Ending the perception of article elitism.

in reviewing professional recreation magazine articles at the state and national levels, the lack of self-criticism is startling.

After receiving the last NRPA magazine it occurred to me that, at least for the past few years, the trend in the NRPA Magazine is to have articles heavy on the professor/graduate student and distinguished professional side and that there is a lack of representation of the views of the average NRPA member. I wondered, does this magazine unintentionally promote article elitism?

I decided to call the NRPA to find out. Upon calling the NRPA staff explained to me that in 1996, 27% of the feature articles were written by professors and if you count joint authorship it rises to 57%.(1) In fact of the 31 authors and coauthors only two were CLPs or a little less than 3%.(2) And why I asked doesn't the NRPA magazine get more member articles? The NRPA staff says that they advertise for articles in several places, but few come in from the general membership. It seems hardly any NRPA members: other than professors, graduate students, and distinguished professionals submit articles to the magazine. Yet, most of us would agree, this magazine is a product of its members and should share their writings, thoughts and opinions.

If one holds the point of view that we need more articles from the "average member" then it is important that we identify the average member. So the next question I asked was, what is the most common job title of members and the average salary of members? Unfortunately, the NRPA doesn't know this information. It should. How can we talk of the magazine being a product of its members when we don't even know who they are? One staffer offered the opinion that the average salary would probably be in the $20,000 range, which was probably calculated at 23,000 members divided into the dollars that come from membership dues.(3)

Fair enough, but what are the concerns of the average member making $20,000 a year? Does the NRPA magazine reflect those concerns? We need more input from the bulk of members subscribing to this magazine and, although there is a definite need for professional "how to" articles, we need more hard-hitting articles that focus on self-examination and self-criticism of the profession. In reviewing professional recreation magazine articles at the state and national levels, the lack of self-criticism is startling. One would think that the profession exists in a perfect world without any problems.

Therefore, fellow members I offer a few topics and issues as a start for your consideration in the hope that some of the 23,000 members will write in and promote much-needed discussion and dialogue in our profession. I offer some of these topics and issues as ones that we hear whenever recreation professionals have the opportunity to share casual conversation about the profession and their jobs, such as:

* How can we reverse the public perception that all we do is hand out basketballs or just work in the summer?

* What is the level of violence and abuse professionals are subjected to in recreation facilities and what is the response of the local police when there is a problem?

* Why can't recreation professionals get a livable wage?

* Are colleges and universities losing students in recreation curriculums and if so what can be done to reverse the trend?

* Do entry-level professionals have any protection from unscrupulous politicians and directors or is it "my way or the highway"?

* Why can't the profession standardize job titles and salaries like other professions have done over the years?

* What can colleges and universities do to provide needed technical support and research useful to recreation agencies and especially front line staff?

* How can we open the lines of communication at all levels among professionals working in different environments?

Finally, drawing attention to problems and issues in the field is just as important as sharing information about what works and what doesn't in other areas. Isn't creating a dialogue between people from different points of view and bringing people together in a community one of the central philosophies of recreation agencies? Usually it is encapsulated in agency mission statements--let's practice what we preach. So, let's get busy members and send in your thoughts, even if it is a short letter to the editor, and articles to this magazine. Also, if you like, please send me a copy of what you send to the NRPA. I'd be real interested in hearing from you. My address is Jim Stamborski, City of North Miami Parks and Recreation Dept. 776 N.E. 125th St., North Miami, Florida 33161, or e-mail me at: [e-mail].

(1.) The number of feature articles written by professors remains at 27%. Of those feature articles (written by professors), 57% had joint authorship. The majority of feature articles are still written by park and recreation professionals (48%).

(2.) Unfortunately, NRPA's information was incomplete; only two of our authors specified that they were CLPs. Upon further investigation, we found that 13 of the practitioner authors (16%) were designated either CLP or CTRS. Professionals can also be certified through their state, information that NRPA is not always able to track on our database.

(3.) NRPA does actually have information profiling its members in the form of a Comprehensive Salary and Benefits Study and a Membership Survey. A new Membership Survey is in the works this year.

RELATED ARTICLE: Editor's Response

Mr. Stamborski makes some very valid and timely points. In an effort to learn more about our contributors--and, thus, create a base of well-balanced, pertinent feature articles--the staff of Parks & Recreation recently conducted an analysis of its authors for 1996, the results of which we shared with Mr. Stamborski.

While we believe that we have a well-rounded balance of authors, readers of Parks & Recreation should realize that representing the diverse needs and interests of the parks, recreation and leisure profession is a challenge. We are constantly striving to bring recreation professionals and citizen advocates (you) information and applications that help you do your job. Covering subjects as diverse as: programming for at-risk youth; designing a new facility; passing a local bond issue; enlisting volunteers; maintaining a safe playground; incorporating parks and recreation in the local tourism market; and many others requires input from our members.

NRPA is an association created to represent your interests and assist you in your role in the parks and recreation field, whether it be student, professional or citizen advocate. Parks & Recreation magazine is the main source of information and dialogue between those in the field, as well as NRPA and its members. In order to accurately reflect this profession's interests, knowledge, concerns, and successes, this publication must hear from you. We envision Parks & Recreation as an interactive tool for you.

We encourage all readers to share their ideas, experiences, accomplishments, techniques, and opinions. There are several places within this publication for your submissions. In addition to feature stories, submissions are welcome for "From the Field," "People," "News," and "Viewpoint." We applaud Mr. Stamborski's initiative, and hope that his enthusiasm spreads among our other readers.

For more information on making a submission to P&R, contact: Jeannie Barrell NRPA, 2775 S. Quincy Street, Suite 300, Arlington, VA 22206, or call: [phone]