ASCEND “Reaching 5,280 feet and beyond.”
Volume 10, Issue 2
Table of ContentsImportant Dates.........................................................................Page 3Case Study..................................................................................Page 3One Too Many Tips to Taking on the Next Semester..............Page 4Writing an Article for the Ascend............................................ Page 5All I Do is Bid, Bid, Bid, No Matter What....................................Page 6F[in]ancy Tricks............................................................................Page 7Barrel of Monkeys 101................................................................Page 8IACURH Program of the Year Finalists Regional Nominee: Fauxchella.......................................Page 10 Walk to Aware...................................................................Page 12Regional OTM Winners September.........................................................................Page 14 October..............................................................................Page 15 November..........................................................................Page 16Shout Outs.................................................................................Page 17IACURH Executive Positional Semester Updates...................Page 20
NACURH is the leading international organization advocating for the interests and wel-fare of residence hall students, while also providing opportunities for their personal growth and development. It is an organization of students committed to developing leadership, honoring diversity, recognizing achievement, promoting scholarship, as well as stimulat-ing engagement and involvement among students who reside in college and university residence halls. Through programs and services, NACURH provides leadership opportuni-ties for students, shares residence hall programming resources and best practices, and coordinates activities with appropriate professional associations and business partners.
Mission Statement
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Some of the graphics and fonts in this edition of the Ascend may display best when printed. We value sustainability and reccommend that you view the Ascend in full screen mode on your computer and distribute it to memembers of your or-ganizations as a digital copy in lieu of printing.
Important DatesNo Frills Conference Registration Closes ....................... January 18th
Bid Intents .......................................................................... January 29th
Positional Bid Intents Due ................................................ January 29th
NSRO Shirt Design Competition Deadline ..................... January 31st
Bids ..................................................................................... February 7th
Policy Checks .................................................................... February 8th
Fixed Bids ........................................................................... February 9th
Positional Bids Due ............................................................ February 9th
NACURH 2015 Registration Opens .................................. February 9th
Conference Bids Due ..................................................... February 14th
Legislation Due ............................................................... February 14th
Bid Evaluations ................................................................ February 15th
No Frills 2015 Conference ...................................... February 19th-22nd
NACURH 2015 Registration Closes........................................... April 3rd
NACURH 2015 Late Registration ...................................... April 4th-10th
NACURH 2015 Conference ........................................... May 22nd-24th
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January Case StudyCongratulations to Northern Arizo-na University for winning the August Case Study. To read their submission, please visit the IACURH resources folders.
January Case StudyDue date: February 1, 2015 at 11:59pm MSTSend to: [email protected] be completed by the NCC, NRHH President, and RHA President. Sub-missions must not exceed one page single-spaced.
The NCC, NRHH President, and RHA Pres-ident dynamic at conferences allows for a lot of opportunity for collaboration in rep-resenting one’s institution. However, often times, relational dynamics, coupled with contentious decisions being made in board-room, can lead to conflicts between the three positions. How will/would you avoid these conflict by ensuring that all voices are being included in boardroom processes? Please describe any steps you would take before the conference, during, and after the conference.
Please send any questions regarding the case study and submission process to Christian Sandoval at [email protected].
One Too Many Tips to Taking on the Next Semester
With the start of a new semester, every day can feel like hump day. You can often catch yourself saying, “I just need to make it to next Friday, then I can relax for a day before I start that big paper.” or, “I can’t wait until Spring Break so I can finally sleep!” Although, setting small milestones for yourself can help keep things in perspective and prioritize to-do items, it’s important to consider the toll it can have on your sense of accomplishment. As we approach the beginning of the spring semester, I thought I’d share some practices that I’ve seen work for myself and other individuals I’ve worked with.
1. Remember what your priorities are. I’m sure you’ve been waiting for me to say this, so let’s get it out of the way: *queue the voices of every person you’ve heard say this in the past* “We’re all students first.” Congrats, you’ve heard it one more time. Maybe this time you’ll actually consider it before you decide to help with a program the night before a big exam. Or, if you are going to help with the program, set a time-to-leave alarm and kindly excuse yourself once it goes off. The individual who you are helping will appreciate the time you took out of your day to help, and will un-derstand why you have to leave.
2. Remember that you’re not always the right person for the job. For most of us, there ar-en’t many meetings where we’ll walk out without an additional set of to-do items for the week, but when it’s the same few peo-ple constantly picking up responsibilities, it could have a negative toll on your team’s dynamic. It’s important that the entire group, be it an executive board, a com-mittee, or a hall council, feels they can ac-tively contribute to the completion of tasks
and feel they’re being utilized. Often, in-dividuals who pick up extra responsibilities will complain about other individuals not doing so, without taking into consideration that perhaps there aren’t tasks left over.
3. Remember where your responsibilities end, and another’s begin. Similar to my previ-ous point, it’s crucial that you are referring individuals that come to you for help to the person responsible for supporting that area of the organization. For example, if a council member comes to you for help with creating an event advertisement, but you’re not the executive over advertising/marketing for your organization, (even if you can help them) it would probably be best to support the roles everyone else serves in and refer the council member to the appropriate individual.
4. Remember to have difficult conversations. When you feel someone is taking advan-tage of your willingness to help or not being mindful of the time you take to help them, speak up. This conversation doesn’t have to be a negative experience; it can just be a re-enforcement of the working relation-ship between the two of you. If you have difficulties approaching these conversa-tions, it definitely helps talking through the conversation with an advisor in advance.
5. Remember to enjoy the company of oth-ers. Doing homework alone in a bleak, soundless room isn’t always the way to go. Although, I wouldn’t recommend it when you’re genuinely stressed about an exam or paper, going to a coffee shop and study-ing with friends can be a really enjoyable, productive experience. They’re also great for alleviating that mid-semester sense of not really getting to see your friends, which can really bog you down when you’re al-ready stressed about school.
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By Christian Sandoval,IACURH RCC-PRRHA
So you want to write an article for Ascend but you don’t know what to write about or how to go about it. Below is a collection of tips to help you on your journey to creating an Ascend article:
1. Pick a topicOne of the most important things is to realize the “why” of your article. If you are stumped on what kind of article to write think of topics relevant to the time of year, around things you do for RHA or NRHH, or an amazing event you put on at your campus.
2. Research an ideaOnce you have your idea it is important to research it. If you are writing an event, ask those who attended the event. If you are writing about how to recognize others look into ways to recognize. Having additional information outside of what you know adds more depth and information for the reader to get out of the article.
3. Write to your audienceIt is important to know your audience. For Ascend the majority of your audience is those who are involved in the Region, whether, NCC, NRHH Representative, RHA President, Advisor, or others who attend conferences.
a. Theme itb. Doesn’t have to be multiple
paragraphs4. Make it your own
Theming what you write is important in OTMs and in writing articles. When you are able to make the article relatable people are more likely to read it and enjoy it. When writing an article it doesn’t need to be multiple paragraphs. Outlining it or breaking it out into pieces will help you in creating an article and help you in writing
Writing an Article for the Ascendit.
5. Add a pictureAdding something that makes it stand-out or unique will not only get others to write your article but also helps you tell a story.
We look forward to all of the amazing articles you all are going to write this year!
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By Jen O’Brien,IACURH Regional NRHH Advisor
Hey IACURH!
My name is Aaron Ringsby, and I am your IACURH AD-NRHH. I am the person that supports NRHH Presidents, and I facilitate the bidding process for our region! As you know, the conference is less than 30 days away now, and bids are due in a few short weeks. If you’re wondering how to bid and how to bid well, then this is the article for you.
PLAN PLAN PLAN The first step to successful bidding is PLANNING ahead and setting the appropriate amount of time aside to create a great bid. You first should brainstorm people, programs, or organizations that you feel like should be recognized. Take into consideration the great things that these people and organizations have done since last November because for most bids, you can only include information from last IACURH to this IACURH. Check out the IACURH By-Laws for more information on what can and can’t be included in the bid. After finding noteworthy nominees, look into what categories they could fit in. Also set aside a lot of time for these bids. Don’t wait till the last minute to complete these bids. You and your nominees deserve better. If you feel like these nominees deserve the recognition that comes along with bidding, then they deserve a great bid
that had a lot of time put into it. It is also a disservice to you because you will get more satisfaction out of a great bid that didn’t stress you out the 12 hours before the bid is due.
Think of Content and Layout Your bid may be the most beautiful thing in the world, but if the content isn’t there, then you aren’t going to win. Content is the most important part of the bid. When writing the bid, pull up the award requirements and recommendations. Make sure that all these points are addressed in your bid clearly. When deciding who the winner is, the Regional Board will use this policy to evaluate each bid. Be sure to be detailed, much like how one would write an OTM. If you write that the person is great, then that will have no impact on comparing bids. If you write why they are great, then your examples will be able to be compared to other bids.
For example: Bad: “Kate is great. She really deserves the Executive Board Member of the Year Award.”
Good “Kate has been a valuable and much needed addition to the RHA Executive Board. She is always the first one to come to programs and is the last one to leave. She completely
All I Do is Bid, Bid, Bid, No Matter WhatIACURH ASCEND PAGE 6
revamped the campus level bidding process at our school, and it has yielded a 200% increase in campus level bid submissions. Our professional staff members have even benefitted from Kate’s dedication to her position. She developed a conference advising application where our staff members are able to apply to advise conference delegations and gain professional experience by attending conferences and ART sessions. For all of these reasons, Kate really is our Executive Board Member of the Year.”
As you can see above, the good example has tangible details of what the nominee did to deserve the award. These examples will be able to be compared to the other nominees. It also explains why the nominee went above and beyond in her Executive Board duties. Be sure to choose a relevant theme and have that theme be coherent and highlight your content.
Finish Early and Edit The earlier you finish your bid, the better it will be! Try and finish at least two weeks before the deadline. Give yourself a break, a pat on the back, and a much needed nap. After a few days, edit your bid! Print it off and evaluate your content, grammar, structure, layout, etc. Also have other people look over your bid and give feedback. Try and have someone outside of Residence Life look over it as well to make sure everything you’re explaining makes sense to an outsider. After you edit it, give it another day or so and edit it again. Make sure your graphics, tables, and charts are legible and can be easily read. Try bolding important phrases in your bid as well. After many, many edits, you then can submit your bid! Convert your bid to a .pdf and title it appropriately (see bid guide for more details). Then turn it in by February 7th at 11:59PM MST to the submission box located at iacurh.nacurh.org under bid station.
Good luck and may the odds be ever in your favor!
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IACURH 2014 Award WinnersAdvisor of the Year Award:
Matt Anderson| USURHA Building Block of the Year Award:
Auraria CampusDistinguished Service Award:
Kat Roemer| BYUExecutive Board Member of the Year:
Ryan Cafiero| U of ArizonaNCC of the Year Award:
Ashlynn McCarter | U of UtahNRHH Outstanding Chapter of the Year:
Upsilon Nu Chi Chapter| UNCNRHH President of the Year Award:
Matt Kelley| BSUProgram of the Year AwardFauxchella | ASU - Tempe
Resident Advisor/Assistant of the Year: LoLo Fisher | U of ArizonaSchool of the Year Award:
University of Colorado BoulderService Award:
Nathan Tack | U of ArizonaStudent of the Year Award
Rudi Zurbuchen | U of UtahStudent Staff Member of the Year Award:
Tyler McDowell-Blanken | U of Arizona
F[in]ancy TricksQuick Conversations on Preparing for Spring 2015
With the fall semester closed, class exams over and done with, and conferences just around the corner, it can be easy to over-look some key preparation elements for your RHAs and NRHHs for Spring 2015. However, it doesn’t need to be another tedious task to figure out the next big steps for your organi-zations, if anything, just start with some round-table conversations on upcoming goals and initiatives just to get the ball rolling!
Reconciling / Reflection on Fall 2014 Expenditures
Revisit your FY15 Budget with your Exec-utive Board. Analyze your different expen-ditures in regards to how they impact your University / Campus, define what were suc-cesses and weaknesses for this particular semester and brainstorm solutions to how you as an Executive Board can correct or further improve your finance procedures. Here are some suggested topics you can have with your RHA / NRHH Executive Board when it comes to finances:
• Positional Perspectives• Programming vs. Advocacy Expenses• Short-Term & Long Term Projects• Technology Needs• Fundraising Opportunities • Over-Allocated Amounts & Under-Allo-
cated Amounts• Personal Budgeting Programs for RHA /
NRHH Members and Residents• Improving a Budget Template
Local Governing Documents UpdateIf it’s been a while since you’ve revisited
your local Governing Documents / Policy
Books, go over what are in those documents to really re-familiarize yourself with potential Policy you may not be aware of, or Policy that doesn’t have a clear connection with your RHA / NRHH anymore. You’ll be surprised with what can possibly be hidden! In the meantime, here are some Document Design suggestions as well as other Policy sugges-tions for you and your organizations to ex-plore for conversations:
• Standard of Design• Font Type / Font Size• Consistency in Articles and Sections• New Additions and Possible Legislation • Operations Manual on Organizational
Procedures
If you are looking for a revamp to your Pol-icy Book in terms of document design or just overall feedback or suggestions, reach out to me so we can have conversations on how to make your Policy as effective and relatable to you and your RHA / NRHH as possible.
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By Austin Lujan,IACURH AD-BA
Barrel of Monkeys 101
This program is to help schools connect with other schools in the region. Every school is placed within a barrel. It is also to help schools become stronger entities, through the use of not only the big three, but also others on the board. It help schools connect with the IACURH executives and share knowl-edge so that they get more out of affiliating with NACURH. It is to keep schools connect and the learning going not just at confer-ences.
Purpose:
The purpose of the barrel of monkeys pro-gram is to bring individuals from different schools throughout the IACURH region to-gether in different interactive/social settings to build personal and professional networks while gaining collaborative skills. The pro-gram is meant to connect newly affiliated schools with other schools in the region to increase retention efforts. By collaborating throughout the region, students begin to net-work in a professional, but fun manner. The barrel of monkeys program gives all schools an equal opportunity to participate and get involved.
Vision:
As executives, we want to see this program become something that strengthens schools through group involvement and collabora-tion. This program is a fun, relaxed, and cre-ative way to connect with different schools and IACURH executives in a multitude of dif-ferent ways. Each executive leads a barrel with a variety of schools participating.
Roles & Expectations:
Participation in barrels is encouraged, but not mandatory to retain good standing within IACURH. No one is going to be hound-ing individuals to complete tasks, although participants may receive reminders about
activities from their executive buddies. We encourage you to add members from your own schools to be a part of your barrel. Your school will receive banana points for partici-pation and completion of activities. Have fun and build your network with schools in your barrel.
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By Maddi Dawn,IACURH RCC-RR
It has been said that music is the strongest form of magic, and after hosting Faux-Chella on the evening of October 3rd, ASU Tempe would have to agree. This program, inspired by the popular music festival, Coachella, was truly magical. On this Friday night, talent from across campus united together to take their turn singing songs, mixing tracks, and playing chords that would move the feet and hearts of more t h a n 1,000 ASU students. To cap-ture this moment, s t u d e n t p h o t o g -r a p h e r s and oth-er art-ists were p r e s e n t at this program, truly mak-ing it an a r t i s t i c celebration worth remembering.
While creating Faux-Chella, we wanted to focus on the residents and the potential and talent within each one. Our commitment to harnessing this potential, prompted us to send an email to the on-campus population, re-questing applications from people interested
in performing at the event. People were quick to seize the opportunity, and over 200 sub-missions were turned in! Because of this over-whelming number, a panel of RHA student leaders came together to narrow it down to a manageable 14 artists that would perform on dueling stages throughout the night. University campuses are often hubs of diversity and that presented itself through the range of music at
this event. Submissions ranged from African rap to smooth, melanchol-ic, acoustic melodies.
M u s i c serves as a connection b e t w e e n individuals, each song a crash course in e m p a t h y . Music is something
human and to continue this theme of cele-brating the human spirit, Faux-Chella offered many other activities. Attendees participated in a “Warrior Wall” where they wrote things they fight for on chalkboards—connecting through their struggles and triumphs. Fans of the spoken word could share their stories in
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the “Poet’s Corner.” To meet other people while crafting, attendees had the opportunity to create flower headbands to wear through-out the program.
Because of the resident-focused, low-bud-get nature of this program, any campus could host it to make it their own. The high propor-tion of residents that attended demonstrated the demand for an event like this. Tips for how to implement and tailor this on your campus are listed below.
Capitalize on the talent contained on your campus by sending out an email requesting performance applications. Residents will be grateful for the opportunity to perform and their friends will want to support them which will make marketing easier. You could tailor the amount of time each performer will get based off the interest you receive.
Reach out to any AV clubs on campus and ask if they would be willing to donate their services and speakers for the night to reduce costs and to create a more collaborative at-
mosphere between student organizations.Are there any resources or artistic based or-
ganizations on your campus? Ask them if they would like a presence in your program. The ul-timate goal is to unite and inspire. The various stations you choose to add to your Faux-Chel-la (whether it be a poet’s corner or flower headband making) will end up enhancing the overall impact.
Consider your performance space. You can add or reduce stages depending on how much room you have. A smaller space would require one stage as opposed to two.
Water and lemonade was offered through-out the night. We created a more sustainable program by encouraging residents to keep their cup. Finding more sustainable ways to host this program is encouraged. Marketing can change from poster based to video and social media heavy to help conserve.
Good luck! Faux-Chella has potential to in-spire on every campus, and when following the theme, this program will be nothing shy of magic.
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Walk to Aware was a campus-wide advocacy program organized by the Residence Hall Association at Colorado School of Mines in September 2014. At Walk to Aware, students received free t-shirts to display a cause or organization they are passionate about and wanted to “walk” for, such as education, LGBTQ+ rights, and mental health. The program aimed to create a safe environment wherein participants could openly share why they are passionate about the cause/organization displayed on their shirt, even when others may have had differing opinions. Leaders within Mines RHA, Oredigger Leadership Themed Learning Community, and Mines Police Department mingled throughout the event to encourage students to share the personal stories that drive their passions for their indicated causes/organizations. The goals of Walk to Aware were to raise awareness for under-represented causes and organizations, to put a personal story behind each cause/organization, and to encourage students to take tangible steps of advocacy in support of those causes/organizations they are most passionate about. “Too many people are ignorant of world issues or problems that affect millions of people every day. We want this to change. We do not live in a bubble and what affects one person, whether directly or indirectly, affects us all. We believe it is our job to do our part to help
others out. A problem faced alone can be overwhelming, but a problem faced with a team can give someone the support they need. Walk to Aware is about raising awareness for causes and organizations the Mines’ campus is passionate about. But we hope the message doesn’t end there. Once people become aware of an issue or are able to put a face or story to an organization, we hope they are inspired to make that change in the world. We hope they actively approach each day to make the world a better place.” - Mines RHA 2014 The program took place in the outdoor common area at Mines, Kafadar Commons, on Saturday, September 6, 2014. The program had various stations set up along a walking track to promote the “Walk” to Aware idea. These stations included a Welcome Station (Station 1) where participants could check-in and view a poster filled with personal stories submitted by Residence Life staff members, a T-shirt Station (Station 2) where students could pick up a free T-shirt on which to write the cause/organization they support, a Written Stories Station (Station 3) where participants could share their stories through writing or drawing on provided cards that were later collaged onto posters and hung throughout the residence halls, and a Video Station (Station 4) where participants could share their stories on camera to help compile a collective video about what the Mines’ campus is passionate about supporting. The program also included lawn games such as hula hoops and volleyball to create a positive environment. Walk to Aware was also preceded by a Free Rice week, a competition amongst residence halls on
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Walk to Aware
freerice.com, to further advocate for simple ways college students can make a difference. The successes and impacts of Walk to Aware were numerous and included the establishment of a positive, safe atmosphere, better connectedness to personal stories, and tangible change via Free Rice Week. At Walk to Aware, event volunteers, as well as many Resident Assistants with their floors, were instigating meaningful discussions amongst participants about their causes/organizations. Volunteers joined Frisbee circles, for example, asking each person to share as much of their story with the group as they felt comfortable as they were passed the Frisbee. Most participants also wrote their stories on the cards provided and shared their stories on video as well, continuing the impact of Walk to Aware beyond the event itself via these forms of media. Participants shared that they had fun and de-stressed by playing lawn games at the event; that they left feeling refreshed, more connected to their own personal story and to their peers, and inspired to continue the advocacy and awareness mentality beyond the event; and that the event had a large diversity of activities and methods of expressions for all participants to feel comfortable. Lastly, Walk to Aware demonstrated a tangible impact through Free Rice Week. This encouraged the Mines campus to earn almost 2 million grains of rice, enough to feed one person for 96 days. It also exposed many students to freerice.com and gave them a meaningful and change-inducing way to fill their free time in the future. Walk to Aware is a dynamic and impactful
program that can be easily adapted to any campus, both because of its flexible planning and facilitation logistics and because of its universally applicable message. At Mines, the event as described required a minimum of 9 volunteers to facilitate; however, utilizing more volunteers is key to the program’s success. Mines utilized 12 volunteers for this program, with the additional volunteers mingling throughout the event and instigating valuable discussions amongst participants. The total cost of the event was approximately $325, which covered T-shirts as well as the poster board, paper, and markers used to for the written stories station. Additional campus resources utilized included tables, chairs, video recording equipment, a volleyball net, and lawn games. The budget allocated for this program could be easily adapted to fit the population and campus resources of any big or small campus. The Mines campus, being highly dedicated to engineering, was lacking in advocacy-focused programming allowing students to look beyond their engineering work and towards their community at large. While Walk to Aware originated to inspire students in this area, there is no college campus to which this inspiration cannot be applied.
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September Regional Winning OTMsSpotlight
Student
Community Service Program
Diversity Program
Passive Program
Social Program
Educational Program
Morgan BradfordUniversity of Northern Colorado
by Elisabeth Coco
Advisor
Program Categories
Cynthia LuuUniversity of Utah
by Janelle Trieu
Executive Board Member
Kyle SmithMontana State University-Bozeman
by Elissa Taylor
First Year Student
Jill StephensonUniversity of Utahby Sarah Gutierrez
Institution Faculty/Staff
No nominee submitted!
Residential Community
No nominee submitted!
Organization
No nominee submitted!
Resident Assistant
Katie and RioMontana State University-Bozeman
by Samantha Kohl
Residence Life Faculty/Staff
Student Solar PlazaUniversity of Utahby Jenna Matsumura
Frankie DiazArizona State University-Tempe
by Andrew Raj
No nominee submitted!
No nominee submitted!
SAFEtemberArizona State University-Tempe
by Annie Souza
Social Justice 101University of Utahby Sabrina Abdalla
14er Service Project at Grays & Torreys Peaks
Colorado State Universityby Jeff Johnston
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October Regional Winning OTMsSpotlight
Student
Community Service Program
Diversity Program
Passive Program
Social Program
Educational Program
Chelsea CoalwellUniversity of Northern Colorado
by Sadie Downs
Advisor
Program Categories
Zack Sullivan Colorado State University
by Sierra Hastings
Executive Board Member
Sarah DuvalNorthern Arizona University
by Austin Schroeder
First Year Student
Amanda AndrewArizona State University-Downtown
by Ryan Boyd
Institution Faculty/Staff
DurwardColorado State University
by Juliet Letteney
Residential Community
SLiCEColorado State University
by Andrew Petros
Organization
No nominee submitted!
Resident Assistant
Tyderyon NealArizona State University-Tempe
by Stephanie Kaufmann
Residence Life Faculty/Staff
UNM Sex WeekUniversity of New Mexico
by Brittany Jeffery
Kira MazzolaColorado State University
by Juliet Letteney
CSU Drag ShowColorado State University
by Cara Osborn
No nominee submitted!
International Food FairUniversity of New Mexico
by Caitlin Carcerano
No nominee submitted!
Officer’s HollowUniversity of Utahby Ashlynn McCarter
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November Regional Winning OTMsSpotlight
Student
Community Service Program
Diversity Program
Passive Program
Social Program
Educational Program
Mary ElliottColorado School of Mines
by Brittany Schreiner
Advisor
Program Categories
Sierra HastingsColorado State University
by Mackenzie Owens
Executive Board Member
No nominee submitted!
First Year Student
Veronica AtondoUniversity of Arizona
by Lorene Fisher
Institution Faculty/Staff
Allen Hall 2nd Floor Ninja Sharks Northern Arizona University
by Frankie Difranco
Residential Community
NRHH Rams ChapterColorado State University
by Juliet Letteney
Organization
Austin GoodColorado State University
by Zack Sullivan
Resident Assistant
Teri SisulakNorthern Arizona University
by Frankie Difranco
Residence Life Faculty/Staff
“Pizza Prom”University of Arizona
by Michael Shulby
Morgan McPartlandUniversity of Colorado-Boulder
by Isaac Hinz
Disney in the Dome University of Colorado-Boulder
by Jenny Tran
Election Door DecorationsUniversity of Northern Colorado
by Amy Zeigler
Silenced by SalienceUniversity of Utah
by Fatima Liaqat & Timothy Davis
Native American Experience Night University of Utah
by Christopher Dewey
Smash HungerColorado School of Mines
by Ryan Czarny
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Nate has done an amazing job preparing for IACURH! He has spent countless hours in the office getting ready for the conference and has worked super hard with his executives and the conference staff to ensure that all attendees are getting the best experience possible!
-Ryan Cafiero, UA
Nathan Tack
Thank you for being amazing and being my better half of our diamond duo! You are amazing. I appreciate how you are always able to get things done! Keep up the great work and being you.
-Jen O’Brien, IACURH Executive
Aaron Ringsby
Shout out to the fabulous RHA Board of Directors at the University of Colorado Boulder. Thank you for all of your amazing work this semester, especially during the hectic schedule of October. The campus really appreciates all that you contribute, and your efforts do not go unnoticed.
-Kim Kushner, UC-Boulder
University of Colorado RHA Directors
After an policy book clarification required Sara to change a bid drastically, she worked 24/7 to re assemble it successfully. Lobo Love!
-Britany Jeffery, UNM
Sara Collins
You have done an amazing job jumping right into the role. thank you for helping me fix my ListServ, always having a positive attitude, asking questions and overall running with it. Thanks for being so great!
-Jen O’Brien, IACURH Executive
Jackie Butler
Megan has done a great job supporting a hard working executive board and providing them with all of the resources and guidance they need to be successful in the lead up to IACURH 2014.
-Brittany Jeffery, UNM
Megan Chibanga
On behalf of the NRHH Chancery for the Chapter of the Maroon and Gold at ASU-Tempe, I would like to recognize our fearless Chancellor, Ashleigh Bowers! Her vision for NRHH is truly incredible and we are all very excited to help her make an impact on our campus. Thanks for all of your hard work and support!
-Matt Gomez, ASU-Tempe
Ashleigh Bowers
The website looks incredible I am so impressed with the things you have done so far! Great job!
-Savvy Morris, UNC
Jackie Butler
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Shouts-Outs
Austin Lujan, you are an angel.-Becca Lynch, ASU-Tempe
Austin Lujan
Shout out to Shannon Mulqueen for sending all of the NCCs amazing door decs.
-Kate Schreiner, UC-Boulder
Shannon Mulqueen
Shout out to Shannon for the cute note in the mail! It was adorable! #BestRCC-NCC :)
-Megan Buxton, Boise State
Shannon Mulqueen
Shannon Mulqueen
Thank you for the door dec and note! That was very sweet of you and I appreciate it. I am very excited for this year as well and I look forward to working with you this year. I can not wait to see how this year goes and the amazing work you will do to ultimately help me as NCC! :)
-Chase Radak, ASU-West
Shout out to Beth Walsh from NDSU! (Hosting NACURH 2015, of course). I just talked to her today and she said she is coming to IACURH as a special guest and she is awesome!
-Molly Bloodgood, UWYO
Beth Walsh
I’d like to shout out my Advisor, Russell Slendersbroek, and my prez, Kelsey Abernathy for building on a tradition of proven leadership and success by GOING BANANAS and germinating a new community council at Auraria.They have taken on transitioning an ALL new council into rockstar potentials. Under their leadership, I know we will flourish and become the change we want to see in our community.As new NCC I am excited to be under their talented stewardship; and especially love catching them with “was I crazy to do this?” face on :DSo, Kelsey and Russell: Thanks for all your hard work before the hard work begins and thanks for letting us sprout and bask in your *g-l-o-w*! Are they bananas or what?
-Alirio Moran, Auraria Campus
Russel Slendersbroek & Keley Abernathy
Shannon Mulqueen for pretty much being the most AWESOMEST RCC-NCCTD EVER!!!!!!!!! LOVE YOU!
-Jenn Gray, UA
Shannon Mulqueen
NCC LOVE TO ALL OF YOU PRETTIES-Becca Lynch, ASU-Tempe
NCC’s
Shouts-OutsIACURH ASCEND PAGE 18
Becca Lynch
I would like to thank our amazing NCC, Becca Lynch, for all of her hard work and dedication during the preparation of our delegation for IACURH 2014. I know our delegation will have an awesome time because of her!
-Matt Gomez, ASU-Tempe
They have put so much work into the Conference. I can not wait to get up there and see the pay off. Thank you all for what you do. IACURH loves our Conference staffs. Your hard work is noticed and appreciated.
-Madison Dawn, IACURH Executive
IACURH Conference Staff
You all are the best, working with you this year has been the most incredible experience thanks for all your dedication and passion! I can’t wait to see what all we accomplish this year!
-Savvy Morris, UNC
UNC RHA and NRHH
Ascend recognition?? I am not sure what that is :( but there are some wonderful RAs here that are super willing to help out and make our events successful!
-Molly Bloodgood, UWYO
UWYO RA’s
Shoutout to CSU’s RHA President, Juliet Letteney, for being an amazing president, and being an even more amazing friend! You’re so involved in all things CSU and RHA, and you still manage to be the greatest person ever. You’re basically my role model, so - thanks!
-Sierra Hastings, CSU
Juliet Letteney
Becca you have been incredible as our STEC I cannot believe the magnificent things you have achieved and I can’t wait to see more of what you can do! Thanks so much for helping me out with bids and being a rockstar!
-Savvy Morris, UNC
Becca Smith
Shannon, I appreciate you being so helpful and wanting to know how we’re doing all the time. Also, WE SURVIVED THE MONTH OF AUGUST YAYYYY (to everyone)
-Becca Lynch, ASU-Tempe
Shannon Mulqueen
Shout out to Austin Schroeder for being the most epic NCC Buddy ever! NAU is in good hands this year!
-University of Utah
Austin SchroederAaron Ringsby
Hi Aaron! You’re fantastic for all of the help that you’ve been in the bid process, from answering the most mundane questions to reading through all of them for policy-check stuff. Thanks for being such an amazing person and resource for bid stuff!
-Sierra Hastings, CSU
Ashlynn McCarter for being a great NCC buddy! <3
-Austin Schroeder, NAU
Ashlynn McCarter
IACURH ASCEND PAGE 19
Shouts-Outs
Nathan TackDirector
Austin LujanAD-BA
Aaron RingsbyAD-NRHH
• Held regular NRHH chats and monthlies• Sent weekly reminders to members about
bids• Facilitated the bid process for IACURH• Selected and recruited over 25 members
for the IACURH Regional OTM Selection Committee
• Organized and presided over the IACURH NRHH Boardriim
• Wrote 7 pieces of legislation for IACURH• Wrote 5 pieces of legislation for Semis• Developed the NACURH Diamond Duos
Application
IACURH ASCEND PAGE 20
IACURH Executives Nathan Tack, Christian Sandoval, and Jackie Butler attended AIMHO 2014 at Utah State University.
• NACURH Marking & Public Relations Com-mittee Chat & work
• Represented IACURH at Semi Annual Busi-ness Meeting
• Prepared Semi-Annual Report• Sent out Monkey Mondays• Wrote legislation for IACURH & NACURH• Communicated with IACURH 2014 Staff• Attended IACURH 2014• Faciliated IACURH Pre-conference• Faciliated PEAK Programming• Facilited Award Bid Selection w/ AD-NRHH• Communicated with No Frills 2015 Staff• Attended NACURH Strategic Planning
Retreat• Selected IACURH 2014 Swap Guests • IACURH Surivial Guide & Legislation Guide• Facilitated State of the Region report• Attended and facilitated a program at
AIMHO• Planned Winter Summit at ASU-Tempe• Transitioned RCC-PT• Attended GLACURH Swap• Sent IACURH Info to NACURH Archives• Work towards IACURH Strategic Plan• Affiliated all schools before IACURH
• Cleaned up Policy Books for both RHA and NRHH to reflect the IACURH Standard of Design. Also cleaned up structure of Policy Books.
• Audited Policy Books for legislation from 2011 - November 2014.
• Worked w/ RCC-PT to purchase the IA-CURH Eventstagram account for confer-ences.
• FY15 Updated Budget to reflect purchases up to October 2014.
• Monthly FY15 Expenditure Sheets (May 2014 - October 2014)
• Working on a Meeting Minute Guide to be released.
Shannon MulqueenRCC-NCCTD
Christian SandovalRCC-PRRHA
IACURH PRRHA:• Held RHA President Chat in September.
October chat was cancelled, electronic alternative to chat was sent out. President chat was held in November.
• Created ‘Training and Presentation Ma-terials’ sub-folder in the RHA Resources drive. Currently accepting feedback on types of trainings/presentations member schools would like to see.
• Held one-on-one chats with RHA Presi-dents who requested additional support.
• Attended all IACURH Exec Chats, NA-
• NCC Chats• NCC Monthlies• Created new and complete NCC Guide
to Conferencing • Authored Ascend article• Hosted 1:1’s with almost all NCCs in the
region• Selected Spirit and Traditions Vice Chair,
hosted committee chat• Created NCC Buddies• Attended Bids 101 Chat• IACURH Spirit Guide• Attended IACURH 2014• Coordinated Spirit at IACURH 2014 with
the IACURH Spirit and Traditions Commit-tee
• Authored legislation• Facilitated Peak Programming- Award
Bidding• RCC Committee Work (Drafted website,
surveyed all RCCs to create an effective resource)
• Created Legislation informational re-source
IACURH ASCEND PAGE 21
CURH RCC Chats, and one-on-ones with IACURH NRHH Advisor.
• Participated in RCC Name Change ad-hoc committee.
IACURH Resources and Development Com-mittee (Chair):• Held three Chair/Vice-chair meetings to
plan out member introduction and first meeting.
• Sent out questionnaire to members re-garding their intent in joining the commit-tee.
• Looking into breaking committee into sub committees due to conflicts in member schedules.
Jackie ButlerRCC-PT
• Transitioned into RCC-PT role in October• Selected Future Leader Grant Recipients• Wrote legislation for IACURH that allows
for the purchase of a regional iPad mini• Wrote legislation adding more positional
responsiblities to the PT position, including responsibilities that further promotoe the success of NRHH within the IACURH region
• Maintained IACURH 2014 boardroom re-sources website
• Attended IACURH 2014• Facilitated Peak Programming - Confer-
ence Bidding and Hosting session• Purchased and facilitated Eventstagram
slideshow service for IACURH 2014• Sold over $1,500 worth of IACURH mer-
chandise via pre-order and on site at IACURH 2014
• Live Facebook posted and tweeted IA-CURH 2014 award recipients
• Attended AIMHO 2014• Maintained IACURH email listserv• Maintained IACURH social media and
website• Created Facebook cover photos for IA-
CURH committees and groups
Maddi DawnRCC-RR
Jen O’BrienNRHH Advisor
Cory ShapiroRegional Advisor
• NRHH Advisor Chats• OTM Quick Guide• Thank You Cards to Conference Advisors• Supports the NRHH Initiatives Committee• Presented NRHH Peak Programming with
ADNRHH• Supported and work on NRHH Boardroom • Lead NRHH Advisor Roundtable at IA-
CURH• Thank you cards to NRHH Advisors who
attended IACURH• NRHH Advisor Listserve • Alumni and Friends Facebook Group cre-
ated• 2:2s with Chapter Presidents, Advisors, and
AD-NRHH• Attended IACURH and Executive summit• Running Goal Sheet for the Regional
NRHH Advisor position• Bidding guide for Advisors• Writing articles for Ascend• Supported IACURH presence in AIMHO
Angle• Reached out to ACUHO-I for a NRHH rib-
bon• Attended NACURH level Advisor chats• Attended IACURH executive chats• NRHH Advisor information collected• Held one on ones with IACURH Executive
Board• Supported new NRHH Advisors• Supported IACURH bidding process• Supported First Time Conference Attend-
ee scholarship• Attended NACURH financial training
• Corresponded with advisors throughout IACURH to prepare them for the IACURH conference and to discuss challenges and successes within their organizations (through multiple conference calls and individual conversations).
• Worked closely with the IACURH Confer-ence Advisor and Regional Director in setting up the IACURH conference for a successful experience.
• Introduced IACURH region to the Advisor Resource Training (ART) new curriculum and promoted the Train the Trainer ses-sions at NACURH 2014, leading to enough advisors prepared to lead sessions at IACURH 2014; IACURH offered EVERY ART Level 1 session at IACURH 2014 along with two round table conversations.
• Serve on the ART Standards Committee representing IACURH and other regional advisors.
• Partner with RCC-RR in affiliated institu-tions and recruiting new institutions.
• Prepare IACURH student leaders with opportunities to learn about the field of student affairs and housing (careers in stu-dent affairs/housing luncheon and virtual roundtables to learn about job search options).
• Revamping barrel program• Creating FAQ for new schools and confer-
ences• Participated in a RCC committee• Helped write legislation for semis and NA-
CURH
IACURH ASCEND PAGE 22