Engagement and Support Opportunities
The following are some of the engagement and support opportunities available to University Housing residents. If you have questions about additional engagement and support opportunities, don't hesitate to get in touch with your Community Director.
Housing Affinity Groups
Brother to Brother is a safe space for men of color who live in University Housing to connect, grow, and learn. This year's focus is "Brother by Heritage, Brother by Trust" and will be about building a community within Housing.
Kaleidoscope welcomes LGBTQIA+ residents of University Housing to come together and socialize. It is focused on first-year students but upper-class students are welcome to attend.
Sister Circle is a support and community group for women of color in University Housing. It is a safe space for students to be themselves and build relationships with other students/staff who look just like them.
I'm First is a new affinity group for first-generation college students. This group ensures first-gen students in Housing have a space to learn, engage & connect.
Housing Opportunities
- Study Tables - Housing will host study tables twice a week for two hours. These occur in each community’s classroom (Residence Halls) and Commons Study Lounge (Cougar Village) and will be open for residents to study. A Resident Assistant will monitor the room to ensure it remains academically focused and to help residents where they can by answering questions or directing residents to campus resources. There will be monthly incentives for residents to participate.
- Activity Space - Residents who are in the same online classes can reserve space in the activity wing to take their online courses together in the same space. While not the same as the traditional classroom environment, it gives students a safe space to engage as a group with online instruction.
- Progressive Connections - Our Resident Assistants will be checking in with each of their residents throughout the semester during Progressive Connections. These conversations are designed to build upon each other and help address any concerns a resident might have with their living situation, academics, homesickness, finding a job, getting connected to campus/other students, etc. It is also through these conversations that our Resident Assistants get to hear about and celebrate the successes of their residents.
- RA Open Door Hours - Every Resident Assistant holds weekly open-door hours. This is a time when the Resident Assistant is available for residents to drop in to ask questions, share concerns or just hang out for a bit.
- Social Activities - Each month Resident Assistants and the Area Councils (think student government for each Housing area) will host socials. These programs will be in person or held virtually and are fun activities (bonfires, watch parties, game nights, volleyball, etc.) designed to get residents engaged with each other.
- Programming - Throughout the semester, Housing staff will host programs to engage students around our Learning Outcomes. These activities will be a mix of in-person, grab-and-go, and virtual opportunities and look to help each resident reflect, learn, and grow as they move throughout the year.
- Mediation - Sometimes conflict happens with a roommate, neighbor, or even within friend groups. When conflict arises, residents are not alone. Their Resident Assistant, Community Director, or Assistant Community Director will be there to help them navigate the conflict and at times can step in to help the different parties come to a solution. This support allows residents to learn how to navigate conflict without it escalating into an unnecessary confrontation. Residents can request mediation by speaking with their RA or by submitting a Mediation Request Form in Roompact.
- Roompact - Roompact is an online platform that allows residents to engage in a virtual community environment with other members of their community and with their Resident Assistant. This is a place for them to post questions, access various Housing forms, and submit their Roommate/Suitemate Agreements.
