2021 SPRING CAMPUS LIFE TRENDS (CLT) MAGAZINE by The Association for the Promotion of Campus Activities

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SPRING 2021

CAMPUS LIFE TRENDS

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2021 SPRING NATIONAL HYBRID CAMPUS ACTIVITIES PLANNING CONFERENCE ~ Find out more, page 6

APCA FALL 2O20 VIRTUAL AWARDS COMPETITION WINNERS – pg 12

IN THIS ISSUE LIVE EVENTS AGAIN!, pg 10 EIGHT TIPS FOR CELEBRATING VALENTINE'S DAY, pg 14 VIRTUAL PROGRAMMING, pg 18

ARTISTS & AGENCIES

2021 SPRING NATIONAL CONFERENCE INFORMATION – pg 8

Join your fellow Student Life Advisors and Student Leaders in the APCA Virtual Community Workplace this spring! REGISTER TODAY! Registration to the virtual APCA Community Workplace gives you a user profile in our Community Workplace for the entire semester. Participation in EVERY VIRTUAL EVENT is included with this registration.

Student Life Advisor Institute - Feb 22-24 Weekly and Monthly Experts in Residence 24/7 Engagement and Communication with Your Peers The 2021 National Campus Activities Planning Conference will be a hybrid event! Orlando, FL, April 8-10, 2021 You can choose to attend in person (limited to 4 delegates per campus), or virtually! Virtual delegates will participate inside the APCA Community Workplace, so your spring registration includes your ticket to the virtual conference!

Virtual Community Workplace Prices: Fall Workplace Delegates: Renew for only $79.00 per person! APCA Members: $99 per person Non-members: $149 per person Valid 1/1/21-5/31/21 Not an APCA member? Renew or join today for only $299 (membership covers all organizations, students, and staff on your campus, and is valid through 7/1/21)

CLT Magazine | Spring 2021

EDIT OR: HEATHER L AMBER T GRAPHIC DESIGN: ARLENE PRICE

THAN K S T O ALL THE SCHOOL S, ASSOCIATES, AND SPEAKERS WHO CONTRIBUTED T O THIS EDITION OF THE C AMPUS LIFE TRENDS MAGAZINE.

CONTENTS 4

FROM THE DESK OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ERIC LAMBERT

EIGHT TIPS FOR CELEBRATING VALENTINE'S DAY IN A COVID WORLD DAVID COLEMAN, THE DATING DOCTOR

APCA 2021 HYBRID NATIONAL CONFERENCE FEATURE ARTICLE

8 THE APC A C AMPUS LIFE TRENDS MAGAZINE IS PUBLISHED EACH SEMES TER. SUBMISSIONS F OR

APCA NATIONALS: ARTIST AND AGENCY INFORMATION FEATURE ARTICLE

AR TICLES MUS T BE EMAILED T O: MARKETING@APC A .COM THE C AMPUS LIFE TRENDS MAGAZINE IS A TRADEMARK OF THE ASSOCIATION F OR THE PROMO TION

LIVE EVENTS AGAIN! BEST PRACTICES, SAFET Y, & SUCCESS DEL SUGGS., M.S. ED.

OF C AMPUS ACTIVITIES. ALL RIGHT S RESER VED. N O AR TICLES OR IMAGES OF ANY KIND MAY BE REPRINTED FROM THIS MAGAZINE WITHOUT THE WRITTEN PERMISSION OF THE ASSOCIATION F OR THE PROMO TION OF C AMPUS ACTIVITIES. ANYONE SEEKING PERMISSION SHOULD F OR WARD THEIR REQUES T BY EMAIL T O: INF O@APC A .COM

865.429.912 3

APCA 2020 VIRTUAL AWARD WINNERS FEATURE ARTICLE

VIRTUAL PROGRAMMING: WHEN TO MAKE IT HOME GROWN AND WHEN TO HIRE THE PROS KATHY MATSON, M.S., ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF STUDENT LIFE, MOUNT WACHUSETT COMMUNITY COLLEGE

SERVICE ON CAMPUS BEYOND COVID-19 DAVE KELLY, AMERICA'S STUDENT LEADERSHIP TRAINER

PROGRAMMING SPOTLIGHT: UNIVERSIT Y OF AKRON FEATURE ARTICLE

CLT Magazine | Spring 2021

FROM THE DESK

OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECT OR

Eric Lambert APCA E xec u t i ve D i r ec to r e la m be r t @a p c a . co m

WHY A LIVE APCA™ NATIONAL CONFERENCE? Hello APCA family. Our national conference will be held live and in person in Orlando, FL on April 8-10, 2021. I think in all my years as the Executive Director of APCA™, the hardest decision I have ever had to make was when to allow us to come together again as a live, engaged community. Obviously, the pandemic has affected us all, both personally and professionally. So perhaps it is best that I discuss the elements that have been weighed to discuss this decision.

Concerns The drawbacks are obvious, in that Covid is still an issue as of this writing in January, 2021. There have been many valid statistics that have shown that refusal to wear masks, a lack of screening, and generally poor execution of CDC suggestions have helped spread the pandemic. Additionally, many administrations have taken the stance that no travel should be permitted this year. We understand these things fully, and in many cases where there are potential delegates with compromised immunity or other health problems, they are best to remain at home. For those delegates, as well as those simply unable to travel this spring, a virtual option is clearly best. Uncertainty of future government regulation can also be a concern. If any legal restrictions develop between now and the event, making the event a violation of any Federal or Florida law, we already have virtual participation solutions in place.

Positives The positive aspects of a live event are equally apparent, such as the ability to conduct, learn, and network in a more fluid and productive manner than a zoom meeting. It’s equally as helpful to see acts showcase live that will likely be used in a live setting this coming fall and spring. Another factor is increased engagement and participation in a live setting from students. Zoom fatigue, student board apathy, and technical issues are consistent factors in even the best of virtual circumstances.

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Of course, safety must be our foremost concern here. No conference can be called successful if it fails to take current safety protocols into account. But several factors are in play that will affect that issue. 1. We have a vaccine, and it is proving effective in fighting the Covid epidemic. 2. We also have a better grasp of how to remain safe in public situations. CDC masking and distancing guidelines have proven effective in stopping the spread of Covid-19. Much like current sports events and the Presidential inauguration, we will employ these protocols to keep our delegates safe during this conference. All delegates will be informed of the measures to maintain a safe environment and required to follow them. 3. This event will be a hybrid engaging experience. Our conference will be available to any and all schools that would prefer to attend virtually, or for whatever reason cannot attend live. A major advantage of this APCA conference is that our virtual participants will be experiencing a LIVE event that is happening in real time with LIVE colleagues as the participants. Showcasing artists will be able to perform on a stage with professional sound and lighting, professionally live streamed directly into our Virtual Community Workplace, so this event will yield much higher quality than many virtual performances are able to achieve. But why be the first to hold an in person event? Why not let someone else do it first and wait until the fall? The answer is simple; Student Life programmers need to experience their resources in person more than any other department in Student Services. They need to interact with the artists or speakers, observing not only their show but their behavior, their representation, their audiovisual needs, and even their ability to interact with a live audience. These are the major imperatives driving this decision: the opportunity to network with peers in a more productive manner, the ability to make a truly informed decision about who to hire and who not to hire, to learn from fellow students and advisors, in an interactive and engaging environment, and to experience and participate in Cooperative Buying IN PERSON, as it develops, to stretch our ever decreasing budgets. But more importantly than all else, this is a learning opportunity. Our staff and students will soon be called upon to produce live events in a safe and productive manner. We intend to take cues from our own Student Life departments who are developing safe protocols at their institutions. This conference is an opportunity to demonstrate a cutting edge example of how to produce in-person campus activities and events safely for our students this fall. The bottom line is the importance of learning, of developing learning outcomes of how to serve our students with practical competence. APCA national conference delegates will come home with that competence and the confidence it instills, and a live presentation of the actual skills they will need to implement is the most effective way to deliver. We look forward to serving you there. Till next time,

CLT Magazine | Spring 2021

A A Path Path Forward Forward –– Reopening Reopening Live Live Events Events Join us in Orlando, FL on April 8-10 for A Path Forward, an in-person experience that will provide education and resources for re-opening your student activities program live and in-person this fall! Although A Path Forward is an in-person event, all sessions and showcases will be broadcast virtually to the APCA Community Workplace, providing a virtual option for any enrolled schools who cannot attend in person. This year has been the most challenging time in the history of Student Life programming. The advent of virtual programming has been both a blessing and a curse for our campus staff members. Innovative programming for online populations has been plagued by technical and logistical issues, despite the best efforts of dedicated student life professionals. Throughout the process, one thing has become very apparent; everyone is becoming strained by online fatigue. Student connections are best made through in-person, connective events that bring us together. Thankfully, those in-person events seem closer to safely happening again than they have seemed for a long, long while. We must be prepared, however, to reopen our live events with the care and caution that honors the sacrifices that have been made to return us to a state of normalcy. We should be ready to adapt to circumstances by providing in-person examples of best practices to protect our campus populations. The focus of this conference will be as a demonstration of techniques to keep our students, staff, and surrounding communities safe as we begin our return to live events. The APCA in-person national conference will feature training and live examples of: • Showcases that demonstrate CDC compliant audience distancing and sanitizing measures • Safe food distribution and packing procedures for events on campus • Entrance admission screening techniques for compliance with CDC guidelines • Synchronized remote and in-person Cooperative Buying sessions • Seminars and live demonstrations of secure set up, production, and tear down of socially distanced events • Risk assessment sessions on event scheduling and production of live events • Safety guidelines for handling novelties, make-and-takes, and crowd participation • Social distancing best practices that enhance engagement and maintain safety • Reduced pricing on novelties, talent, and speaking options for limited budgets • On-site social distancing and masking safety protocols for the entire schedule of events

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A Path Forward will still feature the APCA™ core conference elements: Showcases, Exhibit Halls, Cooperative Buying and educational opportunities. There will be ample opportunity to find talent and receive massive savings for your budgets to justify the expense of attendance. There will be some fundamental one-time changes for this year, however. Our schedule will be shortened to a two-day event in order to limit the total time spent away and hotel and travel costs. We have obtained a rate of $139 for hotel rooms, a significant discount from past years. We will also be encouraging schools to limit their attendance to four delegates max, if possible. Please reach out to us at (865) 429-9123 or email info@apca.com to get more information on being a part of the return to live student life events this fall.

CLT Magazine |Spring 2021

APCA Nationals to be held in Orlando, FL April 8-10, 2021: Artist and Agent Information The APCA 2021 National Student Activities Planning Conference will be held in person at the Florida Hotel and Conference Center in Orlando, FL on April 8-10, 2021! All Showcases and Exhibit Halls will take place Friday 4/9 & Saturday 4/10. Thursday, April 8 will be a day for set up and load in. Due to the extraordinary circumstances surrounding the Covid19 issue, this year’s National Conference will feature a shorter schedule and a hybrid experience for our schools and talent buyers…which means that we will have both in-person AND virtual delegates! All showcases will be live-streamed and available for review by our virtual delegates. APCA Associate Members will be able to apply on a first come, first served basis. Registration will open soon, and advance notification regarding registration will be given. Please note: we have made some changes to usual booth/showcase protocols for this event: EXHIBITING Table-top displays will be utilized instead of booths for this event, allowing for less concentrated congestion in the halls. • These table-top stations will be sold at a onetime discount of $499 per table top • Only 1 table top is required per every 2 showcasing stage artists • Due to increased demand and limited space, a maximum of 3 table tops per agency may be purchased (not including novelty showcase set-ups) • There will be no pipe and drape, so all displays must be set on a 6-foot table or be selfstanding

• Each table top will include one skirted table, two chairs, one wastebasket (electricity must be purchased directly from hotel)

SHOWCASING • There will be 3 showcases (2 non-meal and 1 meal showcase) per day on April 9 and 10 • Safety protocols such as replacing/cleaning mics between performers, socially distanced limited backstage seating for artists only, and a strict policy of no more than two students allowed on stage with any given performer (and then 6 feet apart from anyone else on the stage) will be in place. Please plan your showcases and logistics accordingly • Due to these precautions, only 1 large act (4 performers or more) per showcase will be allowed • Mask requirements will be enforced CLEANING AND SAFETY PROTOCOLS The event is being very carefully planned, with social distancing, CDC recommended COVID screening measures, and enhanced cleaning protocols enforced. The conference will feature live showcases with socially distanced seating, mask requirements, temperature screening protocols, and live and virtual educational opportunities. All Associates and their attending affiliates, artists, and staff must comply with any and all safety protocols implemented. APPLICATIONS We have received a great deal of interest for this event and expect a short window of time before the limited event lineup sells out. Registration will open soon at www.apca.com, and applications for showcase consideration are on a first come, first served basis until the showcases are full.

why should you book your talent at an APCA conference? Lorem Ipsum

Lorem Ipsum

APCA school conference delegates book with confidence! APCA schools know their association will help with:

SAVINGS ON TALENT COSTS Want to stretch your budget? You can save a LOT of money on your talent bookings when you participate at an APCA conference. APCA conferences bring together the collective buying power of our student life member organizations to reduce the prices of artists and novelties. Schools participating in our APCA conference get the best touring discounts in the country, and we negotiate with all showcasing artists to secure the best prices for all our attendees. AFFILIATION WITH ESTABLISHED AND ETHICAL AGENCIES AFFILI Ask our vendors – “Will we see you at the APCA conferences?” The answer can be very telling…if you’re dealing with an agency that isn’t an APCA member, you’re losing some great school membership protections, and you could be opening yourself up to some real problems. APCA member agencies and solo artists represent some of the most established and respected talent vendors in the country, and our agencies are held to strict ethical guidelines. Our agents’ reputations with school members are very important to them, and APCA holds members accountable for their behavior in the marketplace. PROTECTING THEIR CAMPUS PROGRAMS WITH APCA GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES AP APCA stands by our member schools. It is not a frequent occurrence, but if a school has a dispute with an APCA member agency, APCA will help to resolve the matter. We have organized grievance procedures and will oﬀer dispute resolution, and if necessary sanctions against any APCA members engaging in unethical practices. These include - but are not limited to - no shows, bait and switch booking, failure to operate in good faith, violating school policies or contracted terms, and any other instances of disreputable business dealings. You won’t stand alone when you’re working with APCA to engage your student population. NATIONAL ORGANIZATION AFFILIATION APCA conferences oﬀer educational, networking and professional development opportunities that enhance your career. You can study best practices and current theory with the most respected gures in the industry, and make connections that will help you personally and professionally. Attending an APCA event isn’t just a professional development experience, it is a personal connection with a strong community.

CALL US AT (865) 429-9123 OR VISIT US AT APCA.COM!

CLT Magazine | Spring 2021

DEL SUGGS M .S .E D .

Live Events Again! Best Practices for Safety and Success

It seems like a lifetime ago that we actually had live, in-person events. While campus life continues to focus on with virtual and streaming events, many schools are beginning to consider presenting in-person events on campus. That's a trend we'd all like to see expand and grow across the country when local conditions are safe. Before you begin to plan on- campus in-person events, you should first be familiar with the Center for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) guidelines for events and gatherings (https://bit.ly/3qPSf0j). The CDC offers what they call “considerations” regarding staging an event, and these are fully applicable to campus events and programs. “Because COVID-19 virus circulation varies in communities, these considerations are meant to supplement—not replace—any state, local, territorial, or tribal health and safety laws, rules, and regulations with which gatherings must comply..” – from the CDC website, “Considerations for Events and Gatherings.”

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First, let's understand the basic principles or reasons for these considerations. Then we can look at ways to apply them to campus programs and events to have a successful and safe in-person program. The CDC says that “SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, is thought to be mostly spread by respiratory droplets released when people talk, cough, or sneeze. It is thought that the virus may also spread to hands from a contaminated surface and then to the nose, mouth or eyes, causing infection.” This is why something as simple as wearing a mask and washing your hands can dramatically reduce the rate of infection. The purpose of these considerations is to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Here is what the CDC states: "The more people an individual interacts with at an event and the longer that interaction lasts, the higher the potential risk of becoming infected." There is a scale which ranks the risk factors: Lowest risk: virtual programs. Less risk: smaller outdoor events where participants wear masks, maintain a six-foot distance, do not share objects, and are all from the same geographic area (i.e. same campus). More risk: smaller indoor events where participants wear masks, maintain a six-foot distance, do not share objects, and are all from the same geographic area (i.e. same campus). Highest risk: large indoor gatherings without masking or six-foot distancing including participants from out of the local area. Here are the simple principles. Hold your event outside (if possible), because the ventilation dissipates any respiratory droplets. Require those attending to wear masks for their own safety and for the safety of others, because masks filter any droplets that might enter or leave your respiratory system. Maintain a safe distance from others not from your group, because that distance reduces the amount of contact you have with their

airborne droplets.. Wash your hands often, because that helps to eliminate any virus from a surface. And sanitize all surfaces frequently, to reduce the opportunity for contact spreading. Now that we know why we need to follow these guidelines, let's see how we can put them into effect with our programs and events. Spring Is On The Way As the season changes, there is the opportunity to do your programs outside. Search for some great outdoor spaces on campus for your in-person events. Programs presented outside are inherently safer because of the airflow and ventilation. Think creatively about a performance space. If you didn't do outdoor events before the pandemic, now is the time to adjust and pivot. You could present a small music act in the courtyard of the student center. Utilize the patio space outside of a residence hall for a spoken word artist. Consider using a green space or parking lot for an outdoor movie. Be creative. I once saw a cellist perform a show at the bottom of a campus pool that had been drained for the winter. We all stood around the edge of the pool and listened, as she performed in one of the most acoustically amazing venues I've ever heard. CONTINUED ON PAGE 16

CLT Magazine | Spring 2021

Congratu

2020 APCA VIRTU ADVISOR OF THE YEAR Allison Fox Pellissippi State Community College Knoxville, Tennessee STUDENT PROGRAMMER OF THE YEAR Yvette Cezh Pellissippi State Community College Knoxville, Tennessee

VIRTUAL ARTIST OF THE YEAR Jason LeVasseur The Rock Star Project

LEADERSHIP PROGRAM OF THE YEAR Emerging Leaders Training Week University of Akron Akron, Ohio

ulations!

CLT Magazine | Spring 2021

UAL AWARD WINNERS COMMUNITY SERVICE EVENT OF THE YEAR Treats for Troops Northwestern State University Natchitoches, Louisiana

VIRTUAL EVENT OF THE YEAR

Meal with SEAL Pellissippi State Community College Knoxville, Tennessee

PROGRAMMING ORGANIZATION OF THE YEAR The College of Saint Rose Albany, New York

THANKS TO ALL WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE 2020 VIRTUAL AWARDS CEREMONY IN THE APCA COMMUNITY WORKPLACE!!

CLT Magazine | Spring 2021

Eight Tips for Safely Celebrating Valentine’s Day in Our Covid World! What is unexpected about Valentine’s Day? Not much. We all know it falls on February 14th. The number 14 on most calendars is printed in RED to imply love and affection. RED can also manifest in emotions when someone feels their partner just plain forgot or ignored them and the holiday entirely. Chocolate, flowers, jewelry, dinners, hearts, candy, stuffed animals, sexy lingerie, wine and kisses are seen as the traditional “go to” gifts, which although appreciated, are often considered “typical." So, what is one to do? Here are a few suggestions:

David Coleman

The Dating Doctor! Valentine’s Day runs the gamut of emotions for many people. Some love it and celebrate it with joy and exuberance, while others loathe it and see it as a “Contrived Holiday” that is obligatory and cliche'. And this was the case before COVID entered the picture with its safety concerns, restrictions and uncertainty. The primary reason Valentine’s Day is a difficult holiday for many to navigate is the Definition of Romance is to “Perform an ordinary act of love or kindness at an unexpected time.” It is that “unexpected time” concept that makes it a challenge and now the safety and health concerns of Covid are added to the mix as well.

1. Instead of viewing it as a meaningless "non-holiday,” embrace it as an opportunity to be creative, loving and thoughtful. The bottom line is, you are showing love, affection and appreciation for someone special in your life. So, if you are going to err, err in the direction of romance and remember that for many busy couples and those with children and family responsibilities, having a day where attention and romance is “expected” is not all that bad. 2. Given social distancing due to Covid, throw a virtual S.A.D. Party (Single’s Awareness Day!) and invite all your unattached friends to attend. Ask that they each invite several of their single friends to attend as well. Who knows how many budding relationships may blossom from such a fun gathering and, at a minimum, it will give everyone with no plans something to look forward to. Have a mood-setting playlist going in the background, ask everyone to dress up for the occasion and have a theme oriented virtual background to add to the excitement and feel of the event. 3. Give your gift, card or sentiment on February 13th, NOT the 14th along with a handwritten note proclaiming that, “No one as special as you should have to wait another day!” If you can tell they were not overly thrilled by what you did, gave or planned, simply say, “I was totally

CLT Magazine | Spring 2021

kidding. I know tomorrow is Valentine’s Day (and you have 24 hours to regroup and save your soul).

this” competition nor cause your partner to feel slighted or inadequate for the “failed” effort they made on your behalf.

4. Never give a gift that is alive or one that should be and isn’t. If you give someone a living, breathing being, that “pet” may outlive the relationship and become a permanent reminder of a failed relationship and leave them with an ongoing obligation. Also, avoid a gift that should be alive but isn’t, such as snake skin boots, a fur coat or ivory anything (always)…You get the picture.

8. If you want to do something nice for your staff or for the employees of an office or company, consider purchasing gift cards from local businesses and restaurants that your employees can use, at their leisure, while practicing social distancing with their loved one. Not only will you give them an opportunity to celebrate together, you’ll help small, local businesses who can surely use the shot in the arm.

5. Avoid giving gifts that infer that at some point in time they may ultimately be used on or for you! A new set of cookware, hair trimmers, a back scratcher, lawn mower, massager, food processor, cooking knives, tickets to YOUR favorite activity or endeavor, a gift card to YOUR favorite store or restaurant...should be a no-go!

Just like Covid could not stop people from safely enjoying the holiday season, it should not put a damper on Valentine’s Day. We are a bright, creative and loving society, thus we must plan to celebrate safely as showing that kind of respect for our loved one and for others is a fabulous gift all by itself.

6. Go with edible gifts and activities over candy and flowers. Make sure they are fresh and delicious or surprise them with an outing they did not see coming (such as dining at the restaurant of a culture whose food they have never experienced…while safely following all safety guidelines for the area you live). If you cannot physically be together, plan a virtual meal together with your favorite movie or music playing in the background. If you want to double date, invite another couple with whom you both enjoy sharing time. 7. Never spend more than half in addition to what you anticipate your partner spending on you. For example, if you anticipate a gift of around $50 from them, don’t exceed $75 with yours. This should not become a “can you top

David Coleman is one of America’s most requested and versatile speakers, addressing the topics of healthy relationships, leadership training, exceptional customer service, building inspired, united and selfless teams and outstanding public speaking. For More info and booking inquiries for David Coleman, visit: http://metropolismanagement.com/portfolio/davidcoleman/

CLT Magazine | Spring 2021

DEL SUGGS: LIVE EVENTS AGAIN - CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11 Space Is Your Friend In the past, it's always been best to pack students into an event. We always tried to put a big crowd into a smaller space, because the energy of the audience is really powerful when it's contained.

they were assigned a square based on the number of people in the group. It worked out great, because the squares were large enough to allow for students to spread out, and the wide pathways between the squares kept each group separate.

But during this pandemic, it's better to spread out. You can do that by using a larger space than you would normally need for your program.

Sanitize, and Sanitize Again You need to keep two things clean: your space and your students. Make sure you have a plan do do both, and the supplies to make it happen. Keep your space clean by coordinating with the custodial staff. Not only is there a higher level of cleaning required for restrooms these days, but other areas also need sanitizing.

Many places have currently “reduced capacity” for inside seating, sometimes only allowing 25-50% of normal seating. That makes it easy to space your students and allow for safe distancing. I recently presented a program in a hall that seats about 1000 people. For the my show, they spaced tables of six and groups of four chairs safely apart so that everyone felt comfortable. They were required to reduce the capacity to just 25% (according to the local guidelines), so we had just 250 seats in a ballroom for 1000. It would have felt empty in the past, but with the social distancing required, but instead it just felt safe! Even with outdoor events, make sure everyone is separated and safely distanced. I did an outdoor program in a small amphitheater this past summer. Typically, students would just lounge on the grassy slope. But to enforce safe distancing, the hillside had been divided up with athletic field-type turf paint like a huge chess board, and each square was numbered. Squares were different sizes so some fit two people, others fit four people, and so on. When students arrived,

Document all those objects that get touched regularly by different people and create a schedule for wiping. Door handles, faucet handles, elevator buttons, table tops, scanners (if you record student attendance at your events) and more. Even things you might not normally think about need to be cleaned. Handrails, counter tops, even trash can lids need to be kept clean so that they don't become sources of infection. Then, keep your students clean with gallons of hand sanitizer and signs reminding students to use it. I've seen schools who had a hand sanitizer dispenser outside of the door to the event with a sign reading “Clean Up Before You Come In.” Everyone I saw walked in the door rubbing the sanitizer on their hands. It worked like a charm. Hand sanitizer is also a great way to promote your office. You can get some good deals these days on imprinted personalized bottles. Doesn't everyone need their own personal bottle of “C.A.B. SANITIZER” with your logo or picture on it? Food Giveaways Nothing draws students like free food, right? Unfortunately, the days of just ordering pizzas and spreading them out on the table are gone for now. There is no evidence that COVID-19 is spread by food. However, people sharing utensils and congregating around food service areas can pose a risk. If you want to serve food like pizza, burgers, and hot dogs you'll

CLT Magazine | Spring 2021

need to have servers so that students aren't touching the food and utensils themselves.

distance when there are two tables between you and someone else!

The other option is to provide pre- packaged food. You can get individual bags of chips, pre-made and wrapped sandwiches, packaged snack food like candy, brownies, and more. It's a safety issue, and we need to do all we can to keep students and staff safe.

Taking Small Steps We all want to get back to those wonderful live events on campus-- the music concert, the spoken word artist, the novelties, the films. That day may be coming, but it's not here yet.

Safety First Make sure to keep everyone safe – including your artists and performers. Give them the space they need to perform, without crowding. Six feet is the standard for distancing, but no one will complain if you provide even more space.

There are small steps we can take to get us back to inperson events and programs. We have to do all we can to stop the spread of COVID-19, and understand that every time there is a surge we are moving backwards.

Don't forget places like the Merch Table, too. At a great show, it's easy for students to get excited and rush the merchandise table. Make sure there is space to distance, there is hand sanitizer, wipes to clean the surfaces, and most importantly, everyone stays masked up. Masks make a huge difference in stopping the spread. For events such as your Activities Fair, Club Rush, or Club Expo, make sure that you separate the tables and spread out. I saw one campus that provided every club with two tables-- one in front of the other, not side-by-side. That way the club members could talk with the students who stopped by, but they were two table widths (6-feet) away. It's pretty easy to social

As we reduce the spread, we can use a few simple, basic practices to move us forward. We won't return to in-person events in one jump. We'll get there by working methodically, but demonstrating that we can have in-person events and not have a surge. The only way to do that is to utilize the best safe practices we know. I hope you found this information helpful. If you have any questions, or I can help in any way, please reach out. You can always find me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and at my website. Let me know what you think. Copyright by Del Suggs, M.S.Ed. Del@DelSuggs.com DelSuggs.com 1-800-323-1976 All rights reserved

CLT Magazine | Spring 2021

V i rt ual P rog ra mming :

When To Make It Homegrown And When To Hire The Pros

Kathy Matson, M.S.

Assistant Director of Student Life Mount Wachusett Community College

I n spr i n g 2020, as the country seemed t o shut down and many of us were f orced to s w i tc h to v irt ua l p r o g r a mming, w e all thought it would only be a t emporary sit uat ion a n d w e w o u ld s o o n be bac k to normal. Well here we are, almost a year lat er and lif e is a n y thi n g b u t n o r m a l . I n the college w orld that means everyone from f aculty and st udent s , to ad min i s t r a t o r s and student ac tivities t eams have had t o re t hink how and what t he y d o. In the student activities realm, where many of us had shrinking budgets already, we discovered that budgets were being cut even more and often we were a forgotten entity. Many college administrators thought that since students were not on campus we were not going to be doing any programming. Well think again, just because students were not attending in-person classes did not mean they didn’t want to stay connected; and so began the virtual programming journey.

CLT Magazine | Spring 2021

virtual programming I could hire. My fall 2020 semester was thrown together somewhat randomly as artists reached out to me with offers to perform or speak virtually, often at a reduced price. I began to hire speakers that I would never bring to campus because of travel costs, but could now perform virtually at a fraction of their in-person costs and I could reach more students that simply needed to click a link to attend and not need to be in-person on campus. I still offered many homegrown events such as bingo, and Zoom Halloween parties, along with my weekly asynchronous contests, but professional events began to form.

If you were like me, most of what you did for spring 2020 was homegrown and not very elaborate. We had in-person, hands-on events that needed to be cancelled and finding comparable virtual options was a struggle. I quickly learned how to use Zoom and utilized my programming board to “test” out my virtual programming ideas. We tried virtual bingo, played Jack Box Games, and Kahoot! became my new best friend. For the remainder of the spring semester I offered a few drop in Zoom sessions where students could just connect and hangout and I set-up weekly asynchronous contests that students could access when convenient. As we moved through the summer and it became clear that our students would remain primarily virtual, I delved deeper into the virtual programming world. My budget was cut in half and my first reaction was to create a homegrown slate of programs. This included purchasing an annual Kahoot! license for $720, finding a couple of college staff members that were gamers and were willing to oversee an intramural esports program, and scouring the web for sites that offered free access to virtual bingo, online puzzle creators, scavenger hunt ideas, and anything else that I could use. After my initial budget panic I decided to review how my budget had been spent over the past several years to see where I could save some money. I soon realized that about half of my budget went to food for my events; then it hit me, food is not an option for virtual programming, so in reality my budget hadn’t really been cut all that much. Now I began to look at what types of

As I worked to build my spring 2021 calendar for my still virtual campus, the schedule looked very different than what I originally imagined. As I write this on the last day of 2020, I currently have 34 virtual events scheduled, with 20 of them being hired professionals. That works out to be just over 2 events per week and does not include the weekly asynchronous contests. Because my calendar is already locked in I am able to share it with the whole college community and look to get buy in from faculty for many of the events such as speakers on mental health awareness, social justice, alcohol and substance abuse, financial literacy, cultural awareness, and so much more. So now that I have rambled a bit about my pandemic journey in student activities, let’s revisit the original question, Virtual Programming: When to make it homegrown and when to hire the pros. Homegrown events can be a great way to keep your programming board involved and give students an opportunity to simply meet together, hangout, and attend an event that allows flexibility to meet student needs. Some of my homegrown events are themed, such as the Snowman Social, DeStress Coloring Day, and Star Wars Day, but others such as my Chat with Student Life events allow me to go with the flow and meet the students where they’re at. On the flip side, I’ve hired the pros to do what I can’t do. They are the experts on the topics I want to address and they provide students with a new lens to see the world. I can offer virtual games such as bingo or trivia, but I let the pros run the TV themed gameshows. This spring I am offering “Event Boxes” with the supplies to do the hands-on projects for some of my programs. While much is homegrown, I’ve hired a pro to teach origami (I’ve discovered that I do not have that skill) CONTINUED ON PAGE 23

CLT Magazine | Spring 2021

DAVE KELLY, AMERICA'S STUDENT

Service on Campus Beyond COVID-19

LEADERSHIP TRAINER We have all had to adjust new ways of doing things over the past year. Meetings have been done virtually. Make-andTake activities in lieu of gathering due to social distancing protocols became common at many schools. Even community service has changed in our world: we now use technology to tutor and read stories to children; we focus more on craft projects instead of getting a group together to serve; and fundraising has been at a distance. Where do we go from here with community service? We know that students love to serve. We know it from studies and we know it from what we see on campus and at conferences. There will come a time when we return to a new normal, without masks and social distancing. When that will be, we do not know but there are still ways we can serve and be safe at the same time. When planning on-campus and in-person service projects, it is important that you follow the safety protocols of the CDC, your local and state health officials, and your own campus safety plan. These will vary across the country, but the basics are typically six feet of distancing, masks, and limit the number of people who can gather in an area. Most people seem to remember to bring their own masks when

they go out, however, you may still want to have a box of them available, just in case. It can be easy to forget to put one on when you get out of your car, especially if you have been home for several days. Also, the bands that go around your ears can break, rendering someone mask less! One easy way to apply social distancing to your projects is by setting up several tables and either putting the supplies on each table before the project begins or designating a central supply table at which each student picks up their materials while observing the 6-foot rule. This can also work with assembly projects such as toiletry kits for homeless shelters by pre-boxing or pre-bagging enough supplies for each participant to make a certain number of kits. Be sure to add other elements to your event such as music, games like bingo, and novelties like caricature artists. There is a huge value in students being able to be in the physical presence of others to chat, smile, and give virtual high-fives. To increase participation, consider asking students and/ or clubs and organizations to make appointments to take part in the projects. This may mean you have to extend the amount of time you run the activity as opposed to what you did in the past. You will know who will be participating and

CLT Magazine | Spring 2021

when. This will allow students who know each other to get together to serve and ensure you do not exceed the limitation for gatherings. Livestream the event on social media such as Instagram and Facebook Live to show your campus and community what you are doing and to allow them to join in. Have lots of hand sanitizer and gloves on hand. While gloves may not be required in your area, they can provide a sense of security to students who feel like they would like an extra measure of precaution. It is very important that your participants feel that they are safe doing these activities. I would caution against doing them close to a break when students are returning home to protect against potential spread of the coronavirus to family members. Quite possibly, there will be some students who do not feel safe gathering with others, even when safety protocols are followed. They still want to serve, so make a plan to allow them to participate. As I mentioned above, put together boxes or bags of supplies that they can take with them to assemble and then drop back off either later in the day to the project location, your office, or a collection box. Also consider projects that they can do on their own at home or in a residence hall with supplies they may have. Doggie tug toys are a great example of this. Spice it up by having a set time to go on Zoom or Google Meet for the students to simultaneously work together on their projects. This gives them a chance to chat and see other people without masks on and also learn how to do activities they may have never done before. Be mindful that even after the world reopens there may be students who still feel unsafe around others. We cannot assume that everyone is going to return to the old ways at the same pace, so allow for a transition time and keep these students engaged. Northwestern State University in Louisiana won the APCA Fall Community Service Event award for a project they did that allowed students and campus community members to participate in a safe way. It was called “Treats for Troops” and they collected Halloween candy and donated over 652 pounds of sweets to Barksdale Air Force Base, the base’s Youth Center, and a local VFW post as a show of gratitude to those who serve and protect us all. They had a central collection point

and people could drive up and hand their donation out the window to a volunteer. There is a group called Operation Gratitude that does collections like this also and they are currently collecting beanie babies and small plush toys to send in care packages for military service people, veterans, first responders, and front-line essential workers. Their website is http://www.OperationGratitude.com Also consider activities that can be done outside. Highway, river, and park cleanups are a great way to serve. Other potential outdoor activities are tree plantings, doing yard work for seniors, window visits at nursing homes, and reading to kids on a playground or grassy area at a school. Service opportunities are always all around us. Some areas are more in need now than ever. Be creative and careful as you transition from a remote-based system to in-person with safety protocols so we can return to a semblance of what we remember from before the pandemic.

Contact Dave Kelly for more ideas on service projects and groups you can work with at DaveKelly@GonzoSpeaks.com. Always keep serving!

CLT Magazine |Spring 2021

PROGRAMMING SPOTLIGHT UNIVERSITY OF AKRON

0 202 TUAL R A VI SHIP C P A DER ARD LEA M AW GRA R! PRO WINNE

EMERGING LEADERS TRAINING WEEK Sienna McArthur, President, Residence Hall Program Board Department of Residence Life & Housing, The University of Akron

Emerging Leaders Training Week is a weeklong program where incoming freshmen students at the University of Akron receive intentional leadership training and professional development from nationally known speakers and presenters. This past year, EL training week looked a lot different amid the pandemic, but the student staff in Residence Life and Housing at the University of Akron put their heads together to create a hybrid training that benefited students, built close communities, and made smooth transitions to campus life before classes began. The training consisted of 3 trainers: Tracy Knofla, Tom Kriegelstein, and Judson Laipply over the course of 3 days on the Zoom platform. There was an in-person component built into the week where students were divided into small groups of 10 socially distanced. The Emerging Leaders had an opportunity to walk around the Akron area to get to know the city with their upperclassmen mentors. Giving the Emerging Leaders the opportunity to explore the city made them more comfortable with the campus and city as a whole. It was important to the student leaders that the freshmen receive an experience that is interactive and not completely virtual.

Thumbs up for day one of training with Judson Laipply

Emerging Leaders Move In Day

Emerging Leaders exploring downtown Akron and the Akron Civic Theater

CLT Magazine | Spring 2021

VIRTUAL PROGRAMMING – CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19 using the origami paper in the box and instead of doing the DeStress Coloring Day using paper, I’ve included customized dry erase boards in the boxes so students can use them again and again. We’ve all learned so much during this pandemic and I don’t foresee us ever returning to a completely inperson student activities world, so let’s use what we have learned and create a new and innovative experience for our students going forward. Below are the list of resources I’ve used to build my spring calendar, both homegrown and professional, as well as a link to my spring 2021 calendar of events.

MWCC Spring 2021 Calendar. Click on links to visit sites.

FREE OR INEXPENSIVE RESOURCES

PROFESSIONAL RESOURCES All of these great resources and many more can be found in the APCA Virtual Community Workplace! ✮ Party Vision –virtual escape room ✮ New Inca Son – Peruvian band ✮ James Robilotta – student leadership speaker ✮ Switchboard Games –TV themed gameshows (booked for 5 events)

✮ Zuzu African Acrobats – African acrobatics and music performers

✮ Kahoot! – Create, host, and share learning games/

✮ The Financial Literacy Coach –The Money

✮ Jigsaw Planet – Create free virtual puzzle

✮ Dr. Jodi Merriday – expert on diversity and

✮ Virtual Bingo Cards - Create up to 30 Free

✮ Ethan Fisher – alcohol and substance abuse

✮ Wheel of Names – Randomly choose prize

✮ Kimberly Mull – sex trafficking speaker

trivia

challenges for students

Virtual Bingo Cards (for $10 you can get 100 that are available for 30 days) winners or to select discussion topics/ice breaker games/etc.

✮ PuzzleFast – Create crosswords, word searches,

matching, or scrambled words games that can be played virtually

✮ National Day Calendar - Helpful if you are looking to do a themed event or contest

Game presentation

inclusion, Title IX, and multiculturalism

awareness, mental health awareness, student success speaker (booked for 3 events)

✮ Didge Evolution – Australian culture and music performer

✮ Roxy Azari – spoken word artist ✮ Azeem – Laffin Stock Comedy – comedy show ✮ Kat McDowell – origami workshop and musician ✮ Japanese Kanji Writing – virtual event (also used them for customized dry erase boards)

JOIN US EVERY THURSDAY AT 2PM (EST) FOR OUR PIVOT YOUR PROGRAMS WEBINARS! Discussions and interviews with leading professionals in the campus life & talent industries regarding programming during and after Covid-19! Missed previous Pivot Your Program webinars? Check out all the webinars on APCA Workplace! TOPICS INCLUDE:

• • • • • • • • • • •

VIRTUAL & LIVE PROGRAMMING IDEAS MARKETING STRATEGIES ONLINE RECRUITMENT VIRTUAL TECHNOLOGIES VIRTUAL DIVERSITY PROGRAMMING HERE K C I CL ONLINE RESOURCES AND TOOLS TO STER INTERVIEWS WITH CAMPUS LIFE REGI Y! PROFESSIONALS TODA INTERVIEWS WITH TALENT AGENCIES VIRTUAL ENGAGEMENT Q & A WITH INDUSTRY LEADERS AND MORE!

What is APCA Virtual Community Workplace? This year amidst the social distancing protocols, we were tasked with pivoting to a virtual conference environment. It was then that the APCA Virtual Community Workplace was born and it's become so much more than a virtual event platform.

Stay connected with colleagues all year long. Connecting with your APCA family doesn't have to stop at the conference. When you're in the midst of a planning session, log in and tap into an unprecedented resource: your peers! With private messages, regional and interest groups, and polls, you can stay tapped in all year long.

Get inspired with the latest talent and trends, on your schedule. We built this community for Campus Activities professionals to have access to the best resources to build their programs and increase student engagement. Each week, we have featured keynotes and presentations exclusively available to the APCA Community Workplace. Join from anywhere, anytime.

Have fun! We're in the business of bringing people together, and we all know that at the heart of it, Campus Activities professionals just want to have fun. Join in on trending conversations about first concerts, share your wins and fails, and bring along your favorite gifs. We're here for it.

Want to learn more? Get in touch, and we'd be happy to give you a tour of one of the hottest resources available for Campus Activities professionals. The best part? It's super easy to use; it's our own personal Facebook. JOIN NOW!

2021 SPRING CAMPUS LIFE TRENDS (CLT) MAGAZINE

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2021 SPRING CAMPUS LIFE TRENDS (CLT) MAGAZINE