Mid-Atlantic Association of College & University Housing Officers
M A C mUagazin H Oe
www.macuho.org
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SWING INTO SPRING
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
2014 - A WINTER TO REMEMBER BUILDING YOUR ARK: LESSONS ON FLOOD PREPAREDNESS MAXIMIZE YOUR EFFICIENCIES: THE INBOX AND OVERALL PRODUCTIVITY CONVERSATION
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Delaware • District of Columbia • Maryland • New jersey • Pennsylvania • West Virginia
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TABLE OF CONTENTS Save the Date
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From the President
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ARTICLE 2014 - A Winter to Remember
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Leadership Potential
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“Girls Just Wanna Have Fun”
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Evolving Education: The RA Selection Process
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Building Your Ark: Lessons on Flood Preparedness
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The Dream is Free but the Grind is Sold Separately…
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Maximize Your Efficiencies
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THIS ISSUE’S CONTRIBUTORS Crystal Lopez Joe Russo Lisa Nyinaku Jennifer Miburn Aaron Youmans Amanda Merson Rhett Burden
EDITORS Christina Moran Philadelphia University DESIGNER Ashley Murray Temple University
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GOLD -SPONSER-
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GOLD -SPONSER-
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2014 ANNUAL CONFERENCE
VA L L E Y F O R G E , PA
MARK YOUR CALENDARS DATE: NOVEMBER 5TH-7TH, 2014 LOCATION: VALLEY FORGE CASINO RESORT VALLEY FORGE, PA
REGISTRATION TO OPEN IN JUNE SEE YOU IN THE VALLEY!
MACUHO Mid-Atlantic Association of College & University Housing Officers
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APRIL 2014
FROM THE PRESIDENT Crystal Lopez - MACUHO President ACE Promo
STUDENT STAFF Apply for STARS 2014
MACUHO Represent! The Annual Conference & Exposition is
June 26-28, 2014 at American University in Washington, D.C.
taking place June 28-July 1, 2014 in Washington, D.C. This is
Applications must be submitted by
a wonderful opportunity to attend the conference because it
Friday, March 21, 2014 at 11:59pm
is in our region this year. Registration is open and discounts are available until May 14, 2014. There is a room block at the Marriot Wardman Park Hotel. Be sure to stop by the Regional Affiliates Reception for MACUHO & NEACUHO on
February Board Meeting Update
Monday June 30, 2014 at 6:15pm, location TBD. For more
The Leadership Council and Executive Board of MACUHO met
information, please visit http://www.acuho-i.org/events/ace.
on February 6-7, 2014 at the Valley Forge Hotel and Casino.
STARS Promo (From ACUHO-I website)
When we met, we had the opportunity to take a site visit and see all the facilities we will be using for our Annual Conference
STARS College is a three-day experience for undergraduate
this fall. This site is sure to meet all of our needs and is a great
students interested in learning about the student affairs and
location for conference attendees to have a great time! Many
campus housing professions. STARS College offers large
thanks go to Host Chairs Jennifer Thorpe and Liciana “Lulu�
group presentations, interactive activities, role play situa-
Kaliher for their hard work thus far. During our time together
tions, self-evaluation, and small mentoring groups to educate
as a council and board, we had the opportunity to discuss
participants about what a career in campus housing offers.
the upcoming summer meeting, MACUHO Branding and
Due to the demand for this program, those interested in participating in STARS College must first apply and be selected. STARS College accommodates 40-55 students who must have at least one full year of undergraduate study remaining after August of 2014. They must also demonstrate significant interest in campus housing, residence life, and student affairs through their involvement or work experience during their time as an undergrad. In addition, each participant must show commitment from an on-campus mentor who will play a vital role in continued mentoring and exposure to the field after STARS College has concluded. STARS College 2014 will be held at American University in Washington, D.C.
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Marketing, Recruitment efforts, and the Cooperate Sponsorship Program. We also had the opportunity to hear bids for MAUCHO 2015 Annual Conference given by Chad Henning of Penn State University. Lastly, as a group we worked to piece together next steps that focus on some strategic initiatives as planned for our upcoming 2014-2020 strategic plan led by Director of Strategic Initiatives, Josh Belice & Coordinator of Strategic Initiatives, Michael Schoch. Overall, it was time well spent being productive and taking the next steps towards making strides for MACUHO. A big thank you for those that put the meeting together and those who attended! Summer Meeting will be in June 2014; more information to follow.
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2014 - A WINTER TO REMEMBER ACUHO-I Sustainability Advisory Committee Contributors: Harriett Green-Sappington, Associate Director of Residential Life Facilities at the University of Missouri Joshua R. Belice, Community Director, University of Maryland Baltimore County Frances Watson Lengowski, AIA, LEED AP BD+C Associate, VMDO Architects Jill Ramirez, Coordinator of Sustainability Education, University of Arizona Hello Friends in MACUHO! We are representatives of the ACUHO-I Sustainability Advisory Committee, and we wanted to take the time to specifically reach out to our friends and colleagues in the great Mid-Atlantic after the challenging winter that affected so many of your campuses. Although it’s getting warmer and spring is in the air, we would like to pass along some thoughts to help prepare for the potential of next winter’s wild weather. Let’s face it; most campuses have an action plan for extreme weather like severe thunderstorms, tornados, and hurricanes. As housing professionals, we know that when the winds pick up or the power goes out that we will need to rely on our preparation. But, what about when your region falls under the deep freeze of a polar vortex like it did this winter? As a chilling reminder, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (2013), a polar vortex is a pattern of winds around the North Pole lasting longer than your typical cold snap. As a recent broadcast of Democracy Now (2014) with Amy Goodman and Jeff Masters explained: it’s windy, it’s cold, but it’s not new. What is different, however, are the cold’s extensive and far-reaching effects. Masters (2014) indicates that we can expect to feel the wrath of a polar vortex about every 20 years, so it is necessary for us as housing professionals to have a plan in place for extreme cold. To help our region think through the necessary provisions, we will examine two areas: personnel management and physical plant preparation. We recognize this is only the tip of the iceberg, however, and your experiences this winter can inform additional planning.
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Personnel Management As this year’s harsh winter progressed, members of the Sustainability Advisory Committee commiserated on the difficulty deciding who would be designated “essential” employees—those that need to come to campus regardless of weather conditions. In Residence Life, most of us understand that when events (natural or not) affect our populations, we are needed on campus. What do you do, though, when all-hands-on-deck is not possible? There are lessons to be learned from colleagues who frequently deal with inclement weather. Harriett Green-Sappington, Associate Director of Residential Life Facilities at the University of Missouri and one of our authors, has several tips as you look to make plans at your institution. Because the notion of essential/nonessential staff designation is relatively "new" to us in terms of severe temperatures/ snow/ice, we initially defined all custodians and maintenance personnel, along with related supervisors as "essential." This worked when the event was limited to a day- - but these multi-day extravaganzas lead to mass exhaustion of the entire work force. This year, in preparation for the severe winter as predicted in the Farmer's Almanac (what can I say, we are in the Midwest and surrounded by farm land, so yes there are folks here who live and die by this annual tome) our Building Services crew was divided into two teams (A and B). Supervisors took care to sort people by family, ensuring one parent or family member could stay home with any children not in school. We also considered car pools and other factors that would necessitate particular individuals be assigned to the same crew. Because this was a new notion, our supervisors met with the Local Union Representatives, so they understood what employees were being asked to do and why. This proved invaluable. As complaints came to the union, they could reinforce our attempts to even the playing field and hopefully reduce the stress on our staffs. In addition, while our maintenance crew was not divided into formal teams, they also rotate coverage. Maintenance staff who are willing to assist with snow removal sign up in the fall and they respond on a rotation. While Landscape Services is ultimately responsible for snow removal, the Hospital, Clinics
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and other campus locations have a higher priority. We do the bulk of the initial snow removal work because it's been as long as 3 days after an event before Landscape Services can get to us. Many of our snow removal crew members are also trades staff – so they often do double duty-- another reason to really work at taking care of them. We're lucky in that we have a terrific team of Maintenance and Custodial employees who are willing to brave the roads to get to campus when the snow flies. In the last several years, we've purchased a greater number of 4 wheel drive vehicles. This allows our supervisors to pick up employees who are willing to come into work but are faced with transportation challenges. We also provide full time staff with the option to stay in our Halls overnight in the event severe weather is predicted. They are paid for the time they are on the clock, not the entire time they are "on campus." Like a number of other staff, I live far from campus and when the weather looks questionable I pack a bag. We also provide employees who will be required to work outdoors with insulated rubber boots and the appropriate outerwear. Full-time live-on hall staff are also asked to do double duty. They may assist our friends in Campus Dining Services when called upon, ensuring the food gets prepared and served. Hall staff will also check in with students with disabilities to make sure their needs are being met during weather emergencies. Physical plant preparation The ACUHO-I Sustainability Advisory Committee was in agreement that most institutions provide salt to the halls and encourage residents to have floors clear of personal belongings before break. But how can we prepare for bursting pipes? In Residence Life, we often say nothing is worse than a pipe that bursts—especially when the temperatures outside are still below freezing. What leads to these eruptions? According to the American Red Cross, “water has a unique property in that it expands as it freezes. This expansion puts tremendous pressure on whatever is containing it, including metal or plastic pipes. No matter the ‘strength’ of a container, expanding water can cause pipes to break” (RedCross.org, 2014). This is especially challenging if the cold weather strikes while students are home for winter break because there is not regular traffic that can quickly spot leaks. Here are some preventative action steps your office can discuss: • Regular Rounds: When a deep freeze is expected, make sure rounds of the halls happen frequently to check for water or alarms going off (especially important during break). • Water Valves: Have discussions with your staff. If a pipe bursts, who is authorized to shut off the water valve? Can your first-tier graduate or pro-staff responders do it or is this something your campus would rather have facilities do? Do staff know what the valves look like and how to operate them? • Prevent Mold:: The thing about water is that it soaks into sheetrock walls and unless proper drying occurs, can lead
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to mold. Be sure to contact the appropriate individuals to get the water extracted and fans/dehumidifiers on the scene. Don’t delay! • Be Prepared: If you have pipes burst in one building, there is a strong possibility that they may burst in another, especially if the construction is similar. Keep the heat on in common areas and check to make sure the heat is on while on rounds, especially if students are away on break. • Student Behavior: If students are on campus, remind them that their furnaces/thermostats should be set to at least 50°F and windows should not be open. It seems like common sense, but students can also be reminded that they are responsible for any damage to their space as a result of negligence. Student staff can also help by checking to make sure residents are keeping their temperatures properly set. • Air Intake: Be mindful of how snow drifts and the sharp cold play on a building’s (cold) air intake. Efforts to reduce the amount of air entering the building won’t solve the problem, but it could keep a situation from going bad to worse. MACUHO, your region has seen some extreme weather over the past few years. We encourage you to keep having talks around topics of sustainability at the departmental as well as the regional levels. If you’re interested in learning more or want to get involved with the Sustainability Advisory Committee, let us know! We would love to hear from you or have you join our monthly conference call. American Red Cross (2014). Preventing and thawing frozen pipes. Retrieved from http://www.redcross.org/prepare/disaster/winter-storm/preventing-thawing-frozen-pipes Goodman, A., & Masters, J. (2014, Jan 7). Weather whiplash: As polar vortex brings deep freeze, is extreme weather linked to climate change. Democracy Now. Retrieved from http:// www.democracynow.org/2014/1/7/weather_whiplash_as_polar_vortex_brings National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (2013). TITLE OF ARTICLE Retrieved from http://www.noaa.gov/
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LEADERSHIP POTENTIAL Joe Russo
As the President of MACUHO, I was charged with leading our association from fall 2012 through fall 2013 and representing us to ACUHO-I and to our member institutions throughout the Mid Atlantic region. As Past President, I am now charged with supervising the process to elect leaders onto the Executive Board for the 2015 year. A “Call for Nominations” will soon come out via MACUHO.org. The available positions for 2014-2015 are: Vice President/President Elect – serving a three-year term (Year 1 Vice President; Year 2 President; Year 3 Past President). The following positions are elected for a two year term: Treasurer Director of Technology Director of Annual Programs Director of Membership Development The roles listed here are members of the 11-person Executive Board and elected by the Association during the 2014 Annual Conference in Valley Forge, PA. This governing body works closely with, and supervises, the Leadership Council, made up by appointed Committee Chairs and Regional Coordinators. Please consider nominating yourself or a deserving colleague for an elected officer position on the MACUHO Executive Board to enhance their professional development while preserving our Association’s future.
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“GIRLS JUST WANNA HAVE FUN!” Written by Lisa Nyinaku
I remember as a young girl dancing around to “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.” However, truthfully, my youth didn’t allow much time for that. Growing up in a poor rural family of a single mom who didn’t complete high school, I spent my evenings, weekends and holidays working while trying to do well in high school. No homecoming, too expensive, and no prom. Now, as I have grown older, have a full-time job and a family, I still feel like there is little time all I have developed a mentality that I will enjoy what I am doing and find fun in it. The reason I bring this up, is that March is Women’s History Month and as I think about the work that women do globally and locally, I just want to say that we as women rock! (My RAs would say my use of grammar, such as the word “rock” and quoting a Cindy Lauper is aging me, but oh well!) While many of us are overburdened, stressed, overworked, etc., we keep pressing on and while we may not get a lot of thanks, the world would be way different without us! Consider the following: Women make up 70 percent of the nearly 3 billion people living on less than $2 a day. Girls make up the majority of the 72 million children who are not in school. Women are dying at a rate of 500,000 a year from preventable complications of pregnancy. At least 1 out of every 3 women is likely to be beaten, coerced into sex, or otherwise abused in her lifetime. Globally women provide 11 trillion dollars’ worth of unpaid work. Want to make a difference? First, you can start by honoring the women you know. Second, there are a variety of organizations that work on women’s issues locally and globally. Here are a few international organizations that may peak your interest: www.womenscampaigninternational.org www.care.org www.workofwomen.org
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EVOLVING EDUCATION: THE RA SELECTION PROCESS AT SHIPPENSBURG UNIVERSITY By: Pavan Purswani, Jennifer Milburn, and Aaron Youmans
As a mentor once said, “The best part of working at a college is that if something doesn’t go well the year before, guess what? You get to try it again.” In other words, colleges and universities are cyclical by nature. Our work has shifted or evolved overtime, but the reality is that there are still certain processes and seasonal realities that will always be a part of the work that we do. A favorite among those reoccurring events is the yearly RA selection process. Every year, Housing and Residence Life professionals are reminded of the wondrous and transformative position that has changed so many lives. However, with those rose-colored reflective glasses on, it is often easy to overlook one simple fact: at least half of the individuals who apply for the position never receive the opportunity to serve as an RA. Philosophy and Strategy Moving Forward It is that harsh reality that led to a specific and strategic goal for the RA Selection Committee at Shippensburg University this year. Knowing that only a finite number of students would be able to receive the position, a priority was quickly established to make the application process as educational as possible. In truth, the committee would never be able to hire every student who applied, but made it a priority to assist every candidate to grow both professionally and personally throughout the application process. Adding or refining past practices to bolster the educational outcomes for our students became the committee’s focus as we began evaluating the process. An example of our examination of past practices involved the language often used when recruiting RAs. While words like community-building, role-modeling, leadership, and diversity are central to the work that RAs do, these terms can feel abstract and lofty when discussed in the context of applying for the RA position. With this in mind, a goal of the selection committee was to break down these words and concepts into more attainable and manageable pieces. To help achieve this task, we asked our entire staff the question, “What characteristics are we looking for in the RA position?” When lofty or illusive concepts came up, the committee made a point to ask staff members to provide measurable or quantifiable language for what they were looking to draw out of candidates. When this task was completed, a matrix was developed that listed the different identifiable areas that we were
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hoping to see in successful candidates. This matrix was used throughout the committee’s decision making process so when issues or concerns came up, it was central to our thinking and process. Additionally, we systematically went through matrix to identify the times through the process timeline that we could observe the different qualities we were attempting to recognize. At each step of the process, we attempted to link at least two characteristics from the matrix to that experience or activity where students might demonstrate these qualities. The committee’s goal was to afford students numerous opportunities to shine and demonstrate the strength of their abilities. Our Process The original process for RA recruitment and selection had remained largely unchanged for several years. It involved interest sessions in the residence halls, paper-based applications consisting of biographical information and essay questions, followed by both individual and group style interviews. Most communication was paper based or via email directly to the committee members, though last year there was the addition of a shared e-mail address for the committee to streamline submissions and questions. The process served us well as it was, but we knew it could be so much more. Our recruitment was slowing to a concerning level, and our typical campaign of fliers and handbills was not reaching our students as it once did. There was also a concern for how prepared students felt when considering their application. Feedback from potential candidates informed us of a lack of preparation and confidence in their skills. Students were not signing up or dropping out of the process because they were not sure they could be successful in interviews or fulfill the position. At our first committee meeting in September, we discussed this feedback and brainstormed structures that would create a more valuable and preparative process for the students involved. We decided to eliminate our short answer based application and instead request a cover letter and resume. For many of our students, this would be their first experience applying and interviewing for a job. As employers, we seek to hire the most qualified individuals to benefit our company, but as Student Affairs practitioners, it is our duty to support and develop students into successful, prepared citizens. Therefore, we sought to create a process that would benefit and
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equip students regardless of their success as a candidate. If a student did not receive a job offer, they would still leave the process with a cover letter, resume, and interview experience. In addition to the application changes, we also increased information accessibility and the reach of our marketing campaign through social media and multimedia. We designed a website, putting our application and reference forms online and giving our students the ability to access information about the process at their convenience. In the past, information about the process was only available at interest sessions held in the residence halls. If students could not attend a session, it put them at a disadvantage and often discouraged them from applying at all. Giving students the ability to watch a YouTube podcast of the interest session expanded our recruitment pool to reach students we would have missed and introduced candidates to the selection committee. An interesting correlation came as a result of these additions. Despite asking more of the candidates during the application process, our return rate was higher than in previous years. It was common for us to have many uncompleted files at the deadline, leaving us to contact students and inquire about their candidacy over winter break. Though many of our students were creating their cover letter and resume from scratch, we had a 97% return rate by the deadline and 100% return rate by the following week (all from students who had asked for an extension ahead of time). Our dropout rate was a fraction of what it had been in previous years, and candidates said they felt prepared and confident about their application materials and interviews. We believe this correlation is a result of the continued communication and support offered throughout the process. Development Opportunities After the decision was made to incorporate a cover letter and resume into the application process, the committee believed that additional support should be provided to the applicants when crafting these two components of the application. The selection committee enlisted the support and expertise of the University’s Career Development Center. Through this partnership, we offered a resume and cover letter workshop, an interview workshop, and an opportunity to participate in an online mock interview. The resume and cover letter workshop was conducted two weeks before the submission date for applications and focused on the format, content and style of each document. The interview workshop, held two weeks before interviews, focused on techniques for interviewing. Perhaps the most exciting and innovative offering was the online mock interview. Developed by a third-party vendor, InterviewStream provides students the opportunity to practice their interviewing skills from the comfort of their own room. The advantages of this application go much further than convenience. The administrators of the application prerecord a series of ques-
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tions via webcam. The questions are then viewed by the applicant and the applicant’s answers are recorded by webcam. The advantages of online interviewing include the ability for self-evaluation and for a professional administrator, or multiple administrators, to review the recording and evaluate different aspects of the interview: body language, content, articulation and tone. The feedback could be provided through the application or in person. While the committee did not collect any statistical data on the performance of applicants who participated versus those who did not participate in the workshops and InterviewStream, candidates who participated in one or more of the workshops performed significantly better in the process than their non-participating counterparts. It is important to note that in addition to the benefit to our candidates, the continued partnerships with the Career Development Center helped drive students to their office and educate more students about what they have to offer the campus. The committee also developed an RA Selection Preparation Guide to assist the student in preparing for the interviews. The guide included recommended material to review including, the University’s Mission Statement, the RA job description, and links to both practice questions and advice on interviewing. We also identified a number of terms or ideas for the candidates to consider. These ideas and terms included diversity, community, relationship building, professionalism, personal growth, constructive feedback, leadership, perspective, and academic success. Additionally, it was our hope to mimic the kind of research students would be doing for future job opportunities to help reinforce the importance of preparation for interviews and give our students there first experience for needing to do so. Training the interview staff was also a priority of the RA Selection Committee. The committee developed and presented training sessions for the resident assistant staff who would be conducting the individual and group interviews under the supervision of a professional staff member. The sessions highlighted important human resource concerns, such as inappropriately commenting on a candidate’s nationality, age, physical ability, or dress. The committee facilitated discussions of bias with regards to extroverts and introverts, specifically noted the contributions of both groups to the position. The committee also provided questions to guide the interviewer’s observations and recommendations: would I or my staff members want to work with this person; how did I feel when I was interviewing for the position, and can this person be taught the position? This training provided the committee and department with an opportunity to educate and further our resident assistants’ understand and proficiency with interviewing. Reflections and Considerations for the Future As is often the case in designing processes such as this, our positive impacts were accompanied by additional areas for
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improvement and recommendations for the future. Though we are proud of our successes this year, it is important to constantly evaluate and reflect in order to continue the evolution and development of the process. As student affairs practitioners, we cannot let ourselves become complacent with a job well done. Our students are constantly changing and therefore our methods and practices must change to support their needs. This year’s process was focused on the student experience; designing a process that benefited students regardless of their success as a candidate. One pertinent area of growth that we hope to address in the future is furthering the experience and education of our RD staff in addition to the candidates and student staff members. A unique aspect of our Housing and Residence Life office is that our RD staff consists of individuals enrolled in a full time higher education master’s program. This year, their involvement in the RA selection process was limited to the interviews themselves, as the committee handled most of the content review and redesign of the interview components. As growing young professionals, however, we realize how they would benefit from increased involvement in the development of goals and learning outcomes. A higher level of synergy amongst the group would also improve communication and knowledge of the process as well as a higher level of contact between candidates and their potential future supervisors. Additionally, we received feedback from the RD staff that there was a need for training specific to their role in the interview process. The committee had designed training sessions for Resident Assistants to prepare them to be effective interviewers, but overlooked the need for similar training for RDs focused on navigating the facilitation and evaluation of candidates. Another area that we plan to address in the future is an obvious lack of male leaders in our candidate pool. At Shippensburg University, we are fortunate to have had success in recruiting students from historically underrepresented groups for leadership positions, but continue to struggle with a small male candidate pool. We believe this to be a common and growing trend across the nation. A considerable amount of conversation during our feedback sessions was focused on strengthening and growing this pool. One suggestion involved utilizing current male staff members as a catalyst to drive male students toward the position. Another suggestion called for more research and discussion on our campus to find what draws or deters men from seeking out leadership positions on campus. Though we made a significant step forward regarding social media and multimedia interaction, looking at the trends within the profession, there is still much more that can be done. We hope to integrate more frequent contact with potential candidates, moving our marketing from a stagnant paper based format to a multimedia campaign on various platforms that touches a much larger segment of the student population
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throughout our application timeline. Growth and strengthening of the RA selection process has significant reach beyond the process itself. It has the potential to impact many layers and facets of the department and campus. When strong student leaders are identified and hired, it improves our communities and strengthens our impact on the student population. We also believe that this has a cyclical effect on recruiting strong candidates for the future. For our students, the RAs are the face of the department and the RA’s ability to inspire and encourage their residents to apply for the position will help strengthen our department. Additionally, helping provide developmental and educational opportunities for students that did not receive a position was an inherent goal of our process and in the long run will benefit the students of our campus. In conclusion, it is important for us as Student Affairs practitioners to remember that during the selection process, our role is far more than just recruitment. We have a duty to educate and develop as many students as possible with our processes.
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Share with a colleague notes and new ideas you took away from your favorite session at the Annual Conference.
Get involved! Connect with your Regional Coordinator about a new or current initiative.
Reconnect with some new you met at the conference this month. Involved in LINK? Initiate an after conference chat with your Mentor/Mentee.
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BUILDING YOUR ARK: LESSONS
ON FLOOD PREPAREDNESS By Amanda Merson
This winter has undoubtedly been rough on the Mid-Atlantic region. From freezing temperatures to snow closures, many of our institutions have had to brave the storm(s) so to speak. Each of our campuses is equipped with facilities staff and emergency protocols for handling natural disasters, but we are not always prepared for the natural disasters that happen inside our buildings. After all, who would ever anticipate a flood in their residence hall?
A couple of days after record breaking lows, and several days before we prepared to open for the spring semester I was sitting in my apartment when the fire alarm began to sound. I figured they were testing the system. Why else would the alarm be sounding in a vacant building? Several minutes later I decided to investigate the cause of the alarm. When I exited the building, much to my surprise I found water was gushing out of the first three stories of the residence hall.
When security arrived, we began walking the halls. I remember opening the door to room 306, and water poured out of the doorway and down the hall like a scene from “Titanic.” The water continued to flow for nearly 30 minutes until the shutoff kicked in. Meanwhile, thousands of gallons of water were being released and causing significant damage to several stories in our twoyear-old residence hall. Ultimately, the extremely cold temperatures caused water in our fire sprinkler system to freeze. As the temperatures began to “warm,” the pipes expanded causing the pipe to rupture.
Fortunately for us, no students were in the building, and no one was injured. However, many of our students’ personal belongings were damaged, and we were forced to relocate several roommate groups. We were also lucky to have spaces available on campus into which we could move students for the time being. Between me and the Assistant Vice President for Residence Life, we were able to reach out to the students who were impacted by the damage and get them into the building to remove their items. Some of the students were upset, but most of them were understanding of the situation and willing to work with us.
We also benefited from having a very competent facilities team and excellent contractors who effectively addressed the structural issues. Within days, wet drywall and insulation were extracted; the walls were treated for mold, and the carpets were dried. By the end of week-two, painters were in the rooms. We are still in the midst of clean up to the hallways, but the majority of the rooms have been restored to their original state. Ultimately, we will be done with all major repairs by the end of February.
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Lessons Learned I started off by discussing the fact that we are not always prepared for the elements that impact our residence halls. While we have the snow plows, salt trucks, and back-up generators, some of us are not accustomed to managing frozen pipes in our buildings. This experience has taught us quite a bit about planning for such issues.
Communication & Collaboration Communication was essential for all parties involved. As a small institution, we had the ability to work closely with Facilities and the contractors in order to keep our residents up to speed on the status of their rooms. Daily walkthroughs with staff and weekly/individual communication with students ensured that all parties were content with the progress.
One challenge we faced was addressing social media. Some of our students were on campus during the incident and began posting videos and comments about the water damage before we were able to reach out to the affected rooms. Creating a Public Relations strategy to combat negative media or rumors is another consideration for those developing a strategic plan.
Break Closing Expectations Each institution’s expectations for hall closings differ. We do not require our students to remove their belongings, and I doubt we will move to that in the future. However, we are looking to proactively change our Winter Closing procedures to make sure students belongings are not impacted because of a facilities related issue. These may include: revisiting the temperature requirement for rooms, creating greater accountability for Resident Assistants who inspect rooms during hall closings, and finding creative ways to ensure that residents are submitting facilities requests before they leave for extended breaks.
Risk Management Insurance Rarely do institutions cover the damages to students’ personal belongings. It is highly recommended that Housing & Residence Life provide families with information about supplemental or renters insurance during orientation. Housing Contracts should articulate coverage of personal items damaged, but rarely do students and/or their families read the fine print. Creating transparency around risk management insurance is important.
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THE DREAM IS FREE BUT THE GRIND IS SOLD SEPARATELY… Rhett R Burden, Area Director/Counselor
Left to Right: Brianna Davis, Simone Mercer, Sierra RagsdaleMiller, Derek Mitchell, Paul Jerry, Mengie Muluh, Remy Jones Location: OffCampus Housing Office, University of Maryland Eastern Shore
I just love it when a plan comes together. There is something about the Spring Semester that puts a smile on the faces of students, paraprofessionals and professionals especially. Though the weather breaks, the semester seems shorter, and staffs have one more semester under their employment belt, motivation always seems to be low. I like to think of myself as not just the supervisor but the leader that my staff and residents need to be successful. With that being said, I always find myself trying to give my staff the slight edge when it comes to taking their job and responsibilities to the next level. Normally, this is done with semester themes that have truly helped me boost staff moral and get their very best, day-in-and-out. Our theme for this semester is, “Allergic to Average.” I can vividly recall the first staff meeting of the semester and how run of the mill, their attitudes were before I spoke about our day-to-day operations. At the end of the meeting, I told my staff that I wanted to see them maximize the potential and provide a level of service every day that they are not accustomed to. They asked how they could do that and I told them that in life most people are allergic to things outside their scope of control. However, the nature of our works calls for us to be allergic to average; average thinking, follow-up, customer service, paper-work, etc. To get the very best out of life and this job, you must give the very best. I presented my staff with hoodies that say Allergic to Average on the front and UMES (University of Maryland Eastern Shore) on the back. What RA doesn’t like free stuff? After seeing the huge smiles on their faces, I told them, “The dream is free, but grind is sold separately!” As they looked at me trying to digest what I meant by that, I explained that wishful thinking about this job, the semester, your colleagues and the amount of effort you give each day is just that—wishful. To ensure your success, you have to hustle, grind, and give it your all. I promise that the fruits of your labor will make it all worth it. I encourage all pro-staffers to take the time to be fully-vested into each of their staff members and to show that housing is not just an employment stop but rathera viable career choice. Res-lifers always go the extra mile.
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MAXIMIZE YOUR EFFICIENCIES: THE INBOX AND OVERALL PRODUCTIVITY CONVERSATION
By Joe Russo
Have you heard the latest rumor circulating around our campuses recently? It’s a good one; apparently, there are only 40 hours available in an average work week! Assuming this is true, we only have eight hours per work day to complete the necessary tasks to do our respective jobs. Once those 480 daily minutes are exhausted, our work day is over, and we are free to have a relaxing few hours before the task-oriented next day begins. It’s a good rumor, right? Now, I’m willing to bet that the hours in that day are often not enough for the multiple – and perhaps competing – priorities on your task list. With some guidance, you can create an efficient work day which is complemented by (and not dependent upon) the technology already at your fingertips. As with any major project, first take a step back and develop your goals. Without much analysis, you can likely identify the key areas where you should focus your growth energy. Create a baseline by identifying your Major Initiative Time Tasks. In list format, write out the five most important tasks that you do on a weekly basis, and assign a percentage to each. For example, you may spend 25% of your time reading incident reports and the corresponding student conduct process; 35% in supervisor/supervisee 1:1 meetings; 15% on department administrative committees; 10% on e-mail correspondence and 10% on budget management. Once this time management baseline is created, start logging your hours. Remember the days when you literally punched a clock? For a two week period, do just that. Log how much time you spend on each major initiative. In that short period, you’ll see where your time is most spent and can determine if it’s reflective of your Major Initiative Time Task list. Once your Major Initiative Time Task list is developed, start developing strategies to gain time back for your operational tasks. Develop a personal operational calendar. Your department likely has an annual operational calendar that mirrors the academic year. This tool was developed from the Divisional operational calendar, whose master is the University or the Academic calendar. As you review each document
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associated with your campus, develop an operational calendar for yourself. The end result will be a Personal Operational Calendar that reflects your assigned professional tasks as well as the academic, personal life, and academic tasks that you’ve self-assigned. Minimize distractions. Believe it or not, that e-mail will be there when you have time to actually look at your computer, laptop, tablet, or phone. Additionally, it is okay to close your office door or otherwise hibernate yourself sometimes. I challenge you to: • Remove e-mail from your phone (seriously!). • Remove the pop-up notification on your e-mail client – do you really need to look down every time Outlook makes an incoming message sound? • Remove the notification sound that occurs for each e-mail that comes in. • Establish times specific for e-mail responses. • Shut your door – it is okay your team to see you behind closed doors. • Carve out time in your day dedicated to Facebook, Twitter, and social media outlets. E-mail is both a blessing and a curse. It is time to start analyzing the e-mails you send and those that you read. Why do we send e-mails? This may sound like a basic question, but think about it. Why do you send an email? Do you respond to every e-mail? Do you need to? Before sending any e-mail, first determine if it is necessary, appropriate, and targeted to the correct individual(s). Necessary: Is the information you are seeking available by any other means? For example, you may need information about this year’s Activity Fair to recruit student employees. Sure, you can send an e-mail to your colleague in Student Activities and wait for their response. Or, you could visit their website, review the campus master calendar, or wait until you are in that office suite later in the week. Consider the content of your e-mail. Address e-mails to the action takers and carbon copy informational stakeholders. The subject should be descriptive. Attachments should be kept brief and explained in the body. Finally, the actual text should
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include a brief introduction, background if necessary, and action required items. A brief closing rounds out your message with an eloquent and professional signature. Logos and other photos in signatures may not display to the end user so think about their true purpose. Have an honest conversation with your team and colleagues about the CC and BCC options in your email. Tell your team members why you would copy them on a message and what your expectations are for when this occurs. In most cases, if you are copied on an email, it is for your reference only and you’re not expected to respond; otherwise, you would have been strategically placed in the “To” field. According to “The Hamster Revolution: How to Manage your Email Before it Manages You” by Mike Song and Vicki Halsey, the most common email mistakes are: forgetting an attachment, overbearing signatures, confusing subjects, or an e-mail that is forwarded without the original attachments. Minimizing the distractions and a revised approach to your e-mail inbox is just the icing on the cake. Becoming more efficient is still just a few steps away. Consolidate your To-Do List. How many “To Do” lists do you really have? Your e-mail inbox may be one; if the e-mail exists in your Inbox, then the task is not yet done. There might be a series of Post-It notes on your desk which outline task items. Finally, you might utilize the Outlook task function. With multiple To-Do lists, the potential exists to miss important operational tasks. Decide on which of your tasks lists is the easiest for you to sort tasks at quick glance. Digital organization is as important as its paper counterparts. If you’ve spent more than three minutes searching for an Excel file that you know was already done, then you may need an organizational make-over. Start today and streamline the organization in each major communication tool in your arsenal: Your email client, computer, and the dreaded file cabinet. A powerful organizational method surrounds Primary Folders. Start by identifying 5-8 primary topics associated with your position. Your primary folders may be: RA Selection, RA Training, Budgets, Furniture Audits, Graduate Housing, and Furniture. This method requires some training and rules. Where do you put a presentation that you’ve developed that is applicable to both RA Selection and RA Training? Where do you put the furniture audits for graduate housing area? Develop one standard to answer these questions and then stick with it.
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Once you’ve developed Primary Folder organizational system, migrate the same structure to your Email client and the physical file cabinet in your office. The location of your Primary and sub folders are important. The days of using “My Documents” in Windows or “Documents” on your MAC are numbered—or already gone. For your convenience and security, put your documents into a shared location such as Dropbox, Google Drive, SharePoint, or your campus shared folder system. Take into consideration any campus policies which may prohibit the addition of student information on third-party sites. The shared folder strategy will further help you to collaborate with your colleagues as well. Instead of sending e-mails with attachments, which your recipient will then edit and send back creating a second version of the same document, simply point your team members to the shared folder location. Think through the number of folders in your e-mail client. As mentioned, the same Primary and Secondary folders used on your desktop should be used in this client also for a seamless organizational system. Or, consider creating one simple folder: “Resolved.” Once that incoming message is read and you’ve taken the necessary action, the e-mail message is moved into “Resolved.” If this strategy scares you, utilize the category functions (using the same Primary Folder names!) to tag messages for easier searching later. Regardless, in this scenario, all emails are listed in one location; no more searching through multiple folders to locate a specific message! For example, an email message comes in, prompting a task for you. Read that email, jot down the task on your new central task list, and then move the message to “Resolved.” You’re not indicating that the actual task is resolved, just that you’ve identified its need and properly documented the task for execution. The result will be a clean and clutter-free Inbox. You’ll gain efficiencies by storing emails in one folder, rather than deciding in which sub folder it should really live. Once you’ve identified the hours you have saved and the efficiencies you have gained, start developing goals for that newly found time. Treat this time like the valuable asset it is. When you have extra money, you put it towards something special: a new treat for yourself, vacation, or that pesky credit card bill. The same holds true with saved time – use it wisely. The techniques described in this article were developed from concepts presented in The Hamster Revolution: Managing your Email Before it Manages You by Mike Song and Vicki Hasley, available from Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc.
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