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From the desk of the MACUHO President,
Inside this issue:
Hello MACUHO! I hope you had a fantastic time at our Annual Conference in Reading, PA, hosted by the staff of Kutztown University. It was a great experience to interact with many of you and get to know so many people. Our Association has wonderful resources, and amazing members that keep us strong! If you were not able to make it to the Annual Conference, please check out www.youtube.com/macuhoTV and see the highlights from the 2011 conference. Also, make sure you check out www.macuho.org and register for the site to connect with other colleagues within our Association. During the 2011 Annual Conference Business Meeting, I am happy to report that we have passed a change to the MACUHO Constitution. This new constitution includes an establishment of six new Director positions that will serve on the executive board. As the year continues I look forward to our new Directors to be involved in the intricate developments of the Association and continue to improve the way we function as an Association. During my speech during the awards banquet, I introduced a simple operation called M:375. It represents the number of days between the close of the 2011 conference, and the start of the 2012 Annual Conference in Baltimore, MD. It is my personal challenge for the Association to stay involved in MACUHO, and continue the professional development throughout the year. It is my goal to provide many new forms of opportunities throughout the year leading up to our 40th year anniversary conference. If you are involved in social media, please make sure you use the hashtag #macuho and #m375 to share all of the great things that are happening in MACUHO.
Top Ten from the Annual Conference
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Diversity Committee Update
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Conference Photo Spread
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VIP Conference Report
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I attended MACUHO...now what?
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Don’t let stress manage you
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10 Updates from ACUHO-I
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ACUHO-I and You
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ACUHO-I Foundation Update
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Magazine Editor
Matthew Le Brasseur
Magazine Editor
Debbie Schreibler
MACUHO President
Shigeo Iwamiya
The MACUHO Magazine is created and developed by the MACUHO membership. All contributions are from MACUHO members or our sponsors.
I look forward to seeing all the wonderful things that are about to happen for MACUHO this year, and if there is anything that I can do to help your MACUHO journey, please don’t hesitate to ask!
Shigeo J. Iwamiya MACUHO President, 2011-2012
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Top 10 MACUHO Annual Conference Moments By Noor Ibrahim 1. Strategizing on how to win the Past President’s Basket Raffle (free registration to next year’s MACUHO conference). After buying $20.00 worth of raffle tickets and eyeing out the baskets for three days, I finally placed all of my tickets in this bag and crossed my fingers. Sitting at the closing luncheon, I shifted in my seat, randomly squeaking with excitement when I heard similar ticket numbers called. Finally, I won and felt elated as I danced to the stage to retrieve my prize. That’s right, folks! I’m coming back! 2. Sitting across from my LINK mentee as she shared her career visions and experiences with me. I couldn’t help but think, “I wonder where she’ll be ten years from now, and I wonder if I can help her get there.” 3. Sitting in the business meeting and feeling grateful that I understood Robert’s Rules of Order. 4. Meeting vivacious VIPS at the New Jersey Regional Dinner. One VIP shared her idea of inserting a QR code on her business card and gave me the idea of inserting a QR code on my cover letter and resume. Thanks, VIPS—You keep me fresh! 5. Listening to a newly met colleague describe his horrific palm reading experience during the Mardi Grad Parade. I laughed so hard I actually cried.
6. Watching my first supervisor as she masters the art of being a woman and a professional. Every year, Shana Alston inspires me to fight through my personal barriers to become a superior professional. 7. After five years of debating whether earning my doctorate degree was the best choice for me, twenty minutes in Stephanie Hurley’s “To DOC or Not to DOC” session was all it took to decide, “Yes!” 8. Listening to the keynote speaker, Matt Glowacki, as he spoke about “doing happiness.” I blew bubbles and hugged Janet Walbert, and all was right with the world. 9. Sitting in the Common Ground room for two hours and chatting with a colleague about Coldplay’s music evolution, the contributions of women’s colleges, and the struggles associated with applying to mid-level positions. We ate generic food snacks and chopped on pretzels as we bonded, two women as colleagues, now friends. 10. Watching colleague after colleague volunteer to write for the Diversity Blog during the Diversity Committee meeting. It was a moment that validated why I do what I do, and why I chose this career path. Noor Ibrahim is an Resident Director at William Paterson University 5
The MACUHO Annual Conference was a great success in many regards, one of these being the strong showing that the Diversity Committee had at their Thursday afternoon meeting during the conference. The Diversity Committee had a wonderful turnout of 22 individuals ready and willing to support MACUHO through this particular avenue, and the meeting was full of inspired, forward-thinking ideas to help expand the efforts of the Diversity Committee throughout the region. The following is a summary of what our meeting had to offer:
externally. Judging from the number of responses on the board in the Common Ground room, we had a large number of participants! Earlier this past year, with the efforts of one of our committee members, Noor Ibrahim, the Diversity Committee started a weekly blog with the intention of sharing articles, programs, and/or issues relating to the topics of diversity and social justice. The Committee is proud to report that we are continuing with this initiative. In fact, thanks to the numerous volunteers by those that attended our committee meeting, we have scheduled at least one blog entry every week through the end of February 2012! If you want to learn more about our blog, check out the Diversity Blog Excerpts in this month’s MACUHO magazine, then log on to the MACUHO website and visit the Diversity Committee page for the entire blog! If you are interested in contributing to the blog but you aren’t a part of the Diversity Committee, that’s okay! Just contact Anthony Florendo or Matt James to learn how to get started!
Brian Medina and Kelly Ann Ryan, the two co-chairs of the Diversity Committee for the past two years, handed over the reins to Matt James and Anthony Florendo, who will be the new co-chairs of the Diversity Committee. Both Matt and Anthony are very excited to hit the ground running with the committee and continue to build on the foundation that Brian and Kelly Ann laid down for them. The Gender Neutral Restroom initiative was alive and well again at this year’s Annual Conference, and the committee is ready and willing to continue this into next year’s MACUHO conference in Baltimore. There were also discussions about including a Gender Neutral Restroom at other conferences like NJCore, SSLI, and MAPC.
Along with our commitment to our already existing initiatives, we had a wonderful conversation about fresh new ideas that would help make the work the Diversity Committee does for the MACUHO region even better! We discussed utilizing technology and social media (Facebook, Twitter, use of webinars, file sharing programs, etc.) to assist with ongoing initiatives and spreading information about the committee to the rest of the region, planning a meeting/social between the Annual Conference and the MACUHO Summer Meetings, developing a Diversity drive-in conference for MACUHO, and even hosting a MACUHO community service project in the Baltimore area! You will see updates for all of these new ideas in future MACUHO magazines, so keep reading!
This past year the committee went without any nominations for the Commitment to Social Justice Award, but that doesn’t mean that we are going to let that deter us from continuing to have this award for next year! Also, we discussed developing a student staff version of this award along with the current professional staff version we already have, potentially awarding it at the SSLI Conference next year. The brand new Diversity Track at the Annual Conference was a great success! The programs offered were greeted with good attendance, and we had two individuals who completed the entire track, both of whom walked away with some lovely
Lastly, the Diversity Committee wants to give a HUGE shout-out to three of our committee leaders. Brian Medina and Kelly Ann Ryan (former committee co-chairs) won The Region’s Best
Diversity Committee Update By Matt James William Paterson University Award at MACUHO 2011 with their program entitled “What Women Want: Tips for Planning Effective Women’s Programming.” They will be representing MACUHO by presenting this wonderful program at next year’s ACUHO-I Annual Conference in Anaheim, CA. Also, Anthony Florendo (current committee co-chair) won the Best Poster Presentation Award at MACUHO 2011 with his poster entitled “Get a ResLIFE!” Congratulations to all three of them for all of their hard work, and for representing MACUHO and the Diversity Committee in a positive way!
parting gifts donated by members of the Diversity Committee. The committee is committed to continuing the Diversity Track at MACUHO 2012 in Baltimore, and we hope to see even more people participate in this new initiative! The Diversity Committee worked alongside the PPD Committee yet again this year to provide the Common Ground space at this year’s Annual Conference. Along with the new addition of mailboxes for each institution (think: MAPC) that PPD provided, the Diversity Committee provided an activity related to the theme of MACUHO 2011 of “Unmasking Your Potential.” The activity called for those who were interested to remove their masks (Director, Grad, RA, etc.) and write down a characteristic of themselves that individuals would not be able to see 6
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Pinky’s Out!! MACUHO’s 2011 VIPS! By Emilianne Boyle
Every year, the Recruitment and Retention Committee selects a pool of undergrad students to attend the Annual Conference as a part of the Lisa A. Pierce VIP program. The VIP program this year was lucky enough to have a large pool of applicants, from which twelve undergraduate students were chosen. These twelve young minds came into the program full of energy and excited for the experience. Tuesday night kicked off the program with a review of the schedule, expectations of the program, and of course…ICEBREAKERS! The twelve students, six men and six women, each from a different institution, met and began their journey of unmasking their potential. From making Mardi Gras masks, to playing apples to apples, to late night Wawa trips, a family was formed and a strong bond developed.
make a difference in peoples’ lives. The experience was treasured by the 2011 VIP’s. They were able to network and make the connections necessary to excel in this industry. This experience will allow them to better understand where they want to go in the future and has opened so many doors in this amazing field.
While in the program, each VIP received a mentor who helped them with their resumes and cover letters, as well as offering job advice. The mentor/mentee relationship was a huge part of the program and gave all of the VIP’s an amazing connection. Jane Sanchez and Chrissie King spent time advising and teaching the VIP’s a variety of topics, including job skills and the tools to succeed in the field of Higher Education and Student Affairs. The VIPs were lucky enough to spend time with Mr. Tom Pierce, Lisa’s dad, who joined the family on Thursday. The VIPs listened to Mr. Pierce’s memories about Lisa’s excitement for Student Affairs and were inspired. Mr. Pierce challenged the VIPs to
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but also show others the value of the experience and may inspire others to attend or get involved as well.
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Visit MACUHO.org and register or update your contact information on the web site if you have not already done so. The MACUHO.org web portal is your one-stop shop for all things MACUHO, including staying connected with colleagues, board members, and Association activities; learning about professional development resources and opportunities such as the MACUHO Magazine and MACUHO committees; and receiving information about upcoming events and activities both within your region and association-wide. Your updated contact information keeps you connected. You can also make connections with people you met at the conference via the social network features of the site.
hree days and many connections, experiences, and six-second hugs later, the MACUHO Annual Conference has ended. Hopefully you enjoyed your MACUHO experience and returned home to your institution energized, rejuvenated and excited about your work, but now that you’re back in your office facing the long list of e-mails you left and the students that missed you while you were gone, you’re probably asking yourself, “What do I do now?” With some help from the Regional Coordinators, here are some things you can do to bring MACUHO to your institutions, stay involved with the Association, and capitalize on the conference experience, post-conference:
Take advantage of other MACUHO opportunities. MACUHO also has the Student Staff Live-in Conference (SSLI), the MidAtlantic Placement Exchange (MAPC), Regional Entry-Level Institute (RELI), and the MACUHO Magazine, along with other opportunities and services. Take advantage of these services as well.
Complete the post-conference survey. The feedback from the post conference survey is used not only to evaluate the Annual Conference, but will also be passed on to the host committee for ideas to enhance next year’s conference in Baltimore. Make sure you tell us about the good, the bad, or the new idea you have for next year.
Stay connected with MACUHO online. Join the MACUHO Groups on Facebook or LinkedIn and follow MACUHO on Twitter (@macuho). Stay involved with MACUHO happenings on Twitter by using the hashtag #macuho, and with Operation M:375 by using the hashtag #m375, and subscribe to MACUHO TV on YouTube (www.youtube.com/macuhotv).
Make your post-conference to-do list, and complete it. You may have a few things to do afterwards to clean up the conference experience. Get that expense information to your supervisor for reimbursement. Send a thank you note for the opportunity to attend if you need to. Pass that business card you got from an exhibitor on to the person that would be your institution’s contact person. Send someone you met at the conference information you promised them on an initiative your organization was working on. The to-do list will help with managing tasks and following through on any promises you made during the conference.
Get involved, or stay involved! Contact your Regional Coordinator for information about regional socials or drive-in events and attend. Get involved with Operation M:375 by joining a committee, work group or task force. Contribute an article to the MACUHO Magazine or design a webinar or other initiative. Look for additional opportunities to get connected and stay involved! Consider presenting at the 2012 MACUHO Annual Conference in Baltimore. Think about a topic that you would feel comfortable presenting about! The strength of the Annual Conference program is lies in people who are willing to share their information and perspectives with others. If it’s your first time presenting, or you’re having trouble figuring out what to talk about, consider talking with a colleague or with one of the contacts you made to team up, or with a member of the Program Committee for ideas. You may have more expertise and presentation ideas than you think!
Contact the people you met. Remember all the new people you met and changed business cards or contact information with? Make contact with them via e-mail, or online via Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn, and keep in touch. Conferences are about networking and meeting new people, and now it’s time to maintain those relationships. Follow up with session presenters. If you liked a presentation, email the presenters and let them know how much you enjoyed it or see if you can get some follow-up information about their presentation. You say you weren’t able to make it to a session, but you want the information anyway? Follow up with those presenters too!
Continue your professional development journey! Take time to consider the next steps in your professional development. What do you want to learn more about? Are there things from the conference you want to examine in depth? Do you want to attend the conference again next year? Are there other opportunities to gain knowledge in a particular area?
Share your conference experience and what you learned with your supervisor and colleagues. It’s important to tell others within your department about your conference experience. Share the notes from presentations you attended, pass on information that you learned from talking with colleagues at the conference, and most importantly, share any ideas that were inspired by your experience that may help your institution. Take some time with your supervisor, and/or ask for a bit of time at a meeting or for a short presentation. Doing this will not only allow you to share great ideas from the conference,
Resources: Munn, Holly (2010, June 15). Feeling inspired? Eight things to do after a conference. Retrieved from http:// hollymunn.x.iabc.com/. Thompson, Troy (2011, Sept. 13). 13 things to do after a conference. Retrieved from http://travel2dot0.com.
I attended MACUHO…..now what? By the Regional Coordinators 11
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s graduate students and aspiring professionals, there are many things in our current and forthcoming lives that are inescapable. Graduate school, job searching, and transitioning to a new job or environment are all aspects of life that we recognize as inevitable as we continue to progress through our personal and professional journey. However, no matter how daunting these unpreventable tasks seem, an even more intimidating underlying factor affects everyone no matter their situation. That underlying factor is stress. We define stress as an individual’s reaction to any perceived demand or threat and usually manifests itself mentally, physically, emotionally, or behaviorally. Due to the prevalence of stress in the everyday lives of student affairs professionals, we would like to touch on the importance of stress management and give some suggestions on how you can manage stress and remain healthy. In order to manage your stress effectively, you must first understand how stress is generated and the effects that it can have on an individual. Stress usually comes from factors related to our social interactions, environment, and our own personal thoughts. Social interactions could consist of group projects, loss of a loved one, dating relationships, and other interactions that potentially have the possibility of turning into a disagreement or unfavorable contact with others. Environmental factors could include the weather, traffic, noise level, roommates, coworkers, and any other components in your personal or workplace surroundings. The final and the
perceptions to better be able to handle the situation. In order to assist fellow graduate students and student affairs professionals better cope with stress, we have highlighted six suggestions that we feel are realistic and relevant to field of work. Find a support system- Having a group of people around you with whom you can speak to about your feelings and experience can be very beneficial. This can be very helpful as it gives you a sense of relief and can let you feel that others support you. Your support system can also help to work out problems with which you cannot find a solution. The important thing to remember is that your support system should consist of individuals who genuinely wish to listen and will not add additional stress. Change your attitude- This can be viewed as “finding the silver lining” or “find the good”. It is important to find other ways to think about your situation and think more positively. “I can handle this”, “This will be over soon”, “I have handled difficult things before” are all positive thinking phrases that can help to convert a pessimistic attitude into an optimistic one. Be realistic- When dealing with situations that produce or cause stress, it is necessary to set practical goals for dealing with stress and finding ways to solve problems. Setting high goals often seems like a useful way to push ourselves to get things done, but we may be setting ourselves up for disappointment or continued stress if we do not meet those goals. Recognize your limits. Being realistic includes practicing acceptance. It is critical to learn how to accept things that you cannot control or change, and figure out how to deal with it appropriately.
Don’t let stress manage you! By Devin Budhram & Jessica Prodoehl most important origin of stress, in our opinion, is the individual’s mind. Our perceptions of events can ultimately create stress and dictate the level of stress that we have. It is important to keep in mind that some people have more stress because of certain events than others do. Worrying too much, having low self-esteem or a poor body image, and a pessimistic attitude are some examples of stress that manifest themselves in the individual’s mind. Stress can affect everyone both mentally and physically. With that said, it is important to recognize that as humans, we tend to notice and dwell on the factors that cause stress but we do not think about how these factors are actually affecting us until it becomes too late. It can ruin relationships, create self-doubt, decrease productivity or effectiveness, and can result in depression, feeling fatigued, and even thoughts of injuring one-self. Symptoms reveal themselves in physical (headaches, racing heart, getting sick easily), behavioral (excessive smoking and/or drinking, withdrawing from others), and emotional (easily angered, depression) manifestations. It is important to recognize the symptoms of stress early so that you can be proactive and manage the stress to lessen the detrimental effect that is has on the individual.
Take a break and have “me time”- Learn that taking time to yourself to reflect and relax is just as important as giving time to other activities. At minimum, schedule time during your week dedicated only to you. This can consist of taking up a hobby such as working out or building model cars or simply just kicking your feet up and watching something you enjoy on television. “Me time” is unique to you, so do what you enjoy. Take care of yourself- When we say “Take care of yourself, we really mean, “take good care of yourself” which is very important when talking about stress management. Taking good care of yourself involves making sure that you eat well, get enough sleep, and get plenty of exercise. When we feel stressed, we tend to eat poorly, sleep less, stop exercising, and generally push ourselves harder. This can strain the immune system and cause us to get sick more easily. If we take good care of ourselves to begin with, we will be better equipped to manage stress. Learn to say “no”- As student affairs professionals we tend to take on more than we can chew when it comes to joining committees, joining organizations within and outside our institutions, and completing our daily
In order to manage your stress, it is integral to understand that stress management does not necessarily mean making stress go away. It means adjusting your actions and
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Stress continued from previous page tasks. Think about what favors and tasks you are willing to say yes to and which tasks need to be turned down. Protect yourself by not allowing yourself to take on every request or opportunity that comes your way. It is okay to “just say no”. Saying "no" does not mean you are bad, self-centered, or uncaring. It means that you have recognized your limits and wish to ensure that your work is completed to the best of your ability. Giving 100% to the few commitments on your agenda is more useful than giving less than 100% because there is too much for you to handle.
Devin Budhram is a second year graduate student in the College Student Affairs ED.M program at Rutgers University and is the Graduate Assistant for the Associate Dean of Students Office & On-Call Administrator for the Office of Housing & Residence Life at the Rutgers-Camden Campus
In closing, it is imperative to understand that everyone experiences stress. It is one thing in life that is unavoidable and unpreventable. To emphasize a point stated earlier in this article, it is crucial to understand that stress management does not mean that you can eliminate all your stress but it means that you need to adapt in order to better handle the stress. Being proactive and being able to identify signs of stress in the beginning stages is the key to managing it before it gets out of control and starts to affect you. Ultimately, managing stress early on leads to better health and a better attitude, and therefore will make you a better student affairs professional.
Jessica Prodoehl is a second year graduate student in the College Student Affairs Ed.M program at Rutgers University and is a Residence Hall Director in Housing and Residence Life at Rutgers- New Brunswick Campus.
Highlights from the Diversity Blog Post 1 Originally Posted: Thursday 6/23/2011 by Michelle Geban with slow speech and stuttered hand movements; my little cousin had a mental handicap. Then there was that time when we casually discussed a documentary about growing up in an inner city neighbor and you dominated the conversation with quotes and statistics from media and research you read but disregarded the experience of some of the people at the table who have lived and/or currently live in an inner city that didn’t fall in line with your findings. It’s great that you have taken an interest in inner city issues but what makes your "read” opinion more valuable than those who live it?
This is a fictitious letter to a colleague about some concerns revolving around cultural competence. Some of us will be able to relate to this letter on varying levels and some may be able to identify with the colleague in question. There are some questions at the end that I hope you will answer so we can be a resource to each other.
Dear Esteemed Colleague, We have been working together for some time now and you bring a lot to the field of student affairs. Students are able to connect with you and you bring a great perspective to our work…there’s just one thing. You sometimes offend me and others with some of your comments and word usage. I know you don’t mean harm by the things you say but yeah, they are pretty messed up
I want to say something to you but I don’t want to get pegged as being overly sensitive but I also feel I would be doing you a professional disservice by not talking to you about this. I feel that sometimes comedy is just comedy and other times it reveals a little bit about a person; like the old saying goes, there is some truth in jest. These were just the instances that I’ve observed, who knows how many more actually happened and who was listening. How do I bring this up in a way that wont damage our not only our professional but personal relationship? Should I say anything at all? Am I the only person who noticed this? *crumbles up letter* So, have you found yourself in a similar situation or know someone who has? How do we talk to our colleagues about these types of sensitive issues? If you have experienced this whether being on the giving or receiving end of the conversation, please share. Does your department provide you with tools to discuss such matters?
Remember when we vented to each other about not getting approval for the bus trip to the museum and you said "this is so gay”? Well I know you were just showing your disappointment but that caught my attention because gay does not equal lame. Oh yeah, there was that time after an inservice you jokingly told one of the staff members that you knew they weren’t going swimming because Black women don’t do that; they laughed but I was taken aback by it. I don’t know if they didn’t care, laughed due to being uncomfortable or didn’t say anything because you are their superior but that didn’t sit well with me. Let’s not forget about the how when someone asks you to repeat something you imitate a person with a mental handicap and speak
Speak on it.
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Privilege & Choice Although it has been a while, I remember loving my undergraduate years. I grew up in rural poverty in Pennsylvania and always had a concern about poverty and injustice, but I do not think I understood the entire dynamic (not that I do totally now) but once I started undergrad it was as if I was opened up to a whole new world. I have to give credit to Eastern College now Eastern University for what I learned in and out of the classroom. Yet, I’ve often wondered what happens once you’ve learned something. The importance of learning something is to hopefully compel you to act, right? I write this as a woman who’s moved into her early 30’s. I remember leaving Eastern a bright eyed picture of idealism. I was going to change things…I had about 500 ideas. Well, then reality hit… Graduated undergrad with a psych degree, no clue what to do next to reach my goals, so I decided that I just wanted to work in the city and do something working with people…Then I saw the school I tutored at was hiring teachers and I thought perfect, a small Christian school started to give children in Philadelphia a quality education and you
just need a Bachelors Degree. I knew I could do this, right? Teaching was probably one of the most challenging positions I could have done after graduation! I had the loving children and passion down but when it came to classroom management, I had no idea what I was getting into. At the end of the day and year, I was thankful for the challenge, but then decided to do a program which gave me the opportunity to live in a team and volunteer in an inner-city neighborhood. I was sent to Atlanta, GA. However, at the end of the year, I still was confused of what was next and decided to come back to Philly, get a job in social work and enroll in a program to get my MSW. Okay, so now, I’m sure that you the reader are wonder where I’m going with this, right?? Well after finishing school and a couple years down the road getting married and having a child and pregnant with the second child the reality of life has hit. School loans, bills, childcare, more bills… And now I have a confession for everyone, I shop at Wal-mart and other discount stores…So…Well here is the dilemma, when I attended my lovely undergrad, I remember there was a group called Evangelicals for Social Action and for the first time I was exposed to the evils of
Post 2 Originally posted Monday 7/ 18/2011 by Lisa Nyinaku
sweatshops…Later, on one of the professors showed a film/ documentary on the dilemma of the girl child in other countries…I had left my undergrad determined to do something. I remember calling a number for Nike (a customer service line or something… leaving a message about how I felt…Righteous Anger, I was full of…) I mean walking around with clothes made by blood and sweat of underpaid labor in horrid conditions was unfair and unjust…I was not going to shop at any sweatshop store and make sure that all my stuff was made in the USA…And then the guilt creeps in… I remember some years ago, reading an article about a man that confronted another man who had decided not to shop at Wal-mart because of the injustice it had inflicted on others and this other man asking him if this just plays into the idea of privilege. This man had a family and spoke about how days like Black Friday provided him with a chance to get gifts for his family so they could have some type of Christmas or school clothes…He couldn’t afford it any other way… So, here I am and I shop at Wal-mart for many reasons…For my family because my little 22 mo. old infant has needs and for residence life material, because I have a budget to keep as part of my position. Sometimes, I sit and wonder, am I wrong? I mean it is one think to be ignorant of something, although ignorance is not an excuse and still breeds complacency but it is something else to do something blatant…And sometimes, when I see what I save honestly I don’t feel guilt anymore…At times, yes, but other times,
maybe it is because I have become distant from the reality and live like many others in this time in survival mode or maybe I repress the guilt to pacify myself so I can continue to do what I need to… Solution, you may ask…Is it stop shopping at Wal-mart or other stores, watching the tags on you clothing, protesting, not shopping on "Buy Nothing Day (I got to add to the last two that protesting is what worked in France when it came to health care…Watch Sicko by Michael Moore if you haven’t seen it yet)? Or is it more, challenging not only sweatshops, but the systems that make it amicable to shop at sweatshops...Increasing wages, affordable living, affordable childcare and affordable education (something that we in Housing and Residence Life may have to struggle with as we see students struggle to meet the costs of education, something that is invaluable and should be free, yet all of us know that we live in a capitalistic society and while educational institutions are non-profits they are part of a larger system which makes them a business)…I’m not sure I have simple solutions. I probably never did…I guess this is just a chance to get the conversation started…
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“This is the ONLY day of the year I can dress like this…”
dressing like a slut. Speaking of today's American society, we are still finding that there are girls having body image issues, eating disorders, teenage pregnancies, and so on, in fact, the numbers are still increasing. This makes me wonder about the correlation between these problems and how we are choosing to celebrate or engage in social situations. I picture a young woman, maybe
Post 3 Originally posted Monday 7/ 18/2011 by Lisa Nyinaku
in her early 20s or so getting ready for the huge Halloween party with a few of her closest girlfriends. Everyone is caking on the make-up and putting on their slutty, oops I meant to say ‘sexy', costumes. But there's a teen younger sister who is staying in for the night because there's still school for her in the morning. This younger sibling is watching her sister and dreaming of the day where she can dress up with her friends and go out, just like her big sister is doing on this night. Teens, well, all of us really, are heavily influenced by what we see in the media, but we are even more influenced by our peers, family and those we look up to. So this younger sister sees how much fun her older sister is having and can't wait to be just like her. None of us want to be the cause of negative behaviors in the people we love, but I don't think that we are aware of how much our actions influence that of the ones around us whether they are good or bad. Obviously this scenario I just built is quite vague, may have some holes, but it may not be that much of a stretch. Being the scholarly nerd I can be sometimes, I looked up a few articles on my good friend, Google, and came across this one. http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/issues/ stereotyping/women_and_girls/index.cfm It's all about how media portrayals affect women, young girls, and other sub groups such as men, gays and lesbians, and persons with disabilities. It was quite interesting – check it out if you have the time! The articles were short, sweet and to the point and still caused me to think about what the media is broadcasting every day. I thought about the media's effect on me, and then in turn, me affecting those around me, and then those around me affecting even more people, and then it just taking over the world!! …it turned into this huge thoughtful rant [as you can see] in which I figured out that it's all cyclical. I know that I don't have all of the answers and that I can't save the world [not yet at least!], but I do have one suggestion: if we want to see a change for the better, it should start within ourselves and let's see how powerful that cycle can become. I would like to conclude this blog by stating: This entry is definitely not trying to yuck-someone's-yum or rain on someone's good time, but done solely to make you think. And I hope it did! Thank you for taking the time to read my blog – this is the first time I've ever written one! Thanks Diversity Committee for giving me the opportunity to write for you! please leave comments!
"This is the ONLY day of the year I can dress like this!”
This is something that I had been hearing quite frequently in the past few weeks as Halloween was soon approaching. A few ghosts and pumpkin decorations were being hung in the excitement that this day brings so many people in the halls of the all-female building I supervise. I heard from a few female residents, and even friends of mine, that this was the time of year that they look forward to most. I found this quite surprising considering Christmas, New Years and Valentine's Day are just around the corner. They explained to me that this was their favorite time of year because they could dress anyway they want and "not get judged” for doing so. "It's the only time of the year that is considered acceptable to dress like slut and walk the streets with everyone!” a friend told me the other day as she was looking up all of the sexy cat costumes on PartyCity.com in hopes of finding the perfect one. At the time I didn't find it too shocking because I've been seeing the same comments being made on Facebook as well… and we all know Facebook is the biggest source of social information today, even above Google, at least in my opinion. As a child Halloween was definitely one of my favorite times of the year – but obviously for different reasons. It seemed to be day made specifically for us kids to play dress up as our favorite TV or movie characters, get some free candy from our neighbors, and just play all day. To me it was the best! Christmas was… alright… despite having to go to bed super early for Santa to come but Halloween was just the bees-knees to me when I was young. Growing up I started noticing that adults can have fun with the day as well. Halloween soirées with green ghoul cocktails, couples costumes, and themed games made it all the more appealing – kids can't be the only ones having fun! However, hearing that so many women find it thrilling to dress like sluts in public and look forward to this is kind of a personal party-pooper. The word ‘slut' has such a negative connotation – so this leads to my question, ‘why would someone choose to be this'? Don't get me wrong [not trying to come off prude-ish], I understand wanting to look sexy or dress up for the occasion, but there is clearly a fine line between being sexy and blatantly
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Do you have an interesting story for the MACUHO Magazine? Would you like to see your company’s information in the MACUHO Magazine? Have you always thought about writing but never knew what to do? Are you a photographer or graphic designer and want to showcase your work for all of MACUHO? For more information contact us at magazine@macuho.org
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At the October Executive Board meeting, the board focused their efforts on strategic planning, with specific attention to the long term strategy related to our membership, inclusivity, and benefits as well as the newly adopted CHEMA Guiding Principles for Diversity, Inclusion & Equity. You will see more information and opportunities to provide insight on these two topics in the future. A new tool is available this Fall called the Hall Director Toolkit. This on-line resource, SelfAssessment Toolkit for Hall Directors and their Supervisors, uses competency-based selfassessments to help hall directors create professional development plans while assisting supervisors with coaching, support, and overall departmental planning. An introductory, limited time special price is offered through the end of the year with the understanding that the participating members provide feedback regarding the assessment.
A comprehensive Campus Housing Management Book Series is currently being written by numerous contributing authors within the profession. Norb Dunkel, University of Florida, and Eddie Hull, Boston University, serve as the editors.
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learn more about these positions and our This 6 volume series will include:
upcoming Executive Board election in February, please visit our website at
Campus Housing: Past, Present, and Future
www.acuho-i.org.
Campus Housing Residence Life and Education Campus Housing Facilities Management
ACUHO-I has positioned itself to be an
Campus Housing Business and Information
indispensable resource to its members and
Technology Services
we are able to do so with the assistance of
Campus Housing Services
our talented Central Office staff who are truly
Campus Housing Management and Leadership
committed to the work of the housing profession and housing officers. We are
In an effort to keep current and to provide the
excited to announce that a new Director of
membership, volunteer leaders, and staff with
IT, Jerry Ledbetter, will begin his work in the
enhanced functionality, the association is
Central Office on November 7, 2011.
investing in a new enterprise system. The new CHO’s will receive an invitation in November to participate in an operational survey, being conducted in partnership with the NASPA Assessment Consortium. We encourage all member and non member institutions to participate. Details are forthcoming.
financial management and association management systems will be launched in 2012. The success of our credentialing project continues with the launch of the Housing Occupancy Management certificate. Preregistration is live on the website. The Certificate in Housing Assessment has proven to be of high interest to our members with enrollment of nearly 150 housing professionals.
The ACUHO-I Foundation continues to lead the way in providing invaluable resources for our members and the association through their support of educational and research endeavors. Look for more information about the Foundation and how you can invest in the future of the profession by visiting their website at acuho-i.org/foundation.
With the continued volatility of the economy, ACUHO-I continues to keep watch over our investments and recently re-examined our investment policy, moving our balances to more conservative measures. The Nominations Committee is working to identify qualified professionals for the positions of Business Practices & Enhancements Director, Physical Facilities & Services Director, Workforce Development Director and Vice President. To
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With the holidays upon us the last thing you probably need is another individual or group with a tin cup out requesting financial assistance! We all are trying to “Pay the Rent”, reduce our debt load and calculate the fiscal wiggle room for the potential purchase of holiday gifts! The monetary demands for all of us are significant in a chosen profession where the salary could be considerably less than the private sector.
I give to the ACUHO-I foundation because as a professional I strongly believe that I should support my professional organization. Personally, I have benefitted from the foundation through financial assistance to attend the annual conference via the “Best of Awards”. I think that the way we sustain our profession is by investing in its future and the work of the foundation supports younger professional and encourages them to be involved. The foundation also recognizes the hard work and dedication of members who go above and beyond.
This is simply a reminder or an introduction about the ACUHO-I Foundation. The ACUHO-I Foundation was formed in 1988 to provide a way for individuals, institutions, corporations, government agencies, and other foundations to support the collegiate housing profession through gifts and grants.
Beth Moriarty, Ed.D. Director of Residence Life and Housing
In previous articles we have shared with you the ways the foundation works for YOU and other colleagues and your professional development as a residence life/student housing professional. These are exciting and challenging times for our profession and having a little bit of assistance along the way is always beneficial.
Bridgewater State University, MA
I started to give to the Foundation at my first ACUHO-I conference in 1995. I realized that if I had one of those green ribbons that I wouldn't continued to be hassled to give...in a good way of course! So I signed up for the 5x$50 program and continued to give once that commitment ended. I made the jump to Major Donor because ACUHO-I, and NEACUHO, allowed me to continue to serve on the Foundation Board as an Associate Member during my unexpected "year off" from active employment. I made the internal commitment to do what I could when I once again had a steady paycheck. I continue to give because as my professional alma mater, this organization has provided me with education from colleagues that has had a profound impact on students that I have worked with all these years; my professional network; and friends who mean as much as my family. Without the support of the Foundation, this organization would have far less depth.
The ACUHO-I Foundation is our fund raising vehicle and we can’t provide the assistance to you without fiscal support of our members and others. Many of the corporate partners and friends from whom we purchase goods and services are and have been significant contributors to the Foundation. Some ACUHO-I and MACUHO members have chosen to “pay back/pay forward” to promote the efforts of the foundation. It might be with a $5 raffle ticket at the regional conference. Some have chosen to make an annual contribution. Others actively participate in the Silent Auction at the ACUHO-I Annual Convention. Whatever the reason, many contribute with different amounts because they care about the future of the profession and ultimately the lives of students living in the residence halls and apartments on our campuses.
Gary Bice, Jr. Director of Residence Life SUNY Fredonia
There are a number of colleagues in the housing family who have contributed to the ACUHO-I foundation. We asked them to comment on the reason they “gave back” via contribution to the Foundation and here are their remarks:
ACUHO I & You Collaboration for Professional Development By Chuck Lamb and Joanne Goldwater, ACUHO-I Foundation Regional Cabinet Representatives
ACUHO-I has been a constant in my career since 1983. Early on, it gave me opportunities to connect with more experienced colleagues from similar institutions from whom I learned much and to whom I am most grateful. Those interactions provided perspective that informed my work. This is just as true today. ACUHO-I has been good to me in so many ways, and I truly would not be where I am today without its influence. It is my privilege, and I'm not kidding, to be able to give back to our profession and our Association that has meant so much to me.
Our simple request is to KEEP YOUR ACUHO-I FOUNDATION in mind in the future. Continue to read articles like this in future issues of the MACUHO newsletter and/or ACUHO-I Talking Stick about the opportunity to pay back/pay forward and the continuing ways the ACUHO-I Foundation assists the profession and particularly its members. We fully realize you have numerous competing demands for your discretionary income. Just consider the Foundation if you can make a contribution at some time in the future! Thanks and best wishes for the spring term!
Eddie Hull Executive Director of Residential Life UMass Amherst
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ACUHO-I Foundation Fundraising Report By Joanne Goldwater ACUHO-I Foundation Regional Cabinet Representative I am deeply grateful to Pete Galloway from West Chester University for taking care of the Foundation booth for me during the conference. The direct fundraising for the Foundation raised $105 with the “You Made A Difference” cards, $40 in general cash donations, and $170 in “pledges” for a total of $315. Good News – the Charity Basket raffle did very well. Since this was being split three ways, the Foundation is set to get $800+. The Lisa A. Pierce Endowment will also get $800+. So, if you count both of these as donations to the Foundation, we were well over the $1,000 goal. Way to go MACUHO! Thanks to those who donated at the MACUHO Conference:
David Larsen Matt James Peter Galloway Krystal Dains Marvin Worthy Susanne Ferrin Jennifer Thorpe Shana Alston Laurie Tuttle Yuhnke Jennifer Thorpe Sarah Brill Crystal Lopez David Clurman Lynn Riker Joe Russo Olan Garrett Grace Reynolds
Other MACUHO Members who have donated :
University of Scranton William Patterson University West Chester University of PA Catholic University of America University of the Sciences Chestnut Hill College Philadelphia University Philadelphia University Chestnut Hill College Washington College Georgian Court University Univ. of Maryland Baltimore County New Jersey Institute of Technology Drexel University Univ. of Maryland - College Park Lafayette College
Thanks to each of you for supporting your profession! If you would like to donate to the ACUHO-I Foundation, please go to: https://foundation.acuho-i.org/
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Linda Anderson
Kelly Smolinsky
Michael DeJager
Adam Boyd
Benita Rashaw
Bill Gunger
David Williams
Kevin Stensberg
Adirondack Solutions
Charlie & Katie Boone
Howie Dumhart
Shigeo Iwamiya
Reslife.Net
Dawn Thompson
Derek Young
Amber Cardamone
Victor Arcelus
Tim Johnson
Cindy Felice
Ciji Tidwell
Grace Reynolds
Margaree Carter
Jan Arminio
Alison Jones
Pete Galloway
Mark Turnbough
Lynn Riker
David Clurman
Monica Armstrong
Sean Killion
Clinton Gilbert
Becky Verzinski
Michael Robbins
Jessica Curry
Laura Bayless
Justin McCauley
Joanne Goldwater
Kyle Warren
Tom Segar
Denise Davidson
Angie Bonilla
Andy McDade
Deb Grandner
Erik Wessel
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