Housing and Residence Life: Community & Engagement | Competencies & Learning | Care & Case Management | Assessment
Blank stares. Awkward transitions. Forced ice breakers. A general air of dread. If that sounds like your training sessions or staff meetings, you’re probably not alone. Every year, thousands of residence life professionals roll into a new academic cycle with PowerPoints, printouts, and prayers as they facilitate these. While some chaos is to be expected,... Continue Reading →
You say you’re just being supportive. Available. Helpful. You tell yourself it’s what good leaders do. But when you zoom in, your staff treats GroupMe like a lifeline, you check your email like its social media, you’re one RA’s missed deadline away from crashing out. This blog post is for the supervisors who feel themselves... Continue Reading →
In the dynamic and emotionally nuanced environment of residence life, professionals are expected to lead, support, and mentor students while navigating their own complex personal and professional development. One often-overlooked challenge that many in the field face is imposter syndrome. The persistent feeling of self-doubt despite evident success or qualifications. But what is it? How... Continue Reading →
You’ve got the inside jokes, flexible deadlines, and quick-wit in the group chat. You’re relatable, approachable, and your RAs like you… but are you actually supervising? Supervising students is more than just being fun or chill. It’s about co-creating relationships that foster guidance, support, and accountability. By avoiding true supervision in the name of being... Continue Reading →
I recently read The Serviceberry by Robin Wall Kimmerer and percolated on the ideas of reciprocity in human connections. In "The Serviceberry: An Economy of Abundance," the author, a botanist by training, explores how ecological relationships can inspire a shift from extractive, scarcity-driven economies to systems rooted in reciprocity, mutual flourishing, and gratitude. Using the... Continue Reading →
In this episode of ResEdChat, join Noah and Nick Stanford, Senior Academic Advisor at Miami University's College of Engineering and Computing to talk about RA supervision and the concept of "challenge and support" as it relates to that conversation. They discuss challenging RAs to grow as individuals and people, the intricacies of that work, share impactful stories, and offer practical advice for helping RAs not only be successful at their jobs but to grow as students and people as well.
“Wait, you actually know what ‘Army of Darkness’ is?” my student asked. “What a silly question, of course I know the 1992 Sam Raimi directed classic, it was a huge part of personality in college,” I thought to myself. I had made a fleeting reference to the film ‘Army of Darkness’ in a meeting I... Continue Reading →
This meeting could have been an email. How many times have you said this? How many times have you heard this? Within higher education, we’re notorious for having standing meetings that are often longer than they need to be, knowing that the information could have been communicated via email. Amidst the chaos that was my... Continue Reading →
Unionization efforts by student staff, including Resident Assistants (RAs), are becoming more common. Increasing numbers of undergraduate (and graduate) student employees are organizing for better compensation, clearer job expectations, and fairer accountability practices. You may already be seeing early signs of interest in unionization on your campus. Whether or not your student staff have initiated... Continue Reading →
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 →
Picture this: You walk into your weekly staff meeting, armed with the agenda, a hopeful smile, and maybe a cup of coffee that screams, “I haven’t slept in two days.” But instead of being met with enthusiasm, your team seems disengaged. They avoid eye contact, their responses are curt, and there’s a weird vibe in... Continue Reading →
This week, we're featuring the final episode in this year's series of episodes featuring our guest writer cohort. Dustin speaks with Stephanie about her journey refining her supervisory style and building her confidence as a leader, sharing a plethora of great advice and resources!
For those who work in residence life, supporting our student staff requires both structure and adaptability. Sometimes it feels like balancing logic with intuition—understanding policies while reading the unique personalities on our team. You’ve likely heard of Marvel’s newest hit TV series; Agatha All Along. In Agatha All Along, viewers are introduced to tarot cards... Continue Reading →
Gratitude is a powerful force in the workplace and, with the culture of Residence Life, is a point of emphasis when it comes to team dynamics. We’re constantly looking to affirm those who go above and beyond, recognizing their efforts and contributions to our team, department, and to the profession as a whole. It’s fitting... 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 →
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 →
Have you ever asked yourself that question? If not, do it now…like for real pull up a mirror and ask that question. Or better yet, ask one of your staff members the question. If you are afraid of the answer, there might be a good reason why. I can’t imagine you were expecting to read... Continue Reading →
Have you heard of the yes-no-yes sandwich? What about using I statements during difficult conversations? How about the phrase, “Praise in Public, Punish in Private?” I suspect your answer to one or all of these questions is yes as they all related to a popular topic for Residence Life Professionals—feedback. However, have you noticed that... Continue Reading →
