swacuho post conference 2015 newsletter final

SWACUHO News | Post Conference 2015

Southwest Association of College & University Housing Officers

SWACUHO News

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SWACUHO News - Post Conference 2015

From The President

From the President: Kenny Mauk .......................................... 12015-2016 SWACUHO Executive Board .............................. 2Welcome: Aaron Crowe ......................................................... 3New Arkansas State Director ................................................ 4Mid-Level is MOVING and SHAKING .................................... 5CHO Committee Update ....................................................... 6RIA Committee Update/ University of North Texas New Staff ................................................................................... 7University of Houston Wins Big at No Frills 2015 ................. 8APPA Facilities Conference Exceeds Expectations .............. 9Programming Committee .................................................... 10Welcome New Committee Members................................... 11

2015 SWACUHO Award Winners/ 2016 SWACUHO Announcement ...........................................................12/13#SWACUHO ...................................................................14/15Mid-Level Mixology ............................................................. 16Diversity & Social Justice Committee ................................. 17Personal Development Committee ................................18/19Ice & Snow: No Match for UT Dallas Staff .....................20/21UTSA Residential Cirriculum Update .............................22/23Feed Your Soul ...............................................................24/25SWACUHO Colleges & Universities Reconnect at The Placement Exchange ....................................................... 26

In This Issue

The SWACUHO Annual Conference is always exciting and this year was no exception. The ice, sleet, snow, wind, and cold was kept at bay by the warmth of familiarity our members share. From the newcomer's

meeting to the closing banquet, it was truly great to see colleagues both new and old. While our conference may be over, our work as an organization is just beginning. By the time you read this the executive committee will have had our first conference call and individual phone calls with the committee chairs will be underway.

The executive committee will be evaluating scholarship and awards. In the coming months an ad-hoc committee will address each scholarship and award provided to determine how we can better serve our members. Better serving our membership through scholarship means that we must be clear in process and evaluation of award recipients. Our many awards and award timelines can be confusing. As an executive board, we have committed to evaluating the process and to provide clarity not only for the Awards and Recognition Committee, but for our membership at large. Also, we will continue the good work begun by Diane Brittingham; that work being context mapping and strategic direction. Joellen Newman, our immediate past president, has agreed to

Continued on pg. 3

Southwest Association of College & University Housing Officers2

2014-2015 SWACUHO Executive BoardKenny MaukPresident University of [email protected]

Tanya Massey President-Elect Oklahoma State [email protected]

Diane Brittingham Past PresidentUniversity of [email protected]

Ellie Luna SecretarySouthern Methodist [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]

Adonis Thompson Arkansas State Director Arkansas State [email protected]

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

Chad MartinOklahoma State DirectorSouthwestern Oklahoma State [email protected]

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2015-16 SWACUHO Executive Board 2015-16 SWACUHO Committee Chairs

SWACUHO News | Post Conference 2015 33

Kenny MaukSWACUHO PresidentStudent Housing & Residential Life Associate Director for Operations and OutreachUniversity of Houston

continued from pg. 1

Aaron Crowe has joined the Student Housing & Residential Life Staff at the University of Houston and will be in charge of The Quadrangle residential community. Aaron graduated from Sam Houston State University in 2011 with a Bachelors of Arts in Mass Communication. He earned his masters from Stephen F. Austin State University in 2014. Aaron has worked in student affairs at Sam Houston State University and Stephen F. Austin State University. Aaron says he is excited to be at the University of Houston because of the incredible diversity of the student population and the continued effort the university has made to achieve student success and overall growth. He may be reached at [email protected]

Welcome: Aaron Crowe

Aaron CroweStudent Housing & Residential LifeResidence Life CoordinatorUniversity of Houston

2015-16 SWACUHO Committee Chairs

hold the executive board accountable for implementation of aspects of the context map laid out in October 2014.

Finally we are challenged to utilize our fantastic website and all of it's capabilities. One way to do this is to actively engage in forums, blogs, and committee work via the website.

These are but a few of our tasks. In the coming weeks I will provide updates on the website and

in the leadership blog about the progress of these tasks along with other tasks as they arise. If you would like to help with any of these, please let us know.I hope your conference afterglow is shining bright and that you are as excited as I am to be part of!


New Arkansas State DirectorHello SWACUHO!

I am both excited and honored to be starting this new position as the Arkansas State Director. I look forward to not only working with the Executive Committee and committee chairs, but also with the different members of our fine organization. I will be reaching out to institutions not only in the state that I represent, but looking to build networks with those in Oklahoma, Texas and our member institutions of Mexico. As for the great state of Arkansas, there are some amazing things that are happening within our institutions, and it is time to let the rest of the region know about it. We have many great leaders, programs, and initiatives to share with others. I was always taught that it is not about how large or loud an individual or group can be to show their impact, their work will speak for itself. As a state, we need to continue to showcase the best that our institutions have to offer. This in turn will become the building blocks to our future success.

You all should be aware of the new SWACUHO website and if you have not checked it out, please do so. The site provides plenty of resources, from contacts within the region to presentations from past conferences. You will also find important dates and be able to sign up

for committees and listservs from the site. The new website can be a central hub for information within the region. Be sure to speak with your CHO in order to set up your sub-account and get started on connecting with others members.If you are looking for a way to get involved and want to help in the development of SWACUHO, please be sure to join one of the committees. Committee work is a great way to shape the future of SWACUHO, network, and just have fun with others who have the same passion for the housing field. If you were not able to sign up for a committee during the annual conference, you can still do so by signing up on the SWACUHO website or contacting the committee chair of the committee that you are interested in. Don’t miss out on these great opportunities to get involved.

I look forward to the future of SWACUHO and what Arkansas will bring to the region. As we press on, let’s never forget about those we are doing the job for, our students. The better we are within this region, the better we will be on our respective campuses.

Adonis ThompsonAssociate Director of Residence Life for OperationsArkansas State University


MID-LEVEL BREAKFAST: We had a great time during the 2015 Annual SWACUHO conference. We had 36 attendees at the Mid-Level breakfast on Tuesday, March 2nd. During breakfast Mid-Levels were able to select one of five table topics to discuss with breakfast guest. Those table topics included: Concealed Carrying [of guns/weapons] on Campus, Academic Collaborations, Trends in Student Conduct, Animals on Campus and Residential Curriculum Models. We also had a presentation from Technology Chair, Rikki Turner regarding the new SWACUHO website. A special thank you to our table facilitators: David Cooper, Ele Ford, Maggie Guzman, Brett Manley, Adonis Thompson and JC Stoner.

MID-LEVEL COMPETENCIES: During conference sessions I was able to present on the five ACUHO-I Competencies the Mid-Level workshop attendees felt each Mid-Level staff member should have, regardless of institution size, position/title or functional area. The selected competencies are: Crisis Management, Evaluation/Planning, Human Resources, Resident Educational Services and Student Behavior. You can check out the entire presentation on the SWACUHO website.

ACUHO-I: Registration for ACUHO-I is now open. I encourage all Mid-Level staff to take advantage of the Mid-Level forums that are available on Saturday prior to conference. The committee chair will be attending the ACUHO-I Advanced Mid-Level Forum. In the event you are attending the Emerging Mid-Level Managers forum please let me know ([email protected]). I would like to submit summary articles about the forums for those who are not able to attend.

Check out the Mid-Level Mixology article (pg 16) in this newsletter. You don't want to miss out on important info!

Mid-Level is MOVING and SHAKING

Katy PeltonSWACUHO Mid-Level Committee ChairSam Houston State University


Whoosh from UT Dallas, home of the Comets. The role of Chief Housing Officer Liaison is a position within SWACUHO that helps organize two key events each year and keeps the CHOs in the region abreast of changes and updates within the organization. The Chief Housing Officer meetings each November and our breakfast at the conference each spring are the main gatherings we are involved in, other than the regional conference. This last November, Texas State University in San Marcos hosted our regional CHO meetings where Chief Housing Officers from around the region met to talk about significant topics affecting our campuses. These topics included construction, renovation, therapy/comfort animals, gender neutral housing, technology, state politics and of course pets

for professional live-in staff to name a few. We were also able to tour new construction, see a beautiful campus and catch up with colleagues, some new and some old. Several campuses have shown interest in hosting the CHO Meetings in November 2015, and shortly a site and date will be chosen through our time and place committee. While CHOs have massive responsibilities for our campuses, we also have fun with each other and can rely on each other for support for each other’s programs.

If you are a CHO and not part of the list-serve, follow these simple directions below:Send an email to [email protected] and ask to join the list-serve.

Matthew J. Grief (Matt)Associate Vice President The University of Texas at Dallas (9 years)

Years in Student Housing: 23

Areas of Responsibility: Housing and Residential Life, Student Union, Comet Card Program, all new construction and renovation in student affairs at UT Dallas.

Family: Debbie (Wife of 16 Years), Gianna (15), Gaven (13) & Garrison (11); Two Dogs (Gabby and Gus)

Hobbies: Reading, running, camping, baseball, and umpiring.

Advice for New Professionals: Always ask questions and provide feedback and ideas to your CHO’s. You are in the trenches and we are not, and many times you know what is needed to make your job easier or make you more successful in your position. Have fun, don’t forget to have fun.

CHO Committee Update

Matthew GriefAssociate Vice President for Student AffairsThe University of Texas at Dallas

CHO Spotlight: Matthew Grief


Hi everyone! The members of the SWACUHO Research, Information, and Assessment (RIA) Committee want to serve you in the best way possible, so, to do that, we need to hear from YOU on how we can best serve our region! Please take a few minutes to click here and answer two questions that will tell us what would be helpful to you as a Housing staff member!

Aaron, Hannah, and Zach have all joined the UNT Housing staff this semester and are already making a big impact on our residents! Their mixture of knowledge, hard work, and general sense of fun has made them a big hit with students and staff already!

RIA Committee Update

Eugene Frier, M.Ed.Associate Director for Residence LifeDepartment of Housing & Residence LifeUniversity of North Texas

University of North Texas New Staff

Eugene Frier, M.Ed.Associate Director for Residence LifeDepartment of Housing & Residence LifeUniversity of North Texas


University of Houston Wins Big at No Frills 2015February 13–15, 2015 RHA executive board members from the University of Houston took off to the University of North Texas for “No Frills 2015”. The University of Houston was successfully represented and have four new awards to add to our growing collection! Student of the Year was awarded to Tillanye Stewart, the Mita Musik Advisor of the Year was awarded to Jackie Stelmaszczyk, Distinguished Service Award was awarded to Laila Machado, and University of Houston Residence Halls Association won Building Block RHA of the year.

Jackie Stelmaszczyk – Mita Musik Advisor

of the Year Award

Quinashai Watts accepts the RHA Building Block of the

Year Award.

Lauren Potter, accepts Student of the Year Award for

Tillanye Stewart

Laila Machado, Distinguished Service Award

Kenny MaukSWACUHO PresidentUniversity of Houston


APPA Facilities Conference Exceeds ExpectationsI applied for the SWACUHO scholarship for the APPA conference on a whim, knowing there was a small chance I would get it. When I was awarded the scholarship, I was excited but I'd be lying if I said I didn't have a little dread. I don't know anyone there. I don't know anyone going. And I was traveling alone.

Once I arrived in Kansas City, my dread began to turn into anticipation. When the vendor area opened, I felt like I was in heaven! This was such a wonderful place to explore many different products and solutions. There were solutions to problems I didn't even know I had!

I met new contacts with several different companies and arranged for samples of products that I couldn't find at the annual

SWACUHO conference. It is no secret that sometimes the programs on facilities at our annual conference are hard to come by, but by supplementing that experience with APPA, I felt like I had the complete package and a conference that focuses solely on what I do on a daily basis.

If you are considering this conference, I highly recommend it. As a facilities manager, it is a one stop shop for your professional development and facilities needs. Thank you, SWACUHO, for giving me this invaluable opportunity!

Randy HensleeAssistant Director for FacilitiesUniversity of Arkansas at Little Rock


We had such a wonderful conference program this year! I’d like to congratulate the top programs:

Best Display

Housing Alumni Connections: Enriching the Learning Experience with Former Student Staff – Anna D’Alfonso from University of North Texas

Top 5 Programs

Every Day You’re Improvising – T.J. Carter from University of Texas at Arlington

Speak with Style – Rikki Turner from University of Arkansas – Little Rock

Mid-Level Competencies – Katy Pelton from Sam Houston State University

Words Matter: Using Inclusive Language – Lena Tenney from University of Oklahoma

Everything I Learned about Supervision I Learned from Downton Abbey – Josh Gosdin from University of North Texas

Best Overall Program representing SWACUHO at ACUHO-I:

Every Day You’re Improvising – T.J. Carter from University of Texas at Arlington

Congratulations to all our winners! We look forward to all the many wonderful program submissions for next year’s conference!

Programming Committee

Gwen YoungAssistant Director of Business OperationsResidential Living and LearningTexas A&M University - Commerce


I would like to welcome our new committee members who joined at conference!

Joseph Watkins, University of Texas at DallasBrett Manly, Navarro CollegeShannon Reed, University of HoustonJason Riley, Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences, and the ArtsEric Johnson, University of North TexasSarah Amberson, University of North Texas Anna D'Alfonso, University of North TexasChelsea Nwankwo, Southeastern Oklahoma State University Lisa Plummer, Southeastern Oklahoma State UniversityTabi Elliott, Southeastern Oklahoma State UniversityMaya Reeves, University of OklahomaJordan Habenschuss, University of Central ArkansasSakina Trevathan, Baylor UniversityDelcenia Collins, University of Texas ArlingtonDerek Binsfield, University of OklahomaErica Magsam, Oklahoma State UniversityConnor Brady, Oklahoma State UniversityNatalie Borg, University of North TexasJosh Morris, Texas A&MAaron Harbaugh, Texas A&MBeth Eppinger, University of Arkansas – Fort SmithKrystain Blankenship, Prairie View A&M UniversityNatalie Smith, Arkansas State UniversityKeely Teters, Texas Christian UniversityBrandon Douglas, Stephen F. Austin State UniversityJessica Stout, Stephen F. Austin State UniversityNina Sichterman, University of North TexasAdonis Thompson, Arkansas State University Ashley Socia, Arkansas State UniversityBrian Rock, University of OklahomaCraig Allen, Texas Christian UniversityEmmale Davis, University of Arkansas

Welcome, new members! We have a lot to do and I can’t wait to work with each of you!

Welcome New Committee Members

Gwen YoungAssistant Director of Business OperationsResidential Living and LearningTexas A&M University - Commerce


2015 SWACUHO Award WinnersAs we moved the nomination process to our new website this year, the number of nominations continued to grow. It was exciting being able to give out an award in each category for the first time in quite a few years. We are also appreciative of everyone being accommodating to ensure that the weather would not prevent us from being able to recognize these deserving individuals and institutions. Here again, the award winners from the annual conference:

*Gene Ward Outstanding Student Leader Award

Taylor Duvall Arkansas State University Quan Phan University of Oklahoma Joshua Hutchison Texas Tech University Grayson Stidham University of Texas at Arlington

*Bob Huss Outstanding Graduate Student Award

Adam Iserman University of Central Arkansas Lena Tenney University of Oklahoma Shelby Vinson Texas Tech University Taylor Morgan University of North Texas

*Nancy Murphy-Chadwick New Professional of Distinction Award

Amanda Knutson Texas Tech University Margaux Ring University of Texas at Arlington

Individual Diversity Award

Melissa L. Cook Texas Tech University

Institutional Diversity Award

"Diversity Dialogues: Religion & Science" University of ArkansasTom Penett Vendor Service Award

Trey Stoermer Southwest Contract

Bob Cooke Distinguished Service Award

Teresa Simpson Texas Tech University Jennifer Walker

University of Texas - Austin

Frank Cloud Award for Excellence

"Fine Arts & Mass Communications Creative Community" Sam Houston State University Presidential Service Plaque

Diane Brittingham University of Oklahoma

James L. Gibson Exceptional Service Award

Sean Duggan Texas Tech University


2015 SWACUHO Award Winners*The winners of these awards are eligible to have their registration covered for SWACUHO 2016, in Waco, TX.

Don’t forget: Keep watching the website, listservs, regional social media (Facebook – SWACUHO and Twitter - @SWACUHO), and the next issue of the newsletter to see when we will be announcing the selected topic for next year’s Frank Cloud Award for Excellence.

John WrightRecognition & Awards ChairArkansas State University – Jonesboro

If you were unable to attend the SWACUHO Annual Conference this year, you might have missed the big news that Baylor University is hosting the 50th Anniversary conference next year in Waco, TX!

We’re using the title “Golden Jubilee” in honor of the historic milestone our association will soon reach. Planned highlights include a featured panel of past-presidents, a tour of Baylor’s ACUHO-I “21st Century Project” residence halls, and other programs and activities. Mark your calendars now for February 21-24, 2016 and follow updates on social media via #SWACUHO2016.

Stay tuned to future SWACUHO newsletters to learn more about what we have planned for the Golden Jubilee!

2016 SWACUHO Announcement


#SWACUHOComing down from an incredible conference high, I've been reflecting on more ways we can stay connected as a region outside of conference season. While I'm relatively young in the region, I've loved every SWACUHO experience I've had, and I'm incredibly grateful to be connected with such an amazing family of professionals. SWACUHO has quickly become my professional home, and I think it has a lot to offer all of us, during conferences and beyond.

One of the ways we can easily stay connected in a region that is so geographically large is through the use of technology and social media. These tools are here for us to utilize, and we truly can gain a lot from their use. Social media isn't just for keeping up with people we went to high school with but haven't actually spoken to since graduation. It's also a means to share and connect with people who are a part of your professional community, near and far. A quote actually showed up on my Timehop today that I had Retweeted two years ago that aligns with this idea: "@lmendersby: Don't think of Twitter as just about you. Share (articles, ideas, news) and attract a like-minded community to interact with. #NASPA13" Like-minded communities can still challenge each other to grow; it just makes more sense for me to share student affairs related articles with other student affairs people than with other interest groups I interact with.

The professionals in our region have so much to offer; some of that knowledge can be dropped online! We encourage you to get connected with SWACUHO on the website, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Mention us (@SWACUHO), hashtag us to engage with others (#SWACUHO),

and connect. Do you blog about student affairs/higher education/residence life? Share it!

• www.swacuho.org• @SWACUHO (Twitter & Instagram)• www.facebook.com/swacuhonation

Twitter, as well as Yik Yak, have also served as helpful means for identifying potential issues, either events or with specific students. I've had students send me screenshots of Tweets that expressed suicidal ideation; I was able to figure out where that student lived, and made some necessary phone calls to intervene. We can use social media for intervention and education. Yik Yak has been getting a lot of attention about the content that's shared and what we can do as professionals to stop it since it's anonymous. Honestly, it's going to keep happening, but we can combat it with positive messages. Share uplifting thoughts. Respond to Yaks threatening suicide with your HelpLine numbers. Screenshot and forward Yaks sharing the location of where "the sickest party is going down in TAMU Hall, room 207. Shots provided, BYOB," to people who can respond to the situations. Unless you out yourself, students won't know the person commenting on or downvoting negative Yaks is an employee of the University.

Here are some quick Twitter tips:

• Hashtags (this sign # followed by smushed together words or acronyms) are used to create backfeeds for topics and for sharing similar information. For example #sachat is a weekly chat that is orchestrated through


#SWACUHOthe Student Affairs Collective Website. There's a different topic every week, questions are asked, people respond, and people engage with each other. The conversations that happen here regularly are professionally stimulating! This is also a great way to connect with folks across the country and have conversations about things that are relevant to our field right now. #sachat is also used outside of the designated chat times to keep the conversations and connections going. Use #SWACUHO in your SWACUHO/student affairs/ResLife related Tweets to share your experiences with the region! Did you read a great article you want to share? Tweet the link, and use the hashtag. Do you have a question about a situation you're dealing with? Tweet the question, and use the hashtag.

• Make your profile public. I understand being cautious with social media privacy, but if you use Twitter to engage with other professionals, your Tweets won't show up in hashtag searches if your profile is private.

- If you're Tweeting things you don't want other professionals/future employers to see, you have a couple options. First, consider the image you're projecting - do you want those Tweets associated with you? Once something is out there, it's out there. Even if you have super private settings, we're in the age of screenshots, y'all. Anything and everything can be shared. Second, you could choose

to have a strictly professional Twitter account. I'm all about work/life integration, so I don't have a separate Twitter account, but that is another route some people choose to take.

• Share, respond, and interact. Again, Twitter isn't just to share with the world what you're doing with your life every second of every day. It's a tool that allows us the opportunity to engage with people. Follow people/accounts that share information you're interested in. Share information you find. If you see someone Tweet an interesting article, retweet it, favorite it, and/or respond to it! Thank them for contributing. Share your thoughts on what you read. Have a conversation.

I hope to see more people following, sharing, and engaging as we journey on towards #GoldenJubilee16!

Sara Hazel HarrisonTexas A&M University


Mid-Level MixologyMixology (as defined by a Mid-Level): the art and skill of mixing and meshing various knowledge, skills and abilities to adapt to any situation presented while productively interacting with a variety of functional areas, job titles and request.

While many positions in higher education take on this nature it seems that Mid-Levels are in a unique spot in which we are pulled from the top, bottom and sides of an organization.

This year’s Mid-Level Workshop theme is Mid-Level Mixology. We are going to capture the unique position that is Mid-Level, regardless of title, institution or functional area. We encourage you to plan on attending, encourage staff to submit a program proposal and perhaps submit a program proposal yourself.

Important Info to help you make your decision:

Dates: June 11 and 12, 2015

Location: University of Texas – Dallas

Sleeping Accommodations: on the UTD campus (covered in your registration cost) OR you may opt to select a hotel of your choosing

Meals: Thursday lunch, Friday breakfast, Friday lunch (all covered in your registration cost);

Registration cost: TBD; participants will be able to customize their registration (staying on campus, number of meals)

Important notice: This conference is only open to those who are considered Mid-Level staff. If you are unsure about this, please reach out to your department leadership.

Look for more information via the SWACUHO website and list serve. We look forward to Mixing it Up!

Katy PeltonSWACUHO Mid-Level Committee ChairSam Houston State University


Greetings from the Diversity and Social Justice Committee!

I hope you all had safe travels back to your home institutions from the annual conference. Many of you had to leave the conference earlier than expected for safety reasons, so not everyone had a chance to make it to the Showcase or Committee Meetings. Don’t worry, if you are interested in pushing against your learning edges, engaging in spirited dialogue, and working toward inclusivity and understanding then the committee would love to have you! You can join the committee by visiting the SWACUHO website and finding us under the “Get Involved” tab.

We had a small but mighty group that got the ball rolling on some of our ideas for what we would like to accomplish as a committee. So be on the lookout for some new and exciting initiatives coming your way. While we have some excellent minds on the committee, we are always open to ideas, feedback, and questions from the SWACUHO membership. So feel free to reach out to committee members and let them know your thoughts.

One of the main things we discussed at our first meeting was increasing dialogue about the micro interactions we encounter in our work. Often times we might become entrenched in the idea that to be involved in social justice work is to create broad scope initiatives or sweeping social change/critique. These things are, without a doubt, awesome goals and outcomes of social justice and diversity work. Yet, research tells us that the microaggresions (that stem from macro levels of power and oppression) have a large effect on individuals. So continue to be mindful of the opportunities to engage your communities in dialogue about diversity and social justice. To borrow the vernacular of some of my residents: Little changes lead to big gainz [sic], bro!

Diversity & Social Justice Committee

Patrick MillerChair, Diversity and Social Justice CommitteeUniversity of Texas at Arlington


Professional Development CommitteeHowdy!

The Professional Development Committee would like to thank all of the new professionals who took time out of the conference to participate in the Case Study Competition and the New Professionals Track! This year’s case study dealt with a student leader abusing prescription drugs. Out of the 14 teams that competed in the Case Study Competition, the winners were Kelly Gilton and Katherine Johnson from Texas A&M University. Both Kelly and Katherine are first year graduate hall directors in the Student Affairs Administration in Higher Education Master’s program at Texas A&M.

A special shout out to all the judges of the case study competition as well! Thank you Dan Mizer, Beth Eppinger, Joellen Tipton, Kenny Mauk, Rikki Turner and Maggie Guzman!

Those who participated in the New Professionals Track will receive their certificates in the mail. In the meantime, here they are in print so let's give them all a big round of applause!

First Name Last Name SchoolJoshua Butts Arkansas State UniversityNicholas Schiller Arkansas State UniversityMelissa Turner Arkansas State UniversityRyan Wasilewski Blinn CollegeJessica Funk Oklahoma State UniversityKrystain Blankenship Prairie View A&M UniversityEdward Green II Prairie View A&M UniversityChristopher Williams Prairie View A&M UniversityKelly Gilton Texas A&M UniversityJustin Martinez Texas A&M University - KingsvilleHaley Harrison Texas Tech UniversityMichael Prouty Texas Tech UniversityJordan Habenschuss University of Central ArkansasDaynica Harley University of Central ArkansasBrittany Lemke University of Central ArkansasKayla McIntosh University of Central ArkansasKatie Bailey University of North TexasZach Kraft University of North TexasAaron Mabry University of North TexasJessa Mays University of North TexasRachel McGee University of North TexasMarcus Mercy University of North Texas


Jeanette Michael University of North TexasChance Newkirk University of North TexasMaria Schoppa University of North TexasNina Sichterman University of North TexasMaya Reeves University of Oklahoma

Don’t forget to join us on Friday, September 25, 2015 for SWACUHO-U at the University of Texas at Dallas! This one day drive-in conference is for new professionals 1-3 years’ experience. This year we will be taking a trip in the evening to the Texas State Fair for some fun social networking time! More information to come soon!

For more information about the Professional Development Committee, please email [email protected] or call Gennie Lynn at 979-229-6299!

Gennie Lynn M.S. Coordinator of Residence LifeTexas A&M University


Ice & Snow: No Match for UT Dallas StaffWhen it snows during the usually mild winter in the southwest, it generally leads to school closures at all levels. Even the possibility of a winter storm gets the “Snow Day” buzz flying around. This winter the Dallas-Forth Worth metroplex experienced two weeks of on-and-off winter storms that resulted in several snow days where the entire campus was shut down, except for campus housing and dining. Primary and secondary school students stayed home, many businesses remained closed or minimally staffed, and plenty of snow angels, snow men, and snow balls were constructed throughout DFW.

What many people forget is that snow days are not all fun and games for everyone. There are plenty of dedicated, hardworking folks who suffer the elements to make sure that traveling outside during such treacherous conditions is as safe as possible. Housing and Residence Life staff are among that group, and are a critical component of the on-campus winter weather response team at UT Dallas.

In the past year, UT Dallas’s Housing Maintenance and Operations teams have worked closely with the University Facilities and Grounds teams to assess route priorities and duties in the event of winter weather impacts on campus. Together, all staff went through hands-on training to teach those responsible for responding how to properly spread salt, use equipment, and work safely in winter conditions. The training built an important trust and comradery between the groups: everyone is out there together making sure residents, students, faculty, and staff can get around campus safely.

The housing team is responsible for ensuring that paths in the residence hall and apartment communities are safe for the residents to walk, with a focus on getting students safely to the new dining hall built this past summer in the residence hall area. This means the maintenance staff and the live-on operations staff shovel snow and lay ice melt at all building entrances, as well as utilize our John Deere Gator with plow and spreader attachments to clear and treat all the sidewalks.

A great team effort produced tremendous results during this first year of the new plan and procedures! Staff responsible for each area were out early in the morning, or right as it started snowing during the day, clearing off snow and placing ice melt to keep entryways safe. The Maintenance Technicians walked around wearing ice-gripping YakTrax, carrying buckets of ice melt, shovels, and push-spreaders to treat the walkways and parking lots. As each additional day of freezing rain or snow came and went, the team became even more efficient. All of the paths to the dining hall were cleared before opening hours, and kept safe throughout the storm and the time the rest of the campus was closed.

As the on-campus resident population has grown each of the past 6 years at UT Dallas, the policies and procedures have needed to change. The Housing Operations and Maintenance teams have had to grow and adapt with the new on-campus residence facilities. The team’s ability to do so effectively, to the benefit of our student population, was on display during the


Kevin C. KwiatkowskiDirector of Housing OperationsThe University of Texas at Dallas

unexpected winter storms in the spring 2015. Kudos to all for the hard work and excellent results. As a result, UT Dallas residents were able to focus on having fun, studying, or sleeping in—all the important snow day activities.

Way to go, Comets! Whoosh!

Spreading Ice MeltUT Dallas Housing Maintenance Technicians use hand-

push spreaders to lay ice melt on a sidewalk outside Residence Hall Southwest on a snowy March 5, 2015.

Plowing SidewalksUT Dallas Housing Operations staff use a John Deere

Gator with plow and salt spreader attachments to clear snow and ice from a walkway on a snowy March 5, 2015.

Shoveling SnowA UT Dallas Housing Maintenance Technician shovels

a path for residents to get into and out of an apartment building on a snowy March 5, 2015.

Playing in the SnowResidents of a freshmen residence hall at UT Dallas have

fun during a snow day on March 5, 2015.


In the Fall of 2010, UTSA Housing and Residence Life unveiled their Residential Curriculum, which includes Students Taking An Active Role Series (S.T.A.A.R.S.). S.T.A.A.R.S. is the educational component to the Curriculum, and they are led by professional staff. The RA programs focus on community building, connecting residents to their RA and to each other (i.e. Social Programs). Our curriculum has undergone many updates and revisions, and we wanted to share some of the programs and overall assessment we received from residents that attended.

1. “Know Your Vote” educated residents about the importance of voting in the Texas Gubernatorial Election. The program encouraged residents to vote by educating them on how voting or not voting impacts them now and in the future. Additionally the program covered debates on Student Debt and how politics control topics relative to residents, such as student debt legislation.

2. “Don’t Get Smashed!” was developed so residents could have a faux-experience and observe/be aware of the consequences of alcohol consumption. Residents became more

aware of the many different effects alcohol can have on their lives, providing a higher probability of a more safe, yet fun Halloween and other late night festivities.

3. “Amazing Race: Roadrunner Edition” was designed to give residents information on the different services on campus available to them.

The race included traveling to locations such as Frost Bank, the John Peace Library, Career Services, Health Services, the Police Department, and the Rec Center. Each service provided pamphlets and information about what they do and the services they provide to residents.

4. “Healthy to Go” sought to educate residents on the importance of balanced

living with a specific focus on healthy eating decisions and physical exercise. The program was designed with the intent of providing healthy eating options and alternative exercise options to fit a college student’s lifestyle with tendencies towards a low budget and busy schedule.

Looking at our overall learning outcomes and the assessment of the programs, our residents agreed or strongly agreed that by attending our STAARS programs, they felt an increase in:

UTSA Residential Curriculum Update


a) their sense of self-efficacy, independence, responsibility, and resourcefulness (70%)b) cultural awareness through personal development and peer to peer interactions (72%)c) a perspective of global citizenship (54%)d) a sense of pride in UTSA and their college experience (72%)e) their critical thinking and/or communication skills (72%)

And even with all that learning and development going on, our residents had a great time interacting with their Complex Coordinators, Resident Assistants, and each other!

Marietta Em de la RosaAssociate DirectorUTSA Housing & Residence Life


I’m not the kind of person who relies on the, “I’m good, but busy,” response when I’m asked how I’m doing. While there may be times when I have more things to do than at other times, I don’t like letting the idea of “busy-ness” define me. Nevertheless, when one's schedule is on the tighter side of being scheduled, it can make it more difficult to spend time with friends, call family, or do things for oneself. It’s really easy to get caught up in the day-to-day motions of what we do. We tend to have the same rotations of meetings and things to do, and while having a routine is comforting, sometimes we can get lost in it and feel robotic. How do we combat being a robot and remind ourselves we're human?

I’ve talked about the idea of soul feeding with a few of my very close friends before. To me soul feeding is doing something that makes you feel so alive and so connected to the soul of the universe that your soul can’t help but feel filled. Some moments are intentionally soul feeding (doing something you know you love) while others are fate – those moments that you couldn’t plan if you tried, but they happen, and they make you feel incredible. Those random adventures or conversations you have. Perhaps a follow up conversation with a student who was struggling that went in a much deeper direction than one could have guessed or a retreat with a group of students that went very well.Feelings of elation come after having one’s soul fed; these feelings are hard to describe, but you know them when you feel them. They’re lifesaving, metaphorically and literally. Feeding your soul can even be career saving. If you’re feeling yourself burning out, it can be helpful to refocus, personally and professionally. Here are some tips on feeding your soul:

• Reflect on what feeds your soul.

• What sparks those feelings of elation? When was the last time you felt them? If it’s been awhile, why is that?

• Plan time for you and what you love.- Put it on your calendar if you need to! I have reminders on my calendar to write in the

morning when I wake up and to read at night before I go to sleep. Do they always happen? No, but when they do, it’s great!

• Be present.- Live in the moment. Focus on what you’re doing and who you’re with so you can get the

absolute most out of an experience.

• Do random things.

Feed Your Soul


- Not everything needs to or can be planned! Again, some of the most incredible memories can come from random adventures that take you from having dinner with a good friend to having long talks on the tailgate of a truck to falling in love.

• Follow your heart.- Do things that make you and your soul happy. Trust your gut – God gave it to you for a

reason!

• Open yourself to possibilities.- Don’t feel the need to live up to the “supposed to bes” that others set in place for you.

Do you love doing something that your co-workers think is really weird or nerdy? WHO CARES!? Do it. Let go, and let God. Who knows where you’ll wind up!

How do you feed your soul? Do you have tips to share with the region? Share on Twitter using #SWACUHO and/or mentioning @SWACUHO!

**This article was altered from this original blog post to meet the needs of the SWACUHO newsletter: https://sarahazelharrison.wordpress.com/2015/02/10/feed-your-soul/

Sara Hazel HarrisonTexas A&M University


Greetings from NOLA! Just a few short weeks after the SWACUHO annual conferences, many attendees had the chance to see those friendly SWACUHO faces again at The Placement Exchange (TPE) held in New Orleans, Louisiana. This year's TPE boasted 1,074 on-site candidates and 821 job postings. TPE is presented by NASPA and ACUHO-I, of which SWACUHO is an independent affiliate, in partnership with several other professional organizations. "We are overjoyed to be involved in the formative stages of young professionals careers. Not only is this an opportunity to explore passions but also a chance to experience the care and support of mentors and volunteers who want them to succeed," said Tom Ellet, President of ACUHO-I. Certainly, there were many hopeful candidates from the SWACUHO region taking advantage of the opportunities Dr. Ellet described. Taylor Balch Willis, a second-year master¹s candidate at Baylor University, shared, "For years now, I have been preparing for what had been hailed as the ultimate rite of passage for new student affairs professionals: TPE. Willis continued saying, "To

me that (interview) room represents a world of opportunities, and a career that is just beginning to unfold. From familiar faces with thoughtful job search wisdom, to new friends from new

corners of the world, the connections and reconnections made at TPE have reminded me of just how many wonderful people, institutions, and opportunities fill our profession. Many of the employers remarked that interview tables seemed to be grouped by state,

which allowed for many conversations amongst peer institutions during interview lulls. While it's unclear if this arrangement was purposeful, one thing is clear, the SWACUHO institutions have some strong bonds and enjoyed the comradery that came with their proximity. Of course, as TPE comes to a close, many members will be staying for the annual NASPA conference or even just arriving. For those of us with recruitment roles, however, we will return to campus to begin quickly preparing for on-campus interviews.

SWACUHO Colleges & Universities Reconnect at The Placement Exchange

Eleanor LunaSouthern Methodist University

swacuho post conference 2015 newsletter final

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