SWACUHO Podcast

After a three month gap, we have M. Joel Gatti (Director of Housing Operations at SMU) back on the show. This time around we are cruising the ACUHO-I community message boards for topics to discuss and banter about. Those topics include: * Mid-semester room cleaning, preparation, and handling abandoned property; * Requiring staff to be trained to administer CPR and Narcan, plus the logistics behind such emergency response expectations. * "Valet" laundry and trash services. * The professional value of participating in and/or observing niche conversations about specialized topics outside your expertise. It's a wide range of topics you certainly don't want to miss.

When recording this episode, there was simply too much to cover so please excuse the discontinuity between the intro and the topic for the month. We had such an expansive conversation with Dr. Reba Sims (Texas A&M-San Antonio) that the recording was divided into two episodes. This month we are covering Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion... and the Texas Legislature, specifically SB17. Reba talks about immediate impact before getting into long-term implications that stem from the inevitable ...

This month we are using the book "Friend of a Friend: Understanding the Hidden Networks That Can Transform Your Life and Career" to talk about network science. In this episode we define the various ties in your network: strong, weak, and dormant ties, revealing the value of each. We cover out of the blue recommendation letters or reference checks, how to see your whole network, being a network broker, and the concept of homophily and how it impacts your network. There are plenty of tangible takeaways to put into practice that only take a few minutes to help keep your network alive. Get ready to scroll to the bottom of your text message list to see some dormant ties just waiting to be reactivated! Be sure to reach out to our guests and thank them for coming on the show! * Dillon Linder [https://www.linkedin.com/in/dillonlinder/] * Shawn Garrett [https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawngarrett2/], Garrett PLLC [https://garrettpllc.com/]

This episode features Molly Albart, Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs at UT Arlington. Molly talks about moving up and moving out of housing into an AVP role that, interestingly enough, does not include housing in her current portfolio. We talk about the transferrable skills housing experience provides when considering to make a move into other areas of student affairs. We then tackle community development and programming models, with some very candid observations and feedback about the practicality of their purpose and success. We then talk assessment and geek out on some very practical Excel skills anyone looking to provide value in their department should immediately start practicing. And since Molly is responsible for her division's annual report, we ask her to rank the value of individual contributions in an annual report. This episode covers a wide range of topics, but is filled with tangible action you can take in your job.

This month we are joined by Don Yackley, fresh off his tenure as President of SWACUHO. This is probably the most organic interview we have had thus far on the podcast, with topics ranging from stupid questions to imposter syndrome to having situational awareness. Most all of these topics weave in and around the actual topic at hand: professional involvement. Don gives us his observations on whether people are too busy to get involved, managing and changing priorities, and ghosting committees. The bottom line is this: raise your hand to do something, then show up to do it, then do it! Seeking professional advice? Fill out this anonymous form [https://utdallas.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bjU06IQB5DnBgvs] and a panel of housing staff will give you their take on your situation on an upcoming podcast.