Ever Wonder Why We're Here? Part One...

Hello again! I thought today I would start a two-part series about the history of Residence Halls (I am, after all, a history major and a nerd). Today's article will focus on Residence Hall history in general; tomorrow we will look at this history of Residence Halls on UF's campus, particularly Beaty & Jennings. So read on! (Hey, this might come in handy someday :) )



European Beginnings. From the beginning, the great Universities of Europe (the Sorbonne in Paris, Oxford and Cambridge in England, were centers of learning that attracted people from all over Europe. Travel between places was difficult and as early as the 12th century, students and faculty alike were asking for University housing to be built. At this time, existing establishments were converted to student housing rather than separate facilities being built. The first student houses, called hospices, were "simple affairs, consisting of 18 beds reserved for students....[they] were subject to no special regulations or supervision beyond those imposed on ordinary lodgers." (Lucas, Christopher: The History of Higher Education, p. 66) As this movement progressed, students began to see the advantages of living together in groups: rents were controlled, they could live with other students who had similar mindsets and schedules, and they always had someone to eat with. In turn, University officials appreciated the chance to keep a watchful eye on their sometimes troublesome charges. Strict rules were often enforced. For example, at the Sorbonne, "if a student attacks, knocks down, or severly beats one of the students, he has to pay on sester of wine to his fellows, and this wine ought to be of a better to best quality." (Lucas, 66).

In Oxford and Cambridge, the idea of collegial living was taken one step further. Students living in simpled dormitories eveolved those living spaces over time into sometimes elaborate institutions, each with its own traditions, history, rights and priveleges. Eventually, the older students living in these houses began to tutor and lecture the younger students; often, outside instruction was dispensed with completely. This became the model for the residential college, a place of both living and learning.

Early American Institutions. The first institutions of higher education in the colonies (and later the United States) were modeled, naturally, after the great European universities -- more specifically Oxford and Cambridge. The tendency at these early instiutions (Harvard, for example) was to "house students together in a residential dormitory...the aim was to foster among all students a common social, moral and intellectual life" (Lucas, 111). Rules were strict and punishments could be severe. From the early 1700s on, rapid expansion and overcrowding lead to more serious incidents. Typical incidents of the day included drunkenness, debauchery, violent assaults, and gambling. In one memorable incident, 22 Harvard students were expelled in 1728 for stealing and eating a local farmer's geese. As the United States expanded westward, so did its colleges, eventually choosing to build universities in the "ideal bucolic setting" (small towns in the country) instead of the large and dirty cities. The higher concentration of young people in these towns made university officials even more determined to control student behavior and student life and "student dormitories were viewed as a means ideally suited to that end" (Lucas, 126). Frustrated by the strict regimen, students began organizing into groups -- the beginnings of student orgs & clubs.

Student Services Arises. Throughout the first half of the 20th century, increasing attention was paid to student's extracurricular life. By this time, "academic leaders became persuaded that athletics, social clubs, Greek-letter societies, campus newspapers and student magazines were evolving without benefit of adequate coordination and supervision" (Lucas, 203). It was seen that non-academic activities carried great benefit for the students and for the institutions. Out of this idea came the notion that on-campus housing facilities needed to be renovated, expanded and placed under close supervision. Deans of Men and Deans of Women began to appear on the scene, as well as support staff charged with overseeing dormitories.

Rapid Changes. The next major change to Campus Housing came in the 1940s after the close of World War II. The Serviceman's Readjustment Act (also known as the GI Bill) provided funding for veterans to go to college, and go they did. Enrollments swelled all over the United States, and not only were vets coming to campus but they were bringing their families with them. Universities had to build (quickly!) spaces for current students, new students, and families of the students. The building boom continued throughout the 50s, 60s and early 70s. Many of the high-rise type facilities on campuses around the United States were built during this time to maximize the number of students that could fit into a small area of land. During this time, buildings were increasingly staffed by students in addition to professionals. The job of the Resident Assistant was really to enforce policy and ensure that things ran smoothly. In the 80s and 90s, the idea of residence halls as communities of learning (rather than just a place to live) really came back into the forefront as studies began to show that students who lived on campus were more likely to be successful students and graduate on time. Student staff were given more of a focus on developing a community rather than just enforcing policy.

"Dorm" vs. "Residence Hall" If you hang around Residence Life professionals long enough, you will notice that many of us do not use the term "dorm." "Dorm" is short for "dormitory" and comes from the Latin "dormire" which means "to sleep." To us, the places our students live are much much more than just a place to lay your head. If our buildings were just "dorms," they would be a room and a shower and a place for students to store things. But we believe that we provide much more than that -- we give students an experience, a place to learn and grow, a place to make new friends, a place to find themselves. We provide support, assistance, and resources to our students. The words carry a lot of weight for many in our profession. "Dorms" are institutional, uncaring and unfeeling; "Residence Halls" are community-focused, warm and most importantly, home.

Get-to-Know: Steven Sweat, Beaty West GHD 2009-2010

Hello again all and happy Monday. Today I'd like to introduce to you Steven Sweat, the GHD who will be leading Beaty West in the Fall. Happy Reading! (That's Steven there on the left with an unidentified friend).

SHORT BIOGRAPHY: Hello new friends of UF! I’m Steven Sweat, first year Graduate Hall Director in Beaty Towers West. I’m currently seeking my Masters in the Student Personnel in Higher Education program at UF and hope to graduate in 2011 to search for full-time professional positions in Housing and Residence Life at a college or university. I received my Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology with a Minor in Music Performance from Clemson University in Clemson, SC; and graduated from Lower Richland High School, located in Hopkins, SC, in 2005 in the top 1% of my graduating class. I was a Resident Assistant at Clemson University for 3 years, primarily working with Freshman and Honors students, and have been involved in several student organizations including the Resident Hall Association, the Clemson Gay-Straight Alliance, the Clemson University Symphony Orchestra, Clemson’s Safe Zone program, and many more! I’m an avid fan and supporter of music of all kinds, from Classical to New Age and beyond. I’m very sociable with others, but do know when it’s time to be alone for self-reflection and rest. I look forward to being involved with UF’s on-campus life and learning what it means to be a Gator. *SNAP*

A DAY IN MY LIFE LOOKS LIKE: Waking up, checking Facebook, getting in a few cartoons, tons of meetings depending on the day, checking Facebook, rendezvous with a few friends and colleagues, homework/studying, checking out late-night TV, checking Facebook. Oh!...and of course my 3 square meals and my 8-hours of sleep….or less. LOL! Did I mention checking Facebook?

TV SHOWS I WATCH: TOO many to type. But on average I usually watch anime, sitcoms, sitcoms from years ago, cartoons, cartoons from years ago, some reality shows, etc. A full list of shows can be found on my Facebook page.

ON MY IPOD RIGHT NOW: The many theme songs to a few animes I watch, including Bleach, Code Geass, and Sailor Moon….and I can tell not many know what I’m talking about at this point. LOL!

I CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT MY…: Ipod, cell phone, laptop, and my intense sociability.

MY MYERS-BRIGGS TYPE/TRUE COLORS COLOR: ENFJ/*It’s been a while since I did True Colors, so I kind of forgot. :-/

WHAT I REALLY LIKE ABOUT MY JOB: I can go above and beyond the call of duty in making a difference in residents’ lives, getting them involved in the campus community, and helping them reap all the benefits of on-campus living!

BIGGEST PET PEEVE: Waiting for extended periods of time (standing in lines, rush hour traffic, waiting for trains to cross, following slow interstate drivers, dial-up connections, etc.).

ONE THING ABOUT ME THAT I'M PROUD OF: I love myself; therefore, I’m more capable of loving and appreciating others.

IF I DIDN'T HAVE THIS JOB I WOULD BE: An Assistant Residence Hall Coordinator at Illinois State University.

It's Never Too Early to Get a Head Start!

I know, I know, you haven't even finished finals yet, so what am I doing talking about next fall? As the returning RAs & GHDs can attest, training is an intense and busy time. The most successful staff members that I supervise are the ones that come into the training period organized and with a clear plan of what they would like to accomplish throughout the year. So I thought I would take some time to outline some of the things that you can do over the summer to help prepare to have a great year.

For RAs:
Floor Theme: In order to create a coordinated and welcoming atmosphere for your floor, you may choose to utilize a theme to tie all of your preparations together. For example, the 1st Floor of Jennings West last year started the year with a Jungle theme. All of the door tags and bulletin boards fit into this theme. You could even take it a step further and plan your first program according to the theme!

Door Tags. Remember when you came on to campus for the first time and there was a nametag on your door? Well, the RAs on each floor are responsible for creating those. It helps our residents feel welcome from the moment they step into the building. Door tags do not have to be complicated, but they must be neat and appropriate. For example, if you don't have good handwriting, you may choose to utilize a computer for all or part of this task. The difficult piece is that you won't have a list of your residents until you arrive on campus in the fall; however, you can still do a significant amount of this work before you arrive. Be sure to plan to do a door tag for your GHD as well.

Bulletin Boards. Each of you will have at least one bulletin board that you will be responsible for throughout the year. Most of you will have at least two; Beaty RAs will have 4 (2 on each floor)! Now is the time to start thinking about what you want to put on your bulletin boards. You can check out the resource links on the left side of this page for some ideas if you need them. Many RAs choose to use one bulletin board as a "Get to Know your RA" space and use the other to highlight some campus resources & programs, but be creative! Returning RAs: Finals week is a great time to get into the office and work on the die cuts, etc. Just remember that you will have to take them home with you for the summer as we do not have any storage space.


Message Board. Some RAs choose to utilize a message board on their door that lets residents know where they are. For example, you might have a round piece of cardboard divided up into sections (At class, at the desk, here, sleeping) and a spinner that you can use to point to what you are doing. Decide whether or not you would like to utilize one of these tools, and if you do, this is another thing you can create over the summer.

Contact Information. Be sure that we have your correct email address and telephone number in case we need to contact you over the summer. Make sure you save my email address & phone number somewhere in case you need to get a hold of me. Email is the primary way that we will communicate with you over the summer, so please be sure your email inbox isn't full and that you are checking your email periodically.

Mark the training date on your calendar in big, bold letters. Staff training begins on August 10, 2009. You MUST be here on that day. Training begins at noon and you are expected to be on time. You may be able to get into your room a couple of days prior to that depending on how our buildings are looking; watch your summer email for updates.

Things to Think About. Here are some questions you should think about over the summer. Each RA does things a little differently but having a sense of where you are going is important.
1. Do I want to give out my cell phone #/facebook profile/AIM screen name to my staff and residents?
2. What days and times am I most alert (so that I can sign up for those desk shifts)?
3. How will I organize myself during training so that I can pay attention and take information away from the sessions?
4. Are there any weekends I will need off during the fall semester? (Bring those dates with you so you can request them when you get back)
5. How will I handle it when problems arise with my residents? With my staff?

Stay Safe and Have a Great Summer. This might be the most important thing of all -- enjoy your summer and your time off or classes or internship. Be ready to hit the ground running when you come back!

For GHDs:
Understand How Your Role is Different that the RAs. You won't have bulletin boards that you need to do, but you will need to ensure that all the BBs in your area get done. You will also have an office to organize. What office supplies will you need? How will you file things?

Know when to Report to Training. Training for GHDs begins on July 31, 2009 in the afternoon. You will probably be able to get into your apartment 1-2 days before. If you are coming from out of state, those days will probably be extremely busy as you take care of driver's license, insurance, banking, etc. You will have very little time during training to take care of these errands.

How Do I Want To Communicate with My Staff Over the Summer? If you want to send emails to your staff over the summer, that's fine. (I will send you a staff roster very soon). Just remember that our staff have many other things going on so be wary of what you ask them to do for you before they get here.

Things to Think About. Here are some philosophical questions for you to ponder over the summer. Don't forget, you will get some training in many of these areas:
1. Am I comfortable with my staff coming by/hanging out in my apartment?
2. Do I want to give out my cell phone/facebook/screen name information to my staff?
3. What sorts of personal information do I want to share with my staff?
4. What kinds of things can I do from the beginning to help staff feel welcome and begin building a staff team?
5. What kind of relationship do I want to have with my fellow GHDs? With my supervisor?
6. How will I organize my notes and my files about each of my staff members?

I certainly think this post has gone long enough. Let me know if any of you have any questions! Returners: feel free to post your comments on some things that you do over the summer to help yourselves get ready for fall.

Get-to-Know: Jennifer Leavitt, Your RLC

Hello again, all! I thought I would start out this blog by doing a series of "get-to-know-you" posts, and since I don't have to ask for my own permission, I'm going to start with me! Later in the summer, I will hopefully be providing some information on the GHDs, maintenance/custodial staff, and clerks in the area.

Jennifer Leavitt, Residence Life Coordinator for Beaty/Jennings


SHORT BIOGRAPHY: I grew up in Iowa and am the oldest of three girls in my family. After high school, I attended Simpson College (small private college famous for admitting the scientist George Washington Carver when no one else would) where I majored in History with a minor in Religion. I worked for two years as an RA while in college and decided to go on to graduate school to get my Master's degree in Higher Education Administration from the University of Florida. While here as a grad student, I worked for two years as a GHD in Broward Hall. After graduation, I spent a summer working as the Food & Beverage Manager for Lake Lodge in Yellowstone National Park before moving back to the midwest to take a Residence Life job at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. I worked at UWGB for three years before moving back to Gainesville in the summer of 2008 for the RLC position. I love Gainesville and the University of Florida and I'm really happy to be back. I have a young son, Jackson (who just turned 3), and a boyfriend who currently lives in Chicago. Most people call me Jenny and that's how I usually introduce myself although I think Jennifer sounds more professional.

A DAY IN MY LIFE: Completely crazy! I'm usually in the office around 8:30. A typical day for me includes 3-4 hours of meetings: individual supervision meetings with the GHDs, training committee meetings, housing staff meetings, project/construction meetings, or meetings with students. I am responsible for the day-to-day workings of both buildings, including staff issues, programming, community development, judicial meetings, facilities work, administration, and so on. Much of my work goes on "behind the scenes." For example, I recently got to pick out the furniture and carpet for the new Jennings Library. I leave work around 5 and go pick up Jackson; we usually play outside for a while or go for a walk before dinner and then he goes to bed around 9. I do housework and chores for about an hour before I finally get to relax. Don't know what I would do without my DVR!

TV SHOWS I WATCH: American Idol (shameless indulgence :) ), The Amazing Race, Top Chef, Antiques Roadshow, Cubs Baseball, & Gator Football

ON MY IPOD RIGHT NOW: I listen to a lot of podcasts, particularly about hiking, travel, running and personal finance.

I CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT MY: Family, friends and collection of books

TRUE COLORS/MYERS BRIGGS: I'm a Gold and an ESTJ (at least in the work setting). This means I'm hyper-organized and pay alot of attention to little things -- like being on time, working ahead, etc. I'm not very "fluffy" and tend to put business ahead of the personal. My brain works in very logical & sequential ways. At home and in my personal life, I tend to place less importance on some of these things.

WHAT I REALLY LIKE ABOUT MY JOB: I enjoy working with staff and the ability to mentor GHDS/RAs. I like that my job is a little different every day and that I get to stretch and grow and refine my skills. I enjoy that our lives have rhythm -- there is a natural beginning and end to our work and a chance to start over every year.

BIGGEST PET PEEVE(S): At work, my pet peeves include lateness and side-talk during meetings. I also don't really like hugging people I don't know well. In life, my pet peeve is cupboard doors/dresser drawers being left open.

ONE THING ABOUT ME THAT I'M PROUD OF: I think I'm a nerd and I wear it proudly. I know lots of random trivia and file lots of facts away in my brain. I'm likely to start a sentence with "Did you know.....?" I tried out for Jeopardy last summer, although I have not yet been asked to be on the show.

IF I DIDN'T HAVE THIS JOB I WOULD BE: A park ranger or a travel agent.

Welcome to the Beaty/Jennings Staff Blog!

As we wrap up the end of the 2008-2009 school year, it's inevitable that I start looking forward to the new year and the new staff that will inhabit the Beaty/Jennings Area in the fall. I'm starting this blog as a way to connect staff to each other, to provide information and resources about working as an RA in the area, and an opportunity for you to get to know me. I'm planning on doing articles about the building, our residents, websites that you can use, information that housing sends out, profiles of our senior clerks/maintenance/custodians, and so on. If you think of a great idea for a topic, send it my way! Also be on the lookout for fun tidbits and maybe even a contest or two. Thanks for reading and I look forward to getting to know you all over the next year.