Talking Stick - May/June 2008 - (Page 64)

44 for the Future 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 • 17 • 18 • 19 • 20 • 21 • 22 • 23 • 24 • 25 • 26 • 27 • 28 • 29 • 30 • 31 24. Honor an RA Take the time to nominate one of your resident assistants for an “of the month” award presented by the National Residence Hall Honorary. It’s a great opportunity to support your campus NRHH chapter and to recognize the excellent work that students and staff do within your department. 27. Where the Students Are If you want to meet the students where they are, sometimes that means staying at the ofﬁce into the evening. Work with your department to occasionally juggle your schedule so you can come later in the day but stay deeper into the night so you don’t miss out on the opportunities to engage with students. You can also use this time to attend a residence hall program. It lets your staff know you care and that you connect with residents; and you can let the staff know you value the work they are doing. 25. Pen in Hand Take an idea and develop it into something for publication. Depending on your background and inclination, it could be for anything ranging from ACUHO-I publications like the Talking Stick and the Journal of College and University Student Housing to your alumni newsletter, an online blog, or even a letter to the editor of your local paper. The important thing is that you’re sharing your thoughts and ideas with a broader audience. 28. Do the Right Click Looks like these computer things are going to be with us for a while. Take the time to learn a new computer software program or Web application. Create an online proﬁle. Become more familiar with the technological tools your students are utilizing. Odds are there are non-credit courses available through your campus that will help in this endeavor. Meanwhile, the learning stimulates the brain and delivers the satisfaction of accomplishing a challenge. 29. Out to Lunch 26. Conference Bound Enhance your professional development by attending a conference. It doesn’t matter if it’s a large event like the ACUHO-I annual conference and exposition or a smaller gathering focused on your particular job responsibilities: The act of getting off your campus and interacting with other professionals is sure to recharge your batteries, make you feel more connected to the profession, and give you worthwhile ideas to bring back to your campus. You have to eat, of course, so use that time to build relationships. Every two weeks take a different staff member to lunch. Make the effort to ensure that the lunch is engaging and gratifying for the both of you. Just by being a good listener, you’ll learn a great deal about the person, their family, and their aspirations in that time. 30. Take a Tour Tag along with a prospective student tour given by the campus admissions ofﬁce. It will provide a chance to see how the campus as a whole – and your residence halls in particular – are being marketed to newcomers. You might even learn about some campus features that are new to you. 64 Talking Stick

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Talking Stick - May/June 2008

Talking Stick - May/June 2008 Contents Online Now Vision Just In Your ACUHO-I Transitions Res Life Facilities Business Calendar Managing Move-In Madness Strike Up the Brand 44 for the Future There Goes the Neighborhood Academic Communities Conversations First Takes Reporting Out New Members On the Spot

Talking Stick - May/June 2008

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.