> A Letter from ACUHO-I—2
> Addressing Alcohol Culture - 5
> I am writing?!!?- 9
September 2013
President’s Corner Hello OACUHO Members, Welcome to another edition of the Pulse! The Board has been working hard, discussing goals, planning and anticipating the needs of the membership. One of our highlights is that we're working to continue to improve our broad communication with the membership through the Pulse, Blog and through social media. To help streamline our communication, we have set a themed editorial schedule and have sought consistent correspondence from ACUHO-I. The Pulse is what it is because of the writers and the readers; and we want more of you. To get involved, feel free to contact us.
And we can't forget about the upcoming professional development opportunities in conference form: the 2013 Fall Business Meeting at Brock University, the 2014 Residence Life Conference at UTM and the 2014 OACUHO Spring Conference at Wilfrid Laurier University. As an OACUHO Board "newbie", I am astonished at the number of people involved in this rich community; committees, the Board, networks, mentors and mentees, and host institutions are all thriving with energy, ideas and enthusiasm. It is this rich community that is my professional home. It is people like you who make this community what it is. Keep in touch,
The OACUHO Professional Development schedule will also soon be available and will include webinar, drive-in and passive/ editorial opportunities to help the membership keep up to date on current practices in the Housing field. With a diverse range of topics, the schedule will surely meet the needs of our membership.
Laura Storey OACUHO President-Elect and Finance Director
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September’s OACUHO Spotlight Moment This month the Membership Engagement committee would like to recognize all OACUHO members for their hard work and dedication in welcoming tens of thousands of students to our housing operations this past month. This would not be possible without the hard work of facilities folks, the patience of the admissions/assignments teams, the leadership shown by CHO’s, the countless hours of preparation dedicated by those working in administrative roles, training/development positions and marketing/communication jobs. This would not happen every September without the understanding of those managing finances, the welcoming nature of those operating front desk services, and those engaged in Residence Life and off-campus housing operations. Thank you to all for the work that you do! It is valued and it is important. If you would like to nominate someone within our association for next month’s spotlight moment, please e-mail your colleagues name a brief description of why you’ve chosen to nominate them to Jessica Brain at jbrain@uoguelph.ca by Friday October 16th, 2013. Hi OACUHO members,
don’t have time to think about the future”… really? Why not? I say we owe it to ourselves to regularly invest in reIt was nice to see a number of the flection and planning. If you don’t have a professional deOACUHO members at this year’s velopment plan for yourself for the upcoming year – why ACUHO-I conference in Minnesota. not? I have a form that I have used with many clients How time flies. It seems like my visit (happy to send your way!) that helps staff to begin to think to Toronto was just last month. I about “what am I going to contribute to myself and my cathoroughly enjoyed speaking to the reer for the next three, six, and twelve months. The form group, sharing some of the best prac- tracks competencies that a person is strong in and those tices and issues facing our students. that need work. It is also a chance to gauge (reflect) on One of my favorite parts of the visit what you need for your next job. Sher’s book is a great was my 1-1 time with many of the attendees of the Fall compendium to the tracking sheet as it provides tangible Meeting to do some “coaching” as it related to a problem exercises that assist in moving forward by addressing in their office/institution, or a challenge as it related to ca- head-on the barriers that keep people from meeting their reer trajectory. When I think of moving forward through desired goals. Yes, we all have barriers. Once we know challenges, I often think about how do we create a prowhat they are we can create intentional plans to ensure cess for success on overcoming a challenge? One of my that we no longer run from them, but incorporate responsfavorite books to use for life coaching (yes, for those who es to get us beyond these challenges. do not know, I am a certified life coach) is Barbara Sher’s I Could Do Anything If I Only Knew What It Was. I recently As the incoming President-Elect for ACUHO-I, I am conhad the opportunity to work with a team of residence life stantly thinking through what is it I should be doing to professionals over a month-long “on-line” course called move the organization forward and always reach out to “What’s next in my journey”? and I once again found others to ensure I am focused on issues that the memberSher’s book to be incredibly helpful. It is amazing how ship is interested in moving forward. . This is very much in many people are living the dreams that their parents, line with a coaching process for review of the individual. teachers, relatives, or partner suggests, rather than inves- So as you think about the beginning of this academic year, tigating what it is they should be doing. How does one I would ask how have you started to get the feedback for start that process? I think the best investment any person your program to be in the place you want it to be and from can do for themselves is to invest in someone, like a life a personal development process, how have you gained coach, to assist in creating life plans (or even the creation insight into ensuring you have started reflecting on the of short term goals). Coaches can be found very easily on personal/ professional goals you want to accomplish as -line and through the International Coach Federation web- we “begin again.” site: http://www.coachfederation.org/ If anything I have shared in this “short piece” gets you thinking about your plan and you think I can be helpful, For many new professionals it might be a bit costly to pay please feel free to each out to me. for a full-time professional coach, but there are ways to get a coach-in-training for free by contacting a coaching Sincerely, certificate program and investigating if their coaches need “free coaching clients” as part of their certificate program – Tom Ellett many do! President-Elect, ACUHO-I @TeEllett or email at tom.ellett@nyu.edu During the session I facilitated I received similar feedback to many of the coaching group sessions I facilitate, “I just - PAGE 2 -
LLCs, LLPs, LCs, RLCs. The language surrounding living-learning experiences vary, but at the core of our efforts we are attempting to foster rich and engaging residence environments for our students. For those who either directly manage living-learning communities on their campus or a portion of their portfolio includes living-learning communities, I welcome you to join the Living Learning Community Network. The Living Learning Community Network is a self-identified group of professionals keen to share knowledge, resources and experiences related to creating, developing and managing living-learning programs. Benefits of membership include regular access to peers through the LLC@oacuho.ca listserv, a living-learning focused session at the Fall Business Meeting, access to a living-learning focused online knowledge bank, and a late fall drive-in workshop. If you are interested in joining the Living Learning Community Network, please send an e-mail to dshorey@wlu.ca. As your network chair, I will work to connect you with the information and people you need to enhance your efforts on your campus. Dave Shorey Associate Director, Residence Education Wilfrid Laurier University
York’s Don Training Matt Harris, York University The question “what impact will this program have on the community?” has become a question that is continually asked. Knowing that, York, Residence Life and the Centre for Student Community and Leadership Development (SCLD), to which Residence Life reports to, has decided to show our staff how they can make a positive impact and push each other to change the world in a positive way. Knowing that social change models continually speak of how there are small ways to make change and that looking in one’s own backyard can allow for participants to find ways to make positive change without spending large sums of money. With that in mind, organizers looked to the Toronto community for ways in which we all could begin making change in our greater community. On Saturday 24 August, Residence Life, as part of our night off campus, attended Toronto’s Buskerfest, which is the world’s largest event in support of Epilepsy. The admission fee that the staff decides to pay is a donation given to Epilepsy Toronto. Staff were able to see how their financial contributions, no matter their size, were able to support a cause. On Wednesday 28 August, Residence Life with our colleagues throughout SCLD took part in a community painting program through Woodgreen Community Services (www.woodgreen.org). Student and professional staff participated in the painting of a low-income housing apartment building for seniors. Following that, all were able to have facilitated discussions and share their experience. Staff were able to see that there are organizations available to them that will allow them to make impact without having to commitment financially to a cause. The overall goal for both activities is to have staff understand the impact that giving back can have on themselves, themselves as a community to staff, on the York community and on the city of Toronto.
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Addressing Alcohol Culture: Program Highlights from OACUHO Institutions By: Sonja Smiljanic and Dan Cantiller Sonja Smiljanic | Residence Life Coordinator | Adelaide, Ban Righ, Chown, and Watts Halls Residence Life | Queen’s University | 75 Bader Lane Kingston ON. Canada K7L 3N8 T. 613-533-6000 Ext. 78203 | E. sonja.smiljanic@queensu.ca Dan Cantiller, Hon.BSc, ARCT Academic Link Facilitator | Student Housing Services | Ryerson University 416.979.5000 x4249 | dancan@ryerson.ca | @DanCanThinks What is “alcohol culture”? The issue can be large and somewhat daunting to understand or manage. The lives of students on campuses are very much impacted by the culture of alcohol use as it connects to things like social norms, expectations and values. The resulting culture of alcohol use is therefore complex and tied with many other facets of student life. The topic of alcohol culture on campus is one that is prominent in the work of Residence Life professionals. In our experience, alternative programming, harm reduction initiatives and educational sanctions in the judicial process are effective strategies in both addressing this culture and providing learning opportunities to our students and staff. For the purpose of this article, we will focus on these three areas as they connect to addressing and managing alcohol culture on campuses. Alternative programming - such as Friday night programming - offers students the opportunity to partake in activities instead of consuming alcohol. These programs can be a great tool for outreach to students who do not wish to consume alcohol, to help build a sense of community, and to foster safe and healthy connections among students and staff. Across our campuses, harm reduction initiatives aim to manage the impact of potentially unsafe behaviour. Harm reduction initiatives can take the form of proactive resource-sharing and reactive approaches to managing issues as they arise. Educational sanction models offer students tools for learning and a chance to use the knowledge they acquire to modify potentially unsafe behaviour. The aim of this article is to share highlights of various programs or initiatives happening within our OACUHO membership that address and/or manage alcohol culture on our campuses. We will outline various initiatives and programs from the following institutions: Western University, McMaster University, Queen’s University, and the University of Guelph. Our hope is to spark further interest and conversation on this important topic by offering a sample of what’s out there, and by providing the contact information for professional campus partners who are willing to chat more and answer questions. Western University Western University, located in London, Ontario is known for its education quality, student experiences, and research intensity. The multiprong approach to alcohol issues at Western consists of four areas: policies, pre-arrival messaging, programs that are offered, and response to student issues. For the purpose of this article, we will highlight some initiatives within their risk management approach and their messaging around alcohol. Consistent, ongoing messaging about alcohol with the students is important and begins well before students move in to the residence halls. Through Summer Academic Orientation (in collaboration with the Student Success Centre), housing professionals present key messages to parents and encourage them to have conversations about alcohol with their students. It is best to recruit the support and involvement of parents as much as possible; a parent resource guide has been developed to assist with this effort. A “dry” Orientation Week has been in effect since 2006, meaning students cannot possess, consume, or be under the influence of alcohol in residence during Orientation Week. To help support students’ safety, student staff and orientation leaders are trained in responding to students who may be intoxicated and require attending to, as well as passive alcohol awareness campaigns to educate students on risks and safety tips. Shorter, meaningful and consistent messaging regarding alcohol has been found to be most effective. There are varied opportunities to provide programs that manage the risks of students’ use of alcohol and provide alternatives to students who choose to abstain from alcohol. In a survey that was conducted of students who identified on their Residence Placement Questionnaire that they abstained from alcohol, approximately 80% of these students maintained their commitment to abstain when we asked them again at the end of the year. In another recent survey, it was noted that students voiced a preference for programs to be hosted on weekends, as opposed to weeknights. Western has committed to providing students with dry weekend activities. RAs and Dons are also expected to run at least one late night weekend social for their floor communities each month. Residence Life at Western works with Hospitality Services to provide free (or low-cost) food for residence students on busier nights like Homecoming, Halloween and St. Patrick’s Day. Providing morning pancakes and late night street meat have been found to be a useful strategy. By helping feed students who have or may later consume alcohol, we are ensuring alcohol is not being absorbed into their systems on an empty stomach. It also provides a great opportunity to provide key messaging for students around taking care of themselves and each other. Furthermore, you can learn a lot about what students may be planning in residence for the night, who may be in need of extra care or medical attention, where the parties are at, and much more. Finally, Western purchased a license to use “Check Your Drinking”. Check Your Drinking is a self-assessment tool (like e-Chug). Students receive a confidential report about their drinking habits and costs based on the information they input, and the residence office receives general statistics that can assist with future outreach programs. This tool is Canadian and compares data from across other Canadian institutions. Students can access this tool on the main page of the Housing website and students are encouraged to use it on their own or in conjunction with educational sanctions. For more information about the initiatives described above, please feel free to contact Angela Treglia, Programming Coordinator at Western. Angela can be reached via e-mail at atreglia@housing.uwo.ca or by telephone at 519-661-2111 Ext. 88984. - PAGE 5 -
McMaster University McMaster University, located in Hamilton, Ontario is known for its student-centered, problem-based, interdisciplinary approach to learning. For the purpose of this article, we will highlight proactive and reactive learning opportunities relating to students’ alcohol use. Beginning with Orientation Week, all programming on campus is dry and residence Welcome Week leaders are under contract that prohibits any alcohol consumption, along with Residence Life Staff. The ‘dry’ approach to Orientation is communicated at first community meetings and building-wide opening ceremonies to highlight that Orientation is intended to support a successful transition of all first-year students on campus and provide all students with the necessary skills and information needed for this. IRIS (Inspiration, Reflection, Integrity, and Success), a play written and presented by McMaster students, also highlights safe alcohol use and harm reduction in multiple scenes. This provides new students a realistic perspective on alcohol use as well as safe practices. In September, the Community Advisors (residence student staff) partner with the Student Wellness Centre (SWC) to provide all residence students with the opportunity to participate in a proactive learning opportunity related to alcohol. Each building team provides passive information in the first two weeks to help educate students about alcohol and their choices, in hopes that this will precede any repercussions related to alcohol misuse in residence and/or sanctions from the student conduct process. Of course, students are responsible for their behaviours (including those involving alcohol) prior to this educational program, but the aim is to have this available as early as possible to help inform students’ decision-making moving forward. Throughout the year, CAs plan programs discussing alcohol and its impacts in reaction to trends noticed in their community, as they would for any other community issues that arise. These programs are developed in collaboration with the SWC, who uses information from the National College Health Assessment (NCHA) which McMaster participated in last year. Student Success Leaders working with the SWC provide additional support to the delivery of these programs to their residence student peers. The alcohol awareness workshop is a reactive way to assist learning through the student conduct process. Informed by the good work of other schools, these workshops provide an educational framework for conversations with students about alcohol harm-reduction, rather than a punitive approach. In the workshops, students review national health inventory statistics and discuss health and financial implications of alcohol use. Through an activity, students pour a liquid amount of what they perceive are standard drink sizes and compare these to actual standard drink sizes. Resources about how to support a peer who is overly intoxicated and who to contact for assistance are also covered in the workshop. While in its early stages of development, the Residence Life Office, Student Wellness Centre, Student Success Centre, McMaster Students’ Union and Campus Pub have also begun work on a campus-wide campaign related to alcohol with the core message: ‘Take care of your friends’. The NCHA data is helping drive this initiative, much like the social norming research that Mike Porritt (Executive Director, Student Engagement – Huron University College) has been promoting, along with in-year assessment within the association. For more information about the initiatives described above, please feel free to contact Kevin Beatty, Residence Life Coordinator at McMaster University. He can be reached via e-mail at beattyk@mcmaster.ca or by telephone at 905-525-9140 Ext. 23200. Queen’s University Queen’s University, located in Kingston, Ontario is known for its long-standing traditions, academic excellence and much more. For the purpose of this article, we will highlight a unique harm reduction program which focuses on alcohol safety and harm reduction. The Campus Observation Room – also known as the COR – is a safe, non-judgemental and confidential place for students to go if they are intoxicated and in need of supervision. Founded in 1990, the COR is staffed by professional detox staff from a neighbouring hospital, Hotel Dieu, as well as trained student volunteers. The COR is located in one of the campus’ central residence halls and is available to students on weekends in first semester and on selected weekends/holidays in second semester, such as St. Patrick’s Day. Students can be referred to the COR by student Residence Staff (such as the Dons or Council members), but may also choose to go on their own, or be brought to the COR by friends or community resources, such as the Kingston Police Department. The COR only admits students who are able to walk (with support) to the location on their own, and answer questions; unresponsive students are not permitted to enter for detox supervision, but are instead referred to the local emergency room for more extensive medical supervision. COR volunteers are also involved in educational and programming initiatives on campus – these programs allow them to share strategies for smart and safer alcohol consumption, as well as reactive measures that can be taken to reduce harm (e.g. recovery position, and recognizing the signs of alcohol poisoning). The COR is coordinated through Kate Humphrys, the Health Education / Health Promotion Coordinator with Health, Counselling and Disability Services at Queen’s University. Kate can be reached via e-mail at humphrys@queensu.ca or by telephone at 613-533-6000 Ext. 36712.
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University of Guelph The University of Guelph is located in Guelph, Ontario and is known for its comprehensive research and global citizenship. For the purpose of this article we will highlight one of U of G’s educational sanctions: iParty, an online seminar offered to students that focuses on party hosting and the responsibilities associated with social hosting. The seminar has three main learning outcomes: identify the risks and responsibilities associated with social hosting discuss implications of organizing or hosting parties through case study scenarios identify potential harm reduction alternatives In going through the seminar, one of the lines that jumped out was: “As a host of a party, you probably were thinking that you just want to have a great time, celebrate your new found freedom at university and get pumped up for the night. You probably weren’t too concerned or paying attention to how much your friends were drinking but you SHOULD be. And here’s why...” This line highlights the realities of hosting a party in residence, and also provides a preamble as to why taking responsibility in party situations is important. The seminar addresses the issue of supplying alcohol to minors as well as the possible legal and personal implications. Students read through a number of case studies and are asked to reflect on how the cases could translate to a residence context. They are also asked how they view the departmental role of Student Housing Services in managing parties and underage drinking in residence. Later in the seminar, students are directed to watch a video examining alcohol’s involvement in university life, and reflect on the content. This is significant as it asks students if the content relates to situations they have seen (at the University of Guelph) personally. iParty concludes with a list of recommendations for students to follow in order to be proactive in managing social/party situations that involve alcohol, to reach out to the Residence Life staff, and to take responsibility. It also provides a concluding quiz that asks them true/ false questions such as “Hosting a party only once in residence is ok because you always get a warning first.” - questions that can be helpful in obtaining statistics about students’ understanding of expectations. Overall, the iParty online seminar can be effective in addressing social hosting as it relates to alcohol consumption. To learn more about this educational sanction please contact Lindsay Winger, the Community Standards Officer at the University of Guelph. Lindsay can be reached via e-mail at lwinger@uoguelph.ca or by telephone at 519-824-4120 Ext. 53478.
The nature and complexity of alcohol culture means that it can sometimes be difficult to understand, address and/or manage. Within the realm of residence and campus life, we hope that by reading about some of the initiatives and programs happening at our highlighted institutions you will be inspired to further examine alternative programming, harm reduction initiatives and educational sanctions at your own institution. We also hope that if you have questions pertaining to any of the initiatives/programs highlighted here that you will reach out to the contacts outlined. We want to extend sincere thanks and appreciation to our contributing institutions – Western University, McMaster University, Queen’s University, and the University of Guelph – for their willingness and enthusiasm to share what’s happening on their campuses with the OACUHO membership. For a full list of resources used for this article, please do not hesitate to contact Dan Cantiller or Sonja Smiljanic by using the following contact information:
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I am writing?!!? Adam Fraser—University of Toronto Mississauga I am writing!! I am writing?? As a Residence Life Professional I am normally busy working on staff development, designing training sessions, running or attending programs or initiatives, meeting with students in crisis or conducting discipline meetings. The closest thing that I do to writing is writing an email or drafting a discipline letter. Not this time! I have decided to write about one of the projects I have been working on for the past few years. While at CACUSS this year in Montreal I met Tricia Seifert, an Assistant Professor at the Ontario Institute For Studies In Education - University of Toronto. I attended her session on Discovering Your Passion for Professional Writing and it really got me wondering why more of us don’t write about the things we do, about our accomplishments or even our struggles. We present at conferences, exchange our ideas via email or in discussion but we don’t (or at least I don’t) write about any of that. In reflecting on why I don’t write about the projects I invest 100s or even 1000s of hours in, I think the answer was as simple as I didn’t know I could. Either, I didn’t know I could, or I thought you could only write something that had been through the formal ethics and approval process - but I have learned that is not the case. To write something is easier said than done, so lets start the process together. I am going to take you through the steps of how I decided what to write about, where to publish it, and how to ensure I actually get it done. Where to start? Sit down and think! Come up with 5 points/topics and write them down. This can be anything you presented on, developed, went through, or even something that hasn’t happened! Writing doesn’t have to be new ideas it can be something that you did or thought about years ago. So here we go – my 5 points: The Upper Year Experience Faculty in Residence A reflection on my past five years working in Residence Life The pros and cons of having a live-in position High Risk and Community Safety Issues Hmmmm what to pick...I am going to write about Faculty in Residence because it is something fresh in my mind, I have a lot of information on the topic, and it is something that really excites me.
Where am I going to publish whatever I write? Talk to some people in the field who have already written articles and see where they were published. Who do I know that has written articles in the past? Kate Kinsella! BRB I am emailing her now...
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Message from Kate Kinsella “I got involved in professional writing through social media. ACUHO-I tweeted out a question about experiential learning programs, and I replied. They followed up by asking me if I was interested in writing an article about experiential learning for the Talking Stick. This was a fantastic opportunity to connect two of my favourite things: writing and student affairs. I have written four articles (one of which was a feature article) for the Talking Stick and now have a reoccurring column, PD For Free, which appears in each issue. As the Research-Writer for OACUHO, I wrote a number of pieces for the membership, including blog posts and articles on bullying, graduate school, mental health and financial literacy. I have also written for a number of blogs within student affairs (NASPA’s Women in Student Affairs and The Student Affairs Feature). Writing for publication improves your professional practice, as it requires you to stay on top of current trends and hot topics in the field and helps to refine your professional writing skills. If you are interested in writing for publication, there are a few people I recommend you connect with: OACUHO Communications Director, Matt Waghorn ACUHO-I Talking Stick Managing Editor, Camille Perlman CACUSS Communiqué Editor, Marty Williams”
There are a lot of styles and places you can submit your work – case studies, opinions and editorials, book reviews, conceptual pieces, literature reviews, empirical data analyses, creative writing, Newsletters, magazines, online open access sources, self publishing (Blog), academic journals (Canadian Journal of Higher Education), books and much more! Hmmmm I think I am going to try to have this article published in the OACUHO Pulse and perhaps I can try to have the article I write on Faculty in Residence published in the ACUHO-I Talking Stick or CACUSS Communiqué. I am sure Kate will be able to help me figure that out. (http://www.cacuss.ca/communique_submissions.htm)
I know what I want to write, where I would like to publish it so I now need to do the hard part...actually writing. The more I think about writing an article on the Faculty in Residence program the more I realize it is almost already written!! I have presented on it in three different presentations and it is something I have worked on for so long and know so well. If you are like me when you first practice a presentation you write out exactly what it is that you want to say in the notes section of the PowerPoint presentation. So to write this article all I really need to do is open the presentation, look at the notes section along with the slide and begin typing what I have already done. Even if you haven’t written it all out just go slide-to-slide putting your presentation into written form! Done! Well... almost... Now you might be thinking I want to write about something that I have not presented on so I don’t have a handy presentation to follow. That is perfectly okay, it just means you might have to pull all of the files you have on the topic, go through them and copy and paste important sections into one document and use that to begin your writing. Start-to-Finish. We as Residence Life professionals have so many different projects on the go that it is easy to start a million projects, do a little on each everyday but NEVER finish any of them. Start-to-finish! Start writing and don’t stop until you are finished. Well that is easier said than done; so the next best option is tell someone that you are writing an article and you want them to keep you accountable to actually finish. An even better idea is to find someone, in your department or a colleague from another institution who also wants to start writing – you can keep one another accountable. - PAGE 10 -
Hmmm who can keep me accountable? Oh I know, Sandy Howe from Brock University! We attended this session together at CACUSS and were both excited about the opportunity. BRB I am going to send her a Facebook message... She’s in! We are going to keep one another on track by checking in to ensure we are still writing.
Before I end I want to answer the question of “why should I/we write?” - because it has crossed my mind too. This is a question that has many different answers all of which will depend on who you ask. I think we should write because we are the professionals in our field and therefore we know best! If we aren’t going to write about the hard work we do, the many hours we put in, who is going to do it? I have not yet met a Residence/ Student Life professional who is not passionate about the work they do. All of that passion combined with the many hours of hard work can only result in the best articles possible. Lets share our stories! We can help progress this field of work simply by writing about what it is that we love to do. I challenge you all to write about something you have done, are doing or would like to do. We can continue to develop the body of written work out there. Oh and who doesn’t want to get published?! Thanks for reading, stay tuned for my article on the Faculty in Residence program at UTM and happy writing! Adam Fraser, Community Development Coordinator University of Toronto Mississauga
Residence Life Conference 2014 University of Toronto Mississauga January 10-12, 2014 Program Proposal Deadline: November 8, 2013 Presenters Selected: November 18, 2013 Registration Deadline: November 25, 2013
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