The Journal of College and University Student Housing - Volume 44, No. 1 - 82

William J . Zeller

In fall 1989, the Department of Residence Life began developing a comprehensive Student Leadership Development Model
to provide a formalized structure to the 1,500
student leadership positions in the living
groups on campus. The "Coming Full Circle"
model represents the recommended sequence
of leadership positions students can follow-a
sequence most likely to enhance their leadership skill development during their undergraduate careers. In essence, the model provides a
structure to these positions from the freshman through senior years, culminating with
a myriad of mentoring positions for upperlevel students to work with new students as
they make their transition into the University
community.
The incorporation of this model has met a
great deal of success and has led to the following curricular-cocurricular partnerships:
1. The development of an interdisciplinary
minor in Leadership Studies which connects
cocurricular leadership positions with classroom instruction.
2. The offering within the Department of
Residence Life of a number of credit-bearing
leadership courses for paraprofessional staff,
Greek leaders, and Residence Life student government leaders. These courses provide a theoretical and scholarly base to the experiential
learning taking place through these positions.
3. The establishment of a Student Leadership Development Center which provides
office and meeting space and a variety of resources to student leaders, staff, and faculty
on campus. Through the interaction and collaboration which occurs, the Center provides
hands-on skill development and significant
outreach services to the campus.
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4. A variety of noncredit leadership training workshops and programs presented by
faculty throughout the year.

Computerization
Connections have been developed between Residence Life, Information Technology, General Education Department, and the Student Advising and
Learning Center.
The increased need for providing training
and access to computer technology has presented an additional opportunity to enhance
the connections between the in-class and outof-class experience. In spring 1995, a new
fiber-optic communication infrastructure will
go online. This new technology in voice, video,
and data will provide almost unlimited possibilities for making enhanced connections
between students, faculty, and Student Affairs
staff. A planning team that understands the
importance of these connections is in place
and is structuring programmatic offerings
around the living group themes listed above.

Recent trends in higher education
have called for renewed vitality in
the connections between the inclass and out-of-class experiences .
This movement has sparked
increased interest in the interactions
students have with each other,
with instructional faculty, and with
Student Affairs professionals .

T h e J o u r n a l o f C o l l e g e a n d U n i v e r s i t y St u d e n t H o u s i n g
The Journal of College and University Student Housing - Volume 44, No. 1

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Journal of College and University Student Housing - Volume 44, No. 1
