Transferable Skills for Live-In Professionals
August 2020, ACUHO-I Blog
We believe it is essential to recognize and be clear about the extraordinary work done by campus housing professionals. We also believe it is imperative for ACUHO-I to continue our advocacy on your behalf. We are pleased to share a new resource specifically developed to illustrate the critical role of live-in staff and the unique skills that make these professionals a crucial part of the student experience and our workforce during this (or any) time of crisis.
Live-in professionals are important architects of the communities in which students learn, develop, and grow. At the same time, as campuses navigate changes to operational budgets in the wake of the pandemic and, in some cases, shifts from the in-person/residential experience to virtual delivery, these professionals may be most vulnerable to furloughs, layoffs, and reductions in staffing.
This document, which we encourage you to share, delineates the vast skills and competencies that uniquely situate these professionals to be re-deployed, when needed, to other critical roles on campus during this time of uncertainty. We also hope this document supports live-in professionals with articulating their capabilities and the value they bring to their campus communities.
It was not long ago that we last wrote to you to offer our support and share resources that ACUHO-I has been developing over the past several months to serve our members as we work through the pandemic. COVID-19 is an evolving crisis that has touched every corner of the globe and is felt by each of us, personally and professionally, every single day.
At the same time, we have been grappling with countless and pervasive incidents of social injustice occurring around the world and how we can best support our marginalized community members who are experiencing this most acutely. To say this has been a difficult time would be a remarkable understatement. The world in which we live and work is a far different place than it was just a few months ago.
At this point, reopening plans for colleges and universities are widely known, and many are in the midst of the next phase of our work – implementing move-in/return to campus plans or, in some cases, pivoting away from the in-person experience for the upcoming term - either temporarily or altogether. We anticipate the next four to six weeks to be a very active time for our members who continue to navigate the complexities and competing interests of their institutional stakeholders. This period of time will also likely involve continued uncertainty around the virus and heightened stress related to the new realities that surround our work.
We encourage you to use this resource as you navigate conversations on campus. Please know that ACUHO-I is dedicated to supporting your work and advocating on behalf of the profession. We will continue to share new resources in the days and weeks to come; please let us know if there are specific areas in which we can support you and your community in these unique and frankly, exhausting times.
Thank you for ALL you are doing day in and day out to support your students and your campus communities.
