It is March, and in the housing and student affairs world that means much of our attention has turned to the hiring and job search process. Certainly, there have been some changes that mean more positions are being filled year-round. Still, this is the time of year when so many students are looking for their first positions and leaders are looking to address vacancies. As someone who has been through her fair share of these hiring cycles, I can attest that there is something different about it in 2024. Campuses are less likely to approach the process as just filling in a blank on their organizational chart, and candidates are looking at it as something more than just the potential to go up another rung on their career ladder. Everyone seems to be taking a more long-term and thoughtful approach.
The reason for this is pretty obvious. We know that work in campus housing – particularly for those in entry-level, student-facing positions – is demanding. We understand the reasons why. And even though we’ve always known it deep down, data are increasingly confirming that the job often leads to burnout and stress, which in turn results in larger turnover rates and a decline in the number of candidates. When ACUHO-I volunteers determined the eight imperative areas for the Future of the Profession project, they didn’t rank them, but if they had, I’m confident that “enabling workforce sustainability” would have been at the top of the list. The simple fact is that we are a people-driven profession. There is no automation or algorithm that will replace our work. It sounds like a cliché, but our people are our most valuable resource.
The simple fact is that we are a people-driven profession. There is no automation or algorithm that will replace our work. It sounds like a cliché, but our people are our most valuable resource.
The much needed evolution of the hiring and retention process in housing is illustrated in the focus shared by the feature articles in this issue: the role of equity in hiring and onboarding processes. The examples in the articles make two points abundantly clear. The first is that equity cannot be a reactive stance; it must be ingrained throughout your policies and processes in order to allow staff to be their full and authentic selves as they contribute fresh perspectives. The second is that it is never too early to begin demonstrating equity to new staff. The authors of these articles remind all of us that the work of building an equitable environment does not come with a waiting period. Equitable practices should be a baseline feature, not an add-on.
I would also be remiss if I didn’t mention that this issue also features the newest class of ACUHO-I award recipients. My congratulations go out to everyone, and I thank them for their contributions to our Association and our profession. One of the things I enjoy the most about reviewing the slate is that it includes opportunities to recognize those who have had rich and fulfilling careers and also spotlights the accomplishments of those who are at earlier stages of their work. It is going to take all of us working together at the professional, departmental, and campus-wide levels to make the long-term, systemic, and sustainable changes necessary. I look forward to these developments, and I am proud of the work ACUHO-I is doing to help make it happen.
— Gay Perez, 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.”