The Pulse - OACUHO Spring Conference 2019

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

JUNE 2019

SPECIAL CONFERENCE EDITION

WELCOME TO RYERSON!

Out-Going Board of Directors PRESIDENT

CONFERENCE DIRECTOR

Ian Crookshank

Kristin Lennan

Humber College ian.crookshank@humber.ca

University of Guelph lennank@uoguelph.ca

PRESIDENT-ELECT / FINANCE DIRECTOR

CORPORATE PARTNER RELATIONS DIRECTOR

Valerie Bruce

Shaun McCracken

Ryerson University vbruce@ryerson.ca

Trent University shaunmccracken@trentu.ca

PAST PRESIDENT

ADVANCED-LEVEL MEMBER AT LARGE

Amanda Ziegler Brock University aziegler@brocku.ca

Melissa McNown-Smith

COMMUNICATION DIRECTOR

MEMBER AT LARGE

Lauren Gouchie

Humber College tuba.chishti@humber.ca

University of Ottawa lgouchie@uottawa.ca

University of Waterloo melissa.mcnown-smith@uwaterloo.ca

Tuba Chishti

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR

MEMBER AT LARGE

Stewart Grunwell

University of Guelph bingolds@uoguelph.ca

Queen's University stewart.grunwell@queensu.ca

Brian Ingoldsby

MEMBERSHIP ENGAGEMENT DIRECTOR

ASSOCIATION MANAGER

Lauren Silvestro-Arbuthnot

OACUHO info@oacuho.com

Western University lsilvest@housing.uwo.ca

Carol Ford

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Ian Crookshank

Hello OACUHO members, partners and colleagues, The annual conference and Annual General Meeting (AGM) is upon us and serves as a key time for us within the association. For those of us who have roles on the board it is a time of reflection on our year, bringing closure to our time within a role, or rounding the bend to complete the first of a few laps. For others, the conference serves as a time to connect, reflect, engage in learning, share leading practices, and build on the wealth of knowledge that exists within our field. The conference and AGM are incredibly important to our association and our work. Through this event, we are able to renew and demonstrate our commitment to intentional community development, learner centric approaches to practice, and the collaborative collegial relationships that are all hallmarks of our field.

I would like to thank the host committee from Ryerson University for the outstanding work they have put in thus far.

In looking through the conference program, I know that there will be many opportunities to listen, learn, connect, grow, and recharge our professional batteries. I would also like to thank the many members who have taken the time to prepare sessions, sit in on a panel, or lend their time to what I’m sure will be an outstanding spring conference. I know what goes into a program proposal, or the development of a presentation and I think it’s important to acknowledge in advance the dedication that these efforts show to advancing our field. I would also like to express my thanks to the many sponsors and corporate partners who have given resources and dedicated time to support our events and the work of the Board.

For those of you who find conferences overwhelming, I also want to express my wish that you find space to keep well during the event. As a person who experiences challenges with social anxiety and leans to the introverted side of the spectrum (on most days), conferences are bitter-sweet. I love the opportunity to see old friends and colleagues, make new connections, and learn something along the way, however, I also know that doing so takes a toll on me and that I need to find ways to manage that and ask for support when I can’t. If this sounds familiar, please know that you aren’t alone, that you can take the time and space to be well, and that there are people here to support you in doing so.

As this marks my last communication with the membership as your President, I would like to say one last thank you to the Board, to the membership, and to those who have supported me this year. The future of our field is incredibly bright. It is filled with caring and dedicated individuals who are pushing us to move forward. As we draw close to ending this annual chapter in our collective histories, I am eager to see what is written next.

Have a wonderful conference and all the best in the coming year.

Thank you, Ian Crookshank OACUHO President

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FULL CONFERENCE SCHEDULE

Hello!

On behalf of Ryerson's Housing & Residence Life Department, we welcome you to Ryerson University and the OACUHO 2019 Spring Conference: Rise Up! We have been eagerly awaiting your arrival since planning commenced in July of last year, and we are so excited that you're finally here!

As a theme for the conference, Rise Up is a call to action for all housing professionals to continually elevate the innovative and impact-driven work we do.

We are thankful for all of the speakers and presenters that have risen to the challenge of sharing with us their knowledge, experience, insights, and the ways in which they Rise Up. We hope that this conference is a fruitful and memorable experience for you as you reconnect with colleagues from across the country, form new connections, and learn from one another. Be sure to take advantage of some of the adventures/ socials we have planned, including our Batch night, a choose-your-own-adventure between the Blue Jays and Toronto Pride, and of course, our festive banquet. Our socials promise to be a great opportunity to catch up with folks and explore this wonderful city.

Lastly, thank YOU for joining us and for supporting this conference. We hope that you make the most of your time here and head home with new relationships and new ideas that you can take back and apply to your home institutions.

If at any time you need anything throughout the conference, please give one of us or a volunteer a holler! We're always happy to help.

Keep on rising up!

Ann, Michelle, Ryan, & Scott Rise Up Co-Chairs

WELCOME FROM OACUHO'S CONFERENCE DIRECTOR On behalf of the OACUHO Board of Directors, I would like to welcome you all to the Annual Spring Conference. Ryerson was able to ‘Rise Up’ to the challenge of hosting our association during an exciting time for conferencing in Toronto. Thank you to Ryerson for giving us the opportunity to network and learn from one another.

I remember my first Spring Conference (a free high five for the person who can guess when!) and the feelings of anticipation and nerves as I started to explore my own professional development in the field. In the years since, I've learned a few things about making the most of any conference experience: 1. You get what you put in – we’ve all likely repeated this statement many times to staff before but the message rings true for you too.

Your conference experience is what you make of it so utilize the opportunities to learn, network, and have fun.

2. Keep an open mind – remain open to new experiences and new ways of doing things, it’ll help maximize your learning.

3. Make use of opportunities to get to know others – I know, it can be nerving, but put yourself out there and get to know someone new.

4. Remember to self-care – take care of yourself in the way you know best. Conferencing can be exhausting, especially for us introverts.

5. Dress for the room, not the weather – we’re inside most days so bring a sweater or your favourite pair of office slippers to stay warm if the rooms are cold.

And, above all else, have fun! As much as learning is an important part of attending conferences, it’s also important to immerse yourself in the actual experience and have fun with it. Whether you are new to the field or a seasoned pro, I encourage you to Rise Up and try something new, meet someone new and continue to challenge why we do what we do.

Happy conferencing and see you around Ryerson!

Kristin Conference Director

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FEATURED CONFERENCE KEYNOTES Sarah Stockdale Sarah Stockdale is the founder of Valkerie, a technology, and innovation consulting firm in Toronto. She is an entrepreneur, coach, speaker, startup growth marketer, and innovation professional. Previously Sarah led growth at Tilt, a San Fransisco startup that was acquired by Airbnb in 2017.

Sarah is a frequent guest tech expert for The CBC, and CTV, and a TEDx speaker. She's the author and creator of We Need To Talk About This, a popular newsletter and blog for millennial women.

Date: Friday, June 21st Time: 9:00 AM until 10:15 AM Location: Sears Atrium

Toni Morgan Tonika “Toni” Morgan is an award-winning educator, leader, and social entrepreneur. Since 2003, she has successfully launched and led initiatives that address issues of justice, injustice, organizational change, and inclusion in numerous sectors including education, housing, arts, and most recently, tech. Touted by CNBC and Now Magazine as “one to watch”, her incredible story about her transition from homeless high school dropout, to youth advocate, to international role model and Harvard graduate provides audiences with a thrilling and inspiring peek into the world of a leader on the rise.

Date: Friday, June 21st Time: 3:45 PM until 4:45 PM Location: ENG 103

CONFERENCE SOCIALS Batch Social Haven’t seen some of your OACUHO chums in a while? Let’s meet at Batch and catch up! Batch is a warm gathering place in the heart of city. Good food, cold beer, and friendly faces! Enjoy some of the signature beers this “small-town gone big-city” brewhouse has to offer. If you’re feeling competitive, there will be some fun Minute to Win It games for your chance to win some fabulous prizes. See you there! * Batch is about a 15 minute walk from Pitman Hall. Our volunteers will be happy to walk/direct folks over to Batch.

Date: Wednesday, June 19th Time: 8:00 PM Location: 75 Victoria Street

Exploring Toronto Pride

Date: Thursday, June 20th Time: 7:00 PM Location: Church Street

Let’s get loud! The Toronto Pride Festival is a rallying point for celebrating the work that has been done for the LGBTQ2S+ community, and to pursue what still needs to be done. With this year marking the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, there are hundreds of fantastic events and performances to explore throughout the month of June.

On Thursday, The 519’s Starry Night event is happening in Barbara Hall Park along Church Street. This event features a rotation of sickening drag queens, including three of the Top 5 Queens from this season of RuPaul’s Drag Race: Vanessa Vanjie Mateo (Miss…Vaaaanjie!), Akeria C. Davenport, and Silky Nutmeg Ganache.

After dinner, we’ll be walking a group over to Starry Night, but if you’d like to choose your own adventure and explore the other stages, vendors, and bars along the street, go for it! * Starry Night is one of the more popular Toronto Pride events, so there will likely be a line-up to get in and you may want to head out from dinner earlier to get in line if this is an event you’re itching to see. Be sure to bring your ID and some Pride swag!

Toronto Blue Jays vs.

Los Angeles Angels We’re taking OACUHO out to the old ball game! There’s no more of an authentic Toronto experience than root, root, rooting for the home team as they square off against the Los Angeles Angels.

If you indicated in registration that you were interested in attending the game, you’ll receive your ticket at registration as well as two subway tokens which will be included in your name tag. If you didn’t indicate your interest in attending but still want to, do not fret! Find Scott Buttenham from Ryerson and he’ll hook you up with an extra ticket (while quantities last!). * Volunteers will be taking groups down to Rogers Centre from The Ram in the Rye after dinner via the subway (TTC). Please find a conference organizer if you have any accessibility needs and we’ll be happy to make alternative arrangements. Our group will be sitting in 525L and 526R between rows 14-20.

Date: Thursday, June 20th Time: 7:00 PM Location: Rogers Centre

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CONCURRENT LEARNING EXPERIENCES Thursday, June 20: 11:00 AM until 11:45 AM Beyond the Icebreaker: a Curricular Approach to Staff Meetings Rachel Cabunoc: Western University Janessa Williamson: Western University Taylor MacPherson: Western University Location: ENG 101 Do you ever sit in a meeting and think “This could have been an email�? Or worse, run a meeting that could have been an email? This session will challenge you to rise above the practice of staff meetings as updates and icebreakers, and instead implement a curricular model to guide their purpose and intentionality. Participants will be given tools to facilitate activities, write a framework for the year, and encourage high level concept debriefs within teams to better develop student leaders.

Creating a Culture of Harm Reduction and Sexual Violence Prevention Jonna Spadafore: Algonquin Residence, Campus Living Centres Sarah Crawford: Algonquin College Location: ENG 102 Algonquin College has reformed its harm reduction programming and messaging to include sexual violence prevention and safer substance use. Through Project Lighthouse and The Umbrella Project, we have embedded harm reduction into all aspects of the residence student life cycle. This session will explore Algonquin's approach to meet students where they are at, and promote a culture where we talk about harm reduction tools for safer use of substances and navigating healthy sexual relationships.

Gender Inclusive Housing at Laurier: a Recipe for Success Clayton McCourt: Wilfrid Laurier University Candice Bean: Wilfrid Laurier University Location: ENG 105 The Gender Inclusive Housing Option at Laurier was developed in just a little over a year. The session will outline the steps taken from the development stage to the implementation stage, highlighting collaboration, partnerships and a commitment to research and practice as a recipe for success.

Lessons Learned through Assessing the Student Staff Experience Carley Webb: Wilfrid Laurier University Kelly Warren: Wilfrid Laurier University Location: ENG 106 Every housing operation is filled with change, challenge, great ideas and inspiring initiatives aimed to improve the day to day operations and the staff development within the program. This session will highlight the assessment process, program review, revision and implementation of Laurier's MyPD program, a Departmental expectation for student staff, throughout 2018/2019. Attendees will be able to apply learning to review and assess their own departmental initiatives/ programs.

When "Nursing" New Collaborations, There's No Place(ment) Like Home Lynn Charron: University of Windsor Aaron Brown: Humber College Location: ENG LG14 Collaborating with campus partners to provide practical learning opportunities to students for academic credit is a unique way to enhance our residence initiatives. Using examples from a number of institutions, we will discuss benefits and challenges with taking on practicum/preceptor students from a variety of academic areas and provide examples of initiatives these students have accomplished. We hope you walk away inspired and equipped to begin this type of collaboration on your campus.

Thursday, June 20: 1:15 PM until 2:00 PM Different Paths to Higher Education Panel Facilitated by Valerie Bruce: Ryerson University Location: ENG 101 Considering pursuing higher education? Have you explored what program you wish to study? Join a panel of folks who have or are completing degrees in a range of areas of study. We often hear folks discuss their experience in a higher education or teaching program. However, what about pursuing a MBA, a masters in social work, leadership or a certificate in project management. Hear about various options available for higher education and how their experience has shaped their career moving forward.

Senior Student Leaders: Aligning Hiring and PD Daniel Brisebois: University of Guelph Katherine MacGregor: University of British Columbia Location: ENG 102 Senior student leaders are the bridge between residence life staff and their professional managers. Knowing the value of these positions, we ask, “how do we hire and train senior student leaders?" Drawing from our experiences at two institutions – the University of Guelph and the University of British Columbia – this presentation offers participants the opportunity to reflect on how their hiring and training of senior leaders complement each other to create a rich year-round learning program.

The Five Pillars of Trauma-Informed Care Jason Summers: Queen's University Location: ENG 105 To put it simply, Trauma-Informed Care is the shift from “what's wrong with you” to “what happened to you”. Trauma is a heavy word, and rarely one we take on alone. When known trauma presents itself, we become vigilant to supporting these students to the best of our abilities. For times when this trauma is undisclosed, we may feel a bit lost. The aim of Trauma-Informed Care is to provide a framework for creating space safe for all students, including those continuing to walk with trauma.

The Terminator: Blowing Up Our Website to Save Our Strategy Holly Gibson: McMaster University Location: ENG 106 A website older than time itself. A CMS that crumbled at the slightest touch. And pages upon pages of scattered, scared and out of date content. It wasn't just non-responsive, it was DOA. We needed to save ourselves from the machine. Come with me as I show you the (Marketing & Communications) way to pull your website out of 1984 and into 2029. The plan wasn't pretty, but it's practical and I will share with you the strategies that worked, the tactics that failed and how you can apply them to save yourself from a post-apocalyptic future to come out on-brand and triumphant.

Creating Holistically Healthy Workplaces Chris Prucnal: Ryerson University Katrina Persad: University of Toronto Location: ENG LG14 Workplace wellness gets a lot of lip service, but when you’re spilling crumbs into your keyboard frantically trying to a make a deadline, it can feel nonexistent. In our cult of busyness, barriers like a lack of funding and workplace buy-in can halt any attempt at introducing health and wellness into your daily routine. We’re here to talk about how to infuse your work environment with habits and changes for healthier, happier staff, and a more vibrant, energetic, and balanced workplace.

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Thursday, June 20: 2:15 PM until 3:00 PM Canadian P3's in Student Housing: A Research Project Valerie Bruce: Ryerson University Location: ENG 101 A research project exploring the Canadian landscape of Public-Private Partnerships in Student Housing. The project interviewed participants across Canada to understand how a institution explores and evaluates various models to expand on-campus housing options. The presentation will follow the research process, existing research highlights, key insights from the study and recommendations on how to begin a process on evaluating the various models available.

Collaboration: How We Prepared Students for Life After Graduation Wendy Diel: University of Waterloo Melissa McNown-Smith: University of Waterloo Location: ENG 102 The University of Waterloo's Get Ready For: Life After Graduation program is an exciting and innovative pilot for upper-year students living in residence that helps them to develop self-awareness and life skills. The program is unique because of its collaborative nature between Living-Learning, Residence Life, Alumni Relations, and the Centre for Career Action. We will be exploring the challenges and benefits of our collaborative approach to developing, implementing, and expanding the program.

Innovative Models for Professional Staff Support Jessica Charbonneau: University of Toronto Mississauga Chris Lengyell: Western University Steph Cullen: University of Waterloo Location: ENG 105 The ability for institutions to provide supportive residence environments for students to live, learn, and flourish is dependent upon the ability of professional housing staff to manage the increasingly complex nature of behavioural and mental health concerns within our communities. This session explores the ways in which institutions across Ontario have engaged in innovative practices to support the evolving needs of professional staff who are exposed to critical incidents in their workplace.

Rising Above Adversity: Compassion Fatigue and New Professionals Jenn McCluskey: Wilfrid Laurier University Katrina Kostecki: Wilfrid Laurier University Location: ENG 106 As professional staff, we place great importance on supporting both students and student staff- but who supports the supporters? In this session, participants will be able to learn and discuss the management and prevention of compassion fatigue and burnout as it relates to crisis response, student conduct management, student staff support, and more. Participants will be encouraged to “Rise Up� by not only practicing realistic self-care, but how to role model this to those around them.

St. Patrick's Day: the Rise of Unsanctioned Public Gatherings Clayton McCourt: Wilfrid Laurier University Candice Bean: Wilfrid Laurier University Tolu Kayode: Wilfrid Laurier University Brian Garel: Wilfrid Laurier University Location: ENG LG14 Over the last several years St. Patrick's Day celebrations at Laurier have developed into a multi-dimensional problem that has proven difficult to tame. Large unsanctioned public gatherings are not unique to Laurier, and such occurrences have required students, faculty, staff, police and the public to band together in the name of student safety. Conduct data, safety planning, and examples of remarkable collaboration will be shared.

Thursday, June 20: 3:15 PM until 4:00 PM Making Fridays Matter: Embedding Supports in an Intentional Community Adrian Leckie: University of Toronto Location: ENG 101 Inclusive teaching literature encourages embedded approaches to developing academic skills within a higher education setting. Explore the process of creating an academic success program that supports students through consistent, intentional community building and embedded student support. Learn from our experience as we worked to create our interpretation of this model: “Make Fridays Matter”.

Programming with Intent: Residence Life and Hospitality Services Hayley McNamara: Queen's University TBA: Hospitality Services, Queen's University Location: ENG 102 Are you looking for new ways to develop relationships within your department? Are you worried about budget cuts and how that will affect your programs? Sometimes within Student Affairs, we are destined to be creative with our goals and project outcomes. Join Hospitality Services and Queen's U Res Life for a conversation about how we've leveraged our relationship to develop some great educational student-driven programs, and how you can use similar strategies to create your own action-plan.

Same Old Sh*t ... Again (NDN Side Eye for Days) Savannah Sloat: University of Toronto Seán Kinesella: University of Toronto Mississauga Pitman 200 Building on our presentation Indigenizing Space & Place: Indigenous Cultural Awareness for Housing Professionals at the Spring Conference 2018 this session will be an opportunity for participants to engage in a case study and discussion surrounding the complexities of Indigenous identities, intercultural competency and fluency, and responding to the ongoing responses to the work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and calls for Indigenization and decolonization on our campuses.

For preparation, participants should read: Sloat, S., & Kinsella, S. (2018). Indigeneity & Expectations of Labour.

OACUHO Pulse – Summer 2018. Published: August 6, 2018. https://issuu.com/oacuhopulse/docs/the_pulse__reflections__3_ Rising to Support RAs Emotional Wellness Jennifer Trotman: University of Winnipeg Location: ENG 106 At the University of Winnipeg we noticed that some of the R.A.'s were struggling to balance their emotional wellness with the requirements of the job. We decided to take a proactive approach by collaborating in a more meaningful way with the Wellness team and how we could employ some strategies to provide R.A.'s with sustainable tools to manage their emotional wellness.

The Full Circle: Rising Up Your Career, Life and Residence Life Program Tim Lade: Sheridan College Marissa Nash: Sheridan College Location: ENG LG14 We have all had moments in our careers where we think “can I keep doing this?” Maybe it was a bad on-call experience, or parent interaction, or an RA told you they hated their job which prompted the question “what's next?”

Join us for this presentation about how we reshaped our approach and responded to challenges and how those hurdles have fuelled reflection, rejuvenation, and revaluation. We will explore how we have risen up to enhance the residence life experience at Sheridan College.

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Friday, June 21: 11:00 AM until 11:45 AM How Might We Shape More Transformative Training Experiences for Staff Dave Shorey: Wilfrid Laurier University Melissa Pratt: Wilfrid Laurier University Location: ENG 101 This collaborative workshop will explore different pedagogical approaches that can enhance our practice as educators who develop & facilitate training.

Location, Location, Location: Marketing an "Off-Campus" Residence Susan Collingwood: Queen's University Kate Murray: Queen's University Location: ENG 102 Jean Royce Hall at Queen's University is sometimes perceived as an undesirable residence by incoming students and their families. Located on our west campus, about a 15 minute walk from main campus, it's considered inconvenient and disadvantaging. We'll share some strategies that we've used to make this community more appealing – including intentional assignments, working with campus partners to identify future opportunities and engaging current residents as ambassadors for their experience.

The Room Where It Happens: Hiring Equity and Who We Include in the Sequel Melyssa Kerr: Queen's University Nathan Utioh: Queen's University Carmen Law: Queen's University Tuba Chishti: Humber College Location: ENG 105 In 2018, members of OACUHO released a report on the state of Ethnic Diversity in OACUHO. For this year, the committee wanted to focus on equity in hiring as priority. In this program, we will talk about some things we changed at 2 different Ontario institutions (Queen's University & Humber College) after looking at our biases critically and considering research and lived experiences thoroughly. Based on this work, we are also proposing some changes for managers recruiting for professional staff.

Writing YOUR Career Story: Exploring the Value of Lateral Career Moves Delores Lanni: University of Waterloo Location: ENG LG06 At the University of Winnipeg we noticed that some of the R.A.'s were struggling to balance their emotional wellness with the requirements of the job. We decided to take a proactive approach by collaborating in a more meaningful way with the Wellness team and how we could employ some strategies to provide R.A.'s with sustainable tools to manage their emotional wellness.

Student Leadership Through Peer Programs for International Students Scott Clarke: University College, University of Toronto Clayon Levy: University College, University of Toronto Location: ENG LG14 This session will focus on the critical role professional residence staff can play in creating spaces for self-directed, peer-based learning and community-building in residence. Through showcasing peer-based international student programming at University College, at the University of Toronto, this session is designed to reinvigorate your passion for community-building programs and how to increase student learning through all stages of program implementation.

Friday, June 21: 1:15 PM until 2:00 PM Boys Won't Be Boys: Addressing Toxic Masculinity in Residence Daniel Brisebois: University of Guelph Location: ENG 101 For years the phrase 'boys will be boys' has been viewed as an adage and was used as a way of dismissing a young man's inappropriate behaviour. This 'adage' has left an impression on many young men that their actions are harmless or inoffensive.

This presentation will explore Toxic Masculinity in residence. Specifically looking at the ways that it negatively impacts our communities and campus cultures. So lets rise up and learn how to address Toxic Masculinity within residence.

Elevating Our Presence: Evolving Marketing of Living-Learning Programs Melissa McNown-Smith: University of Waterloo Julie Garel: University of Waterloo Location: ENG 102 University of Waterloo's Housing and Residences offers first-year students 6 traditional living-learning communities, Science Academic Clusters, and entrepreneurship programming in residence. In this session we will share how marketing these opportunities to incoming students has evolved. We'll discuss how we integrated our key messages with faculty/campus partner messaging, used existing institutional processes, and aligned marketing tactics with the prospective student journey.

"Just Come and Tell Me": Using Interculturalism in Roommate Management Sally Chen: University of Toronto Location: ENG 105 Over the past two decades, post-secondary institutions of all sizes have been making efforts to both engage and support the increasing population of international students, and to foster a global perspective in domestic students, that lives up to Canada's reputation as a tolerant, non-discriminatory place. This workshop aims to contribute to these efforts through examining and rethinking the Roommate Agreement process and product, through theories and practices of interculturalism.

Managing Food Allergy: Part of Campus Life Joni Huang: Food Allergy Canada Location: ENG LG06 The transition to post-secondary education can be challenging for students as they adjust to more independent study and living situations. Students with food allergy have the additional responsibility of managing their potentially lifethreatening medical condition in a new environment. This session will review aspects of the post-secondary experience for students with food allergy and steps that institutions can take to foster supportive and inclusive campuses.

Shared Leadership 2.0: The Evolution of the ARLC Role at Queen's Stu Grunwell: Queen's University Alex Jean Smykaluk: Queen's University Location: ENG LG14 This session will outline the changes made to the Assistant ResLife Coordinator and RLC roles at Queen's, and the impact these changes have had on student support operations. We will detail the challenges our department faced that led to a revised ARLC role, which has seen us improve our student conduct process, reduce recidivism, increase student support, and further our capacity to engage in proactive planning for educational endeavors within residence, while developing new professionals.

Exhibitor and Buyer's Social Location: Pitman Cafeteria

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MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR CONFERENCE EXPERIENCE Lauren Gouchie Residence Life Coordinator University of Ottawa

Hello all! My name is Lauren and I am the incoming OACUHO Conference Director. I wanted to officially welcome you all to Ryerson University - I am so excited for the learning and engagement that is about to take place!

Whether this is your first OACUHO Spring Conference or your fifth, the next few days together should be a great experience! As you settle in, unpack and get ready for a great few days together, I wanted to provide you with my top 10 tips for making the most of your conference experience: 1) Review the sessions ahead of time: Ryerson has spent a great amount of time being intentional with the learning experiences being offered, and has put together a great schedule with something for everyone. Try to find a bit of time before the conference begins to review the schedule and identify which sessions speak to you. Challenge yourself to attend sessions that may be outside of your day-to-day focus or area of work. You'll learn more about all aspects of student housing, and may make connections that you would not otherwise have made.

2) Branch out from your team: if you are attending the conference with other colleagues from your institution, decide ahead of time who is attending which session, and try to avoid attending too many together. Not only will this challenge you to connect with folks from other institutions, but it will also maximize the learning and information your team is bringing back home.

3) Bring business cards: conferences can help to foster some really great connections, so don't be shy to introduce yourself to someone new or to follow-up with a facilitator whose session really resonated with you. When receiving someone else's card, jot down a few key words or questions on the back, so that you can remember what you had connected about or what you were hoping to follow-up on.

4) Sleep: attending the conference can be a lot of fun and high-energy, but it can also be exhausting. Listen to your body and its needs and don't be afraid to call it a night before others do. You'll be more alert and engaged the next morning and ready to take on another day of learning.

5) Reflect on what you learn: try to find a few minutes at the end of each day to review your notes, highlight key takeaways from sessions you've attended, and identify outstanding questions you still have. Organizing your notes at the end of the day will help you to stay on track with what you've learned and where gaps remain, and will also make it easier to follow up when you've returned home.

6) Follow-up post-conference: once you've returned to your host institution and reflected on your experience, don't be shy to connect with folks you met or shared a conversation with. Pull out the business cards that you received from others and send them a quick email. You could follow-up with specific questions that are still lingering from their session, or simply let them know that you appreciated the conversations you had shared.

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7) Wear your name tag: just as your are hoping to connect with speakers or folks from other institutions, there may be attendees present who are also hoping to connect with you. Wearing your name tag can be a helpful prompt for someone who is feeling a little shy to approach you, and can help break the ice when meeting someone new.

8) Connect socially: while you don't want to have your head down and on your phone for the entire conference, don't shy away from connecting with others via social media! Use the hashtag #OACUHO2019 to share your own learning experiences and to see what others are sharing or questions they are asking.

9) Share your knowledge: once you have returned home, make an intentional plan to share what you have learned with colleagues who were not able to attend. Reflect on what you have learned that might interest your team, and find avenues to share this information. Upload your notes to a shared drive, or connect with your supervisor to see if they can set aside some time at a team meeting for you to disseminate your learning.

10) Have fun! OACUHO Spring Conference is one of the few opportunities for the association to come together, learn from one another and to feel energized about the great work that we are all doing. While the conference is a great opportunity to learn and expand your knowledge, don't forget to have some fun while doing it! Attend the New Delegate and/or Opening Receptions, socialize with your colleagues at one of the three social events, and dance the night away at the closing banquet! These three days together will go by quickly, so do your best to soak it all in!

A massive thank you to every single person involved in the development and implementation of Spring Conference this year! It takes a village to put on such a successful and meaningful event, and your hard work does not go unnoticed.

To those attending the conference, I hope you have an enjoyable few days at Ryerson, enter every session with an open mind, and walk away with full buckets, Lauren Gouchie

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Have you enjoyed your time at the Spring Conference? Want to bring colleagues from across the province together on your own campus? OACUHO is seeking hosts for a few upcoming opportunities: • Residence Life Conference 2020 • Annual Spring Conference 2020 • Fall Business Meeting 2020 For more information on the bid process, or future hosting opportunities, please visit us at https://oacuho.com/conferences.html

GET TO KNOW THE NEW BOARD I love to talk about… Leadership, customer service, drag queens and Blue Jays baseball!

Why I joined the BOD: OACUHO is my professional home, and I joined the Board to continue the great work of the association and to learn more about our work through connecting with Board members and our members across the association.

My tip for #OACUHO2019: Make a plan, write down any moments of reflection or big ideas for later, engage with others and try to meet someone new!

PRESIDENT Valerie Bruce Ryerson University

My favourite part of Spring Conference is: Reconnecting with colleagues and getting to meet a few new! I feel so much excitement and energy at our Spring Conference and the Ryerson team can't wait to greet you all!

I love to talk about… Family, time management/work efficiencies, gardening and golf. With limited time to read, I listen to audio books while working out ... these can be biographies, workrelated topics or just something of interest!

Why I joined the BOD: I really enjoyed my time as a Member at Large on the board. Getting to know new people in OACUHO with whom I wouldn’t interact with on a regular basis. It’s also a wonderful way to keep up to date on what’s going on in housing across the province.

PRESIDENT-ELECT and FINANCE DIRECTOR Diane Rawlings University of Windsor

My tip for #OACUHO2019: Attending a conference is the first step to getting out of your comfort zone. Don’t’ be afraid to break out of your University circle and meet someone from another school. Take the initiative to have lunch or conversation with someone new. Who knows, you might make a new connection and it could lead to a new opportunity. It’s also wise to remember that through all the fun, you’re still a representative of your school.

My favourite part of Spring Conference is: Gets you away from the day to day routine at your home institution. Conferences can help you regain your focus and take you back home… energized. You can learn current strategies that are working for others with more clarity than what’s on a listserv.

I love to talk about… YOU, new approaches to sticky issues, and sportsing (particularly cycling or outdoor activity) Why I joined the BOD: I joined the BOD in an effort to give back to an association that has given me so much opportunity over my career. From NPTI to connections at annual conferences, OACUHO and the membership has helped to form me as a professional and given me a network of colleague and friends that I hold dear in my practice and life. I wanted to be directly involved in providing that space for others.

PAST-PRESIDENT Ian Crookshank Humber College

My tip for #OACUHO2019: Take space and time for yourself. Sometimes the most important moments of the conference are the spaces in between sessions where you can do what you need to do to be well and maximize your experience.

My favourite part of Spring Conference is: the small opportunities to share in a conversation, connect on a topic, or listen to an amusing story.

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I love to talk about… Dogs, sports, camping and more dogs!

Why I joined the BOD: I decided to join the BOD to be able to help share all of the amazing things that folks in our association are doing. I also see working with the BOD as a great opportunity for me to be able to be able to continue to reach my goals and expand my professional development.

COMMUNICATION DIRECTOR Daniel Brisebois University of Guelph

My tip for #OACUHO2019: Diversify your learning! Step out of your comfort zone and go to sessions that you might not normally attend. Go into every session with an open mind, be ready to engage in the content and enjoy all of the awesome learning experiences that #OACUHO2019 has to offer.

My favourite part of Spring Conference is: Being able to have some time to intentionally connecting with folks from around the association. Feel from to come up to me and say hi, I would love to talk with you more about all of the work that you're doing at your institution!

I love to talk about… My two cats (Jalapeño and Hoover), Survivor, the latest book I've read, and maximizing opportunities for learning.

Why I joined the BOD: Being a part of the Board has been such a profound learning experience and has given me opportunities to learn from, and engage with, other members of the association that I may not have otherwise. I also wanted to continue to give back to the association, contribute to the work that has been done, and expand avenues for professional development.

CONFERENCE DIRECTOR Lauren Gouchie University of Ottawa

My tip for #OACUHO2019: Step outside of your comfort zone and do your best to connect with folks outside of your own institution. Introduce yourself to someone new during lunch or follow-up with someone who asked a really great question at a session you were at. Networking can feel really challenging, but it can also help to expand your network of support. I have learned so much from people that I have engaged with at conferences.

My favourite part of Spring Conference is: Hearing and learning about the really great work that is being done at other institutions throughout the province, and then being able to connect with these institutions to learn more about how we can better serve and support students at uOttawa.

I love to talk about… Residence education, hiring practices, and the Raptors' incredible playoff run (the Finals are 2-1 at the time of writing!).

Why I joined the BOD: I wanted to contribute to the association - I've been afforded many great learning opportunities through OACUHO and hope to do what I can to ensure others have similarly great experiences!

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR Stewart Grunwell Queen's University

My tip for #OACUHO2019: Introduce yourself to first-time attendees! This is a great chance to expand your network and take in some new perspective!

My favourite part of Spring Conference is: Making new connections!

I love to talk about… Anything! I am open to learning new things and will ask multiple questions to better understand the topic. I love talking about personality tests and personal assessments to better understand my work style and relationships. The specific assessments I have completed are Strength Finders, the Enneagram test and the 16 Personalities test. Also feel free to ask me about the following shows Bachelorette/Bachelor, This is Us, Friends, That ‘70s Show, Queer Eye and Gilmore Girls.

MEMBERSHIP ENGAGEMENT DIRECTOR

Why I joined the BOD: I joined the Board because I have benefited a lot of from the opportunities the Board has presented and I am hoping to support our association and provide similar and new opportunities for our membership to engage. I am also excited to meet new people who vary in experience levels and hear their story.

Kamadchi Karunanandan My tip for #OACUHO2019: Introduce yourself to the person you are sitting beside at a session. It is a great opportunity to connect with someone for a few minutes before a session begins. Having University of Waterloo a new friend also opens the door to work together through a group discussion/activity.

My favourite part of Spring Conference is: Meeting new people and reconnecting with old colleagues. I am excited that this year’s Spring Conference is in Toronto at Ryerson University because I grew up in Toronto! I graduated from the University of Waterloo and I am currently working here, so I love going to the conferences and learning how about how other institutions operate.

I love to talk about… Anything related to facility renovations and cool things happening at different campuses when I am at work so we can always improve the student experience. When I am not at work I love to talk about golf, family and what you would do if you won the lottery!

CORPORATE PARTNER DIRECTOR Shaun McCracken Trent University

Why I joined the BOD: I joined to grow upon my OACUHO network as well as to give back to the association. I believe that when you get involved you get more out of your work and create a deeper appreciation for the work that everyone is doing in our field. It has always been a passion of mine to get more involved wherever I can and I encourage others to do the same as they think about the positions that will come available in the future!

My tip for #OACUHO2019: Meet new people and grow your network! Too often we can get comfortable with hanging out with the people we know at our own institutions. When the conference starts, I always suggest spending your days outside of your team and meet them at the end of the day to debrief, or invite your new connections out for a drink or coffee with your team members. It is important to meet new people and make new friendships. Those will be the people you call on in the future.

My favourite part of Spring Conference is: The people! I have made so many great friends through OACUHO and always love coming together at this great conference to say hello and catch up year after year!

I love to talk about… streamlining processes, experience vs. amenities, and why you should travel more.

Why I joined the BOD: So I can help to find more opportunities for those that work outside of residential education since their work is not always represented in professional development initiatives.

MEMBER AT LARGE Stacey Phelps University of Waterloo

My tip for #OACUHO2019: Sit with people that you may not know and remember to introduce yourself – you never know who you will meet and how you may connect in the future My favourite part of Spring Conference is: Having time to see other people working in assignment/operations roles since our busy times do not always allow us to go to annual events. It is nice to catch up and find out what is happening at each other’s institutions.

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Find Steph at the conference to learn more about her passions and why she decided to join the Board of Directors!

ADVANCED-LEVEL MEMBER AT LARGE

At the time of printing, the second Member at Large position with the 2019-2020 OACUHO Board of Directors was still open for nominations and elections, and as such, we were unable to include their information in this issue.

MEMBER AT LARGE TBD

We look forward to welcoming the new Member at Large to the Board!

Steph Cullen University of Waterloo

THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR SPONSORS

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