The Importance of Faculty Connections

"The task of the modern educator is not to cut down jungles but to irrigate desserts." -  C.S. Lewis

     I had a wonderful conversation today with one of our AVPs of Student Affairs on our Faculty Fellows program in Residence Life here. It was a rather informal conversation, so I had prepared very little to be honest; however, I found myself speaking rather passionately on the program's importance to our students, citing my own former connections with faculty in my undergraduate experience.

     What I shared with our AVP were thoughts on the relationship between institution size and faculty connections. This is nothing ground-breaking or even that difficult to deduce - a smaller student body tends to afford undergraduate students with more opportunities to interact with faculty, while a larger one tends to decrease such opportunities. In my undergraduate experience, I was essentially able to ask any professor any question over e-mail and expect a response within 24 hours. Beyond that, they were very open to appointments and held regular office hours, and classes were usually small enough to allow for multiple questions each block. Yes, I was that student who raises hir hand at least once per session (and still am - apologies to my cohort...).

     When I overhear or speak to students about their experiences here - at an institution much larger than that of my undergraduate experience - I obtain a rather different story. Many students here do not have the same personal connection with professors, and those professors do not seem as available to them. Most know how to reach out to a TA much better than how to reach out to the professor, and even I would be very hesitant to raise my hand in a class of 800 students. Faculty do hold office hours, but I have not heard about students utilizing them as much, and it seems that they occur only two hours per week for the most part.

     These are simply personal observations - I did not collect any data and my sample to draw from is very limited and not random. However, I think these observations still highlight the important academic resource that all students living in the halls here have - the Faculty Fellow. When my hall's Fellow came for a program the other day, the program turned into a Q&A session, with the participants asking many important questions. These ranged from "How do I use a syllabus" to "How do I choose a major" to "What should I do to get into [insert program here]." When I heard these questions, I was surprised - why did these students not have these answers already. For some, the answer was probably that they had not thought of them yet. I am sure that others, though, had not had the chance or felt comfortable asking yet. That program gave them that chance, and the connection our hall has with that faculty member enabled that program.

Quote Citation: Lewis, C. S. (1943). The abolition of man. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press.

Photo By: Me - Boulders Beach, South Africa :)

Current Issue: Recruitment & Retention Practices

"Strategies that succeed at one college might not work for a competitor. There's no guarantee they'll even work at the same college for long." - Eric Hoover & Beckie Supiano

     An article in the Chronicle the other day, entitled "In Admissions, Old Playbook Is Being Revised," caught my eye. Not because it was a surprise - most professionals in and scholars of Higher Education are aware of how enrollments have gone "bonkers" these past few years. They're up, they're down, they're more diverse, they're orange, but whatever they are, they are not what were expected. I was interested to read this article and see who was recommending what to make expectations come closer to reality.

     The chart about two-thirds of the way through the article - Pros and Cons of Key Enrollment Strategies - gives away the rest of the text. No one can definitively recommend anything. Part of this is that the problem transcends most, if not all, strata of institutions; large state schools, small private schools, for profits, and everything in between and beyond all need better enrollments in some cases. What works for one will not necessarily work for the other, if at all. Moreover, as the title alludes, what used to entice students does not look as appetizing anymore. 

     My guess is that this latter element of the issue stems from a combination of growing student debt and a change in character of the applicant pool. (Yes, this is meta-reflection, as I am a millennial). Students, as evidenced by the comments on St. Mary's survey, want and almost expect that very personal, connected admissions process. They want to be able to text admissions officers, post questions on a Facebook page, and see what is new with the process on Twitter. Not providing that could mean providing another school the opportunity to make that more personal connection.

     An additional aspect of this article that spoke to me was the emphasis on retention. As the authors indicate, many admissions offices forget that the number of students still enrolled in their second or third semester matters much more than the number of students enrolled on day one. They need a reason to stay, or the reasons that they came mean almost nothing. While the idealist in me is conflicted on the needs-aware admissions that University of Denver has begun employing, I think that it is an appealing solution to growing student debt and thus better for both the student and the school in the end. Again, schools want the students walking in to only walk out having completed a degree.

    I have learned a lot about how my position as a Hall Director can and does affect retention, and I won't lie - it adds some pressure. Students who live on campus can gain a sense of community here in the hall. They can gain leadership positions. They can study in the lounges. Such aspects of residence life give them a reason to stay, not only in the halls but at the university. These can also factor into a positive effect on their grades, giving them a sense of accomplishment in their studies and thus a desire to continue. Something I require the RAs I supervise to do is have one of their events per month be either bringing their residents to a campus-wide event or bringing in a campus partner to meet and present to their residents. Again, this plays into retention, as such events build better connections with the campus at-large. Hopefully they will connect to campus and stay enrolled.

Article Citation: Hoover, E., & Supiano, B. (2013). In admissions, old playbook is being revised. The Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved from: http://chronicle.com/article/The-Admissions-Playbook-Is-Up/141625/

Photo By: My wife, Jenn :) Enrollment numbers seem to be delicately balancing, much like that rock on the right!

Colleagues & Classmates

"Sometimes you put walls up not to keep people out, but to see who cares enough to break them down." - Unknown

     Moving across the country to start a new job and program has made me incredibly appreciate the importance of the people around me. My wife and I left a ton of family and friends behind when we moved, and I would be lying if I said I were never homesick for either my hometown or my old campus. Keeping in touch has been tough; missing important events that I definitely took for granted at the time has been tougher. I do not know what I would do without my wife, Jenn, as she has been wonderful support in addition to being one of the very few aspects of my life that has remained constant. And my new colleagues and classmates have been wonderful as well.

     I could tell from day one that my new department was going to provide me with an amazing experience. Several of my new colleagues were standing on the curb when Jenn and I drove up, ready to assist our moving-in with hand trucks and smiles (the latter was more impressive with the heat). The welcoming nature only continued - our Director asked me about our wedding as soon as I met him, Jenn was always welcomed warmly at social events, and I began feeling at home much more quickly than I ever expected. It always stops me in my tracks when I remember that I have been here only three months, since it feels as though I know my co-workers so well already and they help me along as though I have always been part of the family. I miss my former co-workers dearly and will never forget where I have come from, but I am also thankful that I have made it to my current institution. :)

     My second life here is as a student, and if my undergraduate classmates ever helped me along, my graduate classmates will be about a hundred times more important if my syllabi are good indicators! Today starts the fourth week of classes. The fourth week of reading. The fourth week of completely new concepts, theories, and readings. The fourth week of reading. Did I mention reading? We help each other through these trials and tribulations that are the (digital) stacks of papers we must sift through every week. Going out after the last class of the week has been a wonderful weekly tradition thus far - I cannot stress the importance of de-stressing with friends while in graduate school. It is also important to do after training/opening with colleagues!

     Again, I would not trade the friends I still have across the country for anything. I have finally gotten to chatching-up with some and hope to be more consistent. I also know that they are happy for me and glad that I have found an incredibly supportive environment here as I continue my new adventures in Higher Education. =)

Quote Citation: Unknown. (n.d.). Thinkexist.com. Retrieved from: http://thinkexist.com/quotations/Friendship/

Photo By: Me - anotehr new friend I made on a recent hike! =)

Professional Attire in the Housing Profession

     "Dress how you want to be addressed." - Bianca Frazier

     It's Tie Tuesday! And in honor of this sacred, weekly holiday for about a dozen of us in Housing on campus, I have decided to ruminate (or at least comment - do not usually get the chance to have the word "ruminate" come to mind, though) on what I wear to work each day as a Hall Director.

     The standard outfit here is a polo and khaki pants, or a nice blouse with a skirt or pants. I have two pairs of khakis, and they are each worn at least twice a week. I rotate through my polo shirts, wearing one every day, except for Tie Tuesday, of course! I try to wear school colors using my polos when I can, showing my school spirit. On Fridays, we are allowed to wear jeans, although it is honestly a little hot in August to walk around in jeans, so sometimes I stick to the lighter khaki material. Casual Friday is fun, but sweating on a two-minute walk to the Union is not.

     As far as I can see, not wearing a suit and tie - or at least a shirt and tie - is somewhat of a trend for educators who constantly and consistently interact with students. When I was a substitute teacher in high schools, I started out wearing a shirt and tie every day. I would usually try to match the colors of the school at which I was subbing, because in my mind the students appreciated that (some of them probably did not even notice my name on the board, but oh well). However, I began noticing that I was one of maybe a dozen teachers dressed as formally. The principals and other administrators wore business casual, but most were in polo shirts or a nice skirt and blouse. So I eventually switched to wearing a polo shirt and slacks every day.

     When it came to shopping for some nicer clothing for my new position, my father told me to just invest in khakis and polo shirts, and he was correct in making that suggestion. It sums up what I always saw housing officers wear as a student. I have yet to do any research on the topic, but if I were to guess, both the housing officers and the high school teachers dress this way to connect better with students. If I were to sit in my office - in a residence hall - in a suit and tie each day, I think students would not find me as approachable (no matter how often they listen to Justin Timberlake). I would probably come off as stuck up in conduct hearings, and I myself would not be as relaxed or comfortable when having to respond to a crisis. So I currently believe that less formality is more when it comes to being a housing officer working in the residence halls.

     There is still something nice about Tie Tuesday, though. It enables me to wear the ties I own, and in school colors if possible. Also, people notice when I wear the tie, because it is not an everyday thing - points for self-esteem! And, even with all of the fun we have working in Student Affairs (I did a lot of crafting yesterday with residents, for example), I think it is a subtle reminder that this is a true profession, just with its own form of professional attire.

Quote Citation: Frazier, B. (n.d.). Goodreads.com. Retrieved from: http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/759451-dress-how-you-want-to-be-addressed.

Photo By: Me - yes, penguins are always dressed formally :)

First Interactions with Parents

"An investment in knowledge pays the best interest." - Benjamin Franklin

     Yesterday, I discussed with a father the type of locks he should purchase for his daughter's bike. This morning, I keyed into an empty room to measure (with a ruler) the height of a bed for a mother purchasing a cabinet for her son. I expect these are only a glimpse of the interactions I will have with parents this year working in a residence hall, but I do not have an issue with them whatsoever.

     As a Resident Assistant, I was told simply, "You do not have to deal with parents or guardians," "That is not expected of you," or even, "You do not get paid enough." The same is true at my current institution - I basically tell the RAs I supervise to send parents' calls and concerns my way. Whether it is customer service (a post on this is in the works), concerns with FERPA, or simply age, there are multiple reasons that a department of Residence Life would rather a Hall Director interact with parents, and so that role is put on my desk.

     How do I approach said role? By applying my training, of course. We had a wonderful session discussing possible situations that could arise with parents, but the main idea I took away was "serve with a reassuring smile." That is exactly what I have done and will do: smile, use a reassuring tone, and serve as much as time and policy allow. It is most important to remember  - or at least tell yourself - that they are only concerned for their students' comfort, safety, and education. Parents are our partners in our goal for providing the best educational experience possible. They will often also give us more insight into our students' lives and development. And yes, in many cases they also help pay the resident's rent and the student's tuition. Just another connection to campus.

Quote Citation: Franklin, B. (n.d.). BrainyQuote.com. Retrieved from: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/b/benjaminfr141119.html.

Photo By: Me 

New Staff, New Impressions

“I don't know if you've ever noticed this, but first impressions are often entirely wrong. You can look at a painting for the first time, for example, and not like it at all, but after looking at it a little longer you may find it very pleasing. The first time you try Gorgonzola cheese you may find it too strong, but when you are older you may want to eat nothing but Gorgonzola cheese. Klaus, when Sunny was born, did not like her at all, but by the time she was six weeks old the two of them were thick as thieves. Your initial opinion on just about anything may change over time.” - Lemony Snicket (1999)

     Today I met my first supervisees! It was nerve-wracking at first, as I was trying very hard - possibly too hard - to make a good first impression. Not as a person, but as a supervisor. I like to think (probably too confidently) that I make a decent first impression with peers and supervisors, but this was entirely different. Do I set a strict tone from the start? Do I attempt to relate to them? Do I try to be super-energetic to get them motivated, or is that not cool? All of these and more ran through my head as I walked to that meeting.

     In the end, I went for an honest, realistic, trusting, but no-nonsense approach, which is one that I have appreciated the most from supervisors. I prefer when a supervisor trusts me to complete the tasks expected of me and at the same time is realistic in their expectations. Furthermore, I prefer a supervisor to be as open and honest with me as possible about my tasks and position. And since I want this from a supervisor, I want the staff I supervise to see these traits in me.

     Did I put this across on the first day? Did I need to? I do believe I was open with them, and I did "get down to business" as soon as we started. Plus I believe I made it clear that I trusted them to be professional enough to be at places on time on their own. I don't know for certain, but it is only day two now. Will their perceptions of this day change, though?

     Which brings me to Mr. Snicket's quote, from the first book of his Series of Unfortunate Events, The Bad Beginning.  I have been trying to think back to my first impressions of my previous supervisors, of which there have been many, to think if my impressions of them changed over time. I believe it has varied according to supervisor, to be honest. For some my perception changed, and for others it did not. Of course I call to question whether or not my current perception on the "consistent" ones has simply overridden any previous impressions, but that is a psychological discussion for a later date.

      I believe consistency is the most important factor, when you truly analyze impressions of supervisors. While I may want the staff I supervise to have one impression or another, I would not want it to change because I changed. Rather, I would want it to change because they rethought my style or sought to understand my expectations in a different light. And if it stays the same, then my first impression came across the way I desired, and I remained consistent throughout the year. More new staff to come tomorrow, so wish me luck on more new impressions!

Quote Citation: Snicket, L. (1999) The Bad Beginning. New York: HarperCollins.

Photo By: Me (I imagine this penguin being shy about meeting new staff members...)

New Campus, New Connections

"Seek first to understand, then to be understood." (Covey, 2004)

Hi. My name is Mike. I am a graduate student pursuing an MA in Higher Education and a graduate assistant in my campus’s housing office. I have a wonderful and supportive wife who lives in the residence hall with me. I enjoy reading, listening to music, sudoku, and watching TV online. And if you catch me with a camera in my hand, I am attempting a photography hobby that may one day start another blog. For now, though, let me tell you about Campus Connections.

When I first came to this new campus, I had told myself I would start a blog, without much direction in mind. I just knew that I wanted to share my experiences in a new place with people back home and from my undergraduate institution - people who would read this just to keep up with my life. Then it evolved in my head into something more “professional" - a way to share my experiences in the field of higher education and muse about ways to advance the field and better my own practice.

When I sat down to write this first post, though, it became a sort of compromise between the two. I want these posts to act on both a personal and a professional level. This blog will be a venue for my experiences to interact with each other, be they in the classroom, office, residence hall, athletic stadium, or the spaces outside of the campus cornerstones. More importantly, though, it will be a venue for my holistic experience to interact with the outside world, and I invite you to participate in that.

Basically, it is here that I will seek to understand what I am learning on campus, from all of these wonderful and new connections I am already making.

P.S. Oh, and I also will probably include a quote each time I post. The one above was in my supervisor’s expectations of our staff, and it was probably the most important lesson that I could be given about empathic listening and teamwork.

Quote Citation:
Cover, Steven R. (2004). The 7 habits of highly effective people: Powerful lessons in personal change. New York: Free Press.