MISSION OF THE UMR-ACUHO MAGAZINE The Communications Committee provides the UMR-ACUHO membership with an opportunity for information-sharing, professional dialogue, and a forum for ideas to increase knowledge, wisdom, and excellence in our field.
COMMITTEE MEMBERS Dillon Pearson
Dakota State University Committee Chair
Barbara Braga
Kansas State University
Charlie Potts
Gustavus Adolphus College
Craig Miller
Bethel University
Klare Armstrong
University of Wisconsin – La Crosse
Matt Diischer
South Dakota State University
Mike Mueller
University of Iowa
Nathan Ross
Iowa State University
Nick Goffard
University of Minnesota – Twin Cities
Pamela Lisowe
University of Iowa
Phil Neuman
University of Kansas
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES Articles should be limited to approximately 1500 words long (may be edited for length or content) and include a separate head shot of the author(s). Articles should be sent preferably through e-mail (in Microsoft Word format). If there are particular fonts or graphics that you would prefer, please include them with your submission. To receive feedback on your article, please be sure to submit 15 days prior to the deadline. Please send articles via e-mail to: dpearson5@unl.edu.
UMR-ACUHO NON-DISCRIMINATION CLAUSE UMR-ACUHO promotes and provides an environment of full opportunity and service for all persons regardless of ethnicity, creed/ religion, age, gender, disability, sexual/affectional orientation, or any human circumstance. The Association will not arbitrarily discriminate in its programs, procedures, or activities. COVER DESIGN & MAGAZINE LAYOUT
Chair Note Hello UMR-ACUHO! As the chair of the Communications Committee, I am excited to introduce this issue of the Perspectives magazine. This issue focuses on grit and resilience. We wanted to gather articles that focused on the development of resilience and responding to the challenges that we face in our personal and professional lives. The theme for this magazine, “From Good to Grit: Roadmaps of Resilience,” came out through conversations that were had at Winter and Summer meetings. Every year, we face new challenges and new obstacles that arise in our personal and professional lives. With this theme, we have been able to solicit articles that focus on how we address some of these challenges and how resilience is developed and nurtured. The theme for our next magazine will be staff selection. As a profession, we are constantly hiring new staff members, whether student, graduate, or professional staff. We are hoping to be able to solicit articles that will explore the methods that are used to recruit, interview, and hire staff members to our institutions. While looking at these processes, we are hoping to be able to explore practices that allow institutions to focus on the creation of a diverse candidate pool to meet the needs of our students. The deadline for submissions for our next magazine is March 14th. If you are interested in writing or have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact myself or anyone on the committee. Thank you for your continued involvement in UMRACUHO and your interest in the magazine. On behalf of the Communications Committee, we hope you have a great summer!
Dillon Pearson Chair, UMR-ACUHO Assistant Director of Residence Life Dakota State University dillon.pearson@dsu.edu
Able Printing Company 623 N Manhattan Avenue, Manhattan, KS 66502
Inside UMR
1
The 2018 UMR-ACUHO Executive Committee
President Greg Thompson Director of Residence Education University of Iowa 319-335-3700 gregory-r-thompson@uiowa.edu Vice President/President Elect Torin Akey Associate Director, Residential Life Minnesota State University, Mankato 507-389-1011 Torin.akey@mnsu.edu Immediate Past President Tracy Gerth Assistant Director for Residence Life Programs Marquette University 414-397-0183 Tracy.Gerth@marquette.edu
Spring 2018, Vol. 54, No. 1
Inside UMR President's Corner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 AIM on Assessment: A Review of 2017 Projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Case Study Corner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Secretary Becky Wilson Assistant Director for Administration University of Iowa 319-335-3700 rebecca-wilson@uiowa.edu
UMR Student Side
Treasurer Nicholas F. Rafanello Director of Residence Life University of Northern Iowa 319-273-2333 nicholas.rafanello@uni.edu
When Student Staff Politics Collide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Corporate Sponsorships Coordinator Gaith Hijazin Area Coordinator Hamline University 651-523-2514 Ghijazin01@hamline.edu Inclusion and Equity Coordinator Keniese Evans Assistant Director for Student Success, University of Iowa 319-335-3700 Keniese-evans@uiowa.edu State Membership Coordinator Dana Fritz Coordinator of Assignments & Summer Operations University of Wisconsin-Stout 715-232-1121 fritzda@uwstout.edu State Membership Coordinator Jacque McKenna Assistant Director for Residence Life University of Kansas 785-864-7218 jmckenna@ku.edu Technology and Sustainability Coordinator Jordan Baumgardner Residence Hall Director Iowa State University 515-294-9051 jsb@iastate.edu
2
UMR-ACUHO
Inside UMR
Resident Assistants and Student Development Theory – Findings and Recommendations for RAs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
UMR Personal Side Uncommon Cents: Managing Finances as a Live-In Professionals . . . . . . . 10 My Grief, Observed: A Journey of Resilience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 It’s Not Just Hair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
UMR Perspectives Surviving through Resilience: APIDA Professionals in the Midwest . . . . . 22 The 3 Ms of Resilience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Vonversations, December 2017 Personal and Professional Resilience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
UMR Awards Crossroads of Change: Conference Fee Waiver Winners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 UMR-ACUHO 2017 Awards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
President’s Corner By Greg Thompson, Director of Residence Education, University of Iowa
W
elcome to the Spring issue of Perspectives, an installment of our magazine focusing special attention on the concepts of grit and resiliency. I am sure you will find that the hard work of our Communications Committee and the unique contributions of the authors contained within to be well worth your reading time. It is my hope to use the space of the President’s corner to supplement the theme of each issue, while also continuing to pull our attention and efforts to the work of the Association over the next year, and, specifically, to stimulate your thinking about issues of difference and inclusion within UMR and on your home campuses. We don’t have to look around for very long on our home campuses to find example after example of students who are pursuing their academic and career dreams in spite of challenges and adversity in front of them. If you are like me, you are often astounded at the ways students show their grit in hurdling the obstacles in their way, determined to chase their college dream. Oftentimes our students do not need us to help them build their resiliency, but instead look to us to remove the barriers that prevent their ability to be successful. In our roles, we have the opportunity to support students by creating environments that enhance their journey as students, and let them know that they are valued no matter their circumstances. Sometimes it is as simple as looking around and asking the right questions. I was reminded recently of the importance that environment plays in supporting student success. I was attending a class for my PhD program in an academic building classroom, named for a distinguished white alumnus. This building was adorned with plaques and pictures of notable alumnus and the scholarships they had helped to provide to the college. I noticed that each picture was of an older white man who had no doubt achieved a level of success that afforded them the opportunity to give back to the college in a financial way. I wondered
what message those images send to students who will never end up as older white men, and if the continuous bombardment of these images, messages, and stories so common on historically white campuses have an impact on our non-white students’ grit and resiliency. How could it not? How many times have each of us walked through our buildings on our campus and failed to notice the names, pictures, structures, and other unintentional messages that are sent to students? Paying attention to the spaces we have created and listening to the impact that they have on our students is a critical first step in understanding the experiences of our students. The lived reality of the environments that students from historically marginalized populations find on our campuses is an opportunity for us to ask important questions about the way we frame topics of difference and inclusion in our own departments. Far too often many of us have likely found that our work around inclusion and equity is a way to “check a box”. Diversity day during training…check. Increase the number of staff from historically marginalized identities…check. Post on social media our outrage at national or local events that do not align with our personal philosophies…check. It is easy for us to mark the checkbox for inclusion in ways that allow us to support the concept of diversity as a social good. But how can we work to shift that frame to see diversity not only as a social good, but as Dr. Sherry Watt calls a social value? Instead of a singular day of training, can we infuse topics of inclusion and multicultural competence into every training session, asking how each thing we do impacts historically marginalized students? When we bring non-majority identity staff to campus to work, are we recognizing that their experiences and needs will be different, and therefore working to pair them with the resources and the support they need to feel a sense of home and belonging? Instead of simply posting our outrage on social media, are we engaging our staff and students in the work of difficult dialogues that allow them to make meaning of current events and to perhaps spur them into tangible action? Inside UMR
3
Our work in creating supportive environments can help shape and mold the experience all of our students have on our campus. When students feel valued in their identities and can sense that the work done around inclusion is not just a checkbox to be marked, but a lived value, we can positively impact their ability to be resilient in the face of other hostile campus environments that they may encounter. We can create a space that tells them they belong, that they matter, and that there is a home and a community ready to help them chase their dreams and tackle the obstacles in their way. Each of us must ask ourselves and our departments the hard questions about the environments we create, and if we are ready to commit to inclusion and equity work as a societal value, versus a societal good. I challenge you to look around the environments that you have control over, think about what messages they are sending, and ask one hard question this month to advance a dialogue around building inclusive environments that support student resiliency.
y safet need for your rails ? call us! lofts
I want to hear about your efforts, UMR! What are ways you are creating environments that support students’ grit and resiliency skills through impactful community support? How do those programs and principles translate to creating a home in UMR for all of our members to be supported and replenished through their membership? Write me at gregory-r-thompson@uiowa.edu to continue a dialogue and best of luck as you work to close out your academic year.
Greg Thompson Director of Residence Education University of Iowa (319) 335-3700 gregory-r-thompson@uiowa.edu
turn res hall rooms into homes with...
Reque On-Camst an Demons pus tration !
Full Size Mattress Recycable Frame
patented lofts & loft kits
contact us now!
big hoss futons
Inside UMR
quickey SAFES
FOR QUESTIONS CALL 712-948-3250 or e-mail sales@collegeproducts.com
*300,000.00 in commission paid annually to school partners. 4
MicroChill fridgeS & COMBO UNITS
AIM on Assessment: A Review of 2017 Projects By Members of the 2017 AIM Committee
E
ach year the Assessment and Information Management (AIM) Committee completes research projects related to our region and work as Residence Life and Housing professionals. Utilizing topics and suggestions from association members, the committee selects projects in January and completes data collection and review by October of each year. This year the AIM Committee worked on three projects: Eliminating Bias in Student Staff Selection, Student Staff Cultural Competency, and a UMR-ACUHO Climate Study.
Eliminating Bias in Student Staff Selection The topic Eliminating Bias in Student Staff Selection and Recruitment Processes within UMR-ACUHO’s Member Institutions was selected because of UMR-ACUHO’s commitment to social justice and the project’s ability to provide tools and resources to institutions. An electronic survey was sent to Senior Housing Officers regarding their institution’s student staff selection practices. Of the 22 respondents to the survey, 16 institutions responded that they were able to identify areas where bias could impact their institution’s student staff selection process. However, 16 institutions also said they “agree” or “strongly agree” that their “student staff selection process is intentionally designed to avoid bias.” Respondents identified working toward this goal by using clear, numeric rubrics, and carefully selecting the factors they were attempting to evaluate candidates on. Many schools also conduct in-person or online training for student and/or professional staff involved in the selection processes. These trainings often included housing professionals, diversity or affirmative action officers, human resources, or outside consultants. As an area for improvement, some respondents noted that professional staff still are “inclined to choose a candidate they know.” A candidate’s involvement in a conduct process and group processes that allow for a more subjective view of candidates’ interactions are also areas that might disadvantage candidates with marginalized identities.
Many schools showed that they tried to combat bias in recruitment by working with offices that directly serve marginalized students, including holding informational meetings or placing advertisements in multicultural resource centers and seeking “shoulder-tap” nominations or recommendations from the professional staff in those offices. Some schools felt they could improve their recruitment by more carefully maintaining their relationships with offices and organizations that serve marginalized students throughout the year, and not just at recruitment time. Respondents were also asked whether they observed tokenism at any point in their institution’s student staff selection process. Sixteen responded “no,” and three responded, “yes.” Despite this, several identified efforts to place visibly diverse student staff members on each staff team within their department. One participant stated that their decision to “place diverse students on every staff [...] is based on feedback from students of color and our knowledge that representation matters.” Another participant stated that their institution’s entire selection process is completed without revealing the identities of candidates, preventing tokenism from coming into play. While representation matters and supports our residents, if representation is the only reason for hiring or placing a candidate, this practice may be considered tokenism. In order to apply the research AIM has done and to utilize the implementation strategies, we feel that it is very important that institutions intentionally take the time to evaluate their practices and determine the progress that they have made in this area. We wanted to provide tangible steps for institutions that may have done minimal work in this area this far. For example, foregoing formal interview attire, removing names from applications while evaluating candidates’ application materials, and making sure each candidate is evaluated by more than one staff member at every step of the process are some good starting steps. For institutions (like 30% of the respondents to our survey) that aren’t already using clearly defined scores and rubrics for the qualities you are looking for in candidates, implementing those can help to eliminate bias. Inside UMR
5
More advanced strategies involve formalizing training around implicit bias for both student staff and professional staff, practicing using rubrics to make sure staff are understand the expectations, and evaluating professional staff on their demonstrated ability to mentor students with identities different from their own through the selection process. The self-evaluation of a department can help professional staff determine what next steps might be best for them and their own selection and recruitment process. Resources on these and other strategies for working towards eliminating bias in student staff selection are available by emailing AIM Chair Joshua Lee at lee8@stolaf.edu.
„ Student Staff Cultural Competency Continuing with the theme of exploring issues related to social justice, the committee chose to pursue the research topic of Student Staff Cultural Competency. Specifically, the committee looked at how cultural competency plays into staff selection, training, and community engagement. An electronic survey was sent to UMR Senior Housing Officers, with nine (9) completing the survey. To gather a basis of understanding, respondents were asked to submit a broad definition of cultural competence, as it relates to their department. Understanding of and supporting identities and culture(s), knowledge of and the ability to serve populations different from self, and understanding of privilege emerged as themes within these answers. After establishing the themes of what cultural competence is in relation to student staff, the respondents noted the ways in which cultural competence is measured or evaluated during the student staff selection process. All nine respondents stated they use questions related to cultural competence and/or inclusion in an interview process; five stated they use group/team exercises related to cultural competence; and four stated they have one-on-one conversations and meetings. Moving past staff selection, the survey asked respondents about the beginning of year training provided for student staff. Six respondents stated they have 1-5 sessions relating to cultural competency, inclusion, and diversity during their training period, two stated they have between 5-10 sessions, and one stated that every session is presented with a social justice lens. The most discussed identities included ethnicity and race with seven respondents each; followed by gender expression, mental health, religion, sexual orientation, and trans* identities with six respondents 6
Inside UMR
each. Non-identity topics included macroaggressions, allyship, and intersectionality. Furthermore, these training sessions are reported to be taught by professional mid-level staff (9 respondents), non-residential life professionals (8 respondents), professional entry-level staff (7 respondents), outside community resources (4 respondents), current student staff (3 respondents), and senior-level professional staff (3 respondents). Eight of nine respondents reported trainings focusing on cultural competency taking place throughout the academic year, in addition to fall training. The most common methods of continuing education included winter or midyear trainings, discussions and activities in staff meetings, and all staff in-services. Respondents were asked to describe their departmental expectations for student staff members in engaging with diversity and inclusion in their communities. The greatest theme that emerged was supporting all students and identities within a community. In addition, many respondents listed an expectation of continuing to learn and engage about different identities and experiences, especially in relation to current events and campus culture. Finally, respondents were asked how they evaluate these expectations; the majority of respondents stated they used a formal evaluation and one-on-one conversations to discuss and assess learning and growth. This survey provided only a small snapshot of how our region institutions address cultural competency within their student staff. In the future, a follow-up study with more participants and interviews may provide further perspective and understanding as to how we can continue to grow in this area.
„ Climate Study Over 2016 and 2017, the AIM committee was charged with deploying a Climate Study; the last study was conducted in 2009. The survey was sent to all members of UMR-ACUHO with responses being collected February 13-27, 2017. 191 individuals responded to at least one question. This is a very small snapshot of the 2017 Climate Study. Demographics Given the climate study report, it is important to be aware of the demographics of individuals who made up UMR-ACUHO at the time of the survey to better understand the results. In general, UMR-ACUHO is an organization made
up of 54% of individuals who identified as women, 43% as men, and the remaining three percent including identities of genderqueer/non-binary, cisgender, bigender, and trans/ non-binary. Admittedly, the way the question regarding gender identity was written was flawed; however, these percentages are consistent with other surveys and assessments conducted by the committee. Furthermore, 74% of UMR-ACUHO identified as heterosexual/straight while 9% identified as gay, 5% as bisexual, 4% identified as queer, 3% as lesbian, and 2% as uncertain/questioning. Less than 1% identified as either asexual or pansexual. In regards to age, 34% identified as 26-30, 27% as 31-40, 20% as 22-25, 10% as 41-50, 6% as 51-60, and 2% as 60 and over. Additionally, 40% identified as entry level, 29% as mid level, 20% as senior housing officer, and 11% as graduate. Less than 1% identified as retired or part of an office staff. In regards to ability status, 89% indicated that they did not have a disability that substantially affected a major life activity, but 8% did. Regarding race and ethnicity, individuals were given the opportunity to select multiple identities that applied to them. Overall, 60% of UMR-ACUHO identified as White while 38% identified as Caucasian. 5% identified as European, 3% as African American, 3% as Latino/a/x, 2% as Hispanic, 1% as Asian, and 1% as Black. Less than 1% identified as Chicano/a/x, Middle Eastern, or White-Minnesotan. Involvement in UMR In regards to the attendance at UMR-ACUHO events, 95% of the survey respondents have attended the annual conference, 58% have attended the winter business meetings, 46% have attended the summer business meetings, 46% have attended a webinar, and 8% have attended a drive-in conference. Furthermore, when asked how many total years individuals have attended UMR-ACUHO events, 36% indicated less than 2 years, 26% indicated 2-4 years, 20% indicated 5-10 years, 9% indicated 11-19 years, and 9% indicated over 20 years. In reference to committee involvement, 31% of survey respondents indicated that they are currently involved on a UMR-ACUHO committee, 29% indicated that they are not involved in a committee, 27% indicated that they have previously been involved on a committee, but not currently involved, and 13% indicated that they are not involved in a committee, but are interested. Of the respondents who attended the 2016 fall conference in Madison, WI, 43% indicated that they attended
not only the 2016 fall conference, but also the 2015 fall conference. 32% indicated that they did not attend the 2016 fall conference. 16% indicated that they were first time attendees at the 2016 fall conference. 9% indicated that they attended the 2016 fall conference as well as a previous conference, but not the 2015 fall conference. In relation to plans to attend the 2017 UMR-ACUHO fall conference in Omaha, NE, 53% indicated that they plan to attend while 36% indicated that they were unsure. For those who plan not to attend, 3% indicated that they would not be in the region in the fall, 2% indicated their institution is under a travel freeze or will not have the funds to send them, and 2% indicated that they did not feel comfortable/ welcome at the conference. Less than 1% indicated that the location would not be easily accessible to them. When asked of the comfort level with the climate of UMR-ACUHO since attending the 2015 fall conference, 67% of the 83 total respondents indicated that their comfort level with the climate stayed the same and 27% indicated that their comfort level increased. Unfortunately, 6% indicated that their comfort level with the climate decreased. Policies and Procedures within UMR Several comments were shared regarding policies and procedures on the overall climate for diversity within UMRACUHO. Some general remarks included the priority of having social justice, diversity, and social issues as programs, conversations, webinars, articles in Perspectives, guest speakers as well as verbal statements, actions by leadership, and written statements (e.g. mission statement, statement of non-discrimination, inclusion and equity statement). Additionally, having support networks, a focus on accessibility, having gender-neutral bathrooms at the conference as well as pronouns on name tags were shared among individuals. Comments were made about the strong focus on inclusive language and statements of diversity and inclusion. Some concerning comments were made regarding there being an atmosphere of insider vs. outsider nature to the organization. One individual explained that it is unwelcoming as several institutions portray an elitism status and describe how this plays out in elections of executive board members and committee leaders. One individual added that they did not feel welcome or protected as a socially and politically conservative white male. Other individuals indicated how UMR seems political and less welcoming for conservatives. Some comments included the unawareness of policies and procedures that UMR-ACUHO Inside UMR
7
has regarding its participants feeling safe and/or welcome. Another comment was made in relation to speakers engaging in microaggressions. Another individual indicated a lack of understanding regarding what policies and procedures exist for the purpose of liberation. Another indicated how intimidating it was to get involved within UMR-ACUHO. Perceptions of Climate When asked to rate the perception of the overall UMRACUHO climate, 86% rated positively welcoming for White/ Caucasian while 2% did not, 52% rated positively welcoming for Black/African American while 15% did not, 45% rated positively welcoming for ChicanX/LatinX/Hispanic while 14% did not, 44% rated positively welcoming for Multi Racial/Multi Ethinic while 12% did not, 31% rated positively welcoming for Asian while 14% did not, 27% rated positively welcoming for Middle Eastern while 17% did not, 23% rated positively welcoming for Alaskan/Hawaiian Native while 8% did not, and 31% rated positively welcoming for First Nation/Native American while 16% did not. Some individuals shared comments of their thoughts about the perception of the overall UMR-ACUHO climate. One individual shared that as a member of the Black community, family is important. While at the winter meetings, the individual was unable to be present due to a family matter. The individual felt resentment and negative feelings from fellow committee members for the decision to not be able to present as a result of the family situation. Another comment was made regarding how the lack of diversity in UMR-ACUHO is because of how certain identities not feeling welcome. One individual shared how the organization has never explicitly made a stance on anything related to the humanity of the marginalized groups and suggested that the executive team do so. Multiple comments were in relation to UMR-ACUHO being a majority White organization which may make it harder for other groups to find a place and peers to represent them. Lastly, one comment was in reference to how the region seems to be more focused on tone policing than it is on actually hearing what people with marginalized identities have to say. Overall Comfort within UMR When asked about the overall comfort level of the climate of UMR-ACUHO, 29% indicated very comfortable, 51% comfortable, and 13% unsure. Unfortunately, 6% indicated uncomfortable and 2% very uncomfortable. Only a few
8
Inside UMR
comments were shared, but among those few included how one individual felt alone in a crowd and that they do not get much out of the presentations, adding that UMR continues to be a financial burden and time constraint where they are not receiving adequate professional development or networking. Another individual shared that as an introvert and having been in UMR-ACUHO for years, they know where to find hiding places and when to take time away from activities and loud noise. Also, one individual indicated that when scholarships are advertised, they often are awarded to individuals the committee knows which is discouraging for others to apply. Lastly, individuals were given the opportunity to offer their own thoughts on how they and/or UMR-ACUHO addresses climate issues, elaborate on their experiences, or offer suggestions on how UMR-ACUHO may improve its climate. Some comments included how UMR constantly looks for ways to improve and is very welcoming and inclusive. Other comments included how UMR can be very cliqueish, how SHO men and women are perceived (e.g. SHO men: powerful, smart, great directors and SHO women: mentoring, caring, kind) and how it affects entry-level women feeling defeated, as well as there not being sufficient time for individuals to decompress after Lee Mun Wah’s presentation at the fall conference. Multiple comments were made about how uncomfortable individuals felt with the political climate given the election and how much political speech was made at the conference. Some suggestions included being more accommodating of those who are lactose intolerant at the vendor fair, being more aware of microaggressions and changing our words, and consider branching out to other regions and see how we can make changes. One individual commented on while it is great to focus a lot on LGBT issues, other important areas such as race, age, and religion get overlooked, especially age. There is a perception that UMR-ACUHO is becoming an organization of entry-level professionals and losing the support of some SHOs. Lastly, one comment was made to suggest to UMRACUHO that it clearly needs to state that it values diversity and social justice regularly and then put it into action.
„ More Information For more information on these studies, including the comprehensive report on the Climate Study, email AIM Chair Joshua Lee at lee8@stolaf.edu.
Case Study Corner By Samantha Boren, Community Coordinator, Kansas State University and Jenna Fremstad, Hall Director, University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point INTRO: The Professional Development & Training Committee is excited to continue the Case Study Corner with our second installment. The following two case studies were utilized at the UMR-ACUHO annual conference as a way to engage new professionals and graduate students in a professional development exercise. Forty-eight participants tackled one of the two case studies below with a partner and now it is your turn! Consider how you would handle each situation by talking it over with your supervisor during a 1-1 or discussing it over lunch with a colleague in order to keep your head in the game!
Case Study #1: Campus Safety You are a hall director at a small, private, residential liberal arts institution in the Midwest with an on-campus population of around 2,000 students. While you are in your office one day, an RA stops by to ask if he can discuss a roommate conflict with you. The RA informs you about a brewing conflict between Zeke and Karson. Zeke has been concerned about Karson’s behavior lately and approached the RA unsure about what to do about it. Zeke told the RA that he found Karson’s personal blog online after doing some social media sleuthing and that it showcases Karson’s interest in weapons and there were even some references to torture methods that he is aware of. He also said that Karson seems pretty angry with one of his professors. At this point, Zeke doesn’t want Karson to know that he has found his blog but he also doesn’t want to stay in that space anymore. How do you respond?
Case Study #2: Anonymous Hate/Student & Professional Activism You are a hall director at a public university in the Midwest with an on-campus student population of approximately 5,000 students. Your institution is a predominantly White institution. In the last year or so, more light has been shed on the problematic campus climate for non-majority identities at your institution, so conversations are only just beginning around this topic and responses are still very reactive and not proactive. For the past couple days, students have been bringing random postings to your office that they have been popping up in elevators, bathrooms, kitchens, etc. in your hall. The postings are targeting people of color by using derogatory terms, graphic images, and stating that people of color do not belong at this institution. You have also found out this is happening in other halls on campus as well and seems to be contained to the residence halls alone. Students have quickly organized a protest march around campus and are requesting your participation in the protest. How do you respond?
Samantha Boren Community Coordinator Kansas State University slhyland@ksu.edu
Jenna Fremstad Hall Director University of Wisconsin Stevens Point jfremstad@uwsp.edu
Inside UMR
9
Uncommon Cents: Managing Finances as Live-In Professionals By Katie Milne, Hall Coordinator, University of Iowa and Jimmie Martin, Residence Education Coordinator, University of Iowa
L
iving-in is such a great deal, right? Or that’s what we all say. However, it’s only a great deal under the right circumstances and with the right behaviors in place to allow it to benefit you. As two young professionals we realized there are conversations not being had to the disadvantage of live-in professionals’ financial development. We could go on all day about the reasons why people don’t talk about money and there’s probably even a few folks reading this article who were uncomfortable when we introduced the topic. It’s too personal, it’s taboo, it’s
10
UMR Personal Side
sensitive, it’s private, and everyone’s circumstances are unique, so it’s hard to talk apples to apples or give broad advice in a magazine article. However, when we opened up to each other and started learning about each other’s financial behaviors, we realized that there are benefits to having these conversations. Live-in professionals are in such unique financial circumstances that even some financial professionals aren’t going to fully understand. The goal of this article is to share our stories in the hopes that other professionals in the region might identify with pieces of them, and be able to take away an idea or two for new financial behaviors that could benefit them in the future. Before delving into what we have learned through our various financial experiences, we feel that it is important to share who we are and some of the identities we hold that intersect with our financial circumstances. Katie is currently in her third year as a live-in full-time residence life professional. Katie is financially self-sufficient thanks to many privileges that she has been afforded throughout her life. Katie grew up in Vermont in a white, two-parent, middle to upper class household that afforded her with multiple structural privileges from birth. When it came time to pursue higher education, Katie received significant financial support from not only her parents, but her grandparents and aunts as well. Between family support and Katie’s roles as a Resident Assistant, Desk Clerk, summer jobs, and a graduate assistantship; Katie completed both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees debt-free. Due to her lack of student debt Katie was able to purchase her own car during her senior year of college, and pay it off by the end of her graduate degree. Currently Katie is able-bodied and has no ongoing medical expenses. Katie’s dad was a financial planner until he passed away in 2015 and imparted many of his money management philosophies to her at an early age. Katie’s dad’s words of wisdom, in combination with the identities and privileges she holds, have combined to put her in a place of financial security as a young professional. Katie currently does not have student debt, car payments, medical payments, rent payments, or utility payments.
Jimmie grew up in a single parent home in a coal-dusted town in western Kentucky. Jimmie was raised in a very low socioeconomic situation without a lot of good financial role models. Education was important to Jimmie’s family, but no one in his immediate family had ever gone to college, and very few had even graduated from high school. Jimmie’s mom always told him that education was the key to getting out of the “socioeconomic status basement”. Jimmie always knew that going to college was the plan and it was going to require extra effort. Learning disabilities and test anxiety paired with his mounting student debt, made college difficult for Jimmie. However, Jimmie’s majority identities opened up some opportunities for financial mobility that others might not have. As a white, heterosexual, able-bodied, male, Jimmie was afforded some structural privileges that allowed him to navigate multiple higher education institutions and earn a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree. Today Jimmie lives off-campus with his wife and dog, works as an entry-level housing professional, and is constantly reflecting on what he could have done differently financially while living in. After working together for a year, we have become somewhat infamous for our after-hours office chats, which is where we first started talking about money - gasp! Since our friendship developed as Jimmie was making the transition off-campus for the first time, many of our conversations revolved around the differences in our financial and life circumstances. Through these conversations we realized that each of us had learned lessons throughout our lives that are not widely or explicitly taught, but that could be applicable to other housing professionals.
Lesson 1 (Katie): Purchase one major piece of furniture each year. Most live-in positions come not only with a free apartment, but with furniture to fill that apartment. Sadly, that most likely will not be the state of off-campus residence when that time comes. Since her first year of graduate school Katie has made an effort to purchase one major pieces of furniture each year; an armchair, a headboard, an entertainment center, etc. This way moving off-campus won’t come with the additional price tag of a full apartment’s worth of furniture. Pro tip: think about purchasing furniture now that has good longevity (i.e. wood furniture, not a mattress with a lifespan) so that it will last until that off-campus move.
“As a profession, we tell our students to lean into the uncomfortable conversations, so why should we not lean into this uncomfortable topic with close coworkers to deepen our bonds?”
Lesson 2 (Jimmie): Know your nonnegotiables when apartment hunting. Find the things that you view as deal breakers when looking at places to live. For me and my family we only had two non-negotiables: 1) we needed to be able to have our dog live with us, and 2) we wanted to have an in-unit washer and dryer. For others this could be the number of bedrooms, location in the town you are moving to, distance to entertainment and restaurants, or max cost of your apartment.
Lesson 3 (K): Set up monthly autowithdrawals from your checking account. It’s one of the most common pieces of financial advice: “always put a portion of your paycheck directly into UMR Personal Side
11
savings”. But that can be easier said than done when you’re working over 40 hours a week, trying to have a personal life, and your paycheck so nicely deposits into your checking account. Keep it simple and set up monthly auto-withdrawals from your checking account to your ROTH IRA or some other type of investment savings account. It can be easiest if you set up the auto-withdrawal for a day or two after you are paid each month to avoid over-drafting your account.
Lesson 4 (J): Create a personal budget. It is important that you don’t just live based on your bank statements. In today’s technological age, it is easy to see what is in your bank accounts at the touch of a finger. While this convenience is great, this can’t be your only way of keeping track of your finances. Using a simple Excel spreadsheet to track your spending can be an easy way to keep track of what is coming in and out of your accounts. This also gives you the opportunity to break down the information to help you better manage your money in a way that the bank statement can’t. Examples can include keeping track of how much you are spending eating out, how much you are able to save, and when bills are due. In the end it comes down to living within your means and not spending your whole paycheck when you get it. Use your money wisely to pay bills, add to savings, and work for a $0 balance each month. When you
Katie Milne Hall Coordinator University of Iowa kathryn-milne@uiowa.edu
12
UMR Personal Side
hit that $0 balance you have effectively either used your money for what you needed to or set it aside for savings.
Lesson 5 (K): Minimize use of debit cards in favor of credit cards. A great financial practice to incorporate into your daily habits is to intentionally build and maintain your credit score. One easy way to do so is to use credit cards for purchases instead of debit cards. As long as you are spending in a way that will still allow you to pay off your credit card completely at the end of the billing cycle, this is a really simply way to boost your credit score. Bonus: credit cards usually also provide you with some sort of cash back, points or other rewards for using them that’s free money as long as you’re not getting caught up in interest fees from overspending.
Lesson 6 (J): Be open to conversations and advice. Be open to having these conversations with your peers to gain knowledge and to share resources. This topic should not be shied away from as we all have things that we can learn from each other. As a profession, we tell our students to lean into the uncomfortable conversations, so why should we not lean into this uncomfortable topic with close coworkers to deepen our bonds?
Jimmie Martin Residence Education Coordinator University of Iowa jimmie-martin@uiowa.edu
Wisconsin Lutheran College - Milwaukee, WI
HOUSING THAT SUPPORTS STUDENT WELL-BEING We understand student housing design must address many needs: campus goals, student desires, sense of community, sustainability, future growth, revenue and budget objectives. We also understand that when students are able to live in an environment where they feel supported and safe with access to campus amenities, they thrive. Contact our experts today to talk about how your housing experience supports your campus initiatives.
Chris Gallagher, RA, LEED AP 414.291.8151 : chrisg@eua.com Jonathan Parker, RA, LEED AP 608.442.6681 : jonathanp@eua.com
www.eua.com
Varsity Quarters - Madison, WI
2040 Lofts - Milwaukee, WI
University of Wisconsin-Madison - Madison, WI
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse - La Crosse, WI
Resident Assistants and Student Development Theory – Findings and Recommendations for RAs By David “Schmiddy” Schmid, Ed. D., Assistant Professor, University of Northern Iowa
S
ince graduate school, I have been enthralled with student development theory. I loved learning about it and seeing it play out with my residents and my RAs. I often think back on those years about how great it would have been if I had known theories when I was an RA. Oh, the things I would have been able to do. Then I wondered – was I doing some of these things anyway? Was I having an influence on my residents? Blimling (1999) stated, “resident assistants are [a] developmental influence in residence halls” (p. 61). The questions remained, however, where and how do they learn to influence development? Where did I learn how to do this?
Do RAs Use Student Development Theory? In order to answer some of these questions, I completed an initial study with the assistance of a UMR-ACUHO research grant in 2006. Based on my results from that study, I designed my dissertation around this topic. For my research, I interviewed 23 resident assistants from two Midwestern universities to assist me in understanding and gain even more insight. Overwhelmingly, RAs believed they used student development theory. Eighteen out of 23 RAs stated emphatically ‘yes,’ they do use theory; four felt that they used it subconsciously; and one lone dissenter stated that he did not use student development theory “because I respect that I wouldn’t want to be forced to change into a way and I respect what they want to do and how they want college and I just kind of give them little hints and nudges and stuff” (Schmid, 2011, p. 77). Thus, although this resident assistant stated that he does not incorporate theory, his response demonstrates that he still incorporates hints and nudges, perhaps similar to Nevitt Sanford’s challenge balanced with support (Sanford, 1967). 14
UMR Student Side
The resident assistants discussed several options about where they learned student development theory. The majority heard about student development theory from either their residence life coordinator or their hall director. Other responses included: learning from other resident assistants, high school and college teachers, the RA Planners, the counseling center, and the central staff for the department of residences. Two individuals stated that they had never heard of student development theory before.
Incorporating Student Development Theory In learning how to incorporate theory, 13 of the 23 RAs in the study felt that it was best accomplished through experience. Whether referred to as trial by fire, trial and error, taking risks, or simply experiencing things, experience was the central connection. One of the RAs stated that: I think a lot of it comes from gathering information from your peers and also understanding where they come from, but also a lot of trial by fire, trial and error – you find out what works and doesn’t work. Maybe you put on a program and it flops and you tweak it a little bit and you put it on another year and it goes great. So “I think a lot of it is mainly trial and error, and also observing residents. I find it the longer I am being an RA, the easier it was to be able to take a step back and take a reflective look at my residents and think, where has this person come from, you know, residents I am close with. In my specific case, where has he come from when I first met him to know closing at the end of the year.” (Schmid, 2011, pp. 83-84). Another RA stated that “with some stuff that I learn, I realize that it is how I do that – if I go to a conference and go to a program I go – Oh, I didn’t know that is how I am supposed to implement a program, but I do that, so I am on the right track” (Schmid, 2011, p. 84). This RA learned from somewhere that in order to do her job correctly she follows a process, but then later learns what the theoretical background was for that practice.
Finally, one thing was very clear. The resident assistants, while varied in class standing, race, background, and other characteristics, as a group were very caring and externally focused. Almost every single individual talked about growth and development in their students and how they influenced that development. I am so thankful that RAs are as strong in their positions as they are and as eager to assist residents in their growth and development.
Recommendations for Practice Several things can be incorporated into practice to increase the recognition, knowledge, and use of student development theory. First, individuals with master’s degrees should not leave student development theory behind in their graduate study programs. Refresher courses in student development should be developed either in institutions or in a large online community to assist in staying up-to-date on current theory. Due to the fact that theory changes yearly, if not monthly, these refreshers would need to be coordinated by individuals who are committed to researching updates and new theories. It would be my hope that by being educated on theory that has changed or developed since graduation, graduates would continue to use theory and not lose it. Additionally, by staying up to date with current theory, supervisors would be able to draw from a wider variety of theories and may find more theories with which they would feel comfortable. The next recommendation is to have supervisors of resident assistants utilize more intentional discussions about student development theory. Discussions could center on a specific student’s development or even the resident assistant’s own development, using theory as the backbone. Additionally, explicitly stating that the supervisor is talking about a student development theory will enable resident assistants to recognize and later discuss student development theory as a whole. The third recommendation for practice is to have student development theory become part of the foreground and not merely in the background of an individual’s thoughts and reasoning for handling various situations. While goals and learning outcomes seem to be part of practice for many student affairs professionals, rarely do these goals and learning outcomes have a theoretical aspect. By encouraging theory to become part of the context for practice, it will better integrate theory into the entire student affairs division. When theory becomes integrated, more conversations
will ensue and more knowledge will be shared thus creating a cycle for inclusion of theory into practice. I am not suggesting that a full student development theory course is needed for every resident assistant. However, presenting two or three basic theories such as Chickering’s Vectors of Development, Perry’s Model of Intellectual and Ethical Development, and Astin’s Involvement Theory would provide resident assistants the knowledge needed to better work with students. The theories could be interchanged to best fit with theories that are most valued by the supervisor, and thus most easily utilized by the supervisor. In this way, the supervisor could discuss these theories with the resident assistants and the theory would be in the background for both the supervisor and the resident assistant in their work with students. The presentation of the theories could be accomplished in a number of ways. While an online course that resident assistants could work through at their own pace is an option, theory is better understood in a group setting. In addition, I have always found that the best way to teach theory is to demonstrate how it can be applied. Knowing theory is a start, but understanding how it can be applied is what truly makes theory useful. In closing, I hope that student development theory continues to be as important to others as it has been to me. Earning master’s and doctoral degrees and now, as an Assistant Professor in a student affairs graduate program, theory is still my favorite topic and my favorite class to teach. My goal is to get others to feel that way! References Blimling, G. (1999). The resident assistant: Applications and strategies for working with college students in residence halls. Dubuque, Iowa: Kendall/Hunt. Patton, L. D., Renn, K. A., Guido, F. M., & Quaye, S. J. (2016). Student development in college: Theory, research, and practice (3rd ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Sanford, N. (1967). Where colleges fail: The study of the student as a person. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Schmid, D. M. (2011). Resident assistant use of student development theory and its relation to supervisor preparedness (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from Proquest database. (Order Number 3493269)
David “Schmiddy” Schmid, Ed. D. Assistant Professor University of Northern Iowa david.schmid@uni.edu
UMR Student Side
15
When Student Staff Politics Collide By Ani Solomon, Residence Hall Director, University of Nebraska at Omaha
O
n Tuesday, November 8th, 2016 I woke up in a hotel room in Wisconsin. I was attending the annual UMR-ACUHO conference and had gone to bed the night before without making it to the end of the election coverage. As soon as my alarm went off I checked the news on my phone. The election was over, but the effect it would have on my Resident Assistant (RA) staff had only just begun. No matter which candidate one voted for in the 2016 Presidential Election, it is clear that people have passionate feelings about who should lead our country, and our RAs were certainly no different. In the weeks leading up to the election, rumors about who each staff member was voting for flew through the halls. Professional staff held meetings to remind the RAs that their residents were diverse and that all opinions should be respected, even if one did not agree with them personally. Over and over, we reminded RAs to try to stay open minded and not to judge others based on social media posts or campaign stickers on laptops. Until the election was over, we managed to keep the team more or less positive and used the sudden interest in national politics to encourage our students to get involved locally as well. The car trip home from the conference was quiet and a little somber. My colleagues and I talked about the amazing sessions we had attended, the way Lee Mun Wah had adapted the keynote address to the election results, and how we were all ready to get home and check on our families and our students. Our 2016-2017 Resident Assistant staff included several second and third year returners, a few first year folks, and with a variety of identities. In retrospect, I should have been prepared for my unique and diverse staff to have trouble moving past their political differences after November, but I (foolishly) thought that once the election was over, things between them would settle down and we would get back to business as usual. As I later learned, I was wrong. Business has been anything but usual in the past year. 16
UMR Student Side
I returned from Wisconsin to a staff divided. Gone was the glow from training in August where we had all toasted marshmallows on retreat and learned about one another’s families and hobbies. Instead I had twelve young people trying to navigate what their future would hold. Some wanted to celebrate the election results but were worried that their peers and residents would judge them harshly. Others were heartbroken and felt that their team members and country had let them down. A few just wanted to keep their heads down and avoided all conflict. After a debate between a Resident Assistant and a resident from another building ended in tears, it was clear that professional staff needed to do more than caution our RAs to be open minded and flexible. But how? This was an unprecedented election. We did not have any best practices to fall back on for something like this, but our team was in trouble and a plan needed to be made. Luckily, we have amazing counseling staff on our campus who held a meeting for our Student Affairs division to process the election. The director led an open discussion for the professionals on our campus. She was warm, honest, and open to hearing from us all. A light turned on and we remembered that our department isn’t alone. After that meeting, we reached out to the director of Counseling and Psychological Services and scheduled a special staff meeting with our entire Resident Assistant staff. We encouraged them to come ready to dig deep and to clear the air so we could move forward with respect for one another. I wish I could say that this meeting solved all of the issues with our Resident Assistant staff. In a perfect world, they would have tapped into the mediation skills they use with residents and would have had a discussion about how they were feeling and the things they were worried about. Maybe they would have gotten emotional and broken the seal on the feelings they had kept inside so they could try to heal as individuals and as a team. We do not live in a perfect world, and this meeting did not solve all of their troubles. Last year was not as smooth and easy as prior years. It was rough and broken and marked by individual meetings with
“Gone was the glow from training in August where we had all toasted marshmallows on retreat and learned about one another’s families and hobbies. Instead I had twelve young people trying to navigate what their future would hold.”
RAs from both sides of the political divide expressing anger and hurt. The Resident Assistants no longer got together just for fun. Some stopped engaging with their teammates and just focused on their individual jobs, sitting silently during staff meetings. It was as though the election had ripped something in our team that couldn’t be sewn back together. I am a people person. I get my energy from those around me and when they hurt, I hurt with them. Last year was a year of hurt. As a Residence Hall Director I wanted to make sure my residents were doing well, and some of them definitely were not. As a supervisor I wanted to help my Resident Assistants, and there were things I simply could not do for them. I could not tell them that they were 100% correct and other students were wrong. I could not reassure them that nothing would change. I could not ease their minds or share with them my own deeply personal feelings about the election. What I could do is listen. I let them vent to me about the things they saw on the internet, or in class, or at Target. I reassured them that their feelings mattered and encouraged them to reflect on why they were upset, or angry, or ashamed. I tried to be an example of the balance between professional relationships and personal values. I told them
that they should educate themselves on the issues that impact them and those around them. I learned to be patient, flexible, and adjust my expectations. I learned that sometimes there isn’t a fix, and all you can do is keep working as hard as you can to make the world a better place than you found it. This year has been better. My current team has not had to deal with the immediate rawness of the election and instead are working through its impact. They show me every day that people are resilient and that good things can grow out of difficult situations. I took what I learned over the last year, and I worked hard to foster a team that was able to talk about their worries before it reached a boiling point. I set expectations that we all remain flexible and that we do our best to care for ourselves and others. Most importantly, I am still here to listen. Ani Solomon Residence Hall Director University of Nebraska at Omaha Arodgers@unomaha.edu
UMR Student Side
17
My Grief, Observed: A Journey of Resilience By Jacque McKenna, Assistant Director of Residence Life, KU Student Housing, University of Kansas
O
n January 29, 2016, my life changed forever. My friend, Chris Sowa, also a KU Assistant Director of Residence Life, passed away suddenly and unexpectedly from natural causes. Here I was, a “young” professional, and someone my own age, a good friend, had died. I felt sadness, confusion, numbness, anger, stress, fear, loss… the list of emotions goes on. Some days I didn’t know exactly what to feel or how to act. Immediately after Chris’s death, people reached out. Friends, family, colleagues (many from across the UMR region) called, texted, e-mailed, sent flowers, and appeared at my office door with coffee. What did I do? I made plans to find order and control. It’s what I do. Chaos ahead? Make a plan to deal with it. So, I did. I attended Chris’s funeral in another state, then helped organize and speak at the memorial service we held on campus. I cared for Chris’s mischievous dog for several weeks until Chris’s sister could take him. I even packed Chris’s personal items from his office for the family. I worked with colleagues to determine how we would cover office
“Surrounded by people who loved and cared for me, I had to be honest with myself. I had to break down the armor and replace it with vulnerability and resiliency.” 18
UMR Personal Side
responsibilities. I checked in with student and staff members that worked with Chris, offering support and giving them space and time to process and grieve. I dived into work responsibilities and tried to not look back. I showed up. I did my job. I was present for those around me, but I was not giving myself that same space and grace. When people asked how I was doing, I would respond immediately with some positive reaction. I avoided talking about Chris, because I couldn’t predict how I would react and what emotions I would display. I made myself numb to the world around me. I didn’t realize how much I compensated until a vacation with friends, two and half months after Chris’s death. In those two and half months, I racked up 25,000 airline miles on recruiting trips for students and staff; I now was coordinating seven living-learning communities because of taking on extra work responsibilities; attending to personal/ family concerns; and was just trying to keep it together personally and professionally. I was looking forward to time with friends. What happened? I was exhausted. I was irritable. I was emotional. I picked a fight with a friend and had little explanation for my actions. In Brene Brown’s book Daring Greatly (2012), she talks about the power of vulnerability and the armor we use to shield our vulnerability. Brown defines vulnerability as not knowing victory or defeat, it’s understanding the necessity of both and engaging the battle. It’s being all in. I was not all in. I was not being vulnerable and my quick positive (and inauthentic) answers to anyone who asked “how are you doing?” kept everyone else at arm’s length. I was polishing my “vulnerability armor” instead of dealing with what was breaking me down. Why? Fear. Embarrassment. Denial. Worry. Anger. Who knows? That moment I picked the fight, I was exposed. Surrounded by people who loved and cared for me, I had to be honest with myself. I had to break down the armor and replace it with vulnerability and resiliency. It hasn’t happened overnight, trust me. I am a work in progress and I’ve learned: Find support. Be honest with those around you. Communicate your needs and find solutions to meet them. Give yourself time; not all problems can be fixed in a day.
Take care of yourself. As they say during the airplane safety presentation, secure your own oxygen mask before assisting others. This doesn’t mean you can’t support others, but you can’t ignore your emotional needs while taking care of others. It is okay to not be at100 percent. People care how you are doing and don’t expect perfection from you. When you are honest with your feelings, people will want to help and support. Be ready to accept it. However, remember that your feelings can include setting boundaries and saying no. Have courage. No one expects perfection from you; don’t expect it from yourself. Be brave and share your experiences, mistakes, and triumphs. It will help you to move forward and gain strength, but it also makes you human for those around you. Dealing with the loss of my friend and co-worker, I put my armor front and center. I did not realize (for quite some time) how much it was holding me back. My experience with embracing vulnerability happened through my immense grief. However, grief isn’t the only way to realize that you’ve “donned your armor.” You may have challenges, either personally or professionally, to which
you’ve decided—like me—that planning and busyness are the only options to get through. Instead, I encourage you to consider this final thought from Brene Brown and whether it can help you choose a different path: “Vulnerability is not weakness, and the uncertainty, risk, and emotional exposure we face every day are not optional. Our only choice is a question of engagement. Our willingness to own and engage with our vulnerability determines the depth of our courage and the clarity of our purpose; the level to which we protect ourselves from being vulnerable is a measure of our fear and disconnection.” Reference: Brown, C.B. (2012). Daring greatly. New York, NY: Gotham Books.
Jacque McKenna Assistant Director of Residence Life KU Student Housing University of Kansas jmckenna@ku.edu
IT’S TIME FOR SOMETHING NEW!
CSC ServiceWorks (formerly ASI/Mac-Gray) gives you the best, most efficient laundry equipment available. Now you will receive even better service and solutions than ever before! Our mobile service app makes placing a service request quick and easy. LaundryView® online monitoring saves students time by letting them check the laundry room before they even leave their building. Contact us today
WWW.CSCSW.COM | 888.274.9274
to find out more about how we can enhance your laundry program!
UMR Personal Side
19
It’s Not Just Hair By Melinda Gilliam, Assistant Community Coordinator, Kansas State University
I
remember reading many stories from when I was little, but one in particular seems to live at the surface of my memory. It was the story of Tisa Walker, a girl who must have been about six or seven years old. She had “wild, wild hair” that seemed to take up a lot of space in her life. As a child, having this book read to me was comforting as I saw my thick, coarse, kinky, curly hair reflected. Knowing someone else knew my struggle when it came to my hair helped me feel less alone in this overwhelming aspect of my multiracial identity. My hair has historically been a large part of my life. From Sundays devoted to washing, drying, and new braids, to endless trips to salons while tears streamed down my face from a mixture of chemical fumes and sheer pain, to straightening tools burning my hands as I pushed to get every last kink out, there never seemed to be a dull moment or even one bit of simplicity in the process of caring for my hair. The burden of my hair was one I battled with throughout my adolescent life. As I
got older, the responsibility of my luscious locks fell solely into my lap. After trying to avoid it for some time, I realized it was not an option, and made a conscious choice to learn what it would take to embrace it. This mission toward mastery of my hair began my sophomore year of college. I had a few friends that were at similar points in their haircare journeys, so we joined efforts. After spending days, months, and even years watching YouTube videos, sampling hair care products to the tune of hundreds of dollars, and pushing through the awkward stages of hair growth, I finally reached the point I had hoped for. By the time I had graduated from college and got a job as an Admissions Counselor, I could say I had a handle on it. At last, I had found a routine and a look that worked for me. What I did not expect was the collateral beauty of the journey and my newfound results. Not only had those friends journeying with me become family, but the afro I now rocked daily became a sign for the students I had started working with. It was a conversation starter opening the door to discussions of support and resources available for students of color on campus and in the surrounding community of the university. It was a symbol that I embraced my identity. Others who were looking to embrace their identity through their hair approached me frequently to talk about hair products and how to navigate the lack of options for products and services for people with our hair in town. It was a connection to students and aided me in establishing relationships and bonds with students, staff, and faculty in the end. Never had I thought a struggle could be so powerfully positive when embraced. For those who think hair is just hair, I encourage you to see it for what it can be. While hair can’t be everyone’s thing, think about your identity and the places within it that you are challenged. What do you or can you own and use to connect? Look for the potential your challenges create when embraced. Melinda Gilliam Assistant Community Coordinator Kansas State University mmgilliam@ksu.edu
20
UMR Personal Side
elevate your students’ housing experience Since 1989, Bedoft.com has been providing easy-to-use, affordable solutions for residence hall space issues. Today, we continue to provide custom solutions that are affordable and convenient, while helping improve the quality of life and comfort for students at more than 70 colleges and universities nationwide. Our experienced, professional team is second to none and is 100% committed to ensuring that each student and parent is valued and treated with a high level of respect and courtesy. We take great pride in serving both college students and the higher-education housing community. We have developed long-lasting relationships with our current partner schools, including many schools in the UMR region, and have created programs that benefit all parties.
“
We have worked with Bedloft.com for many years and will continue our parternship in the years to come. While there are many vendors that can provide the bed lofts, Bedloft.com provides much more.
”
Lyn Redington, Director of Residence Life University of Northern Iowa Contact us today to find out how Bedloft.com can serve your school.
The Loft Management Experts TM
P: 217.351.5502
W: www.bedloft.com
E: service@bedloft.com
Surviving through Resilience: APIDA Professionals in the Midwest By Alyssa Reyes Bolante, Residence Hall Director at University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh and Cleda M. Wang, Assistant Director for Residence Life, Inclusion at University of Wisconsin-Madison
W
e first met at UMR Fall 2016 in Madison and immediately connected. It’s not common to find Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) professionals working in Housing in the Midwest. We connected because 1) we both identify as APIDA, 2) we are both transplants from Texas and New Jersey, and 3) we are surviving as the only or one of the few professionals of color in our respective departments. Here’s our personal perspective on surviving through resilience as APIDA professionals in the Midwest.
What has your transplant experience been like as a professional of color/ APIDA professional? Alyssa: For me, it was a culture shock moving to the Midwest. I decided to move to the Midwest because my partner was in the Midwest. It was not an easy decision for me to make. I was currently working at the University of South Florida in Tampa, FL where though I was the only APIDA professional and over 1,000 miles away from my family, I was not the only professional of color. I had a village of diverse people who supported me for three years in my first professional position and to start all over again was a challenge, especially at an institution where I could count on less than twohands how many professionals of color were in the Student Affairs Division. It was the first time I was “the only one” in a department, and I truly was not prepared for what it would be like to be at the table and have no one look like me, let alone understand my struggles. Looking back at my first twoyears in the Midwest, I coped with my difficult transition through food that reminded me of home and my family because of its strong significance in my cultural identity. Now, it helps being at a more diverse institution than my previous one, as well as living with my partner, and having a Filipino restaurant in town; however,it’s still a challenge being “the only one” in the department. I’ve connected 22
UMR Perspectives
with another APIDA professional who works in a different department, and it’s nice being able to have conversations of our experiences and not having to explain what it looks like through the lens of an APIDA professional. Cleda: I have actually lived in the Midwest since August 2008, almost 10 years. I went to graduate school at Michigan State University and immediately connected with one of my cohort members who is a good colleague and friend of mine, Dani, who also identifies as APIDA. We were both transplants among a group of people from the Midwest, mostly Michigan. We were able to connect through food, stories of our families, and APIDA experiences in undergrad. When I transitioned to my first professional experience, I immediately connected with other transplants and professionals of color. We had a mutual experience with these identities. We did not have the privilege of visiting our families often, so we connected through potlucks featuring foods we grew up with tied to our racial and ethnic identities such as Pancit and Lumpia (Filipino), Scallion Pancakes (Chinese), Jollof Rice (West African), and Mac & Cheese (Black). We created our own chosen family. The next transition was a bit more difficult. I moved even further away from my family, and it is currently the least racially diverse place I haveever lived in my entire life. In my
first year, the campus had experienced several high profile bias/hate incidents in our residence halls, I lost my grandfather, and my supervisor at the time left for a different position on campus. I started to question my purpose, wanted to leave the Midwest, and started entertaining thoughts about leaving the profession in general. Then my experience shifted when I met Alyssa at UMR. We were in this struggle together and were able to connect on our experiences.
What have you learned about your APIDA Identity in your time in the Midwest? Alyssa: For me, I’ve reconnected with my APIDA identity and discovered the inner strength of those who are APIDA and their ability to be resilient in the face of adversity. When you are “the only one,” you start searching for that missing piece. Being in the Midwest, it pushed me to find the missing piece of my APIDA identity, which I found at NASPA 2017 in San Antonio, Texas, where I met the members of the Asian Pacific Islanders Knowledge Community (APIKC) and reconnected with Cleda. I hadnever felt so validated before as an APIDA professional until that moment, and I will forever be grateful for them. I also learned that October is Filipino American History Month and, though on campus I did not see it recognized, social media helped me learn so much about my history and how much there is to be proud of being a Filipino American, such as Filipino American farm workers contributed significantly to the American labor movement in the 1960s and, for some historians, are credited to have been the first to strike. Then to hear about it again at a Hispanic Heritage Month Commencement from Dr. Juan Andrade where he discussed the American labor movement and contributions of Filipino Americans, just reaffirmed the pride I have for being Filipino American. Cleda: I am thankful for my experience in the Midwest because it helped me develop a greater sense of who I am in relation to being APIDA. When I moved to the Midwest, there were countless times when people asked, “Where are you from?” People generally wanted to know my ethnic background and not that I was from Texas. I remember the time a kid asked if I was Chinese or Japanese and pulled his eyes to make them slanted as he asked me. Since then, I have learned to be more resilient. People are curious. They do not know what they do not know. It is my opportunity to educate so others do not experience harm. I get a lot of “What nationality are you?” I tell them I am from the Nation of the United States and proceed to ask them, “Do you want
to know the ethnic background of my immigrant parents? I’m multiethnic: Chinese and Korean and I was born in Ft. Worth, Texas.” People proceed to say, “Sorry, I didn’t want to sound racist.” I often share that one way to get to know someone is asking, “What was it like growing up in your hometown?” Before moving to the Midwest, I had little knowledge of “Asian American” history and the movement and I did not relate to that term. I did not even know what it was because on the forms I filled out for my parents for school the only options were: White, Black, Other. I always marked “Other.” Living in Michigan gave me the opportunity to learn more about the Asian American identity and the resiliency of our people. I learned about Vincent Chin, who was a Chinese American man murdered by two white autoworkers who were only given probation. I learned about Grace Lee Boggs, a revolutionary Asian American activist who fought for the working class people of Detroit. I was introduced to different non-profit organizations in the Midwest organizing conferences for APIDA students and professionals such as the Midwest Asian American Students Union (MAASU). I was able to network with different individuals through several national organizations and found my APIDA family in the profession.
How have you created community? Alyssa: Being APIDA, community isn’t just a group of friends, it’s family (Ohana). I’ve found my Ohana by continuously putting myself out there and allowing myself to be vulnerable. Through that vulnerability I’ve found my Ohana is made up of co-workers, supervisors, colleagues, and mentors across the country who are supportive, accepting, and validates my experiences as an APIDA professional. When Cleda and I first met, I shared with her my challenges and she welcomed me with unconditional support and validation, since then she has been a part of my Ohana. It’s my Ohana that has given me the strength to be resilient in the Midwest because as one colleague said to me before I left Florida, “Alyssa, if not you, then who?”. Whenever I have a tough day, I remind myself of my Ohana and what she said and move forward with unwavering determination. Cleda: I pride myself on being independent. I realized that living in the Midwest, I have learned to create opportunities and seek out people from my community. This is a form of resiliency that has kept me in the Midwest for so long. I found myself gravitating toward APIDA related work. From advising APIDA-based student organizations, volunteering with APIDA non-profits, and seeking friendships and connections in social organizations like the Asian American UMR Perspectives
23
Chicago Network (AACN). I have spent time, money, and miles to connect with people who have similar experiences to mine because the places where I have worked and lived do not offer what I need, a connection to my identity as an APIDA person. From food to organizing/volunteering, I have created a community all across the Midwest. I have also created a community where I live with other professionals of color who are also transplants. We do a lot of diversity, inclusion, and social justice work together through committees, workshops, and trainings. We purposefully make time outside of work to connect as well. My next goal is to go back to my family in Texas, but there is still so much work to be done in the Midwest for my community and other communities of color. I know I am
Alyssa Reyes Bolante Residence Hall Director University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh bolantea@uwosh.edu
resilient and it’s because of my colleagues and friends like Alyssa. She once drove down so we could celebrate APIDA Heritage Month together. I can call her or send her a message and we can reconnect, vent, cry, and laugh. We know we have work to do in our own departments and institutions. We know that APIDA students and other students of color need our mentorship and advice because we may be one of the few professionals of color they interact with on campus. This is just our perspective and our narrative. We are two of a handful of APIDA professionals in the Midwest that work in Housing. Often, the APIDA voice is left out. It is important for our stories to be heard. We will continue to make space for our students, our colleagues, and ourselves.
Cleda M. Wang Assistant Director for Residence Life - Inclusion University of Wisconsin-Madison cleda.wang@wisc.edu
We’re Here to Make Your Life Easy. Industry-Best Furniture | Spec Sheets | Floor Plans/3D Drawings | Custom Presentations | Factory-Managed Installs
www.savoyfurniture.com | Montoursville, PA | 800.233.8953 | sales@savoyfurniture.com Savoy Contract Furniture® is a registered trademark of John Savoy and Son, Inc.
24
UMR Perspectives
CONTROLLED ACCESS FOR EDUCATION Next-generation education locking solutions for world-class learning environments. Report Card BENEFITS
GRADE
Integrates with 3rd party
A+
Cost-effective
A+
Audit trail
A+
Battery operated locks
A+
Smart campus
A+
Lockdown
A+
Notes: Integrate security for your students and staff with a single card from SALTO
XS4 Platform. Next-generation keyless access control.
SAY GOODBYE TO MECHANICAL KEYS SALTO SYSTEMS INC. 1780 Corporate Drive, Suite 400 Norcross, GA 30093 Toll Free: 866.GO.SALTO Email: info@salto.us www.salto.us
SALTO SYSTEMS INC. 1250 Broadway New York, NY 10001 Toll Free: 866.GO.SALTO Email: info@salto.us www.salto.us
The 3 Ms of Resilience By Marcus D’Iorio, Residence Hall Director, Dakota State University
T
he American Psychological Association (APA) published a list of ten different ways someone can build resilience in work and life. For many, there are the moments when we may feel overwhelmed or encountered something challenging due to pressure from both inside and outside our professional lives. Within that list, three key areas emerged, referred to as the 3 M’s of Resilience: Making time to care of yourself, Making connections, and Moving toward your goals (APA, 2017). Many times, in a live-in position (and even live-out positions), it can feel challenging to leave campus as we feel we need to be there for our students. At other times though, on-call staff members go through tough situations that can challenge our ability to move past incidents. In these moments, self-care is especially important. However, we also need to realize that self-care is not something we just say, but something we practice. The first M of resilience is Self-care, which needs to be more than just leaving work early or taking a day off every once in a while. Even though these two ideas are relevant and helpful, we need to realize that self-care is some activity or event that enables us as professionals to step away from work for a few moments,
“Overall, resilience is not something that holds us back but is something that gives us opportunities to move forward.” 26
UMR Perspectives
to better our ourselves, and regain our energy. This looks different for everyone. The challenge here is to figure out what you want to do and how it will affect you. For some, this could include going to the gym regularly, continuing to work on arts and crafts projects, learning a new skill, or going for a walk. The important thing is you are doing something to help yourself. If we want to move towards self-care, we need to examine our motives and the driving force in all of us. Jackson (2017) and Maslow (1970) saw that by meeting our basic needs, we would be able to live to our full potential, as well as be able to engage in the creative forces that would enable us to go beyond what we initially thought our limitations were (Jackson, 2017; Maslow, 1970). This concept of being able to go beyond what we initially thought, is at the heart of self-care. We engage in self-care to avoid burnout, to better ourselves, and to improve our own mental health. Even if we are only able to engage in self-care an hour a day, that hour could improve our overall sense of wellbeing, which could and will translate to improvements in not only our overall welfare, but our work with students as well. While in Omaha, Nebraska, something magical happened at the regional conference in 2017—professionals from all over the region reconnected with past co-workers, friends, colleagues, or others they haven’t seen in a while. However, throughout the conference, new connections were made. The second M, making connections, is not only about the connections we make in our career, but also the connections made outside of work. At the very heart of all these connections are the new people you meet. Throughout our careers, it is easy to talk with those that we know at conferences, but it can be harder to make new connections each year if you already have an established network. Meeting new people at conferences or committee meetings is an excellent opportunity to be able to expand not only who we know, but also who we interact with during this time. You never know where the person sitting next to you will end up, or even what they will be able to accomplish. Establishing these types of connections can enable you to have someone to turn to as a resource when you may need to bounce questions or ideas off someone to gain an outside perspective. However, making new connections is not solely focused on what happens at events within the region, but is also
about the connections we make around us. Each year, many professionals (both in the region and out of the region) decide to either change jobs, functional areas, or even locations. During these times, new connections need to be established to feel connected to the new area. Building these new connections enables you to not only meet new people outside of work, but also find interest groups in the area based on common interests. Is there something you have always wanted to try, but were not sure how? Have you wanted to attend a cooking demonstration, or have you wanted to find an exercise/sports group to help work on your physical fitness? These are just three examples of where new connections can be made while trying something new. Even with these community connections, family and friends are always a meaningful connection to have. Your family and friends enable you to turn to someone you trust when times get tough, someone you know will support you in whatever way they can, and someone who will listen when needed. Merely having friends and family to turn to though is not always enough. To be able to have connections, we need to know when to accept help, but also know when to assist. We need to be there for each other. Building resilience through connection making enables us to have the support system we offer to our students. We all need our support system in whatever form that may be. Beyond a support system and self-care, there is a third M, Moving towards your goals. Every year, we set a list of goals we hope to accomplish. Sometimes we can achieve these goals, and other times we are not able to achieve them for one reason or another. However, it is the very nature of goal setting, and moving towards goals, that illustrate the third M of resilience. Klein, Wesson, Hollenbeck, and Alge (1999) found a positive relationship around goal setting, goal commitment, and the attainment of our goals as a motivational force. This positive motivational energy is a crucial element when setting our goals, and moving towards resilience. When difficult times happen, it is important to remember what our goals are, and how what we are currently experiencing is not a setback, but a step towards completing our goals, or even surpassing what we set out to accomplish. There is no one path towards our goals, but a twisting road filled with hills and valleys. How often do you reflect on your goals to see where you are? When setting your goals, is it something that is just written down on a piece of paper to only be seen at review time, or is it something you have as a working document, one in which you outline what steps you hope to take towards accomplishing your goal?
If we want to move towards our goals, we need our goal setting to be the latter. To move towards resilience and reflect on the bigger picture, we need to outline the steps we are going to take to get there. Goals should not be written in stone, but instead something that is reflective and outlined. “How are you meeting your goals” is the question we need to think about when looking at the third M. Moving towards our goals, enables us to set a rough foundation and pathway to work on in our journey towards our goals. The tough times should be about that step forward towards our goals. Overall, resilience is not something that holds us back, but is something that gives us opportunities to move forward. The 3 M’s of resilience separately encompass different areas of our professional development; however, they combine to work in a circular pattern to enable us to be the best professional we can be while working with our students and professional staff to improve their living, working, and academic environments. If we don’t have connections outside of our work, how do we move towards goals if we don’t have people to talk to about them? If we don’t have goals and connections, how do we know when to lean on others around us to help us in our own time of need or to engage in some form of self-care with? So, I ask you, what are you doing to engage in the 3 M’s of resilience? What ways are you doing self-care and demonstrating appropriate self-care to others? What ways are you expanding your connections, and finally, in what ways are you moving towards your goals? References American Psychological Association. (n.d.). The Road to Resilience. Retrieved November, 2017, from http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/road-resilience.aspx Jackson, L. A. (2017). The Implications of Self-Creation and Self-Care in Higher Education: A Transdisciplinary Inquiry (Doctoral dissertation, California Institute of Integral Studies, 2017). San Francisco, CA. Klein, H. J., Wesson, M. J., Hollenbeck, J. R., & Alge, B. J. (1999). Goal commitment and the goal-setting process: Conceptual clarification and empirical synthesis. Journal of Applied Psychology, 84(6), 885-896. doi:10.1037/00219010.84.6.885 Maslow, A. H. (1970). Motivation and personality. New York, NY: Harper & Row. Retrieved from: http://s-fwalker.org.uk/pubsebooks/pdfs/Motivation_ and_Personality-Maslow.pdf
Marcus D’Iorio Residence Hall Director Dakota State University marcus.diorio@dsu.edu Instagram: dioriom
UMR Perspectives
27
The Possibilities Are Endless...
866-SWContract (866.792.6687) • SWContract.com
Vonversations, December 2017 Personal and Professional Resilience By Von Stange, Assistant Vice President and Executive Director, University of Iowa, Facilitator
N
o one leads a life free of stress or unfortunate events. If you are reading this, you have probably experienced some events in your life that have tested your limits. And if you are reading this, you survived it – congratulations! While that event doesn’t define you, it may have refined you to a better self. The terms “grit” and “resilience” were not common when I was in college, but I had events that occurred that refined who I am and strengthened my resolve. I guess that’s resilience. Much has been written about grit and resilience over the past decade. We now use the terms freely and often when discussing students who are struggling at college. It appears to be accurate based on what I’ve seen with today’s students. I am not an expert on the topic, so I invited some of my colleagues to share their perspective on the topic. I’m sure they would tell you they aren’t experts on the topic either, but their lived experiences are no less refining than ours. This month’s Vonversations highlights some of the new UMR executive board members and award winners. The conversation includes Torin Akey, Associate Director at Minnesota State – Mankato, who is the new vice president/president-elect; Gaith Hijazin, Area Coordinator at Hamline University, serving as Corporate Partner Coordinator; Keniese Evans, Assistant Director at the University of Iowa, elected as Inclusion and Equity Coordinator; Jacque McKenna, Assistant Director at the University of Kansas, appointed as a State Membership Coordinator; Alex Waad, graduate assistant at the University of Iowa and recipient of the New Professional – Bachelors award; and Steven Johnson, Jr., Complex Director at the University of Kansas and recipient of the New Professional – Masters award. I invite you to read their collective wisdom
What does resilience mean to you? Alex: Resilience means rising to the occasion in the face of adversity. It means being cognizant of the fact that a situation may be difficult, and the odds may be stacked against you, but doing everything in your power to make it through. Gaith: Resilience for me is the ability to pick yourself up when everything is going against you. It is the continuous battle of moving forward when part of your brain and your body is telling you that you should just give up. Jacque: Your ability to acknowledge and work through failures and challenges in life; while learning as much as you can, and moving on when it is time. Keniese: Resiliency is doing what is necessary for you to get through hard times and get back up after a setback. Steven: Resilience is the power to overcome obstacles and challenges, to move beyond barriers and ultimately achieve what it is that you intend to do. Resilience describes the intentional engagement and motivation to continue to press forward even as the difficulties of what may be experienced discourage momentum. For me, resilience is not allowing systematic oppression stop me from fulfilling my full potential. It’s not allowing politics to create barriers that are not really there. Resilience is an intentional choice to press forward. Torin: When I think about resilience, I think about not taking my ball and going home. Rather, it is reflecting and determining a new strategy to accomplish the goal (old or new) at hand. Who is your role model for grit and resilience and why? Jacque: A friend and my parents. My friend was widowed when her husband passed away in a car accident two and a half years ago. Since the accident, she has shown nothing but strength, courage, and determination, as she raises her two small children while balancing her career in student affairs. The fortitude and perspective she approaches each day with reminds me that no matter the circumstance, I must do what I can to keep looking and moving forward. UMR Perspectives
29
My parents are hard-working, honest, and caring people. My dad is a farmer and my mom is a nurse. For over forty years, both have balanced challenging careers with being very supportive and involved parents. They never miss a major or minor life event. They even joke about wanting to come and watch during move-in day, because it is a big event at work! Growing up, they instilled responsibility, pride in work, and commitment; all skills that inform my resilience as a professional. Gaith: No doubt my parents. My dad, growing up in a poor family with 9 other siblings was able to build resilience to get a college degree and move forward despite the many challenges that he had to go through in his life. My Mom is a strong Arab woman who defied all odds in a conservative society to get her education, build a career, and raise a family with the limited resources she had. The endless stories of struggles living in an underdeveloped country are simply behind the fire inside me that keep pushing me to move forward every time I want to give up. Alex: My role model for grit and resilience is my mother – she’s definitely where I get my ability to persevere and make it through difficult situations. She knows how to stand her ground, not let people walk over her, and still display compassion and kindness under stress. Keniese: Black women, despite the things that Black women have experienced over the many years, they continue to not only survive but actually THRIVE! In what areas do you see today’s college students being least resilient? Steven: Self-advocacy is especially difficult for new students. It is easy to become discouraged when asking for help, and this extends beyond their residential community. I find students who are nervous about seeking out academic resources, finding support from peers in the class, and even reaching out to campus partners for various needs. Over time, it seems that the help-seeking behaviors improve, but some students would rather not ask for the help they need to be successful. Torin: I think many (not all) students believe that policies or procedures should not apply to them (they should apply to others, though) based on their lived experience and past parental involvement. As a result, many students have not begun to significantly develop the kind of life skills needed to deal with being held accountable or not coming in first. Jacque: Dealing with conflict. Some students have not had to deal with conflict before college. Maybe a parent or teacher took care of it, or they hurt others/were hurt 30
UMR Perspectives
by others and didn’t respond or engage the action. They come to college and, when they have a conflict with their roommate, they’d rather just move to a new space instead of working on the conflict. Conflict resolution and resiliency can help a student to understand that they might not always be right; that compromise is a good thing (and not a loss); and “even if I am angry today because they left their dirty socks on the floor, doesn’t mean we can’t be friends/ roommates tomorrow, or maybe next week”. Alex: I see today’s college students being least resilient in the face of dissonance and uncertainty. As a generation so used to instant gratification, delayed answers or results tend to shut students down. Moreover, when something comes along that may be different than what they once thought, they retreat back and do not “lean in” – they tend to not display the resilience they have the potential of when it comes to more introspective dissonance. In what ways to you build your own personal resilience? Gaith: For me, I had no choice but to live a life of resilience. There are days when I think of it as the best gift, as it allows me to connect with people on a deeper level, in addition to the ability to build genuine authentic relationships. Without going into details, making the choice to leave my home country at the age of 16 and start my college journey in MN was a decision that, despite the many opportunities that I was introduced to, came with a lot of challenges. These challenges shaped and still shape my resilience, from having brain surgery without the presence of my parents at the age of 19, having to miss both of my brothers’ weddings due to immigration complications, to not being able to say goodbye to both of my grandmas before they passed away. Add to that the many holidays that I watched families of friends getting together while I could not afford to fly home to be with my own. During these challenges, I simply had no choice but to build resilience, to gather myself together after a negative experience and move forward. Whenever I hear a “no” for an answer I continuously think and work toward the “yes”. It is not an easy process, and it sometimes comes with feelings of anxiety, depression, frustration, and anger. But at some point you just have to take a step back and appreciate the characteristics that you gained from these experiences - and that itself is a form of resilience. Jacque: Resilience looks differently for me now than it did as a new professional/graduate student. I have had life experiences and time, both which have shaped how I respond. I use my vacation time to do fun activities. I work
out to stay physically and mentally healthy. I have learned to not second guess and overanalyze decisions I make; both personally and professionally. I ask for advice and assistance when I need it. I communicate to those around me how I am doing. When I am stressed and overwhelmed, I let people know, so they can support and help me. I also have learned from experiences and put that knowledge into practice; and continue to revise it daily. I also enjoy a good motivational quote, one of my favorites right now: “There is no secret. Keep going.” (My current motivation as I balance work and course work for my doctorate degree). Steven: It is so important to recall why I am in my role and what are my intentions. Going back to my motivation helps to ground me and gives me the energy to continue to pursue my end goals, even when my lived experiences at the time are not pleasant. Relying on my support system, and having mentors and cheerleaders to always offer affirmation is also integral. Reflection is something I take seriously and do often. I can also separate myself from what I am experiencing when I am in need to be resilient and that perspective gives me the permission to continue to do what I am doing.
Alex: Not shying away from opportunities where there is a good chance I may fail. Failure is an uncomfortable feeling, but the process leading up to failure is one that requires a great deal of resilience and grit to learn, adapt, and make meaning of difficulty. How do you see the role of residence halls (facilities, programming, staffing) in building students’ resilience? Keniese: We have to give students the tools and space to be resilient. This comes from having some hard conversations about realistic expectations while supporting them and also remembering that resiliency is not one size fits all. It will look different for every student. Gaith: I don’t think that there is only one way to teach students how to be resilient. The foundation of my work comes from my personal narrative. As an immigrant, I firmly believe that my success relies on two things; my hard work and a helping hand. I always start by listening to the students, and what types of challenges they are going through. After I listen, I work on connecting them with the appropriate resources, so they can build the resilience they need to face that situation and move forward. I also
Visit the new and improved
ULOFT.COM TM
MAKERS OF COOL FURNITURE
30 YEARS “Time-Tested, Parent Approved”
Visit Our World Headquarters • 2588 Jannetides Blvd., Greenfield, IN 46140 TM
MAKERS OF COOL FURNITURE
Facebook “f ” Logo
CMYK / .eps
Facebook “f ” Logo
CMYK / .eps
800.423.LOFT (5638) • 317.866.LOFT (5638) • www.uloft.com
UMR Perspectives
31
remind them that they have a responsibility to work toward building their own resilience. With some, I appropriately share my own story of how I built my own resilience. Being my authentic self, listening, and empowering them to find platforms to express themselves and move forward in their lives is vital to the process of teaching others about resilience. Whether it’s a student from a small town and having difficulty adjusting to topics of diversity and social justice, or an international student who is having a hard time connecting and adjusting to the culture, being able to assess the situation and knowing your limits is important. At the end of the day each student is different in how they want to learn about resilience. Steven: Living in residential communities gives students and staff experiences with situations they have not encountered yet. I think about students who have had their own bedrooms growing up and now having to share with someone who is unfamiliar. I think about those who come from relatively homogenous communities and now are exposed to difference and diversity. I think about students who have not had to advocate for their needs before, and being told that in order to ignite change, they
ocm.com
Wanna trade? 32
UMR Perspectives
need to be forthcoming with the concerns they have – and sometimes they are asked for what a good solution could look like. All of these different experiences promote resilience. Being uncomfortable, working through challenging situations that are new and unfamiliar, and having the drive to navigate challenging situations beyond the fear of making mistakes, all promotes resilience. With staff, they help to manage conflict, support students in crisis, be a role model for good academic behaviors - all while also being students. Their responsibilities are amplified. They show resilience in their ability to successfully navigate these experiences. Torin: I think we first need to recognize that these students are emerging adults. Expecting or hoping that their level of resiliency is close to ours, as professionals, does not align with the principles of student development theory. In simple terms, I think we can help build students’ resilience when we: 1) recognize their growth and leadership, and help “pick them up” when they make poor choices; 2) help them navigate simple and complex University processes; 3) provide an avenue to share laughter and tears, a place to vent, and a place to find support; 4) acknowledge and
celebrate their humanness and how they are different from you (personally or politically). What are some of your resources to learn more about the role of resilience on college age students? Jacque: It is a throwback, but I think about Schlossberg’s theory of transition. Yes, it is not specifically about resilience, but resilience is often needed during times of transition. In our roles, we need to help students recognize their ability to be resilient and to keep moving forward. I also enjoy the TEDx Talk by Bobby Bones, “Winning by Losing”. He talks about how he has learned and gained success through the failures and rejection in his life. Alex: First and foremost, Angela Duckworth from the University of Pennsylvania. As the chief-most scholar on the topic within the realm of Positive Psychology, Angela Duckworth’s work taps into psychometric measures to help gauge levels of engagement of students in resiliency and grit, but also how to enter into conversations with students to develop deeper resilience.
Keniese: Z Niccolazzo’s book had a great chapter on resiliency as a verb. The book is obviously centered around trans* students but I think the concepts and resources apply across the board to all students. It’s my hope to continue doing some reading and research around that idea of resiliency being a verb. P.S. from Von: I’m interested in hearing about what Vonversations you would like to read about. If you have a topic you would like me to explore with members of our region, e-mail me at vonstange@uiowa.edu with the idea. The names of some people whose thoughts you might find valuable would also be welcomed.
Von Stange Assistant Vice President and Executive Director University of Iowa Facilitator von-stange@uiowa.edu
UMR Perspectives
33
Crossroads of Change: Conference Fee Waiver Winners Submitted on behalf of the Membership Involvement Committee
T
his fall, Membership Involvement awarded three conference registration fee waivers to deserving first-time attendees who benefited from financial support in order to make the trip to the annual conference in Omaha, Nebraska. As part of their experience, each individual has offered a reflection on their experience to share with the region. Additionally, as we continue to extend opportunities for individuals to become a part of the annual conference experience, be thinking of those you might encourage to apply in the future. As you will read from Ian, Kandace and Rajhon, this is a very valuable experience we have to offer as an association!
Rajhon White, University of Wisconsin Whitewater, Graduate Student Recipient Attending UMR was a transformational experience. As a second year graduate student I have attained many valuable opportunities both within my coursework and assistantship. While these have guided my perceptions of the work I do as housing officer, UMR created a space of rejuvenation, education, and encouragement to RAJHON WHITE strive for better. The powerful words of speakers Z Nicolazzo and Reverend Dr. Jamie Washington truly spoke to my aspiration of being a change agent in my department and in my campus. What I found in listening and jotting down notes was, in order to do the work, I need to be connected with like-minded individuals who can collaborate in cyclical dialogue that challenges all involved to do as Reverend Dr. Jamie Washington describes as, “Going to the next round”. During my drive home, I was able to engage in a conversation with some of my colleagues about what we could be doing to, first, educate ourselves on some of the policies, scenarios, and experiences around the topics of various sessions. As a young professional, it is important to understand that just 34
UMR Awards
being aware is not enough. Part of our development should entail discovering how we can use the knowledge we acquire to challenge systems that portray issues as just a bullet point on a list, or which put numbers before student experiences. Presenting your research, thoughts, and perspectives at any conference is a rewarding experience in various facets. Receiving the fee waiver guaranteed me the space to present #DearWhitePeople: Recruitment and Retention of Student Staff and Professionals from Underrepresented Groups in Housing with two of my wonderful colleagues: LeAnna Level and Ari Owens. Sharing our work with a packed room of individuals reaffirmed my own understanding of who I am as a housing professional of color, the cultural capital I possess, and the powerful impact of allowing my authentic self to shine. Thank you for allowing me the chance to participate in an impactful professional development opportunity. Given the theme was Crossroads of Change the conference provided clear directions on how I will get to my next destination as a housing professional. Your efforts and investment are greatly appreciated!
Ian Foley, University of Wisconsin - Stout, Full-Time Recipient The UMR ACUHO 2017 Conference was an exciting experience for me, both in the sessions I attended, and the professional opportunities I had outside of the conference setting. I had the opportunity to be paired with a Conference Connection at the Wednesday Conference Lunch. Matt was a seasoned UMR attendee. It was IAN FOLEY nice to have the challenging first steps taken out of meeting someone new, by the opportunity that the conference connection lunch had created. Through Matt I learned about the region, the history of the region, the history of the conference, how the case study competition runs, and what different committees do. I even got the chance to eat at a table with the rest of his school at the closing banquet on Friday.
UMR is not just a crossroads of people, but a crossroads of ideas. While we may come from different institutions, the main tangible pieces of our jobs are all similar. I learned from someone in Alberta about how Canadian housing programs are not totally unlike the ones I am familiar with in the United States. I attended sessions that focused on topic areas such as assessment, male masculinity, advising students, privilege and oppression, housing operations, and work/life balance. I admit some sessions served more as refreshers or small learning experiences, but I had the chance to take away applicable information from the presenters. For example, I took notes on practices for self-care, and male masculinity strategies that I have been able to apply to my role since I have left the conference. There are enough leaders in the region, that there are topic areas anyone can benefit from. I drove down to Omaha and rode back with some members of my school and had the opportunity to have downtime conversation with them. Spending time with co-workers while you are actively managing projects or crisis, during a standard work day is very different from the time you spend with them in a car ride down, or a dinner out on the town. I feel as though I got to know my bosses and colleagues much better than I did before we went to the conference, both as people and in how we are truly doing in our roles.
Kandace Irvine, Kansas State University, Graduate Student Recipient
KANDACE IRVINE
Omaha Nebraska, I have passed through this city— bound for farther and wider destinations; however, this past November was different. I had the opportunity to stay in this beautiful area and attend the annual Upper Midwest Region-Association of College and University Housing Officers Conference. This was a conference of firsts for me, first
regional and first housing conference, which combined for quite an experience. From the keynote speakers to the connection luncheon, the opportunities to network with old colleagues, as well as greet new friends, and all the sessions I was able to attend, the conference in my opinion, was a tremendous success. Many of my expectations regarding the conference were met: an overarching theme guiding the flow of the conference, kind and attentive staff, a large crowd of individuals committed towards residence life present (for obvious reasons), observations of friends and colleagues rejoining, an abundance of session topics offered, a keynote speaker with an impactful message ready to share, and a café serving Starbucks coffee nearby. These expectations were all immediate in my mind due to previous involvement with other conferences. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the overarching theme of conference included heavy attention towards social justice, diversity, equity, inclusion, and understanding. These points were palpable throughout the entirety of the conference and not something that made the list of my initial conference expectations. These areas are not something I expected to be touched on so heavily and frequently as they were, and served as a topic of much of my discussions throughout the entirety of the conference. While I learned many things from the conference, a few concepts/ideas stuck out in my mind that I am including in my practice as a student affairs professional. To begin, the message delivered by the keynote speaker, Z Nicolazzo. Our student body is changing, much quicker than our facilities. There is an indisputable need for inclusive spaces on our campuses, and the time to create these spaces is now. While Z Nicolazzo spoke about the encompassing themes through a lens focused on the trans college community, the idea of inclusion, equity, and advocacy was reiterated by Dr. Reverend Jamie Washington Junior when he said: “Social justice is not only a process, but also a goal”. This idea that social justice is both a process and a goal was in short, a lightbulb moment for me. For so long, I have UMR Awards
35
thought about social justice as an be-all and end-all to the
interactions are intentional and not a checked box off my
injustice many individuals are subjected to. The physical
list of ‘to-dos’? Am I taking the time to hear my students’
space is not the only redress needed for students in a
stories out and understand what they need when I am
multitude of capacities; willing to learn, understand and
adjudicating their cases? Am I showing up 100% at the
accept attitudes, and tenacious advocacy are needed for
programs my staff members have worked weeks putting
the present student body. This brings me to the final concept that has found me reflecting upon my professional practice since the conference: Do work I believe in for people I believe in. This quote comes from a session I attended by Chris Mueller, Associate Director of Leadership and Education at Beta Theta Pi. While this session was regarding managing time and energy, this quote was touched on regularly throughout the session, and it got me thinking. I believe in every
together? Am I staying current on events happening at the local, state, regional, and national level that could have an impact on my students, so I can provide support? In my lengthy reflection, the answer wasn’t always ‘yes’. So, what I’m bringing back to my institution and professional practice is a renewed outlook on the work I do within residential life. A motivation to reach farther and wider for opportuni-
one of my students. I believe that they deserve to learn in
ties to further my education of social justice issues, ways
environments in which they don’t have to question their
to support my students, resources available to help them
safety. That the resources they need to be successful in
reach success, and how to be an advocate for students. To my institution, I am bringing back inspiration and a
college are accessible to all. While I believe all of this, am I living this out as a professional? Am I making sure that my
desire to do better and be better for my students.
Have you faced lost keys, re-keying costs or break-ins?
KeyTrak has the solution.
• • Web-based remote access • PackageTrak software
Protect your students. Protect your property. Protect your reputation.
• • Customizable user access levels • 24/7 in-house software support
Want to learn more? Scan here.
• Reduction of loss, theft and liability
keytrak.com/about-us
See the Difference 888.842.4303
36
UMR Awards
UMR-ACUHO 2017 Awards ROBERT E. MOSIER PROFESSIONAL ENRICHMENT AWARD
OUTSTANDING NEW PROFESSIONAL AWARD
DRAKE MARTIN COMMITMENT TO SOCIAL JUSTICE AWARD
JOANIE DOVEKAS University of Wisconsin-Green Bay
STEVEN JOHNSON JR., University of Kansas not pictured ALEX WAAD - University of Iowa, BACHELORS LEVEL
ARAMIS WATSON University of Kansas
WILLIAM B SWEET DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD
SOCIAL JUSTICE IN ACTION AWARD GRADUATE STUDENT
SOCIAL JUSTICE IN ACTION AWARD
BRENDA MOEDER Unicversity of Central Missouri
ARIEL OWENS University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
MULTICULTURAL VALIDATION PROGRAM (MVP) MEGAN PIERCE, (Not Pictured) MATT EVENSEN, and ANGELA BIRRITTELLA University of Wisconsin-La Crosse UMR Awards
37
TOP FIVE PROGRAMS CO-HALL COORDINATING: “LET ME TELL YOU ‘BOUT MY BEST FRIEND”
P3 AND ME? EXPLORING THE WORLD OF PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP
BLACK WOMYN ARE MAGIC
ANNA HOLBROOK, MICHAEL MUELLER University of Iowa
PHIL NEUMAN, HANNAH BENDROTH University of Kansas, Minnesota State University-Mankato
KENIESE EVANS, BRITT HUDSON (Not Pictured) University of Iowa, University of Northern Iowa
ROOMMATE AGREEMENTS AND CONFLICT MEDIATION - HOW BOW DAH?
TOP MINI PROGRAM MIXED, NOT MIXED UP
TALES FROM PLANET ESTROGEN: REFLECTIONS AND INSIGHTS FROM WOMEN IN HOUSING
LET’S GET RADICAL!
COURTNEY BREWER Missouri State University
MELINDA GILLIAM Kansas State University Also won the Top New Presenter Award
SARAH HOLMES Iowa State University
LISA WESTON, NICK RAFANELLO University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, University of Northern Iowa
38
UMR Awards
COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE AWARDS
BEST BUSINESS SIDE ARTICLE BETH MILLER University of Wisconsin-Madison
BEST STUDENT SIDE ARTICLE JACQUE JANKIEWICZ University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, ARACELIS FIGUEROA East Carolina University (Not Pictured)
BEST PERSONAL SIDE ARTICLE BARBARA BRAGA Kansas State University, ELISA WILSON Kansas State University (Not Pictured)
BEST PERSPECTIVES ARTICLE CHARLIE POTTS Gustavus Adolphus
FRANK J TRAVER PRESIDENT’S SCHOLARSHIP
ALLISON NAZOREK University of Central Missouri
GIOVANNI ESCALERA University of Central Missouri
ALEX MILLER University of Kansas
UMR Inside Awards UMR
39
CASE STUDY 1 WINNERS - (CAMPUS SAFETY)
ANDREA MAYROSE, DONAVON BARBARISI South Dakota State University, Fort Hayes State University
CASE STUDY 2 WINNERS (ANONYMOUS HATE AND ACTIVISM)
BECKY HAGLE, JOSEPH LLOYD University of Wisconsin-Platteville, University of Central Missouri
40 40 UMR Inside Awards UMR
MELISSA MOSSINGHOFF, PAGE FETTER Doane University, University of Central Missouri
SUPPORT STAFF RECOGNITION AWARD
AARON HAUGHT University of Central Missouri
GAMAGE DISSANAYKE Kansas State University
SUPPORT STAFF SERVICE AWARD (Photos for following winners not available)
BETH HOFFMAN University of Kansas
BRAD WOBBROCK Minnesota State Mankato
CINDY HADAWAY Iowa State University
KATHY SASS College of St. Ben’s
LURENE JOHNSON UW River Falls
LAURA HASELDEN Missouri State University
BOB CALVERT UW Parkside (Posthumous Award) JULIA WALLACE Nebraska Wesleyan University CAROL BECKERJECK UW LaCrosse
Congratulations to all nominees and recipients of the 2017 UMR–ACUHO Awards UMR Awards
41
Dillon Pearson Committee Chair 820 N Washington Avenue Madison, SD 57042
Please deliver to the housing office if undeliverable.
DISCOVER... THE CHAPPS ROOM INSPECTOR APP THE ONE AND ONLY APP SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED FOR DORMITORY INSPECTIONS!
FIND OUT MORE @ WWW.CHAPPS.COM contact us for a free demo M.C@CHAPPS.COM