This post is one in a series about integrating Restorative Practices into a model for residential learning. Start with the introduction as a primer and explore posts on other strategies you can utilize with a restorative lens.| Introduction | Roommate Agreements | Floor Meetings & Circles | Curriculum Development | Residential Curriculum | Intentional Conversations... Continue Reading →
Reflections of a First Time Attendee at ACPA’s Institute on the Curricular Approach
Guest Post by Christopher Trautman, Residence Life Professional, The College of New Jersey This past month in Baltimore, MD, ACPA held their 15th annual Institute on the Curricular Approach (ICA). The Institute teaches student affairs professionals how to design and implement out-of-class experiences for students that facilitate learning in an intentionally designed and sequenced way. I... Continue Reading →
Restorative Practices in ResLife: Prioritizing Connection in Intentional Conversations & Interactions
This post is one in a series about integrating Restorative Practices into a model for residential learning. Start with the introduction as a primer and explore posts on other strategies you can utilize with a restorative lens.| Introduction | Roommate Agreements | Floor Meetings & Circles | Curriculum Development | Residential Curriculum | Intentional Conversations... Continue Reading →
Restorative Practices in ResLife: Engaging Students by Integrating Fair Process into Assessment
This post is one in a series about integrating Restorative Practices into a model for residential learning. Start with the introduction as a primer and explore posts on other strategies you can utilize with a restorative lens.| Introduction | Roommate Agreements | Floor Meetings & Circles | Curriculum Development | Residential Curriculum | Intentional Conversations... Continue Reading →
ResLife Mom: Living In, With Children
The other day I was unpacking a box and I found a certificate from a presentation I had co-presented at a GLACUHO Regional Housing Conference in 2008. It was called, “Superwoman: Being a Live in Mom and/or Partner.” At the time I was a new mom and wife and a residence hall director. There... Continue Reading →
To All The ResLife Jobs I Have Loved Before
For most of us, this year has been a roller coaster of emotions, events, and big life decisions. On my social media many of my long time friends and colleagues are celebrating leaving the field or finding new roles at different institutions. What I like about the posts is that all of them are reporting... Continue Reading →
An (Over?) Simplified Explanation of The Curricular Approach/Residential Curriculum Process
As a facilitator of residential curriculum and curricular approach workshops, one of the challenges I have is how to explain the process in a way that makes sense to attendees. One of the reasons this is challenging, is that curricular approaches introduce a number of new terms and use those terms in very specific ways.... Continue Reading →
3 ResLife Pro Quick Tips for Supporting New RAs and Student Staff in a New Year
For Pro Staff For Student Staff Roompact's "Quick Tips" series highlights ideas and suggestions you can put into your practice as either a professional staff or student staff member working in residence life and education. Click to read more from the series. And like that, the summer is over. Students and student staff will be... Continue Reading →
Restorative Practices in ResLife: The Role of Fair Process in Curriculum Development
This post is one in a series about integrating Restorative Practices into a model for residential learning. Start with the introduction as a primer and explore posts on other strategies you can utilize with a restorative lens.| Introduction | Roommate Agreements | Floor Meetings & Circles | Curriculum Development | Residential Curriculum | Intentional Conversations... Continue Reading →
The Weight and Benefits of Fostering Belonging in ResLife
“Belonging is the feeling of security and support when there is a sense of acceptance, inclusion, and identity for a member of a certain group. It is when an individual can bring their authentic self to work. When employees feel like they don’t belong at work, their performance and their personal lives suffer.” Cornell University Take... Continue Reading →
Restorative Practices in ResLife: From “Floor Meeting” to “Community Gathering,” Using Circles
This post is one in a series about integrating Restorative Practices into a model for residential learning. Start with the introduction as a primer and explore posts on other strategies you can utilize with a restorative lens.| Introduction | Roommate Agreements | Floor Meetings & Circles | Curriculum Development | Residential Curriculum | Intentional Conversations... Continue Reading →
Residence Life and Diversity: Oil and Water?
“Are you sure you’re in the correct field?” “Have you thought about going into diversity work?” “Be careful before you end up on an island!” “Wow, that is really powerful, maybe we should leave that to the experts in multicultural affairs!” “You look so professional when your hair is straightened.” “You should work at an... Continue Reading →
Restorative Practices in ResLife: Roommate Agreements
This post is one in a series about integrating Restorative Practices into a model for residential learning. Start with the introduction as a primer and explore posts on other strategies you can utilize with a restorative lens.| Introduction | Roommate Agreements | Floor Meetings & Circles | Curriculum Development | Residential Curriculum | Intentional Conversations... Continue Reading →
Restorative Practices in ResLife: A Restorative Model for Residential Education and Learning
This post is one in a series about integrating Restorative Practices into a model for residential learning. Start with the introduction as a primer and explore posts on other strategies you can utilize with a restorative lens.| Introduction | Roommate Agreements | Floor Meetings & Circles | Curriculum Development | Residential Curriculum | Intentional Conversations... Continue Reading →
Hopes and Fears: Building Community in Residence Life as Covid Recedes
Hopes and Fears is an icebreaker game that can be used to help process through new beginnings or periods of transition. Typically, a facilitator will pass out an index card--one side will be for the participant to list "hopes" and the other side for "fears." It is supposed to be a moment of vulnerability and... Continue Reading →
5 Tips for Res Life Professionals During RA Interviews
Like clockwork, every spring brings about Resident Assistant hiring season! It can be a hectic, but also a fun time to be in residence life. Seeing the optimism and hope of new RA candidates can be energizing, but the grind of interviewing can also be exhausting. If you get overwhelmed, take a minute to regroup... Continue Reading →
5 Things Res Life Professionals Should Keep in Mind When Setting New Semester Resolutions
Welcome to 2022 Roompact Readers! With every new year comes new resolutions, but as residence life professionals, we know that each semester is also an opportunity for new ideas and improvements. While the new year lends itself to refreshed inspiration, many New Year’s resolutions fall short by the end of the first month. Here are... Continue Reading →
“Third Thinging” Difficult Conversations in Residence Life
Even after a year as an assistant hall coordinator, difficult dialogues sometimes scare me. I attribute this fear to growing up in Iowa and my instinctual reflex of avoiding conflict at all costs, and its reinforcement through 23 years of “Iowa nice.” If you have not heard of “Iowa nice,” there are other midwestern variations... Continue Reading →



