MACUHO Magazine December 2012

I N S I D ET H I S I S S U E

Delaware • District of Columbia • Maryland • New jersey • Pennsylvania • West Virginia

TURNING 40,MACUHO MATURES

TEN STEPS TOWARDS MOTIVATING STAFF

DEVELOPING A NEW BRAND FOR MACUHO

magaz i neM A C U H OMid-Atlantic Association of College & University Housing Officers

TABLE OF CONTENTS

2012 Annual Survey Results

Annual Financial Report

FY 2011 Final Budget and FY 2012 Approved Budget

UPDATES

06

07

07

EVENTS

Mid-Atlantic Placement Conference (MAPC) 2013

Letter From the President 04

22

Case Study Wrap UP

This Year’s MACUHO-REC

Award Descriptions

MACUHO AWARDS 2012

Turning 40, MACUHO Matures

2012 MACUHO Conference Photo Gallery

My Time As President

CONFERENCE10

11

12

13

14

18

20

Sean P. Killion

Kenrick Roberts

Devin Budhram

Vinita Tandon

Greg Costanzo

Stephanie Giangrande

Ann DeStefano

Derek Mulvey

Brandt Grobeis

Alicia Moore

Jesse Michel

Michael Bumbry

Angela M. Brockman

Anne Elizabeth Greenip

Christina Moran

Philadelphia University

THIS ISSUE’S CONTRIBUTORS

EDITORS

FEATURES24

28

30

32

34

36

40

44

Ten Steps Towards Motivating Staff

MACUHO Corporate Partner Program

Student Staff Live-In Experience

The Volunteer Incentive Program

Developing a New Brand for MACUHO

RA Training Goes Conference-Style

Move In Day with IPads

Repairing our ‘Ruef’ Community

Morgan Knepper

Temple University

Kate Cassidy

Temple University

DESIGNERS

4 | MACUHO

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A LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT

“GREETINGS,

MACUHO FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES!

I’M IN!”

MACUHO | 5

MACU H O MAGA ZI N E

Mid-Atlantic Association of College & University Housing Officers

M A C U H O

n November 8,

2012, I declared

to you, echoing

the words of

our ACUHO-I

President, Vennie Gore, that “I

am IN!” I was heartened to hear

the same words repeated back

to me by so many of you that

night, via social media the next

few days, and through e-mail.

“I’m IN!” was the declaration that

you are indeed committing to

be a part of MACUHO, the finest

housing/residence life profes-

sional organization in our region!

This is my first MACUHO

Magazine update to you as

your new president. I’m very

excited to write to you today,

and I hope you are equally as

excited to hear from me!

In early November, MACUHO

gathered in Baltimore, MD at our

Annual Conference to celebrate

our 40th Anniversary. I was

pleased to be part of the celebra-

tion and was happy to welcome

over 100 new delegates to the

Annual Conference. Our profes-

sion is growing by leaps and

bounds; we are welcoming new

professionals at a fantastic rate!

At the same time, we

welcomed 19 past-presidents to

the conference. We welcomed

them home. For many, this was

a homecoming; they’d traveled

from across the country to cel-

ebrate our 40th birthday party.

To our new profession-

als reading this article, think

about that for a minute. Our

colleagues who have left the

MACUHO region to live and work

all across the country came to

Baltimore to reunite with their

MACUHO friends and col-

leagues. In his outgoing speech

(and reinforced in my incoming

speech), MACUHO Past President

Shigeo Iwamiya talked about

the level of involvement that

you could have in MACUHO.

Both he and I hope that you’ll

be on that stage someday to

accept the MACUHO gavel and

the challenge to lead our As-

sociation for twelve months.

The 2012-2013 MACUHO year

will see many new initiatives

and challenges. In Baltimore, I

announced some changes and

expansions of the MACUHO

Executive Board. I welcomed

Joe Peltzer as the first MACUHO

social media coordinator. I also

announced a minor change to

reporting structures of our new

Association structure with the

consolidation of the Business

Operations and Communica-

tions functional area. Our new

views on Corporate Partnerships

and the MACUHO Magazine

will result in a refined, polished,

and professional approach

to these new critical areas.

Finally, I repeat to you the

opening remarks I made in

Baltimore: To make a success-

ful year in MACUHO, blend

together equal parts of Effi-

ciency, Engagement, and Brand.

I’m confident that the 2012-2013

MACUHO Executive Board will

do just that and I look forward

to the next year … together.

“TO MAKE A SUCCESSFUL YEAR

IN MACUHO, BLEND TOGETHER

EQUAL PARTS OF EFFICIENCY,

ENGAGEMENT, AND BRAND.”

O

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IMPORTANT ASSOCIATION –UPDATES–

UPDATES

We would like to extend a big thank you to

everyone who responded to the 2012 Annual

Survey this summer. 129 respondents answered

25 questions, and the results were very interest-

ing! We learned, for example, that although it is

still the most commonly used tool, we are seeing

that email usage as a primary means of com-

munication is decreasing from last year by 2.7%

while social networks (+5.73%) and the MACUHO

Magazine (+2.79%) are gaining popularity.

We also learned that there has been an increase

in graduate participation in the Annual Survey

since last year (a jump of 8.12%!). Could the

stratification of communication have to do with

our graduate students introducing new technol-

ogy to our field? Quite possibly! And are you

also noticing this next trend on your campus?

We’re seeing a general increase of Conference

Services responsibilities in our membership over

the last year by 4.64% while the number of student

conduct responsibilities has DECREASED by

5.97%! Would you believe that out of those who

responded to our survey, the strongest growth

in our organization is in the New Jersey region

with an explosive 9.28% increase in participa-

tion since last year? Way to go, New Jersey!

We would also like to announce the winners of our

$25 Target gift card drawing. Congratulations to:

• Matthew Zielinski, Busch Housing

and Residence Life Office

• Tamar Lawson-McPherson of

New Jersey City University

• Mindy Somerville of Robert Morris University

• Conal F. Carr of Penn State University

If you’re interested in finding out more about the

results from our Annual Survey, please visit the full

report, available on our website www.macuho.org.

2012 Annual Survey Results

MACUHO | 7



M A C U H O

Thanks to the great work of Jennifer Thorpe, our

sponsorship coordinator, we raised $11,550 in 2012

via our Corporate Partner Program. This money

was used in part to support the annual confer-

ence, and the remainder will go toward sup-

porting new MACUHO initiatives in the future.

ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT

FY 2011 Final Budget and FY 2012 Approved Budget

CHECKING/SAVINGS ACCOUNT BALANCES

AccountAs of Annual Meeting

(11/8/2012)As of 12/5/2012

Business Checking $126,497.16 $69,495.18

Business Performance Savings $53,898.80 $53,903.59

Business Savings $19,361.26 $19,361.38

Total Funds $199,757.22 $142,760.15

The following financial information was presented at the

MACUHO Annual Business Meeting on November 8, 2012.

NOTE: The differences in account balances over

the last month reflect settlement of the expenses

from our Annual Conference in Baltimore and

interest accrued on the savings accounts.

We ended the 2011 fiscal year with a small

surplus of just over $11,000. This money

was moved forward and reallocated in

the fiscal year 2012 budget, for which the

Executive Board approved an operat-

ing budget of $84,603. MACUHO’s fiscal

year extends from January to December.

Access to the final budget for FY 2011

and the budget approved by the Execu-

tive Board for FY 2012 may be found on

MACUHO.org under the “Latest News” link.

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MACUHO | 9



M A C U H O

10 | MACUHO

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Case Study Wrap UP

With another conference closed and the 40th

celebration of MACUHO over, the Personal and

Professional Development Committee (PPD) would

like to thank the Baltimore Host Committee and

the Executive Board for a great conference.

If you were unable to join us in Charm City or

were there and didn’t get the scoop on the case

study competition, here is a quick wrap up.

PPD once again sponsored and organized the New

Professional Case Study Competition. There was an

unprecedented 25 people who said they were in-

terested in the competition. Unfortunately we could

only choose six teams of two to participate. We are

hoping this interest continues to future conferences!

This year’s prompt centered on a fictitious in-

stitution at which the administration was con-

templating putting security cameras in the resi-

dence halls in reaction to the vandalism, safety

and security concerns, and parent concerns.

Each group had a little more than a day to put

together their reaction to the prompt as well as

their recommendations for the administration.

They then had 10 minutes to present and take

questions from our judges and the audience.

This year our esteemed judging panel included

Katie Boone, past MACUHO president and

Director of Residential Life at UMBC; Craig

Allen, past MACUHO president and Director

of Residential Services at TCU; and Kevin Feil

Director of Residence Life at York College of

Pennsylvania. Through their deliberation, Chris-

topher Bryant from Shepherd University and

Natalie Liston from Shippensburg University

were selected as the winning pair. Christopher

and Natalie won free registration to the 2013

MACUHO annual conference in Pittsburgh, PA.

Thank you to our judges, all those who participated,

and the PPD Committee (especially Jess Oswald

who organized and guided our participants)!

CONFERENCE

MACUHO | 11



M A C U H O

This Year’s MACUHO-REC

Each year, Residence Life supervisors from

throughout the Mid-Atlantic region are invited by

the MACUHO Recognition, Education & Connec-

tions Committee (REC) to nominate outstand-

ing student staff members from their universi-

ties who go above and beyond the call of duty

and exemplify a healthy, balanced lifestyle.

Winners receive an award plaque and con-

ference registration for attendance at the

upcoming MACUHO SSLI Conference.

We would like to congratulate the fol-

lowing three RAs for being selected by the

MACUHO REC committee as the 2012 Our

Region’s Best (ORB) award recipients:

RA Victoria Winslow – University of Delaware

RA Tiffany Marriner – Delaware Valley College

RA Michel’le Bryant – Fair Leigh

Dickinson University

We had a total of 19 nominations, making

the selection for this year’s award recipients

very difficult. All the RAs nominated are ex-

cellent and we look forward to hearing about

their continued success at their universities.

The MACUHO REC Committee would

like to recognize the following RAs for

being nominated by their supervisors:

• RA William Capon III - Stevens In-

stitute of Technology

• RA Carolina Pelaez - Stevens In-

stitute of Technology

• RA Halei Van Dyke - Felician College

• RA Sarah Hann - University of Delaware

• RA Madison Helmick - University of Delaware

• RA Sarah MacDonald - University of Delaware

• RA Martin Petrella - University of Delaware

• RA Stephanie Schmidt - University of Delaware

• RA Vincent Tavella - Delaware Valley College

• RA Alyssa Calderon - York

College of Pennsylvania

• RA Heather Dachiu - York College of Pennsylvania

• RA Jackie Gibat - York College of Pennsylvania

• RA Meredith Hunt - York College of Pennsylvania

• RA Kelly Kolb - York College of Pennsylvania

• RA Joe Mayes - York College of Pennsylvania

• RA Kristen Gioffre - Towson University

Congratulations again to the winners and

the nominees; we hope to see even more

great RAs nominated next year!

Sincerely,

Steven Couras

Co-Chair MACUHO-REC Committee

Assistant Area Coordinator

Office of Residence Life

Stevens Institute of Technology

Dawn Ohanessian

Co-Chair MACUHO-REC Committee

Assistant Director for Training and Development

Housing and Residence Life

Seton Hall University

Our Region’s Best (ORB) Award Recipients

12 | MACUHO

WI NTER I S S U E

Mid-Level Professional Award

Intended to recognize significant contributions to our field by mid-level

professionals. The recipient should be someone who has worked full-

time in the field of housing and residence life for between 4-8 years. The

first Mid-Level Professional Award was presented at the 2007 Annual

Conference in West Virginia.

The David Butler Distinguished Service Award

Intended to recognize contributions to MACUHO which are lasting and

significant over a period of years. The recipient should be a consistent

participant in and supporter of MACUHO activities.

The James Hurd Outstanding Service Award

Intended to recognize outstanding contributions to MACUHO by a com-

mittee members or executive member over the past year (since the last

Annual Conference).

The Ann Webster New Professional Award

Intended to recognize significant institutional and/or regional contribu-

tions to our field. The recipient should be someone who has worked full-

time in the field of Housing/Residence Life for less than three years.

The Vendor of the Year Award

Intended to recognize outstanding contribution and commitment to the

work and mission of the Association by a vendor.

The Professional COLORS/Commiment to Social

Justice Award

Awarded to the individual who has done outstanding work in educating

students, staff, and faculty of diversity related issues.

Excellence in Operations Award

Awarded to the individual(s) who have demonstrated excellence in hous-

ing operations, assignments, and/or facilities management.

Award Descriptions

CONFERENCE

MACUHO | 13



M A C U H O

Presidents Gavel Shigeo Iwamiya

Nominated and Host Awards

Ann Webster New Professional Award Morgan Sharpless

James Hurd Outstanding Service Award Olan Garrett

David G. Butler Distingished Service Award David Clurman

Vendor of the Year Award Bar Z Adventures

Mid-Level Professional Award Laura Randolph

Commitment to Social Justice Award Tim Cherney

Excellence in Operations Award Karen Kostelny

Host 2012 Chairs David Clurman

Brian Medina

Outgoing Board Member Plaques - Committees

Recruitment & Retention Committee Co-Chair Jane Sanchez

Rec., Educ., & Connections Committee Co-Chair Dawn Ohanessian

Personal & Professional Development AJ Nudo

Outgoing Board Member Plaques - Regional Coordinator’s

Delaware/Maryland Regional Coordinator Joseph Uter

Central Pennsylvania Regional Coordinator Sherri Sadowski

North East Pennsylvania Regional Coordinator Chris Ottey

New Jersey Lynn Riker

South East Pennsylvania RJ Carroll

West Virginia Regional Coordinator Stephanie Hurley

Outgoing Board Member Plaques - Officer’s/Director’s/Coordinator’s

Director of Annual Programs Dana Severance

Macuho Magazine Matthew LaBrasseur

Macuho Magazine Editor Deborah Scheibler

MACUHO Awards 2012

14 | MACUHO

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– TURNING 40, MACUHO MATURES –

CONFERENCE

MACUHO’s 40th birthday only shows that,

like any good wine, we get better with time.

This year’s annual conference worked to high-

light the many wonderful years in MACUHO’s

history, providing hundreds of professionals

with the context to the many changes clearly

evident over four decades. The Tremont Plaza

Hotel and Grand space was a way to show how

‘classy’ we can be while also maintaining our

core values and strengths as an association.

For those who attended the conference,

you hopefully explored the many opportuni-

ties offered to professionals in our field. Whether

you attended the Committee Expo, introduced

yourself to exhibitors, attended the many outstand-

ing workshops, or simply networked with col-

leagues over good food, there was ample reason

to be thankful for MACUHO’s “family-feel.”

Attendees may have also noticed new initiatives

for the annual conference. For those with smart-

phones and tablets, the Guidebook App was a free

download for conference attendees to manage their

schedule, check out vendor website information,

and see the evening entertainment options without

the use of a paper. The Program Committee also

launched a text-based evaluation system to reduce

its own paper use for the conference. The Diversity

Committee hosted a service-learning project with

Baltimore-based Moveable Feast, where partici-

pants prepared hundreds of meals and discussed

this opportunity during the afternoon PDP session.

Shigeo Iwamiya also unveiled our new asso-

ciation logo. We encourage you to go to www.

macuho.org to see the new format, colors, and

how this expresses a new chapter to MACUHO’s

history. These many changes were an effort to

enhance and better emphasize the many great

things already accomplished through MACUHO now

updated for an era filled with tweets and apps.

Finally, we want to thank all of you who

attended, volunteered, presented, and planned

for the 2012 Annual Conference. Without your

participation and assistance, the Host Commit-

tee would not have been able to provide such an

amazing opportunity for so many in our region.

Sincerely,

David Clurman and Brian Medina

Host 2012 Co-Chairs

MACUHO | 1 5



M A C U H O

• Nearly 300 delegates representing over 140 college and universities registered

• 56 workshops were presented over the 3 days of the conference

• 47 exhibitors with 55 display booths attended the conference

• 19 past presidents of MACUHO were in attendance

• $4036 was raised from the annual basket raffle

2012 Highlights by the numbers

Region’s Best

Marcellus Connor, University of Maryland, Eastern Shore -

“Tips and Tools to Becoming a Friendlier Housing Professional”

Best Presentation by a New Professional

Dillon Eppenstein, Philadelphia University - “The Declining

Involvement of Men on Campus and the Impact of Men’s

Expectations and Perceptions of College”

Best 30-Minute Presentation

Julie Mulé, Lafayette College - “Repairing Our “Ruef” Community”

Best Poster Presentation

Shelly Burkholder, Albright College - “The Ripple Effect:

The Community Development Programming Model –

Intentional Residence Education/Curriculum Programming”

Program Award Winners at the 2012 Annual Conference

MACUHO | 1 5Turning 40, MACUHO Matures

16 | MACUHO

WI NTER I S S U E


Special Thanks to the Host Committee 2012!

Martin Petrella

Alexa Kline

Nicole Rizzuto

Pananya Kamkourkong

Kyle Stuber

Samuel Case

Brandon Quiles

Felix Gouanette

Erin Hensley

Amanda Gilmore

James Thren

Huong Nguyen

LIST OF VIPs

University of Delaware

Salisbury University

College of Saint Elizabeth

Felician College

Montclair State University

Rowan University

Rutgers University- Camden

Shepherd University

Marshall University

DeSales University

Shippensburg University

Washington and Jefferson College

MACUHO | 17



M A C U H O

AJ Stationers – Binders and Index Tab Dividers

ASI Campus Laundry – CHO Reception

Balfour Beatty Campus Solutions – NJ Regional Dinner

Design Collective, Inc. – Casino Night, including Refreshments

Chartwells – Host Shirts

Foliot Furniture – Karaoke Night

L.A.M. – Conference Bags

MacGray – SEPA Regional Dinner

Public Identity – Name Badges

Stanley Security – Wireless Access

Special Thanks to our Sponsors!


18 | MACUHO

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CONFERENCE

MACUHO | 19



M A C U H O

20 | MACUHO

WI NTER I S S U E

Back in 2001, when I attended

by first MACUHO conference

in Cherry Hill, NJ, I sat in the

audience towards the back of

the room during the recogni-

tion dinner and wondered who

all the people were on stage

and listened to them talk about

MACUHO. They spoke as if it was

the one of the most amazing

experience of their career. Their

stories were remarkable and I

was moved that an organization

could have this kind of profound

effect on so many people. At

that very moment, I promised

myself that I would someday

be president of MACUHO.

10 years later, in 2011, at

Reading, PA, I had my opportu-

nity to make that promise come

true. When taking the presidency,

the one thing I promised myself

is that when I look back when it

was all over, I wanted to say that I

did it all without regret. It was an

absolute joy to get to know you,

and work on so many projects. I

got to see MACUHO in a whole

different way, and got to connect

with so many other presidents

of both regional and interna-

tional associations of ACUHO-I.

During my time, I tried to focus

my attention on learning beyond

the conference, and kick started

our webinar program. I am glad

I was able to use my connec-

tions that I have created through

the power of social media and

bring them on as presenters as

well. I hope you were able to

participate in these amazing

programs throughout the year.

Also, in anticipation of our

40th Anniversary conference in

Baltimore, MD, I started com-

municating with our past presi-

dents. It was one of the most

amazing experiences to be able

to connect with all of the men

and women that carried the gavel

before me. Many of the past

presidents shared their cherished

memories of their presidency and

helped me see the long line of

amazing talent I represented as

well. Seeing so many of the past

presidents all in one room during

the 2012 conference will be an

experience that I will never forget.

During 2011 and 2012, our

leadership structure changed

through the year and created a

group of individuals that made

me look amazing as well. Dana,

Grace, Shana, Jen, Olan, Derek

and Lulu, thanks for all the hard

work you did, and I couldn’t have

done this without you! While

the Director team was hard at

work, Sean, Joe, Greg, Crystal and

Olan, I can’t even express how

much it meant to me to be part

of this group. The elected officer

group helped me see the bigger

picture and showed me the way.

A president is often defined

by their supporters, and I have

to say, everything I did within

MACUHO is because the execu-

tive board was there to support

me for every step of the way.

But the list doesn’t stop there.

For everyone that was involved

in a committee, region or a task-

force, you are the reason that our

association is where it is today.

It’s the programs at the confer-

ences, it’s the placement confer-

ence that continues our growth,

it’s the mentoring of the next

generation, it’s our attention to

CONFERENCE

MY TIME AS PRESIDENTBY: SHIGEO IWAMIYA, RUTGERS UNIVERSITY-NEWARK

MACUHO | 21



M A C U H O

construction and facilities, it’s our

relationship with our vendors,

it’s our recognition programs,

it’s our regional drive-in confer-

ences, it’s our social justice ini-

tiatives, it is in our very fabric

of every little involvement and

commitment that our members

give to our association that

makes all of our programs work.

It has been humbling to watch

all of our professionals work

towards our common goal of

creating a better experience for

housing professionals, and thus,

creating a rich experience for our

students all around the region.

I did my best to represent the

association in a positive way and

let the Housing and Residence

Life world know that there is

amazing talent in MACUHO. You

taught me everything I needed

to know to fulfill the presidency,

and you gave me one of the

biggest opportunities that I could

possibly imagine. You essentially

were my spotlight that helped

me shine. Thank you for allowing

me to serve as your president,

and I am eternally humbled by all

the support and love I received.

Sincerely,

Shigeo

2 2 | MACUHO

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Mid-Atlantic Placement Conference (MAPC) 2013

February 21 and 22, 2013 | Reading Crowne Plaza | Reading, PA

By: Alexander Tsikerdanos

EVENTS

It is that time of the year again. The leaves have

begun to turn and it feels like it will snow any

day now. That means it is time to start thinking

about the Mid-Atlantic Placement Conference

(MAPC)! Since 1996 professionals have been

using the MAPC to recruit and be recruited by the

schools of the Mid-Atlantic region. Many recent

graduates have found their starts in our field

at Delaware, Lancaster, and now in Reading.

Here are the top three reasons to attend the MAPC:

• Low Cost. Attending a national confer-

ence can cost you hundreds of dollars. Early

bird registration is only $70 for candidates

and $95 for employers. With minimal travel

costs, you cannot afford to pass this up.

• Warm Atmosphere: The MAPC Host committee

prides itself on creating an environment where

candidates and employers can feel comfortable.

• Stay Connected! The annual conference

isn’t the only time to catch up with friends

and colleagues! There are plenty of op-

portunities to catch up at the MAPC.

Interest in the MAPC has continued to grow over

the years. The host site of last year’s annual con-

ference, the Reading Crowne Plaza was a great

site for us last year’s MAPC and will be a great site

this year. You will not find a more cost-effective

and accessible opportunity. If you have been to

the MAPC before, we hope that you will come

back. If you have never been, join us in Reading!

Registration is open now, and Early-Bird

registration ends January 21st. Sign up

through the MACUHO website today!

“Mid-Atlantic Placement Conference:

Making successful employment matches in

the Mid-Atlantic Region since 1996!”

MACUHO | 23



M A C U H O

2 4 | MACUHO

WI NTER I S S U E


As we approach the start of a new semester, it’s

a good time to review how your staff is doing

and find ways to help them stay motivated now

that the kickoff highs are over! This is especially

challenging for student staff. Here are ten tips

to help you keep your staff morale high.

By: Becky Falto, an Area Coordinator in the Office of Residence

Life at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, New Jersey.

FEATURES

MACUHO | 25



M A C U H O

1. Start by setting realistic expectations for

yourself as a supervisor. While you play a significant

role in creating a work environment that is positive

for your staff, you need to remember that you can’t

single-handedly determine their level of enthusi-

asm for the job or remove their personal obstacles

and challenges. If you come into the job thinking

that you can do this, you will always feel like you

are coming up short. Instead, view yourself as the

person who gives them the tools and surroundings

where success is possible. When a staff member

struggles, your role is to help them identify those

challenges and the resources available to them.

2. Reflect on your own work experiences and

look for times in your career when you’ve been

most motivated. Why were you more moti-

vated then? What work conditions helped con-

tribute to that feeling? What did your supervisor

do to help boost your morale and productiv-

ity? Can you create similar conditions for your

staff? Often the best way to figure out what

your staff may need is to identify when you

yourself have (or have not) had that need met.

3. Get to know your staff and what their inter-

ests and skills are. Try to assign work based on

that information whenever possible and ap-

propriate. This may seem obvious, but it’s easy

to overlook this strategy during busy times and

it is so important for engaging staff and keeping

them interested. For example, suppose you super-

vise resident assistants who are planning a large-

scale event. Why not assign the more artistic staff

members to handle the event publicity, while your

more logical, detail-oriented staff members can

handle gathering the needed supplies, and the

more outgoing, social ones can serve as facilitators

of the event? This is just a general example but it

pays to keep looking for ways to give staff leader-

ship opportunities which utilize their strengths.

4. Challenge your staff and provide them with

new experiences that can help them learn and

grow. Balance having staff members work in their

strong areas with having them work on their weaker

areas as well. But don’t set them up for failure or

being overwhelmed. For example, don’t have them

take the lead on designing event flyers if they truly

struggle with creative tasks; just don’t exclude

them from these functions either. That person can

be part of a team to help plan the event publicity,

but the team should be led by someone who has

a genuine interest and talent for this kind of work.

Then, it is a win-win. When possible, create oppor-

tunities for staff to develop new skills, via resources

such as manuals, training sessions, and attendance

at professional development functions such as

MACUHO’s Student Staff Live-In (SSLI) conference.

5. Reward your staff in ways big and small for

a job well done. When staff members go above

and beyond, praise their efforts in front of other

staff members to not only congratulate them but

also to inspire the others to do the same. Even

when they have simply done a good job handling

their regular job duties, do what you can to ac-

knowledge that what they’re doing is not always

fun or easy. For instance, when an RA on my staff

does a great job checking and prepping rooms

before residents move in, I’ll offer to buy his or

her lunch on our budget as a thank you for a

task that is very tedious and physically demand-

ing. It’s a small gesture but one they appreciate,

which often motivates them to continue doing a

good job. It shows them they’re appreciated.

6. When a staff member is not meeting expecta-

tions, address the issue privately. Speak with the

person one-on-one to better understand what

factors may be contributing to the situation. For

instance, a staff member who is constantly forget-

ting deadlines may be having personal problems.

This doesn’t mean you should let poor performance

26 | MACUHO

WI NTER I S S U E

slide, but you may be able to help them figure

out solutions to the issue. Even when that is not

possible and a staff member has to leave the job,

it helps your reframe the situation for them as not

an opportunity for them to work on improving their

circumstances instead of simply being “let go.”

7. Answer staff members’ questions as honestly

as you can and empathize with them when

possible. Let them vent when stressed and let

them know they’re being heard—better they do

so with you than with their peers on staff or with

non-staff, which can ruin morale and your depart-

ment’s reputation. Also, try to be as transparent as

possible—when appropriate, of course. This includes

admitting when you’re unsure of something or

have made a mistake. If you’ve ever had a supervi-

sor shirk responsibility, dodge tough questions or

minimize your concern about a situation, then you

know how it feels. Try to avoid doing that to your

staff. They will be able to tell just as you can. Taking

time to explain policy rational or the history of an

issue goes a long way toward making your staff feel

you understand their concerns and care enough

to address them. If you want them to be honest

with you, do your best to do the same with them.

8. Practice what you preach. If you tell your staff

members about certain expectations you have

for them but then consistently break your own

rule, you cannot expect them to follow it. Take,

for example, when I tell my staff when contacting

me after hours is appropriate, and when it isn’t. I

explain that although I “live-in,” I need space and

time to myself just as they do. So, the same way

I wouldn’t knock on their doors late for a minor

issue, I ask the same from them. Then I follow my

own rule. I don’t call them or go to their rooms

during off-hours (barring anything urgent). Yet I’ve

worked with colleagues who sometimes see their

supervisor role as license to do otherwise, even

going so far as to key into R.A. rooms to drop off

supplies. I firmly believe we should give our staffs

the same respect we would want because even if

they are students, that doesn’t mean they don’t

warrant common courtesy. I want my staff to see

that I give them the same consideration that I ask

of them, which can in turn help motivate them

to be more balanced, productive employees.

9. Provide staff with opportunities for social-

izing with their peers on staff in positive ways.

If your staff gets to know one another well, it will

help strengthen their bonds for stressful times. I’ve

heard it said that a sign of an effective manager is

one who can leave without the office falling apart,

and a key part of that is ensuring that your staff

members know they can trust and rely on one

another. To create this dynamic, offer opportunities

for them to go to dinner, attend an event together,

share compliments about one another both as

part of required trainings and as optional outings.

10. Although you may be their supervisor, be

willing to let them provide direction at times. They

will inevitably have great ideas and unique perspec-

tives that you don’t. Make use of them. By imple-

menting their suggestions, they will feel validated

and encouraged. You want them to feel engaged

with their work, and by taking direction from them

when it makes sense, you will help instill a sense of

pride in the job that will go a long way in motivat-

ing them to continue doing their best on the job.

These are just a few ideas on how to motivate

staff. More can be found by researching

employee motivation. I recommend taking

tips from a variety of sources. For instance,

when trying to motivate R.A. staff, I research

more than just residence life strategies. I also

seek ideas from corporate HR resources. This

provides me with a multifaceted approach to

ensure I reach all members of my staff. I wish

you good luck in doing the same for yours!


MACUHO | 27



M A C U H O

28 | MACUHO

WI NTER I S S U E

FEATURES

By: Jenn Thorpe, Sponsorship Coordinator

www.adirondacksolutions.com • CALL US TOLL-FREE: 800.372.3165

MACUHO | 29



M A C U H O

n 2011, MACUHO introduced

the Corporate Partner Program.

Corporate partner programs

are common in other asso-

ciations similar to ours. This

program strengthens our financial

health and fortifies our relation-

ship with vendors. Past and current

MACUHO vendors were invited to

partner with us and could enroll at

three levels; Gold ($2,000), Silver

($1,000) or Bronze ($500).

Exhibitors were casually surveyed

at the annual conference in 2009, and

research was done on similar types

of programs. After many discus-

sions at executive board meetings

over a two year period, we were

ready to launch. A page was added

to the MACUHO website for vendors

so that they could access adver-

tising, sponsorship and exhibiting

information easily. The Corporate

Partner Program was also detailed

on this new page. There was much

success during the inaugural year as

five corporate partners enrolled. In

2012, we have doubled that support

with 10 corporate partners.

The program helps support the

annual conference and scholarships

for our members. Reciprocally, long-

time and new vendors benefit from

the added value of being a partner

(for more details on the levels of

sponsorship and benefits included, go

to www.macuho.org and click on the

“Sponsors” tab.) Added promotion

in publications and at events keeps

their support known year-round. In

addition, partners have access to our

directory to continue establishing rela-

tionships that are mutually beneficial.

The program will be evaluated

by our partners themselves and

by us, to ensure the success of the

program as it grows. Our corporate

partners enjoyed their time in Bal-

timore, and we enjoyed their par-

ticipation in our events. If you are

interested in being involved in the

Corporate Partner Program, please

email Jenn at [email protected].

Thank you to our Corporate Partners!

Gold

Butler Woodcraft

Dorm-In-A-Box

On Campus Marketing

Savoy & Sons

University Loft Co.

US Postal Solutions

Bronze

Adirondack Solutions, Inc.

Caldwell & Gregory

Image Team Outfitters

The Brill Company

I

30 | MACUHO

WI NTER I S S U E

It was before the crack of

dawn when three University of

Delaware vehicles pulled up to

the Perkins Student Center in

preparation for the two and a

half-hour drive to the MACUHO

Student Staff Live-In (SSLI) Con-

ference 2012 at Rutgers-Newark.

11 eager and excited Resident As-

sistants piled into the three vans

and got comfortable for the trip

up the New Jersey Turnpike from

Newark, Del. to Newark, N.J.

Nine out of the eleven RAs

representing the University

of Delaware presented at the

MACUHO SSLI conference on a

wide variety of topics ranging

from engagement strategies

and community development to

sustainability initiatives. Each

RA integrated their own experi-

ence and practices into their

presentations. Not only did they

thoroughly enjoy the presenta-

tion experience, but each RA

also learned something new

about their leadership style.

One group of RAs, Madison

Helmick, Martin Petrella, and

Marianna Fleish, practiced their

presentation on the drive up to

the Rutgers-Newark campus.

These three facilitated a presen-

tation on Neighborhood Em-

powerment Teams also known

as NET at the University of

Delaware. As a new professional

staff member at the University of

Delaware, it was amazing to hear

RAs discuss their passion for

student engagement and share

experiences and practices that

truly work in their floor commu-

nities. It was also refreshing to

see the RAs discuss challenges

and ways to improve the NET en-

vironment in their communities.

I attended RA Patrick

DeRosa’s presentation on the

Five Practices of Exemplary

Leadership, and I was extremely

impressed at both his ability to

articulate James Kouzes’ and

Barry Posner’s five principles,

and that he was able to make

tangible connections between

each principle and the RA role.

More than 40 undergraduate

students, graduate students, and

new professionals attended this

presentation. It was evident that

many individuals were inspired

by each of the principles and mo-

tivated to bring their experiences

back to their home institutions.

Throughout all of the pre-

sentations, it was clear that the

theme of the MACUHO-SSLI

Conference, Project: Inspira-

tion, resonated for students

and professionals like.

After attending presenta-

tions, learning best practices

from various institutions, gaining

leadership skills by facilitat-

ing presentations, observing

the structure of the Rutgers-

Newark campus, and getting to

know their fellow RAs better,

each University of Delaware RA

walked away from the MACUHO

SSLI Conference with a uniquely

amazing experience. RA

Madison Helmick commented

on how Rutgers-Newark was

such a beautiful campus, and

she spoke about how apprecia-

tive she was of the experience

to attend a conference and meet

RAs with such diverse experi-

ences. Each RA was reenergized

and excited to bring their new

ideas back to the University of

Delaware. The trip from Newark,

DE to Newark, NJ inspired many

RAs to integrate the knowl-

edge learned into their own

practice and to continue explor-

ing their own leadership style.

Project: Inspiration – Success!

STUDENT STAFF LIVE-IN EXPERIENCENEWARK, DE MEETS NEWARK, NJ

FEATURES

By: Ashley Nickelsen, UDel Residence coordinator

MACUHO | 3 1



M A C U H O

International RA

Appreciation Day

2/20/13

Decorate Staff

Doors

Video Thank You Favorite

Candy Gifts

Write a Poem

REC Encourages You To…

STAY CONNECTED After the Annual Conference

ON YOUR CAMPUS Network with staff outside

of your department over lunch

IN THE REGION Support or help organize

an event within your region WITH MACUHO

Build connections on the site through your MACUHO profile

DID YOU KNOW?

REC would like you to take the opportunity in 2013 to recognize all the hard work that our region’s student staff members do!

International RA Appreciation Day will be quickly approaching -

Wednesday, February 20th! This is a day to recognize the outstanding efforts and accomplishments of Residence Life para-

professionals everywhere.

Celebrate and recognize your RAs, CAs, SAs, RCs, etc. Whoever your student staff is at your institution in a special way!!

Look out for more information & ideas on the MACUHO website in

early February 2013.

32 | MACUHO

WI NTER I S S U E

The Volunteer Incentive Program

in 1,2,3 & Why It MattersBy: Erin Hensley, Marshall University

1) Professional Development

sdBeing involved in the Vol-

unteer Incentive Program

opened my eyes to the world

of professional develop-

ment. I realized how impor-

tant conferences are to stay

up-to-date on current and

future practices and how ben-

eficial they can be for institutions. This experi-

ence prompted me to become involved in national

and regional organizations in the near future.

2) Mentoring

One of the most helpful aspects of the Volunteer

Incentive Program was connecting with a mentor.

I was able to meet with someone from a differ-

ent institution and gain insight on the profession.

While meeting with my mentor, I learned about

graduate programs, interview tips, how to get my

foot in the door in regards to publishing, and more!

3) Networking

The Most challenging portion of the con-

ference was networking, but it was also very

helpful. I was given many opportunities to talk

with current students and professors from

graduate programs of my interest, was given

tips on how to successfully network in the

future, and why this is crucial in the field.

Why does it matter?

The Volunteer Incentive Program is an outstand-

ing way to get students professionally involved

in Student Affairs. As a current undergraduate

student and senior, attending the MACUHO con-

ference further solidified my decision to pursue a

career in this profession. By combining opportuni-

ties for professional development, mentoring, and

networking, I was able to learn how to become a

more involved future professional and how to transi-

tion into the field. Because of the Volunteer Incen-

tive Program, I am more aware of opportunities in

regards to committee work, leadership positions,

research, publishing, and conference involvement.

It was an incredible learning experience, and on

behalf of all of the VIPs, I would like to thank all

of you for your hospitality and for the chance to

attend the 2012 MACUHO Annual Conference.

How can you use it?

As student affairs professionals, you may not

see the Volunteer Incentive Program as some-

thing that you yourself can utilize; however, the

possibilities are endless! If you would like to be

directly involved, volunteer to be a mentor for

a potential future professional or get involved

in the recruitment and retention committee.

Both of those are great ways to interact and

give back to the student affairs community.

Aside from mentoring and committee work,

I urge you to advertise the program to your

current students or staff. It’s an incredible ex-

perience, and a great opportunity for anyone

interested in entering the field. Promote the

program, and hopefully it will have even more

applications to choose from next year!

FEATURES

MACUHO | 3 3



M A C U H O

In November, I was fortunate

enough to attend the 40th annual

MACUHO Conference as one

of twelve students in the Vol-

unteer Incentive Program (VIP)

selected from a pool of over 80

applicants. As excited as I was

when I found out I was accepted

into the program, the experi-

ence far exceeded my expecta-

tions. I expected to learn more

about student affairs and hone

my skills, and I did. However,

what I got out of the confer-

ence on a deeper, inspirational

level was even more beneficial.

In the three days of the con-

ference, my interest in the field

days quickly evolved to match

everyone else’s passion. I guess

that I “caught the MACUHO bug.”

The group’s warm, friendly, and

positive attitudes made me want

to be a part of that community

more than ever. I certainly did

not have to look far to attain that

feeling of acceptance; all of the

professionals were more than

happy to welcome us and mentor

us throughout the conference.

Whether it was offering candid

advice, a complete makeover to

my résumé, or simply a business

card paired with a smile and

the invitation “let me know if

you need anything,” it seemed

that everyone I spoke with was

willing to share their experi-

ence and time to help me.

It didn’t stop with the profes-

sionals, though. The other eleven

VIP students are some of the most

genuine, intelligent, and char-

ismatic people I have ever had

the pleasure of meeting. I was

amazed how quickly we bonded

with each other and became

friends. We are still in touch and

following each other’s progress.

Possibly the most uplifting

moment at the conference was

the honor of meeting Mr. Thomas

Pierce. Hearing his story and that

of his daughter reminded me

how important it is to fully live

your life, to appreciate the people

around you, and to love the career

you choose for yourself. His in-

domitable optimism touched all

of all of the VIP students, and we

will never forget that Lisa Pierce

is at the heart of the program

that we were able to enjoy.

With all my new connections

and a plethora of invaluable

advice, I left the MACUHO Confer-

ence feeling energized, confident,

and ready to tackle the applica-

tions that were waiting for me

back at home in Pennsylvania.

To everyone who was involved

in giving us all this opportunity,

and to everyone who mentored

us while we were there, please

know that the VIP program had

a lasting impact on me and my

professional ambitions. From

a student who experienced it

firsthand, I thank you so much.

Sincerely,

Amanda Gilmore

DeSales University, PA

3 4 | MACUHO

WI NTER I S S U E

By: Sean P. Killion, Associate Director for University

Housing & Residential Life at Temple University

ike, Coke, McDon-

alds, Walt Disney,

Apple, BMW,

Target, and South-

west Airlines...

what do these companies have

in common? BRANDING. Ac-

cording to BrandZ’s fourth annual

ranking of the top brands in the

world, in 2009, a year of global

economic turmoil, when every key

financial indicator plummeted, the

value of the top 100 brands in-

creased by 2 percent to $2 trillion.

Growing up during the 1980s and

1990s, I was exposed to many

attempts by companies to market

and brand their products to me,

whether they were trying to sell

popular consumer products,

like Coke and Pepsi during the

Cola Wars (sorry, Coke, but I’m

a Pepsi fan) or attempting to sell

me cigarettes by using cartoon

characters like Joe the Camel

(yes, believe it or not, before

the early 1990s, cigarette com-

panies targeted advertising to

children). What, you might ask,

does this have to do with me, my

role in higher education or, more

importantly, our housing field?

The answer is quite simple.

Over the course of the next

decade, the number of college-

age students entering our

colleges and universities will

continue to decrease. Coupled

with the fact of increases in

tuition and decreases in state

funding, students have seen a

steady increase in the overall

cost of their college education.

Now, more than ever, senior-

level administrators are finally

considering the experiences and

resources that have a transfor-

mative affect on students and

lead to improving retention. For

years, those in the housing and

residential life areas have known

of our importance; however,

more and more universities are

stressing the importance of on-

campus, residential experiences

and are looking to partner with

our departments to illustrate

the value of living on-campus.

Branding is simply defined

as building a perception of your

organization in the mind of con-

sumers. In many cases, brands

help consumers relate to orga-

nizations in a human way that

evokes feelings, emotions, at-

titudes, and beliefs. Through

N

Developing a new brand for MACUHO

FEATURES

MACUHO | 3 5



M A C U H O

brands, consumers feel more con-

nected to a company and hence

build stronger relationships. The

process of developing environ-

ments that help our students

build relationships is exactly

what we do in housing; however,

we rarely take credit for it nor

do we align ourselves strategi-

cally within our organizations to

capitalize on building our brand.

At Temple University, the

Office of University Housing and

Residential Life has worked to

build a stronger brand within the

University community and has

partnered with several depart-

ments to ensure it remains vital

to the organization while inte-

grating its brand with the Uni-

versity’s brand. This process is

an example of integrated mar-

keting communications and is

seen throughout all successful

businesses around the world.

According to the July 10th, 2012

edition of AdWeek, “Between the

Olympics and the U.S. presiden-

tial election, 2012 is a biggie for

brands, so much so that they got

out of hibernation early. The first

quarter is usually quiet for adver-

tisers, but the period’s global ad

spend increased by 3.1 percent

from last year, according to

Nielsen’s Global AdPulse Report.

The research firm said the year

got off to a slow start but hit $128

billion by the end of March, with

that month in particular jumping

4.5 percent year-over-year.

Internet advertising grew by 12.1

percent, the most of any media

channel, but still only accounted

for 2.6 percent of the quarter’s

total ad spend (equivalent to

outdoor advertising’s spend

share). Meanwhile TV dollars

rose by 2.8 percent and ate up

61.9 percent of total ad spend.”

According to a June 25, 2012

article in Advertising Age, the

increases seen the nation’s 100

biggest advertisers in 2011,

boosting total U.S. ad spending

by 4.8%, hasn’t been seen in

traditional outlets. Money is

being diverted into unmeasured

disciplines such as various digital

plays including search marketing,

online video and some forms

of social media, promotion and

direct marketing. According to

the article, the appeal is clear.

Marketers are putting money into

disciplines that directly connect

them with targeted consumers.

The idea of directly connect-

ing to your target consumer has

major implications for our profes-

sion considering the trends we

are seeing in higher education.

As MACUHO celebrated its 40th

anniversary in Baltimore, MD this

past November, the Executive

Board determined that one of

the priorities it wanted to focus

on was the creation of a new

MACUHO logo and branding

document to help the asso-

ciation improve its brand and

value to its members. Given

that in recent years, we have

invested in improved communi-

cations and enhanced informa-

tion technology as directed by

our strategic plan, it seemed

like the appropriate next step to

consider developing and execut-

ing a new brand for the future.

As MACUHO launches the

next strategic planning initia-

tive, my hope is that we will

continue to place a high impor-

tance on marketing and branding

in our profession and associa-

tion as this will be an important

area for us in the future.

For more information about

marketing and branding strate-

gies in housing and higher edu-

cation, feel free to contact Sean

Killion at [email protected].

“Branding is simply defined as building a perception of your organization in the mind of consumers.”

Developing a new brand for MACUHO

“It was nice to have different work-

shops that we chose to go to because

we personally thought we would benefit

from them. It was also nice to see return-

ing Resident Assistants present infor-

mation that they thought was relevant

and valuable. It also showed that they

have taken something away from the

job that was necessary for those taking

on the job to know. It was not only in-

formative, but also interactive, which

helped get conversation going and

allowed for the newer Resident Assis-

tants to meet their fellow employees.”

-Resident Assistant (RA) Kaitlin Kemp

“Having the conference led by return-

ing RAs provided a more down-to-

earth experience, which made the

conference more relaxed, enjoyable,

and easier to get along with everyone.

Also, the returners were able to convey

relevant information that had helped

them in their past experiences.” –

John Gaffney, a fellow first-year RA

3 6 | MACUHO

WI NTER I S S U E

FEATURES

As professionals in the field, we

often get opportunities to partici-

pate in local and regional confer-

ences. During the experience, we

make new connections and collect

innovative ideas about topics we

want to learn more about. Even

better, we are learning from people

who have been there and done

that. Why shouldn’t such a re-

warding experience be available to

student staff? Why not bring this

fun, unique style of learning home?

Last summer, first-year RAs at

Rowan University experienced a

returner-led conference—a new

addition to the annual training

schedule. Returning RAs led

sessions on topics that they felt

would benefit the first-year RAs.

The forty-five minute presenta-

tions were divided into sessions to

provide participants with a variety

of topics to choose from. Begin-

ning with a whole-group address

and ending with recognition of

those involved in planning and

executing the event, the day was

truly a conference experience.

RA TRAINING GOES CONFERENCE-STYLEBy: Stephen Flemming, Resident Director, Rowan University

MACUHO | 3 7



M A C U H O

A Different Way of Learning

As we progress through grade

school, there is very little choice

associated with learning. Even

in colleges and universities,

academic programs prescribe

an extensive list of core require-

ments and general education

courses that leave little room for

electives. Motivation and learning

are very closely linked. For one to

truly learn there must be incen-

tive to do so. If an RA chooses to

go to a particular session of this

conference, they are more likely

to gain from it. Choice is impor-

tant to the learning process as

it places a level of responsibility

on the individual. They become

responsible for their own learning

and, in turn, absorb more infor-

mation they find to be necessary.

Within the RA group there

are very helpful, and sometimes

underutilized, sources of knowl-

edge. They can provide first-

hand accounts of what it’s like

to be an RA at your institution.

They have been in the trenches.

They are, of course, your return-

ing RAs. The conference-style

training provides an opportu-

nity for collaborative learning

that encourages a partnership

between first-year and returning

staff. It also allows for the first-

year staff to hear from people

other than their supervisors.

This style is not only beneficial

for the first-years. To develop a

command of a certain topic and

build a presentation, the pre-

senter must become comfort-

able with that topic. Odds are,

as they plan their presentations,

your presenters will also learn

something. Furthermore, ques-

tions will very likely arise during

the presentations to challenge the

presenter. These are all helpful

in that they help make the pre-

senter stronger in that area.

3 8 | MACUHO

WI NTER I S S U E

Factors That Matter

As many readers can attest,

planning a conference is not

always an easy task. A lot

goes into making a conference

happen, even a home-grown

conference. Recruiting people

to present, screening presenta-

tions, and evaluating the confer-

ence are all factors that matter.

Usually, larger events such as

this will require collaboration

between multitudes of people.

Some of those individuals may

be on the forefront, such as your

fellow graduate and professional

staff members. There are the

people who book the rooms, set

up the rooms, print the programs,

and provide the catering. There

is nothing wrong with one person

taking the lead on the project,

but delegation is a must.

The biggest question is will

it be a requirement that all re-

turning staff must present? If

participation is mandatory,

consider working as a team

to mindfully group returners

to present together. If it is not

mandatory, your team will need

to gather interest and deter-

mine who will present. Those

that do not present can partici-

pate in the conference alongside

the first-year staff members.

An effective way to choose the

best presentations is a proposal

form. On it, RAs can list who they

are working with, the topic of

their presentation, a brief outline

of the material covered, and any

materials they may need. From

there, your team can decide

relevance of the presentation

topic to first-year RAs and select

the presentations accordingly.

Group the presentations so

there are a variety of topics for

each session. If you have three

different proposals for program-

ming, distribute those amongst

the different sessions instead

of having them in one session.

Look closely at logistics; limit

the amount of chairs in each

room so that each presentation

gets a reasonable audience.

It’s Go Time!

So conference day is here! Your

returners are pumped for what

may be their first time presenting

and your first-years are anxious

about what may be their first

“conference”. Choose who will

address the group as a whole.

During that address, make sure

your rules for the conference

are clear and give directions to

where the sessions will be. In

addition to covering that, it may

be fun to have a key note speaker

of some sort. Be creative with

this. You could choose someone

who was an RA years ago at

your institution or a town icon.

Just remember, the goal of the

key note is to give the group

something to take with them

when they leave their chairs.

As the RAs disperse to their

sessions, have a graduate or pro-

fessional staff member outside

of each room to monitor how

crowded it gets. That person

could also sit in on the presen-

tation. This person can also

distribute a written evaluation

and for ushering the RAs to

where they need to be next.

Evaluation and Recognition

Your RAs have gone to their

sessions and had lunch. Now,

it’s time to bring the whole

group back together and close

your conference. This is the

perfect opportunity for you to

process the event and recognize

everyone that made it possible.

Ask probing questions for both

the presenters and the first-year

RAs. What was it like for you to

learn this way? What did you like

about it? Did you enjoy present-

ing? What would you like to see

change for next year? These are

all questions that could stimu-

late conversation and provide

information for you as you

RA TRAINING GOES CONFERENCE-STYLE

MACUHO | 39



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■ No peripheral devices or labels required

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plan for next year’s training.

It is extremely important to

recognize everyone who made

the event possible, especially the

presenters. Making certificates

for the presenters acknowledg-

ing their contribution is a great

way of saying thank you. You

and your team can decide if you

would like to do this publicly

during the closing or privately.

Speaking from past experi-

ences, I know many RAs enjoyed

being recognized in front of their

peers. Recognition of graduate

and professional staff members

is also important, but a verbal

commendation would suffice.

RA training teaches the ins

and outs of the RA job. RAs

learn how to mediate situations,

confront incidents, build com-

munity, and work as a team, but,

more importantly, RAs learn to

interact with each other, respect

differences, and manage their

time effectively. Most impor-

tantly, the groundwork is laid for

a cohesive, working family. The

returner-led conference comple-

ments the training curriculum

because it supports an exchange

of values, knowledge, trust,

and inspiration- requirements

for the growth of any family.

40 | MACUHO

MOVE IN DAY

WITH IPADSBarbara Lea-Kruger

WI NTER I S S U E

FEATURESFEATURES


M A C U H OMove-in is one of the most exciting and

emotional days for students and parents.

It is also the first introduction to college

life for many residents. Manage move-in

poorly, and the frustration and dissatis-

faction residents experience can have a

negative impact that will take a long time

for staff, and the institution as a whole,

to overcome. But managed successfully,

move-in can create a sense of pride in

the institution and leave both parents and

students feeling secure and comfortable.

“The common vision across all of our

departments is to ‘Set the Standard,’ and

that means ensuring that move-in for each

of our residents and their families is a

singularly enjoyable and efficient event,”

said Marie Witt, vice president of Univer-

sity of Pennsylvania’s Division of Business

Services that oversees Residential Services.

“To reach that goal I asked our staff to push

beyond the routine and look for innova-

tive ways to improve our operations.”

That can be a tall order. Each year,

the University of Pennsylvania welcomes

over 6,700 residents in 11 college houses.

The campus is situated in the densely-

populated, urban neighborhood of West

Philadelphia, where crowded city streets,

limited parking, on-going construction and

historic structures are the norm. But the

staff embraced Witt’s challenge and un-

dertook a comprehensive look at its op-

erations to determine if there were ways

to make service delivery even better.

Given the location, the natural assump-

tion was that there needed to be a way

to improve traffic flow to ease conges-

tion. But after reviewing every aspect of

their process, staff found that managing

traffic wasn’t the problem. Where the

process fell short was in the paperwork.

“When we mapped it all out, we realized

that move-in required 29 independent

steps from the moment students arrived on

campus until they were fully checked into

their rooms,” said Douglas Berger, execu-

tive director of Business Services who is

in charge of Penn’s Residential Services.

“Although we had recently transitioned to

an online housing assignments program,

there was a disconnect between our new

streamlined assignments technology and

the paper-based registration process which

was a legacy of our previous system.”

According to Berger, his staff realized

that in order to solve this problem they

needed a technology that would easily

deliver information from the database

to the complex “on the street” op-

eration. Following the example of their

student residents – the department

made the decision to go mobile.

Using wireless devices made it possible

to overcome the limitations of data lines

and power sources. After comparing

options, the decision was made to use the

Apple iPad which had the functionality that

was needed. The staff was familiar with

the device, meaning there was no need to

invest in training. Based on an analysis of

annual arrival data, it was determined that

30 devices could handle the daily volume

with a few extra on hand to address battery

drainage and any potential damage.

MACUHO | 41FEATURES

42 | MACUHO

WI NTER I S S U E

But identifying a mobile technology was only

part of the solution. “The device only takes you

so far,” said Nathan Cochran, strategic planning,

reporting and assessment coordinator for the

department, who headed up this project. “The

more critical piece was developing a way to allow

staff to quickly and easily input all of the data

required to check students into their rooms.”

Residential Services had recently moved

its housing assignments data to Star-Rez, and

Cochran and the University’s IT staff worked

closely with the company’s developers to create

a seamless interface. In the end, they were able

to leverage the web portal through the iPad

to enable staff to simply swipe a student’s ID

card to obtain the necessary information, elimi-

nating the need for any manual data entry.

However, the fact that some students, such

as the majority of freshman, arrived without

a university ID card still had to be managed.

This time the answer was easier.

It was determined that using Quick Response

(QR) codes would solve this problem. Using Mi-

crosoft Word, relevant information could be trans-

ferred to a QR code that could then be labeled

on each individual key package. This code, when

scanned with the iPad’s built in camera, was

able to perform a resident check-in with the

same efficiency and ease as a card swipe.

“With a simple swipe or a quick snapshot,

we eliminated 7,000 printed data cards and

14,000 custom printed labels that were previ-

ously needed to issue the 15,000 keys we distrib-

uted to residents each year,” Cochran explained.

In addition to finding an easy technical solution,

the security of both the mobile devices and the data

was also a critical concern. To address these issues,

staff utilized the iPad’s built-in technology which

made it possible to disable any device and wipe

it clean of data if necessary. Each device was also

branded with Residential Services information and

registered with Penn’s Department of Public Safety.

The good news is that not a single one was lost!

Not only did the mobile solution help make opera-

tions more efficient, it improved the bottom line.

Berger expects that the cost for purchasing the

mobile devices and all related expenses (such as

customizing the software and database) will be

offset in just two years. This includes savings from

a reduction in operational and printing costs.

According to Berger, the technology was so simple

to use that the time it took to train the part-time

student workforce that is hired each year to help

manage move-in was significantly curtailed. Some

of the savings comes from finding other uses for

the technology. Penn now has a mobile strategy for

on-call staff to access the key system and the mobile

database 24 hours a day allowing the building op-

erations team to go almost completely paperless.

The advantages of this mobilization for the

move-in process have also extended beyond

the projected financial savings. Since staff were

not tied to their desks for the month prior to

move-in preparing thousands of paper data

cards, they had more time to devote to room in-

spections. As a result, complaints about unpre-

pared rooms or damaged furnishings declined.

But the biggest benefit was that staff was no

longer primarily focused on operations.

“We were able to check-in residents liter-

ally standing on the side of the street,” said

Cochran. “Lines at our check-in stations were

totally eliminated, allowing our staff and vol-

unteers to spend their time actively engaging

all of our residents and their families which

greatly enhanced the move-in experience.”

Berger added, “Daring to transform our existing

process, leveraging the latest available tech-

nologies, and having a staff willing to embrace

the initiative were key elements to our success

and enabled us to provide the experience we

sought to achieve for our campus community.”

FEATURES CONTINUED

IPAD ARTICLE CONTINUED

MACUHO | 4 3



M A C U H O

4 4 | MACUHO

WI NTER I S S U E

By: Julie A Mule’

Associate Director of Residence Life, Lafayette College

clause about

community

damage billing

exists in most

housing con-

tracts - but what is its purpose?

To recoup losses? To sanction

students for unacceptable

behavior? To remind residents

they have responsibilities as

members of a community?

Last year, Lafayette College

experienced frequent acts of

vandalism in one of the predom-

inantly first-year buildings, Ruef

Hall. Initially, the disruption

consisted of noise and a high

level of activity. Over time, the

disruption changed to destruc-

tion in the form of ripped down

flyers and bulletin boards, trash

left in common areas, and food

and other items being dropped

down the center of the build-

ing’s spiral staircase. Investi-

gation of the incidents did not

uncover the actors responsible.

What we did find was a lack

of intervention and account-

ability by the residents of the

building. As is often the case,

we believed that these acts did

not go unobserved. Yet ,they

were not reported or stopped

by those who witnessed them.

Our initial response was to go

into our tool box and pull out

our trusty tools: e-mail notifica-

tions, floor meetings and RA fol-

low-ups. They are worthwhile

tactics, but they were not the

right tools for this job. In the

meantime, the cleaning, repair

and replacement bills kept piling

up, and the behavior continued.

It was time to bring in the heavy

machinery: community billing.

The costs were enough to

charge each resident a nominal

fee. The Assessment for

Damage clause in our housing

contract gave us the right to

bill on a per capita basis. We

agreed that it was a sound plan.

However, the more I thought

about it, the more I realized

that billing alone wouldn’t

achieve what we really wanted

for this group. Billing alone

would actually be the easy

way out for most of these

residents. Our demographic is

socioeconomically affluent. I

surmised that, in most cases,

the bill would be paid by the

parent, and there would be no

consequence to the student.

What would they learn?

A

Repairing our ‘Ruef’ Community

WI NTER I S S U E

FEATURESFEATURES

MACUHO | 4 5



M A C U H O

Then, I had a thought. This job

required something different—

something new. We needed a

way to show the residents that it

is important to take pride in their

living environment and clean up

their own messes. They needed

an opportunity to improve their

surroundings, to be a part of the

solution, and to demonstrate

they care about each other and

their building. They needed a

chance to play a role in maintain-

ing a welcoming and respectful

environment and a way to get

involved and educate each other.

A new idea was born: The Ruef

Community Action Initiative.

The learning outcomes

for the program were:

1) involve every student in a

specific action in support

of the community

2) encourage feeling of

ownership for the resi-

dence community

3) prompt students to inter-

vene as by-standers

The initiative consisted of five

events designed to improve the

cleanliness of the hall, to exhibit

appreciation for the role each

person plays in the community

(including the custodial staff),

and to consider how the actions

of the few can affect the entire

community. To entice students

to participate, we developed

a hook. In acknowledgment

of their efforts, participating

students would be exempt from

the community damage billing.

Students who did not participate

would split the repair and resti-

tution charges for the building.

The events involved hanging

bulletin boards, creating appre-

ciation cards for the custodians,

clean-up activities, and reflective

essay writing. The initiative was

carried out over four weeks.

The building residents were

contacted via email and invited

to participate. The RA staff

promoted the events with their

residents. A professional staff

member greeted participants at

each event and led a brief dis-

cussion about community living

by encouraging them to share

their thoughts and feelings about

the actions which prompted the

initiative. Once the five events

were completed, non participat-

ing residents were contacted

about a last chance to be a part

of the program: a reflective essay

addressing the question, “What

have I learned from living in the

Ruef community and how will I

use this knowledge in my future

communities”? Submissions were

reviewed and awarded credit.

Overall, we were pleased – even

surprised – by the results. Of the

143 residents in Ruef, 112 partici-

pated (78%). During the four week

span of events, there were no

additional billable damages. The

nuisance incidents that plagued

the community came to a halt.

We even had a student come

forward to take responsibility

for one incident and pay restitu-

tion for the damage caused. In

our conversations with students

and in te essays submitted, we

heard acknowledgement that

had they gotten involved when

they saw people behaving in a

manner that was disrespectful to

the community, they could have

possibly stopped some vandalism.

“This is a piece of information

that that I will take with me and

employ in the future communities

that I live in” wrote one resident.

Beyond these positive results

within the affected community,

we learned several things from

this initiative:

• Don’t write off a community;

it is never too late to step

in to help.

• Don’t be afraid to get in there

with the students.

• Making students aware of

disruptive behaviors will

help bond them together

against the acts.;

• We needed to find a safe way

for them to tell us things.

• In the future, use the creative

methods sooner.

Reflection on this experience

spurred some new initiatives be-

ginning this academic year. We

now send out timely notices to a

community announcing that an

act of vandalism has occurred

and provide details. To encour-

age students to provide infor-

4 6 | MACUHO

WI NTER I S S U E

mation about the incident, we

established an anonymous tipline

that students access via a link

from our department homepage.

Utilizing an online survey tool, we

created a simple report that asks

only for the date and location

of the incident and whatever

information they have to share.

This semester, we have received

over a dozen reports through

the tipline, many of which helped

identity the responsible parties.

Not only have we been able to

appropriately assign repair costs

to the responsible individual,

but we have also met with these

students to prompt reflection

on the negative consequences

of their behavior on the commu-

nity. This approach demonstrates

to all students that the depart-

ment is committed to supporting

a healthy living environment as

we let residents know when an

incident is “solved” and commu-

nity billing is no longer necessary.

Community damage is an

unfortunate distraction and

disturbance that plagues many

residential environments. With

a bit of effort and creativity, we

can show our support for the staff

and try to effect change. I will

leave you with an excerpt from

an essay submitted by a resident

which reinforced that our initia-

tive had some positive results.

“I have also learned the sheer

power of bystander action. Since

the Ruef Community Action Initia-

tive was established a month ago,

I have seen a change not only in

the way my fellow floor mates

interact but also in the way the

community as a whole behaves.”

MACUHO | 47



M A C U H O

LEADERSHIP COUNCIL

LAST NAME FIRST NAME BOARD POSITION INSTITUTION

Executive Officers Russo Joe President Drexel University

Glockey Dan Vice President/President Elect Fairmont State University

Lopez Crystal Secretary Georgian Court University

Garrett Olan Treasurer University of Maryland- College Park

Iwamiya Shigeo Past President Rutgers University-Newark

Business Operations Reynolds Grace Director of Business Operations Lafayette College

Feil Kevin Co Chair Corporate Relations York College

Thorpe JennCo Chair Corporate RelationsCo Chair Housing & Facilities

Chestnut Hill College

Carr Conal Co Chair Housing & Facilities Penn State University

Peltzer Joe Social Media Coordinator Drexel University

Moran Christina Magazine Editor Philadelphia University

Annual Programs Media Brian Director of Annual Programs Townson University

Carroll RJ Co Chair Program Cabrini College

Grumbine Hillary Co Chair Program Widener University

Willis Christopher Host 2013 LaRoche College

Morgan LJ Host 2013 LaRoche College

Zygmund Brooke Host 2013 West Virginia University

IT Smith Derek Director Of Information Technology Deleware Valley College

Eppenstein Dillon Webmaster / Systems Analyst Philadelphia University

Membership Development

Merrit Shondrika Director Of Membership Development Temple University

Smith Brandon RC PA Central Lebanon Valley College

Gentile Jackie RC DC Metro University of Maryland- College Park

Dains Krystal RC DC Metro Cathlotic University of America

Ferarro Chris RC MD/DE Townson University

Barber ChristianRC MD/DE RC NEPA

Mount St. Marys

Tasch Brittany RC NEPA Lycoming College

Moses Jocelyn RC NJ NJIT

Barry Laura RC NJ Felician College

Shel Aly RC PA West Millersville University

Piff Sarah RC SEPA Villanova University

Egan Laura RC SEPA St. Joseph’s University

Lewis Andrew RC West Virginia

O’Hara Eric RC West Virginia West Virginia University

Training and Development

Kaliher Lulu Director of Training and Development Temple University

James Matt Co Chair Diversity William Paterson University

Florendo AnthonyCo Chair Diversity

Grade Student Task ForceRutgers University-Newark

Yencha SarahCo Chair Personal and Profes-

sional DevelopmentLafayette College

Tsikerdanos AlexCo Chair Personal and Profes-

sional DevelopmentMaryland Institution College of Art

Ohanessian DawnCo Chair Recogonition, Educa-

tion, and ConnectionsSeton Hall University

Couras StevenCo Chair Recogonition, Educa-

tion, and ConnectionsStevens Institute of Technology

Strategic Initatives Derry Jennifer Director Strategic Initiatives Villanova University

Belice Josh Co Chair Recruitment and Retention Sheppard University

Triose Lori Ann Co Chair Recruitment and Retention Montclair State University

Tann Laura Archives Coordinator

Documents

MACUHO Magazine December 2012