THE PULSE THE NEWSLETTER OF THE ONTARIO ASSOCIATION OF COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY HOUSING OFFICERS
FEBRUARY 2019
Reflecting on hiring, leadership and supporting student staff
Board of Directors PRESIDENT
CONFERENCE DIRECTOR
Ian Crookshank
Kristin Lennan
Ryerson University ian.crookshank@ryerson.ca
University of Guelph lennank@uoguelph.ca
PRESIDENT-ELECT / FINANCE DIRECTOR
CORPORATE PARTNER RELATIONS DIRECTOR
Valerie Bruce
Shaun McCracken
Ryerson University vbruce@ryerson.ca
Trent University shaunmccracken@trentu.ca
PAST PRESIDENT
ADVANCED-LEVEL MEMBER AT LARGE
Amanda Ziegler Brock University aziegler@brocku.ca
Melissa McNown-Smith
COMMUNICATION DIRECTOR
MEMBER AT LARGE
Lauren Gouchie
Humber College tuba.chishti@humber.ca
University of Ottawa lgouchie@uottawa.ca
University of Waterloo melissa.mcnown-smith@uwaterloo.ca
Tuba Chishti
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
MEMBER AT LARGE
Stewart Grunwell
University of Guelph bingolds@uoguelph.ca
Queen's University stewart.grunwell@queensu.ca
Brian Ingoldsby
MEMBERSHIP ENGAGEMENT DIRECTOR
ASSOCIATION MANAGER
Lauren Silvestro-Arbuthnot
OACUHO info@oacuho.com
Western University lsilvest@housing.uwo.ca
Carol Ford
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Ian Crookshank & Val Bruce
As the days get longer (even if it seems imperceptible) and February both comes and goes, many of us are fully engaged in conversations about the upcoming year. For some there may be a budget planning process that is nearing completion. For others, the steady trickle of residence applications is beginning to slowly take up space in our daily lives. The transition to the summer months is beginning to take shape in shared documents and our collective minds. Oh, and we can’t forget the student staff selection processes that form the basis for the incredible student support offered in the upcoming year. It is in this very same spirit of planning and renewal that we are writing this note to the OACUHO membership to plant the seed in each of your amazing brains about involvement with the board for the upcoming year.
Ian got his start in residence life because he was a skilled student leader but far from prepared as a new professional. OACUHO’s New Professional’s Training Institute (NPTI), spring conferences and fall business meetings provided a foundation to understand the broader context of his work but also laid the groundwork for establishing many of the valuable connections that he uses everyday in his new role in Student Affairs. Val began on a less traditional path working within housing operations, however OACUHO provided an opportunity to feel connected to the bigger picture of how both housing and residence life areas work together to impact the student experience. OACUHO continues to be the place where she looks to make new and nurture existing connections, seek new ideas and innovations, and feel at home.
In the coming weeks you will receive notice of nominations for the general election of several positions on the board. Here is the list:
So, after taking some time to reflect on where you are at, how OACUHO has shaped your professional life, and carefully considering all that you can offer to the association and it’s membership, you will arrive at the final decision point of whether or not to submit a nomination package. This process by itself can seem to be a daunting, however, to quote a relatively popular brand of athletic apparel and sneakers “JUST DO IT.” An engaged membership is what makes our association tick. We want you, we want your talents, we want your involvement, we want you to help us take the next collective step forward as a campus housing profession.
Communications Director (2 year) Membership Engagement Director (2 year) Conference Director (2 year) 2 Members at Large (1 year) Advanced Member at Large (1 year) President Elect and Finance Director (3 year presidential stream) Thinking back to involvement within our association and with the BOD it is important to recognize the personal challenges and barriers each of you may experience when thinking about doing more. It is equally important to consider how the work of board and OACUHO has shaped our profession and continues to support its growth. For us, OACUHO has played a defining role in how we have grown, known our work and understood our profession.
Best, Val Bruce (President-Elect and Finance Director) and Ian Crookshank (President)
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Facebook Live with Tammy Brown Tammy Brown, Manager, Residence Admissions and Administration at Brock University was originally a guest on our on-going Facebook Live series. As part of her feature, Tammy shared insight into her current role, which includes processing room assignments and changes, supporting medical accommodations, and implementing assessment and marketing for her department. Those present for the Facebook Live were able to submit questions to Tammy, who then provided responses based on her own experience at Brock. For those who were unable to tune in, here is an recap from her conversation. Recap compiled by Lauren Gouchie, RLC, uOttawa.
For those who work in other functional areas of housing, but want to get into admissions how do they get involved? Cross training, trying new things and learning about different areas is a great start. Being on committees, trying to get involved in volunteering is also great. Don’t be afraid to try new things and have those chats about getting involved in other areas. Have you ever had issues with volume, when it comes to special accommodation requests? Volume is definitely increasing for special accommodation requests - around 20% of Brock residence applications came with a special request. For the most part, these are handled in-house, by housing staff [in addition to connecting with the Student Accessibility Office to see whether or not that particular student has an academic needs as well]. If we need special resources [i.e a campus emergency plan for a particular student], making sure that we can support that if something happens in class, in the cafeteria or in residence to provide the best and most seamless transition and support. How many people do you typically have working on residence applications and admissions? Right now, it is just me, with one full-time administrative assistant, and a part-time administrative assistant, and a part-time staff member working on IT support. What do holiday stay-overs or students staying between semesters look like for you? In our residence application, we ask students to identify if they need a winter break stay. Our residences are closed on noon the day after the final exams in December until noon on the day before classes resume in January, and students are asked to identify if they think they will need winter-break accommodations to let us know. This way, we are able to assign them to a specific residence or area of a residence so that they are all together in one area. We then follow up with them in late-October/early-November to see if they still needed to stay over the break, and provide them with a formal contract regarding their winter break stay [i.e. guest policy]. There is also an additional fee to stay over the winter break, as it is outside of the contract period. We also connect with partners, like facilities and campus security to make them aware.
What software do you use to manage applications? At Brock, we use Kinetic [also known as KX]. The reason we chose this software is primarily the connection with conferences, and knowing what is occupied by students, what is occupied by a conference, coordinating cleaning operations, maintenance, etc. This also allows our service desk to operate both sides easily. How will moving to a new information system impact your team? For the team, it is going to make it easier in terms of knowing more about the students - right now, we have an online web application where the information feeds into the residence application, which does interface with the current student information system [primarily basic information, such as name, date of birth, eventually program and academic averages]. With the new system, we will be able to see information about students sooner, which makes assigning easier because our students don’t register for classes until June or July - at which point, we are done our room assignments. This will help out our team because it’s nice to mix up the floors, and not have a big concentration. It will also help us verify who should be in a Living Learning Community, particularly if it’s an academic LLC. It will also be faster for students - which equals a better student experience. Things like student changes, which may take four weeks to manually upload and update, are currently taking too long, and so this will help out the student experience. Have you ever received a request for a longer bed, to accommodate a taller student? How has this been handled? Students who are taller than 6’4” can indicate this on their residence application, under special accommodation requests. We ask them to submit their drivers license as proof of height [with additional private information blacked out, for privacy]. Most of our beds are fine for students that are this height, but to ensure we have this as a standard, our facilities team has shifting to purchasing beds that are 80” in length. This helps us to ensure that almost every building has longer beds, with the exception of one residence that has theirs beds built into the wall. Do you ever decline accommodation requests? How do you manage students who feel as though they should be accommodated differently? Yes. We had some students who wrote the note themselves [as opposed to a doctors note] or provided a doctors note that do not have enough information provided. We do not need a diagnosis, but we do need some functionality. We try to frame it as “this is for your best needs”, and explain why we may need more information to help accommodate them. Overall, I have not had to turn back many requests - mostly just ask for more information. We also have a room change list that we prioritize by medical, roommate conflict, or simply by preference, to help accommodate room change requests that may come up in September, as a result of students not sharing an accommodation need.
**** The Membership Engagement Committee is always looking for members to share their experiences and perspectives with the membership! If you are interested in going 'live', please do not hesitate to connect with Lauren Silvestro-Arbuthnot (Membership Engagement Director) at lsilvest@housing.uwo.ca or with any member of the committee! THE OACUHO PULSE
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The Language of Leadership By: Bianca Anderson, Madison Andrews, Megan Baker, Amber De Leebeeck, Bailee Walls-Guertin and Dylan Williamson, University of Guelph
The Assistant Residence Life Manager (ARLM) role is an entry level professional position at the University of Guelph that gives folks an introduction to the professional side of Student Housing and Student Affairs. The role is an 11-month contract that typically begins in early June and runs until late April. Each ARLM works with another ARLM to manage, mentor and coach a team of 12 Residence Assistants (RAs) and oversee a community of approximately 600 students living in one of the South Residence Halls. Individually, ARLMs work to directly supervise a team of 6 RAs and are responsible for the overall residence life experience of 300 students within their respective building. Additionally, throughout the duration of each ARLM’s contract, they assist in the delivery of staff training and hiring, work on a variety of team portfolios, and participate in an on-call rotation. Working with a “co-Manager” is what differentiates the ARLM roles from most other Residence Life Manager roles. As you may expect, this can be a challenging endeavor. However, it provides an excellent opportunity for new professionals to learn the value of teamwork and communication. Our current team of 6 ARLMs gathered together to reflect on this experience and share some tips to working in a co-managerial environment that can be beneficial and transferrable for others in their respective roles. Tip #1 – Unity is Everything! By Bianca Anderson and Megan Baker The key we came to understand and find most important was our ability to unite our team as one, while supervising half the team and working together as “cos.” While we each have half of the team that reports directly to us, we work together to ensure our team feels they have the same support as a team with a single manager. During the summer months, we worked hard to establish our joint vision for our staff team. We soon realized that we had similar goals and values, which allowed us to smoothly create a game plan prior to staff arrival. We continued to build a strong relationship with one another and when the staff team arrived, we were conscious to demonstrate that to them. We worked hard to reiterate to the staff that we wanted to be one cohesive unit and team. We did this by avoiding separation for staff socials, “team times”, or calling them “your six” or “my six.” We continuously referred to one another as a resource for any of our staff, to reinforce the idea that we were two managers acting as one. With that, to have a successful, unified team it was critical to establish trust between cos. Due to the nature of the role, there are often decisions that need to be made, in the moment, that regard the whole team
but can only be assessed by one of us. Knowing that your co knows you and trusts your instincts in decision making allows for a positive working relationship and the functionality of the team. We found that coming together as co-managers was the way we were able to find success in managing our team effectively together. Tip #2 – Embrace Differences! By Bailee Walls-Guertin and Madison Andrews When we started our contracts, we approached the year believing we were complete opposites, both personally and professionally. Thinking that we would differ in how we ran a team, communicated, approached conflict and most aspects of our job, we embraced every opportunity during the summer months to discuss our differences. Our goal was to ensure that when we started the school year, we understood each other the best that we possibly could. Throughout every case study, practice conduct meeting, and mock coaching conversation, we checked-in with the other person to see what their thoughts were after having worked through it individually. This process helped us to each learn and better recognize our own leadership and management style and that of our co. As new professionals, we had to figure out the kind of leaders we were before we could understand how to lead with another person. While we wanted to find a middle ground that we could present to our staff in order to be a cohesive unit, we also acknowledged that we each wanted to maintain what was important and inherent to our own leadership style. Now, reflecting back on the past 6 months, we believe we have been successful, not because we aimed at changing how the other led, but because we were comfortable and conscious about utilizing our different strengths and perspectives. We routinely discussed scenarios that could arise during our 8 months co-managing our staff. This was to avoid small disagreements rippling into bigger conflicts. No matter how tedious these conversations might seem, it was exactly these conversations that helped us provide our staff with a consistent experience, and in the process, we realized that we are actually more similar than we initially thought! Tip #3 – Talk it out! By Dylan Williamson and Amber De Leebeeck Our tip for working in a “co”-relationship is to allow the space to have intentional conversations surrounding feedback (both positive and constructive) and difficult conversations. As two individuals who like to be proactive when it comes to conflict, we laid a foundation where both of us would assume positive intent in all our communications, especially when receiving any sort of constructive feedback. With this in mind, and with the help of our supervisor, we worked to develop approachability statements throughout our summer training program, and in particular during a session focused on working with our cos. These approachability statement captured how we preferred to approach difficult conversations and receive feedback (i.e. when and how to receive different types of feedback, how to be recognized, and how we may react when receiving certain kinds of feedback). With having these approachability statements completed and having a mutual desire for transparency in our communication and relationship, together as co-managers we have been able to succeed in having difficult conversations feel comfortable. While having this kind of discussion is important for individuals working with a co-partner, there is value in being able to transfer this skill to other relationships (I.e. with colleagues, friends, etc.).
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Despite our best laid intentions, we have all navigated challenges over the course of the last 8 months. However, when reflecting on our time, we came to understand that on a fundamental level communication was the key to success. Communication is often a buzzword that we hear in interviews, on resumes, and in chatter across the field. However, actively participating in effective communication is powerful, especially in a role where you are required to work so closely with another person, like ARLM. This role has constantly pushed us in our communication to maintain a positive working relationship. What is incredibly exciting is how each of us has found that communication, in all its forms, is critical to the success of working with our cos. From establishing effective communication with one another, to making time to voice frustrations and having consistent check-ins, we have all found new meaning to what effective communication really is. This role pushed us to hold ourselves and others accountable, as well as to reflect on how our actions may impact another person. Eleven months can go by in the blink of an eye and soon we will be transitioning from our current entry level professional roles to full time positions (and a new set of ARLMs will begin their roles!). The ARLM program is designed to challenge new professionals and provide opportunity for growth and guided learning. In a short eight months, we have come together as a team of six, learned to manage a team with a partner, and developed our own management styles. In order to be successful as co-managers we have created joint visions, established trust in our co-workers, created space for feedback and reflection, and utilized one another's strengths. These lessons have led to a successful time at the University of Guelph and have prepared us for whatever our next steps may be.
The Art of Rejection By Tim Lade, RLC, Sheridan College
In the second season of Star Trek: The Next Generation, Data, who was extremely confident about winning a particular game that did not play out in his favour, questions his abilities to the point where he pulls himself from duty. Captain Picard, needing his officer at his side, goes to Data’s quarters and challenges Data with the idea that it is possible not to make a single a mistake but still end up losing. That loss isn’t a weakness or deficiency but merely a fact of life. As we are likely all knee deep in hiring of the student staff teams we will all work with next year, and as some of us will be considering what is our next career moves might be, we all, student and professional staff alike, have felt a sense of trepidation about what the next page has in store for us. While reasonable to be uncertain while in the space between the new and the old, it’s a reality that despite wanting something badly, and working so hard for a new position or a promotion, that we will find ourselves coming up short. Rejection is a reality of life, and as Jean-Luc Picard so eloquently explained, sometimes it is inevitable despite our best efforts. The inherent nature of student housing, residence life, and higher education in general means often being on a limited contract. It is rare to find a full-time continuing position right out of the gate, and even more elusive if you are part-time faculty. Our staff development systems, particularly for student staff, require regular applications to keep a role, be promoted, and of course, for a move to another institution. While it is crucial to have a robust recruitment and retention process, it requires a lot of applications. A colleague of mine and I used to joke that “every spring were applicationing.” As we narrow in our student staff teams for next year, it is likely that not every single staff member we have will continue forward. As coaches and mentors, we strive to support the development and growth of every student leader. Experience tells me though that despite our best intentions, the role of a student leader in residence is not for everyone. It isn’t a matter of fit in my mind, but passion. What may have looked like an incredible opportunity eight months ago to a candidate may not have unfurled in the way they expected, and the outcomes we had hoped for didn’t play out whether it be in starship war games or residence life community building. As a new professional, I wanted to avoid having these conversations with RAs. I didn’t want to hurt their feelings or make them feel that we were firing them. It was easier for me to send an email than it was to have a face to face conversation. You could rip the bandaid off quickly by sending an e-mail, and they would be able to process the result on their own time in their own way. It was an easy way to do it. As leaders though, we have a responsibility to face these difficult conversation head on. As educators, we have a duty to walk through the learning moment with the students we work with. As coaches and mentors, we need to share the feedback of what led to our decision so that we can help them be better going forward. Part of holding an empathetic space for students, especially when they are dealing with not being invited back to a leadership role, is of course listening. The second piece though is helping them understand and then assisting in charting next steps. The most important aspect of a teachable moment is not in what happened, but in reflecting and learning from the experience. In my experience, as a mentor, our responsibility lies in helping the student chart that courses.
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Throughout my career, I have been lucky to be challenged by mentors who have helped me learn and grow. The moment I feel like I’m done with either of those things is the day I should hang up my residence life hat. Since arriving at Sheridan I have had to have a few of these difficult conversations, and they never get easy, but I have found there are a few key elements that will make it a little easier and help the student move forward, perhaps in a different role on our campuses. 1) Have these conversations in person whenever possible. E-mail is clean and straightforward but sitting down and being honest and open about why the decision was made, hearing out the student’s thoughts and feelings, and sharing your own experience can be essential to reflecting and learning. 2) Redirect the student to another opportunity on campus. While the RA or Don or CA role may not have worked out as expected, our campuses are filled with other leadership opportunities that need good people who want to do good work. Connect with student government, ambassador programs, peer helper opportunities, and refer them. 3) Provide clear and concise feedback. No candidate, new or otherwise, should ever be left guessing about where they could improve. We all work in higher education, and that means always helping people learn. As someone who has been both a mentee and a mentor, the best relationships have always been ones that are predicated on quality feedback, open communication, and honesty. 4) Don’t sugarcoat the reality of the situation. Reasons a, b, c should be the reasons that the student hears. We do a disservice to our recruitment processes if we rely on only a comment like “it isn’t a good fit.” If that’s true, fair enough, but why was it not a good fit. The why is the one ring that rules them all. 5) Be comfortable with being uncomfortable. These conversations don’t come easy and likely never will. The moments like these that challenge us are the moments that make us better leaders. When we hold fast, we enable the learning of the student and ourselves. Throughout my career, I have had plenty of opportunities to reflect on what I could have done differently. One of my favourite quotes from Batman’s Dad is “why do we fall down Bruce? So we can learn to pick ourselves up.” The nice thing about a thought like this is not only that it’s true, but that we can play a huge role in helping student pick themselves up and continue to learn, grow, and be better leaders themselves.
January Training Revamp By Cassie Rawlings, RLC, Niagara College January is an excellent time to get together with your team to revisit expectations, refresh staff’s minds, and get them re-vamped and excited for the new semester. This is also an excellent time for the team to get back together after the holidays for bonding and to build the team back up again. For CLC, we have the privilege to be able to bring several teams together in our region to train together. This process lessens the workload for the RLCs and provides a larger group of RAs for larger activities. This year we had 45 RAs get together from Conestoga, Sheridan, Mohawk and Niagara Colleges. This year’s refresher training was held at Niagara College, Niagara-on-the-Lake campus. This was a nice change of scenery given that most of the RA training is held at Sheridan Trafalgar campus. However, it was a slight trek for the campuses involved. The RLCs had lengthy discussions on what topic areas to discuss. Should it be re-training on things they were previously trained on? Or should it go beyond current expectations and into goals, and leaving a legacy? We opted to train on a little of both, with our final categories being Leadership, Programming and Creativity, and an Experiential Table Top Mock Round (a variation of Behind Closed Doors). With the leadership category, we wanted to touch on several areas, including a review of expectations and how to elevate their performance, leaving a legacy, leadership and role modelling and goal setting. Within this session, we reviewed their expectations as RA’s and had them brainstorm ways that they grow within their positions. We also had them complete some “what kind of leader” are you quizzes, to give them more insight into their leadership styles. Lastly, we had them set a professional, and personal SMART goal get them looking into the future. One feedback we received was that instead of the leadership quizzes they would have liked to see more interactive leadership games. For the programming and creativity portion of training, we first went over the pillars of
programming we have (interpersonal and social skills, citizenship, academic skills, diversity, wellness and discovery & transition. We had the Resident Advisors create a “pie” using these themes, and filled it in with the different events they have had for their students that worked within these themes. Once the RAs did this, they were able to see which pillar themes they were missing, and they discussed in groups what events they could do to fill those gaps. We also did an interesting creativity activity where each person wrote an event idea on a piece of paper, put it in a box, and took out someone else’s idea, and added to their idea. This created some very interesting event ideas for RAs to take back to their institution. Lastly, we went over some creative ways to advertise for their events. We received feedback that RAs would have also liked to see brainstorming activities for bulletin boards, and brainstorming surrounding how to get introverted individuals out to their events. The last piece of our training was an experiential table top behind closed doors. The RAs were asked to call a staff member as if they were on call and they would receive information this way. Depending on how they carried on the conversation, and what information they gathered, they could write a report based on what they would have done. The RAs were put in groups of 4-6 people so they could talk out each scenario, and come to a conclusion of how they would deal with the concern. These concerns ranged from an unwelcome guest to a stolen laptop. Scenarios would happen in quick succession to attempt to mirror what could happen on an on-call. This was a good and a bad thing, as some feedback we received said that it could be confusing at times, but other feedback appreciated that it mirrored real life. Another student suggested they would like to have more training around emergency mental health scenarios. Overall, we believe that our re-vamp training was a success. It was great to get back together with all the different teams and hear about successes and challenges that were faced in the fall semester. THE OACUHO PULSE
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Let’s Take Another Shot at Being Great Leaders and Managers this Year By Kristin Lennan, Residence Behaviour and Wellness Manager and Brian Ingoldsby, Residence Program Coordinator, University of Guelph Time certainly does seem to fly by, doesn’t it? Doesn’t it feel like the Winter Break was only a few weeks ago? Now, we’re past the midway point in the Winter Semester, with Reading Week in the rear-view mirror and the end of term, exams, and (amazingly!) the spring in the not too distant future. However, this being the year’s first edition of the Pulse, we thought it was a fitting time to spend a few moments talking about resolutions and the goals many of us have for 2019. The New Year comes hand-in-hand with New Year’s resolutions. And, commercialization aside, this phenomenon stems (at least in part) from the fact that annual holiday breaks are often one of the only times that we get enough time to relax, step back, and actually reflect on where we are and where we want to be in the future. We have the time to envision the versions of ourselves that we want to be moving forward. Fast forward to February and, according to a recent U.S. News and World report by Joseph Luciani (2016), 80% of our resolutions have now likely failed. What gives? While the reasons for this annual disappointment vary, research out of the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania (2002) points to our self-efficacy (our belief in our actual ability to accomplish our goals) as being a root cause for this annual let-down. Specifically, the study suggests that all too often we develop goals that are too abstract, goals that are not accompanied by a concrete plan, broken down in achievable steps (Norcross, Mrykalo, & Blagys, 2002). And thus, as we return to the daily grind, our goals quickly become overwhelming and we become discouraged. Now, this likely isn’t news to anyone. Growing up, most all of us were introduced to the SMART acronym at a young age and have been forced to create SMART goals on many an occasion. However, as straight-forward as this system seems to be, difficulty often still exists in identifying the specific concrete, achievable steps that goals must be broken down into, especially when our goals are substantive in nature. Take leadership and management for example: as Housing professionals, many of us have responsibility for leadership and management of others and providing effective leadership and management of our people can frequently be an area where many of us want to do better. However, while it is common to enter each new year, or new semester, with the best intentions, following through can be difficult when we haven’t identified and prioritized the specific actions we plan to take to improve, especially when confronted with the frenetic pace of day-to-day operations. That’s where this article comes in. In the spirit of this difficulty, we have pulled together 4 tangible actions we can all be taking to be better leaders of our people this year. While none are groundbreaking, the hope is that by bringing these actions front and center, we will all better remember their importance this year, and be better leaders and managers for it.
1) Intentional “1-on-1s” – It can be easy to fall into the trap of not giving our 1-on-1s with our direct reports the attention they deserve. Too often they can be the first thing to go when issues pop-up that we think are more pressing and in need of our more immediate attention. We need to fight back against this misconception and habit! In her recent book, How to Invest Your Time Like Money, author Elizabeth Saunders (as cited by Knight, 2016) points out that 1-on-1s are the single most impactful thing we can do to improve the performance of our team, by helping us to: build our relationships with our employees, show them that we care about them and their contributions, and support their on-going development. This sentiment is echoed by the Manager Tools team. Despite their self-proclaimed wish that it were otherwise, years of research have led them to identify 1on1s as part of their trinity of effective management best practices. What should these 1on1’s look like? Researchers agree that to be most effective, 1on1s: should be regular (generally weekly), require managers to be fully present, and should be planned, and follow a regular structure that prioritizes giving time to deepening relationships (Ibid.) 2) Meaningful appreciation – Similar to 1-on-1s, taking time to share our appreciation for our team’s work can be another intention that too often falls to the way-side when confronted with a burgeoning to-do list. However, akin to missing 1-on-1s, this can significantly undermine the longterm potential of our teams. In a recent Harvard Business Review article, Dr. Francesca Gino and Dr. Adam Grant discussed their findings that, unsurprisingly, sharing thanks with staff reinforces the significance of their contributions and makes them feel more valuable. And here’s the kicker, it also makes them significantly more efficient and more likely to engage in similar behaviour in the future (Gino & Grant, n.d.). However, not all appreciation is equally impactful. Referencing the work of Dr. Sonja Lyubomirsky (2017), the authors note that the more meaning appreciation has, the greater the impact. To put this knowledge to action, consider including appreciation as a regular component of your 1-on-1s and, before beginning a new project (or semester), making time to review and highlight the successes of the last project/term. 3) Goal Setting – Personal goal setting can be a daunting task in itself, but empowering others through the goal setting process can be even more work. If you don’t engage in regular goal setting with your staff, now is the time to start. Goals should not only relate to individual professional development but also align with the overall departmental vision and direction. Your goals may be SMART but if they do not include any tangible action steps then you may struggle to identify the smaller steps that need to be accomplished along the way. Let’s say that one of my goals is to increase my propensity to provide meaningful appreciation to others, after rewriting this goal to be a bit more SMART I will also want to outline several action steps to take that will support me in the accomplishment of this goal. For example, use 1on1’s as an opportunity to provide positive recognition, create space in meetings for the team to publicly recognize the accomplishments of others, or write in my gratitude journal at the end of each day to practice the process of reflecting on successes and not taking things for granted. Lastly, conversations about goal setting should become a regular part of your check-ins as consistently revisiting and discussing them increases accountability and allows you and your staff to identify opportunities for their growth and development.
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4) Future Planning – Planning with strategy will give you and your department direction. The process of strategic planning is often thought to refer to larger operational process of defining priorities and direction for a unit. Don’t let this terminology deter you. No matter your role in Housing or scope of influence, purposefully and strategically planning for the future is critical. Take time to reflect on where you and your organization have been and where you want to go. Don’t have a department or team that you manage? Then think about what you’ve accomplished in your own role, how that aligns to your department’s goals and objectives, and where the role may need to grow. Take opportunities to talk with your supervisor and chart your path forward. We all work in occupations that often focus on attending to the day-to-day. Carving out time once per week to reflect on the past and plan for the future can help keep you and your team on course. You may be reading this and thinking ‘no kidding, this is all obvious stuff!’ We definitely agree, however in our experience it’s these simple steps that are the first to fall when it gets busy. Consistency is key. You may put aside 1on1 preparation time and rely on your personal relationship with staff to justify it, forget to celebrate successes, decide goal setting can wait until next week, and overlook that time to plan so you can send those last few e-mails before the work week is over. We challenge you to be consistent with these small things and promise you will see the results in your team.
References: Armenta, C.; Fritz, M.; Lyubomirsky, S. (2017). Functions of Positive Emotions: Gratitude as a Motivator of Self-Improvement and Positive Change. Emotion Review. 9:183-190. 10.1177/1754073916669596. Gino, F.; Grant, A. (n.d.). Interview by S. Green. The Big Benefits of a Little Thanks. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2013/11/the-big-benefits-of-a-little-thanks Knight, R. (2016). How to Make Your One-on-One’s with Employees More Productive. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2016/08/how-to-make-your-one-on-ones-with-employees-moreproductive Luciani, J. (2015). Why 80 Percent of New Year's Resolutions Fail. US News and World Report. Retrieved from https://health.usnews.com/health-news/blogs/eat-run/articles/2015-12-29/why-80-percent-of-newyears-resolutions-fail Manager Tools Podcasts. (n.d.) Retrieved from https://www.manager-tools.com/manager-tools-basics Norcross, JC; Mrykalo, MS; Blagys MD. (2002). Auld lang syne: success predictors, change processes, and self-reported outcomes of New Year’s resolvers and nonresolvers. Journal of Clinical Psychology. 58(4):397-405. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11920693
Ethnic Diversity in OACUHO The following article is an excerpt from the Ethnic Diversity in OACUHO Report, completed in July 2018. This specific excerpt captures the Representation in OACUHO data from the report. To view the full report, please go to www.oacuho.com. We would like to acknowledge the efforts of many in the completion of this report, including: Ife Kolade, Carmen Law, and Dirk Rodricks for their work as Subcommittee Leads. We also thank Shainiya Balachandran, Jessica Charbonneau, Sally Chen, Tuba Chishti, Seán Kinsella, Katrina Persad, Savannah Sloat, and Jennifer Trotman, for their efforts as subcommittee members or report contributors. If you are interested in getting involved in future work related to this, please connect with Tuba Chishti, Member at Large.
The lack of ethnic diversity within OACUHO and within housing operations is a frequently noted topic in discussions around representation in our field. While this issue is a driving factor that influenced the development of the overall report, the observation has been strictly anecdotal thus far. The project team sought to quantify representation by summarizing survey data that offers a basic picture of the diversity within OACUHO. If a point of departure for serving diverse students is to collect race data, it would follow that OACUHO collect this data periodically within our association, to gain understanding on who is present and in what strength. All OACUHO members on the listserv received three invitations to participate in the survey on the State of Diverse Representation within OACUHO. The anonymous survey, offered through Survey Monkey, collected information on various aspects of one’s identity and professional experience within Housing and Student Affairs. Figures 1 and 2 offer interpretations of the data. Please note that .5% of respondents selected “prefer not to disclose”.
Figure 1: Do you self-identify as a person of colour? (Percentage, overall responses)
Figure 2: Do you self-identify as a person of colour? (percentage, by organizational level)
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Limitations and Considerations of the Data There are several points to consider upon analyzing the survey data. Firstly, it is critical to consider who might be compelled to complete a survey about diverse representation. One might assume that folks are more likely to complete a survey if they see themselves reflected in its subject matter; it would follow that a greater proportion of OACUHO members from diverse backgrounds completed the survey. The figures above most likely inflate the proportion of persons of colour in OACUHO, giving the illusion that there is a higher proportion of persons of colour than in reality. Readers should be cautioned that more survey responses would likely dilute the proportion of persons of colour, especially in the Advanced and SHO levels, where there are fewer positions overall within organizations. Another limitation relates to the decision not to collect disaggregated ethnic identity data (i.e. specific ethnic identities such as East Asian, South Asian, etc.), apart from selfidentification as Indigenous. This means that while we can articulate how many respondents identify as persons of colour, we cannot demonstrate how many respondents identified as, for example, East-Asian. Upon reconsideration, this data could have been highly valuable in determining which cultural identities specifically are under-represented within the field, or perhaps not at all represented. If this project had gathered information about representation within OACUHO of EastAsian identities, for example, what might that have told us, and how might this compare to the East-Asian student population within our residences? An important note to make is that while these survey results establish a starting point, their value would pale in comparison to collecting this data within member organizations. A variety of factors can contribute to an organization’s staff diversity,
but tracking the data is the first place to start. Institution decision-makers should ask themselves if their teams reflect the student diversity on their campus and/or within residence. Decision makers should look internally at their own state of representation to help inform their work moving forward in addressing this issue. Finally, increased representation does not automatically provide equitable service provision to students and completely inclusive working environments. While greater staff diversity is better than less diversity, there are far more factors at play to feeling truly welcome. It is equally important that members do not defer to “success stories� of persons of colour as an indicator of progress in equitable representation. More specifically, just because we see persons of colour in some roles does not mean representation has been achieved, that upward mobility is as accessible as it is for white colleagues, or that the space is completely inclusive. Ultimately, the work involved in fostering inclusive atmospheres does not stop at equitable representation; there is more to consider and change that relates to work culture and upward job mobility that must remain priorities in this discussion. What can we gather from the data? Figures 1 and 2 present information about the state of representation of self-identified persons of colour within OACUHO. Based on the responses, the highest proportion of persons of colour within the respondents is within the New Professional group (0-3 years of professional experience). The smallest proportion of persons of colour can be found in the Advanced Professional group. The proportion of persons of colour decreases as we move from the New Professional group, to the Experienced Professional group, to the Advanced Professional group.
Further analysis of survey responses yields additional relevant data: • Proportions between cisgender males and females show slightly more ethnic diversity amongst cisgender males within the association: • 24% of cisgender male respondents identify as persons of colour (POC) • 20% of cisgender female respondents identify as POC • Note: 1.5% of respondents identified as non-binary; 0.5% as Two-Spirit, 0% identified as transgender, 1% preferred not to disclose; overall 16% identified as LGBTQ+ • Representation varies within functional areas in housing operations • Off-Campus Housing and Community Relations: 35% of respondents identify as POC • Facilities, Services, and Front Desk Operations: 29% of respondents identify as POC • Residence Life: 24% of respondents identify as POC • Admissions, Marketing, and Assignments: 22% of respondents identify as POC • Living Learning Communities: 18% of respondents identify as POC • Information technology: 9% of respondents identify as POC
What can we gather from what we do not see in the data? It is important to consider who is left out of the data by not being represented at all. Firstly, none of the respondents identified as transgender (note: 1.5% of respondents identified as non-binary; 0.5% as Two-Spirit, 1% preferred not to disclose). Additionally, 9% of respondents identified as persons with a disability, but it is unclear what specific experiences related to disabilities are present within our membership. Thirdly, as stated above, about 2% of respondents identified as Indigenous. Finally, while the data speaks for current members of OACUHO who chose to participate in the survey, it does not capture members who have left the association, which could provide further insight into this issue. All of these points have implications on what voices we may hear and may not hear within our membership, which plays a role in the culture we develop and the priorities we set as an association.
• Representation varies across level of involvement in OACUHO initiatives • 6% of past Board members who responded identified as POC • 15% of past Board Committee members who responded identified as POC • 20% of past delegates at OACUHO events (Spring Conference, Fall Business Meeting, Drive-ins, etc.) who responded identified as POC
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My First Year in Residence Name: Glenn Matthews Role: Housing Mediation Officer for Off Campus Housing at Western University
About the Photo: 1982 (My 4th Year In Residence) in Saugeen Maitland Hall When I came to Western, I had been steered to apply to stay at Saugeen (co-ed) by my Uncle who worked at Western. He had indicated that it was tamer than the all male buildings and was a good opportunity to meet a variety of people. I later found out that Saugeen was labelled the Zoo and really not tamer than the other buildings ... but to my surprise, it was a great way to meet people from varying backgrounds from all over Canada and the world. As an individual who came from a small town (13 people in my grade 13 class ... yes I am old enough to have attended Grade 13), university was a bit daunting and the residence I ended up in was more than half the size of my home town. I couldn't believe how great my staff member was in each of my first two years in residence and it largely inspired me to help my fellow students. I think rez staff can have such a positive influence on how students adapt to change in a new environment. I am still good friends with people from my first year, even after 40 years. I still see former students from my first year as a rez staff member when they get together at Homecoming each year and they continue to remind me why being a rez staff member was an absolute pleasure. As I get closer to the end of my career, I realize I have been in contact or helped with over 40,000 students and their concerns, and I hope ... like to think ... that I have repaid the debt of those that have helped me along the journey. ***** If you would like to have a photo of your first year in residence featured in a future edition of the pulse, please contact the Membership Engagement Committee through Lauren SilvestroArbuthnot at lsilvest@housing.uwo.ca
What is OACUHO Reading? The Tattooist of Auschwitz Review by Taylor MacPherson, Western University “How can someone do this to another human being? He wonders if for the rest of his life, be it short or long, he will be defined by this moment, this irregular number: 32407” This book is actually based on true events and author Heather Morris retells real life holocaust survivor Ludwig (Lale) Sokolov’s story with such respect for the insurmountable pain and suffering he experienced. I really appreciated the historical accuracy of the book to the biographical information at the back, and the level of detail the author went into recreating Lale’s memories. This book brought out all kinds of emotions from me but the one I found I cling to the most was hope. Lale’s story is disturbing and harrowing but ultimately hopeful and it casts light on the resilience of humanity in the darkest possible situations. Verdict: A compassionate albeit simply written story that leaves you thinking about the characters long after you’ve finished the last page. 4/5 ***** If you are interested in sharing what you’re reading with the OACUHO Membership, please contact Director of Membership Engagement, Lauren Silvestro-Arbuthnot at lsilvest@housing.uwo.ca
OACUHO Board of Director Nominations We will soon be opening the nomination process for the 2019-2020 Board of Director Positions. In the meantime, we want to hear from YOU! Have a colleague or connection who you believe would make fantastic board member? Have you been thinking about a nomination but not sure what a role entails? We will be providing a few ways for the membership to engage/learn more throughout the e nomination process including Facebook Live to hear more about the various roles and responsibilities for available positions, and a chance for members to propose colleagues or connections who they believe would be a perfect fit for the board. Finally, we want to hear from you on social media about #whyijoined- whether it be a past board position, committee or special project. We want to hear why you got involved! Keep a eye out for more information regarding the timeline of our nomination process soon!
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Connect with Us! (and each other) instagram.com/oacuho
Algoma University: Algonquin College Residence (Campus Living Centres): Bader International Study Centre (Queen's University): Brescia University College: Brock University: Cambrian College Residence: Carleton University: Collège BorÊal Residence (Campus Living Centres): Conestoga College Residence: Dalhousie University: Durham College/UOIT: Fanshawe College: Fleming College: George Brown College: Georgian College: Humber College: Huron University College: King's University College at UWO: Lakehead University: Lambton College: Laurentian University: MacEwan University: McMaster University: Mount Royal University: Niagara College - Welland & Niagara on the Lake Nipissing University: Queen's University: Renison University College: Ryerson University: Sault College of Applied Arts & Technology: Seneca College - King City: Seneca College - Newnham:
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Sheridan College Residence: Simon Fraser University: St. Clair College: St. Francis Xavier University: St. Jerome's University: St. Lawrence College: St. Paul's - University of Waterloo: Trent University: Trinity College: University of Alberta: University of British Columbia: University of Calgary: University of Guelph: University of Manitoba: University of New Brunswick, Fredericton: University of Ottawa: University of Toronto: University of Toronto at Mississauga: University of Toronto Scarborough: University of Victoria: University of Waterloo: University of Windsor: University of Winnipeg: Victoria University (U of T): Western University: Wilfrid Laurier University: York University:
twitter.com/sheridancollege; twitter.com/rezsheridan twitter.com/sfu; twitter.com/sfuresidence twitter.com/stclaircollege; twitter.com/stclairrez twitter.com/stfxuniversity; twitter.com/stfxres twitter.com/stjeromesuni twitter.com/whatsinsideslc twitter.com/uwaterloo; twitter.com/uwhousing twitter.com/trentuniversity; twitter.com/trentuhousing twitter.com/trinity_college twitter.com/ualberta; twitter.com/uofaresidences twitter.com/ubc twitter.com/ucalgary; twitter.com/ucalgaryres twitter.com/uofg; twitter.com/uofg_housing twitter.com/umanitoba; twitter.com/umresidence twitter.com/unbfredericton twitter.com/uottawa; twitter.com/uottawarez twitter.com/uoft twitter.com/utm; twitter.com/utmresidence twitter.com/utsc twitter.com/uvic twitter.com/uwaterloo; twitter.com/uwhousing twitter.com/uwindsor; twitter.com/uwindsorres twitter.com/uwinnipeg twitter.com/viccollege_uoft twitter.com/westernu; twitter.com/westernurezlife twitter.com/laurier; twitter.com/laurierreswloo twitter.com/yorkuniversity; twitter.com/yorkuhousing
Ontario Association of College and University Housing Officers 312 Oakwood Crt, Newmarket Ontario, L3Y 3C8 
 Telephone: 905-954-0102 Fax: 905-895-1630