The Pulse October 2015

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

OCTOBER 2015

DELAWARE HALL Western University

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 Paper Cory Coletta Jonathan Amanatidis Brittany Reifenstein

SOCIAL MEDIA Mary Stefanidis Brian Millado Thomas Crowhurst RESEARCH TBD

Table of Contents 3

5

president’s message

5

October Editors Brittany Reifenstein McMaster University

Rebecca Mudge Western University

balance

10

work-life symmetry

grad school & work

13

16

time management Historical Building Renovations

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

L

ast year I wrote an article about using physical exercise to help me to achieve ‘balance’ in my life.

While my tennis game has gotten a bit better over the year, I've come to appreciate how balance is more than that.

We recently experienced move-in – it’s an exciting time for both students and staff as we think about the year ahead – students think about making new friends, finding ways to fit in, navigating the choppy waters of transition, getting used to the new academic rigor and trying to find a new balance in their lives. Staff think about helping students do all these things; ensuring that facilities are comfortable, safe and secure, that all staff are well trained to meet the needs and that policies and processes are in place to accomplish everything. It’s certainly a time when balance in our lives can be difficult to attain. It’s ok to be out of balance for a while – in fact it’s good. It helps us to appreciate when the pendulum swings back and harmony is restored.

As we head into the Thanksgiving break – it’s a welcome time to appreciate that balance coming back to us. Sit back and enjoy. Take time to spend with family and friends, enjoy some outdoor time and relish the pendulum having swung back in our favour.

Julie West OACUHO President

“

It’s ok to be out of balance for a while – in fact it’s good. It helps us to appreciate when the pendulum swings back and harmony is restored.

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FEATURE

Balance Now that we are well into the academic year, those long work hours can start to wear us out.

Balance is not only important to your wellbeing, but studies show it is also important for your productivity.

Lakehead University -7-

Balancing the grad and work life

Brian Cunha University of Toronto

S

ince the start of my professional career I knew hat I wanted to attend graduate school.

For me, attending a school in the U.S. was always appealing. After a summer in Chicago for an ACUHO-I internship, I wanted to spend more time understanding Higher Education and felt like I had a lot to gain from the US system. I had a few friends and colleagues study full time in the U.S. for graduate school and my plan was to do the same.

After a few years in the field my path towards a Master’s degree led me to Loyola. I was accepted into the Master’s of International Higher Education at Loyola University Chicago. This program was relatively new and focused on International Higher Education rather than an American/North Americancentric program. The program was an intensive two

year program that was mostly online but contained two study abroad components in Beijing and Rome as well as an internship program. I was excited to join the cohort of 15 grad students (mostly American) and study under some very prominent faculty in the Higher Education world.

When I was accepted into the program I also received a job offer at the University of Waterloo as a Residence Life Coordinator. These two changes in my professional and personal life were a huge shift in the way that I lived my life and maintaining some sort of balance was not only important but absolutely necessary. However, this balance didn’t magically manifest itself into my daily practice. It took discipline, support from my coworkers, and realistic expectations of myself.

I often get asked by people who are thinking of graduate school about my program and how I enjoyed it, if it was worth it, and if I would recommend it. I rarely get the question, “how were you able to manage both school and work?” - which is a very important question indeed. I’ll give you the skinny on my experience in hopes that it will help you if you are considering grad school or if you are already knee deep in readings, assignments, and literature reviews and also managing a full time job.

FEATURE

1. Don’t do grad school unless you are very passionate to do it. While this may help your career, it isn’t absolutely necessary to move forward in the field. If reading about theories and writing literature reviews isn’t for you, grad school might not be either.

5. Know when to ask for help. There is going to be times in your job when something comes up and school will undoubtably have to wait. Don’t be afraid to contact your faculty member and tell them what is going on. They understand what it is like to work in Higher Education and will most likely be very supportive.

2. Like anything, you get what you put in. With online education it is really up to the students to engage with the content and other students. If I didn’t connect with my classmates on a weekly basis, I would have dropped out of the program a long time ago. Using Skype, Email, and What’s App helped me feel supported by my classmates and helped me build close relationships with them as well.

6. Be strategic on the program you choose. There is this idea that there is only one type of program that Student Housing pros should take in grad school but this is untrue! Pick a program that you feel will give you the education you are looking for and jive with your ethos. I chose my program because of its focus on international education and social justice.

3. Talk about what you’re learning. I found that a huge piece to my success in grad school was to talk about what I was learning at work. This helped me in two ways: one, it helped me conceptualize what I was learning and put it into practice, and two, helped me fine tune my practice by using appropriate literature.

Hopefully this short list is useful to you if you are considering the next step in your education. I also asked some of my colleagues to contribute their experiences of graduate school which you can below.

If you would like to talk graduate school, higher ed, international higher ed, or social justice, give me a shout.

4. Build relationships with your faculty. This is something that I am very proud of and found very useful during my two years. This helped me feel accountable to someone that I knew and trusted while also being comfortable to ask for clarification, support, or a letter of reference.

became more comfortable in my Residence Manager role, I started my search for those feelings again.

Brian Ingoldsby Residence Life Manager University of Guelph

At this year’s OACUHO Spring Conference at York University, Dr. Morrison challenged attendees to always have something in our lives that challenged us and kept us learning. Sharing a few of her own stories, she remarked on how this focus on continual learning, and the challenges it presented, helped her empathize with the students she supports and services. I’ll echo this sentiment. In addition to the sense of excitement and accomplishment learning can provide, the challenge and adversity it presents has really helped remind me where our students may be at/what they are experiencing.

Degree Program and Institution Master of Business Administration, University of Guelph

What do you find most rewarding about your degree program?

After finishing my B.Ed, I was ready for a break. I had been in school for as long as I could remember and I longed for the "free time" I thought a career would bring me. Little did I know... ;)

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What do you find most challenging in balancing work and school?

Navigating periods of change has probably been the greatest source of challenge to balance for me. I’m a pretty big believer in the idea that we adapt fairly quickly (usually 3-4 weeks) to the environment we are in, making it the new norm. (For more info check-out positive psychology!) However, it’s in navigating those first 3-4 weeks where we are really challenged.

a grad program was a joint decision, between me and the people I am closest to in life – because the decision is going to impact them. Making sure that my partner and I discussed the opportunity in detail, and made the decision together, has been a huge blessing.

How do you seek support when you need it (either from faculty, professionals at your workplace, or your supervisor)?

While my MBA is an largely an online program and my classmates hail from all over Ontario and Canada, I have the benefit of working here on campus and being able to drop-in and chat with faculty face-to-face. This has been hugely beneficial! If you have the opportunity, seek support from your faculty!

For me, this challenge presents itself every time I start a new course (a new course starts approximately every 10 weeks in my program). Each course is different in its workload and structure and that impacts my schedule (group work is common in my program) and the time I have available to my other priorities in life.

If you are thinking about grad school, or some other new commitment, my suggestion is to try and ramp-up your work-load in advance. The more familiar you are with spending an extra 10-15 hours a week working, the easier it will be to add the commitment to your plate.

Additionally, my supervisor has been great at challenging me to seek greater balance in the workplace, through relying on colleagues and staff more. Letting go of responsibilities has historically been tough for me but mentors (and necessity) have helped me to take some major strides in this area this past year. This development has certainly been impactful.

What advice do you have for others thinking about graduate school and working full-time?

I’ll build on my answer above for this question. As I mentioned, I think most of us are capable of adapting to whatever circumstances we place ourselves in, making us able to accomplish far more than we sometimes believe we’ll be able to. So go for it! It will work out!

Lastly, I have the benefit of having many colleagues who are in similar places, taking graduate programs of their own. It’s a great feeling to be able to share your struggles and successes with those who are going through/have been through similar experiences.

Jennifer Ashenden Assistant Director, Residence Life Western University

However, that being said, before you start you need to think critically about whether the program you are considering is really something you are interested in.

When I was considering starting, the advice I repeatedly heard from those who were currently in the process, or had completed a program, was to make sure it was a topic I was interested in. Otherwise, I would in line for a miserable few years. This makes total sense to me. I chose my MBA program because I was confident that I would be interested in the courses I would be taking and so far I have not been disappointed.

Degree Program and Institution: Masters of Education, OISE, University of Toronto

What do you find most rewarding about your degree program?

It's great to finally get the ball rolling on beginning a Masters. I really enjoy interacting with classmates and discussing topics of common interest. I am in a cohort class which means I will take 7 of the 10 required courses with the same people. I'm sure we will develop some wonderful relationships along the way.

The second piece of advice that I got, that is equally important, was to make sure that any decision to begin

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What do you find most challenging in balancing work and school?

Everything! lol. It's definitely a challenge to manage a home, raise kids, work full time, and go to school.

The hardest part is that you can't seem to finish one thing before you are called away to another. For example, I'm writing a paper right now and have some great ideas that I just want to get down on paper but work is very busy in September and it's hard to find big chunks of time to focus on school work.

higher education and student affairs because of a passion that I developed throughout my work as a student. Now, to be able to be a student again, and learn more about that passion, think critically, analyze issues and synthesize the theory into my everyday work is pretty fulfilling.

What do you find most challenging in balancing work and school?

The most challenging part of the balance is dividing my time between two parts of my life that I love. In this role, I’m particularly fortune that I can do both and be successful in two areas at once, but having to divide my attention is always a fun challenge!

What advice do you have for others thinking about graduate school and working full-time?

I wish I had some words of wisdom but I'm too new to this to offer anything of significance. I guess my biggest piece of advice right now is buy the APA Manual (6th edition) before all the students get to campus and it's sold out!

How do you seek support when you need it (either from faculty, professionals at your workplace, or your supervisor)?

My faculty advisor is great and is always willing to answer questions. Remember how we are always connecting our students to resources on campus? As a student you get to access those resources!

Librarians are a wealth of knowledge!

What advice do you have for others thinking about graduate school and working full-time?

Absolutely do it! We spend lots of time dedicating ourselves to student success and enhancing student life, and many may think that adding this as a distraction from your work would take away from your efforts in the workplace. However, it’s the opposite – this is the most rewarding balance I could have hoped for, and I’m actually enhancing my work more than ever. If you have a passion and you want to study it further, it will only benefit those you are working with as well!

Most importantly, I am truly grateful for a supportive supervisor and team at work.

Without their encouragement and understanding it would be hard to balance everything and stay with it.

How do you seek support when you need it (either from faculty, professionals at your workplace, or your supervisor)?

Open and honest communication – this sounds cliché, but I’m always sure to chat with my colleagues and other professionals for support and consult with my supervisor regularly to be sure I’m successful in both areas of my life. It’s awesome to be able to learn within the classroom with peers who are also working full-time and can appreciate the balance (even some folks from the Association!). In addition, it’s great to be able to those closest to me, at my own institution, for support where necessary. I have loved this experience and am looking forward to the next few years!

Cory Colleta College Residence Life Coordinator Trent University

Degree Program and Institution: Master of Education, Higher Education, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto

What do you find most rewarding about your degree program?

The most rewarding part of my program is putting theory into practice in the workplace. I’m in the field of

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Work-Life Symmetry: Rock Climbing and Residence Life

One of the things that I love about my job is that I get to problem solve every day. I love figuring out a creative and innovative solution to a problem, and seeing that solution make a difference in the lives of students on campus.

This is made possible through collaboration with supportive colleagues, and knowing that I have a supportive environment to fall back on for guidance and a different perspective.

Garel Climbing

When I unwind from my day, I try to engage in an activity that can provide me with those same experiences. That is why I love rock climbing, and bouldering. To me, the best part about rock climbing is determining the best possible way to ascend a route.

This may involve watching someone else try, asking for guidance, or potentially falling off the wall a few times. Climbing is a collaborative experience, that provides me with an outlet to problem solve, and think creatively.

Sometimes you will experience days where the wall seems to have an upper hand on you, and that you may not achieve the goals that you have set for you that day. These “failures” make you stronger, and better equipped for future challenges. The most important thing is to not let those “failures” deter you from returning to the wall, and creating a solution to the problem that stumped you.

While it may be difficult to find time away from the office, I have been lucky enough to find a leisure pursuit that reminds me why I love what I do, and in doing so, leaves me recharged for my next challenge.

Rock climbing is a true exercise in teamwork. When you are on the wall, you need to trust your belay partner, and rely on them for guidance. Sometimes an individual can see a hold that you may not have considered using. That different perspective makes a significant difference in your climbing experience.

Brian Garel is a Residence Manager at SaugeenMaitland Hall at Western University

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Ian Crookshank

Brandon Smith

Director - Housing & Residence Life Ryerson University

Coordinator - Residence Life & Education Ryerson University

W

hat is more important for a student leader working in residence - their well-being, academic performance or role expectations?

The fall of 2014 saw a rise in atypical, high level incidents, which impacted student staff. Combined with feedback expressed in individual meetings between students and the Director, a clear need for a wellness program was established. Now nearly a full year after launching the program, we are prioritizing wellness and shifting organizational culture in Housing and Residence Life at Ryerson University.

During the fall term of 2014, Ryerson University Housing and Residence Life discovered the need for the creation of a Student Staff wellness program, now

known as “WellnessOne”.

WellnessOne is about creating a culture of support. New focus on student staff wellness arose from information collected through one-on-ones between 47 student staff members and Ian, several atypical and high-level incidents including on-going anonymous threats to residence via social media, a fire in one of our residence buildings and feedback during ongoing training connected to individual staff needs unrelated to the role as a student leader working in residence.

The information gathered demonstrated that paraprofessional staff (both live-in and live-out) needed greater access to wellness support, more opportunities to connect, time to decompress and distress, and greater awareness about how to ensure

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their wellness is communicated, addressed, and appreciated during high stress times.

The WellnessOne Program, piloted in the winter terms, was designed to help facilitate a greater understanding of wellness between student and full-time staff.

At the beginning of the pilot student staff were asked to complete a wellness inventory Mental Health Continuum – Short Form (Keyes, 2009) that was used to measure changes in wellness during the program and course correct should new needs arise. This results of the assessment showed increases in general happiness and feelings of worth in several key areas (managing multiple priorities, managing multiple priorities, contributing to society) as well as decreases in satisfaction with life, and warm and trusting relationships.

Student staff also reported the main rewarding experience being interacting with students and the most stressful part, meeting programming requirements.

The program uses active curriculum, policy development and intentional dialogue to create a culture where wellness and mental health are normalized and where students feel supported and part of the conversation. By focussing on four broad spheres of stressors (financial, academic, work-related, and personal), the program enables and empowers student staff members to advocate for a work environment that places their holistic well-being as the first priority in their journey.

In the fall of 2015, the pilot was extended to include all student staff who work in the Department of Housing and Residence Life (100+ over 12 months). Further enhancements were made to the active wellness curriculum to take into account student feedback from the pilot and ensure a more diverse offering. Major changes were implemented in the way people were supported in their positions as new full-time live in positions were created, reporting lines were changed to provide better balance, and points of major work related stress (developmental programming for live-in staff) were evaluated and efforts were made to alleviate that stress.

During the pilot phase, in January 2014, we introduced the first phase of the pilot program to the live-in student staff team during January training. For the pilot, we focused on program delivery and normalizing wellness in response and policy. Monthly team wellness meetings were scheduled to provide information and encourage active thinking and reflection on stress-induced issues (career transition, mindfulness and meditation, and transition up or out). Scheduled group study time, academic support workshops in collaboration with Student Learning Support, and the inclusion of academic accommodations into scheduling and incident response were parts of a greater effort to support academic success.

Our assessment results are telling. This is where we saw a decrease in feelings or attitudes, comparing January to April’s assessment. As a result, we have introduced new curriculum this fall targeting these areas.

Major changes in policy included: creating a wellness statement for each job description and human resources related documentation, frameworks and policies to support those who have managed critical incidents, a short-term leave of absence policy, and a full review and increase of live-in student staff compensation.

Thank you to Human Resources and The Centre for Student Development and Counselling for their support on these developments!

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This is where we saw significant increase comparing January to April. We continue to provide curriculum in these areas, but have also added a peer-driven component, as well.

anonymous tracking question to allow us to follow specific student staff members responses in addition to tracking by positions. The data we collect allows us to further tailor the program to meet the different needs of staff members based on stress related to their position.

Over the fall and winter terms in 2015 we will be continuing to assess the effectiveness of the program as well as the general state of wellness of the student staff team by administering a common quarterly assessment. The quarterly assessment (Keyes, 2009) includes an

There is a shift in culture on our student staff teams. We are talking about wellness openly, encouraging a rich dialogue of support focused on the financial, academic, personal and workrelated wellness of our student leaders. As the core circle of support of our students, we are working to ensure they are at their best, understand and access resources available to then encourage their students to do the same, creating a culture of support for Housing & Residence Life, positively impacting how we work together.

New Board Member: Melissa Steadman Victoria Gadon

Melissa Steadman

Once again we have a change to the Board for this year – I’d like to welcome Melissa Steadman to the portfolio as Professional Development Director. Welcome Melissa – Melissa has a strong background in professional development through her roles at various institutions.

Victoria Gadon has moved on to a new position in Co-op Education at the University of Waterloo.

Congrats Victoria!

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Time Management Fundamentals

Chad Nuttal

Director, Student Housing & Residence Life University of Toronto Mississauga

There are literally millions of articles about time management on the Internet. Each week in magazines and blogs there is an Entrepreneur providing a new tip or trick or something to think about. The vast majority of these articles can be dismissed as fluff, however if you have a base of time management knowledge the periodicals you see can provide some tweaks on your system.

Time management is a constant process. You will always be changing, growing and developing new tools and techniques. Work will also change. The one thing that you should always think about is constant improvement. Improvement will look different week-to-week, month-to-month and yearto-year. One should also note if you spend all your time tweaking your system – then you are not spending time working. So settle in and try a few things and stick to them for a little bit.

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The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

by Timothy Ferriss

Many dismiss this book as a pie in the sky, way out there approach to outsourcing all of your work. In our field many of the approaches in this book would be hard to implement. However many of the fundamentals included in the 4-Hour Workweek could be applied to any sector. If you only had 4 hours what would you work on? Don’t let your tasks grow to take up more time. Also Ferriss draws heavily on the Pareto Principle (80-20 rule). Focus, focus, focus on the few things that will give you the most gains.

I have compiled the top 5 time management related readings. These all provide significant advice, insight and things to think about. This is not an exhaustive list but these are certainty “big reads” in the area of productivity and time management.

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The 4-Hour Workweek

by Stephen Covey

One of Covey’s best lessons is Put First Things First. This is simple. Perhaps over simple! But one must focus on the first things first. Do not check your email when you're working on a bigger task.

Don't take a call when you're deep in thought. Focus, focus on the most important project and earn your salary in your first hour of work. You can get back to people in 30 minutes.

Focus on the most important things first.

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1

3

Never check email in the morning

by Julie Morgenstern

The title says it all. Although the book is worth reading past the title. Connected to the Covey book the thesis of the book is ensure your priorities are your priorities and not other people's priorities. The minute you check your email you derail your day and replace your priorities with someone else's priorities. If you've taken the time to identify the task or project that requires your attention do not let it be bumped!

If we've had a discussion about work you've probably heard me mention Getting Things Done

by David Allen. I love this book. It changed the way I work but not all at once. When I read this book initially I wasn't ready or able to implement all the ideas. I read it again and after subsequent reads I implemented more and more. There are still large sections of this system that I have not implemented. That’s growth! Always learning.

The basic thesis of the book is getting all your thoughts out of your head and into a system.

Whether it's paper or electronic you simply can’t manage everything in your head! This is worth the read, re-read and re-read. They also have really cool in-person workshops.

Manager Tools “Basics”

by Michael Auzenne and Mark Horstman

https://www.manager-tools.com/manager-toolsbasics

This list of resources is an excellent base. You need to develop a system that works for you.

Borrow from various sources and find something perfect for you.

The time-spent reading (or listening) to these resources is time well spent!

Good luck!

So I’m cheating a little bit here. This is not a book (yet!). But this is a series of free podcasts or (paid) handouts. The Manager Tools basics cover the Manager Tools “Trinity” – 1on1s, Feedback, Coaching and Delegation. This is a Where to Start guide for all things Manager Tools. They have a cast for everything! You will save so much time on interruptions if you have structured, regularly scheduled 1on1s.

Delegation is the most effective time management tool if done correctly.

Check out these handouts and podcasts to find out more.

by David Allen.

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Getting things done

I would be excited to hear if you have any resources worth checking out.

E-mail me chad.nuttall@utoronto.ca or find me on twitter @chadtweets.

Chad Nuttall is Director, Student Housing & Residence Life at the University of Toronto Mississauga and speaks and presents regularly on Higher Education, Management and Productivity!

Take Out the Asbestos, Not the Spirit: Historical Building Renovations in Delaware Rebecca Mudge Residence Administrative Coordinator Western University

D

elaware Hall at Western University reopened its doors in September with a fresh new look, following a fifteen-month closure and $20 million renovation, just in time for its 50th anniversary.

Constructed in 1965 as an all-female residence, Delaware Hall became co-ed in 1986. More than 24,000 students have lived in Delaware Hall over the past 50 years, with 450 residents currently calling it home.

while upgrading the decor to appeal to modern tastes,” explains Chris Bumbacco, Housing Project Lead and Director of Facilities in Housing and Ancillary Services at Western University. “We have also included new amenities that weren’t provided in 1965, such as electrical outlets in the study rooms.

There were no laptops back then, of course.”

Given Delaware Hall’s historical legacy, the architectural planning team prioritized maintaining the traditional features of the building, while adding modern amenities to enhance comfort for students.

Residents now enjoy living in the largest bedrooms on campus, with renovated floor washrooms and modernized study rooms. Floor lounges have been expanded to provide more space for activities and to increase the sense of community on each floor.

Behind the walls, new heating and cooling systems and fresh air supply equipment will give residents greater control over room temperatures. “We have tried to respect the historical features of the building,

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Double Room

According to Bumbacco, the greatest challenge his team faced when renovating a building of this era was balancing demolition needs, such as the removal of hazardous materials commonly found in historical buildings, with the delicate art of preserving original features. Complete demolition actually took more than four months.

Original features such as terrazzo flooring, teak stairway rails, and wainscoting, were retained, and any new materials were chosen to complement these historic elements. For example, new energy-efficient windows with "faux" mullions were installed to retain the building’s classic appearance and a gas fireplace replaced the nonfunctioning wood-burning one in the Formal Lounge.

For those contemplating historical building renovations of their own, Bumbacco offers the following piece of advice: work to enhance, rather than change, the building’s unique design features and adapt your plans with certain architectural limitations in mind. In the case of Delaware Hall, private washrooms, a desirable feature in new builds, could not be added without significant cost and decreased occupancy. Rather, the

design team opted to modernize the existing communal washrooms to increase the level of privacy by adding individual changing areas for each shower.

Building strengths were incorporated into the design whenever possible, with historical features kept intact alongside modern amenities.

The servery, for example, was upgraded to include interactive cooking stations and sleek stainless steel finishes, while the dining room retained its classic finishes and midcentury modern furniture.

While it may have been tempting to adopt an ‘out with the old, in with the new’ approach, Bumbacco was mindful to retain the well-loved elements of Delaware Hall, such as the comfortable lounge furniture, now dispersed in seating areas throughout the building.

“During focus groups, one person promised his firstborn if the lounge furniture could stay,” Bumbacco notes. “We kept the furniture, but didn’t take the student up on his offer.”

Floor Lounge

Formal Lounge

Beyond the bricks and mortar, Delaware Hall is a special building on campus, both to those who live there, and to former residents who have called it home.

Eric Kular, who lived and worked in the building as an undergraduate student, has returned to Delaware Hall in the role of Residence Manager: “I believe [Delaware Hall] provides a wonderfully unique and communal residence life experience.

The [building design] means that it's much easier for a strong building community to generate organically as the year progresses.” Kular looks forward to engaging new students in helping to define what this "New Deli" means to them. He hopes to harness the creative energy of residents, and offer larger-scale programs like musical performances, exhibitions, and coffee houses. “The most important tradition I'd like to see continue…is the strong sense of community and spirit that permeates the building.

It comes from the physical design of the building, the dedicated effort of student leadership teams, and above all, the spirited

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and engaged students who always seem to wind up, and flourish, in Delaware Hall.”

With its fresh new look and engaged population of residents, it’s no wonder that Delaware Hall is a special building on Western’s campus.

In fact, Delaware Hall will be the second residence on campus to achieve LEED Silver Certification (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) in recognition of sustainability features incorporated in its design, construction, and operation. Western Housing is proud to welcome a new generation of students to Delaware Hall, and we look forward to the next 50 years.

As a student tweeted, you can take the asbestos out of Delaware Hall, but you can’t take the spirit.

Interested in seeing the Delaware Hall renovations up close? Visit Western for the OACUHO Spring Conference, May 30 to June 2, 2016. Details are available at oacuho2016.uwo.ca.

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