The Pulse - Student Staff Edition

SPECIAL STUDENT STAFF EDITION

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

JANUARY 2014

IN THIS ISSUE President’s Welcome [3] Making the Most of RLC [4] You’re a delegate...Now what? [7] Getting to Know You [8] Presenter Experience [9]

RESIDENCE LIFE CONFERENCE 2013 UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH

Board of Directors ! ! !

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PRESIDENT Laura Storey | Carleton University laura.storey@carelton.ca

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MEMBERSHIP ENGAGEMENT DIRECTOR Brian Ingoldsby | University of Guelph bingolds@uoguelph.ca

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PRESIDENT-ELECT / FINANCE DIRECTOR Julie West | University of Guelph jwest@uoguelph.ca

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CONFERENCE DIRECTOR Brittany Gawley | McMaster University gawleyb@mcmaster.ca

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PAST PRESIDENT Chad Nuttall | University of Toronto Mississauga chad.nuttall@utoronto.ca

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CORPORATE PARTNER RELATIONS DIRECTOR Colin Ryrie | Brock University cryrie@brocku.ca

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COMMUNICATION DIRECTOR Brian Cunha | University of Waterloo b2cunha@uwaterloo.ca

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SENIOR-LEVEL MEMBER AT LARGE Glenn Matthews | Western University glenn@housing.uwo.ca

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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR Matthew Harris | York University maharris@yorku.ca

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MEMBER AT LARGE Mike Porritt | McMaster University porritm@mcmaster.ca

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MEMBER AT LARGE Samantha Wiebe | University of Waterloo swiebe@uwaterloo.ca

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The Communications Committee DIRECTOR Brian Cunha CONTRIBUTORS Drew Simon Heather Lang

THE PULSE EDITORS Victoria Gadon Alison Kavanagh Lyn-Marie Farley Katie Calcaterra Laura Mammone

THE HISTORY PROJECT Glenn Matthews Matt Waghorn Andrew Quenneville

President’s Message

Welcome to OACUHO

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“

a thread that unites us all work is our commitment to supporting student success while they live and learn in our residence halls

”

elcome to OACUHO!

OACUHO represents a group of committed

housing of9icers who work within the housing 9ield at post-­‐secondary institutions across Ontario and through our Associate Membership from institutions across Canada.

Regardless of our members’ varied home institutions, functional areas and backgrounds, a thread that unites us all work is our commitment to supporting student success while they live and learn in our residence halls. The OACUHO Board for 2014-­‐2015 will strive to represent all members in Ontario and beyond through communication, collaboration and professional development opportunities.

Our aim, as well, is to engage members from across all functional areas. OACUHO means different things to different people; we want to hear what OACUHO means to you.

Enjoy your time at the Residence Life Conference.

Laura Storey OACUHO President

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How to Make the Most of Your Time at the Residence Life Conference Jessica Brain Residence Life Manager University of Guelph

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!ending a conference is an enjoyable and memorable professional

development opportunity. To help facilitate your learning and to

guide your personal development while a!ending the 2015 Residence Life Conference, the University of Guelph Host Commi!ee has prepared pre-­‐Conference reflecHon quesHons. ReflecHng on these quesHons prior to the Conference will help you in selecHng to a!end programs that match your personal and professional development needs.

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Pre-Conference Reflection ·∙ ·∙ ·∙

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Why did I select to a!end the Residence Life Conference?

What am I hoping to learn from the conference?

What are the needs of my insHtuHon’s program and how can my learning at this conference enhance

my performance back home?

In which areas do I excel as a Residence Life Staff member?

In which areas am I hoping to further develop my skills? (Consider this when selecHng the sessions you

wish to a!end and be intenHonal about exploring topics that you’ve idenHfied as areas for

development).

What are my aspiraHons within Residence Life?

In addiHon to the pre-­‐conference reflecHon, the Host Commi!ee has prepared a Learning Map for your use during the Residence Life Conference. The use of this learning map was first iniHated by the McMaster Residence Life Management Team who hosted the 2012 annual OACUHO Spring Conference for professional staff.

The design of this Learning Map has allowed conference parHcipants to map out their learning experiences using learning themes at conferences with the intenHon to develop both personally and professionally.

The following Learning Themes have been selected for the 2015 Residence Life Conference: ·∙ Advising & SupporCng ·∙ Community Building ·∙ Diversity ·∙ Leadership & Mentoring ·∙ Personal & Professional Development ·∙ Self-­‐Care & Balance ·∙ Student Learning & Development How to use the Learning Themes to develop your Conference Learning Plan: Step 1: Familiarize yourself with the themes;

Step 2: Using the pre-­‐reflecHon quesHons, develop personal and professional goals and determine which Learning Themes apply to meeHng these goals;

Step 3: Focus your journey on targeHng Learning Themes throughout various opportuniHes presented in the conference;

Step 4: Using the post-­‐reflecHon quesHons, think about what opportuniHes you may want to explore a\er the Conference experience as you build a long-­‐term personal and professional development plan with your supervisor at your home insHtuHon;

*Post-­‐reflecHon quesHons can be found in your Residence Life Conference binder when you arrive to the University of Guelph campus soon!

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Residence(Life(Conference(2015(( Learning(Map( Saturday(January(24th,(2015(

( Concurrent( Session(#(1( (

Rez(Project(and( Harm(Reduction( ( ( McGill& University&

Illuminating(the( International( Enigma( ( ( Western&

The(Cost(of( Caring( ( ( ( Humber&College&

Driving( Forwards( ( ( ( York&University&

#WhatsYourScore( ( ( ( ( Western&

Student( Dissection( ( University&of& Toronto& Mississauga&

Support(in( Residence( ( ( McGill& University&

Restorative( Justice(League( ( ( University&of& Guelph&

(( Concurrent( Session(#(2( (

Life(Gets(Better( Together( ( ( ( Humber&College&

Practice(What( You(Preach( ( ( University&of& Guelph&

Did(That( Actually( Happen!( ( Carleton& University&

This(is(Our( Moment( ( ( University&of& Guelph&

Unlocking(Your( Best(Self( ( University&of& Toronto& Mississauga&

Appreciative( Advising( ( King’s& University& College&

GROOVE(Your( BodyVEsteem( ( ( University&of& Waterloo&

Empowerment:( Benefits(of( Living(in(an(AllV Female( Community( Wilfrid&Laurier&

( Concurrent( Session(#(3( (

Understanding( Cultural( Differences( ( ( York&University&

No.(Non.(Nein.( Nee.(Niet.( ( ( Queen’s& University&

Sexual(Violence( in(Residence(and( the(Role(of(the( Bystander( ( Wilfrid&Laurier&

Embracing(the( Quirky( ( ( Carleton& University&

Walking(on(the( Quiet(Side( ( ( University&of& Waterloo&

How(do(you(Fill( a(Bucket?( ( ( University&of& Windsor&

I(Woke(Up(Like( This( ( ( Ryerson& University&

Making(Magic( OnVCall( ( ( University&of& Guelph&

( Concurrent( Session(#(4( (

Mad(Men:( Myths(and( Misconceptions( ( ( Wilfrid&Laurier&

Poppin’( Problems( ( ( ( Brock&University&&

Mission( Accomplished( ( University&of& Toronto& Mississauga&

Service( Learning:( Planting(the( Seed( McMaster& University&

How(to(Talk(so( Residents(Will( Listen( ( Queen’s& University&

Leadership(from( the(Military( Perspective( ( University&of& Waterloo&

Living(Barrier( Free( ( ( Ryerson& University&

BaGOAL:(Goal( Setting(for(the( Reluctant(Carb( Lover( ( Trent&University&

( Concurrent( Session(#(5( (

With(Great( Power(Comes( Great( Responsibility( McGill& University&

Man(Up!( ( ( ( ( Brock&University&

#iCanAdoreMe( ( ( ( Canadore& College&

( ( ( ( McMaster& University&

Would(You( Attend(This( Session…?( University&of& Toronto& Scarborough&

Hear(the(Herd!(( ( ( ( University&of& Manitoba&

Traditional(vs.( Suite(Styles( ( ( University&of& Waterloo&

Well(You(Asked( For(It( ( ( Queen’s& University&

(

Legend:( ((((((Diversity( ( ( (((((((((((((( ( ((((((Personal(&(Professional(Development( ((((((Student(Learning(&(Development( ( ((((((Leadership(&(Mentoring(

( ( (

SelfVCare(&(Balance( (Community(Building( (Advising(&(Supporting(

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So… you’ve been selected as a delegate for the 2015 Residence Life Conference at the University of Guelph—Now what?

Sean Connors Residence Life Coordinator Georgian College

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t is about Hme to begin building momentum

and gearing up for a weekend like no other.

Province wide, college and university student leaders will be gathering to share knowledge & ideas, connect with one another, and most importantly, cheer unHl all voices have been lost. In preparing yourself for such an experience there are a few things that you should keep in mind:

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Home InsHtuHon PRIDE: noise makers, blow horns, insHtuHon cheers, pompoms, confed, mascots, cannons (okay… maybe that’s a step too far). BRING your best-­‐ whatever that may be, because you be!er believe that every delegaHon a!ending will be gunning to win the presHgious Spirit Award.

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Don’t be a wallflower: every corner you turn, and possibly every step you take, there will be a new smiling face (as creepy as that may sound). It is important that you embrace the fact that you are going to be in one locaHon with hundreds of like-­‐ minded people for only a short period of Hme. Make sure that you reach out and establish connecHons that could very well lead to amazing friendships that carry on far past the lifeline of the conference. Make it a personal goal to meet at least 4 new people.

3

ParHcipate: there are going to be many chances for you to get involved, whether that be in a presentaHon, during the opening welcome mixer, or during a keynote speaker. Take advantage of these opportuniHes to help make the most of your experience. Again, challenge yourself to push outside of your comfort zone to avoid the “I wish I had of…” thought that o\en Hmes comes a\er this conference.

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R&R: the opportunity for gedng some R&R will be far few and in between during your Hme at the RLC. Make sure that when you do have Hme to sit down/lay down that you take full advantage of it (cheering all day takes a lot more out of you than you may think).

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Hydrate & Snack: sounds simple, but is something that will also help to keep you going throughout the weekend :)

Maintain an open mind: as stated, this conference is meant to enable student leaders to share new ideas and best pracHces from their home insHtuHons with others. Challenge yourself to think of how these ideas & best pracHces can be implemented at your own insHtuHon, or possibly how they already exist and can be improved upon.

Ask quesHons, engage, and share ideas of your own.

Getting to Know You: Meeting Professional Staff at the Residence Life Conference

Matthew Harris

Residence Life Coordinator, York University Professional Development Director, OACUHO

The Residence Life Conference is not only an inspiring opportunity to learn and grow from colleagues across the country, it is an opportunity to begin meeHng professionals that have insight into the world of being hired into and working within Residence Life and Housing. As delegates you are challenged to not only get to know fellow student staff members, but get to know us, the professional delegates. We have all lived in your shoes and understand how you are trying to navigate your future and determine where you passion resides.

For some the next quesHon is then how to begin the conversaHon and not feel awkward and forced in striking up conversaHon. Here are some of my suggesHons to you:

If you are looking to get into Residence Life and Housing, speak with your professional delegate and see if they can assist in sedng up introducHons with other professional delegates; Be open to saying hi; Consider the Conference a fast-­‐forwarded version of the academic year and the first day is Move-­‐in Day, use that enthusiasm to meet other to meet the professionals at the Conference and start building connecHons and networks; When speaking with fellow student staff delegates see if they can introduce you to their -8-

professional delegate(s) and start building your network that way; I believe that I can speak on behalf of other professional delegates and say that we are happy to meet and chat with delegates, your passion for your role and the Conference is what makes it an amazing experience for us and helps us build momentum for the rest of the academic year. As much as the Conference is an opportunity to rejuvenate yourself for the rest of the year, it is an opportunity for professionals to do so. Some topics to consider if you need some help gedng things going: What makes us passionate for our roles?

What can a person expect working their way to becoming a professional Residence Life/ Housing staff member?

What are some of the common challenges that happen as a professional Residence Life/ Housing staff member?

What is the biggest lesson learned as a professional Residence Life/ Housing staff member?

Finally, if there is anything to take from this arHcle and from the Conference it is to connect and build your network, get to know people and push yourself out of your comfort zone, those acHons could build momentum to your life as a professional Residence Life/ Housing staff member.

The Presenter Experience Interview with Taylor Morihovitis

Dan Cantiller Academic Link Facilitator Ryerson University

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resenHng is a great opportunity for you to share

and engage in a topic that you’re interested in.

Perhaps you’ve started a cool iniHaHve in your community and you want to share your success. Maybe you’ve been coming across parHcular issues with your students and want to share what you’ve learned. In any case, having the opportunity to present allows you to tell your story – to enlighten, inspire, build momentum!

We received supporHve feedback a\er the conference too, reassuring us on the impact of our efforts.

It’s also totally common to feel nervous about presenHng. The good news is you’ve passed Step 1: the proposal stage! Now on to Steps 2 and 3: preparing and actually presenHng. In December, I caught up by phone with a past presenter, Taylor MorihoviHs, to discuss her experience and Hps for presenHng at the Residence Life Conference.

2. PracHce, pracHce, pracHce! – By yourself and/or in front of peers, it’s always a good idea to test-­‐run presenHng your session. It’s different reviewing your notes and actually pracHcing saying it. Perhaps you’ll learn that you need more Hme for certain parts of your presentaHon, or your peers/supervisor may suggest what is working well and what could use clarifying.

DC: What did you present at RLC in the past?

TM: Last year, I presented with two friends (Haley Cranston and Kareina D’Souza) on sexual assault in residence: what it is – not female-­‐only, its prevalence, and educaHonal programs that are helping toward ending it.

We reflected on previous experiences we had at [the University of] Guelph, involving students’ experiences, family members and our personal experience.

3. When it’s ‘go Hme’ – Once you’re presenHng, go for it and have fun!

Tips for Presen0ng at RLC 1. Do the Research – Back up your points. Organizing the informaHon in this way will help you prepare to speak confidently, and also be able to offer to share resources

Taylor Morihovi,s is currently a Community Coordinator at the University of Waterloo. Last year, she was a Residence Assistant at the University of Guelph. Her presenta,on on sexual assault at the 2014 Residence Life Conference won her and her co-­‐presenters the Julianne PeJgrew Award for most outstanding conference presenta,on. She can be reached at tmorihovi,s@uwaterloo.ca

DC: What was your experience presenHng? TM: This was my first experience presenHng. It’s natural to be nervous to present to peers, especially on a sensiHve topic like ours. We sat in a big circle with a!endees to make them more comfortable and had a discussion about sHgma and percepHons about sexual assault. As a presenter, I learned that people at other insHtuHons understood where we were coming from and what we were trying to do.

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