Residence life and education, residential curriculum and curricular approaches, student housing, and technology.
Students with chronic illnesses deal with many additional stressors that other college students would struggle to imagine. As someone who went through cancer while in college, this topic is important to me, especially as I haven’t seen it talked much about in Higher Education circles. Resident Assistants (RAs) and student leaders won’t always know which... Continue Reading →
As a Resident Advisor (RA) or student staff member, you spent the beginning of your academic year helping residents create roommate agreements. You got them to sit down with you and created an informal contract that would serve as a living, breathing document. Nevertheless, even the best agreements can hit rough patches once real life... Continue Reading →
Change is a constant in campus life, but when your supervisor leaves their position, it can feel especially unsettling. Supervisors play a vital role in shaping the culture of a residence life team. They provide mentorship, guidance, and stability. When they move on, student staff and residents alike may feel uncertain about what comes next.... Continue Reading →
Big assessment projects can be intimidating. We associate assessment with boring surveys, dry data, and Excel, Excel, Excel. It’s no wonder many staff shy away from wading into the thick of assessment unless explicitly directed. But what if it was more manageable that you thought? What if you could assess an area or program under... Continue Reading →
A few years ago, I received an invitation to attend my undergrad’s Reunion Weekend to celebrate my five-year reunion. Once I moved past the shock of being that far removed from my college experience, I scoured the website to see what the happenings of the weekend were. Between the information sessions, happy hours, dinners, and... Continue Reading →
Every strong program begins with a question: What do my residents need right now? Maybe they're feeling lonely and craving connection. Maybe stress is high and sleep is low, or maybe there’s an identity, wellness, or academic topic that’s begging for attention. Before you reserve the lounge, pause for a moment. This is your moment... Continue Reading →
Chances are you may have an international student on your floor or in your community. Although they may face some of the seem challenges as your domestic residents, International students on U.S. college campuses face a unique set of challenges. These challenges can also differ based on your resident’s country of origin, their command of... Continue Reading →
Summertime in education (but not the good kind where you get summer off) presents many opportunities during the break. Although the campus might be quieter during these months, it also poses a challenge in deciding how best to use our time. Should we rest and recuperate from the academic year's demands, or should we plan... Continue Reading →
As we say goodbye to Ted Lasso, we thought it only appropriate we revisit some quotes from the show. There's a reason why this show is so popular, particularly among student affairs and residence life folk, it speaks to our authentic hopes and wishes for our students and the values we try to uphold in... Continue Reading →
