Talking Stick - September/October 2017 - 51

institution's vulnerability to organizing. In addition, it should determine
how communications will be handled
in the event of an organizing campaign
and decide on the role of residence
life, student affairs, and other relevant
administrators in any campaign.

it should be a stipend as part of the
credit-bearing program in which
RAs participate. Finally, departments
should review documents and remove
references to phrases like "employment contracts," "salary," and other
indicia of an employment relationship.

If a college or university decides it
is opposed to student workers forming a union, there are steps it can take
to create a climate in which students
will not be attracted to union appeals.
First, if an institution considers the RA
position to be fundamentally a student
leadership position, it must make sure
to advertise it and characterize it that
way. Schools may consider requiring
all RAs to take a credit-bearing course
as part of their service. If a position is
truly academic, an institution will have
a compelling argument that it is not
simply a job. Similarly, organizations
should not refer to their compensation programs as a "salary." Instead,

In the end, perhaps the most effective means to avoid unionization
of student workers has nothing to
do with documents and legal terms.
Rather, institutions should listen
closely to RAs and respond to their
concerns. Experience shows that individuals who feel that their supervisors
listen to them and respond to their
needs are less likely to turn to unions.
Schools should make sure that supervisors are not encouraging or supporting unionization efforts. Enhancing
the training of supervisors will ensure
that they better understand that their
interaction with RAs will make the
difference between loyalty to the

program or receptiveness to union
appeals.
Unless and until the NLRB reverses
its position in the Columbia case and
definitely holds that undergraduate
student leadership positions are not
jobs, all private sector institutions
must be prepared to face the prospect
of union organizing among their RAs.
Just as training and preparation is key
to preparing RAs to fulfill their responsibilities, so is adequate training and
preparation essential to a campus's
response to unionization efforts. 
Joseph W. Ambash is the regional
managing partner of the national labor
and employment law firm Fisher Phillips.
On behalf of ACUHO-I and 12 other higher
educational organizations representing
the vast majority of institutions providing
residential programs to undergraduate
students, he authored an amicus brief in
George Washington University v. Service
Employees International Union, Local 500.

Making Sure All Packages Get to
Their Recipient Safe and Sound

AD

No more package hassle
No more lost packages
No more upset students...or parents

Contact us to learn more: 1 (800) 371- 5956

SEPTEMBER + OCTOBER 2017

51



Talking Stick - September/October 2017

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Talking Stick - September/October 2017

Talking Stick - September/October 2017
Contents
Vision
Just In
Calendar
Your ACUHO-I
Transitions
Res Life
Facilities
Regroup
Double-Loop Assessment
When Resident Assistant Becomes Resident Worker
Conversations
First Takes
Around Student Affairs
New Members
Snapshot
Talking Stick - September/October 2017 - Intro
Talking Stick - September/October 2017 - Talking Stick - September/October 2017
Talking Stick - September/October 2017 - Cover2
Talking Stick - September/October 2017 - 1
Talking Stick - September/October 2017 - 2
Talking Stick - September/October 2017 - Contents
Talking Stick - September/October 2017 - 4
Talking Stick - September/October 2017 - 5
Talking Stick - September/October 2017 - 6
Talking Stick - September/October 2017 - 7
Talking Stick - September/October 2017 - Vision
Talking Stick - September/October 2017 - 9
Talking Stick - September/October 2017 - Just In
Talking Stick - September/October 2017 - 11
Talking Stick - September/October 2017 - 12
Talking Stick - September/October 2017 - 13
Talking Stick - September/October 2017 - 14
Talking Stick - September/October 2017 - 15
Talking Stick - September/October 2017 - 16
Talking Stick - September/October 2017 - 17
Talking Stick - September/October 2017 - Calendar
Talking Stick - September/October 2017 - 19
Talking Stick - September/October 2017 - Your ACUHO-I
Talking Stick - September/October 2017 - 21
Talking Stick - September/October 2017 - Transitions
Talking Stick - September/October 2017 - 23
Talking Stick - September/October 2017 - Res Life
Talking Stick - September/October 2017 - 25
Talking Stick - September/October 2017 - 26
Talking Stick - September/October 2017 - 27
Talking Stick - September/October 2017 - Facilities
Talking Stick - September/October 2017 - 29
Talking Stick - September/October 2017 - 30
Talking Stick - September/October 2017 - 31
Talking Stick - September/October 2017 - Regroup
Talking Stick - September/October 2017 - 33
Talking Stick - September/October 2017 - 34
Talking Stick - September/October 2017 - 35
Talking Stick - September/October 2017 - Double-Loop Assessment
Talking Stick - September/October 2017 - 37
Talking Stick - September/October 2017 - 38
Talking Stick - September/October 2017 - 39
Talking Stick - September/October 2017 - 40
Talking Stick - September/October 2017 - 41
Talking Stick - September/October 2017 - 42
Talking Stick - September/October 2017 - 43
Talking Stick - September/October 2017 - When Resident Assistant Becomes Resident Worker
Talking Stick - September/October 2017 - 45
Talking Stick - September/October 2017 - 46
Talking Stick - September/October 2017 - 47
Talking Stick - September/October 2017 - 48
Talking Stick - September/October 2017 - 49
Talking Stick - September/October 2017 - 50
Talking Stick - September/October 2017 - 51
Talking Stick - September/October 2017 - Conversations
Talking Stick - September/October 2017 - 53
Talking Stick - September/October 2017 - 54
Talking Stick - September/October 2017 - 55
Talking Stick - September/October 2017 - First Takes
Talking Stick - September/October 2017 - Around Student Affairs
Talking Stick - September/October 2017 - 58
Talking Stick - September/October 2017 - New Members
Talking Stick - September/October 2017 - Snapshot
Talking Stick - September/October 2017 - Cover3
Talking Stick - September/October 2017 - 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