The Journal of College and University Student Housing - Volume 38, No. 1 - 78

Kevin Fitzpatrick

types	of	programs	on	student	success,	and	how	 far	can	we	notice	the	ripple	effects	beyond	the	 first	year?	I	recommend	that	residence	life	professionals	partner	with	faculty	to	create	rigorous	student	assessment	studies.	A	major	goal	 of	 faculty-residence	 life	 collaborations	 should	 be	 the	 development	 of	 formative	 evaluations.	 These	evaluations	should	examine	complex	relationships	 between	 faculty	 and	 students	 and	 between	students	and	their	peers.	Further,	we	 need	to	shed	light	on	the	question	of	whether	 true	 community	 is	 formed	 on	 campus	 and	 if	 social	capital	can	be	acquired	by	our	collaborative	 efforts.	 Consider	 the	 possibility	 of	 comprehensive	 data	 collection	 that	 involves	 both	 quantitative	 and	 qualitative	 methods	 and	 that	 engages	everyone	in	the	process	of	determining	whether	or	not	we	are	having	an	impact	on	 student	learning	outside	of	the	classroom.

residence	 life	 staff	 members	 or	 other	 student	 affairs	 professionals.	 This	 is	 a	 difficult	 task,	 but	 the	 relationship	 is	 ultimately	 crucial	 to	 the	success	of	innovative	student-focused	programming.	 Here	 it	 is	 important	 for	 residence	 life	professionals	to	learn	as	much	as	they	can	 about	faculty	workload,	time	allocation,	tenure	 and	 promotion,	 and	 academic	 interests	 to	 recruit	and	sustain	faculty	involvement.	 	 If	 engaging	 college	 students	 is	 a	 shared	 priority,	 we	 should	 create	 synergistic	 ways	 to	 forge	 new	 programming,	 new	 partnerships,	 and	 a	 new	 perspective	 on	 how	 to	 develop	 the	 well-rounded,	connected,	experienced	student.

REFERENCES
Browne,	 M.,	 Headworth,	 S.,	 &	 Saum,	 K.	 (2009).	 The	 rare,	 but	 promising	 involvement	 of	 faculty	 in	 residence	 hall	 programming.	 College Student Journal, 43(1),	 22-30.	 Retrieved,	 June	 14,	 2010,	 from	Academic	Search	Complete	database. McCluskey-Titus,	P.	(2005).	The	housing	professionals’	challenge:	To	involve	faculty	members	meaningfully	in	our	residence	hall	programs.	Journal of College and University Student Housing, 33(2),	 10-13.	Retrieved,	June	14,	2010,	from	Academic	 Search	Complete	database. Rhoads,	R.	(2009).	Reflections	of	a	professor	on	nine	 years	of	living	in	the	dorms . . . I	mean	residence	 halls!	 About Campus, 14(3),	 17-24.	 doi:10.1002/ abc.291. Vianden,	 J.	 (2009).	 Finding	 common	 ground	 in	 student	learning	by	creating	meaningful	relationships	with	faculty	members.	Life-Line (Newsletter for ACPA Commission for Housing and Residence Life), 36(4),	 5-6.	 Retrieved,	 June	 14,	 2010,	 from	 http://www.myacpa.org/comm/housing/Newletter/ lifeline2.pdf

Concluding Remarks
What	 faculty	 members	 can	 do	 to	 engage	 students	beyond	the	classroom	and	how	to	ensure	 the	best	results	possible	comes	down	to	building	 relationships.	Although	I	fully	support	facultydriven	 initiatives	 that	 are	 strong	 on	 academic	 content,	residence	life	professionals	have	much	 to	offer	traditional	faculty	who	are	searching	to	 recreate	 or	 revitalize	 their	 teaching,	 research,	 and	 service	 missions.	 These	 student-oriented	 professionals	 have	 theoretical	 knowledge	 and	 practical	 expertise	 about	 how	 college	 students	 develop,	 learn,	 and	 grow	 that	 can	 help	 faculty	 navigate	 the	 choppy	 waters	 where	 more	 than	 just	steering	a	ship	on	a	straight	line	becomes	 important.	 Dismissing	 a	 student	 learning	 initiative	 because	 a	 faculty	 member	 did	 not	 help	 create	 it	 is	 shortsighted.	 Rather,	 faculty	 members	 at	 all	 institutions	 should	 be	 interested	in	developing	collegial	relationships	with	
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THE JOURNAL OF COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY STUDENT HOUSING
http://www.myacpa.org/comm/housing/Newletter/lifeline2.pdf http://www.myacpa.org/comm/housing/Newletter/lifeline2.pdf
The Journal of College and University Student Housing - Volume 38, No. 1

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