Living-Learning & Themed Housing Made Easy!

1. Living-Learning & Themed Housing Made Easy! Christian J. Barber, Christopher Ottey & Don Brennan MACUHO Annual Conference 2012 November 8, 2012

2. Thank You for Joining Us…. • Please enjoy some candy to fight that mid-afternoon slump • This session is a cell phone friendly zone! • Tweet along with us!! • #MACUHO, #LivingLearning #LLCTH • @CJBarber86, @COttey7, @DonBrennanJr • Please do not hesitate to ask questions and provide insight and ideas throughout the presentation!

3. First, A Little About Us… Don Brennan Christian Barber Chris Ottey Assistant Director of Residence Life Oversees 7 AH M.S. Shippensburg University B.A. Shippensburg University MACUHO Regional Coordinator for NEPA • Associate Director of Residence Life for Housing Operations • Oversees 6 LLC/TH programs • M.S. Shippensburg University • B.A./B.S. DeSales University • MACUHO Regional Coordinator for DE/MD • Resident Director • Oversees Transitional Area including 4 AH & 1 TH • M.A. Indiana University of • Pennsylvania • B.S. Millersville University

4. Now, a Little About You! • What inspired you to attend this session? • What are you hoping to gain from our time together? • Do you currently have LLC/TH communities on your campus? • If so, what types are among the most popular? • If not, are you hoping to develop them?

5. Learning the Living-Learning Lingo! Living-Learning Communities Themed Housing Communities F/A/S Involvement University Support Purpose & Learning Outcomes Specific “pre-requisites” Staff & Admin Involvement Faculty involvement • A specific interest, lifestyle, or activity Academic program, major, or cohort

6. What’s in the Research? • Students spend more time and effort on academics and other educationally purposeful activities Tinto, V., &Russo, P. (1994). • Students become more actively involved and take more responsibility for their own learning instead of being a passive receiver of information Tinto, V., & Russo, P. (1994). • Greater social interaction with peers and extracurricular involvement Pascarella, Terenzini, & Blimling(1994) • Higher persistence and graduation rates Pascarella, Terenzini, & Blimling, 1994 • Students participating in learning communities were more engaged overall Shapiro &Levine (1999)

7. Don’t forget: You can copy-paste this slide into other presentations, and move or resize the poll. Poll: What are the biggest challenges that you...

8. Don’t forget: You can copy-paste this slide into other presentations, and move or resize the poll. Poll: On your campus, who have been the bigges...

9. Don’t forget: You can copy-paste this slide into other presentations, and move or resize the poll. Poll: How does your department market and recr...

10. What’s Happening on our Campuses • Mount St. Mary’s University • Emmitsburg, MD • Founded in 1808 • Roman Catholic Institution • Seminary on campus • Approx. 1450 resident students • Traditional Halls • Suites & Apartments • Campus Houses

11. A Closer Look at the Mount… Summit Living -All Class Years -Collaborative w. Wellness, Dining, & Rec Services -Over 60 Residents Leadership -Starting Sophomore Year -Collaborative w. Institute for Leadership Studies -15 Residents Honors -All Class Years -Good Academic Standing -Over 100 Residents Women in Science -All Class Years -Science or Health Services major -Over 30 Residents Senior Success -Located in an All-Senior Apt. Tower -Collaborative w. Career Center -Over 45 Residents Faith Development -All Class Years -Student led initiative, Collaborative w. Campus Ministry -25 Residents

12. Residential Programming Curricula • For our LLC/TH Communities to be successful, we knew that we needed to focus on purpose and goals • Residential Programming Curriculum • Mission Statements & Community Overview • Community Objectives (i.e. Learning Outcomes) • Community Programming Guide • Required Programming • Recommended Programming • Campus Calendar & Resources • Developed and revised through a committee of experienced and new RAs and Pro Staff

13. What’s Happening on our Campuses Alvernia University • Reading, PA • Founded in 1958 • Franciscan Institution • Approx. 3000 students / 1000 residential • Traditional Halls • Suites & Apartments • Townhouses

14. A Closer Look at Alvernia… Criminal Justice -First Year Students -Opt-In & Criminal Justice Major -13 Students Total Honors -First Year Students -Opt-In & Member of Honors Program -17 Students Total Academic Village -Junior & Senior Students -Attendance at 2 Career focused community programs -Respect Extended Quiet Hours -94 Students Total Community Housing by Occupation, Interest, & Civic Engagement (CHOICE Housing) Leadership -Sophomore Students -Attendance at biweekly discussion groups -Completion of one service/citizenship project each semester -15 Students Total Affinity Housing -Groups of Sophomores or Juniors & Seniors Students -Selection of a Community Leader and Advisor -Creation of a Theme, Community Agreement, and Mission Statement (Approved through Office of Residence Life) -Completion of one Service Project and one Alvernia Community Project each semester -11 Affinity Groups and 108 Students Total

15. Building or Improving LLCs/TH on Your Campuses – MADE EASY! • Six Critical Factors • Departmental & Institutional Support • Faculty/Staff Support & Involvement • Live-in Staffing Needs & Constraints • Budgetary Needs & Constraints • Housing Facilities • Selection Process & Requirements

16. Six Critical Factors to Achieve Success with LLC & TH on Your Campus! • Departmental & Institutional Support • Would this program align with the values & mission of the institution? • Who would be willing to champion this effort? Who might be resistant to it? • How will this program improve the residential experience of your students? • Faculty/Staff Support & Involvement • Who are the “superstar” faculty/staff that would commit to this project? • Who will be in support of your efforts – and who may be in opposition? • What have past collaborations looked like? Why have they succeeded or failed?

17. Six Critical Factors to Achieve Success with LLC & TH on Your Campus! 3. Live-in Staffing Needs & Constraints • Is there adequate Pro Staff to supervise the communities? • Would new/more student staff need to be hired? Is this feasible to do? • Do you have current or potential staff members who are a good fit for the community? 4. Budgetary Needs & Constraints • What are the expenses associated with this endeavor? • If there are costs, will they be reoccurring or one-time? • What will be the source of funding? Will collaborating offices/staff contribute?

18. Six Critical Factors to Achieve Success with LLC & TH on Your Campus! 5. Housing Facilities • Which type of housing is best suited for this community? • Where on campus would this community be most successful? • Will housing occupancy numbers present any issues with establishing the community? 6. Selection Process & Requirements • Who is eligible to live in this community? • How will students apply/select to live in this community? • Will a capacity be placed on the number of students able to live in the community?

19. Community Construction • It’s Time to Build a LLC/TH Community on “Your Campus” • Who would you look to for assistance and support? • Who may challenge your attempts to build this community? • What staffing or financial issues might you need to consider? • Ideally, where would you place this community and who would live there? • How would students obtain this housing?

20. Building or Improving LLCs/TH on Your Campuses – MADE EASY! • Six Critical Factors • Departmental & Institutional Support • Faculty/Staff Support & Involvement • Live-in Staffing Needs & Constraints • Budgetary Needs & Constraints • Housing Facilities • Selection Process & Requirements

21. Additional Tools & Resources • LLC/TH Programming Curricula • RA Staff Committee • Focus Groups & Surveys • Formal Assessment and Data Collection

22. Thank You for Joining Us! • Questions? • Suggestions or Ideas to Share? • Christian J. Barber • Barber@msmary.edu • Christopher Ottey • Christopher.ottey@alvernia.edu • Don Brennan • Donald.brennan@alvernia.edu Happy 40th Birthday MACUHO!