What comes from two extensive careers in student affairs and residence life? Ron and Elsie Gaber agree that it is the respect and admiration for all those who work in the field and selflessly give their best to support students. They also know that you need the support of your colleagues from associations such as UMR-ACUHO and ACUHO-I to find your way through the day-to-day. This is what motivated them to create an endowment for STARS College (started with their $25,000 donation) that supports students from the UMR-ACUHO region.
“UMR-ACUHO and ACUHO-I were significant organizations that helped form and influence our values and establish a professional foundation as student residence life staffers and as a chief administrator of residence life/housing in higher education,” the Gabers say. “We wanted to provide entry-level and undergraduate students opportunities to explore residence life as a career. To nurture this goal, we established an endowment and recognition for aspiring students to attend the ACUHO-I STARS College. This is also an endowment that extends appreciation and gratitude to the wonderful men and women in residence life that gave so much to us.”
Ron Gaber was president of UMR-ACUHO from 1980 to 1981, the first ACUHO-I Executive Board central district representative from 1983 to 1984, and director of residence life and housing at Truman State University, Kirksville, Missouri, from 1976 to 1988. He also held residence life positions at the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse and Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana, where he and Elsie met through their work as hall directors. Elsie had previously been a hall director at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston. After 21 years in leadership positions at A.T. Still University of Health Sciences, in Kirksville, Missouri, Ron retired as dean emeritus and vice president emeritus of student affairs.
What do they think the future holds for student housing? “One guarantee in working with residence life students is that change can be expected. This change can be motivating and an exciting basis for the work housing staff do at all levels,” the Gabers say. “How the professional staff deliver opportunities for student development in diverse living environments is the challenge. UMR-ACUHO and ACUHO-I are critical cutting-edge resources that identify the ever-changing physical, psychological, safety, and wellness needs of students and then provide education to staff on best practices that deliver measurable outcomes. Our observation and experience are that campuses that actively participate in ACUHO-I and their regional ACUHO will position their institution to have a bright future for meeting the needs of their residence life students and staff.”
Be a part of the Association’s leadership team, and help define how we will continue to uplift student living in the years to come. ACUHO-I is seeking nominations for five Executive Board positions up for election this year, with service beginning January 1, 2021:
While our volunteers give back to our profession, they also build leadership skills, connections, and opportunities to help further their personal goals and accelerate their achievement. Please consider submitting an application for one of the open opportunities by May 21. More information can be found on our website at acuho-i.org/network/elections.
The latest data for the Campus Housing Index are now available. Campuses that completed at least 50% of the Index during the 2019 data collection period (September–December), now have access to basic filtering features by logging into the platform. Campuses that were not able to complete the Index may purchase access to the Index.
Submit your job transitiON
We want to hear about ACUHO-I members on the move. Submit your latest job transitions to http://www.acuho-i.org/knowledge-resources/talking-stick-magazine/submit-a-story-idea.