Talking Stick - November/December 2009 - 6

vision Making Our Case On campuses everywhere, the current economic conditions have forced difficult decisions. But there is a saying – “Never waste a crisis” – that is appropriate in these times. Yes, these times are difficult, but they are also opportunities to rethink old strategies and revisit what makes a housing program strong. Each campus will have the opportunity to discover unique strategies to improve performance. But what will be common is the need to preserve the institution’s academic core while maintaining student services. Simply put, a vibrant on-campus student housing program contributes significantly to a campus’ academic core and mission to recruit and retain our students and to lead them towards graduation. simply puT, a viBranT on-campus sTuDenT housing program conTriBuTes significanTly To a campus’ acaDemic core anD mission To recruiT anD reTain our sTuDenTs anD To leaD Them TowarDs graDuaTion. Now, this is not a new development. The fact that students who live on campus are more connected to the institution and vested in their own success has been shown in numerous studies. Those results came as housing officers elevated their concerns beyond “heads in beds” to consideration of the entire student. However, we must continue to remind the academic side of our houses of these facts. These reminders will have to be part of a continuous process, not just one single event. We can do this through our actions as we accept the notion of partnerships (both internal and external) and strive to avoid campus silos. We can also do this through the research and assessment of our work. When things get tight, everyone becomes more accountable for their actions and the results. We know that the spirit and desire to succeed is present in our offices, but the ability to demonstrate the benefits requires a unique skill set. ACUHO-I, through its research of the profession and surveys of its membership, recognized this need to assess housing offices. In response, for the last three years the association has actively pursued a credentialing program and, more specifically, has offered housing professionals the opportunity to earn a certificate in housing assessment. In March 2010, all the planning and work will come to fruition when the program is officially launched. I encourage you to look in this issue at the feature article by David McKelfresh and Joseph Levy to get a better understanding of the hows and whys of housing assessment, as well as the story by Paul Jahr that provides further details about ACUHO-I’s credentialing program. You can also learn more online at www.acuho-i.org/ credentialing. We can’t let these difficult times intimidate us into inaction. By applying our ample professionalism and expertise, we can play a vital role in strengthening our campuses, supporting the mission, proving our worth, and turning this crisis into an opportunity. Michael Schultz ACUHO-I President Talking STick

http://www.acuho-i.org/credentialing http://www.acuho-i.org/credentialing

Talking Stick - November/December 2009

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