Residential Education
Table of Contents III: Community Engagement
Community Engagement Model ............................................................................................................................................ 2
Intentional Interactions..................................................................................................................................................... 3
Achievables ......................................................................................................................................................................... 3
Individual Interaction Resources......................................................................................................................................... 5
Cardinal & Gold Events........................................................................................................................................................... 7
Area Breakdown .................................................................................................................................................................. 7
Fall Semester Schedule ....................................................................................................................................................... 8
Community Builders ............................................................................................................................................................... 9
Core Values ......................................................................................................................................................................... 9
Collaborative Programming .............................................................................................................................................. 11
Passive Programing ........................................................................................................................................................... 12
Bulletin Board.................................................................................................................................................................... 12
Door Decorations .............................................................................................................................................................. 12
THE PROGRAMMING CYCLE .............................................................................................................................................. 13
Funding.............................................................................................................................................................................. 16
Area Programs ...................................................................................................................................................................... 17
Building Traditions ............................................................................................................................................................... 18
Residential Faculty ................................................................................................................................................... 19
Community Engagement Plan Implementation Tools ...................................................................................................... 26
RA Weekly Report Template ............................................................................................................................................. 27
III. Community Engagement
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Residential Education
Community Engagement Model
Intentional Interactions
(Every Week)
Community Builders
(4 each Semester)
(Bulletin Boards Monthly)
Area Programs
(i.e. Faculty & Traditional
Programs)
Cardinal & Gold
Events
(1 per Semester)
Intentional Interactions - The fundamental role of the RA is to develop and maintain an individual relationship with
each of their residents. This is accomplished through building personal connections and maintaining communication with
each of their residents on a frequent basis. Interactions can be formal, (i.e. scheduled weekly visits) or informal. It will be
the RAs responsibility to give their supervisor(s) updates during staff 1-on-1s, staff meetings, and via weekly reports. RAs
are to communicate any challenges and/or successes each of their residents might be experiencing. Each RA will create
and continue adding to a sociogram (floor map) that will assist in meeting monthly achievables as set forth by the
department, their supervisor, and staff team.
Community Builders - It is vital that an RA promote a strong sense of community amongst their residents. This is
accomplished through intentional efforts to plan and facilitate Community Builders that focus on strengthening residentto-resident interactions based on residents’ needs/interests. RAs are expected to complete a minimum of four (4)
Community Builders each semester.
Area Programs - RAs will be expected to meet the programming requirements of their respective area. This includes but
is not limited to faculty programs and traditional programs. Given each areas unique differences, these expectations will
be set by the RA’s supervisor(s).
Cardinal & Gold Events - Cardinal & Gold Events are vibrant night-time fun and social programs open for all students
in USC Housing. Events will take place on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights between the hours of 8 pm and 11 pm.
Each RA and Executive Board member of Residential Student Government will be expected to assist in the planning and
implementation of one Cardinal & Gold program each semester.
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Residential Education
Intentional Interactions
What is Required?
It is expected that RAs will touch base with each of their residents on a weekly basis, which can be through
formal or informal interactions. RAs in first year communities are required to have at minimum of one
formal individual interaction per month. (A formal interaction is a scheduled individual meeting between a
resident and RA.) RAs in all other communities are expected to have two formal individual interactions a
semester. During these interactions, RAs are expected to meet the department achievables. Achievables are
discussion topics which RAs need to check in with their residents about. It is expected that every week RAs will
share their interactions with their residents in their weekly report and communicate with their supervisor in their
1-on-1 meeting. Supervisor(s) may set further expectations depending on the needs of the community.
Intentional Interaction Achievables
Fall Semester
August/ September
o
o
o
o
o
o
Rules and policies
Roommate agreement forms
Liability waivers
USC campus resources
Building Government elections
Sociogram for August/September
Common experiences may include:
homesickness, roommate conflicts, academic
adjustment issues, social adjustment issues, values
exploration, long distance relationships, building
their social network
October
o
o
o
o
o
EBI
Campus/community involvement
USC campus resources
Halloween safety
Sociogram for October
Common experiences may include:
Continued homesickness, midterms, roommate
conflicts, poor time management/student habits,
anxieties around friendships/relationships
November/December
o EBI
o Thanksgiving/Winter Break closures
o Sociogram for November/December
III. Community Engagement
Common experiences may include:
Pressure from procrastination/upcoming finals,
depression/anxiety from lack of adjustment, high
stress of final exams, roommate conflicts, strained
friendships, increased alcohol consumption,
financial concerns
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Spring Semester
January
o
o
o
o
Spring Admits
Roommate agreement forms
Liability waivers
Sociogram for January (new and returning)
Common experiences may include:
Anxiety about second semester performance
especially if first semester did not go so well,
physical health concerns/weight gain, difficulties
with reincorporating social and academic life after
an extended break from school
February
o Housing reapplication
o Sociogram for February
Common experiences may include:
Seasonal depression, stress of mid-semester exams,
financial stress
March
o Spring Break closures
o Sociogram for March
Common experiences may include:
Living arrangement anxieties, anxiety over finding
summer employment/job search anxieties, lack of
motivation with spring approaching and the length
of the semester
April/May
o Hall closing
o Sociogram for April/May
III. Community Engagement
Common experiences may include:
Increased academic pressure at a critical level with
the end of the semester, continued summer
employment/job search anxieties, anxiety for
couples who will be separated for the summer,
saying goodbye to friends, anxiety about moving
back home for the summer/after graduation
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Individual Interaction Resources
FIRST 6 WEEKS
Research tells us that the most critical transition period for new and transfer students occurs during the first two
to six weeks of the first semester (Levitz and Noel, 1989 p. 261). Of the students who drop out during their first
semester, about 50% drop out during the first six weeks (Myers, 1981). The first six weeks is not only a way to
welcome incoming and returning students to USC, but it also serves as a means to help increase the retention of
students and their overall level of satisfaction during their transition.
Here are the overall goals for the first 6 week:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Develop an understanding of what it means to be a member of the Trojan Family
Increase awareness of USC resources and services
Ensure a vital and engaged USC campus community
Become familiar with culture and traditions at USC
Make connections with the greater USC community
References
Levitz, N., & Noel, L. “Connecting Students to Institutions: Keys to Retention and Success.” In M.L. Upcraft and J.N. Gardner
(eds.),
The Freshman year experience: Helping students survive and succeed in college. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1989.
Myers, E. Unpublished Attrition Research Studies, St. Cloud State University. St. Cloud, Minn.: St. Cloud State University, 1981.
POSITIVE WAYS TO GET TO KNOW YOUR RESIDENTS
Below are a few hints on how you might become a successful RA:
Learn names. Create a specific plan as to how you will learn all of your residents’ names in the first three
weeks of school. Have a plan in place for when the year gets busy and it’s harder to track people down to get to
know them.
Visit your residents. If you feel uncomfortable or unwanted in some of your residents’ rooms, do not avoid
visiting those rooms. Instead, investigate with your supervisor why the feeling exists and try to remedy it. Some
of these residents may need you the most.
Be visible in your community. Be available socially and even try studying in your room or in a common area if
one is available. This is especially important during move-in days so that you can meet both students and
parents as they arrive.
Leave your door open as much as possible when you are in the room. This automatically signals to the floor
members that you are open and receptive to them.
Socialize with the floor as often as you are able to do so. It is impossible to be a good RA if your residents
never see you. Share your interests so that they can learn from you and your USC experience.
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Organize floor/community dinner. Having meals with your residents is an excellent way to informally build
community. Dinners can be conducted in the dining hall, in a floor lounge with food ordered in, etc. Get
creative!
Take an interest in what your residents are interested in personally and academically. Give your residents the
opportunity to educate you on something. That helps build their confidence and establishes rapport with you.
Make these connections with your programming so residents can later benefit from programs since you have
shown interest in what is interesting to them.
Confront negative behavior while it’s going on in front of you. An example of this is if you notice trash has
been strewn about in the hallway, address it. Be confident in your role and remember that it may be hard at first
to confront this behavior, but it’s exponentially harder to go back later and confront it after the fact.
Communicate effectively and follow up regularly. Do not be the RA who never communicates what’s going
on to your residents or that RA that never follows up. If your residents feel like they get no good information
from you then you’re not of help to them. Show active concern by following up on questions, concerns, and
even successes that they bring to your attention.
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Cardinal & Gold Events
Cardinal & Gold Events are vibrant night-time fun and social programs open for all students living in USC Housing.
Events will take place every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night beginning no earlier than 8 p.m. Each program will
have a budget of $1,000. Each event will be led by one of the areas or RSG, and will be open to the entire USC
residential population.
Area
North
South
East
Parkside
West
RSG
Programs per Semester
6
6
8
6
8
6
(5 & the WW kickoff event)
RAs per program
4*
4*
5*
6*
6*
All
Total
40
events
*Numbers are not exact for every program, some weeks will have one less RA than noted
Staffing Roles
Resident Assistants: RAs will be expected to assist with the planning and implementation of at least one Cardinal & Gold
program each semester.
Senior Staff: At least 1 senior staff member will be the point person for each Cardinal & Gold event for their area. At least
three weeks prior to the event, this staff member will communicate to the late night programming committee the logistics
of their event, as well as, a description and title of their event. The senior staff will be in charge of the planning and
implementing of the program, with the assistance of the late night programming committee. It will be the responsibility of
the senior staff member, as point person, to communicate with the late night programming committee if further assistance
is needed with the planning of the program (i.e. purchasing, copies of advertisements, securing a location). It will also be
the responsibility of the senior staff to communicate with the RAs and assist with the event.
Scheduling: Each area will be in charge of assigning senior staff and RAs to their assigned program.
Area Breakdown
Area
North
South
East
Parkside
West
RSG
III. Community Engagement
Dates
9/3, 9/18, 10/2, 10/17, 10/29, 11/14
9/4, 9/12, 9/24, 10/10, 10/23, 11/5
8/29, 9/10, 9/19, 9/25, 10/8, 10/24,
11/6, 11/21
8/27, 9/11, 10/1, 10/16, 10/31, 11/13
8/28, 9/5, 9/17, 9/26, 10/9, 10/22,
11/12, 11/26
8/21**, 10/3, 10/15, 10/30, 11/7,
10/19
** Denotes Welcome Week event
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SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
August
Thu
September
Fri
20
Sat
21
Convocation
9am
27
22
Thu
North
28
Parkside
29
West
10
East
Dodger Game
North
RSG
West
17
North
HOMECOMING
23
24
South
East
Utah Game
Trojan Family
weekend
29
30
North
7
East
RSG
Arizona Game
South
Parkside
West
Sat
6
12
RSG
West
Fri
South
(6PM)
22
5
10
16
East
Thu
3
Washington Game*
15
26
November
Sat
North
East
East
Stanford
Game* (5PM)
Spirits @ Troy
Fri
9
19
25
October
8
South
18
South
Parkside
12
Parkside
Idaho Game*
(5PM)
24
2
West
Arkansas State
Game* (8PM)
11
West
1
5
South
East
17
Thu
Sat
4
3
RSG
Fri
13
14
West
Parkside
20
CONQUEST
21
RSG
27
No Classes
28
19
North
East
Save Tommy Night
26
Thanksgiving
West
UCLA Game
31
RSG
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Residential Education
Community Builders
In addition to the individual interaction, RAs are expected to build community amongst their residents. This is
done though community builders. It is expected that RAs will develop and implement a minimum of 4
community builders each semester. These events are expected to meet the needs of their community and are
meant to build connections amongst residents. These programs can be social and should be framed by the
RedEd core values. These programs should be done as needed and should not be limited to the minimum
expectations.
In addition to actually programming, another important aspect is creating a physical environment that is
conducive to community building. It is expected that at the beginning of each semester, RAs will create a door
decoration for each resident. In addition, RAs should update their community bulletin boards once a month.
Core Value Program Examples
All community builders created by RAs should be influenced by Residential Education’s core values. Below
you will find more information on how these core values can be used in programming efforts, and which
campus partners are commonly used for collaboration.
COMMUNITY
Residential Education will partner with offices such as the Center for Women and Men and Campus Activities.
Behaviors to enhance this value:
 Envision faculty, staff, students, and members of the community as individuals
 Establish and maintain satisfying interpersonal relationships
 Work cooperatively with others
 Communicate opinions, thoughts, and feelings with civility
 Pursue opportunities for enjoyment of shared interests with others
INCLUSION
Residential Education will partner with offices such as Disability Services and Programs, Office of International
Services, Transfer and Veteran Student Programs, and the Cultural Centers. Behaviors to enhance this value:
 Seek to learn about and engage with people from different identities and cultures
 Recognize the legitimacy and contributions of varying identities and cultures
 Establish relationships/alliances with people of different cultures to collaborate on mutual goals
 Distinguish structures of power and privilege
 Advocate and affirm cultural diversity
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INTEGRITY
Residential Education will partner with offices such as Student Judicial Affairs and Community Standards and
the Office for Religious Life. Behaviors to enhance this value:
 Recognize the individual’s personal identity and culture, and integrate them into one’s own personal
outlook
 Identify and clarify personal identity, ethical, spiritual, and other values
 Identify and function from a personal belief system
 Establish leadership skills which will enrich one’s community and organizations
SCHOLARSHIP
Residential Education will partner with offices such as Academic Support, USC Kortschak Center for Learning
and Creativity, and the Career Center. Behaviors to enhance this value:
 Identify and utilize academic support programs and services as appropriate
 Establish educational goals and strive to achieve them
 Explore new experiences that integrate classroom knowledge into day-to-day life and conversations
beyond the classroom
 Explore values and interests as they relate to post-college opportunities
SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
Residential Education will partner with offices such as Department of Public Safety and the Volunteer Center.
Behaviors to enhance this value:
 Recognize the impact personal choices have on a community
 Understand one’s role in, personal responsibility for, and the impact personal choices have on multiple
communities
 Recognize uncivil and unjust behaviors, and challenge them appropriately
 Participate in service learning opportunities
 Increase awareness of current events
WELLNESS
Residential Education will partner with offices such as Office for Wellness and Health Promotion, Counseling
Services, and Recreational Sports. Behaviors to enhance this value:
 Seek a realistic understanding of one’s strengths and limitations
 Acknowledge how thoughts and feelings affect well-being
 Form appropriate strategies for managing stress
 Choose behaviors and environments that promote a healthy, active lifestyle
 Make informed, responsible decisions related to alcohol and other substances
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COLLABORATIVE PROGRAMMING
PROGRAMMING WITH OTHER OFFICES
The following is a list of suggestions to consider when programming with faculty/staff outside of Residential
Education. Please be sensitive to the individual differences of faculty/staff, respectful in your approach, and
confident of your success!
Initial Planning
• Identify program details prior to approaching faculty/staff: This communicates that you are well
organized (and will be well-organized!).
• Be specific with your invitation regarding topic, time, place, date and responsibilities expected to be
fulfilled by the faculty/staff member.
• Provide your phone number or email address with faculty/staff in case they need to get in touch with you
if they have a question or a problem.
• Find out if there is anything needed to present the program, (i.e. audio-visual equipment).
• Plan ahead for time conflicts (Don’t wait until the end of the semester to make scheduling plans as you
may run out of time if a conflict arises).
• At the beginning of each semester, conduct a needs assessment to determine resident interests and needs.
• Be conscious of inviting faculty/staff that represent the diversity in your community.
Publicity & Community Involvement
• Insure success for the program by encouraging community participation prior to approaching
faculty/staff (get residents involved in the planning process).
• Create banners and personal invites, keep publicity up during the program to help communicate to
faculty/staff that the community is aware of the presentation.
• Door prizes/raffle tickets/name drawings can be fun incentives to help encourage residents to attend
programs (prizes: candy, restaurant gift certificates, and gift certificates to the bookstore).
• Snack food items are fun for residents, especially creative ideas, i.e. baking cookies prior to the program
so the aroma fills the hall and entices residents to come to the program!
Follow Through
• Send a reminder to your faculty/staff presenter a few days before the program.
• Remember that the residence hall environment can be unfamiliar to most faculty/staff outside of
Residential Education. Help make them feel comfortable and give good directions to the program
location.
• Thank faculty for their efforts (a follow up email or thank you card is appropriate).
Other Thoughts
• Don’t be intimidated by faculty/staff status.
• Don’t give up! Remember that there is support and guidance available from your supervisor and other
staff members.
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PASSIVE PROGRAMMING
As the RA you will be directed by your supervisor to provide door decorations for your residents and
community bulletin boards for the posting of information and decoration. Each individual community will have
their own expectations on the number of door decorations or bulletin boards that will be needed each semester.
Please consult with your supervisor and refer to the Housing policy for postings and flyers.
A way to program during the busiest points of the semester and reach all of the residents is through passive
programming. Passive programs convey information in a logical, interesting format in which no active
participation is necessary. Residents are able to absorb the information at their own pace. RAs can also provide
additional opportunities for residents to reflect on the Residential Education Core Values, as we know that
anything posted in the physical environment is always conveying our values. Examples might include: a bulletin
board on study tips or stress management or a flyer advertising coming-out month events.
BULLETIN BOARDS
Bulletin boards are an excellent way to decorate the community and provide our residents with passive
education. Be thoughtful about bulletin boards and ask for help when you need it. It is helpful to plan ahead
and think through themes or bulletin board ideas at the beginning of the year.
Some tips to keep in mind when creating your bulletin boards:
• HAVE FUN AND BE CREATIVE! Bulletin boards can be as fun or as tedious as you make them!
Think of it as an opportunity to let your creative, artistic side shine. If you have neither of these abilities,
it is a chance to see how resourceful you can be!
o Bulletin boards should be neat and presentable
o Edges of the butcher-block paper should be straight, not jagged.
o Information should be neatly stapled or taped and arranged so it can be read easily.
• Bulletin boards should have a clear, creative, and appropriate theme.
• Avoid handwritten text! If you are handwriting something, make sure it is clear and legible.
• Make sure bulletin boards are presentable and in good condition at all times.
o If a bulletin board is torn down the RA is responsible for notifying their supervisor and
deciding on a plan for replacement.
• Avoid just printing off information from the web and stapling it to the board. Don’t overfill the board
with words. Gather information on your topic and present it in a clear and easily readable format.
DOOR DECORATIONS
For safety and security reasons, when making door decorations, please do not put a resident’s last name on the decoration.
If strangers or guests do enter a building we do not want to make it easy or obvious on how to find someone they are
looking for in your building.
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Some tips to keep in mind when making door decorations:




HAVE FUN AND BE CREATIVE! This will serve as a way to welcome and include residents in your
community.
Avoid making door tags with more than one person’s name on them. This is just in case a resident moves out or
into your community in the middle of the semester.
Make a few extra blank door tags, should you end up getting more residents than anticipated or changes occur and
you end up with a few different residents than was originally on the roster.
Residents appreciate when you put time and attention into the door tags. Don’t simply print off pictures or
images from the internet and write residents’ names on them. Put some thought and intentionality into creating
something meaningful and fun. These often get left up all year! (Or it’s not uncommon to find them posted
somewhere inside your resident’s rooms.)
Programming Basics and Getting Started
THE PROGRAMMING CYCLE
Now that you understand programming requirements
and learning outcomes, you need to know how to plan
and implement a program. The Programming Cycle
Assessment
highlights a high-quality way to approach the
development of your program. Resident Assistants are
required to meet with their supervisors and community
stakeholders (residential faculty, BG members, other
Evaluation &
RAs, etc.) on a regular basis to develop the programs
Reassassment
that occur in their communities. Partnership with your
community stakeholders will only improve the quality
of the program.
PHASE I – ASSESSMENT
The purpose of this step is to identify the specific need
or interest that should be met by a program. The need
can be broad or narrow, an opportunity, or a problem.
You should have a good idea of which community
members might have this need or interest. The best way
to find out what your residents need or what they are
interested in is to ask them.
Implementation
Goal Setting
Objectives /
Outcomes
Planning &
Delegating
There are several ways to identify needs and/or interests of residents:
1. Distribute interest surveys
2. Informal discussion with community members
3. Reflection on past experiences
4. Characteristics of the living environment
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PHASE II – GOAL SETTING AND DETERMINING OBJECTIVES/OUTCOMES
Once you have selected the topic, you need to identify what the program is supposed to accomplish (goals) and
how the program is going to accomplish the goals (objectives). Selecting goals will be simple since Residential
Education has listed programming outcomes based on each of our six core values.
PHASE III – PLANNING AND DELEGATING
Most of your planning already has begun with the establishment of the program outcomes. Now, you can
translate the program outcome you identified into objectives by thinking through the strategies to accomplish
the programming tasks and identifying resources that may help. The easiest way to do this is to answer the
following questions:
1. Who is the target population?
2. Who or what are resources available for the program?
3. When will the program occur? Keep in mind other events that may be occurring simultaneously with
your program and may draw people away from it. You can’t escape all other activities, but don’t
create failure by poor timing (e.g. USC football games, popular TV shows, etc.)
4. Where are you planning to host the program? Remember to select an environment that will provide
an appropriate atmosphere (more sensitive issues would not be as effective in a large forum as they
would in a smaller community lounge).
5. In what ways is information being disseminated? (e.g. handouts, PowerPoint, movie clips, etc.)
6. What is the purpose of the program? The reasons you cite should be good publicity for why people
should attend. This also gives more credibility to your program as a well-thought-out event.
7. What is the flow of the program? By identifying what comes first, second, etc., the actual
presentation of the material will be smoother. It’s also important to estimate how long each part of the
program will take.
Once you have the program planned, make the necessary arrangements. They may include:
1. Reserving a space for the program
2. Reserving a van for the program
3. Securing a resource or doing it yourself
4. Talking to prospective participants
5. Making appropriate advertisements
6. Letting a speaker know on what topic and for how long they should speak
7. Reserving audio-visual equipment
8. Finding someone to pick up, operate, and return equipment
9. Budgeting, ordering, delivering, and serving refreshments
Many of these tasks can be delegated to other community members and can help residents take on a more
active role in programming with you.
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PHASE IV – IMPLEMENTATION OF PLANS
This is the fun step! Enjoy the process of watching well-planned activities unfold. Make sure that everyone
who has been delegated a task carries it out – that includes yourself!
PHASE V – EVALUATION AND REASSESSMENT
Often this last step is not completed, which works against the hard work and careful planning put into the
program. When the program is over, find out from the residents how it went, either formally or informally, and
seek to gather feedback on what, if any, modifications they would suggest should the program be repeated at
another interval. Keep in mind the goals and objectives you set out in the beginning. If they were met, the
program succeeded.
Even if the program was not successful you can make the next program a success by discovering why the
program failed and avoiding the same mistakes next time. Your supervisor will hold you accountable for
evaluating the program in the best way for that specific program. Possibly, this could be a quarter-sheet survey,
capturing student testimonies, or completing an online survey. Finally, reassess the participants and determine
whether their needs have changed. What are their new needs? Do they require a second, follow-up program or
a completely new program design?
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PROGRAM RESOURCES: BASIC FUNDING
RA Floor Funds & Senior Staff Funds
•
•
Residential Education allocates $10 per year ($5 per semester) per resident to promote community engagement; funds are
divided into a Fall and Spring allocation
All requests for funding are proposals until confirmed by your supervisor
Building Governments (BGs)
•
•
•
•
•
Email the building government president by their deadline to be put on the agenda
Prepare a formal funding proposal with an itemized budget and present it at the meeting
The funding coordinator will contact you with their decision
Respect deadlines regarding submitting your funding request
BG funding reps will work with BG advisors to transfer funds
Residential Student Government (RSG)
•
•
•
•
•
•
Email the BG Funding Chair by their deadline to be put on the agenda
Prepare a formal funding proposal with an itemized budget and present it at the meeting
The VP of Funding will contact you with their decision
Follow deadlines regarding submitting your funding request
VP of Funding will work with BG advisors to transfer funds
The exact policy can be found at http://rsg.usc.edu/funding/process/
AD Programming Funds
•
•
•
•
ADs have budgets to support residential programming
Contact your AD directly to determine budget needs and level of involvement for program
All requests for funding are proposals until confirmed by your AD
Respect deadlines regarding submitting your funding request
Faculty Programming Funds
•
•
•
•
Faculty Masters and Resident Faculty Fellows have budgets to support residential programming
Contact your faculty directly to determine budget needs and level of involvement for program
Respect deadlines regarding submitting your funding request
Faculty will work with Senior Staff to transfer funds
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Area Programs
Understanding the uniqueness of each community, RAs will be expected to meet the programming requirements
of their respective area. This includes but is not limited to faculty programs and traditional programs. These
expectations will be set by the RA’s supervisor(s).
WHAT IS A FACULTY INVOLVEMENT PROGRAM
RAs are encouraged to involve faculty in their programs as participants and planners. From inviting a favorite
professor to speak with residents on the floor to inviting faculty to an off-campus cultural event, RAs have
many different options for involving faculty into their programming.
Some things to consider while planning these programs are:
• How will this program benefit my floor/hall community?
• What type of interactions do I expect to happen between the residents and the faculty?
• In what ways can I encourage people to attend this program? A faculty member?
• Is the subject matter presented by the faculty something that appeals to different types of people?
• How has the needs assessment of my floor been incorporated into the planning of this program?
FACULTY-INITIATED PROGRAMMING
While all RAs are expected to involve faculty in their programming, RAs that work in communities with
Faculty Masters and Resident Faculty Fellows will be expected to participate in faculty-initiated programming
efforts. These faculty-initiated programs can highlight the thematic format of the hall, build specific skills for
academic and career success, or provide social outlets for students living in the community. Some of the
programs will be all-community involvement, while others may involve RAs working in teams with the faculty
members. RAs will work with the faculty, senior staff and assistant directors in a programming team approach
that works for each of our different communities.
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Building Traditions
North
Traditional programs in the North area include the Ed Wood Film Festival, a celebration where residents are given a
theme and a prop and have 24 hours to make a five minute film, and NAGchella Concert- a concert for residents
featuring food, student performances, and prizes. In addition, faculty in the North area host dinners for their residents
throughout the semester
South
Traditional programs in the South area include College Access Day where they partner with local schools to bring
students onto campus and expose them to college and Diversity & Service themed programming. In addition, Faculty
lead a Dinner/Speaker Series throughout the semester.
East
Traditional programs in East include the Graduate Professional Student Awareness Week (GPSAW), which has been
officially recognized by the City of Los Angeles; the Troy Diversity Dance and Art Show; and the East Area
Welcome Block Party
West
West Area’s largest traditional program is Diversity Series, where residents participate in series of eight identityfocused programs and events that encourage them to explore both their differences and commonalities. Like the four
other areas, the West Area is also affiliated with dedicated Faculty who help bring resources and support to the area’s
residents.
Parkside
Traditional programs at Parkside include weekly dinners hosted by Parkside’s Faculty Masters; One World Week, a
week-long series of social justice programming; and Arts in the Park, a series of interactive programs and events
which allow residents to express themselves artistically. In addition, they host several cultural celebrations that reflect
the cultures of their community.
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Residential Faculty
North

New/North Residential College - Prof. Philip Ethington, Faculty Master - Professor of History - Philip J.
Ethington is Professor of History and Political Science at the University of Southern California, North American
Editor and Multimedia Editor of the journal Urban History (Cambridge University Press), and Co-Director (with
Tara McPherson) of the USC Center for Transformative Scholarship. An interdisciplinary historian, Ethington's
scholarship explores the past as cartography of time. His recent published work include theoretical work on a
spatial theory of history; sociological studies of residential segregation; large-format maps of urban historical
change; Online interactive Web 2.0 tools, archives, and publications for urban studies; and museum exhibit
collaborations. He is co-PI of the HyperCities project (funded by the MacArthur Foundation and HASTAC). Most
recently, Ethington co-wrote the award-winning film “Visual Acoustics: The Modernism of Julius Shulman” (Art
House Films, 2009), narrated by Dustin Hoffman. His photography and cartography have been published and
exhibited internationally. He is currently completing a large-format graphic book, interactive online publication,
and public art exhibit Ghost Metropolis: Los Angeles, since 13,000 BP.

New/North Residential College – Prof. Ange-Marie Hancock, Faculty Master - Associate Professor,
Political Science & Associate Director, Center for the Study of Immigrant Integration - Professor Hancock
is the author of the award-winning The Politics of Disgust and the Public Identity of the “Welfare Queen,” (2004,
New York University Press) and a globally recognized scholar of the study of intersectionality – the study of the
intersections of race, gender, class and sexuality politics and their impact on public policy. Her second book,
Solidarity Politics for Millennials: A Guide to Ending the Oppression Olympics (2011, Palgrave Macmillan)
focuses on the development of intersectional solidarity as a method of political engagement for individuals,
groups and policy practitioners in U.S. politics. She previously taught at Yale University, Penn State University
and the University of San Francisco. Hancock has appeared in multiple media outlets, most recently “The Melissa
Harris Perry Show” and “The Young Turks.” She has been quoted in the New York Times, Forbes, and on
FoxNews.com. She is a regular political expert on KCAL9’s Saturday morning news show, and has appeared on
NPR’s “Marketplace,” “News and Notes,” and “the Pat Morrison Show.” During the 2008 election she served as
an international expert in American Politics for the U.S. Department of State and during the 2008 presidential
election. She received her Bachelor’s degree from New York University and her M.A. & Ph.D. from the
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Prior to graduate school, Hancock worked for the National
Basketball Association, where under the mentorship of NBA Hall of Famer Satch Sanders she conducted the
preliminary research and created the original business model for the Women’s National Basketball Association
(WNBA). With Nira Yuval-Davis, she is the co-editor of the new book series, The Politics of Intersectionality,
from Palgrave-Macmillan. She is a founding co-editor of the Western Political Science Association’s Politics,
Groups and Identities journal, a member of the APSA Executive Council, and a board member of the Liberty Hill
Foundation. Hancock is hard at work on an agenda-setting two-book treatment of intersectionality
(Intersectionality: an Intellectual History and Scaling Up Stories for Justice) as well as a memoir, tentatively titled
Run Away From Home
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Residential Education
 University Residential College Birnkrant – Prof. Stan Rosen, Faculty Master - Professor, Political Science Stanley Rosen is a professor of political science and he was the director of the East Asian Studies Center at USC
from 2005-2011. His courses include Chinese Politics, Film and Politics in China, Politics and Film in
Comparative Perspective, China and the World, and East Asian Societies. His most recent books include coedited volumes published in 2010 entitled Chinese Politics: State, Society and the Market and Art, Politics and
Commerce in Chinese Cinema. Since 2011 he has served as the Faculty Master of University Residential College
at Birnkrant, the first honors residential college at USC, housing Trustee, Presidential and Mork Scholars. Before
relocating to Birnkrant, he spent ten years as the Faculty Master at New Residential College and thirteen years as
the Residential Faculty in Residence at Deans Hall (Marks and Trojan Halls). He has been honored with teaching
awards from Pi Sigma Alpha, Mortar Board, the International Student Assembly, and the Political Science
Department. Dr. Rosen joined the USC faculty in 1979. "Since I will be entering - if memory serves and my math
is correct - my 25th year as a faculty member living on campus it’s clear that I enjoy the daily interaction outside
the classroom with USC freshmen, including sharing meals at fashionable EVK dining hall. Among the
programs I do each year are the monthly off campus dinners at different ethnic food restaurants (for example,
Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Greek, Ethiopian, Thai, Italian and Indian); the showing of films or events such as the
Academy Awards, Super Bowl or football games in my apartment; off campus outings to films, Broadway plays
and dramas, or music events at jazz clubs or at the Music Center. “On Thursday nights we have our special
dinners in a side room at EVK, almost always with a guest speaker or a musical performance. The speakers at
these dinners the past two years ranged from the academic, including the Deans of the Marshall School of
Business, the Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism, the Gould School of Law, and the Provost of
USC; the literary, including many fellows from the Los Angeles Institute for the Humanities; to the sports world,
including football coach Lane Kiffin and basketball coach Kevin O’Neill.”
South

Marks Hall – Prof. Timothy Biblarz, Faculty Master - Associate Professor, Sociology - Professor Biblarz
studies the causes and consequences of social inequalities in the United States over time, with an emphasis on
family and intergenerational issues. Current projects include an examination of how parents' gender matters for
children's development; a study of the relationship between sexual orientation and patterns of social mobility; and
an investigation of differences in the division of labor in same- and different-sex two-parent families.

Trojan Hall - Prof. Benjamin Graham, Residential Faculty - Assistant Professor, International Relations Ben Graham is an assistant professor in the School of International Relations. After graduating from Dartmouth
College he served in the U.S. Peace Corps in Turkmenistan, and he and his wife, Lynn, led a Habitat for
Humanity build in Chile in 2008. Lynn works as an attorney for the state, and they have a one-year-old son named
Zeke. Professor Graham received his Ph.D. in political science at UC San Diego, and he has research projects
ongoing in the Philippines, in Georgia (the country), and (less exciting, but still surprisingly awesome) in the
basement of the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. When he's not working, Professor Graham likes to hike, bike,
ski, climb, and play soccer - and just hang out with his family.
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Residential Education
 Pardee Tower - Prof. Myka Winder, Residential Faculty - Assistant Professor, Clinical Occupational
Therapy - Myka Winder received her Bachelor's Degree with a dual major in English: Creative Writing and
Neuroscience in 2007 from USC. She has worked in early intervention with children from 0-3 years old in their
homes. She completed her Master's degree and clinical doctorate in occupational therapy at USC in 2011,
focusing on Lifestyle Redesign' and occupational therapy education. She has also worked in primary care in the
areas of prevention, wellness, and chronic disease management. Additionally, Dr. Winder teaches in the
professional graduate program as well as in the undergraduate curriculum. She also advises the occupational
therapy honors society for graduate students. Dr. Winder enjoys creative writing, snowboarding, ocean
swimming, and stand-up paddle boarding.

Marks Tower – Prof. John Pascarella, Residential Faculty - Assistant Professor, Clinical Education - John
Pascarella is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Education the Director of Guided Practice (Clinical Field
Experiences) at the USC Rossier School of Education. John teaches courses in the Master of Arts in Teaching and
Doctor of Education programs. John's research examines the uses of new media and critical theory in the
preparation of pre-service and practicing teachers in the U.S., Canada, and South Africa. His work and
collaboration with South African scholars and rural schoolteachers encompasses arts-based and new media
approaches to literacy and HIV/AIDS prevention education. Prior to his appointment at Rossier, John taught
English in urban New Jersey high schools and served as an Adjunct Professor at Montclair State University, a
Course Lecturer at McGill University, and a Visiting Researcher at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. John earned
a B.A. in English Literature and African American Studies from the University of Central Florida, an M.A. in
Teaching from Montclair State University and his Ph.D. in Culture Values in Education from McGill University,
East

Community - Sierra – Ashley Uyeshiro, Residential Faculty - Assistant Professor of Clinical Occupational
Therapy. Ashley Uyeshiro received her Doctorate of Occupational Therapy (OTD) degree in 2011 from the
University of Southern California. Her residency was completed at the USC Occupational Therapy Faculty
Practice, where she practiced Lifestyle Redesign® and created a market analysis for the Practice. She also
received her BA degree in Psychology and her MA degree in Occupational Therapy from USC. Ashley greatly
enjoys practicing Lifestyle Redesign® at the USC OTF Practice, and works with clients in a variety of programs
such as Weight Management, College Students, Smoking Cessation, and Pain Management. Ashley also teaches
the Optimal Living with Multiple Sclerosis course and is a certified pet handler for pet therapy.

Community- Founders – Victor Jones, Residential Faculty - Assistant Professor, USC School of
Architecture. Victor Jones is a principal of Los Angeles based Fievre Jones, cultural activist, and writer. His
research lies at the intersection of architecture, urban design and community building within cities. Recent design
projects include the Platform for Watts House Project (2011) and a skate park for New Orleans' City Park (2009).
His design work has been supported by numerous grants, including the Graham Foundation, Artplaces, and the
Nathan Cummings foundation.
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Jones received his B.ARCH in Architecture from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, and a
MARCH Degree from Harvard University. He has worked as a designer for Richard Meier + Partners in Los
Angeles, and Chaix & Morel in Paris. Until 2009, he was an Assistant Professor of Architecture at Tulane
University. He is currently an Assistant Professor of Architecture at the University of Southern California.
Forthcoming books include (IN)Formal L.A.: The Space of Politics (2013) and The Basento Aqueduct: Another
side of Infrastructure (2014). Jones has been published in AMC/le Moniteur, the New Orleans Times Picayune,
ARTVOICES and the Journal of Architectural Education.

Graduate & University Family Housing - Hillview - Prof. Scott Smith, Residential Faculty - Associate
Professor, Writing Program - Scott Smith received his Ph.D in American Literature from Kent State University.
His research interests include Men's Studies, Masculinity, Body Issues, Disability, American Literature (Puritan,
19th Century Poetry, Beats).

Annenberg House - Prof. Darnell Cole, Faculty Master - Associate Professor, Education - Dr. Cole is an
Associate Professor of Education with an emphasis in higher education and education psychology. His areas of
research include race/ ethnicity, diversity, college student experiences, and learning. Previously he served as an
Associate Professor in the Department of Educational Administration at the University of Hawaii, Manoa
(Honolulu). He was also a faculty member at Marquette University. He completed his undergraduate work at the
University of North Carolina, at Charlotte and received his M.A. and Ph.D. degrees at Indiana University,
Bloomington. He is on the review board of the Journal of College Student Development. He has published over
25 articles and book chapters and is featured in the major journals for higher education and other related fields
including The Journal of Higher Education, Journal of College Student Development, NASPA Journal, Journal of
Classroom Behavior, Journal of Creative Behavior, and The Review of Higher Education. His most recent article
"Debunking Anti-Intellectualism: An Examination of African American College Students' Intellectual SelfConcepts" appears in The Review of Higher Education.
West

Fluor Residential College - Prof. Stanley Huey Jr., Faculty Master - Assistant Professor, Psychology Stanley Huey received his Ph.D. in clinical psychology from UCLA in 1998. He joined the USC psychology
faculty in 2000. Dr. Huey's research targets three primary areas: (1) psychotherapy effects with children and
adolescents, (2) culture-responsive treatments for ethnic minorities, and (3) psychotherapy mechanisms that lead
to clinical change. His work has appeared in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, Journal of
Abnormal Psychology, and Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology.

Webb Residential College – Prof. Laura Baker – Professor, Psychology - Professor Baker studies how
heredity and the environment affect individual differences in human behavior, including cognitive abilities,
personality, and psychopathology. Baker is particularly interested in the roots of aggression and antisocial
behavior and their underlying social and biological risk factors. She is Director of the USC Twin Project, which
investigates the genetic bases of reading disabilities, attention deficit disorders, and conduct behavior problems in
childhood and adolescence.
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Residential Education
Parkside

Parkside International Residential College - Prof. Oliver Mayer, Faculty Master – Associate Professor,
Dramatic Writing - Oliver Mayer is Associate Professor of Dramatic Writing at the USC School of Theatre. He
is a graduate of Cornell and Columbia Universities, and attended Worcester College, Oxford. His literary archive
can be accessed through Stanford University Libraries. He has been at USC since 2003, and has been the recipient
of a USC Zumberge Grant and a USC Mellon Faculty Mentoring Undergraduates Award. He is the author of 25
plays, including ”Fortune is a Woman,” which he wrote expressly for the USC MFA Acting Repertory. He wrote
the libretto for ”America Tropical,” a new opera composed by David Conte, which was produced in Los Angeles
in October 2012. He has several collections of published plays, including ‘The Hurt Business: A critical portfolio
of the early works of Oliver Mayer,” “PLUS,” “Oliver Mayer: Collected Works,” and “Dark Matter and Other
Plays.” "My wife Marlene, our daughter Giselle and I are honored to be the Residence Faculty Master family at
Parkside International Residential College. This will be our eighth year in residential life. Marlene is an actress
and I am a playwright; we have devoted our lives to the arts. We have an abiding interest in international study
and culture. We have loved the experience of living alongside students, and of helping them take part in fun and
exciting events and programs, make new friends, and essentially grow as individuals throughout their university
experience and beyond."

Parkside International Residential College - Prof. Elahe Nezami, Residential Faculty - Professor, Health
Promotion & Disease Prevention Studies - Dr. Nezami's research focuses on determinants of behavioral risk
factors for chronic diseases, cancer and cardiovascular disease in particular. Risk factors of primary interest are
tobacco use, physical activity and nutritional practices. Her other research projects include examination of
personality characteristics (hostility, anger, aggression) in relation to cardiovascular disease. Dr. Nezami's current
research focuses on the self-medication theory of smoking. In particular, she is studying the relationship between
depression and smoking in different cultures. Dr. Nezami is the principal investigator of a Transdisciplinary
Tobacco Use Research Center (TTURC) project studying self-medication and smoking in the U.S., China and
Iran. Dr. Nezami received her M.A. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Houston and her Ph.D. in
Clinical Psychology from the University of Southern California.

Parkside International Residential College - Prof. Gail Peter Borden, Faculty Master – Associate
Professor, Architecture, Discipline Head of Architecture & Director of Graduate Architecture - Professor
Borden teaches at USC School of Architecture and is principal in the award winning Los Angeles-based
architecture firm Borden Partnership. He received degrees including: B.A. in Art, Art History and Architecture
and B.Arch. from Rice University and a post-professional M.Arch. from Harvard University’s GSD with
distinction. Recognition: Borden has received much recognition for his design work: 2009 - an SCDF and ACSA
Design awards; Fullbright Fellowship; finalist 99K House Competition, Artist-in-Residence at the Atlantic Center
for the Arts, Borchard Fellowship, Architecture League of New York Young Architects Prize, Artist-in-residency
at the Chinati Foundation, Graham Foundation Grant; 4 ACSA Faculty Design Awards, ACSA New Faculty
Teaching Award, Chillman Prize, William Ward Watkins Traveling Fellowship, John Swift Medal as well as
numerous international publications including: Bentonart, Architecture Record, Wallpaper*, and Architecture.
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Residential Education
 Parkside International Residential College - Prof. Brett Sheehan, Residential Faculty – Associate
Professor, History - Brett Sheehan is associate professor of Chinese history at the University of Southern
California. He received his Ph.D. from the University of California-Berkeley in 1997. He is the author of Trust in
Troubled Times: Money, Banking and State-Society Relations in Republican Tianjin, 1916-1937, Harvard
University Press, 2003, and numerous articles and book chapters. He is currently working on a book exploring the
relationship between authoritarian developmental states and capitalism from about 1900 to 1953 in China.
Professor Sheehan's research lies at the intersection of politics, society, and economics. It addresses a series of
questions: How did people come to trust financial institutions? What was the relationship between capitalism and
authoritarianism? How did economic institutions shape Chinese elite structures and state-society relations?

Parkside Arts and Humanities Residential College - Prof. Malancha Gupta, Residential Faculty - Assistant
Professor, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science - Malancha Gupta is an assistant professor in the Mork
Family Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science at the University of Southern California. She
received her BS in chemical engineering from the Cooper Union in 2002. She received her PhD in chemical
engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2007 under the guidance of Professor Karen K.
Gleason. From 2007-2009, she was a postdoctoral fellow in the department of chemistry and chemical biology at
Harvard University working under the guidance of Professor George M. Whitesides. She currently leads a lab
group of seven doctoral students. Her current research interests include polymer coatings and thin films, surface
science, chemical vapor deposition, ionic liquids, and microfluidics. She has co-authored 25 manuscripts and 3
patents in these topic areas.

Parkside Arts and Humanities Residential College - Prof. David Albertson, Residential Faculty – Assistant
Professor, Religion - David Albertson is an assistant professor of Religion in the Dornsife College of Letters,
Arts and Sciences. He received his PhD in Religion from the University of Chicago in 2008, his M.Div.
Theology from the University of Chicago in 2003. He received his BA in Religion from Stanford University in
2000. He is the Dibner Research Fellow in the History of Science theThe Huntington Library. “I study medieval
and early modern Christianity in Europe with an emphasis on interdisciplinary intellectual history. I’m interested
in the multiple transformations of Christian thought and culture from 1100-1600, and especially the way
theological discourses are conditioned by other disciplines like natural science and philosophy, whether through
reading practices, epistemic assumptions, textual transmissions, or educational institutions. Because "mysticism"
often designates areas of dissent and innovation within traditional religion, my current research focuses on
mysticism and philosophy in the late Middle Ages and early Renaissance. My first book studies the fifteenthcentury German polymath, Nicholas of Cusa, whose writings combine mystical theology with geometrical
speculations. The book traces his connections to ancient Pythagoreanism and twelfth-century Platonism. Other
interests include visual studies and religion, particularly the history of iconoclasm; the history of religious ethics
and political theologies; and contemporary continental philosophy of religion.”

Parkside Apartments - Kelly Sanders, Residential Faculty -Assistant Professors USC Viterbi School of
Engineering. Research Interests: Conducting system-level analyses that seek to resolve issues with technical,
political, and societal significance to inform better decision making in regards to energy and water resource
management. Focus areas include: Urban metabolism – analyzing flows of energy, water and waste in urban
environments; Energy-water nexus – reducing energy use in water systems and water use in energy systems
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through synergistic conservation strategies; Electric Power Grid Modeling - analyzing how shifts in the power
generation sector affect energy, water, and emissions; Lifecycle assessment – assessing the environmental impacts
of products and services from extraction through disposal; Smart grid – using advanced metering and data
analytics to optimize energy and water use in urban communities; Sustainable agricultural and food systems –
evaluating how changes in agricultural practices and dietary preferences impact the environment; Sustainable
waste management – transforming waste streams into higher valued products
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Community Engagement Plan Expectations
Below are the required programs and administrative functions in order to fulfill the Community Engagement
Plan expectations. Please note that the number of programs listed is the minimum in order to fulfill the
expectations, but additional programs may need to be planned in order to create a vibrant and engaged
community.
Fall & Spring Semesters
Before Move-In
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Door Decorations
Welcome Bulletin Board (Introduction of Self)
Set-up Social media outlet (optional)
Create a plan on how to schedule first intentional interactions
By the End of Week 2
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First individual interaction scheduled
Roommate/suitemate/apartment agreements
Liability waivers
Weekly
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Open door/office hours
Floor email
Hall/Building walkthroughs
Intentional interactions
Monthly
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Bulletin Boards
Formal individual interactions (First Year Communities)
On-Going
 Community Builder (4 a semester)
 Cardinal & Gold Event (1 per semester)
 Area Programs
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RA Weekly Report
Please submit every week to your supervisor at least 24 hours prior to your scheduled 1 on 1 meeting time. Include lists
of things or notes that you may need to do your job, or things about your position or community that you or your
supervisor may need to reference at a later date.
Name:
Date:
Urgent Topics:
Follow-up Topics:
To-Dos:
Personal Updates:
How are you? (Share personal/academic/RESED position/work updates)
Community Updates:
How is your community doing? What are the current needs of the residents, as determined by conversations you have had,
or things you have observed? Have any student concerns been brought to your attention in the last week?
Programming/Budget Updates:
Please comment on any recent Community Builders you have completed – were they successful? Share some of the
highlights. How was the attendance? What would you do differently to make this community builder even better next
time? When is your next community builder? Is there anything you need for it? What budget needs do you have that
require processing time (IR/PO/etc.)
Programming Updates:
Please comment on any programs you have assisted with – were they successful? Share some of the highlights. How was
the attendance at the program? What would you do differently to make this program even better next time? What
programs do you have upcoming in the next 2 weeks? Is there anything you need for them? What budget needs do you
have that require processing time (IR/PO/etc.)
Committee Updates:
Please comment on any recent committee activity. Be sure to include any specific items you are directly involved with,
the status of your progress is, etc.
Questions or concerns:
Kudos:
Supervisor’s notes
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