SUPPORT STAFF OF THE SCHOOL OF RECREATION AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION/KINESIOLOGY
In a professional preparation degree program such as Recreation Management, the work of the administrative/support staff is multi faceted, and requires a broad range of skills and knowledge. Before the wide spread use of computers, much of the work would have been typical secretarial responsibilities such as typing, copying, and filing. The staff worked together servicing the needs of the administrators, physical education and recreation faculty, and athletics coaches. Individuals providing support services at that time included Grace Gertridge, Twylla Lutes, Linda Sanford, Janet Illsley, Marie Davison, Doris Ross, Ardith Lance, Mary Lou Muttart, and Carol Fletcher. Carol started at Acadia in 1975, primarily supporting the coaches and athletic department until the late 1980s when she accepted a position as the administrative assistant at the Recreation Resource Centre where she served until 1996. At that time, she moved over the Student Services Department where she remained until retiring in 2015.
By the early 1980’s, with the advent of personal computers, and evolution of the degree programs, the responsibilities of the administrative assistants were becoming more plentiful, diverse, and demanding. There was content knowledge required as well in the academic disciplines of Physical Education and Recreation (PER) as well as Athletics. A review in 1985 led to a separation of the athletics and the academic programs. Certain staff were assigned primary responsibility for athletics, physical education, or recreation. The nature of the Director positions was becoming increasingly complex as well and so support staff were assigned to the Directors (Athletics and PER). Lorna Ffrench served as the administrative support person for James Bayer until she transferred to the Presidents office. Vicki-Lynn Eisnor came on board in 1986 and served the Directors of Athletics and the School. Cathy Walsh was next to occupy that role before she transferred to the Presidents office, followed by Rosie Hare. By this time, the Athletics Department had relocated to the new Arena Complex where Krista Robertson served as the administrative assistant. Rosie moved on to serve as support to senior administrators, and Kim Vaughan assumed responsibility as administrative assistant to the Director of the School as well as the Recreation Management program.
Karen Naugler was hired to the support staff team 1984 and assumed responsibility for the Recreation Management program. Diane Burns served the physical education faculty until she accepted a position at Kingstec and was replaced Lisa Caldwell in 1988. Lisa remained in the position for 15 years until 2003 when she went to work at the Registrars office as an Information Specialist. Lisa was replaced by Krista Robertson, an Acadia graduate, who was serving on campus as a dining hall manager. Krista worked in the School for 7 years before she transferred to the Department of Athletics in 2010 to assume the role of Office Manager and Administrative Assistant to the Director.
Only 2 individuals have served as the primary support staff member to Recreation faculty from 1984 until 2012: Karen Naugler and Kim Vaughan. Karen Naugler joined the PER staff team in 1984, having worked in 13 different offices across campus. After serving in the position for 20 years, in 2004 she went to work as the administrative assistant at the local United Church. The position was filled by Kim Vaughan, who came to Acadia from Minas Basin Pulp and Paper, and who served as the support person until the program transitioned to Community Development in 2012. She holds a diploma in Accounting Technology from the Nova Scotia Community College. Kim currently serves as the administrative assistant for Kinesiology.
The roles and responsibilities associated with that position changed dramatically over the years. In terms of providing support to recreation faculty, for Karen this involved a great deal of typing of course outlines, exams, reports, manuals, academic papers, and minutes. Such materials often required photocopying, distribution, and filing. With the increasing use of desktop computers throughout the 80s, Karen was heavily involved in teaching faculty basic computer skills such as word processing. Budget planning and management was another time-consuming task. In addition, time was spent assisting faculty with such activities as Spring Camp, the Orientation and Graduation Breakfast events, and department barbeques and banquets; helping to coordinate course field trips and practicum placements; and providing support to the student association with endeavours which included such activities as planning workshops and conferences, attending conferences, newsletter production, and fund raising. Support staff also played an important role in student advising and registration by preparing materials, liaising with other departments, and meeting with students. Staff were frequently called upon to provide assistance to faculty teaching within the PER building with trouble shooting when communication technology was not working in the classrooms. Karen and Kim also served as the receptionist for the building given that their office was located at the entrance, which meant directing visitors, responding to student queries, dealing with delivery personnel, and conversing with faculty who frequently the reception area.
An additional challenge that Kim faced, owing to the timing of her service, was keeping abreast of rapidly the changing technology not only in order to assist faculty to adapt to the changes, but also to integrate it into her own work. Staff were responsible for the development of computerized record keeping systems, and the management of online financial systems, course registration, and student grades. Kim also had to master various technical skills in order to build and maintain websites, and other social media and communications platforms. Learning about, and adapting to, technological change occurred in addition to fulfilling all the other duties noted previously.
Both support staff, during their respective periods of employment, spent countless hours beyond regular working hours, in order to complete their growing volume of work. This meant that they were often the first in the building in the morning and/or the last to leave at night. Both Karen and Kim were mothers of young children, who regularly took time away from family for their jobs. They also were engaged in the broader community, Karen as an instructor at Nova Scotia Community College, and Kim as a volunteer with many facets of the Girl Guide community. Although many of the work tasks that they took on fell outside the requirements of their job description, both considered it their responsibility to support the faculty and 100+ students in all facets of their work when called upon to do so. At the year end events, including the Student Banquet and the Graduation Breakfast, the students collectively and individually often expressed their appreciation to Karen and Kim, acknowledging the central role the staff member had played in their success and the attainment of their degree. Many have continued to have contact with these two administrative assistants, years after graduation, which is a testament to the centrality of their role within the unit and the Acadia Recreation family.
Karen Naugler was hired to the support staff team 1984 and assumed responsibility for the Recreation Management program. Diane Burns served the physical education faculty until she accepted a position at Kingstec and was replaced Lisa Caldwell in 1988. Lisa remained in the position for 15 years until 2003 when she went to work at the Registrars office as an Information Specialist. Lisa was replaced by Krista Robertson, an Acadia graduate, who was serving on campus as a dining hall manager. Krista worked in the School for 7 years before she transferred to the Department of Athletics in 2010 to assume the role of Office Manager and Administrative Assistant to the Director.
Only 2 individuals have served as the primary support staff member to Recreation faculty from 1984 until 2012: Karen Naugler and Kim Vaughan. Karen Naugler joined the PER staff team in 1984, having worked in 13 different offices across campus. After serving in the position for 20 years, in 2004 she went to work as the administrative assistant at the local United Church. The position was filled by Kim Vaughan, who came to Acadia from Minas Basin Pulp and Paper, and who served as the support person until the program transitioned to Community Development in 2012. She holds a diploma in Accounting Technology from the Nova Scotia Community College. Kim currently serves as the administrative assistant for Kinesiology.
The roles and responsibilities associated with that position changed dramatically over the years. In terms of providing support to recreation faculty, for Karen this involved a great deal of typing of course outlines, exams, reports, manuals, academic papers, and minutes. Such materials often required photocopying, distribution, and filing. With the increasing use of desktop computers throughout the 80s, Karen was heavily involved in teaching faculty basic computer skills such as word processing. Budget planning and management was another time-consuming task. In addition, time was spent assisting faculty with such activities as Spring Camp, the Orientation and Graduation Breakfast events, and department barbeques and banquets; helping to coordinate course field trips and practicum placements; and providing support to the student association with endeavours which included such activities as planning workshops and conferences, attending conferences, newsletter production, and fund raising. Support staff also played an important role in student advising and registration by preparing materials, liaising with other departments, and meeting with students. Staff were frequently called upon to provide assistance to faculty teaching within the PER building with trouble shooting when communication technology was not working in the classrooms. Karen and Kim also served as the receptionist for the building given that their office was located at the entrance, which meant directing visitors, responding to student queries, dealing with delivery personnel, and conversing with faculty who frequently the reception area.
An additional challenge that Kim faced, owing to the timing of her service, was keeping abreast of rapidly the changing technology not only in order to assist faculty to adapt to the changes, but also to integrate it into her own work. Staff were responsible for the development of computerized record keeping systems, and the management of online financial systems, course registration, and student grades. Kim also had to master various technical skills in order to build and maintain websites, and other social media and communications platforms. Learning about, and adapting to, technological change occurred in addition to fulfilling all the other duties noted previously.
Both support staff, during their respective periods of employment, spent countless hours beyond regular working hours, in order to complete their growing volume of work. This meant that they were often the first in the building in the morning and/or the last to leave at night. Both Karen and Kim were mothers of young children, who regularly took time away from family for their jobs. They also were engaged in the broader community, Karen as an instructor at Nova Scotia Community College, and Kim as a volunteer with many facets of the Girl Guide community. Although many of the work tasks that they took on fell outside the requirements of their job description, both considered it their responsibility to support the faculty and 100+ students in all facets of their work when called upon to do so. At the year end events, including the Student Banquet and the Graduation Breakfast, the students collectively and individually often expressed their appreciation to Karen and Kim, acknowledging the central role the staff member had played in their success and the attainment of their degree. Many have continued to have contact with these two administrative assistants, years after graduation, which is a testament to the centrality of their role within the unit and the Acadia Recreation family.