the pulse march 2015
DESCRIPTION
The Official Newsletter of the Ontario Association of College and University Housing Officers.TRANSCRIPT
THE PULSETHE NEWSLETTER OF THE ONTARIO ASSOCIATION OF COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY HOUSING OFFICERS
MARCH 2015
GEORGE BROWN COLLEGE selects Campus Living Centres to operate its first student residence
SOURCE: Campus Living Centres via newswire.ca
Board of Directors
The Communications Committee
PRESIDENTLaura Storey | Carleton [email protected]
ura
PRESIDENT-ELECT /FINANCE DIRECTORJulie West | University of Guelph [email protected]
PAST PRESIDENTChad Nuttall | University of Toronto Mississauga [email protected]
COMMUNICATION DIRECTOR Brian Cunha | University of Waterloo [email protected]
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DIRECTORMatthew Harris | York University [email protected]
MEMBERSHIP ENGAGEMENT DIRECTORBrian Ingoldsby | University of Guelph [email protected]
CONFERENCE DIRECTORBrittany Reifenstein | McMaster [email protected]
CORPORATE PARTNER RELATIONS DIRECTORColin Ryrie | Brock [email protected]
SENIOR-LEVEL MEMBER AT LARGEGlenn Matthews | Western [email protected]
MEMBER AT LARGEMike Porritt | McMaster University [email protected]
MEMBER AT LARGESamantha Wiebe | University of Waterloo [email protected]
TH
E P
ULS
E DIRECTORBrian Cunha
CONTRIBUTORSDrew SimonHeather Lang
THE PULSE EDITORSVictoria GadonAlison KavanaghLyn-Marie FarleyKatie CalcaterraLaura Mammone
THE HISTORY PROJECTGlenn MatthewsMatt WaghornAndrew Quenneville
- 2 -
Table ofContents
march madness
getting to know ACUHO-I
EDITOR Brian Cunha
checking out
4
12
5
- 3 -
- 4 -
W
President’s Message
March Madness hat are you doing to bring your department together with only 4ive weeks left before the end of exams? It's March. And there is a bit of "madness" in the air... If you're anything like us at Carleton University in the Housing and Residence Life Of4ice you've done your own March Madness pool that involves an endless amount of heckling, awards, upsets and cheering.
As a self-‐proclaimed sports nut and lover of NCAA Basketball I've made it my mission to get everyone in the department involved in the ridiculous tradition of 4illing out a bracket. It's a change in routine; the four minutes on a Friday morning when we talk about how Iowa State ruined our bracket has brought our group together again. We're de4initely having fun together as a team.
The unpredictable nature of March Madness plays perfectly into what we're going through right now. All of the preparation, research and training you put into your best picks likely didn't matter when it came down to game time. Like our jobs in Housing, we can prepare, research and train all we want -‐ each scenario is different and unique. We take the time now to re4lect on our learning and put that into action for our next round of assignments, changes to facilities and residence life.
My learning: The process is as much fun as the outcome. We can be content that we've come this far, enjoy the year, the team and the experience for what it is. We can embrace the March Madness and enjoy the end of this cycle.
Until next time. Go ‘Zags,
Laura StoreyOACUHO President P.S. Well done to those in top spots in the OACUHO March Madness pool!
The unpredictable nature of March Madness plays perfectly into what we're going through right now.
“
”
Checking OutBelieve it or not, the end of the current academic term is near. While are students are looking to moving out and checking out, our staff are sometimes checking out in their own right.
- 5 -
his =me of year is always busy as we gear up for the next year’s teams in hiring. Considering those who are leaving is equally important to keep at the forefront of our thinking as we remind ourselves that the year is not over. Students transi=oning out of the role may need liHle to no addi=onal support or they may require support more than they ever have previously. Living in the present can become a mantra for some folks needing to keep that energy going for the last leg of the journey. To gain some firsthand student-‐staff perspec=ve, I’ve interviewed one of my Dons, Lauren Sproule. She’s gradua=ng this year, and is now experiencing what we’ve all, at some point, experienced before – the transi=on out of Residence Life / Post-‐Secondary Studies. Take a read and remember back to your own last moments as you exited from a team or a role that you loved… Welcome Lauren! Can you give us a bit of background as to your involvement in Residence Life?I’ve been fortunate enough to be a Res Life employee for two years now. In my first year I served as the Don of Leadership and Learning Opportuni>es, which essen>ally means that I was responsible for the forma>on and leadership of the Residence Council, who were then in turn responsible for planning events for the en>re residence. In my second year with Res Life, I have been working as a
House Don, responsible for the care and management of about 45 students, as well as a Res Life Project Assistant which requires me to work with the RLCs in the planning and comple>on of special projects.So you've worked for Residence Life for 2 years now and are graduaDng this summer, what are your plans? Well Tammy, my current plan as it stands is to take the quintessen>al grad trip to Europe followed by a year of working with Residence Life at another post-‐secondary ins>tu>on in an effort to broaden my horizon. It would be a much needed break aPer 18 straight years of being in school, before hopefully jumping into graduate studies in Bri>sh Columbia. You've seen the excitement of the returning Dons now that hiring is finished, and you're on the outside of this for the first Dme -‐ can you describe how you felt, or perhaps sDll feel?Truthfully, completely relieved. I remember how incredibly anxious and tense I was while wai>ng to hear of my placement for the 2014-‐2015 school year and it was such a tremendous weight off my mind to not have to be concerned this >me around. I was very curious to learn of what the new teams would be and excited for my colleagues, but mostly relieved to not be losing my mind with worry.
Interview with an outgoing student-staff member: How to manage the transition Madness
Tammy Douglas York University [email protected]
T
Checking Out
- 6 -
In your Dme here, I'm sure you've had or heard of teammates who have, in the transiDoning out of Residence Life, 'exited early'?I’ve both heard of and seen staff members who become exhausted as the year comes to a close. They lose their energy and eagerness, and as a result, their programming becomes >red. If you had a chance to say or do something in hopes of impacDng those persons in a posiDve way during the last weeks of the term, what would that look like? I would just say to the staff what I say to myself any>me I am tempted to take the easy way out or “half-‐ass” my Don du>es, which is that we have the opportunity to make the last month of the school year the best month yet, and wouldn’t it be a shame to let that opportunity pass?What, if anything, do you catch yourself doing or thinking differently now that the end of the year is steadily approaching?My priori>es tend to take a bit of a shiP, which is something I no>ced was tremendously different from my first year as a Don. I some>mes catch myself making sacrifices or cu[ng corners because of an honest lack of >me. If I’m on duty the same night I have an event as well as an assignment due, I’ll do a quick round that is probably less thorough than ideal because I’m eager to get back to my event or school work. I find myself weighing my op>ons in terms of what is important to my educa>on in rela>on to my final weeks of my undergrad. What advice would you like to give student-‐staff who will be in your shoes next year?The most effec>ve way for us to influence our residents is to be a posi>ve role model. For example, if we want our residents to follow the rules and treat one another with care and respect, we must first do the same. We, as Dons, cannot hold our residents to a higher standard than we hold ourselves. However, in terms of leaving Res Life behind, I would advise my peers to focus their energy on iden>fying the numerous ways being a Don has benefi^ed them as well as the transferrable skills they have gained. It’s going to be difficult to depart from such a suppor>ve environment,
especially one that is so comfortable. But it is impera>ve that we honour all that Res Life has taught us to be: op>mis>c, resilient, and open-‐minded individuals, who are constantly moving forward. The end of the Don role, where many say the experience has been 'life changing' or has made an impact on one's life can look a lot like the grieving process when the Dme to transiDon out arrives. Do you think that is the case for you?I am beyond grateful for the experience I have had as a member of Residence Life, and would fully agree that my
>me as a Don has been truly life-‐changing. However, I’m not saddened by the end of my >me here at York. I’ve had an incredible four years that I wouldn’t trade because they made me who I am today, a person I am happy to be. My gra>tude exceeds any sadness I feel because I know that I will keep in touch with the people who I’ve grown to care deeply about who will allow me to relive our best moments with Res Life. I’m certain that there will be >mes that I will
miss my life as a York Don, but I’m too thrilled to be looking forward to look back with anything but the highest regard. Do you think your feelings on leaving are linked to feeling prepared for the next step and already having plans in the works for the next couple years?Absolutely! I sincerely believe that Residence Life has had a tremendous impact on who I am and the outlook I have on life. They have brought to the edge of a cliff and set me up, not to fall, but to jump headfirst into the possibility of the future, fully equipped with a back-‐pack of resources filled with all the resilience and posi>vity I will need aPer gradua>on. What can we do as professional staff to assist in your transiDon out of your role as a Don? Throw me a massive, over-‐priced party and create an award in my honour.I’ll see what we can do. Any closing thoughts? I am genuinely unaware of how I found joy in my university experience before I became a Don. To this day, I cannot pin-‐point a single person or moment that made me feel half as alive as my >me as a Residence Don.
Lauren Sproule
- 7 -
t was April 2013, and as the student staff member scheduled for a checkout shiY, I came prepared with my clipboard, checkout form and pen. Akin to any other checkout at Western, I began to make my way through the checkout mo=ons: the washroom fixtures were intact, the student’s bedroom was leY in a cleanly manner, and the common area of the room was clear of damage. Alas, I reached the last step of the checkout form, a signature from the student. As I leaned against the wall, I felt a poster slightly give way. Slowly, I ran my hand behind the poster and found that there was a sizeable hole hidden carefully behind it. Upon further inspec=on I found similar holes behind a few other posters in the room. Checkouts on the front lines can be complex, and filled with surprises as illustrated above. However, we some=mes pay liHle mind to the complexi=es of checkout processes at our respec=ve ins=tu=ons and the esprit de corps between func=onal areas of Housing programs. Recently I had the opportunity to sit down with Ruta Lawrence, Assistant Director of Residence Admissions at Western University, to gain a beHer understanding of checkouts from an admissions perspec=ve. Ruta explained that the checkout process at Western has changed significantly during her =me with the admissions team. Originally, checkouts were largely handled building-‐to-‐building where the Front Desk teams would process paper work and apply respec=ve charges. This process was =mely, decentralized, and resulted in inconsistencies. Ruta shared two words to describe the changes she has seen over the course of her career, streamlining and automa=on.
Checkouts: An Admissions Perspective
I
Checking Out
Andrew Quenneville Western University [email protected]
- 9 -
Following the checkout process, two members of Western’s Front Desk team receive the paper forms from the nine residences at Western and immediately begin to input damage charges. Ruta explained that these charges are documented by two sources: student staff members and members of Western’s Facili=es Management team. Focus is placed on combining this informa=on, making sense of differences and conver=ng informa=on into an electronic format. ThereaYer, her team endeavours to invoice students for damages as quickly as possible. Ruta commented on the =meliness of this process as being important to her team, as it can be challenging for students to connect an invoice with a damage that occurred months earlier. I asked Ruta to share some of the challenges faced by her team over the course of her career and how they have gone about remedying these challenges. Ruta explained that her team has been inten=onal about elimina=ng the challenge of students checking out of residence and accidentally removing elements of the room that belonged to the University. For example, students at Western were provided with ethernet cables before the switch to a wireless internet service. OYen, students would mistakenly pack these cables with them at the =me of their departure from residence. Ruta laughed while recalling that her team would oYen receive parcels containing these cables and other items accidentally removed from rooms.
Another challenge Ruta iden=fied was the year-‐to-‐year assessment of the threshold for charging students for damages. She gave the example of a residence room with four students and the difficult decision of whether or not to assign the students in the room a shared damage fee of $30. While these costs add up, Ruta recognized that a balance needs to be struck between charging students for damages and the =me spent assigning, billing, and reconciling these damages. Ruta concluded with placing emphasis on checkouts being a year-‐long process. She shared that when students move in to residence they are encouraged to fill out the Residence Inventory Condi=ons Checklist, which allows them to iden=fy any pre-‐exis=ng damages in their residence room. ThereaYer, Residence Staff at Western encourage their communi=es in an ongoing manner to take care of themselves, each other and this place. This take care moHo drives a culture of community and caring, that results in a great track record of minimal damages at the close of the academic year and reduces the workload on Ruta’s team. Ruta spoke with pride, and closed by commen=ng on the success achieved by students taking care of their community, and the excitement gained by working with student staff and young professionals year-‐to-‐year. So what will the future of checkouts look like? Ruta remarked about the importance of cri=cally reviewing the process each year and making the call of when to assess damage charges as a source of consistent change for her team. As the checkout process for 2015 is about to begin, Ruta’s team is just beginning to flip over their next poster!
- 10 -
- 12 -
t is hard to believe but it is the =me of year again. The =me of year that reminds us that summer is around the corner, and with that the opportunity to fill our buckets with new knowledge, new networks and new professional goals. Throughout my career within both residence life and student life, I have been fortunate enough to get involved with a number of professional development opportuni=es hosted by the Associa=on of College and University Housing Officers-‐Interna=onal (ACUHO-‐I). I accredit a great deal of my professional growth to this associa=on and am beyond thankful for the learning, opportuni=es and colleagues ACUHO-‐I has brought into both, my professional and personal lives. As both a proud Canadian student affairs professional and ACUHO-‐I member, it is my hope that by learning more about this incredible associa=on, that the OACUHO membership will con=nue to make use of the larger ACUHO-‐I
opportuni=es and help to showcase the great work happening at Canadian ins=tu=ons on the interna=onal stage.
Below you will find a series of informa=on
about ACUHO-‐I and upcoming ways to get involved. If you have any ques=ons or would like to learn more please do not hes i tate to contact me at
What is ACUHO-‐IThe Associa=on of College and University Housing Officers-‐Interna=onal is more than 1,000 member campuses, as well as more than 250 product and service providers, all dedicated to crea=ng educa=onal and enriching residen=al experiences on campuses located around the world. ACUHO-‐I empowers these efforts through informa=ve events and programs, invaluable resources, and an invigora=ng professional network. (hHp://www.acuho-‐i.org/)
Shari WalshHumber Institute of Technology & Advanced Learning [email protected]
I
Canadian Delegation at ACUHO-I in Washington DC
Getting to know ACUHO-I
- 13 -
What does ACUHO-‐I have to offer? As an associa=on that services the full menu of college and university based housing opera=ons, ACUHO-‐I provides a large variety of engagement opportuni=es and professional development which includes but is not limited to: conferences, online learning, access to the online library, ins=tutes and publica=ons. ACUHO-‐I uses a model of Core Competencies to provide professional development to its membership and works to ensure all aspects of residence life and housing opera=ons are reflected. Core Competencies include: -‐ Ancillary partnerships -‐ Conference servicesCrisis management -‐ Dining services -‐ Evalua=on and planning -‐ Facili=es management -‐ Fiscal resources and control -‐ Human resources -‐ Informa=on technology -‐ Occupancy -‐ Resident educa=onal services -‐ Student behaviourWhy get involved in ACUHO-‐I Jen Gonzales, Director of Student Life at Ryerson University I aHended my first ACE in Atlanta as the winner of the OACUHO New Professional Scholarship. I was impressed with the breadth, depth, and calibre of leaders that were behind ACUHO-‐I as an organiza=on, and how welcoming they were to new professionals. I par=cipated (and won) the New Professional case study alongside Sarah Burley, which was judged by Patrick Love, met Jack Collins on a Mar=n Luther King Jr. learning tour of Atlanta, and went to a session facilitated by Norb Dunkel. All three are ac=ve scholars and leaders in housing. Being in a space of scholarly leadership inspired me to see our profession as much more than managing my building and staff team on my campus, and opened up the possibility of seeing my work as academically relevant. Perhaps most valuable,
I got to know other talented Canadian housing delegates and s=ll access this group of professional exper=se today. Chad Nu^all, Director, Student Housing & Residence Life at University of Toronto MississaugaI appreciate the network that I have developed being connected to ACUHO-‐I. One advantage of ACUHO-‐I is the size. The ACE conference is huge and there a tons of members and vendors to connect with and build rela=onships with. Over the years I’ve aHended some really good sessions – however the rela=onships I’ve developed with vendors and other housing professionals has been so valuable. ACUHO-‐I is really, really good at what it does. I con=nue to be impressed with ACE, the various Fall conference and the CHO ins=tute. There is also a tremendous opportunity to add value and contribute through ACUHO-‐Is interna=onaliza=on process. Get involved and help add an interna=onal voice – ensure there is a strong “I” in ACUHO-‐I. Annual Conference Each year ACUHO-‐I hosts its Annual Conference & Exposi=on (ACE). Each year this interna=onal conference brings in delegates from ins=tu=ons across the globe and provides excep=onal educa=onal sessions and networking opportuni=es. The ACUHO-‐I ACE is a fantas=c professional development opportunity. Within your ACUHO-‐I ACE experience you will have the opportunity to par=cipate in: -‐ Keynote Speakers -‐ New AHendee Orienta=on -‐ Educa=onal Sessions -‐ Engagement Opportuni=es -‐ Exhibit Hall -‐ ACUHO-‐I Business Mee=ng -‐ Closing BanquetI hope to see you in Orlando, Florida on June 26-‐30th!
hHp://www.acuho-‐i.org/events/ace
Ontario Association of College and University Housing Officers312 Oakwood Crt, Newmarket Ontario, L3Y 3C8 Telephone: 905-954-0102 Fax: 905-895-1630