The newsletter of the Ontario association of college and university housing officers May 2020
President’s Message
The Culture of Catastrophizing
Coming Home from a Ruff Day
Board of Directors PRESIDENT
Valerie Bruce Ryerson University vbruce@ryerson.ca
PRESIDENT ELECT / FINANCE DIRECTOR
Diane Rawlings University of Windsor rawlin1@uwindsor.ca
PAST PRESIDENT
Ian Crookshank Humber College Ian.Crookshank@humber.ca
CONFRENCE DIRECTOR
Lauren Gouchie University of Ottawa lgouchie@uottawa.ca
CORPORATE PARTNER RELATIONS DIRECTOR
Shaun McCracken Trent University shaunmccracken@trentu.ca
ADVANCED MEMBER AT LARGE
Steph Cullen University of Waterloo slcullen@uwaterloo.ca
COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR
MEMBER AT LARGE
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
MEMBER AT LARGE
MEMBERSHIP ENGAGEMENT DIRECTOR
ASSOCIATION MANAGER
Daniel Brisebois University of Guelph dbrisebo@uoguelph.ca
Stewart Grunwell University of Guelph sgrunwel@uoguelph.ca
Kamadchi Karunanandan University of Waterloo Kamadchi.karunanandan@ uwaterloo.ca
Derek Worden Western University dworden@housing.uwo.ca
Stacey Phelps University of Waterloo sphelps@uwaterloo.ca
Carol Ford OACUHO info@oacuho.com
President’s Message
Hello OACUHO Members, The last few months have been a lot for many of us. I hope you are well, and have had a chance to take a breath or have found some aspects of joy through this difficult time. Similar to our last issue, this edition of "The Pulse” is not themed; rather, focused on how members are altering operations and processes to meet the needs during COVID. My hope is this issue allows you to learn how our colleagues are taking this time to review and adapt residence offerings and programs to continue to support students and our residence communities. While I will miss seeing so many of you in person during what would have been our Spring conference next month in Ottawa, we will be hosting a virtual AGM on June 25 10:30am. We will be updating the membership on the Board of Directors' work, and also welcome our new 20-21 board. We hope you can join us. On this note, I am so thankful for our 19-20 Board for their hard work and dedication to the association over the past year As some of you know, OACUHO has lost a colleague and a friend to many of us—Tammy Brown—who lost her battle with cancer. Tammy was a student leader at the University of Guelph, and worked professionally in residence life at the University of Windsor before moving to Brock University, where she was the Manager of Residence Life before being appointed to Manager, Admissions and Administration On a personal note, Tammy was one of the people I met at my first OACUHO conference. Since, Tammy always greeted me with a big smile, checked-in on how things were going, and always created a space to share advice. Tammy was so kind, always ready to have a laugh, and so deeply cared for our work in supporting students. On behalf of OACUHO, we send our deepest condolences to her family, our colleagues at Brock, and others who knew and connected with Tammy. Take Care, Valerie
COVID-19 Updates from the Board of Directors Throughout the past few weeks our day to day life and idea of what ‘normal’ looks like has continued to be challenged and transformed as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve. The Board of Directors has been working to help assist the membership in any way that we can to help provide a sense of normality or provide direction where possible. With that being said we wanted to highlight a few different events and initiatives that the membership can expect to see: 1) Virtual Annual General Meeting (AGM) Though we will not be able to connect in person we will still be making time to provide the membership updates on some of the work that the Board of Directors has performed throughout the last year. This year we will be hosting a virtual AGM on Thursday June 25th, 2020 from 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM. Please be sure to set this time aside in your calendars to join us. More information such as the Board of Directors AGM report, past meeting minutes and information on how to join the meeting will soon be circulated to the membership. 2) OACUHO Strategic Planning As you might remember, this year the Board of Directors has been working through our Strategic Planning process to create a plan to help guide the directives of our association for the next few years. In light of the recent events with the development of COVID-19, the Board of Directors has recognized that some of the needs of our membership may change, even if it is on a short term basis. Due to this, the Board of Directors will be conducting a membership survey to assess some of the more immediate needs of our association as we continue to navigate our housing climate together throughout this pandemic. In the coming weeks you may see a membership survey circulated to help the Board of Directors determine how to best support the needs of the association at this time. 3) Online Professional Development Opportunities With the absence of the Spring Conference this summer, one initiative that the Board of Directors wanted to start was the presence of more online professional development opportunities. Every year members within our association help to elevate our profession to new levels. We are hoping that this year in lieu of being able to present at the Spring Conference that you will choose to present a presentation online. If you are interested in presenting, all you will have to do is fill out a form stating your interest and one of the members of our Board of Directors will work with you to set a date for your presentation and circulate information to the membership. You can sign up to facilitate a presentation by submitting the following form: https://uoguelph.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6tyArJ9G6GZnXQ9
4) Online Forums The phrase ‘unprecedented times’ has been spoken quite frequently over the last two months. Now, more than ever each of our institutions has been faced with a daunting task of preparing for the year ahead, not knowing what things will look like come September. This has led to institutions making changes to their occupancy management, training requirements and many other sectors within our operations. Throughout these challenges, communication between institutions has proven to be a large asset. In order to make this easier for everyone within our association we have created a Pandemic forum that is accessible on the OACUHO website. To access these forums you will need to log into the website using your credentials and then select “Member Forums” on the right hand menu. We encourage each institution to share their questions that they are facing and to help share information where possible in order to help create the best housing environments possible throughout our institutions for the coming year. As needs within our association continue to rise we too will continue to look at ways that we can serve the association through this unprecedented time.
The Culture of Catastrophizing “If we expect the worst, then we can prevent it”. “Nothing good ever happens”. “Either I do it right, or not at all”. We have all heard these before. Whether in our professional or personal lives, maladaptive thought patterns are prevalent in the way we view the world, ourselves, and our shortcomings. If we are unsuccessful in one thing, this must create a ripple effect in other areas of our life. We should accept that we are a failure. If we know we can’t do something perfectly, we may as well not try at all, in order to avoid disappointment. Cognitive distortions and irrational thoughts during times of stress, anxiety, or uncertainty are prevalent tendencies that professionals encounter each day. Whether operating a front desk, managing room assignments/room changes, providing professional counselling, or responding to on-call situations - it is all too common for professionals to interact with and support students while they are engaging in unhelpful thought patterns. Oftentimes, due to the nature of their work, professionals can also find themselves leaning into this type of thinking. This culture of catastrophic and irrational thinking is so ingrained in who we are, how we view ourselves, and how we move through the world (Beck, 1964). Even when we recognize an irrational thought, either in ourselves or a student, it can be difficult to understand where they are coming from, and how to effectively dismantle them. Yet, cognitive distortions are just that - thoughts that alter our perception and force us to make assumptions about our reality. As professionals who serve and coach students, we must first have the knowledge and resources to recognize and challenge these cognitive distortions within ourselves. This article will touch upon some methods in which we can identify these thoughts and will provide a few resources to begin to effectively dismantle this type of thinking. As Beck (1964) states, catastrophic thinking is a habitual response. It is in our human nature to respond to challenges by information seeking - in an attempt to protect us. It aims to shelter us from uncertainty or disappointment by constantly “preparing for or expecting the worst”. It uses fear as a primary motivator to ensure we meet the deadline, study for the exam, and cross the items we were dreading off our to-do lists.
Yet, cognitive distortions invite both anxiety and depression when our thinking forces us to imagine a future that is hopeless, disappointing, or challenging (Crews & Harrison, 1995). No one is immune to the reality of distorted thinking and catastrophizing. Who hasn’t made the all-too-common error of being overly critical of their efforts after a tough night oncall? I know I have. It is natural to slip into this type of distorted thinking after any minor or perceived error at work. As we begin to understand the definition and relevance to cognitive distortions in our daily work, the question inevitably evolves towards “and then what”? Unsurprisingly, research suggests the best way for students to work through issues tied to cognitive distortions is to seek professional help - but this is certainly far from the only option. This next section aims to outline ways in which you can work with cognitive distortions in both your students, and yourself. Cognitive distortions are not something to be avoided or shamed. Their existence reminds us nothing more than that we are human. As helpers we are far from impervious to the uncomfortably powerful emotions of anxiety and fear, and our greatest asset to students is acknowledgement. While we may not be able to bring a magical solution to the problem, we can provide the normalization and validation of experience. A battle with someone’s anxiety usually leads to a glorious set of rabbit holes entitled “yes, but”. But what if we take the step back? What does it mean to instead help students recognize where their brain may be coming from, and provide possible alternatives? Hopefully, a higher chance of success. These were, after all, leading questions. So, what are some suggestions for individuals working with cognitive distortions? Great question, here are three:
1. Education - A saying in therapy is “if you can name it, you can tame it”. While oversimplified, it speaks to the importance of education when working with cognitive distortions. By taking the time to learn about what may be happening in our brains, and teaching this to students, you are already making a difference (Hu, 2019). By giving the name “catastrophizing” you are implicitly giving the gift of normalization and validation. 2. Encouraging self care & self soothing- The major difference between self care and self soothing is timing. Self care is proactive. Self soothing is reactive. Both are valid. Self care prepares us for upcoming stress and uncertainty. Sleeping, eating, exercising - generally listening to what our body, mind, and soul needs a week from today. If you are like me, it is as necessary as it is boring. It nourishes us to be able to work with anxiety, rather than exist in anxiety. Self soothing happens when our stress and cognitive distortions have caught up to us. To be human is to not be able to tell the future. To not be able to tell the future can be overwhelming. When we have noticed in our students or in ourselves that we are living in cognitive distortions, what do we need to bring instant relief? A bath? A walk? A hug? Putting on your headphones and listening to the power of love by Celine Dion? This looks different for each person - but taking the time to think this through and have them accessible can be a huge help. 3. Mindfulness based activities - Disclaimer: I struggle with mindfulness. Until recently I didn’t discuss it at all in my practice, as I didn’t practice it myself. A common misconception with mindfulness is that it is the chore of sitting still. But mindfulness is so much more than sitting still. It is the practice of taking a cognitive step back (Shaprio, 2006). It is deciding that having a thought is very different from thinking. Teaching ways that students can ground both their bodies and minds is a wonderful tool for working with cognitive distortions. What next? I hope this is not a spoiler to anyone, but we are currently experiencing an unprecedented pandemic. If you currently are not feeling higher levels of stress, I envy you. I also question you, but let’s focus on envy. As a population we fall harder into cognitive distortions when we are in periods of high uncertainty and low control. This is currently my life. This is currently our student’s lives. This is currently our staff’s lives. So, what do we do next? We could try to answer this question: but we are only two people. Instead we pass the question off to you. What are your and/or your institutions plans for helping to support staff, student staff and students through this highly stressful time? Are there topics you would like to learn more about to aid in this?
You’ve managed to read this far - why not continue the conversation by considering these questions and contacting us at brittany.scowen@carleton.ca & jason.summers@queensu.ca •
What does this mean for you as we exist in, and approach upcoming, periods of high stress?
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What does this look like for our institutions in periods of uncertainty?
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What would you like to learn more about, in relation to this topic?
Further Reading Considerations: 1. “Thinking Traps” Anxiety BC https://www.anxietycanada.com/articles/thinking-traps/ 2. “Self Care” vs. “Self Comfort” and why you need both https://graceandlightness.com/what-is-self-comfort/ (this author calls self comfort, what we have labeled as self soothing). What is Mindfulness? And how to be more mindful. https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/click-herehappiness/201902/what-is-mindfulness-and-how-be-more-mindful References: Beck, A. T. (1964). Thinking and depression. Archives of General Psychiatry, 10, 561-571. Crews, W. D., & Harrison, D. W. (1995). The Neuropsychology of Depression and its Implications for Cognitive Therapy. Neuropsychology Review, 5(2), 93–99. Hu, K.S., Chibnall, J.T. & Slavin, S.J. (2019). Maladaptive Perfectionism, Impostorism, and Cognitive Distortions: Threats to the Mental Health of Pre-clinical Medical Students. Acad Psychiatry 43, 381–385. Shapiro, S.L., Carlson, L.E., Astin, J.A., Freedman, B. (2006) Mechanisms of mindfulness. Inc. J Clin Psychol 62: 373–386, 2006. Unhelpful Thinking Styles. (2020, March 14). Retrieved April 15, 2020, from https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/unhelpful-thinking-styles/
Jason Summers Residence Outreach Counsellor Queen’s University Britt Scowen Residence Manager Carleton University
Mentorship Highlight The OACUHO Membership Engagement Committee presents Mentorship Highlight! Mentorship Highlight is an opportunity for a Professional Mentor/Mentee pairing to share their experience and provide any tips and tricks that helped build their relationship. Mentors and Mentees are also welcome to provide a photo. Our May Mentorship Highlight is Kate Murray and Stephanie Reinhardt!
A mentoring relationship provides collaborative and experiential learning and may possibly be one of the most developmentally important relationships a person can experience in adulthood. - Breda Bova Kate and Stephanie were first matched through the OACUHO Mentorship program in Fall 2016 when Stephanie was a student at WLU. Stephanie was initially nervous to be paired with a Director but excited to learn from Kate. During our first chat we learned we had much in common as Kate had previously worked at WLU so we were able to connect about the Golden Hawk experience. Stephanie decided to seek a mentor because she was curious about what a career in Residence Life could look like and was looking for someone that had the experience of working at another institution that could share perspective. We connected monthly for an hour over FaceTime as the mentorship continued to develop. From the beginning, we’ve used the “3 R’s”: Responsible, Respectful and Ready; confidentiality and trust, commitment to engage, to follow through, self awareness (what are both parties looking for? Do our goals align? Clear expectations of what the mentorship is and isn’t). Our focus became Stephanie’s interest in a paraprofessional opportunity and how to transfer a student staff experience to a professional role. Kate and Stephanie chatted about resume building, interview skills, and transitioning out of a student staff role. Upon Stephanie’s graduation, our studentstaff mentorship was to formally end in April of 2017. However, we chose to continue our mentorship relationship as Stephanie transitioned into first a paraprofessional role at UBC and then a professional staff role at McMaster as we continue to enjoy our chats and learning from each other. Our chats focused on leadership skills, performance management, higher ed opportunities and supporting students. Kate’s experience at WLU and UBC were helpful to Stephanie in navigating the transition between institutions. After 2 years of FaceTime connection, we were able to meet in person which helped to further our connection. Building on our mentor relationship, we submitted a program proposal to the OACUHO Spring Conference and presented the session “Getting More Out of Your Mentor” in 2018. This was an opportunity for us to really reflect on what made our relationship successful and to also work through the process of submitting a session proposal for a professional conference, make professional connections and improve presentation skills.
Here are some things that have worked for us: Mentor • • • • •
Follow through and check-in Be open and direct Be supportive but also ask the hard questions Coach, but don’t direct Focus on individualization
Mentee • • • • •
Practice self-awareness Be reflective Be open to feedback Articulate goals of mentorship Assume responsibility for own growth and development
We continue to connect on matters happening at our own institutions - student wellness trends, professional development opportunities, and changing residence curriculum just to name a few. We’ve now been connecting for 4 years and have been able to diversify our conversation as roles have changed. The best tip the pair has for continued mentorship is to keep changing the conversation and come prepared with what you want to talk about. Stephanie finds it helpful to make an on-going list of topics that have interested her in the past month and then talk about it with Kate. We have both found that mentorship has been instrumental in our professional development and we strongly encourage you to consider investing time in developing a meaningful relationship. If you would like to be featured in a future edition of the Pulse with a picture or article of your Professional Mentorship experience, please contact our Membership Engagement Director Kamadchi Karunanandan at: k4karuna@uwaterloo.ca.
Kate Murray Director, Residence Life Queen’s University Stephanie Reinhardt Residence Life Area Coordinator McMaster University
Living On in the Time of the Pandemic As a student housing professional, I have lived on campus the entirety of my career across four different campuses across Canada. I think it is fair to say that those of us in live-on roles can easily say that we have seen it all. Early in my time at MacEwan University, we had an incident involving someone releasing Frontiersman Bear Spray on a floor at 2 AM. The RAs on rounds walked right into the bear spray and experienced all the symptoms one might imagine would come from that. Frontiersman bear spray being discharged in a residence community is not something I had not experienced before nor again since that moment. In the last several months, though, our entire field has been dealt a significant challenge. Working through the impacts of the pandemic on our communities of practice has resulted in a daily reset on expectations, processes, timelines, staffing, and most importantly, student's on-campus experience. Most recently, I have had the privilege of working at the University of Manitoba in one of the traditional style residence buildings, University College Residence. Opened in 1962, UCR is as traditional as it comes with common washrooms, floor lounges and a community kitchen, and even 1950's style phone booths in the hallways (minus the payphones of course). Additionally, UCR houses a predominantly international student population with residents from all over the world. When the pandemic began, it became clear that these common areas and the building HVAC would necessitate the consolidation of all residents from UCR to another building on campus. This newer building has designs that provide a space for students to isolate safely and also ensure the integrity of the health and wellness of the community. Beyond the consolidation, however, it became evident that we would need to implement an enhanced level of support to assist this population of students. Early in the pandemic, students indicated that their governments had shared that if the student was currently safe, that they should not return to their home countries. Others reported that flights were repeatedly cancelled, some at the last minute, and had spent days travelling to and from the airport trying to get on a flight home. Many, who had not applied for summer residence before the pandemic was declared were now scared that they would be asked to leave residence without an alternative place to stay. The uncertainty of it all was compounding itself in the minds of residents, and we were very concerned for the mental health and wellbeing of students who might be further self-isolating and struggling while attempting to shift their entire academic mindset to an online experience. These concerns became even more complex, given that all we gave all Residence Life Staff permission to return home, thereby upending the cornerstone of our residence life program and shifted all community building and response to the live-in professional staff. If ever there were a perfect storm that intersected with all areas of our work simultaneously while radically changing the landscape, resources, policies, practices, occupancy, and staffing every day for months on end, this is it. Throughout my career, I have often mentioned the power of the pivot. The idea that when a hurdle comes at you, the emotionally intelligent response is not to duck, but to shift your mindset to allow the challenge to flow through you, teach you something along the way, and give you the necessary skill to respond to that same hurdle again. Much like the bear spray, though, this wasn't something that was predicted by a long shot. A long term emergency, though, can be seen as a burden or an opportunity to approach our work as live-in staff think differently. My approach to this was to immediately engage with the residence community and offer phone/email/video chat for those that may be having a rough go of things. We determined that the security of a Zoom call wasn't sufficient to be dealing with students of concern and so we readjusted to phone and email. Another critical link was to ensure our campus
partner's resources were also shared and that those connections reiterated as frequently as possible. We looked to colleagues across OACUHO to gauge what community standards best practices might look like with regards to social distancing, common spaces, and enforcing health recommendations. Finally, throughout assisting the consolidation process and the front desk, as well as twice-daily trips to the dining hall, it was essential to check in with residents, notice and name concerns, and refer to resources. Sometimes it was a 2-minute conversation; other times, it was a follow-up email to the student to make sure they were doing OK and that if there is anything I could to help them. These check-ins became particularly crucial during conduct meetings. While critical to address behaviour and discuss the impact on the broader residence community, these meetings also were an opportunity to ensure that residents were managing well and had the support they needed to be successful in this brave new world. This process has not been a perfect science, nor has it been without a need to revaluate to not only ensure a healthy work-life balance but also to meet the needs of an international community that is very far from home. In the final analysis of how these processes rolled out across Canada, there will invariably be feedback on areas for growth. As we come together as a field to reflect on program design going forward, it will be essential to respond nimbly to future emergencies such as this, and we can begin this process by continuing to share what worked well for us, and where we need to pivot. If one thing has become clear to me throughout this pandemic is the power of relationships and communication, whether it be with residents or directors, can be the foundation from which we continue to deliver on our missions and visions.
Tim Lade Residence Life Coordinator University of Manitoba
Coming Home from a Ruff Day: Live-In Professional Pet Policies Opinion Piece There are many benefits of being a live-in professional. These include economical accommodations, being close and accessible to campus, and having individual living space early in one’s career are just a few. I was fortunate to travel, as live-in positions in Residence Life brought me across Canada and across the pond to Europe. With the benefits, however, come various challenges that have significant impacts on mental, physical, and social wellness. Receiving emergency calls at 2AM, stepping out into the dead of winter at 4AM for a fire alarm, or constant awareness of the fishbowl effect are a few of the common worries for these professionals. For some, it is not having their companion with them, their pet. To be transparent, I do not have a pet. I grew up in a household with a family member terrified of animals. As a result, not having pets or the desire of having a pet became a norm. I do, however, recognize the role pets play for people. They bring a sense of joy, comfort, and unconditional love to their adoring human parents. Pets often provide a sense of companionship that helps ease loneliness and stress. New and emerging professionals are often used to the immediate sense of community that comes with living in hallways with 20-30 students. Experienced professionals often seek a sense of belonging as their social circles evolve around them. Whether it’s a first job or a new role in a new place, being away from a familiar city/town or away from familiar supports and spaces can be a difficult transition. Many in our profession experience a new sense of loneliness and homesickness. We are consistently considering these needs of our students, but how can we support the needs of our live-in professional staff members as well? The COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact on every level of human belonging from the individual level, team, institution, society, to global consequences. It is an unfamiliar time without a playbook or a map and this unknown is scary and worrisome for many. Especially for those whose strengthbased talent (Strengths Finders) may be Input (talented in collecting information, ideas, history or even relationships), Context (enjoy thinking about the past and research history) or Discipline (enjoy routine and structure), this time may bring specific struggle with the lack of reliable sources of information or lack of direction. Reacting to the pandemic in a timely and strategic manner also prompted rapid decision making and swift action. The demand of being at a heightened crisis response mode for long durations takes a significant toll on people. This pandemic has changed all of our lives in one way or another. In Brené Brown’s recent Unlocking Us podcast episode with Grief Counsellor, David Kessler, he explains, “We are grieving the world we have now lost. Our normal life, our routines, seeing people, our work, everything has changed.” As a Residence Life community, how are we holding space for each other while we grieve? How can we support our live-in professional staff members through their new realities? One way to support live-in professional staff members is to prioritize well-being, which contributes to a healthier living and working environment. Having worked in live-in positions for many years of my career,
I have experienced the challenges of the blurred boundaries of home and work. Now living off-campus, one successful strategy is advocating for and creating spaces and policies to allow live-in professionals have pets in their apartments. The presence of a pet helps create a more defined environment of home. Live-in professionals are a small population with unique needs often not relevant to majority of the campus population. They also do not hold positions of power or influence with respect to institutional policy. They do, however, fulfill vital roles that have strong and lasting impacts on students while carrying heavy emotional burdens. As supervisors and senior management teams balance numerous departmental and institutional priorities, I encourage exploration of whether allowing pets for live-in professionals could work on your campus. Before making a decision to allow pets in institution-owned apartments, a few key perspectives need to be considered: the pet, community of students, and the institution. The well-being of a pet includes the amount of indoor and outdoor space, access to a vet, immunizations and direct exits. Impacts on the community of students include: potential noise, allergies, phobias, or excitement of a different member in the community. Lastly, institutional considerations include structural allowance of pets, perception of fairness, creation and development of pet policies, approval from senior administrative staff, potential greater threat than opportunities, financial costs associated with damages, just to name a few. While exploring these perspectives can be a lengthy process, I encourage you to engage in that process motivated by the immense positive impact it will have for live-in professionals. This is an opportune time to pivot, innovate, or re-evaluate. For those institutions who are having conversations about live-in staff wellness, consider or reconsider your Live-In Professional Pet Policies. During this complex time, I am grateful for a very supportive professional organization. While I was seeking information about Live-in Professional Pet Policies, I received responses from various colleagues from across the country and, despite unprecedented demands, people took time to respond and share information. The ability to prioritize collaboration and support for each other is a strength this professional organization has continued to make a norm through this storm of change. As a result of various colleague’s support, St. Thomas University has revised our Animals on Campus Policy to include allowing live-in professionals to have their pets on site. While this was a lengthy and informative process for all parties involved, we are excited to welcome a new furry friend to our campus community.
Carmen Law Assistant Director Residence Life St. Thomas University