1. Introduction to BASIC

2. The Community Living Creed

3. Tackling the Topic of Leadership

4. Pre-Planning for the Year

5. The 6 I's of Commun iiiiii ty

6. Introduction:

        Preparing for your First Community Meeting
        Remembering Residents' Names

7. Interaction:

        Stacking Conversation
        Preparing to Converse with the Quietest Resident
        Making People Feel Important

8. Involvement:

        Creating Social Networks
        Can We Talk?
        Apathy and Your Resident: Does it Exist?
         Fringe Dwellers

9. Influence:

        Mapping Assets and Discovering DEAs
        Identifying Matches and Making Matches

10. Investment:

        Tapping Assets
        Filling Gaps
        Recognition

11. Identity

        Rituals and Traditions

12. Programming

        Planning an Activity in Seven Easy Steps
        Program Checklist
        Program Evaluation
        The Year in Program
        Programming ideas (Social, Educational, Service, and Recreational)

13. Resources

14. Bringing Closure to Your Community

15. References

16. Facilitator’s Guide

1. Introduction to BASIC

     BASIC, Building A Strong Involving Community, is a resource guide and model to help you, the Resident Assistant, build a community on your individual wing/floor and your residence hall.  It is our intention to develop a model that not only encourages planned activities on a floor, but that also gives "credit" to Resident Assistants for taking the time to get to know residents’ names, utilizing residents’ strengths, and helping residents get to know one another.   The BASIC model is interested in everything that an RA knows about and does with her/his residents.  Through BASIC we are going to encourage you not to plan every activity that takes place, but instead to help residents utilize one another.   We want you to think of yourselves as facilitators, not as the sole providers for residents.
The skills required of you in the BASIC model are skills that many employers will be looking for as you enter the job market.  As an RA you become the manager of a community.  As you move through this model, think not only about how BASIC relates to you and the residents in your community, but also think about how profoundly the concepts will help you when you enter the workforce.

"The age of mass production is fading fast. The emerging economy is based on knowledge, imagination, curiosity, and talent.  What if we could learn to tap the wonderful, rich differences among people?  Wouldn’t a corporation that could exploit the uniqueness of each of its 1,000 employees (or 10 or 10,000) be phenomenally powerful?" (Peters, 1994, p. 38)

The quote above by Tom Peters, a businessman and author of a number of books on successful business people, illustrates clearly that one of the most valuable skills one can possess is the ability to tap into other people’s gifts, skills, assets and interests. These are skills that you will acquire by using the BASIC model.  "Mapping Assets" and "Tapping Assets" are two terms you will see regularly throughout the BASIC model.
When maximized, the RA position is the opportunity for you to develop as a leader.   Leadership is transferable experience that employers look for in their management.  When asked to comment about the role of manager, Jack Welch, CEO of General Electric, explained:

"We have to undo a 100-year old concept and convince our managers that their role is not to control people and stay ‘on top’ of things, but rather to guide, energize, and excite," (Duetschman, 1993, p. 9).

The work that you do to guide, energize, and excite your residents about living in an involving community will develop you as a leader and prepare you for a job even after you graduate from college.
Roll-up your sleeves, and get ready to dig in, because it is going to be an exciting year.   Just like with your classes, the more energy you put into your work, the more rewarding the experience will be. The skills included in this model are skills that will benefit you long after you check out your last resident.
 

2. The Community Living Creed

     Living in Residence Halls at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology means living in a community of students.  This community is a dynamic place, composed of various people with different values, cultures, lifestyles, and attitudes.  As members of the community, we must strive to understand the individuality and life choices of those among us.  We can best learn from one another in an atmosphere of positive encouragement and mutual respect.  We must possess a genuine desire to learn from those around us as well as give others the respect and tolerance we desire.  Each person has a role to play in our residence life community and should be allowed to do so.

SDSM&T Department of Residence Life communities incorporate the following:

EDUCATION - to ensure that teaching and learning take place beyond the classroom;

OPENNESS - so that ideas and thoughts can be discussed freely;

RESPECT - to ensure that individuality is honored so diversity can be pursued;

RESPONSIBILITY - so that the individual accepts obligations to the community and is held accountable for individual actions;

CARING - to ensure that the individual's well being is supported and that community service is encouraged;

INVOLVEMENT - so that all individuals have a voice in decisions concerning their community;

OWNERSHIP - to ensure that all individuals care for their building facilities and adjacent property;

CELEBRATION - so that SDSM&T history and culture is promoted and that community traditions are shared.

Your rights in our community include: To socialize in your room; to sleep and study without disturbance; to live in a supportive and stimulating community; to live in a safe, secure, healthy, and clean environment; to enjoy access to a variety of programs, services and facilities; and to involve yourself and others in promoting an educational, open, respectful, responsible, caring, involving, and celebrative community.

Your responsibilities in our community include: To consider the needs of other residents and balance them with your own needs; to promote care of the physical facilities, equipment, and services; to communicate with other residents and staff members, to let other residents know when they are disturbing you; to demonstrate a commitment to the community by getting involved; to promote campus and individual safety, and to demonstrate dignity and respect for all individuals.

Living in Residence Life at SDSM&T University affords you many opportunities to face challenges head on, achieve in a variety of areas and grow as an individual.  However, these things only happen when you actively participate and support the community ideals stated here.

Adapted by Becky Petitt (from In Search of Community, Ernest Boyer, Carnegie Foundation For the Advancement of Teaching and Texas Tech Department of Housing and Dining Services), Office of Diversity Education in Residence Life, 1995, Texas A&M University.

     As an RA, you can expect that you will develop as a leader this year.  Being a leader not only means driving and supporting people but also helping to create leaders along the way.  One thing you will realize very early on is that the way in which you interact with your residents will have a large effect on how successful you are as an RA.  Rogers, Anchors, and Associates (1993) explain that the way in which you lead your floor will directly impact the kind of community you create.  They state, "The dominant leadership style utilized by the RA will to a large extent determine the social climate of the living unit and will establish the style of interaction many residents have with the RA" (p. 326). Here are descriptions of the leadership styles that you may utilize in your community.

Directing

This style is characterized by high involvement on the part of the R.A.  The group is dependant on you for information, direction, and activity.

Coaching

Using the coaching style, you will find yourself serving as the director, but you will spend more time involving the group in decision making.  You are vital to the success of the team, but you also acknowledge the critical role of the residents.

Supporting

This style suggests that the RA take on the role of advisor instead of a primary coordinator of activities.  This style is most effective when residents have acquired some of the information and skills necessary to take responsibility for planning activities for the community.

Delegating

This style is more effectively used in a well-developed community, where residents are active participants.  The RA using this style is able to share the responsibility of activity planning, decision-making, and problem solving with residents on her/his floor.

Collaborating

Shared leadership characterizes this leadership style.  Everyone in the group takes on an equal role of leadership responsibility.  Each person is a collaborator in the leadership process, rather than being a leader or a follower.  Thus, the entire group takes responsibility for its direction rather than relying on a single person to be its guide.
 

4. Pre-Planning for the Year

A. Needs Assessment
     Get to know the student population that you will be working with.  Find out the classifications and majors of the students and see if there are similarities among these students.  If you are a new staff member, find out what the environment within the hall has been and what needs have been met consistently in that atmosphere.  If you are a returning staff member, recall what programming efforts were needed and work effectively within that environment.  Think of some universal programs that may be needed with your individual populations and how to initiate resident involvement in those programs.
For example, the residence hall that you will be working in is March or Dake Hall, and is mainly filled with freshmen, or the residence hall that you will be working in is Palmerton, hall and is mainly upper-class students.  What may be some programs you could think of with just that much information?  What are some general programs that may be useful to this population?  Now think of how to involve residents in community building and programming.  What may be some interests of these people?  During the course of the year you will be addressing certain issues of the residence hall.  You must be able to understand what needs and wants must be addressed.  Planning the appropriate activity will help address the needs of the residents and the hall.  Refer to the programming section to find activities that can be implemented.

B. Hall Mission

What is the mission for your hall? Or, what do you hope students will get out of living in this hall? What are you (staff, Hall Council, residents)  going to do to fulfill the mission of the hall?  The Community Living Creed can answer some of these questions.

C. Goals

Once you have defined the nature of your hall, identified the occupants, and have a mission, you are ready for a successful year.  Goals must be set for the RA, the Residents and the Hall itself.  Goals can be discussed and set at the first floor meeting of each semester.  This is a good way to get the new residents involved in the community and give them incentives to accomplish these goals by having them directly involved with the goal-setting process.
One of the problems associated with goal setting is that it is perceived as a way to manipulate people. Our purpose should be to help residents decide for themselves what they want to do, then devise a systematic approach for meeting those needs.  Here are some guidelines to follow as you set goals for your hall.
Goals should be:

1. Conceivable - You must be able to conceptualize the goal so that it is understandable and then be able to clearly identify what the first step or two should be.

2. Believable - In addition to being consistent with the mission of the hall, you must believe you can reach the goal.  This goes back to having a positive, affirmative attitude about the hall.  Few people can believe a goal that they have never seen achieved by someone else.

3. Achievable - The goals you set must be accomplished with the given strengths and limitations of the hall.  For example, setting a goal to have everyone in the hall attend monthly meetings and to willingly participate in every activity is not a realistic or achievable goal.  Have goals that seem achievable and once those goals are met then reassess the goals to reach a higher objective.

4. Controllable - If your goal includes the involvement of other people, you should use the goal as a stated invitation rather than a directive.  This way, other individuals would be apt to participate more willingly.  For example, if the goal is to have everyone on your floor participate in a program, this goal would not be acceptable.  However, if you set a goal to have everyone on your floor personally invited to a program, this would be an achievable and controllable goal.

5. Measurable - A goal should be stated so that it can be measured.  There should be a time, a date, objectives, and tracking to see if these goals are being met.  For example: By September 10, you will know 75% of the residents on your floor, their name, major and something unique about them.

6. Desirable - The goal should be something that the hall really wants to do and is acceptable to do and should be one that residents want to do.  There should be a balance with the goals and objectives of the hall, but the "want" factor in our programs is vital to influence the community for good.

7. Flexible - You should set one goal at a time with a number of objectives.  Objectives are specific strategies to meet a goal.  Setting an attainable goal with some objectives to accomplish that goal is a successful way of goal setting.  If something needs readjusting, be flexible and reassess the goal and objectives for proper alternatives.

"Success is the piece of mind that comes from knowing
you did the best you were capable of doing: and you are
the only one that will ever know that." - John Wooden
 
 
 

5. The 6 I's of commun iiiiii ty

     BASIC supports Charles Schroeder in what he defines as the Four Essential Principles for Learning Communities.  He explains that the four principles for learning communities to evolve are Involvement, Investment, Influence, and Identity (Schroeder, 1993).   Since the publication of the first four I's, Frankie D. Minor (1993) has identified two additional I's, Introduction and Interaction. We believe that the last two I's added are so important, that we have listed them first.  The 6 I's don't necessarily occur in the following order and some may overlap with one another.  We will refer to the 6 I's throughout this model in order for the sections to be understood in a clear manner.   Below is an explanation of the six principles to think about when developing community on your hall.

A. Communities must receive a formal INTRODUCTION :

"When students enter a new community, they are unfamiliar with the physical setting, policies, and practices.   Older members of the community, or those in a position of authority, are responsible for welcoming, orienting, and teaching the norms, values and rules of the community to the new members" (Minor, 1993).   Minor further explains that the introduction may be formal, or informal, such as discussion and observation, (Minor, 1993).

B. Communities should provide opportunities for INTERACTION :

" . . . Interaction provides residents the opportunity to bond together by sharing common experiences.   As students interact, they are exposed to differing levels of development, knowledge, and experiences that allow them to both teach and learn . . . Ideally, faculty and staff participate in these common experiences to promote the feeling of 'campus as a community'" (Minor, 1993).

C. Communities must seek resident INVOLVEMENT:

"A true community encourages, expects, and rewards broad-based member involvement. The environment is characterized by a high degree of interaction with students assuming a multitude of roles . . . As a consequence, everyone is involved and everyone is needed.  High involving floors are characterized by supportive interactions with students naturally helping one another with personal and academic problems" (Schroeder, 1993, p. 524-25).

D. Communities must allow residents to have INFLUENCE:

"In floor units that exhibit a high degree of influence, control is vested in members and students exert maximum control over their physical and social environments . . . They are also expected to develop a social contract whereby group standards are affirmed, both individually and collectively.  In such units, students feel important, their perspective is valued, and their contributions are essential to the welfare of the group" (Schroeder, 1993, p. 524).

E. Communities must create, among residents, a sense of INVESTMENT:

"Investment is a reflection of psychological ownership and flows naturally from involvement and influence.  Students care about one another and their group.  Boundaries with respect to other groups are clear, and group or institutional property is guarded rather than being damaged . . . Students are simply unwilling to have staff assume responsibility for them -- they understand and appreciate the need for open, honest, and assertive communication with one another" (Schroeder, 1993, p. 524).

F. Community members must share a sense of IDENTITY:

"Floor units characterized by a high degree of identity are those which focus on transcendent values.  Students in such units have shared symbols similar to those fraternities and sororities use to signify their identities.  In such living units, members describe themselves in collective terms such as we and us, not I and they, thereby reflecting their emphasis on common purposes and unity" (Schroeder, 1993, p. 525).
"You give of little when you give of your possessions.
It is when you give of yourself that you truly give."
- Kahil Gibram
Top Ten things to do during check-in and during the first week of classes:
From the home office in Palmerton 108.

10. Learn residents' names!

9. Set up a snack booth or lemonade stand for your residents during move in.

8. Have a cookout.

7. Have a TV "Veg-out" night.

6. Go to the Rec Center and work out together.

5. Take pictures of roommate pairs as they are settling in.

4. Do a progressive munchies feast within the hall or do this with other halls.

3. Set up a welcome bulletin board publicizing the new activities.

2. Create a map of residents on your wall, make sure you know their names.

1. TALK WITH THE RESIDENTS!!!!

6. Introduction:

Preparing for your First Community Meeting
It is important that you are prepared for your first floor meeting so that you start the year off on the right foot.  Your audience might never be as captive as they will be at the first floor meeting.  Make the most of it!  Below are items we recommend you include in your meeting.  It will be important to add to this list anything that your hall director requires you to talk about.
A. Learning Names:
Dale Carnegie, entrepreneur, leader, and author of How to Win Friends and Influence People, offers many practical suggestions on principles that are important to remember when working with people. The importance of learning and using names is one of the first principles Carnegie addresses in his book.  He explains:

"We should be aware of the magic contained in a name and realize that this single item is wholly and completely owned by the person with whom we are dealing . . . and nobody else.  The name sets the individual apart; it makes him or her unique among all others" (Carnegie, 1981, p. 83).  Begin figuring out how you are going to learn the names of each resident on your floor.  Use a floor roster to begin memorizing names, so that they are familiar to you when your residents check in. Brainstorm ways that you can use your first floor meeting to learn residents’ names, as well as help them learn one another’s names.  Early on in your meeting you will want to give residents an opportunity to hear each others name and maybe learn something about one another.  Talk to your hall director and other RA's for creative suggestions about Icebreakers or team builders.

B. Uncovering Community Expectations:

The Community Living Creed can be utilized in discussing community expectations, for the hall as a whole and residents as individuals.  We also discussed the 6 I’s of a community.  We explained that Introduction, Interaction, Involvement, Influence, Investment, and Identity were critical elements to building a community (Schroeder, 1993).  This floor meeting alone is a perfect example of a formal way to provide an Introduction to your residence hall community.  Any type of gathering, such as this community meeting or a community social event allows residents Interaction with one another. Requiring your residents to uncover community expectations is a perfect way to Involve floor members, give them Influence over their community, get residents Invested in honoring the expectations agreed upon, and finally, the parameters and expectations residents establish for one another is something that members of your community can Identify with.  As you can see, the discussion of community expectations is critical in setting a precedent for community with your residents.  Specifically, these points should be covered under Community Expectations: your expectations of the community, their expectations of you, and the residents’ expectations of one another.  Let’s look at them one at a time.

1. What do you expect?

Have you thought about what you expect from residents?  Most people will do as much as you expect of them.  Therefore, if you expect little involvement and disinterested residents, that is exactly what you will get.  If what you are striving for is an involving community, then explain that to your residents early on.  Let them know what kind of year you hope to have with them.  Don’t be afraid to expect your residents to get involved with one another and hall activities.  Let them know they have the power to develop a community within the residence hall.  This may be a good time to discuss the goals.
Tell your residents about the BASIC model.  Let them know what is to come.  If you are excited about the challenge of building a strong, involving community, let your residents know.  If you are apprehensive about the process, tell them that.  Why not do the same regarding your feelings about playing the role of disciplinarian?
Chances are, at some point in their lives, each of your residents has been a part of an involved group, so talk to them about the similarities.  Explain that this residential community can be as positive an experience as any group experience that they have had in the past.  Give residents an idea of what you have been challenged to facilitate.  Don’t try to hide BASIC from your residents.  The residents’ aspect of BASIC is critical because they are the key to a successful and effective process.
Let the students know that they are a part of a student-empowered community.  They have the power to build a community that will grow and develop throughout the year.  The empowered community encourages resident involvement within the floor and the hall and also provides a place for discussion of individual and group rights and responsibilities.  As a result, a stronger community should develop; one that residents believe in and care about because they have participated in creating their own environment.

2. What do residents expect from you?

Residents need to sense that you are approachable and open to their suggestions, so be prepared to do a lot of listening.  Some residents might be up front and tell you that they expect you to give them privacy and not disrupt them with a lot of activities.  Not all residents will be interested in the same level of involvement.  Discuss what goals you have for yourself and the community.
This is also a perfect opportunity to discuss your role as a disciplinarian.  While your goal and purpose is to promote a positive living community, it is important to be up front and honest about your role when a law or university policy is violated.  Residents can expect that you will play the role of community builder, however, when residents make irresponsible decisions you will be forced into the role of disciplinarian.

3. What are the community members’ expectations of one another?

It is appropriate for community members to have expectations of one another.  However, before residents can articulate their expectations, they need to see themselves as members of a community. One way to establish some sense of community is to have residents focus on their similarities. For instance, all residents on your floor are attending the same school, perhaps they are also the same sex and same age.  Use part of your floor meeting to brainstorm similarities and discuss community expectations. You may want to refer to the Community Living Creed as Well.

C. Develop Rituals and Traditions:

"Rituals help to create, maintain, and invent patterns of collective action and social structure" (Kuh, 1988, p. 17).  Now is a great time to begin thinking about the traditions you can create, maintain, and invent on your floor so that residents can share in them.
We will talk even more about traditions later.  For now you might try to find out if there are any traditions the residents want to begin from the start of the school year.  Some ideas might be watching a weekly TV show or eating together one night a week, having an open-door policy each afternoon at a specific time, or celebrating one another’s birthdays.  Other ideas can be found in the Ritual and Traditions and the Programming Activity section of the model.  What traditions have you been a part of?
 

D. Department Agenda Items:

Your hall director will provide you with information that you need to discuss at your first floor meeting.  Perhaps there is information about upcoming programs, changes in policy, quiet hours, room changes, and hall government.  This meeting would be a place conducive to highlight and cover sections of the "SDSM&T Handbook" and “Department of Residence Life Handbook."

To review, we have suggested these five things to include at your first floor meeting:

A. A way for residents to get to know one another’s names.

B. Discussion of Community Expectations.

C. Discussion of Goals of RA, Hall, and the Residents.

D. Brainstorming of Floor Rituals.

E. Departmental Agenda Items.
 

Top 10 "Random" things to discuss at First Floor Meeting

10. Why does David Letterman do this anyway?

9. Programs you would like to see done or that there is a need for.

8. How to shut off the hot water when your roommate(s) are showering.

7. How to keep community involvement going throughout the year.

6. Discuss the goals of the RA’s, the hall, and the residents.

5. Make the practiced traditions on your floor a positive experience for all.

4. Include Residence Hall Staff, Residents, and RHA in community building.

3. Explain that the residents have the power to develop a community.

2. Go over outside resources for possible programming opportunities.

1. TELL YOUR RESIDENTS ABOUT BASIC!!!!!!!!!!

Remembering Residents’ Names

We told you earlier we were going to revisit the importance of knowing names.  Up until now, however, learning the names of residents has only been something that you thought about.  Now you can take action!

"... a person’s name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language... The information we are imparting or the request we are making takes on a special importance when we approach the situation with the name of the individual. From the waitress to the senior executive, the name will work magic as we deal with others. . ." (Carnegie, 1981, p. 83)

Carnegie’s advice is especially important advice to you as an RA.  We are in the business of imparting lots of information and making many requests of our residents.  If knowing a resident’s name can make a difference in the way he/she receives your information, then it is worth taking the time to learn each resident’s name.  Consider it a small investment with lots of return!
Harry Lorayne is a noted teacher of memory.  In his book entitled, The Memory Book, Lorayne suggests the following five tips:

Be sure to hear the name.

Ask how the name is spelled.

Make a remark about the name--any remark.  For example, "Oh, I just met a person with the same
name."

Use the name where appropriate during your initial conversation.

Use the name again when you say goodbye.

"Remember this: anything you can visualize, anything that is tangible and meaningful, is already half-remembered.  Names like Flag, Carpenter, Hunter, Rivers, Knight, Armstrong, already have meaning; they can be visualized because they create pictures in your mind. . . If you meet someone named Bill, picture a dollar bill.  For Richard, picture someone being rich.  For Denise, picture your niece" (Lorayne, 1985, p. 34).
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

7. Interaction: Stacking Conversations

     Stacking information is a technique used to remember what you have learned during conversations with your residents.  We stack conversations because we never know when we are gathering a piece of information that we could use in the future.  Dale Carnegie tells a story of a particular piece of information that he "stacked" when he met people:

"For many years I made a point to find out the birthday of my friends.  How? Although I haven’t the foggiest bit of faith in astrology,  I began by asking the other party whether she/he believed the date of one’s birth has anything to do with character disposition.  I then asked her/him to tell me their month and day of birth.  If she or he said November 24, for example, I kept repeating to myself, "November 24, November 24."  The minute my friend’s back was turned, I wrote down the name and birthday and later would transfer it to a birthday book.  At the beginning of each year, I had these birth dates scheduled in my calendar pad so that they came to my attention automatically. When the natal day arrived, there was my letter or telegram.  What a hit it made! I was frequently the only person on earth who remembered" (1981, p. 60-61).

It is easy to see how someone might use information stacked about a birthday.  Just like Dale Carnegie, you can write it down and then wish a person happy birthday on her or his birth date.  Not everything your residents tell you is going to be worth stacking.  The more you do it, the better you will become at recognizing opportunities to use the information you receive.  For instance, imagine the conversation below:

RA: Hi, I’m your RA, Tanisha.
Resident: Hi, I’m Janet.
RA: (Noticing Janet setting up her computer) That is a great system!  Is it new?
Janet: Kind of, I worked at a computer store for the past two years and I’ve been piecing it together, slowly.

This conversation could go on and on.  If the RA knows anything about computers, she could continue talking to Janet about the equipment.  If the RA does not know anything about computer equipment, she could ask questions (getting the resident on comfortable ground), or talk about hardware and software.
Could any of that conversation be worth stacking?  Sure! Not only is the resident’s name important, but it also is worth stacking the fact that Janet worked in a computer store.  You might find another resident who is having a problem getting her or his computer system hooked up.   Janet could be a good resource person.  Janet may own or be familiar with software applications.  If your residents need some help with computing on campus, Janet could assist them in setting up their accounts on campus.
Preparing to Converse with the Quietest Resident

Have you ever heard of Larry King? For more than thirty years he has been in the talking business. Currently, he works as the host of the only worldwide talk show.  e is also the author of a book called How to Talk to Anyone, Anytime, Anywhere.  In putting together the BASIC model, we thought it was important to share some of what Larry King had to say.  As an RA, a tremendous amount of your work is done through conversation with others.  And, if a man who has more than thirty years of experience admits that there is an art to conversing with people, we knew that RAs could certainly benefit from what he had to say.

Before we get too heavily into the subject of conversation, it is important to talk about the fact that there are many different kinds of RAs.  For instance, depending on whether an RA is shy or outgoing might affect the way she/he gets to know her/his residents.  Some people like talking to small groups, while others love being in large crowds.  One way is not better than the other, but it is important to recognize the difference.

Larry King suggests, "To overcome shyness, remember that the person you are talking to is probably just as shy as you are.  Most of us are.  Reminding yourself of this will do wonders for your ability to shed your own shyness" (King, 1994, p 34).

Shy or not shy, outgoing or not outgoing, there are a few ingredients that need to be present in every good conversationalist:

The right attitude-the willingness to talk even when it might not be comfortable at first.
A sincere interest in the other person and an understanding that he/she is shy.
An openness to them about yourself.
Keep an "open door" available, this may bring the shy resident to approach you.
Increase your visibility on the floor: Stop in rooms or on the floor and say, "Hi."

Below are more helpful hints from the "King" of communication!

A. Get people on comfortable ground

Ask them about themselves.  That will give you something to talk about, and your conversation partner will consider you a fascinating talker.  Why?  People love to talk about themselves (King, 1994, p. 37).
"Everybody’s got at least one subject they love to talk about" (King, 1994, p. 28).

B. Use current topics and news items

Use these issues to start conversation with even a stranger.  Is there a court case being tried in the courts?  Is there something going on overseas that the country is talking about?  What is going on around campus that has got everyone talking?  Newsworthy events are a wonderful way to strike up a conversation with most anyone.  "To be a good conversationalist, you have to be ready to talk about what’s on people’s minds--and it may be the subject they just heard about on the radio and saw on the evening news . . ." (King, 1994, p. 50).

C. Ask Great questions

Larry King insists that "Why is the greatest question ever asked, and it always will be.  And is certainly the surest way of keeping a conversation lively and interesting" (King, 1994, p. 53).  Conversely, steer away from simple yes/no questions, since they usually yield one or two word answers.  Once the person has answered your question it is the end of the topic and possibly even the end of the conversation. Below is an example:

Avoid closed-ended questions..."Did you have a good summer vacation?"
Instead ask open-ended questions..."What was the highlight of your summer vacation?

Why?"

"Once you have looked into the eyes of people in a foreign
country, you realize you all want the same thing: food on your
table, love in your marriage, healthy children, laughter & the
freedom to be. The religion, the ideology, and the government
may be different, but the dreams are all the same."
- Erma Bombeck

Making People Feel Important

What is so critical about making people feel important as you build an involving community?  What is it that makes people feel important? How could striking up a conversation and listening to people’s stories make them feel important?
Dale Carnegie in his best-selling book, "How to Win Friends and Influence People," refers to what he calls "The Primary Law of Human Conduct."  The law is simple.  "Always Make The Other Person Feel Important."  He asserts, "You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in them" (Carnegie, 1981, p. 100).   Plain and simple, this means that taking the time to hear people’s stories will pay off in building the interpersonal relationships necessary to create an involving community.  As you continue to interact with residents and learn their names, think about creative ways in which you can seek out and listen to residents’ stories.  Remember Carnegie’s Primary Law of Human Conduct and let the stories begin!

If listening to stories is your goal, here are some tips designed by counselors that allow storytellers to feel comfortable and continue to talk with you.  Ivey (1994) offers these hints for active listening:

A. Keep Eye Contact When Possible

However, remember cultural differences.  "Research indicates that some African Americans in the United States . . . may look more at an individual when talking and slightly less when listening.  Among some Native American groups, eye contact by the young is a sign of disrespect.  Some cultural groups (for instance, certain Native Americans, Inuit, or Aboriginal Australian groups)  generally avoid eye contact, especially when talking about serious subjects" (Ivey, 1994, p. 29).

B. Be Conscious of Body Language

Your body language can affect how open people are in telling you their stories.  "A natural, relaxed body style that is your own is most likely to be effective, but be prepared to adapt and flex according to the individual with whom you are talking" (Ivey, 1994, p. 29).

C. Remember Your Tone of Voice

"Your voice is an instrument that communicates much of the feeling you have toward another person or situation.  Changes in its pitch, volume, or speech rate convey the same thing that changes in eye contact or body language does" (Ivey, 1994, p. 30).

We are sure you have found out, some stories are short and sweet, while others are long and involved.
Earlier you reflected upon the stories you have heard since your residents arrived. You have also read tips on how to be an effective listener.  One of the best ways to make someone feel important is to be an attentive listener.  Use these skills to your advantage while communicating and interacting with your residents.
 
 
 
 
 
 

Until residents know one another, it will be very difficult to create a community.  Having you know the residents is one thing, but it is also important that they know one another.  "Early in the year, it is important to have social and/or recreational activities that encourage residents to establish contact with each other and to accomplish the elementary step needed to transform the conglomerate of individual residents into a group" (Winston, 1993, p. 322).

Your goal during Creating Networks is to help residents get acquainted:

Help residents learn one another’s names, interests, and personality characteristics.

Use bulletin boards to announce birthdays, activities, recreational sports, floor meetings etc.

Collect e-mail addresses/web-pages and post them on bulletin boards or pass them out.

Encourage an "open door" policy.

Collect data about your floor in order to plan an activity.

Have the floor participate in a recreational activity together.

Consider the following questions in collecting data for your floor:

Of the residents on your floor, how many names do you have left to learn?

Since check-in day, have you received any new residents (hall transfers, room changes)?  If so, what can you do to meet those students, as well as introduce them to the rest of the community?

What kind of initiative can you take in order to learn the remaining residents’ names?

How much time have you given yourself to learn the remaining resident names?

Now: Make observations about the physical layout of your building and floor.  Where are the recreational facilities, bathrooms and study areas?  Where is the RA room located in relation to residents?  Is there a space where residents tend to spend a lot of time?  Are there any physical hindrances to the layout of your floor (Winston, 1993, p. 466)?

Now: How can this information be helpful to you in building community and coordinating hall activities?

Now: What is the social/organizational makeup of your hall?  Have you noticed groups of residents who spend time together?  Are there hall traditions?  Which residents, if any, have demonstrated leadership?

Are there negative influences on your corridor?  If there are negative influences, what are they and what do you attribute them to (Winston, 1993, p. 466)?

Now: Describe some of the characteristics of the students living on your floor: gender, race, ethnicity, religion, disabilities, sexual orientation, academic major, daily schedules, personality types, traits or preferences (Winston, 1993, p.466).

Now: Describe the ways in which knowing the social/organizational makeup of your floor will be helpful in building community and coordinating hall activities.
 

"Often people attempt to live their lives backwards: they
try to have more things, or more money, in order to do more
of what they want so that they will be happier.  The way it
actually works is the reverse.  You must first be who you
really are, then do what you need to do, in order to have
what you want." - Margaret Young

Helpful Hint: Since all residence halls at SDSM&T has ethernet connections you should set up a communication system with your residents. If you have a lot of freshmen, why not help them activate their accounts?  Make sure to involve upper-class students and the Help Desk to assist with this process so that you do not get overwhelmed with requests for help from freshmen.
Can We Talk?

The topic of dialogue, or discussion, is critical to hearing all of the voices in a community.  This occurs throughout the residence hall at all times, but it is very important during floor and hall meetings.  This section was designed to prepare you for the role of moderator in a community dialogue.  Earlier we discussed listening to the stories of your residents, and how this strengthens interpersonal relationships by making people feel important.  In that section we focused on listening to community members rather than creating dialogue.  In this section we will focus on creating dialogue between members of the community.

Why is dialogue important among members of a community?  To begin with, community is the place where people feel they belong, fit in, are cared for, and a place where they feel important (Roger, Anchors, and Associates, 1993).  In addition to being a place where people fit in, a community ideally should be a place where it is acceptable to disagree or experience conflict.  Lappe’ and DuBois (1994, p. 252) cite the art of "Creative Conflict," or dialogue, as a means of demonstrating diverse perspectives, uncovering interests in a group, and building group confidence.  They advocate dialogue that creates an environment "safe" for difference.

To create such an environment, it is necessary to ease the fears of community members surrounding dialogue and conflict.  Fears may include embarrassment, ignorance, and ridicule.  Can you recall a time when you hesitated to join a discussion due to any of the fears mentioned above?
How can you create an environment "safe" for difference?  Lappe’ and DuBois (1994) offer some key ideas in this area:

Agree to leave labels at the door
Agree to disagree, then explore common ground
Keep focus on the present - and on solutions
Support restrained expressions of anger
Be prepared to speak your mind
Make no permanent enemies
Finally, remember that no community can deal effectively with an issue unless it is acknowledged.

In addition to creating an environment "safe" for difference, it is also important to be aware of how to set up and facilitate a community dialogue.  Larry King (1994) offers his thought on how to "Quarterback a Conversation" which may aid in coaching community dialogue.  Larry advocates:
 

A. Choose a topic that will involve everybody.

This is key as you try to bring members together based on topics that are relevant to the community.

B. Solicit opinions

This is a great way of getting community members invested and involved as you let them drive the discussion.

C. Help the shyest person in the group

Including everyone interested and allowing their voices to be heard is key to involvement.

D. Don’t monopolize the conversation

Remember that you are a community member and perhaps coach of this meeting.  Focus on what your community members are saying and ask thought-provoking questions.

E. Ask ‘what if’ questions

These are questions that will help shape the direction of the process.  You can get your voice out there by asking, "What might happen if we . . .?" Remember the evolution of your role from directing to coaching.

F. Pay attention to the physical setting

The setting chosen for the meeting should be large enough to accommodate everyone comfortably, allow for community members to see one another while speaking, be well lit, and just the right temperature to avoid the crankiness associated with a room being too cold or hot.

Apathy and Your Residents: Does it Exist?

If involvement is so important why do so many RA’s complain about apathy in their communities?
Over time we have set the norm for passive environments in our residence halls.  Think about it.  In most residence halls, it is the RAs who plan programs for the community.  And, in planning those programs, the RA frequently goes outside the community to university police officers, peer educators, and other offices to find someone who will present an assigned topic.  The RA probably makes the publicity announcing the event, and if there are refreshments at the program, it is probably the RA who purchased them.
Discipline is handled the same way.  If a resident is being disruptive, often it is the RA who is contacted to take care of it.  If garbage is left in the hallway, the RA at best will address it, and at worst will ignore it like the rest of the floor.  Ultimately, the custodians will pick it up.  All residents have to do is check into his or her room on opening day and try to stay out of trouble for the rest of the year.  We communicate our expectation that residents stay out of trouble, but we do not communicate our expectation that residents get involved.  Therefore, we create passive environments where to be unobtrusive is the standard.

Schroeder and Mable explain, "In too many cases, the elevated role of the RA as a peer counselor and developmental programmer led to the practice of doing even more for students, rather than encouraging them to do it for themselves.  Instead of valuing such processes as the RA advising a floor leadership or programming group toward shared objectives, expectations shifted to such direct RA outcomes as a specified number of programs per semester as a RA job requirement.  A shift from rewarding community building processes to defining success as specific events for which the RA was accountable for has perhaps created a disincentive for RA’s to spend the time and patience to develop contributive justice among members of the floor community" (Schroeder, Mable and Associates, 1994, p. 222).  In other words, RA’s have become so used to doing all of the necessary community building for their residents that they no longer expect their residents to be involved.

"A Community is like a ship; everyone ought
to be prepared to take the helm."
- Henrik Ibsen
 

Fringe Dwellers

By now you have noticed that some of your community members may not be involved in the everyday activities of the community.  Finding ways to include these individuals based on their own needs and desires can be challenging.  Why concentrate on community members who appear to be disinterested or never seem to be home?  The answer to this question is simple.  BASIC is based on the belief that each resident has something to offer the community.

"A community’s effectiveness and success are based, in part, on its ability to listen to and respond to the voices of those who are unable to speak, or whose voices are drowned out by the more aggressive, self-assured members of the community.  In order to do that the community must acknowledge that the voiceless exist and must make a commitment to seek out these individuals into a dialogue that addresses their needs" (Roger, Anchors, and Associates, 1993, p. 465).
Some individuals, by choice, are not going to be active participants in the community.  It is important for you to know why this may be happening and if there may not be a way to provide a service to even the most elusive resident.  Are you still having periodic contact with these residents?  Can you answer simple questions about these individuals such as major, hometown, academic year, hobbies, interests, etc.?  Why has this person chosen, if that is the case, to distance him or herself from the community?  Could it be outside interests, work, or perhaps family responsibilities?

Dennis Roberts, author of Value Education Through Activities Involvement, reviews three characteristics of inclusive student groups.  He suggests there is a commitment to democratic decision-making, support for risk-taking, and recognition of student accomplishments (Roberts, 1989).  In using BASIC, you are well on your way to having all three of the "Roberts’ Rules for Inclusiveness" present in your community.
The discussion you and your residents had during the first floor meeting about expectations and rituals was one of the opportunities to involve your residents in democratic decision making. Involving students in planning and leading events, tapping assets, and using residents to fill one another’s "gaps," are all examples of residents taking risks.  Robert’s third suggestion of recognition is something that will be focused on later in the Recognition section.
 
 

9. Influence: Mapping Assets and Discovering

DEAs (Desired Experiences and Accomplishments)

Mable and DeCoster (1980) assert that establishing an accepting atmosphere where residents can comfortably articulate personal values, experiences, and aspirations are one of three levels of community building.  "As student staff members, through their own skills of self-disclosure, assist students to think, feel, act upon self-knowledge, and to discover and cultivate who they are, meaningful relationships will emerge" (p. 208).

These sections will help you discover the information you need in order to assist students in self-disclosing in addition to thinking, feeling, and acting upon their self-knowledge.  This section in BASIC will enable you to bring your community to a new level.

By this point in BASIC, you have hopefully uncovered a lot of information about your residents.  The focus in this section is to continue discovering information.  Specifically, the information you will be looking for is the contribution each resident can make to your community as well as what she or he can gain from the community.

A. Mapping Assets:
Almost anything that makes a resident unique can be considered an asset.  For example, a resident who plays an instrument, has taken a trip, collects music, is computer proficient, can cook, plays a particular sport, pays his or her way through school, is a member of the Greek community, or held a summer job has lots of assets.  Identifying assets is not hard.  As in other sections, you probably can identify the assets of many residents without leaving your chair.

B. Discovering Desired Experiences and Accomplishments (DEAs)

DEAs are anything your residents would like to do, try, or change.  Do residents talk about improving their grades, becoming more computer literate, finding a job, changing their physical appearance, trying a new sport, finding or losing a boyfriend or girlfriend?  All of these are examples of DEAs.  Think of the different DEAs that you have heard your residents talk about.  Are there common themes to some of those DEAs?  Are there some that spark your interest?

Identifying Matches and Making Matches

Refer back to the "Stacking Conversations" section of this booklet where we found that Tanisha’s resident was versed in computers and software. This asset possessed by Tanisha’s resident could be matched with a number of DEAs. For instance, Janet could assist a resident who desires to purchase a new computer in picking out the right software. She might also be matched up with someone who desires to learn more about changes in technology. We have provided some examples to get you started.

ASSETS

Joe plays the guitar and writes music in his spare time.
 

DEAs

Drew bought a guitar and is teaching himself how to play. He mentioned to you that he was interested in practicing with someone.

ASSETS

Sharon has been in a sorority for the past two her friends years.

DEAs

Cara is being pressured by to rush a sorority and does not know if it is the right move for her.

ASSETS

Sanjay is an avid weight lifter and runner.  He expressed an interest in getting in shape before spring break.

DEAs

David and Nathan have goes to the gym at least four times a week.

ASSETS

Iris has one of the highest grade point averages within her the community.  She is a science education major and excels in laboratory courses.

DEAs

Georgia is really struggling chemistry class and is contemplating dropping the class if she fails the next test in two weeks.

"Nature has given us one tongue, but two ears,
that we may hear from others twice as much
as we speak." - Epictetus
 
 
 
 
 

10. Investment: Tapping Assets

You might have already been tapping assets by connecting residents with one another to solve problems.  The focus for this section of BASIC is to consciously create opportunities for assets to be tapped.  The beauty of this is that simultaneously, residents’ needs will be filled.  Research done by Schroeder, Mable and Associates (1994) supports the notion of tapping assets to build community and develop leadership on a hall. They explain:

"Leadership is a relational process: people working collaboratively together toward shared purposes . . . The outmoded passive notion of followers must be replaced with the active role of members empowered to share leadership.  Explicitly linking leadership to the responsibility of community members toward their shared purposes will generalize students’ responsibility to the broader campus community, their other organizational commitments, and their eventual off-campus residential and professional communities" (p. 224-25).

Tapping Assets is using one person’s talents, gifts or experiences to fill another person(s) needs.  Dale Carnegie (1981, p. 28) gives an example of an asset that was tapped:

Paul Harvey, in one of his radio broadcasts, "The Rest of the Story," told how showing sincere appreciation can change a person’s life.  He reported that years ago a teacher in Detroit asked Steve Morris to help her find a mouse that was lost in the classroom.  You see, she appreciated the fact that nature had given Stevie something no one else in the room had.  Nature had given Stevie a remarkable pair of ears to compensate for his blind eyes.  But this was really the first time Stevie had been shown appreciation for those talented ears.  Now, years later, he says that this act of appreciation was the beginning of a new life.  You see, from that time on he developed his gift of hearing and went on to become, under the stage name of Stevie Wonder, one of the greatest singers and songwriters of the seventies."

Stevie Wonder was able to help his classmates find the missing mouse because his teacher recognized a gift he had and tapped it for the good of the community.  Keep in mind however that not every experience, talent and gift will interest all residents.  The key to Tapping Assets is to target community members who are genuinely interested in learning what another community member has to offer.  Personally inviting community members who share the same desired experiences as well as opening up the experience to the entire community is likely to produce an event to remember.
Have you observed residents tapping one another’s assets (getting help in class, being taught a sport, seeking advice from another student etc.)?  How did this occur and who was involved?  Is there a time in the last week when you directed or facilitated a match? Who were the residents involved and what were the issues?

Filling Gaps

Filling gaps can be done in two different, yet simple ways.  The first way to fill a gap is to identify DEAs in the community that cannot be filled with community members’ assets.  The second way to fill a gap involves identifying information/experiences not already in the community.  Both types of gaps involve filling the needs of community members and doing so with assistance from outside the community.
Filling Gap Type #A

Now we want you to apply your information about resources to what you know about your residents.  When you were making matches on your community map, did you find that some DEAs did not have corresponding assets, in other words they went unmatched?  What are some outside resources that you could tap to fill those unmatched DEAs?

Filling Gap Type #B

Filling gaps also is looking at community members and figuring out what might be missing from their experience in the hall.  These gaps might not be anything you have heard residents talk about.  These gaps are, perhaps, some of the most important, because they are the ones NOT talked about.  Most people do not speak outwardly about doing poorly in classes or struggling with their consumption of alcohol.  Yet, we know college students across the country struggle with these issues.  Support on issues such as academics, sexuality, health, diversity, personal safety, career exploration, drugs, alcohol, and relationships is an important part of what you do as a student leader.  In looking at this list of topics, can you think of community members who could benefit from learning more about particular topics?  Prepare to plan some of these learning opportunities for those in your hall.

Recognition

Have you ever been recognized for something you have done well?  Why do you think you remember being recognized? Fred Bauer, author of the article, "The Power of a Note," tells the following story to underscore the importance of recognition.

Former Ford chairman Donald Petersen, who is largely credited for turning the company around in the 1980's, made it a practice to jot positive notes to associates every day.  "I’d just scribble them on a memo pad or the corner of a letter and pass them along," he says. "The most important ten minutes of your day are those you spend doing something to boost the people who work for you."  "Too often," he observes, "people we genuinely like have no idea how we feel about them.  Too often we think, "I haven’t said anything critical; why do I have to say something positive?  We forget that human beings need positive reinforcement--in fact, we thrive on it!" (Bauer, 1991, p. 74).
The story illustrates the importance of taking the time to recognize the contributions of others.  Notes or e-mails are particularly useful forms of recognition because they do not require a lot of time or money.  They are not, however, the only form of recognition.  Depending upon who you are recognizing, you might also consider using posters, a letter in an employment file, pieces of candy, items from a Dollar Store, baked goods, signs on a resident’s door, a floor/building bulletin board.  At your next staff meeting, ask your hall director to facilitate a five-minute brainstorming session, where you can swap ideas with other staff members.

The How To’s of Recognition

As you have reflected upon the necessity of recognition, it is also important to be aware of how to provide effective recognition. Glance over the following six tips and then put yourself to the test.

Be specific:

Don’t be vague in giving feedback, such as "Thanks for your help." Rather say something such as
"Thanks for assuming that extra responsibility."

Be individual:

Team and individual recognition go hand in hand.  When rewarding a team for a job well done, it is important to recognize individual efforts that allowed the team to succeed.

Be personal:

Each of us appreciates praise in a different way. Some of us are mortified by public displays, whereas, some of us thrive on it.  Do your homework.

Be timely:

Don’t wait until the end of the year to sing your people’s praises. Give praise along the way, with frequency.

Be sincere:

When we are specific, timely, and proportional in our praises of an individual, there’s a much greater chance it will be perceived as honest and well meant recognition.
Ways to Recognize an Individual(s)

Hold a resident of the month award (see programming section).

Post recognitions on a community bulletin board.

Send personal "thank you" notes, e-mails, or on the hall web page.

A one-on-one personal recognition can be very powerful as well.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

11. Identity: Rituals & Traditions

The idea of rituals is grounded in giving a community some form of an identity or common purpose. If you think about your own involvement, or the involvement of your friends in RHA, Greek organizations or other clubs on campus, you can probably identify rituals that were present.  Even RA and RHA training can be considered a Department of Residence Life ritual.  Each year RAs and hall councils on this campus, and campuses throughout the country, know that they will go through a period of training for their positions.  It is a common experience that we all share and that we can count on happening each year.

"Rituals or traditions are staged, public and stylized versions of how things should be and beliefs about how things are that eloquently describe and shape cultural patterns.  Although the possibilities for expression are endless, similar patterns are repeated over time and become part of, as well as reflect, a group’s history.  These patterns teach cooperation, the importance of tradition, social relation, and solidarity, tasks and goals of the group, and the place of authority" (Kuh and Whit, 1988, p.17).

Beginning of the Year

Recall the discussion earlier on, regarding identity.  Those pages included a discussion on the importance of group identity in building community.  Reflect on a time that you were in a community that had formal or informal rituals and how those rituals affected a strong sense of community.  We suggest initiating a community driven ritual at your first floor meeting because we believe that this could assist you in building a sense of identity among your community.  Some examples are:  Hardrocker Football games and other sporting events, movie nights, eating together, playing intramurals, and performing community service.

Throughout the Year

Have any other rituals or traditions developed in the community since the beginning of the year without your support?  Is there a possibility that there are rituals taking place in the community that you are not involved in?  Take some time with community members to find out what things they do on a daily basis with other community members?

"Rituals/traditions make statements about the quality of life within the community, and set standards against which people are asked to compare and modify their behavior, values, activities, and relationships" (Kuh and Whitt, 1988, p. 17).  It is true that for every positive ritual that is established, there can be a negative ritual established.  Positive rituals might take the form of community dinners, shopping expeditions, sporting events or study breaks.

There are many positive rituals that occur throughout SDSM&T Residence Halls.  Negative rituals usually involve anything that is against the law or our code of conduct.
 

12. Programming: Planning an Activity in
      7 Easy Steps

1. ASSESSING RESIDENTS’ NEEDS/DESIRES

All too often RAs attempt to plan programs without assessing the needs/desires of their residents. Assessing needs and areas of interest of your residents is the first and most important step in planning successful programs.  The tendency is to program based on your needs or likes or what easily fits into the topic of the month and then to be upset when only one person shows up.
Needs assessment can be handled in several ways.  You may want to start out your year with a written interest assessment questionnaire, which lists a number of possible programs and ask people to evaluate how they feel about having those programs on their floor.  The survey may also include a section for the students to reply if they have any specific interests or resources.  If you use these surveys, try assessing programming needs at the beginning of the year, and then, intermittently throughout the year, review and update the surveys with your residents.

Sometimes there are topics that residents don’t express interest in at first, but are necessary as a part of college life.  Those may include alcohol awareness, sexual assault, financial aid, health issues, etc.
By using interest awareness surveys you can determine programming needs within the hall.  Informal discussions with students can also help determine needs and interests because they may bring out a need for study skills from one resident or test anxiety from another or an interest in sports from yet another resident.  Attentive listening skills may develop a wide variety of interesting topics for you to explore as programming ideas.  Being able to plan an event will help you in the future.  Supervisors look for employees who are able to plan projects and follow through with details.
This year we have compiled programs that address various issues of Social, Educational, Community Service, Unity, Cultural/Diversity, Spiritual/Emotional and Sports/Physical areas.  Other Programming Ideas are available as well.  Various issues will be identified during the school year.  These Needs and Responses have been added also.  The programs and ideas are available on the Department of Residence Life web page.

2. GENERATING IDEAS/Idea formulation

One method used to design a program or provide ideas is brainstorming.  When you brainstorm an idea, all criticism is ruled out, freewheeling is encouraged, and a large QUANTITY of ideas is the goal. Brainstorming ideas could be incorporated into the assessment of your residents needs and interests.  Brainstorming at a floor meeting is another good way to generate ideas for programs. Brainstorming is best done in small groups.  After the entire process, focus on three or four ideas and make them

REALITY.

Utilize the ideas from the Department of Residence Life web page.  There are many program ideas that cover many topics.  There is also a section that addresses several issues that occur throughout the year.

3. DRAFTING THE PROGRAM/Setting the date

Now you’ve evaluated the students and come up with a great idea for a program, all you have to do now is decide when to have it.
Take each of the items that the group expressed an interest in.  Tackle one idea at a time.  Decide what needs to be done and who will complete the task.  This is a wonderful time to think about "Tackling the Topic of Leadership."  Take into consideration how developed your community is and the various skills of your residents.  Do your residents need you to provide them with direction, or could you involve your residents and coach them through what they do not know to help them plan the activity?

Set a tentative date.
Check with the Hall Director & Hall Council to see if other activities or events are planned for that date.
Find out what other activities (movies, concerts, etc.) may be planned for campus.
Check a long range TV Guide or call the local stations to see if there might be a special or movie which could detract from your program.

Check around the hall to see how the residents feel about the date.

Finalize the date and STICK to it.  Confusion will result if you keep changing the date.

Do not simply ask for volunteers.  Ask residents, by name, if they will take part of the responsibility.

Take into consideration the best time of day to hold the activity.  Think about the most visible and accessible areas of the floor.  Lounges or lobbies generally have the maximum ability to attract residents.

Don’t be afraid to experiment with different locations.

4. GETTING YOUR HANDS DIRTY

So now you have an idea and a date!  The next step is putting the program together.  Taking care of the details is where the work begins.  You can look upon making the arrangements as a real pain or view it as a learning experience that will help you in life.  If you take the second view you will have a much more enjoyable experience and continue to develop your skills and residents.  To ensure that your program is one of quality and success, the following is a description of the essential elements found in a quality program:

The program is publicized at least three days to a week prior to the program date.

The speaker/presenter is an authority on the subject matter or has researched the topic thoroughly.

The presentation emphasizes involvement rather than a passive attendance.

Students learn about a pertinent topic, each other, or themselves.

The program is well organized, planned, and followed through appropriately.

Arrangements should be made several weeks prior to the program.  You will avoid last minute complications and save yourself headaches by planning ahead.

A good programmer uses some sort of checklist to organize the details of the event.  On the following pages is a thorough checklist for you to follow to develop and implement a SUCCESSFUL program.
Any program that will demand a large audience could utilize this popularity by charging a can of food or an article of clothing for the local Food Banks or a clothing drive for admittance.

5. GETTING THEM THERE/Activity Implementation/Publicity

Advertising

This can make or break a program.  You may have the best idea in the world, but unless people know the 5 W’s: who, what, where, why, and when, the program may flop.  Following are some of the hints to help you when planning your publicity.
 
 
 

Utilize:

bulletin boards

flyers or posters in unique areas (stairwell ceilings, floors, common area bathrooms "stall talk")

word of mouth

personal invitations and approaching residents personally

newsletters

monthly calendars

e-mail

web-pages

FOOD!

Mention the programs during floor meetings or have them in conjunction with floor meetings.
An unusual, gimmicky, out of the ordinary advertisement will be the most effective. You can write on balloons and tie them to residents’ doors.
 

It is best to use two waves of advertisements.  The first wave should be about a week before the program so that people can plan ahead; the second wave should be three days prior to the event. NOTE: A large-scale program (i.e., semiformal, little brother/sister weekend) will need much earlier advertisement.

Place posters and flyers up at least two weeks prior to the event; add a little information at a time on the same poster.

Always remind people the day of the program. Door Knock, Door Knock, Door Knock!!!!!!!!

Themes

Develop a theme or logo and use it throughout your publicity! Picture the idea or logo all around you. You can get ideas from some of the following places: Magazines, books, catalogues, posters, newspapers, clip are, quotes, comic strips, etc.

Lettering

Lettering is an integral part of any publicity campaign. It comes in many styles, sizes, and can be done in different colors depending on use.  Different types of lettering are stencils, adhesive, typeset, computer, free hand and press on.  Publicity is only as effective as you make it. Lettering allows you to capture someone’s attention.  Don’t loose that attention by CONFUSING the reader with too many different styles of letters.

Signs

The signs, posters, and flyers you design will be a vital part of your programming. Here are a few hints to make your signs more successful.

A successful sign tells the story quickly, boldly, and in a direct way.

1. Drop all extraneous matter, topics, and minor details at the outset of your planning.

2. Write down what you want to say.  Use only specific information to tell the story.

3. The type of style should be easy to read. Most people read from top to bottom. Place information in this order - important information first.

4. Make your sign an attention getter.

5. Emphasize one word to capture someone’s attention.  Make it larger; a different color; different lettering or use capital letters.

6. Space letters close together, but far enough apart that they’re still easily readable.

7. Include American Disabilities Association (ADA) accommodations: Persons with disabilities please contact (your contact #) to inform us of your special needs.  We request notification 3 working days prior to the event to enable us to assist you to the best of our abilities.

Colors

Color is very important when making signs.  Certain color combinations work better than other colors.  Here are several color combinations with the most readable colors to the least readable.

1. Purple on Yellow

2. Black on White

3. Yellow on Black

4. White on Black

5. Purple on White

6. White on Purple

7. White on Green

8. Green on White

9. Red on White

10. White on Red

11. Black on Orange

12. Orange on Black

13. Red on Green

14. Green on Red

15. 15. Yellow on White

16. White on Yellow

Where To Publicize

Be sure to check with your hall director and follow Department of Residence Life-posting guidelines.

6. CELEBRATING THE EVENT: IT’S SHOWTIME

Make sure that the following are accomplished to insure a successful program.

The person(s) in charge of the program should arrive early enough to make sure all last minute details are handled.

Make sure to meet presenters and special guests at a predetermined location to make them feel comfortable and avoid confusion.

Have someone introduce all presenters and special guests at the beginning of the program.

ENJOY YOURSELF

After the program, thank the presenter and make sure that clean up and breakdown is accomplished.

Don’t put it off until another time.

7. EVALUATION/Wrapping up: You’re done . . .

This is the most important aspect of the programming process.  The information obtained will help you in planning future activities and will aid people in the future who are considering similar events.  Evaluation should be done regardless of how formal or informal your program is.  Evaluation can come in the form of verbal feedback or written feedback. Both are effective as long as you apply it to your future activities.  There are two ways in which you should evaluate your program:

1. Formal Evaluation – Fill out a Program Evaluation form (white copy to the Office of Residence Life, Yellow copy to your hall director, and the pink copy is  for you to keep for your records.

2. Informal Evaluation - Ask program attendees what they thought.  Evaluate and critique the results with the planning committee.
Some particular things to keep in mind when evaluating:

Don’t judge success by attendance alone.

What was the level of involvement between the audiences and the presenter?

Was the effort put into planning worth the results achieved?

Did the patrons feel it was worth their time? Money?

A good sign is when the presenter or speaker says to you "Let’s do that again sometime soon."

Since the program was started to satisfy some need that the students had, ask yourself and them if that need was satisfied.

Don’t Forget To Send A Thank You!
 

PROGRAM CHECKLIST

Planning

1. Is there sufficient time to plan the function to insure its success?

2. Does the planned date conflict with any other campus or residence hall programs?

3. Is the desired location available on the planned date?

4. Have funds been allocated for the event?

5. Have committee work assignments been made?

6. Is the committee culturally diverse?

7. Have all of the hall executive officers and staff members been informed of the program?
 

Special Arrangements

1. Have the necessary forms been submitted and approved to reserve the facility?

2. Is the facility accessible to community members with disabilities?

3. Have there been any arrangements for students with disabilities?

4. Have arrangements been made for food and beverage requirements?

5. Have required security deposits been paid?

6. Has entertainment been selected?

7. Has the entertainer contract been secured and approved through the proper channels?

8. Have arrangements been made for any special equipment needs (i.e., stage risers, lighting, dressing room, tickets, cash box, etc.)?

9. Check the Student handbook for University Requirements.
 

Publicity and Promotion

1. Check with facility manager regarding any restrictions on decorating/advertising.

2. Ensure that publicity invites all community members to attend, not just those of the topic focus.

3. Plan decorations to compliment program theme.

4. Be sure advertisements do not depict persons by stereotype.

5. Are committee members assigned to put up and take down publicity, etc.?
 

Refreshments

1. Have all arrangements been made for refreshments?

2. Has catering contract been secured?

3. Have all serving arrangements been made (set up, plates, cups, etc.)?
 

During the Event

1. Be prepared to facilitate discussion, even if the group is hesitant to open up.

2. Be prepared to appropriately confront insensitive comments or behavior of participants.

Clean-Up

1. Have individuals been assigned to a clean up committee?

2. Is cleaning equipment available if needed?

3. Check with the facility manager to know exactly what clean up procedures to follow.
After the Event

1. Have all the bills been paid?

2. Has borrowed equipment been returned?

3. Have the facilities managers been contacted for follow-up comments regarding the event and clean up?

4. Have "thank you" notes been sent?

5. Have you conducted an evaluation of this event?
 

PROGRAM EVALUATION

 Program Evaluation forms are available at the Department of Residence Life (Plamerton 108).  Every effort will be made to try to get these evaluation forms on the internet for your completion.
 

The Year In Programming

Students go through a number of situations and emotions during the school year.  These situations and emotions change during the course of the year.  The following are some examples of students’ needs and programming responses broken down for the months of the year.

August and September

Students’ Needs:

Homesickness
Roommate Conflict
Value Crisis
Adjustment to New Academic Environment
Socialization
Long Distant Relationships
Financial Adjustments
Orientation to Campus
Loneliness

Program Responses:

Floor Parties
Get Acquainted Parties
Campus Tours
Cook Outs
Scavenger Hunt
Room Decoration
Birthday Calendar
Roommate Conflict
Movie Night
Pre-game Socials

October

Students’ Needs:

Test Anxiety
Stress from Midterms
Grief from not Being Part of a Group
Summer Pregnancies Beginning to Show
Sexual Conflicts
Dating/Non-dating Relationships
Roommate Problems
Low Self-esteem
Homecoming Blues

Program Responses:

Study Workshops
Pre-game Socials
Test Taking Skills
Study Breaks
Human Sexuality Program
Parenthood Planning
Halloween Costume Party
Alcohol Policies
Door Decorating Contest
Time Management Skills
Intramural Sports

November

Students’ Needs:

Thoughts on Suicide
Academic Pressures
Pre-final Stress
Depression and Anxiety
Increase Alcohol Consumption
Time Management Skills
Pregnancies
Roommate Problems
Health Problems
Lack of Friends
Financial Distress

Program Responses:

Floor Activities
Hair and Makeup Demo
Nutrition and Physical Fitness
Time Management Skills
Alcohol and Drug Awareness
Course Study Groups
Tutoring Programs
Thanksgiving Donations
Aerobics Program at the Rec Center
Living on a College Budget - Financial Advice

December

Students’ Needs:

Extracurricular Activities Time Strains
Anxiety, Fear, and Guilt
Academic Failure Forthcoming
Pressure to Perform Sexually and Socially
Little Money for Holiday Presents

Program Responses:

Food and Toy Drive
Holiday Party
Secret Santa
24 Hour Study Area
Door Decorating

January

Students’ Needs:

Post Holiday Depression
Loss of Loved One Over Break
New Student Orientation
Anxiety About 2nd Semester Performance
Money Problems
Weight Gain over Holidays
Probation Due to Grades

Program Responses:

Post New Year’s Party
Floor Feuds
Income Tax Preparation
New Year's Resolution Session
Superbowl Party
Exercise Program
Nutrition and Weight Control
Women's Month Activities

February

Students’ Needs:

Academic Pressures
Cabin Fever
Summer Job Hunting
Relationships
Fall Housing Plans
Depression Increases for Some
Fear of "Real World" after Graduation
Apartment Hunting
 

Program Responses:

Secret Valentine's
Things to do for Spring Break
Student Financial Aid
Preparing a Resume
Job Interview Techniques
Career Placement Center Info.
Camping Trip
Off Campus Housing Program

March

Students’ Needs:

Drug and Alcohol Abuse
Thoughts on Suicide
Academic Pressures
Senior Job Hunting
Depression Due to Separation of College Friends
Summer Job Hunting
Money for Spring Break
Senior Stress

Program Responses:

Job Search Skills
Summer Co-op
24 Hour Study for Mid-terms
Spring Break Ride Board
Travel Safety
Rape Awareness
Drug and Alcohol Awareness
Mid-term Study Groups

April

Students’ Needs:

Academic Pressures
Frustration about Registration
Summer Job Pressures
Changing Majors
Test anxiety
Papers and Projects Pile Up
Drop-out - Graduation
Starting Crash Diets
Spring Relationship Depression

Program Responses:

Cook Out
Relaxation Techniques
Beach Party
Hall Banquets
Where to Now?
Dress for Success
Dating Skills
Class Registration Progra

May

Students’ Needs:

Senior Panic About Jobs
Year-end Anxiety
Depression of Leaving Friends
Facing Conflict with Family
Finals Pressures

Program Responses:

How to Say Goodbye Party
Address Party
Farewell Cook Out
Finals Study Break
Roommate Appreciation
Going Home Pot luck/Good Luck Dinner
 

Programming Ideas.

Social Program Ideas

Getting to know you Pizza Party.

Hold a talent show.

Take a group of residents to go bowling or shoot pool in Surbeck.

Weekend Lunch/Cookout.

Ice Cream social: Ice cream with all the toppings, hall council serves it to keep it from becoming a huge mess and it is BYOB (bring your own bowl).

Go on a trip to the cheap movies (or regular movies).

Have a common night that anyone who wants to can meet in the t.v. lounge to watch a particular t.v. show. For instance, "Friends" or "E.R." on Thursday night.  Also, plan t.v. nights on special occasions; Academy Awards, Superbowl, etc.

Decorating your Door (Holiday Themes- Halloween, Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Easter, etc.). Can build community spirit.

Visit a skating rink.

Hold a scavenger hunt.

Hold "Study Breaks" from time to time. Use food, "caffeine break"-sodas, coffee, etc., holiday decorating (Halloween, Christmas, Valentine’s Day etc.), hour t.v. show, go shopping, make fudge, rice crispy treats.

Have a "movie night" every once in a while, on the floor, in a resident’s or RA’s room.

Have a monthly birthday celebration at the beginning of each month for everyone who has a birthday during that month.  Have cake, refreshments, presents, etc. Utilize the floor bulletin board, web-page, or e-mail to find out residents' birthdays.

Post, on the floor web-page or bulletin board, New Year’s resolutions by floor members.  This will help the residents help each other sustain their resolution and let them socialize also about their resolutions.

Hold an Easter Egg Hunt and other holiday events.

Coffeehouse: Hold a program that introduces residents to various types of coffee, espresso, and cappuccino. Teach them how to make the refreshments and mingle.

Hold a Cinco de Mayo celebration and incorporate Hispanic diversity awareness.

Hold a pumpkin-carving contest for Halloween.
 

Educational Program Ideas.
 

Have a contract renewal party for your wing.

Hold a registration information session in which an RA can explain how to register for classes to the new freshman.

Hold a "professor pick" in which students could tell each other which professors they have had, which one were good and which ones were challenging.

Car Maintenance 101. Take people to a car shop to learn basic repairs and maintenance.

Various academic programs: Study skills, time management, stress management, adapting to college life, etc.

Graduate School Information: Discussion about how to get into graduate school and the value of getting into graduate school over working and vice versa; tests and admission applications to be covered; have graduate students come in and discuss these issues.

Diet dilemmas: Have a nutritional based program that discusses the pros and cons of different eating plans and the problems associated with dieting; bring in a speaker from campus that has expertise in dieting and nutrition.

Women in the workplace: Brief discussion on the issues that women face in the workplace; possibly bring in women speakers from the community that have "real world" experience.

CPR Certification: Find a red cross CPR instructor and ask him/her to teach a CPR certification class.

Spirituality in today's world: Discuss issues facing those choosing to lead spiritual lives; bring in community ministers and student leaders.

Hold a Cinco de Mayo celebration and incorporate Hispanic diversity awareness.

Hold a program celebrating Black History Month during that month.

Have members of various student organizations come in and talk about their organization, what they do, how they do it, and how to join if interested.

Have someone from the Career Center come talk. They can talk about how to find a job, what job you would be best suited for, etc. This is also a good program for halls with a lot of upperclassmen.
Service Program Ideas.

Have a contract renewal party for your wing.

During Room consolidations, have a party for the residents to be room consolidated.  This can give them an opportunity to meet each other and decide who they wanted to be consolidated with.

Hold a registration information session in which an RA can explain how to register for classes to the new freshman.

Hold a "professor pick" in which students could tell each other which professors they have had, which one were good and which ones were challenging.

Have someone from the Career Center come talk. They can talk about how to find a job, what job you would be best suited for, etc. This is also a good program for halls with a lot of upperclassmen.

Have members of various student organizations come in and talk about their organization, what they do, how they do it, and how to join if interested.

Run a food or clothing drive.

Have your residents get involved with March of Dimes Walk America Program.
Recreation Program Ideas.

Take a group of residents to go bowling or shoot pool in Surbeck.

Dominoes: Pull out three sets of dominoes for students in lounge.  Buy two litters of soda and just have good communication and commradere.

Midnight Madpeople (men and women!): A group of residents, usually accompanied by an RA, run at 11:00pm every other night.

Hold a volleyball tournament.

Have members of various student organizations come in and talk about their organization, what they do, how they do it, and how to join if interested.

Have a "movie night" every once in a while, on the floor, in a resident’s or RA’s room.

Hold "Study Breaks" from time to time. Use food, "caffeine break"-sodas, coffee, etc., holiday decorating (Halloween, Christmas, Valentine’s Day), hour t.v. show, go shopping, make fudge, rice crispy treats.

Go on a trip to the cheap movies (or regular movies).

Visit a skating rink.

Have a common night that anyone who wants to can meet in the t.v. lounge to watch a particular t.v. show. For instance, "Friends" or "E.R." on Thursday night. Also, plan t.v. nights on special occasions; Academy Awards, Superbowl, etc.

Hold a scavenger hunt.

Hold an Easter Egg Hunt and other holiday celebrations.

Hold a pumpkin-carving contest for Halloween.
 

13. Resources

Something that will help you make matches with your residents is being resourceful.  This section is designed to develop your resourcefulness in two ways.  First, we want you to know who and what resources are at your disposal.  Become an expert at knowing where to go for everything, from information to a new idea.

The second kind of resourcefulness is using a variety of ways to relay information.  Remember, we are interested in having residents be active participants on your hall.  Therefore a challenge before you is to think of innovative and involving ways the residents on your hall can exchange information. Many ways can be found in the programming section of BASIC.  Resources are also readily available and mentioned in the program section of BASIC as well.  Here are some examples:

Auto Parts Clinic- Before residents leave for Spring Break,  have a local auto parts store  do a demonstration in the parking lot on how to change a flat tire, check oil, and other car maintenance.

Norwest, First National Bank, Black Hills Credit Union, etc. - You could arrange to have an info session on establishing good credit and staying out of debt.

RHA Resource File Index - The Resource files were established to facilitate the exchange of ideas among member schools. The NACURH Resource Files contain over 25,000 pages of information on a wide variety of topics.  This is an excellent source of new, different, and sometimes wacky programs.  It also includes controversial or new policies (i.e. Visitation, co-ed halls) being implemented at other universities, as well as advisor stuff, leadership info and major programs.  To get this information, all you need to do is visit the NACURH website at: http://www.nacurh.okstate.edu

A. Hall Council

Your hall council can be a very valuable resource if used correctly.  They can help you address the needs of the students for programming or other areas of interest.  The council can help you publicize events in the floor, hall or the university itself.  Attending hall council meetings may open the door for a relationship with them.  Planning programs together, or holding hall council programs with floor meetings may boost the attendance of both events. Residents may be more willing to attend programs that are associated with the hall council. Finding out what the needs of the residents through your hall council and implementing these programs with the council will give a rise in attendance and bring the community closer by addressing their needs.

B. Outside Resources

Let’s explore exactly what we mean when we talk about outside resources.  When your car breaks down, if you know nothing about cars, you take it to the mechanic.  That would be using an outside resource to take care of one of your needs.  There are a lot of resources in your town and on your campus that can be very useful to you as an RA.  Think about the people you know, the stores and businesses in town, the surrounding community members, parks, clubs, and organization in the area.  All of those things can be used as outside resources.
 

C. Let your Fingers do the Walking from A to Z

Use the front of your campus phone book and your local yellow pages to generate the longest list possible of available resources and how you might use these resources as an RA.  This is a great list to copy and share with your fellow RAs.  Say the word and I am sure your hall director will be happy to facilitate the exchange of this information!  Don’t forget that you have some great resources listed in your RA manual and from the training sessions.

D. Resourceful Ways to Exchange Information

Information is relayed every day in a variety of ways. Sometimes you might gather information from a magazine, newspaper, or a brochure. You might also hear it on TV, see it in a movie, or discover it on a TV commercial. Other ways can be through the internet or e-mail. In election years, we gather information by watching debates and having discussions with people around us. There are many, many, many ways to relay information. Why then, do we in residence life, rely so heavily on traditional "programs"? Why do we time after time invite presenters to come to our residence halls and talk at our students? Because we have new students each year that have similar needs to those of the previous year, each new year those presenters and resources can be tailored to the individual needs of the new freshmen, also, repetition is good and is an effective way of educating.

E.  Department of Residence Life Web Page

There is a special section for resident assistants on the Department of Residence web page dealing with programming issues and ideas.
 
 
 
 

14. Bringing Closure to Your Community

Have you ever been part of a group that came to an end?  Probably the most current example would be leaving high school or junior college.  This experience took up a significant amount of time in your life.  You formed solid friendships over those years and found your own role to play as a member of the group.  You may have been the quiet one, the athlete, the brain, or even the class clown.  You took chances and lived each day with the comfort of knowing a routine.  For good or bad, this was your life and you knew it well.  Then you came face to face with transition.  You decided to go to college.  You may have decided to attend a college in your hometown or perhaps another state, regardless, you had to make a change from what was normal or comfortable.  William Bridges (1988) offers a better understanding of change and transition by defining both.

"Change requires people to make transitions and it is these necessary transitions rather than the changes themselves that are difficult"(Bridges, 1988, p. 15).  "Change occurs when something new starts or something old stops, and it takes place at a particular point in time.  Change often starts with a new beginning"(Bridges, 1988, p. 15).  Examples of this might include changing from high school to junior college or from junior college to a four-year college.  Change defined this way also might include a move from one residence hall to another or moving from the residence hall to an apartment.

"Transition cannot be localized in time.  It is gradual psychological process through which individuals and groups reorient themselves so that they can function and find meaning in a changed situation.  Transition must start with an ending -- with people letting go of old attitudes and behaviors" (Bridges, 1988, p. 15).  Examples of this might include graduation ceremonies, formal dances, awards banquets, or even time capsules to pass on the wisdom of your group to those who will follow in your footsteps.  Do you recall any of these events taking place when you left high school or junior college? How did you feel about these events?  Did they provide an opportunity for you to say goodbye and feel more positively about the change you were about to make?

The next step you made was to college and your residence hall community.  You spent countless hours laughing and crying with your new friends over that first year.  Before you knew it, summer was approaching and it was time to move out of your residence hall. It seemed like yesterday that you had to make a major transition to college and make a change.  The odds of your entire residence hall community being reconstructed somewhere else were slim, so you had to move on.  How did you say goodbye to everyone you would miss?  Were there events or activities provided to help ease the transition?  Take another minute to reflect on what kinds of things you remember occurring at the end of the year in your residence hall community as well as the kinds of things you would have liked to do.

Whether or not you believe it, intentionally bringing closure to your community can have a lasting impact on community members.  To give you an example of how great the impact can be, we offer this story from William Bridges:

"When General Electric’s Cuyahoga, OH, lamp plant was shut down, a committee planned a big party on the final day of work.  During the last week of plant operations, graffiti paper was hung in each work group with the hope that feelings would be written.  The walls soon became filled with farewell statements, only a few of which were negative.  The last day of production, the committee planning the closing collected the graffiti and rehung it in the food-laden, balloon-filled cafeteria.  The 200 people still working in the plant gathered for a parade and spontaneously began to sing "Old McDonald Had a Farm" with words inserted about life in the plant.  Individuals made farewell statements.  A large product display balloon was deflated to symbolize the closing, and the assembled sang, "God Bless America."  The plant was shut down.  A large banner was hung announcing "The Beginning of Something New" for employees to see as they left" (Brides, 1988, p.4).

It is amazing what the effort of one plant manager could do to ease the transition of a group of people who had just lost their jobs.  Keeping this in mind, and what you might do to assist your community in easing its transition, we offer the following tips to assist you in bringing closure to your community.  Vickio (1990) uses the idea of the five D’s for Successfully Dealing with Departure and Loss:

1st D:   Determine ways to make the transition a gradual process.

2nd D: Discover the significance that different activities have had on residents’ lives this y
            year.

3rd D: Describe this significance to others.

4th D: Delight in what you have gained and in what lies ahead of you and your residents.

5th D: Define the areas of continuity in your life.

Ideas in Making The Closure to Your Community Easier
As mentioned, the coming of the end of a semester can be a trying time.  It is a time of change, anxiety, hope, and uneasiness.  There are a few issues you can address and here are some ideas in order to make this transition easier:

Have a "get together" for residents who are coming back the following semester.

Have an "address exchange" party for those not coming back or just for the summer/winter break.

Exchange addresses, e-mails, and phone numbers if a party isn’t feasible - utilize the bulletin board or web pages.

Post a list of graduating seniors on the bulletin board or web page to make sure other residents can wish them a farewell.

Post a list of residents who are not coming back. Include their new addresses so others can wish them a farewell or see if they will be in the same residence hall or living near each other off-campus.

"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us. The seeds of greatness are endowed in everyone, greatness is nothing more than consistent goodness. If you are consistently good, you cannot fail to be great."

- Oliver Wendell Holmes
 
 

15. References

Bauer, F. "The power of a note", Reader’s Digest, Dec. 1991, p. 72-75.

Bridges, W. (1988). Surviving corporate transition: Rational management in a world of mergers,
     layoffs, start-ups, takeovers, divestitures, deregulation, and new technologies. New York:
     Doubleday.

Carnegie, D. (1981). How to win friends and influence people. New York: Simon & Schuster Inc.

DeCoster, D. A. & Mable, P. (1980). Personal education and community development in college
     residence halls. Washington, DC: American College Personnel Association.

Duetschman, A. (1993). Fortune cookies: Management wit and wisdom from fortune magazine. New
     York: Vintage.

Ivey, A. E. (1994). International interviewing and counseling. California: Brooks-Cole.

King, L. (1994). How to talk to anyone anytime, anywhere. New York: Crown.

Kuh, G. D. & Whitt, E. J. (1988). The invisible tapestry: Culture in American colleges and
     universities. ASHE-ERIC Higher Education Report No. 1. Washington, DC: Association for the
     Study of Higher Education.

Lappe’, F. M & DuBois, P. M. (1994). The quickening of America: Rebuilding our nation, remaking
     our lives.  San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Lorayne, H. (1995). The memory book. New York: Ballantine. Minor, Frank D. (1993).
     Peters, T. (1994). The pursuit of wow: Every person’s guide to topsy-turvy times. New York:
     Warner.

Roberts, D. C., Ed. (1989). Designing campus activities to foster a sense of community. New
     directions for student services, 48.

Schlossberg, N. (1989). Overwhelmed: Coping with life’s ups and downs. Lexington, MA.

Schroeder, C. C., Mable P. & Associates. (1994). Realizing the educational potential of residence
     halls. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Vickio, C. (1990). The goodbye brochure: Helping students cope with transition and loss. Journal of
     counseling and development, 68, 575-77.

Winston, R. B., Anchors, S. & Associates. (1991) Student housing and residential life: A handbook
     for professionals committed to student development goals. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Ziglar, Z. (1987). Top performance: How to develop excellence in yourself & others. New York:
     Berkeley.
 

16. Facilitator’s Guide

Welcome to B.A.S.I.C. Training!

What is BASIC?

Building A Strong Involving Community, is a resource guide and model to help the Resident Assistants build a community on the individual’s floor and residence hall.  It is our intention to develop a model that not only encourages planned activities on a floor, but that also gives "credit" to Resident Assistants for taking the time to get to know residents’ names, utilizing residents’ strengths, and helping residents get to know one another.  The BASIC model is interested in everything that an RA knows about and does with her/his residents. Through BASIC we encourage the RA not to plan every activity that takes place, but instead to help residents utilize one another.  Think of RA’s as facilitators, not as the sole providers for residents.

Where did the concept of BASIC come from?

The concept was born from the questions, concerns and feedback the Office of Residence Life at Miami University received during the 1993-94 year.  The staff of the "Upper-class Program" shared that the model we used first was too structured and did not allow for autonomy.  Many felt that the model second semester did not provide enough structure or support to the staff in their programming efforts.  Both models neglected to address the difficulty that the RA staff has building community on their floors and the tremendous amount of time it requires.

Is the model highly structured?

The model can provide as much or as little structure as you need.  The model was developed with not only the RA’s, but also the advisors in mind.  If the advisor is highly proficient at community building and planning activities, she/he can use as much or as little of what we have provided as she/he desires. However, if the advisor is somewhat apprehensive about building community or planning activities, this model will provide plenty of guidance.  The only thing each advisor must do is develop a plan to complete each step with their RA staff and develop a specific way to evaluate each RA on her/his work.
What is the basis of BASIC?

BASIC supports Charles Schroeder in what he defines as the Four Essential Principles for Learning Communities.  He explains that the four principles for learning communities to evolve are Involvement, Investment, Influence, and Identity (Schroeder, 1993).  Since the publication of the first four I’s, Frankie

D. Minor (1993) has identified two additional I’s, Introduction and Interaction.  We believe that the last two I’s added are so important, that we have listed them first.  The 6 I’s don’t necessarily occur in the following order and some may overlap with one another.  We will refer to the 6 I’s throughout this model in order for the sections to be understood in a clear manner.

B.A.S.I.C. Assumptions

In order for this Community Building Model to be successfully carried out, we are making the following assumptions about our students and staff.

We assume that all residents are good at something.

We assume that all residents are interested in experiencing or accomplishing something.

We assume that all advisors and RA’s are interested in educating students.

We assume that all advisors and RA’s are interested in developing involving communities on their floors.

We assume that each advisor will work with his/her RA’s to determine the proper implementation and evaluation for the model.

We assume that all advisors will monitor the work of his/her staff members though the BASIC monthly evaluation.

BASIC Monthly Evaluation

1. How are each of your staff member’s completing the model?  Where are they in the process?  How are they using the model and web page?

2. What programs/activities are being planned within the hall or on the floors?  Have they received programming ideas from BASIC or community members?

3. How is Hall Council using the concepts?

4. What are some of the challenges you or your staff are encountering?  What suggestions do you have for addressing them?

Signature:

Date:

Due the the 1st Tuesday of each month. Use back if needed.

Note: The Department Staff member responsible for BASIC oversight will periodically ask for the evaluations.

Facilitator's Worksheet

1. HOW LONG DO YOU ANTICIPATE EACH COMMUNITY EXPERIENCE (6's) WILL TAKE YOUR STAFF TO BEGIN AND COMPLETE (IF APPLICABLE)?

2. HOW DO YOU PLAN TO MOTIVATE YOUR STAFF THROUGHOUT BASIC?

3. HOW DOES EACH RA PLAN TO IMPLEMENT EACH COMMUNITY EXPERIENCE AND BASIC AS A WHOLE ON HER/HIS FLOOR?

4. HOW DO YOU PLAN TO EVALUATE YOUR STAFF’S IMPLEMENTATION OF EACH EXPERIENCE AND BASIC AS A WHOLE?

5. WHAT CONCERNS OR EXCITEMENT DOES YOUR STAFF BRING TO BASIC?
 

B.A.S.I.C. SUMMARY

1. HOW LONG DID EACH COMMUNITY EXPERIENCE (6 I's)) ACTUALLY TAKE YOU AND YOUR STAFF TO BEGIN AND COMPLETE (IF APPLICABLE)?

2. HOW DID YOU MOTIVATE YOUR STAFF IN BASIC AND WAS IT SUCCESSFUL?

3. HOW DID EACH RA IMPLEMENT EACH EXPERIENCE AND BASIC? WHAT WAS THE OUTCOME/ SUCCESS OF EACH RA?

4. HOW DID YOU EVALUATE YOUR STAFF’S IMPLEMENTATION OF BASIC AND WAS IT SUCCESSFUL?

5. WHAT WAS YOUR STAFF’S OVERALL IMPRESSION OF THE BASIC MODEL? ANY SUGGESTIONS FOR CHANGE?
 

BASIC Terminology

We have included some different terminology in this model.  We believe it is critical that our community use the same terminology when talking about these steps and phases. Some words to be aware of are:

STACKING:

This is a term used for gathering a variety of information about residents.

MAPPING:

This is a technique used to find out what gifts and talents the residents in your hall possess.

TAPPING:

This is a term for what happens when an RA gets a residents to use his/her gift or talent to enhance the community.
 
 

DESIRED EXPERIENCES AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS (DEA):

This is another way of saying "goals".  We choose DEA with the hope that it will encourage the residents to think in broader terms.

FILLING GAPS:

This is a term used to describe what happens when we provide the residents with information that was not necessarily provided by tapping residents’ assets.

The 6 I’s of Commun iiiiii ty
 

Introduction simply begins by asking your RA’s to get to know the names of each of their residents.  Knowing the names of each of the residents on a floor is essential in starting dialogue and developing relationships on the floor and for this reason, knowing the names of residents is essential.

Interaction involves "Stacking."  This allows the RA to continue building relationships with residents as she/he seeks information regarding hometowns, majors, hobbies, favorite foods, etc.  In addition, through Involvement, the RA begins to look for similarities between residents on her/his floor.

Influence includes "Mapping Assets."  This asks the RA to find out what ways each resident might contribute to the life of the floor.  This step helps the RA discover what gifts, talents and resources they have living in their community. Influence also includes "Discovering Desired Experiences and Accomplishments."  These are ways to find out what experiences and accomplishments the residents on your floor are interested in achieving this year.

Investment initiates residents to "Tap" each others’ assets in order to fill the needs of the community.  The RA must create opportunities for assets to be "Tapped" by the ways of the previous "I’s."

Identity refers to the development of intrinsic values, symbols, and traditions that have developed in the community.  The rituals that develop give the community a form of identity or common purpose.
 

Introduction

Purpose:

The purpose of this section is to prepare the RA for their first community meeting and to begin the community building process.  This also marks the beginning of dialogue, developing relationships on floors, and acknowledging RA’s community building efforts.

Goals:

1. To discuss the expectations and goals of the RA and community.

2. To insure that each RA can match the names and faces for each resident on her/his floor.

3. To process this section with your staff.

4. To evaluate your staff on this section.

Suggestions for Implementation:

•Make sure the RA discusses their goals for the community.
•Make sure the RA explains programming, policies, and regulations.
•Have the RA establish an Open-Door Policy.
•Build a Bulletin Board where each resident writes her/his own name.
•Share ice breakers that RA’s can use during their first floor meeting.
•Ensure that name tags are on each resident’s door.
•Take pictures of each resident as they move in and create a display.
•Distribute a floor plan and have the RA’s write the names in, so they can memorize who is in each room.
•Plan social activities that will force you, as an RA or HD/GHD, to become familiar with the residents.
•Bring different residents to the dining hall for each meal and do an ice breaker before each.

Suggestions for Evaluation:

•Show and Tell with residents coming to staff meetings.
•Have RA’s fill out a floor plan at one of your staff meetings.
•Have each RA pull ten residents names from a hat and be able to identify where they live and something
  unique about them.
•Do a walk-through of each RA’s floor(s) with them during a one-on- one. Have them tell you who lives
 in what room etc.

Suggested Procession Questions:
•Do you interact differently with your residents now that you know their names?
•Do the residents seem surprised that you know their names?

You and your staff can feel accomplished when:

1. Your RA's know the names and faces of each resident on his/her floor

2. You have processed this area with your staff.

3. You have evaluated your staff on this area.
 

Interaction and Involvement

Purpose:

The purpose of "stacking" conversations is to continue building relationships with residents as the RA seeks information regarding hometown, majors, hobbies, favorite foods, etc.  In addition, the RA begins to look for similarities between residents on her/his floor in order to create social networks.

Goals:

1. Teach each RA a technique that will allow her/him to gather and remember vital information about each resident.

2. To have RA’s know more than just the name of each resident on their floor. How much more than the name of each resident should be agreed upon by the staff.

3. To process this section with your staff.

4. To evaluate you staff on this section.

Suggestions for Implemenation:

• Have each RA decide how many residents they will "stack" a day.
•"Stack" at breakfast.
•"Stack" at lunch.
•"Stack" at dinner.
•"Stack" on your way to class.
•Have each RA set aside time each day to walk around and "stack" on their floor.
•Use a one-on-one to walk through each RA’s floor. Talk briefly about each resident as you walk by
  their door.
•Ask your RA’s to include some notes about each of her/his residents in her/his weekly report.
•Implement an activity that encourages residents to get to know one another and interact.
•Involve residents in the planning of one event.
Suggestions for Evaluation:
•Have the RA’s put all the information they have on a floor plan/map.
•Once the information is written on the map, have the RA draw lines from one resident to another based on commonalities.
•Have each RA draw ten residents’ names from a hat and talk about what they know about each.
•Have RA Identify how they have encourage residents' Involvement and Interaction.
Suggested Processing Question:
•Based on what you have learned about your residents, do they have anything in common?
•Has the community on your floor changed since you have started gathering information? How?
•What successes and difficulties have you had in gathering information?
•Are there particular residents who seem to want to be highly involved?
 

You and your staff can feel accomplished when:

1. Your staff has developed a stacking technique that will allow the RA's to gather and remember vital information about each resident.

2. Each RA knows more than just the name of each resident on their floor.

3. You have processed this area with your staff.

4. You have evaluated your staff on this area.
 
 
 

Influence

Purpose:

To help the RA’s discover what gifts, talents and resources they have living in their community (Mapping assets).

Goals:

1. Find out in what way each resident might contribute to the life of the floor. In other words, what
        special talents, expertise, knowledge and involvements do the residents of each floor have?

2. Process this section with your staff.

3. Evaluate your staff on this section.

Suggestions for Impementation:

•Give each resident an index card and write their talents and gifts on •Map the Assets of the RA staff so they get the hang of it.the index card.  The RA could hold a raffle with the index cards collected.
•Fill a floor plan with ALL the assets of your residents
•Post the assets of each resident on their door so that others can see and get to know one another.

Suggestions for Evaluation:

•Have Show and Tell at one of your staff meetings.  Each RA gets to brag about the assets of their residents.
•Play Asset Bingo. Make a Bingo board of possible assets.  An RA can fill the space with the initials of the resident who has the asset.
•Have each RA pull ten residents’ names. For each name they pull, have them reveal an asset.
•Use a one-on-one to walk through each RA’s floor.  Talk briefly about each resident’s asset as you walk by their door.
•Have your RA’s include an asset per resident on her/his weekly report.
Suggested Processing Questions:
•Are you surprised by any of the assets on your floor?
•Were your residents surprised they you were asking them about theirtalents and gifts?
•Are you interested or excited by any of the assets on your floor? Do you think any of the residents on your floor will also be interested?
•In what way can you use the assets on your floor?
•How can you use a resident’s asset to create an opportunity for other residents on your floor to benefit?

\
You and your staff can feel accomplished when:

1. Each RA knows at least one way in which each of their residents can contribute to the community.

2.  You have processed this area with your staff.

3. You have evaluated your staff on this area.
 

Influence (continued)

Purpose:

The purpose of Discovering Desired Experiences and Accomplishments (DEA’s) is to find out what experiences and accomplishments the residents on your floor are interested in achieving this year.

Goals:

1. Have each RA find out at least one kind of experience or accomplishment that each of their residents is interested in having this year.

2. Process this section with your staff.

3. Evaluate your staff on this section.
Suggestions for Implementation:

•Create a bulletin board where residents can informally share what they are interested in doing.
•Hold a desired Experiences and Accomplishments session where the residents learn how to accomplish their desired experiences.
•Draft an interest survey. Put one under each resident’s door.
•Collect information while on duty or doing rounds.
 

Suggestions for Evaluation:

•Have each RA bring a list of floor desired interests and accomplishments to a staff meeting.
•Have RA’s make a collage that shows the DEA’s of her/his residents. Explain the collages at a staff meeting.
•Use a staff meeting to make a comprehensive list of all of the desiredexperiences and accomplishments of the students in your building.
•Use a one-on-one to walk through each RA’s floor. Talk briefly about each resident’s desired experiences and accomplishments as you walk by their door.
•Ask your RA’s to include a desired experience or accomplishment per resident on her/his weekly report.
Suggested Processing Questions:
•Were your residents surprised that you were interested in their desiredexperiences and accomplishments for the upcoming year?
•Do any of the residents want to experience or accomplish the same things?
•Of the desired experiences and accomplishments shared by your residents, how many of them can you address?
•Do any of the residents have assets that might assist another resident in accomplishing her/his goals?
•Using a resident’s desired experience or accomplishment, is their a campus issue that you can address in a way that interests your floor?

You and your staff can feel accomplished when:

1. Each RA knows at least one asset for each of the residents on her/his floor.

2. You have processed this area with your staff.

3. You have evaluated your staff on this area.
 

Investment (Tapping Assets)

The rationale for this section is grounded in the fact that each of the residents in our buildings has the potential to be a contributing member of the community.  If you and your staff have observed the development of your community, you should have a good idea of both your residents’ assets and their desired experiences and accomplishments.  The next phase challenges your RA’s to think of ways to use their residents’ assets to help other residents accomplish their desired experiences and accomplishments.  It is our hope that RA’s will get in the habit of looking to their residents to serve the needs of other residents. An example might look something like this:

Resident #1: This resident is a Nutrition major. She loves to go running and walking and knows how to use all the equipment in the Rec Center.

Resident #2: This resident shared that one of her desired experiences and accomplishments was to lose the "freshmen fifteen."

These two residents make a "match."  You might ask resident #1 if she would like to help you coordinate a hall dinner where she gives a brief explanation of how to eat a balanced meal in the dinning halls. You would definitely invite resident #2.
 
 
 

Tapping Assets

Purpose:

The purpose of preparing to Tap Assets is to identify any possible matches between the assets of your residents and the desired experiences and accomplishments of your floor.

Goals:

1. Have each RA make the connection between the assets of their residents and the desired experiences and accomplishments of their floor.

2. Process this section with your staff.

3. Evaluate your staff on this section.

Suggestions for Implementation:

•Have each RA create a list of all the assets and desired experiences and accomplishments on their floor.  See how many matches each RA can make.  Give a prize to the RA who discovers the most matches.
•Have RA’s share assets and desired experiences and accomplishments.  See if they can help one another make "matches".
•Have each RA select their most unique asset and their most challenging desired experience or accomplishment. Once selected, have the rest of the staff help each RA brainstorm possible "matches".
•Have each RA share their Top 10 "matches" Letterman style!
Suggested Processing Questions:
•How difficult was it to make "matches"?
•What can we do with these "matches"?
•Using a resident’s asset, is there a campus issue that you can address in a way that interests your floor?
•How have you involved Hall Council leadership in this process?
Suggestions for Evaluation:
•Have each RA attach to her/his weekly report a list of possible matches.
•Have each RA share one of her/his matches at a staff meeting.
•Go on tour with each of your RA’s. Have them introduce you to the residents involved in their Top 10 matches.
 

You and your staff completed this step when:

1. Each RA can offer a number of possibilities for sharing assets and desired experiences and accomplishments.

2. You have processed this area with your staff.

3. You have evaluated your staff on this area.
 
 
 

Tapping Assets and Programming

Purpose:

The purpose of this step is to allow residents to share assets, through the collaboration and support of the RA.

Goal:

1. Give the RA’s an opportunity to actually experiment mixing an agreed upon number of assets and
desired experiences and accomplishments.

2. Process this section with your staff.

3. Evaluate our staff on this section.

Suggestions for Implementation:

•Have each RA use a resident’s asset to create an opportunity for other residents on the floor to benefit.
•Make a staff calendar listing when the RA’s want to take action on the matches they have selected.
•Consult with each RA during her/his one-on-one to develop creative ways to take action on their matches.
•Have each RA pick a match on her/his floor that might lend itself to addressing an important campus issue.
Suggested Processing Questions:
•How did the resident feel about you tapping her/his asset?
•Who was your target audience? Do you think you reached the target audience?
•How was this experience different that a program that you might have attended or planned in the past?
•Were you able to tie in a campus issue? Did you do it in a creative manner? Do you think you reached your target audience?
Suggestions for Evaluation:
•Have each RA write a short summary of what their match was, how they took action on the match, the cost involved, whether it was a positive or negative experience and any other information they want to include.
•Attend each RA’s planned activity!
•Process the activity in each RA’s one-on-one.

You and your staff can feel accomplished when:

1. Each RA has gone beyond their floor to tap assets, in order to fill an agreed number of desired experiences or accomplishments.

2. You have processed this area with your staff.

3. You have evaluated your staff on this area.
 

Tapping Assets and Programming (continued)

Purpose:

The purpose of this step is to allow residents to share assets with other floors, through collaboration and support of the RA’s.
 

Goal:

1. Give the RA’s an opportunity to actually experiment mixing an agreed number of assets and desired experiences and accomplishments throughout the building.

2. Process this section with your staff.

3. Evaluate your staff on this section.

Suggestions for Implementation:

•Use the assets of residents from another floor/hall to help a resident reach her/his desired experience or accomplishment.
•With a campus issue in mind, go beyond your floor to tap a resident’s asset that will allow you to address the issue.
•Create a master list of all the assets and desired experiences and accomplishments of the residents in your hall. See how many matches you can make. Take action on the RA’s favorite match.
•Consult with each RA during her/his one-on-one to develop creative way to take action on the matches beyond their floor.
•Create a circle with your staff. Using a ball of yarn, create a web of assets and goals throughout the hall.

Suggested Processing Questions:

•How did the residents feel about you tapping her/his asset?
•Who was your target audience? Do you think you reached the target audience?
•Was it more difficult to go beyond your floor in planning this activity?
•How was this experience different than planning an activity for just your floor?
•Were you able to tie in a campus issue. Did you do it in a creative manner? Do you think you reached your target audience?
•Did you use the assets of residents from another floor to help a resident reach her/his desired experience or accomplishment.

Suggestions for Evaluation:

•Have each RA write a short summary of what their match was, how they took action on the match, the cost involved, whether it was a positive or negative experience and any other information they want to include.
•Attend each RA or community planned activity!
•Process the activity in each RA’s one-on-one.
•Set time during your staff meetings to present each of the activities planned.

You and your staff can feel accomplished when:

1. Each RA has taken action on the agreed upon number of matches they identified on their floor.

2. You have processed this area with your staff.

3. You have evaluated your staff on this area
 

Investment (Filling Gaps and Programming)

The purpose of Filling Gaps is to discover what assets are not represented in your community.  Are there experiences and accomplishments that your residents want to have that no one in the community can provide?  Or, is there a topic or issue that is particularly timely, but no one in the community knows anything about?  During this section we will work to fill these gaps in information. An example might look
like this:

Resident #1: Has been in a relationship for two years.  She/he has shared with you that she/he is sexually active.

Resident 2# Is overheard in the dining hall joking about having unprotected sex.

Resident 3# Has just entered a relationship someone she/he likes very much.

At least three resident on this floor are involved in relationships.  The RA may take this opportunity on the floor to facilitate a conversation about relationships.  The RA has named the activity...
"He Said, She Said: The Down and Dirty Scoop on Relationships"

To promote this activity, the RA has decided to place personalized invitations under every resident’s door. Because the RA intends to bring up the topic of Safe Sex during the discussion, she/he walks over to the Health Center and gathers information about Sexually Transmitted Diseases. She/he is prepared to hand the information out during the discussion.

The above is a good example of an RA who identified a missing asset in her/his community and worked to fill the gap. The RA also did a wonderful job of tying in a current campus issue.
 

Filling Gaps and Programming

Purpose:

The purpose of this step is to continue gathering information about the desired experiences and accomplishments of each RA’s residents, as well as important issues on campus that the floor could benefit from knowing more about.

Goal:

1. To have each RA identify an agreed upon number of gaps on her/his floor.

2. Process this section with your staff.

3. Evaluate your staff on this section.

Suggestions for Implementation:

•Have each RA look at the goals their residents shared during the Introduction. Suggest that they pick out the goals to which there are no corresponding assets.
•During a staff meeting, brainstorm some topics that have not come up yet this year. Do any of those seem especially important or timely? Make a list.
•Create a bulletin board asking residents what they still want to experience and accomplish this year.
Suggested Processing Questions:
•How many of the gaps were you aware of before the group discussed identifying gaps?
•Do the gaps on your floor relate to any current campus issues?
Suggestions for Evaluation:
•Have each RA bring their individual list of floor gaps to a staff meeting.
•Have each RA include the gaps they have identified on the weekly report.
•Walk through each RA’s floor during a one-on-one. Have them point out all the rooms which still have gaps.
•Have each RA fill out a floor plan illustrating where the gaps are in their community.
•Have each RA develop a Top 10 list of floor gaps! Share them at a staff meeting.

You and your staff can feel accomplished when:

1. Each RA can identify the gaps on their floor.

2. You have processed this area with your staff.

3. You have evaluated your staff on this area.
 

Filling Gaps and Programming (continued)

Purpose:

The purpose of this step is to assure that we have worked to help each resident fulfill their desired experiences and accomplishments, in addition to addressing current campus issues.

Goal:

1. Assure that each RA works to fill an agreed upon number of gaps on her/ his floor.

2. Process this step with your staff

3. Evaluate your staff on this step.

Suggestions for Implementation:

•Pick an agreed upon number of gaps and decide how you are going to fill them.
•Divide the gaps up between RA’s. Each RA can focus on a different gap.
•Work with each RA to determine the who, what, where, when and how of the gap(s) she/he intends to fill.
•Brainstorm creative ways to fill the gaps in your community.
•Make a calendar of when you are filling what gaps, who is coordinating the effort and who has the information you need to fill the gap.

Suggested Processing Questions:

•What are some of the resources you are using to fill the gaps on your floor.
•What is the difference between Tapping Assets and Filling Gaps? Is one harder than the other?
•Were your residents responsive to your desire to fill gaps?
•Were you able to creatively tie in current campus issues, in a way that interested your residents?

Suggestions for Evaluation:

•After they have filled a gap, have the RA summarize the experience.
•Have any residents involved fill out a short questionnaire telling whether they enjoyed the experience.
•During a one-on-one, have each RA share with you how they have filled at least one gap on their floor.
•Take time during a staff meeting to showcase each RA’s most recent attempt at filling gaps.

You and your staff can feel accomplished when:

1. You and your staff have identified an agreed upon number of gaps and work intentionally to fill them.

2. You have evaluated each of your RA’s on this area.

3. You have processed this area with your staff.

Bringing Closure to the Community

If the RA has successfully developed the 6 I’s, chances are she/he has a strong community on her/his floor. The purpose of this section is to assist the RA in winding down the semester with the same diligence that she/he began with during the first semester.

Purpose:

The purpose of this phase is to provide an opportunity for the RA to formally bring the year to an end, as well as to give residents an opportunity to say good-bye to one another.

Goal:

1. Have each RA plan at least one closing activity with her/his residents during the last month of school.

2. Process this section with your staff.

3. Evaluate your staff on this section.

Suggestions for Implementation:

•Use a staff meeting or Hall Council to brainstorm appropriate and fun closure activities.\
•Encourage RA’s to ask their residents if there is something specific they would like to do together before the end of the year.
•Work with hall government to see if there is something you can collaboratively plan.
•Find out if there are some exciting/celebratory events happening on campus.
•Have a closure type activity with your staff.

Suggested Processing Questions:

•Were your residents responsive to the activity you planned?
•Do you think the work you did throughout the year impacted the success of this event?

Suggestions for Evaluation:

•Have each RA share their activity on their weekly report.
•Take out time during a staff meeting to share activities.
•Attend each RA’s closing activity.

You and your staff have completed this phase when:

1. Each RA has done a closing activity on her/his floor.

2. You have processed this area with your staff.

3. You have evaluated your staff on this area.
 
 

The content on these pages was originally provided by Brian C. Steinberg, the founder of http://www.theallygroup.org and http://www.safezoneforall.com (Creater of the previous: http://www.residentassistant.com/reslifepro)

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