Region VII May 2021 Newsletter

NEWSLETTER May 2021

JOIN THE FUN ONLINE @acuiregionvii

Updates from our

REGIONAL DIRECTOR

Hola Mi Gente, The last few weeks have been filled with challenges and successes. As we look toward the end of the semester we will need to keep in mind the trauma filled experiences that this year has brought to us and our students.

While most schools will spend the summer searching and planning for the right answers on how to bring back as many students safely within the health guidelines of our states, I encourage you to ask the tough questions for yourselves and our coworkers. What is the role of the student union in keeping students safe? Are we really weighing all our options when it comes to public safety and campus security? Are we engaging in conversations with our campus partners to really ensure that the student union is still the living room on our campus?

After all, not all living rooms are the same. Many of us have spent most of this past year in our real living rooms watching endless tragedies, injustices, and rampid misinformation. Is that what we want in our student unions?

Yes, this has been tough for many of us and higher education may seem like it is behind the 8 ball and maybe some of us have lost that spark within us. But I think this summer is for us to be the change we want to see, a chance to reignite that passion we have for our profession, as we prepare for the “new normal'' that is the upcoming school year.

Breathe and take care of yourselves.

Anthony Otero, Regional Director, from Rutgers University- New Brunswick.

Reflections from the

VIRTUAL ANNUAL CONFERENCE GIL JOHNSON, UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE 2021 CONFERENCE PROGRAM TEAM When asked if I would be interested in writing a reflection on my experience as a member of the 2021 ACUI Conference Program Team, my first thoughts were: I’m not a writer, I don’t enjoy writing or talking about myself, and why would anyone want to read what I have to say?

The funny thing is that every time I hear someone mention the word “reflections”, I immediately think of the Queen of Soul, Miss Diana Ross & the Supremes and the lyrics to “Reflections”:

“Through the mirror of my mind, Time after time, I see reflections of you and me Reflections of, The way life used to be, Reflections of, The love you took from me Oh, I'm all alone now, No love to shield me, Trapped in a world, That's a distorted reality Happiness you took from me, And left me alone, With only memories Through the mirror of my mind, Through these tears that I'm crying Reflects a hurt I can't control, 'Cause although you're gone, I keep holding on To the happy times ,Oh, when you were mine, As I peer through the window, Of lost time, Looking over my yesterdays

And all the love, I gave all in vain, (All the love) All the love, That I've wasted (All the tears) All the tears, That I've tasted, All in vain Through the hollow of my tears, I see a dream that's lost, From the hurt That you have caused, Everywhere I turn, Seems like everything I see Reflects the love that used to be, In you I put, All my faith and trust Right before my eyes, My world has turned to dust, After all the nights I sat alone and wept, Just a handful of promises, Are all that's left of loving you Reflections of, The way life used to be, Reflections of, The love you took from me In you I put, All my faith and trust, Right before my eyes, My world has turned to dust” Interestingly, “Reflections” was recorded in July 1967 (one month after my birth). Although the lyrics were clearly penned for a lost love, let’s think about the parallels between the lyrics and the devastating events of 2020. In early March of last year, the COVID-19 Pandemic significantly, and some say permanently, changed “The way life used to be” and every one of us are “Trapped in a world, That’s a distorted reality”. As we continue to navigate this “new normal” we are constantly reminded of who and what we have lost; 532,000 lives have been claimed by this pandemic in the U.S. alone, and 2.64 million worldwide. Let’s also not forget the devastating effect on employment, businesses, housing and food security, education, and most importantly (in my opinion) human connections. There is nothing “normal” about having to physically/socially distance from friends, family, and loved ones. As a human species we have an inherent need to bond, connect, interact and (as I love to say about my ACUI friends & colleagues) hug. Yes, I admit it, I too am a hugger. There is nothing that brings more joy and a lift to the spirit than a genuine, all out hug from a friend, family member, colleague, or even a stranger who is just in need of a hug. Why are hugs important and why do they make us feel so good? Because oxytocin levels rise when we hug, touch, or even sit close to someone; it's associated with happiness. A UCLA study in 2011 showed that raised levels of oxytocin promote optimism and self-esteem. Overall, hugging increases our ability to control our feelings and generates happiness. Happiness, optimism, self-esteem...isn’t that what we all really want/need? So rather than refer to this time period as the “new normal” I propose that we refer to it as the “current situation”. Current situations change, improve (or even worsen), however “new normal” sounds way too permanent and I refuse to accept it as my reality.

This “current situation” is what the 2021 ACUI Conference Program Team faced while we were in the middle of planning for an in-person conference in New York City. Think about the excitement, enthusiasm, creativity, and pure joy that we felt as a Conference Program Team blessed with the opportunity to plan an amazing conference experience in the center of the City that Never Sleeps! Then suddenly, we had to pivot and begin the planning process for a virtual event. For a brief moment our spirits were crushed, our joy diminished, and our creativity put to the test. However, as a team we had bonded over the last year and a half and developed a synergy that was unstoppable. Our monthly meetings turned into bi-weekly meetings, our bi-weekly meetings turned into weekly meetings, and our subcommittees met in between to stay on task. Our collective focus continued to be: let’s make this an Amazing Conference Experience for everyone. In other words, we had to ACE it! There was no avoiding it, no turning back, and no way to stop us from giving it our all.

The conference attendee numbers surpassed 2900, which is by far the largest attended event in ACUI history. Evaluation data is still being collected and analyzed, however from an anecdotal perspective, the 2021 conference not only provided what folks were looking for, but also exceeded their expectations. Connections were forged, friendships renewed, virtual hugs and tears were shared, and new relationships were established regardless of being in a virtual environment. So ultimately my “reflection” on my experience as a member of the 2021 ACUI Conference Program Team is not the lost love as described in the lyrics of Diana Ross & the Supremes 1967 song “Reflections”, but rather it is the hope, joy, resiliency, and connectedness that we will always have as humans and as an Association no matter what comes our way.

In closing, I must pay homage to all of my Conference Program Team colleagues, and the ACUI Central Office Team, whom I now and forever consider as some of my dearest friends.

Check out these

REGION VII

ANNOUNCEMENTS 2021 Scholarship Applications Open!

2021 scholarship applications from Region VII are open! Apply for funding to cover the registration fee of any ACUI-affiliated program. Applications can be found online at https://www.acui.org/regions/vii/regional-scholarships.

Region VII Healing and Reflection Meetings Region VII welcomes you to join Healing and Reflection meetings. Join other Region VII members in a virtual space to discuss the current harms in and around the world in relation to our work at the campus level. For the meeting dates, time, and links be sure to check your email and social media for updates.

Mark your calendar for

UPCOMING EVENTS ACUI has a wide variety of FREE online learning opportunities available to members.

Visit www.acui.org/events and www.acui.org/onlinelearning for details.

Irish Students' Center Leadership Toolkit May 12, 10 a.m. Eastern We’re Here Too: How Student Leaders of Color Find Belonging May 20, 3 p.m. Eastern Student Staff Training Roundtable June 9, Noon Eastern From Events to Experiences: Lessons from the World of Food Science August 4, 4 p.m. Eastern CliftonStrengths as a Pathway Toward Celebrating Difference September 14, 2 p.m. Eastern

CUPSI Celebration Series

All events take place from 6–7 p.m. Eastern on the date indicated. Visit https://www.acui.org/poetryslam/ for more information!

May 20 – Asian Pacific Islander Desi American Heritage Month June 24 – LGBTQ Pride Month September 23 – Latinx Heritage Month November 18 – Native American Heritage Month December 2 – International Day of Persons with Disabilities

Reflections from the

VIRTUAL ANNUAL CONFERENCE KERRIN LYLES, KEAN UNIVERSITY 2021 CONFERENCE PROGRAM TEAM

If you had asked me five years ago if I saw myself as a member of the Annual Conference Planning Team, I would have said that you were out of your mind. I guess over time people change. I am always talking to the students that I work with, telling them to step out of their comfort zone and try something new. It was time for me to start practicing what I have been preaching. During the Annual Conference in Indianapolis is when I really began to consider the idea. I have always heard my friends and colleagues within COMP (Community of Multi- Ethnic Professionals and Allies), talking about their volunteer experiences within the Association. They would always say that it was a great way to get to know people and find out more about the Association.

The applications for the 2021 New York City Annual Conference Planning Team came out a few weeks after the conference was over. This time when the email came, I opened it and began filling out the application. The application process was not as overwhelming as I initially thought that it would be. It also did not hurt that I knew Carol Dowell, the chair for the 2021 NYC Annual Conference, which made me feel a little bit more comfortable as well.

My experience being on the Conference Planning Team was amazing. I got the opportunity to meet and work with so many great people from all over the country. We officially began the planning process in June of 2019, roughly two years before the Annual Conference was scheduled to take place. In December of that year, we came together as a group in New York at the host hotel for a weekend of planning, touring, and of course bonding with one another. I would say that our weekend in New York City set the tone for how we would work and interact with one another for the next year and a half.

When we began the process, we were all excited to begin planning what we thought would be an amazing in person experience in New York City. We looked at past practices, brainstormed new and creative ideas, toured potential sites throughout the city, and split up into specific programming groups. When we left that weekend in New York City, we thought we had a solid plan in place. Little did we know that three months later, our plans and our lives would be turned upside down.

There was a lot of uncertainty during the next few months, we did not know if our conference was going to be cancelled, virtual, or in person. We watched how the 2020 Conference Planning Team and the ACUI Central Office Team quickly pivoted and put together a great virtual conference. We took notes and tried to envision how that would look for 2021. There was just too many questions and not enough answers at that time. Elizabeth Beltramini, Elizabeth Stringer, and Jake Dawes from the ACUI Central Office worked with us during the entire planning process and did a wonderful job of answering our questions and keeping us on task. At the end of the day, our goal was to create a conference experience that was thoughtful and impactful to our members; I think that we accomplished that goal.

I am so thankful for the opportunity. I learned so much and met so many wonderful people on this journey that I would not have if I stayed in my shell. I now stand on the sideline with my volunteer megaphone encouraging everyone to step out of their comfort zone and give it a try. The experiences that you get and the relationships that you make could last a lifetime.

MEET THE 2021

CONFERENCE PLANNING TEAM Antonio Talamo Coordinator of Commuter Life Montclair State University 2021 Keynotes and All-Conference Sessions Coordinator

Tell us a little bit about the role you have on the Conference Planning Team. What will you be doing/planning for the Regional Conference?

My job is to work with the theme of the conference and find relative and exciting keynote speakers and other all-conference sessions such as panels and conversation pieces.

What are you most looking forward to about the 2021 Regional Conference?

I'm really excited to reintegrate into society and create a safe in person experience for folks. The last year has been hard on everyone and I think being able to connect again in person will help enhance the experience we longed for.

Why should regional members plan to attend the 2021 Regional Conference?

This is a perfect time to not only learn about what other institutions are doing but also a time to debrief and catch up with colleagues and meet new ones as well. After the year that we have had, it is going to be great to see everyone in a safe way again.

If you could give an education session on anything (and we mean anything!), what would it be (and why)?

A session I would love to see (which I don't think is possible) is "How To Read a Student's Mind".

Sometimes we try our best to make accommodations or do things we think they like (or they say they like), but it is not as useful as the ability to know exactly what they want. I can only dream though.

What is one thing you’ve learned from your current job that is a new skill you have, but it wouldn’t make it onto your resume?

All of the skills I have learned include - how to perfectly align cars for perfect viewing for an outdoor drive-in movie, cleaning popcorn machines, and not overstuffing stuff a plush.

MEET THE 2021

CONFERENCE PLANNING TEAM Dan Hartman Assistant Director , Building Operations Rowan University 2021 Registration and Evaluation Coordinator

Tell us a little bit about the role you have on the Conference Planning Team. What will you be doing/planning for the Regional Conference?

I am the Registration and Evaluation Coordinator for the 2021 Conference. My role consists of working with the other members of the Conference Planning Team to determine what needs they have for registration, organize onsite registration (hopefully), work with Central Office to make sure we get all the correct information for the website, and assist with evaluations at the end of sessions, as well as create an evaluation for attendees to fill out after the conference is over.

What are you most looking forward to about the 2021 Regional Conference?

I am most looking forward to having an in person experience! It has been way too long since I have seen any of my friends and colleagues from other colleges and universities in person.

Why should regional members plan to attend the 2021 Regional Conference?

Regional members should attend the 2021 Regional Conference because the Conference Planning Team is already hard at work coming up with ways to engage the members. I also believe the regional conference will be a great opportunity for everyone to reflect on the past year and really start to move forward in many ways as a community.

If you could give an education session on anything (and we mean anything!), what would it be (and why)?

I would give an educational session on how to win contests on the internet. I have somehow developed the skill, and by skill I mean a lot of research, on how to win different contests!

What is one thing you’ve learned from your current job that is a new skill you have, but it wouldn’t make it onto your resume?

I am (not) a certified golf cart mechanic.

Who's Innovating in Region VII

ZOOM SECURITY JEN GROSSMAN LEOPARD THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY

It's not groundbreaking to state challenges higher education faces have been exacerbated due to the COVID-19 pandemic in addition to everything new that presented itself this past year. One of those challenges includes keeping our students, staff, and faculty safe in the online curricular and cocurricular environments. Specifically, there has been a great deal of focus on Zoom bombings. Zoom bombings are when uninvited guests join an online meeting, event, or class. Here at Penn State University the various information technology teams have disseminated security information for Zoom from very early on when dealing with the pandemic. And while there has been a spattering of Zoom bombing issues throughout the academic year, over the last few months there has been an upward spike in the number of incidents. For Student Affairs, we have been very concerned about our identity and affinity-based student organizations and department programming as many of the Zoom bombing incidents have targeted them specifically. When these bombings were showing signs of intensifying, a small work group was pulled together in mid-February and charged by the Vice President of Student Affairs with the following: • Develop specific recommendations about best practices we should adopt and promote to mitigate against this risk • Propose strategies for responding when Zoom-bombing incidents occur within University-affiliated activities • Suggest strategies for supporting the activities of those populations and units most vulnerable • Identify the uses and limits of the student conduct process in responding to these incidents • Recommend ways to encourage responses that support the resulting investigations by law enforcement

While there was no specific deadline to stand up this work, the expectation was to do so as soon as possible. This group consisted of representatives from the Office of Student Activities, Student Affairs Information Technology, the Gender Equity Center, Student Affairs Communications and Marketing, the Office of Student Conduct, and Career Services.

Within a week’s time, our work group was able to create a plan that consisted of an incredibly thorough guide for how to secure Zoom meetings, including step-by-step instructions and options. The document also includes what to do should a Zoom bomb occur and how and to whom to report it. The group also began to use the services of the Student Activities’ Student Organization Consultants (SOCs) for training and outreach.

The SOCs have been trained by the University’s Teaching and Learning Technology team on the technology of Zoom. They have taken the content of that training in addition to the instructional guide and developed a training geared toward student organizations to best equip them to conduct safe Zoom activities. The SOCs have held several scheduled trainings but have also provided a form to schedule trainings for specific organizations.

Our Communications and Marketing team have created several info graphics as marketing tools to draw attention to these new tools but also to share out quick tips related to Zoom security. Finally, we have been intentional about where we are directing students and staff to report Zoom bombings. We have asked that reports go to University Police and Public Safety and to Educational Equity in hopes to ensure thorough investigations of the incidents and to provide students and staff the most robust and authentic support so that we may avoid any additional potential trauma. We have centered these resources on a newly developed portion of our website: https://studentaffairs.psu.edu/support-safety-conduct/safety-security/zoom-security.

While the Zoom bombings have begun to subside, Penn State University remains vigilant in its development of its security resources for our community.

Jen Grossman Leopard Interim Co-Director, Student Activities The Pennsylvania State University jbg165@psu.edu

Musings from Region VII's

INCLUSIVITY

COORDINATOR Asian Pacific Islander Desi Heritage Month (May) Please join us in celebrating and recognizing some of our influential leaders from the APIDA community!

Anna May Wong, was the first female Taishanese American actress who broke barriers in the film industry. She was born in Los Angeles, California in 1905 and passed away 1961.

Dalip Singh Saund was the first Sikh, Indian, Asian American to become a U.S. Congressman. After becoming a Naturalized U.S. citizen he held many positions in local government before making his move to the Federal level. (1899-1973)

Duke Kahanamoku from Honolulu, Hawaii won 5 Olympic medals in swimming and assisted in popularizing the sport of surfing. (1890-1968)

Kalpana Chawala was the first Indian American to go to space.

Sadly, she passed away in 2003 from the Space Shuttle Columbia Disaster . (1962-2003)

Joyce Chen is a female Chinese American who popularized Northern Chinese food we eat today. (1917-1974)

There are so many more APIDA in our community who were and are currently a part of building our country and our communities. As we look at the troubling descrimination and hate in our country, let's focus on celebrating APIDA achievements and work on being better advocates for one another.

Source: Website:https://redtri.com/asian-american-historical-figures/slide/1

Sincerely, Jay Patel ACUI Region VII Inclusivity Coordinator Pateljay@rowan.edu

Celebrating

REGION VII

GRADUATES Montclair State University Graduate Amanda DePinho M.A. in Higher Education Anastasia Spadaccini M.A. in Higher Education Emily Inserra M.A. in Higher Education

The Pennsylvania State University Undergraduate Yiwei Leo Wang Dakota Page Tessa Guarino Ayanna Griffith

Megan Cole Ashleigh Longtine Rokhaya Kane

Stacy Brehman Anibal Rodriguez Jordan Clark

Graduate Stephanie Cardoza-Cruz, M.Ed. in Higher Education Bema Kyeada-Amponsah, M.Ed. in Higher Education Hope McMorran, M.Ed. in Higher Education Jordan Broiles, M.Ed. in Higher Education Symone McCollum, M.Ed. in Higher Education Tara Walker, M.Ed. in Higher Education Alline McDonald, BS and Master in Accounting

Ramapo College of New Jersey Undergraduate Parker Rogers Sumit Adhikari Niara Rowe Elsu Mathew

Maddi McKinney Nitesh Parajuli Tejas Baidya

Prabal Chhatakuli Pratistha Adhikari Cheyenne Shannon

Rowan University Undergraduate Kat Gonzalez Daemia Hedgespeth Autumn Vilches-Cruz Elliot Stevenson Sarah Niles Myiah Sturdivant Bashira Khan Alex Lepine Matthew Oritz Haylie Nichols Ayala Gedeon Haylie Nichols

Anderson Chumpitaz Stephen Dalton Arely Medina-Espinosa Dylan Regan Camryn Hadley James Orapello Liv Molinari Ian Von Franzke Jana Jackstis Sophia Bischoff Christa Ouellette Akhilesh Patel

Dominique DiGiacomo Karina Gonzalez Sarah Curtiss Brian Michels Eve Li Sarah Kadelski Hannah Spronz Skylar Moody Sienna Tracy Freddy Saab Tiana Jones

Graduate Cassandra Colfer M.A. Higher Education Administration/ Student Affairs Serafina Genise M.A. Higher Education Administration/ Student Affairs Melissa Banuelos M.A. Higher Education Administration/ Student Affairs Brandon West M.A. Strategic Communication Nicole Kides M.A. Higher Education Administration/ Student Affairs

Rutgers University Camden Undergraduate Tyrell Russell Keysean Simmonds Dori Zheng Dylan Judit Marwa Hassanein Zeyma Hernandez

Rutgers University New Brunswick Undergraduate Zain Ahmed Samar Al-khudairi Jazmine Alcon Jorge Alvarez Dimpy Amin Carolina Banegas Alekhya Battini Christian Bondalo Kyle Boyce Samantha Brancato Tiffany Calvache Arianna Capuano Abigail Casazza Jeimy Castro Tanya Chahal Tim Chung Dahyo Coleman Kyle Comito Cassie Cuddihy Nanette Dande Grace Daniel Ralph David

Pablo De Leon Callie Dey Manasa Dornala Arielle Dublin Theodora Ekeocha Kyra Erel Alisa Farley Andrew Faulkenberry Steven Florez Eric Fuentes Ryan Gillen Sarah Gilliams Ananya Girish Andrew Gollinge Frances Gonzalez AJ Grosso Abrar Hannan Sameet Hedge Rebecca Huang Hira Hussain Ryed Jadun Ananya Jain

Rida Javed John Juarez Lance Justiniani Lovedeep Kaur Maithili Kawle Kayla Kolb Meredith Kolodney Caleb Kuberiet Nick LaBelle LaBelle Lubna Lakhwala Jikai LaPierre Brittany Leyva Josie Libero Nicole Losada Valerie Lozano Jodi Lynch Azim Malek Jewel Mays-Reid Christopher McGinley Rebecca McGrath Beltide Mensah Alyssa Miller

Sarah Moynihan Fatuma Musse Hrydika Nagar Patrick Nolan Kate O'Keeffe Mary Olivier Carlos Ortiz Aisha Pacheco Janvi Patel Kavita Patel Maya Patel Param Patel Deep Patel Mansi Patel Krusha Patel Andrew Peng Ann Philips Shreya Prabhu Tiana Rahi Aniqa Rahim Eiman Rauf Maya Ravichandran Akila Rayapuraju Marvin Reyes

Mo Rizvi Julien Rosebbloom Reva Rutherford Shivani S. Patel Demiana Saleeb Mia Salvemini Darianny Santos Seth Santos Kinnary Shah Siddhi Shah Nabiha Sherali Arthur Silva Madhu Sivaji Alysia Smith Brandon Smith Rhea Soman Jessica Soriano Divya Srinivas Gabriela Steinmann Janani Subramanian Angelica Szot Aleen Takvorian Janell Taylor

Madisen Thide Alexis Thompson Arianna Tormey Alison Tu Jackie Twaddle Cristina UmanzorAlvarado Shivani V. Patel Alyssa Vanveldhuisen Stephanie Vasquez Audrey Waddell Linda Wang Max Wang Berton Wang Kimberly Wong Heather Wun Marie Yamaoka Tiana Youngblood

Graduate Nicole Chen M.Ed. in College Student Affairs Chelsea Jackson-Jones M.Ed. in College Student Affairs

Temple University Undergraduate Ariel Brown Francisco Fermin Cameron Gallagher Jacob Goldberg Katie Hahn Jacob Huber John Magala

Kate Moore Sahvannah Morrison Mike Robinson Jarek Rutz Vaughn Vallette Samantha Ridgeway Samantha Hobson

Alli Mandel Liz Paglia Rachel Rehrig Chris Harms Crystal Teoh Aaron Williams Marcus Huber

Graduate Taylor Bynoe Laurel Chase

University of Pittsburgh Undergraduate Tiona Herring Jacob Love Olivia Mania Carly Stanford Sheila Waltrich

West Chester University of Pennsylvania Undergraduate Alyssa Allen Sydney Stockmal Natalie Cocchini Vittoria Rybak Emma Billingsley

Emily Dabrowski Thomas Orr Lauren Harner Ciara DeAlmeida Madison Baez

Graduate Sarah Burger M.S. Higher Education Policy and Student Affairs Nicole Phillips M.S. Higher Education Policy and Student Affairs

Introducing new faces on the

REGION VII

LEADERSHIP TEAM Mustafa Sabuur, Rowan University Student Member, Region VII Leadership Team

My name is Mustafa Sabuur and I am a first year graduate student at Rowan University pursuing a master’s degree in higher education.

This past year was the first time I attended an ACUI Conference and absolutely loved my experience. I was able to see the community that has been built within the region and knew this was something I wanted to be a part of. I am extremely thankful and appreciative to be in the position of Student Member for the Region VII Leadership Team. As someone who wants to pursue a career in higher education and work with students, this role couldn't be more amazing.

I look forward to working on enhancing the student experience and engagement within the region. I’m excited for this opportunity and getting the chance to meet people along the way.

I received my undergraduate degree at Montclair State University. There I majored in business administration with a concentration in management and a minor in French. I was able to be heavily involved on campus doing orientation, programming, being a part of the mascot team, and much more! My time at Montclair allowed me to discover my passion for higher education and has led me to Rowan University. At Rowan I have the privilege of being one of the graduate coordinators for Rowan After Hours and Special Events. This position allows me to program late night weekend programs, larger scale programs, work alongside amazing people, and supervise a great group of students.

Thanks to involvement I was able to grow from a once very shy and quiet student into who I am today. My goal is to help students as much as possible and help them develop who they are.

Incredible and phenomenal people helped me along the way as a student and I can only hope to inspire and help future generations of students the same way they did for me.

Check it out:

REGION VII SEASONED PROFESSIONAL AND RETIREES (SPAR) COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE Hello Everyone!

The Seasoned Professional and Retirees (SPAR) Community of Practice is in the planning stages of compiling a directory of both seasoned professionals and retirees. We are looking to include folks that have left the field as well. ACUI membership is not a requirement.

If you or someone you know is interested in this community of practice, please take a few minutes and submit the following information to mosullivan1850@gmail.com Name Email Current or last institution Phone Seasoned (S) or Retired (R) *if you are still working, but outside Student Union/Activities please select seasoned.

Current Member of ACUI (yes or no) Please indicate if received ACUI Honorary or Emeritus Membership Regional Preference. Please indicate number or Roman Numeral for the Region you have the greatest affinity.

We will automatically include you in the directory unless you ask us not to include you. I am also planning a Zoom call for anyone interested for late May so I will use the emails I receive to send out the Zoom call information a week or two before hand. It should be a wonderful opportunity to see some faces you may not have seen in a while.

I am looking forward to hearing from many of you so we can continue developing a directory for this group!

Meg O'Sullivan

Recognizing the achievements of outstanding

REGION VII MEMBERS Distinguished Awards Emeritus Award Tom Hauber, University of Pennsylvania Carol Reed, Rochester Institute of Technology Floyd Taliaferro, Morgan State University

Honorary Lifetime Membership Meg O'Sullivan, SUNY Downstate

Campus Awards Collaborative Program of the Year QuadFox 5k, University of Rochester

Individual Awards Richard D. Blackburn New Professional Award Matthew DeCarlo, Stony Brook University

Region VII's

PETS AND PLANTS

Baboo Submitted by Jess Shapiro Ithaca College

Oscar Submitted by Jen Grossman Leopard The Pennsylvania State University

Ken Beck, Jennelle Hart, and MJ Aborn University of Rochester

Mia Submitted by Clayton Kolb West Chester University of Pennsylvania

Bosley Submitted by Emily Kofman West Chester University of Pennsylvania

Puppy Submitted by Hayden Greene Manhattan College

Roxy & Goose Submitted by Dawn Savage The Pennsylvania State University

Rowan Submitted by Sabrina Salvaggio Rutgers University New Brunswick

Tater Submitted by Kerry Spicer Daemen College

Pumpkin and Minni Submitted by Jennelle Hart Univertsity of Rochester

Check out these

REGION VII

OPPORTUNITIES Volunteer

Volunteering for Region VII is a great way to expand your network, develop your skills, and give back to your professional association of choice.

Volunteer opportunities can be found at https://www.acui.org/volunteer

Connect

Now's a great time to reach out to a colleague to encourage self-care and stress management.

Take a moment to touch base with one another.

Kind people are our kind of people!

Nominate

Nominate a colleague for opportunities or recognition! Volunteer nominations are an opportunity for ACUI to discover the talents and skills of our membership that will help the continued success of our organization. Nominating colleagues and students for awards help recognize achievements within the region!

ACUI Glossary We understand that sometimes folks in ACUI use acronyms or terms that not all members are familiar with. While we try our hardest to avoid this, you still may hear these terms and phrases and not be sure what they mean. To help everyone stay in-the-know, here is a glossary of commonly used ACUI acronyms or terms that you may hear in the future.

ACUI-The abbreviation for Association of College Unions International Annual Conference- Association-wide meeting held each year Board of Trustees- Volunteers that work on determining and advancing strategic directions, governing over long-term goals, representing the association to other members, and setting the tone for member experiences.

The Bulletin- ACUI's online member magazine.

CAS-Council for the Advancement of Standards CO-Central Office Community of Practice- A term referring to networks of members that share a common interest.

CPT-Conference Planning Team (team planning Regional Conferences) or could refer to Conference Program Team (team planning Annual Conferences) CUPSI-The abbreviation for College Unions Poetry Slam Invitational ERF-Education and Research Fund ILEAD®-Institute for Leadership Education and Development. I-LEAD® is ACUI's premier student program, designed to emphasize the key concept areas of leadership, community development, and change.

IPDS-IPDS: New Professionals Orientation is an introduction to the profession that offers ample idea sharing, discussion of theory and skills, and opportunities to network.

RD- Regional Director. Regional directors serve as the chief administrator of their region, representing regional activities to other ACUI leaders and members.

Region VII- ACUI is broken down into eight separate regions that covers the globe.

Region VII is made up of Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Quebec.

RLT-Regional Leadership Team VDT- Volunteer Development Team

Featured on

REGION VII'S

Takeover our Story!

We want to showcase your work in union or activities in action! Email Dawn Savage at dms1083@psu.edu for the opportunity to takeover our Instagram account for a day or two. This is a great way to highlight unique staffing practices, fun events, or building improvements. We're open to whatever!

Our most recent takeover was from Penn State! Viewers were able to follow along for a make and take program! Students made blankets that were later given to a local shelter.