If nothing else has come out of this past year, I think that our profession has learned (or, at least, was reminded of) just how critical a resource our staff and colleagues are to organizations, campus leaders, and the students that we serve. As plans changed, then changed again, then changed a third or fourth time, the ability to adjust quickly and effectively became critical. It required talented and dedicated staff to make those adjustments succeed.
As a campus housing leader, it is nice to think that we all selected, trained, and supervised our staff specifically to deal with a situation such as we have faced over the past 12 months. The reality, however, is that we made the best decisions we could with the information we had on hand, knowing that there might be a surprise or two around the corner, which is pretty much a regular occurrence in our line of work. I suspect that, going forward, the characteristics we look for in new hires and the topics we choose to cover in training may look different or at least will have a sharper focus.
As those of us in the northern hemisphere head into the traditional hiring season cycle, things are likely to look different, at least in some of our organizations. As campuses that went largely or fully remote plan to return to full occupancy, student staff teams may need to be reconstructed from scratch. In addition, professional positions that have become vacant due to retrenchments will need to be filled. On all campuses – incorporating what we have learned and experienced from recent health crises, financial challenges, social unrest, and so much more – we will likely be experiencing a new paradigm for our programs and operations.
As plans changed, then changed again, then changed a third or fourth time, the ability to adjust quickly and effectively became critical. It required talented and dedicated staff to make those adjustments succeed.
Anticipating these shifts, ACUHO-I has responded. Many of the articles in this issue explore topics such as hiring, staffing, and supervision, and additional programs are on their way. While travel restrictions have helped lead The Placement Exchange On-Site to transition to a fully online undertaking, we are also taking advantage of our new reality and reimagining the event and its resources in ways that are exciting and responsive to the needs of our members, both candidates and employers. Of course, TPE continues to be available 12 months a year for those looking for employment or in need of filling a vacancy outside of the traditional hiring season cycle.
It continues to be an exciting, if not somewhat unsettling, time to work in residential settings on college and university campuses. While progress on COVID-19 seems to be heading in the right direction, there is still a lot of work that needs to be done, both on our campuses and in general. ACUHO-I will continue to champion the special needs that our members have, based on their very student-facing roles, including advocating for the early receipt of vaccines, continued access to personal protective equipment, and appropriate support for the types of issues and situations they are expected to handle on a daily basis. ACUHO-I pledges to continue to be open to feedback and recommendations for how to make the Association and the field more responsive to the needs of our members, and I encourage you to reach out to me and the Home Office staff with ideas and suggestions.
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.”