News at OACUHO > December 2023 OACUHO Newsletter
President's Message
As the end of the term approaches, it’s often a time to reflect and see how far we have come. Members across our association have done incredible things to support our students and operations this term - I am thankful for the work all of you do each day.
Facilities Teams, your diligence in preparing for the winter closure has ensured that our campuses remain safe and functional during the coldest months. Your efforts do not go unnoticed, and we are all grateful for your hard work.
Hospitality Teams, the holiday meals you have prepared bring joy and comfort to many during this festive season. From Thanksgiving to Hanukkah, Christmas to Kwanzaa, and all the celebrations, your culinary talents have made these holidays special for our students and staff.
Admissions Teams, as you prepare for the winter intake, we recognize the vital role you play in welcoming new students to our community. Your dedication to making their transition smooth is a testament to the supportive environment we strive to create.
Residence Life, Conduct & Education Teams, the programming you are running is deeply appreciated by our students in some of their most stressful times yet. It’s also important to recognize the work you do to help maintain an environment that supports our students’ academic success. The work you do at all hours is important to ensure students remain supported.
Across all functional areas, it’s also important to recognize your commitment to student well-being and those who will continue to support our students even as campuses close for the break, especially those on call over the break. Thank you for being there when it matters most.
With the winter closure approaching, I hope you find the time to rest and recharge. It’s important to recentre ourselves in our work, to return in the new year with renewed energy and purpose.
As we bid farewell to 2023 and welcome the new year, I am filled with gratitude for your unwavering support and dedication to OACUHO. Your efforts have not only strengthened our association but highlight the importance of the work.
Let's carry this momentum into 2024, building on our successes and facing new challenges with the same spirit of collaboration and innovation that defines us.
On behalf of the Board of Directors, happy holidays and all the best in 2024!
Sincerely,
Parmveer Mundi
President, OACUHO
2024 Spring Conference
Dear OACUHO Colleagues,
We hope that the Fall Semester is wrapping up well and that you’ll soon have some time to relax and celebrate your hard work thus far this year! At Wilfrid Laurier University, we are delighted to extend a warm invitation to you for the upcoming 2024-2025 OACUHO Conference. Please mark your calendars for June 17th-20th, 2024 and join us for an enriching and collaborative experience!
Get ready for an engaging experience that will bring together housing professionals, administrators, and industry experts from across Ontario. The conference will serve as a platform to discuss the latest trends, share best practices, and foster meaningful connections in the housing community.
Stay tuned for more details, including keynote speakers, breakout sessions, and social events that will make this conference a memorable and valuable experience for all attendees.
To ensure you have ample time to prepare, our Learning Experiences team wanted to share timelines for conference proposals. We encourage you to start thinking about the knowledge you can share and how you can contribute to our professional association. We welcome proposals from various functional groups and individuals in diverse roles so we encourage you to think outside the box on how you wish to deliver your content to the delegation. Conference proposals will officially open on Wednesday, January 10th, 2024, and will remain open until Monday, February 19th, 2024.
Should you have any questions leading up to our proposal launch please reach out to our team at OACUHO2024@wlu.ca
Our team is eagerly anticipating your contributions to the conference, and we look forward to seeing you there.
Kind regards,
The Laurier Team
PD Opportunities Highlight
Webinar Series: Indigenizing & Decolonization in the Canadian Student Housing Profession
Information and Registration: https://oacuho.com/cgi/page.cgi/_evtcal.html?evt=62
We are excited to offer our members a four session webinar on Indigenizing & Decolonization in the Canadian Student Housing Profession.
Learn from Rachel Barreca and Nadia Rosemond about the truth about the impacts of colonization both past and present. As student affairs and housing professionals, it can be challenging to figure out what we can do to help, especially when our day-to-day work is intense. But it doesn't have to be so overwhelming.
In this series, we will create a community of learning that helps us understand the history of our field and its connections to colonization, examine the current state of student housing and student affairs through an Indigenized and decolonized lens, and think about the actions we can take to create just and equitable changes in our housing systems.
Dates:
- Mon. January 22, 2024
- Mon. February 26, 2024
- Mon. March 25, 2024
- Mon. April 22, 2024
- All sessions are 12:00 - 1:15 pm ET
Registration is now open on our website. Spots are limited so take advantage while you can!
Register Now!
Membership Engagement Highlights
As the term comes to an end, please remember to reach out to your mentorship pair before the end of the term! Whether you are involved in the Student Mentorship Program or the OACUHO Connect program, the end of December is a perfect time to touch base with your mentor/mentee and reflect on the term together and discuss your goals for the new term.
Message from Allison Keyes, Membership Engagement Director
It has been a joy to connect with you all this past term in so many ways! I wanted to take this space to thank the Membership Engagement committee for their hard work this term. They have created each of the mentorship pairings for our Student Staff Mentorship program and OACUHO Connect program, all while thinking of new and fun ways to engage our members. I'm excited to see what the new year brings for this group and for what we will accomplish together!
If you're thinking of getting involved and looking to learn more, please reach out to me at akeyes@wlu.ca and I would be happy to answer any questions you may have!
BIPOC Network Highlights
We are excited to introduce the "BIPOC Network - Virtual Professional Panel" as an enriching and insightful event for university students aspiring to enter the Student Affairs/Housing field.
This virtual panel aims to bring together a diverse group of accomplished professionals who identify as Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC). The panelists will generously share their experiences, insights, and expertise with students who are curious about navigating a career in Student Affairs/Housing as racialized individuals.
Please follow the link below to complete a form expressing interest in being a panelist by December 22nd, 2023.
Express interest to be a panelist: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfEsCi6oHST_AR3fS9QUoGCEIrtEGXaFHb9FUtDxy5fEYJFOQ/viewform
Humans of BIPOC feature
The BIPOC Network invites you to view their most recent feature in the "Humans of BIPOC" series. Access the feature here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qeOxls06aQq1AwvNgmYD9zrzj3aLn6pD/view
Interested in joining the BIPOC Network?
Calling out to any general members who self identify as a BIPOC professional to join our listserv if you have not done so already. The link to join can be found here: https://oacuho.com/BIPOC_Network.html
We have created a Slack workspace for folks to connect virtually outside of our continued monthly meetings. Slack is a similar platform to Microsoft Teams but more accessible for folks to use as not every institution uses the Microsoft Suite. Slack can be used on a browser, or you can download the app to your phone. We've created various channels (group chats) to help with engagement. Reach out to the BIPOC Network Co-Chairs to join the Slack Channel.
Affinity Networks Update
We're thrilled to announce the upcoming launch of two new affinity groups within our association, designed to foster connections and support among our diverse members:
Beyond the Binary Network: A space dedicated to Trans, Gender Non-conforming, and Two-Spirit individuals
Neurodivergent Network: A space for members who are autistic, have ADHD, or identify as neurodivergent in any way
How to Join: Come next term, sign-ups for these networks will be open through the OACUHO website. We will send emails out to the association with information about all available networks and how to sign up to participate.
Got Ideas? Want to Create a Network? If you're passionate about creating a new network or have unique ideas, connect with Savannah Sloat (savannah.sloat@uwaterloo.ca) to explore the possibilities.
We're dedicated to building a stronger, more connected community, and these new affinity groups are a significant step forward.
Stay tuned for more updates!