Residence life and education, residential curriculum and curricular approaches, student housing, and technology.
If you work in Residence Life, you’ve probably been at a family gathering or social event where someone asks, “So… what exactly do you do?” And then you find yourself trying to explain a job that somehow includes crisis response, student development, event planning, facilities management, counseling, and occasionally amateur plumbing. So, for everyone who... Continue Reading →
Earlier this month a Director of Residence Life from a former institution of mine reached out asking about benchmarking practices for the re-evaluation of their four-year fixed contract for live-in Residence Directors. He reached out asking if our live-in hall directors were on fixed-term contracts - limiting our Residential Community Coordinators to four years in... Continue Reading →
What does it take to rebuild a program from scratch-and make it better than before? In this session, we'll explore the journey of revitalizing a Camps and Conferences program by centering feedback, refining systems, and embracing innovation. Whether or not you work directly with Camps and Conferences, you will gain practical, transferable strategies for managing change, leading projects, and creating systems that actually work. This presentation is for anyone looking to improve a program, build from the ground up, or simply work smarter with the people they serve.
There isn’t a guidebook for firing an RA. I mean, there are usually work rules, job descriptions, and an HR department that lead us to the decision. But none of that will prepare you for the human side, like how it feels to deliver the news, how to cope afterward, and how to move forward... Continue Reading →
A sentiment that has long been a question of mine – why do application and interview processes for entry level positions feel like you’re interviewing for something much more serious, and why do these processes have so many steps? With multiple rounds, meeting with various people, and sometimes involving a presentation or writing sample submission,... Continue Reading →
Unlock your potential by building intentional mentoring relationships and a personal "board of directors" to turn guidance into lasting success. Join Dr. Gregory R. Thompson, University of lowa, and the UMR Professional Development Committee as we dive deeper into mentorship through engaging discussion and practical tools.
Even though ResLife is focused and committee toward development, performance reviews can sometimes feel like a grueling process. They do not have to be; it’s all about how you, as a manager, can provide outstanding feedback connected to specific observations that help to develop the staff member. A well-crafted review fosters motivation, improves performance, and... Continue Reading →
When it's RA/student staff recruitment season, it's time to bring on the creativity! The following schools volunteered their recruitment materials (posters, flyers, social media images, etc.) to share. Check out these examples and get ideas for your own efforts. Michigan Tech Concordia College Moorhead, MN East Texas A&M University Examples From Other Years Texas Woman's University... Continue Reading →
Resident Assistant training coordination can be a daunting task as there is unlimited content, range of experiences, and very little time to teach. Join Amanda Perrin and the UMR-ACUHO Professional Development committee as we delve deeper into the research behind developing Student Staff training to provide a positive, productive learning experience.
December is upon us and you made it to the end of the line with your team. The end of the semester is typically a pivotal time for a Residence Life staff. This is often when transitions happen with team members, students and full-timers alike. And even if there aren’t staffing changes on your team,... Continue Reading →
You’ve seen your team through a lot: you have onboarded them during training in the forming stage, you helped them navigate the prominent conflict of the storming stage, and you supported the team as they found their new normal and made the role their own in the norming stage. But how do you push your... Continue Reading →
At this point in the semester, your staff should be falling into the natural rhythms of the semester and are getting more acclimated to the expectations of their roles. Sure, there will always be different questions about what-if scenarios but, by and large, the staff have a foundational understanding of what is expected of them.... Continue Reading →
September is often when it feels like ResLife professionals are in the thick of it. The feeling of newness is starting to wear off, students are starting to test limits with policy and misbehave in a variety of ways, and your staff is moving past their seemingly fake smiles and are starting to lose their... Continue Reading →
Whether you are supervising students, graduate assistance, or full-time staff, identifying and sharing expectations are one of the most pivotal aspects of your role as a leader. It sets the tone in terms of how individuals are to perform within their role, ensuring that team dynamics remain positive and that tasks, whether they are door... Continue Reading →
With the arrival of August come preparations for the fall semester and the excitement of staff training. This is what you’ve been waiting for: getting connected with your staff and welcoming students as they make their way back to campus. When you consider the performance of your team, it will be helpful to view their... Continue Reading →
Residence Life training programs have been under a microscope for the past decade, trying to evolve and seek out what is most effective at helping onboard staff members into critical roles within our halls. The biggest shift is understanding how to create a better balance to prevent burnout within the process. However, there are additional... Continue Reading →
When I started as a hall director, I was excited but also overwhelmed by the number of responsibilities. I had to supervise a student staff of 13, manage the hall’s administrative desk, oversee the community budget, advise hall government, adjudicate conduct cases, and all the other duties as assigned. Thankfully I received a full training... Continue Reading →
Take a second to reflect on some of your most meaningful mentors and supervisors. What qualities did they have that you want to emulate as you supervise your own staff? Many leaders strive to have deep connections with the individuals that make up their team: this helps to take the supervisory relationship beyond simply serving... Continue Reading →
