Confrontation

1. Confrontation Campus Housing University of Illinois at Chicago Resident Assistant and Peer Mentor Online Training

2. What is Confrontation? • Take a minute and think about confrontation: • what is it to you? • What are all the parts of confrontation?

3. Pre-Confrontation Preparation • What do you need (on a duty night)? • Duty Materials • Duty Phone, Duty Binder, Paper, Pen, Duty Keys • What do you wear? • Close-toed shoes, comfortable clothes, slightly conservative, Campus Housing Polo, Name Badge • How about a random confrontation? • Clothes, pen, paper

4. Confrontation Process • AEIOU Process • Announce • Explain • Identify • Observe • Unload

5. Announce • Who you are • LOUDLY • Assertively as possible! • What would you announce when you knock on a door?

6. Explain • Why you are there • What brought you there. • Let them know why you are knocking on their door, ie I was doing my round and heard bottles clanking, I understand that the owner of this room is under 21.

7. Identify • All the people in the room • Who do you already ‘know’ in the room? • Get identification from those you don’t know. • What if people say they have no ID? • All should have an ID, if they do not live in the building they had to use an ID to check in.

8. Observe • Everything that’s going on! • Pay special attention to: • Why are you there? • What is (was) everyone doing? • How is (was) everyone acting? • Little details

9. Unload • The information you’ve gathered! • Type it into the form of an Incident Report (do on Microsoft Word first) • The IR form will do spellcheck • Incident Reports muse be submitted right away, they will be checked along with the 8am duty log.

10. Body Positioning • Where do I stand? • Keep yourself square with the door. • NEVER enter a room by yourself. • NEVER enter a room without asking the residents if you MAY enter.

11. Non-Verbal Tactics • Eye Contact • Make DIRECT eye contact when talking to someone • Scanning • Constantly (and subtly) scan the room when you are not in eye contact mode.

12. DO NOT : • Enter a room without permission. • Touch a resident or his/her guest. • Touch their things. (you may take things they’ve handed you such as an ID but not alcohol). • Open their fridge without permission. • Dispose of their liquor or not-permitted items. (They need to do this).

13. Verbal Tactics • Be ASSERTIVELY Loud. • Do not AGGRESSIVELY Yell. • Keep It Simple. • “I’m here to record what happened and enforce policy”. No need for long explanations or arguments. • Become a Broken Record. • Don’t argue – Continuously repeat what you need, even if they are arguing or bargaining.

14. Verbal Tactics, Cont’d. • Keep Things Moving Forward. • Don’t let residents sidetrack you. • BE NICE • You should NEVER be rude. You are confronting the policy violation, not the person. • Always ASK for things. • “May I Come In” • “Will You Open Your Fridge?”

15. What Will The Residents Be Like When I Confront? • Typical Confrontation • The Yeller • The Philosopher • The Crier • The Bargainer

16. Typical Confrontation • Residents will do as you ask. • May ask a few questions about the judicial process. • NEVER tell that what the outcome will be. You can explain the process. • Refer them to the Policy Handbook.

17. Yellers • Goal is to intimidate you as much as possible. • Harass constantly hoping you’ll change your mind. • Nothing is sacred, they’ll harass you about anything and everything. • TIP: • Let them be mad for awhile – within reason. • Speak more quietly, they will want to hear what you say. • Write down WORD FOR WORD everything they say. Put this in your IR. • If they are out of hand, offer them Resident Director on Duty if they don’t want to cooperate.

18. Philosophers • Will argue you until the bitter end • Often Junior Lawyers – goal is for you to contradict yourself and to use this in his/her conduct meeting. • “It’s my Constitutional Right” • “Why Do We Have That Policy?” • TIP: • Be nice, be simple. • Explain you enforce policies, and do not determine what will happen. • If they CONTINUE to philosophize, they have a chance to discuss it with the resident director.

19. Criers • May Just Be Scared • May say, “My Parents Are Going to Kill Me” or “I’ve Never Gotten In Trouble Before” • TIP: • You can be Firm AND Gentle. • Remind them he/she will meet with the Resident Director or Student Conduct Board and will have the opportunity to share his/her side of the story. • After the incident, if he/she still wants to talk, you can do so, away from the incident and the other residents. • Remind them the violation will still be documented.

20. Bargainers • Will try to tell you why they SHOULDN’T get in trouble. • May attempt to bribe you. • TIP: • Use Broken Record Tactic. • Tell them you’re just documenting the situation. • Don’t get caught up in the bargaining • Document the fact they’re trying to bargain with you.

21. What If I Need Back-Up? • Use the duty phone to call another RA/PMfor back-up. • If beyond the scope of your control, call Resident Director on Duty for assistance, or advice.

22. Confiscating Illegal Items • Departmentally we expect: • You confiscate anything illegal in room • Store in designated area determined by Resident Director. • After confrontation, escort Resident to designated area (Don’t Walk It Yourself). • Alcohol • After counting the alcohol, escort Resident to the bathroom or utility room to dispose of alcohol • Drugs • After counting the alcohol, escort Resident to the bathroom or utility room to dispose of drugs • If it looks like they could be dealing contact RD on Duty and University Police

23. Post-Confrontation • Completing Rounds • If confrontation happened DURING rounds, complete rounds, then write IR • Writing the I.R. • Write I.R. immediately. All Incident Reports must be submitted by 8am. • You’ll remember details, will be more accurate. • Venting • Processing verbally ONLY Resident Director– NEVER discuss with residents.

24. Advice • BE NICE!!! • Can be Assertive, Confront & Be Nice. • Always Say Hello to People As You Pass Them in the Hallway. • Plan Ahead • Don’t Plan on Homework That’s Due The Next Day!!! • Duty Nights can be Eventful. • Can Plan Programming on Duty Nights if RD permits. • Should be Program You Can Leave.

25. QUESTIONS ?