Talking Stick - May/June 2016 - 8

VISION

Not a Third Wheel
In the long history of ACUHO-I, the membership generally was divided into two
groups, with the residence life staff on one side and the facilities management staff
on the other. These days, however, along with an increased intermingling between
residence life and facilities, a third functional area has become more prominent and
invaluable to a housing operation's success: that of business operations.
This should not be news to most of you. Try to imagine a day
without the services and expertise that these professionals provide. Just
consider the importance of the housing assignments team. They not
only keep the beds full to maximize revenue but are also a key driver of
student satisfaction as they facilitate roommate pairings and navigate
room assignment challenges.

...WE SEE
CREATIVE
STRATEGIES
AND
INNOVATION
COMING FROM
ALL OF THE
AREAS THAT
FALL WITHIN
TODAY'S
CAMPUS
HOUSING
PROGRAMS.

There are also those who oversee conference operations and help
keep academic year costs down as they generate an outside revenue
stream. There are the marketing teams who are so instrumental in
telling housing's story to students and families in the face of everincreasing competition from the off-campus housing market. There
are the information technology staff who manage and maintain the
software, systems, and devices that we can't live without. And, finally,
there are the finance staff who oversee the budgets, payments, and
transactions that make our world go round.
Just as appreciation grows for the role of these knowledge domains
within the campus housing mission, that world has also grown more
appreciative of the skill sets and professional knowledge that these staff
bring to the table. That spirit of collaboration is celebrated at events
like the ACUHO-I Business Operations Conference.
Whereas some of these groups once operated through smaller,
separate events, ACUHO-I now brings them together under one
umbrella. It was a decision that makes perfect sense as the association
not only benefits from economies of scale but also encourages
the same sort of partnering between these groups in a conference
environment that occurs in our campus workplaces. Each of these
pieces is interconnected and reliant on the other.

I think this evolution is indicative of much of what is happening on
campuses around the world. With greater accountability and fiscal pressures in higher
education, we see creative strategies and innovation coming from all of the areas that
fall within today's campus housing programs. In fact, it is when all these areas act
in concert that the best solutions are uncovered. As we move forward, this synergy is
critical because the work in front of us is too important to place limits on our potential
solutions.
 allan_blattner@unc.edu

TALKING STICK
Symbol of International
Friendship
Talking Stick magazine
takes its name from the
symbol of international
friendship presented
to ACUHO-I in 1973 by
the Ohiat Band of the
British Columbia Indian
Nation. The talking stick,
or speaker's staff, is
hand carved, and the
inscription explains, "It is
a sign of authority carried
when proclamations
are to be made or a
meeting of chiefs is in
session. It is a token
of common heritage
both to Canadians and
Americans."

ON THE
COVER

D N NG IN
Kitchen design shapes community ties.

May + June 2016 | Volume 33, Number 5

published by the Association of College and University
Housing Officers - International

Dining in the
residence halls
adds that extra
touch of home
at the University
of Washington in
Seattle. Read how
kitchen design brings
student communities
together in the
feature on page 50.

 @apblattner
 ablattner
 allan blattner

TALKING STICK

Photo by Benjamin
Benschneider
courtesy of Mahlum
Architects

Talking Stick - May/June 2016

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Talking Stick - May/June 2016