Questions by James A. Baumann
Campus housing professionals often tout the learning that occurs in their residence halls, but that doesn’t mean they are opposed to standing in front of a classroom full of students as well. The Talking Stick caught up with a collection of professionals who also serve as part-time faculty either on their campus or a neighboring one.
Joining in this conversation are Andrea Becker, an associate with Brailsford & Dunlavey and former director of residential initiatives at Virginia Commonwealth University; Bobbie Cole, assistant vice president of student life at William Peace University; Sean Killion, senior director of housing administration at Temple University; Chandra Myrick, associate vice chancellor of student life at The University of Tennessee Knoxville; Suzanne Price, assistant vice president for auxiliary enterprises at Clemson University; Janie Sacco, assistant director of occupancy management at the University of Washington; and Quiana Stone, director of auxiliary services and university housing at Governors State University. Answers have been edited for length and clarity.
What was the reason you chose to pursue a part-time faculty position alongside your administrative responsibilities?
Quiana Stone: It allows me to stay connected to students by sharing my passion for learning and for supporting their academic and personal growth. Teaching the “Mastering College” course also enables me to leverage my experience in higher education administration to help prepare students for success at our university. Many of our first-generation college students take this course, and, as a first-gen myself, this provides me an opportunity to show them an example of what success can look like.
Janie Sacco: Before transitioning to student affairs, I planned to work in secondary education. I enjoyed teaching students outside of the classroom and had a desire to get back to teaching, so when the opportunity arose for me to teach an introduction to social justice course, it felt like a great fit. From there, I found opportunities to teach in women’s, gender, and ethnic studies as well as educational leadership.
Bobbie Cole: In the early stages of my career a colleague's encouragement led me to discover the enriching world of teaching. I started instructing first-year experience courses. Since then, teaching has become an integral part of my professional journey. Despite shifts in my housing and student affairs positions, I've found solace and fulfillment in the classroom. Unlike the constraints of my administrative duties as a conduct administration and Title IX officer, teaching offers me a genuine connection with students. Teaching not only rejuvenates my spirit but also infuses joy into my work. It is a vital component of maintaining balance in my professional life.
Andrea Becker: Honestly, teaching found me. The first course I taught was “Leadership Theory and Practice,” which was embedded as part of my role. Quickly, I fell in love with the opportunity to engage with students in a classroom setting outside the scope of my regular duties.
Sean Killion: After completing my master’s in business administration, I wanted to pursue teaching in business due to my experience in the marketing and advertising field. I was volunteering at the time as a member of the alumni board of my alma mater and was asked by several former teachers to consider teaching as an adjunct.
Chandra Myrick: I was really interested in getting more interaction with students. My current role is very administratively focused, so any opportunity to engage with students in a different setting was exciting to me. I had also recently completed my doctorate degree and wanted to remain active in scholarly work in some way.
Suzanne Price: As a young professional, teaching a leadership course was in my job description. It was terrifying, and I loved it, so I decided to seek other opportunities. After 23 years of teaching at the university, I feel more confident and still love it.
How does the content you teach connect with your housing work?
Sacco: Diversity, equity, and inclusion work is essential to our field. We cannot serve our students without understanding these foundational concepts. My first course was an introduction to social justice class for first- and second-year students. Expanding students’ perspectives and worldviews was a critical part of the course and directly connected to the work we do on campus. A good portion of the subject matter was exposing students to new ways of knowing, understanding and navigating conflict, and making informed decisions. These skills are applicable in any learning environment.
My coursework in educational leadership directly connects with our profession. Leadership theories allow us to reflect on how we structure our work environment, how we lead effective teams, and what skills we need to develop in our students so they can become great leaders. I appreciate that the leadership field is growing to include more work around inclusive, multicultural, and global leadership.
Myrick: I teach a course focused on the organization and administration of higher education and student affairs. The goal is for students to better understand the infrastructure and governance of higher education institutions and divisions of student affairs. The student housing ecosystem truly demonstrates how strategic and political priorities complement and conflict with institutional missions and the interests of faculty, staff, and students.
Killion: Marketing and branding, leadership, human resources, training and development, and organizational management are all topics we deal with on a day-to-day basis. As we’ve seen over the past several decades, our field has become more focused on business operations and customer service. The courses I’ve taught, including marketing, marketing research, and various management courses, all connect closely to our work in housing operations.
Cole: Presently, I focus on professional development courses aimed at career development and overall life skills. My seminars allow me to take a strategic and intentional approach to preparing students for the professional world. Through these courses, I engage students in discussions encompassing the NACE competencies, guiding them to explore their purpose and passions while developing concrete plans for their future professional endeavors. Leveraging my background in housing, I bring a unique blend of engagement and enjoyment to the learning experience. Years of facilitating icebreakers and team-building exercises have honed my ability to connect with students and make the learning process both interactive and enjoyable.
Price: When teaching a “Resident Community Mentor” class, the connection to housing was obvious. The primary focus of that class is leadership, and the role of the resident community mentor is to teach students how we operationalize leadership. More recently, I have been serving as adjunct faculty in the women’s leadership major. There, most often, the connection to housing and my day job is when I have the chance to answer questions or address rumors and sometimes seek their feedback or input on something.
Becker: The first courses I taught prepped students for the resident assistant role. These courses had a direct connection to my daily roles and responsibilities to recruit, prepare, and train students for their roles as peer mentors. Other courses were connected more broadly to helping students acclimate to the institutional environment. Through these courses, I had the opportunity to build strong partnerships with other faculty and staff across the institution, which helped to advance my work within our department and division. Faculty relationships forged in the academic setting helped create strong partnerships to develop and implement cocurricular initiatives.
Stone: Many of the topics covered in the “Mastering College” course stem directly from the lessons I've learned working closely with the residential community. For example, the course covers time management, navigating interpersonal relationships, goal setting, adjusting to more independence, and accessing campus resources – all issues that come up regularly for students adjusting to residential living. When teaching this course, I'm able to share real-life examples and strategies that I've seen help students navigate housing successfully.
The course also covers content like financial literacy, health and wellness, and planning for the future, which connect back to my aim in housing to provide services and maintain a community that supports students holistically. I'm able to incorporate my expertise from supporting thousands of students throughout their on-campus living experience into this course curriculum. Additionally, students forget about my primary role and see me as just their teacher. They, in turn, give me insights into their on-campus and residential experience, which I appreciate the most, as it is often honest and open feedback.
What were some initial challenges you faced as a faculty member?
Sacco: Being a younger woman of color was a huge challenge for me. My students were excellent and valued my contributions as a faculty member. My fellow faculty were not as kind. Often, my experience was proving that I had the expertise to teach at the college level. There were several occasions when I attended faculty events and was mistaken as a student. My typical experience with faculty was spending the first five to ten minutes of a conversation reciting my dissertation work, teaching experience, and pedagogical approach before getting to the topic at hand.
Cole: Discovering my unique style as a faculty member. Initially, I found myself attempting to mimic the teaching methods of others or relying solely on model syllabi, neglecting to tailor my approach to capitalize on my talents and strengths. Moreover, striking a balance between my administrative duties and faculty responsibilities required me to refine my time management skills, often dedicating evenings or weekends to my faculty work while also strategically incorporating student engagement opportunities into my daily schedule, such as through office hours.
Killion: Over the years, it’s been challenging to change the way in which students learn and communicate. No doubt, the growth of social media and technology has drastically impacted my classroom experience. Now, most all students have computers and interact with their equipment during class. When I first started teaching, that wasn’t as common.
Price: I was young. In some cases, there were at least a few students in class older than me, and that was intimidating at first. I never took a formal education class, and learning how to design a curriculum, syllabus, and course took some time. I also found it difficult to sometimes experience academic freedom in the classroom when I did not experience the same in my staff position.
Becker: Initially, the biggest challenge was learning the rhythm of the semester from an academic lens and adjusting my work patterns accordingly. Much of my housing life saw peaks and valleys one or two weeks before or after the faculty calendar. For example, after student staff training and opening responsibilities in my housing world came to an end, the classroom work took off: refining lesson plans, setting up online content, prepping for class meetings, and grading assignments.
Myrick: There are a number of graduate students employed by campus housing. As such, many of the students in my class were also employees within my department. I was concerned that they would not feel comfortable fully engaging in class discussions. There were times when some of them would start a statement with “I love my job, but . . . ” or “I’m not complaining, but . . . ” I think the more transparent and upfront I was with them about my role in context with the course topics, the more comfortable they felt discussing topics and asking for my perspective as both a practitioner and faculty member.
Stone: I was used to a very student-centric, support-focused environment with very fluid and detailed training and onboarding. I found that the adjunct role at my most recent institution didn’t provide the level of onboarding and support that I had previously experienced. I had to seek out colleagues from my division who were teaching sections of the course to understand how to best approach the course. Overall, teaching has been an adjustment from my previous student affairs work in terms of culture and of learning to overcome certain assumptions and biases based on my identity, as there have been times when I was one of the only Black professionals teaching the course. Overall, it has been a growth experience that has resulted in opening doors for other minorities to enter academic spaces and allowing students to engage with professionals they may not engage with in the classroom.
How have skills or lessons from your professional work influenced your teaching or vice versa?
Price: When moving into my role in housing, I began to see students as more holistic beings and not just in the snapshot of an activity or program I had been facilitating in other roles. Now, as a housing administrator, I am better informed of the day-to-day student experience. I also build a good rapport with the students so that I may get candid and honest feedback about things happening in our communities.
Myrick: I make it clear with my students that I understand that class is only one of the many things they are juggling in life, and my goal is to be as supportive as possible. I demonstrate this by providing clear expectations and deadlines on Day 1 so they can plan accordingly. Additionally, I try to apply real-world scenarios when reviewing and discussing scholarly literature and textbook chapters. It is one thing to read about our work, but it is better understood when you can provide students examples or allow them to share their own experiences applicable to class readings.
Sacco: Prior to the pandemic, I taught in a hybrid model program, so I already had experience with learning in the virtual environment. I applied a lot of what I knew about virtual learning in my teaching experience to my work in student housing. I helped my department move a lot of programming and training to the virtual environment, which is something I would not have had as much confidence in without my teaching experience.
Something I was able to bring over from my professional work to the classroom was providing holistic support for students. If a student was struggling, I knew what support was available to them and was able to get them connected with on-campus resources. There is not a lot of training for faculty, particularly part-time faculty, about on-campus resources, so my professional work was able to provide that knowledge.
Killion: Having a greater understanding of our students and their needs has certainly been helpful for me. The work we do in housing and residential life focuses on the student experience, and this is something that I believe helps transform students’ educational journey. I like seeing that happen in the classroom as well and encourage students to be engaging and lively in the courses I teach.
Stone: My work in student affairs and university housing has significantly influenced my teaching approach and competencies. For example, through my counseling training, I developed strong active listening abilities that translate well into the classroom in terms of connecting with students, assessing their needs, and fostering an environment where they feel comfortable participating. My crisis response experience helps me remain calm and thoughtful when navigating any tense situations that may arise with students. I have been able to quickly connect students with campus resources due to my intimate knowledge of the various offices and services available. Having planned many large-scale programs, I'm able to organize complex class projects and break them into manageable steps for students. My budget management skills equip me to creatively maximize resources for class activities and assignments when there are financial limitations.
Most importantly, the student-centered nature of my professional work has shaped my teaching philosophy to prioritize students' well-being and development. The insights I've gained into student challenges inform my efforts to make course content relevant and empowering. At the same time, teaching has pushed me to think more critically and continue enhancing my knowledge and credentials within higher education. My professional and teaching roles work together to make me a more effective educator both inside and outside the classroom.
Becker: Housing helped my teaching by reinforcing the importance of centering the students, responding to their needs, and engaging in difficult conversations that challenge them to think about situations differently. I never thought that all the hours of conflict management training and motivational interviewing would show up in the classroom.
From a crisis lens, my connection to institutional resources and processes also proved helpful and was an area I was surprised to learn that most faculty need more training in. From the classroom experience, I carried back a better understanding of the holistic student experience, faculty and staff concerns outside of my division, and ways to leverage institutional systems more effectively for collaboration. One example of this was integrating student training material into Blackboard and Canvas courses to allow students to engage with the content in a familiar system.
Cole: My proficiency in facilitating housing training and presentations has enhanced my ability to lead discussions and activities in the classroom. This skill set enables me to maintain student engagement and foster an interactive learning environment. Moreover, my involvement in developing residential curricula has equipped me with the expertise to design meaningful assignments and activities for my courses. This ensures that the knowledge imparted in the classroom translates into practical skills with real-world applicability. Lastly, my ability to build rapport and foster student involvement, cultivated through interactions in housing settings, contributes to creating a supportive and inclusive learning atmosphere in the classroom.
What advice would you offer someone interested in transitioning into a part-time faculty role while maintaining a career as a housing practitioner?
Sacco: If you haven’t already been told this, you can absolutely do it! You have expertise that students can benefit from, and if you have a passion for teaching, you should pursue it. Depending on your region and institution, getting into the field of part-time faculty work can be difficult. In my region, there are not many higher education institutions, so I did some research on the programs offered in my area. I then engaged in informational interviews with current faculty to see what was available. By working to expand my network in that way, I got hired for my first course.
Stone: Leverage your housing expertise. Look for opportunities to teach courses related to your functional area, like residence life, student development, facilities management, etc. This allows you to bring relevant examples and insights into the classroom.
Consider your schedule and work commitments. Consider teaching in the summer or choosing a semester or quarter where you are not pulled in a lot of different directions. You want to consider your own work/life balance. And know your worth. Your housing insights can greatly benefit students and add a unique perspective by offering them the knowledge that classroom teaching alone cannot provide. Don’t discount what you bring to the table, as you understand both the academic and student affairs sides of the university, which is a great benefit and will aid in student retention and persistence to graduation.
Price: Start small. Start with perhaps an internship class for a graduate program or an RA course where the content won’t be such a new challenge. I also mean literally start small with class size. Early on, facing 25-30 sometimes less-than-excited students was difficult. And grading assignments for 30-35 students, in addition to your day job, can be exhausting.
Cole: Be realistic about your ability to commit the time to teaching and evaluate whether you have the time to do so. Teaching is more than the time you spend in front of the classroom; it also involves grading, creating curriculum, and meeting with and advising students, amongst other items. I would also suggest starting with a discipline or a class that naturally excites you and aligns with your strengths, skills, and experience so that you can provide the best experience to the students. Ensure that you have the support of your supervisor to teach and can utilize time during the workday if necessary for your class responsibilities and have clear expectations of what it means for you to navigate both.
Myrick: It is a very rewarding experience. I learn something new every time I am in class, as students provide insight into campus happenings but also challenge me to think about ways I can work differently to better support the entire student population on campus. Our work can be very challenging and overwhelming, but my part-time faculty role allows me to be involved in training new professionals in our field while also reminding me of why I do this work.
Becker: Teaching was a fantastic way to acclimate more fully to the institutional culture and build relationships. If you decide to dip your toe into this work, allow yourself grace to learn something new. This may be your first time in a teaching role or developing a curriculum. It’s okay to acknowledge this experience as a growth area. Dedicate more time than you think you need for tasks at the onset, give yourself grace, and remember what excited you to take on the role.
Take advantage of faculty learning and development sessions. Most institutions offer opportunities to faculty through the specific department and also at the institutional level. Take advantage of these workshops to help develop your awareness, skills, confidence, and network. Identify and develop new connections. Just as you likely have a group of mentors and advisors you turn to for your housing work, find some faculty friends. This group was often my favorite to meet up with for a coffee or quick lunch to gain different perspectives on a topic, learn about institutional initiatives outside of my direct sphere, and develop collaborative relationships to advance shared priorities.
Killion: If you’re interested, try it. Reach out to your alma mater or the school where you work, and give it a try. Most institutions are always looking for faculty for first-year seminar programs as well, which aren’t as time-consuming and provide experience as a faculty member.
What strategies do you think faculty could take from housing and student affairs?
Killion: Collaborate more with people in student affairs and within other departments across the campus. I always enjoyed bringing outside speakers or guests to class lectures so students could meet people with real work experience.
Stone: Our student-centered approach: By taking a nurturing approach to student development, faculty can create a classroom environment that interconnects with the overall student experience. Sometimes the classroom experience can feel disjointed, as if it is disconnected from the rest of the college environment. By taking a holistic approach, engagement opportunities can be implemented that will get students actively involved in their learning and build strong connections between faculty and students.
Myrick: Make sure that students understand how and why your course content relates to the work they are doing in their graduate assistantships or the work they will be doing as full-time staff. Student affairs is a profession, and coursework is not only a form of training but also a critical component of orienting students into the profession. Course instruction has the ability to provide students with valuable context to better understand what they are doing and hopefully compel them to remain interested and committed to doing the work for years to come.
Price: Consistent accountability in the classroom and in the job could be helpful for all. As a faculty member, I make my (somewhat extensive) expectations and requirements for success very clear on day one and in the syllabus. It’s not that I won’t work with them when legitimate issues arise, but I believe they must be pushed to think critically, develop as leaders, and be held accountable when they make poor decisions. Same as my employees.
Becker: Be more student-centered or aware of student support options. Most tenured faculty have been educated extensively in their discipline but have not taken any formal classes in college student development or instructional pedagogies. Classrooms are no longer based on the premise of a professor at a lectern spouting knowledge for students to receive. Students and classroom environments have seen rapid change in the past 15 years: flipped classrooms, online learning methods, and adapting to a variety of methods for students to absorb information. Embedding inclusive practices into classrooms, being aware of student needs and trends, and utilizing student-centered design are a few areas housing professionals can lean on to help advance the academic mission of our institutions.
Cole: By fostering a sense of community through collaborative activities, promoting inclusivity by acknowledging diverse perspectives, and building rapport with students to enhance engagement and support, faculty can create learning environments where all students feel valued and seen. Additionally, housing and student affairs are all about relationship-building with students. Faculty can enhance interactions by establishing rapport, demonstrating genuine interest in their journeys and well-being individually, and offering mentorship and support. Our students bring more than books to the classroom every day, and we have to recognize the diverse factors impacting students' lives.
Sacco: Consider the how and why of learning. Both concepts create great student engagement in our residential communities, and those aspects should be brought into the classroom environment. There should be time for students to reflect on the concepts they are learning and how they apply those concepts to their work. Are we addressing the needs of adult learners? Are students passive or active members of the classroom environment? How are students responsible for their learning, and how do faculty members support that?
James A. Baumann is the editor-in-chief of Talking Stick.
