Welcome to 2021. Many of us have been looking forward to turning the calendar to a new year, and not without good reason. Whether it was wildfires in Australia, a global pandemic, unrest over racial injustice, or a contentious U.S. presidential election, there were any number of reasons to say good riddance to the year gone by. Many in our profession are justifiably tired and stressed from dealing with ever-changing circumstances and pivoting to meet the needs of our students and our institutions more times than we can count, while others have faced the pain of loss of employment. Some may even wish that 2020 could be erased from our memory banks, and that would be understandable.
However, to pretend that the previous year never occurred would negate some extraordinary accomplishments of our ACUHO-I members, the ACUHO-I Foundation, other partners, and the professional staff during these very challenging times. There is no doubt in my mind that our home campuses, especially those institutions that currently have mostly vacant residential facilities, have a much greater appreciation for the residential experience and for the staff that make this experience possible. While some of the Association’s events needed to be cancelled, others were quickly reimagined into virtual offerings by volunteers and staff, resulting in levels of member engagement we could not have achieved in a traditional in-person format. Two task forces that focused on the future of housing post-pandemic as well as anti-racism initiatives collected valuable information to assess the current environment and provided resources for member institutions to advocate for their programs and the safety of their residents. Of course, there were also the numerous webinars and virtual roundtables that delivered the most up-to-date information to attendees while also providing a platform for those in the field to gather and realize they are not alone in their very real struggles.
While some of the Association’s events needed to be cancelled, others were quickly reimagined into virtual offerings by volunteers and staff, resulting in levels of member engagement we could not have achieved in a traditional in-person format.
As we look forward to the 12 months ahead of us, what should we expect? While there is good news on the vaccine front, the reality is that even with that measure the pandemic will have an ongoing financial impact, both on our campuses and for the Association. The ACUHO-I Executive Board has been working on a new strategic plan to guide our work for the next three years. We have refined our vision and mission as well as crafted objectives and strategies that will allow us to make adjustments as necessary to react to the ever-changing environment we find ourselves in. Our portfolio of products and services will continue to evolve to allow engagement by the greatest number of members possible while remaining relevant and timely. Perhaps most importantly, we will continue to offer opportunities such as the online community for folks in the profession to connect and share their stories and experiences, their hopes and concerns. This has been a cornerstone of ACUHO-I and why we say we are “making campus home.”
It is an honor and privilege to be serving as the Association president this coming year, and I am looking forward to working with all of you as we collectively strive to meet the needs of our profession, our campuses, and, most importantly, our students.
Pete Galloway, ACUHO-I President
Talking Stick magazine takes its name from the symbol of international friendship presented to ACUHO-I in 1973 by the Ohiat Band of the British Columbia Indian Nation. The talking stick, or speaker’s staff, is hand-carved, and the inscription explains, “It is a sign of authority carried when proclamations are to be made or a meeting of chiefs is in session. It is a token of common heritage both to Canadians and Americans.”
