Future of the Profession

An effective housing professional recognizes that change is an inherent reality of the work and commits to removing outdated policies, procedures, and practices that prevent students from accessing the support and resources needed for their learning. Housing organizations must be centered as learning organizations that accept the consistency of change, learn from past mistakes, and embrace future considerations.

Centering housing in operational learning is vital because not only does it allow housing and residence life departments to meet current challenges, but it also prepares individual staff and the organization as a whole to meet future challenges as they emerge; potentially even proactively averting them before they occur. To achieve this benchmark, departments must begin their work from a solid foundation, be aware of external factors that can affect their work, find assistance from available resources, and instill a culture of trust, flexibility, and a willingness to accept change. The following definition establishes a goal for housing and residence life departments and begins the process of moving toward it.

The following assessment questions evaluate where individuals and organizations are regarding intentional learning. The recommendation is to complete this assessment tool in two parts. The first instrument is for a department or unit. This can be an immediate office, a building, a department, or a division. Repeat as needed to broaden the community or environment being assessed. The word “organization” is used broadly in this assessment. The second instrument is for individual members of the organization. There are tips after the assessment on the practical application of the results.

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