Division of Student Affairs
2008-09 Annual Report
Department: Housing and Residence Life
Person Completing Report: Shannon Staten
Date: 9/9/09
1. Major Accomplishments (accomplishments from your department associated
with the Strategic Plans. These should also be accomplishments we can use to
promote your department and Student Affairs.
General Statement: 2008 - 2009 was a very productive and positive year for the housing
program at the University of Louisville. We updated our vision of a residential campus
to be able to meet the University’s 2020 goal of 32% of the fulltime student body to be
living in campus housing. We served on the planning team to develop that vision and
then began negotiations with private development agencies to help make our vision a
reality. The process produced a matrix that we designed to highlight various levels of
affiliation and tying those to the various levels of student independence and maturity.
Moving forward in our goal to extend housing beyond the edge of campus and
developing a true Town and Gown relationship with our neighboring communities will
help meet UofL’s goal of serving the community around us.
We made strides in increasing a conscious presence of recycling and
sustainability in our residents and staff. Administratively, we reduced our use of paper
in documents and marketing. The application and license were combined into one
document that was accessible on line. Students now apply on line and in submitting the
form, are agreeing to live on campus. These are processed and filed electronically. We
also converted two documents that in the past were published and mailed to students
into electronic documents. Emails were sent to the students with the link to the
document to gain the information they needed. These changes have increased our
efficiency while also making our procedures more sustainable in action.
The staff participated on many committees both on campus and professionally,
presented programs at regional and national conferences, submitted articles to
professional newsletters and participated in community events. Student leaders
attended the regional and national annual meetings. Many of the fulltime and graduate
assistant staff volunteered on the host committee for the SEAHO regional annual
conference held in Lexington in February. This experience at the regional level offered
the classified staff a different perspective on their position and the profession.
Collaboration remained a top priority for our team. We supported many
programs and projects across campus not only working collaboratively with the students
affairs units, but also with other areas such as physical plant, the Bursar, Health Center,
PEACC, First year initiatives, REACH, Scholar’s House, the graduate school, the Delphi
Center. The director served as an advisor for Indiana University Southeast as they
opened their first residence hall facilities ever provided on their campus.
We reorganized staff responsibilities for the fall semester due to the loss of our
associate director for residence life. This required several staff members to change job
responsibilities, add duties and offered the opportunity to work in other areas of the
program. We spent the fall assessing the residence life team and program and
determined our plan for hiring a new assistant director and reorganizing to better serve
the needs of our program as we expand the edge of campus and partner with private
communities. We identified our ability to create a true “teaching” program for our
entry and mid level staff through opportunities and work tasks that will develop a broad
area of skills.
We began renovation projects of residence hall facilities that will be used longterm. Several projects were started, including refurbishing the baths in Unitas and
Threlkeld, replacing heating and air units in the rooms, and replacing domestic water
tanks and other systems.
The student leaders and their development remained a focus of our attention
and training. We consolidated more of the training between the RA staff members of
ULP and the Housing program. The RSA leaders received concentrated training on
leadership techniques as well as assistance in re-writing their manual for leaders.
This report reflects a lot of time and effort on our part to provide a quality
program to the residents of UofL. Our goal of becoming a premier housing program
both in our student community development and in staff development that builds the
student affairs field is reflected throughout.
Major Accomplishments:
(Tied to Department/Strategic Plan)

Strategic Plan, A.1.14: Food Service improvement. Staff worked on advisory
committees, held student forums and participated in implementing the new
meal plan as well as the expanded dining services. We coordinated a "One stop
shop" for summer conference groups hosting taste testing events for groups and
assisting with the dining planning for the group. Housing will chair the meal plan
waiver committee that will start in the late summer.

Strategic Plan A.3.1: Housing expansioin and reorganization. Changed the
structure of the residence life staff and hired a new assistant director and a
community coordinator to assist in the development of living communities.

Strategic Plan A.3.6: College Town area. The first new affiliation for a new
apartment community on the edge of campus was signed and the community
opened for fall 2009. Affiliation agreements being negotiated for retail and
housing on two other locations beside Belknap campus and one location at HSC
campus edge.

Strategic Plan C.1.5: Off campus services. Contracted with an on-line service to
recruit and post off campus options for students. This program enjoyed
approximately 166,588 hits to the site by students between the program’s
inception in June 2008 and December 2008, and as of December 2008, the
service had 1,408 registered users.

UofL, Goal 1.7. Educational Excellence / increase percentage of full-time students
living in campus housing. We worked with affiliation agreements to be able to
increase the number of students in campus housing in the next few years.
Anticipated % for 2010-11 will be 24%.

UofL, Goal 5.5 - creative and responsbile Stewardship and SA Strategic Plan C.2.8
(made new number): Efforts to increase sustainability processes and awareness
on campus. Housing staffed served on the university sustainability committee.
Two groups were created to work in this area: the Green Committee which was
a a Housing and Residence Life group made of 20 to 25 Members. This
committee included 2nd Year Resident Assistants (Student Residence Hall Staff)
and Representatives from Resident Student Association. The Committee’s goal
was to promote awareness of sustainability within the residence halls on campus
and to help increase Housing and Residence Life’s Sustainable Initiatives such as
recycling more items and conserving energy. The second group was GRASS
(Group Recycling and Sustainable Solutions ) This was a Registered Student
Organization affiliated with Housing and Residence Life, and was made up of
residents and non-residents. The GRASS executive board members attended
Green Committee Meetings. The groups collaborated with an architect class that
designed a "green" residence hall room for Louisville Hall as part of a class
project.

SA Strategic Plan D.1.8: Create an Adopt an Agency Program. RSA and individual
halls identified agencies in town to help sponsor and work with as a service
project. The primary agency for 0809 was Scholars House. Regular donations of
toiletries and other personal items were collected and taken to the main office
for distribution from their emergency center; students volunteered at the
Scholar's house during SOUL; programs included inviting the residents of
Scholar's house to campus events; and a financial donation was given at the end
of the year.

SA Strategic Plan D.1.9: create tutoring space in the halls. The computer labs
were made accessible 24/7 in Kurz, Community Park, Bettie Johnson, Louisville
and Miller Halls. The FYRC in Miller was promoted as a tutoring center with
REACH students participating at peak academic weeks in the semester.

SA Strategic Plan. D. 2. 1.: Living Learning Communities: Developed a Leadership
Living Learning Community in Center Hall: This community is being operated
through collaboration with the Office of Student Leadership and Civic
Engagement. Developed a team to work with Leadership and Civic Engagement
in making the LLC option available to academic units. Speed School, Nursing and
Social Work were all areas that expressed interest. Will continue to develop
plan.
2. Staffing summary: (Changes, Updates, Challenges, Issues related to staffing in
your department )
General Statement: Housing has identified a goal of becoming a premier teaching
program for student affairs professionals. This will be accomplished through our
staffing positions and responsibilities; on-the-job experience and training; and
opportunities to participate professional organizations at the regional and national
levels. We changed responsibilities and reporting lines within our unit for the entry
level full time staff (program and residence life coordinators) in order to offer a diverse
job experience for that staff. We also participated in the first cohort Ideas 2 Action
Collaborative Learning Community and began rewriting our student and staff outcomes
to be more intentional in development of critical thinking.
Specific Changes and Issues:

Pam Curtis became the director of Leadership and Civic Engagement in July. We
had an interim plan until we could hire in the spring.

Hired Suhail Guerrero from Rutgers University as the new assistant director of
Residence Education.

Converted four (4) graduate assistantships into 2-80% positions. Resident
Community Coordinator for apartment communities (Hannah Piechowski) and
Coordinator of Resident Education (Elizabeth Cassady) began in June.

Changed the organizational chart reporting lines to ensure a balance of
responsibilities and staff among the various teams. Each RLC reports to a
different Assistant or Associate Director and each RLC has supervision of either a
GA or 80% position.

Pam Curtis, Associate Director for Programming, organized a Leadership Training
Workshop for students interested in Student Affairs Careers. Presenters
included Graduate Students working in Housing, Counseling Center staff and
Housing staff.

Challenge: Need to re-evaluate tasks of office staff and adjust as the program
responsiblities and expectations change.
3. Activities and initiatives that support Academic Units (Collaborative efforts
with academic units or programs and services that support students classroom
experience)
General Statement: As we recreate our model of residence hall facilities into one of
communities that focus on student development and academic support, we began
studying and planning for creating Living Learning environments within the campus
communities. We continued to support the graduate program in College Student
Personnel and Higher Education as well as providing opportunities for a diverse group of
graduate students to gain valuable work experience. We sought out collaborative
relationships.
Specific Activities, Programs or Initiatives:

Hosted two interns from the College Student Personnel Program.

Hired ten (10) graduate assistants primarily from the College Student Personnel
and Higher Education programs.

Collaborated with REACH and held a transition event to transfer first-year
students from FYGs to Reach Ambassadors. Collaborated with Reach and the
Esktrom Library in featuring the “Transform your learning experience with
Med’Term Blitz” featuring test reviews, study tables, and snacks.

Worked closely with Speed School and its students to make sure that co-op
students had the flexibility to move on and off campus between semesters while
filling their requirements for graduation.

Supported the Communication 301-02 “Magazine Layout and Production” class.
This class produced a magazine as their semester project and this magazine was
disseminated in all UofL residence halls for student review and feedback.

Classroom and lobby areas in the residence halls continued to be offered for use
as classrooms, meeting areas, support services areas, and tutoring to reinforce
the initiatives of academic departments on campus.

The Living Learning Committee met with various department deans to discuss
the potential creation of academic based communities. Began plans to establish
a Speed School and Nursing Program living area for Fall 2010.
4. Activities and services that support diversity
General Statement: Continued our pursuit of creating dynamic communities that
promote community living while honoring individualism. Consciously hired full and
parttime staff who could represent various sub cultures of the resident program.
Worked with new affiliate, The Province, to design a community attractive to many
students, thus enhancing the variety of housing options to now include an apartment
community that provides more independent living.
Specific Activities, Programs or Initiatives:

MOVED: Motivated Outstanding Volunteers Emulating Diversity Group –
Presented the “Tunnel of Oppression”. A sensory experience of how oppression
affects culture and what people can do to end it. Also, hosted a discussion on
body image and an informational program on challenges faced by LGBT students.

Hired a diverse student staff that was reflective of the student demographics
living on campus.

Continued the “Side by Side Agreements” where freshmen roommates discussed
their values, goals and expectations in an effort to agree how to live together in
a positive manner.

Worked with The Province to design a building of "studio" apartments that will
meet the needs of graduate students.
5. Activities and services that support community service and/or civic
engagement:
General Statement: We model for our residents and student leaders the importance of
community involvement and activism. Several of the full time staff serve on local
agency committees and planning boards, we volunteered to participate in the Heart
walk and several other fundraising activities, and we encouraged our student leaders to
identify agencies that our students could focus on throughout the year. The
culmunation exercise for our student leaders and staff was the year end leaderhsip
banquet, where representatives from the Scholars House and Operation Christmas child
received final donations and were able to address the group.
Specific Activities, Programs or Initiatives:

Developed Leadership Living Learning Community in Center Hall: Studies found
that these communities have positive effects on college students in terms of
academic achievement, satisfaction, the development of a more acute sense of
social consciousness, and retention through graduation. This community is being
operated through collaboration with the Office of Student Leadership and Civic
Engagement.

Created a Living Learning Committee that is developing plans for implementing
four LLCs for fall 2010. These will consist of two First Year Communities, a Speed
School Community and a Pre-Med/Nursing Community.

Collaborated with, supported and participated in: SGA (Student Government
Association) Safety Week Programming; Welcome Weekend;
REACH/ULP/ULH/Library Mid Term Blitz; Black Diamond Choir Events; Operation
Christmas Child with Stevenson Hall; and Project Women Personal Products
Donation

Participated in Recyclemania: A nation-wide contest to encourage recycling on
College and University Campuses. The Committee worked to increase recycling
of paper products, cans, plastic, and glass in residence halls. Participated in
UofL’s Earth Day

Staff presented 6 programs through the University Speaker's Bureau to local
businesses and groups.
6. Staff professional development activities and programs including: individual or
department recognition awards, conference presentations, publications and
involvement in university wide committees and /or professional activities
General Statement: An internal branding wall was organized in the Housing Office
emphasizing staff interdependence in pictorial form. Staff also worked through several
exercises to come up with our summation of a statement that reflects our feeling,
thinking and belief about the work that we do. The statement that we all agreed to
follow was: "As a staff, we wish to be: Viewed as Dependable, Working in a
Comfortable environment, amd Operating in Collaborative relationships both within our
unit and beyond." We challenged each staff member to use their strengths to "give
back" to the campus, the profession or the community.
Specific Activities, Programs, Initiatives or Professional Involvement:

With an outcome being a Quality Housing Product, Housing Staff participated in
a day long retreat and discussion focusing on staff interdependence utilizing the
concepts of FISH, Strengths, and individual Colors.

The Housing staff teams (Programming and Community Development,
Administrative Services, Business Administration and Facilities Management)
increased communication skills while participating in four socials during 2008.
Each area facilitated a social based on a theme chosen by that area and provided
an event that encouraged staff participation and resulted in enhanced staff
camaraderie.

Desk Assistant staff - approximately 50 staff, received routine job training
covering The Desk Assistant Guide, specifically: Learning outcomes, the general
job description and duties, attendance policy, how to complete administrative
paperwork, basic rules and policies pertaining to the residence halls on campus,
how to respond to emergency situations and report any unusual incidents to the
proper staff, how to enforce policy, and customer service etiquette. Other topics
covered consist of: The Housing Herald, Professional Development, Sexual
Harassment Training, Housing policies: Sign in policy, visitation policy,
cohabitation policy, alcohol policy, etc.

Provided Resident assistant and resident director in-service programs: ULP
(University of Louisville Properties) are included. Topics included suicide
prevention, housing and campus policies, technology, focus groups, customer
service, alcohol and drug information, etc. Housing often collaborated with the
Counseling Center, PEACC, MOVED, NRHH, DPS, REACH, and other University
departments in presenting these sessions.
7. Assessment initiatives - (participant surveys, program reviews, student
learning outcomes, focus groups, feedback etc.)
General Statement:
Specific Activities, Programs, or Initiatives:

Shannon Staten Participated in the ACUHO-I Global Summit. 80 housing
directors and vice presidents of Student Affairs from around the world
participated in the week long event. Held in Hong Kong, China. January 2009

Amanda Morris served as the treasurer for KAHO for 2008 and 2009.

Elizabeth Cassady served an on-going position as a graduate intern on ACPA
2010 Convention Planning Team

Jacqui Smith participated in the NASPA-MMI June 2008. Amanda Morris
participated in NASPA-MMI in June 2009.

Four Graduate Assistants and one Residence Life Coordinator participated in the
SEAHO Case Study competitions during the annual conference. Amanda Morris,
won first place for the fulltime staff category.

Michelle Massey chaired the host committee for ACPA MMI; three other
housing staff served on the committee

12 staff attended a national level conference; 10 attended a regional level
conference; 14 attended a state level conference; 14 participated in a nationally
sponsored workshops or audio conferences. All staff participated in either a
professional conference or both of the VPSA academies.

7 staff participated in the QPR training.

Staff presented 19 program sessions at professional conferences.
8. Top Goals for the Department/Program – Include specific goals your
department will be working on during 2009-2010. Goals should be in response
to items in the University and Student Affairs Strategic Planning documents.
General Statement: We have identified four major goals for the housing program that
carry from year to year. They are listed in the specific goals section. Then, each year,
we identify specific tasks that we will accomplish under each goal. For 2008-2009, we
met our goals in a variety of opportunities and processes. We were diligent in
connecting our goals and programs to those of the Division of Student Affairs and the
University. Examples have been included under each goal statement.
Specific Goals for 2009-2010:

Acknowledge that our residents are our strongest asset by consulting with
residents, encouraging and supporting student leadership, and focusing on
providing quality customer service.
2008-09 examples of accomplishment of this goal included: Continued renewed
development of student leadership within RSA, NRHH, and MOVED and
sustainability responsibility; Included RSA leadership in discussion of the
upgraded dining services plan including a new contract with SODEXO, increased
residential meal plans and the creation of an apartment meal plan; Supported
the efforts of increased recycling in the residence halls and added dumpsters for
the hall areas; and Collaborated with a class project on the feasibility of creating
a “green” room in Louisville Hall .

Identify ways to build relationships with academic and administrative units on
campus in order to be integral in building campus community for student
retention and satisfaction.
2008-09 examples of accomplishment include: Opened the Leadership Living
Learning Community in Center Hall for Fall 2008; Created a committee to review
what LLCs may be suitable to our campus culture and prepare recommendations
for creating such environments. Group attended a workshop sponsored by
ACUHO-I on LLCs in the fall; and Assist in the renovation of the residential wing
at Medical Dental into a Student Affairs Services Support Center for HSC
students, faculty and staff.

Move the vision forward to increase campus housing, create a more unified
housing program for our residents and extend campus life services on the
Belknap and HSC campuses and into the community.
2008-09
accomplishments of this goal area include: Developed matrix of affiliation and
student independence as a model for the restructuring of student housing at
UofL; Worked with the Student Development Vision committee to identify goals
and methods for affiliation to create neighborhood communities around the
Belknap and HSC Campus; Negotiated with Edwards Companies to develop
affiliation with The Province Apartment Community; Developed template matrix
and agreement for affiliation with new communities; Assisted in the design for
the new Liberty Green project at HSC (living learning environment for
professional students); and Began work to restructure the business practices of
ULP halls from using landlord tenant leases to using the university licensing and
billing practices of the university

Continue to update our administrative processes and options for students
through vibrant technology and student controlled systems.
2008-09
examples of accomplishments include: Created on-line application and license
process for students (one-stop concept) along with on-line payment of
application and processing fees. and Converted to on-line maintenance
reporting as primary source for requesting work in the halls
9. Issues and Challenges for the Department During 2008-2009
General Statement: Our primary challenge is to continue to move forward with the
vision of creating a campus that is 32% resident based and is a vibrant, healthy
community. Our business practices are changing, our programming needs of both the
newly established and the older communities are changing, and the culture of the
campus is changing. It is an exciting time, but also trying that can wear on a staff and a
student body. We will continue to be conscious of developing the staff team as we
"grow" the resident population. One of our secondary challenges is to get the word out on all levels of the program we offer and the unique opportunities that can be
experienced by both students and staff.
Specific Issues and Challenges 2008-2009:

Continue development of College Town neighborhoods and continue to
formalize affiliation agreements with private developers to provide additional
housing for Belknap and HSC Campus.

Update management agreements with ULP and blend business practices
between the two areas

Review and restructure Residence Life Team staff depending on additional tasks
for ULP halls, etc

Provide a standard of living in the older halls that can better compete with the
newer off campus communities. One goal is to develop and begin an aggressive
plan for deferred maintenance in the halls to include resident room furniture
replacement, upgrading kitchens and baths, and providing more technology
savvy systems for the students and staff.

Build relationship with athletics to assist with Housing and conference group
needs.

Implement Stevenson Hall renovation and transition to services office building
for student affairs.

Maintain enthused and effective staff team.

Update management agreements with ULP and blend business practices
between the two areas.
10. Report on metrics for programs and services during the year (usage and/or
customer numbers, occupancy data, number of programs provided,
participant demographics, retention statistics, revenue numbers, budget
savings, new funding sources and amounts, benchmark comparisons,
professional development/involvement data, web hits, student employee
numbers, etc)
General Statement: The student population shifted this year to have a majority of men
on campus. The percentages of men and women change from time to time, but we
anticipate this will be the trend for the near future based on the bathroom and privacy
expectations we discuss with parents and students. Also, we tend to have a higher
number of returning male students stay a second year on campus in the older halls than
the female students, who tend to move to the ULP facilities or off campus apartments.
Regardless, the older communities offer an option that provides high interaction and
involvement. The ethnicity and gender of the staff coincide fairly well with the resident
population.
Specific Metrics from 2008-2009:

Occupancy: Overall on-campus occupancy for the traditional residence halls was
99% for fall 2008, and 96% for spring 2009. ULP Halls held at 98% for 100% for
fall 2008 and 97% for spring 2009.

64% of the freshman class members live on campus.

1666 of the campus residents are first year freshmen representing 52% of
campus housing. These 1666 residents represent 64% of the freshman class.

There are 3300 campus housing beds; this makes up 20% of the fully enrolled
students. An average of 3,217 residents lived in the campus beds throughout
the year.

959 freshmen live in the university traditional halls. 707 freshmen live in the ULP
privatized halls.

1572 residents are returning or professional level students representing 48% of
campus housing.

1549 (49%) of the residents are women. 1667 (51%) of the residents are men.






Of the campus resident population:
7%
Asian or Pacific Islander
27%
Black / Non-Hispanic
2%
Hispanic
8%
noted "Not Applicable" or "other"
56%
White / Non-Hispanic

Staff demographics include: Total staff: 174 = 17 fulltime and 157 parttime. Of
the 174 staff: 57% were female / 43% were male;



Of the campus staff population:
Asian or Pacific Islander mixed with Other
25%
Black / Non-Hispanic



1%
5%
69%
Hispanic
noted "Not Applicable" or "other"
White / Non-Hispanic