Summer 2017 Perspectives by UMR-ACUHO Perspectives

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MISSION OF THE UMR-ACUHO MAGAZINE The Communications Committee provides the UMR-ACUHO membership with an opportunity for information-sharing, professional dialogue, and a forum for ideas to increase knowledge, wisdom, and excellence in our field.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS Dillon Pearson

University of Nebraska - Lincoln Committee Chair

Barbara Braga

Kansas State University

Charlie Potts

Gustavus Adolphus College

Craig Miller

Bethel University

Klare Armstrong

University of Wisconsin - La Crosse

Matt Diischer

South Dakota State University

Mike Mueller

University of Iowa

Nathan Ross

Iowa State University

Nick Goffard

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Nicole Meulemans

University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point

Pamela Lisowe

University of Iowa

Phil Neuman

Minnesota State University - Mankato

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES Articles should be limited to approximately 1500 words long (may be edited for length or content) and include a separate head shot of the author(s). Articles should be sent preferably through e-mail (in Microsoft Word format). If there are particular fonts or graphics that you would prefer, please include them with your submission. To receive feedback on your article, please be sure to submit 15 days prior to the deadline. Please send articles via e-mail to: umracuho.communications@gmail.com.

UMR-ACUHO NON-DISCRIMINATION CLAUSE UMR-ACUHO promotes and provides an environment of full opportunity and service for all persons regardless of ethnicity, creed/ religion, age, gender, disability, sexual/affectional orientation, or any human circumstance. The Association will not arbitrarily discriminate in its programs, procedures, or activities.

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Hello UMR-ACUHO! As the new chair of the Communications Committee, I am excited to introduce this issue of the Perspectives magazine. This issue focuses on how we create and utilize space. From the physical layout and design of our buildings, to the connections that we foster with students, the articles in this edition explore different aspects of the utilization of space. As we look at an ever-evolving population of students and technological advances, space plays an important role in our ability to connect with and support our students. This theme arose out of conversations in our committee as we wanted to see how those across the region create and utilize their space. With new construction and renovation of residence halls occurring across the region, we thought it would be interesting to explore some of the different factors that are considered throughout the design phases. We also wanted to be able to hear more about how we create spaces that are inclusive for the diversity of students with whom we work. Our theme for the next issue is “Crossroads of Change,” which connects with the theme of the annual conference. Every year our students change – they become more tech-savvy, more open to new experiences, and more involved. Our processes change and adapt to best serve our students, and our departments continue to learn and grow with these advancements. We hope to solicit articles that explore these changes requiring our attention. The deadline for submissions for our next magazine is July 12th. If you are interested in writing or have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact myself or anyone on the committee. Thank you for your continued involvement in UMRACUHO and your interest in the magazine. On behalf of the Communications Committee, we hope you have a great summer! Dillon Pearson Chair, UMR-ACUHO Communications Committee Residence Director University of Nebraska-Lincoln dpearson5@unl.edu

Inside UMR

“

We have worked with Bedloft.com for many years and will continue our parternship in the years to come. While there are many vendors that can provide the bed lofts, Bedloft.com provides much more.

”

Lyn Redington, Director of Residence Life University of Northern Iowa Contact us today to find out how Bedloft.com can serve your school.

The Loft Management Experts

COMMITTEE MEMBERS Dillon Pearson

University of Nebraska - Lincoln Committee Chair

Barbara Braga

Kansas State University

Charlie Potts

Gustavus Adolphus College

Craig Miller

Bethel University

Klare Armstrong

University of Wisconsin - La Crosse

Matt Diischer

South Dakota State University

Mike Mueller

University of Iowa

Nathan Ross

Iowa State University

Nick Goffard

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Nicole Meulemans

University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point

Pamela Lisowe

University of Iowa

Phil Neuman

Minnesota State University - Mankato

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COVER DESIGN & MAGAZINE LAYOUT Able Printing Company 623 N Manhattan Avenue, Manhattan, KS 66502

Inside UMR

The 2017 UMR-ACUHO Executive Committee

President Tracy Gerth Assistant Director for Residence Life Programs Marquette University (414) 397-0183 Tracy.Gerth@marquette.edu Vice President/President Elect Greg Thompson Assistant Director of Residence Education University of Iowa (319) 335-3700 gregory-r-thompson@uiowa.edu Immediate Past President Aaron Macke Associate Dean of Students Director of Residence Life University of St. Thomas (651) 962-6470 ammacke@stthomas.edu Secretary Becky Wilson Assistant Director for Student Success, Residence Education University of Iowa (319) 335-3700 rebecca-wilson@uiowa.edu Treasurer Nicholas F. Rafanello Director of Residence Life University of Northern Iowa (319) 273-2333 nicholas.rafanello@uni.edu Corporate Sponsorships Coordinator Brian Faust Director of Residential Living University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point (715) 346-3511 bfaust@uwsp.edu Inclusion and Equity Coordinator Coree Burton Residence Life Coordinator University of Northern Iowa (319) 273-2080 coree.burton@uni.edu State Membership Coordinator Beth Miller Assistant Director of Residence Life University of Central Missouri (660) 543-8121 bsmiller@ucmo.edu State Membership Coordinator Jolene M. Esterline Associate Director of University Apartments/ Director of Resident Support Services University of Wisconsin-Madison 608-262-8293 jolene.esterline@housing.wisc.edu Technology and Sustainability Coordinator Jordan Baumgardner Residence Hall Director Iowa State University 515-294-9051 jsb@iastate.edu

Inside UMR

UMR-ACUHO Summer 2017, Vol. 53, No. 2

Inside UMR President's Corner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Taking Assessment to the Next Level—From Any Level! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

UMR Personal Side Becoming a Conversational Connoisseur . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Social Media Applications, Regardless of Applicability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Intersection of Work, Grief, and Transition: A Space In Between? . . . . . . . 10

UMR Business Side Grand Openings, Closings, and Renovations: The Impact of Construction on an Entry Level Professional . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 From Tired to Trendy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Creating Space When You Have No Space . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

UMR Perspectives A Few Words of Wisdom from Often Unsung Heroes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Creating Space for Trans Individuals: Our responsibility as Professionals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Fostering LGBT+ Spaces in Residence Halls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 The Power of Space: The Role Residence Life Plays in Creating Inclusive Spaces for Individuals with Disabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Cultivating Community with Interior Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Responding to Bias in Our Halls: A Community-Centered Approach . . . . 36 Safe Spaces: Cultivating the Arena for Collegiate Discourse in our Modern Era . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

President’s Corner Summer 2017 By Tracy Gerth, Assistant Director for Residence Life Programs, Marquette University

ello again UMR-ACUHO. I know my work slows down significantly during this time of year, but those working camps and conferences or facilities are probably busier right now than any other time of the year. No matter what your role and responsibilities might be, I hope you are all having a relaxing and restorative summer. Allow me to provide a few UMR updates. The Host Team of Universities of Nebraska Omaha and Lincoln have done a great job at preparing for Summer Meetings in Lincoln where committees will come together and finalize details for the Annual Conference. Hopefully everyone is getting excited to experience a ‘Crossroads of Change’ in Nebraska this fall. Another important update is that the Strategic Planning Task Force (SPTF) has been selected. This group will help shape the future of UMR-ACUHO. A special thank you to all who took the time to apply, as we genuinely appreciate your commitment and willingness to contribute to the organization. I am pleased to announce the membership of the Strategic Planning Task Force: Adam Neveau - Chair Jordan Baumgardner Leandra Jenkins Allyson Plattner Cody Burggraff Brooks Hetle Deb Newman Melissa Shugarman Amanda Erdman Terry Tumbarello Danielle Rice – Bedloft.com Allen Chouinard – Southwest Contract

everyone will take the opportunity to participate in focus groups, surveys, and feedback sessions along the way to ensure that all have a voice in moving UMR forward. However, in order for that to happen, both the Executive Board and the Strategic Planning Task Force need to spend some time reflecting on the theme of this magazine to ensure that we are creating inclusive spaces where people can actually feel seen and heard. In my initial charge to the SPTF, I asked them to ask themselves how they can create an inclusive space for all to participate in the process. How do we make sure that all feel safe to share experiences and perspective on the UMR organization? How can we ensure that survey language is completely unbiased? How do we check ourselves, and ensure we are truly listening and not making assumptions? How are we checking our own biases and not applying those biases to the feedback we receive? I am very excited about the SPTF coming together to take a hard look at the organization, determine what changes need to be made, and what our future focus should be, but this outcome will only be as impactful as the process allows. I challenge all, as members of this association, to fully engage with the SPTF and to give thoughtful and meaningful feedback. Please let the task force or the executive board know if you feel there are ways we can improve the process, reach a broader audience, and, especially, create an inclusive space for all this to occur. Hope everyone enjoys the rest of the summer season and we will see you in Omaha in November!

Tracy Gerth Assistant Director for Residence Life Programs Marquette University (414) 397-0183 Tracy.Gerth@marquette.edu

The SPTF is already hard at work, diligently planning ways to solicit feedback from our members. I hope that

Vonversations, March 2017 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Inside UMR

The 2017 UMR-ACUHO Executive Committee

Inside UMR

UMR-ACUHO Summer 2017, Vol. 53, No. 2

President’s Corner Summer 2017 By Tracy Gerth, Assistant Director for Residence Life Programs, Marquette University

Tracy Gerth Assistant Director for Residence Life Programs Marquette University (414) 397-0183 Tracy.Gerth@marquette.edu

The SPTF is already hard at work, diligently planning ways to solicit feedback from our members. I hope that

Vonversations, March 2017 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Inside UMR

Taking Assessment to the Next Level—From Any Level! By Sarah Weiler, Assessment and Information Management (AIM) Committee, Area Director, Carleton College

ssessment can be an intimidating task. Just imagining sorting through spreadsheets full of data can leave us reeling and reluctant to get started collecting it. Even when you are collecting data, how can you make sure that it’s effective in informing and evaluating your practices? Here are some tips on taking your department’s assessment strategies to the next level, no matter where you are starting.

If your department’s assessment is non-existent… It may feel like you’ve got a long way to go and no starting point at all. You would be surprised at the data you might already have access to, just waiting to be looked at. Record what you’re already doing. Starting to keep records will help you set goals and track trends. Develop a document for tracking programs (Google Forms has free tools that are easy to work with). In your tracking document, include attendance, total costs, and how each program fits into your program model or departmental mission. You can analyze what percentage of your programming budget goes into each category, or whether attendance is higher on Tuesdays or Wednesdays. These are small steps that can help with future program assessment. After a bigger program, initiative, or process takes place (student staff selection, room draw, training, all-campus programs, etc.), meet with those involved (committee members or individuals hand-selected to represent different types of involvement in the process) as a group and make a list of things that went well and things to change for next time—I usually label my lists “Stars” and “Wishes.” Each person should contribute at least one unique thought to each list, and make sure those ideas for change include solutions, not just complaints. Keep the list and make sure it gets passed on to those working on the project next year. Don’t forget: there’s also the data you already have! There’s plenty of information around that you may have collected without assessment specifically in mind. If you’ve got a file full of old RA applications, now is your chance to look 4

Inside UMR

through those open-ended questions and start coding (finding themes) their responses. If you’re wondering why some RAs are choosing not to return, the answer might be hidden in their response to the question, “Why do you want to be an RA?” If you want to know if you are providing enough training on diversity, consider how many applicants said diversity programming was their top concern about the position when they applied. Of course, this will also raise more questions—is the training we provide adequate? Do we need to change our advertising of the job itself, if people aren’t getting what they expect out of it? Aside from internal discussions, this is where you might move into some more intentional data collection, either through surveys or in-person communication, like focus groups or exit interviews for staff members. Look at national data and trends, including the data collected by AIM for the UMR-ACUHO region! A full list of the research collected by the AIM committee is available from the UMR-ACUHO website, and you can get details from each of the committee’s research projects by contacting the committee chair.

If you mostly do surveys… If you’ve got surveys, you’ve got some of your answers. But are you asking the right questions? The trick to effective assessment through surveys is making sure you’re asking about the things you really want to know. One important distinction to make: assessing effectiveness and satisfaction require entirely different questions. To get the most out of your surveys: If you’re using an annual (or semesterly) survey to help evaluate your student staff, your questions should match their position description (a.k.a. the things they know are expected of them). Other great sources of inspiration for a general assessment survey include the mission statement and values of your department or division. Make sure you’re not only asking students about their perceptions. Staff throughout your division can give input on how you’re doing and whether they see your efforts aligning with your goals. Be conscious of how you use open-ended and multiplechoice questions in a survey. Open-ended questions can

help provide valuable details. However, they also take longer to complete, which can deter participants from completing the survey. They also take more time to read through and analyze, which runs the risk that the results won’t be used in the end. If done correctly, collecting demographic information will help you see if your survey respondents were a good representation of the general campus population. Furthermore, demographics data can allow you to see if there are disparities (by race, gender, sexuality, class year, or any other identities you choose to include) in perceptions or effectiveness of your program. Work with the offices on your campus whose focus is supporting students from underrepresented populations to get the wording right; this will also help keep it consistent with other surveys that may be conducted across campus. If possible, put these questions at the end of the survey; the personal nature of disclosing identities can be off-putting to some participants. Always make the demographics questions optional.

If you are using interviews or group discussions… Interviews and focus groups—any opportunity, really, for individuals to put their feedback in their own words—are a great way to assess your program’s effectiveness. Raw numbers leave lots of room for interpretation, and this is where direct and open input can help fill in those blanks. Focus your questions. Interviews and focus groups are ideal for determining how or why something is happening. If you’re still on the stage of determining whether or to what extent something is happening, use quantitative measures, like a survey. Choose your facilitator wisely. A good interviewer can guide the conversation without showing judgment or bias. A well-selected interviewer will also be one who puts the participants at ease. You should choose someone to facilitate who is not directly involved (especially not a direct supervisor, if you are interviewing staff members), so that your participants feel they can answer honestly without repercussion. Follow up. You may review a recording of a focus group or interview only to realize someone said something that could have provided a fresh insight and you (or the facilitator, more on that later) didn’t get the chance to follow up on it. Let your participants know in advance that you might email them if you have additional questions and plan for how you’ll collect their answers if it comes up. Decide whether individual or group answers are actually

more useful. Depending on how sensitive the questions are, participants may be more willing to share in a oneon-one setting. For general feedback, a group can keep the conversation flowing more easily and help dig deeper into answers than someone might be able to do alone. Group interviews also take more time and energy to prepare, with the added tasks of coordinating schedules and finding an appropriate location. Find a setting that is inclusive. Be aware of aspects such as physical accessibility, the availability of bathrooms for people of all genders, and cultural norms or connotations behind wall hangings, posters, and even the namesake of the building you are in. Choosing a space that isn’t inclusive can further silence voices that are already marginalized.

No matter where you’re at… Keep focused on what it is you want to know. Don’t ask questions because you feel like you should be asking them, but because they have a purpose and because the results will be used. If the responses to your questions will not affect how you plan to move forward, they may not be worth asking. Be transparent about how you plan to use the information you collect. Not only does it help your participants stay focused when responding, but it also makes it clear to your other stakeholders that you’re acting intentionally. Keep your eyes open for opportunities to reflect informally and collect data on everything you do! Sarah Weiler Assessment and Information Management (AIM) Committee Area Director Carleton College sweiler@carleton.edu Twitter: @weilersm Inside UMR

Taking Assessment to the Next Level—From Any Level! By Sarah Weiler, Assessment and Information Management (AIM) Committee, Area Director, Carleton College

Inside UMR

Becoming a Conversational Connoisseur By Craig Miller, Residence Director, Bethel University

or those in residence life and housing, one-on-one conversations are one of the most essential tools in our work. Whether we are exploring a student’s experience of race, challenging them to develop their strengths, talking through a difficult conflict, or evaluating a program, these face-to-face conversations are vital to students’ growth and to our effectiveness as supervisors and mentors. If you are anything like me, you hit a point in the academic year when your regular one-on-ones start to feel a little flat and you struggle to come up with topics to discuss, and you may be wondering how we can sustain energy and focus to pour into students consistently and effectively throughout the whole year. Although an over-used metaphor, I would propose approaching student conversations like a wine connoisseur might approach a fine wine, carefully paying attention to the unique blend of characteristics

that must be understood and appreciated. Our goal in these conversations is not simply to communicate information or to manage behavior, but to receive the student for who they are, looking for the unique balance of “flavors” that constitute their identity, their experiences, and their place in the world. So what characteristics might we look for as conversational connoisseurs? When approaching a glass of wine, experts will tell us to look for characteristics like distinctiveness, balance, precision, complexity, and the ability to evoke an emotional response. When we look for the distinctiveness of each student, we are paying attention to the unique “flavors” they embody: their likes and dislikes, how they talk, how they think, what keeps them up at night, what gets them out of bed in the morning. In doing so, we begin to uncover particular threads in their lives that are unique to that student alone. For example, I once worked with a student who grew up in India. One of our regular conversation topics was the game of cricket. I knew nothing about cricket, but because he was passionate about the game, I paid attention and asked a lot of questions. Our conversations about cricket became a window into a unique part of his life experience. The question of balance asks: do any “flavors” or themes stand out in obvious ways? How do these characteristics blend together as a whole? As we discern salient themes in a student’s unique experience, we can look for this sense of balance. Where might they seem a little out of focus (e.g., too worried about grades, or not worried enough)? Are they consistently reacting to certain triggers or messages? How are they reacting to people around them? A sense of balance (or lack thereof ) may be a signal that there is a growth opportunity for the student.

“But as we engage in this process of becoming a conversational connoisseur, we will be both rewarded and challenged in profound and lasting ways.” 6

UMR Personal Side

As we journey with students in their process of identity development, the question of precision asks: are the “flavors” blurred or is there clarity? Are students growing in their sense of self and awareness of their identities? Or are they trying to adopt a certain persona because their peers expect them to act in a particular way? Are they growing in confidence in who they are? Complexity looks for the shades of meaning and the layers embodied in a student’s experience. From a theoretical perspective, our field has given us many rich resources to describe students’ identity development, their experiences in academics, athletics, housing, or extracurriculars, and the factors that will impact their persistence at our institutions to name a few. While excellent tools, these theoretical lenses can prevent us from seeing the unique complexity in each individual’s experience. Finally, and perhaps most subjectively, we ask the question, “what emotions are evoked by this particular wine?” We can ask the same question of our students. What emotions do our conversations spark in us? Do we come away with a sense of admiration or curiosity? Do we feel a

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sense of sorrow or loss? This will require a certain amount of critical self-reflection as we become aware of our own emotional responses to a particular student. This emotional response can be a profound part of our relationship with students and can serve to unify the other elements, bringing all the pieces together. The infinite complexity of the individual should spark in us a sense of wonder and respect. Receiving students for who they are requires hard work, just as learning to appreciate good wine takes time and experience. But as we engage in this process of becoming a conversational connoisseur, we will be both rewarded and challenged in profound and lasting ways. And in the end, these conversations just might change our lives. Craig Miller Residence Director Bethel University craig-miller@bethel.edu

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Becoming a Conversational Connoisseur By Craig Miller, Residence Director, Bethel University

“But as we engage in this process of becoming a conversational connoisseur, we will be both rewarded and challenged in profound and lasting ways.” 6

UMR Personal Side

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Social Media Applications, Regardless of Applicability By Dave Bernhard, Assistant Director of Residence Life, University of Wisconsin-Madison

ne of my favorite social media musings is from New York Times bestseller Mindy Kaling: “People take things at face value on social media. Earnestness is the assumption.” This assumption of earnestness has led to the pervasive use of social media throughout our profession in an effort to reach students. . Consider the topics across all of the social media accounts (institutional, departmental, hall, or maybe even floor) to which you are beholden in your work: event announcements, upcoming

deadlines, new amenities, and more. What about incorrect information, misplaced ax-grinding, and worse? Fake news has become a widespread concern, often stemming from the very social media platforms that institutions willingly use. It is such a problem that companies like Facebook are rewriting policies and algorithms in an attempt to address it (Wingfield, Isaac, & Benner, 2016). Meanwhile, implications of the “post-truth” era are so widespread that Oxford Dictionaries has deemed the phrase its “word of the year” for 2016. Related to this, Stanford researchers recently studied students’ ability to assess social media sources. Those

“People take things at face value on social media. Earnestness is the assumption.”

UMR Personal Side

researchers were sufficiently moved by their findings as to describe those future leaders’ assessment abilities as “bleak”, “dismaying”, and “[a] threat to democracy” (Domonske, 2016). Another recent study determined that incoming university students are increasingly less likely to consider an institution’s social media from the moment they decide to apply to the school all the way through acceptance (Rogers & Stoner, 2015). Interestingly, the same study found that university admissions officers believe exactly the opposite. Perhaps the most problematic aspect of how many institutions use social media is that, by default, social media relinquishes institutional control over the conversational starting point. Conventional wisdom dictates that factually incorrect or incomplete social media claims warrant a response before all information can be compiled. Therefore, institution leaders who respond to social media statements, especially around hate and bias, are often caught between ensuring all facts are attained and “losing part of the war” with a delayed response (Gardner, 2016). In conjunction with Admissions and senior leadership, student outreach via social media is often managed by Marketing or Communications offices at the campus level, on a near-perpetual basis. 24/7 monitoring implies 24/7 responding. These replies are sometimes vetted by multiple staff across campus, in order to ensure that every social media user with an opinion feels heard and receives an answer that (ideally) can be backed by all campus stakeholders. At the other end of the labor spectrum, perhaps only one staff member manages an account, sometimes only on a part-time basis. Regardless of level, the costs of labor compounded by extreme risk mitigation quickly add up. Given the suspect levels of viewership, I can’t help but wonder if these accumulating costs are yielding the number of student contacts (much less the experience we’d all hope for in that contact) to warrant them. Consider social media’s 30-second elevator pitch to a prospective institution: “We suspect that incoming students are using us less than we’d thought or you’d like. Regrettably, the ones who do are atrocious at determining which content is and isn’t real. So, apologies in advance if your content happens to share screen space with inauguration crowd size estimates. Still interested? Well, to use us effectively, you’ll need to commit to daily monitoring (likely of several groups), and we can virtually guarantee large amounts of institutional labor resources spent dispelling incorrect beliefs & assumptions!” This seems like a tough sell for institutions constantly juggling finite resources to apply toward mission

statements including words like “understanding”, “educate”, knowledge”, and “excellence.” We need to honor what we all know to be valued roots of higher education and our profession; thorough examination of facts, critical thinking, and robust dialogue, by properly limiting our usage of media sources that are in contradiction to all three. Family Weekend activities and networked 3D printer announcements pair with new baby and dinner pics as well as anything else, but I think we should leave the more substantive topics to the mediums in which they belong. Few thoughtful topics lend themselves to backand-forth “online megaphone” statements of 140 characters, and even fewer can be advanced with them. The less institutions use social media, the less they will be expected to answer to it. Imagine the next time a spat of misinformation clogs an institutional social media thread all the way to your inbox. Now imagine simply replying to the effect of “well, we don’t really use social media, or recognize it as having any value or legitimacy in our work. So, you’re going to have to communicate your actual thought, statement, or concern to us in person, in some way.” After all, our websites, staff, phone lines, emails, and even old-fashioned office hours all include a level of earnestness that is much greater than an assumption. REFERENCES:  Domonoske, Camila (2016). Students Have ‘Dismaying’ Inability to Tell Fake News from Real, Study Finds. Retrieved from http://www. npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/11/23/503129818/study-findsstudents-have-dismaying-inability-to-tell-fake-news-from-real  Gardner, Lee (October 9, 2016) How Presidents Try to Stay Ahead of the Social Media Outrage Machine, The Chronicle of Higher Education, Retrieved from http://www.chronicle.com/article/howpresidents-try-to-stay/238019  Rogers & Stoner (Dec 2015). “Mythbusting Admissions”. Chegg and mStoner, Inc. Retrieved from https://www.uaf.edu/files/provost/MythbustingAdmissions.pdf  Wingfield & Isaac & Benner (Nov 14, 2014). Google and Facebook Take Aim at Fake News Sites, New York Times, Retrived from https:// www.nytimes.com/2016/11/15/technology/google-will-ban-websites-that-host-fake-news-from-using-its-ad-service.html

Dave Bernhard Assistant Director of Residence Life University of Wisconsin-Madison David.Bernhard@housing.wisc.edu

UMR Personal Side

Social Media Applications, Regardless of Applicability By Dave Bernhard, Assistant Director of Residence Life, University of Wisconsin-Madison

“People take things at face value on social media. Earnestness is the assumption.”

UMR Personal Side

Dave Bernhard Assistant Director of Residence Life University of Wisconsin-Madison David.Bernhard@housing.wisc.edu

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Intersection of Work, Grief, and Transition: A Space In Between? By Jay Hicks, Assistant Director for Resident Leadership and Housing Initiatives, University of Central Missouri

s I began my job search in January 2016, I discovered that life did not slow down as I found myself dealing with the grief of losing my aunt to cancer. It was hard to focus and prepare for two on-campus interviews that I had in early February, starting days after her passing. It was not surprising that I was not offered either position. I was provided the feedback, “We just did not feel a sense of your excitement.” As many of us have experienced, it can be difficult to generate those positive emotions when dealing with grief, but we are taught to leave personal matters at the door and put on a smiling face. Members in our field are constantly searching for that work/life balance, but I realized that in many times it may be next to impossible to truly achieve. Though I thought I would begin to get a hold on balance, the next coming months were a true test. Months later, I had gone to The Placement Exchange and carried on my independent search. As April approached, I was looking at having several pending on-campus interview offers. I was still carrying my grief from the last few months, but it did not weigh as heavily because I attempted to balance my job and personal battles. It was not until the first weekend in April 2016, where I realized that my grief, job, and pending life transition were all intersecting. The loss of a member of your campus community can be one of the most intense and emotionally draining situations that can have a significant impact on any campus. Unfortunately, I had to deal with this recently, not with a student death, but with the death of a colleague and friend. I had a friend of 10 years who became a Hall Director at my institution in January. I was excited to have a friend and mentor join me, allowing us to reconnect. From the start of her time at the university, we were in constant contact and spent a lot of time together. Over a weekend, after not having heard from her for a couple of days, I became worrisome. Her mom and I were also close and were concerned after not hearing from her. I went to her apartment to check on her and discovered her 10

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unresponsive. It was at that time where my world began to spin as I made a call to University Police not only as a Hall Director and person on-scene, but a co-worker and, more importantly to me, a friend. Soon after medical personnel arrived, they confirmed what I already knew; she had passed prior to anyone being on scene. We later found out she had passed due to medical complications. I spent the next several hours in an office that was merely steps away from her apartment. Throughout this time, I was questioned by detectives to rule out any foul play, while not being allowed to respond to texts from her mother. During these hours various co-workers including many members from our senior staff attempted to console me. As time progressed and I processed what I discovered, I was not sure how I was supposed to outwardly express my emotions when being surrounded by dozens of campus colleagues and partners. Internally, I knew that this was not the best space or location for me to initially process or begin to deal with this type of trauma. This lack of space only provided the false reality that I was strong enough to stand with my fellow staff members as our Director called a special meeting to announce our colleague’s passing. However, in this significant moment I realized I needed space; it was too much for me. Mid-way through the announcement from our Director, I had to leave the room as I could not handle the outcry of emotions that were going through my mind at that time. By simply moving to a colleague’s apartment across campus, it helped me in discovering how important it was to have a strong support system while processing trauma and grief. I encourage this for anyone who has faced trauma or grief, as it helped in my processing and reflecting on the situation at hand. It is crucial to find the best space that provides you with the right level of support, an ability to express emotions you feel in that time, and to start your own coping process. That process included speaking with my friend’s mother after police notified her of her daughter’s passing as well as speaking with friends we had in common. It was in this place in time, I began to open up to healing.

“We are subject to the same emotionally tiring situations our students face, and we are not invincible somehow because of the work that we do.”

The following weeks were just as difficult as the night of my colleague’s passing. I took a day off the Monday following her passing, but I knew I soon had to jump back into my roles as an RHD and Advisor to RHA, and to continue my job search. My first on-campus interview was only six days after her passing. I found the courage to work with the staff at my on-campus institution to reroute my flight so that I could attend my friend’s funeral directly following my interview. To my surprise and relief, the institution was more than understanding. I know I put my best foot forward in this interview, but it was one of the hardest situations that has challenged my own emotional intelligence. On the inside I was ridden with anxiety, hurt, and also dealing with post-traumatic stress from finding her unresponsive. While I knew I needed to land my next professional position, I was also focused on my own self-care and attempting to find closure with the situation. Though I found it risky to ask for a change in my flight for an interview, I realized that decision was a turning point for me in reflecting on what I needed to heal and be successful in my job search at the time. As weeks soon progressed, nothing seemed to slow down. During this time, I found great comfort in meeting with our counseling center director who was supportive and helped me find ways to escape and find the space I needed to cope and carry on with my busy life. When I found myself having difficulty focusing in meetings or having flashbacks,

the most important aspect of ‘finding space’ was stepping out to gather myself and my emotions. At the same time, I was attempting to help students understand and cope with the death of a member of our community. I was asking myself, “How can I help them understand and cope, when I am not sure how to help myself?” Our campus held a vigil in honor of our lost community member. I stood at a podium to give a speech to not only honor a colleague, but my first Community Advisor in college and friend of over a decade. In my speech I spoke of her kindness, care for students, and, most of all, her impact on me as a student as well as student affairs colleague. After this event, I started intentionally taking time privately for myself to deal with emotions, anxiety, and to regather myself. In these moments, I was finally learning where to find solace. This included finding time with my Resident Assistants or my Advisees in RHA/NRHH, who also knew my friend as she was a strong supporter of both groups. I found significance in not only now feeling I could help my students, but also allowing them to help me. This included being open about our emotions, vulnerabilities, and continuing the processing of our loss. I recommend anyone to find those members within your life that you can lean upon, including our students, colleagues, and administrators. I was finding proper mental and emotional spaces to help me continue my roles on campus while also UMR Personal Side

Intersection of Work, Grief, and Transition: A Space In Between? By Jay Hicks, Assistant Director for Resident Leadership and Housing Initiatives, University of Central Missouri

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“We are subject to the same emotionally tiring situations our students face, and we are not invincible somehow because of the work that we do.”

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feeling surrounded by support. Gratefully, life began to provide some breaks as those around me helped lighten my load on campus as I finished two more rounds of on-campus interviews. As fate would have it, I interviewed with and was ultimately offered a position at my alma mater. This allowed me to come full circle with my experience as this is where I first met my friend initially 10 years prior. I would never want anyone to be exposed to the type of loss and grief that I have experienced over the past year. However, this last year has provided me with greater clarity and resilience that I want to instill in other staff members in our field. Taking time for one’s self is never selfish, even in the midst of transitioning out of one job and preparing for the next. Rather than being selfish, it is the needed act of providing yourself with the space to personally heal, to help others, and to seek out areas of support. It is always easy to lose sight in finding space for oneself or, for that matter, to recollect or deal with these types of emotionally charged experiences. What I learned the most and now share with others is the message that

we are subject to the same emotionally tiring situations our students face, and we are not invincible somehow because of the work that we do. From my grief and transition, I learned to manage down the long work weeks as I ended my last year as a Hall Director, giving myself the space to provide closure to a difficult semester. I also learned to focus on what was going to be helpful for my emotional and mental health as I transitioned into my next step. In this process I began to understand that we carry grief no matter where we go, but in the end, it is all about providing ourselves the time and space to process, cope and to carry on the best we can.

Jay Hicks Assistant Director for Resident Leadership and Housing Initiatives University of Central Missouri jhicks@ucmo.edu

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Jay Hicks Assistant Director for Resident Leadership and Housing Initiatives University of Central Missouri jhicks@ucmo.edu

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Grand Openings, Closings, and Renovations: The Impact of Construction on an Entry Level Professional By Barbara Braga, Residence Life Coordinator, Kansas State University

here is a common misconception that construction is just for the big dogs on campus. Many times we think only upper level administrators and Chief Housing Officers have a seat at the table when the topic revolves around construction, but my experience has shown me that is not necessarily the case. Often there is a young professional that has to execute the daily operations of the facility, so involving them in conversations is very important. As an entry-level professional with a very nontraditional experience in my career, construction has had a tremendous impact on my professional development and establishing my skills. As I prepared for my second year in grad school, I was asked to be the Resident Director for the brand new community on campus. My graduate school experience was unique, as I managed a building by myself, so opening a new building as a graduate student was a challenge I was willing to face. Fast forward to my second year as a professional staff member: I had just been asked to move to a smaller community to prepare for the opening of a new residence hall the following fall, which was a very exciting challenge, as I already had one under my belt. A few weeks after being asked to move to a different community came the news that I would have to close the building at the end of the fall semester for renovations. In just five years of experience, I have had the privilege of opening two brand new residence halls, and closing one for renovations. The things I have been able to learn from these experiences have made me a better professional, as they have made me think more critically, use my voice, and reminded me to keep the students at the forefront of the process. One of the biggest lessons I learned through my journey is the importance of strategic thinking in the planning process. This goes hand in hand with the need to be flexible when working around construction. With the two communities I have opened, the process could not have been more different. One was ready by the time student staff arrived giving us time to get settled and prepare for student 14

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arrivals with ease, while the other received occupancy 24 hours before students were moving in. Needless to say, having a plan of action of what needed to be done was very important in the second scenario, as well as the flexibility to adapt according to the needs of parents, students, student staff, and, of course, the facilities, as issues were bound to arise. Having a plan allowed me to be able to reach out to other staff teams on campus to assist us in room inventory, setting up our front desk and office operations, and preparation for student check-ins. With closing the community, we had to be strategic in the communication, relocation of students, and storage of building belongings. When planning, it is important to be fiscally responsible while navigating the needs of students and staff and striving to include the student voice. My second time around, as I toured the building while it was still under construction, I imagined what the community needed in terms of resources and furnishings for each room. I envisioned the office spaces and the front desk area, as well as the resource room for our student staff, at the time a blank canvas with so much potential for effective use. As I thought of how those spaces would and should be utilized, I started drafting a wish list of items needed, comprised of items like typical bulletin board materials, mailboxes for student staff postings, etc. Additionally, I met with my new student staff, which consisted of both new and returning RAs, and asked them questions of what they needed and wanted to see available for the students and what would help them to do their job. This was important because I got the perspective from residents preparing to be RAs and current RAs in wellestablished communities. Then, I searched through our vendors for the best quality materials for the best price available, before I proposed those needs to my supervisor for approval. It was important to also think about longevity when looking at the quality of things to purchase. A new building is an exciting time for all players at the university, from the Director, to Deans, to the students who will be living in the building in its inaugural year. It is important to realize that each person has a different expectation and vision, and sometimes the entry-level

professional has to field questions, adjust things, and find a balance on how to approach each constituent. As a young professional or graduate student, it can be daunting to have your community be highly visible to constituents and upper level administration Communication goes a long way in relieving the stress of this situation. I built intentional relationships with key people in the construction project, and with maintenance staff, so I could reach out in an attempt to answer questions and fix issues or concerns. These relationships were integral in the experience for students as we were still completing projects and punch list items into the Fall Semester and receiving visits from many important university constituents. Additionally, marketing and communication departments became close friends of mine as we received requests for articles, videos, pictures, and tours. To be able to build relationships and have open communication, I had to learn how to use my voice effectively. As a young professional sitting in on construction meetings, the feeling was one of intimidation. There were many key players from the university and the department, and much of the jargon used was not familiar to me in my direct line of work, so my approach was to listen and take notes. However, when the conversation turned to what the students needed, or the timeline for opening, my voice became important. I had to use my voice to advocate and remind of the needs of our students and minimize inconveniences for them. Caring for students and keeping them at the forefront of the purpose was the driving force in utilizing my voice when interacting with key players of the projects I have been involved in. When closing the building, or when managing the completion of punch line items in a new building, it was important to think about the disruption it would cause students. As a collective group, we agreed that the working hours for the projects would be 10AM, as to not disrupt students sleep and academic schedules. We also agreed to give students 48 hours’ notice for work that would be done in their room. Many times, I had to be the reminder for our construction company of the policies we had set in place, and why some of the work needed to be pushed back due to the nature of the work being loud and disruptive to the academic and learning environment. For me, it was also important to be clear and honest with students and provide a space for them to share their concerns. As we prepared to close the building for renovations, I attended all floor meetings to share the

“I had to use my voice to advocate and remind of the needs of our students and minimize inconveniences for them.”

reason why the work was being done, how the relocation to other communities would work, what things we were doing to support them in their move, and answer any questions they had. I also provided them with a face they could seek to share their frustrations about the process, which some of them utilized, and allowed for us to have some great conversations. In the new buildings, I sought feedback about the community, even hosting an event to share more about the progress and timelines of completion of certain projects and allow them to process through their frustrations and excitement. Another way I wanted to care for students was to ensure that their experience was as good as any other community on campus. With this goal in mind, building a culture was very important for me, and in turn translated to my student staff. Building a culture of academic success centered around community starts before students arrive. It starts with hiring a staff that is willing to create traditions and be flexible and training them to make sure they are giving their all to the community, independent of having residents relocate, construction headaches, etc. When student staff buys in and have a shared vision for the community, they are willing to devote their time and energy to relationships with students, and advocating for the needs of their students. With the closing of a building, my student staff had the shared vision that the students in the community deserved to have the best experience, no matter how long UMR Business Side

Grand Openings, Closings, and Renovations: The Impact of Construction on an Entry Level Professional By Barbara Braga, Residence Life Coordinator, Kansas State University

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“I had to use my voice to advocate and remind of the needs of our students and minimize inconveniences for them.”

they would be in the facility. They wanted to revamp the programming for the first six weeks of classes, to create a thriving building-wide community. The result was that many of the students still met weekly for floor dinners in the second semester, even though they were not in communal living with each other. Additionally, the efforts we made for building community translated into support for students toward the end of the semester, as students relocated to their new communities and navigated through finals and papers. Participating in these projects as a young professional has provided me with learning and growth moments that have shaped my skills as a practitioner. I have become even stronger administratively, learned how to communicate with partners in all levels, including the namesake of my building, and learned how to build relationships with everyone involved, from students, to maintenance, to the construction company, to the Dean of Students. Professionalism had to be balanced with authenticity in the moments when things were not going as planned, communication had faltered, or

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multiple facility concerns were brought to my attention. The biggest piece has been being flexible and thinking critically to minimize disruption to students and ensure a student’s residence hall living experience is positive and supportive of their holistic development. Utilizing my voice to keep the students at the forefront of our purpose and the work we do as practitioners will always be a lesson I will carry with me. While my experiences were challenging at times and there were many moments of stress, being a part of historic moments for my institutions is incredible. I am even more proud when I see the progress of the facility, both new and renovated, and the communities my student staff have built through exciting growing times. Barbara Braga Residence Life Coordinator Kansas State University bbraga@ksu.edu Twitter: @babbiebraga

From Tired to Trendy By Rob Johnson, EFP; Assistant Director of Facility Operations, Creighton University and Lucas D. Novotny, Assistant Director of Housing Services, Creighton University

hen opportunity meets need, innovation and impact can quickly come into focus. We took the opportunity when a series of construction projects created the circumstances for us to not only address infrastructure, but create a meaningful place for students to live, work, and play. This is a perspective on how Creighton University updated a tired apartment complex into the most popular sophomore residence on campus.

History of Heider The structure now known as Heider Hall was originally constructed as the "Lango Apartments" in 1964. It housed a doctor's office, clinic, and beauty shop on the first floor and apartments on floors 2-12. Innovative from its conception, Heider Hall was the tallest structure in North America to be built using pre-cast, pre-stressed concrete. Later named "The New Central Towers," the building was purchased by Creighton University in 1980 to serve the changing needs of the day. It has housed single and married undergraduate, professional, and graduate level-students. In recognition of long-time Creighton supporters Charles F. Heider and his wife Mary Claire McBride Heider, the property was renamed and dedicated as “Heider Hall" in 1998. Today, Heider serves as a sophomore residence hall, housing about 200 residents in

efficiency, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom apartments. Heider Hall is home to some distinguished residents, including the President of Creighton University, Fr. Daniel S. Hendrickson, SJ. Occupying the penthouse, Creighton’s President entertains guests in an expansive apartment featuring a rooftop deck and impressive views of the Omaha skyline. As the permanent residence of our University President, Heider Hall oftentimes serves as the front door of Creighton’s campus. Creighton University’s service, faith, and justice livinglearning community, The Cortina Community, is also housed in Heider Halll. Dedicated to building strong community through weekly formation time, Cortina necessitates the need for gathering space.

First Floor Prior to the renovation, the first floor in Heider Hall was worn-out and mostly inaccessible to students, with about half the spaces, including the chapel, in an "employee only" area behind the front desk. The front desk itself, and thus entire building, was vulnerable to anyone who walked in the front door. With no vestibule or second secured entrance, anyone who made it through the front door had access to

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From Tired to Trendy By Rob Johnson, EFP; Assistant Director of Facility Operations, Creighton University and Lucas D. Novotny, Assistant Director of Housing Services, Creighton University

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the entire building. The single study room also served as a meeting space, vending area, and recycle zone. The only ADA accessible restroom on the floor was tucked away in a small exercise room. For all these reasons and more, a transformation was much needed. Two priorities in the design of the new space included intentional student spaces and security. We also needed to keep in mind the needs of the Cortina Community, as well as Fr. Hendrickson and his guests. As with any major renovation project, we also were cognizant of our physical restrictions - stairwells, elevators, structural and mechanical stacks, and much else. In the end, this was no small task for our on-campus architect, who went through numerous revisions and proposals before we agreed on the final product. Throughout the design process, in an effort to be collaborative with our many partners across campus, we solicited feedback from Creighton's Inter Residence Hall Government, Residential Life and Housing professional staff members, the Office of the President, Facilities Management and a variety of Creighton students. As a result of this feedback, we were able to incorporate several studentfocused ideas and suggestions into the final product, and create a design that was functional and attractive for everyone.

Spaces Students and guests alike are greeted to Heider Hall by a new entry vestibule, an addition to the original structure. The vestibule provides an additional layer of protection for the building’s interior against the incessant Omaha wind, snow, and sun.in addition, it serves as a preliminary security feature to the building, requiring card access or a desk receptionist to grant access to enter the building. From the vestibule, visitors enter the renovated front lobby: the custom-designed stained-glass window of the chapel to 18

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the right (to be installed spring 2017), warming electric fireplace immediately in front, and welcoming front desk, staffed 24/7, to the left. The lobby provides a "hotel-like" welcome home to students and leaves a great impression on guests. Before proceeding any further into Heider Hall, an additional level of card access is required, granted only to residents of the building, adding the much-needed secondary level of security to the building. The most popular space on the first floor is the quiet study room, featuring a large space for group study with seating for up to 12, as well as three individual study rooms, seating four individuals each. The individual study rooms were constructed with a DIRTT Wall sliding glass door and their own HVAC unit and controls for individual temperature control. Each smaller room features a whiteboard and a monitor with HDMI inputs for reviewing class materials or practicing presentations, while the group study area includes a large whiteboard and community printer. The design of this space was very intentional: to allow students the flexibility and space to work in large groups, while still maintaining spaces for individual or small group work and study. This space replaces the multi-purpose study room and gives students a dedicated space for collaborative learning. When students need a break from studying, several more engaging community spaces are available to them. A multi-purpose area features an 80" touch-screen TV, perfect for cheering the Creighton Bluejays on to victory from the comforts of home, or getting up close and personal with some physics calculations. Featuring both soft seating and high-top tables, it is an ideal space for larger group meetings, presentations, social events, or just relaxing. The space is large enough for floor meetings, or a gathering of the entire Cortina community, yet divided enough to allow for both study and recreation in the same space. The flexibility of the space makes the room a great place for students to meet

both peers and staff. Immediately adjacent is a community kitchen and lounge, with a full-size refrigerator, sink, oven, and bar-height counter. While each apartment in Heider Hall contains a full kitchen, this community space attracts group events, and is a perfect programming space for potlucks and other community meals. The lounge area next to the kitchen houses a Ping-Pong table and TV. There is again intentionality in putting these spaces together: to allow students to congregate and socialize in an informal setting. The kitchen and lounge are also other informal spaces for students to meet with both peers and staff, without having to meet in an office. Our team designed these spaces primarily with students in mind, by gathering student input at all stages of the process. We wanted to create spaces that brought students out of their apartments, but did not push them out of their hall; a space for students to live, work, and play; a space where students could get to know their Resident Director, as well as their floor communities; a space for students to collaborate, as well a space to work individually; a space that is clean, warm, welcoming, and accessible; a space that transformed their residence hall into their home.

Lessons Learned Hindsight is 20/20, and that certainly applies to this renovation project. We admit the project may have been rushed from design, to bid, to build, and that cost us once Rob Johnson, EFP Assistant Director of Facility Operations Creighton University robertjohnson2@creighton.edu

we got going. However, we believe the design is functional, fresh, and student-focused. Due to a series of unforeseen circumstances - from unexpected asbestos to in-field changes in design - our project schedule kept getting pushed back. Heider Hall opened for the fall semester with the first floor still midrenovation. No part of the first floor was usable for our students, including the front entrance to the building, and a temporary front desk, affectionately termed the "clubhouse" by staff, was constructed at the "back" emergency exit door for residents to come and go safely. Complaints of dust and noise were abundant as the semester and construction pressed forward. Nevertheless, once the finished product was revealed shortly after Fall Break in mid-October, our students were amazed. "Well worth the wait," was the response of most residents, as they explored the new spaces and complimented the modern color scheme and furniture. And while the physical transformation of the space was impressive, the intentionality of a student-focused design is what has left a lasting impression on residents and skyrocketed the popularity of this building among Creighton students. Special thanks to Coale Johnson, Creighton architect, Drew Potrzeba, Creighton project manager, Chris Bilau with Project Advocates, and MCL Construction for their contributions to the Heider Hall project.

Lucas D. Novotny Assistant Director of Housing Services Creighton University lucasnovotny@creighton.edu

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Lucas D. Novotny Assistant Director of Housing Services Creighton University lucasnovotny@creighton.edu

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Creating Space When You Have No Space By Nathan Ross, Apartment Community Manager, Iowa State University

any housing professionals understand how critical community spaces are to their communities. These spaces are utilized by students for hanging out and studying. They are also used by hall staff for programming. Community spaces have the power to bring people together and to start building the relationships that can last a lifetime. But what do you do when you do NOT have community spaces? Iowa State University (ISU) has faced tremendous growth over the last few years in its overall student population, and the on-campus population has increased at an even faster pace. With on-campus residence halls and apartments at capacity, the Department of Residence (DoR) has had to find creative solutions to meet the demand for on-campus housing. As a result, the DoR leased off-campus apartment properties and established the Legacy and Iowa State West apartment communities. The Iowa State West apartment community houses nearly 1200 residents aged 19 and older. The community offers a wide variety of apartments, from

one-bedroom to five-bedroom apartments. The community is approximately two miles from campus, meaning that residents must commute back-and-forth for classes. While some residents drive, most residents utilize CyRide, a bus system created from a partnership between the City of Ames and ISU. (More information about the ISU West community can be found online at http://www.housing.iastate.edu/ places/apts/isu-west.) As mentioned before, these apartment buildings were built by an off-campus property management group, so the focus was to create as much rentable space as possible. Therefore, no community spaces are included in the community. Even the office space, which includes desk operations and Apartment Community Managers’ offices, was created by converting a four-bedroom apartment. Due to the lack of community space, the ISU West staff had to create unique programming opportunities to reach the residents of the community. With the large number of residents utilizing CyRide to get to campus, the “Bus Stop Tabling” program was born. With the goal of “meeting residents where they are at”, teams of three Community Advisors (CAs) would staff a table at the Bus Stop nearest the community for a couple hours every week. During the program, CAs pass out food and educational information. Each week focuses on a different pillar of the Living-Learning-Leading Model, which includes Civic and Community Responsibility, Understanding and Appreciating Human Difference, Personal Skills, Leadership Skills, and Academics. This program series also allowed the ISU West staff to collaborate with other partners at ISU,

such as the Iowa State University Police Department and the Prevention Services Office. These programs also gave our campus partners face-to-face time with our residents. One of our most recent Bus Stop Tabling events focused on Spring Break safety. CAs passed out fruit snacks for residents to enjoy on their bus ride to campus. They also passed out a half-sheet of paper with safety tips for Spring Break, which included tips like, “Talk with your friends about expectations for alcohol, splitting expenses, etc., before leaving”; “Never leave valuables unattended or in plain view in your car”; and “Don’t believe the hype about our hook-up culture. Not everyone is hooking up. Choices to have sex or not to have sex are extremely personal and shouldn’t be influenced by anyone’s mandate but your own”. The sheet also had ideas for things to do if people were staying at ISU for the break. One of the ISU West CAs, Nick Kringle, described his experience with Bus Stop Tabling: “We did a bus stop tabling event on Random Acts of Kindness Day, giving out compliments, breakfast, and a friendly smile to residents as they waited for the bus. From our efforts, plenty of residents

started their day with a smile.” Another CA, Jess Mitchell, said, “It is a great way to get people’s mornings started off right. It’s a great way to meet your residents one-on-one, as well as other residents in the community. We’ve had a lot of success with the program.” CA Daniel Blom described Bus Stop Tabling as a “great tool for visibility. Residents are able to see the CAs of the community and interact with us.” While I would love to have the big programming rooms of other traditional residence halls, Bus Stop Tabling allows the ISU West Staff to connect with our residents in unique ways and offer valuable information that they need. There’s power in creating space to reach out to residents, even if it happens to be a table at a bus stop. Nathan Ross Apartment Community Manager Iowa State University nross@iastate.edu https://www.facebook.com/ MaricopawaltonISU/

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“Due to the lack of community space, the ISU West staff had to create unique programming opportunities to reach the residents of the community. With the large number of residents utilizing CyRide to get to campus, the “Bus Stop Tabling” program was born.” 20

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Creating Space When You Have No Space By Nathan Ross, Apartment Community Manager, Iowa State University

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A Few Words of Wisdom from Often Unsung Heroes

JB: I enjoy my staff, and our residents, and giving them the best life on campus that I'm able to provide. I feel I am here to help people succeed in whatever their endeavors are.

What advice do you have for a new complex/hall director? By Amanda Krier-Jenkins, Assistant Director – Staff & Academic Development, University Housing, UW-Whitewater

recently had the opportunity to sit down with four individuals dedicated to the success of our department and in particular, our students. These four people have a combined sixty-seven years of experience providing a service to our students, serving as a go-to parental figure to our students, and keeping a pulse on the ebb and flow of the moods of our students. Gary Patrick has been a UW-Whitewater Custodian for ten years, Frank Manthey for

20 years, Mary Duesterbeck is currently one of two Custodial Leads, and Jerry Betscha is one of two Custodial Services Supervisors. As we spoke, two things stuck out to me above all else: (1) their passion for student success, and (2) the importance of the relationship between the custodian and the live-in professional staff member in making a residence hall truly run efficiently. I asked them a series of questions and hope to share just some of their insights with you through this article. It is clear that they define student success in a multitude of ways – from academic success, to learning from their mistakes, to social integration. These definitions of success are not much different than what an average live-in staff member hopes for their residents each year.

What do you enjoy most about your job? FM: Building relationships with the students. They’re so complimentary. I’ve learned through the years that if I want the students to respect me and the building, then I need to show them that same respect. GP: The people and the atmosphere. It is so calm compared to the private sector, and the students are so nice. The students in my building have always been really good. Over time, the students have gotten more and more considerate. I love seeing them develop from when they move in until closing day in May. Sure they make their mistakes, but they really treat me well. MD: I love the people; the students. There’s always an experience. Custodians are often the bridge between “the parent and the real world.” We’re there at odd hours when they need minor first aid, are looking for a vase for flowers, even when they get locked out of their rooms after taking a shower. Many see us as a parent-figure away from home. 22

UMR Perspectives

GP: If the building is a wheel, the complex/hall director is the hub. You need to treat each spoke with equal importance, or the wheel won’t work. The custodial team, the RAs, the administrative work, the conduct meetings, responding to vandalism, etc. Each of those spokes need to be given their due diligence as they all play a critical role in successfully moving forward. MD: Communication is vital. Be direct and timely with your needs, feedback, and praise. If you are open with your custodian, the two (or more) of you can fine tune what needs to get done. The best allies that a custodian can have are the RAs. Please make sure your RAs know this; we need them as much as they need us. JB: Be open to our concerns. It may seem like a small thing to you, however we are the ones required to clean it up every day. We are doing our best to provide a clean, safe, and healthy environment for our residents. Your help and concerns are appreciated. FM: Relationships matter. Follow-up matters. We do our best to build relationships of respect with the students. When there is vandalism or damage to the common areas, please follow up with us. Let us know that you are also trying to remedy the situation. Please get to know the custodian and their style. Don’t be afraid to give positive suggestions. As residence life professionals and colleagues, we know all too well how important the space around us is to the success of our overall program. More important than the space though is the people. Buildings age, renovations are necessary, and trash accumulates. We need to be asking ourselves one question though – do we have pride and respect in the buildings that we manage? Our students can tell when the pride and respect is lower in a particular environment. Our students can tell when relationships are “off” between the RAs, the complex/hall directors, and the custodians. Conversely, our students can tell when there is 360-degree respect. They can sense that upon move-in. According to Gary Patrick, “We clean in their home. It cannot be an us vs. them mentality. We all need to remember that

"If the [residence hall] is a wheel, the complex/hall director is the hub. You need to treat each spoke with equal importance, or the wheel won’t work."

when we go into a space, we are going into a space that somebody regards as their home. If we show the students that respect, they will respect us in return. Each semester, there’s a slight adjustment period as we’re all getting used to each other. It’s inevitable. It’s still their home though.” All of these wonderful people reflected on at least one student that impacted their lives. Jerry Beschta stated that, “It’s great to see some of your residents be successful, or to hear from them about how their lives are going and feeling that you are perhaps a minor bit responsible for some of that success.” I could not agree more. As student development practitioners, it is always a highlight to see a student succeed and believe that we played even the smallest role in that success. It starts on the day they move in and feel the vibe of the space around them. Be proud of what you do, of where you live, and of the people on your team – the whole team. Amanda Krier-Jenkins Assistant Director – Staff & Academic Development University Housing UW-Whitewater kriera@uww.edu

UMR Perspectives

A Few Words of Wisdom from Often Unsung Heroes

JB: I enjoy my staff, and our residents, and giving them the best life on campus that I'm able to provide. I feel I am here to help people succeed in whatever their endeavors are.

What advice do you have for a new complex/hall director? By Amanda Krier-Jenkins, Assistant Director – Staff & Academic Development, University Housing, UW-Whitewater

UMR Perspectives

"If the [residence hall] is a wheel, the complex/hall director is the hub. You need to treat each spoke with equal importance, or the wheel won’t work."

UMR Perspectives

Creating Space for Trans Individuals: Our Responsibility as Professionals By Joshua Kane (he/him/his), Graduate Hall Director, University of Central Missouri

ne of the first things my supervisor told me when I got to the University of Central Missouri (UCM) was that I was a Mule now, and that while I could still have stuff from my undergrad, being a Mule should override that. With that being said, let’s talk about my undergraduate institution! I went to the University of North Carolina: Chapel Hill, and I loved it there. The academics were challenging, the professors were brilliant, and the students were weird in that endearing and awesome way. There were always events in the Pit (campus’ central location), and I didn’t realize how great a ten-story library was until I didn’t have access to it anymore. Carolina wasn’t perfect, but I loved, and love, it anyway. With that being said, Carolina fell into the same trap that a lot of other schools have on trans rights. By that, I mean that they pay lip service to it, but intentional education and inclusion efforts were very limited. So when the North Carolina legislature passed HB2 (the infamous “bathroom bill”) and someone close to me said that they didn’t believe in or support trans rights, I had no idea how to respond. My silence in that moment was born of ignorance, and it hurt. The purpose of this article is therefore two-fold. First, it is a primer on trans issues and competency. Second, it is a challenge to student affairs professionals to be more aware, more intentional, and to overall, do better for their trans students and populations. I’ll start by defining trans related terms, then cover a very limited selection of the challenges trans individuals and populations face in everyday life, and then conclude with recommendations for how we, as student affairs professionals, can do better. A disclaimer before we continue: I am not an expert on trans issues, nor is this article the end of the conversation. It’s a challenge to all of us, myself included, to start that conversation so that we can do more to support our students.

A very basic Glossary On the topic of glossaries, please note that words label people, but do not define people. As such, the following terms are rough approximations of how they are used, but by no means are these definitions definitive. They are based on Z Nicolazzo’s 2017 definitions in Trans* in College, but have been tweaked in a number of places based on my understandings of the topics. GENDER BINARY - A set of cultural assumptions that teaches that there are only two genders (male and female), and that these genders can be identified based on physical characteristics and chromosomes. This assumption is flawed in a number of ways. Despite what high school Biology teaches, sex chromosomes are not as simple as XX (female) and XY (male). There are a number of other configurations, such as XXY, XYY, or XXXY, and one’s cells might not have the same set or expression. It is possible for the brain to develop based on one set, the body on another, and the reproductive organs on a third set of sex chromosomes. The assumptions of the gender binary also leaves no space for individuals who are born with a mix of “male” and “female” reproductive organs (Kennon, 2013). SEX V. GENDER - Sex is one’s physical characteristics, while gender refers to how one is culturally expected to behave, act, or express their identity. CISGENDER- When an individual identifies with the gender they were assigned at birth, this is referred to as being “cisgender.” Cis is a prefix meaning “on this side.” TRANSGENDER - When an individual identifies with a gender identity different than the one assigned at birth, this is often referred to as being transgender. This is a very broad term, and there is an ongoing discussion about which communities and individuals are covered by this term. GENDER NON-CONFORMING - Individuals who choose to reject the assumptions of the gender binary in some way, such as by transitioning to a third gender (sometimes

"All of our students deserve every opportunity to succeed, so it is up to us to acknowledge their struggles, educate ourselves about those struggles, and take informed action to assist them." 24

UMR Perspectives

referred to as “genderqueer”) or by rejecting the concept of gender altogether (“agender”). Some trans scholars, such as Dean Spade, draw a distinction between trans individuals and gender non-conforming individuals, while other scholars do not. How an individual identifies in this dynamic is up to that person. TRANSWOMAN/TRANSMAN - Terms used to refer to someone who has transitioned genders. A transwoman is typically someone who was assigned male at birth, but now identifies and performs as female. Likewise, a transman is someone who was assigned female, but now identifies and performs as male. PRONOUNS OF REFERENCE/PERSONAL PRONOUNS These are the pronouns that individuals use to refer to themselves. Conventionally, male identified individuals use “he/him/his,” while female identified individuals use “she/her/hers.” As non-binary identities have developed, other sets have come into use. Some people use “they/ them/their,” others use “xe/hir/hirs,” and so on. The best way to find out what pronouns an individual uses is to ask them. SEXUAL/ROMANTIC ORIENTATION VS GENDER EXPRESSION - Sexual/Romantic orientation refers to who one is sexually attracted to or seeks to develop relationships with, while gender expression is how one expresses oneself. This not an exhaustive list of terms, nor are the definitions all encompassing or definite. This is just to set the basis for further research in my opinion. This should prompt some questions hopefully, and as my friend says, “Google is free.”

So what’s the problem, and what should we do? Yet another disclaimer: This section is aimed at cisgender individuals, as it invites them to consider aspects of the trans experience and how they can begin to support trans populations while challenging their own assumptions. For this part, I need you to do a bit of imagining. Pretend for a moment that you’ve been taught all your life that there is a normal way for you to behave, for you to exist, and for you to look. However, all your life, this has felt uncomfortable for you, almost like an ill-fitting shoe. How you are expected to look and behave is at odds with who you feel you truly are. Repeat this a few times, and you’ll start to get a taste of what trans individuals struggle with on a daily basis. This mismatch between societal and personal expectations can, and does, have severe effects.

For example, the attempted suicide rate among trans youth is astronomically higher than among youth as a whole. While the attempted suicide rate for the total US youth population is at 4.6%, for transgender youth, it is 41% (Malone 2015). Violence rates against trans individuals, especially transwomen of color, is similarly far higher than that targeting other demographics (Human Rights Campaign, 2017). These numbers are staggering, and point to the reality many trans individuals face.US society has not made a space for them to exist and to be themselves. This lack of space leads to horrifying violence and suicide rates afflicting trans populations.It is therefore essential for us as student affairs professionals and administrators to begin seeking to create a space for trans individuals to live their lives safely and prosperously. As is always the case when supporting marginalized groups, tolerance is not, and cannot be, enough. We have to take active measures and steps to support and normalize their existence, so as to create a space where all individuals and populations can live and express their lives without fear. Creating this space will be a multi-generational process and involve a massive intentional effort, but there are a few things all of us can do, and stop doing, right now. The first thing everyone should begin doing, or continue doing, is to educate yourself. There are some sources below to get you started, but Google is always available and free, and there is a growing field of other sources. There’s not necessarily such a thing as a stupid question (Google doesn’t judge), but there are questions that are asked in the wrong way. Do your research now so that when you first meet a trans person, it doesn’t completely take you by surprise. Remember, trans individuals are people just like you; they’re just trying to make it through each day without having to defend every little facet of their identity. With that having been said, there are a lot of ways we can start making trans lives easier. We’ve already covered the value of education, but understanding trans topics and not doing anything about them is almost as bad as ignorance. Talk to others about it! Challenge non-inclusive policies and advocate for gender-inclusive options. Make sure that when your school and department include options such as “other” when asking about gender. When introducing yourself, start including your pronouns, thereby creating a more inclusive and aware space so other individuals know how to refer to you. Explore your own assumptions and biases, and be aware of how they influence the way you make decisions and process your experiences. This requires a certain degree of introspection to successfully do, so start by taking some of Harvard’s Implicit Bias Tests just to acquaint yourself with your UMR Perspectives

Creating Space for Trans Individuals: Our Responsibility as Professionals By Joshua Kane (he/him/his), Graduate Hall Director, University of Central Missouri

"All of our students deserve every opportunity to succeed, so it is up to us to acknowledge their struggles, educate ourselves about those struggles, and take informed action to assist them." 24

UMR Perspectives

own unconscious bias. Challenge yourself to be more aware of when you assume other’s genders, and pay attention to the assumptions inherent in your own language. None of these recommendations are easy, and none of them are quickly done, but they are necessary if we truly want to support all of our students. All of our students deserve opportunities to succeed, so it is up to us to acknowledge their struggles, educate ourselves about those struggles, and take informed action to assist them. It is unlikely that we will see an end to trans persecution and exclusion within our lifetimes, but we can begin to take steps now to minimize the dangers and discrimination they face as they simply try to live their lives. Simple resources to continue:  PGPs: https://www.gsafewi.org/wp-content/uploads/ What-the-heck-is-a-PGP1.pdf  https://transwhat.org/glossary/  www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2017/01/ how-science-helps-us-understand-gender-identity/  Vice News episode “Trans youth”

REFERENCES  Human Rights Campaign. (2017). Violence against the transgender community in 2016.  Retrieved from http://www.hrc.org/resources/violence-against-the-transgender-community-in-2016  Kennon, J. (2013, June 7). The 6 most common biological sexes in humans. Retrieved from http://www.joshuakennon.com/the-six-common-biological-sexes-in-humans/  Malone, L. (2015, March 5). Transgender suicide attempt rates are staggering. Vocativ.  Retrieved from http://www.vocativ.com/culture/lgbt/transgender-suicide/  Nicolazzo, Z. (2017). Trans* in college: Transgender students’ strategies for navigating campus life and the institutional politics of inclusion. Sterling: Stylus Publishing.  Spade, D. (2011). Normal life: Administrative violence, critical trans politics, and the limits of the law. Brooklyn: South End Press.

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Joshua Kane (he/him/his) Graduate Hall Director University of Central Missouri jkane@ucmo.edu

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University of Wisconsin-Madison - Madison, WI

University of Wisconsin-La Crosse - La Crosse, WI

Wisconsin Lutheran College - Milwaukee, WI

HOUSING THAT SUPPORTS STUDENT WELL-BEING

Joshua Kane (he/him/his) Graduate Hall Director University of Central Missouri jkane@ucmo.edu

IT’S TIME FOR SOMETHING NEW!

Chris Gallagher, RA, LEED AP 414.291.8151 : chrisg@eua.com Jonathan Parker, RA, LEED AP 608.442.6681 : jonathanp@eua.com

www.eua.com

Varsity Quarters - Madison, WI

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to find out more about how we can enhance your laundry program! 2040 Lofts - Milwaukee, WI

UMR Perspectives

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Fostering LGBT+ Spaces in Residence Halls By William Smith and Tyler Stringer, Graduate Assistants, Iowa State University

Introduction Students under the LGBT+ umbrella face experiences and challenges atypical to those faced by their heterosexual and cisgender counterparts. One of those challenges and experiences being the ability to find spaces where they can openly express and live out their identities in their community. As self-identified members of the LGBT+ umbrella and scholars pursuing degrees while working in the field of higher education, we are able to speak to these experiences from both a personal and academic level. The field of higher education possess the unique ability to create spaces for LGBT+ students that are both supportive and affirming in their identities, especially within the residence halls. By creating these spaces, students and practitioners are able to combat cisgender and heteronormative stereotypes.

Why it is Important Compared to their heterosexual and cisgender counterparts, students within the LGBT+ community are

"In creating these spaces, student affairs professionals are called to analyze their own beliefs of what they are capable of doing to support LGBT+ students, and to take a stance, and be able to put those beliefs into practice." 28

UMR Perspectives

more likely to experience mental illness, are at a higher risk of violence, and have less access to proper healthcare (HRC). These compounding factors can have a negative effect on LGBT+ students’ ability to navigate the higher education system, and without proper support systems set in place, LGBT+ students often turn to alcohol and drug usage and abuse in order to cope with their social stress. While these difficulties are faced by many students in higher education, when juxtaposed with their straight and cisgender peers, those within the LGBT+ community are at a greater risk due to the historical and social stress placed upon them (Feidstein & Greene, 2012). This stress can manifest from lack of familial or financial support, fear of violence, or any other number of sources. By creating spaces where students feel as if they can share their identities and experiences without fear of retaliation, it is the hope that the social stress can be assuaged and students are able to find support.

Affirming Spaces Having one’s identity validated is a crucial part of development. A vital responsibility of residence life staff is creating identity-affirming spaces. Evans and Herriot (2004) list residence hall staff as among the key student affairs professionals who should provide social support for LGBT+ students. Consider a student who has not yet spoken openly with anyone about their identity as a queer individual and is experiencing dissonance and anxiety about this aspect of self that is ever increasing in saliency. Now imagine the impact of the first voice of validation to this student. This can be a revolutionary moment for students. The ability to engineer revolutionary moments for students is the primary function of creating affirming spaces. Not all students requires intentional validation from others, but, as residence life departments, we have the opportunity to support those students who do.

What is an Affirming Space? We posit that an affirming space can manifest itself in various ways. Affirming physical constructs, like displaying pride flags, may seem insignificant to a heterosexual or cisgender individual, but this can be a truly meaningful gesture to a student deprived of validation. This symbol can lead an

LGBT+ student to view their identity as not only accepted, but validated and affirmed in the space where the pride flag is present. Also, it is important to note that affirming physical constructs are not sufficient to making a truly affirming space. A student affairs professional must also be educated on how to be an affirming and validating presence for their LGBT+ students. Being cognizant of the emotional challenges faced by queer students is a requirement for being a source of support and validation (Roper, 2005). An affirming space also needs to be centered around the recognition and appreciation of vulnerability. If a student is brave enough to come out to you, thank them. We cannot promise students a safe space, because safe spaces do not truly exist for LGBT+ people. What we can do, however, is foster affirming environments where students can build up the courage to be their authentic selves. In this space, student affairs professionals must recognize our students’ courage, and respect their vulnerability. Saying “I appreciate you” and “I support you” are very appropriate responses to a student if they disclose and share their marginalized identities with you. Once a support system is in place, it is imperative to move beyond words; we must appreciate and support our students by making a change in the community. As residence life staff we can be vocal in your support and call out transphobia and homophobia when you face it. People in power set the tone for what is, and what is not, culturally acceptable (Roper, 2005). Keep in mind that whenever something trans/ homophobic happens in our communities, our LGBT+ students are paying close attention to how staff responds. If staff members are passive or participatory in an act of hate our students know that this isn’t a supportive community.

Allyship An affirming space does more than create support for LGBT+ students; it also helps practitioners outside of the community develop their understanding of allyship. In creating these spaces, student affairs professionals are called to analyze their own beliefs of what they are capable

William Smith Graduate Assistant Iowa State University wsmith30@iastate.edu

of doing to support LGBT+ students, to take a stance, and be able to put those beliefs into practice. Moving beyond simply putting up physical contracts of support, the creation of an affirming space will center the notion of validating and supporting another person’s experience by acknowledging the struggles those within the LGBT+ community experience. This work inherently disrupts heteronormative space and creates spaces for discussion of allyship and identity which can be carried down from the practitioner to students in creating spaces of allyship and critical conscience.

Conclusion Affirmation is one of the first steps to begin creating spaces of validation and support for LGBT+ students, however it does not guarantee actual safety for students. In order to continue the work to benefit members of LGBT+ community, more radical steps must be taken. Direct action and educational practices promoting the development of critical consciousness are valid forms of labor that shape a liberatory framework. That being said, working with this population of students begins with developing trust through validation. By working through these beginning steps, affirmation can function as a means of empowerment giving students agency to become advocates for themselves and create affirming spaces in their own lives. REFERENCES  Evans, N. J., & Herriott, T. K. (2004). Freshmen Impressions: How Investigating the Campus Climate for LGBT Students Affected Four Freshmen Students. Journal of College Student Development, 45(3), 316-332.  Feinstein, B. & Green, K. Substance Use in Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Populations: An Update on Empirical Research and Implications for Treatment. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, Vol 26(2), Jun 2012, 265-278  Resources. (n.d.). Retrieved March 14, 2017, from http://www. hrc.org/resources  Roper, L. D. (2005). The role of senior student affairs officers in supporting LGBT students: Exploring the landscape of one's life. New Directions for Student Services, 2005(111), 81-88.

Tyler Stringer Graduate Assistant Iowa State University tylerstr@iastate.edu

UMR Perspectives

Fostering LGBT+ Spaces in Residence Halls By William Smith and Tyler Stringer, Graduate Assistants, Iowa State University

Why it is Important Compared to their heterosexual and cisgender counterparts, students within the LGBT+ community are

UMR Perspectives

William Smith Graduate Assistant Iowa State University wsmith30@iastate.edu

Tyler Stringer Graduate Assistant Iowa State University tylerstr@iastate.edu

UMR Perspectives

The Power of Space:

The Role Residence Life Plays in Creating Inclusive Spaces for Individuals with Disabilities By Kevin Rush, M.A., Residence Director, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

rior to the 1980s, if you were a parent of a child with a disability, you were often told from the time of their birth that, as a result of their disability, their only option was to remain institutionalized for the rest of their lives. These institutions such as: Willowbrook State Hospital in New York City; the Beatrice State Development Center in Beatrice, Nebraska; and many others; serve as humble reminders that the fight for justice and equality for individuals with disabilities has been significant and longstanding. These institutions lacked basic hygiene standards, often the subject of abuse allegations, unconsented medical experimentation, and were offered little to no educational opportunities and services. In 1973 the Rehabilitation Act was signed into law by President Nixon and provided some provisional access to services and educational standards for individuals with disabilities, yet many institutions continued to carry out their operations until the late 1990s and early 2000s. Some are even functional and operational to this day. As horrible as the conditions in these various institutions across the country were, they exposed a systemic and societal oppression which occurs for many individuals with both hidden and visible disabilities. At the beginning of every new school year, millions of students across the country and the world prepare for a transition to college. Many of these students are preparing for the reality of leaving home for the very first time. While every

transition presents its own unique challenges, individuals with disabilities may experience an even more tumultuous and uncertain transition. The adoption of the American’s with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 requires every college and university to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. While the passage of this act, in many cases, made it possible for individuals with disabilities to pursue postsecondary education, it did not detract from the challenges that such transitions present. The challenge that these students face when navigating new environments, cities, and increased academic rigors without the comforts and support of a home environment, raise barriers for student success. Residence Life departments at colleges and universities seek out students and provide them with programming and leadership opportunities to help students find some resemblance of the support they may have left. Many departments work to create these environments from a departmental and university-wide level, as well as on the individual floors and communities. Staff implement programs for residents, set reasonable conduct standards, ensure the safety of all residents, and work to create an environment conducive to giving residents ample opportunities for academic success. Community can only begin to take shape when those within the space feel safe and comfortable enough to express themselves without fear of retaliation or intimidation. Once safety and comfort are achieved, students can then work to find ways to become more engaged in the community and find both socially and academically

“While working in a residence hall, we are not able to fully replicate the comforts of home, but what we strive to do is provide an atmosphere where students feel open and connected to the people around them.” UMR Perspectives

The Power of Space:

The Role Residence Life Plays in Creating Inclusive Spaces for Individuals with Disabilities By Kevin Rush, M.A., Residence Director, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

and residence hall housing departments, from dining and facilities staff, to students and staff members who work in residence life, is to assist in the transition to these spaces into environments more tailored to the student’s success.

IDEA vs. ADA

integrated success. At the community level, student staff are placed in these communities in order to attempt to build individual relationships and connections with every student. Student staff members are often seen as leaders and are trained to be able to work with residents to find opportunities for engagement. Professional staff often rely on student staff to be able to provide warning signs when residents appear to be struggling academically or socially. Providing a break in a cycle of negative behaviors that some students experience is often the best way to strategize ways to improve their likelihood for retention. Students with disabilities often find it difficult to connect with their peers. Over the last ten years, we have seen a tremendous increase in students on the autism spectrum attending four-year colleges. While many of these students may find difficulty in being able to articulate their desire to socially connect in their community, the need is clearly there. These students often require some patience and strategizing with roommates, floormates, student staff, and professional staff. The structure of their home lives, which may have taken years to get acquainted to, are no longer present. Life at a college campus is often far less structured and can be a challenge for many individuals with disabilities. In many circles of the residence life community, there is a continuous “dorm vs. residence hall” debate. Many of those who work in the residence life profession, simply cringe at the sound of the word “dorm.” One could argue that a dorm is simply considered a place where one can sleep, whereas a residence hall provides more of a home environment. For individuals with disabilities, the word “home” is a powerful and necessary concept needed for success at college. A home is a place which provides unwavering comfort in the midst of stress and anxiety. The work of the professionals in college 32

UMR Perspectives

The Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act (IDEA) was a law passed in 1990. This law guaranteed that all students aged 0-21 (or upon completion of their high school diploma) are entitled to a free and appropriate education. This law ensured schools were responsible for developing and adhering to an Individualized Educational Program (IEP) for students with a qualifying disability. IDEA is also predicated on heavy parent involvement as no plan can be verified unless the plan is signed by a parent or guardian. The IEP consists of a summation of the student’s strengths/weaknesses, diagnosis, long and short-term goals, and individual action plans to achieve those goals. Once the IEP is signed by all parties involved (i.e. student, parent, teachers, and administrator), it becomes binding by law. IDEA also requires that all IEPs of students over the age of 16 include some form of transitional planning in the update of the IEP. It is here where many students begin the process of knowing which skills are needed to develop in order to make a potential transition to college. Often times, aspects of this plan include course requirements to be qualified for whichever two- or four-year college they choose to attend, life and social skills necessary to mentally and emotionally adjust to the new challenges of a college environment, and planning for receiving accommodations in college. This transition process is important so students feel prepared to move away from home and learn the new rigors presented in a college curriculum. If the need presents itself, these accommodations may include waiving any on-campus live-on requirement. Once the student graduates from high school and enrolls in a college or university, the student is no longer protected under IDEA, and ADA requirements must be met. Many students move forward into higher education thinking that their accommodation plan from high school will automatically carry over. The ADA requires any student wishing to obtain accommodations at a college level needs to individually seek out accommodations in order to qualify. This includes obtaining appropriate diagnostic information from a medical doctor or licensed psychologist or copies of their IEP. What this requires of individuals seeking

accommodation is the ability to advocate for themselves and to seek out the services they require from the institution. What was traditionally left to the parents and/or the special education provider prior to attending college, is now solely the responsibility of the student.

The Role of Housing Professionals Sometimes the challenge for residence life professionals, with respect to being accommodating for students with disabilities, is the idea these professionals will often times not be aware of the students receiving accommodations. Depending on the structure of the housing and disabilities services departments, all accommodations may go through the contracting office, the director and/or assistant director, the disabilities services office, or the residence life professional in the area which the prospective student resides. One of the main responsibilities of those who work in the field of residence life, both as professionals and as student staff members, is to find ways to engage the students living in the halls with fun and educational programming options. It is fair to assume that, as programmers, we do not aim to exclude individuals from our programs. Students may choose not to attend programs if they don’t know that accommodations could be made available to make the program accessible to them. The way to turn this around is by starting to include language on all flyers and advertisements for programs informing people who to talk to in order to receive accommodations. An example of this kind of language is as follows: If reasonable accommodations are necessary for this program, please contact Jane Doe at (xxx) xxx-xxxx to discuss accommodations at least 2 weeks prior to the event. While one may think that it is overly complicated or expensive to provide such accommodations, some simple accommodations may include: large print for all copied materials, turning on closed-captioning on a film, or providing special seating at the front of the programming space. For any additional accommodations which aren’t able to be easily provided the day of the program, contact your institution’s disabilities service or ADA/504 officer to discuss specifics. While working in a residence hall, we are not able to fully replicate the comforts of home, but what we strive to do is provide an atmosphere where students feel open

and connected to the people around them. If students feel connected and engaged in their communities, the opportunity to be further engaged academically is more readily fulfilled. For individuals with disabilities, this is especially challenging. From an environment where their accommodations were set up for them (with or without their own involvement in such processes) to a space where they are required to set up their own plans with little to no parental support, this transition poses challenges. As professionals, we need to continue encouraging our staffs to be more inclusive towards all individuals in the community. Simply because students are not openly coming out of their rooms or connecting with people, does not mean that they don’t want that connection to happen. For many individuals with disabilities, social integration is a challenge and connecting with a larger group can be a daunting process. Continuing to challenge our student staff to connect individually with everyone in their community provides more spaces for these students to connect should they want to. Social skills are equally important in personal and career success as what students learn in the classroom and skill-building in this area should be encouraged, not avoided. Understanding the faults of our past are critical to ensuring that similar mistakes do not happen. The institutionalizing of individuals with disabilities marks a dark point of our history in regards to the marginalization of these communities. While incredible strides have been made to provide more inclusive and accommodating spaces, we know that as a network of allies and advocates, more work yet needs to be done. As student affairs professionals who work in college and university residence halls, our responsibility is great in order to make sure that the spaces we provide are conducive to a cohesive learning experience. Providing spaces where our students feel welcomed to express themselves freely, to live in a space where they feel safe, and to provide opportunities for social engagement are keystones of retaining some of our most vulnerable students.

Kevin Rush, M.A. Residence Director University of Nebraska-Lincoln krush3@unl.edu

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IDEA vs. ADA

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Kevin Rush, M.A. Residence Director University of Nebraska-Lincoln krush3@unl.edu

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Cultivating Community with Interior Design By Paige Harker, Marketing & Communication Intern, University of Minnesota Contributors: Tiffany Clemens, Marketing & Communication Coordinator, University of Minnesota, Jake Schwarzinger, Web & Multimedia Coordinator, University of Minnesota, Daniel Elliot, Associate Director, Facilities, University of Minnesota

e focus on making our students’ residential experiences the best they can possibly be at the University of Minnesota. While we have consistently provided comfortable living spaces for our residents, we are constantly looking for ways to improve our community and the ways in which our residents connect with one another because we feel that those connections are equally important in creating a living environment.

"By keeping residents’ needs in mind and exploring open, inviting design principles, housing departments can encourage connections between residents beyond community events." 34

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Connections between residents are encouraged through events, but we want to look beyond programming to build community. Designed properly, spaces can encourage connections between residents, independent of buildingsponsored activities. We saw an opportunity to upgrade our community spaces into more welcoming, connectionpromoting environments, and we capitalized on it. The results speak for themselves. Picture this: a below-grade space with inadequate lighting, low ceilings, minimal interior finishes, disjointed rooms, limited electrical outlets, and a singular television. Would you be inclined to gather with your friends or do homework in this space? The space - called the “Gopher Hole” - is situated in a central location and open to all residents, but it was rarely utilized due to its lack of appealing aesthetic. We wanted to change that. We started this project with a vision for the new space: a place where residents could gather for a variety of reasons, in small or large groups, and that would encourage community rather than hinder it. First, we looked at the most basic aspects of the space; the low ceilings and restricting walls had to go. By re-establishing the height of the ceilings, we created a more open feeling within the space. Those original ceilings hid the building’s mechanical systems, but the new design embraced them. With fresh paint, the systems worked into space in a trendy way while also allowing for easier maintenance work. Acoustic panels were also added to the ceiling to add dimension to the space and mitigate noise. Though we wanted the space to feel more open, we did not want sound to disperse throughout the space and overwhelm smaller groups. The removal of the dividing walls was necessary in order to create a more inviting space. As a bonus, the lack of division between the three rooms improved the pedestrian path and sightlines, making the space safer in the event of an emergency and more accessible to residents with disabilities. The remaining walls in the space (originally cinder block) were updated with sheetrock and wall coverings to make the space feel less like a below-ground area. Without proper lighting, the low-grade space, lacking windows, felt dark and uninviting. By increasing lumen

levels and adding adjustable light dimmers, we introduced an above-ground feel with the opportunity to modify the space for specific group needs. The installation of LED lights reduced our maintenance and energy costs. In addition to new lighting, we also installed more electrical outlets and USB ports to give residents the opportunity to charge their mobile devices in the space. Finally, we considered options for furnishings. Furniture can promote connections simply by the way in which it is designed and arranged, so our choices were crucial to the success of the space. In this area, we relied on our residents’ opinions to help us decide. Keeping in mind the preferences of our residents, we purchased a variety of items for the space, including large and small sofas, arm chairs, booths, small tables, a conference table, and “collaboration stations” with helpful technological capabilities. With these furnishings, the Gopher Hole has been transformed into a versatile space that can accommodate anyone, from individual residents doing homework to large groups having celebrations. Knowing that technology is a central part of both academic and personal lives of our residents, we knew that increased technological capabilities were necessary. Wireless internet connectivity was lacking in the space, and without a strong wifi connection, residents would no doubt be deterred from gathering in the space. Gaming and streaming capabilities were also included. To encourage our residents to connect in the space, we had to be mindful of their interests and needs. The Gopher Hole’s renovation and subsequent popularity among residents is proof that any under-utilized space can be transformed into a community space that encourages residents to connect with one another. By keeping residents’ needs in mind and exploring open, inviting design principles, housing departments can encourage connections between residents beyond the typical community events. If a resident feels drawn to a space by its aesthetic, they are more likely to spend time in that space with other residents, and they will also have a space in which they can plan their own community events. Paige Harker Marketing & Communication Intern University of Minnesota harke020@umn.edu

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"By keeping residents’ needs in mind and exploring open, inviting design principles, housing departments can encourage connections between residents beyond community events." 34

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Responding to Bias in Our Halls: A Community-Centered Approach By Gilbert Valencia, Residence Director, Housing and Residential Life, University of Minnesota and Rachael Mills, Assistant Residence Director, Housing and Residential Life, University of Minnesota

ias on university campuses is not new. Discrimination takes many forms including racism, sexism, heterosexism, and have been present within higher education in the United States since the formation of colleges and universities. These issues often play a large role in the overall campus climate at predominantly white institutions where students with marginalized identities feel targeted and are sent messages that they do not belong (Vaccaro, 2010). Unfortunately at the University of Minnesota, we have observed students expressing similar sentiments in the residence halls and across campus through a significant rise in bias-related incidents throughout the local community this academic year. As student affairs professionals, we have a responsibility to foster communities that are safe, inclusive, and supportive of all students. This role becomes increasingly important as we consider our work within residence halls, our students’ homes. We house students from all over the world who have varying life experiences and opinions, which influence the standpoint epistemologies they bring to the university. This creates exciting opportunities for sharing of cultures, values, and building relationships across differences. One method we utilize to foster these interactions within Housing and Residential Life at the University of Minnesota are our many Living Learning Communities (LLCs). There is abundant research suggesting that LLCs contribute to the overall sense of belonging that students feel at colleges and universities and it impacts their academic success and other areas of well-being (Spanierman et al., 2013). LLCs are designed to enhance the sense of community and are often connected to a shared identity or common interest, such as an academic course. LLCs have been shown to holistically increase student engagement and achievement across colleges and universities (Pike et al., 2011). Within the residence hall we manage, there are a number of LLCs that embody these qualities. Along with positive characteristics comes challenges that test the communities’ resiliency and require individuals to hold one another accountable for their actions in times of adversity. Earlier in the spring of 2017,, we faced an anti-Semitic incident within one of the LLCs in the residence hall we manage. This particular LLC had built a strong community around the values of service, leadership, physical activity, and promoting unity. The 36

UMR Perspectives

bias incident created harm and adversity within the close-knit community. A student from the LLC burned a swastika on a table in one of the community lounges. This incident was reported by another member of community, which ultimately resulted in the arrest of the student for property damage with bias. The media reported on the story, which led to further complication and increased tension within the building and LLC community. Additionally, as a result of the news reports, more information was available to the public and community, including the identities of the individuals involved. Because of the severity and publicity of the bias incident, we, as the building managers, met immediately with the Residential Life central management team to discuss the best methods to address the harm done and move forward as a building and LLC community. The key players in the department were brought together to strategize, share best practices, and formulate a concrete plan for moving forward. This is a crucial step that, as leaders, we cannot afford to miss, as it allows everyone to get on the same page and understand their role in an efficient and collaborative manner. Timing is also critical, and having everyone in the same room allows for different perspectives to be voiced which results in better support for the communities impacted. As the managers of the building, prioritizing the incident and rearranging our schedules was crucial. We were responsible for addressing the immediate impact within our sphere of influence: our residents. We drafted a building wide email naming and addressing the incident, and offering support for residents who felt targeted. The timing of this email was crucial as we wanted to respond promptly in order to avoid additional confusion and questions, as well as provide support to impacted residents as quickly as possible. We then planned a processing session where students could list and make meaning of the facts, along with receive resources for healing from the building staff. In addition to reaching out to all the residents, we felt it was necessary and important to recognize the unique impact a bias incident can have within a LLC. A lot of time and energy is invested in the development of the shared identity and strong relationships within a LLC. This specific community had been particularly active, tight-knit, and supportive of one another until the incident occurred. The campus partner of this LLC was contacted and informed about the incident and how we planned to address it. In collaboration with the campus partners and the Residential Life central management team, we decided to host a mandatory community conversation with all of the members to share what happened, give folks a chance to voice their opinions

and concerns, and to make a plan to move forward. We recognize that we used our authority to mandate this meeting but chose to do so in order to move forward and repair the harm created. We utilized the foundations of Intergroup Dialogue when designing the space - being intentional to make sure all voices were heard and that our ultimate goal was to learn from one another's’ perspective (Zuniga, 2003). Tensions were high on a Monday evening as we gathered with 16 residents. In order to provide support and more information, we invited the Coordinator of Student Conduct and the Assistant Director of Social Justice from Housing and Residential Life to help facilitate the dialogue. We as facilitators were acutely aware of the identities of power and privilege in the space: race, gender, and sexuality playing a role in how each individual community member and facilitator was showing up. In our planning and execution of the space, we kept this at the forefront of our approach. To open the space, we had folks form a circle with their chairs and everyone shared their name and where home was for them. This sharing allowed folks to let their guards down and be present with one another in the space. It also provided an entrance for students to set aside the positional power, be themselves, and share their unfiltered views and opinions. We introduced ourselves as well, and made a point to clarify our reasons for being there: to address the incident, hear everyone’s perspective, and work towards community accountability and healing. After we gave a brief overview of our goals, we essentially allowed the residents to guide the space based on what they needed. We made sure to provide room for emotions - specifically anger and fear - and to not pass judgment based on what individuals shared. There were a few individuals who strongly disagreed with how the incident was handled and asked for more clarification around the process, which we provided. The majority of the students understood the significance of the incident, but were upset that their friend was arrested and felt like the student was being treated too harshly. One particular moment that stood out to us as facilitators was the intense interaction between the resident who had originally reported the incident and the residents who were upset with the process. At first, the reporting resident did not voice any opinion at all, but by the end they made an important and emotionally driven statement about the historical meaning of the swastika

Gilbert Valencia Residence Director Housing and Residential Life University of Minnesota gvalenci@umn.edu

and why they made the decision to come forward. The reporting resident explained that the student who committed the act of bias represented their community and did not want bigotry associated with their LLC. We stayed in the space until everyone had an opportunity to share and to hear one another. It was remarkable to see the difference from when we all entered the room to when we finally came to a place where everyone felt heard. In closing, we spoke about the importance of learning from our decisions and growing as a community of learners together. We thanked them for being willing to be vulnerable and to listen to one another. This incident proved to not only be a learning experience for our residents, but also for us as professionals. We knew from our training that it was vital to address the community that was impacted, but the theory to practice implementation of bias response protocols at large universities can feel overwhelming. It was important that we responded promptly and intentionally, especially given the rise in bias incidents on college campus and universities across the nation. We share this incident and our response with you all to provide guidance and support as we all navigate difficult situations as student affairs professionals. Overall, this incident proved to be a significant moment of growth as facilitators and an important reminder of the invaluable impact that holding space for folks can have on a community. The model we utilized gave space for messiness and emotions that inevitability are present after incidents of bias occur. Instead of shying away from the potential difficult conversation, we embraced it and ultimately provided the space that residents needed to begin to heal and move forward as a community, together. REFERENCES  Pike, G. R., Kuh, G. D., & McCormick, A. C.. (2011). An investigation of the contingent relationships between learning community participation and student engagement. Research in Higher Education, 52(3), 300–322.  Spanierman, L. B., Soble, J. R., Mayfield, J. B., Neville, H. A., Aber, M., Khuri, L., & De La Rosa, B. (2013). Living learning communities and students’ sense of community and belonging. Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice, 50(3), 308-325.  Vaccaro, A. (2010). What lies beneath seemingly positive campus climate results: Institutional sexism, racism, and male hostility toward equity initiatives and liberal bias. Equity & Excellence in Education, 43(2), 202-215. DOI: 10.1080/10665680903520231

Rachael Mills Assistant Residence Director Housing and Residential Life University of Minnesota mills329@umn.edu

UMR Perspectives

Gilbert Valencia Residence Director Housing and Residential Life University of Minnesota gvalenci@umn.edu

Rachael Mills Assistant Residence Director Housing and Residential Life University of Minnesota mills329@umn.edu

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Safe Spaces: Cultivating the Arena for Collegiate Discourse in our Modern Era By Tiye Sherrod, Residence Life Coordinator University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee, and Ethan Sykes, Residence Life Coordinator University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee

n the ever-changing world today, communication has become convoluted with the expansion of technology and civil discourse. Instead of individuals confronting each other directly, they rely on social media to engage in arguments, often providing “alternative facts” to prove a point. Because of this, people don’t understand the impact of their actions, both in personal and online interactions. Empathy and social connection are disregarded because the exchange of ideas is transactional, seeking to win the argument and not to understand another’s perspective. All of this has a negative impact on students and professional staff who identify as part of a minority group, including racial minorities, LGBTQ+ individuals, gender minorities, and those with disabilities. These individuals are constantly exposed to microaggressions that may impact their ability to succeed, or even survive, as opposed to their privileged counterparts. Whereas many of the microaggressions can stem from the ignorance of people not knowing their privilege, the impact can be detrimental. In order to better assist students who feel oppressed, safe spaces (or positive spaces) have become a standard practice on many college campuses and universities.

What is a Safe Space? Originally, Safe Spaces were created in the 60’s and 70’s by the LGBTQ+ community to combat anti-sodomy laws. According to Kenney (2001) “a safe space meant somewhere you could be out and in good company—at least until cops showed up.” The term “safe space” was also adopted by the women’s movement. According to Kenney, women used the word to describe the safety as distance from men. Now safe spaces, although still mostly claimed by the LGBTQ+ community, serve as a place where diverse minority populations can go to be supported and where ground rules can be set to ensure a space is safe to have difficult conversations around important social topics. Recently, the notion of Safe Spaces on college campuses has received scrutiny from individuals and lawmakers who feel as though Safe Spaces are used to shield college students from difficult conversations, rather than allow them 38

UMR Perspectives

to engage in meaningful discourse. We believe that it is imperative to provide Safe Spaces for minority students to be heard and valued. Yetthis does not mean that Safe Spaces cannot be used to engage in dialogue surrounding topics that evoke strong emotions. Understanding the role of allies and allyship is important in creating this kind of safe space.

The Role of Allyship When looking to create safe spaces, it is imperative that we think about our social identities, particularly those in which we are privileged. If we are truly committed to ensuring that students have the space to express themselves and engage in discourse, we must understand our role as allies and how best to support those from marginalized identities. A key component of allyship is understanding that those from predominant groups in society have controlled narratives of oppression for a very long time. It is essential that members of marginalized groups have their opportunity to share their stories unapologetically and without interference by those who have traditionally held the power in this arena. Although the voices of allies have their place, it’s important to remember that those from underrepresented groups should have control over when the voices of allies are heard and when it is best for allies to simply support from behind the scenes. As professionals, it can sometimes be challenging to ensure advocacy for underrepresented groups while maintaining workplace professionalism. We are trained to believe that equality is the same as equity, when in fact, this is not true. As has been said, “Equality is making sure that everyone gets a t-shirt while equity is making sure everyone gets a t-shirt that fits.” Our students, faculty, and staff have different lived experiences and thus need different things to thrive in a collegiate setting. When truly engaging in allyship, one understands this principle and strives for the platinum rule as opposed to the golden rule: Treat others as they wish to be treated. This does not mean to apply rules or standards differently dependent upon the person, but rather to recognize that every person is unique and our method for ensuring equality should be as equitable as possible.

the state of safe spaces in your institution and how you can improve: 1. Review your current diversity vision and mission statements. Do they have inclusive language? Do you specifically mention safe spaces and what they are? 2. Review your staff and student training. What training, if any, do you provide around safe spaces? Does your team understand why safe spaces are necessary? Do they understand how to create safe spaces? 3. Is your faculty and staff representative of the student body you serve? It is important to understand that many people from marginalized identities feel they have a safe space when they can identify with faculty/staff who share their identities with them. 4. Take initiative to educate yourself. If there’s something you don’t understand about a certain identity, seek out relevant information so you are properly informed. Tiye Sherrod Residence Life Coordinator University of Wisconsin Milwaukee sherrodt@uwm.edu

ocm.com

Moving Forward All of this can seem rather daunting to someone who does not know where to begin when it comes to creating safe spaces. Here are some steps you can take to evaluate

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5. Ensure students know your office space is a safe space with physical indicators. 6. Know the basic fundamentals of how to create safe space when interpersonal conflicts arise surrounding topics that can result in someone being triggered. Know that if you choose to be an ally or live your truth as someone who identifies as a marginalized identity, it is a commitment. There are several challenges that will present themselves along the way. However true social justice requires making that sacrifice for the betterment of all. WORKS CITED:  Kenney, M. (2001). Mapping Gay L.A.: The Intersection of Place and Politics. N.p.: Temple University Press.

Ethan Sykes Residence Life Coordinator University of Wisconsin Milwaukee ykese@uwm.edu

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ocm.com

Moving Forward All of this can seem rather daunting to someone who does not know where to begin when it comes to creating safe spaces. Here are some steps you can take to evaluate

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Ethan Sykes Residence Life Coordinator University of Wisconsin Milwaukee ykese@uwm.edu

Vonversations, March 2017

CONTROLLED ACCESS FOR EDUCATION

By Von Stange, Assistant Vice President and Executive Director, University of Iowa, Facilitator

Next-generation education locking solutions for world-class learning environments. Report Card BENEFITS

GRADE

Integrates with 3rd party

A+

Cost-effective

A+

Audit trail

A+

Battery operated locks

A+

Smart campus

A+

Lockdown

A+

Notes: Integrate security for your students and staff with a single card from SALTO

XS4 Platform. Next-generation keyless access control.

SAY GOODBYE TO MECHANICAL KEYS SALTO SYSTEMS INC. 1780 Corporate Drive, Suite 400 Norcross, GA 30093 Toll Free: 866.GO.SALTO Email: info@salto.us www.salto.us

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SALTO SYSTEMS INC. 1250 Broadway New York, NY 10001 Toll Free: 866.GO.SALTO Email: info@salto.us www.salto.us

he theme for Perspectives focuses on the importance of space. Our residence halls are an important factor in students’ decisions to come to different colleges. Housing is like a teeter totter; you can have the best facilities available, but without good staff and programs, students won’t enjoy their experience in the halls. And if we have the best staff and programs, but our facilities are substandard, no one will chose to live there. There must be balance between the two for systems to function effectively. Each institution has its own method of operation. Some are outsourced; others maintain their own operations. Some schools are at or over capacity; others have some or many empty beds. Some are true auxiliaries, while others depend on the university’s priorities for funding. Each has an impact on housing’s ability to fund needed repairs and renovations. Our facilities staff have difficult jobs. Some staff have multiple roles in housing operations – some Senior Housing Officials also serve as facilities officers. Many supervise custodial and maintenance operations. They may also have planning and design staffs, grounds maintenance responsibilities, mechanical and electronic key access, and many other possible responsibilities. But never enough money to do all they want to do in the residence halls. Our guests in Vonversations are facilities staff from across the region. I offered the option to staff at smaller and private institutions, and the following people have volunteered to share their knowledge with us: Jeff Aaberg, Director of Facilities for University Housing & Dining at University of Iowa, who has been at the university and in this role for 9 years; Bill Frazier, Senior Associate Director for Residence Life Facilities, North Dakota State University, who has been at NDSU for 25 years and in his current role since 2009; George P. Holman, Associate Dean of Students at the University of Nebraska Kearney, who has been there for just under 2 years; Brenda Moeder, Director of Housing Facilities and Operations, University of Central Missouri, who has been in her role for 7 years and at UCM for 21 years.

Tell us about your housing system – number of beds, age range of buildings, and how much you spend annually on repair and renovations in your housing facilities. George: UNK has just over 2100 beds. Facilities and Custodial Staff are no longer housed out of our office. This change happened about 10 years ago. My staff meets weekly with facilities to talk about trends, general maintenance, and long term planning. Annually, we spend about $600,000 in labor and parts for work orders alone. Our oldest hall opened in the 1930’s and construction on our newest residence halls was completed in 2007. Like many campuses, we are facing decreased enrollment and have not been at full occupancy for several years. We are currently looking at taking some housing permanently offline because we are over-built. Factors that we are looking at to determine what buildings could come offline include our deferred maintenance costs per building, as well as our ongoing maintenance and operations costs. Knowing our Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and Cost Per Resident for each building gives us strong data and helps us see the big picture during our discussions about reducing our housing stock. Bill: We have 3,381 residence hall beds and 531 apartments. The age range of our residence halls is 1931 to 2008. The age range of our apartments is 1970 to 2010. My primary roles are to coordinate and oversee all project renovations, coordinate all safety-related aspects (fire alarm systems, keys) and work with the director on any new construction. Currently, we are spending approximately $1,600,000 to $1,800,000 on repairs and renovations for our residence halls and apartments. We are in the process of completing a $10,000,000 renovation of our oldest residence hall that is scheduled for completion this summer. Brenda: We have a residence hall capacity of 3400 plus an additional 600 apartments. The construction date range is from the 1940’s through 2015. The routine maintenance for our facilities is handled via a university centralized maintenance department. We contribute approximately $3,100,000 annually for their service to cover routine work. In addition we are billed back for student damage UMR Perspectives

Vonversations, March 2017

CONTROLLED ACCESS FOR EDUCATION

By Von Stange, Assistant Vice President and Executive Director, University of Iowa, Facilitator

Next-generation education locking solutions for world-class learning environments. Report Card BENEFITS

GRADE

Integrates with 3rd party

A+

Cost-effective

A+

Audit trail

A+

Battery operated locks

A+

Smart campus

A+

Lockdown

A+

Notes: Integrate security for your students and staff with a single card from SALTO

XS4 Platform. Next-generation keyless access control.

SAY GOODBYE TO MECHANICAL KEYS SALTO SYSTEMS INC. 1780 Corporate Drive, Suite 400 Norcross, GA 30093 Toll Free: 866.GO.SALTO Email: info@salto.us www.salto.us

UMR Perspectives

SALTO SYSTEMS INC. 1250 Broadway New York, NY 10001 Toll Free: 866.GO.SALTO Email: info@salto.us www.salto.us

repair and non-routine work (approximately $400,000) as well as additional project work. Project work includes lobby remodels, ADA bathroom conversions, unexpected mechanical issues, etc. Jeff: This fall we will open a new residence hall that brings our capacity to 7225 beds (including off-campus leased properties). Our buildings range in age from over 100 years to new and in size from 100 to 1,049. We annually spend $10 million on repairs and renovations. Our practice is that we have no deferred maintenance. Any maintenance need is placed on our renovation and repair plan. Our priorities are life safety and infrastructure needs, but also plan projects that improve aesthetics of our buildings.

What have you prioritized as your most important current space needs in your residence halls? Why? Bill: For the past five years, our focus has been renovating the bathrooms in our low-rise residence hall spaces. We have moved away from the traditional or community style bathrooms to bathrooms that are private and more modern. Brenda: The student rooms and lounges have been priorities for us. Replacement of student room furnishings sets up a home-like feel for the students so it is a place they can more easily call home. Replacement of all common area furnishings has allowed for more comfortable community spaces for students to study and hang out in. Jeff: We always balance infrastructure projects and finishes/ amenity spending. By doing so, we ensure the buildings function well and are good places to be for our residents. George: At UNK we have an apartment complex that was built in the 1950’s to serve as graduate and family housing. In May 2017, these buildings are coming offline. They have never been renovated and would need some major attention if we were going to keep them online. Though we offer suite style housing, we do not have anything to offer students with families or graduate students. Apartment style housing has been our priority because we still have a need to serve certain student populations.

What space do you currently have or plan to redevelop in your residence hall spaces to support out of classroom learning? Jeff: We have built and plan to add a large number of 42

UMR Perspectives

private study rooms. I’ve found that students have a lot more group projects as well as like to study with groups of friends. We also have added seminar rooms in some of our buildings to allow for professors and professionals to present on topics or hold review sessions relevant to the communities living in the building or neighborhood. George: Over the past year, we have invested heavily in collaboration spaces. We purchased units that students can plug their computer or tablet into and work on a large screen as a group. They can also game or do other social programs in these spaces. Like many institutions, we’ve found that students are not using the computer labs like they once were. We still maintain a few computers in the halls for students to print and check email or find a place to study. However, much of this space is now dedicated to helping our students connect and work together. Bill: We do not have any current plans to redevelop residence hall spaces to support out of classroom learning. We do have three classroom spaces in two of our residence halls. We have a community space in one of our apartment buildings that we utilize for programming and training opportunities.

Living-Learning Communities have become more prevalent in housing systems. How have you changed or enhanced your spaces to meet the facility needs of the LLCs? Brenda: In support of the student theatre program and in conjunction with our theatre special housing interest program (SHIP), we do have a Blackbox Theatre within one hall. Various public performances occur in this space, along with providing a venue for students to rehearse for performances. Jeff: The seminar rooms noted above work with our LLCs. In addition, we have designed floors in our new residence halls so that they can be more easily divided into LLCs, with programmatic and study spaces. George: UNK houses several strong learning communities. We are fortunate enough to work with the Buffet Foundation and they sponsor the Thompson Scholars program on our campus. This past year, we added conference and office space for them in one of our residence halls to better meet their needs. In the process,

we lost some social and lounge space, but we need to compromise with our campus partners so they can grow as well. You have to collaborate with your campus partners and be advocates for each other. Bill: Our living-learning communities are housed in our high-rise buildings. We have not changed the facility itself for these learning communities. We have made changes in the way we work with the faculty in these locations, in the hiring process for the student staff, and added either furniture or other equipment to enhance the experience for the students residing there. We have faculty in residence in one of our halls and will have another in the next facility we build.

Today’s students want more privacy. What space efforts have you made to create a stronger perception of privacy in your residential facilities? Jeff: In addition to the individual study rooms noted above, we have renovated many of our community restrooms over the past 10 years to single-use restrooms, each with a toilet, shower, and sink. Students love the privacy and concerns regarding inappropriate behavior in the bathrooms are rare. Because we have been over capacity for longer than I have been at Iowa, the availability of single rooms is small. We also have added some furniture, such as chairs that wrap around a person in them, to allow for more privacy while in a larger group setting. Bill: The last two residence halls we constructed were apartment-style buildings. The students had the ability to choose either a studio unit or a four-bedroom apartment that had an individual space for each student. These buildings also contained separate study spaces for students to use, along with the classrooms that are available when not being used by academics. Brenda: In addition to the space I discussed in the previous question, in support of our nursing special housing interest floor we have classroom space in one hall that allows students to have convenient access to faculty. Our music SHIP also is adjacent to practice rooms, as well as various music faculty offices and departmental organization offices. Based on occupancy versus capacity, we are able to provide approximately 400 singles rooms for students, at an additional cost to them.

George: Giving students the privacy they desire is a true challenge. In our new residence halls, I think we have done a good job of meeting this challenge. If we can increase privacy for our students while completing renovations and improvements, we have. Just before I arrived at UNK, we completed bathroom renovations in several buildings that created more private showering spaces. What space plans, if any, have you implemented in an effort to retain more upperclass students? How have they been received? Bill: We converted one of our apartment complexes into a residence hall to house transfer students and sophomores. It was well received because the students had amenities in these spaces that they would not normally have in a residence hall. The last two residence halls built were for upper class students, and we are currently in planning process to build a new residence hall facility specifically for sophomore students. The spaces we currently have are well received. We require our first year students to live on campus, so the sophomores are usually forced to look to off-campus options if they are not able to live in our apartments. We added 182 apartments seven years ago to assist with the shortage of beds. George: As I have mentioned earlier, we have created some singles and deluxe doubles on our campus to try and encourage more upper division students to live on campus. For many of our students, living off campus is a rite of passage. We have tried to emphasize to our students that the longer they stay on campus, the greater their chance of success. When we designed our last residence halls on campus, we developed suites with a small kitchenette area to mimic apartment style housing. This appeals to many students and they make the decision to stay on campus longer. Brenda: Opening fall of 2016 was a new 325 bed apartment facility specifically for those students with junior status and above. The facilities provided additional amenities not found in our residence hall system or our existing apartments. The facility is also a multi-use facility in that we have retail businesses (Spin Pizza and Starbucks) within the complex. Students have appreciated the opportunity to have a newer apartment experience while maintaining the convenience of one all-inclusive UMR Perspectives

What space do you currently have or plan to redevelop in your residence hall spaces to support out of classroom learning? Jeff: We have built and plan to add a large number of 42

UMR Perspectives

fee so they do not need to worry about monthly charges such as utilities, etc. Jeff: Our priority is to house the first year students, so we have unintentionally forced sophomores and other upperclass students off campus. To support the needs of our second year students as our first year class size has increased, we have leased off campus apartments close to campus. This year we leased 400 apartment-style beds in the community with academic year contracts, which we fill through a lottery process; they are very popular. With a new 1,049 bed residence hall opening in the fall of 2017, we will reduce the number of apartment spaces down to 225.

How did you become competent in the space planning area? What experiences led you to your current role? Brenda: Prior to officially having this role, I was randomly engaged in facility procurement. We needed window treatments, and my investigation into the procurement and installation of curtains and blinds soon turned into doors opening within other areas of facility management. As we looked more into carpeting and furniture needs, it was determined that facilities needed to be a distinct part of my position description. These responsibilities grew into a liaison role with our maintenance department to identify and coordinate projects as well as ensure that day-to-day needs were being met. The involvement with engineers, architects, and general contractors for a new housing facility was an opportunity to include all aspects of facilities from concept to creation. Bill: I transitioned to my current role when the previous person left. I was responsible for our on-campus apartments and oversaw their maintenance, so overseeing the rest of our operation, including residence hall renovations and new construction, was moved to me. Space planning is something that I have worked to gain the necessary experience over time. I had a couple of architecture courses as an undergraduate that I was able to draw upon, but it has mainly been asking a lot of questions with each project and going to conferences that has helped me become better at this process. I have found that individuals in the field are more than happy to answer questions and provide resources if you just ask. 44

UMR Perspectives

Jeff: I spent a lot of time listening to and asking questions of students, residence education staff, looking at education trends (such as the increase in group project work), and observing how students use their space. In addition, I have toured other University residence hall systems to see what they are doing. One of my most formative experiences was when I oversaw facilities for a top-tier consulting firm. It dawned on me that I really enjoyed being in the office (the work notwithstanding!) and the reason was that the space was so nicely done. It was beautiful yet functional. I’ve taken this concept and moved it over into my work in residence halls. We want our residents to enjoy being here and for the space they inhabit to be functional as well. In addition, the consultants were trained to ask penetrating questions to senior management and me. Doing so taught me to thoroughly think through not only what work I should do, but also how to do the work most effectively. George: Most of what I learned came from listening to my peers about what they are doing on their campuses. It’s also important to stay current on trends happening on a regional and national level. Most importantly, though, is to understand the wants and needs of students. Having strong data that also gives historical information is important. You need to know what students are looking for currently, but having longitudinal data is just as important.

A lot of facilities work is having the personal relationships with others so you know who to call and when given the situation. It is a team approach in addressing facilities issues as it is not as easy as submitting a work order and calling it good. Prioritizing, follow through, and making decisions on what to accomplish and what to put on hold based on financial resources is a collaborative project. A solid connection with others makes your role much smoother. Bill: Ask questions! Learn as much as you can about all aspects of either design or renovation projects. Each process is a little different and both are integral to determining the success of a project. Jeff: I would recommend getting involved in projects at minimum by sitting in on planning and construction meetings. From there, see if there are opportunities to assist with the management of some projects. This will

P.S. from Von: I’m interested in hearing about what Vonversations you would like to read about. If you have a topic you would like me to explore with members of our region, e-mail me at von-stange@uiowa.edu with the idea. The names of some people whose thoughts you might find valuable would also be welcomed. Von Stange Assistant Vice President and Executive Director University of Iowa Facilitator von-stange@uiowa.edu

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What advice would you give new professionals who may have an interest in working to design or renovate residence hall space as a potential housing career path? George: I think you need to start small and work your way up. If you have a lounge in your building that no one is using, find a way to make that purposeful. Talk with your campus facilities managers and see what opportunities they can offer you. If you are on a campus that is doing a construction project, they often have open visioning sessions or open forums for the campus. These are all great ways to get your feet wet. Brenda: Do not shy away from small opportunities to get involved. Be willing to serve on procurement bid processes as they benefit your facility as well as give you a new experience. Get to know your custodial and maintenance teams inclusive of the management teams.

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