OACUHO Pulse - September 2018

The Pulse

Table of Contents President’s Letter

pg. 3

New Living Learning Communities on Campus

pg. 4

President’s Recognition Award

pg. 5

My First Year in Residence

pg. 6

2018 Fall Business Meeting

pg. 7

uOttawa Opens New Residence

pg. 8

Ethnic Diversity in OACUHO

pg. 9

President’s Letter Ian Crookshank

As Andy Williams once sang, It’s the most wonderful time of the year. For campus housing professionals, August and September are marked by some of the busiest but most rewarding days of the annual calendar. The lead up to residence move-in day(s) can be stressful and challenging as projects near completion, last minute changes and checks to room assignments are happening, residence student staff training is happening, summer operations are winding down...but it’s in these moments that we as campus housing people shine. We buckle down.

We truly own the “other duties as assigned” portion of our job descriptions to ensure the buildings, the people, the processes are ready to handle the great migration of students that is about to take place. But it doesn’t stop there. For the next 4 to 8 to 12 months is full of the diligent, most often intentional work that we truly enjoy. As I wrote

to the membership in an email earlier this month, it’s not the championship game but the season opener and to take it out of sports, it’s not the culminating experience but the great first impression.

I wanted to take a moment in my monthly remarks to express my gratitude to each and every one of you who have put your time and energy into creating a great first impression on your campuses over these past few months. I also wanted to step outside of the norm and recognize the incredible efforts of the oft unsung heroes of each of our operations and institutions.

The dedicated professionals who work in our registrar’s and recruitment, admissions and operations, facilities, maintenance, and custodial units that always seem to deliver regardless of the challenge that they may face. These past two months in a new role on my own campus have reminded me how much we rely on

the people who ensure that enrollment targets are hit, classes are scheduled, fees are assessed, grounds are maintained, etc. Also, not forgetting those in our own housing departments who pour effort and energy into assigning beds, cleaning buildings, moving furniture, creating community lists, completing inspections, etc. to all of you, on behalf of OACUHO I say thanks!

Your work is essential and your efforts are noticed!

So, as you walk around campus on these first few days of fall and listen to the hustle and bustle, the sounds of enthusiasm for a new year, I encourage you to take a moment, send an email, schedule a coffee, or just spare a thought for the many skilled and dedicated professionals who give so much so that we have the opportunity to engage and create within our residence communities.

Best, Ian

New Living Learning Communities on campus Tara Chapman

As part of continual enhancements to the residence experience, McMaster Housing and Conference Services (HCS) has introduced six new Living Learning Communities (LLCs) for incoming students. Now with a total of 11 themed communities from Outdoor Leadership to eSports and Gaming, residence students will now have more options when it comes to choosing a themed community that resonates with their academic and social interests.

LLCs were introduced to enhance and extend students’ residence experience by having the option to live in a designated community with programming derived from that LLC’s learning outcomes. Since the implementation of LLCs in 2012, students who participate in LLCs have indicated that they learn more from their residence experience and

are more satisfied with their overall first-year residence experience than students who do not.

For the 2016-2017 school year, over one third of students in residence applied to be in an LLC, which demonstrated the need to expand the existing ones. The existing LLC groups were revamped from previous years with the help of stakeholder consultation in order to create more excitement about the previous LLCs. Stakeholders for this project included first year students, Residence Life staff, faculty members, as well as the President’s Office. Also taken into account were a number of unique McMaster priorities and opportunities when developing the new themes, including McMaster’s focus on community engagement and its proximity to natural lands such as Cootes Paradise.

“The new Living Learning Communities are a great opportunity for incoming students as they encourage student participation within their residence building,” says Sean Beaudette, Manager of Student Leadership and Learning.

“Even more, they allow for learning to continue outside of the classroom which contributes to a fun and educational experience.”

The programming in each LLC is driven by specific learning outcomes while fostering a stronger sense of community within McMaster’s residence buildings. Residence Life staff organize everything from trips to Algonquin

Park to League of Legend viewing parties, while students are encouraged to create their own programming with support from the residence Community Activity Fund.

Emma Timewell, a recent first-year student at McMaster shares her positive experience living in the Healthy Active Lifestyle LLC, now known as the Health & Wellness LLC. “Being on the varsity swim team at McMaster, I was expecting my LLC to give me another way to be active,” says Timewell. “As it turned out, living in an LLC also allowed me to be in a community with people who shared a lot of similar

“Living Learning Communities are a great opportunity for incoming students as they encourage student participation within their residence building”

interests as me, which made it easier to make friends and get along with everyone.”

Living in residence is no longer the only way for first-year students to join an LLC. As a new initiative that was piloted last year, McMaster’s Mac/One program is designed to help off-campus students makes the connections they would typically enjoy in a firstyear residence experience.

This year, via the Mac/

One program, off-campus students will also be able to join an LLC community of their choosing and benefit from the themed programming and academic supports.

The application process to join an LLC is similar for both on- and off-campus students. Students who are applying for residence have the option to fill out a supplementary application form to join an LLC at no

President’s Recognition Award OACUHO Membership & Engagement Committee The Membership Engagement Committee is excited to announce that the nomination period for OACUHO’s President’s Recognition Awards has officially opened! The Awards and Recognition sub-committee is seeking

nominations for members in good standing who demonstrate a continuously motivating and supportive work ethic, going out of their way to have a positive impact on the people they interact with, or someone who on a regular basis, gone

added cost. Similarly, when off-campus students register for the $100 Mac/One program, they will be asked to choose their preferred LLC. Not only have LLCs proven to increase student satisfaction, they are also very important to student engagement and learning.

Each year, students living in LLCs indicate that they attend more residencebased programs and identify

above and beyond their daily job description.

The nomination should be no more then 500 words and must include details on the nominee’s impact to their students, staff, and/or their campus community. https://goo.gl/forms/ G7iOmO7z81st5yz23 We will be accepting nominations until Friday, September 28 at midnight and the award will be

more frequently that living in residence contributes positively to their academics. Now the benefits of participating in an LLC will reach further than ever with more communities and off-campus students.

Along with the introduction of the Mac/One program, the LLC expansion comes at a great time for incoming students, putting student engagement at the forefront of the McMaster experience.

announced at the Fall Business Meeting, hosted

by Western University on October 12, 2018.

If you have any questions about the process or any issues with the nomination form please send an email to cwebb@wlu.ca.

Thank you on behalf of the Membership Engagement Committee!

My First-Year in Residence OACUHO Membership Engagement Committee The OACUHO Membership Engagement Committee presents My First Year in Residence!

Our hope is that every month members will share a photo from their first year, and a bit about their experience helped to shape their future and career in student housing.

Our first entry, Brandon Smith, is the Assistant

Director, Residence Life at Ryerson University. Here is what Brandon shared: This photo is from 2004 in Lady Eaton College (LEC) at Trent University.

A bunch of us were hired to be Dons the following year, and this is a real-life photo - taken on a camera with film (!!!), printed, scanned, and uploaded to a new thing called Facebook.

I remember wanting to be a Don for two reasons: I had a great Res Life experience in my first year and wanted to ‘pay it forward’ for future students, and as a first-gen student who didn’t have everything covered after my OSAP support, I needed a job that would help me financially. I was a Don in the same community I lived in during my first year. If you’re at Trent, take a look

under the desks of LEC N252 and N246 to see what I had to say at the end of those years.

If you would like to be featured in a future edition of the Pulse with a picture of your first year in residence, please contact Membership Engagement Director Lauren SilvestroArbuthnot at: lsilvest@housing.uwo.ca

“Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.

Curabitur vestibulum nulla quis interdum

2018 Fall Business Meeting @ Western University Western University invites you to the OACUHO 2018 Fall Business Meeting on Friday, October 12, 2018!

In honour of the Ayukwanaktiyóhake Indigenous and Ally Community at Western, our keynote speaker, learning experiences, and special guests will discuss how we support Indigenous students, and incorporate their culture, teachings and ceremonies into our practice. We’ll celebrate the collaboration between Housing professionals, Indigenous students and the community. We’ll also explore diverse topics to highlight the various functional areas in Housing to ensure there is something for everyone.

The word ‘Ayukwanaktiyóhake’ was selected as a representation of the environment where students could feel safe and at peace. Derived from the Oneida word, -nakt-, the

translation suggests a bed or a place where we find security and peace. The evolution of this root word highlights the importance in providing a safe place for students to rest, and be well as individuals in order to be positive contributors to the community.

The Keynote speaker will be Dr. Stephanie J. Waterman, Onondaga, Turtle Clan. Stephanie is an Associate Professor at OISE at the University of Toronto and coordinates the Student Development/ Student Services in Higher Education program. Dr. Waterman is one of the authors of Beyond the Asterisk: Understanding

Native Students in Higher Education (2013) and Beyond College Access: Indigenizing Programs for Student Success (2016).

And she was the 2018 ACPA senior scholar award winner.

As the opening keynote, Dr. Waterman will speak about how housing professionals can support indigenous students living in residence and strategies for improving our indigenous allyship.

Concurrent sessions include: Residence Staff Compensation & Legislation in Practice - A Panel Perspective, Student Housing & Civil Liability A Legal Point of View, The ‘Mythology’ of SaugeenMaitland Hall - Facilities

Tour, Indigenous Students in Residence, The White Elephant in the Room: How to identify, understand, and use your white privilege to enact social change within your department, and Hot Topics in Residence Admissions We look forward to welcoming you to Western University for the OACUHO 2018 Fall Business Meeting!

uOttawa opens trendy new residence to 503 lucky students.

Rachelle Clark If you peel back the stone and brick façade, chip away at the modern paint colours and look under the newly laid eye catching carpet tiles, the Annex is just another student residence… or is it?

Complete with in-suite laundry, stainless steel appliances and en-suite bathrooms, the Annex is quickly becoming known as one of uOttawa’s most exciting student residences.

Mere steps from the main campus, the Annex, a purpose-built student residence that opened its doors to 503 1st year and upper year students this fall, was designed and built by a private developer in partnership with the University of Ottawa.

Move-in day confirmed

what uOttawa Housing staff suspected: This new residence is going to be a hit! Excitement sizzled in the air at the Annex as students and parents rushed to check out the new building. The main lobby welcomes students with an open reception area and modern leather seating with corner gas fireplace. A door off the main reception leads to the “Anytime Fitness” gym (complete with free membership for all Annex residents). The finishing touches are being made to the other main-floor commercial retail spaces like Balzac’s (trendy coffee shop), restaurants, and corner store, which will be opening in the coming months.

The second floor boasts a

study lounge and a games room (with comfortable seating, large screen TV, video games and table tennis). A terrace can be accessed off of the games room for some much needed rest and relaxation after a long day of classes.

What makes the Annex unique is not simply the quality finishes and unique design. In fact, what makes this residence special is quite literally, what’s inside. Student staff will live-in the Annex to provide mentorship and wellness support. From this perspective, the Annex is not different from uOttawa’s other residences.

In fact, uOttawa offers the same supports in all of its residences. Live-in Community Advisors and Peer Supports tend to the wellness and safety of 1st year residents and upper year students, while livein mentors offer academic supports, study groups and advice to students on how to successfully navigate academia. Residents will

also have access to supports and services available to students living in all other uOttawa residences, including professional counselling services.

The unique partnership between the building owner and the university makes this possible. While the university does not own the building, it manages the residence like any of its other 10 residences. The university is responsible for room assignments, collection of residence fees, management of the building (from a facilities perspective) and the student experience (from a programming and supports perspective). This allows the university to offer a quality residence with no capital investment, while maintaining complete accountability and ownership over the student experience, ensuring the same high standards and quality enjoyed by all 4200 students that call uOttawa residence “home”.

Ethnic Diversity in OACUHO Executive Summary of the Report

The following article is an excerpt from the Ethnic Diversity in OACUHO Report, completed in July 2018.

To view the full report, please go to www.oacuho.com.

We would like to acknowledge the efforts of many in the completion of this report, including: Ife Kolade, Carmen Law, and Dirk Rodricks for their work as Subcommittee Leads. We also thank Shainiya Balachandran, Jessica Charbonneau, Sally Chen, Tuba Chishti, Seán Kinsella, Katrina Persad, Savannah Sloat, and Jennifer Trotman, for their efforts as subcommittee members or report contributors. If you are interested in getting involved in future work related to this, please connect with Tuba Chishti, Member at Large.

Executive Summary of the Report Ethnic diversity captures the composition of individuals from diverse ethnic, cultural, or racial backgrounds, resulting in a visibly diverse group of individuals. A glance around our membership indicates that OACUHO lacks visible diversity. Housing staff teams remain predominantly white despite growing diversity on campus. What are the experiences of our members who identify with under-represented groups?

Whose voices are not heard in this association and

within our field? The Ethnic Diversity in OACUHO project, released to the membership in July 2018, began to answer these questions by sharing the experiences of persons of colour in our association.

The following article is an abbreviated version of the report’s executive summary.

Future Pulse articles will capture more analysis into the specific components of the report.

Representation in OACUHO OACUHO members received three invitations on the listserv to participate

in the survey on the State of Diverse Representation within OACUHO. Of 195 respondents, 22% identify as persons of colour; 2% identify as Indigenous, 16% identify as LGBTQ+, and 0% identify as transgender.

Figure 1 depicts (in blue) respondents who identify as persons of colour by membership level. This data likely inflates the number of persons of colour due to a variety of survey limitations, and it does not capture disaggregated data. For example, if we had asked respondents how they define their ethnic identity, how might this compare to the student population within our residences?

Numerical representation is not a complete end goal, however, because visibility, acceptance, and celebration as a person of colour do not come hand in hand with higher proportions of representation. Just because a person of colour is in a position of power (e.g. senior role), the overall trend remains that career

mobility is not as available for persons of colour as it is for white colleagues within OACUHO. Summary of Experiences Within the report, readers will find counter-stories of persons of colour in OACUHO that we collected through the focus groups and interviews. Counterstories are experiences told by marginalized folks that counter the dominant narratives about them. The stories in the report highlight the experience of working as a professional of colour and serving diverse students in a white-dominant space.

The project team has identified that as a person of colour, barriers exist to feeling truly welcome in our field. Readers can find nearly 100 counterstories in the full report that support this reality.

In discussing this project specifically, senior leaders and OACUHO members commonly asked the project team: “So what do we do about this issue?” While

No

17%

89%

11%

74% SHO (n=19)

83%

Advanced (n=36)

36%

Experienced (n=78)

New (n=61)

64%

Yes

26% n=195

Figure 1: Do you self-identify as a person of colour (percentage, by organizational level) this is a valid question, it is difficult to answer. Imagine expecting a simple response to the question: “How do we fix complex mental health concerns on campus?”

These issues are systemic and thus call for a systemwide approach. In lieu of a list of recommendations, the project team identified summary statements that capture the data uncovered through survey results, focus groups, and interviews. Page references to the report have been included after each summary statement to provide concrete examples to readers.

Diverse Staff Representation: Persons of colour are underrepresented at all levels of housing organizations.

Percentage of persons of colour decline as we move up within an organization.

This is more than a numbers issue; it is also about visibility of persons of colour who are already here. (See p.

23, 28-29, 62-63)

Hiring Bias: Barriers to access for marginalized groups exist at all levels of hiring within housing operations. Application screening, interview processes, candidate assessment, and career progression are all subject to bias that favours white culture and white candidates. (See p. 47-52) Knowledge of Diverse Student Populations: Persons of colour are expected to be sources of knowledge for white peers about how to effectively serve students of colour.

(See p. 37, 41, 62-63) Inadequate “Equity” Training: Most peers and supervisors do not demonstrate sufficient knowledge of equity, diversity, and inclusion principles. Members experience unintentional microaggressions from peers and supervisors, and witness clear instances of behaviour that reinforces oppressive

systems. (See p. 44, 53-54, 62-63) Improving Mentorship Opportunities: Participants reported a natural inclination to feel more comfortable sharing vulnerable information with racialized mentors, due to similar life experience. White supervisors demonstrated strong mentorship when they made space for their staff’s ethnic identities, or when they named their own power/privilege from the outset. (See p. 20-21, 42-47) Navigating White-Dominant Culture: Housing work culture is driven by white culture, and the conditions are such that members need to conform to white standards in order to succeed, perform well, and progress in their careers.

(See p. 52-54) Personal Struggles related to Identity: Members experience unique challenges of supporting diverse students or

supporting themselves while navigating the isolation of a white work culture.

These personal struggles are uniquely tied to ethnic identity (and other identities) in the workplace.

(See p. 32-35, 55, 58-60) Creating Space for Dialogue: Members value the presence and progression of this topic within OACUHO, from the 2017 Conference presentation, to the establishment of the Professionals of Colour Affinity Group, to this project. At an institutional level, however, members experience varying degrees of indifference and support in pursuing this dialogue.

(See p. 41, 55) Access to and Knowledge of Relevant Research: Canadian research on racial diversity and equity within student affairs roles is sparse. Knowledge of student affairs theories within membership tends to focus on major foundational

theories that do not consider racial identity. (See p. 16-17) Missing Voices: This report lacks representation from some equity-seeking groups (e.g. Indigenous members and transidentifying members). It mainly captures stories from Residence Life members.

(See p. 26, 65) Reviewing the above statements and the counterstories that support the experiences, it is clear that there is some work to do. To help guide future work, the project team posed reflection questions for the Board, senior leaders, and all OACUHO members to consider in approaching the above realities. As an example: What training and resources can operations access to reduce bias within their hiring processes (e.g. recruitment, hiring, selection and retention)?

What opportunities exist (or need to be created) to offer

racialized OACUHO members with access to persons of colour in mentorship positions?

How can senior leaders, supervisors, and individual members create space for a more inclusive, evolving culture that makes all staff feel welcome, relevant, and important?

How can senior leadership create space for this dialogue at their own institutions?

What role does OACUHO play in fostering this dialogue within member institutions?

The project team sees opportunity for immediate action this year, and reading the report or this article is not enough. Simply taking action to spur dialogue between members is a positive step forward. At the very least, talk to your colleagues about this article or the report. Start or end weekly meetings with a question from the above list, or consult the reports conclusion for many more reflection questions. Book your supervisors into

meetings and ask them these questions. These conversations must be consciously raised so that this issue cannot be ignored.

All community members should take accountability for their role in the system of opportunity and access.

We hope as readers you will reflect on your role and leverage any power you hold to make space for change.

The OACUHO Board of Directors President Ian Crookshank

Communication Director Lauren Gouchie

Membership Engagement Director Lauren Silvestro-Arbuthnot

Member at Large Tuba Chishti

President-Elect/Finance Director Valerie Bruce

Conference Director Kristin Lennan

Professional Development Director Stewart Grunwell

Member at Large Brian Ingoldsby

Past-President Amanda Ziegler

Corporate Partner Director Shaun McCracken

Advanced-Level Member at Large Melissa McNown-Smith

Association Manager Carol Ford