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LEARNING IN
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RESIDENTIAL CURRICULUM guidebook 2017-2018
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CURRICULUM OVERVIEW what is it? Just like there is a curriculum or syllabus in the classroom, a Residential Curriculum guides the learning that takes place in the residential community. The Residence Life professional staff identified key needs of Stevenson’s resident population and designed a curriculum to address those needs, as well as connect to the Four Core Stevenson Values. This curricular approach was created to provide intentional learning opportunities for Stevenson residents. The curriculum has a number of structured parts. The educational priority is the overarching mission and direction of the curriculum. The four learning goals, based off the Four Core Stevenson Values, are what we hope residents achieve by living on campus housing. There is also a narrative for every learning goal, this narrative further explains what the curriculum has been designed to achieve. As aforementioned, there are three stages within the curriculum. For each stage, within each learning goal, there are four learning outcomes. These learning outcomes are measurable outcomes we are looking for residents to meet through participation in the curriculum. To achieve these outcomes we have created a number of initiatives to engage and educate our residents. Further explanation of initiatives may be found later in the guidebook.
why do it? The Office of Residence Life at Stevenson would like to utilize the curriculum as a way to unite and educate our residents. Additionally, the curriculum is a way to streamline our involvement and efforts within the halls, as well as improving resident connections within the halls and the greater campus community. The Residence Life staff is looking to develop a curriculum to ultimately bring more meaning and purpose to Stevenson students’ on campus living experience.
educational priority: To compliment the academic curriculum with a residential curriculum that encourages the pursuit of the Stevenson Way. We will do this by providing experience and opportunities that encourage student development.
stage 1: First year Area learning goal 1:
learning outcome 1:
learning outcome 3:
Residents will exhibit citizenship and an understanding of local and global community.
As a result of participating in roommate agreements and mediations, residents will have at least one experience appropriately addressing concerns with another resident.
As a result of attending floor meetings, residents will gain an understanding of campus policies and procedures.
learning outcome 2:
learning outcome 4:
As a result of participating in campus events, residents will become familiar with the Stevenson community and begin to develop an affinity to the institution.
As a result of community interactions, residents will be able to recognize difference in other community members.
learning goal 2:
learning outcome 1:
learning outcome 3:
Residents will display growth in their moral and ethical reasoning.
As a result of participating in events, residents will be able to articulate the four core Stevenson values.
As a result of Professional Staff interactions, residents will be able to identify issues with their decision making process and identify one way to improve it.
learning outcome 2:
learning outcome 4:
As a result of attending floor meetings, residents will be able to identify five Residence Life policies.
As a result of participating in a conduct process, residents will be able to define and articulate the impact of their behavior on the community.
narrative: Residents become a part of the campus community, developing relationships with faculty, staff, and peers. Additionally, residents will develop respect and understanding of members’ differences, continuing the culture of acceptance at SU.
narrative: Residents will identify personal and institutional values to guide their decision making. Furthermore, they will develop a sense of personalaccountability by understanding and adhering to community policies and procedures.
stage 1: First year Area learning goal 3:
learning outcome 1:
learning outcome 3:
Residents will integrate their academic discipline and co-curricular experiences.
As a result of participatingin floor meetings, residents will be able to name and locate residence hall spaces that support their academics.
As a result of participating in a Faculty in the Halls event, residents will be able to develop connections with faculty outside the classroom.
learning outcome 2:
learning outcome 4:
As a result of Residence Life Professional Staff initiatives, residents will be able to recognize nonacademic resources.
As a result of participating in events, residents will be able to differentiate between educational and social events.
learning goal 4:
learning outcome 1:
learning outcome 3:
Residents will identify and use personal strengths in the pursuit of academic and personal achievements.
As a result of Mustang Meetups, residents will be able to engage in the campus community by identifying one organization on campus that meets their personal interests.
As a result of participating in events, residents will be able to identify and further develop one personal strength.
learning outcome 2:
learning outcome 4:
As a result of engaging with Residence Life Professional Staff, residents will be able to name two on campus leadership positions.
As a result of community interactions, residents will be able to recognize and acknowledge excellence in themselves.
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narrative: Residents will take advantage of opportunities to apply their academic curriculum to experiences in the residence halls. Additionally, residents will recognize the residence halls as a comfortable environment to continue learning.
narrative: Through exploration of personal interests, residents will develop strengths and find a sense of purpose in the community. Residents will feel encouraged to recognize and expand their capacity for leadership.
stage 2: upperclass suites learning goal 1:
learning outcome 1:
learning outcome 3:
Residents will exhibit citizenship and an understanding of local and global community.
As a result of facilitating their own roommate agreements residents will gain skills negotiating with others and verbalizing their needs.
As a result of attending floor meetings residents will be more knowledgeable about campus policies & be positive members of the SU community resulting in a 10% decrease in policy violations.
learning outcome 2:
learning outcome 4:
As a result of engaging in the greater Baltimore community through service events residents will gain an understanding of the local community.
As a result of community interactions residents will be able to self-reflect and identify their personal bias.
learning goal 2:
learning outcome 1:
learning outcome 3:
Residents will display growth in their moral and ethical reasoning.
As a result of attending events, residents will be able to identify three personal values.
As a result of Professional Staff interactions, residents will analyze their decision making process and implement at least one change to improve it.
learning outcome 2:
learning outcome 4:
As a result of attending floor meetings, residents will be aware of Residence Life policies and employ self-accountability.
As a result of participating in a conduct process residents will self-reflect on their behavior and employ one strategy to remedy the impact of their behavior.
narrative: Residents become a part of the campus community, developing relationships with faculty, staff, and peers. Additionally, residents will develop respect and understanding of members’ differences, continuing the culture of acceptance at SU.
narrative: Residents will identify personal and institutional values to guide their decision making. Furthermore, they will develop a sense of personalaccountability by understanding and adhering to community policies and procedures.
stage 2: upperclass suites learning goal 3:
learning outcome 1:
learning outcome 3:
Residents will integrate their academic discipline and co-curricular experiences.
As a result of participating in lounge study hours, residents will utilize the lounges within the residence halls at least once per week.
As a result of participating in a Faculty in the Halls event, residents will be able to integrate their academic, residential, and social experiences with Faculty.
learning outcome 2:
learning outcome 4:
As a result of Residence Life Professional Staff initiatives, residents will seek out and utilize nonacademic resources.
As a result of participating in educational events, residents will be ableto recognize learning in co-curricular experiences.
learning goal 4:
learning outcome 1:
learning outcome 3:
Residents will identify and use personal strengths in the pursuit of academic and personal achievements.
As a result of Mustang Meetups, residents will become engaged members of the SU community by participating in at least one campus organization that meets their personal interests.
As a result of participating in events, residents will be able to utilize one personal strength to positively contribute to the campus community.
learning outcome 2:
learning outcome 4:
AAs a result of engaging with Faculty and Staff, residents will be able to identify a leadership or internship position within their desired field of study.
As a result of community interactions, residents will be able to encourage others to pursue opportunities to utilize strengths to achieve excellence.
narrative: Residents will take advantage of opportunities to apply their academic curriculum to experiences in the residence halls. Additionally, residents will recognize the residence halls as a comfortable environment to continue learning.
narrative: Through exploration of personal interests, residents will develop strengths and find a sense of purpose in the community. Residents will feel encouraged to recognize and expand their capacity for leadership.
stage 3: apartments learning goal 1:
learning outcome 1:
learning outcome 3:
Residents will exhibit citizenship and an understanding of local and global community.
As a result of completing the previous two stages, residents will have the skills and experience to set guidelines and boundaries for living with others independently from RA led interactions.
As a resident of Resident Assistant’s door to doors meetings, residents will understand and be able to articulate the rationale behind major campus policies including but not limited to alcohol, noise and guest policies.
learning outcome 2:
learning outcome 4:
As a result of participating in residence hall events, residents will be able to critically discuss issues within their local and global communities.
As a result of continued community interactions, residents will develop a level of respect for people of different background, cultures and views.
learning goal 2:
learning outcome 1:
learning outcome 3:
Residents will display growth in their moral and ethical reasoning.
As a result of attending events, residents will be able to integrate both personal and Stevenson values into their decision making.
As a result of Professional Staff interactions, residents will be able to discuss decision making with their peers and provide advice.
learning outcome 2:
learning outcome 4:
As a result of door to door meetings, residents will be aware of Residence Life policies and employ peer accountability.
As a result of participating in a conduct process, there will be a 10% decrease in second time policy offenders.
narrative: Residents become a part of the campus community, developing relationships with faculty, staff, and peers. Additionally, residents will develop respect and understanding of members’ differences, continuing the culture of acceptance at SU.
narrative: Residents will identify personal and institutional values to guide their decision making. Furthermore, they will develop a sense of personalaccountability by understanding and adhering to community policies and procedures.
stage 3: apartments learning goal 3:
learning outcome 1:
learning outcome 3:
Residents will integrate their academic discipline and co-curricular experiences.
As a result of participating in lounge study hours, residents will be able to identify their lounges as co-curriculuar learning spaces.
As a result of having participated in Faculty in the Halls events, residents will be able to create and utilize faculty connections to further their academic pursuits.
learning outcome 2:
learning outcome 4:
As a result of Residence Life Professional Staff initiatives, residents will refer other residents to nonacademic resources.
As a result of participating in educational events, residents will be able to apply their cocurricular experiences to their academic curriculum.
learning goal 4:
learning outcome 1:
learning outcome 3:
Residents will identify and use personal strengths in the pursuit of academic and personal achievements.
As a result of Mustang Meetups, residents will be able to verbally reflect on their involvement and identify ways for themselves to become campus leaders.
As a result of participating in events, residents will be able to identify their contributions to the campus community.
learning outcome 2:
learning outcome 4:
As a result of engaging with Faculty and Staff, residents will secure a leadership or internship position within their desired field of study. *Career Architecture*
As a result of community interactions, residents will be able to recognize and praise others within their community.
narrative: Residents will take advantage of opportunities to apply their academic curriculum to experiences in the residence halls. Additionally, residents will recognize the residence halls as a comfortable environment to continue learning.
narrative: Through exploration of personal interests, residents will develop strengths and find a sense of purpose in the community. Residents will feel encouraged to recognize and expand their capacity for leadership.
RA STRATEGIES
Ra strategies mustang meetups Intentional conversations are the foundation of Residential Curriculum. Mustang Meetups are one on one conversations between a Resident Assistant and a resident. They can occur anywhere on campus and should be around 20 minutes in length. For each round of MMUs, RAs will be a given a lesson plan with a learning goal and outcomes and suggested questions to help guide the conversation. RAs will then write a one paragraph summary of trends they see on the floor and email their Resident Director the one paragraph Trend Report no later than 8:00am on the due dates seen below. Further information on how to write a Trend Report will be covered during RA Training. »» Move in Day: Monday, September 25th 2017 by 8:00am »» October 23, 2016- Monday, November 20th 2017 by 8:00am »» January 22, 2017- Monday, February 26th 2018 by 8:00am »» March 5, 2017- Monday, April 16th 2018 by 8:00am
bulletin boards Bulletin boards are a great way to communicate our Residential Curriculum learning goals in a fun, creative way. RAs will be given a lesson plan with detailed instructions as to what learning goal and outcome should be used. RAs should be creative in their thinking and planning. Please reach out to your Resident Director with your ideas before you create your board. Due dates are below: »» Monday August 21st, 2017 by 8:00am »» Monday October 2, 2017 by 8:00am »» Monday November 6th 2017 by 8:00am »» Monday December 4th, 2017 by 8:00am »» Saturday January 20th 2018 by 8:00am »» Monday March 5th, 2018 by 8:00am »» Monday April 2nd, 2018 by 8:00am »» May: (TBD Closing Board)
Ra strategies community boards Community boards are in each building/ floor and should be a designated spot to place flyers from different events and clubs on campus. All flyers must be approved by the Assistant Vice President for Residence Life and Housing, Dr. Sarah Mansfield. RAs should update their boards consistently; taking down old flyers and replacing with new ones as they arrive in mailboxes.
community builders Monthly community builders are another way to build relationships and connections on your floor/ in your building. These community builders can be a consistent activity or a new activity each month. RAs will describe their plans for their monthly community builders in their weekly reports and during one on one meetings with their Resident Director. Some examples of community builders are: »» Dinner with your residents in Rockland »» Creating a monthly newsletter »» Taking residents to various events/speakers on campus »» Going on a hike »» Completing a service activity on or off campus »» “Reverse trick or treating” »» Floor wars RAs are also encouraged to collaborate with others RAs in their building, area and across campus to come up with ways to get their residents connected to Stevenson and the Baltimore community.
weekly reports Weekly reports are a way for the RAs to communicate with the RD about what is happening on their floor/building. This is a chance for the RD to check in with the RA about what is happening in their life and the RA role. Weekly reports offer an opportunity for RAs to add items to the staff meeting agenda for that week and acknowledge the hard work of other RAs. Weekly reports are due every Monday morning at 8am.
Ra strategies floor meetings (door to doors) Floor meetings are not just a way to communicate information to residents but also a great way to build community amongst the floor. A prepared lesson plan will be provided for each of the floor meetings, which will occur in the months of August, December, January, and May. Apartment RAs will complete door to door visits of their residents’ apartments to review the agenda information. It is expected that RAs: »» Advertise for the meeting (Notify your residents/schedule) »» Have all residents sign in »» Cover all agenda items »» Follow up with any residents who missed the meeting
roommate agreements Facilitated by the RAs in the first year area. In the Upperclass Suites and Apartments it is expected the residents complete their own roommate agreements. If the residents would prefer a Resident Assistant to facilitate a Roommate Agreement that can and should be arranged by the RA. The Roommate Agreement will be available as a guide should the residents need to refer to the document later in the year.
events The building or area events occur twice per semester and are one of the main responsibilities of the RA staff. The building or area events will follow the learning goals as detailed in the Lesson Plan provided. When thinking about events, think about what your residents need/want and then come up with a plan to meet those needs. Do not think of an events and try and fit a learning goal around the event. All events must be active events in all three communities, First Year Area, Upperclass Suites & Apartments.
of the month nominations OTM’s are a way to recognize a person, program or a group of people. They provide recognition to a person, groups and programs that might not be otherwise recognized. OTMs serve to congratulate and acknowledge the positive accomplishments of the campus community while also encouraging continued effort and even greater achievement. OTMs make people feel good! A short essay describing the outstanding achievements during the past month is what constitutes as a OTM submission. OTM’s are always due at 11:59PM on the last day of the month. You can find the form here: https://otms.nrhh.org/form_general.php3
Resident Assistant TRAINING & Participation Requirements trainings & in services
health & safety inspections
These sessions are important to developing RA skills as they directly impact their success in implementing the Residential Curriculum.
These inspections generally occur the third week of the fall and spring semesters. The purpose of these inspections is to ensure residents are following our policies, procedures, and meeting our residential standards. Further detailed instructions surrounding these inspections may be found in your RA manual.
»» Trainings will be held in August and January. »» In Services will occur the first Tuesday of every month, excluding the months of August and January. It is expected all RAs are present and engaged during the sessions.
move in & transfer move in Move In is a fantastic opportunity to make an initial connection with residents. By assisting with this process RAs will gain a deeper understanding of the administrative duties of an RA as well.
orientation activities An important piece of the RA job is to support and attend a variety of campus events and activities. By participating in orientation activities RAs will meet new residents, build connections between numerous RAs, and also become more familiar with professional staff in other campus offices.
closings All RAs are required to assist with all hall closings: Thanksgiving, Winter Break, Spring Break, and End of Year.
homecoming Just like Orientation activities it is important to support our institutional initiatives. By playing a larger role in Homecoming we hope to encourage our residents to have a greater sense of school pride and spirit. RAs play a key role in encouraging your residents to participate and attend Homecoming activities. There will be a minimum activity requirement for all RAs during Homecoming week.
various residence life sponsored events All RAs are required to attend or participate in numerous Residence Life sponsored events including, but not limited to: »» Accepted Students Day »» Housing Selection Processes »» Residence Life Banquet Please refer to your mandatory dates form for more information.
professional staff initiatives resident director office hours Resident Directors will offer more flexible hours Tuesday-Thursday from 10am-6pm to better serve the residents. The switch in hours will allow Resident Directors the opportunity to meet with more residents and also further engage with the residents within their communities. Please double check with your RD for their specific flex day.
conduct process While the conduct process is not a new initiative implemented by Resident Directors it is important to incorporate the Residential Curriculum into the conduct process. Multiple learning goals of the curriculum connect to the conduct process and Resident Directors will use the conduct process to further educate students, while also helping them to further develop their decision making skills.
faculty in the halls programming The Faculty in the Halls initiative began in the Fall of 2013 and has become an excellent way to engage residents and faculty outside of the classroom. Currently this initiative exists in the First Year Area and Upperclass Suites. Resident Directors will continue to work with faculty through this initiative to engage residents in faculty programming in the residence halls. Generally faculty hold evening hours once per week in their designated buildings and offer at least one program each month.
sample lesson plan
Upperclass Suites & Apartments Strategy: Mustang Meetups Due Date: Monday September 26, 2016-- 8:00am
learning goal and intended outcomes S2LG1: Residents will exhibit citizenship and an understanding of local and global community. Through Mustang Meetups RAs will make the first connections with their residents.
purpose/objective Meet all residents, start building connections right away. During this round of MMUs get to know what your residents are looking for in a community. Some of your residents have already built connections to SU and some have not.
facilitator’s guide Clearly describe in detail the instructions for the implementer. Preparation Notes »» Review questions provided »» Edit the questions to sound like you »» Have your RD review your questions Detailed Implementation »» Figure out how you’d like to schedule your MMUs (email, knock door to door etc..) »» Will you advertise MMUs on your floor or in you building? »» Schedule your meetups (in the lounge, RA room, resident room, Jazzmans, campus event?) »» Meet with each assigned residents for at least 20 minutes »» After each meetup jot down some notes for your Trend Report »» Submit Trend Report to your RD via email by Monday September 26th at 8:00am
Assessment Technique »» Write a 1-paragraph summary detailing the trends you have seen from your interactions. »» Submit to your RD via email by 8:00am on Monday September 26th Follow Up »» Address any immediate students of concerns with your RD or the RD on call »» Chat with your CO about trends, non-immediate concerns, interesting facts etc…
sample lesson plan
provided questions: 1. What does community mean to you? How has living in a community environment impacted your experience at Stevenson so far? 2. What is most challenging about living in community? Do you think there are ways to improve it? 3. How do you handle conflict between roommates/ people on the floor/building? 4. What do you want to see in our community this year? 5. What excites you most about living in ______(your residence hall/floor)_____?
mustang meetup trend report example 1: During these mustang meet ups I noticed two trends. The first trend was the adjective difference between majors used to describe their strengths. I noticed majors that were in the field of healthcare such as psychology, education, and nursing used words such as empathy, caring, and social as their greatest strengths. Majors such as biology, law, and CIS used words like determination, persistence, and discipline. It was interesting to see the word choice since the humanities seem to have external motivation (other people) while the sciences and law have internal motivation. This could be a clue as to why people choose he majors they do. More study is needed. The second trend I noticed is the month of April seems to be a very busy month academically across all majors. Final papers and projects are due in the next couple weeks as the semester comes to a close. Even though there is a higher pressure to complete work, there seems to be a more joyful air to the residents than last mustang meetup. I have two theories for this. Either it’s the warmer weather that is lifting everyone’s spirits, or the anticipation of the semester is almost over. Most of the stress from the beginning of the semester is fearing the potential work load. Now we know what to expect and, in my opinion, it makes it easier to deal with a big work load when you actually know how big the work load is.
mustang meetup trend report example 2: Talking with my residents for this first round of Mustang Meetups, I have found that several prominent trends are apparent amongst our floor. First, many people seem to feel trapped within the friend groups they have made for themselves the last year or so. They are comfortable with the group of people they live with, but many of my meetups dealt with the desire to find more people to interact with on campus. Some people feel extremely awkward approaching the situation, and may need the help of friends or school events to find new people more easily. Another trend I noticed was how several residents kept concerns and pressures quiet until they were asked about them. Besides friend issues, one resident admitted to struggling with both depression and academic strain. Since residents have been on campus for some time, I feel like many residents feel like they have few places to turn to because upperclass suites aren’t pushed as hard to be aware of their resources. While the students aren’t freshmen anymore, I still think we need to keep an eye on our older residents to make sure they know who they can turn to. Among our transfer students, many of them expressed positive remarks on how much more involved campus was compared to their community colleges and previous colleges. While most of them are still trying to adjust and make more friends, many of them expressed optimism on taking advantage of the conveniences and opportunities available to them on campus. They seem like they could use similar attention as given to freshmen, so that they can continue to flourish on campus and find more reasons to stay. Overall, residents may have found friend groups, but many of them feel trapped in these groups not sure how to expand themselves. Residents should be approached more directly to identify their personal problems. Transfer students may need additional attention to continue to acclimate them to a four-year institution setting.
MONTH BY MONTH RA REQUIREMENTS GUIDE august/september
november
march
»» Fall Training
»» In Service
»» In Service
»» Bulletin Board
»» Weekly Report
»» Weekly Report
»» Weekly Report
»» Bulletin Board
»» Bulletin Board
»» Community Board
»» Community Board
»» Community Board
»» Floor Meeting (August)
»» Mustang Meetups
»» Lounge Study Hours
»» Mustang Meetups
»» Lounge Study Hours
»» Orientation Activities »» Roommate Agreements (FYA and as needed in Upperclass Suites and Apartments) »» Lounge Study Hours
(Weekly) »» Building or Area Event (if applicable) »» Thanksgiving Closing
december
(Weekly) »» Area or Building Event (if applicable) »» Spring Break Closing
april »» In Service
»» In Service
»» Weekly Report
»» Weekly Report
»» Bulletin Board
»» Bulletin Board
»» Community Board
»» In Service
»» Community Board
»» Mustang Meetups
»» Health & Safety
»» Lounge Study Hours
»» Lounge Study Hours
(Weekly) »» Building or Area Event (if applicable)
Inspections
october »» Weekly Report »» In Service
(Weekly) »» Floor Meeting »» Winter Break Closing
january/february
(Weekly) »» Building or Area Event
may »» In Service
»» Bulletin Board
»» Winter Training
»» Weekly Report
»» Community Board
»» Weekly Report
»» Bulletin Board
»» Lounge Study Hours
»» Bulletin Board
»» Community Board
»» Community Board
»» Lounge Study Hours
(Weekly) »» Building or Area Event (if applicable) »» Homecoming
»» Transfer Move In
(Weekly)
»» Floor Meeting (January)
»» Floor Meeting
»» Mustang Meetups
»» Building or Area Event
»» Lounge Study Hours (Weekly) »» Building or Area Event (if applicable)
(if applicable) »» End of Year Closing