ACUI Region II May Newsletter

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Letter from the Director I hope that soon everyone is able to take a bit of personal time and do some self-care before the crazy starts again. Just last week, I was able to take my honeymoon and it was a great relaxation after a busy year. I woke up Sunday wondering where the breakfast buffet was and why I couldn’t see the beach.

As you outline all that the next few months holds for you, I want to encourage you all to look at the June facilities tours and roundtable discussionse. We are offering two options, one in the northern part of the region and one in the southern part of the region, to allow for easy travel. And for only $30 a participant, it’s an accessible, affordable opportunity to network with other Region II colleagues and brainstorm some new ideas. June 14 is an excellent opportunity for you to spend a day gaining new inspiration and returning ready to implement some new things before August. The next few pages go through what to expect from both of the opportunities and you can find more information on our Facebook page. Don’t forget that registration is due May 31!

- Wendy Denman, ACUI Region II Director

upcoming Facility Tours and Roundtables register now!

Drive-In Facility Tour and Roundtable Discussion – two options—Choose the location that is best for you! Take advantage of a low-cost professional development and networking opportunity.

Explore facilities at one of these two institutions alongside colleagues from the region.

Northern Option: Facility Tour and Roundtable Discussion at University of Central Missouri, Wednesday, June 14, 2017 Registration Deadline: May 31 Fee: $30 for members, $45 for nonmembers Register here: http://bit.ly/2neZMon This drive-in educational program will give you the opportunity to tour the Elliott Student Union at the University of Central Missouri, while also gaining fresh perspectives during roundtable discussions. Lunch will be provided, and you will be able to choose from a variety of roundtable discussion topics suited to your interests. This program is open to everyone: undergraduate and graduate students, as well as entry-level, mid-level, and senior-level professionals.

The tour guides can cater the facility tour to your interests and needs.

The Elliott Student Union was built in 1962, and it was renovated in 1966 and in the early '90s. It features a two-story ballroom, a Union Cinema, a glass-walled lounge with fountain, bowling center, retail outlets, various office spaces, and meeting rooms. This educational program will provide a great opportunity to explore the challenges and benefits of managing the facility to meet the needs of students.

Planned Schedule: 10 a.m. Registration 10:15 a.m. Welcome and meet n’ greet 10:30 a.m. Facility tour 11:30 a.m. Lunch 12:30 p.m. Roundtable 1 1:15 p.m. Roundtable 2 2:00 p.m. Wrap-up

Southern Option: University of Texas–Austin, Wednesday, June 14, 2017 Registration Deadline: May 31 Fee: $30 for members, $45 for nonmembers Register here: http://bit.ly/2nsq6gp This drive-in educational program will give you the opportunity to tour three unique spaces at the University of Texas-Austin, while also gaining fresh perspectives during roundtable discussions. Lunch will be provided, and you will be able to choose from a variety of roundtable discussion topics suited to your interests. This program is open to everyone: undergraduate and graduate students, as well as entry-level, mid-level, and senior-level professionals.

The tour guides will cater the facility tour to your interests and needs. The spaces you will tour include The Texas Union, built in 1933 and recently renovated; the Hogg Auditorium, built in 1933 and recently renovated; and the Student Activity Center, built in 2011 and LEED Gold certified. It's no surprise that these spaces bring to mind the phrase, "Where tradition meets tomorrow." This educational program will provide a great opportunity to explore the challenges and benefits of managing such unique facilities to meet the needs of students. One cost item to note that is not included in the registration fee is a parking fee of $11 per car, payable when you are on site by cash or credit card.

Planned Schedule: 10 a.m. Registration, Welcome, and meet n’ greet 10:15 a.m. Facility tours 11:45 a.m. Lunch 12:30 p.m. Roundtable 1 1:15 p.m. Roundtable 2 2:00 p.m. Wrap-up

Region II 2017 Conference Our official conference logo has been released! This year's theme is "Show Me" in honor of Missouri being the "Show-Me State."

N OV. 3 – 5 AT M I S S O U R I S TAT E U N I V E R S I TY

Session Proposals Due July 17!

If you are looking for a rewarding professional development opportunity or a platform to showcase an amazing program or service from your institution, search no further! Submit an educational session for the 2017 ACUI Region II Conference.

For information about educational session requirements and recommendations, or to submit your proposal, click here: http://bit.ly/2rUkUDI. The deadline to submit a proposal is July 17. Please contact Educational Sessions & Keynote Coordinator Kristen Ernst (ke14@rice.edu) with any questions.

Learn about the 2017 Regional Conference Logo Designer- Ashley Yong Ashley Yong is a sophomore journalism major with minors in business and hospitality management at the University of Missouri. She plans to graduate in May 2019 and go on to pursue a masters degree in student affairs. She is from Darien, Illinois, and is passionate about graphic design, serving others, and empathy. She runs a nonprofit organization called Give A Box, which packages and distributes boxes of food, clothes and supplies to homeless people.

She hopes to work for a multicultural advertising agency, nonprofit organization, or university in the future. She loves that journalism gives her a medium for creative expression and allows her to advocate for causes about which she cares, such as diversity and altruism. On campus, she is a community adviser for residential life, a unions ambassador, and the vice president of the Student Unions Programming Board. She is also a member of the Outreach Student Recruitment, Asian Christian Fellowship, and Mortar Board National Honor Society.

Her favorite thing about graphic design are the endless possibilities of representing ideas and inspiration potential in each piece of work. She could not design without the Adobe Creative Suite and a great Spotify playlist. She finds inspiration in minimalistic work, Pinterest, and nature. Her website is ashleyyong.com.

Region Highlights idea

ACUI Region II wants to highlight what’s happening across the region! With our new “Highlights” form, you share with the whole region what building projects, programs, and exciting people are on your campus. Submit your ideas and the Region II Communications Team will use your submission on social media and in newsletters.

Bookmark this link: http://bit.ly/RIIHighlight Below are just a few of the submissions we have received. Watch our Facebook for more!

May the Fourth, LSU Auxiliary Services LSU Auxiliary Services celebrated Star Wars Day on May 4, 2017. Though it was finals week on campus, the Union was still a hub of fun with staff dressed festively, instrumental music from the movies throughout the building, and encouraging Star Wars messages wishing them luck with finals via our Axis TV slides.

Life-Hacks, University of Houston Student Centers The University of Houston Student Centers staff organized a “Life-Hacks” contest where students submitted up cycling projects to win a cruiser bicycle. Entrants were counted and instructed to write a short reflective essay on the impact of sustainability on their local ecosystem. A qualitative review of the reflective essays revealed the participants critically considered their actions within the context of their local ecosystem and their responsibility to future generations. The winning entrant created a bike trailer out of reclaimed material to tow laundry from home to the laundromat and whose picture is attached.

Region II in the BulLetin Several Region II schools, including the host of the next Regional Conference, Missouri State University, were featured in the “All Gender Bathrooms” article on page 28 of the March/April Bulletin. Read the online article here: http://bit.ly/2r0H5dA

Pages 14-20 include a highlight of the recent dissertation by JJ O’Toole-Curran, Ed. D, associate director of the KU Memorial Union. The article, tittled “College Unions: What Professionals are Doing to Assess Learning Outcomes for Student Programming Board Leaders.” The purpose of the study was to determine current assessment practices used by unions to assess learning outcomes, resources used, and results of assessment activities for student programming board leaders and the students attending such planned events at select institutions that are members of the Association of American Universities (AAU).

The researcher interviewed 21 student activities and union advisors who are responsible for the assessment activities for their respective student programming boards. Twenty of the 21 are from AAU institutions. One of the interviewees worked at a non-AAU institution that fit the other sample selection criteria.

Key findings included that all 21 student programming boards were performing some type of assessment in regard to events, and a majority of professionals had implemented learning outcomes for their student leaders. Through document review and interviews, the top learning outcomes fell within nine themes: 1) communication and collaboration, 2) leadership development, 3) event management, 4) multiculturalism and civic engagement, 5) critical thinking and creativity 6) intrapersonal development, 7) resilience and personal wellness, 8) traditions and institutional connections, and 9) customer service.

Other Upcoming events Graduate Student Forum at Texas State University Friday, Sept. 29, 2017, from 9 a.m.–3:30 p.m.

Online programs featuring Region II: Breaking the Binary: Gender Inclusion within College Unions, June 1, 1 p.m. Eastern Being informed about trans identities and the obstacles trans students face will help you be a better ally for these students on your campus. Programs, facilities, communications, and every day interactions have an impact on whether people feel supported and included on campus. Join this online learning program to learn about the role you play in making the college union inclusive for trans students. This session is presented by Shane Stinson, guest relations coordinator, University of Missouri.

Register: http://bit.ly/2rUnaes A Song of Fire and Ice: Creating Harmony Between Facilities and Programming, June 13, 2 p.m. Eastern Much like the kingdom of Westeros in Game of Thrones, the college union can sometimes feel like its employees are singing a song of fire and ice. In this session, you will learn the importance of creating harmony between facilities and programming, as well as strategies to foster a collaborative working relationship between the two areas. This session is brought to you by Region IV and presented by Victoria Culver Rice, assistant director of student engagement for programs, and DJ Fox, assistant director of Plaster Student Union for facilities and operations, at Missouri State University.

Register: http://bit.ly/2rUnkT6

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