by D.J. Moore
From learning about En Loco Parentis during graduate school to attending Title IX and other important trainings as our institutions, part of working in Higher Education is being dedicated to a growth mindset and being a life-long learner (whether that learning takes place in a formal classroom or on the job). Psychologists and sociologists work to theorize and conceptualize the traits, needs, and desires of generations but we have the unique opportunity in Higher Education to see how much the needs and wants of our student populations change every single year. We work together to determine how external factors may cause shifts: a worldwide pandemic, rising political division, the list goes on and on… but ultimately, our mission remains the same—determining the best way to meet the ever-changing needs of our students to provide a transformative and developmental experience on our campuses.
This blog series features different writers responding to the prompt, “How is the rising generation of college students changing residence life practice?”
Even with a looming enrollment cliff and funding barriers starting to arise, institutions of Higher Education are finding creative and collaborative ways to meet the needs of our students. In Residence Life, we know that we are the feet on the ground and that means the “other duties as assigned” are indeed assigned quite often. From academic initiatives to crisis response to community building to programs that build skills, career readiness, prevent substance abuse, and beyond—each new day brings a better understanding of what our students need. We see these trends in the data we collect daily: incident reports, levels of engagement with programs/initiatives, intentional conversation documentation from student staff, face-to-face or virtual meetings with students of concern, etc.
(Preface—I am currently transitioning to a mid-size, public, four-year institution in North Carolina that is a minority-/Hispanic-serving institution after four years at a large size, public, four-year institution in South Carolina that is a predominantly-white institution.) So, what is the data telling me about how our professional practice must adapt to best support the rising generation of college students? Three things.
First, best practices can be revisited. As a professional entering the “next level” in the field, one of the most frustrating moments is when a department remains stagnant because there is an assumption that a vetted best practice doesn’t need to be adapted or even removed/replaced. Perhaps students are no longer engaging with your curricular model– it may be time to engage in conversations about blending or re-envisioning the best way for to get students to engage. A framework can be well-established and researched, but if no one is attending the event that you’re using the framework in? No impact is made.
Second, students often operate in a “winning” mindset and we can find ways to be champions for them through helping redefine what “winning” truly is. Perhaps you have two students who are both smart enough to push each other’s limits without violating policy—neither of them wants to mediate and neither of them wants to move but they’re both miserable. “Winning” may look like finding a way to “force” the other to move or reaching a stalemate where both parties relocate. But, why can’t “winning” look like choosing to move to a new environment where they can feel safe, valued, and comfortable in their living space?
Third, we must listen with open ears. This generation is learning to advocate and stand on their own two feet. (Yes, you will still get those phone calls from angry parents—those are never going away. But I have seen a shift where students are feeling more empowered to handle their own affairs.) Will we be able to accommodate every request we get from a student? Absolutely not—but that provides a valuable opportunity to help them navigate compromise, respectful discourse, and how to recover from a “no”. Regardless of where you are in a departmental hierarchy, remember that we can learn just as much from our students as they can learn from us.
Revisit best practices. Reframe the “winning” mindset. Receive feedback and respond appropriately. These three steps can help us determine the best path ahead to support the rising generation of college students through our residence life practice.
