Since 1894, the first Monday of September in the United States has been recognized as Labor Day, a national holiday that recognizes and honors the contribution of workers. Its earliest celebrations grew out of the efforts of the trade and labor unions. Today it is mainly seen as a long weekend and the unofficial end of summer. For those of us who make our living in campus housing, hopefully it provides a bit of an oasis in the long haul through August and September.
Depending on the particular day or your particular mindset, this stretch of time and the work that goes along with it is viewed as a badge of honor or the cause of battle scars. I admit I’m feeling a little bit of both as I write this. So, as I often do – and I hope you do, too – I find support through ACUHO-I, my professional home.
First and foremost, y’all just get it. You’ve been there, and you know what inspirational words will prop me up through the day or the end of the week. Lurking on the online community, I see people requesting and receiving materials to supplement their professional development and training programs as well as revamping their move-in process. There’s been a wave of conference programs from Campus Home. LIVE! being uploaded. Plus, new material is being added regarding the Future of the Profession initiative.
When the days get long and the pressures build up, take a second to look around and be reminded why you do this year after year.
Perhaps even more important than the assistance that ACUHO-I provides about how to do our work is its motivation for why we do the work. ACUHO-I grants have funded research that outlines the positive impact housing has on minoritized student populations, explores how it improves grade point averages and retention, assists students who have disabilities or are in recovery, promotes equity, and so much more. ACUHO-I and the National Survey of Student Engagement teamed up to make the case for campus housing, packaging a host of data in an easy-to-digest format. Plus, time and time again, the pages of Talking Stick magazine and The Journal of College and University Student Housing are filled with articles extolling the virtues of campus housing. In this issue alone, we hear from Laurie Schreiner, a professor of higher education at Azusa Pacific University in southern California who has dedicated her career to the subject of students’ thriving. That is something we can all appreciate.
So, as we move into September and this next academic year, I wish you all the best and offer this advice. When the days get long and the pressures build up, take a second to look around and be reminded why you do this year after year. Even when it seems like the students, their guardians, and maybe even some of your campus colleagues don’t understand what you are trying to accomplish, know that there are thousands of other ACUHO-I members spread across the globe who do understand, appreciate your work, and are here to support you.
— Leon McClinton, 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.”