Talking Stick - March/April 2012 - 45

policy changes, reVisions, and creaTions (or eVen proposals To change policies) can originaTe from sTudenTs, our sTudenT senaTe, changing naTional Trends, and changes To laWs or besT pracTices. regardless of Where They originaTe, i belieVe iT is imporTanT To Thoroughly VeT all The issues.

just discussing common concerns and obstacles. Over the years, it seems that most policies and procedures are either proactive or reactive. At times institutions are proactive when creating policies in hopes of being able to address certain issues later. Other times policies are created reactively in response to issues or concerns which arise that may not be properly addressed using current procedures. It is almost impossible to have policies and procedures in place that will address all issues 100 percent of the time. This is because students do not do things the same way every year. Just when you think you know what they will do, they find a new way to do it. This is why being proactive is helpful, but being reactive is equally important.

Michael Wadsworth: Policy
changes, revisions, and creations (or even proposals to change policies) can originate from students, our Student Senate, changing national trends, and changes to laws or best practices. Regardless of where they originate, I believe it is important to thoroughly vet all the issues. For example, if the issue is not coming from our student population, it may be important to involve a small group of students to gather feedback prior to implementation. As others have also already mentioned, I feel this is also a time when I really reach out to colleagues and listservs to see what other schools are doing. I have found that checking with a small group of peer institutions (rather than a mass email to a national listserv) is a very helpful way to quickly get to how the policy change or creation may affect my specific situation.

in the student handbook are confusing to the average person, contradictory to another policy, or no longer relevant. To help ensure that our printed policies stay current, each summer two professional staff members are charged with the task of reviewing all residence life policies and providing recommendations for changes and omissions and for creating new policies for consideration.

Safewright: I also find that policy
changes can come from external sources as well: new legislation or rules that are handed down from state or national levels; legal matters that we learn about from other institutions that push us to get out in front of any new laws that might be coming; or just learning from our colleagues of new trends they are seeing at their institution. We have two ways in which policy change can start – from students and from administrators. Our Student Government Association is very active here and has been involved with many of the policies we have here on campus – from policies on alcohol and visitation to the way that room selection is done – so many times policy changes on our campus start at the student level. It is a lengthy process they must go through to get a policy changed, and it involves everyone on campus in the discussion of such changes. The other way policy change happens is that we as
march + april 2012

Michelle Ballew Safewright: I
think it’s about 50/50 on being reactive versus proactive. We also do a review of our policies annually by a committee so we tend to catch some things during that process that we know need to change because of trends or laws that we know about. Sometimes, though, because of situations that happen we realize reactively that we need to change policies, and now that our student handbook is online we can change those more immediately and not have to wait for the next print cycle.

Clency: In addition to the Student Government Association, the Hall Council and Residence Hall Association also serve as a driving force for new and revised policies. At the start of each academic year, the Hall Council, under the supervision of the building supervisor, oversees the voting policy for changes to the hall visitation hours.
Oftentimes after consulting the residence life student and professional staff, we realize that policies outlined

45



Talking Stick - March/April 2012

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Talking Stick - March/April 2012

Talking Stick - March/April 2012
Contents
New Member Highlight
Vision
Just In
Your ACUHO-I
Transitions
Res Life
Special Focus
Regroup
Calendar
Building Retention
Locker Room Talk
Conversations
First Takes
Reporting Out
Welcome
Snapshot
Talking Stick - March/April 2012 - BB1
Talking Stick - March/April 2012 - BB2
Talking Stick - March/April 2012 - Talking Stick - March/April 2012
Talking Stick - March/April 2012 - Cover2
Talking Stick - March/April 2012 - 1
Talking Stick - March/April 2012 - 2
Talking Stick - March/April 2012 - Contents
Talking Stick - March/April 2012 - New Member Highlight
Talking Stick - March/April 2012 - 5
Talking Stick - March/April 2012 - Vision
Talking Stick - March/April 2012 - 7
Talking Stick - March/April 2012 - Just In
Talking Stick - March/April 2012 - 9
Talking Stick - March/April 2012 - 10
Talking Stick - March/April 2012 - 11
Talking Stick - March/April 2012 - 12
Talking Stick - March/April 2012 - Your ACUHO-I
Talking Stick - March/April 2012 - Transitions
Talking Stick - March/April 2012 - 15
Talking Stick - March/April 2012 - 16
Talking Stick - March/April 2012 - 17
Talking Stick - March/April 2012 - Res Life
Talking Stick - March/April 2012 - 19
Talking Stick - March/April 2012 - 20
Talking Stick - March/April 2012 - Special Focus
Talking Stick - March/April 2012 - 22
Talking Stick - March/April 2012 - 23
Talking Stick - March/April 2012 - Regroup
Talking Stick - March/April 2012 - 25
Talking Stick - March/April 2012 - 26
Talking Stick - March/April 2012 - Calendar
Talking Stick - March/April 2012 - Building Retention
Talking Stick - March/April 2012 - 29
Talking Stick - March/April 2012 - 30
Talking Stick - March/April 2012 - 31
Talking Stick - March/April 2012 - 32
Talking Stick - March/April 2012 - 33
Talking Stick - March/April 2012 - 34
Talking Stick - March/April 2012 - 35
Talking Stick - March/April 2012 - Locker Room Talk
Talking Stick - March/April 2012 - 37
Talking Stick - March/April 2012 - 38
Talking Stick - March/April 2012 - 39
Talking Stick - March/April 2012 - 40
Talking Stick - March/April 2012 - 41
Talking Stick - March/April 2012 - 42
Talking Stick - March/April 2012 - 43
Talking Stick - March/April 2012 - Conversations
Talking Stick - March/April 2012 - 45
Talking Stick - March/April 2012 - 46
Talking Stick - March/April 2012 - First Takes
Talking Stick - March/April 2012 - Reporting Out
Talking Stick - March/April 2012 - 49
Talking Stick - March/April 2012 - 50
Talking Stick - March/April 2012 - 51
Talking Stick - March/April 2012 - 52
Talking Stick - March/April 2012 - 53
Talking Stick - March/April 2012 - Welcome
Talking Stick - March/April 2012 - 55
Talking Stick - March/April 2012 - Snapshot
Talking Stick - March/April 2012 - Cover3
Talking Stick - March/April 2012 - Cover4
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