Welcome to the Director Download, powered by Campus Rec Magazine.
It’s time to go behind the curtain of the director role and have honest discussions with leaders in the campus recreation industry.
Host Grady Sheffield, the director of campus recreation at Towson University and the senior advisor to the Campus Rec Mastermind Groups, gives you the listener real and authentic conversation between himself and special guest, Josh Downing, the previous director of Recreation and Wellness at Butler University.
With four years in his director role, and 16 at Butler, Downing has seen and experienced a lot. In fact, the well-being lens has led to a big shift in not only Butler’s strategic plan, but in the ways Downing leads as well. He and Sheffield dive into their rich, intertwining history in campus recreation. They also discuss the Okanagan Charter, and much more in the conversation that follows.
Show Notes from the Conversation with Josh Downing
- From 1995 to 2006 Downing was at this same school — which is where he met Sheffield.
- What 1548 has to do with sleeping on a floor and a curtain.
- As a whole, NIRSA has done this for Downing throughout the years — and what he hopes he can do for others in the profession.
- What is the Okanagan Charter and what does it have to do with Butler’s strategic plan?
- University of Alabama Birmingham was the first one to do this.
- Why Downing thinks the U.S. higher ed industry has been slower to adopt this charter.
- The power of collective impact at Butler and Downing’s role in the campus-wide well-being initiative.
- How the well-being lens has changed the way Downing leads and his role as a director.
- Sheffield shares how he had to encourage the team to shift to a “why” mindset when bringing in well-being to the campus recreation mission.
- The approaching demographic cliff means a rethinking of your facility may be necessary.
- How well-being is becoming a top-selling point.
- Downing speaks on the staff experience and how having it be powerful is key.
- They discuss titles and could those be changing?
