MAY 2023Discussion Guide

TS HEADER IMAGEThe Talking Stick Discussion Guide helps readers utilize the content to strengthen 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:

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 all the different aspects of campus housing or positions one may aspire to.

Incorporating articles into class discussions for graduate students.

Assigning articles to graduate classes and coordinating opportunities for students to discuss readings and how they would apply to future careers.

TS DIVIDING RULEhorizontal_imageTS DIVIDING RULE-1593717294Setting the MoodHow parents and professionals can work together to help students mentally transition to campus living. LEADERSHIPRead StoryQuestions:

In your experience, what are the greatest areas of concern identified by students (as well as their parents) interested in attending your institution? Are there formal or informal ways for these concerns to be shared and triaged to the right offices and campus supports?

Carol Landau acknowledges the importance of identifying students who are struggling so that different areas of the community can respond effectively. Consider your own department/unit and campus: Do you have a way of identifying these students? What are the gaps you see in this process right now?

How do you currently communicate with parents to ensure that they are aware of campus supports and resources? How could you reassure worried parents in a way that also empowers student growth and development?

Consider the concerns you are hearing about from parents and students. What resources and offices are addressing these needs already? How can you help ensure that students are connected to and know how to access these supports?

Does your campus currently partner with parents, and how could you partner further with parents?

TS DIVIDING RULE-1593548888Changing Traditions The RA role is undergoing major changes as members shape it to the needs of their campuses.
thin lineRead StoryQuestions:

What parts of your RA program are working to support the desired outcomes? What parts are not working?

What feedback have you gathered from former and current RAs? How would you use this information to change your program?

If you decide to make changes to your RA program, you will need to think about what these changes mean for your department and campus. Who will be affected by the changes and how? What would be the best time to implement these changes? Do these changes align with your campus mission and culture?

TS DIVIDING RULE-1593548888-1593548895Paths Less TakenNot everyone follows the same route to their housing career. That’s a good thing. outsideRead StoryQuestions:

Looking at the positions that need to be filled in your department, what transferable skills from individuals coming from outside of student housing could fit these positions?

How would you work with your HR department to write position descriptions to encompass these skills and to post job opportunities where individuals from the hospitality and teaching industries would see them?

How would you prep your team for interviews with candidates without housing experience? How would you prepare interview questions that would allow the candidate to share how their skills would transfer to student housing?

TS DIVIDING RULE-1593548888-1593548895-1593548898Going Out to EatThree dining facility strategies that set students up for success.seenRead StoryQuestions:

What dining spaces on your campus could give you the opportunity to carve out space for student use outside of meal hours? What physical features (comfortable seating, table space and electrical outlets for laptops, etc.) could you provide to draw students?

What physical features could you place in your dining areas to make students feel more welcome and less stressed or anxious? Could you provide more variations of seating type and seating arrangements? More natural light? More natural and calming color choices of paint, textiles, and fixtures?

TS DIVIDING RULE-1593548888-1593548895-1593548898-1593548900Going to the WellLet’s talk about staff well-being.conversationsRead StoryQuestions:

What are three things you can do for the staff you supervise to enhance well-being?

What are three things you need from your supervisor (and that are within their control) to enhance your well-being?

They say “you can’t pour from an empty cup,” yet many of us have collectively experienced challenges helping our colleagues and teams because our cup is empty. How might we better navigate needing to be proactive or even aggressive about caring for our own well-being while caring for others when we feel tapped?

Design a wellness plan with actionable goals you’ve learned from this article. Identify campus resources that can support you, whether that’s through your benefits office, by setting expectations with a supervisor, or by becoming accountability buddies with a colleague.

coverReader GuideAD - Live0523 MASTHEADVisionSpotlight: University of OregonAD - GreystarPage TurnerFirst Personad_brillPaths Less TakenAD - MM and RBTDining Out and Staying HealthyAD - StarRezSetting the MoodAD - MarketplaceChanging TraditionsAD - LS and CommunityConversations: Well-BeingYour ACUHO-INew MembersAD - TPESnapshotDiscussion Guide