1. home and garden

2013
2014
Student Staff Member
Training Manual
Updated 7/26/2013
www.housing.gatech.edu
Training Manual
TABLE OF CONTENTS
MISSION STATEMENTS…………………..……………………………………………………………………..3
RESIDENCE LIFE LEARNING OUTCOMES ...................................................................... 4
RESIDENCE LIFE ORGANIZATIONAL CHART………………………………………………………………..5
BEING A HOUSING STAFF MEMBER ............................................................................ 6
STUDENT STAFF MEMBER COMPETENCIES .................................................................... 8
FUNCTION OF A STAFF MEMBER (Fall 2013 - Spring 2014) .............................................. 11
CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT (Fall 2013 – Spring 2014) .............................. 14
COMMITMENT CALENDAR…………………………...……………………………………………………..24
STAFF DISCIPLINE INFORMATION……………………..……………………………………………………25
CAMPUS PHONE LIST ........................................................................................... 28
HOUSING STAFF ETHICS ........................................................................................ 29
ROOMMATE SUCCESS ......................................................................................... 35
CRISIS MANAGEMENT.......................................................................................... 39
DUTY ............................................................................................................... 40
STUDENT STAFF DUTY GRID………………………………………………………………………………….54
RESIDENCE LIFE HEIGHTENED SECURITY ALERT EMERGENCY PLAN ................................... 64
RESIDENT INFORMATION FORMS ............................................................................. 70
PROGRAMMING ................................................................................................ 73
APPENDIX………………………………………………………………………………………………………91
Revision 1
Updated 07/26/2013
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MISSION STATEMENTS
Campus Services
Campus Services facilitates the creation of community, extends the
learning environment beyond the classroom, and enhances the quality of
campus life through the delivery of quality goods and services.
We support the academic and research mission of Georgia Tech by assisting in the
recruitment and retention of students, by encouraging students to develop personal
responsibility as consumers, citizens and leaders, and by creating an environment that
encourages academic success.
We seek to set the standards for excellence on the campus and in the country by
continuously refining and improving Auxiliary Services in a market-driven environment.
Auxiliary Services is financially self-sustaining in order to fund its operations, renew and replace
its facilities and provide financial resources for future growth and development.
Department of Housing
The Department of Housing offers quality, safe, well-maintained residential facilities.
We encourage, promote and facilitate customer focused programs and services
that attract students to our facilities and to Georgia Tech.
We provide physical, programmatic and technological systems to enhance the
quality of life on campus, to support the academic needs of
student residents and to compliment the academic goals of the Institute.
Educational Priority
As Residence Life we commit to create environments in alignment with the Institute’s values
by facilitating purposeful opportunities for students to live, learn, work, and play, which will
motivate students to serve as Georgia Tech leaders in society. The residential experience
provides a powerful laboratory where students can grow in the areas of community
involvement, professional development, global civility, and personal development.
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RESIDENCE LIFE LEARNING OUTCOMES
Community Involvement: Residents will understand how their actions impact their community
through making a commitment to service, social interactions, and civic responsibility.
o
o
o
Service: Residents will understand the positive impact they can have on society by
serving as volunteers, active members, and leaders within their community.
Social Interactions: Residents will establish meaningful relationships with others in the
Georgia Tech community by participating in hall and campus activities.
Civic Responsibility: Residents will examine their behaviors and how the results of those
actions impact others.
Global Civility: Residents will explore their questions pertaining to social, cultural, and
economic backgrounds and perspectives which encourage an increased understanding of
the human condition.
o Understanding similarities and differences: Residents will explore the impact that
similarities and differences in background and values have on one’s perspective.
o Tolerance: Residents will demonstrate respect for differing perspective by living and
interacting appropriately with members of their community.
o Global Perspective: Residents will examine their interconnectedness to other societies
in order to understand global perspectives.
Personal Development: Residents will examine their personal values, goals, and lifestyle to
achieve a balanced approach to everyday life.
o Healthy Lifestyle: Residents will correlate a connection between physical, emotional,
and social well being and their success as a student.
o Personal Identity: Residents will examine their personal values, motivations, skills, and
weaknesses and how these affect the decisions they make.
o Process of Achieving Goals: Residents will identify realistic goals and develop a plan to
achieve personal and academic success.
Professional Development: Residents will learn and practice problem solving,
self-discipline, and communication skills that promote team work and collaborative
innovation.
o Problem Solving Skills: Residents will be able to identify and critically analyze
interpersonal situations and problems to develop effective solutions.
o Communication Skills: Residents will use effective verbal and appropriate
non-verbal communication skills that promote collaboration.
o Career Development Skills: Residents will develop skills for career preparation that will
serve them in becoming successful professionals.
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BEING A HOUSING STAFF MEMBER
As a member of the housing staff, one of the most difficult and rewarding aspects of the job is the
role modeling aspect. Since you are a housing staff member, everyone will know who you are and
will create his or her own expectations of you. How you handle being a role model will be one of the
most difficult things to get used to in this position. At the same time, you are in a position to have a
positive and lasting impact on the students you come in contact with. Here are some things to think
about as you assume your role as a housing staff member.
 Living in a Fishbowl - As a housing staff member, you live life in a fishbowl. Everyone sees you and
they usually learn how to be a part of the community from you. If someone is on the borderline of
deciding whether or not they want to drink alcohol and they see you drinking, you can probably
bet that they will look at you as the affirmation they need. We are not saying that you should tell
people of legal drinking age not to drink, but just be cognizant of whom you are around when you
let loose.
 First Impressions - Your first impression with your residents may be the one they always remember.
You will often gain the necessary respect of your residents by the way you treat them the first time
you meet and greet them.
 Attitude - Strive to maintain a positive attitude, especially when you are around other housing staff
members and residents. Show enthusiasm and support for the department. If you are frustrated,
choose your confidants carefully. Remember that you’re not always going to be happy about
your job, but there is a time and place for venting frustrations. Also, remember that no one likes to
be around a whiner or someone who is always pessimistic.
 Professionalism - Remember that in all your endeavors, you are a representative of the housing
department and Georgia Tech. Being a professional means not talking about incidents or housing
issues with students around campus. When questions and concerns arise, talk to your co-workers or
members of the housing department. The easiest way to lose the respect of your residents is to
gossip or break confidentiality.
 Teamwork - It is important to show that you are committed to teamwork. When your residents see
you working with other staff members and trying to make a difference, they will become
motivated to help. (It is amazing how much we can accomplish when nobody cares who gets the
credit. Harry S. Truman)
 Policies and Procedures - It is important that residents see you as a model citizen in the community.
If residents see you as someone who leaves trash lying around, gets drunk and breaks things,
makes noise all the time, and never studies, imagine what they think will be okay for them to do.
Leading by example is the key ingredient to being an effective leader. There are many times
when you will think to yourself that it is not fair that you have to follow policies all the time. When
that happens, talk to your supervisor about it before you make a rash decision.
A little courtesy can go a long way. People tend to remember negative experiences a lot better
than positive experiences. That’s where courtesy comes in. If you are courteous with your residents
and co-workers, you will be creating more positive experiences for your residents and fellow staff.
That can make life easier when you are in a position where you want people looking up to you and
respecting you.
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 Treat others as you would want to be treated.
 Please others – be generous and they will respond positively.
 Be a friend. It takes one to be one.
 Speak to others by name.
 Be sincere. Sincerity builds trust.
 Smile at others so they will know you are friendly and want to help them.
 Give to others – no person was ever honored for what he or she received.
 Think ―you‖ instead of ―I‖ and above all, help your sense of humor!
 Listen to others so you will know how to help them.
 Care for others – actions speak louder than words.
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STUDENT STAFF MEMBER COMPETENCIES
Listed below are the Department of Residence Life’s Student Staff Member Competencies. These
competencies were created by the Hall Director staff centered on the development of the student
staff member throughout the life of their position. This is a comprehensive document.
The Personal Development competency area addresses the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed
to display healthy living and work behaviors while maintaining proper work-life balance and
boundaries. Competency in this area includes self-awareness, role modeling, and communication
skills.
Self-Awareness

Basic - SSMs achieve work-life balance through proper time management and prioritization.

Intermediate - SSMs articulate how their personal actions and behaviors impact their ability to
perform job functions.

Advanced - SSMs actively solicit feedback from other individuals and engage in realistic selfappraisal by indentifying areas of strength and areas for growth.
Role Modeling

Basic - SSMs understand the importance of choosing positive behaviors within and beyond the
Conditions of Employment.

Intermediate - SSMs understand how their positive behaviors impact their residence hall
community.

Advanced - SSMs educate residents and peer groups on the impact that positive behaviors have
on their community.
Communication Skills

Basic - SSMs effectively communicate with their residents and peer groups.

Intermediate - SSMs understand various methods of communication and their effect on residents.

Advanced - SSMs utilize reflective questioning and counseling skills to mediate conflict and
develop a mutual understanding.
The Community Involvement competency area addresses the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to
develop intentional relationships within their community. Competency in this area includes
awareness of resident needs, intentional interactions, and community development.
Awareness of Residents Needs

Basic - SSMs identify the needs and areas of interest of their residents.
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
Intermediate - SSMs develop strategies to address issues as they arise within the community.

Advanced - SSMs apply the Residence Life Learning Outcomes to advance residents in their
development.
Intentional Interactions

Basic - SSMs understand the purpose of intentional interactions and facilitate these interactions
with residents.

Intermediate - SSMs utilize campus resources in addressing residents’ needs.

Advanced - SSMs empower residents to participate in meaningful interactions with other
community members.
Community Development

Basic - SSMs establish meaningful relationships with residents.

Intermediate - SSMs implement various strategies to enhance community within their building.

Advanced - SSMs foster their residents’ connection to the greater Georgia Tech community.
The Global Civility competency area addresses the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to create
and maintain an inclusive community where members respect diversity of thought and culture.
Competency in this area includes awareness of identity, social responsibility, and an understanding
of diversity and multiculturalism.
Awareness of Identity

Basic - SSMs explore personal identities, values, and experiences through reflection.

Intermediate - SSMs articulate their identities and what aspects of their lives define their identities.

Advanced - SSMs identify ways in which their background and privileges impact how they
approach the SSM position.
Social Responsibility

Basic - SSMs understand that as a member of a community they have an obligation to act in a
way that benefits the community at large.

Intermediate - SSMs articulate how their actions, thoughts, and interactions are in the best interest
of their residents.

Advanced - SSMs engage residents in conversations about how their actions impact the
community.
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Diversity and Multiculturalism

Basic - SSMs explain the value of learning about diversity and multicultural related topics.

Intermediate - SSMs recognize issues, conflicts, and biases related to diversity and multiculturalism
within their community.

Advanced - SSMs participate in campus initiatives that provide an opportunity to further their
diversity or multicultural understanding of perspectives that differ from their own personal beliefs.
The Professional Development competency area addresses the knowledge, skills, and attitudes
needed to fully understand the various roles within the SSM position at Georgia Tech and to become
effective in future positions. Competency in this area includes critical thinking skills, ethics, and
articulating their SSM experience.
Critical Thinking

Basic - SSMs utilize active listening and information gathering skills to solve problems.

Intermediate - SSMs apply the duty protocol and exercise sound judgment when responding to
duty or crisis situations.

Advanced - SSMs synthesize multiple perspectives to develop an optimal outcome.
Ethics

Basic - SSMs maintain confidentiality and appropriately share information with Institute officials.

Intermediate - SSMs mitigate personal beliefs when making a decision as an SSM.

Advanced - SSMs appropriately utilize the influence associated with their position.
Articulating Their SSM Experience

Basic - SSMs recognize the developmental opportunities that exist within this leadership position.

Intermediate - SSMs understand how the experiences gained within their position develop
transferable skills.

Advanced - SSMs can articulate connections between skills they have gained in the position and
how they will apply these skills in future endeavors.
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FUNCTION OF A STAFF MEMBER
(Fall 2013 - Spring 2014)
The function of a student staff member is to work with the residents to facilitate and develop
an environment within the housing units, which will contribute to building community,
academic success, multicultural awareness, and personal growth. Staff members should
commit themselves to collaborate with their students to create their own norms and
maintain satisfactory interactions through personal contact.
Student Staff Members uphold and convey the philosophy of Georgia Tech, the Auxiliary
Services Division, and the Department of Housing. They serve as ambassadors and liaisons
between the students and the administration. Individuals selected as staff members must
acknowledge and accept the responsibility of being a role model both on and off campus.
Responsibilities:
1. Interpersonal Development
a. Provide daily and personal contact with the residents in their area.
b. Counsel residents on personal, social, and academic concerns and make
referrals for professional intervention when appropriate.
c. Facilitate, initiate, and implement resident learning opportunities.
d. Encourage residents to accept responsibility for their actions.
e. Disseminate information (flyers, housing announcements, Institute deadlines,
etc.) in a timely manner.
f. Serve as a positive academic role model.
2. Community Development
a. Demonstrate acceptance of diversity through promotion of diversity
programming, activities, and seminars.
b. Educate residents about the various possibilities for learning and involvement
within the Institute.
c. Work with residents to establish effectively run residence hall governments.
d. Actively participate in housing events.
e. Explain and enforce Institute policy by encouraging responsibility on the part of
all residents and holding them accountable for their actions by confronting
inappropriate behaviors.
f. Behave in ways that will not have a detrimental effect upon the Institute or any
members of the Institute community.
g. Conduct should be in conformity with the law and with Institute and Residence
Hall Policy. Behavior should reflect consciousness of the position as a positive
role model.
3. Staff Interaction and Administration
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a. Assist in general orientation to campus, room assignments and changes, room
inventories, roster verification, fire/life/safety inspections, and custodial and
maintenance records.
b. Perform "duty" on rotation with other staff members to provide coverage in the
communities when the community offices are closed, when applicable. This
applies to all staff.
c. Attend all housing related meetings and events including but not limited to staff
training, staff selection, room selection, staff class (first-term staff), staff in-service
sessions (returning staff), and other activities as assigned.
d. Develop and maintain a close and supportive working relationship with staff
members in his/her area including professional, maintenance, and
housekeeping staff.
e. Assist in the opening and closing of housing units each semester as well as
during vacation periods.
f. Specific and routine job responsibilities will be outlined periodically by the
Department of Residential Life. Occasionally, student staff members will be
asked to perform services for the Institute outside his/her direct residence hall
responsibility.
The Department of Housing offers many different types of staff positions with some slight
differences in responsibilities due to the types of students that live in the area and their
needs. Below you will find the differences outlined, grouped by position.
Peer Leader
The function of the Peer Leader (PL) position is to work with freshmen to facilitate and
develop a community environment within the housing units which will contribute to the
intellectual, social, and cultural growth of their freshmen which will result in increased
academic success and retention for Freshman Experience participants. In addition to the
staff responsibilities outlined above, a Peer Leader has the following additional
responsibilities:
Social Development
a. Support Freshman Activities Board (FAB) and Emerging Leaders (EL) by
encouraging event attendance.
b. Eat at least 5 meals per week with residents in the dining halls.
c. Organize programs and activities that foster the community development.
Resident Advisor
The Resident Advisor (RA) position is present in various areas of campus: Traditional/Suites,
Apartments and Graduate & Family Housing Area. A Resident Advisor in the Traditional/Suite
area may work with first-year, second-year, third-year, etc. students depending upon the
building to which they are assigned. The Apartments traditionally house upper classmen –
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third-year, fourth-year, and beyond. Additionally, there are three specialized housing options
for students, which require different skills and responsibilities of the student staff members.
In Graduate & Family Housing, Resident Advisors work primarily with single and married
graduate students and are responsible for both the graduate and family duty areas. They
also nurture the development of an authentic community where graduate students
collaborate to create their own norms and commit themselves to maintaining satisfactory
interactions through personal contact. Staff should recognize the talents and interests of
graduate students and encourage positive outlets for these talents and interests, while also
supporting residents’ adjustments to graduate school, the Institute, Atlanta, and the United
States. This should be accomplished within the broad institutional value parameters where
mutual respect for cultural differences, common goals, and aspirations can be realized.
ThinkBig Resident Advisor
In addition to the above duties, Resident Advisors of the ThinkBig Programs have the
responsibility to create an environment that challenges residents to participate in the
community in leadership roles as well encourage discussions that relate to current events,
culture, and the topic of the program. To facilitate this experience, these resident advisors
must be willing to sit on the various committees as determined by the faculty leader and Hall
Director. For I House, living outside the U.S. for 3 months is helpful. Interest in the program
topic is important for all ThinkBig RAs.
1. Interpersonal Development
a. Ability to support residents when cultural differences are discussed.
b. Help residents understand the impact of culture on who they are.
c. Challenge residents to think about International Experiences.
2. Community Development
a. Organize programs and activities.
b. Assist with weekly programs.
c. Coordinate events with faculty members.
d. Attend bi-weekly ThinkBig events.
e. Take attendance at events.
f. Submit a ThinkBig evaluation each semester.
g. Attend retreats and planning meetings.
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CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
(Fall 2013 – Spring 2014)
The following guidelines have been established to clarify Peer Leader (PL) and Resident
Advisor (RA) conditions of employment. These two roles are known as Student Staff Member
(SSM) positions in the Residence Life Unit of the Department of Housing. While the
administration of these conditions may vary, it is important to understand them in order to
successfully perform the responsibilities of the Student Staff positions. Failure to adhere to
these conditions will jeopardize potential Student Staff hiring and current Student Staff
employment status.
A. Eligibility to be hired
1. Applicant must have completed at least 1 year of college by start date.
2. Applicant must be in good standing with the Institute: academic, financial and
judicial.
3. Applicant must be enrolled as a student with a minimum of 6 credit hours or
registered for a recognized Co-Op, Internship or Externship.
4. Applicant must have 2.30 GPA (semester/cumulative).
5. Undergraduate Transfer student applicants are hired conditionally based on
his/her achievement at his/her previous institution. The applicant would have to
verify if he/she achieved a cumulative GPA of 2.30 (undergraduate) or 3.0
(graduate). If the student does not maintain these standards through his/her
semester at Georgia Tech, he/she will be asked to resign.
6. Graduate student applicants must have 3.0 GPA (semester/cumulative). 1st
year graduate students are hired conditionally based on his/her achievement at
his/her previous institute where he/she must have achieved a minimum of a 3.0
cumulative GPA. If the student does not maintain these standards through
his/her first semester at Georgia Tech, he/she will be asked to resign.
B.
Period of Employment and Time Commitment
1. Appointments are made for one academic year. The academic year is defined
as both Fall Semester to Spring Semester. An academic year appointment does
not dictate a summer appointment or an appointment for the following
academic year. A SSM offer may be rescinded or you may be dismissed
immediately if you accept any opportunity that prevents you from completing a
full academic year of employment; this includes but is not limited to the
following: study abroad (Fall or Spring), out of town Co-Op, LeaderShape, or
applying to graduate at the end of the Fall Semester.
2. A SSM’s principle non-academic activity is his/her position. Additionally,
extracurricular activities are not to conflict with the time needed to be available
and accessible to residents. Other time commitments (i.e., jobs, internships, CoOps, Greek organizations, athletics/intramural, student organizations, etc.) must
be discussed with and approved by his/her supervisor. This includes any time
commitments that he/she may have had prior to employment by the
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3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Department of Housing and any additional time commitments in the future. The
SSM may not assume or continue any paid responsibilities without approval from
the supervisor. Approval in these circumstances will be contingent on current
course load, job performance, and academic performance.
Student Staff Members must be available prior to, during and following Housing
Openings and Closings to complete check-in and check-out administrative
tasks.
As all residence halls are open during holiday breaks (Fall Break, Thanksgiving,
Winter Break, and Spring Break), Student Staff may be required to work during
break periods. Additional compensation will be provided. SSM must also be
available during semester breaks to complete administrative tasks and perform
―Duty‖. A SSM may be asked to work during a holiday break. All SSMs will not
work during a holiday break, but need to be available. Failure to comply with
the request will result in termination. The Department of Housing will inform the
SSM regarding mandatory return and departure dates. See "Commitment
Calendar".
First term employment requires attending a 15 week, for credit training class
involving homework.
The Student Staff positions require a minimum of 20 hours of work per week. Peak
work periods include the opening and closing of each semester, the Student
Staff Selection process, and the Room Selection process, all of which will require
additional hours.
A SSM must be given approval from the supervisor to be away from campus for
more than 24 hours.
All travel plans must be made in accordance to the Housing Opening/Closing
and Training schedule. It is expected that you are able to attend all openings,
closings, and training sessions. If your travel plans interfere with any of the above,
you may be dismissed.
C. Training and Staff Development
1. All Student Staff are expected to attend several training sessions and staff
development activities throughout the year. These include, but are not limited
to:
a. Spring Orientation (one weekend day).
b. Fall Training (a two week period prior to August opening).
c. 15-Week Training Seminar for credit (for all first term employees).
d. Periodic in-service sessions as arranged by the supervisor or other
Departmental Staff.
e. Weekly staff meetings and individual meetings with supervisor.
f. Hall Council meetings as outlined by supervisor.
g. Winter Training (two – three days prior to January opening).
2. Regardless of a SSM’s status as a returner or new hire, SSMs are required to
attend all staff training and development sessions. The training schedule is
arranged in a manner to avoid any interference with the official Institute
calendar. Failure to attend due to Co-op jobs, study abroad, or internship are
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not acceptable and will result in a change in the SSM’s employment status and
he/she may be dismissed immediately.
D. Staff Duty
1. All SSMs (Peer Leaders and Resident Advisors) will assume duty responsibilities on
a regular basis.
2. A SSM on duty must remain in his/her room when not on a duty round between
the hours of 8:00 PM and 8:00 AM. This SSM must also place Duty Cards in
appropriate places and perform duty rounds.
a. Staff perform two duty rounds per shift (includes placing your cards) on
week nights and four rounds on weekend shifts. More information about
duty will be provided during training and on an ongoing basis from the
supervisor.
3. While serving on duty, you will have access to building master keys. All staff must
follow the master key sign-out policy for their area. The keys for these buildings
should not remain in your possession for extended periods of time or be taken
out of the building or duty area (where applicable). The keys are not to be used
to gain personal access to a building or resident's room. Lost access keys
(minimum $250) and master keys (minimum $750) have monetary penalties
associated. Losing a master key may also result in termination.
4. Student Staff Members may be asked to provide additional coverage during
designated times such as severe weather, Homecoming, special emergencies
and athletic events.
E. Academic Expectations
The student staff positions within Residence Life are crucial to the success of the overall
community development program. One of the goals is to foster academic success for
all students including our student employees. Additionally, we ask our student staff to
serve as role models. In order to serve as good academic role-models, as well as insure
that you succeed in your own academic pursuits, a minimum semester and cumulative
Grade Point Average has been established for students to apply for and retain these
important roles.
1. Application, Interview, Hiring Action – To apply and interview, candidates must
be in good academic standing with the Institute. A minimum cumulative Grade
Point Average (GPA) of 2.30 is required to be selected for a student staff position
with the Residence Life unit of the Department of Housing. At any time, a
student may resign employment or decline an offer of employment if he/she
feels that the employment with Residence Life is negatively impacting his/her
academics.
2. Employment Offers / Rescinding Offers – An offer for the upcoming academic
semester/year (made at the end of the Fall, Spring or Summer Term) may be
rescinded if the student’s cumulative GPA falls below standards (undergraduate
2.3, graduate 3.0). No student staff can begin work in the unit if their cumulative
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GPA is below minimum cumulative GPA standards. There are no exceptions to
this standard for new hires; there may be some exceptions for rehires (those
already employed by Residence Life). Grades will be checked at the end of
the semester; if a current staff member’s cumulative or semester GPA is
adversely affected, their employment academic standing may change, and
could lead to he/she being asked to resign.
3. Grade Substitution – No student seeking or in need of a grade substitution will
continue to be considered a hirable candidate or eligible to begin work at a
start of a semester unless his/her cumulative GPA is above 2.30. Additionally, for
those students who meet the cumulative GPA requirement, they cannot retake
a class they hope to substitute a grade for in his/her first semester of
employment with Residence Life.
4. Cumulative GPA – All undergraduate student staff must maintain at least a 2.30
cumulative GPA each semester while employed by Residence Life. All graduate
student staff must maintain at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA. If a staff member fails
to do so, he or she must resign from their position. No student staff can begin
work in the unit if their cumulative GPA is below minimum cumulative GPA
standards.
5. Semester GPA – All student staff members must achieve a minimum 2.30
semester GPA for undergraduate students and 3.0 for graduate students to
remain in good academic standing. Any student staff member falling below this
standard will be placed on Housing Staff Academic Probation for one semester
(or two semesters in the event of a co-op or summer semester where classes are
not taken) to bring his or her semester GPA to the 2.30 or 3.0 minimum.
a. If a staff member is enrolled in 6 or less hours OR 2 or fewer classes and
received permission to do so from their supervisor during the semester such
as during the summer semester or for staff taking classes while co-oping or
interning the following will take place:
i. The grade(s) for the semester will be manually recalculated into the
previous semester’s GPA where student was fully registered. This will be
the basis for any academic status decision (i.e. academic standing for a
Fall staff member will be determined by the manual calculation of the
SSMs Spring and Summer semesters combined).
ii. If a staff member was placed on Academic Probation during the
previous semester (i.e. spring) for a term GPA less than 2.30 and during
the next term (i.e. summer) their GPA is also less than 2.30, there will be
not change in academic status (meaning they will remain on Academic
Probation until the end of the following semester, Fall) unless their summer
GPA causes their Institute Status to change.
b. No student staff member may be on Housing Staff Academic Probation two
consecutive terms (with the exception of a co-op or summer semester
where classes are not taken). If a student staff member fails to bring his or
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c.
her semester GPA to the 2.30 or 3.0 minimum after one semester of Housing
Staff Academic Probation, he or she must resign.
If a student staff member who previously was on Housing Staff Academic
Probation (but not in the previous semester) once again fails to achieve a
2.30 or 3.0 semester GPA, the Assistant Director for Staff and Community
Development (or a designee) and the supervisor, will determine if the
student staff member should be placed on Housing Staff Academic
Probation for one semester, or be asked to resign. In general, a student staff
member should not be placed on Housing Staff Academic Probation more
than one (1) time during his or her employment span with Residence Life.
6. Terms and Conditions for Housing Staff Academic Probation -If placed upon
Housing Staff Academic Probation:
a. The student staff member must not be employed in any other job with the
Department of Housing.
b. The student staff member must meet with their supervisor and/or
Coordinator of Academic Initiatives to outline a plan for success. The
conditions of this plan will vary for each student staff member, but the
components will be mandatory.
c. The student staff member is required to meet with his or her academic
advisor to alert this professional to the situation and access whatever
support programs his or her department or college may offer.
d. The supervisor, in conjunction with the Coordinator of Academic Initiatives,
will monitor the student staff member's compliance with the plan for
success and determine if the staff member has met his or her obligations to
it. If not, the staff member will resign his/her position.
e. In addition, a student staff member on housing academic probation, may
be required to attend a workshop or in-service as a required in-service. The
purpose of attending this workshop is to give the staff member an
opportunity to learn how to address the academic issue that he/she may
be facing. An appropriate workshop will be selected in conjunction with
the supervisor and staff member. An example of an acceptable workshop
is procrastination, time management, or exploring a major. Many of these
workshops may be offered by the Counseling Center.
7. Terms and Conditions for Housing Staff Termination (GPA based) –Any staff
member who has been released due to grade issues is eligible for rehire one
semester after their release date once they have met with and received
approval from the Assistant Director for Staff and Community Development (or a
designee). Student staff must have at least one semester GPA above standards
(undergraduate 2.30 or graduate 3.0). In addition, their cumulative GPA must be
above a 2.30 (undergraduate) or 3.0 (graduate). A student staff member may
only ―leave and return‖ once due to grade issues. He or she is not eligible for
summer semester employment.
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Schedule of re-hire for termination (GPA based):
Termination in Fall semester
Rehire the following Fall
Termination in Spring semester
Rehire the following Spring.
Student can participate in
SSM recruitment period in the
Fall to be considered as an
alternate SSM for Spring.
Termination in Summer term
Rehire following Spring.
(Reference section B item 1)
Student can participate in
SSM recruitment period in the
Fall to be considered as an
alternate SSM for Spring.
8. Notification of Change in Standing – Notification of academic status within the
Residence Life unit will come to each student staff member from their supervisor.
The supervisor will make this determination in consultation with the Coordinator
of Residential Academic Initiatives.
9. Appeals - Appeals concerning status will be made within 5 business days from
the date of the letter of notification. There is no appeal process for a student
staff member who has been terminated for falling below cumulative GPA
standards (undergraduate 2.30 or graduate 3.0). To appeal a status other than
termination, the appeal should be made to and reviewed by the Area Manager
of the appealing student staff members' area. The department decision in
response to the appeal will be made within 7 business days by the Area
Manager in consultation with the Assistant Director for the area and Coordinator
of Academic Initiatives. During the designated time frame to complete the
appeal process, the student staff member will operate in his/her normal staff
responsibilities. If a student staff member’s GPA remains below standards at the
end of the appeal process (12 business days total), the decision to place the
staff member on probation or terminate the staff member is final.
10. Rehiring staff released due to Grades - Any staff member who has been
released due to grade issues is eligible for rehire one semester after their release
date once they have met with and received approval from the Assistant
Director for Staff and Community Development (or a designee) and they have
had at least one semester GPA above the 2.30 or 3.0 or raised their cumulative
GPA above a 2.30 or 3.0 depending on why they were released. A student staff
member may only "leave and return" once due to grade issues.
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F.
Freshman Experience Meal Plan (for Peer Leaders)
Peer Leaders have a 75-block meal plan which gives them an average of five meals
per week per semester. The meal plan affords Peer Leaders a resource to engage
students in the ―Eating Together‖ component of the Freshman Experience. The staff
must abide by the policies of Dining Services for use of the meal plans and use of
the residential dining facilities.
1. FE Staff Meal Plan Policy
a. The FE staff meal plan does not carry meal period restrictions.
b. The FE staff meal plan is compensation for the Peer Leader position and a
tool to be used for building community.
c. The FE staff meal plan cannot be used by anyone other than the Staff
Member. The Staff Member may not bring a guest.
d. The FE Staff should use their Buzz Card in a residential dining hall with their
residents a minimum of five times per week.
e. The FE staff will be expected to regularly report to their Hall Director
concerning the ―Eating Together‖ component of the Freshman Experience.
f.
Staff may upgrade from the 75 block meal plan to the 10 or 14 meals per
week plan or the unlimited meal plan by adding the cash difference in the
meal plans.
G. Other Expectations of Employment
1. The SSM should not engage in activities that could result in a change to their
judicial standing (i.e. reprimand, warning, or probation) within Housing or the
Institute. If judicial standing changes due to an academic or nonacademic
violation, the Staff Member must report the change to their supervisor in a
reasonable time frame.
2. The SSM will be responsible for nurturing the development of a community where
students can achieve a sense of identity, be invested, have influence, and be
involved toward being independent members of their community.
3. The SSM must satisfactorily complete all requirements of his or her job description
and conditions as determined by the supervisor.
4. The SSM is expected to know and abide by all Institute Policies, Housing
regulations, and contractual regulations. Failure to do so may be grounds for
termination.
5. The SSM should recognize that his or her room also serves as an area for
confidential conversations with residents and other job related activities. In
deciding how his or her room will be used, The SSM should use sound judgment
in how that use will affect the perceptions of the community. In keeping with
departmental philosophy, we ask that Student Staff members not display posters
or materials which might be viewed as sexually, racially, or ethnically offensive,
or advertise unhealthy behaviors.
6. The SSM will be expected to provide programming for residents as outlined in
the individual staff programming models.
7. The SSM must be eligible to work in the United States.
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8. All SSMs must sign a housing contract.
H. Compensation Package
1. Peer Leader: Full rent, a stipend of $300/semester, and 75 block meal plan. There
are additional opportunities to earn pay for working break duty.
2. Resident Advisor (suites and traditional apartments): Full rent and stipend of
$407.00/semester. There are additional opportunities to earn pay for working
break duty.
3. Resident Advisor (family apartments): One bedroom apartment rent credit.
There are additional opportunities to earn pay for working break duty.
I.
Rooms and Roommates
1. SSMs in traditional buildings receive single rooms with the Department reserving
the option to assign temporary roommates in Traditional and Suite assignments.
Additional compensation will be provided when the situation occurs. The
amount of the compensation will be determined at that time by the Director of
Residence Life.
2. A SSM in suites and apartments may request a specific number of ―roommates‖.
The timeline, requirements, and process for such will be provided before the
Spring Room Selection process each February-March.
3. A SSM in suites and apartments must have all their roommates sign a roommate
contract, understanding that they live with a student staff member that may
require special requests of them, as well as following the Department of Housing
policies and procedures.
J. Room Assignment Availability after Resignation or Termination
Upon accepting a position offer, the new SSM commits to the Department of Housing to
do the following:



Role Model academic success, in accordance to the employee academic policy
and the student’s personal goals.
Perform all duties of the Student Staff position well.
Attend all Fall and Winter training sessions and In-Services.
In return, the Department of Housing and Residence Life commits to caring for, training
and developing the SSM, while providing a safe environment for him and her to live. This
"mutual agreement" allows both the student staff member and Residence Life to plan
ahead by semester. In the case of resignation or Residence Life will work to find oncampus housing for the former SSM but this is sometimes challenging based on
availability. The process is outlined more specifically below.
1. Resignation
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a. Resigned and signed up for housing through regular lottery process – If an
offer is rescinded or a SSM resigns before housing assignments are made,
and the SSM has followed all instructions in the housing assignment process,
but is placed on the waiting list, this SSM may be provided priority on the
wait list. This takes place after initial housing sign-up occurs. The SSM must
indicate to the Assistant Director for Staff and Community Development the
desire to be considered for a housing assignment. All housing deposits and
payment deadlines must be met.
b. Resigned after assignments are made – If an offer is rescinded or a SSM
resigns before housing assignments are made, the SSM will not receive an
automatic Housing Assignment. If the SSM desires to live on campus, he or
she must apply, pay the housing deposit, and adhere to all Institute
payment deadlines.
c. Resigned after Fall Training start date – If a SSM resigns after Fall Staff
Training begins and before the end of the academic year, he or she will
automatically receive an automatic Housing Assignment if there is space in
the Housing system. The SSM will be responsible for a prorated amount for
the rent. If he or she does not accept the newly assigned space and
decides to move to off-campus housing, a prorated penalty of one
semester of rent will be assigned to the student account for breaking the
Housing Contract.
2. Termination
a. Performance and/or GPA based – A SSM will not receive an automatic
Housing Assignment. If one desires to live on campus, he or she must make
application, pay the housing deposit, sign a housing contract, and adhere
to all Institute payment deadlines.
b. Failure to attend Fall Staff Training on the mandated date and time – The
SSM will be terminated and not automatically receive a Housing
Assignment. If the SSM desires to live on campus, he or she must make
application, pay the housing deposit, sign a housing contract, and adhere
to all Institute payment deadlines.
3. Termination and Eligibility for Rehire
a. Student Staff Members may be terminated at any time based on their job
performance, grades, financial standing with the Institute and any
changes to their judicial standings. These items are interrelated and are
not independent of each other.
b. The Department reserves the right to mandate a specific time period
before a SSM may re-apply for a Student Staff position following
resignation or termination. In addition, the student may be asked to go
through the full Selection Process, at the discretion of the Assistant Director
for Staff and Community Development.
i.
Resignation – If a SSM resigns from his or her position, he or she is
eligible for rehire if the minimum hiring requirements are met.
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ii.
Training Manual
Termination (Other than GPA; please refer to Section E item 7 for GPA
terms of termination) – He or she cannot reapply nor work in any SSM
position for one complete semester (not including summer) after
termination. He or she is not eligible for summer semester employment.
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2013 – 2014 Commitment Calendar
The purpose of this calendar is to help you plan for campus and department activities throughout your year on
staff. The Director of Residence Life may, at any point, require the residence life staff to handle other tasks
during campus activities that affect the residence halls or tasks that deal with emergency situations. It is strongly
advised that you check with your supervisor upon accepting your position and throughout your employment
before making all domestic and international flight reservations as all staff are required to attend all training
sessions and we are required to have duty coverage during breaks.
Date
Time
Commitment Affects
What
Sunday April 14th, 2013
2:00PM-6:00PM
New and Returning
Staff
Staff Orientation
Fri Aug. 2nd and Sat Aug. 3rd
By appt. with
HD
All Staff
Move-in to assignments – if available
Sunday August 4th
6:00PM
PLs and RAs
Must be moved in to assignment
Sun Aug. 4thth – Sun Aug. 18th
ALL DAY
All Staff
Training and opening period - Staff
need to be available during this
period
Campus
Classes Begin
Monday August 19th
Sat and Sun, Dec 14-15
8:00 AM–6:00
PM
All Halls
Closing
Sunday Dec 15th*
6:00 PM
Student Staff
Staff not on duty may leave for
break
6:00 PM
All Staff
Return from break
ALL DAY
All Staff
Spring Training- Staff must be
available during this period
Campus
Classes Begin
Thursday January 2nd, 2014
Fri, Sat, and Sun January
5th
3rd
-
Monday January 6th
Sat and Sun, May 3-4
8:00 AM-6:00
PM
All Halls
Closing
Monday May 5th*
5:00 PM
All Student Staff
Employment term ends with HD
approval to leave
The department is required to staff all occupied buildings so staff should not make plans to leave campus
during any time when the Institute is closed, and weekends, without permission from their supervisor. Each week
a staff member has certain requirements that they are expected to attend: a staff meeting on Monday
evenings between 7-11 pm, a weekly or bi/weekly meeting with their supervisor depending on the area and
each area has a Hall Council which will meet in the evenings from Sunday-Thursday which a supervisor may
require staff to attend.
*The earliest a staff member is eligible to leave at the end of a term is no earlier than 5pm on the Monday
following graduation and with their supervisor’s permission.
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STAFF DISCIPLINE INFORMATION
The purpose of this section is to inform you of the Department of Housing’s process for
handling student staff discipline issues. The Department of Housing has created this process
to be fair to our student staff members and to provide consistency across campus. The
following sections will explain the various types of disciplinary action and what is expected of
you and your supervisor in disciplinary situations. Additionally, the discipline process shows
the steps the department will follow when addressing staff issues. Lastly, the room assignment
section will provide you with an understanding of your housing status in the event that you
resign or are terminated (Please refer to section J of the Conditions of Employment, Room
Assignment Availability after Resignation or Termination).
Written Warning
Is letting you know what is expected and the consequences if sustained improvement does
not occur. Written warning will follow a conversation, not replace one.
Probation
Is letting you know that your performance is deficient enough to warrant possible
termination. Probation will follow a verbal warning and/or a written warning, but can be
implemented if the first offense is severe enough. Probation period will be specified in the
follow-up letter (a certain period of time or until a task is completed). A definite plan for
improvement will be developed if you are placed on probation.
Termination
Is letting you know your performance is not meeting departmental standards and you are
being relieved of your duties.
Student Staff Disciplinary Process
Performance Discrepancy / Minor Infraction
First incident occurs
 Direct Supervisor discusses situation with staff member
o Possible verbal warning
o Possible behavior contract
 Written documentation of incident (Formal letter sent to SSM and copy maintained
in SSM staff file)
Second Incident occurs
 Direct supervisor discusses situation
o Possible written warning
o Possible behavior contract
 Written documentation of incident (Formal letter sent to SSM and copy maintained
in SSM staff file)
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Third incident occurs
 Direct Supervisor discusses situation
o Possible probation
o Possible behavior contract
 Written documentation of incident (Formal letter sent to SSM and copy maintained
in SSM staff file)
Fourth incident occurs
 Direct Supervisor discusses situation
o Termination likely
 Written documentation of incident (Formal letter sent to SSM and copy maintained
in SSM staff file)
If terminated,
 Appeal to Area Manager (appeal must be made in writing within 2 business days)
 Decision of Area Manager (Formal letter sent to SSM and copy maintained in SSM
staff file)
If termination is upheld,
 Final Appeal to Assistant Director
 Final Decision of Assistant Director (Formal letter sent to SSM and copy maintained
in SSM staff file)
Major Infraction / Gross Misconduct
 Occurrence of Major Infraction
 Fact-finding by Hall Director
o Possible interim job suspension
o Possible interim relocation (includes having staff member live off-campus)
 HD or meets with staff member
 HD makes decision regarding staff member’s status
o Possible termination
o Possible probation
o Possible behavior contract
 Written documentation of incident (Formal letter sent to SSM and copy maintained
in SSM staff file)
If termination is decided,
 Appeal to Area Manager (appeal must be submitted in writing within 2 business
days)
 Decision of Area Manager Formal letter sent to SSM and copy maintained in SSM
staff file)
If termination is upheld,
 Appeal to the Assistant Director (appeal must be submitted in writing within 2
business days)
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 Final decision given by Assistant Director Formal letter sent to SSM and copy
maintained in SSM staff file)
Gross Misconduct is defined as any behavior that places the safety or security of students,
staff, or the Institute at risk. Gross Misconduct can also include failure to follow defined and
outlined procedures, particularly if intentional negligence was demonstrated.
A Major Offense is defined as any policy violation that would warrant disciplinary probation
or contract termination of a non-staff member resident or creates a breakdown in our
emergency duty system.
Examples of Gross Misconduct and/or Major Offenses include, but are not limited to:
 Selling /using / possession of drugs or drug paraphernalia
 Underage consumption or possession of alcohol
 Giving or selling alcohol to residents, particularly residents under the age of 21
 Assault and battery (or attempted battery) / Fighting / Physical intervention into a fight
/ Inappropriate touching or holding a resident
 Possession, use, or threat of use of weapons (including use or threat of use of items not
typically considered weapons, but presented in such a manner as to cause harm)
 Sexual assault / rape / attempted rape / abuse
 Arson or misuse of fire safety equipment
 Theft
 Fraud / misrepresenting self or institute
 Harassment (verbal or physical)
 Misuse of keys
 Loss of master key
If a staff member commits a violation of the Georgia Tech Code of Student Conduct or
Housing Policies (as listed in Technically Speaking), the staff member may be subject to both
staffing disciplinary processes and student judicial processes.
All Staff are required to attend staff training and in-services. Failure to do so may lead to
termination.
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CAMPUS PHONE LIST
Access Disabled Assistance Program for Tech Students (ADAPTS)
Admissions Office
Athletic Association
Athletic Ticket Office
Bookstore
Bursar’s Office
Buzz Card
Campus Information
Campus Recreation Center (CRC)
Capital Planning and Space Management
Career Services
Counseling Center
Dean of Students Office
Dining Services
Division of Professional Practices (Co-Op & Internships)
Central Housing Office
East Community Housing Office (ECHO)
Financial Aid & Scholarships
Freshman Experience (FREX)
Graduate & Family Housing Area Office
GTCN
GT Police/Emergencies
GT Post Office
Health Center
Maintenance Request for Housing
North Avenue Housing Office (NANO)
Lost & Found
Office of Information Technology (Computer Support)
Office of Minority Education & Development (OMED)
Parking
Residence Hall Association (RHA)
RESNET
SPAARC (Academic Advisory)
Stingerette/Stinger
Student Center Program Areas
Student Government Association (SGA)
Student Organizations Resource Center
Success Programs
Technique
Vending Services (Laundry and Food/Beverage)
Wellness Center
West Community Housing Office (WCHO)
Women’s Resource Center
4-2563
4-4154
4-5400
4-5447
4-2515
4-4618
4-2899
4-2000
4-3910
4-3563
4-2550
4-2575
4-6367
4-2383
4-3320
4-2470
4-3045
4-4160
5-3739
4-2687
4-0309
4-2500
4-8590
4-1420
4-0520
5-3226
4-9960
4-7173
4-3959
4-9645
4-9088
4-0044
4-7520
4-9649
4-2805
4-2814
4-3458
4-1945
4-2830
4-2788
4-9980
4-3372
5-0230
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HOUSING STAFF ETHICS
Throughout your time on staff you will face many ethical decisions. This section on
professional ethics offers some guidelines and suggestions as you seek the best choices for
your residents and yourself. In your actions, you should always have the following ethical
principles in mind.
1. Respect confidentiality. Much of the information you receive will be of a confidential
nature. The axiom "on a need to know basis" should be your guide in making judgments
about discussing confidential information with other staff members. Never discuss a
student with, or in front of, another student. Choosing an appropriate setting for any such
discussion is vital. Beware that "Public" areas can allow for overheard conversations.
2. A staff position is not synonymous with staff privileges. Know and adhere to all Institute
and Housing policies. Never misuse the privileges you are afforded as a staff member.
3. Be available. The success of any Housing staff member is directly related to his/her
availability to students. While your own academic work will necessitate your periodic
absence from the building, you serve your residents best by being in your housing area as
much as possible.
4. Maintain consistency and respect. Be careful of your personal relationships with staff and
students. Do not place yourself in the position where a staff member or a student will
have cause to distrust you or accuse you of biased actions. Develop a judicious style and
educational consequences which value residents as citizens. Management by whim can
lead to embarrassment, alienation, and behavior problems. Staff members who seek to
understand individual difference among residents and balance these differences with
the welfare of the majority will enjoy a relationship of mutual respect with their residents.
5. Encourage and model an eagerness for helping and advising others and receiving help
and advice in return. The Housing program will depend upon the cooperative efforts
and teamwork of all staff members. If you do not know the answer to a question or
problem, take time to find out what the answer or solution is. Do not be afraid to seek out
help or support for yourself. Discuss your suggestions and complaints with your immediate
supervisor. Provide channels for student complaints. Staff who are listening and learning
from their residents and colleagues will experience many rewards.
6. At all times on and off campus you are a member of the Department of Housing staff.
Your personal conduct should be a credit to yourself as well as other staff and an
example to students.
7. As employees and members of the Institute community, Housing staff has a duty to abide
by Institute policies and to always engage in conduct worthy of respect. Use of illegal
drugs or use of intoxicating substances, in a manner which compromises the ability to
satisfactorily perform job responsibilities will subject the staff member to progressive
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disciplinary action, possibly resulting in termination.
8. Enjoy your position and be proud you are in a position to help others. Staff must have
confidence that their skills and abilities will make a difference in the attitude of any
resident.
Ethical Leadership and Management
Perhaps one of the most difficult roles as student staff is blending that of community member
and policy enforcer. In these situations, your skills as a leader are key to the success of your
community. For our purposes, consider these four influences for your success as a leader:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Interpersonal Skills
Position and power inherent in your position as a leader
Characteristics and attitudes of student staff and how they interact with one another
The situations one must handle
Every leader experiences different strengths and weaknesses in every situation. In your role,
as you encounter a scenario, consider what attributes you should rely on to find a resolution.
Interpersonal Skill
Interpersonal skill refers to a leader’s ability to relate to others in their group. This will vary from
person to person and group to group. Throughout working with different individuals and
organizations, leaders should seek to improve their interpersonal skills. While many perceive
this as extra social work, the development of good relationships is essential to the
foundations of a good working situation.
Position and Power
Every leader has five basic methods of exerting power in a situation. As you work towards
resolution, consider what types of power will be most comfortable for you and most effective
in a given situation.
1. Referent Power: You can influence others because of your behavior as a person. Others
look to you as a role model and value you as a leader because of their individual
interactions with you.
2. Legitimate Power: You influence others because of the authority of your position, given to
you by the Institute. You are empowered to make certain decisions because of the position
you and the Department of Housing hold, and residents' behavior is affected as a result.
3. Expert Power: You influence others because of your knowledge and skill.
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4. Reward Power: Generally, approval, support and encouragement are "rewards" you
have to offer. You influence behavior by reinforcing that behavior through rewards,
although this type of power is limited in a residence hall setting.
5. Coercive Power: You influence others because of their "fear" of what
consequence you could impose for inappropriate behavior, such referral to a judicial board.
Characteristics and Attitudes
A third variable in effective leadership is the group to which you are assigned. You must
quickly get to know your residents in order to be an effective leader. This means knowing
not only the collective characteristics and attitudes of your group members but how they
interact with one another. Most student leaders have a very high priority for getting to know
individuals on their floors, but they seldom look at their floors as a group of individuals with
collective characteristics and dynamics.
How do you learn more about the dynamics of your section, besides getting to know all the
individuals who live there? First, you must be committed to such a quest and get it done
very early at the beginning of each semester. To assist you in doing this it is important that
you look at the following variables that will determine the characteristics and attitudes of
your section:
1. Demographic Variables: Age, race, sex, class standing, declared major, desired career,
type of hometown, prior non-educational experiences, parents' occupation, etc.
2. Personal Variables: Reasons for attending college and selecting a career or major;
hobbies, cultural, recreational and intellectual interests.
3. Residential Variables: Reasons for living on campus; interests in and preference for
section activities, expectations of the floor, the student leaders in your section, the student
leaders’ role, roommate relationship, and tolerance for noise.
Knowing the characteristics of your section will be very helpful to you and give you new
insights into what you are dealing with, but it is only half the story. How your students in your
section interact with one another is the other half. Consider the following questions:
1. What are your floor's sub-groups? Rarely is a residence hall unit so small or so
homogeneous that no sub-groups form. Sometimes sub-groups are determined based on
friendships, needs, or interests. They may form based on shared antipathy to other
subgroups. Sometimes the floor's physical structure creates subgroups (suites, end of hallways, proximity to lounge, etc.) Subgroups may change within the section in reaction to
new tasks, needs or interests, and friendship patterns.
2. What is the floor's general tone or atmosphere? "My area is really tight." "The people in
my area are pretty much isolated." The atmosphere of the area refers to the degrees of
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informality, freedom and cohesion that exist among members.
3. What are the floor's communication patterns? Student leaders must know who talks to
whom, what they say and what is the effect upon the total group. Every student leader
knows that in an area there are key people in the communication patterns who usually
know that is going on. These people become important in getting the word out as well as
listening to what is happening. This variable also includes the floor's skill in communicating
with one another such as clarity of expression, listening skills, and assertiveness.
4. What is the floor's power and influence structure? The ways in which area members
influence one another and the major "influences" are very important. If you want to
influence what is happening in the area, who would the key people be to enlist in your
effort? Sometimes there are informal leaders with influence because of their status,
expertise, or personality.
5. What are the floor's norms and values? Every group develops rules by which members
live. If you want to get yourself in trouble with your area, how would you do it? In a studyoriented area, making a lot of noise might be one way.
6. How does the area deal with its problems and conflicts? Every residence hall unit
develops problems/conflicts among members simply because they live together.
Sometimes floors ignore a problem and at other times they may overreact. Sometimes
they deal with conflict successfully and sometimes conflicts remain unresolved.
These are questions that you should continually ask yourself as the dynamics of your area
emerge and change over time. If you know your area’s collective characteristics, attitudes
and dynamics, you probably will be well on the way to really knowing the area and having a
basis for providing effective leadership. Additionally, this information will also help you to be
effective in providing opportunities for residents to get to know one another.
Situations
To provide effective leadership, you must also make an accurate assessment of the times
when you will provide that leadership. The problem here is that there is rarely consistency or
predictability in situations with which you handle. You have to be prepared to deal with
anything. You will need to ask yourself some questions before you make a decision about
what type of leadership is required in a situation:
1.
Do I have all the facts I need?
2.
Do I fully understand all sides of the situation?
3.
Do others confirm my understanding of the situation?
4.
Have I faced similar situations in the past, and what did I learn?
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5.
Who are the people involved in the situation?
6.
What is my best prediction about the situation's outcome?
It is important to know and understand the situation you are facing because you could
mishandle it by failing to comprehend exactly what is happening.
Behaviors to Avoid in Ethical Leadership
The actions below are easy to slip into doing on a regular basis. Be aware of your behavior
and your language at all times and avoid the behaviors below. Consistent respect and
ethical treatment will impact the community on your section tremendously.
1.
Never demean a resident or group of residents. It will always have the effect of
diminishing a resident's confidence and self esteem. Sarcasm or the flaunting of
power always hurts residents and will be the beginning of an adversarial relationship.
You will never be able to fully regain a resident's confidence or respect if you demean
them.
2.
Never summarily dismiss residents or send them away. Ask them if they would like to
talk about the problem. You may view the problem differently after talking with a
resident. The message you will send will be one of concern and willingness to help. If
you are busy at the time, be sure to give them another resource or schedule a time to
meet.
3.
Never compare residents. People need to feel important and know that they are
valued. Better yet residents don’t want to be judged at all.
4.
Never demand respect. Give it to your residents. By giving respect you will receive it.
5.
Never be dishonest with residents. If you say you will do something, try your best to
follow through. Do not fear apology - it is an indication to residents that you are an
honest person.
6.
Never accuse residents of not trying or ask residents to try harder. Help them try
again or suggest another way. Statements that are accusations will diminish your
relationship with the resident. Accept residents' efforts as genuine while communicating faith in their ability to learn other ways.
7.
Never get into a power struggle. Make an effort to let residents know that you are on
their side or that both groups make good points.
8.
Never flaunt the fact that you are an authority figure. Residents usually know when
they have made a mistake and don't need an authority figure to preach to them.
They need good advice and someone to help them recover.
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9.
Never become defensive or lose control of your feelings. Remarks made during
emotional anxiety usually cause frustration and embarrassment for residents. If you do
lose control, back off and apologize immediately.
10.
Never use fear and intimidation to control residents. This works only in the short run.
Bitter feelings may develop and residents may try to get back at you for hurting them.
11.
Never punish the group for the behavior of one of its members. More often than not,
the resident may enjoy the group punishment, and innocent residents will only blame
you for punishing them.
12.
Never act too quickly. Try to learn as much about the problem and the resident as
you can before making a hasty decision.
13.
Never say "you will thank me someday." This will have little effect on the resident.
Making residence hall living inviting to all residents and working together to solve
problems now will avoid future problems. You should work to be thanked every day
instead of some day in the future.
14.
Never think that being consistent means treating all residents alike. Consistency
means being able to identify individual differences among residents and providing the
skills needed to help all residents achieve success.
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ROOMMATE SUCCESS
Nearly all of the students who come to Tech have private rooms at home. Those who do
share a room with a sibling are in spaces larger than most of our double rooms. Add to this
formula that most students have never lived away from home, lived with a stranger or coped
with the stress of a Georgia Tech curriculum, and the atmosphere for problems is apparent.
We overcome this through by deliberate discussions about the basic fundamentals of social
beings (i.e. asking permission, respecting the wishes of others, and sharing).
Some of the goals of sharing a room are to create an atmosphere where all residents’
personal and academic needs can be met, and it is always nice if a friendship can develop
as well! Keep in mind that all your roommates are not alike. They will need to adjust and
compromise.
Roommate Contracts
Roommate contracts may be utilized by student staff members to help facilitate community
living. This can be done at the start of the academic year or anytime throughout the year. All
roommates will discuss and come to an agreement on the contract. The terms of the
contract must be honored. A violation of the contract may result in judicial action.
Common types of roommate conflicts
Over time, Residence Life has learned to anticipate the basic pattern of roommate
conflicts. Most can be summarized in six categories: use of space in room, presence or
behavior of guests, noise, sharing of personal property, differing or changing
expectations of the roommate relationship, and values differences.
Housing's policy on room changes
Because we start the beginning of the year at 100% occupancy, we simply have no
space into which a student can be easily moved for a roommate conflict. We need to
be prepared to help mediate a conflict and to work with all parties.
Roommate Conflict Mediation
Do:
 Take a leadership role in the mediation, but keep in mind not to dictate what needs to
happen.
 Keep the participants focused on the current concerns.
 Encourage the participants to talk to each other, not about each other.
 Keep eye contact with all participants, and stay on the same level.
 Stay neutral.
 Encourage the participants to come to a mutual consensus.
 Ask open questions and facilitate the conversation when needed.
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 Use the roommate contract. If it has already been used, revisit it and revise if
necessary.
 Feel free to consult with your HD if necessary.
Don’t:
 Don’t make judgmental statements. (―You were wrong.‖ or ―I think that’s reasonable,
don’t you?‖)
 Don’t provide a solution. Let the residents come up with one themselves.
 Don’t get emotionally involved.
 Don’t stress out. This is their problem to come to a consensus on their issues. Your
responsibility is to help them through the process . . . not to ―fix‖ anything. There are
many other people around you to use as resources.
Conducting Successful Mediations
Mediation is the process of bringing two or more conflicting parties together with a neutral
third party in order to resolve their conflict. In the mediation process, the conflicting parties
are responsible for generating solutions to their situation that will work for them, both in the
short term and the long term. Your role in roommate mediations is to guide and direct the
conversation so that solutions are generated that both parties can live with for the
remainder of the semester/year.
The following are the stages you should move through to conduct successful mediations:
Setting the Stage
This stage includes preparing for the mediation. Make sure you clear your head of your own
concerns and tasks so that you will be in the right frame of mind to actively listen to the
participant. You should be thinking of the following things:
 Where will the participants sit? The most useful seating arrangement is for one party to
sit across a table from the other party, with you as the mediator sitting at the head of
the table so that maximum eye contact is possible between everyone present.
 Will the participants need something to write on/with? You should provide each
participant with paper and writing utensils.
 How will I start the mediation? Plan out how you will greet the participants and who
you will ask to begin speaking during the mediation.
Setting the stage includes the very beginning of the mediation. You will lead the participants
to their seats and thank them for participating in the mediation. Next, you will introduce
yourself and explain your role. Be sure to include the following things:
 You are a neutral third party.
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 Your role is to help them generate solutions that leave everyone satisfied.
 You are not a judge or jury.
 You will take notes, but you will destroy them after the session. Invite them to take
notes. Explain that they will need to leave their notes with you.
 Explain how much time you have allotted for the session. You can schedule mediation
if you do not get through everything during the first session.
 Explain the remaining steps in the process. (see following pages)
 Set ground rules:
1) You reserve the right to end the mediation if it is not effective.
2) No placing the blame or name calling.
3) No interruptions. Everyone will have time to speak.
Uninterrupted Time
During this stage of the mediation, you will ask participants to explain the events that led
them to the mediation session. You may want to ask the person who initially came to you
with a problem. If you have a roommate situation where two or three roommates are
having a problem with one of their roommates, you may want to start with the ―accused‖
roommate in order to help ease their feelings of being attacked.
During uninterrupted time, ask all other roommate to take notes on what the speaker is
saying so that they can effectively respond during their portion of the uninterrupted time.
After the first speaker is done, try to sum up the main concerns that they spoke about. Then,
move on to the other roommate(s). Listen and take notes and reflect their main concern
back to them. You may need to check back with the first speaker in case they would like to
comment on a concern that the other roommate(s) expressed.
The Exchange
This is often the trickiest part of the mediation. The participants will need to talk directly to
each other about their concerns and respond to the other person’s concerns. Begin this
stage of the mediation by encouraging participants to refrain from using ―blaming‖
language. For example, Mary might say that, ―June’s loud music shows her complete lack of
responsibility.‖ Instead, encourage Mary to state her concern by telling June how her
behavior affects her daily activities or how the behavior makes Mary feel. The purpose of this
section is to encourage productive communication between the two parties. If positive
confrontation can be achieved in the mediation session, it is likely that the roommates will
use the skills they learn in future conflicts.
Your responsibility during this part of the mediation is to listen for common ground. Look for
areas where both parties agree that change must occur. You can also point out areas
where the two parties agree on solutions. You may also ask, if appropriate, that the
roommates put themselves in each others’ shoes for a moment. Often when people have
the opportunity to see the situation for the other side, they begin to have some compassion
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for the other person. At the end of the exchange, you should reflect areas of agreement to
both parties, as they may have been so wrapped up in justifying their side of the events that
they have not realized that common ground exists.
Generating Potential Solutions
The object of this stage is brainstorming. Allow the parties to brainstorm any solutions that
they think would resolve their situation. Do not discount any ideas unless they conflict with
Housing policies or are illegal. Remember, you do not have to live with their contract—they
do. Make sure they generate solutions for everyone concerned. Write down all possible
solutions. Allow them to be creative and give them the freedom of not having to worry
about writing anything down.
Writing the Contract
The final stage of a roommate mediation could is typically a written contract. Use the list of
possible solutions to determine what will work. Make sure all roommates get something out
of the contract. Make sure it is fair and does not require one person to make all of the
changes. Above all, be specific. Do not allow roommates to simply say they will rotate the
trash disposal. Help them make a schedule, including the schedule in the contract. State
when the responsibility begins and ends (usually the end of the year). If they agree not to
play loud music after 2:00pm, help them to define what ―loud‖ is, since people have many
different feelings about what loud music is. Include a clause that states all roommates agree
to revisit the contract with the help of the mediator if they realize the solutions are not
realistic.
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CRISIS MANAGEMENT
There will be times when you will need to assist students who are having personal problems.
These problems may result in the student experiencing depression, anxiety, grief, frustration or
a sense of helplessness. Usually such feelings are generated by personal issues and/or
interpersonal conflicts which the student is not prepared to manage. Some students may
seek help; others may attract attention by engaging in some form of reactive behavior.
Most students typically deal with these situations by talking with a friend, letting off steam or
thinking through the problem. When the problem is solved, the feelings and extreme actions
generated by the situation may dissipate. If not, personal counseling may be needed.
Always remember to discuss these situations with your Hall Director. (also, see protocol for
more information)
Guidelines
The following are guidelines that you should consider in helping a student to manage a crisis:

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



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LISTEN TO THE PERSON. Make sure to use reflective listening, so that you can get an
idea about the situation. It will help the person and it will help you decide what should
be done.
DECIDE IF THE PERSON IS IN CRISIS. Ask questions to gather as much information as is
appropriate for the situation. Based on what you have heard, decide if this is a
situational, temporary crisis or a serious crisis.
TAKE THE PERSON SERIOUSLY. Nothing is more likely to drive a person in crisis "off the
deep end" then sensing that a staff member does not think the problem is serious. No
matter how trivial or unimportant the problem may seem to you, it is extremely
important to the person who is trying to solve it. It is essential that you take the
problem seriously.
KEEP CALM. Even if what the student is telling you or doing scares you, stay calm.
What the person needs is an active listener. It may not be easy. (Remember: The
person has come to you. You are in charge, have a better knowledge base about
resources available to help resolve the problem, and are in a better emotional state
than the student who has come to you.)
STAY WITH THE PERSON. Your physical presence and willingness to stay with the person
will have a powerful impact. Call for additional support if necessary and have the
support person contact the professional staff on duty if necessary.
GET HELP. The person may require psychological and/or medical assistance. Contact
your Hall Director, who may want to contact the counselor "on call". If there is a
medical emergency, contact Health Center and/or GTPD, if necessary.
AVOID INTERPRETATION. You are not qualified to provide psychotherapy or to help
solve the causes of the crisis. "Psychoanalyzing" is likely to do more harm than good as
well as escalate the person's extreme emotional state.
ENCOURAGE VENTING OF FEELINGS. Emotional catharsis may be very important for a
person in crisis. Crying, shouting, talking, harmless release of anger (such as punching
a pillow) and other cathartic behaviors may help the immediate crisis pass and allow
time for help to arrive.
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
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AVOID ARGUING. It will simply rouse anger and defensiveness.
FOLLOW-UP. Once a person in crisis has received the help needed in the immediate
crisis, it is very important for you to follow up. Your job does not end with a referral to a
counselor; it is your duty to follow up and provide wellness checks as needed. In all
cases, inform your Hall Director of the nature of the problem.
The most important skill to develop is to be able to assess when you are dealing with a crisis
situation and how to handle it in both the short and long run. You must use your basic
interpersonal skills, but also be aware that other actions must be taken if the person in crisis is
to find healthy resolutions to that crisis. Failure to handle these situations properly may
literally result in life-or-death consequences for the person, so you need to be prepared to
handle them even though they may occur infrequently.
Remember: It is NOT Confidential! You are required to let your Hall Director know if there is
a crisis with a resident. So, it is very important not to promise that you will not tell. Your
concern for a resident that appears to be depressed or is failing several of his or her classes
or concern for another staff member must be shared with your supervisor.
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DUTY
Staff are never off duty, in the sense that they are never free from their responsibility as a
leader/helper or role model. Just because an SSM is not on call does not mean s/he does
not need to respond approximately. Residence Life Professional Staff Members may require
additional staffing on certain active duty weekends, such as Openings, Homecoming,
Closing, and certain Home Football Games.
In order to ensure adequate service to residents, one staff member per building (or
combination of buildings) is designated as the duty person for each day the residence halls
are open to residents. It is this individual’s responsibility to be available to all residents within
the community by following these guidelines:
Active Duty Period
Weekdays (Sunday-Thursday): 7:00PM until 8:00AM
Weekends (Friday-Sunday): 7:00PM–7:00PM
Procedures
Prior to the beginning of the duty period, pick up the duty bag, test and turn on pager and
cell phone by 7 PM. Place your duty cards in the card holders on all perimeter doors and the
door of each staff member and complete a duty round by 8 PM.
Tour the area (complete rounds) at least two times during the evening. Monday through
Friday, these rounds should take place from 7:00PM–8:00PM and 11:00PM– 12:00AM. On
weekends, four rounds should be made from 7:00PM–8:00PM, 11:00PM– 12:00AM, 10:00AM–
11:00AM, and 3:00PM–4:00PM. Complete each of the following while on rounds:
 Place a note on your room indicating where you are whenever you leave your
room (i.e., if beginning your rounds write ―on rounds‖ on a note posted on your
door).
 Make sure that your duty cards are in card holders.
 Check each common area bathroom for problems. Make sure there is an
adequate supply of toilet paper and paper towels.
 In traditional halls, check each bathroom for problems. Make sure there is an
adequate supply of toilet paper and paper towels.
 Walk each stairwell, observing the conditions of the surfaces. If there are slippery
spots, take the necessary action to correct the problem.
 Check vending areas for obvious vandalism or machine malfunction.
 Note the condition and presence of fire/safety equipment. Check the level
gauges of fire extinguishers.
 Check for damages in common areas (bathrooms, lounges, parking lots,
kitchens, and stairwells, vending areas, etc.).
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 Observe and make note of general cleanliness of buildings.
 Walk into each lounge and make note of any problems, damages, and
cleanliness. Check lounge to see that all furniture is there and in its proper place.
Resolve behavioral problems in the lounges on the spot, if possible.
 Monitor behavioral problems and take appropriate action.
 Check all outer doors, bulletin boards, etc., for illegal or improperly placed
notices. Remove any notices you find and turn them into your supervisor.
 Check all exterior lights around your building(s) and report any that are not
working immediately through a work order/maintenance request.
 Report all of the above information on the Duty Report form and submit it in the
following day – when you turn in the duty bag in to the community office.
 Complete an on-line maintenance request for any non-emergency
custodial/maintenance issues.
 This list is not exhaustive and your Hall Director should provide you with tasks that
are specific to your duty area.
Duty Regulations
You may not leave the duty area while on duty. Study groups or review sessions should be
coordinated well in advance of your duty nights and should not be a hindrance to your duty
responsibilities. These academic sessions are not reasons to miss or to be late for duty.
No one may ―hold‖ the pager for you, not even for a few minutes. There is no staff swapping
of duty responsibilities during a duty shift. Duty switches with another staff member must be
approved by supervisors at least 24 hours in advance (at minimum) the switch occurs. Only
on weekends, may you leave the duty area for 45 minutes for a meal in the dining hall
closest to your duty area. If you do not have a meal plan, plan ahead to use your kitchen or
order your meals in. You must wear your staff shirt when on duty. If you are on a 24 hour
duty shift which is followed by another 24 hour duty shift, you must physically hand the duty
bag to the next duty staff member. If you need assistance with any duty problems/issues,
please contact the professional staff on duty immediately.
Student Staff Duty Protocol
Most duty calls and situations student staff will have to work with will fall into 8 categories.
Please find the problem/situation on the grid and go to the scene if that is a requirement to
collect information (who, what, when, where, how, why) and make contact with whom you
need to for the duty system to be activated.
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As a reminder, you can contact the HD on duty anytime to ask questions or get assistance.
East Campus HD
404-533-7197 (pager)
404-483-6891 (cell phone)
West Campus HD
404-650-4640 (pager)
404-697-4041 (cell phone)
Cloudman, Howell, & Harrison
Armstrong & Hefner
Fourth Street E, Goldin, Stein, Hayes & Field
Caldwell & Folk
Glenn
CSA
Matheson, Hanson & Perry
Fulmer & Woodruff North/South
North Avenue East
Eighth Street Apartments East & Crecine
North Avenue North
Eight Street Apartments South/West
North Avenue South/West
Maulding & Sixth Street Apartments
Smith, Brown, & Harris
Undergraduate Living Center (ULC)
Hopkins & Field
Tenth And Home & GLC
Towers
Please be aware that sometimes you as the staff member, will be the first line of contact. In
all circumstances, the basic steps are:
1. Once a situation has been identified and located on the grid, gather the who, what,
when, where, how, and why either over the phone or by going to the grid.
2. Contact the first person you are supposed to contact and answer their questions.
3. Follow instructions.
4. Complete proper paperwork by 8:00AM.
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2013-2014 Student Staff Duty Grid
The student staff duty grid is a quick reference guide outlining the steps to follow when
receiving a duty call. The first column contains information about problem or situation a
Student Staff Member (SSM) may receive a duty call about and is referenced by categories.
The status column designation will help you readily determine how to set priorities in
managing the problem or situation. The grid status column is composed of three priority
levels; routine, urgent and *emergency.
Routine: Are incidents that can wait a few days to get resolved as needed. They typically
occur frequently and don’t pose an immediate threat to a person or property.
Urgent: Are incidents that need to get handle the same day or immediately the next
morning and take priority over routine incidents. An urgent designation is assessed to a
problem and/ or situation that may pose a threat to a person or property if it is not handled
quickly.
Emergency: Are incidents that need to be handled immediately and appropriate staff
members need to be contacted on the spot. Any problem or situation that is deemed an
emergency poses an immediate threat to a person and could result in large scale damage
or destruction of property. This type of problem or situation must be assessed quickly and
given highest priority. If you receive an emergency duty call or upon assessment of the
scene and determine that it is an emergency situation you must call both the GTPD and Hall
Director on duty immediately.
The following guide explains the 6 problem/situation categories if you need more
clarification:
Alcohol/Drugs
Alcohol/Drugs issues are a more specific policy violation. You should always go to the scene
when you are called in reference to an alcohol or drug situation. You will need to assess the
situation and determine whom to contact whether that is the GTPD or the HD on duty. If you
suspect that the student is intoxicated, call the HD on duty so that she/he can assess that. Do
not make that decision on your own. If a student is unresponsive, you should call GTPD
immediately, followed by a secondary call to the HD on duty. It is better to err on the side of
caution in these situations. If a student has consumed alcohol, his/her blood alcohol content
could still be rising, thereby putting the student in increased risk if the situation is ignored. In
any case where alcohol is present in a resident’s assignment, the HD on duty should be
notified immediately to be made aware of the situation and to give you further instructions.
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If you suspect drug use is taking place in a student’s assignment, it is imperative that you do
not confront the situation on your own. You should contact GTPD immediately, followed by
a secondary call to the HD on duty to inform him/her of the situation and receive further
instructions. Allow GTPD to confront the situation while you take a secondary role. Be sure to
take as many detailed notes as possible in order to complete your report.
Do not hesitate to ask other staff members to back you up, or to contact the HD on duty to
offer support. Also, please make sure that you do not put yourself in any danger while
responding to a situation. If anything puts you at risk for harm, immediately call the GTPD and
then the HD to report what is happening.
You will need to write an Interaction RIF for this situation.
Duty System Problem
When the duty system breaks down in some way (i.e. someone doesn’t answer his/her cell
phone, the pagers stop working, cell phones stop working, etc.) it is important to alert those
responsible for duty and also get information out to residents about temporary ways to
contact duty staff. Use land line phones if other types of phones are not working. Contact
the HD on duty using all numbers listed. If you cannot reach the HD on duty, call your own
supervisor or other Residence Life Staff to get assistance.
Health and Safety
Health and Safety situations will vary from a fluid being spilled on a stairwell to a student
being injured and in need of immediate transport to a health care facility. As you are
heading to the scene, do your best to gather other staff members to assist you, if you think
you will need it.
Based upon the information you gather, you will need to determine if you need to contact
the GTPD or the HD on duty. Remember, anytime you contact the GTPD, there should
always be a follow up call to the HD on duty to inform him/her of the situation. A general
rule of thumb when determining whom to contact first: If a student’s health and safety is in
immediate threat or peril, your first call should be to the GTPD so that proper resources can
be dispatched (fire department, ambulance, etc.). If there is the potential for further danger
or threat, but it is not immediate, your first call should be to the HD on duty. S/he can make
any further determination if you need to contact the GTPD as well.
You must write an Information RIF for this situation.
Also, please make sure that you do not put yourself in any danger while responding to a
situation. If anything puts you at risk for harm, immediately call the GTPD and then the HD to
report what is happening.
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Maintenance/Custodial: For basic maintenance/custodial issues, you are often able to
handle them yourself. In your duty office/closet there is a kit with cleaning supplies, batteries,
buckets, a plunger, etc. If you are able to resolve a situation on your own, please do so, but
document what you have done in your duty log. For a maintenance situation that is not an
emergency, please submit a maintenance request and it will be addressed the next business
day.
If the issue is larger than what you can handle on your own, the regular evening
maintenance crew works Monday through Friday 4:30pm until 10:30pm. On weekends, they
are generally on campus from 8am til 6:30pm. Outside of those hours, maintenance issues
are considered on an emergency basis. The following table lists what is considered an
emergency and what is not for emergency calls outside of regular evening maintenance
calls.
Miscellaneous
This is the catch all for situations or incidents. These situations may be easy to deal with or
require prompt action. It is always best to contact the HD on duty if a situation is out of the
ordinary and you need clarification on what to do. Use your best judgment, gather
information, and fill out the proper paperwork.
Policy
These issues are ones that violate basic campus or Housing policies and must have an
interaction RIF written about them. Sometimes the student staff member is the only contact
and can handle the situation on their own (examples include: noise, visitation, etc.).
However, sometimes the situation is larger or dangerous and you should contact the HD on
duty for assistance (for example a fight). In all cases that a policy violation is occurring, you
will need to be at the scene to gather information for your RIF.
Also, please make sure that you do not put yourself in any danger while responding to a
situation. Avoid anything that puts you at risk for harm, and immediately call the GTPD and
then the HD on duty to report what is happening.
*Emergencies
Emergency situations will require quick response and a lot of information gathering. As you
are heading to the scene, do your best to gather other staff members to assist you, if you
think you will need it. Make your first contact as you start heading to the scene (sometimes
the GTPD, sometimes the HD on duty). Stay on the scene to assist and gather information
until you are released.
You must write an Information RIF for this situation.
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Also, please make sure that you do not put yourself in any danger while responding to a
situation, anything that puts you at risk for harm, immediately call the GTPD and then the HD
on duty to report what is happening.
Additional Procedure and Protocol
Evening Maintenance Emergency
In the event that maintenance is necessary after the Community Offices close, student
staff should contact the HD on duty. The HD on duty will then contact the appropriate
Facilities personnel to assess/solve the problem. Under NO circumstances should a
student staff contact facilities personal directly.
Accident or Illness
When a resident requires medical attention, the staff member should:
1. Send the student to the Health Center (if open) if illness or injury is minor.
2. If unable to go to the Health Center, contact the Health Center and make the
student as comfortable as possible. Under NO circumstance should a staff member
transport a student to the Health Center or the hospital.
3. Report the incident to your HD or the HD on Duty.
4. Call GTPD and request transportation or assistance.
Missing Student
When a parent, guardian, roommate, Institute Official, or any other person informs a
Housing staff member that a resident is missing or is concerned about the
whereabouts of a resident:
1. A Student Staff Member (SSM) will go to the resident’s assignment to find out when
the resident was last seen and to find out locations where the resident normally
visits. The staff member should attempt to locate the resident through any
information discovered.
2. The SSM will leave a note on the door of the resident asking the resident to call duty
staff upon return to the room.
3. If the resident has not been located after 24 hours, the SSM will then contact the
Hall Director on Duty and GTPD.
4. GTPD will further investigate the situation. The staff member on duty should remain
on scene until the arrival of GTPD and Hall Director on Duty. The staff member is not
free to leave the scene until instructed by the Hall Director on Duty.
5. All reporting staff should submit an Information RIF by 8am following first awareness
of the situation.
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Room / Apartment Entry
Except under extreme emergency circumstances (life threatening), premises
occupied by students and the personal possessions of students should not be
searched unless appropriate authorization has been obtained.
If you believe that you need to enter a room, please contact an HD immediately.
Every time a room/apartment is entered using a master key, the staff member entering
the space should:
1. Have another staff member present. This practice helps prevent allegations that the
resident may have if you enter alone.
2. Knock on the door and wait for several seconds
3. Knock again, announce themselves by name and position, and indicate the door
will be opened with a master key unless someone responds.
4. After several more seconds have transpired, open the door with the key and enter.
It is the staff member’s responsibility to inform an individual who requests access under
other circumstances that they are unable to provide access and to immediately
inform their supervisor of the request. It is not the responsibility of the employees of
other campus agencies such as GTPD or non-housing agency to be familiar with these
housing policies established to protect our customer’s rights to privacy in a residential
setting.
Any staff member involved in an incident where these rules are not strictly adhered will
be severely disciplined. Depending on the circumstances involved, they may be
terminated from employment with the department. Please contact your supervisor if
you need any further clarification on this policy.
Weather
GTPD will notify Housing personnel in the event of an approaching and damaging
weather front (tornado, etc.). Upon notification from GTPD or the Housing Office, staff
members should encourage students to move to a hallway in the basement or lower
levels of the building. Residents should remain in that location until danger has passed.
If the event of an Institutional closing due to severe weather, typically snow and/or ice,
essential Residence Life staff will still be required to perform their duties. RAs and PLs
are considered essential staff and will still need to perform their duties as required by
supervisors.
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Weapons
Possession of weapons of any form in the residence halls is a serious matter. If a
resident has or is suspected of possessing weapons, it should be treated as an
emergency and you should not make contact alone. The GTPD and the HD on duty
should be notified immediately before making contact with the resident.
Fire Extinguisher
All residence halls are equipped with ABC type fire extinguishers for fighting paper,
flammable liquid and electrical fires. Discharged extinguishers should be reported to
the HD on duty so it can be appropriately addressed and restocked as soon as
possible.
Evacuation Alarms
General information regarding reaction to a fire alarm should be understood by staff
members and relayed to residents at the first floor meeting prior to the fire drill. It is
important that fire drills be taken seriously since one’s reaction to a fire alarm could
mean life or death in a real fire. All residents must leave the building during any fire
alarm. Residents are to:
a)
b)
c)
d)
Assume there is a fire;
Leave the building quickly by the most direct route;
Turn off all the lights and lock the door as they leave the room/apartment.
Regroup outside at the designated evacuation point.
Staff are to:
a) Seek out a professional staff member or GTPD officer and ask how they may assist.
If there isn’t a professional staff member on scene you shall call the HD on duty and
GTPD. If the alarm is sounding during the day during hours when the community
desk is open, the staff member should contact the community desk.
b) Focus on crowd control, making sure to keep all residents at a safe and predetermined distance from the building, as well as making sure and thoroughfares
that may need traversed by emergency responders are free from people.
c) Maintain visual contact with windows of assignments to look for movement of
students that did not leave their assignments and make notes so they may update
the GTPD and their HD.
d) Submit an Information RIF with necessary information.
Once the Fire Marshall or his/her designee has verified that the building is safe to reenter, the alarm will be silenced and the staff will notify the residents that they can
return to the building.
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In the event of an actual fire:
The objective of these instructions is to protect the personal safety of both staff and
residents. Follow these instructions as closely as possible without putting your own life in
jeopardy.
What to do if you discover a fire:
a) If the fire is in the room-close the door if you can.
b) Pull the closest fire alarm
c) Call the GTPD to report the fire.
Say: ―This is _______, a staff member in ______residence hall. There is a fire in ______
(location).‖
d) If you feel the fire is ―small volume‖ (such as a flaming frying pan or contained in a
trash can, neither of which has spread to the surroundings) you may want to try
and extinguish it. Even if you attempt to extinguish the fire, you should contact the
GTPD immediately.
e) If the fire is too large to extinguish, leave the building by the nearest exit, urging
out stray residents as you go.
f) After you are safely out of the building and have contacted GTPD, continue to
notify appropriate people (community office if it is open, HD on duty, HD for
building, etc.).
g) Let the fire alarm continue to ring. The GTPD or maintenance staff will silence it.
Under no circumstances should a SSSM silence a fire alarm.
UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD A STUDENT STAFF MEMBER SILENCE A FIRE
ALARM.
Emergency Protocol for Assisting Physically Challenged Students:
In the event of an emergency which requires evacuation or residents from a
residential facility, the staff member responsible for that particular living area will go
to the rooms(s) of any student(s) who is (are) physically challenged to
a) Ensure that the student(s) understand the nature of the emergency:
b) Assist the student(s) to gather necessary personal items;
c) Assist the student(s) in evacuating the premises in a timely and safe manner.
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Sexual Assault
Sexual assault response may be one of the trickiest issues a Student Staff Member may ever
have to respond to. It is a delicate and uncomfortable responsibility, but of utmost
importance. Due to the nuances, you should always remember that if you need assistance,
do not hesitate to contact the HD on duty. However, if you do contact the HD on duty, you
may have to be careful not to share any information that the victim does not want shared
(including name), so it may be best to be specific about the situation, but not the people
involved when contacting the HD. There are several things that need to be remembered:
A victim-survivor is never required or mandated to report their assault. There are ways to get
support without having to file a report of the assault. If students wish to talk to someone or
report the incident, there are both formal and informal processes for reporting. However,
victim-survivors should know that there are mandated reporters on campus who are required
by law to investigate a sexual assault if they learn any identifying information about the
perpetrator, such as the name/or location. Victim-survivors can use the following oncampus and off-campus resources for support through the trauma and reporting process:
a. Women’s Resource Center (WRC) – the WRC has a victim-advocate on staff who can
help the victim-survivor through the aftermath of the trauma. This individual can help
the victim-survivor work through the various reporting options, if they choose to do so.
The WRC will fill out a Confidential Reporting Form (CRF), for which the student will
need to provide information on the assault. The information is confidential and will not
be shared with anyone. It is used to have a better gauge on the number of sexual
assaults on campus. The victim-advocate is a mandated reporter, which means that
s/he must investigate the assault if the victim-survivor reveals any identifying
information about the perpetrator.
b. Counseling Center – The Counseling Center is the only resource on campus that can
provide confidential counseling. Counseling staff are not mandated reporters, which
mean that they are not required to investigate the assault if the victim-survivor reveals
any identifying information. If the victim-survivor visits the WRC the victim-advocate
can help expedite the process for getting a counseling appointment.
c. Georgia Tech Police Department (GTPD) – Victims-survivors can file a formal or
information report with the GTPD. The formal report is a criminal report and gives the
GTPD permission to investigate the assault, whether or not the victim-survivor
participates in the process. An informational report, which does not include any
identifying information, is only used to track the numbers of sexual assaults that
happen on campus. GTPD cannot investigate the assault if the victim-survivor does
not provide identifying information.
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d. Atlanta Police Department (APD) – The victim-survivor can report the sexual assault to
APD if the assault happened off campus. APD will investigate the assault as a criminal
report.
e. Dean of Students – The Office of the Dean of Students can serve as an advocate for
students reporting incidents of sexual assault. They can provide resources and referrals
for victims, including counseling and academic support. They also enforce judicial
actions to respond to sexual violence.
When a sexual assault is reported:
1. You will need to explain that you are there to help and support the student in this
difficult time, but you will also need to be very transparent in what your responsibilities
(as determined by law) are now that the information has been brought to your
attention. Please look to the flow chart for an explanation of what type of reporting
will need to take place depending on what information is shared:
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2. Beyond explaining your responsibilities in the reporting structure, you will primarily want
to be concerned with his/her well-being and see if s/he needs medical attention. If so,
inform the student that you can contact GTPD to arrange transport. If the student
wishes to report the assault or needs medical attention, contact the GTPD. **Be sure
to note that their choice whether or not to report the assault will be limited if the GTPD
are called.**
a. If the assault occurred in the past 72 hours, inform the student that, should the
student wish to report the assault, a rape kit needs to be completed at a
hospital within 72 hours in order for admissible evidence to be collected.
3. You can also encourage the student to speak to a Hall Director that you can contact
and have come to the scene as well.
4. If the student would like to speak with a counselor who is trained to assist rape and
sexual assault victims, you can call the Georgia Tech Counseling Center (404-8942575) to find on-campus counselors or to obtain a referral to a community counselor.
You can also meet with a victim-advocate at the Women’s Resource Center (404-3850230) or call the National Sexual Assault Hotline, operated by RAINN, for free,
confidential counseling, 24 hours a day (1-800-656-4673).
5. Call the HD for the building or the HD on duty to make them aware of the situation,
while remembering to maintain any confidentiality if necessary.
6. The HD, per Office of the Dean of Students (ODOS) protocol, can contact the Dean
on Duty. Ask if they would like to meet with the Dean at that time.
7. If the student wishes to see a Dean, stay with the student until the Office of the Dean
of Students (ODOS) representative arrives. Assist the Dean on duty in meeting the
needs of the student.
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2013-2014 Student Staff Duty Grid
Order of steps
Problem/Situation
1
Status
Go to
scene?
2
Call
GTPD?
3
4
5
6
Call
HDOD?
Handle
on
own?
Maint.
Req?
RIF
Alcohol
Alcohol use (in any public area)
1
2
inter
Alcohol use (under 21)
1
2
inter
Intoxication
1
2
inter
Intoxication (unconscious)
1
2
3
inter
Order of steps
1
2
3
4
5
6
Handle
on
own?
Maint.
Req?
RIF
Problem/Situation
Status
Go to
scene?
Call
GTPD?
Call
HDOD?
1
2
3
inter
2
inter
Drugs
Drugs – use or suspected selling right
now
Drugs - suspected use over time
Student Staff Member Manual
Routine
1
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Training Manual
Order of steps
1
2
3
4
5
6
Problem/Situation
Go to
scene?
Call
GTPD?
Call
HDOD?
Handle
on
own?
Maint.
Req?
RIF
Status
Duty System Problems
Duty phone not working
1
2
Emergency phone call box not
working
1
2
HD on duty not responding to page
or calls
WO
2nd
HDOD
Pager system down
Aux
Help
request
1
Order of steps
1
2
3
4
5
6
Handle
on
own?
Maint.
Req?
RIF
Go to
scene?
Call
GTPD?
Call
HDOD?
Break in
1
2
3
FYI
Evacuation alarm
1
2
3
FYI
Fire - flames, smoke, etc.
1
2
3
FYI
Hazardous materials
1
2
3
inter
Robbery of student
1
2
3
inter
Problem/Situation
Status
Building Safety
Smoke
1
2
3
Unknown person in room
1
2
3
Student Staff Member Manual
4 if
needed
FYI
FYI
Page 55 of 98
Training Manual
Order of steps
1
2
3
4
5
6
Problem/Situation
Go to
scene?
Call
GTPD?
Call
HDOD?
Handle
on
own?
Maint.
Req?
RIF
Ambulance/medical care
1
2
3
inter
Dead student found
1
2
3
FYI
Injured student - needs medical
attention
1
2
3
FYI
Sick student - needs transport to
medical facility
1
2
3
FYI
Suicide attempt
1
2
3
FYI
Seizure
1
2
3
FYI
Order of steps
1
2
3
4
5
6
Call
HDOD?
Handle
on
own?
Maint.
Req?
RIF
Status
Death/Injury/Medical Attention
Problem/Situation
Status
Go to
scene?
Call
GTPD?
Mental Health
Depressed student
1
Mentally un-stable student
1
Suicide attempt
1
Student Staff Member Manual
2
inter
2
3
FYI
2
3
FYI
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Training Manual
Order of steps
1
2
3
4
5
6
Problem/Situation
Go to
scene?
Call
GTPD?
Call
HDOD?
Handle
on
own?
Maint.
Req?
RIF
Status
Missing Student
Missing student < 24 hours
1
Missing Student >24 hours
1
Wellness check
1
Order of steps
1
Problem/Situation
Status
Go to
scene?
2
2
Call
GTPD?
2
FYI
3
FYI
2
FYI
3
4
5
6
Call
HDOD?
Handle
on
own?
Maint.
Req?
RIF
Violence
Dating / Domestic violence immediate threat is over
1
Dating / Domestic violence occurring
1
Fight (inside or outside residence
hall)
2
inter
2
3
inter
1
2
3
inter
Sexual assault– happening now
1
2
3
FYI
Sexual assault – past
1
2
FYI
1
2
FYI
Shooting – active
Shooting – non active
1
2
3
FYI
Violent student
1
2
3
inter
Suspicious package
1
2
3
FYI
Terroristic Threat
1
2
3
inter
1
2
inter
Weapons on campus
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Training Manual
Order of steps
1
2
3
4
5
6
Problem/Situation
Go to
scene?
Call
GTPD?
Call
HDOD?
Handle
on
own?
Maint.
Req?
RIF
Status
Maintenance / Custodial
AC unit leaking
1
2
Air conditioning out (>1 room)
1
2
Air conditioning out in 1 room
Routine
1
Bodily fluids (feces, blood, urine,
vomit)
1
2
Broken glass
1
2
Clogged toilet in apartment
1
2
2
Dead animal
Routine
1
Electrical outlet not working
Routine
1
Elevators - student stuck inside
1
2
3
Fire extinguisher discharged
1
2
3
Fire sprinklers going off
1
2
Flood
1
2
Heat not working in a room
1
2
Hot water - none in building
1
2
3
2
3
3
4
2
3
FYI
3
FYI
3
Internet down
Routine
NA
1
Keys - lost or stolen
Routine
1
2
Keys - not working, master or resident
key
1
2
Lock broken
1
2
Mechanical room alarm sounding
1
2
Parking gate locked/stuck/broken
1
2
Pests (roaches, ants, bugs, mice)
Student Staff Member Manual
Routine
1
FYI
2
FYI
3
2
3
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Training Manual
Pipe burst
1
2
Power outage in building, floor, or
entire room
1
2
Shower/faucet broken - won't turn
on, won't turn off
1
2
Smell of gas
1
Smoke detector in room beeping
1
2
Sparks from outlet
1
2
Standing water
1
2
Toilet overflowing
1
2
Vandalism
1
2
FYI
Vending machine vandalized
1
2
FYI
Washing machine(s) broken or
vandalized
1
Water leak
1
2
Water outage in building
1
2
Order of steps
1
Problem/Situation
Status
Go to
scene?
2
3
3
3
3
2
2
Call
GTPD?
FYI
3
FYI
FYI
3
3
4
5
6
Call
HDOD?
Handle
on
own?
Maint.
Req?
RIF
Parents
Parent phone call
N/A
1
FYI
Parent visit
1
2
FYI
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Training Manual
Order of steps
1
2
3
4
5
6
Problem/Situation
Status
Go to
scene?
Call
GTPD?
Call
HDOD?
Handle
on
own?
Maint.
Req?
RIF
Alarm clock going off in a resident's
room
Routine
1
2
Check-in/ Check out
Routine
1
2
Entering a resident room
on
scene
1
Fire extinguisher discharged
1
4
FYI
Processes and Policy Violations
Items thrown from window
Routine
Keying into a room for a nonresident
2
3
1
2
inter
1
2
FYI
Lock out
Routine
1
2
Noise
Routine
1
2
Party
Routine
1
Pets discovered (other than fish in a
max 10 gal tank)
Routine
1
Scaling building/residents on roof
Vandalism
2
1
3
inter
2
1
Routine
inter
2
inter
2
inter
3
inter
HALL DIRECTOR ON DUTY
HD ON DUTY
Cell Phone
Duty Pager
EAST & NAA
(404) 483 - 6891
(404) 533 – 7197
West, Grad & Family
(404) 697 - 4041
(404) 650 - 4640
*Please do NOT give out the HD Pager or Cell Phone numbers*
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Training Manual
EMERGENCY
Issues that are an inconvenience
for a student, but will not put the
student in risk of needing to
move as options are still present.
No damage to facilities.
Course of action:
1. Put up necessary signs (out of order,
etc.)
2. Complete necessary RIF - if a resident is
being documented, be sure to inform
him/her that they will receive
notification for a meeting
3. Email your HD to be sure s/he is aware
4. Follow up with student next day to be
sure issue was resolved
Examples (not exhaustive):
 Cable is out
 Clogged toilet/shower, but other
toilets/showers are available
 Dishwasher not working
 Dripping faucet
 Elevator not working (no students are stuck
in it)
 Heater/AC is not blowing warm/cool air,
but outside temperature is still comfortable
 Isolated spills/vomit
 Light bulb burnt out
 Minor vandalism (broken sign, torn bulletin
board, signs torn down, etc.)
 Toilet making noises
Issues that have a direct impact
on a student’s safety or ability to
reside in assignment; issue that
can cause immediate damage to
facilities/property.
Course of action:
1. Call HD on Duty immediately and follow all
instructions given
2. Maintenance request/Maintenance
RIF/Incident Reports as necessary
3. Email your HD to be sure s/he is aware
4. Follow up with student next day to be sure
issue was resolved
EMERGENCY
AN ISSUE, BUT NOT AN
Facilities Issues
Examples (not exhaustive):
 Bodily fluids
 Broken window in room
 Clogged toilet/shower, NO other
toilets/showers are available
 Door lock mechanism not functioning/broken
key in lock
 Elevator not working with students stuck in it
 Flooding/broken pipe/overflowing toilet or
shower
 Heater/AC is not blowing warm/cool air and
outside temperature is very cold or hot
 Loss of power/water
 Major vandalism (hate speech, spray paint on
walls or doors, etc.)
 Refrigerator not working – food is in danger of
spoiling
QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER BEFORE CONTACTING THE HD ON DUTY:





Have you been to the scene?
What 5.
is the situation?
What does the problem look like?
Is there someone else you can call to help?
Does the HDoD need to bring anything when she/he comes?
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Training Manual
EMERGENCY
Issues that are concerning or
problematic, but do not pose
an immediate threat to a
student’s safety.
Course of action:
1. Spend appropriate time with the
student to discuss issues and provide
resources
2. Confront policy violations if and as
necessary
3. Complete necessary RIF
4. Email your HD to be sure s/he is aware
5. Follow up with student next day
Examples (not exhaustive):
 Door propped
 Other items of this caliber
 Roommate disagreement/argument
 Student is ill (NOT from alcohol/drugs), but
does not require medical care or transport
 Student with stress issues, history of
depression but not suicidal
 Too many students in a room/apartment
Issues that have a direct
impact on a student’s safety or
ability to reside in assignment;
issue that can cause immediate
damage to facilities.
Course of action:
1. If a student’s health or safety is in
immediate risk, contact GTPD
immediately. Afterwards, contact the HD
on duty and follow all instructions
2. If necessary, once you have spent the
appropriate amount of time with students
at risk, Call HD on Duty immediately for
further instruction
3. Complete necessary RIF
4. Email own HD to be sure s/he is aware
5. Follow up with student next day
EMERGENCY
AN ISSUE, BUT NOT AN
Health and Safety Issues
Examples (not exhaustive):
 Ambulance/medical care necessary for
student
 Dating/domestic violence
 Evidence of something being lit on fire/burned
 Hazardous materials
 Parent trying to track down student
 Physical altercation
 Smoke/fire/evacuation
 Suicidal ideations/actions
 Unresponsive student
 Weapon
QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER BEFORE CONTACTING THE HD ON DUTY:
 Have you been to the scene? (You should have been unless someone is in danger and you are calling while on your
way)
 Is anyone in danger?
 What kind of health issue is it?
 Have you or should you have called GTPD?
 Have anyone called for any other medical assistance? (Our assistance routs through GTPD, but has anyone called
anything directly: 911, friends, etc.?)
 Do you have back up or can you get back up?
Student
Have youStaff
collected
any student
information?
Member
Manual
Page 62 of 98
Training Manual
EMERGENCY
Issues that are concerning or
problematic, but do not pose
an immediate threat to a
student’s or community’s
safety.
Course of action:
1. Confront and document in proper
RIF as necessary. Be sure resident
knows s/he has been documented
and that s/he will receive
notification about a meeting.
2. Email HD to be sure s/he is aware.
3. Follow up with student next day to
be sure s/he understands policy
violations and process.
Examples (not exhaustive):
 21+ year olds consuming alcohol in
common area (not intoxicated)
 Minor vandalism (broken sign, torn
bulletin board, signs torn down, etc.)
 Noise
 Sports in hallway/common area
 Unwelcome guests/unknown visitors
Issues that have a direct
impact on a student’s or
community’s safety; issue that
is a violation of local, state or
federal law.
Course of action:
1. Once you’ve arrived on scene and assessed
the situation, if there is an immediate
threat to health and safety or drugs are
suspected, call GTPD and then call HD on
Duty immediately. For other situations,
call HD first and follow instructions.
2. Confront as instructed by HD on Duty and
document in proper RIF as necessary
3. Email own HD to be sure s/he is aware
4. Follow up with student next day to be sure
s/he understands policy violations and
process
EMERGENCY
AN ISSUE, BUT NOT AN
Policy Violations
Examples (not exhaustive):
 Belligerent/noncompliant student
 False alarm
 Intoxicated student (regardless of age)
 Major vandalism (hate speech, spray paint on
walls or doors, etc.)
 Other items of this caliber
 Party involving under and of age students
 Physical altercation
 Suspicion/use of drugs
 Underage possession/consumption of alcohol
QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER BEFORE CONTACTING THE HD ON DUTY:








Have you been to the scene? (You should have been unless someone is in danger and you are calling while on your way)
Is anyone in danger?
What kind of policy issue is it?
Have you called GTPD?
Should you call GTPD?
Have you knocked on the door yet?
Do you have back up or can you get back up?
Have you collected any student information?
Student Staff Member Manual
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Training Manual
RESIDENCE LIFE HEIGHTENED SECURITY ALERT EMERGENCY PLAN
This Plan is designed to be a supplement to the ―Georgia Tech Department of Housing
Emergency Response Action Plan‖ which is used for more ―routine‖ emergencies (fire, flood,
electrical outage, injury, etc.).
When an emergency occurs on campus, the Department's responsibilities, in order, are:
Protect the health and lives of the students;
Protect the health and lives of Department personnel;
Protect Department property;
Communicate clearly to internal and external constituencies;
Follow up with any subsequent counseling or other necessary steps to restore
well being on campus;
 Evaluate the emergency and update procedures as needed.





The key players in any emergency event will vary, but the standing personnel responsible for
Housing's initial reaction to an emergency, and notifying the appropriate parties, will usually
be the Hall Director on-duty (Duty HD). They will usually be notified by the Housing Student
Staff on-duty. Depending upon the situation, the Duty HD will involve various other senior
staff members (Residence Life, Housing Facilities, Georgia Tech Police, and Dean of
Students). If needed, this group can be supplemented with other staff (Student Health,
Dining Services, Georgia Tech Facilities Department, Counseling Center, and Institute
Communications and Public Affairs). Normally, the Duty HD will be trouble-shooting on-site
and allow an Assistant Director or Director to notify members of this larger campus group.
Most emergencies will entail response, assessment, and action.
RESPONSE
When alerted to an emergency, students should seek shelter in the closest building. In a
residence hall, residents should remain in their room unless instructed otherwise by Institute
staff (Housing student staff, Residence Life staff, GTPD, others).
If evacuation is necessary, residents should report to their building’s designated Fire Drill
Evacuation location (see attachment). Any larger evacuation should be handled (and
announced) by emergency crews (GTPD, APD, GEMA, etc.)
If Communication systems are NOT interrupted:
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Duty protocols should be followed (notifying Area Manager or Assistant Director,
Director, GTPD, etc.). Full-time and student staff are instructed to remain in their
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rooms/offices and off their telephones so as instructions can be relayed to and
through them.
The Georgia Tech web page should be used to communicate large-scale decisions
(school closing, delays, etc.) and all staff should be instructed to log in frequently for
updates.
Email listings have been created whereby Hall Directors can email their staffs and
residents with announcements, alerts, updates, etc.
Via the head end in the Rich Building, GTCN can place an ―emergency
announcement‖ to play IN PLACE OF the content on all 109 channels in the campus
cable system. This can be used as often and for as long as a situation may
necessitate. Residents would be notified to tune into any TV channel for updates. This
would NOT take the place of students tuning into radio stations for greater Atlanta and
U.S. updates.
If Communication systems ARE interrupted:

Student Housing staff (by HD) should gather at the following places:
o Smith, Brown, – Smith Courtyard
o Field, Hopkins—Upper Quad
o Hanson, Matheson, & Perry – Matheson Courtyard
o Towers – UNDER RENOVATIONS
o Glenn – Bobby Dodd Stadium
o Cloudman, Harrison, Howell – Brittain Courtyard
o Fourth Street – Join Field Hopkins staff in Upper Quad
o Harris—Join Smith Brown Staff in Smith Courtyard
o Woodruff/Fulmer – Curran Deck Volleyball Court
o Fitten, Freeman, Montag – Sidewalk in front of Couch Building
o Folk, Caldwell – Caldwell Parking Lot
o Hefner, and Armstrong – Hefner/Armstrong Parking Lot
o Eighth Street South & West- Eighth Street Courtyard
o Center Street– Center Street Courtyard
o Eighth Street East and Crecine – Crecine Courtyard
o Maulding and Sixth Street – Courtyard in between Maulding and Sixth Street
o ULC – ULC Courtyard (upper)
o GLC, 10th & Home - GLC steps
o NAAE – NAA Courtyard
o NAAN – NAA Courtyard
o NAAS – NAA Courtyard
o NAAW – NAA Courtyard
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Student staff should assess their numbers and appoint two staff members to go to
Community Office and await word from Area Manager or Hall Director (HD). All other
student staff should report back to their assigned building to trouble-shoot and await
further notice from HD or peers.
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Area Managers and Hall Directors should report to their Community Office to await
word from an Assistant Director or Central Housing.
Assistant Directors and Coordinator Staff should meet in Central Housing in Student
Services Building for updates and briefings to be communicated via their AMs and HDs
and student staff to residents.
ASSESSMENT
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All staff should gather relevant information (student injuries, building system status,
number rooms usable, etc.) while attempting to maintain order.
If an evacuation is necessary, residents should proceed to Fire Drill Evacuation
locations. Student staff should help this process occur and meet residents at the
designated locations. If possible, head counts/attendance should be attempted to
be gathered.
All staff should refrain from giving information unless they are 100% sure of its accuracy.
ACTION
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Continual updating of information (both from Administration and to it) as well as crisis
management should continue until the crisis passes or other staff or agencies take
over.
If some buildings are not useable, the ―Lodging Contingency Plan‖ from the “Georgia
Tech Department of Housing Emergency Response Action Plan‖ should be
implemented (see Appendix).
Other Housing Personnel (Custodial, Maintenance, Operations) will stay or be called in
to concentrate on building system issues.
Other Items to Address
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Advising students to stay in interior hallways and highest enclosed area
Advising residents to retain a few days supplies of water and non-perishable food
Advocating residents to be vigilant in immediately reporting suspicious activity
observed on campus to the GTPD.
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Residence Hall Evacuation Locations
Residence Hall
Location
Residence Hall
Location
Armstrong
Hefner/Armstrong Parking Lot
Hefner
Hefner/ Armstrong Parking Lot
Brown
Harris Patio
Hemphill (now Crecine)
Crecine Courtyard
Caldwell
Sidewalk across from Couch
Hopkins
Upper Quad by MTH/PER
Center St. North
Sidewalk at Hemphill Avenue
Howell
Brittain Rec Parking Lot
Center St. South
Sidewalk at Hemphill Avenue
or Greenspace near GTPD
building
Maulding (Sixth Street West)
Volleyball Courts in front of
Maulding
Cloudman
Glenn/Towers Quad
Matheson
North side Parking Lot
Crecine
Crecine Courtyard
Montag
Sidewalk in front of Couch
Building
Eighth St. East
Crecine Courtyard
North Ave Apts East
Greenspace / Courtyard
toward South
Eighth St. West
West Side Market
North Ave Apts North
NAA Plaza toward West
Eighth St. South
West Side Market
North Ave Apts South
South Parking Deck, 1st Level
Field
Upper Quad by Hanson
North Ave Apts West
NAA Plaza Toward the North
Building
Fitten
Sidewalk in front of Couch
Building
Perry
North side Parking Lot
Smith
Harris Patio, Howell
Greenspace, Brittain Rec
Parking Lot and Brittain Dining
Lawn
Folk
Caldwell Parking Lot
Fourth St. A & B
Goldin House & Stein House
ER 51 Parking lot behind the
building
Sixth St. East
Grass area between ULC and
Sixth Street East near Couch
Building
Fourth St. E & F
Hayes House
ER 51 Parking lot behind the
building
Tenth & Home A,B,C,D
10th and Home Courtyard
Tenth & Home E
Holly St turnaround
Freeman
Sidewalk in front of Couch
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Building
Fulmer
In front of the Couch Building
Tenth & Home F
11th St parking lot entrance
Glenn
Stadium
Tenth & Home G
Home Park Ave
Graduate Living Center - GLC
Holly Street
Towers
UNDER RENOVATIONS
Hanson
Courtyard by Field
Undergraduate Living Center – Curran Parking Deck (Grill
ULC
Area)
Harris
Brittain Dining Hall Lawn
Woodruff
Harrison
Glenn/Towers Quad
Curran Parking Deck (Grill
Area)
Evacuation Locations are subject to change based on construction and other factors
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COMMON HOUSING PAPERWORK
Room Inventory Forms
Room Inventory Forms should be completed prior to the residents' arrival. This is an
opportunity for you to make certain that rooms are ready. Please review the following tips for
completing the forms prior to the residents' arrival:
 Be consistent in your descriptions of the condition of walls, furniture, etc.
 Be thorough - check screens for tears, open drawers and doors to assess inside condition,
check smoke detectors, count the number of furniture.
 Test the air conditioning in each room. Does the air work properly? In each apartment
also test the toilets. Do the toilets flush? Are there any leaks? Report any problems
immediately, so they can be resolved in a timely manner.
 Is there furniture missing or broken? Complete an online request for furniture detailing
specifically what is missing or needs to be replaced.
Once the residents arrive, be sure to have every resident sign their forms and return them to
you once they have inspected their rooms. Discuss any discrepancies at that time and
resolve them on the form. During the course of the year, when residents move out, a new
form should be completed for the incoming residents.
No Show Reports
During the first few days of classes you will be asked to check a list of students who not listed
as being checked in. Information will be provided by your supervisor.
Roster Discrepancies
At some point during the first few weeks of class, your Hall Director may ask you to verify some
students and their paperwork in regard to check-in status.
Fire and Life Safety Reports
You can expect to complete Fire and Life Safety Reports once a semester. Listed below are
the general guidelines that should be followed:
 Set up a time with your residents to inspect their room or apartment.
 Go over each item on the report carefully in each room. Remember you are helping to
ensure the safety and security of your building.
 Document any problems that need to be corrected. Review these problems with the
residents and make certain they are aware of what needs to be done, so that they are no
longer in violation of fire and life safety codes.
 Follow up with any violations within a week of the original inspection. You may want to set
a time and date with the resident during your first visit, so they are aware of the deadline
to correct any violations.
 Have each resident in the room sign the Fire and Life Safety Report. Give the residents the
pink copy of the form.
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RESIDENT INFORMATION FORMS
What is a RIF?
A Resident Information Form (RIF) is a report that student staff use to communicate with their
supervisors and other offices on campus the events that occur in their communities.
There are three types of RIFs: Maintenance, Information and Interaction.
A Maintenance RIF is used to inform Hall Directors, Area Managers, and Shop leads and
Building Community Supervisors of maintenance issues that are not being addressed. These
should only be used after a traditional maintenance request has been submitted and only if
the work is not completed within 48 hours. Include at least two maintenance request
numbers in this type of RIF.
An Information RIF is used when a staff members comes upon something – missing furniture,
vandalism, or suspects a policy has been violated but the staff does not know who is
responsible. This RIF can also be used if there is an issue with a student such as injury,
depression, family issues when the staff member feels that someone should be informed
about it. The Hall Director and Area Managers receive the information incident reports and
the HDs will follow up with you if necessary. These documents can be utilized to document
roommate conflicts.
An Interaction RIF is used when you encounter students who you feel are violating a policy–
either the Institute Code of Conduct or a Housing Policy or Contract issue. When you submit
this type of RIF, a copy is sent to the HD, AM, and AD you select, the Assistant Dean of
Students Office, the Coordinator of Residential Judicial and Training Programs and the
submitting staff member. An interaction RIF can serve as the basis of a judicial matter for the
Institute, the Department of Housing or both.
There are a couple of points to consider when submitting an incident report:
1. Make sure that you provide accurate information. This information includes but is not
limited to all who are present during the incident, their GT ID number, what their
involvement is, and what took place and where. Include the GTPD Police Report Case
Number when completing this RIF.
2. When you are writing this report, you need to write it so people who were not at the
event will be able to follow what has happened. The format should be that of a ―thirdparty‖ reporting structure. Slang or profanity should only be used if they are put in quotes
and reflect what was said by those the people involved and are important to the
situation.
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An Interaction RIF should only include the facts of the encounter. Your opinion about the
student, how the event should be handled or anything else not pertinent to the encounter
should not be included. A student has a right to read any incident report so please
remember that you are a representative of the Department of Housing.
Guide to Writing Incident Reports
Information RIF
Use this RIF to communicate information that you believe warrants the attention of your
supervisor. ―If you think the HD should know, the document it.‖
Maintenance RIF
Use this RIF to inform senior staff members about maintenance problems that need their
immediate attention. Examples of such problems include a reoccurring issue, a situation in a
resident's room that has not been resolved in a timely manner or a maintenance problem in
a public area that poses a safety threat. Duty staff is required to submit a maintenance
request to report problems that were called in to evening or emergency maintenance
crews. Do not confuse the maintenance RIF for a maintenance request as maintenance RIFs
are not forwarded on to the maintenance department.
Directions to the Incident Report Website:
 Go to www.housing.gatech.edu
 At the bottom of the page click on ―Student Staff‖
 Click ―Login‖ and enter your username and password combination
 Incident Reports (RIFs) will be located on the top
Interaction or General Incident Report
Use this RIF to document possible violations of the Student Code of Conduct, Technically
Speaking Community Guide, and/or Housing Contract. It is important to get as much
information as possible about the individuals involved, so that senior staff will be able to
properly identify and contact them without delay. Interaction RIFs should include factual
information only. Any RIF should be completed directly after the incident has taken place or
by 8:00 a.m. the next business day (if the incident occurs after hours).
Helping Residents Understand the Judicial Process
What can a resident expect to happen next?
The Hall Director or Area Manager for the area will contact the individuals listed in the RIF to
set up a meeting. This can be anywhere from 1-10 days after the incident. In some cases,
the meeting may need to occur within the next 24 hours. Depending upon the severity of
the case, an Assistant Director, the Housing Judicial Office or representative from the Dean
of Students Office may contact the students involved.
What will happen during this meeting? The HD/AM/AD/Housing Judicial
Representative/Dean of Students Representative will
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First want to know about your personal well-being.
Offer support and identify services available to you. Such services might include the
Counseling Center, Health Services/Wellness, community service organizations, or
websites.
Explain the allegations.
Ask clarifying questions to determine actual facts of incident.
Explain judicial process and possible charges.
Determine the "likely" next step for you.
Possibly hold an Administrative Conference.
Problem solve with you (Do you need legal help? Have you contacted your parents? Do
you need medical assistance?).
Provide realistic timelines and generate possible sanctions/results.
Explain expectations of you during the judicial process.
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PROGRAMMING
Our programs are events designed to enhance learning and development outside of the
classroom. Programming will help you to achieve the following things:
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Build a strong community
Develop relationship and social norms
Keep students active and involved
Introduce students to new ideas
Enhance the overall college learning experience
Increase student satisfaction with their living environment
Decrease inappropriate behavior, such as vandalism
Programming in college housing is a concept that has steadily grown over the past 30 years.
Almost all institutions of higher education have skill building as one of their primary goals.
Also, these institutions strive to teach individuals to be happy and well-rounded; all institutions
seek to guide and stimulate student development. As a specific outgrowth of these goals,
Housing staff views programming as an important tool in the facilitation of the personal
growth of residential students.
Statistics show that students spend up to 85% of their time in college outside of the classroom
environment. It is clear that ―formal education‖ comprises only part of the collegiate
learning experience. Stated very simply, the purpose of programming is to provide residents
with learning and social interaction opportunities outside of the class room. While the goal of
programming is to help residents engage in their community, discover out of classroom
learning, experience diversity and develop personally.
On a basic level, programming is taking something that your residents are interested in and
sharing it with the entire community. What is often forgotten is that ―community
contribution‖ works both ways—students have interests and talents they should contribute to
the group just as much as you have ideas you think will be good for your floor or area. So,
ask not only what you can do for the floor, but also what your residents (as individuals and
groups) can put into the community. One student (or staff member) can give a seminar on
a CS class; a group can exhibit art or form a club; a floor can sponsor a speaker for the entire
living area, etc.
There’s no need to wait until you’re completely organized to begin programming. Get
something going, no matter how small, at the first meeting. It might be good for you to start
out your first floor meeting with a short brainstorming session of what your residents would like
to do before you get ideas of your own to throw out in the session (these can rescue the
session if dead silence reigns). Find people to be in charge of various activities right there. If
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the floor is enthusiastic about an idea, you can ask for a volunteer to be in charge of putting
it into action. You can even establish a programming committee.
Programming Ideas
Below are a few ideas for addressing some personal development programming in your
area/on your floor:
Community Development
 Create a ―graffiti‖ bulletin board so hall mates can keep each other posted
 Use a listserv, IM lists, or Facebook page so students can keep in touch with each other
electronically
 Host a social program for students around a shared interest or curiosity
 Visit a different sight in the Atlanta community each month
Academic Development
 FE - Go with your Freshman Partner to their place of work or tour their academic
department to learn more about different areas on campus.
 Create a forum for residents to compare thoughts about professors during registration
 Invite a tutor in to help residents with study skills and study planning
 Create a ―Wall of Excellence‖ by posting aced tests and quizzes
 Create a list of research and study abroad opportunities
 Invite a professor to explain how to properly write and finish a thesis
Health
 Have a speaker from health services come in to discuss healthy living habits
 Form an intramural athletics team
 During cold season, create a bulletin board or pamphlet on how residents can avoid
getting sick
 Create a brochure explaining interesting health related topics
 Take residents to the CRC for Wall Climbing
Life Skills
 Give residents a calendar to help map out their time management
 Offer residents a guide to cleaning their room during closing/opening
 Arrange for an accountant to conduct a program on managing personal finances
Intrapersonal
 Invite a guest speaker from the counseling center to discuss issues of depression
 Have a de-stressing night during exams
 Have residents write a letter to themselves at the beginning of the semester. Mail it back
to them at the end.
 Take residents to intercultural events, you can make it more interesting by choosing
cultures different than their own
Occupational
 Conduct an anonymous resume exchange for residents to get ideas
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Create a bulletin board on job searching resources
Invite Career Services to conduct a program
Take residents to Majors/Career Fair
Have a panel discussion about graduate school and careers after Tech
Ethical
 Keep a floor library of current events literature
 Arrange a film and discussion night around an ethically interesting film (follow up on
copyright laws as applicable)
 Create a bulletin board or flyer on policies and procedures
Leadership Development
 Invite a student government representative to your hall to discuss how to become more
involved
 Create a bulletin board or flyer of quotes from leaders on leadership
 Arrange a trip to the Martin Luther King Center or the Carter Center with your residents
AUGUST
Student Stress Experiences
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Homesickness, especially for freshmen and international students.
Roommate Conflicts caused by personality differences, lack of understanding, and
unwillingness to compromise, or the new experience of living with someone for the
first time.
Initial adjustment to academic environment: Feelings of inadequacy and inferiority
develop because of the discrepancy between high school status, grades, and
initial performance. Class size, especially in mass lecture halls, lack of personal
interest by professors, and performance expectations are also major factors.
Values exploration: Students are confronted with questions of conscience over
conflict areas of race, drugs and alcohol exploration, morality, religion, and social
expectations.
New social life adjustments include new freedom of not having to check with
parents about what time to be in, the opportunity to experience new areas,
making your own decisions on when to conduct social activities, and establishing
yourself in a peer group.
Initial social rejection creates feelings of inadequacy when not immediately
accepted in a peer group, or into a social sorority or fraternity.
In-loco parentis problems: Students may feel depressed because of real or
perceived restrictive policies and regulations of the Institute.
Campus familiarization includes becoming comfortable with the campus,
classrooms, buildings meeting spaces, etc. This is especially true on large
campuses, like Georgia Tech.
Long distance relationships: torn between being loyal to a significant other back in
the hometown and going out with new people.
Sexual Assault most often occurs during the first six weeks of college.
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Financial adjustment involves adjusting to a somewhat tighter budget, now that
students are in school as opposed to when they were still living at home. Students
who are supporting themselves have to adjust to budgeting their own money.
Programming Ideas
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Roommate Conflict Management
Campus Tours and Talks
―Surviving as a Poor College Student‖
―How to Separate from Your Family and Friends . . . and Survive‖
Social Mixers—parties, dances, floor gatherings, singles gatherings, movies
Sports Competition
New Games Tournaments
Brother-Sister Floor/Hall Mixers
New Student Orientation/Welcome Programs
Floor/Hall Course Lists
Sexual Assault Education for men and women
Icebreakers/Getting to Know You Activities (see Appendix)
SEPTEMBER
Student Stress Experience
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Homesickness continuing for many students.
Roommate Conflicts continue as students are still adjusting to new differences,
compromising, and becoming more comfortable being themselves with their new
roommate.
Test anxiety develops with students taking their ―first college exam,‖ and/or their first
term paper. Anxieties of not really knowing what the professor expects, how the
test will be designed, course material, and unnecessary worry are the contributing
factors.
Disenchantment with school stems from low reward levels because students begin
to realize that life at college is not as perfect as they were led to believe by
parents, teachers, and counselors.
Adjusting to new study habits includes not being able to study the way students did
in high school. New study methods and greater workload need to be incorporated
into their schedule.
Dating anxieties result from not being asked out or not being successful in finding a
date.
Job Panic for mid-year graduates starts with the onset of résumé preparation and
off and on campus interviewing.
Adjusting to ―Administrative Red Tape‖ occurs as students soon realize that it is
usually a long process when trying to find an answer to what seems to be a simple
question—many students become frustrated and feel helpless.
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Family Problems seem amplified because the student may either be caught in the
middle or because they are so far away. They may feel helpless and unable to
help the family reach a solution.
Time Management Frustration builds with students trying to strike an equitable
balance between social life and academic schedules.
Calorie Counting Program for Dining Hall Food
Programming Ideas
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Roommate Conflict Management
Dating and/or Communication Skills Workshop
―Taking Your First College Exam‖
Study Skills Workshop
Time Management Seminar
Mid-Year Graduation Seminar
Résumé Preparation and Cover Letter Writing
Interviewing
Job Search Strategies
Loneliness Seminar
How to Take Notes in Class
How to Survive at Georgia Tech
Human Sexuality Workshop
Assertiveness Training Program
OCTOBER
Student Stress Experiences
Academic stress from midterms begins building with the great demand for studying
and preparation. For some students, this may be their first exam of the semester.
For many, the midterm workload pressures are followed by feelings of failure and
loss of self-esteem.
 Roommate problems continue, but they are smaller in scope than previous months.
 Values exploration continues, especially in the area of sexuality.
 Dating/non-dating/friendship relationships anxieties are extremely high. Non-dating
students sense a loss of self-esteem because so much value is placed upon dating.
For women who do date, the pressure to be sexually active increases and similarly
increases feelings of rejection, loneliness, and guilt, and in some instances,
unwanted pregnancies.
 Homesickness may still be felt by a number of students.
 Job panic for mid-year graduates continues.
 Students decide to withdraw from school because they either realize that college is
not the place for them, they return home for personal reasons, or they decide to
transfer to another school.
 Grief from not being part of a group develops because of inadequate skills for
finding a group or from not being selected by one.
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Financial strain sets in from lack of budgeting experience.
Homecoming blues develop because of no date for social affairs, and/or lack of
ability/opportunity to participate in activities.
Graduate school syndrome starts to emerge for graduating seniors—grad school
exams, acceptance, deciding which school to apply to, and questioning whether
grad school is right for them.
Time conflicts between academic and social expectations emerge.
Advance enrollment planning involves starting to think about what courses they will
take the following semester.
Room reassignment planning involves starting to think about housing options for the
next semester.
Programming Ideas
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Mid-term Preparation Seminars
How to Study Effectively
Keeping Your Body in Tune for Exams
Test Anxiety Seminar
Graduate School Fair
Loneliness Seminar
―Budgeting What Money You Have Left‖
Academic Advising Sessions
Alternative Homecoming Activity
All Hall Activity Day
Sexuality Programming
Stress Relief or Exercise Program
NOVEMBER
Student Stress Experiences
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Increasing thoughts about suicide occur from inability to cope with the pressures of
academic and social expectations.
Academic pressures begin to mount because of procrastination, difficulty of work
assigned, and lack of ability.
Pre-finals stress starts to emerge as preparation begins for taking exams.
Time management conflicts continue.
Social apathy causes frustration because of academic pressures.
Depression and anxiety increase because of feelings that one should have
adjusted to the college environment by now.
Economic anxieties increase because funds from parents and summer earnings
begin to run out; loans become due.
Roommate problems may start to emerge again. This is mostly due to the pressure
of school; tempers become shorter and people are less tolerant of others.
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Deteriorating health starts to affect student performance. Reasons include the
changing weather, lack of food quality/negative feelings about institutional food,
and perceived inadequacies of the health center.
Students have given up making attempts to establish new friendships beyond two
or three mutually dependent relationships.
Room reassignment tensions increase: where to live, with whom, should I move out
and tell my roommate?
Living unit dissension causes uncomfortable feelings with residents. Results from
apathy, academic pressures, and the need for a vacation from school.
Programming Ideas
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Time Management Workshops
Health and Nutrition Programs
Stress Management and Stress Relief Programming
Studying for Finals
Making Good Use of Your Time
Survival Skills: Taking the test, note preparation, tutoring programs, study groups
Fun Floor Activity
Ice Cream Bash
Alcohol/Drug Information
Community Strengthening Information
Preparing for Your First Long Break at Home: What to Expect
DECEMBER
Student Stress Experiences
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Increasing thoughts about suicide occurs from inability to cope with the pressures
of academic and social expectations.
Final exam pressures including anxiety, fear, and guilt increase as exams approach
and papers become due. Increased use of alcohol and drugs is related.
Extracurricular time strains: seasonal parties, concerts, social service projects, and
religious activities drain student energies.
Financial worries occur with the thought of holiday expenses and travel costs.
Pre-holiday blues emerge, especially for those who have concerns for family, those
who have no home to visit, and for those who prefer not to go home because of
family conflicts.
Friendship tensions become high with the onset of final exams.
Pressure increases to be sexually active because of the approach of vacation and
extended separation.
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Programming Ideas










Continue Final Exam Preparation
Study Breaks
Stress Management and Stress Relief Programming
Stress-Free Night
Snack Breaks
Holiday Concerts
Tutoring Programs
Test Swap
Wellness Information for Finals: Nutrition, Alcohol, Exercise, Drugs, Sleep
End of the Semester Wrap-Up Events
JANUARY
Students Stress Experiences







Anxiety about second semester performance begins because students did not do
as well as expected the previous semester. They also have added pressure of
doing well to be able to stay in school, to keep the financial aid, and to keep their
grades competitive with their colleagues.
Some students lose a loved one, friend, or significant other by death over the
break, and find it hard to share the happiness and joy others experience from their
breaks.
Moving into a new environment (largely for transfer students) causes feelings of
intrusion because students move into a unit where most of the friendships have
been established, priorities set, and expectations understood. Unfamiliarity with
campus also creates some anxiety.
Money problems occur because many students were unable to find jobs over the
break.
Post-holiday depression occurs at the beginning of the semester because students
are away from the home security and positive strokes.
Some students experience unwanted weight gain over the break with the holiday
food and home cooking.
Reincorporating social and academic life is difficult at first with not having to worry
about school for an extended period of time.
Programming Ideas

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


Nutrition/Exercise Information
Academic Preparation
―Starting Out on the Right Foot‖
Study Skills
Welcoming New Residents
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
Re-Acquainting Social Gatherings
Floor Outing
Mixers
Aerobics Classes
―How to Separate from Family and Friends . . . and Survive‖
Relaxation Techniques
FEBRUARY
Student Stress Experiences



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
Routine exams and other academic pressures approach.
Depending upon the weather, some students begin to experience cabin fever if
the weather forces them to stay inside for a lengthy period of time. With the lack of
organized activities to compensate for this, anti-social behavior sometimes occurs,
such as excessive property damage.
Vocational choice anxieties set in with the onset of job interviews.
Worry of hunting for summer jobs begins. This is especially high for students who
were unable to find work during the holiday break.
Relationship anxieties increase as couples begin to strengthen their ties
(engagement) or experience weakening relationships.
Fall Housing planning begins with trying to tentatively decide about living
arrangements for the upcoming year.
Programming Ideas

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Continue Nutrition Information
Choosing a Major Seminar
Apartment Hunting Program
Job Search Strategies for Summer and for Life
Interviewing Skills
Resume Writing
Cover Letter Writing
Making Contacts/Networking
How to Dress for an Interview
Cabin Fever Breakers
Special Movie Presentations
Coffeehouses
Olympics (indoor/outdoor as appropriate)
Casino Night
Island Party
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MARCH
Student Stress Experiences

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


Increasing thoughts about suicide occur from inability to cope with the pressures of
academic and social expectations.
Academic pressures increase with the approach of midterm exams.
Many students start to increase their alcohol and drug use due to the pressure of
the end of the semester approaching. This can cause them many problems, both
biologically and behaviorally.
Existential crises for seniors: Must I leave school? Is my education worth anything?
Was my major a mistake? Why go on?
Senior job interviewing causes increased levels of anxiety.
Living arrangement anxieties occur with the forcing of decisions: Should I move
out? Live in the same building? Stay with the same roommate? Will a friend be left
out of the plans?
Summer job hunting will be heavy over spring break. Worry about finding a job or
not finding one will cause severe anxiety.
Trying to find money to use for spring break is a problem, especially when your
peers are going to a place other than home and you are not able to join them.
Programming Ideas

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

Continue Job Search Program
Alcohol/Drug Awareness
Continue Study Skills
Cabin Fever Breaks
Preparing for Spring Break
Post-Spring Break Activities: Tan Contest, Photo Displays
Apartment Hunting Programs
How to Read a Lease
What to expect after graduation
APRIL
Student Stress Experiences







Increasing thoughts about suicide occur from inability to cope with the pressures of
academic and social expectations.
Academic pressures increase with the end of the semester approaching.
Papers and exams approach.
Summer job pressures continue.
Senior job recruitment panic continues.
Financial strain from spring break affects social life.
Many students are forced to select a major and are not sure what field they would
like to enter.
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
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



Many people go on crash diets because they have realized they gained a lot of
weight during winter.
Social life pressure increases during this period—formal dances, parties, concerts,
and awards banquets.
With spring arriving, people want to fall in love. Many students go through rejection
or the fear of rejection, or even envy towards their friends who have found a
significant other.
Frustration from becoming ill because the weather changes so drastically, causing
colds, lethargic feelings, and limited social commitments.
Students tend to become disenchanted with many normal services. They tend to
get tired of eating ―the same old institutional food.‖
Final pressures are at a critical level with papers, take-home tests, and studying.
Some of the major effects of the pressure include increased use of coffee, no-doz,
and amphetamines; and increase or decrease in food consumption; less sleep;
and a lower tolerance level for friends and peers.
Programming Ideas

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





Time Management Workshop
Continue to Post Job Bulletins
Dating Skills Information
Money Management Workshops
Nutrition Programming
Cooking Program, especially for apartments
So, what if I don’t win (coping with award/recognition losses)
Stress Management and Stress Relief Programming
MAY
Student Stress Experiences







Increasing thoughts about suicide occur from inability to cope with the pressures of
academic and social expectations.
Anxiety develops because of the realization that the year is ending and a
deficiency in a number of academic areas still exists.
Senior job pressures increase for those who have not yet found one.
Summer job pressures increase for those who have not yet found one.
Anxiety for those couples who will be parting for the summer. Also, the fear that
their significant other will find someone else while they are separated.
Depression over having to leave friends and people that students have grown so
close to during the school year.
Anxiety of having to go home after having been independent the past year,
especially if they are having conflicts with their parents.
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Programming Ideas
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
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
Finals Preparation
Study Breaks
Food Breaks
Community Recognition Programs
Stress Management and Stress Relief Programming
Floor Closing Programs
―What Have I Learned this Year‖
―How I’ve Changed . . .a Look at Me Then and Now‖
Keeping in Touch this Summer
Supply Addresses of Floor Members
Plan a Mid-Summer Gathering
―One Last Fling Before Studying‖ Program
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Programming On-Campus
Many offices across the Georgia Tech Campus can provide wonderful programming for your
residents that is easy and inexpensive to plan. Below are a few listings you might consider.
Don’t let this list limit you though; if there’s an office you’re interested in programming with,
don’t hesitate to contact them.
Office of International Education
Website:
www.oie.gatech.edu
Contact:
Amy Henry, amy.henry@oie.gatech.edu, (404) 894-7475
Health Promotion Center
Website:
www.health.gatech.edu/promotion/Pages/default.aspx
Contact:
Vladimir Oge, vladimir.oge@health.gatech.edu, (404) 894-9980
Women’s Resource Center
Website:
www.womenscenter.gatech.edu
Contact:
Colleen Riggle, colleen.riggle@vpss.gatech.edu, (404) 385-0230
GT Police Department
Website:
www.police.gatech.edu
Contact:
Officer Alex Gutierrez, alex.gutierrez@police.gatech.edu, (404) 894-3346
Counseling Center
Website:
www.counseling.gatech.edu/index.php
Contact:
Dr. Ruperto Perez, ruperto.perez@vpss.gatech.edu, (404) 894-2575
Career Services
Website:
www.career.gatech.edu
Contact:
Ralph Mobley, ralph.mobley@success.gatech.edu, (404) 894-2550
Office of Community Service
Website:
www.service.gatech.edu
Contact:
Sarah Perkins, sarah.perkins@vpss.gatech.edu (404)894-3458
Office of Diversity Issues & Program
Website:
www.diversityprograms.gatech.edu
Contact:
Stephanie Ray, stephanie.ray@vpss.gatech.edu, (404) 894-2561
Student Involvement
Website:
www.studentcenter.gatech.edu
Contact:
Gerome Stephens, gerome.stephens@vpss.gatech.edu, (404) 894-1936
Outdoor Recreation at GT
Website:
www.crc.gatech.edu/orgt
Contact:
Matthew Marcus, matthew.marcus@crc.gatech.edu, (404) 385-1374
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Campus Recreation Center
Website:
www.crc.gatech.edu
Contact:
Christie Stewart, christie.stewart@crc.gatech.edu, (404) 385-PLAY
GT Dining
Website:
Contact:
www.gatechdining.com
Rob Schrage, rob.schrage@sodexo.com, (404) 894-2383
Programming Off-Campus
The Atlanta area is rich with opportunities to program with your hall. Below, you’ll find
websites of area attractions and events in which your hall can participate. Be sure to
double-check events and bring your BuzzCards for student discounts. Here are some ideas:
 Atlanta Braves
 Atlanta Bureau of Cultural Affairs
 Atlanta Falcons
 Atlanta Hawks
 Atlanta History Center
 Atlanta Track Club
 Atlantic Station
 Centennial Olympic Park
 Center for Puppetry Arts
 CNN Studio Tour
 Fox Theatre
 Georgia Aquarium
 High Museum of Art
 Lenox Mall
 Historic Oakland Cemetery
 Piedmont Park
 Six Flags
 Stone Mountain
 World of Coke
 The King Center
Student Staff Member Manual
atlanta.braves.mlb.com
www.ocaatlanta.com
www.atlantafalcons.com
www.nba.com/hawks
www.atlantahistorycenter.org
www.atlantatrackclub.org
www.atlanticstation.com
www.centennialpark.com
www.puppet.org
www.cnn.com/StudioTour
www.foxtheatre.org
www.georgiaaquarium.org
www.high.org
www.lenoxsquare.com
www.oaklandcemetery.com
www.piedmontpark.org
www.sixflags.com
www.stonemountainpark.com
www.woccatlanta.com
www.thekingcenter.com
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Commitment to Diversity
We promote a respectful environment where our students, faculty, and staff are able to be
themselves and individual differences are celebrated. Diversity is welcomed here.
The importance of diversity in education, and thus in programming, cannot be
overestimated. As residents learn about people that are different than themselves, they
learn how to get along in our increasingly pluralistic world. Moreover, such exposure helps
residents learn more about themselves.
The Department of Housing has made the above commitment to diversity, and all staff
should support that. Residential programming offers an excellent opportunity to engage all
residents in that same commitment.
Below are some basic ideas for diversity programming. Remember, as always, be creative
and responsive to the needs of your individual residents. Additionally, while many groups
have certain times designated to celebrate that cultural heritage, be sure to continue your
diversity programming throughout the year.
 Guest Speaker: Invite someone from a campus organization or a professor to speak on
topics such as black history and literature, women’s history and literature, world religions,
GLBT (gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender) history and literature, linguistic differences,
international culture, etc. Invite a speaker from one of the campus cultures: Athletes,
Greeks, International students, etc.
 Movie & Discussion: Host a movie night in which you will show a film that addresses some
aspect of diversity. Some example films are Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, Malcolm X,
Roots, Jungle Fever, Crash, Bamboozled, Boyz in the Hood, Thelma and Louise, Fried
Green Tomatoes, Maria Full of Grace, Crash, Real Women Have Curves, Slumdog
Millionaire, Milk, The Namesake, Kinky Boots, Transamerica, Boys Don’t Cry, Divine Secrets
of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, Rain Man (see Hall Director for more ideas).
 Cuisine: Have each resident cook a dish from their family culture. At the pot-luck dinner,
ask them to explain why they picked this dish, how it is prepared, when it would be eaten,
and what it might reflect about their family’s culture.
 Service (Volunteering): Schedule a volunteer activity at a women’s shelter, a homeless
shelter, or another community event.
 Bulletin Boards: Create a bulletin board that offers facts on the GLBT community, how to
be a GLBT Ally, Women’s History, Black History, socio-economic differences worldwide,
interesting facts about different languages and dialects, etc.
 Dinner & Discussion: Invite a traditionally underrepresented authority figure (professor,
business professional, etc) to have dinner and speak with your residents.
 Games: Have a trivia game involving facts about diverse populations.
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 Music: Host a music performance night featuring a history of the evolution of that
particular music form, such as jazz, blues, bluegrass, etc.
 Visual Art: Attend a museum exhibit featuring traditionally underrepresented artists.
 Disability Awareness: Ask someone from disability services if you can borrow a wheelchair
or other physical assistance device for residents to use while getting around campus.
 Current Events: Find an article about a relevant current event. Distribute it to all residents
and arrange a dinner to discuss their feelings about the article.-OR- Invite residents to
attend a local or campus talk, rally or event that addresses current US and world events.
 Arts & Crafts: Offer an arts and crafts night wherein residents learn how to make traditional
crafts such as Japanese flower arrangements or Native American dream-catchers. Be
sure the leader of the program explains the cultural significance of the craft.
The information below will help you through the logistics of the program planning process
(reserving rooms, securing transportation, securing funding, etc.).
Reserving spaces
Student Center
To reserve a room at the Student Center, go to www.gtevents.gatech.edu/virtualems/.
Step-by-step instructions can be found at the bottom of the site listed above.
Student Services Building
Go to http://studentsaffairs.gatech.edu/space. Detailed information on how to
reserve this space can be found on the site listed above.
Residential Hall Space (ie. Brittain Rec, Rambling Wreck Room, etc.)
Residential Hall Space reservations are coordinated by Conference Services. To
reserve these spaces, go to
http://www.housing.gatech.edu/reservationrequest/policy.cfm. Select the room you
want to use and submit the form with all appropriate information filled in. Upon
approval, you will receive confirmation from Conference Services with instructions on
how to gain access to the space. Be sure to have a print out of the confirmation with
you.
Campus Classrooms/Outdoor Space
To reserve campus classrooms and outdoor space, go to
www.gtevents.gatech.edu/virtualems/. Step-by-step instructions can be found at the
bottom of the site listed above. Additional information can be found at:
space.gatech.edu/eventscheduling.
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How to Get Funding for an Event
While many excellent programs can be done with little to no cost, often you’ll want some
funding to support your efforts. This section will describe ways to obtain funding, how to
make your dollars count, and a few general guidelines about how to be reimbursed.
Please note that some areas have different procedures than others, particularly for
reimbursement. Be sure you follow the correct procedures for your area with all aspects of
funding.
Funding from Hall Council:
Each semester a portion of every student’s housing payment is designated as ―activity fees.‖
Parts of those fees are given to a hall council’s budget for each person residing in their
building. In order to use that money, residents and RAs will need to submit a bill. Any unused
funds from fall semester carry over to the next semester. However, any unused funds from
spring semester do not carry over into the summer semester and fund campus wide events
the next year.
Funding from the Residence Hall Association
Need more funding than a hall council can provide or intending to request funds from three
or more hall councils? In either one of these cases, you will need to submit a bill to the
Residence Hall Association requesting funding from their allocation accounts.
To get funding from RHA, click on ―Submit A Bill‖ at the top o f the www.rha.gatech.edu
webpage.
Please Note: If you are planning on submitting a bill to three or more hall councils, you MUST
present a bill to the Residence Hall Association.
The Bill Submission Process for Hall Councils
 First, go to www.rha.gatech.edu, click on your building(s). Under ―important links,‖ click
―Bill Submission form‖ to submit your bill online by your hall council's deadline.
 At your next hall council meeting, have everything ready to present your bill and
answer any question raised. This includes key points such as:
o Who will your bill benefit?
o Why do you need the money you are requesting?
o If the money is to be used for an event:
 When will the event be held?
 Where will the event be held?
 What will residents do at your event?
 How will residents get to the event?
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 If the bill is less than $200, the bill will be voted on by the people attending the
meeting.
 If the bill is more than $200, the bill will be tabled after discussion and will be voted on
at the next meeting.
*NOTE - This is just the basic bill submission process. Each Hall Council may choose to do
things differently. Please consult the constitution developed by your hall council’s executive
board for the official way of how things are done for you.
A Few Tips on How to Save Some Money
 Co-Program with another student or hall council.
 For particularly expensive programs, consider having residents pay a small fee for their
attendance. Be sure to explain what that fee will be supporting.
 Check with other staff members/programmers and see if they have any materials you
can re-use in your program. RHA often has reservable materials in the funshop. Check
with www.rha.gatech.edu/funshop/inventory to see the items available in the
funshop. To reserve funshop items, go to www.rha.gatech.edu/funshop/request/.
 Look for inexpensive/free programming opportunities! There are many on campus
and throughout Atlanta. Community service can be an especially beneficial and
inexpensive way to build community in your building.
Getting Cash Reimbursements
 Save the original receipt. Copies are unacceptable.
 The receipt must be itemized, have the name of the business, date, and amount
printed on it. If a receipt is missing any of the above information, it cannot be
honored. Handwritten receipts are not acceptable for a cash reimbursement.
 Turn in receipts immediately. After 10 days, they may not be accepted. For RHA/Hall
Council reimbursements, be sure your treasurer/finance coordinator is prompt with
paperwork.
 Be sure the person to whom you turn in receipts has all the necessary information. Your
name, your e-mail, your GTID#, and your cell phone # should always be included.
 If you spend more than $200, you cannot receive a cash reimbursement. Any amount
above $200 must be reimbursed through direct deposit.
 If there are other purchases on the receipt than the ones being reimbursed, circle, in
blue or black ink, only the purchases you want reimbursed.
 Take all reimbursements to the Central Housing Office in the Smithgall Student Services
building.
 For additional information regarding RHA/Hall Council reimbursements, see the RHA
Manual. Talk to your HD if you have questions regarding Residence Life Activity Fee
reimbursements.
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APPENDIX
EMERGENCY GUIDELINES
1.1 Policy
The information herein provided is to establish guidelines for emergencies that would require
calling in additional personnel to campus during non-business hours. For the purpose of this
memo an emergency is defined as a situation requiring immediate attention based on the
criterion as described below. It is further understood that if any of these conditions are
present the first point of contact should be the established night crew response team and
then the Community Maintenance Supervisor CMS for that particular area. The CMS would
then assess the situation and determine what other individuals need to be informed, i.e.
other craft, management level, etc…
2.0 Electrical- Foreman or area CMS
2.1 Power outages
a.
Campus wide
b.
Building
c.
Floor
d.
Room (emergency qualifies as no power in whole room only)
2.2 Unsafe power problems
a.
Smoldering, sparking, or flaming of fixtures or devices
b.
Downed power lines
c.
Unsecured power equipment
2.3 Emergency generators
a.
Not running during power outages
b.
Running for more than 1 hour if there is no outage
2.4 Fire alarms
a.
Alarm panel will not clear or reset
2.5 Appliances
a.
On fire, smoldering or sparking
b.
Shocking
2.6 Elevators
a.
No cars operational
3.0
Carpentry – Foreman or area CMS
3.1
Entrance doors
a.
Doors torn off, glass broken out
3.2
Roof leaks
3.3
Window Leaks causing more than drips on the floor
3.4
Windows
a.
Broken or pushed out
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b.
3.5
4.0
5.0
6.0
Broken glass
Fire causing damage to facilities that cannot wait until next work day
Lock Shop – Foreman or area CMS
4.1
Lockout, resulting from lock failure
4.2
Lock-in, if staff is unable to gain access
4.3
Entrance doors
a. Door will not close
b. Door will not lock
c. Key broken off in lock which cannot be pulled out with pliers
4.4
Key stolen and there is a perceived threat
Plumbing –Mechanical Contract Administrator or CMS
5.1
Piping
a. Broken and leaking causing additional damage (not small drips)
b. Continuous hammering and shaking
c. Broken sprinkler heads
5.2
No water
a. Campus
b. Building
5.3
No hot water
5.4
Water leaking into, building or room, from plumbing system
5.5
Steam leaking into, building or room
HVAC – Mechanical Contract Administrator or CMS
6.1
No AC during cooling season
a. Campus
b. Building
6.2
AC leaking, causing damage
6.3
No heat during heating season
a. Campus
b. Building
c. Room, family housing units
When calling about maintenance/custodial issues, please be prepared to describe the
situation in detail and have student information ready. The student will need to be available
to let the maintenance crew into their room or you may need to meet them to help locate
or access a lace in your area where an issue is occurring.
Page the HD on duty. Give the information needed. The HD will contact the maintenance
crew and call you back if there is further information needed or information for you to pass
on. Sometimes it can take a while for situations to be rectified, please be patient and work
with residents to understand the time frame.
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Generally you will not need to write a RIF for routine maintenance situations (like a clogged
toilet), unless you are asked to by the HD or if it is a recurring situation that may need special
attention. Always document vandalism and situations where property is damaged.
EMERGENCY RESPONSE ACTION PLAN
Introduction
This Action Plan is designed to address events that affect the 46 residence halls and 8,500
residents at Georgia Tech. These events can be weather-related or ―typical‖ emergencies—
fire, power failures, water disruptions, weather and the like. Because students are in
residence 365 days a year, the Residence Life staff have already established an ―on-duty‖
system comprised of live-in student staff and professional Hall Directors. In addition, an Area
Manager, an Assistant Director and a Director are also ―at home‖ each night. Within the
facilities unit, an Evening/Emergency crew works until midnight and one senior foreman lives
on campus to coordinate facility responses to various problems. These staff are provided
extensive training and resources as to both Residence Life and Facility responses to many
problems and emergencies.
This Action plan is designed to supplement to Institute’s Crisis Response Plan that is designed
to handle large-scale acts of terrorism or threat. It is important to establish some overall
guidelines as to how to handle any emergency, even though the actual specific situation
may require its own unique solution.
This Action plan has been designed to handle most major emergencies. With this goal in
mind, it is important to define the difference between an ―emergency‖ and a ―problem.‖ It
is not necessary to mobilize a tactical team, execute a massive communication plan and
call for outside inspection for a minor gas leak. A minor gas leak is a problem, not an
emergency. However, the above action is necessary for a gas leak that sends a dozen
students to the hospital.
When an emergency does occur on campus, common sense always must prevail. The
Department’s responsibilities, in order, are:
−
Protect the health and lives of the students;
−
Protect the health and lives of Department personnel;
−
Protect Department property;
−
Communicate clearly to internal and external constituencies;
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−
Follow up with any subsequent counseling or other necessary steps to restore
well being on campus;
−
Evaluate the emergency and update procedures as needed.
The key players in an emergency event will vary, but the standing personnel responsible for
Housing’s initial reaction to an emergency, and notifying the appropriate parties, will usually
be one of the two professional Hall Directors on-duty (Duty HD). He or she will usually be
notified by the Housing Student Staff on-duty. Depending upon the situation, the Duty HD will
involve various other senior staff members (Residence Life, Housing facilities, Georgia Tech
Police, and the Dean of Students). If needed, this group can be supplemented with other
staff (Health Services, Dining Services, Georgia Tech Facilities Department, Counseling
Center, and Institute Communications and Marketing). Normally, the Duty HD will be
trouble-shooting on-site and allow an Area Manager or Assistant Director to notify members
of this larger campus group.
Most emergencies will entail response, assessment, action, and notification. Residence Life
staff will work to ensure that students have a space in which to sleep and Facilities personnel
will strive to correct issues concerning heat/ac, electricity, and plumbing, in addition to
custodial services. Three appendixes are attached. Appendix A is the "Student Staff After
Hours Emergency Response Protocol,‖ an overview of situations likely to be encountered by
the student duty staff and first initial steps (who to call and when) for each. The second,
Appendix B, is the ―Hall Director Emergency Protocol‖ and directs this professional staff in the
appropriate follow up steps for most major and minor problems. Appendix C is the
Department’s Facilities Operations and Maintenance statement on after hours emergencies.
The temporary relocation of 1-300 residents is usually a component of any major emergency.
Because the GTPD and other campus resources are prepared to handle the ―nonresidential‖ aspects of most situations, this relocation is the primary focus of this plan. The
relocation process is similar (identifying needs, addressing capacity of spaces, providing a
bed and access to bathrooms and showers) no matter the reason(s) for the relocation.
Temporary Relocation of Housing Residents
Lodging Contingency Plan
This plan is designed to meet the lodging needs of a differing sized group of students for a
short-to-medium duration of time. The factors contributing to such relocation are varied, but
usually fire, weather, and mechanical system failures necessitate finding temporary housing
for residents. If the ―temporary‖ need is for only 2-3 days, many students will choose to stay
with friends or family members. For 5-10 days, often a bed and mattress will be sufficient for
such temporary stays. The primary factor to consider when placing students in lounges or
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other ―non-rooms‖ is access to bathroom and shower facilities. The lounges in most of the
single student apartment buildings do not provide access to such basic amenities.
A.
Temporary Lodging for up to 10 Students
Except for the first few weeks of fall classes, enough vacancies usually occur in our system
to accommodate this number. When offices are closed the HD (Hall Director) and others
can determine space availability and issue keys to the affected residents. Also, most
residents can find a friend on- or off-campus to stay with temporarily.
B.
Temporary Lodging for 11-20 Students
Plan A (1-10)
Convert ―prepared‖ lounges in Hopkins, Hanson, Caldwell, Folk, Armstrong, Hefner, Fulmer
halls (capacity = 20)
C.
Temporary Lodging got 21-30 Students
Plan A & B
Place students in each vacant Family Housing apartment (2 students to each bedroom, 4
in each living room)
D.
Temporary Lodging for 31-150 Students
Plan A & B
Add students to PL and RA rooms in traditional and suite halls (capacity male = 100,
female = 50)
E.
Temporary Lodging for 150-250 Students
Plan A, B & D
Use large lounges on various halls (Smith capacity = 15, Perry-Matheson Sun Room
capacity = 15, Woodruff Lounges (8 capacity = 64)
F.
Temporary Lodging for 250-400 Students
Plan A, B, D, &E
Add mattresses/bed to various four-person apartments in ULC, SSA, ESA, CSA (capacity =
150)
G.
Temporary Lodging for extreme cases of 400+ Students
Must provide in non-housing building. Suggest Coliseum and CRC
Evacuation Locations by Building, Community and Side of Campus
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In some emergencies, it may be necessary to immediately move students to other
locations (fire or other natural disaster). The decision as to which location a building must
move to will be determined by the scale of the problem, with consultation of GTPD. For
example, a fire in one building on East Campus may not affect the buildings near it; thus
residents may be evacuated next door. A power outage on West Campus could mean
that all evacuations must be made to East or North Campus halls. These would be very
temporary relocations, and residents of the ―receiving‖ building would be encouraged to
allow an evacuated resident to share their space for a night or two.
Building
Armstrong
Brown
Capacity
130
94
First Location
Second Location
Opposite Campus
Hefner
Folk
Hanson
Cloudman
Hopkins
FE West female floors
Caldwell
160
Folk
Fitten
Smith
Cloudman
125
Hopkins
Brown/Hopkins
FE West female floors
Center Street
360
Eighth St.
Sixth St.
Glenn, Towers, Cloudman
Eighth Street
660
ULC, Sixth St. Hemphill, Center St.
Glenn, Towers, Cloudman
Field
126
Hanson
Towers
Fitten
Fitten
140
Folk
Caldwell
Field
Folk
160
Caldwell
Fitten
Towers
Freeman
120
Fitten
Folk
Perry
Fourth St Houses 96
Field
Hopkins
Montag
Fulmer
58
Montag
Cloudman
Brown
GLC
350
Hemphill
Eighth St.
Center St.
Glenn
350
Towers, Field
Smith, Hanson
Woodruff
Hemphill
330
Center St.
GLC
Sixth St.
Hanson
120
Matheson
Field
Caldwell
Hefner
130
Armstrong
Folk
Hanson
Hopkins
130
Cloudman
Cloudman/Brown FE West female floors
Howell
125
Smith
Perry
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Fitten
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Harrison
160
Cloudman
Hopkins
Woodruff
Harris
95
Field
Hanson
Woodruff
Montag
120
Armstrong
Caldwell
Hopkins
Matheson
150
Field
Towers
Folk
North Ave N
582
NAA South
NAA East
ULC, Sixth St., Maudling
North Ave S
586
NAA North
NAA East
Center St., Hemphill
North Ave E
658
NAA North, West
NAA South, West
Eighth St.
North Ave W
179
NAA South
NAA East
ULC
Perry
120
Field
Glenn
Caldwell
Smith
300
Towers
Glenn
Woodruff
ULC
Woodruff
Glenn, Towers, Cloudman
6th St & Maulding
485
Tenth & Home 396
Other TAH units
Towers*
265
Glenn
Smith
Woodruff
ULC
435
Sixth St.
Woodruff
Glenn, Towers, Cloudman
Woodruff
560
ULC, Sixth St.
8th St., Center St.
Glenn, Smith, Cloudman
* Closed for renovation 2013-2014
7 Steps to Proper Programming
Much of programming is planning out the details. Brainstorming, delegating roles, and
advertising are all details that make up a successful program. Staff should refer to the 7 Steps
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of Proper Programming listed below for a step-by-step guide on how to execute program
planning.
Identify & Evaluate Your Population
 Who will be attending your program?
 Who is your audience?
 What do your residents want/need? (See programming needs assessment
handout)
Brainstorm
Plan, Plan, Plan
 There are many types of funds available, talk to your HD for details.
 COMPLETE A PROGRAM PROPOSAL ON THE STAFF WEBSITE
 Set a date
 Set and reserve a space
 Reserve any needed equipment
 Purchase food and beverages
Sell, Sell, Sell
 Advertise—use flyers and e-mails that include the following: name of event,
date, time, location, whether or not there will be FREE FOOD!, etc.
 Use catch phrases in your advertising
 Use bathroom stalls
 Word of mouth and personal invite are two of the most effective ways to
advertising
 Think outside the box – come up with ways that will get the attention of your
residents. (Ex: doing large posters, tying an invitation to a small bag of candy or
something else that goes along with your program)
Do It!
Say “Thank You”
 If using a presenter, be sure to send a thank you note or e-mail—don’t burn
bridges
 Be sure to say thank you to those who attended
Evaluate the Program
 How did it go?
 COMPLETE A PROGRAM EVALUATION ON THE STAFF WEBSITE WITHIN 2 WEEKS OF
YOUR EVENT
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