The Pulse April/May 2016

THE PULSE THE NEWSLETTER OF THE ONTARIO ASSOCIATION OF COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY HOUSING OFFICERS

APRIL/MAY 2016

REGISTRATION FOR THE NEW PROFESSIONAL TRAINING INSTITUTE IS NOW OPEN HOSTED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO

GRADUATE HOUSE, UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO, ST. GEORGE CAMPUS

THE PULSE

Board of Directors PRESIDENT

CONFERENCE DIRECTOR

Julie West

Sara Wills

University of Guelph jwest@uoguelph.ca

Carleton University sara.wills@carleton.ca

PRESIDENT-ELECT / FINANCE DIRECTOR

CORPORATE PARTNER RELATIONS DIRECTOR

Daryl Nauman

Jordon McLinden

York University dnauman@yorku.ca

Carleton University jordon.mclinden@carleton.ca

PAST PRESIDENT

SENIOR-LEVEL MEMBER AT LARGE

Laura Storey Carleton University laura.storey@carleton.ca

Chris Alleyne

COMMUNICATION DIRECTOR

MEMBER AT LARGE

Brian Cunha

University of Windsor rawlin1@uwindsor.ca

Western University calleyne@housing.uwo.ca

Diane Rawlings

University of Toronto brian.cunha@utoronto.ca

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR

MEMBER AT LARGE

Melissa Steadman

Humber College meaghan.mcneil@humber.ca

Western University msteadma@housing.uwo.ca

Meghan McNeil

MEMBERSHIP ENGAGEMENT DIRECTOR

ASSOCIATION MANAGER

Andrew Quenneville

OACUHO info@oacuho.com

Western University aquennev@housing.uwo.ca

Carol Ford

The Communications Committee DIRECTOR Brian Cunha

SPECIAL PROJECTS Meaghan McNeil

THE PULSE EDITORS Rebecca Mudge Andrea Pape Cory Coletta Jonathan Amanatidis Brittany Reifenstein

SOCIAL MEDIA Mary Stefanidis Brian Millado RESEARCH Aman Litt

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

W

hat are you doing for the summer?

As our students leave and a new season takes hold, it’s time to look forward to the summer activities and begin to think about what you want to achieve.

For many there will be some long-awaited vacation that will allow you to get respite from the busy year to spend time with family and friends, to explore new places, to meet new people and to just relax. For others it’s a time of renovations, conference operations and staff hiring.

But summer is also a great time for professional development (conferences, workshops or selfdirected learning/reading).

Are you a new professional in the process of seeking a new job opportunity? You will see in this issue of the Pulse what some of our senior staff look for when hiring – read it carefully and think about how you (your resume, cover letter or social media presence) would match the needs of a hiring manager.

Consider the following: 1. Have you checked the spelling and grammar of the text in your resume?

2. Will you send a chronological or functional resume?

3. Are your social media profiles and activities consistent with the type of persona you want to put forward?

4. What phone number are you providing potential employers and does the call answer have a professional sounding message (and not ‘Yo, leave me a message’)?

5. And lastly, does your interview manner exude an eagerness for the position or do you radiate mediocrity?

I once attended a presentation given by Dr. Susan Komives about professionals who are excited, existing or exhausted in their current role. Where are you at in your career? Which of these states are you in at the moment?

Are you: - Excited (eager for new challenges, enthusiastic and passionate about your work)?

- Existing (coasting but still conscious and present in your work)?

- Exhausted (needing a rest, weary of your responsibilities or drained)?

No matter what state you are in, it’s good to assess where you are and develop a strategy for the future. So what is your next step? Do you have incremental steps in place to help you get there? Are they Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely? Take some time and be planful about your future.

And best of luck!

OACUHO President THE OACUHO PULSE APRIL/MAY EDITION

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Critical Incident Group Debriefing Hosted by: Crisis & Trauma Resource Institute Inc. https://ca.ctrinstitute.com Date / Time: May 30, 2016. 9am - 4pm Cost: $175.00 (incl. accommodation on the evening of May 29, and pre-conference session on May 30) Workshop Description Critical Incident Group Debriefing (CIGD) is a short-term group intervention process that focuses on an immediate event. CIGD is one of several methods that may be utilized to lessen the likelihood of participants experiencing symptoms of trauma and stress after a critical incident. This group debriefing process provides a place for participants to talk and share experiences, and for the facilitator to teach and provide information about the impact of critical incidents. While participants of this workshop will learn how to facilitate a group debriefing, they will also learn how to discern when CIGD is appropriate for a group or when it might not be a suitable intervention.

Registration is now open for the 2016 OACUHO New Professional Training Institute www.npti2016.com info@npti2016.com @npti2016

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in house

RESEARCH

with Research Writer Aman Litt

Interviewing the Interviewers

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cannot appropriately explain how great researching this month’s article was. How often do we get the opportunity to speak with some of the current leaders of Residence Services about their hiring processes?

These leaders not only provided great insight, but allowed me to ask some specific questions to help us with future job interviews.

The first individual I interviewed, was James (Jamie) Fleming, the Director of Residences at Brock University. Jamie discusses his career path as a linear trajectory, with his job naturally growing as the residence system grew at Brock University.

Originally, his professional intentions were to become a teacher, but then, through personal reflection and life choices, his path transitioned into Housing Services.

Jamie’s key advice for new professionals, and those of us who have been in the career force for a while, is to keep yourself aware of all the functional roles and areas in Housing. He stresses the importance of understanding how the entire department works together, where there is overlap and what are role specific duties. He eloquently discusses how mobile roles are, particularly within Residence Life, and the importance of not pigeon holing yourself too much in job selection.

When someone is not qualified for a job, how do they get to the interview stage? Qualifications and transferable skills, is what Jamie evaluates at equal levels. For him, it somewhat depends on the other people currently in roles around the job, who would be supported by and/or support the role and how said individuals would all blend and work together.

What are deal breakers in the cover letter, resume or interview? Resumes which clearly are cookie cutter in layout are not appealing to Jamie. Also, cookie cutter in the sense that it is obvious that you have used the same cover letter for every organization that you are applying to, with a few simple tweaks. Tailor your cover letter and resume for the select job; make sure it is unique and represents the values you appreciate in the specific institution. Remember that we’re great employers, so show that in your preparation Jamie says.

How do you really impress in the interview? Be enthusiastic about why you applied, even if you’re not fully qualified because this can go a long way. If you’re not 100 percent qualified for the role, impress upon your strengths, which Brock University gravitates to and holds to a high standard. Also, provide solutions for your weaknesses or any gaps in experience or qualifications, make yourself memorable and clearly display that you have done the legwork prior to the meeting.

Meeting individuals for coffee for a posted job, in advance of the selection/interview process? Jamie will typically not do this, to be fair to the entire applicant pool, but he appreciates the initiative behind this invitation.

Jamie wouldn’t interview someone just to be nice, if that person was clearly not qualified for the job; however, it is not bad to give the right person the opportunity, even though, on paper, there may be one or two small gaps, because you never know what could come out in the interview process.

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IN HOUSE RESEARCH

Jen Coulter, Director, Housing at Trent University, has a lot of great feedback in order to get to the interview stage of the game.

Applicants can attain an interview by showing their skills in researching the institution and reflecting that knowledge in their cover letter.

Explain how you see yourself in the role, and demonstrate clear thought and reasoning as to why you are the best candidate for the role.

Jen will meet interested individuals for a coffee, while the job is currently posted. She sees it as part of the research process and think it is a smart move, as long as the individual comes prepared and has poignant questions.

Irene Thompson is the Director of Housing Services at the University of Guelph and has been at Guelph for thirty three years. When she first started her professional career, a degree was the only requirement, but throughout her career as she has worked her way up—she took advantage of professional development and academic courses. Career wise, she has taken advantage of both lateral and upward opportunities and sees the value in both choices. Irene pursued an MA right after her undergrad, but life and professional circumstances interfered with her ability to complete her thesis. Most recently she completed her MBA. Her passion for her academic studies made the challenge of balancing working and school completely worth it.

In resumes and cover letters, she likes a clean, easy to read layout. Reading long resumes can be tiresome; actionable items and bullet pointed lists, can be easier to go through and consume. Jen always is sure to keep her team in mind when hiring and her team does play a role in her decision making. A good fit for the team is as important as a good fit for the position.

Make sure to keep the cover letter specific and for the intended institution. She wants the cover letter to show why you are applying for this job, at this time, and how it fits into your professional plan. Jen also really likes to see accomplishments on resumes, so do not be shy in providing examples of your accomplishments. Resumes typically tend to be a laundry list of job descriptions, so focus on achievements because you want to stand out and distinguish yourself with the selection committee.

Deal breakers for Jen are when someone does not show a genuine interest in the interview process. When you are being interviewed, you and many of the other applicants will share similar backgrounds and experience levels, so this is where you can outshine others with your knowledge of Trent, specific accomplishments from your past and how what you have done and said role at Trent work towards your professional future goals.

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As her own academic and professional career have progressed, it has helped formulate her opinions on the hiring experience and how she evaluates individuals for employment. She has a keen interest in what individuals have done outside of their student housing experience and suggests that these factors may be the differential that allows a candidate to stand out from others with similar experience in housing.

For example, she recommends that you discuss your volunteer services or academic research to illustrate the skills and strengths you developed through them and how they would support the housing department mission and your position. Connect your experiences from different areas and tie them all into the role and demonstrate them as an asset, is her advice.

IN HOUSE RESEARCH

To distinguish yourself and earn a spot in the interview phase, Irene appreciates a brief cover letter that catches her attention, but make sure not to overstate or undersell yourself.

her staff, so that applicants can have a greater awareness of the organization, its values and work style. She recommends that you do some research prior to the call and have your questions ready.

Lastly, I spoke with Sarah Wolgemuth, the Assistant Dean of Students, Residence at the University of Alberta. Sarah has played many roles on our campus; working as an Residence Coordinator after graduation, spending some much appreciated time at the Faculty of Law as Director of Student Services and Admissions and now, in her current position. She has juggled working while attaining her MEd and sometimes speaks of even furthering her education in the future.

Irene advises that when reading a job description, you must remember that employers are asking for the world and describing everything that that they desire in a candidate. For entry level positions, Irene can be flexible on the qualifications, recognizing that strength in other areas and experiences can be drawn upon and developed within a candidate with less than the stated experience levels. For senior level positions, learning acquired through experience can augment or even trump purely academic learning.

Sarah promotes applying for what interests you. She encourages you to apply for roles, even if you are unsure, because you never know what the applicant pool looks like. Maybe the position did not have many applicants, or perhaps all of the applicants are missing some of the required qualifications, so she recommends to engage in the process and let it eliminate you versus eliminating yourself.

Also, you might possess a great asset or skill that will make you naturally stand out from the crowd, so do not sell yourself short.

When receiving a cover letter and resume, Irene will quickly read through all of the potential resumes and sort them into piles based on the qualifications presented and relevant experience. She then reads the complete application package and further sorts on the basis of what she feels the position, team or department requires in terms of skillsets, experience, opportunities.

Deal breakers are incorrect spelling of individual’s names or organizations, and when you can tell you’re reading an application that has not been customized to the job and institution. Irene invests her time in reading the application packages and she wants to know that a candidate is invested enough to have researched the position and institution. Take the time to customize each application, it will go a long way.

A coffee chat or telephone conversation regarding a posted job is something Irene is more than willing to make time for. She typically encourages individuals to connect with

A keen piece of advice: keep in mind the reputation you have created. Sarah discusses how our field is not a large body of water and people are quick to champion for individuals who they know do good work. Never underestimate the strength of a proactive referral from your supervisor or colleagues.

Cover letter or resume, do you have a preference? Sarah says it depends; she usually starts off by reading the first couple of paragraphs of the cover letter and then goes straight into the resume to make sure she’s seeing the qualifications needed for the THE OACUHO PULSE APRIL/MAY EDITION

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IN HOUSE RESEARCH

posting. If there was a genuine interest from her initial look at the cover letter and read through of the resume, she will then go through and thoroughly read the cover letter.

Basically, Sarah’s bottom line is that she wants to hire someone who will be great at the job-the best candidate for the job. While she reflects on what the department currently looks like, with respect to the current staff makeup, she feels a strong hire will work well, regardless.

Deal breakers? Make sure to edit, edit, edit before submission! Errors on paper reflect a lack of preparedness on your part; Sarah really values a commitment and dedication to the application process. When you can tell that someone has done their research on programming and why they are excited for working within the department, she appreciates it.

Jamie Fleming, Brock University

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Jen Coulter, Trent University

After reading through this, you should be able to see many similarities amongst the interviewers and many helpful tips to make yourself standout. The common theme echoed by them all is being well researched, well edited and excited about the opportunity. I wish you well in your future professional endeavours.

Irene Thompson, University of Guelph

Sarah Wolgemuth, University of Alberta

Assessment: Understanding ‘The Why’ Brandon Smith Ryerson University

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ssessment continues to be a buzzword connected to the work we do in Housing and Student Affairs; however, there are often assumptions and misconceptions of what assessment really is. It can be argued that formal assessment grounds the work we do in Housing and Student Affairs; therefore, an understanding of assessment is essential to ensure our programs, units and departments intentionally add to the student experience outside of the classroom. Whether you are assessing student learning, satisfaction, metrics or the overall lifecycle of your operation, assessment provides

an opportunity to organically understand and improve.

One of the earliest and greatest lessons I learned as a professional is the difference between assessment, evaluation and research (Borden, V., & Zak Owens, J. L., 2001).

Assessment continues within a cycle of planned implementation, while evaluation is purely summative. With proper planning, research, assessment and evaluation can be concurrently performed, gaining full understanding of impact.

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In the context of this article, assessment is defined as an observable way to tell a story about the student learning experience using methods to describe what was accomplished and why this matters (Keeling, R.P., Wall, A.F., Underhile, R., and Dungy, G.J., 2008). In simpler terms, assessment is a way to understand when, how, why, and where students learn, develop and engage.

I’m not an expert in assessment, but I have learned from the teams I have been a part of and tried to integrate proven practice and my training to effectively tell our stories.

Below are my top five considerations related to assessment for any short or long-term program or response to a systematic need:

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Ask ‘why?’: It’s enticing to jump in and start planning innovative ways to assess the work you are doing, but first it’s important to understand why you’re assessing it. On the same note, does your understanding match that of your team? Like Simon Sinek’s Start With Why, it’s important to consider why you are looking to assess something, or else there is a possibility of just evaluating something – or worse, you’re merely collecting unnecessary data. Are you comparing yourself to anything? If so, what and why? If not, why not? Does this connect to best or proven practice? Is there a benchmark? There is a difference between assessment and evaluation – and this matters.

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Plan for more than learning outcomes: a well-developed learning outcome will explain how learning is evidenced, but there is more to assessment than these results. Through programmatic and assessment planning, implementation and formal evaluation, departments can help institutions develop priorities, allocate resources and work together to enhance student learning in and out of the classroom. It’s important to consider the potential of whatever you’re assessing, and consider how this will be implemented – and assessed – in stages, in order to fully illustrate the potential of whatever is being assessed.

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Connect the dots: It’s beneficial to connect whatever is being assessed to greater meaning. How does what you’re assessing tie to your department goals? Why should resources go into this? Does this align with your division and the greater institution? Can you see whatever you’re assessing fit within your academic plan or respond to an emerging need on your campus?

Considering these questions will not only provide an opportunity to ground what you’re assessing to the institution, but can also communicate a need for what you are planning.

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Understand relationships: Strategic planning allows you to understand the relationships you are wanting to learn more about related to data. In planning and throughout any assessment cycle, think about and connect what you think you know from general observations and question whether or not this instinct aligns with quantitative metrics. If there are relationships, is there qualitative evidence that can add to the story you’re trying to tell? Do trends in facilities, by community, align with data known by residence life? This all links to the importance of formative and summative assessment. If this is of specific interest, my colleague Lesley D’Souza has written a fantastic article on the importance of these factors in assessment.

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Tell the story and ask ‘how?’: Our executive director of Student Affairs always says “Nobody hears the stories that aren’t told.”

Assessment is a form of narrative. It’s important to be intentional with the data you are collecting. With on-going assessment, there will always be more data to tell the story of what is being assessed. It’s important to know and understand your audience to ensure you are not only making this information accessible for their understanding, but that you are also able to communicate exactly what they are needing to know based on their interest or connection to what is being assessed. Depending on who you’re sharing this with, a one page brief vs. an infographic vs. a conference style poster vs. a summative year end report can have tremendous impact, leading to greater interest or support for what’s being assessed.

I feel that residence is one of the largest classrooms on a campus, and there are many stories each of us needs to tell that is connected to our halls and the work we do with students. Whether you work in residence life, admissions, operations or facilities, assessment matters in order to illustrate the meaning made from the student experience in residence - and ultimately the importance of our work.

——— Brandon Smith manages the Residence Life & Education program at Ryerson University in the department of Housing & Residence Life. With formal training on Assessment & Evaluation and Planning & Strategy by Keeling & Associates, LLC, Brandon connects these skills, integrated with formal evaluation and narrative, to tell the important stories of the work we do in Housing & Residence Life. Brandon ties all of this to his previous positions and experiences as a Residence Manager at Mount Royal University and McMaster, and as Manager, Student Leadership & Learning, also at Mac. ———— References Borden, V., & Zak Owens, J. L. (2001). Measuring quality: Choosing among surveys and other assessment of college quality. Washington, DC: American Council on Education and Florida State University—Association for Institutional Research.

Keeling, R.P., Wall, A.F., Underhile, R., and Dungy, G.J. (2008). Assessment reconsidered: Institutional effectiveness for student success.

International center for student success and institutional accountability.

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ACPA Next Gen

Rachel Cabunoc Residence Manager Western University

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ttending the Next Gen conference and then the ACPA convention in Montreal marked my first international conference. I was fortunate enough to be one of the recipients of OACUHO’s Next Gen scholarship that made it possible for me to attend.

specific sessions concerning title IX and other similar sessions. In reality, Next Gen was more focused on equipping delegates who are about to begin or just beginning their career in student affairs with tools and information that will help further their career.

The Next Gen, or Next Generation, Conference is marketed as a unique opportunity for the next generation of student affairs professionals to explore different aspects of the profession. This was the first year the organizers of Next Gen expanded the cohort to include not only undergraduate students, but also graduate students and new professionals who already hold a bachelor’s degree. I believe that most new professionals were first skeptical at how relevant Next Gen would be as it seemed as though the majority of delegates were American undergraduate students. There was also the longstanding skepticism that U.S.-centric conferences were sometimes steeped in US

Next Gen was helpful in providing a wider orientation to the world of Student Affairs. One of the first sessions delivered by Dr. Case Willoughby was titled “Perspectives, Lenses and Competencies in Student Affairs” and it helped equip me with some of the basic principles that make the foundation of this field, and broadened my perspective to see beyond what my only experience has been in Residence Life. Some of the other sessions focused on careers planning, student development theories and how to make the most of the digital tools available to Student Affairs professionals.

THE OACUHO PULSE APRIL/MAY EDITION

In addition to the sessions at Next Gen, it was interesting to be able to meet and network with other delegates that were hoping to move into a career in student affairs and gather their perspectives on what they’ve experienced in their functional areas. It can be easy to get caught up in your own functional area when in reality, career paths can cross numerous landscapes. Next Gen provided insight into other career opportunities in the broad sector that is Student Affairs.

I would highly recommend the Next Gen conference to other new professionals as it provided me with a multitude of tools not only for my job in student affairs, but for my career and how to advance my career.

I tried to attend a melange of session types that appealed to me and that would apply to my role.

A session that continued to stick with me after the convention had completed was from a fellow Canadian, Heather Lane Vetere, the Vice-Provost, Students at Ryerson University on Fashion, Basketball & Empathy.

The session followed her journey to experience real empathy with students by putting herself in their shoes and it highlighted the importance of having meaningful interactions with students, beyond the regular day-to-day work responsibilities. Another session that I attended directly addressed an issue that many new supervisors struggle with; providing critical feedback to staff. There was an amazing mix of sessions that I was able to attend that provided me with relevant learning that I was able to apply to my job immediately, and others that opened a personal dialogue over difficult topics.

As soon as the Next Gen conference wrapped up, it fed its way directly into the full ACPA convention.

ACPA’s 2016 convention in Montreal marked my first ever international conference. My initial impression of ACPA can be summed up into one word: overwhelming.

At any one time there were about 20 concurrent sessions to choose from, a buzz of activity in the vendor’s fair and an open access Career Café. After taking some time and planning out my own conference, it became clear going to a conference of such great magnitude was that at any given time there would be a session of interest for nearly every functional level and experience level of Student Affairs.

It was entirely possible to build an entire residence life conference, conduct conference, student development conference, and more with the wide range of selections that were available.

The keynote speakers for ACPA were both enlightening as well as challenging, pushing the over 3000 attendees to reconsider their opinions, and provided learning on how cultural experiences inform values. While I still consider OACUHO to be my professional home, I would encourage other housing professionals to attend the ACPA conference as there are educational opportunities for nearly every level of professional and for a vast range of interests.

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Ann Le Coordinator, Residence Life York University

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he ACPA Next Generation Conference was truly a great experience for me as a new professional. I had the opportunity to meet many individuals from across North America; upper year students who are looking to enter the field, fellow new professionals, graduate students who are studying in the field, and seasoned professionals. I appreciate the powerful conversations I had with others, whether it was in a session, or simply waiting in line for food. We did not shy away from any controversial topics of discussion, and I learned a lot from our neighbours in the United States.

were common themes across the board, but there were also differences amongst various institutions depending on the demographics.

The open carry gun laws were a frequent conversation topic, as well as Title IX, and Black Lives Matter. There were individuals wondering how to make their students feel safe with open carry gun laws when they themselves feel that their safety is at risk. We also discussed how we as professionals balance our positions as employees to an institution, while supporting student activism.

A powerful lesson I took from the conference was that your own identity matters as a student affairs professional. I noticed many professionals introduced themselves speaking to the aspects of their unique identity, such as being a first generation college graduate. As a first generation post-secondary graduate myself, I’ve known that this has had an impact on my understanding and work with students, but what I learned here is that verbally identifying myself can have an even greater impact with others, as it did for me. Being open about your experiences and identity can help build truly meaningful connections with others.

Common themes amongst some of the talks we heard were around resilience, self-care, and mental health. It is always refreshing to hear someone talk about the importance of making mistakes and learning from them. As a new professional, I feel that these are important messages to hear; we are going to make mistakes, but we need to learn how to learn from them, pick ourselves back up and move forward. We also need to prioritize our own selfcare so that we may put our best foot forward for our students.

During our sessions we discussed current issues we face at our institutions. These conversations were interesting in that there

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Thank you OACUHO for this incredible opportunity!

Ontario Association of College and University Housing Officers 312 Oakwood Crt, Newmarket Ontario, L3Y 3C8 
 Telephone: 905-954-0102 Fax: 905-895-1630