The Talking Stick Discussion Guide supports individual and departmental professional development efforts. These discussion questions, crafted by campus housing professionals, help readers to make meaning of the content and best identify ways the information applies to individual practices and institutions. Some suggestions for how to incorporate them into a professional development curriculum include the following:

1. building discussions into departmental meetings;
2. delegating articles to staff and asking them to lead discussions;
3. reading articles that address topics outside of normal day-to-day responsibilities to broaden knowledge of different campus housing aspects or aspirational positions;
4. incorporating articles into class discussions for graduate students;
5. assigning articles to graduate classes and coordinating opportunities to discuss readings and how they would apply to future careers.

Download this guide as a PDF worksheet.

Changing Course

Starting a career in residence life isn’t a one-way street. It can serve as a route to other aspects of campus housing.

CORE COMPETENCIES

Human Resources: Determine the level of expertise, skills, and experiences required for specific staff positions. Direct ongoing training sessions in topical areas for professional development of staff.

READ ARTICLE

1. If you are considering a transition from residence life to facilities or business operations, what would you list as your strongest transferrable competencies?
2. Shadowing someone in facilities or business operations would give great insight into the work and help you determine if this transition is right for you. Who would you choose to shadow?
3. The story notes that directors of facilities or business operations can provide learning opportunities such as internships or technical language guides for those interested in transitioning to these fields. As a director in these areas, how would you create similar opportunities?

Storytellers

When making your case, data alone won’t move the needle. Connecting that data to a compelling story will.

CORE COMPETENCIES

Evaluation and Planning: Utilize assessment data to improve learning, services, and program delivery for effectiveness. Modify plans for practice in a way that incorporates assessment findings. Promote and reinforce an organizational culture of assessment.

READ ARTICLE

1. Assessment data cannot speak for itself. It needs a team of communicators. Who would you select for your team to work on strategic communication and storytelling? Who would you pick as your content creators, and who would be your storytellers?
2. Don’t keep the important and good work of those in student affairs a secret. Bring your assessment team together and start drafting the communication plan by determining your goals and your audiences.
3. Consider the point in the story where they identify assessment as being political. Think about how you would prepare your communication team for this.
4. How would you build a culture of assessment on your campus? Who would your technical data interpreters be? Who would your storytellers be?

Community Values

Integrating non-revenue generating space into residence hall designs requires negotiation.

CORE COMPETENCIES

Facilities Management: Develop goals regarding the quantity and type of housing desired to support the departmental and institutional missions.

READ ARTICLE

1. Consider the buildings on your campus and identify which ones have the most community space, the least community space, etc. What impact (if any) does the amount of community space in a building have on its popularity?
2. On your campus, do the amount and type of shared spaces influence the sense of community versus social isolation? How does this vary between buildings? Also, consider other factors that may contribute to demand for a specific building on your campus.
3. Flexibility in design is an important consideration for community spaces. If cost was not a consideration, what types of community spaces would you want to include in a new residence hall?

Language Matters

Whether it is in casual conversation or official policy, our words are instrumental in creating inclusive communities.

CORE COMPETENCIES

Equity and Inclusion: Create environments that are welcoming and accessible to all students.

READ ARTICLE

1. Consider the last time your campus’s website was reviewed. What stakeholders would be valuable to consult with in efforts to ensure inclusive language?
2. What resources would you suggest using to determine inclusive language standards and provide consistency across different outlets?
3. Consider a time when you inadvertently hurt someone with your language. What steps could you have taken to possibly avoid doing so or reduce the harm afterward?

Ready to Launch

Campuses incorporate career-readiness skills into student staff training and supervision.

CORE COMPETENCIES

Resident Educational Services: Train staff on how to create and promote activities that support student development.

READ ARTICLE

1. When promoting student staff positions like resident assistant, do you tout the benefits that go beyond room and board? How could these be better communicated to would-be applicants?
2. Consider your current supervision model and what steps could be taken to better assure consistency.
3. Career readiness is an important benefit of a student position. What other models could be considered, and how could those related competencies be determined?

Good Advice

Let’s talk about lessons learned from Black women professionals.

CORE COMPETENCIES 

Human Resources: Identify and leverage one’s strengths to maximize success in one’s current and future roles. Seek out and participate in activities designed to address areas where one’s performance can be strengthened.

Read Article

1. Think about your support system at work. What relationships do you see yourself making stronger so that you may have better support? Who do you envision being on your team?
2. What skills do you need to improve so that you are better prepared to handle tough days or times when you need to CYA (cover your assets)? Soft skills? Managing campus politics?
3. The participants talk about acknowledging how their intersectionality impacts their role. Reflect on the different sections of your identity and think about how you would use them to enrich your presence and your work.
4. How would you set personal and professional boundaries for yourself?