fall 2014 newsletter

SWACUHO News | Fall 2014

Southwest Association of College & University Housing Officers

SWACUHO News

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SWACUHO News - Fall 2014

From The President

IN THIS ISSUE

From The President ...............................................................12014-15 SWACUHO Executive Board .................................2Arkansas State Director .........................................................3Texas State Director ...............................................................4Mid-Year Meeting .................................................................5Call for Programs ..................................................................5SWACUHO Awards .............................................................6SWACUHO Spotlight ..........................................................7Congratulations to Fall Conference Scholarship winners! ......7Confessions of an Ex-Housing Professional ...........................8Kim Brown .........................................................................10Diverse Perspectives in Housing ..........................................12

Baylor University’s South Russell Gets a New Lease on Life ...13New SWACUHO Website Launched! .................................14Arkansas Tech University Welcomes Five New ........................ Resident Directors ..........................................................15New staff in Residence Life at Texas A&M ..........................16Campus Living & Learning at Baylor University Welcomes Their New Staff ..............................................................17Oklahoma State University Welcomes New Staff .................18Sam Houston State University Welcomes New Staff ............19Texas Tech University Welcomes New Staff .........................20Put in your Bid for SWACUHO RA Conference! ...............23Texas Rising ........................................................................24

Congratulations! All of you have survived your Fall training, opening and the first few weeks of school! I always enjoy trying to explain what we do to those who don’t work in Higher Education or Student Affairs and sometimes to my colleagues in other Student Affairs offices. I actually get a little snippy when they say “I couldn’t do your job” and inside I think, “No, no you couldn’t”. It takes special people to do the work we do – up early for several days, teaching college students to plan activities, recognize other students who may be in crisis, watch extremely entertaining lip syncs or skits, and all the other things we do. The fun stuff sticks in my mind, but the things that make a difference are always the conversations we have with a student about their day or their classes, attending a meeting to discuss a new initiative for your department that you know will make a student’s experience better or meeting with a young professional who is excited and enthusiastic about the work they are doing. I know for me all of that makes coming to the office or getting the late night phone call worth it.

The executive board, host committee and committee chairs will be meeting in Norman October 20-21 for our mid-year meetings. The host committee here is excited for all of you to join us in March. They are working hard on getting ready. I hope all of you have submitted program

proposals for this year’s conference. We have so much to offer each other and programs, poster displays and roundtable discussions are all great opportunities to share what it is we are proud of on each of our campus’s but also new ideas to bring back to strengthen our own communities.

I want to see the pictures of those CHO/SHO who did the Ice Bucket Challenge! As you can see below, my staff was very helpful in accomplishing the challenge for me! The timing couldn’t have been better- it was a HOT day here in Norman, OK!

Please let us know if there is anything we can do for you or your campus. Have a good October!

Southwest Association of College & University Housing Officers2

2014-15 SWACUHO Executive Board

Diane BrittinghamPresident University of [email protected]

Kenny Mauk President-Elect University of [email protected]

Joellen Tipton Past PresidentSam Houston [email protected]

Tanya Massey SecretaryOklahoma State University [email protected]

Curtis Odle TreasurerBaylor University [email protected]

Rikki TurnerTechnology CoordinatorUniversity of Arkansas- Little [email protected]

Dan Mizer HistorianTexas A&M University [email protected]

Whitney PaschallNewsletter Editor Texas Tech [email protected]

Beth Eppinger Arkansas State Director University of Arkansas- Fort [email protected]

Maggie Guzman Texas State DirectorTexas A&M University [email protected]

Oklahoma State DirectorOpen

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2014-15 SWACUHO Executive Board

SWACUHO News | Fall 2014 3

Arkansas State Director

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Congratulations on your successful professional staff training, student staff training, and move-in!

Beth EppingerDirector of Housing and Residential LifeUniversity of Arkansas - Fort Smith

This summer I attended the ACUHO-I Annual Conference and Exhibition which was held in Washington, DC. SWACUHO and Arkansas did a great job of representing at the conference! ACUHO-I has committees, just like SWACUHO, and the SWACUHO members were busy being involved with the committees as well as presenting program sessions. Great job on representing our region! If you are part of a SWACUHO committee, check in with your committee chair. Let them know you still want to be involved and that you are available to help. All committee chairs have a report that is due by the mid-year meeting in October, and we want to see your name on their membership list!The new SWACUHO website went LIVE this summer, and there are several amazing features! Take a look at the website, ask your CHO to set up your sub account, and get involved online. Download past program presentations, check out the event calendar, and connect with others in the region. Be sure to be watching the

website for the Call for Programs where you may submit a program proposal in hopes of having it accepted so you may present at the annual conference in March. There is also the ongoing opportunity of submitting articles for this newsletter.As a state director, I specifically want to bring the following to your attention: Membership renewal and recruitment is occurring this month, and membership information has been sent to the CHO at each school. Tell your CHO that you enjoy being a part of the organization and that they should renew their institution’s membership so no one misses anything. The small sub-committee from the Arkansas state caucus at the past annual conference is currently reviewing use of the new Arkansas listserve provided by the website as well as a potential Arkansas newsletter. If you are a professional in Arkansas and want to know more about how to be connected to SWACUHO, send me an email! Have a great fall semester!


Texas State Director

Howdy, Texas Schools!I hope opening and the start of the semester went smoothly for everyone! The new academic year always brings excitement and renewed energy to our halls, and hopefully the same has been true for all of you.

If you haven’t had a chance to visit the new SWACUHO website, click over to www.swacuho.org and take a few minutes to look around. Each member school will have an account, and as part of your institutional account, you can invite individuals from your department to create their own personal accounts as well. The new site offers great opportunities to connect to colleagues, so check it out!

Along with the new website, you should have received an email this summer telling you that the Mid-Level Listerv has also changed. It is now called the SWACUHO Listserv, and you can join by going to www.swacuho.org, clicking “Get Connected” and then clicking “SWACUHO LISTSERV.” It’s quick and easy, so be sure to take a minute to join. Don’t worry, CHO’s – the CHO listserv hasn’t changed and is still operating as it always has, but we’d love to have all of you join the SWACUHO Listserv as well!

Membership renewal information will be hitting CHO in-boxes soon, if not already, so be sure to renew your membership! We now offer an online payment option

through the website, so hopefully that will make paying easier for many of you.

And finally, don’t forget to submit a program proposal for the upcoming Annual Conference! Without your excellent programs, the conference can’t happen! The Program Committee is working to incorporate the ACUHO-I Core Competencies into our program slate this year, so review those at: www.acuho-i.org/AboutUs/CoreCompetencies/ tabid/1087/Default.aspx.

The Program Committee will look for how you’ve connected your proposal to these competencies when selecting programs.

Program proposals are due Wednesday, October 1, 2014 so there’s still time to get one (or more!) in. You can submit your proposal by clicking this link: Submit proposals here

I know Texas schools are doing great things, so let’s share all of those great ideas via programs!

That’s it for now! I’m looking forward to seeing you all in Norman, OK, March 1-3 to celebrate SWACUHO “Feeling Fine at 49”! Until then, don’t hesitate to contact me at [email protected] with questions, suggestions, or anything else!

Maggie GuzmanTexas State Director

http://www.acuho-i.org/resources/core-competencies

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1_7NHU7D2s9AUiVsOkQK19NUBEFB-RZTC-OWLfSBhqdY/viewform?c=0&w=1&usp=mail_form_link


SWACUHO Mid Year meetings are just around the corner, October 19-22, 2014. Why should you put that date on your calendar? Because bids are due then for the 2017 annual conference.

The Exec Board will also accept bids for the fall 2015 RA Conference. Due to a lack of bids to host the SWACUHO RA conference, the conference will not be held this fall. There may be a prospect for a spring RA conference if a school is willing to host.

While hosting seems like a daunting task, it can provide great opportunities to showcase your campus and your

Mid-Year Meetingstaff. Spend the next few months discussing how you (and a few of your fellow institutions) can get together to host in 2017 or host the RA conference next fall. These events provide our staff and our profession with ongoing professional development, but only if we have dedicated housing staff who are willing to host.

If you have questions about hosting or want to talk with some of our former hosts, please feel free to contact Michael Woods, the Time and Place Committee Chair at [email protected].

Call for Programs The SWACUHO Annual Conference Call for Programs is here!

The Programming Committee is hoping to have a wide array of educational program sessions available at the Annual Conference March 1-3 in Norman, OK and we need your participation to do that. This year’s conference, hosted by University of Oklahoma is themed “You’re Doing Fine at 49”. This theme combines Oklahoma’s state song and the 49th year of the conference.

Our goal this year is to incorporate the ACUHO-I Core Competencies in our program proposals. As a conference, we are looking to educate ourselves and continually improve our services; moreover, the Core Competencies serve as a superb guide in this endeavor. Please take some time to review them here.

Connecting your proposal to these competencies will be part of the evaluation process.

Program proposals are due Wednesday, October 1, 2014. The survey will ask for an abstract, description, goals or objectives, and an outline.

Thank you in advance for submitting a program proposal and working hard to create an excellent learning experience for our delegates. Please feel free to send any program questions to [email protected]

SWACUHO 2015 Program Proposal. To fill it out, visit this link:

Submit your program here.

Gwen Young Texas A&M [email protected]

Tanya Arflin MasseyAssistant Director, Programs and DevelopmentDepartment of Housing and Residential LifeOklahoma State University

Deadline extended

to October 1, 2014!

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1_7NHU7D2s9AUiVsOkQK19NUBEFB-RZTC-OWLfSBhqdY/viewform?c=0&w=1&usp=mail_form_link

http://www.acuho-i.org/resources/core-competencies


SWACUHO AwardsFrank Cloud Award of ExcellenceHey, SWACUHO. One of the major projects tackled by the Recognition & Awards Committee was working with the leadership to determine the direction of the Frank Cloud Award. In recognition of his impact on both our region and the housing profession, SWACUHO considers this award to be the highest honor given to one of our member institutions. And it recognizes outstanding campus achievements by a department, as well as their contributions to their state and region. After a great deal of discussion and planning, we are happy to share some updates regarding the direction we see this award taking for this year and beyond.

Nominations for this award may include information from the previous 12-24 months – any initiatives or information between the 2013 and 2015 SWACUHO conferences would be eligible for inclusion in the upcoming 2015 award nomination. Beginning this year, the annual topic for the Frank Cloud award will be based on an area of one of the 16 ACUHO-I Competencies.

This year’s topic was selected to be:

Academic Initiatives, a sub-category of Resident Educational Services – with a focus on staff recruitment and training, marketing, academic and institutional partnerships, programmatic goals, implementation, assessment methods, and best practices all related to student success within campus living-learning communities.

There is a two-part process for schools wishing to submit a nomination. Firstly, there is an application

portfolio of no more than 25 pages, which may be submitted in either print or electronic format (DVD, PDF, PowerPoint, Prezi, YouTube, etc.). And while it cannot be more than 25 pages, it may include flyers, brochures, publications, program advertisements, pictures, etc. Certain items must be included in the portfolio:

• A cover page with the school name, award name, name of presenter(s), primary contact person with phone number and email address, city, state, and date. • Letter of support from the CHO of the institution• Letter of support from the administrator to whom the CHO directly reports.

Secondly, schools who submit a portfolio will be asked to then present on that nomination at the upcoming SWACUHO 2015 conference. This will be a 15-20 minute presentation (which may include the portfolio) with time for questions from the award selection committee. Any presentations will be open as a program session for conference delegates to attend.

The winning school will receive not only a plaque, but will also be awarded up to three (3) free conference registrations in order to attend the following SWACUHO conference and turn their nomination into a program session. Our hope is that the level of excellence reflected each year in the nominations will then grow into educational resources shared annually from conference to conference. We anticipate that nominations for this award will reflect the very best in what our member institutions offer to their students.

John WrightRecognition & Awards ChairArkansas State University


SWACUHO SpotlightSpotlighted in this issue are people within the region who the SWACUHO leadership have seen make an impact over the course of the summer. In some cases, these are individuals who have been there as a support to a member of the executive committee. And others are a driving force to accomplish work that can sometimes be taken for granted.

Rikki Turner, UALR:(from Beth Eppinger, Arkansas State Director; Maggie Guzman, Texas State Director; & Curtis Odle, Treasurer)

Rikki jumped right in to her new role as Tech Coordinator and worked tirelessly this summer to build the new SWACUHO website. Not only did she learn how to add content to the site, but also got the site set up to take credit card payments for membership dues and conference attendance. She also created new easier-to-use listservs, as well as several video tutorials to help members learn how to navigate the website – not an easy feat as her background is not web design. The new website is functional thanks to Rikki, and she’s definitely an asset to SWACUHO!

Tracy Collier, UALR: (from Rikki Turner, Technology Coordinator)

Tracy was incredibly instrumental in helping with the design and layout of the new SWACUHO website. She had a clear vision and executed it with style and speed! I am forever grateful!

John WrightRecognition & Awards ChairArkansas State University

This year, SWACUHO received a total of 10 applications for the annual ACUHO-I Fall Conference Scholarships. We award one scholarship for registration to each of the three conferences: Business Operations, Living-Learning Programs, and Facilities/APPA, which are typically held in October.

We would like to extend our congratulations to:

• Danielle Springfield, Sam Houston State University – Business Operations• Randy Henslee, University of Arkansas, Little Rock – Facilities/APPA• Doreen-Marie Esparza, St. Edwards University – Living-Learning Programs

The recipients will be writing about their respective conference adventures for an upcoming newsletter, so stay tuned to hear about their experiences!!

Congratulations to Fall Conference Scholarship winners!

Joellen Newman TiptonExecutive Director, Residence Life and Living-Learning ProgramsSam Houston State University


Confessions of an Ex-Housing Professional I have been an ex-Housing professional for 2 months now. I felt it was time to reflect on my experience. [warning: could trigger]

Being a Housing professional is an extremely tough job. We see students at their best and at their worst. At times, we

may take on their pain, sorrow, joy and excitement. But in being the supporter, challenger and advocate for others, when do we take time to support, challenge and advocate for ourselves? I found myself investing in the lives of my students, but I didn't feel like I was investing in myself. Sure, professionally I was stimulated, but what about personally? How was I becoming a better Caitlin, not just a better RLC? For me, the two were overlapping. I lost who I was as a person because I was helping others figure out who they were. I defined myself as an RLC. But I realized I am SO MUCH MORE! I am woman, daughter, sister, girlfriend, best friend, artist, lover of Taylor Swift, Michigander and much more more. Was it terrible for me to feel like I defined myself as an RLC, no. But was that how I wanted to represent the woman I had become? Is that how I could be the best me possible? No, I personally did not think so.

The issue for me, truly, was that I did not want my life to revolve around my work. Yup, I said it. The dreaded words that make you feel like you are not dedicated to your job or that you do not care. I think I was the exact opposite though I cared too much and I was too dedicated. I wanted to give 110% to my job and 110% to my personal life but I struggled to see how those two worlds could live peacefully together.

Too often I found them overlapping. I am a person who can make decisions but some of the most difficult decisions in my life have revolved around choosing between my work life and my personal life. Some of this could have been added stress that I put into the mix, I recognize I play a part in this also. But a majority of

it was felt when one side "WON" my attention over another. The push and pull of this work/life world was simply not how I envisioned my life.

You may be wondering why did you do it in the first place, you sound like you hated your job? That is far from the truth. I LOVED what I did. What I didn't account for was the change I would feel from within as I started to experience the world. I developed deeper relationships with my friends, family and boyfriend. I saw a world at my taking but felt like I was restricted to my little corner. It was an internal battle that I fought and lost. Its not about work-life balance. As a live-in professional, I believe to my core, you cannot have a healthy work-life balance. You physically CANNOT separate those two things. You live and work in the same spot. And to me, I felt like I could not walk the tight rope anymore.

So, there. True feelings. I hope I am not shunned from the Housing family. The section you previously read was my reflection on why I ultimately chose to leave Housing. But over the past 2 months, I'll admit it I've missed it! The action and the connections. I wouldn't change my situation nor do I regret it. But in reflecting on why I left, I couldn't help but reflect on what kept me there for 4 years. So, I wrote this poem.

I was there when.• I was there when you said goodbye to your parents.

I saw you brush that tear away. Don't worry I won't tell them.

• I was there when you Aced that first test. I knew you could do it. Now you have to believe in yourself.

• I was there when your girlfriend broke up with you. It was hard. I saw your pain. But I knew you would get through it.

• I was there when you threw that football down the hallway and almost hit the light fixture. I documented you.

• I was there when you told me you were HIV positive. I cried with you. I didn't know what to say.

• I was there when you asked about dating. I knew you were asking me for "tips". I told you to be yourself.


Confessions of an Ex-Housing Professional • I was there when you were outted by a family

friend. I saw your relief. But then your instant panic for what this meant.

• I was there when you didn't get that leadership position. I told you to try again next year. I hope you will.

• I was there when you admitted to thinking about suicide and having a plan. We got you help. I stayed up late that night, hoping you would make it to the next day.

• I was there when you got that leadership position. I secretly knew before you but was sworn to secrecy. It was so hard to keep it a secret.

• I was there when you told me your grandmother passed away. We booked a ticket together and got you home for the funeral.

• I was there when you told me you didn't want to do your job anymore. I was stunned. I hope you are happier now.

• I was there when you got into graduate school. You say it was the Letter of Rec. I just say its because you are awesome.

• I was there when you couldn't stand your roommate anymore and almost hit her. I moved you to another room. I hope things are working out better for you now.

• I was there when you didn't have any hot water for 5 days. I looked you in the eye and apologized. I will never let you down like that again.

• I was there when you had your father do your dirty work. Next time I will challenge you to speak for yourself and be assertive.

• I was there when you decided to change your major. You were afraid to call home and tell your dad. But you did it.

• I was there when your mother called for the 3rd time that week because you wouldn't answer your phone. Please, answer it next time. This is getting annoying.

• I was there when you locked yourself out of your room for the 8th time that semester. I told you to be

responsible and that I was disappointed. You locked yourself out again that very next day.

• I was there when you video recorded me with your cell phone while I was documenting you. I felt violated and angry. But I stayed calm and asked you to stop.

• I was there when you raised your voice to me and then went silent when I didn't back down. My confidence came from the two police officers, standing to my left and right.

• I was there when we packed up your entire room in one hour to move you across campus because you would not talk out your problems with your roommate. I hope you know that you can't always run.

• I was there when you caused a flood in your community because of a small mistake. That was a costly mistake. I hope you are doing well.

• I was there when you shared your poetry with me. You said I was the first person to read it. I felt honored.

• I was there when you got the letter about starting your US citizenship process. I saw your happiness and realized you know more than I ever will about the country I call home.

Thank you to all my students current and past who have shaped me as a professional.

Caitlin Macneil(former RLC at Gordon/Bledsoe/Sneed, Texas Tech University)Academic AdvisorUniversity of Houston


Kim Brown

So a lot of changes have happened in my life, since I last saw many of you at my final SWACUHO in 2012 at Texas A&M. After 11 SWACUHO’s, I knew that was going to be my last and many of my friends knew that changes were on the horizon. I honestly did not know where I was going or what I would be doing but I knew I had to trust God and go where He led me. I had started my housing career in 1999 at the University of North Texas as an RA and quickly I fell in love with the profession. The chance to be in the lives of the students and to hopefully make a positive difference was truly a gift that we all have been given. Now I know, I write this from the other side and it has been two years since I have had a 2:00 a.m. wake-up call for an emergency but it is with that distance that I am more certain than ever that my time in housing was a gift.

It was with UNT in 2002 that I attended my first SWACUHO as a Special Assistant and joined the Exhibits & Display Committee. It was through my involvement with E&D that I came to know many colleagues and vendors and the friendships started in San Antonio, Texas at my first SWACUHO. Thanks to what I learned through vendors as well as many mentors from larger Universities, I was successful with the renovation that I was placed over in 2002 at North Central Texas College and was promoted to the Director of Student Life prior to my 22nd birthday. So for many

of my SWACUHO colleagues, they will remember me as the housing kid that they watched grow up. For the small colleges, they know me through hosting the Small Institution’s Housing Conference for 9 years. For younger professionals, I might be known as the one with the microphone in the E&D Hall refusing to raffle away the prizes until we raised more money for ACUHO-I Scholarships. Of course, some only know me as that “Active Shooter Lady” – which is really weird and uncomfortable when you get referred to that in public, I kindly request you make a slight change to “Presenter on Active Shooter” to avoid any suspicion. Sean Duggan and I are friends on Facebook and he has joined me these past two years as I traveled around and discern where God was leading me and he thought people in SWACUHO would like an update. So for those interested I will give you the abbreviated story for those that want to read a book… well, you can go read the book I wrote (ironically, I really did write a book).

So to begin with, I knew at Texas A&M in 2012 that it was most likely my final SWACUHO. For the past two years, I had been growing in my faith and felt God leading me to work in a ministry capacity. I was not sure where He was leading, but that is where the great adventure begins. I began selling my possessions, resigned from my position at NCTC, rented out my house, and headed oversees on pilgrimage. I wanted to disconnect


from all the noise to hear what God wanted me to do. So often we strive to do good (especially working in housing) but many times there are many good things we could do. So the key is figuring out what is the “good” that we are supposed to focus on. Don’t let good projects stop you from focusing on the “best project”. I did not have a timeline or reservations. I had a list of town names and I trusted God to be my tour guide. My time was spent in France, Spain, and Portugal and for 40-days I walked the Camino de Santiago (Way of St. James) from the French Pyrenees to the West Coast of Spain (pilgrimaged featured in the movie, The Way).

The time on the Camino for me was a mountaintop experience with God and I learned so much. I originally went away to learn what God was calling me to do. Now for some this will be shocking and for others they knew this but for my last year in SWACUHO and working at NCTC, I was discerning the possibility of becoming a religious sister (aka nun). So I had hoped that during my time of silence with God that He would reveal my vocation be it married life, religious life, or committed single life. God had other plans and that included writing a book called, Spiritual Lessons along the Camino and instead of only speaking to college students and staff, to also include speaking at churches to adults and youth. The book has been well-received and was granted an Imprimatur which means that a Bishop in the Catholic Church has reviewed it and it is free of moral or theological errors. In addition, it has been featured on many radio programs throughout the US as well as internationally. Because of the global world we live in, the Spanish translation will be coming out by this December with German, French, Portuguese, and Italian in 2015.

So after writing the book, while it was in editing phase I was at church on Ascension Thursday (May 2013) and had a great peace come over me and I knew God was calling me to religious life. So with this direction, I began visiting religious communities (kind of like college visits) and spending time in prayer to discern where God was leading me. Ironically, my housing skills come in to play more often than not when I have visited communities. With one group of Sisters they were building a new retreat center and I set-up their cleaning and maintenance contract to get their bids from local companies.

So realizing that once I become a Sister, I will take the vows of chastity (solely for God), obedience (go and do whatever I am told to serve God), and poverty (literally

I will own nothing), I decided to go enjoy a trip during this waiting period of entering a community (typical time to enter is 2-years and then 8-10 years of formation prior to making final vows – final vows is like getting married – no turning back). This time I started in France, made my way through Italy, took a boat ride to Croatia, joined a pilgrim group to Bosnia, and then returned to Italy. Once again, I did not have any real plans other than to visit holy sites of many of the Saints that lived in ages past. The trip was incredible and once again, God as a tour guide gave me so many unique experiences. I returned to the states and travel around giving talks, doing radio interviews, and spending time with my family. The opportunity opened up for me to go to the Holy Land and so I accepted. The highlight of this trip was getting to spend the night in prayer in the tomb of Christ in the locked church of the Holy Sepulcher.

So I returned to the states and began working with my Bishop to determine my future in regards to religious life. So with that, I am about to enter a month long silent retreat called the Spiritual Exercises in June and then go take graduate classes with men and women Religious in July. After my classes I will visit my sister (many of you know Christina) and my new niece whose due date is late July (this will be Christina’s second child). I am literally typing this from Ontario, Canada and it is one of the last communications that I will have this summer until I finish my classes in July. For the past two years, I have traveled, not had a home (it has been rented), and lived out of suitcases and during that time I have met extraordinary people that I would have never met, had I been afraid to answer the call from God. With that being said, I do not have an address and once I am in religious life I will no longer have a cell phone but if you would like to keep in contact please join me on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/kimbrown.info

If you are still reading, this means it is a slow office day or we were friends during the past decade. I want you to know that my time in SWACUHO and my time spent with so many friends over the years was a blessing and that I think of you all at different times. With as much as I travel these days, I drive past an old conference site and it brings to mind a SWACUHO memory. Know that you and your families are in my prayers and that I pray that you each may be reenergized with love for the career that God has placed you in and for the students and staff entrusted to your care. God Bless, Kim Brown


Diverse Perspectives in Housing Experiencing something new was my top priority in planning the summer between the two years of my Master’s program. As I looked through the ACUHO-I internship database, there were hundreds of positions in residence life and conferences, but very few in housing operations or facilities. As a live-in graduate assistant at my

current institution, I valued the concept of spending my summer in a capacity that was vastly different from my job during the academic year; this is what brought me to Texas Tech University.

Texas Tech had several different ACUHO-I positions to apply for, and I was especially intrigued by those that would allow me to experience new atmospheres. Above all, the internship offered in Housing Facilities piqued my interest due to the interactions that I previously had with professionals who work in facilities. As a graduate hall director I often found myself unaware of even the most mundane of facilities operations, a shortcoming that was often mitigated by helpful and understanding facilities coordinators and maintenance staff. In preparation for future professional roles I thought it would be a great idea to spend the summer working in housing facilities, an area that can provide me with new perspectives that can help me do my job in housing and residence life even better. After experiencing the world of facilities for just a few months, diving into a new area in order to bring valuable perspectives to one’s day-to-day work is something that I would recommend to anyone.

Meeting everyone in the Housing Facilities Unit was instrumental in my understanding of maintenance, support services, warehouse and inventory, and all of the trades. Due to the incredible size of the Housing Facilities Unit, I was able to learn about everything

from bed bugs to locksmithing to construction, as well as help out along the way. I especially enjoyed tracking the progress of construction projects on campus, which included bathroom and student room renovations, life safety upgrades, and the building of a new residence hall complex.

I even had the opportunity to “punch” one of the new halls and give feedback to some of the contractors when my team found items that were completed incorrectly or insufficiently. My most eye-opening experience, however, was on one of the days that I spent shadowing the lock shop technicians. I had the opportunity to remove, install, pin, and pick locks for residence hall doors, as well as cut keys. This experience truly showed me the extent of the work that goes into keeping residents safe in our halls—not to mention justifying the hefty charge that comes with a lock change!

In a fast-paced environment like the world of housing, it is no surprise that professionals often find themselves troubleshooting issues and putting out hopefully-figurative fires. Gaining experience in other housing areas outside of one’s specialty is useful not only as a means of acquiring knowledge, but also for cultivating the ability to think from new perspectives. I value the experience that I had in facilities because I now know, for example, the work that goes into cleaning and preparing rooms for conference check-in and how much time it takes to tile a brand new bathroom. Coming from a residence life point of view, this knowledge is helpful because instead of falling victim to the frustration that many professionals experience when a project is not finished on time, I now have some tools that may help me understand why something has not gone as planned. As I move forward and start my professional career this perspective will help me to more appropriately implement time lines and understand the needs of my colleagues—and who knows? Maybe I will end up working in facilities once again!

Joseph S. BozzoACUHO-I Intern, Summer 2014Texas Tech University University Student Housing


In August, Baylor celebrated the completion of its first residence hall refurbishment. South Russell, built in 1967, completed a 14 month overhaul to significantly enhance the living experience for residents. While the exterior maintains its traditional architecture along with some landscaping improvements, the interior hardly resembles its former self. The “new” South Russell resident rooms are substantially improved with new flooring, moveable furniture and wireless internet throughout the building. In addition, the

Baylor University’s South Russell Gets a New Lease on Life

building includes improved study and lounge space, a community kitchen, a reflection room, a faculty-in-residence apartment and improved living quarters for a residence hall director and resident chaplain. The building features improved community bathrooms and a new garden level area. The garden level, formerly the basement, is home to a classroom, seminar room, fitness/aerobics room, game room, and lounge space. North Russell, the next building in the refurbishment plan, will open in August 2015.

Curtis OdleAssistant Director for Facilities and OperationsBaylor University


New SWACUHO Website Launched!This summer has been an exciting one for SWACUHO! We heard your concerns about the old website and have answered with a fantastic new host and design!

Visit swacuho.org to see our many new features! Here are some highlights:

• Create your own personal profile (sub-account) under your school’s master account

• Post and search for jobs on Career Central• Pay membership dues• Register and pay for conferences and events• Connect and chat with other SWACUHO members• Catch up on our Twitter feed• Join discussion forums and email listservs• Browse and join committees

This is just scratching the surface of the new ways to utilize the website. The sky is the limit and we hope you take the time to create your sub-account and discover more of SWACUHO!

Another update from Technology is the old “mid-level” listserv is no longer active. We have several new listservs that you can join on the website. Each state has a specific state listserv as well as there is one general swacuho listserv. Joining is easy and all instructions are on the website. These new listservs do not affect the CHO listservs so don’t fret! These are just added means of communication to connect us together!

If you have any questions, concerns, or ideas, please contact me at [email protected] or at 501.320.9892.

Rikki TurnerSWACUHO Technology Coordinator


SWACUHO News | Fall 2014 15SWACUHO News | Fall 2014 15

Arkansas Tech University Welcomes Five New Resident Directors The Office of Residence Life would like to welcome our new Resident Directors for the 2014-2015 academic year.

Jennifer Ratajczyk, Baswell Hall, joins us from Murray State University where she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science.

Rhylie Gachot, Caraway Hall, joins us from Arkansas Tech University where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design.

Tyler Loveday, Critz/Hughes/Tucker Complex, joins us from Oklahoma State University where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Sociology

Stephanie Capps, M Street Residence Hall, joins us from Oklahoma State University where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology.

E’Quain Rhodes, Paine Hall, joins us from Brewton-Parker College where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in History.


The Department of Residence Life at Texas A&M University is pleased to welcome our newest staff members. They come from all across the nation.

New staff in Residence Life at Texas A&M

Serving as Graduate Hall Directors while they pursue a Student Affairs Administration in Higher Education Program are:

Lisa Bowker from University of Wisconsin-River Falls

Carter Burks from University of Texas- Austin

Daniel Foster from Kansas State University

Kelly Gilton from Bowling Green State University

Katherine Johnson from Eastern Illinois University

Alyssa Raymond from Loras College

Darrian Slater from University of Wisconsin Whitewater

Monika Weber from Sonoma State University

Audrey Winking from Maryville University

De’Ronnius Young from Mississippi State University

Serving as Graduate Hall Directors while they pursue graduate degrees in other disciplines are:

Jesus Orozco (in Aerospace Engineering) from Texas A&M University ’14, and

Mayra Sanchez Gonzalez (in Educational Psychology (PhD)) from Grand Valley State University

Serving as Community Directors are:

Mitchell Holston for Krueger Hall, who has a Masters from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) where he worked as the Graduate Assistant for Leadership Learning, and

Aaron Harbaugh for the Fowler-Hughes-Keathley Complex, who holds a Bachelor of Arts from Sam Houston State University and most recently worked at Cal State Fullerton as a Complex Coordinator.

Also serving the on-campus students of Texas A&M are:

Melissa McConnell as a Facilities Coordinator;

Anna Blackmon as a Business Coordinator I;

Kendra Brown as Office Associate in the South Area Office;

Jennifer Smith as Office Associate in the University Apartments; and

Carmen Court as a Customer Service Associate in Housing Assignments

As Texas A&M University welcomes the largest entering class in its history and enrollment exceeds 58,000 students, these staff join continuing professionals in providing a world class on-campus student living and learning experience.

Carol D. Binzer, Ph.D. Director of Administrative & Support ServicesDepartment of Residence Life Texas A&M University


Ryan Cohenour Associate Director for Administrative Services

Ryan Cohenour joined the Baylor team as the Associate Director for Administrative Services. Ryan previously worked at the University of Iowa as the Assistant Director for Contracts and Assignments and as a Hall Coordinator before that. Ryan earned

his undergrad degree from Eastern Illinois University in political science. He earned his master’s degree in college student personnel from Western Illinois University.

Molly Salisbury Residence Hall Director for Collins Hall

Molly Salisbury is the new Residence Hall Director for Collins Hall. She comes to Baylor from Ball State University where she earned her M.A. in student affairs administration in higher education and her assistantship as an Assistant Residence Hall Director. Her thesis was about the social

integration of sorority women who live in residence halls. Molly earned her B.A. in psychology at Creighton University.

Evie Swanson Residence Hall Director for Brooks Flats

Evie Swanson recently joined Baylor as the Residence Hall Director for Brooks Flats. She graduated from Murray State University with her master of science in human development and leadership, including a concentration in college student personnel. While at Murray

State she was a Residence Director for a residential college-style community. Evie attended Hamline University to earn her B.A. in psychology and religion.

Daniel Haddad Residence Hall Director for University Parks Apartments

Daniel Haddad returns to Baylor University as the Residence Hall Director for the University Parks Apartments. He graduated from Colorado State University where he earned his M.S. in student affairs while completing his assistantship in First and Second Year Programs. Daniel graduated from Baylor receiving his undergrad in psychology with a minor in religion.

Campus Living & Learning at Baylor University Welcomes Their New Staff

Molly DePew Graduate Residence Hall Director of North Village University House

Molly DePew joined the Baylor University Higher Education cohort to serve in University House in North Village. She is a 2012 graduate of Grove City College where she majored in political science with a minor in biblical and religious studies.

She has served for the past two years at Interlochen Arts Academy in Interlochen, Michigan, as a Residence Hall Counselor. While at Grove City she was a Resident Assistant for two years as well.

Megan Lamb Graduate Residence Hall Director of North Village Texana House

Megan Lamb joined the Baylor University Higher Education cohort to serve in Texana House in North Village. She is a 2013 graduate of Belmont University where she majored in religion and the arts with a concentration in creative

writing. She also minored in German. Megan has spent the past year providing after-school programming for high school students through an organization called Rocketown of Middle Tennessee. During her time at Belmont she served for three years as a Resident Assistant and was also involved in Kappa Alpha Theta.

Amiee Brassart Graduate Apprentice for Community Development

Amiee Brassart serves as the Graduate Apprentice for Community Development, where she will support and promote the community development efforts of the CL&L staff. She graduated from Union University where she earned her B.S. in

education. At Union she was a Resident Advisor for two years and also President of the Student Activities Council.

Curtis OdleAssistant Director for Facilities and OperationsBaylor University


The beginning of the new academic year always brings new faces to the Department of Housing and Residential Life at Oklahoma State University. This year we have several staff joining us at all levels.

Oklahoma State University Welcomes New Staff

Dr. Elizabeth Cyr is the new Assistant Director working with our Family & Graduate Housing and the Family Resource Center.

Marcy Louis is the new Assistant Director working with Single Student Housing on the South side of campus.

At the Coordinator Level, we have two new staff who arrived on campus in early spring:

Joel Gatti is joining the staff as a Student Housing Coordinator in the North Monroe Apartments Area.

Cynthia Miller joins the staff as the Student Housing Coordinator in Bennett Hall.

We are also excited to have our new Graduate Assistant Residence Directors on campus.

Shel Douglas, Stout Hall Residence Director

Connor Brady, Wellness Initiatives Residence Director

Olivia Miller, Patchin Jones Residence Director

Kenny Bollwerk, Kamm Peterson Friend Residence Director

Allen Simmons, Kerr Drummond Residence Director

Erica Magsam, Kerr Drummond Residence Director

Jessica Funk, Parker Residence Director

Lea Staedtler, Community Programming Residence Director

Kane Mach, Youth and Family Programming Residence Director

Admas Siyoum, FGSH Marketing and Communications Residence Director

In order to promote staff into the housing profession, we also have four student positions who serve as Assistant Residence Directors within the Department. These staff are responsible for the day to day management of our 24 hour front desk and work with Community Councils.

Sami Schilthuis, Village Suites Assistant Residence Director

Shane Pendleton, Wentz Hall Assistant Residence Director

Tim Van Ostran, North Monroe Assistant Residence Director

Joshua Burns, Bennett Hall Assistant Residence Director

Tanya Arflin MasseyAssistant Director, Programs and DevelopmentOklahoma State University


Santana Simple is the new Resident Hall Director for Belvin, Estill, and Elliott Halls; she also handles social media for the department. Santana attended Texas A&M University where she received her B.S. in Psychology and her Master in Public Health- Social and Behavioral Health. It was here that Santana discovered her passion for working with students. In addition Santana obtained a M.S. in Counseling

from the University of Houston-Clear Lake, which has further allowed her to diversify her approach with students in order to better serve. Santana is passionate about developing students, student leadership, and fostering a strong community for residents.

Delacy Carpenter is the new Resident Hall Director for White Hall, and The Valley; she also advises RHA. Delacy attended Georgia Southern University, where she received her B.S. in Psychology. She then went on to receive her M.S. in Community Counseling from Columbus State University. Delacy is passionate about student leadership, development, and mental health in the university setting.

William Avery is the new Resident Hall Director for Lone Star Hall, and The Hill; he also coordinates academic initiatives. Will attended East Carolina University where he received his B.S. in Communications with a concentration in Broadcast Journalism and a minor in Sports Studies. As a Graduate Assistant Residence Director at Murray State University, he received his M.S. Human Development and Leadership with an

emphasis in College Student Personnel. Will was a Hall Director at Auburn University prior to his arrival at Sam. He is passionate about leadership development both personally and professionally.

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Kyle Ashton is the new Assistant Director for Residence Hall Staff and Community Development. Kyle coordinates staffing in the residence halls. In addition to RA selection, RA training, RHD supervision, and evaluation of hall staff, Kyle coordinates programming for the department, and oversees the HHAC, RHA, and NRHH programs, as well as the White Hall Resource and Training Area. Kyle

received his B.S. in Biology from Brigham Young University-Idaho and his Master of Public Service and Administration degree from Texas A&M University.

Jessy Tackett is the new Assistant Director for Marketing and Guest Services. Jessy oversees all marketing efforts for the department. In addition to supervising student staff and managing the Guest Services area, Jessy also coordinates conferences and summer camps. Jessy received her B.S. in International Marketing at Universidad del Valle de Mexico.

Brandon Jackson is the new Resident Hall Director for Jackson Shaver Hall, and Four West; he also coordinates special events. Brandon comes to Sam after completing his Master’s Degree in Education at Lindenwood University where he also received his Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. Brandon is passionate about building an inclusive community and forming friendships.

Sam Houston State University Welcomes New Staff

Joellen Newman TiptonExecutive Director, Residence Life and Living-Learning ProgramsSam Houston State University


Michael Bailey Assistant Director for Student Conduct

Alma maters: University of South Florida; Middle Tennessee State University

Degrees: B.A. Psychology; Master in Educational Leadership

Texas Tech University Welcomes New Staff

S. Leigh Prouty Assistant Director for Operations Residence Life

Alma Maters: Western Carolina University-Cullowhee, NC

Degrees: B.S.B.A. Business Administration & Law; M.Ed. College Student Personnel

Christopher Medley Manager Student Intervention

Alma Mater(s): Louisiana Tech University

Degrees: B.A. Psychology; M.A. Counseling & Guidance

Scott Rarick Residence Life Coordinator Bledsoe/Gordon/Sneed

Alma Maters: Capital University; Indiana University

Degrees: B.A. History; M.S.Ed. Higher Education and Student Affairs

Alex Campagna Residence Life Coordinator Coleman

Alma Maters: Florida State University; Clemson University

Degrees: Bachelors of Education; M.Ed. Higher Education Counseling Student Affairs

Tamera Dunn Residence Life Coordinator Chitwood/Weymouth

Alma Maters: Northwest Missouri State University; Valdosta State University

Degrees: B.S. History and Coaching; M.Ed. Higher Education Leadership

Nelly Chavez Residence Life Coordinator Horn/Knapp

Alma Mater: Texas State University - San Marcos

Degrees: B.A. Spanish and Business; M.Ed. Student Affairs In Higher Education

Quentin Hodges Residence Life Coordinator Hulen/Clement

Alma Maters: University of Utah; Clemson University

Degrees: B.S. Exercise Physiology; M.Ed. Counseling Education


Texas Tech University Welcomes New StaffTrent Moore Residence Life Coordinator Stangel/Murdough

Alma Maters: Western Illinois University; Ohio University

Degrees: B.S. Recreation, Park, and Tourism Administration; M.Ed. College Student Personnel

Brandi Beasley Residence Life Coordinator Talkington

Alma Maters: Indiana Tech; The University of Akron

Degrees: B.S. Psychology; M.A. Higher Education and Administration

D’Andrea Young Residence Life Coordinator Wall/Gates

Alma Maters: The University of Texas at Austin; Texas State University

Degrees: B.S. Communication Studies; M.Ed. Student Affairs in Higher Education

Hunter Rogers Graduate Hall Coordinator Bledsoe/Gordon/Sneed

Alma Mater: Arkansas Tech University

Degree: B.A. Speech Communication

Master’s Degree Program: Higher Education Administration

Matthew Kerns Graduate Hall Coordinator Chitwood/Weymouth

Alma Mater: Kansas State University

Degree Earned: B.S. Human Resources Management


Denzel Maxwell Graduate Hall Coordinator Coleman

Alma Mater: Oklahoma State University

Degree Earned: B.S. Economics

Master’s Degree Program: Public Administration

Stephanie Mecca Graduate Hall Coordinator Horn/Knapp

Alma Mater: University of Wyoming

Degree: B.Ed. Art K-12


Ivy Schluterman Graduate Hall Coordinator Hulen/Clement

Alma Mater: Arkansas Tech University

Degree Earned: B.A. Psychology



Isiah Davis Graduate Hall Coordinator Murray and Carpenter/Wells

Alma Mater: University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

Degree: B.A. Music - Double Bass


Texas Tech University continued

Gus DeBacco Graduate Hall Coordinator Stangel/Murdough

Alma Mater: University of Nevada, Reno

Degree Earned: B.A. Communications Studies and Political Science

Master’s Degree Program: Political Science

Jen Sommers Graduate Hall Coordinator Stangel/Murdough

Alma Mater: Valparaiso University

Degree: B.S Business Administration - Marking


Rachel Dimond Graduate Hall Coordinator Talkington

Alma Mater: The Ohio State University

Degree: B.A. Psychology; Minors in Sociology and Music


John Schmidt Graduate Hall Coordinator Wall/Gates

Alma Mater: South Dakota State University

Degree: B.S. Journalism, News Editorial


Jess Carron Graduate Hall Coordinator West Village

Alma Mater: Southern Illinois University - Carbondale

Degree: B.S. Journalism and History


Victoria Montgomery Graduate Assistant for Residence Education and Academic Programs

Alma Mater: DePaul University

Degree: B.A. Psychology; B.A. Communication & Media Studies

Master’s Degree Program: Interdisciplinary


Texas Tech University continued

Nic Tate Housing Advisor

Alma mater: Texas Tech University

Degree: B.S. Restaurant, Hotel, and Institutional Management

Keely Adams Senior Business Assistant


Degree: B.A. in Political Science

Chelsea Beckham Housing Advisor


Degree: B.A. in Psychology and Art with a concentration in painting.

Michael Prouty Coordinator of Client Relations and Research

Alma maters: University of North Carolina at Charlotte; Cappella University

Degrees: B.A. Psychology and a minor in Interdisciplinary Health Studies; M.S. in Industrial and Organizational Psychology

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Put in your Bid for SWACUHO RA Conference! SWACUHO Mid Year meetings are just around the corner, October 20-21, 2014. Why should you put that date on your calendar? Because bids are due then for the 2017 annual conference.

The Exec Board will also accept bids for the fall 2015 RA Conference. Due to a lack of bids to host the SWACUHO RA conference, the conference will not be held this fall. There may be an prospect for a spring RA conference if a school is willing to host.

While hosting seems like a daunting task, it can provide great opportunities to showcase you campus and your staff. Spend the next few months discussing how you (and a few of your fellow institutions) can get together to host in 2017 or host the RA conference next fall. These events provide our staff and our profession with ongoing professional development, but only if we have dedicated housing staff who are willing to host.

If you have questions about hosting or want to talk with some of our former hosts, please feel free to contact Michael Woods, the Time and Place Committee Chair at [email protected].

Michael WoodsSouthern Arkansas University


Amanda KnutsonResidence Life Coordinator, West VillageTexas Tech University

Texas RisingThe “Texas Rising” is bringing a beautiful scene that is an interactive piece of artwork to students, staff, the community and visitors to Texas Tech University. On August 29, 2014 the ribbon cutting for this new artwork took place with about 100 guest in attendance. The artists Blessing Hancock and Joe O’Connell of Tucson, Arizona were present to talk about the creation of the Texas Rising and the meaning behind each of the pieces.

As you pull up on the north side of the newest residence hall West Village, you see trees but behind the trees in the interior courtyard of the hall, there are 5 stainless steel stars that surface from the ground. The largest star stands 18-feet tall. The artwork pieces are all lit with colorful LED lights. The lighting of the artwork comes on an hour before sunset and is on until 2:00 a.m.. The lights shine through the cutouts of symbols that are specific to each piece. The lights reflect off the building and the surrounding areas illuminating this colorful courtyard at night where you can find residents outside studying or people strolling by to capture a picture for their social media profile or page.

When you look closer at each of the sculptures there are hidden symbols in each of them if your eye is looking

in the correct spot. On the largest 18-feet tall star there are hidden Double T symbols in the flames on the side of the star that is supposed to represent the tradition of the bon fire. The smaller stars have victory bell, keys, lamp, and old fashion farm windmills hidden in the respective stars. Besides looking for the hidden symbols throughout the stars, the largest start has a button on it that allows people to change the color of the lights of the big star. The artist encouraged students and visitors to climb and interact with the sculptures. It was mentioned that they envisioned students laying out up against the stars studying or relaxing. Joe O’Connell talked about how him and Blessing had the idea of a rising growth is how the stars came about.

The staff, residents and guests have been using it as a great photo opportunity. During opening weekend, with only the large 18-feet star installed it was the photo place for a Quinceanera celebration. Many visitors have been stopping by to snap a photo at sunset or during the night with the lights on. Going to work in the mornings and going home at nights, you catch a different glimpse of the artwork that you may not have noticed before. This artwork will be enjoyed by many for the years to come!


fall 2014 newsletter

Documents

new staff

new lease

new initiative

new swacuho website

texas tech university

swacuho news fall

texas state director

sam houston state university