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The OACUHO Pulse for Sept. 2012
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Greetings OACUHO!
If your campus is anything like Ryerson, you have been busy
preparing for the start of the 2012-2013 academic year. It is a dynamic time of year for all housing officers as work tirelessly to make our residence spaces be in prime physical condition,
carefully assign rooms, manage our business operations and train our student leaders to act as educators and resources for
the incoming class of 2016.
At our spring conference, I challenged the membership to consider how they might individually contribute to the
association in the days between the closing banquet and the start of the 2013 spring conference. With our annual
conferences lasting approximately 5 days, members had 360 days left to make a mark on OACUHO.
The number 360 also reminds the membership to consider a full
360 degree view of the work housing officers do. The trials we face and the successes we have truly come from various facets
of housing collaborating to support student success.
page 1
President’s Corner
PULSEWhat’s New With OACUHO
Ontario Association of College & University Housing Officers
OACUHO President’s Message Pg. 1
Move In Weekend:A New Perspective Pg. 3
PD For Free and Membership Engagement Pg. 7
Welcome to the MOVE IN Issue
A u g u s t 2 0 1 2
Continued on Page Two
C O N N E C T W I T H O A C U H O
OACUHO has been such a great resource for coming up with ideas for programs! At the Spring OACUHO conference in 2011, Western University presented the "One Word Project" program they utilized during their Don's training. Originally a program started by the University of the Pacific (http://www.pacificoneword.org/), the program was started to "provide first year students a common point of personal reflection that would help them express their level of self awareness and connect to future aspirations". We encourage you to view their website for the details of the program and how it was implemented.
Continued on Page Five
One Word Project
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C O N N E C T W I T H O A C U H O
With these two perspectives in mind, “OACUHO 360” was born. In building on this theme, the 2012-2013 has finalized it’s objectives and goals for this year. This year we will strive to:
• Achieve a high level of membership renewal
• Strike task forces with specific charges to further the work of the association
• Make The Pulse an educational and informative piece of communication for the membership by
including pieces each month on best practices and initiatives at different institutions
• Ensure the website is updated, accessible and easy to navigate for viewers
• Use and promote the OACUHO blog to educate and keep members up to date on trends and hot topics in Housing
• Provide consistent support for conference host institutions from OACUHO
• Recruit OACUHO conference hosts at least a year in advance of event date
• Create an archived timeline of previous conferences showcasing themes and initiatives that have the
membership has seen over the years.
• Review Corporate Membership levels to offer more opportunities for our Corporate Members
• Research and assess the opportunities for a memberships perks program
• Encourage regular exhibitors and sponsors to become corporate members of the association
• Increase profile of OACHUO presence among student leaders
• Offer inclusive socials ideally connected to workshops, conferences or other OACUHO events in diverse locations in the province
• Expand and improve our mentorship program
• Actively promote and encourage extensive nominations for OACUHO awards
• Offer diverse Professional Development offerings based largely on results from OACUHO Needs
Assessment Survey
It is our deepest hope that you will join us in serving the association for the remaining 267 days until our next spring conference. I would like to thank and acknowledge the work of members sitting on committees,
working on task force charges, and the hard working 2012-2013 Board of Directors.
I wish all of you a safe and happy opening season.
Sincerely,
Jen GonzalesResidence Life and Education Coordinator
Ryerson University | @jengonzales8
Continued from Page One
move in weekend We asked our member s to sha re how the i r i n s t i t u t ion s hand le move i n day. Whethe r i t be 5000 o r 200 s tuden t s mov ing i n , we ’ ve been p repa r i ng a l l s ummer fo r th i s day.
This year, the Residence Life and Educa4on program at the University of Victoria is working on growing new tradi4ons and con4nuing with past ones. For the first 4me ever, UVic will be having “Move-‐In Day Volunteers” to help our student staff make the move-‐in in process as
smooth as possible for students and their families. We are also looking to con4nue a new ini4a4ve that began last year, our ‘Move in Day Fair’
by including orienta4on for parents as well as involvement from our campus partners.
Residence Life and Educa4on (RLE) also takes on the majority of orienta4on for our students living in residence. RLE works with campus
partners to plan the registra4on, events, and ac4vi4es for our incoming students. We have created a “Six Weeks of Welcome” program that targets specific student transi4on needs from September to mid-‐October. While the first weekend is focused largely on Community Building
programming, each of the weeks also hold an educa4onal theme with accompanying learning objec4ves. Some of the themes include topics
like alcohol awareness, sexual health, academics, and diversity. With par4cipa4on from student staff and other campus resources, residents can aUend programs like a Mental Health Bootcamp, an Amazing Race through Victoria, and weekly medita4on sessions.
Alison Dailey, Residence Life Coordinator
On August 26th, Humber welcomed approximately 1150 residence students to the North and Lakeshore campuses. This early move-‐in allows first year students the opportunity to get situated in residence and on campus the week before classes begin. All hands were on deck for the
day, with full-‐4me staff, Resident Assistants, Residence Council, Residence Orienta4on Leaders (ROLs), and Move In Volunteers welcoming
residence students to campus and moving them into their new homes. Key campus partners were also on site for the day to provide students with informa4on, like our Department of Public Safety, Humber's IT Department, Food Services, Athle4cs, and the Student Athle4c
Associa4on. Rogers was also on site for cable and internet services, and our bookstore was open to allow residents a chance to get their books and avoid line-‐ups later this week. Our school mascot, the Humber Hawk, even made an appearance, and all staff, volunteers, students, and
parents enjoyed a move-‐in barbecue from 11am -‐ 3pm.
When smoke form the barbecue rolled into an open window, we also got the opportunity to show off our building's fire alarm system to our new students and their loved ones. With the evacua4on and re-‐entrance into residence taking less than 25 minutes, those leaving a student in
residence for the year saw, first-‐hand, the measures we take to ensure the safety of our residents. We also hosted Parent/Guardian sessions
twice throughout the day to answer ques4ons and help students' loved ones stay informed.
Afer move-‐in, all students aUended their First Community Mee4ngs and first night programming put on by their RAs and their ROLs.
Now that everyone is moved in and rela4vely seUled, Orienta4on Week is in full swing, featuring events put on by Humber, Guelph-‐Humber,
and Residence Life. Between academic orienta4ons, the carnival, outdoor movies and a Blue Jays game, we're excited for a full week of community building!
Brianna Sadler, Residence Life Coordinator
page 3
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Afer two years of growth and con4nual success, the Residence Move-‐In Engagement Program is taking place again. UW Staff and Faculty are invited by our CHO, Associate Provost, Students and University President to greet and engage students and parents upon their arrival at
Waterloo Residences. The feedback received by families has been nothing but posi4ve, expressing their thanks and apprecia4on for the care
and compassion shown by UW employees on such a momentous day. Despite the overwhelming number of students moving in over the course of two days (~5000), there is no doubt that this ini4a4ve embodies an in4mate and small-‐scale feel on such a large campus. On these
two days, Staff and Faculty are spaced out between our six residences and some4mes strategically placed-‐ for example, a Science Professor will be placed in their associated Living-‐Learning community. A great opportunity to connect with students they will eventually be mentoring
and lecturing!
In addi4on to gree4ng the freshmen, Staff and Faculty are also invited to par4cipate in the first annual Waterloo Family Send Off. The university is hos4ng a one hour event held on a residence green, meant to engage the parents and suppor4ng family members and welcome
them to the Waterloo community.
Presence at either of these events is a great opportunity for UW employees to show the more personal side of Waterloo to both students and their parents, pujng them at ease about what lies ahead! We’re an4cipa4ng a strong turnout for this transi4onal event!
Stephanie Cullen, Residence Life Co-‐ordinator
Franco Solimano, Residence Life Co-‐ordinator
On August 26th, Humber welcomed approximately 1150 residence students to the North and Lakeshore campuses. This early move-‐in allows first year students the opportunity to get situated in residence and on campus the week before classes begin. All hands were on deck for the
day, with full-‐4me staff, Resident Assistants, Residence Council, Residence Orienta4on Leaders (ROLs), and Move In Volunteers welcoming
residence students to campus and moving them into their new homes. Key campus partners were also on site for the day to provide students with informa4on, like our Department of Public Safety, Humber's IT Department, Food Services, Athle4cs, and the Student Athle4c
Associa4on. Rogers was also on site for cable and internet services, and our bookstore was open to allow residents a chance to get their books and avoid line-‐ups later this week. Our school mascot, the Humber Hawk, even made an appearance, and all staff, volunteers, students, and
parents enjoyed a move-‐in barbecue from 11am -‐ 3pm.
When smoke form the barbecue rolled into an open window, we also got the opportunity to show off our building's fire alarm system to our new students and their loved ones. With the evacua4on and re-‐entrance into residence taking less than 25 minutes, those leaving a student in
residence for the year saw, first-‐hand, the measures we take to ensure the safety of our residents. We also hosted Parent/Guardian sessions
twice throughout the day to answer ques4ons and help students' loved ones stay informed.
Afer move-‐in, all students aUended their First Community Mee4ngs and first night programming put on by their RAs and their ROLs.
Now that everyone is moved in and rela4vely seUled, Orienta4on Week is in full swing, featuring events put on by Humber, Guelph-‐Humber,
and Residence Life. Between academic orienta4ons, the carnival, outdoor movies and a Blue Jays game, we're excited for a full week of community building!
Brianna Sadler, Residence Life Coordinator
page 4
C O N N E C T W I T H O A C U H O
At Laurier, we're excited for another year u4lizing the 2-‐day move in structure! With this change, we've been able to reduce pressure on both the city and the university, while increasing staff presence thereby promo4ng the small campus feel that Laurier prides itself on. Addi4onally,
we are grateful to have the support of hard working Ice Breakers, who apply for this opportunity to be a week-‐long orienta4on leader to an
assigned community. They cheer upon a students arrival, carry their belongings up to the room, and then spend the en4re week gejng to know the community and guiding them through Orienta4on Week events.
Move In Day #2 concludes with a large Opening Ceremony with every hall in aUendance. Each community in residence is assigned to one of four colour groups for Orienta4on Week, and this is their first opportunity to show off their colour pride! Afer lots of cheering, it's always the
perfect 4me for our Dean of Students to introduce herself. Telling fun stories about her role, the history of the Laurier community and culture,
and what to expect by way of learning and fun from the week ahead; it's a great way to kick of Orienta4on and their new year!
Amanda Kalbfleisch, Residence Life Area Coordinator
Sarah Memme, Community Development Coordinator
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UTM has two move in days and two orienta4ons – to separate the first year and upper year experience. This year orienta4on includes:
rezONE First Year Orienta/on: September 2 & 3, 2012
rezONE Orienta4on is an essen4al and mandatory part of the first year residence experience. Commencing immediately afer move-‐in,
rezONE Orienta4on introduces students to the residence community; similar to other Orienta4on weeks – students will have the opportunity to meet students with similar interests, students in their academic discipline, students living in their community, and faculty/staff of the
university. Oh, and we can’t forget… there are some great events, keynote speakers, ac4vi4es, opportuni4es to learn from successful upper year students, and Residence Council giveaways throughout the various orienta4on events.
Upper Year Orienta/on: September 8 & 9, 2012
UTM's Upper Year Orienta4on welcomes new and returning upper year students to Residence. During the Upper Year Orienta4on, the Department of Student Housing & Residence Life works in collabora4on with the Residence Council to create a fun and exci4ng atmosphere
before classes begin. This experience provides “upper years” with the chance to get seUled into their residence environment, and to interact
with the many other upper year residence students in a fun and engaging atmosphere.
We encourage you to view their website for the details of the program and how it was implemented. Last year at Trent, we decided to try this initiative as a part of our Don's training and it became a huge success. We received
excellent feedback and our student staff came away a different level of self reflection. This year, we have decided to make this initiative campus wide for all students moving into residence. We are implementing it during our
Introductory Seminar Week (ISW) by gathering all students from each building in the residence and presenting the project its goals. We will provide them with time during the course of the week to reflect on the concept and then have them finalize their ‘word’ during the second community meeting at the end of ISW. We will not going to be
taking pictures of the students as we did with the Dons during training due to staffing constraints and costs but we believe the message will still have a similar effect. We hope with hard work and passion, this program will be a success and become a mainstay from year to year. Our goal is for it to become a part of the student culture, much like at the
University of the Pacific.
Continued from Page One One Word Project
Alumni Corner hen star4ng out as a bright-‐eyed first year student at the University of Waterloo, I had one simple goal in mind: Law School. It wasn't un4l I became a Don, that I re-‐thought my op4ons. The fun friendly atmosphere, combined with the ability to make a
difference cemented it for me: I wanted to be a res life professional.
I had the pleasure of working as a Residence Life Coordinator/Manager at St Francis Xavier in Nova Sco4a, before heading off to Western University. I loved that all of us -‐ staff, student leaders, faculty -‐ shared one common goal: to do whatever it took to help the students to the
best of our abili4es. Afer Western, I went to Guelph, where I worked as the Area Coordinator of South Residence – helping to train and oversee new residence life professionals.
I now work for a start up company – a commercial real estate developer, specializing in off-‐campus student housing. The part of this job that
I love the most, is offering feedback on how our tenants/students will respond to certain aspects of our buildings: the lounges, the study space, the layout of the bedrooms, which couches might be the most durable, really – anything and everything. I love to think about our
buildings from their perspec4ves and try to help make them as exci4ng and student-‐friendly as possible.
I had no idea when I lef the Housing world how handy some of my training and professional development would be. Helping to craf training sessions and policies have helped me do sales pitches and assist with our marke4ng campaigns. When I was given the opportunity
to review blue prints in my very first year as a new professional, I had no idea that I would eventually have a job that required me to review
them every day – and that liUle gif from my supervisor at the 4me really helped to get me in the door in my new career (thank you Shannon!)
As we start to edge closer and closer to September, I do find myself missing the buzz of the University Campus – people in matching shirts
running around with banners, trays of cookies being placed on fresh linens for move in day, and hearing hundreds of cheers being prac4ced at all hours of the day and night. To all of you preparing for your students to arrive: I wish you well, and I applaud you for the work you are
about to do – it’s work that maUers, and it’s work that is appreciated by your students. As for me, I will be looking over our next project, and
for the first 4me in over a decade, will be having a beer on labour day.
page 6
withEmily Ahlgren-EleyW
C O N N E C T W I T H O A C U H O
Have an idea for some-‐thing in The Pulse? Have some fun photos you would like to share with the rest of OACUHO?
Proud of something you’ve done at your ins@tu@on? Is there someone you want to recognize for their great work? Do you have a website/ar@cle you wish others could read?
Submit to Heather MacKinnon by the 20th of each
month and they will appear in that month’s issue!
Mem b e r s h i p E n g a g em e n tApplica@ons for Mentor Program closed on July 31 and we are excited that so many people have shown interest in being both a mentor and a mentee and we think there are going to be some amazing new rela@onships formed! Mentors and Mentees will receive more informa@on about their pairings shortly so keep watching your inbox. If you didn't have a chance to complete the
applica@on and are s@ll interested in being a mentor or mentee please email Lynn Charron at [email protected].
Membership renewal is just around the corner so expect to hear from the Membership Engagement CommiUee if you don't renew your membership by the deadline! Our hope is that we won't have to contact anyone because you will have all have completed your renewal on @me but if not, we do promise to harass you, so don't be surprised! Check out the top reasons to renew your
membership right here in the Pulse in case you need some extra reasons to renew.
We are always excited to have new members join us so if you are interested please email Lynn at [email protected]
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Check out these resources from your Professional Development CommiUee!
TO P T E N R e a s o n s t o R e n e w y o u r O A C U HO M em b e r s h i p ( o n t i m e )
10. Discounts on Professional Development Sessions, including our annual conference 9. Provides you an opportunity to develop a professional support network 8. Amazing socials put on by your Members at Large 7. Access to the Listserv to ask all your important ques@ons or to get feedback/sugges@ons 6. Regular newsleUer with informa@ve @ps, sugges@ons and general informa@on 5. A fearless Board of Directors who is out there working for it's members 4. Ability to join commiUees, sub-‐commiUees and task forces designed to enhance the membership's experience and inves@gate current issues facing the Housing field 3. Access to various resources on the Members Only por@on of the website, including past conference presenta@ons and general informa@on 2. Having a connec@on with people who you don't have to try to explain what your job is because they understand 1. It's like being a member of a secret society because only members know how to pronounce OACUHO properly (some of us can't even pronounce it)!
