AIMHO Angle, November 2015

AIMHOangle

NOVEMBER 2015

AIMHO 2015 Pre-Conference Issue

UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA ARIZONA - COLORADO - IDAHO - MONTANA - NEVADA - NEW MEXICO - SASKATCHEWAN - UTAH - WYOMING

The AIMHO Angle is the official publication of the Association of Intermountain Housing Officers (AIMHO). The Angle is published regularly throughout each year and is compiled by submissions and articles by staff and students of the region. The Angle is compiled and distributed by the AIMHO Marketing Committee.

The purpose of the Angle is to provide additional year-round, out-of-conference opportunities for association members to share information and learn. All members of AIMHO are encouraged to write for and submit articles to the Angle about topics such as passion areas, research, hot topics in housing, projects happening on their campus, and best practices in the field.

If you are interested in submitting to the Angle, learn how to on the AIMHO Angle website at www.aimho.org/newsletter. You will also find previous issues of the Angle on the website for reference and download. If you have any questions, please email aimhoangle@gmail.com. We look forward to receiving your submissions!

AIMHO Marketing Committee Scott Mathie (Chair) Snow College Christine Fleming (Co-Chair) University of Utah Clayton Bracht Unversity of Utah Isaac Hunter Montana State Univserity: Bozeman David Jones University of Nevada: Reno Justin Lukasewicz University of Arizona Kelsea Shook Montana State University: Bozeman

4 5 6 8 10 14 16 17 17 18 19 20

President-Elect Message AIMHO 2015 Election Preview Executive Board Candidates Top 6 People to Meet at AIMHO SPR Updates: Colorado Join an AIMHO Committee Social Media Tip AIMHO 2015 Case Study Recap RAppin 2015: Discover AIMHO 2015 Poster Session

IN THIS ISSUE

About AIMHO Note from the President

The Association of Intermountain Housing Officers (AIMHO) held their first annual conference in 1956 at the University of Wyoming (Laramie). The Association’s purpose is to work for continual improvement and coordination of housing and food service opersations for students and staff members in institutions of higher learning. Membership within the Association is open to all housing officers of institutions of higher education. an annual conference is held at which time Association members meet to exchange and distribute professional information and ideas relating to the administration of physical, financial, social, and education phases of housing and food service programs in colleges and universities.

AIMHO is compromised of member institutions from Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Saskatchewan, Utah, and Wyoming. AIMHO is a regional affiliate of the Association of College and University Housing Officers - International (ACUHO-I).

Core Goals -On-going promotion of the mission and values of the Association -Institutional and individual member outreach, recruitment, and engagement -Provide year-round learning opportunities for all individual members within the region -Create a culture of investment

Core Values Student Centered Invlusivity & Involvement Commitment to Social Justice & Responsible Citizenship Data Informed Leadership

Mission

A Note from the AIMHO President Happy November AIMHO! Last November at the annual conference I referenced the quotation below: “When the story of these times gets written, we want it to say that we did all we could, and it was more than anyone could have imagined. –Bono” Well my year of service as your president is about to come to a close and I without a doubt I can say that it was more than I could have imagined. The volunteers that put their time in to support AIMHO are pretty amazing. They truly do all they can.

Barb Remsburg is the Director for Housing & Residential Education at the University of Utah

One of our professors in graduate school gave us a piece of advice, that if we took on a volunteer role in an organization that we had better give it our all because we do not have many opportunities to recover from not following through, from not serving with full integrity, and for not using the opportunity to grow. I have used that as my north star in my work with AIMHO and I hope that you believe I have served you well. AIMHO is in good hands as Jeff Rosenberry moves into the president role.

We currently do not have someone who has applied for the President-Elect position.

Please consider nominating yourself or asking a colleague to nominate you from the floor. If you are interested in talking more, please call me, 801-587-0851. If you are thinking you would be interested in running but no one has tapped you on the shoulder, I am sorry to have missed you. Please call me. We need a diverse, engaged group of individuals from a wide variety of institutions, backgrounds, and identities in order to support and guide the future of AIMHO. If you are able to attend the annual conference, I look forward to seeing you in Tucson. If you are new to the region, on November 11 David Aderholdt, the Member at Large, Entry Level, and I will be doing an Introduction to AIMHO webinar. Please join us.

Take care,

Barb Remsburg

President-Elect Jeff Rosenberry, Montana State University: Billings Close your eyes…Wait, don’t do that or you won’t be able to read this.

Reflect, for a moment, about when you made the decision to serve students by being a part of Student Affairs. Do you remember who recruited you? Do you remember why you said yes? Do you recall that moment that you decided to step up to the challenge and better yourself, your students, and your community?

I bet that moment is something we will never forget in our field. In fact, I believe that moment sustains you through the tough times and inspires greatness in you when challenges lay before you. It was likely a One Second Opportunity that someone took to see your potential and nurture that into a great person and professional.

“

Get out and create a special memory for someone by sharing your story and skills. Be limitless with your possibilities.

”

Our days are filled lots of seconds taken up by work, stress, strife, and tension…But think about how much better you can make your day and theday of someone else by -Jeff Rosenberry transforming those into One Second Opportunities for Success. Your OneSecond Opportunities can be filled with more enthusiasm, more focus, more approachability, more patience, more appreciation, more listening, more truth, more engagement, and more pursuit. I would imagine that filling your day with more One Second Opportunities for Success will leave someone you come across with a great memory of their own.

Remember that life is short. We are not here to fill or kill time. We are here to make good things happen for other people. And with the annual conference on the horizon you have an obligation to be part of something by practicing one simple word: CONTRIBUTION. The contribution you bring to yourself and your team will dictate the success of your department, program, succession, and more. But it’s one thing to say that you are contribute; it’s another to scream it from the mountain top and hold yourself responsible for contributing in new and exciting ways. With that, I ask you to take the Declaration of Contribution with me as we look for success within our chapters and find ways to creatively recruit new members.

DECLARATION OF CONTRIBUTION I WILL make good things happen for other people.

For those here now and those who come after me.

When things get tough and I fall short I wil remind myself I can accomplish anything with time, effort, patience and resilience...

ANYTHING. When my situation is not the best I will do the best with what I have.

I will be resourceful and responsible.

I will get over myself and expect more of myself.

I will be obligated to this world and the people in it.

I will give more. I will enjoy more.

There you are…You took the pledge. And with that comes great responsibility.

So get out there professionals of all ages. Get out and create a special memory for someone by sharing your story and skills.

Be limitless with your possibilities.

AIMHO 2015 ELECTIONS

PresidentElect

Executive Board Candidates

AIMHO benefits from individuals who are willing to sharing their time and talents. The following individuals have submitted their application for consideration to serve on your Executive Committee. Elections will take place during the Business Meeting at the Annual conference in Tucson, Arizona. Please review their statements and share your feedback with the voting delegate from your institution that will be attending the AIMHO Business Meeting.

TreasurerElect Member -at-Large Entry Level

Secretary

President-Elect Nominations from the Floor We have not received any applications for the President-Elect position. We will be calling for nominations from the floor for this position. You are able to nominate yourself or be nominated from another individual. If you are nominated by another individual, you will need to accept the nomination in order to be on the ballot.

Please review the President-Elect, President, and Past-President information in the AIMHO Bylaws located here: http://www.aimho.org/?page=BylawsPolicies.

You are encouraged to take with any of the current or recent Presidents with any questions you may have, http://www.aimho.org/?page=PresidentsHosts.

Welcome from the Host Committee!

The University of Arizona and Tohono O’Odham Community College are excited to welcome

you to “AIMHO 2015 – Peaks of Collaboration.” Tucson, Arizona is a fantastic location for AIMHO’s 60th Annual Conference celebration. This year’s conference promises to be an amazing experience. With excellent programs, nationally recognized keynote speakers, and a stellar venue, we know you’ll have a great time. Our Entertainment Committee has lined up wonderful local musicians, dancers, and instructors. Monday Night on the Town offers many of Tucson’s great restaurants. Speaking of food, get excited for some truly-tasty meals throughout the conference. The 60th Anniversary is a big deal! Not only will we have some wonderful guests from AIMHO’s history, but we have some surprises planned too. And to close out the conference, we have a fantastic banquet planned at the Historic Savoy Opera House.

We’re excited to see you soon in lovely Tucson, Arizona for AIMHO 2015!

Treasurer-Elect Nick Sweeton, University of Arizona Dear Association of Intermountain Housing Officers Membership: I am writing to express my interest in the position of Treasurer-Elect on the AIMHO Executive Board. AIMHO has, over the years, become the foundation of my professional life. I deeply value the relationships I have formed through AIMHO, the excellent professional development I have received, and the ability to be both a mentee and mentor. AIMHO is a place where I feel accepted and valued; and I look forward to forming new friendships and seeing longtime friends at each year’s conference. I would be honored to serve this great organization in the role of Treasurer-Elect.

In my current role as the Senior Director for Residential Education in the Department of Residence Life at the University of Arizona, I am directly responsible for a $4.2 million dollar budget, and am second-in-charge of a $52 million enterprise. In addition, as the Host Committee chair of the 2015 conference, I am responsible for conference finances. My experience managing my unit’s budget as well as the 2015 conference budget would serve me well in the Treasurer-Elect role, and I have a proven track record of successfully managing large amounts of money within the rules that govern finances both at my institution as well as in our Association.

In addition to my current role as Host Committee Chair, I have also been the Research & Information Committee Chair (2005-2007) and a member of the Programming Committee (2013-2014). I am well aware of how our Association functions, and of the importance of ensuring that our finances are well managed. Should I receive your vote, I will continue the excellent work our current treasurer has done to organize our finances and utilize tools such as Quickbooks to accurately and comprehensively manage our money and make strategic decisions about how to utilize our funds in line with our Association’s mission and vision.

If elected, a major goal I have would be to re-organize the way in which we manage our vendors. We have done an excellent job building relationships with vendors over the past few years, and as Host Committee chair, I do a lot of vendor outreach. Over the past few years, we have connected with dozens of vendors and received more vendor contributions than our historical average. I believe it is time we evolve the way that we interact and solicit money from our vendors to reflect the success we have had in building our vendor relationships, and we need more year-to-year continuity so that we can better manage relationships and information from conference to conference. I also believe we should hone and simplify how we ask for contributions, and what we ask for from our vendors.

I recognize that the position of Treasurer-elect requires the trust of the membership to manage our financial portfolio. This is a trust I take very seriously, and I would be honored to receive your vote. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely, Nick Sweeton

Member-at-Large, Entry Level David Aderholdt, Montana State University-Bozeman AIMHO Region!

I am David Aderholdt, a Resident Director at Montana State University – Bozeman.

This past May, 2015 I had the privilege of being elected into the Member at Large-Entry Level position to serve until the annual conference. As I mentioned in my nomination letter for the interim Member at Large-Entry Level position, I felt this opportunity would give me experience for the 2015-2017 position. These past months have been successful in giving me the background knowledge that is gained when entering any new position. The main reasons I would like to serve in this position over the next two years are: I believe I can enhance the experience of AIMHO’s entry level professionals, I would like to continue serving the AIMHO region, and I would like to continue furthering my own professional development.

The past few months in my current role have helped me to understand some of the needs of newer professionals, and there are two I would like to focus on if elected. First, the need for entry level professionals to be connected to practitioners outside their own institution. A project I have been working on during the past few months has been a connections program which pairs entry level professionals with seasoned professionals from around the region.

Second, the need for entry level housing officers to have cheaper professional development opportunities, especially at schools which might not be able to afford to send people to the annual conference. To achieve this, I want to create a reading list of student affairs books under $20. I will have both of these ideas implemented prior to the 2016 annual conference so I can continue to develop them during my second year in the position.

Prior to my first AIMHO conference I was not sure I wanted to have a career as a student affairs practitioner and was looking towards a future in medicine. During the 2013 AIMHO annual conference I found a love for not only student affairs, but this organization and region as well. I signed up to serve as the secretary of the Diversity and Social Justice committee during the 2013 conference. The following year I was chosen to be the co-chair of the AIMHO Diversity and Social Justice Committee, and later became the Member at Large Entry-Level. I believe these experiences have helped prepare me for the full two-year term of this position.

Being new to student affairs myself, I am continuing to look for professional development opportunities which will make me a more effective practitioner. I believe this position will be perfectly timed to help me maximize my own growth over the next couple of years as I complete my master’s degree and continue to establish myself as a professional in the region.

For an organization which has helped me build connections around the region and has continued to invest in me as a professional, I cannot imagine a better place to serve than AIMHO as the Member at Large-Entry Level.

Thank you, David Aderholdt

Member-at-Large, Entry Level Diana Wilson, University of Wyoming To the AIMHO members, It is with great pleasure I submit my interest in the Executive Board Position for Member-at-Large (Entry Level) with AIMHO. It has been my great privilege to work for the past two years as an entry level professional at the University of Wyoming and develop connections within the AIMHO region. For the past two years I have been involved with AIMHO conference, the AIMHO College, served as a delegation advisor for RAppin’, and also am serving on the AIMHO College committee. I believe my experiences and enthusiasm for involvement in AIMHO will be a great fit for the Executive Board.

My professional journey has been heavily influenced by my involvement in AIMHO. The networks and professional development I have gained from this organization will guide my practice and those around me for many years. I am passionate about giving back to an organization that has given me opportunities and networks. I have a desire to continue to build our entry level network, a critical time to get connected, and help new professionals find a niche in student affairs and professional housing organizations. I value the professional connections I have developed through committee involvement, conference attendance, AIMHO College and the vast opportunities available to members.

In this position I hope to foster a great sense of community between entry level professionals in the region. I know that many in Entry Level positons are looking to develop purpose, opportunities for development, and networks.

Coming from a state where there are a smaller networks, I have found the benefit in serving with professional across the region to create success and development for entry level members. Many of our programs create great opportunities, whether that is engaging with other advisors and professionals though programming for RAppin’ or the AIMHO College. I hope to continue to work to make sure these programs are successful and create opportunities for our members. I see a need for more communication to new members about the Association’s activities and how we can make sure our members are taking full advantage of these events.

I believe as newcomers to the region, the initial connection is a critical piece of how we keep a healthy, developing, and innovative organization. I want to make sure that we continue to develop programs and connections that allow for our organization to thrive. I look forward to the many prospects to allow for entry level members to connect with the region. I hope to represent the entry level members to the best of my ability to make sure AIMHO is a healthy organization for years to come.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely, Diana Wilson

Secretary Maureen “Mo” Ward, Carroll College To the AIMHO membership: Greetings! Since mid-September, I have been serving as the interim Secretary for this great organization, and would be honored to continue on for a full term.

Even in my brief experience, I can tell you I am very excited about where this organization is going and would love to be a part of helping to push our region forward to new and exhilarating territory. I am also excited about helping to take the hard work of my predecessors in the position and keep up with current projects, such as helping with future transitions in the Secretary position, making minutes more streamlined, and prioritizing the goals of the Executive Committee and further the vision of our next two Presidents.

As a reminder, here are some of the great reasons why you should elect me to continue as your Secretary for the next term: First of all, I am a phenomenal note taker, which, let’s face it, is a big part of this position, and now I’ve even have some practice at it. It’s important that all of our inspired ideas make it to paper, and oftentimes, when you get a room full of housing professionals, everyone is talking a hundred miles an hour, and it can make it challenging to catch everything, but I have lots of practice having served in administrative positions before in various capacities on college and university campuses.

Second, I am pretty darn organized most of the time (everyone has a down day or two... come on). I work to accomplish tasks not just by the deadline, but as they cross my inbox so that I don’t leave them until later, only to get forgotten. My goal every day is “Inbox Zero” and I try to work my way through my to-do list in an efficient and effective manner, which would be helpful in managing the multiple tasks of Secretary from communications to the membership to duties as liaison with other committees to keeping track of dates and deadlines.

Third, I have lots of experience within AIMHO. I have served on multiple committees, including Assessment (formerly Research) and Information, a Host Committee, and a multi-year member of the Programming Committee, including serving as co-chair. I have been a program presenter at several of the annual conferences, and have been an active participant throughout the years.

Last but not least, I have lots of AIMHO love. AIMHO is home. I have a lot of investment in the goals of our organization and its commitment to continuing to grow and become the best housing regional association it can be. I’m willing to put in the time and dedication it takes to help assist AIMHO with the administrative support it needs to accomplish its goals and keep on being the best we can be to help students.

Thank you for your consideration!

Maureen “Mo” Ward

AIMHO 102: The 6 People to Meet at the 60th Ann Marykaterine Woodson & Kristi Burch, University of AIMHO 101: The “Be” List appeared in the November 2014 issue of the AIMHO Angle on how to make the most of attending the AIMHO conference. Well…we are back! And we want to let you know that there are some people you should meet when you attend the AIMHO conference in November. We have narrowed it down to 6 people you shouldn’t leave the conference without meeting. We ranked the people from easiest to approach to more difficult to track down. Don’t give up! We ensure you that finding these people at the conference will make your conference experience memorable. Make it into a game and treat yo’ self with your favorite coffee if you find all six!

1

Conference Bestie(s):

2

Committee Chair:

3

A Mentor:

Make it a goal to meet someone new at the conference. Find someone that may have a similar position at another institution. You can navigate the conference together and become inseparable. Hopefully you will keep in contact throughout your career. Perhaps, you found this person at the conference in Utah last year.

Reconnect with each other. A conference friend makes the experience so much better.

Committees are everything. Seriously. Have you joined a committee yet? No? Don’t know which one to pick? Find a committee chair. They love to talk about their committees. This first hand interaction will help you select the committee that you think your talents and dedication will align best with. Committees work exceptionally hard to make the conference come to life. It would be a major faux pas to pass up the opportunity to connect with one.

This may sound overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. A mentor is a personal decision to make for yourself. This person is going to help you maximize your potential and challenge you when you least expect it. Selecting a mentor can be difficult.

Especially for a new professional. We would definitely suggest the AIMHO Connections program. The Connections program allows new professionals an opportunity to meet established members of the AIMHO community and continue to network and navigate their way through the amazing AIMHO region. Maybe you won’t establish a mentor while attending the conference but you can plant the seeds and watch them grow into that relationship.

niversary Conference f Nevada, Reno

4

Future Coworkers:

5

Senior Housing Officer:

6

Keynote Speaker:

As job searches begin at different times of the year, conferences are a great opportunity to be strategic with your time. This requires you to do some research beforehand. If you are seeking out a particular job, research all the schools within your region and see which ones align with your career goals. Once you have compiled a list put it to use at the conference! Seek those schools out and introduce yourself and at the very least, exchange business cards with someone from the institution. You can really utilize this time to get a feel for the school and the department. This is an experience that you may not get any other time when you are conducting a job search so make sure to take advantage of it.

SHOs are seriously busy individuals. Of course we are all busy but have you looked at their calendar lately?

How many blocks of “free” time do you see? That is why they are on this list. If a SHO is at a conference, they are taking the time to invest in their department and invest in the individuals that work for them. They understand the importance of collaborative dialogue with other SHOs and housing officers in general. Not to say that SHOs that are not present aren’t invested in all of things, they may not have an opportunity to go and send other professionals instead. It’s a special opportunity to have uninterrupted face time with these individuals, so definitely seek some of them out.

In student affairs, we have our own celebrities and royalty don’t we? If Chickering or Baxter-Magolda walked up to us right now, we would fangirl a little bit. The keynote speaker is someone who is a part of a community that continues to push our field to new levels or someone our community highly respects for aiding our work.

The keynote speaker is there to continue to inspire great work and new innovation. If something they are speaking about sparks a new thought or concept for you- seek them out! Let them be a sounding board for your idea. You never know what connections or materials they already have that can bring your idea to life.

The only bad opportunity is a missed opportunity. And if they aren’t going to be there for the whole conference, at least get a business card so that you can email them later. Don’t miss a chance to meet someone who has taken innovation and made it real.

This is totally a direct quote from our last conference article. But hey…it still applies. We know that attending a new conference can be intimidating, exciting, and a combination of other emotions. Don’t be nervous.

Seek advice from others who have attended AIMHO before you. If all else fails, just remember to be yourself and enjoy the experience. If you are having trouble making new friends, COME FIND US IN ARIZONA!

AIMHO College 2015 This year’s AIMHO College will help new housing professionals to celebrate this year’s 60th Anniversary and to build professional competencies for the next 60 years. Starting on Saturday, November 14th, 30 up-and-coming staff from the Region will engage in one-and-a-half days of targeted, faculty-led sessions, small group cohort processing, and collaborative networking.

AIMHO College Faculty Julie Franklin Former AIMHO President and Current Director of Residence Life at Brigham Young University

Richard Clark Former AIMHO Treasurer and Current Executive Director of Housing & Residential LIfe at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Greg Ziebel Former AIMHO President and AIMHO Sage. Currently Assistant Director of Residence Life at the University of Arizona Additionally, ACUHO-I Liaison Dr. Beth McCuskey, who was instrumental in the founding of AIMHO College, has volunteered to join the AIMHO College COmmittee members as a cohort leader for the participants. Dr. McCuskey serves as the Associate Vice President of Housing and Food Services at Purdue University.

Rounding out the AIMHO College experience will be a joint breakfast with the Senior Housing OFficers Institute, where AIMHO Annual Conference Keynote Speaker Josie Ahlquist will engage the group on The Digital Life.

Participants in AIMHO College are entry-level professional staff from within the region, and they applied and were specifically selected to join this premier experience.

Case Study Competition Calling all new professionals and first time, AIMHO attendees! Come put your best foot forward in the AIMHO Case Study Competition! Every professional needs to gain problem-solving experience. Utilize the Case Study Competition as an opportunity to test your thinking in real time with a team of other housing professionals!

The Process You and a small team of your peers will be presented with an engaging novel situation that may present itself to you and your colleagues in institutions across the nation. Teams will be challenged with determining a response to a “situation” - This is where you’ll be able to apply your experience! You will have a limited amount of time to design your solutions and prepare your presentation. Materials and theoretical background will be provided, so you just need to bring your experiences and ideas! You will gain presentation experience when your team puts forth their answers and strategies to a (friendly) panel of expert judges. It’s a lot of fun!

Interested?

We welcome you to participate in this exciting tradition at the AIMHO Conference! All teams will be recognized at the awards banquet, and the winning team will receive an award. Simply sign up for the Case Study Competition when you register to attend the conference. Good luck!

Register by going to the AIMHO Conference Page!

Look for additional information leading to the conference, and if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact the Case Study subcommittee: Corey Friend- Corey.Friend@unco.edu Danielle Sosias- danielle.sosias@asu.edu Maureen Ward- mward@carroll.edu

Professional Development

AIMHO Committees -AIMHO College: Assist New Professionals in a Pre-Conference experience to build confidence through networking and other skills.

-AIMHO 365: Give AIMHO Members year-round professional development opportuties.

-Awards & Recognition: Initiate recognition efforts for AIMHO members -Diversity & Social Justice: Give AIMHO members opportunities to stay up to date with diversity and social justice issues.

-Marketing Committee: Publish the AIMHO Angle, social media marketing for the region, and website design.

-Program Committee: Solicit programs and create structure for annual conference.

-Research & Information: Coordinate research and data collection efforts for the region. Organize the Poster Session for the Annual Conference.

-SHO Institute: Develop the Pre-Conference event for new and aspiring Senior Housing Officers.

-State & Provincial Representative: Represent institutions in state/province. Share updates and coordinate roundtable discussions.

JOIN

an AIMHO Committe!

Find out more information at: http://www.aimho.org/?page=Serveonacommittee New and experienced members of AIMHO are encouraged to join an AIMHO Committee!

Network in the region, gain additional professional development experience, and have fun making AIMHO better for everyone!

AIMHO 2015 POSTER SESSION AIMHO 2015 would like to invite you to participate in the POSTER SESSION at the upcoming AIMHO Annual Conference, hosted in beautiful Tucson, AZ. Poster Sessions showcase research and/or institution programs. Unlike a general interest session, a Poster Session allows viewers to study your information and discuss it with you one-on-one. The poster sessions will take place during the Corporate Partner Fair and the presenters will be asked to be at their poster during the second hour of the Corporate Partner Fair.

Three awards will be given following this Poster Session: “Hot Topics”, which highlights research or best practices involving emerging trends within Housing and Residence Life; “People’s Choice”, which recognizes the Poster Session that AIMHO 2015 attendees felt best resonated with them; “Judge’s Choice”, which recognizes the Poster Session chosen by a select AIMHO 2015 panel of experts in our field.

WANT MORE INFORMATION? GO TO: https://docs.google.com/a/unlv.edu/forms/d/1vV64O8qYXviCsJscwj3YClhXpjBCUQOJw-CPs1fE8bk/viewform Deadline for participation is November 6. Successful poster presentations from past conferences have concise abstracts (150-250 words) and achieve both coverage and clarity: • Coverage: Have you provided all the obvious information? Will a casual observer walk away understanding your major findings after a quick perusal of your material? Will a more careful reader learn enough to ask informed questions?

• Clarity: (i.e. Is the sequence of information evident? Indicate the ordering of your material with numbers, letters, or arrows, when necessary. Is the content communicated clearly?

Hot Topics • Academics Initiatives • Affordable Care Act • Assistance Animals • Living Learning Communities/Themed Housing • New Construction/Renovation • Occupancy Management • Public/Private Partnerships • Staff Development and Training • Serving International Students •Sustainability • Title IX • Transgender Student Support Other Ideas • Facilities • Operations/Assignments • Diversity & Social Justice • Student Development • Mental Health Issues • Student Conduct • Privatized Housing • Leadership & Staff Training • Job Searching • Professional Development • Budgeting • Assessment • Work/Life Balance • Non-Traditional Communities • Learning Communities

RAppin 2015: Discover Colorado School of Mines hosted RAppin 2015 from October 16-18. Student staff members from across the AIMHO region (and South Dakota) traveled to Golden, Colorado and the Colorado School of Mines’ campus for a weekend of learning networking, and, of course, fun!

The Mines Conference Planning team worked hard to select creative and engaging programming sessions. 25 sessions were offered for students in the following tracks: Neil deGrasse Tyson: Self-Discovery; Marie Curie: Discover Difference; Steve Jobs: Discover Leadership; Elon Musk: Discover Hot Topics; Leonardo da Vinci: Discover Community; and the Manhattan Project: Discover Concerns. Based on feedback from their peers, the top 6 programs were recognized at the closing banquet. The advisors had their own track as well.

In addition to programming, the Planning team also coordinated a variety of fun activities. Entertainment included a talent show, karaoke, board games, and creation (fanny pack decorating and lego building) on Friday and a casino night and the traditional RAppin dance on Saturday. Delegates also had an opportunity to show their spirit in the annual roll call and the highly anticipated swap shop.

The keynote speaker, Brian Shimamoto, Assistant Director of Housing & Dining Services, Human Resources at the University of Colorado, Boulder, was able to open up the conference with an engaging message on discovery. The delegates had a great time and loved showing off their new fanny packs!

The Conference Planning Team consisted of 15 students and 6 professional staff advisors: Katie Schmalzel, Mary Elliott, Brice Bleem, Kevin Caputo, Erik Buol, and Lisa Latronica.

The planning team would like to extend a special thank you to Colorado Christian University for providing rides to and from the airport for the delegations that traveled via the Denver International Airport. Also, a huge thank you to the AIMHO Executive Committee members for their support of the conference!

Thank you to everyone who attending RAppin 2015! We hope it was a memorable experience for all. We look forward to seeing you at Montana State University, Billings for RAppin 2016!

RAppin 2015 Update

Updates from Around the Region: Colorado welcomes the following additions to the institutions below:

Colorado

Colorado State University: Helena Gardner--Residence Life Assistant Director for Community Development. Helena comes from The Art Institue of Michigan Chris McKenzie Willenbrock--Residence Life Assistant Director for Staffing, Training, and Development. Chris comes from the Uniersit of Massachusetts Amherst.

Chris Miller--Residence Director. Chris comes from the University of Utah Lucas Graff--Residence Director. Lucas comes from Arizona State University Quatez Scott--Residence Director. Quatez comes fom Eastern Michigan University JR Rosario--Residence Director. JR was an Assistant Residence Director at Colorado State University

Stephanie Zee--Coordinator for Diversity and Inclusion. Stephanie comes from Appalachian State University New Staff/Graduate Assistants in the Student Affairs in Higher Education master’s program at CSU: Assistant Residence Directors: Tucker Copi, Joe Espino, Joe Hahn, baily Jimmison, Kenzie Kitson, Myvy Ngo, David Polizzi, Michelle Trueblood Jenny Kim--Graduate Assistant for Academic Initiatives and Student Leadership Maci Murphy--Graduate Assistant for Student Leadership and Engagement

Need an Idea?

Get connected in your state! Contact your State & Provincial Representative.

Arizona Mike Billar mike.billar@nau.edu 928.523.2541

Colorado (1) Jenna Paulsen jpaulsen@ccu.edu 303.963.3466

Montana Sara Agostinelli sara.agostinelli@mso.umt.edu 406.243.2611

Nevada Kristi Burch kburch@unr.edu 775.784.6111

Colorado (2) Kevin Caputo kcaputo@mines.edu 303.273.3922 New Mexico Marlene Smith msmith29@unm.edu 505.277.6669

Idaho Evan Oglevie evanoglevie@boisestate.edu 208.447.1028 Wyoming Rachel Kohman rkohman@sheridan.edu 307.686.0254

Utah Todd Justesen tjustesen@housing.utah.edu 801.587.0881

Everything You Need to Know about the Timeline: October 15, 2015--Applications for the 2015-2016 ACUHO-I Housing Internship process will be available.

January 13, 2016--Application Deadline January 14, 2016--Hosts review candidate materials January 20, 2016 at 12 p.m.--Hosts may contact candidates to set up interviews January 26, 2015--Interviews Begin February 17, 2015--Offers Made *The ACUHO-I Intership process is strict on their dates! Keep that in mind.

Things to do before the Application Process: • • • • • • •

Register on the ACUHO-I Website ($39 Fee): http://www.acuho-i.org/network/career/internship/candidates Update Your Resume Have a general cover letter available Speak with your supervisor about doing an ACUHO-I Internship What date are you able to leave for internship in May? What date do you need to be back from internship for training?

Identify the regions you would like to intern (This is a great opportunity to try some place new and different or make connections for your full-time position) • Decide if you are looking for a paid internship or an unpaid internship • Identify what things you would like to be doing in your internship (try to be sure you are getting things from your internship that you are not getting from your graduate assistantship – ex. a focus on assessment, community outreach programming or sustainability) • Speak with your advisor about using your ACUHO-I internship as internship credits for school

Things to do During the Application Process: • • • • • • •

Upload resume and cover letter to the website Fill out application Know the dates you are available Follow the process Check the website consistently once you have applied and apply for specific internships you are interested in Keep track of all the internships you have applied for Practice phone interview with a friend/mentor/someone helpful

e ACUHO-I Internship Process

Submitted by: Melynda Diedrich-Otto, Sacramento State University David Jones, University of Nevada-Reno

Interview Process: • • • • • •

Remember time zones when scheduling phone interviews Prepare some knowledge about the schools you are interviewing Have questions prepared Keep track of interviews and people you have talked to during the interview process Have a thank you email drafted, send to whom you spoke to after the interview Have fun talking to all the different people and schools! *Feel free to use the excel sheet to track the schools and information*

Acceptance Process: • You will receive a call or email saying they would like you for their internship • You will have to accept the position through the ACUHO-I website • Ask the school that you are going to intern with if they need you to do anything else before you arrive on campus, i.e. employment paperwork, how the stipend is set up, and if you should have anything prepared upon arrival • Notify supervisor that you accepted an internship and you are going to be gone over the summer

Tips: • If you are waiting to hear from a school that you’ve applied to, and it’s been a week or more into the official contact period, they might be waiting for an official cover letter. It’s OK to e-mail them a cover letter after a week or so.

• As you would for any sort of interview, do your research on the school and the department in order to prepare for your interviews.

• Don’t write a school off because it’s not a place you could see yourself permanently. In fact, I’d recommend looking at schools you’d never consider working for long-term. You can survive anything for a few months, and you should use this experience to diversify your resume.

• Don’t be afraid to say no to an internship that doesn’t pay enough for you to pay your bills, but don’t say no just because it’s not as much money as you’d like or are used to making.

• Don’t get freaked out if you don’t get a call immediately when the offer period opens up.

• Phone interviews and Skype interviews are very different from in-person interviews. Practice them. Also, find a place where you won’t be disturbed, it will be quiet, and there isn’t anything distracting in the background (for Skype). Also find a place where you’ll get good cell service or – even better – where you have a landline.

• There are international internships available through the program – don’t rule those out if you’re interested in going somewhere else!

• The number of internships available is overwhelming, but the application process is also a lot shorter than for a full time assistantship or job. You can apply to more than you would for a grad assistantship, but don’t apply to so many you lose track of what’s going on.

• Understand that a lot of people are applying for a limited amount of internships. It’s OK if you don’t get your first choice or an internship at all. There’s always an opportunity around the corner!

www.aimho.org https://www.facebook.com/AIMHO.Intermountain

@AIMHO #AIMHO

If printed, pelase recycle when finished using.

The AIMHO Angle is a compliation of submissions from members of the AIMHO region.

Each issue is prepared and distributed by the AIMHO Marketing Committee.

Submit your own article for the next AIMHO Angle! Email it to: aimhoangle@gmail.com