Director’s Corner: Housing and Residence Life

A peek at what “August” looks like for housing and residence life.

Collectively, it is the busiest month of the 12 month cycle for both the Residence Life team and the Housing Office team.  The residence life team is in full training mode, has been since second week in July, which moves to 7 days a week as we enter week 2 of August.  The housing office sends out the confirmation of building and roommate assignments and begins handling many hundreds of parent and student concerns that result from that mailing.   Infringing mightily on Campus Services’ peace of mind (we share a floor with them!) we stage and then deploy our fleet of 85 vacuums we house off campus during summer months, 85 first aid kits for our staff, 85 tool kits of markers, tape, staplers, 3000 brochures for three or more renter’s insurance agencies which need to make it to each student desk in our system, shirts for our staff.  Our copier is busy as staff start production of thousands of door name tags, posters/flyers, etc.  We are also busy moving our summer residents out of Kennedy and Corkery, back to their normal rooms for the year, working with Plant to turn over the apartments they left behind as well as the residence halls recently turned back to us from Campus Services summer conference staff, in time for the 800 expected early arrivals in advance of freshman check in, a process we must manage in the middle of what should be focused training.  As if that was not enough, we are conducting interviews of candidates for a new Business Manager position.

The Residence Life team is building their small teams, and providing training from offices and personnel all around campus and guest speakers on special topics brought to campus from other Universities.  This training also includes planning and staging meals for a group that exceeds 100 on many days when special guests are invited to join.  The residence life professional staff will have pulled off over 100 programs collectively as R.A.s begin to check residents in, when you consider the training sessions they organized and facilitated for their staffs.

-Dennis Colestock, Director of Housing and Residence Life

Director’s Corner: The Parent & Family Relations Office

The Parent and Family Relations office is excited to enter their junior year at Gonzaga University this fall. Be sure to drop off goodies on September 15^th to show your support and help celebrate the 3^rd year of establishment for the office. Beginning over Orientation weekend, the P&F office provides support for parents and families as students embark on their Gonzaga journey. The P&F office guides the parents and families of GU students in the process of “letting go,” and coaching parents to guide from the side. Gonzaga prides itself on community and the P&F office is here to guide and walk with families to fully embrace their GU experience.

Stay connected with the P&F office:

Follow our Tweets: http://twitter.com/GonzagaFamilies

Read the Newsletter: http://blogs.gonzaga.edu/parents/

Director’s Corner: Campus Services

Campus Services and our excellent team of professionals continue to service the needs of the University and the greater Spokane community.  We service and schedule thousands of events, videos services, A/V needs, activities, programs and conferences each year.

We are currently working on the implementation of the new EMS program (Event Management Systems) The program will allow both the Registrar’s Office and Campus Services to integrate our operations between academics and non academic activities across the campus.  It is the intent that we will also build on a centralized scheduling, booking and calendar system for the University. The program should go live sometime in 2013. `

Campus Services is proud to announce the celebration of the Bozarth Conference and Retreat Center’s 100^th Anniversary. Save the date of 12/12/12 where we plan to host an exciting open house style event @ the mansion in a traditional themed Yuletide Christmas offering horse drawn sleigh rides, live music, food and spirits. There will also be a showcase of the mansions history depicting the mansions inception, to its spiritual value to the University with its Jesuit tradition of hosting annual retreats and searches each year. Watch for the announcements and invites soon to come.

-Scott Murray, Director of Campus Services

Student Publications: Director’s Corner

Student Publications is now a 12 month office starting June 1.  We have experienced a tremendous amount of growth especially in our advertising program and publication collaborations that made it necessary to increase our work schedule. This summer we are working with Jill Yashinsky-Wortman and Kassi Kain on the Student Handbook, Nancy Masingale on the Campus Directory,  Jeff Hart on the Student Life Year End Report and Amy Walker on the University Parent Guide. 

Every fall we hold a one day Student Publications Orientation to get our student editors prepared for the coming year.  We are starting the year early by hosting a special graphic design workshop in mid-August.  Award-winning creative director and Gonzaga alumnus, Lou Maxon (’96) will be lead the workshop and help editors explore and develop new cover and layout designs.  Lou was also the design consultant in the recent redesign of the Gonzaga Magazine.  See a brief bio on Lou at: http://www.radarworks.com/who-we-are/    If any of you have graphic design work study students who would like to attend this workshop, please let me know.  The tentative date is August 17^th.

On August 23 you will see a different Gonzaga Bulletin newspaper in campus stands.  The newspaper will be streamlined to an updated industry size.  Also Lou Maxon will help the Bulletin Editors create a fresh redesign and format for the newspaper.

The Gonzaga Bulletin website is going through major changes in the next two months. A new online provider will give the web publication a new look, new features and advanced technical capabilities that will enhance readership and the experiential learning component for students on staff.  The new site will provide flexibility and the tools for students to create a more dynamic and interactive newspaper. Check out the new website on August 24^th at: www.gonzagabulletin.com

The Student Publications Board, Chris Wheatley and I are excited for the new
school year and  to see the publications and work produced from our 2012-2013 student leadership team.  See the list below.  Contact information for these editors and managers will be on our web page.

The Gonzaga Bulletin Editor-in-Chief, Lauren Campbell
Spires Yearbook Editor, Kayla Heyer
Reflection Editor, Jacey Fink
Culture Shock Editor, John Farley
One World Editor, Jessica Flemming
Advertising Manager, McKenzie DonTigny
Business Manager, Kim Sather
Marketing Coordinators, Ellie Thodal and Connor Gall

~ Joanne Shiosaki, Student Publications Manager