THE PULSE THE NEWSLETTER OF THE ONTARIO ASSOCIATION OF COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY HOUSING OFFICERS
MAY 2017 | SPECIAL CONFERENCE EDITION
WELCOME TO OTTAWA!
THE PULSE
2016/2017 Outgoing Board of Directors PRESIDENT
Daryl Nauman York University dnauman@yorku.ca
PRESIDENT-ELECT / FINANCE DIRECTOR
Amanda Ziegler Brock University aziegler@brocku.ca
PAST PRESIDENT
Julie West University of Guelph jwest@uoguelph.ca
CORPORATE PARTNER RELATIONS DIRECTOR
Jessica Nayda University of Guelph jnayda@uoguelph.ca
SENIOR-LEVEL MEMBER AT LARGE
Christopher Lengyell University of Toronto Mississauga christopher.lengyell@utoronto.ca
MEMBER AT LARGE
Mary Stefanidis University of Waterloo mary.stefanidis@uwaterloo.ca
COMMUNICATION DIRECTOR
MEMBER AT LARGE
Brian Cunha
Nipissing University genevied@nipissingu.ca
University of Toronto brian.cunha@utoronto.ca
Genevieve de Bryun
ASSOCIATION MANAGER
Carol Ford OACUHO info@oacuho.com
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Hell OACUHO c lleagues
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s we celebrate Canada's 150th Anniversary of Confederation, there is no better place for the OACUHO Annual Spring Conference than Ottawa, Ontario! I would like to thank the host committee and volunteers from Carleton University all of their hard work leading up to the conference, and over the next few days, as we have an opportunity to BLOSSOM, that is develop both personally and professionally. As you review all of the learning experiences, you will see that we have had a strong showing from our members that took the time to put forward extraordinary session proposals and I wish to thank them for being willing to sharing
their knowledge and experience with us. Also, I would like to acknowledge the generous support of sponsors who have helped make this conference possible – be sure to visit them at the vendor fair. OACUHO continues to play a vital role in advancing our profession. Over this past year, I am pleased to share that the Board with the help of many of you has made strides in furthering Our Vision for 2020, OACUHO’s Strategic Plan. It has been a pleasure to serve as your OACUHO President over this past year. I hope that you enjoy the conference and your time in Ottawa!
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CARLETON WELCOME
Welc me t Ottawa! On behalf of the Host Committee we welcome you to Ottawa and to Carleton University! This is a very special year for our University as we celebrate 75 years and an even bigger celebration for our city – Canada’s capital – in this sesquicentennial year. We also bring you to Ottawa during a very special time of year – as the tulips are starting to blossom around the city.
Natalie Allan Co-Chair
Laura Storey Co-Chair
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It was easy for us to choose this year’s theme – Blossom - as it fits both with our annual Tulip Festival and because of the opportunities we will provide you to blossom professionally as you connect with with your OACUHO colleagues. This year’s conference proves to be a winning combination of learning experiences, social opportunities, engaging keynotes, exhibitor’s fair, and the pre-conference of Residential Curriculum Institute: Canada. We welcome housing professionals from all functional areas and membership levels to come together to learn, grow, and explore. Over the course of the next four days we hope you’ll take full advantage of all that the conference, Carleton and Ottawa have to offer. If you need anything during your stay at Carleton, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our team. We want to make this experience a great one for you!he conference and your time in Ottawa!
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RESEARCH with Research Writer Aman Litt
Diversity or Lack Thereof in Student Affairs
Terms: Racism is “a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race” (Racism, (n.d.).
White privilege “is a term for societal privileges that benefit people identified as white in Western countries, beyond what is commonly experienced by non-white people under the same social, political or economic circumstances” (Kendall, 2002, p. 1).
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“‘Whiteness’ is a term that describes the ideology of those who have been racially identified as white. Whiteness, as with race, is a socially constructed reality. In other words, the meaning of one’s skin color and how it shapes a person’s worldview and lived experience is not inherent in an individual but determined by society. This is supported by the fact that the definition of the white race has changed over time and has been determined by the people in power” (Lietz, 2015).
IN HOUSE RESEARCH
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orking within Student Affairs is such an exciting place to be; we are constantly challenging ourselves with continual changes, questioning best practices and whether we admit to it or not, putting way too much on our professional plates, with the best of intentions. For example, one area we are passionate about is diversity inclusion within our professional portfolio; most institutions have a diversity statement or mandate they follow, but what is the follow through? Discriminatory hiring practices are not a thing of the past and we need to acknowledge and address the existence of bias within our own hiring practices in Student Affairs. What we need to be discussing in Student Affairs is what racism is, and not the stereotypical ideology of it, but how it is currently living and breathing within our society. We need to be educating ourselves about whiteness, white privilege and how it currently lives in society. “Although countering the individual level of oppression is important, fighting institutional oppression is also imperative” (Bondi, 2012, p. 398). How are we able to teach and promote a multicultural environment, when our campuses’ are all predominately white? It is difficult for us to create the proper training, support and structure within our Residence systems without a well-rounded, multicultural and multi-coloured staffing.
When doing research on this month’s topic, I asked myself ‘whose voice is currently being minimized within Student Affairs?’ I have done some research on this subject and I know that the Indigenous perspective, people of colour and the international perspective are not being adequately represented in most Student Affairs departments. The fact that there is a gap is a great challenge and opportunity for all of us to work together at bettering our current staffing structure. “Student affairs professionals and faculty can ensure power and privilege are brought up in discussions about policy and practice” (Bondi, 2012, p. 408). Whether we are front line staff or hidden in an office with other duties, we have the voice and the opportunity to tell our colleagues and supervisors that this needs to be a primary focus of our departments. By bringing up these conversations and doing selflearning, it allows us the opportunity to make the conversation more upfront. “...[S]tudent affairs practitioners must create opportunities and be prepared to facilitate dialogues that help students deal with issues of privilege, diversity, and social justice” (Carter et al, 2007, p.152). We provide the tools and training for our staff to work with students, but what about within our own departments? If we are providing our student staff with training, why are we not training ourselves?
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IN HOUSE RESEARCH
What does diversity look like on your campus? At the University of Alberta, over forty percent of our students are international students and we are working very hard at evaluating our hiring practices to ensure that we are able to create a more accessible application procedure for all potential new hires. What does this look like? One simple question I would start with is are there items in a resume or cover letter which prevent individuals from getting asked for an interview by you? For example, a personal practice I use to have revolved around grammatical errors. I was a stickler for grammatical errors, but now, upon reflection, I realize that this bias of mine was hindering the international applicants from potentially reaching interview stage because of something rather simple and not extremely necessary for their job. Of course our professional staff need to communicate well, but they need to be relatable and approachable before that. Another question to consider is what makes someone stand out in an interview? For me, the first thing that comes to mind is someone who can sell themselves really well. This is a North American custom and not a cultural trait that is practiced all across the world. A year ago, I was helping a student staff member prepare for his first professional interview after graduation. I kept telling the staff member that they had to show the interview panel that they were the absolute best choice and to basically brag about how great they were. The Chinese student I was coaching told me no; he told me that there was absolutely no way he would feel comfortable selling himself in such a manner because it is highly undignified to brag about
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oneself in his culture. This was news to me and made me really reflect on who we deem the strongest candidates in our applicant pool and how North American we are, as to who is considered the strongest. Whenever I go through interviews, I think to myself, who was the strongest candidate or who stood out the most? This way of thinking could and has really diminished my ability to see potential in other cultural ways of exhibiting strength or ability within an interview setting. I also think that another reason why we do like not talking about racism or personal bias is because we have come a long way and we do not see overt racism or bias in our workplaces, typically speaking. We do see people of colour on our campuses, who are very successful and are our colleagues, classmates or friends, so perhaps, day to day, it seems the problem no longer exists. The assumptions around the the problem being diminished or eradicated is that certain minority groups have a higher median annual income or higher years of schooling against the majority white population, but this simplifies the issue and rather paints it in a positive light and subverts the current issue (Suzuki, 2002). The fact that a specific number of visible minorities are doing well does not negate the percentage of minorities versus majority individuals. When all factors are put into play: number of working adults in the home, cost of living and disparity from white peers, the results show that there is not the success the simplistic assessment provides us (Suzuki, 2002).
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IN HOUSE RESEARCH
A really honest way to know that the issue is still alive is to look around the room when you are in any meeting. Typically, most, if not all, the individuals in the room are white. Now, if you leave that meeting room and walk to a central location on campus, what do you see around you? I think I would be safe to say that not all, if even most people in the room are white. So where is the issue that we do not have people of colour in our profession?
1. Read! Education is a powerful tool and there are many useful journals, articles and studies done on the history of Student Affairs, traditions and practices.
The goal of this article was not to bring hard and fast solutions, but rather, get the conversation going, get you thinking about this topic and your own personal bias, from your cultural background, where you grew you up and your own personal philosophies. I do have some recommendations of goals, which all of of us can take away from this and start working on in our respective institutions:
I know that some individuals reading this will argue my vantage point and I welcome that. I am sure there are many campuses across Canada that have higher numbers of people of colour employed and to these institutions I would ask, in what roles? Entry level or management?
2. Hire an expert. There are many people, perhaps on campus, or in your local community, who could come and speak about hiring bias and how to identify it, so that you can create a more even playing field in forthcoming interviews.
When it comes to managerial and upper management positions, minority groups are at a disadvantage to said opportunities. “Although [minority employees] are well educated and gain relatively easy access to entry-level jobs, they continue to face inequities in income and upward job mobility” (Suzuki, 2002, p.24). This is a very interesting fact and something that I do not think will change overnight. This issue also persists with women in positions of supervision and has through history as well.
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3. Conduct workshops, retreats, and other activities for students, faculty, administrators, and staff on diversity and multiculturalism, including segments on the stereotyping and its damaging effects. Because attitudes and behaviors change very slowly, these activities should not be one-shot efforts but should be conducted on an ongoing basis” (Suzuki, 2002, 99. 29).
IN HOUSE RESEARCH
4. Provide leadership training and opportunities for minority groups.
Resources
Bondi, S. (2012). Students and Institutions Protecting Whiteness as Property: A Critical Race Theory Analysis of Student Affairs Preparation. Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice, 49(4), pp. 397-414.
5. Acknowledge your own short comings. Take a class, read a book, meet with someone who specializes on the topic and then share the knowledge with your colleagues and supervisors.
This is a topic I am personally and professionally passionate about and I know many of us are. Please join Brian Cunha and myself at the ‘Elephant in the Room’ session at the OACUHO: Blossom 2017 Conference on Tuesday, May 9th at 11:30 a.m., so that we can all continue the conversation.
Carter, S.P., Honeyford, M. McKaskle, C., Guthrie, F., Mahoney, S., Ghangis, D. (2007). “What do you mean by W h i t e n e s s ? ” : A P r o f e s s o r, F o u r Doctoral Students, and a Student Affairs Administrator Explore Whiteness. College Student Affairs Journal, 26(2), pp. 152-9. Kendall, F. E. (2002). Understanding White Privilege. Retrieved from http:// www.cpt.org/files/Undoing%20Racism %20-%20Understanding%20White %20Privilege%20-%20Kendall.pdf Lietz, M. (2015). Whiteness and White Identity. Culture and Youth Studies. Retrieved from http:// cultureandyouth.org/racism/articlesracism/whiteness-white-identitydevelopment/ Racism. (n.d.). Retrieved April 30, 2017, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/ dictionary/racism Suzuki, B. (2002). Revisiting the Model Minority Stereotype: Implications for Student Affairs Practice and Higher Education. New Direction for Student Services, 97, pp. 21-32.
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Message fr m the inc ming President Greetings Colleagues!
Amanda Ziegler 
 2017/2018 OACUHO President
I am happy to be writing to you in the 2017 Spring Conference Pulse Edition. Like the season, our Spring Conference offers our members the opportunity for regrowth, renewal and perhaps a little bit of spring cleaning! I would like to thank our conference hosts, Carleton University, for putting in countless hours preparing what I am certain will be an amazing conference for us all. Being able to visit Ottawa during the 150th year of Canada certainly adds something special to the experience this year. From a sold-out preconference to a wide variety of learning experiences, both in content and format, this conference is sure to have something for everyone! I would also like to recognize our members who have put forward important learning opportunities, the industry experts who will be sharing their insights with us, and our corporate partners and conference sponsors for their support. Thank you. Finally, I think it is important to offer a tremendous thank you to the outgoing members of the board who have spent their term moving the priorities of the association forward. It has been my pleasure to serve with, and learn from, all of the amazing individuals on the 2016-17 board. It is my honour to continue with that work, alongside some new folks, for the next two years. With gratitude, Amanda
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Featured C nference Speakers Dr. Zebulun Davenport
Dr. Zebulun Davenport joins us from West Chester University where he serves as their vice president for student affairs where he provides leadership to multiple units that positive impact students’ lives on campus. Regarded for his work in assessment, retention, learning outcomes, strategic planning and assisting first generation college students, he is co-creator of the Changing Institutional Retention through Co-Curriculuar Learning Experiences (CIRCLE) Model. Join us on Monday, May 8th at 7:00 pm where Zebulun will share with us why residence completes the student experience.
Dr. Keith Edwards Dr. Keith Edwards hails from Minnesota where he is an executive and leadership coach for individuals looking to move forward in any aspect of their life. With more than 15 years of experience with speaking and consulting at more than 100 colleges and universities, Keith provides award-winning learning opportunities on men’s identity, social justice education, and leadership. Join us on Thursday, May 11th at 10:00 am for Keith’s Keynote on the concepts and principles from the latest science of what works from positive psychology and neuroscience.
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Bl ss m S cials Monday
A Residence Life Experience Join us in residence at Carleton University for a variety of events and feel free to travel through and between every location. Frontenac House: 2nd floor – Hospitality Suite 3rd floor (TV Lounge) – Snakes and Lattes and board game cafe 4th floor (TV Lounge) – Canada 150 Trivia, snacks and a cash bar 5th floor (TV Lounge) – Blossom on Canvas – a paint night (limited availability) 6th floor (TV Lounge) – Bedtime Yoga Raven’s Roost (Tunnel Level of Stormont/Dundas) Check out our recently renovated residence-wide student lounge. Opportunities include foosball table, ping pong, board games, video games, pool table and cash bar.
Tuesday @5:30
A Canadian Experience From 5:30 to 7:00 pm you’ll join us in the 3rd-floor Dining Area in Residence Commons for a truly Canadian dining experience. With four different stations featuring food from across the country, this dinner one that you will not want to miss. Local beverages will be featured and Canadian-themed door-prizes could be yours to take home. Dress is casual.
Tuesday @7pm
Option 1 – University of Ottawa Residence Tour When in Ottawa, why not check out all the residences! We’ve partnered with University of Ottawa to show you their facilities on this 1.5 hour tour. Comfortable shoes recommended. At the end of this tour you will have the option to be dropped off at the social or back at Carleton University.
Option 2 – Downtown Tour A tour of the landmark buildings in downtown Ottawa will be yours on this tour. Enjoy hearing about the history of Canada with your tour guides as they show you West Block of the Parliament Buildings, Chateau Laurier and the War Memorial. Comfortable shoes recommended. From the tour, you’ll walk to the social in the Byward Market.
Tuesday @8pm
Social at the Heart and Crown (Byward Market)
The Heart and Crown in the Byward Market is a landmark to Ottawa natives and visitors alike. Join your colleagues for beverages and snacks in this pub with a relaxed atmosphere.
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Getting t Kn w the New B ard PRESIDENT Amanda Ziegler Manager, Residence Life Brock University
PRESIDENT-ELECT/ FINANCE DIRECTOR Ian Crookshank Director, Housing and Residence Life Ryerson University
First Student Housing Professional Job: Residence Life Coordinator
First Student Housing Professional Job: Residence Manager (University of Windsor)
I can talk all day about: Home renos, gardening and the importance of perspective
I can talk all day about: I like stuff. Pro = learning, business opportunities, Intrapreneurship, wellness. Personal: Fam & Kids, Sportsing, oh and Disney (related to Kids & Fam)
Tips for networking at the Conference: Set a goal that is right for you! Networking is important but not at the expense of your learning and enjoyment of the conference. What makes OACUHO my professional home: The relationships I have developed with my colleagues Why I joined the BOD: Honestly - because some folks that I respect asked me to consider it. Upon consideration, I realized that I had gained a lot through OACUHO and it was time for me to give something back.
Tips for networking at the Conference: I'm dreadful at "networking" so...Set expectations for yourself (that are you), make meaningful vs. many connections, take a breather if needed. What makes OACUHO my professional home: It's the people and their commitment to the work we do and the continued growth of our field. I left housing for a bit and consider myself a student affairs professional who is responsible for housing. OACUHO helps ground me and encourage me to be better at how I support students each day. Why I joined the BOD: I was drawn to this field by the capacity of housing professionals to build, learn, and grow as an educational community of support for the students we serve. In many ways I, as a housing professional, am the product of countless mentoring conversations and learning experiences shared with colleagues from across the province. My hope for being involved as a member of the Board of Directors is to support an organization that has played such a pivotal role in my development and serve its members in the creation of environments that better diverse students’ educational outcomes and life experiences.
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PAST PRESIDENT Daryl Nauman Director, Residence Life York University
First Student Housing Professional Job: Manager at Durham College & UOIT residence I can talk all day about: Technology, fitness, music, and of course housing Tips for networking at the Conference: Find individuals whose interests or work intrigues you; ask them questions, as others will often embrace an opportunity to talk about their passions. Wear your name tag :-) What makes OACUHO my professional home: OACUHO helped orient me early in my career, it is a well-regarded housing association that focuses on what is important to members and provides a great means to meet and reconnect with colleagues and friends! Why I joined the BOD: I joined so I could give back to the association that I benefited from early in my career and help move it forward.
CORPORATE PARTNER DIRECTOR Jessica Nayda Residence Life Manager University of Guelph
COMMUNICATION DIRECTOR Kristina Bartold Residence & Student Life Coordinator St. Jerome’s University First Student Housing Professional Job: Student Activities Coordinator @ SJU I can talk all day about: My time volunteering in Ukraine, how cool my job is and my deep appreciation for learning from others. Tips for networking at the Conference: Don't be afraid to ask someone about the great work they are doing! It is their pride and joy, and they are excited to share with you. What makes OACUHO my professional home: Housing in Ontario is such a unique and niche area to work in. OACUHO provides a platform for me to connect with other practitioners doing similar work, and find a community to share best practices with to best serve students. Why I joined the BOD: I joined the Board of Directors to better connect with my profession, give back to a community I learn from and work to provide meaningful connection opportunities to the members!
First Student Housing Professional Job: ARLM at the University of Guelph I can talk all day about: Books - I love to read Tips for networking at the Conference: Try and sit with someone new during meals. And be sure to exchange contact information with colleagues you've met throughout the conference. What makes OACUHO my professional home: The wonderful people! Why I joined the BOD: I wholeheartedly believe in what we, as Student Housing Services professionals, do to support student success. The opportunity to engage with and support other professionals across the province in their delivery of exceptional student experiences is super exciting! We make a difference on our campuses, and OACUHO is pivotal to advocating what we do on a broader scale. I couldn’t wait to give back to our association in the capacity of Corporate Partner Director.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR Andrew Natale
MEMBERSHIP ENGAGEMENT DIRECTOR Nathan Riley
Residence Life Coordinator Brock University
Residence Life Coordinator Queen’s University
First Student Housing Professional Job: Residence Life Coordinator, Student Engagement and Leadership I can talk all day about: Sports (MLB, NFL, NHL,CFL), Self-Help Books, Broadway Musicals Tips for networking at the Conference: Meet 1 new person each day. A meal is a great place to start or continue a conversation from the time at the conference What makes OACUHO my professional home: It provides opportunities for both giving and receiving knowledge. Everyone is welcome whether its your first conference or 40th. Why I joined the BOD: I am excited to help create learning and professional development opportunities for the entire membership.
SENIOR MEMBER-AT-LARGE Val Bruce Housing Operations and Administration Coordinator Ryerson University First Student Housing Professional Job: Public Relations Officer
First Student Housing Professional Job: Niagara College as a Residence Life Coordinator I can talk all day about: I’m a huge fan of all sports! In the professional sports leagues around North America (NBA, MLS, NHL, MLB) it is the Toronto teams that I always cheer for. Also, I’m so excited about the Winter Olympics coming up in PyeongChang. It will be an amazing year for the sporting world. I also cannot forget about Tulo my 11 month old puppy. On Instagram he always gets more likes than me. Tips for networking at the Conference: Try to break out of your comfort zone. For me, networking was not and at times is still not the most comfortable thing to do. It is easy to spend time around the people you know at conferences. I’ve always tried establishing goals of meeting new people every day at conferences I attend. This goal can range from 1 person to 25 or more, but having those quantitative outcomes allows you to self-regulate what you want to accomplish. What makes OACUHO my professional home: The opportunity to have discussion with individuals with similar experiences and backgrounds makes this organization my professional home. Why I joined the BOD: I want to continue to give back to an organization that has helped me develop since my time as a student staff member many years ago.
I can talk all day about: Drag Queens, guilty pleasure reality tv, #MBAlife, Tips for networking at the Conference: Don't be shy to introduce yourself to new folks, especially if it's your first OACUHO conference. If you're seasoned conference attendee, make sure to spot out new attendees to make them feel welcomed.
a
What makes OACUHO my professional home: For me, the people within OACUHO is what makes it my professional home. Whether it's a quick phone call, a list serve email or connecting face-to-face at the FBM or spring conference, I always value the conversations, info sharing and networking that OACUHO has allowed for me to acquire and use in my day to day work. Why I joined the BOD: I joined the OACUHO board for a few reasons. I participated on the board in 2011-2012 and found it to be a wonderful and exciting way to network early in my career and begin a better understanding of what OACUHO has to offer for our profession. Since then, I've changed roles a few times at Ryerson and felt like it was time to give back again to the association, and the role of Senior-Member at Large seemed like a great way to continue to connect , especially with our functional area folks to continue encouraging involvement and connections within OACUHO. THE OACUHO PULSE MAY CONFERENCE EDITION
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MEMBER AT LARGE Jenny Tabar
CONFERENCE DIRECTOR Kristin Lennan
Case Support Coordinator University of Waterloo
Area Coordinator University of Guelph
First Student Housing Professional Job: Community Coordinator
First Student Housing Professional Job: Residence Life Coordinator, Queen's University
I can talk all day about: Harry Potter and travel. In that order.
I can talk all day about: Anything and everything related to travel, housing and student development/experience
Tips for networking at the Conference: Be yourself and say hello to your neighbour when you feel up for it. The rest will follow :) What makes OACUHO my professional home: The peer network, mentorship opportunities, and the common passion we all share for our jobs. Why I joined the BOD: To challenge myself and to contribute to OACUHO in a different way than I have in the past.
MEMBER AT LARGE Carley Webb Residence Life Area Coordinator Wilfrid Laurier University
Tips for networking at the Conference: Get outside of your comfort zone and engage in conversation with people from other institutions. Identify things yourself and others may be passionate about or have in common and use that as your in. Keep a few key questions in your back pocket to ask others and don’t worry about forgetting people’s names, just reintroduce yourself and roll with it. What makes OACUHO my professional home: I love engaging with lots of different people in roles that are different than my own. OACUHO provides those opportunities to come together, share, and advance our knowledge in the field. Why I joined the BOD: I joined OACUHO to reengage with the organization and give back. I was ready to take on some more challenge in my role and that partnered with few
First Student Housing Professional Job: Community Advisor at Algonquin College I can talk all day about: Recipe swapping, work out regimes, DIY projects and Disney Tips for networking at the Conference: 1) Migrate away from your institution but don't ignore them. Those are people you spend a lot of time with and don't need to 'network' but also appreciate this social time that you can spend with them. 2) Go up to someone you have never seen before and introduce yourself... you never know where that will take you. What makes OACUHO my professional home: There is always someone willing to ask questions, learn and connect. It is a great mix of professional curiosity, hard work and socializing. Why I joined the BOD: I wanted to be an active participant in sharing the amazing work that housing professionals do and to learn from some of the best and brightest minds in our field!
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Carleton University Dining Services welcomes the attendees of the 2017 OACUHO Annual Conference to Ottawa. We hope you enjoy the conference - and the food! dining.carleton.ca diningservices@carleton.ca 613-520-2600 ext. 5618
Living the Contract Life Mary Stefanidis Co-ordinator, Living-Learning Communities University of Waterloo
T
he reality of our field is such, that at one point or another you’ll likely be on a short-term contract. Whether that’s for one year or three, the uncertainty of what comes after can be daunting for most. Currently in my first two years as a professional, I’m on my third consecutive contract at the University of Waterloo, and it’s slowly coming to a wrap in the next couple of months. I truly believe I have become a better person – professionally and personally – from this experience. Reflecting back, I’ve identified five things that have allowed me to make the most out of my contract positions. So, here’s some unsolicited advice – whether you’re just starting, mid-contract or are worried about being on one at all:
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5
You’re here for a good, not a long time Take advantage of this opportunity to gain new skills and experiences. What are some unique opportunities you can be a part of in this role, or at this specific institution that you may not have elsewhere? Reflect with colleagues, friends or your supervisor on areas of growth and interest. Keep a list of what you want to gain and how you’re going to do it – the key is to have a clear idea of both. This will help you be intentional with the time you have and give you a chance to learn from those around you. If you’re working at a new institution, what cool traditions, history and places can you experience that you haven’t before?
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Find your Obi-Wan
When having conversations with successful people in Student Affairs, most of them have one thing in common: a mentor. Mentors can help you see beyond your contract into longer term goals, help you make sense of what you’re doing now and how that ultimately fits into the greater scheme of your p ro fe ss i o n a l c a re e r. It’s a g re a t opportunity to learn from someone who’s been where you have been and to ask for advice and feedback. Don’t have one? Think about someone you admire and respect, and may have experiences that you’d like to have one day. Then take that leap and reach out. Explain why you want to chat and you’d be surprised how, more often than not, people in our field are willing to support one another.
Thank you George You know how we’re always telling the students we work with to create goals? Time for us to take our own advice. Working in Residence Life can be hectic and consuming with a schedule that changes more often then we can even anticipate. So how can we manage our time effectively? With our good friend George Doran and his S.M.A.R.T. goals of course. It may feel silly at first, writing everything out in this format, but having a list of specific and reasonably attainable goals will increase the likelihood of actually achieving them, and in turn, making your mark.
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Make your mark
The clock is ticking, what are you going to do to leave your mark in that role, on your team and on the institution? You’ve been given this amazing opportunity, no matter how short, to truly advance a program forward. How are you going to make that department or program better off for having you? How can you leverage your prior experiences and unique skills to impact the work you do in your role positively? Empower and push yourself to leave a mark.
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#squadgoals
Create a community. You should be as intentional with relationship building as you are with goal setting. Take the time to get to know people, on and outside of your team, their paths and who they really are. Reach out to someone on campus in another department that you think is doing interesting work and ask them to get a coffee. Having that strong support network and connection to the institution, especially if you’re working somewhere that isn’t your alma matter, is essential in feeling confident in the work you do and making sure you have some fun at the same time. I no doubt have made friends here that will be in my life for time to come. I hope these five tips have been helpful or thought provoking in one way or another. I’d love to hear about what tips you have to make the most out of your contract! Feel free to reach out at mary.stefanidis@uwaterloo.ca or at @MaryStefanidis on twitter.
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Making the m st f Bl ss m 2017 Kristin Lennan Area Coordinator University of Guelph
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name is Kristin and I am the incoming OACUHO Conference Director. I wanted to take the time to officially welcome you to the Spring Conference here at Carleton. If you haven't already, take time to settle in, unpack and rest up for what is bound to be a great experience. Top 10 lists are perhaps my favourite way to communicate just about anything. Here are my top 10 tips for making the most of your conference experience: 1) Review the conference program. Your host institution has put a lot of time into creating a wellrounded conference program. Take the time to review what the conference has to offer and start planning the sessions you may want to attend. Challenge yourself to attend sessions that are outside your general field of knowledge. Know what you want to get out of the conference and plan your experience accordingly. 2) Divide and conquer. If you are attending the conference with others from your home institution discuss the sessions you all plan to attend in advance. By attending different sessions you are able to cover more content and bring more knowledge back to your own institution.
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3) Bring your business cards. It may seem old school but there is no better way to remember who you're talking to than to ask for their business card. Write key pointers about your conversation on the back to help you remember the individual.
7) Follow-up. Did you hear something great in a presentation? Did someone make an excellent point that you want to learn more about? Don't hesitate to followup and ask questions. We are all here to learn from one another, don't shy away from engaging in critical dialogue about what you are learning.
4) Get Involved. Attend socials, engage with exhibitors at the Exhibitors Fair and perhaps even join a committee. Whether you are new to OACUHO or a seasoned professional, I challenge you to meet someone new.
5) Remember what you learn. Find your favourite reflection practices and put them to work. Take notes in sessions and draw parallels between the presenter’s information and how you do things at your home institution. Keep a Top 10 list if you'd like Remember back when teachers and professors used to say that reviewing your notes nightly is the best way to keep information at the forefront of your memory? The same idea applies here. Review your notes after the conference; you'll be amazed at how much you may have already forgotten.
6) Share your knowledge. It is likely not everyone from your home institution is attending the conference. What are you learning that you think your colleagues at home may find interesting? Pass along what you are learning to those who were unable to attend or perhaps connect with your supervisor about an opportunity to share what you learned with your team.
8) Network. This may seem intimidating to some, but put yourself out there and get involved. If you see someone hanging out alone, go introduce yourself. Sit with someone you don't know during a meal. The more you network the more likely you are going to meet a new friend and OACUHO colleague.
9) Sleep. Conferencing is a lot of fun but it can also be exhausting. If you're an introvert like myself, you're going to be craving your alone time by the end of the week. Take care of yourself and work within your limits.
10) Bring a sweater. In all seriousness, we all learn better when we are comfortable so dress for the weather and keep comfy.
With all of that being said, I'll share with you the same advice I give to any incoming student living in residence. Your conference experience is what you make of it. The more effort you put in to engaging in sessions, meeting new people and expanding your comfort zone; the more you are going to gain. Happy conferencing to you all, and see you around Carleton.
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Sexual Violence Legislation in Ontario: Key Considerations for Student Housing Chris Lengyell Assistant Director, Residence Life University of Toronto Mississauga
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his past October, Housing & Residence Life at Ryerson University and OACUHO hosted a drive-in workshop dedicated to Bill 132, The Sexual Violence and Harassment Action Plan Act. Joined by industry leaders, this workshop offered the opportunity for delegates to engage in meaningful dialogue about institutional best practices and protocols regarding sexual violence as it relates to case management, support and adjudication in student housing. Bill 132 was proposed as part of the Ontario’s Government’s ongoing efforts in conjunction with the “It’s Never Okay: An Action Plan to Stop Sexual Violence and Harassment” and was developed because there appeared to be few stand-alone sexual assault policies on campuses in Ontario. Under its provisions, Bill 132 requires that all colleges and universities in Ontario have a policy that addresses sexual violence including a clear process outlining how the institution will respond to incidents and complaints that occur. Among other impacts, institutions are also now required to report a number of pieces of information regarding sexual violence, including: • the number of incidents and complaints of sexual violence reported by students, as well as information about such incidents • the number of times support services and accommodation are requested by students the implementation and effectiveness of the sexual violence policy
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Although this piece of provincial legislation is new, the topic of sexual violence education and prevention has long been a key area of focus within student housing. Considering that some lessons can be gleaned from the implementation of Title IX in the United States, our Canadian context of postsecondary education is arguably unique. With the provisions of Bill 132 coming into effect as of January 1, 2017, important questions continue to circulate within our membership regarding the ways in which these recent sexual violence policies, offices and centres will work in collaboration with established practices of prevention, support and conduct. As we begin to move into summer planning and prepare for our incoming students, we must be sure that we’re asking the right questions, of both ourselves, and our collaborative partners regarding effective sexual violence prevention, response and support on our campuses. As an extension of October’s Bill 132 Workshop, below are a few key questions and considerations that have emerged from continued conversations with colleagues from across the province over the course of this academic year. How do these newly established sexual violence policies influence how we talk about sexual violence? How we talk about sexual violence is important. By shifting the way sexual violence is discussed to become increasingly survivor-focused, the ultimate aim is to shift our collective thoughts, behaviours and systems as we work to build a culture of consent in our campus communities and beyond. In the development of appropriate messaging, it is important to consider your institutional context. Know and understand the ways in which your institution’s sexual violence policy addresses the topic - but consider that it can also be incredibly empowering
for students to be given the opportunity to self-define. Individuals who have experienced incidents of sexual violence can be intimidated or unsure about how to appropriately access support and it is important that messaging be proactive, welcoming, and clear (e.g., “we believe you”, “consent matters”, etc.). The way we talk about sexual violence can be one way for us to demonstrate to our students that we are here to help and that there are services and support systems in place specifically for them. Particularly in crisis, but also in terms of prevention and education, it is important for language to be accessible and transparent, to ensure that students understand their rights and the ways in which these policies differentiate between concepts, such as disclosure (e.g., the sharing of information about an incident with a member of the college or university community) and reporting (e.g., seeking the initiation of a formal process). By reducing the barriers for accessing support through language, we can hope to encourage students to come forward and minimize unreported incidents. How do we best train and support our student and professional staff? One of the most salient concerns for many in our field surrounds information handling particularly, balancing the need for documentation with confidentiality for survivors. In the case of our student leaders, clear and effective training is key. Compassionate responses remain essential, yet we must ensure that despite the best intentions of student staff to support their peers, they are ultimately not investigators and must be given tools to address the limits of confidentiality, such as providing them with a template or script to help them navigate difficult conversations. In discussion with Brandon Smith, he remarked ”Those who’ve had these conversations would agree this is delicate,
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and the line between a conversation to support and an investigation is important to distinguish. Further, limits to confidentiality need to be addressed in a way that doesn’t create a barrier to dialogue. It’s important to establish clear training, protocol and understanding around these aspects of support with student and professional staff teams to mitigate any potential ambiguity related to support in the moment and opportunities for next steps.” Ensure that staff ask only what they need to know and then make the timely connection or referral to the appropriate resource. Documentation should be clear, concise and address facts - as opposed to opinions. The impacts of sexual violence can be far reaching, not only for those directly involved, but also for those who were involved either as a first responder or early intervener. Appropriate, trauma-informed, interventions and emotional supports, with particular consideration given to the intersectionality of race, gender and ability, should be put in place immediately after incidents of sexual violence as they can reduce the likelihood of intensified traumaresponse development. Increased training in critical incident debriefing is one way for us to ensure that our staff & student communities are provided with venues to access effective support options. With increased expectations, how do we best manage compliance and conduct in incidents of sexual violence? Although the stand-alone sexual violence policies, offices and centres may be relatively new on some of our campuses, many of our student codes of conduct and residence community standards have historically contained guidelines and information that address sexual violence. Moving forward, it will be important to better clarify how multiple, potentially parallel and overlapping, conduct processes will work
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together while ensuring that it is not adding unnecessary steps for survivors.
It has been said before that with 24/7 operations, residence exists as a microcosm of the institution, therefore, the likelihood of sexual violence occurring in our communities is unfortunately very real. In cases of sexual violence that take place in residence, we, as housing professionals, are also often in the unique and challenging position of engaging both the complainant and the respondent. Consider what interim measures you may want to put in place as cases work their way through institutional or even criminal processes. As we work to avoid the potential pitfalls of compliance trumping survivor-centered approaches, there exist very real challenges in the balance of procedural fairness with individual and community safety. Careful consideration should also be directed towards appeals that adequately respect the rights and responsibilities of all students. Clarity from divisional leadership is integral - be sure to stay in constant communication with your campus partners and work to reconcile any distance between policy and practice. The landscape of sexual violence in Ontario postsecondary education is continually evolving. For us, as housing professionals, we must continue to question and search for ways to minimize the risks of sexual violence in our communities. At the end of the day, this work can only truly move forward if we work together. Although many of us have likely developed a spectrum of familiarity in the area of sexual violence, know that there exist numerous resources, colleagues and subject matter experts for us to draw upon both institutionally and across the country. Collaboration is key and none of our work in this area should exist within a silo. By
The landscape of sexual violence in Ontario postsecondary education is continually evolving. For us, as housing professionals, we must continue to question and search for ways to minimize the risks of sexual violence in our communities. At the end of the day, this work can only truly move forward if we work together. Although many of us have likely developed a spectrum of familiarity in the area of sexual violence, know that there exist numerous resources, colleagues and subject matter experts for us to draw upon both institutionally and across the country. Collaboration is key and none of our work in this area should exist within a silo. By learning from our common challenges and successes, it is important that we as housing professionals remember to take care of ourselves and each other regarding this topic. If you identify, or develop, particularly effective tools - be sure to find a way to share. The historical collaboration and collegial synergy that our association is built upon will continue to lead our
deliberate and collective efforts to combat sexual violence in our communities in the years to come.
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If you’re in attendance at the Spring Conference, be sure to look for opportunities to continue these conversations with colleagues, including sessions such as ‘Aligning Procedure with University Policy: Queen’s Residence Life Response to Sexual Violence Disclosure’ on Tuesday May 9 at 3pm in Richcraft Hall 3202. Thanks to Brandon Smith and the Ryerson team as well as Andrea Carter (Assistant Dean, Student Wellness, Support & Success - University of Toronto Mississauga), Farah Khan (Coordinator, Office of Sexual Violence, Support and Education - Ryerson University) & Lara Hof (Manager, Office of Student Conduct Humber College) for their contributions to the Bill 132 Workshop and continued leadership in this area.
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