AIMHOangle MAY 2015
ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK ARIZONA - COLORADO - IDAHO - MONTANA - NEVADA - NEW MEXICO - SASKATCHEWAN - UTAH - WYOMING
The AIMHO Angle is the official publication of the Association of Intermountain Housing Officers (AIMHO). The Angle is published regularly throughout each year and is compiled by submissions and articles by staff and students of the region. The Angle is compiled and distributed by the AIMHO Marketing Committee. The purpose of the Angle is to provide additional year-round, out-of-conference opportunities for association members to share information and learn. All members of AIMHO are encouraged to write for and submit articles to the Angle about topics such as passion areas, research, hot topics in housing, projects happening on their campus, and best practices in the field. If you are interested in submitting to the Angle, learn how to on the AIMHO Angle website at www.aimho.org/newsletter. You will also find previous issues of the Angle on the website for reference and download. If you have any questions, please email aimhoangle@gmail.com. We look forward to receiving your submissions!
Stay Connected! www.aimho.org #aimho Keep the conversation going on Facebook and Twitter with the AIMHO Region profiles!
AIMHO Marketing Committee Scott Mathie Christine Fleming Committee Chair Committee Co-Chair Snow College University of Utah Clayton Brach University of Utah
David Jones University of Nevada, Reno
Isaac Hunter Montana State University--Bozeman
Justin Lukasewicz University of Arizona
Kelsea Shook Montana State University--Bozeman
AIMHO Executive Committee Barb Remsburg Jeff Rosenberry President President-Elect University of Utah Montana State University, Billings Maggie Roque Brent Klingemann Secretary Treasurer University of Utah University of Colorado, Boulder Katie Schmalzel Member-at-Large, Senior Level Colorado School of Mines Sue Belatti Sage Northern Arizona University
Shirl Portillos Immediate Past President Colorado State University
IN THIS ISSUE 4 Mission & Goals of AIMHO 5 Note from the AIMHO President 6 Call for Programs is Open for 2015 Conference! 8 Tribute to Thomas M. Dunning 10 2015 Conference Update 11 Committee Updates 12 Committee Spotlight 13 Small School Tips 14 In-the-News 15 Note from the President-Elect 16 SPR Updates 17 Professional Bucket List 19 SHO Institute Bucket List 21 Institute Spotligh 22 Hot Topics 23 Diversity & Social Justice 25 Note from the AIMHO Secretary 26 Assessment & Information 28 Awards & Recognition
SUBMIT TO THE ANGLE The AIMHO Angle is published quarterly. We are always on the lookout for new and engaging articles that contribute towards the mission and core goals of AIMHO to benefit all members and institutions of the region. Have something you wold like to submit for the next issue of the Angle? Simply email your article in a word document to aimhoangle@ gmail.com and you may see your entry pubished!
The Association of Intermountain Housing Officers (AIMHO) held their first annual conference in 1956 at the University of Wyoming (Laramie). The Association’s purpose is to work for continual improvement and coordination of housing and food service opersations for students and staff members in institutions of higher learning. Membership within the Association is open to all housing officers of institutions of higher education. an annual conference is held at which time Association members meet to exchange and distribute professional information and ideas relating to the administration of physical, financial, social, and education phases of housing and food service programs in colleges and universities.
AIMHO is compromised of member institutions from: • Arizona • Colorado • Idaho • Montana • Nevada • New Mexico • Saskatchewan • Utah • Wyoming AIMHO is a regional affiliate of the Association of College and University Housing Officers - International (ACUHO-I).
A Note from the AIMHO President Good Day AIMHO, As we put a wrap on this year, I want to share with you a song and video that I find deep with meaning for the months of May and August in our work. I found the video while I was looking for the song. - I Was Here- Video o Beyonce, I Was Here (United Nations World Humanitarian Day Performance Video) - I Was Here- Song o Lady Antebellum, I Was Here In talking with our dining catering supervisor early this week, I ridiculously asked if he was busy‌ I know better. This month is full of events. He commented that Barb Remsburg is the Director for everyone is so happy, it is like a holiday. It is a holiday of sorts, definitely a Housing & Residential Education at celebration. A celebration that focuses on students with wide smiles who hear the University of Utah their names and then they walk across the stage to receive their diploma. We know that students who live with us have a higher retention rate, a higher graduation rate, a higher connection to campus-definitely a time to celebrate! AIMHO Happenings - Your Membership: A couple of the Core Goals of AIMHO are the Ongoing promotion of the mission and values of the Association as well as Institution and individual member outreach, recruitment, and engagement. The website is integral to both of these goals. Your Membership has been chosen as the new platform. Your Membership will be the home for registration, email, and our website. Jeff Rosenberry, Josh Hill, Brent Klingemann are leading the charge to implement Your Membership this summer. - 60th anniversary year of AIMHO: We have been tracking down past President’s and Sages to let them know of the 60th anniversary year. The year will culminate at the annual conference. The Marketing Committee, particularly Scott Mathie and Christine Fleming are working to pull together the Save the Date and invitation. - Summer Meeting: In June we will be in Arizona for the AIMHO summer meeting. We will be gathering to do work on your behalf. Special thanks to Nick Sweeton, Justin Lukasewicz, and the Host Committee for planning for our arrival. - Going to ACE? At ACE there is a Regional Leadership meeting across all regions. We will be connecting with ACUHO-I and learning about the upcoming strategic planning process. If you are able to attend ACE, please plan to attend the AIMHO/WACUHO/NWACUHO reception. Happy Closing and Happy Summer!
Barb Remsburg AIMHO President, 2015
Reach the Peak by Presentin at
By: Alissa Zimmerman & Dan Kellish
Hey AIMHO! As the academic year winds down, planning for AIMHO 2015 in beautiful Tucson, Arizona is ramping up! In preparation for what aims to be the best AIMHO ever, the Call for Programs went live on April 15th! A surefire way to make this the best AIMHO ever is to make sure we have the best sessions possible, and that means we need YOU! Whether you are new to the field or the region, have spent your whole career here, or are anywhere in between, you have valuable knowledge and experience that others will benefit from!
So what’s in it for you? Not only will it help improve the AIMHO region as a whole, but you’ll get valuable experience speaking in front of supportive colleagues, you’ll get awesome experience for your resume, and you’ll get opportunities to collaborate in new and interesting ways. Sounds great, right? While we are happy to consider programs in all areas, we are particularly looking for sessions on hot topics in the entry and mid-level professionals track, and have an open track as well. Some specific areas we would like to see submissions on that fall within the open track are: -International Students -Apartment Living -Non-Traditional Communities -Learning Communities -Facilties -Operations/Assignments -Diversity & Social Justice -Student Development -Privatized Housing -Leadership & Staff Training -Emerging Mid-Managers
The Call
ng AIMHO 2015! These are just a few ideas to get you going, but please feel free to get creative and think outside the box– we will consider any program topic you can think of!
If you think you would like to present, we Sue Belatti you to think about collaborating encourage with others to find the right topic! Once you’ve decided what you’d like to present on, you can get more information about specific areas within each track and submit your program proposal here:
Shirl Portillos
www.aimho.org/submit-a-program
Here are a few logistics you should keep in mind: -Programs wil be accepted between April 20th & June 5th, so jump right to it! -Presenters who are accepted must register for the 2015 Conference. -Vendors are eligble to serve as a secondary program presenter if they are also an AIMHO Corporate Partner presenting with a dues-paying institutional employee. -Programs will be ranked into the Top 6 Programs,and only lucky program will get to represent our region at the ACUHO-I Annual Conference & Exhibition. The 2015 AIMHO Conference will be held in Tucson, Arzona from Noember 15-17, and we can wait to see you all there!
for Programs is Open!
In Memory of Thomas M. Dunning I first met Thomas “Tom” Dunning in March of 1992 at Colorado State University. I remember this day well because it was my interview for a live-in summer conference host position. Since I was an RA at that time, I asked a few Housing & Dining Services staff for some advice on interviewing with this man named Tom Dunning. I remember both of them saying “Are you sure you want to apply for that job?” “Tom is a hard worker and he keeps us VERY BUSY in the summer!” Well, needless to say, I got the job for that summer and found out folks were right! We were very busy and we worked hard! My intent at that time was to work the summer of 1992, then finish my degree, and get married! I would have never guessed that the summer of 1992 would change my life forever! Twenty-three years later I am the Assistant Director of Operations Management for CSU Housing & Dining Services and I owe the start of my career to Tom Dunning.
Tom worked for Colorado State University, Housing and Dining Services for 31 ½ years! He spent the majority of those years as the Director of Conference Housing & Safety and Security. He was a mentor to countless people during that time and not only at CSU. Tom was a very active member in ACUHO-I as well as the AIMHO region. In his early years as Director of Conference Housing, Tom found it difficult to attend the ACUHO-I annual conferences as they met in the summer. He realized that networking at annual conferences was beneficial for professional development. Tom wanted to network with other conference professionals during the non summer months at a time when more conference professionals could meet. Tom felt so strongly about networking that he stood up after the keynote speaker at one of the annual conferences and asked if there were others in the audience who would be interested in meeting in the fall instead of the summer! A few of them met later that afternoon and this marked the birth of the Conference Services Workshop. The first workshop was held in the fall of 1975 at the Pingree Park Mountain Campus of Colorado State University. Due to the success of the workshop, three other ACUHO-I fall workshops were later born. In October 2000, Tom was recognized at the 25th Conference Services Workshop which was held in Orlando, Florida. He had attended 24 of the 25 workshops!
Obituary:
Thomas M Dunning, beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother and friend, died at his home in American 6, 1935 in Sacramento, CA and was adopted two days later by Jack G and Helen Falck Dunning. He grew up in Marysville, C Army (1958-1964), and received his Bachelor’s Degree in 1963 from Brigham Young University. He married Maryana Hatch D 1969, and his Ph D in Recreation Resources Administration from Colorado State University in 1979. Tom and Maryana settled in Fort Collins, CO where they lived for 32 years and raised their four children. Tom worked for Colo Fork, Utah after retirement and served LDS missions in Guam Micronesia, South Africa Cape Town, and Texas Houston South. T Tom and Maryana exhibited service to the fullest, and their influence for good has been felt throughout the world and has ble New Jersey Morristown Mission. In addition to church and community service, Tom was very dedicated to the Boy Scouts of America and served several time very devoted friend and neighbor, and delighted in helping and befriending anyone he came in contact with. He was a hard Tom is survived by his beloved wife, Helen; his children, Mindy (David Linton), Sequim, WA; Mark (Katherine), Littleton, CO; Todd 26 to 5 years (with one on the way); one great-grandchild (with one on the way); and his sister, Sandra Noel. He was predec
g
When I asked some ofthe “Veterans” of that workshop for memories to share about Tom, they shared the Respectfully submitted by Alison DeWael
following: -“Tom was always one to make all the newcomers feel welcomed and part of the group!” -“I especially remember the workshop in Washington DC. We had a networking activity involving getting stickers or signatures in your passport from everyone at the workshop. When the prize was awarded for the person with the most contacts, it was our Veteran attendee, Tom Dunning! Even after having attended so many of these workshops, he set the example for involvement, hospitali ty, and networking!” -“Your history, your calm, your dedication and drive, your wisdom, and your humor will be missed.” Tom retired in April 2001 from CSU. I presented him with a memory book at his retirement party. When I was gathering letters and stories to include in the memory book, I noticed some common themes in all of them. I would like to share some of these themes with you now: -“I’d like to talk about who Tom is…an intelligent, caring, well-spoken, and out-spoken man! Tom has always greeted folks with a warm hello and a smile. This was usually followed by an inquiry as to what was new or what was happening in your life.” -“The thing that stands out about Tom is that he is ALWAYS concerned first at how others are doing. He never fails to check up on me or ask me how I am doing before ever discussing business.” -“Tom tends to zoom in and out or to make very short phone calls. Even so, over the years, those fleeting glimpses and short talks have added up to a valuable friendship!” -“My biggest memory is his commitment to a community atmosphere. He was always bridging departments, making ties with the community, visiting family, and helping out those around him.” -“Tom is ALWAYS on time, wearing a smile, ready to say, “We can do that!” and saying “doing fantastic and getting better!” Tom left a legacy of hard work, integrity, dedication, friendship, humor, and a sense of community at CSU which I strive to continue daily. Tom also challenged me to become a better person, a better employee, and a better citizen. He is deeply missed by those fortunate enough to have crossed paths with him and I’m sure he left a footprint on your heart!
n Fork, Utah on Tuesday, January 6, 2015, due to complications from renal failure, at the age of 79. Tom was born November CA and graduated from Marysville High School in 1955. He served an LDS mission to Texas and Louisiana, served in the US Dunning in the Salt Lake City LDS temple in 1965, and returned to school to receive a master’s degree from BYU in
orado State University from 1970-2001 and was a director of conference housing. Tom and Maryana moved to American They also fulfilled service missions in the Translation Department and in Humanitarian Services. In their 47 years of marriage, essed the lives of others. After Maryana’s passing, Tom married Helen Farnsworth Sharp in 2012. Together they served in the
es as a scoutmaster, as well as a district committee member, and as a Wood Badge training committee member. He was a d-working, faithful man who made service to God and others his top priority. d (Tracey), Clovis, CA; Tamsen (Rob Peterson), Chandler, AZ; Helen’s four children and their families; 16 grandchildren aged ceased in death by his wife, Maryana, and his parents.
2015 CONFERENCE UPDATE November 15-17 in Tuscon, Arizona
Greetings AIMHO! The University of Arizona, Central Arizona College, and Tohono O’odham Community College are excited to invite you to AIMHO 2015 in sunny Tucson, Arizona. As we lead up to the conference, the host committee wants to introduce our three host institutions and share some of the amazing events and opportunities that will happen at AIMHO 2015. For this month’s update we will start with the end: our amazing closing banquet location – the Savoy Opera House. Join us as we celebrate AIMHO’s 60th anniversary in beautiful turn-of-the-century ambience. Pressed tin ceilings and Victorian chandeliers create a fantastic atmosphere for us to enjoy each other’s company and celebrate all that is AIMHO. Look for more information about the exciting local entertainment and fantastic dinner options in future articles. This month, we want to introduce you to the first of your three AIMHO 2015 host institutions – Central Arizona College. Here is Central’s own Mike Scudder (Assistant Director of Student Life) to share more: “Central Arizona College is a public community college and was established in 1961 located in Coolidge, Arizona. We have five campuses located across the state, Signal Peak being the main campus. Central Arizona College’s mission aims to “engage our diverse communities in quality learning experiences for lifelong success by providing accessible, educational, economic, cultural, and personal growth opportunities.” Our school mascot is the Vaquero/Vaquera. We are the home of 38 National Championships since 1976, across 9 different sports. We are excited to co-host AIMHO 2015 because it allows us to partner with a larger school as well as a Tribal school. We are proud to celebrate that kind of diversity and inclusion. We hope to educate people that attend the 2015 conference on the differences between the schools as well as some of the similarities. This is also the first time that a large college has partnered with a community college and a Tribal college for a regional conference. We cannot wait for AIMHO 2015!”
Get excited for AIMHO 2015 – we can’t wait to see you in Tucson as we celebrate AIMHO’s 60th. Be sure to read the next Angle for more news from the host committee!
ASSESSMENT
& INFORMATION Do you have questions aout how other universities address the latest concerns on campus? If so, the Assessment and Information Comittee is here to help! Please take a few minutes to complete a short survey to help usassess how we are meeting your needs and how we can become a better resource. Complete the Survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Assessment_collector
AIMHO 2014 Presentations are Availalble! Want to check out the presentations from AIMHO 2014 in Logan, Utah? Visit the link for the resources and presentations from the 2014 AIMHO Annual Conference.
Find them here:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/xifiarwcl4m7qxz/AACkPUxy3Ur-Pe5-yLagH5Yya?dl=0
aimho committee spotlight
MARKETING
COMMITTEE CHAIR
Greetings AIMHO Region! @aimho
The Marketing Committee is here to promote everything that we are doing within the AIMHO region. Our goal is to make sure that you are informed , whether it be open positions within the region, upcoming events, and many other exciting opportunities. We accomplish this by promoting our efforts through social media, publishing the quarterly AIMHO Angle, and various other outreach methods.
Have something you would like published in the Angle? Email the marketing committee at aimhoangle@gmail.com. Additionally, if you would like something posted on the AIMHO Facebook page or Twitter, you can contact any committee member. Help us spread the word on all the great things that are happening throughout the region!
SCOTT MATHIE Residence Life Coordinator Snow College scott.mathie@snow.edu
-AIMHO Marketing Committee
MEET YOUR MARKETING TEAM
CHRISTINE FLEMING Marketing & Assessment Coordinator University of Utah CFleming@housing.utah.edu
KELSEA SHOOK Resident Director Montana State University kelsea.shook@montana.edu
ISAAC HUNTER Resident Director Montana State University ihunter@montana.edu
DAVID JONES Graduate Resident Director University of Nevada, Reno davidjones@unr.edu
CLAYTON BRACHT Assistant Residential Education Coordinator University of Utah cbracht@housing.utah.edu
JUSTIN LUKASEWICZ Community Director Senior University of Arizona Lukasewicz@life.arizona.edu
C O M M I T T E E LIAISONS
AIMHO 365 Clayton AIMHO COLLEGE Justin AIMHO HOST Justin AWARDS & RECOGNITION Christine DIVERSITY & SOCIAL JUSTICE Isaac EXECUTIVE Scott PROGRAMMING Scott RAPPN HOST Justin RESEARCH & INFORMATION David SHO INSTITUTE Kelsea WEBSITE Justin
A note from the President Elect
Jeff Rosenberry Montana State University--Billings Last Angle I wrote about a new book called Lead Simply, by Sam Parker that I would be using in an effort to create excitement around the recruitment and retention of our students and staff. If we don’t try to create a high-trust, highly accountable environment as leaders – if we give up going for the creation of our special team of people who do “amazing amounts of important work” – then we, as leaders, are simply going through the motions. In his book Parker eludes to three simple actions that we can take to improve our leadership and in turn increase the number of engaged people in our chapters: CONNECT, MODEL AND INVOLVE.
MODEL the behavior you want to see. CONNECT with the people you lead. INVOLVE them as much as possible. The concept of Modeling the behavior you want to see in your organization is one of great importance. As active leaders in our institutions we need to commit to being engaged ourselves, regardless of the circumstances. After many years on this earth, I am finally starting to understand that when you put good things into the world you will get good things back in the form of relationships and opportunities. We have the ability to model our behavior others and create special moments by thinking what is important for us to model to others.
MORE ENTHUSIASM, less cynicism MORE RESULTS, less busyness MORE FOCS, less distracation MORE PATIENCE AND KINDNESS, less grumpiness MORE HUMILITY, less ego MORE TIME, effort and care Whatever you feel is most important to making a better experience for everyone (and achieving great results), model it. No exceptions. Fall off the horse? The moment you realize it, apologize (to others and yourself) and get back on the horse. Are you not comfortable in admitting your mistakes and apologizing? Join the club…In fact I used to be the president-elect of that organization as well! But doing so (authentically) makes you more human and can help you create that higher level of trust you’re hoping for (which leads to those better relationships and better results you are looking for).
REMEMBER...We lead by example - One Way or the Other How will you model the behavior you want to see within your departments and for your students? Think about a new set of words you can use to be more inclusive of your team as opposed to exclusively targeting folks. We control our attitude so keep a positive mental outlook, even when the times get tough. When you put the good vibes into the world around you will see better results and better relationships within your chapter, thus making new recruits more likely to join the fun.
ARIZONA
Updates from Around the Region:
IDAHO It has been a very busy spring semester as the school year has been flying by for all of us in Idaho. I am sure it is the same for the rest of the region as well. Closing is right around the corner for most of us with just a few weeks and/or days left! During this time of year most of us in the great potato state are working on our summer plans for projects. Many of these include; hosting interns from both ACUHO-I and NODA organizations, getting our student and professional staff trainings in order, prepping our buildings for conference groups and summer students, working on assessment plans, and finding the time to schedule those precious and much needed vacation days. One project that will be starting over this summer is the planning for an “Idaho Drive-In” most likely happening the Spring of 2016 (leaving plenty of time for preparations to be made). For those of you in the region that have hosted and/or planned a drive-in for the past few years, the soon to be formed planning committee would love some feedback on any major do’s and don’ts worth sharing. I wish everyone the best of luck on closing your buildings, completing end-of-the-year paperwork, and making any summer transitions. Try to make time for yourselves! Evan Oglevie State Provincial Representative for Idaho
Get connected in your state! Contact your State & Provinc Arizona Mike Billar mike.billar@nau.edu 928.523.2541
Colorado (1) Jenna Paulsen jpaulsen@ccu.edu 303.963.3466
Montana Sara Agostinelli sara.agostinelli@mso.umt.edu 406.243.2611
Nevada Kristi Burch kburch@unr.edu 775.784.6111
Colorado (2) Kevin Caputo kcaputo@mines.edu 303.273.3922 New Mexico Marlene Smith msmith29@unm.edu 505.277.6669
Idaho Evan Oglevie evanoglevie@boisestate 208.447.1028 Wyoming Rian Rabideau rrabidea@uwyo.edu 307.766.3504
Utah Todd Just tjustesen@ 801.587.0
MONTANA It has been an exciting semester in the state of Montana. Montana would like AIMHO to welcome Miles City Community College to the association. We are excited to have another Montana school as a part of our amazing organization. There are a number of job searches happening around the state including a Director of Residence Life at Miles City Community College, an Assistant Director of Community Living at Carroll College, an Area Coordinator at the University of Montana, and Resident Director at Montana State University- Bozeman. Please watch the Montana page of the AIMHO website for updated and announcements of new Residence Life Staff across the state of Montana. Jeff Rosenberry, Associate Dean of Students at Montana state University- Billings, was named one of Billings 2015 40 Under 40 recipients. Congratulations Jeff! Nick O’Neal, University of Montana senior, has accepted a Graduate Assistant Resident Hall Director at Northern Arizona University and will be pursuing his Masters of Education in Counseling-Student Affairs from NAU. Nick has worked for the Residence Life Office at UM for three years and will be graduating with his BA in Communicative Sciences and Disorders in May. Taylor Derrick from Montana State University has accepted a Resident Director position at Montana State University. Taylor has worked for Residence Life at MSU-Bozeman for three years and will be graduating with his B.S. in Cellular Biology – Neuroscience. Ryan Huntington from Montana State University has accepted a Resident Director position at Montana State University. Ryan has worked for Residence Life at MSU-Bozeman for three years and will be graduating with his B.S. in Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering. Sam Kohl from Montana State University has accepted Resident Director position at Rocky Mountain College. Ryan has worked for Residence Life at MSU-Bozeman for two years and will be graduating with his B.S. in History. Please also check out the Montana page of the AIMHO website for monthly spotlights of staff members from across the state to learn more about the amazing people from Big Sky Country! Sara Agostinelli State Provincial Representative for Montana
cial Representative.
e.edu
tesen @housing.utah.edu 0881
THE PROFESSIONAL BUCKET Submitted by: Marykatherine Woodson & Kisti Burch University of Nevada, Reno
It’s closing time. Enough said. So what’s on your professional bucket list? You know, the list of things you want to accomplish in your current position. Maybe you want to run for the AIMHO Member at large position or maybe propose a new sustainability initiative on your campus. The summer is a great time to really flush out all that you want to accomplish in your current position before you feel you are ready to transition to a new position. So we took the liberty of putting together a bucket list to stimulate your professional development. Create Your Experience Professional development opportunities simply put, are in abundance. Within our department, we were charged by our Vice President of Student Services to be innovate with our ideas. Throughout the year, we as a staff examined areas of need for our students, our facilities, and our department and took it upon ourselves to develop solutions. Although creating a process for Express Checkouts seems easy (which it really wasn’t- take Marykatherine’s word for it!) it was an opportunity for professional development. If you see a solution for a need in your department or institution, sit down with your supervisor or director and create a plan. But remember to be realistic- you shouldn’t be straying away from your day to day responsibilities. Realize Your Opportunities Before you attempt to create an opportunity for professional development have you looked around your department or institution? Our jobs, especially within Residence Life is critical professional development. Everything from knowing how to properly manage a crisis or operating an intervention program for students who need academic support. National conferences and executive board positions are great, but that is not always our reality. We suggest reviewing your position description and marking off all of the competencies that you are currently fulfilling. If you find an area that you are slacking, that is the area that you should be seeking out opportunities for further development.
LIST: CREATE YOUR SUCCESS Speak Up! Professional development opportunities are not going to be handed to you. If there is an opportunity or experience available that you want to participate, let your supervisor know! The best person to advocate for you is YOU! And don’t assume that opportunities that other people are getting are ones that were just handed to them. Maybe they took the initiative to request the opportunity. Speak up, if you want to be considered! Network Your Way Networking is one of your best resources if you are unsure of what to do for an opportunity or if you need guidance into an experience. We know that not everyone has a mentor at their current institution. So if you do not have someone to guide you as you are navigating your path, then it is time for you network. You never know what you will end up doing by just saying hello to someone. One of our friends was invited to China (all expenses paid!) with another department because she expressed to a director that she was interested in international education. The opportunities can be limitless if you put yourself out there. So the next time you are at a division meeting or you are attending a conference, break away from your housing pack and strike up a conversation, you never know where it is going to lead. Find a Buddy Just like in summer camp, the buddy system works. Do you have a peer that you can bounce ideas off of? Are they looking for similar opportunities? Are they also completely terrified of talking to new people? Well great news! Networking and professional development are team sports and you should find a partner to make the experience worthwhile. Especially for those professional development opportunities that you are creating yourself. It might be easier if there were two of you working together to hold each other accountable. Don’t be afraid of getting the most from your position. It is the extra opportunities that you take advantage of that make you stand out among your peers. Even if it is outside your comfort zone, you should try something new to branch out. You never know where you will find a new interest that will turn into a new professional passion.
SHO INSTITU Submitted by Paula Bland The end of the academic year always gives me a reminder to think about what opportunities and challenges are ahead in the next year or five years. What will the issues be for our students? What financial situation could arise? Where do we need to go in our programmatic efforts to be innovative in our approach? This leads me to start thinking and planning for the experiences, training and resources that I think I will need to be prepared to do my job leading a Residence Life department. We really have a wealth of information, skills training, and knowledge building experiences available to us today in Housing and Residence Life work. Over the last thirty years, the growth in our professional organizations and innovations in technology have resulted in a variety of seminars, webinars, research journals, conferences, training, certificate programs, websites, and software or database programs along with other methods or mechanisms for everyone to learn. It’s easy to get distracted by the newest, shiny thing in the area of professional development to learn about current practices or issues! There also seems to be an increase in compliance legislation which requires developing or changing protocols. More often than not, the regulations are unclear and open to interpretation, or contradicting regulations that are difficult to work through for compliance. Best practices for our work can often depend on the size of institution, the resources available, even at times, the priorities of the campus administration. The skill of learning how to approach administration with the needs and priorities of the Housing and Residence Life program could be described at times like learning how to play darts! You keep trying different methods until you figure out what works for the situation or the individuals you are dealing with at the time. And the work of housing students and helping them learn and grow through an on-campus residential experience is unique on campus. While there are other department directors in Student Affairs or the Administration division, those positions do not often cover the wide variety of responsibilities that Housing and Residence Life involves. We certainly value our
UTE UPDATE colleagues and often find those relationships to be helpful in working through the challenges we face. But, rarely do those colleagues have a full appreciation for the complex situations and decisions that are generated in Housing and Residence Life management.
The AIMHO Senior Housing Officer Institute, held at the site of the annual conference each year, is a very low cost, high value experience for senior officers and those who are aspiring senior housing officers. The Institute includes valuable, up to date information, best practices and resources which can be immediately implemented on campus. The topics are created from senior housing officer input in the AIMHO region and the sessions are presented by senior housing officers and others in upper administration positions. The sessions are interactive, and there are many opportunities to network, brainstorm and process through real world situations. The sessions will apply to small schools as well as large schools; private schools as well as public schools. Presenters will share information and best practices or research from their own experience, but also include multiple points of view. The Institute begins on Friday before the AIMHO conference starts on Sunday. Look for more information on the specific session topics and details of the Institute in the next installment of the AIMHO Angle. I always walk away with great ideas and timely, applicable information. It is a key professional development for me as a senior housing officer to be able to stay on top of the information and resources I need to do my job well.
Please consider joining us for ths year’s Senior Housing Officer’s Institute in Tucson in November!
AIMHO INSTITUTIONAL SPOTLIGHT
SNOW COLLEGE Submitted by Shelby Summers, Resident Director, Snow College
SNOW COLLEGE STATS
---------ENROLLMENT
4,500 ON-CAMPUS POPULATION
726
RESIDENCE LIFE Snow College lies in the city of Ephraim OVERVIEW
OVERVIEW
in Central Utah. Founded in 1888, Snow College has continued a standard of excellence that continues today. Multiple institutions have ranked Snow College as one of the top two-year college in America including CNN Money, The Best Schools, and Washington Monthly. The Suites at Academy Square
RESIDENCE HALLS
8 STUDENT LEADERS RESIDENT DIRECTORS
6
RESIDENT ASISTANTS
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Snow College Residence Life houses over 700 students in the 7 Residence Halls, including 2 Living Learning Communities. Living in the Residence Halls at Snow College offers students both the structure and opportunity to succeed as a student, and experience the ultimate college experience. Snow College Residence Life not only emphasizes develop academic excellence in students, but also the development of the leaders of tomorrow.
LOOKING FORWARD Snow College Residence Life continues to grow in both occupancy numbers and student leader staff. Serving as a two-year institution offers challenges in retaining staff. Offering quality leadership training, applicants for leadership positions have never been Residence Hall Association (RHA) Comes to Snow higher. By the development in the first At the conclusion of the Spring 2015 semester, Snow co-ed hallway, and readjustments to College held its first RHA election. Starting in the Fall, Living Learning Communities, Snow the RHA will strive to make a difference for all students College Residence Life continues to living in the Residence Halls for the 2015-2016 offer the best experience for all Academic Year. students.
HOT TOPICS
Submitted by David Jones
From budgets cuts to gender-neutral housing, colleges and universities across the country are facing issues that may change the landscape of higher education today. As these issues arise, higher education professionals are fervent with discussion on how to address them. A few AIMHO-region professionals weigh in on some of these issues below. Emotional Support Animals “The hardest part is that you’re not dealing with University policy. You’re also dealing with accessibility issues. I dont know if there’s a good answer on it. It’s just walking that fine line of supporting those who need a support animal and those who may be inconvenienced because of them.” -Pat Newman, Off-Campus Housing Official-Brigham Young University
Tying Curriculum to the Co-Curricular Experience “The landscape of Residence Hall Associations and Hall Councils are changing in terms of how they are fitting into housing. It’s important for everyone who may have those organizations on campus to have curriculum that goes along with them so leaders are gaining not only professional and social skils but also relevant education. We as professionals have to start being more intentional in how we contribute to the education of our students.” -Jerusalem Benavides, Residence Director Adams State University
Keep the Conversation Going on Facebook and Twitter!
Student Preparedness “I’m finding the number of students who are unprepared for college startling. With the 5 institutions I have worked with, I have noticed the students seem to struggle more and more as time progresses. Whether they are unprepared emotionally, academically, or adaptably, the pattern is starting to grow more and more. Our students need our positions more now than they ever needed them before. My hopes are that we are able to catch them before slip out of for graduation or they cannot make it to graduation at all.” -MaryKatherine Woodson, Resident Director University of Nevada, Reno
Gender-Neutral Housing “I’ll have two transgender students living in my hall next year. It has been an interesting dynamic. One of my students (who identifies as transgender) does not want to do gender neutral housing and wants to live on their own. The other student has opted for gender neutral housing but we are looking for a fourth individual to live in the room. The main issue is making sure residents understand that the option is available for them.” -Janna Bernstein, Residence Life Coordinator University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Diversity and Social Justice Submitted by Shannon Jolley, Utah State University Many schools are selecting professional staff right now. It can be both a stressful and exciting time as you prepare to bring in fresh blood and shake up your current hierarchy. It can also be a time for questioning your selection process and its effectiveness. One of the primary issues brought up by selection is the question of “fit.” Does this person “fit” with our current group dynamics? Is the individual a good “fit” for the area or position for which they are applying? Often, the question of “fit” is based on feelings and first impressions. A focus on “fit” can lead to bias, whether it be overt or unintentional. Bias, or prejudice, can also be positive or negative depending on the evaluator’s lens. The key point is that most of us want to steer clear of bias while also finding the right “fit” in our selection process. So, how do we do that? First, your selection committee should define “fit” and then dissect the criteria for potential bias triggers. For example, say your committee is looking for someone with strong problem-solving skills. What kinds of problems are you anticipating? What skills are needed to address those specific problems? Do your interview questions get at these problems and skills, or are you just hoping the applicant will stumble upon what you want? Dig deeper. Are the skills you list for problem-solving inherently biased? One of the first skills I think of for problem-solving is critical thinking. Yet what do I mean by that? It’s easy to define critical thinking in terms of my own personal paradigms; to look for a person who would solve a problem exactly as I would solve it. Once your committee has defined “fit” and hashed out potential bias triggers, it is time to conduct a bias brainstorm. This ideally takes place in two steps: 1) Each individual makes a list of potential personal biases and 2) The group discusses their organizational biases. It is important to discuss both positive and negative bias. After generating a list of positive and negative biases for individual committee members and the group, I recommend discussing which biases you want to keep and which you want to avoid. It is impossible to completely avoid bias. And the reality is that some of our positive biases are in line with the realities of the job. Looking for problem-solving skills is actually a good thing in most job searches. Looking for someone who solves problems in a specific way is where we can get into trouble. Now it is time to make sure that your interview process and questions get at your “fit” criteria and those biases that you have determined are essential to the job. If problem-solving is important to you, does your process actually give the candidates an opportunity to solve a problem and showcase their relevant skills? Have you identified a range of skills that you consider acceptable so that committee members do not score based on their personal preference for how to solve the particular problem?
You are not done yet. All schools require some kind of affirmative action training or review before proceeding with a selection process. Beef up your training by adding a discussion about affinity bias and micro-affirmations. Affinity bias is the natural attraction to others who are like us. We see our positive traits reflected back at us and are more forgiving of any negative traits that come to light. In the extreme, this can lead to biases based on race, gender, sexual orientation, age, etc. Even when we try to actively correct for this, we are still likely to gravitate towards those candidates who share our religious and political views, body size, personality type, etc. Just talking about affinity bias makes us all more aware of its influence and can help committee members challenge their unconscious attraction or resistance to a particular candidate. Micro-affirmations are tiny acts of inclusion and caring. Applying for a job is anxiety-provoking for most people. It is easy to judge that anxiety and extrapolate negative conclusions from a candidate’s performance. If a candidate stumbles on a key interview question, do you attribute the mediocre answer to the process or their innate skill level? Doing everything you can to help each person feel included and cared for during the selection process increases a candidate’s confidence and makes it more likely that you are scoring true skill versus social discomfort. The key is to be consistent and fair in the micro-affirmations you give to each candidate. This requires challenging your affinity bias. When you find yourself wanting to pull away from one person because they revealed political beliefs that are different from your own that is the cue to lean in and try harder to find something in common with that person so you see them as a complex whole and not a list of stereotyped parts. You can easily become overwhelmed when tackling the issue of bias in your selection process. However, following the above steps ensures that you will at least raise awareness of bias while encouraging committee members to step away from the idealized candidate they often seek out. Hopefully, you will also feel more assured that your process was as fair and complete as possible. Good luck!
What are your thoughts? Share them on Twitter and use #AIMHO to connect with others!
Update from the AIMHO Secretary As Secretary, my role tends to be somewhat consistent in the work that I do. I work on monthly minutes and making sure that they’re easy to follow (these are updated to the website once they have been approved). I am also currently working on merging our mission and values into our Strategic Plan document, as well as preparing the Summer Business Meeting report for the meetings in June. I have also created a template for proposing bylaw changes, which should assist us in documenting and understanding how and why we change our bylaws. If you have any concerns, thoughts, or feedback in regards to written documents or other responsibilities within my role as Secretary, please don’t hesitate to contact me! -Maggie Roque, AIMHO Secretary--MRoque@housing.utah.edu
CHECK THIS OUT! Montana Tech in Butte, MT has created a relaxation room for the students in their Residence Hall. The room features a massage chair and a quitet space students can sneak away from their stressful classes and take some time for themselves. Director Scott Forthofer created this space in a small room that was under-utilized in one of his Residence Halls as he was looking for a wa to make it into a meaningful space for his community. This is a reat example of innovation in AIMHO to always consider what our students need as we examine the spaces we have. -Submitted by Sara Agostinelli Montana SPR
Research & Assess? How do I even do that? Submitted by: Richard Workman At one point or another in our professional careers we have all been in that first time situation where our boss has come to us and asked us to “Find out what other schools are doing and how they like it.” I remember the first time my boss asked me something similar and I was at a complete loss of how to begin, where to look, and who to talk to. Those of us who have been in the profession a while now know that it can be as simple as sending an email through a listserv to get responses from those we know and love in our region. But we have also seen this method come back with few or no results as other schools may not be doing it yet, those who have read the email don’t know the answer for their school so they don’t respond, or those who know the answers intend to reply to the email later but forget until after the time the information is needed. The Assessment and Information Committee for the AIMHO Region wants you to know that you are not alone. Over the past few years our committee has been gleefully (as only data nerds can) requesting the information others have worked so hard to collect and compile to post on our pages of the AIMHO Website believing that simply because it is there others will see and use it in the future. Imagine our surprise when we began to see the same questions asked again and again through the listserv 6 month, 1 year, or even 2 years later. “Why don’t they just use what was collected before?” we asked ourselves. The answer smacked us in the face like Wile E. Coyote running into a wall. NO ONE KNOWS THE INFORMATION IS THERE!!! We would like to take this opportunity to help all of our colleagues to know 2 things. First, there is a wealth of information available on the AIMHO website free of charge. We invite all of our colleagues to visit our Assessment and Information webpages on the AIMHO Website (http://aimho.org/committees/research). On these pages you will find the results of past Annual Regional Surveys, Other Surveys done by others in the region (e.g. RA compensations, rent rates, linen services, Pet Friendly Apartments on Campus, Child Protection Policies), Resources provided by our member institutions for reference (e.g. Leasing/Contracts, RA Training Materials and Schedules, RA Class Materials, Staff Evaluations, Creative Sanctioning), and links to Outside Resources on the websites of SO MANY other organizations and groups that also do research and assessment on what you need to know. Second, you don’t have to do this kind of research and assessment alone. We, the Assessment and Information Committee, would like to offer our services to you any time you have a need for assistance with Assessment or Information collection and analysis. The Listserv is a useful tool, which we will use to help you, but we can and will take the time to follow up, re-contact, ask again, and do whatever we can to gather the needed information and provide it to you and the rest of the region. To request assistance with a project please contact our Committee Chair, Pat Newman, and we will get to work for you.
We hope this information is helpful to you all and look forward to working with you and for you during this year!
Awards and Recognition The Awards and Recognition Committee would like to recognize Catherine LaRoche as the Advisor of the Month of February on the NACURH level! Catherine currently serves as the Advisor of NRHH (National Residence Hall Honorary) at Arizona State University-Tempe. Catherine serves as a Community Director at ASU-Tempe as well as serves as the current Chair of the Awards and Recognition Committee through AIMHO. Please view the nomination of Cahterine for Advisor of the Month as written by Stephanie Kaufmann. “It is often said that you become the people you spend the most time with. If that is the case, then the National Residence Hall Honorary: Chapter of the Maroon and Gold has a bright and successful future ahead of them due to all the time they spend with their advisor, Catherine LaRoche. Every month Catherine goes above and beyond, but this February she outdid herself and accomplished more than anyone could have hoped for. As the advisor of the National Residence Hall Honorary: Chapter of the Maroon and Gold, Catherine was tasked with overseeing and aiding the Chancery with implementing NRHM. Although February is the shortest month, it was packed with thirteen NRHM programs and the No Frills Conference. Not only did Catherine assist in the planning of these, but she also played an instrumental role in them. First was service week where she helped make coloring books for kids and assisted in collecting plastic bags that would then be used for insulation in blankets for the homeless. The next week was advocacy where Catherine attended a discussion on University Housing for next year and worked a three-hour shift at the “Cashing Out” diversity program. The third week was Recognition where I found myself in a small predicament. I was working on a lot of the programs by myself due to unforeseen circumstances and Catherine came to my rescue. She first aided me in printing, cutting, and gluing more than two hundred homages onto scrapbook cut outs of IACURH states. She then helped me pass out over 500 chocolate roses for my event “Recognition Roses.”
Her impact and presence continued into No Frills where she volunteered for numerous shifts and supported those in the conference. Finally, NRHM wrapped up with programming week where Catherine attended numerous programs. With all of the above mentioned, it is hard to believe Catherine had time for anything else. However, Catherine assisted the chancery in reviewing applications to the NRHH Chapter of the Maroon and Gold, advised Annie Souza (our NRHH Chapter’s Chancellor) in planning NRHH Spring Inductions, reserved all of the rooms for every NRHH general body and chancery meetings, supported ASU basketball by attending multiple games, and even kept up with Barrett the Honor’s College’s Community Assistant interview and hiring process. Catherine is the epitome of success and support. She is the person to turn to with any problem because, even if everything is going wrong, she will drop everything she is doing and help out until everything is resolved. She is no stranger to time management and exemplifies what it means to multi-task while still exceeding expectations in all endeavors. Her unending support and creative ideas make her the best advisor around. Not only does she assist in the planning of the events, but she is also physically there and helps orchestrate the program. With Catherine around, failure is not an option and nor can you let her down because she is holding you up. She ensures that you are successful in all your endeavors and goes beyond the role of an advisor. The success of NRHM for the National Residence Hall Honorary: Chapter of the Maroon and Gold should mostly be accredited to Catherine, for she oversaw and assisted in everything. Her guidance and support as an advisor is unending and makes it an honor to nominate her as February’s advisor of the month.”
Congratulations, Catherine! The awards and Recognition Committee would also like to take time to recognize the other NACURH level winners from the month of February 2015.
Passive Program of the Month Body Acceptance Week, Colorado State University written by Samuel Barthel Social Program of the Month Love Hurts- Valentine’s Day Dodgeball Tournmanet, University of Colorado Boulder written by Jesse Van Divier Finally, the Awards and Recognition Committee would like to recognize four individuals within the AIMHO region who will be attending the 25th James C. Grimm National housing Training Institute (NHTI) on June 9-13 in Athens, Georgia. NHTI provides a thorough and intenseprofessional development experience for professionals with three to five years of full-time experience who are looking to further their careers in housing. Participants meet and interact with other colleagues, establish mentor relationships with experts in the field, create professional development plans, and gain skills and competencies needed to meet the current and future demands of the profession. NHTI recognizes the importance of the evolving housing field and strives to provide participants with the knowledge and skills needed to be successful in this ever-changing field.
NHTI Attendees from AIMHO
Wimer Alberto, Arizona State University Jediah Cummins, University of Northern Colorado Rachel Aho, University of Utah Briceland Beem, Colorado School of Mines
“I feel honored to have been selected as a participant for NHTI. ACUHO-I has traditionally chosen only about 30 professionals from around the country to serve as participants in the institute. In turn, it’s an honor to be a part of the 25th Annual NHTI class. I see NHTI as an opportunity to engage with other colleagues and focus on the theory – and practice – of our work. Every single NHTI alumnus that I have spoken with about the experience has defined it as “the best professional development experience they have had in their professional career.” There is something to be said about an institute that alumni speak so fondly of year and after year.”
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The AIMHO Angle is a compliation of submissions from members of the AIMHO region. Each issue is prepared and distributed by the AIMHO Marketing Committee. Submit your own article for the next AIMHO Angle! Email it to: aimhoangle@gmail.com