Residence life and education, residential curriculum and curricular approaches, student housing, and technology.
We Couldn't Do It Without You We've released a ton of software features in the past few months and all of your feedback has been invaluable. Thank you for help and understanding as we work through these updates. With your help, these beta releases will be ready to go by the fall! We developed a... Continue Reading →
During ACUHO-I's Residence Education Conference (and the Business Operations, and Housing Facilities Conferences) we'll be holding a social! Date: Tuesday, October 27th, 2026 Time: 5pm-7pm Location: On The ROX The social will have some free adult (and non-adult) beverages and nibbly bites. It's right across the street from the Hyatt Regency, next to the Sheraton.... Continue Reading →
We're excited to join you in Orlando this year near the house of the mouse. Join us for our social... Date: Monday, June 29th, 2025 Our social starts just after the first full day of the ACUHO-I conference, after the regional receptions. Check out the ACUHO-I ACE schedule here. Time: 6:30pm-8:30pm Come any time for... Continue Reading →
Looking for a way to provide deeper, individualized support for your residents? Roompact's new book is a part of a series doing a deep dive into the "Three C" Framework for Residence Life and Education Practice (Community, Competencies, and Care). The initial book provided an overview of the Framework, while this new release does a... Continue Reading →
In an effort to expand our support of schools, we developed the Fellows program. Roompact Fellows act as scholars-in-residence to provide support to Roompact schools. They will be contributing to our blog, podcast, and webinar series throughout the year. They'll also be available and present at our R2 conference! An additional service they will provide... Continue Reading →
This episode of RA*Chat features insights from Tim Turner, offering advice to help RAs navigate move-out with confidence and care. From handling damage-related conversations and conducting thorough room checks to managing residents' emotions, Tim emphasizes the importance of clear communication, accomplishments, and getting support from peers and supervisors. He also shares strategies for managing stress during this busy season while still creating a positive and supportive closing experience for residents.
Consider a scenario in which you require guidance, support, or a professional recommendation from your supervisor. Despite working closely with them, you recognize that your relationship has remained largely transactional. This realization highlights the importance of intentionally developing that connection before it becomes necessary. Why This Matters It is important to acknowledge that most of... Continue Reading →
I used to call the students that I work with my team or my students, but I don’t anymore. Surface level, there is nothing wrong with that. It is super normal to claim ownership over something you are a part of, especially if that something is a group of people that you hired. That group... Continue Reading →
In this episode of Roompact's ResEdChat, join our host Noah Montague and guest, Emily Abrams, Assistant Director of Dow STEM Scholars at Michigan State University, as they talk about crip theory and its implications for Residence Life Staff and for the halls themselves. Student Development Theories give us language through which to understand and implement our work and crip theory is no different, especially for Residence Life Staff. What does it mean for students and staff to be working in inaccessible residence halls? What does it look like for staff to put this theory into practice? In this episode, Emily and Noah explore these questions and examine the impact of ableism on the college student experience while telling stories and providing practical advice for Residence Life Staff navigating these very systems and structures.
Post-spring break, hopefully you came back refreshed. Some of your residents… did not. Across campuses, the weeks leading up to finals see a surge of roommate and suitemate conflicts. There’s a tipping point as students hit their stress limit: stress builds, burnout sets in, and small issues start to feel much bigger. As an RA... Continue Reading →
Residence life is full of noise: resident needs, constant programming, staff follow-ups, and the day-to-day unpredictability of the work. Yet beneath that noise are patterns, rhythms, and repeated practices that shape our communities year after year. Ask yourself: when was the last time you truly reflected on your community or department’s practices? What did that... Continue Reading →
I am a major fan of both Hamilton: The Musical and utilizing a curricular approach, and recently presented these topics at the Western Association of College and University Housing Officers (WACUHO) annual conference. My fabulous colleague and I had the opportunity to share a few of the ways utilizing elements of a curriculum can help... Continue Reading →
In this episode of Roompact's ResEdChat, we welcome Dr. Shirley O'Brien, Foundation Professor for the Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy at EKU. This episode explores the collaborative partnership between the Occupational Therapy and Housing & Residence Life department to develop and implement the Colonels Mentoring Colonels Peer Mentor Program, an initiative to support residential and commuter students who identify as neurodiverse.
The phrase “student leader” is not new to the higher education landscape. It has been used to describe students who are involved with student government, recognized student organizations, fraternity and sorority life, and of course, housing and residence life. Oftentimes, the student leaders in housing and residence life hold multiple positions in various organizations across... Continue Reading →
Let’s set the scene: Your supervisor asks when you’re next planning to take a vacation. Maybe they’re even encouraging you to do so. Your (at least internal) response: “Yeah, sure, in the summer.” If you’re like me, that may come from the stress of planning leave at any. other. time. There’s always something - a... Continue Reading →
When I began supervising, I quickly identified my “go-to” RA. They always showed up, completed tasks, connected with the community, and followed through without reminders. When something was missed - a program, bulletin board, or interaction - I knew exactly who would step in. And they always did. At the time, it felt like good... Continue Reading →
In this episode of Roompact's ResEdChat, Crystal sits down with Aaron Lucier, Interim Director of Housing & Residential Life at the University of South Carolina Upstate. Aaron reflects on what mattered most, how the field has evolved, and the lessons learned along the way. From leadership and identity to the moments that sustained them, this conversation offers insight and guidance for the next generation of housing professionals.
If you’re applying to be housing staff - whether as an RA, HA, CA, or another resident support role, you’re probably trying to figure out what the process is really looking for. There’s often pressure to give the “right” answers in applications or interviews, to appear polished, experienced, and fully prepared. It can feel like... Continue Reading →
I’ll admit it, I was one of those student affairs professionals who happily declared themselves a “ResLifer for Life”; I might as well have gotten it tattooed on me. Well, good thing I didn’t, because I had the curious experience of being asked to leave residence life and, this academic year, step in as the... Continue Reading →
Abstract High engagement, low stakes, and improvisation are at the core of this new game-based learning approach to staff training. Originally designed for Graduate and Full-Time Incident Response training, Duty & Dragons uses game mechanics from Role-Playing Table-Top Games (RPTTG) to provide an innovative and effective approach to practicing real-world scenarios, conflict navigation, and other... Continue Reading →
In this episode of Roompact's ResEdChat, Host Paul sits down with one of our 2026 Roompact Fellows, Kaleigh Mrowka, to discuss student learning and curriculum, restorative practices, and encouraging campus dialogue. An interesting through-line develops which can give residence hall professionals multiple strategies and elements to incorporate in their work of making meaningful spaces for resident students. (Ledo's Pizza and a kitten also make an appearance.)
What makes a satisfying conclusion? Do you go for heartfelt with warm and fuzzy feelings? Or perhaps you like something more bittersweet. You might even like a surprise twist ending. I’m a sucker for a good ending to a movie (the original Halloween and The Shawshank Redemption are among my favorites, not that you asked),... Continue Reading →
