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:
building discussions into departmental meetings;
delegating articles to staff and asking them to lead discussions;
reading articles that address topics outside of normal day-to-day responsibilities to broaden knowledge of different campus housing aspects or aspirational positions;
incorporating articles into class discussions for graduate students;
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.
The Leader Ship
Student peer leaders are the fuel that keeps campuses running. A new book offers a look at how to increase their efficiency and output.
CORE COMPETENCIES
Resident Educational Services: Support residential student groups and student organizations in meeting organizational goals.
READ ARTICLE
In what ways do you think the RA position prepares students for future employment? How can that value be better communicated to them?
Are there approaches that you think would be more successful in recruiting student leaders on your campus?
What are some immediate ways you could improve the peer leader experience to make it a high-impact practice?
Cover Story
Strategies and suggestions for updating the timeworn cover letter for the job search of today.
Foundational: Properly convey individual knowledge and experiences to best navigate the job search process.
When was the last time you updated your cover letter? Is it due for a refresh?
What are your individual traits, knowledge, or experience that make you stand out from other potential job candidates? How could you better convey those elements in a cover letter?
If you have been part of a hiring committee, how much were cover letters considered in the process? Do you think they should have received more or less attention?
First Things First
Tailored and targeted support provides a strong foundation for first-generation students.
Resident Educational Services: Develop program goals for residential learning communities focused on specific student demographics.
Think about the support your campus currently offers to first-generation students. What could be added?
If your campus does not have a designated living-learning community or center for first-generation students, think about the physical space you can carve out for them. What campus space could you use to bring them together to meet faculty, advisors, or invited speakers?
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Working for Justice
Campuses look to Organizational Justice Theory to improve workplace culture.
Human Resources: Ensure that departmental supervisory and human resource policies are consistent with institutional practices and culture.
Bring your management staff together and discuss Organizational Justice Theory. Ask them to look at each pillar and to explain how it applies to their work.
Ask your management staff to think about how the department could implement better management practices by using Organizational Justice Theory. Ask them to share examples of what could be implemented.
What potential benefits do you see for your department if management uses Organizational Justice Theory in their practice?
Building Blocks
Hands-on experiences help staff wrap their heads around residence hall design .
CORE COMPETENCIESLeadership: Share information and provide opportunities for staff to better understand the work and responsibilities of supervisors and senior leadership.
Do you think residence life staff have sufficient input into residence hall design on your campus? What are ways they could become appropriately integrated into the process.
Identify five different design elements of the residence halls on your campus and explain how they support departmental goals and mission.
What does your dream residence hall consist of in terms of community space? Number of beds? Other features?
Chatterbox
Let’s talk about AI and its effect on campus housing operations.
CORE COMPETENCIESInformation Technology: Develop policies regarding the appropriate use of information technology resources in a business environment. Coordinate projects associated with new applications.
In what ways do you see AI assisting you with your work?
Bring your team together and discuss what ways you see AI assisting your department.
What would make you hesitant to use AI in your work or the work of your department?
