Happy Fall Semester/Quarter!
As I write this last AIMHO Angle President’s Corner of my term, I think back to what a unique and different year, more than anything we all expected. I started off my term at AIMHO 2019 at the University of Utah hosted event. I had great plans for how everything would evolve, how the region could move forward, and how I could make a small difference in an organization that has meant so much to me over the years. But now ten months later…WOW, who knew! Pandemic, shootings, protests, transition from in person to in house classes and of course the impact of all of this on all of our housing operations. I have been in higher education since my first Resident Assistant position at Colorado State University back in 1991, I have seen everything, well I guess I have to say “have seen almost everything” now. Within my time in college/university housing I’ve seen the best in our students and the worst in our students. I have had the impact of student deaths, guns on campus, drugs, alcohol, hate, and the list goes on within my residence halls and apartments. We have planned for multiple different pandemics throughout the years, but we all thought that we would never have to institute one…only to find out that these plans really didn’t work and we had to create the new plan as we went along this last spring.
We have new terminology in our world, community distancing, social distancing, masks, covid-19, pandemic, self-quarantine, contact tracing, asymptomatic, contactless and contactless delivery, flattening the curve, and many more. New positions in higher education have been created, for example: COVID-19 Tracer, Contact Tracer, COVID-19 Student Response Manager, Quarantine Coordinator, COVID-19 Case Managers, and COVID-19 Case Investigators to name a few. Yes, Higher Education has and will change forever, but will housing?
We will get back to normal, and what will that new normal will be is anybody’s guess. But, I do see students wanting to leave their parents homes and return to campus to get that college experience. Doing school at home was forced upon this generation and I don’t think they want it. Yes, some do, but I do think the majority do not. Does this mean we will all start to see our halls and apartments full again, only time will tell.
More importantly than the lessons we have learned about pandemics, but seeing the worst in humanity with the racial and social injustices around the world and country. We are all learning to make changes in our lives for what we believe in and nothing as polarized the country more than the racial and social injustices in our United States. I know I don’t have to preach to the choir as all of us in Student Affairs have been saying this for years, but have we been living it and teaching it is probably a different story. As we move to create and build upon these lessons, we hope you will join us for our AIMHO 2020 virtual conference: Reframing our Practice, becoming an Ally, Accomplice, and Anti-Racist. Our host committee have been working hard to give you something that will allow us all participate, learn, and grow from. So please consider registering for the conference and at a $10-member rate / $20 non-member rate as soon as registration becomes live, it’s an inexpensive profession development opportunity that can impact you for the rest of your career and life.
I know we all are extremely busy, but take time for yourself, time for your loved ones, and time to say hi to somebody that you may not know that well. As with all things this pandemic will pass, and life will move on. I do want to say thank you for allowing me to serve as your AIMHO President and I look forward to seeing everybody during the AIMHO 2020 Virtual Conference so we all can Reframe our Practice within our profession and our personal lives. Chip Thomas
AIMHO President
PRESIDENTS CORNER
Reflections of a Past President By: Cory Shapiro, AIMHO President, Arizona State University It feels as if AIMHO 2018 was just yesterday when Arizona State University hosted the AIMHO Annual Conference and at the closing banquet I was introduced as the AIMHO President-Elect. Having been a member of AIMHO off and on since 2000, it had been a dream to one day represent the amazing members of this special association in such a leadership role. The next year zoomed by as I worked with many of you on setting up task forces and new positions, listening to our members and leaders, and structuring some important transitions into the future for our organization. I want to take a moment to share a few thoughts as I reflect upon my time as President Elect, President, and now Past President. I have learned to expect the unexpected even in a professional association. It never occurred to me in November 2018 that I would step into the AIMHO President role only two months later. Or that I would go to Montana for a site visit for a conference that would need to be postponed for two years due to a worldwide pandemic. Or that horrific acts along with continued systemic racism across the country would bring our Association closer together as we took the first steps by making a commitment as an Association. Or that we would host biweekly COVID-19 calls for the Association during the summer and convert all in-person experiences to virtual experiences. At the same time, I hadn’t expected to have the overwhelming support of so many people when going through so much of this and more within the Association or even at my own institution. It is clear to me that an organization is nothing without its members. All of the impactful work of AIMHO is due to members who volunteer their time and talent. Over my two years in the President track, I have witnessed more than 150 members who have given their time as volunteers on committees, in leadership positions, and providing presentations at our Annual Conference or on webinars. If you have yet to ever volunteer, I would encourage you to do so. At a time when so much in our field is unstable due to COVID-19, this is a small way to add some needed normalcy to your professional lives while building your professional (and even personal) networks and support systems. As I step out of the AIMHO Immediate Past President role in November, I recognize my time in AIMHO is still far from done, and I still plan on being involved in the Association and getting to know many of you in the future. I would like to thank the countless volunteers who have served as Committee Members or who have been a part of AIMHO or RAPPIN Host and Local Arrangement Committees, Leadership Teams, and Executive Committees. I would especially like to thank the four others who I have worked with closely during the last two years when they were also in the AIMHO President track: Brad Shade, Mo Ward, Chip Thomas, and Todd Justesen. Finally, thank you to all of you as members for trusting those of us whom you have elected. It has truly been an honor and a pleasure to serve you.
AWARDS Please go to the following website to learn more and submit your nominations. Nominations are due by Sunday October 18th. https://www.aimho.org/page/awardnomination We are looking for nomination in the following categories and full descriptions can be found here: https://www.aimho.org/page/AwardDescriptions •
Outstanding Undergraduate Student Award
•
Outstanding Graduate Student Award
•
Outstanding Entry-Level Professional Award
•
Outstanding Mid-Level Professional Award
•
Distinguished Service Awards
•
Undergraduate Student Social Justice Action Award
•
The Graduate Student Social Justice Action Award
•
The Professional Social Justice Action Award
•
AIMHO Outstanding Service Award
•
Outstanding Committee Member Award
•
AIMHO Strategic Initiatives Award
•
Outstanding Professional Development Award
Awards and Recognition Committee Co-Chairs Justin and Shannon
ELECTIONS INFORMATION To volunteer is to give of yourself in service to a cause. It is about freely giving your time to help an organization, your community, or an individual. ... To volunteer means to act on behalf of something or someone else. It is done by people with a desire to do good. It is done willingly - by choice. ~ The Joy of Volunteering (2017)
It is that time of the year to conduct our elections for open AIMHO Executive Committee positions. Back in July the Association conducted a legislative vote to make changes to the election process for the Association and would commence this October. As you think about this opportunity, it is something that can and will change your professional career and life. If you talk to anybody who has taken part of this volunteer experience they would very happily share that it was a chance to make a difference, help grow the Association and College/University Housing. So as you think about what position you are interested in, continue to read about the election process, when the election will take place, and when the result of the election will be announced.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Why We Conduct Elections: The AIMHO Executive Committee is democratically elected by the members of the association in accordance with our Association’s bylaws and Election Policy.
Serving on the Executive Committee is a fantastic opportunity to give back to our region and support the professional development of our members. Successful candidates play an instrumental role in the management of an international professional association. From budgets to event planning to risk management, service on the AIMHO board can expose you to a wide variety of ACUHO-I’s Core Competencies and help you develop your professional skills and network, which is a benefit not only to individuals but also to the institutions that support them. Commitments range from 2 to 3 years, promising successful candidates a wide breadth of exposure and opportunities to enrich the housing profession.
To learn more about the specific duties of these positions, please read page 3 of our bylaws. You are also welcome to reach out to the incumbent in each role for questions; their contact information is located on our Executive Committee page.
The Election Process Each October, we hold an elections process for the vacant Executive Committee positions. Similar to elections that have taken place during the business meeting, voting will occur remotely with the Senior Housing Officer (SHO) from each member institution casting their vote. While there will only be one ballot cast per institution, we do encourage departmental discussion in decision making.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
AIMHO By-Laws
Section 2. Qualifications and Terms of Office.
One month prior to the annual conference of each year, AIMHO will hold an elections process for vacant Executive Committee positions. If there is no annual conference during the year, elections will take place during the month of October. Once elected to the executive committee, their term will start at the immediate conclusion of the annual conference of the Association and shall serve until the following conference or unless otherwise stated in their specific position announcement. Officers shall serve in their elected role providing they remain eligible for membership in the Association. Voting will occur remotely with each member institution casting their vote. There will only be one ballot cast per institution.
We have been very fortunate to have some amazing individuals volunteer their time and energy to the region. Here is the list of available positions for this election cycle: President-Elect, term expires: November 2023 Senior Level Member At Large (must have 4+ years FT experience in Housing), term expires: November 2022 Entry Level Member At Large (must have 3 or less years FT Experience in Housing), term expires: November 2022 Corporate Relations Coordinator, term expires: November 2022 Equity and Inclusion Director, term expires: November 2022 Professional Development Coordinator, term expires: November 2022
If you are interested in running for one of our open positions, you must first complete the “intent to run� form below by 11:59 PM, Mountain Daylight Time, on Monday October 5, 2020. If you would like to nominate a colleague to run for one (or more) of our open positions, please complete this short nomination form. Our Past-President will reach out to the person that has been nominated and let them know that someone has nominated them and encourage them to run for the open position.
Please click on the link below to complete the Intent to Run Form: AIMHO 2020 Election Intent to Run form
Position Information Position descriptions for all Executive Committee positions are available online. We would also strongly encourage you to review the Association’s Bylaws, which have a more detailed description of positions, starting on page 3. You can also contact the person currently in the position you’re interested in with additional questions.
To Apply 1.
Read through this page for application information.
2. Complete the Institutional Support Form with your supervisor and SHO (once we receive your Intent form, we will send you the institutional support form). 3.
Prepare your written answers to these questions: •
What makes you uniquely qualified for this position on the AIMHO Executive Committee?
•
Please list previous AIMHO, regional housing association, community services, or other professional association experiences and leadership opportunities you have been involved with that would make you a strong candidate for the AIMHO Executive Committee.
•
Describe your vision for how AIMHO should serve its
constituents.
•
As an AIMHO Executive Committee member, how will you incorporate the Association’s Mission and Values into your work, and how will you benefit from the opportunity to serve?
4. Select a photograph to represent yourself on the election’s website, minimum resolution of 640×480, max size 10 MB.
Submit this by October 5, 2020!
Housing Operations as an Agent of Social Justice Koreen Kerfoot, New Mexico Tech So often when we look at being an ally, an anti-racist, or an inclusion promoter, we look at it through the lens of education, and programming. We hold discussions, plan events, navigate conflict, and provide exposure. All of these methods are great and helpful and easy to see a part of “Residence Life” responsibilities. How can we address these issues, or provide systematic ways to support these initiatives from an operations perspective or position? Is there a way for Residential Life Operations professionals to have an impact beyond self-education, growth, and supporting educational opportunities? I believe so. Here is some food for thought: Assignments: Historically a conversation about economic equity of opportunity is had. Is it fair to house based on deposit date (preference to those with financial resources), are we pricing students out of the ability to live on campus, or in certain environments due to cost? These conversations indirectly align with race and other types of diversity, as a majority of those students are of color or other minority populations. But what about roommate matching, we often do matching based on similarities, what they have in common, to promote harmony. But what if we matched based on differences instead, having a student live with and experience what it is to interact with the other? This exposure can promote dialogue and understanding by getting to know someone. Where are thematic communities placed, does having them in a certain hall result in them costing more to be a part of? Is there an unwritten legacy to a space that needs to be combatted due to unintentional prioritization of placements?
Marketing: How do we sell ourselves, do we look at our promotional photos and wonder if it “truly matches” our on-campus communities, or are they selling a different picture? How do we express this is a value besides talking about campus programs, or special “social justice” themed floors? Are we requiring access to certain resources even to find out information? How can we demonstrate systems that promote these ideals in addition to the educational opportunities? Are we naming things with unintentional meanings?
Facilities: Our buildings are different, as they age and design ideas change, but how do we engage with this? Does cost play in, does upkeep priorities play in (bang for the buck or lipstick on a pig) How do we interact with facilities staff, do they look like our students, or is there an obvious difference? Are they a welcome part of the community, or hidden away, seeing the work but not the worker? What amenities are being built in, accommodating what type of student? I have often described operations as the spine, or skeleton of Residential Life. It is rarely seen, but you can tell if it is missing. We have the opportunity to do better here too. Think about the institutional mission and goals around diversity and inclusion. How do our processes support that or unintentionally derail opportunities? What changes can we make to support and implement these goals? It is possible, it just takes time to reflect and evaluate via a different lens. Let us look at ways we support exposure to inclusivity as well as responsiveness and ease of use. How do our customer service processes reflect our values? Where can we leverage our practices to change systemic issues? It is more than making sure we use appropriate terminology with students and families, it is more than selfreflection and how to visibly show we are an ally. Can we change a process, reallocate inventory, look at price and amenities, think about how our history of practice has created the environments of today?
I know that I have posed a multitude of questions. I have started to look at some of these in looking at how to move forward. A returning reoccurring struggle is a change in admission recruiting, housing is wanted to be used as an incentive to deposit early, but how can this be done and still provide equity? We can hold firm on assignment procedures, by using later deadlines, or we can find a middle ground of using multiple priority dates or holding rooms of each type for later deposits. I have had conversations about the placement of new thematic or learning communities and what that may or may not imply. I have found it humorous to find the use of stock photos in some places, as it may not look like my campus, or I see the same photo being used for a banking brochure. It is very easy to get into the mechanic of updating dates, or making them easier for students, but when was the last time the “why” in relation to the department or institutional values was looked at. I looked at it when approaching a room selection process that had a first come first serve component and a squatting policy. Some changes were able to occur; others yielded to tradition and were tweaked. We as operations staff can and have the ability to impact students’ lives, even if we don’t interact with them daily. How do you choose to use this power?
As summer makes way for fall, that means that the Annual AIMHO Conference is near! The virtual planning committee is doing a great job preparing a topnotch experience for you, now it is your chance to reinvest in yourself by submitting your name to chair or co-chair an AIMHO committee for the 2020-2021 year. There are many opportunities for you to join a committee, below are very brief descriptions of some of these opportunities:
AIMHO 365- is responsible for supporting AIMHO’s Core Association Goal to provide year-round learning opportunities for all individual members within the region.
Pre-Conference Development Committee- a pre-conference that provides an opportunity for professionals within the region to improve functional skills, gain self-awareness, network, and gain a greater understanding of the University Housing profession.
Assessment & Information- responsible for developing regional specific data, surveys, and information.
Awards & Recognition- responsible for developing and initiating recognition of regional member institutions and employees for outstanding performance and contributions.
Diversity & Social Justice- Responsible for keeping the region abreast of and engaged with diversity and social justice issues, including but not limited to ability, ethnicity, gender identify or expression, race, religion/spirituality, sexual orientation, and socio-economic status.
Marketing- Responsible for producing materials that represent the region, including the AIMHO Angle Newsletter.
Program Committee- Responsible for soliciting programs and developing the structure of the annual AIMHO conference.
Details to come soon about how to submit your name, please keep an eye on your email.
Todd Justesen AIMHO President Elect
opportunities
Adding to Your Professional Development Toolkit By AIMHO PreConference Committee It is that time of year again. We have (or will be) opened halls, welcome back staff, got our communities ready for student success, started building teams, the only thing different this year is the added layers of COVID19, more awareness of racial and social injustices, systemic oppression and in the middle of a US presidential election cycle. Each of these issues on their own are a cause for planning and preparation, but together will create tension, conflict, emotional outburst, stress, anxiety, and an environment of mistrust. As the AIMHO PreConference Committee (AIMHO College, AIMHO Symposium, & SHO Institute) we are committed to challenging the work we do with professional development to engage in conversations and learning related to becoming anti-racist, anti-oppresive housing professionals. We invite you to consider the following information to add to your tool kit as a housing professional. Get Ready‌ Confront, Converse, De-escalate As housing professionals at an institution of higher education, part of our role is to provide spaces for student success. The complexity of transition, growth and development of our students creates obstacles to being successful, however, we must be prepared and ready to support our students and provide opportunities for critical thinking, problem-solving, decision making and yes, sometimes fun. With the numerous opportunities for dissonance, disagreement and tension in our communities (both personal and professional) this upcoming semester, thinking about how we may proactively manage difficult conversations and approach situations with de-escalation in mind could prove useful in our ever evolving toolkit. Situations we find ourselves in may not always give us the proper amount of time and information to feel adequately prepared to engage with. Therefore, at least understanding the basics may give you a head start on using transferable knowledge in the moment, to help mitigate and navigate conversations. Regardless of the topic, we know that in most difficult conversations, there are differing perceptions on the situation. This can be because of different information or interpretations often based upon lived experiences shaped by our identities and biases. Along with these perceptions, being aware of our feelings, intentions of individuals involved and where blame is being placed must be considered. Each of these elements may create harm for you, and can be attached to social identities which makes it harder to navigate, acknowledge, or even remain present in the situation. This makes the work complex and uneasy at times in our roles, and finding ways to integrate our perspective and experience into the conversation when issues of privilege and oppression are at play remains crucial to exploring opportunities for resolution to difficult conversations. As such, integrating your social identity and work responsibilities will always be ongoing professional development we must all commit to exploring for ourselves.
Adapting work introduced as difficult conversations (Stone, Patton & Heen, 1999), fierce conversations (Scott, 2002) and crucial conversations (Patterson, Granny, McMillan & Switzler, 2002) we invite you to consider the following tools when engaging a tough conversation:
Make it possible to talk - explore ways to create space where respect and mutual purpose can be established. Focus on the intentions of what is really trying to be communicated in our messages. Listen - seek first to understand and then to be understood. Listen to your own internal voice. Ask open-ended questions, paraphrase for clarity, and acknowledge the other person’s statement. Acknowledgement does not mean agreement, it simply signifies that you are listening and allows the conversation to continue, and helps mitigate conflict. Adopt the “Yes, and …” stance - By utilizing ‘yes, and’ you are able to listen to the view of the other person, and still express your view in the situation, in order to move forward to resolve the problem. Learn to recognize your stories to separate impact and intent - In conversation, you can share what you observed the other do or say (actions), how that felt (the impact) and your assumption about the intentions. Checking if your conclusions are right, clarifies the meaning of behavior of those involved. Use “I’ messages - Start with “I” rather than “you” as it removes accusatory and blaming attitudes from the conversation, which can lead to derail any progress toward understanding or resolution. Each of these steps may require nuancing based upon the circumstances in the situation. Specifically as previously mentioned, when social identities are involved with systems of privilege and oppression at play, the approach of difficult conversations may need to shift to include a changing of attitude, acknowledging bias, checking assumptions, challenging discrimination and validating experiences and perspectives where necessary. In these cases, the difficult conversation tools may still work, but more preparation may be needed in order to plan for your needs and desired outcomes from the conversation and how to effectively share your point of view. This fall, we will unfortunately be faced with plenty of opportunities to have difficult conversations, not only the traditional student policy or roommate issues, but the backdrop of COVID19 has introduced preventive health behaviors and the on-going issues related to systemic racism and other forms of oppression both of which have become deeply politicized. In addition, this fall will see another US presidential election. Difficult conversations are never easy, nor can they easily solve all disagreements. Adding elements of deescalation techniques may bolster your knowledge, skills and awareness when approaching your work as a housing professional. De-escalation is really ever simple and there is no magic recipe for how to respond in every situation. The Crisis Prevention Institute suggests a philosophical approach rather than a series of steps due to the complexity of situations when engaging with individuals in difficult situations.
As housing professionals, we know that we can only control how we respond and engage, and not necessarily the behaviors of students, families, and guests. Therefore, focusing on being mindful and building upon a foundation of a culture of care may help in navigating difficult situations. Here are a few techniques linked below, to get you started building skills for de-escalation, more information can be found at the Crisis Prevention Institute.
Be Empathic and Nonjudgmental
Respect Personal Space
Avoid Overreacting
Focus on Feelings
Allow Silence for Reflection
Allow Time for Decisions
We invite you to continue to build community with one another on your campus and with others in AIMHO to share resources and stay connected.
In Solidarity AIMHO PreConference Committee
Connect with others this fall at our Annual Virtual Conference AIMHO 2020: Reframing your Practice: Becoming an Ally, Accomplice & Antiracist
Innovate. Collaborate. Demonstrate