Achieving an expert-level rating in OHR implies mastery in understanding and navigating financial, physical, and human capital resources at an institution. By participating in multi-tiered levels of the hiring process (selection, training, evaluation, promotion, termination, etc.) in multiple job roles, I have readily navigated many sub-sections of the OHR competency.  

 

As a committed member of sustainability movements, I engage others by explaining and challenging societal norms that promote and support wasteful actions. This is inspired by a research project I participated in my first semester at IU, where I enrolled in the 'Building Sustainable Communities' elective course through the School of Public and Environmental Affairs. I designed and followed a plan to analyze and consider my carbon footprint, namely through amount/weight of waste I contributed to landfills. My research additionally explored the impact on our environment that shipping trash has (the nearest landfill to Bloomington is over an hour away), the impact of manufacturing materials that are unsustainable, and the impact of generating electricity and water for an entire college campus. Engaging my on-campus apartment cohabitants in sustainable practices was one of many steps I fostered to make changes at the micro-level (programming, energy signs on doorways, etc.). On the macro-level, I met with student government representatives (undergraduate and graduate) and petitioned for access and promotion of composting, recyclable plasticware, and purchasing food from local sources.

 

Before each interview/hiring process, my teams discuss goals for the position(s) we seek to fill, and I share a reminder of considering specific societal and campus concerns with the hiring and representing of underrepresented leaders on our campus. I believe we have found a meaningful way to consider these differences in our hiring and selection process, as well as how these factors influence the ideas and student populations that are affected by the work we do. As expressed in the OHR competency section, I have designed and implement weekly meeting agendas with each of my leadership team members:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Before graduate school, I began 'meeting students where they were' and created multiple forms for my staff to manage and remind them of their responsibilities. This included creating a duty calendar in my office, sharing weekly emails, being availble around 9pm to answer phone calls, and knocking on their doors if/when they did not respond to reminders. Before my two years expired, I found ways to maximize the efficiency in my work and in the work of my team, including inspiring them to hold one another accountable, utilizing technology effectively, and adjusting my responses with feedback and consideration from each member of my team.

 

As my role on a college campus expands, I find it much more natural to engage with other colleagues to address policies that are confusing or counter to our mission, as well as finding ways to give presentations to our students, staff, or in professional conferences. This approach recognizes intermediate outcomes of OHR competencies. Additionally, I have discussed the importance of and successfully learned to navigate relationships with friends and foes alike, and have incorporated working with a variety of personality types in team settings.

 

One of the largest hurdles I overcame involves finding the balance between honoring my own curiosity and inquistive disposition with respecting the behaviors and decisions of supervisors and instructors when I either did not understand or disagreed with certain approaches. Specifically, my relationship with several mentors guided my approach in questioning and vocalizing the intent I set out to achieve in asking questions about said behaviors or philosophies about the profession. I have since become a more critical thinker, finding a balance between challenging traditions or practices that do not seem fair or sensible with a recognition that there are some "battles" that may be politically or socially impossible or dangerous to address. Navigating these situations helped me better support my stance on certain situations, empowering me to connect with students and staff who do not see eye to eye with other student affairs professionals.

 

Within the advanced category, I have participated regularly in assessing the risk involved of various activities and events with my students, and have encouraged my team to consider risk as well when developing programs, teambuilders, and training. Another important factor is to "evaluate the effectiveness of current staffing patterns" (ACPA & NASPA, 2015) and make adjustments to meet institutional goals. As my specific job responsibilities have increased, coupled with the departure of several professional staff members, I advocated for additional departmental support and a suggestion to reallocate responsibilities for my position to others.

 

As the Residential Programs and Services Department organizational structure morphs, my position will be split into two new roles beginning in the Fall of 2016. This will better allow future graduate students to meet the needs of multiple student populations and balance an academic workload in a more meaningful and intentional manner. I believe part of this shift was accomplished with my voice as a persistent and firm advocate for the increasingly complex nature and roles of this position (instructor, supervisor, and advisor) in addition to the academic expectations of a first or second year graduate student. An idea of the new organizational chart is displayed below.