Talking Stick - November/December 2008 - 68

Snapshot Vanessa Rodriguez What’s the first thing you do when you get into the office each morning? Check my e-mail and log into Instant Messenger. What’s the biggest issue for the students on your campus right now? In housing, it’s finding ways to keep from getting bed bugs. There are some privately owned, off-campus properties that our residents bring back hitchhikers from. Thanks to Wayne Walker, at the University of Florida, we’ve started to win the bed bug battle. What’s the biggest issue you see facing the profession right now? This is hard because I think our profession has a few big issues right now. Though if I have to pick, I would say the safety and security of people, information, and facilities. As professionals we have to find the balance between an individual’s privacy and a community’s security. Finding that balance has become increasingly more difficult, especially in the area of mental health. What makes your campus unique? For starters, Wichita State University is the only university in the country to have nine TRIO programs housed on its campus. WSU’s cooperative education program is huge and offers more opportunities than all of the other state schools in Kansas combined. Add to that the fact that more WSU grads are employed at Koch Industries — the country’s largest privately held company — than from any other university. And who else can say that their mascot is based on a bundle (shock) of wheat? What resource can’t you live without? My computer. If I’m not working on it, I’m gaming or visiting with loved ones using my Webcam. When was the last time you awoke to a phone call from work in the middle of the night? It’s been at least a few months. What do you wish was different about your job? As an auxiliary, I wish we were exempt from following some of the state purchasing requirements. I dread having to order more State Corrections furniture. Facebook: Good or evil? Good (and even fun) when used responsibly. What’s your biggest challenge on campus? Recruiting students. Our regional competition is strong, and with the rising costs of higher education the market seems to be shrinking. In your opinion, who is the best speaker and what is the best book you’ve been impressed by? Best speaker: Recently, it’s a tie between Hillary Clinton’s and Sarah Palin’s convention speeches. Politics aside, I was impressed by the strength and leadership each displayed in their respective convention speeches. These two women are women of “firsts” and that’s impressive. Director of Housing and Residence Life Wichita State University, Kansas Best book: I was recently impressed by Rebecca Stott’s national bestseller Ghostwalk. It’s an amazing book that mixes 17th-century historical facts, Newton’s innovations, and present day mystery. You just have to read it! Last meal at a campus dining hall? Today’s lunch of course! Favorite campus traditions? Convocation, midnight breakfast, homecoming week festivities, and the holiday tree lighting ceremony. Talking Stick

Talking Stick - November/December 2008

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