Talking Stick - January/February 2016 - 64

SNAPSHOT

VALERIE BRUCE
What's the biggest issue for the students on your campus right
now?
Residence space. Our current residence population is small for
our overall student population. We have around 856 beds on
campus, predominantly for first-year students, while Ryerson's
overall first-year class population was 7,478 this year. This means
that many of our students have a daily commute of upwards of
two hours each way or find off-campus living options at high
Toronto rental prices. We will be opening new buildings in 2018
that will add around 1,000 new beds to our overall stock, but
Ryerson will continue to have a high commuter population. This
poses a problem for student engagement with events on campus
through varsity athletics, student life, etc. when they are looking
at a long commute home and limited transit operational hours.
To address this issue while we build, our office has launched a
Commuter Hostel option, where students can book a room for the
night at a low cost to stay over for academic or social needs. We
launched in mid-September with nine rooms available and so far
have housed more than 100 students.
What are your favorite campus traditions?

VALERIE BRUCE is the housing
operations and administration
coordinator for housing and
residence life at Ryerson
University in Toronto, Ontario,
Canada.
What motivates you the most in
your job?
A perk of having a unique role is having
the ability to innovate our services and
offerings to maintain all of those areas.
A great example of this is the changes
we have implemented into our residence
service desk operation. Our desk staff
culture has adapted from focusing
solely on security-associated duties for
our residence front entrances. They are
now community builders within our
lobbies and support providers for our
residence students in a nontraditional
way. Last year, our desk staff went as
far as providing programming to our
students, including exam stress busters
and adventures within the Toronto
community.

64

TALKING STICK

My favorite tradition is an orientation week program that lies
close to my heart called Glamour Bingo. For this event we invite
students to come as they like, whether that is dress or gender
expression, and play Bingo hosted by a local Toronto drag queen.
The purpose of the event is to explain how our residence operation
location is a part of the LGBTQ2IPSAA community neighborhood
situated a few quick steps from campus and to act as a point of
discussion in respect to diversity. As a former Ryerson resident
myself, this event opened my eyes to this community within
Toronto and beyond and started a deep love and affection for all
things drag. From an educational lens, it's a great opportunity to
educate our students about the community they are joining, gain
respect for the community and people in and around Ryerson,
and begin a dialogue about and increase exposure to diversity
that may be different from their previous homes. It's the one
orientation event, 10 years since my first, I never fail to miss.
What is the most challenging part of your work?
My position is unique for institutions within Ontario as I oversee
our residence desk operations, summer accommodations, main
office administration, and off-campus housing connections. It
can be a challenge to have a unique role within the Canadian
context, where the business operations connection and support
is less established and formalized, especially when my role
includes operational needs and looks different. Wearing many
hats can be challenging, and there are times when day-to-day
functional decisions in our summer accommodation operation
can negatively impact the eight-month residence operation and
vice versa. Balancing decisions that provide the best support and
outcomes for all operational areas throughout the entire year is
rarely easy.



Talking Stick - January/February 2016

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Talking Stick - January/February 2016

Talking Stick - January/February 2016
Contents
Vision
Just In
Calendar
Your ACUHO-I
Transitions
Res Life
Assessment
Conduct
Match Game
Basic Training
Conversations
First Takes
Around Student Affairs
New Members
Snapshot
Talking Stick - January/February 2016 - Intro
Talking Stick - January/February 2016 - Talking Stick - January/February 2016
Talking Stick - January/February 2016 - Cover2
Talking Stick - January/February 2016 - 1
Talking Stick - January/February 2016 - 2
Talking Stick - January/February 2016 - 3
Talking Stick - January/February 2016 - Contents
Talking Stick - January/February 2016 - 5
Talking Stick - January/February 2016 - 6
Talking Stick - January/February 2016 - 7
Talking Stick - January/February 2016 - Vision
Talking Stick - January/February 2016 - 9
Talking Stick - January/February 2016 - Just In
Talking Stick - January/February 2016 - 11
Talking Stick - January/February 2016 - 12
Talking Stick - January/February 2016 - 13
Talking Stick - January/February 2016 - 14
Talking Stick - January/February 2016 - 15
Talking Stick - January/February 2016 - 16
Talking Stick - January/February 2016 - 17
Talking Stick - January/February 2016 - Calendar
Talking Stick - January/February 2016 - 19
Talking Stick - January/February 2016 - Your ACUHO-I
Talking Stick - January/February 2016 - 21
Talking Stick - January/February 2016 - Transitions
Talking Stick - January/February 2016 - 23
Talking Stick - January/February 2016 - Res Life
Talking Stick - January/February 2016 - BC1
Talking Stick - January/February 2016 - BC2
Talking Stick - January/February 2016 - 25
Talking Stick - January/February 2016 - 26
Talking Stick - January/February 2016 - 27
Talking Stick - January/February 2016 - Assessment
Talking Stick - January/February 2016 - 29
Talking Stick - January/February 2016 - 30
Talking Stick - January/February 2016 - 31
Talking Stick - January/February 2016 - Conduct
Talking Stick - January/February 2016 - 33
Talking Stick - January/February 2016 - 34
Talking Stick - January/February 2016 - 35
Talking Stick - January/February 2016 - Match Game
Talking Stick - January/February 2016 - 37
Talking Stick - January/February 2016 - 38
Talking Stick - January/February 2016 - 39
Talking Stick - January/February 2016 - 40
Talking Stick - January/February 2016 - 41
Talking Stick - January/February 2016 - 42
Talking Stick - January/February 2016 - 43
Talking Stick - January/February 2016 - 44
Talking Stick - January/February 2016 - 45
Talking Stick - January/February 2016 - 46
Talking Stick - January/February 2016 - 47
Talking Stick - January/February 2016 - Basic Training
Talking Stick - January/February 2016 - 49
Talking Stick - January/February 2016 - 50
Talking Stick - January/February 2016 - 51
Talking Stick - January/February 2016 - 52
Talking Stick - January/February 2016 - 53
Talking Stick - January/February 2016 - 54
Talking Stick - January/February 2016 - 55
Talking Stick - January/February 2016 - Conversations
Talking Stick - January/February 2016 - 57
Talking Stick - January/February 2016 - 58
Talking Stick - January/February 2016 - 59
Talking Stick - January/February 2016 - First Takes
Talking Stick - January/February 2016 - Around Student Affairs
Talking Stick - January/February 2016 - 62
Talking Stick - January/February 2016 - New Members
Talking Stick - January/February 2016 - Snapshot
Talking Stick - January/February 2016 - Cover3
Talking Stick - January/February 2016 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20190506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20190304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20190102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20181112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20180910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20180708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20180506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20180304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20180102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20171112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20170910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20170708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20170506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20170304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20170102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20161112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20160910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20160708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20160506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20160304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20160102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20151112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20150910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20150708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20150506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20150304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20150102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20141112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20140910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20140708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20140506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20140304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20140102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20131112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20130910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20130708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20130506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20130304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20130102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20121112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20120910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20120708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20120506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20120304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_201201
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20111112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20110910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20110708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20110506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20110304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20110102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20101112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20100910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20100708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20100506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20100304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20100102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20091112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20090910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20090708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20090506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20090304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20090102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick1108
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick0908
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick0708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick0508
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com