiably increased the organization’s overall performance. “considered the father of the Total Quality Management move-ment, dr. deming leaves a body of work that has been described as the third stage of the Industrial revolu-tion. his teachings engaged all levels of employees in regulating quality control. unheard of at the time he promoted them, deming’s theories on quality control sparked the renewal of Japan’s economy following World War II and launched the total quality man-agement movement. dr. deming trained thousands of people worldwide in his theory and in the tech-nologies of total quality management and statistical process control.” (http://graduateschool.edu/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=136&Itemid=492 September 3, 2010 12:06 p.m.)

The W. edwards deming award is recognized by the graduate school, a renowned organization that has provided workplace development training and services to the public sector since 1921. The nps and the eppley Institute now join the honorable ranks of past recipients of the deming award, including the u.s. air force, the u.s. department of housing and ur-ban development, the u.s. environmental protection agency, and the u.s. naval surface Warfare center.

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New Eppley Senior Fellows 2009 – 10 marked the first addition of senior fellows to the eppley Institute for parks and public lands since the Institute began in 1993. after a careful review and vetting by current senior fellows, three noteworthy leaders from the field of parks, recreation, and public lands management joined the eppley Institute and were inducted as senior fellows, including:

Sandra Whitmore •M.s., recreation and parks administration,

Western Illinois university

•director alexandria, va parks, recreation, and cultural activities

• superintendent, northbrook, highland park, and Winnetka park districts, Il

• leader in the national recreation and park association

Glen Alexander •M.B.a., university of chicago

• executive director of naspd

•director of ohio state parks

• positions held with state park agencies and the national park service

Ruth Russell •re.d., leisure Behavior, Indiana university

• professor in recreation, park, and Tourism stud-ies at Indiana university

•author of numerous textbooks and articles on recreation

• served in professional positions in park and rec-reation agencies for the city of san diego

The senior fellows represent the eppley Institute for parks and public lands in various settings and assist with projects as their schedule and time allows. con-tributions in the form of blogs, course development, and contacts, as well as presentations and articles, are often provided by the senior fellows. With current members represented (below), the senior fellows are expected to assist the Institute in 2010 – 11 as time and talent allows.

Eppley Institute senior fellows (current)

Bert Brantley • ph.d., university of north carolina

• professor emeritus, parks, recreation, and Tour-ism Management, clemson university, served as department head for twenty one years; and interim dean, college of forest and recreation reserves

• served as president of nrpa and spre

• service to other national professional groups as well as south carolina government bodies

• professor and chair Indiana university for seven years

Bruce Hronek •M.l.s., law, university of district of columbia

law school•national forest supervisor •usfs district ranger •Wilderness desk officer in Washington d.c. • faculty member at Indiana university

Tony Mobley •re.d., leisure Behavior, Indiana university• executive director of the national recreation

foundation •dean of school of health, physical education,

and recreation at Indiana university• leader in park and recreation field in various

academic and board positionsJim Peterson •M.s., recreation and park Management, Indiana

university• professor, recreation and park administration

Indiana university •recreation extension agent for

purdue university • former superintendent of municipal recreation

and park agenciesJim Ridenour •Ms, recreation and park administration,

Indiana university•Ms, public administration, colorado university•director, national park service •director, Indiana department of natural re-

sources• first director of the eppley Institute for parks

and public lands

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Fundamentals Program Cycle Draws To Close: Summative Evaluation and Program Assessment PublishedThe national park service (nps) fundamentals Training program serves as the foundation for nps career employees, creating opportunities for agency understanding, work excellence, and commitment to fulfill the national park service’s mission. a five-unit course of study developed in 2000 – 2001 with Indi-ana university’s eppley Institute for parks and public lands, the fundamentals Training program life cycle drew to a close in 2009 – 10 with the completion of an eppley-conducted survey and assessment. after several successful years, this $500,000 annual research and service contract had been a staple of the eppley Institute from 2001 – 02 to 2009 – 10.

This project provided an overview of the nps fun-damentals Training program over its several years of operations. The eppley Institute based the research method for the nps fundamentals Training program survey and needs assessment on social science re-search models involving survey and phone interview techniques. The eppley Institute for parks and public lands conducted the research to get an overview of the nps fundamentals Training program.

The main findings from the research include:

•a high overall satisfaction level with the nps fundamentals Training program e-courses.

•acceptable satisfaction levels for the nps funda-mentals Training program in general.

•over half of the employees who completed one e-course planned to attend the final classroom-based course, nps fundamentals v, within one year.

•over half of the surveyed supervisors felt that all new employees should attend the nps funda-mentals Training program within the first three years of employment.

• supervisors supported employee attendance at the nps fundamentals Training program.

• supervisors typically considered benefits to the agency and agency work load when deciding to send employees to the nps fundamentals Train-ing program.

other findings include:

• supervisors served as critical sources of infor-mation about the nps fundamentals Training program for employees.

• program participants and non-participants indicated that supervisory support is the most important factor that affects whether they attend the nps fundamentals Training program.

•agency workloads should be considered when staff schedules the nps fundamentals Training program classroom courses in order to increase attendance rates.

•non-participant nps employees lacked sufficient information about the nps fundamentals Train-ing program.

The eppley Institute published the final report in the summer of 2010.

Staff FocusAndrea MercatanteBorn in detroit, Michigan, andrea completed her B.a. in political science at Wayne state university and then came to Indiana university to work on her M.s. in recreation. she spent her final year as a student at the eppley Institute as a graduate assistant and was then asked to step into a project Manager position upon graduation. she has worked on both training and planning projects, including the facility Maintenance career academy (fMca) project. This project tapped her creativity as she developed both a training model and a website.

The gary (Indiana) department of parks and rec-reation Master plan project was the first project that andrea saw from start to finish. her contributions to this successful project included research, field work, technical writing, and the development of a grant proposal.

how has eppley been of benefit to andrea? “It has provided me with opportunities to visit new places and meet people from a variety of backgrounds. as a result, my professional ‘network’ has increased fifty fold. It is these connections that will prove invaluable in the years to come.”

did you know? Andrea has snor-keled at the Great Barrier Reef and later dined on loin of kangaroo. “It was delicious!”

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Eppley Website Redesignover the course of the last year, eppley’s website has undergone some major changes. The previous web-site, having been developed about five years ago, was showing its age. additionally, eppley had extended its services, resulting in a situation where there were separate websites for different business areas. While this was one of the reasons behind the site redesign, integration of sites was not the only goal.

The goals for the new website were quite simple.

1. provide site visitors information on Institute identity, competencies, and processes.

2. provide visitors familiar with eppley more infor-mation about the Institute’s current activities.

3. Integrate the elearning site with the traditional website and provide elearning users a stream-lined and easy – to – use process for purchasing elearning products.

4. Make the site easy to update and scalable enough to allow growth into new service areas.

Our MethodThe biggest technical problem with the previous sites, and the most challenging part of this project, was get-ting the systems to work together. eppley’s technical staff, with the assistance of the open source commu-nity around these systems, was able to fully integrate the shopping cart and learning management systems. as a result, eppley now has a website that is easy to update; a course catalog that is powerful, flexible, and scalable; and a learning management system that provides access to materials with no delay following a purchase.

The new website is not just about the nuts and bolts. The site is both visually appealing and easy to use. By keeping the content on the site fresh and adding sections for news, blogs, and resources, eppley is able to provide a wealth of information to the park and recreation community.

Results to Dateeppley has realized an increase in site traffic, with users spending more time on the site and viewing more pages per visit. on the e-commerce side, there has been an increased conversion rate (percentage of users who purchase a product) and an increase in the average transaction amount. as time goes on, eppley expects to see increasing traffic as well as improved lead generation. The next step is to focus institutional efforts on marketing activities to leverage this new platform. Through effective communication, the website will become a powerful tool as eppley con-tinues to exhibit leadership in the park and recreation community.

Comments on the Website

• Lisa wrote... “given that the eppley Institute is a leader in developing high quality e-learning academic and job training courses, their new website naturally practices what they preach. It’s combination of imagery, motion, and a breadth of resources is [sic] presented in a clear but engaging way that entices visitors to learn more about their pro-grams and services.”

• James wrote... “This is my first opportunity to visit the new site. I like the way it is structured. a lot of informa-tion that I would have missed on the old site is now easily accessible. It’s a great tool... Thanks.”

Staff FocusStephanie FenstermakerBorn in fort Wayne, Indiana, stephanie completed her B.a. in communication arts and graphic design at the university of saint francis and is cur-rently working on her Mfa at Indiana university. as a graphic designer at the eppley Institute, she enjoys the challenge of working on both classroom and on-line course projects, including the asset Management for superintendents project – a classroom course. on this project, she contributed multiple components that came together to form the final piece.

The Interpretive coaching Tutorial was one of her most challenging projects because it involved many different types of graphics, including icons, photos, and headers. The project was intense, but her profes-sional and creative efforts came directly into play, and she was able to give a cohesive look to the entire project.

how has eppley been of benefit to stephanie? “ep-pley has been a great place to be a graphic designer, because it has allowed me to work on both web and print materials within a friendly, team-focused envi-ronment. The experiences here will only further my skills as a graphic designer for my next adventure.”

did you know? Stephanie really enjoys antiquated methods of creating art and owns mul-tiple vintage cam-eras and a working printing press from the early 1900s.

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Carhart Center for Wilderness TrainingThe eppley Institute and the arthur carhart national Wilderness Training center have entered their third year of partnership, collaborating on the develop-ment of a suite of online courses aimed at enhancing the ability of federal employees to manage the 756 congressionally-authorized Wilderness areas in the united states. Instructional topics include natural resource Management in Wilderness, Minimum requirements analysis, cultural and paleontological resources Management, and the four cornerstones of Wilderness. To view these courses, go to http://car-hart.eppley.org. for more information on the carhart center and wilderness stewardship in general, visit www.wilderness.net.

Indiana Dunes National Lakeshorepartnerships between the eppley Institute and orga-nizations in northwest Indiana continue to grow. In-stitute staff are collaborating with the national parks conservation association to produce a strategic plan for Indiana dunes national lakeshore and the sur-rounding community. The effort will provide a long-term vision for the park, its neighbors, and the entire calumet region to help enjoy, protect, promote, and leverage the unique resources of the Indiana dunes.

In a related project, the eppley Institute is working with the national park service to host a series of community meetings with towns and neighborhoods adjacent to the Indiana dunes national lakeshore. over the past year, the Institute facilitated three such meetings in which over one hundred people each participated. additional meetings are planned for upcoming months. overall, civic engagement such as the kind used here will not only enable park managers to undertake more collaborative projects with local residents but will also help establish a growing base of support for the protection of the Indiana dunes.

NPS Interpretation Training In partnership with the national park service, the eppley Institute develops online courses to supple-ment the Interpretive development program. The Idp is a mission-based training and development curriculum designed for interpreters in the national park service or any other agency. The eppley Insti-tute currently provides six online courses on interpre-tation competencies, which are available to the public on the eppley Training site at www.eppley.org.

The eppley Institute has also developed an advanced program with the national park service to certify interpretive coaches in the agency. The program not only provides instruction on the complexities of interpretation but also integrates principles of teaching and learning, so coaches can be as effective as possible. additional courses are developed on an ongoing basis.

Participation In order to maintain high levels of accountability, excellence, and responsiveness to our partners, the Institute maintains Basecamp, our information shar-ing site, which has allowed eppley to become more effective communicators, both internally and exter-nally. our new website has created additional interest in and made access to information and courses more efficient. Through the eppley Institute’s many rich partnerships, an increasing number of individuals received critical professional training, engaged with their community, and became better stewards of our parks and public lands. In fiscal year 2010 alone more than 18,965 participants directly benefited from participation in an eppley Institute program or course.

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FinancialsThe eppley Institute for parks & public lands’ fiscal year (fy) ran from July 1, 2009 to June 30, 2010. The year was extremely successful despite reduced base funding by Indiana university. The future projects less funding but higher demand in eppley services suggesting a major realignment in 2010 – 11.

The eppley Institute receives limited support from hper and the department of recreation, park, and Tourism studies, about $76,000 for the execu-tive director’s salary. all other operational costs, including rent, utilities, support staff, etc. is derived from funds raised by the eppley Institute for direct expenditures from grants and contracts, or the eppley Institute share of indirect revenues generated from these grants and contracts.

July 1sT, 2009 To June 30Th, 2010

finAnCiAls

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Eppley Project Awards 2009 – 2010 Fiscal Year

Partner Project Total AwardNational Park Service Park Facility Management Division

The Eppley Institute (EPLY) provides training and education courses related to the Facility Management Program (FMP) using various vehicles of delivery. The Facility Management Leaders Program is a year long program, created and sup-ported by EPLY, that supports leadership and competency development for facility managers. The Trainer Development Program provides support for the Facility Management Program national and regional training workforce through pro-gression and assessment to continue enhancement of the Facility Management Program. EPLY also provides help desk support, with no longer than a twenty-four hour turnaround period, for all of our FMP training courses.Total $1,225,418

National Park Service Research

Assateague Island National Seashore OverSand Vehicle Zone User Survey $11,087

Total $11,087

National Park Service Learning & Development

New Superintendent’s Academy StudyRevision Control and Updating E-course Curriculum Relating to the Project Scoping ToolComplete Needs Assessment Analysis for Low-Density Career Fields within the NPSCreation and Maintenance Support for E-course Curriculum Relating to the Questions and Answers, Briefing, Effect, and Capability Statements (QABECS) SystemOverall Course of Study Learning Management System for NPS New Superintendent’s Academy “Moodle Mirror” Learning Management SystemUpdate Online Course Fundamentals of Financial ManagementNew Superintendent’s Academy Moodle SiteUpdate Online Course Fundamentals of Financial Management

$8,022$20,000

$8,300

$60,000

$4,000$16,500$18,000

$2,000Total $136, 822

National Park Service Interpretive Development Program

Interpretive Development Program Distance Learning ProgramInterpretive Development Program Flight 93 National MemorialDevelopment of an Online NPS Partnership CourseInterpretive Development Program Flight 93 National Memorial

$116,000$10,000$30,000$30,000

Total $186,000

City of Montezuma, IN Montezuma Master Plan $8,000Total $8,000

City of Gary, IN Gary Parks & Recreation Master Plan $5,000Total $5,000

City of Wabash, IN Master Plan Update $18,650Master Plan Update $900Total $19,550

USDA Forest Service – Carhart Center Distance Education Course Development General Work Plan $157,000Total $157,000

National Parks Conservation Association/Center for Park Management

NPS Management Capacity $39,800

NPS Scorecard Training and Education Project $56,000Indiana Dunes Strategic Plan $55,000Total $150,800

Total $1,899, 677

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The National Impact of EppleyThe eppley Institute’s impact on individuals and the profession is national in scope. Individuals taking training courses, blended learning e-courses, and other programs come from everywhere in the united states. The map depicts where the students are lo-cated and attend training for two of our primary pro-grams facility Manager leaders program and Trainer development program, and where eppley staff have delivered services through site visit(s).

all across The unITed sTaTes of aMerIca

iMpACt

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Julie a. abramsamanda K. abrellMichael l. BakerMatthew s. Berrycory l. Bougher

Jeffrey J. Bransford nona f. capps

zachary J. carnageystacey l. doyleJulia B. erwin

stephanie r. fenstermakerchad d. green Jacob a. gube

Jeremy hackerdemily c. harrison

elizabeth Irwin Michael Johnson

Kiboum Kimallene lowreyMilo lamar

Kelli a. Marketchristy J. Mccormickandrea e. Mercatante

Ian p. oehlerJc parmley

dennis rogersMichael J. stamperandrea r. Titzer carol a. Watson

Kim Watsonaaron r. Wells

nathan e. WilliamsMatthew T. Wolfstephen a. Wolter

EpplEy InstItutE for parks and publIc lands

stAff