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
WI NTER I S S U E
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
6 | MACUHO
WI NTER I S S U E
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
MACU H O MAGA ZI N E
Mid-Atlantic Association of College & University Housing Officers
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.
8 | MACUHO
WI NTER I S S U E
MACUHO | 9
MACU H O MAGA ZI N E
Mid-Atlantic Association of College & University Housing Officers
M A C U H O
10 | MACUHO
WI NTER I S S U E
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
MACU H O MAGA ZI N E
Mid-Atlantic Association of College & University Housing Officers
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
MACU H O MAGA ZI N E
Mid-Atlantic Association of College & University Housing Officers
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
WI NTER I S S U E
– 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
MACU H O MAGA ZI N E
Mid-Atlantic Association of College & University Housing Officers
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
Turning 40, MACUHO Matures
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
MACU H O MAGA ZI N E
Mid-Atlantic Association of College & University Housing Officers
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!
Turning 40, MACUHO Matures
18 | MACUHO
WI NTER I S S U E
CONFERENCE
MACUHO | 19
MACU H O MAGA ZI N E
Mid-Atlantic Association of College & University Housing Officers
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
MACU H O MAGA ZI N E
Mid-Atlantic Association of College & University Housing Officers
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
WI NTER I S S U E
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
MACU H O MAGA ZI N E
Mid-Atlantic Association of College & University Housing Officers
M A C U H O
2 4 | MACUHO
WI NTER I S S U E
TEN STEPS TOWARDS MOTIVATING STAFF
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
MACU H O MAGA ZI N E
Mid-Atlantic Association of College & University Housing Officers
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!
TEN STEPS TOWARDS MOTIVATING STAFF
MACUHO | 27
MACU H O MAGA ZI N E
Mid-Atlantic Association of College & University Housing Officers
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
MACU H O MAGA ZI N E
Mid-Atlantic Association of College & University Housing Officers
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
MACU H O MAGA ZI N E
Mid-Atlantic Association of College & University Housing Officers
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
MACU H O MAGA ZI N E
Mid-Atlantic Association of College & University Housing Officers
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
MACU H O MAGA ZI N E
Mid-Atlantic Association of College & University Housing Officers
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
MACU H O MAGA ZI N E
Mid-Atlantic Association of College & University Housing Officers
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
MACU H O MAGA ZI N E
Mid-Atlantic Association of College & University Housing Officers
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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
Mid-Atlantic Association of College & University Housing Officers
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
MACU H O MAGA ZI N E
Mid-Atlantic Association of College & University Housing Officers
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
MACU H O MAGA ZI N E
Mid-Atlantic Association of College & University Housing Officers
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
MACU H O MAGA ZI N E
Mid-Atlantic Association of College & University Housing Officers
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