UNIVERSITY HOUSING FALL 2018
Russell Hall
how a mid-century building serves today’s residents
NOW HIRING RAs AND CAs AMAZING STUDENT ACADEMIC INITIATIVES HOMECOMING
GUIDE TO
ROOM SIGN UP 2019-2020
THE ON-CAMPUS ADVANTAGE
page 12 The Miller Learning Center (MLC for short) is one of eight on-campus libraries students have access to at UGA.
IN THIS ISSUE
FALL 2018 BULLDOG FAMILIES is written and published by University Housing at the University of Georgia and is distributed free of charge to families of University Housing residents.
Russell Hall 415 Baxter St. Athens GA 30602 Comments or questions? Contact Senior Public Relations Coordinator Carrie Campbell carrie.campbell@uga.edu
AMAZING STUDENT
RUSSELL HALL
Now hiring: CAs and RAs .......................................................................4 There’s no place like homecoming ......................................................6 Student staff members awarded university scholarships ...............6 Amazing student ....................................................................................7 Academic partnership fosters aspiring entrepreneurs ......................8 Room sign up 2018 approaching .........................................................10 Top 10 reasons to live on campus ...............................................11 Russell Hall reopens following renovation ........................................12 Keepin’ it green .....................................................................................13
COMMITTED TO ACCESS
Needs-Based Housing Scholarships Available University Housing is offering two $500 scholarships for the fall 2019 semester through the Jim Day Housing Scholarship Fund.
In compliance with federal law, including the provisions of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Sections 503 and 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and Executive Order 13672, the University of Georgia does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnicity or national origin, religion, age, genetic information, disability status or veteran status in its administration of educational policies, programs, or activities; its admissions policies; scholarship and loan programs; athletic or other university-administered programs; or employment. Inquiries or complaints should be directed to the Equal Opportunity Office, 119 Holmes-Hunter Academic Building, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602. Telephone 706-542-7912 (V/TDD). Fax 706542-2822. Email ugaeoo@uga.edu.
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Applicants must: • Be a current UGA undergraduate student • Complete the application in its entirety and submit by January 6, 2019 • Have a demonstrated financial need as determined by the UGA Office of Financial Aid • If awarded a scholarship, commit to living on campus for the 2019-2020 academic year The application includes a short essay focused on residents’ experiences with and contributions to their on-campus community. Dr. James “Jim” Day served as executive director of University Housing from 1990 to 2006. Dr. Day conceived and initially funded the University Housing Scholarship Fund to assist students with financial need offset the cost of on-campus housing. In recognition of his devoted service to the University of Georgia and in honor of his personal commitment to helping secure financial assistance for students, the scholarship was perpetually named the Jim Day Housing Scholarship Fund upon his retirement. For more information, to apply or donate, visit https://housing.uga.edu/site/about_alumni_giving#jimday
FIRST LOOK
Lake Herrick, at the university’s intramural fields, serves as a living laboratory for research in the natural and social sciences and as an interdisciplinary outdoor classroom. It recently reopened to swimming and boating due to support from the Georgia Power Foundation, the Riverview Foundation and the dedicated efforts of UGA faculty, staff and students and members of the Athens community.
FALL 2017 | 3
The Dawg Vlog documents the first-year student experience.
COMMITTED TO BEING THERE
Now hiring: CAs and RAs Applications for CA (C.L.A.S.S. advocates) and RA (resident assistant) positions for 2019-2020 opened November 5. Interested residents should not miss this opportunity to join the amazing team that works every day to support students’ academic success and personal growth. One of the biggest advantages that students living on campus have is the benefit of a peer leader living alongside them. C.L.A.S.S. (CA) advocates and resident assistants (RA) aren’t just there to enforce policies and enhance security (although they do that, too!), these student staff members play a crucial role in supporting their residents’ academic success and personal growth. CAs and RAs demonstrate great compassion leadership skills and are trained to solve the problems of a diverse group of students. The job of a CA/RA can include anything that a group of young adults needs during their first experience away from home. CA/RAs oversee residence hall life, plan social events and keep an eye out for those who may feel homesick or lonely. They can provide a empathetic ear and resources for students who need help dealing with academic, social, medical or personal problems. CA/RAs will also medi-
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C.L.A.S.S. ADVOCATE (CA) The Continuing the Legacy of African-American Student Success (C.L.A.S.S.) advocate program serves to support and enrich the university experience of all minority students and to facilitate communication between staff and students. CAs have many of the same responsibilities as RAs, but also serve specifically to engage populations of residents who could potentially feel marginalized on campus.
RESIDENT ASSISTANT (RA) Student staff members who live with residents and are selected for their skills, interests and campus activities, which enable them to help other students get the most from their UGA experience. RAs are trained to assist and/or refer students with academic and personal concerns and to help maintain an academically supportive environment.
Above, Luz Morales is a CA in Russell Hall, who enjoys being able to share her story and her passions with first-year students.
ate roommate disputes and enforce residence hall policies. Overall, the CA/RA should be a person that students can turn to, someone they can trust. If a CA/RA cannot solve a problem or feel that more help is needed, they can direct students to the right campus support center where they can find help. The job of a CA/RA is not all about solving conflicts. They are also there to ensure college students are having fun, relieving stress in healthy ways, and simply enjoying college life. A good CA/RA will notice when a student seems to be uncomfortable or unhappy and will reach out in an unobtrusive but supportive way to offer help. CAs and RAs receive free on-campus housing, a stipend, training in crisis management and housing and university policies, and professional development opportunities. Applications will be accepted Nov. 5 through December 13, 2018. For details on the application process—including mandatory information meeting dates— and to apply, visit http://bit.ly/work4housing.
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SUMMER 2018 | 5
▼ In housing, we say “home is where the Arch is” year-round, but
There’s no place like homecoming
during homecoming week, that sentiment seems to echo from all over campus. UGA’s Homecoming Week 2018 ran Oct. 1-6 with a variety of activities and events to appeal to all members of the university community. The official Homecoming kickoff was the annual Bulldog Bash on Oct. 1 on Tate Student Center Plaza with games, free food and giveaways for students. That night, registered student organizations painted Sanford Drive at the Tate bus stop. Other activities included a lip sync competition, alumni tailgates, a silent disco, and Stop & Serve, which gave students the opportunity to engage in quick service-related projects benefiting the Athens community. Led by the Redcoat Band, the Homecoming parade wound through downtown Athens the evening of Friday, Oct. 5 and included floats, displays, spirit squads and appearances by UGA athletes and university and Athens dignitaries (including Uga X). Following the parade, a Homecoming carnival hosted by University Union, offered students carnival rides and free food. Homecoming week wrapped up with a football victory over Vanderbilt and the naming of the 2018 Homecoming King and Queen. For a student perspective on Homecoming week, check out The Dawg Vlog on housing’s YouTube channel, where housing vlogger Katelyn covers all the events. Find the Dawg Vlog at https://www.youtube.com/ housinguga
Student staff members awarded university scholarships
Two housing student staff members were recognized at the Black Faculty and Staff Organization’s (BFSO) 16th annual Founders’ Award Scholarship Luncheon Sept. 19. Magali Lapu (RA, Creswell Hall), a fourth-year international affairs and French major, was awarded the Myron G. Burney Service Award. Natalie Morean (CA, Reed Hall), a fourth-year human development and family sciences student received the Founders’ Award. Proceeds from the luncheon go toward the BFSO scholarship
Student scholarship award winners Natalie Morean, Khalid Ziad, President Jere Morehead, Camara Carter, Marques Dexter, and Magali Lapu.
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fund and programming. At this year’s luncheon, a total of $3,000 in scholarships was awarded to six students.
AMAZING STUDENT
MAXIMIZING OPPORTUNITY East Campus Village (ECV) resident assistant (RA) Omowunmi Oni, is planning a career in dentistry, and says she is confident that she was destined to attend UGA because she has received lifelong friendships, great connections and amazing opportunities. The fourth-year student from Lawrenceville, Ga has also served as a Residence Hall Association (RHA) representative for ECV, where she says she appreciated being able to vouch for her fellow residents in support of their concerns. Omownmi is also an active member of the African Student Union. “With ASU, I was able to make an impact, create lifelong friendships and challenge myself in ways I never expected,” she says. Last year, Omownmi was the lead student researcher in an undergraduate research project focused on black students in STEM fields, which she presented at the Society for the Advancement of Biological Education Research conference. “As a black student in a STEM field myself, I hold this research dear to my heart as it highlights black students who prevail in STEM fields despite all odds,” she says. Omowunmi is a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation/ SHPEP and a Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation scholar. n
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Lecturer and Associate Director of Entrepreneurship Program Donald Chambers, right rear standing, talks with a group of students during class in Creswell Hall, a first-year residence hall.
COMMITTED TO SUCCESS
Academic partnership fosters aspiring entrepreneurs The fourth floor of Creswell Hall looks pretty much like your typical residence hall, but the students living here are far from typical. They are all entrepreneurs: risk-takers who want to turn their ideas into businesses. Many of them already have. Jared Zengo of Oconee Country started a business making art installations out of Rubik’s Cubes, and has sold his art to Oriental Trading Company, which is owned by Warren Buffett’s holding company, Berkshire Hathaway. Hannah Abdulhaqq, a fashion merchandising minor from Douglasville, started a clothing resale business and has a website to sell clothes. Alex Deltchev, a chemistry major from Oconee County, started a landscaping business
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in high school. Now, after following an Year Odyssey Seminar, where they learn interest in the video editing software all about being an entrepreneur, from the Adobe Premiere Pro, he has a business that initial idea to growing a business. They creates music videos and Snapchat have keycard access to their own filters. co-working space off the lobby T These three first-year stuon Creswell Hall, where one of C c A i F m FUN ng acade search dents are a part of the Launch the Odyssey classes meets. i e s R u e o th rh ty, Othe s include ommuni Pad, a new living learning The co-working space and C e , v s g ti n ie initia ng Learni ommunit l community created to spark maker space is stocked with i a c i v t i e L ag iden langu klin Res eshman innovation. Students applied tables and stools, sofas and n r Fra dF mer ge an to live in the Launch Pad this ottomans, snacks, a refrigerColle llege Sum e. Co erienc spring after being acceptator and a 3D printer. Exp ed at UGA, but before starting University Housing worked classes. The group—14 men and 12 closely with academic professionwomen—represents a wide cross section of als in UGA’s Terry College of Business to campus. Many of them are engineering and make the Launch Pad a program that truly STEM majors. immerses residents into a cohort of peers Students in the program take a Firstfocused on the challenges and rewards as-
sociated with starting a business. “Entrepreneurs come and talk about how they started and how they kept on going,” said Zengo. “And they each teach a different life lesson. Some of them blew it out of the water instantly, while others didn’t really. They failed, and then they kept on trying to improve. And they ended up succeeding.” And rejection is a subject stressed in the seminar taught by Don Chambers or Cali Brutz, lecturers and associate directors of the UGA Entrepreneurship Program. “When you’re looking to be an entrepreneur, and start up an idea, it’s hard,” said Chambers to the class. “Don’t be discouraged if we push on you. Don’t take it as ‘that’s a stupid idea’; that’s not the case at all. It’s hard. If it were easy, none of us would be in college. We’d all be zillionaires coming up with ideas. So keep trying. If the first idea, the second idea, doesn’t work, that’s fine.” Peters also likes the camaraderie of the Launch Pad community. “I immediately had 25 friends. We hang out all the time,” she said. “I get to hear their ideas and give my input. They’re all pretty honest about my ideas and what they think I could improve on, and it’s been nice to just be able to interact with these people that have different interest in different majors.” But mostly the program has reinforced her entrepreneurial spirit. “This had made me realize that I can do bigger things than just reselling clothing,” she said. “I could have a corporation and run it right now.” Beginning fall 2018, University Housing also partnered with UGA’s Center for Undergraduate Research Opportunities (CURO) to create a research-based Living Learning Community in Building 1516. That community houses 28 first-year students who are guaranteed a CURO research assistantship (including a $1,000 stipend) during spring semester in order to help them pursue their research interests with a faculty mentor. For more information about housing academic initiatives, visit housing.uga.edu/site/resources_ academic_initiatives
RA
Brumby Hall Third-year Computer Science and Linguistics major From Americus, GA
Being an RA is a learning experience—you grow a lot as an individual, a professional because you’re contantly trying to come up with ways to improve the experiences of others.
RA-CA APPLICATION OPEN NOV. 5-DEC. 13 bit.ly/work4housing
COMMITTED TO COMMUNITY
Room sign up 2018 approaching Research shows higher GPAs for students who live on campus We know fall semester is a little more than half over but it is time to get excited about on-campus housing for next year. National studies show students who live on campus earn higher GPAs, graduate sooner and report higher satisfaction rates with their college careers. For all these reasons, the University of Georgia requires all first-year students to live on campus. Returning residents enjoy the same benefits as first-year residents when they continue to live on campus, including a secure environment of peers and live-in staff members dedicated to providing academic support and promoting their personal growth. In January, University Housing will offer tours of all non-first-year-only halls so that residents can get a peek at the spaces they may be interested in for the 2019-2020 academic year. If you are a parent or family member of a current firstyear student, please note the returning resident room sign-up process is different from the initial housing registration process; more information can be found at housing.uga.edu. Missing a deadline may limit the options for the type of housing available to your student for fall 2019. Students should begin to think now about which hall they want to live in and with whom. Research hall information at housing.uga.edu to see floor plans, photos, videos and rent rates. The next step is registration. Be sure your student registers to participate during the sign-up period December 1 through January 31. All registrants, regardless of registration date, will be assigned a random appointment time during which they may log on to The Dawg House and choose any available space on campus, including in the East
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Campus Village apartments, Brown Hall on the Health Sciences Campus and in the University Village apartments. The majority of room sign-up participants will receive a first-round appointment time during the first couple weeks of February. At that time, they may log on to The Dawg House, choose any available space and input roommates. There is no obligation at this point, however firstround participants must execute their housing contract by a specific date in mid February in order to secure their space. Each roommate must also execute their contract by the deadline or he/she will lose the space. Students age 18 or older execute housing contracts online. The contract is a legally binding agreement between the student, the university and the Board of Regents. To view an example of a contract, visit housing.uga.edu/site/resources. For student-specific contracts, your student may log in to The Steps to Room Sign Up Dawg House or contact the 1) Elect to participate Dec 1.-Jan. 31 in The Dawg House Housing Assignments Office and designate roommates at 706-542-1421 or housing@ 2) Research halls and rates at uga.edu. housing.uga.edu Round 2 and beyond partic3) Watch UGA email for an appointment time to choose a space ipants will be given appointment times throughout spring semester, with contract deadline information sent to their UGA email address. Students with later appointment times will be able to select an on-campus space as other students cancel out (by not selecting a room or not executing an online housing contract). Students with housing contracts may request to change rooms as often as they like. In past years we have been able to offer everyone who indicated interest a chance to select a room.
REASONS TO LIVE ON CAMPUS
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NO BILLS, NO HASSLES Internet, cable, all utilities, laundry and student-led programming all included
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MORE SECURITY, MORE PEACE OF MIND Desks staffed 24-7, a dedicated security team, and two-point controlled access doors into living spaces
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MORE COMMUNITY Living alongside different types of people is an opportunity to develop a more balanced world view
MORE ACCESS Easy access to meetings for any one of UGA’s 800+ student orgs
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SLEEP MORE, DRIVE LESS Go ahead, set that alarm for 10 minutes before class starts. You got this.
LESS ADULTING, MORE LIVING You’ve got your whole life to worry about commutes and bills—concentrate on class!
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MORE LIVING, MORE LEARNING Language communities in French and Spanish and the Franklin Residential College weave academics into everyday life
HIGHER SATISFACTION, HIGHER GPAS Than off-campus peers (According to the American Council on Education)
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MORE ACTION, LESS ISOLATION Housing alone hosts more than 2,000 events and programs every year
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RAS AND CAS Like Siri for the UGA experience. Go ahead, ask them anything!
FALL 2017 | 11
COMMITTED TO THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE
Russell Hall reopens following renovation Iconic building updated and improved—with a nod to its mid-century roots While the 1,000 new residents in University Housing’s Russell Hall may not have noticed the modernized climate control, plumbing and electrical systems when moving in for fall semester, they surely noted the flexible room furnishings and increased bathroom privacy as well as the numerous lounge spaces intentionally designed to encourage gathering and group interaction. Following a 15-month renovation, the building opened to residents Aug. 5 with updated student rooms, bathrooms, lobby, lounge, program-
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ming, laundry and kitchen spaces. The building’s interior looks and feels brand new while still preserving some of the mid-century aesthetic that makes it unique, such as the original terrazzo floors and stairs in the lobby. “We’ve taken a building with good bones and transformed it to a modern-use residence hall that will stand the test of time for another 50 years,” said University Housing Director of Facilities Gary Thompson. Throughout the renovation process, housing staff and project coordinators from Menefee Architecture
and Cannon Design consulted student representatives to gain helpful insights on how students envisioned an improved Russell Hall that would fuel opportunities for planned and spontaneous interactions and create a supportive and inclusive environment for first-year students. One example of student-centered design incorporated into the building is expanded group study space. The third-floor study area adjacent to the laundry room is 3,660 square feet of comfortable lounge space, including soft seating, areas for small groups to
gather and a large study room with space to seat a group of up to 12 students. Partnerships with Dining Services and the Division of Academic Enhancement also provide Russell Hall residents with the most multi-functional building in Housing’s inventory. The Market at Russell, a convenience store open daily 7 a.m.-2 a.m., will offer pantry and food items to campus residents. The Russell Academic Center features public classrooms and study space that represent Housing’s focus on supporting residents’ academic success. Originally opened in 1967 as an all-male
residence hall, Russell Hall was rededicated Aug. 1. At the ceremony, Russell Hall resident assistant and former Russell Hall Community Council President Katherine Do, a third-year biology major, reflected on her time in the building before the renovation and remarked on her excitement about welcoming a new generation of Bulldogs in fall 2018. “Our mission statement in the Residence Hall Association is ‘Where Housing Meets Home,’ ” she said. “The renovated spaces and new amenities will instill this ideal even further—showing residents that this is the place to grow and succeed.”
Clockwise from left, changes to the exterior of the building were limited to new windows, fresh paint and a new outdoor plaza; the third-floor community kitchen is designed to host groups; new, movable furniture and in-room heat and AC control mean residents are more comfortable than ever; the expanded and redesigned lobby was designed to encourage interaction; the building’s only laundry room also serves as a study and game lounge.
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COMMITTED TO THE FUTURE
Keepin’ it green Incorporating sustainability into everyday experiences
In October, the University Housing sustainability committee toured the North Oconee Water Reclamation Facility and the JG Beacham Drinking Water Treatment Plant. Through these experiences, staff members were able to meet with local Athens-Clarke County employees and understand how waste water makes its way back to the North Oconee River. University Housing employs a full-time sustainability coordinator who focuses on both facilities and programmatic initiatives in the department to minimize environmental impact of what we do every day. The water facilities tour is a great example of how housing staff are working to understand their impact on the local environment. Other events and initiatives include: • Hunker Down with Housing, a move in and recycling program • Dawgs Ditch the Dumpster and Donate, in which residents can donate unwanted goods and furniture items to local nonprofits during move out • Green Cup Challenge, a conservation initiative to see which residence hall among the Lower Five (Boggs, Church, Hill, Lipscomb and Mell) can conserve the most water and electricity. The winning hall gets bragging rights for the year as well as a fashionable green campfire mug for all the residents in that hall. Mell Hall was announced as this year’s winner at a special event October 29. Housing’s newest sustainability initiative involves collecting compostable materials from the residence halls. Three halls now have a compost bin, into which residents may place food scraps, which are then collected and converted at UGA’s
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Bioconversion Center. From there, the compost is used all over campus, including at the UGArden, a teaching farm that grows food for hungry community members. Residents interested in getting involved in or learning more about housing sustainability programs are invited contact Sustainability Coordinator Christy Tweedy at ctweedy@uga.edu or visit https://housing.uga.edu/site/about_ sustainability
Top, John Wright (area coordinator for Brumby, Creswell and Russell Halls), and housing Sustainability Coordinator Christy Tweedy get a tour of the North Oconee Water Reclamation Facility in Athens. Above, a graphic shows how compost collected in the residence halls is converted into usable material for the university.
EN ON P O W NO LAZA P E T A T
YOUR ONE-STOP-SHOP FOR CAMPUS SERVICES Visit our office for assistance with Dining Services, Transportation & Parking Services, and Bulldog Bucks. Located next to the UGA Bookstore.
a.m.-5 auxiliary.uga.edu/one-stop-shop � Monday - Friday 8 8:00 am -p.m. 5:00 pm
HOME IS WHERE THE ARCH IS It’s more than just walls that make a home. Follow our residents’ stories with the parent and family e-newsletter Subscribe now with the link on the UGA Housing Facebook page