University of Delaware
Office of Public Relations
UpDate - Vol. 16, No. 27, April 17


           Residence life programs cited as regional models

     Five UD Residence Life programs were cited as "Model
Programs" by the American Colleges Personnel Association
(ACPA) Commission III at its March conference awards
ceremony in Chicago.
     ACPA Model Program recognition is given to those
residence hall programs that address current issues relating
to students and staff.
     The UD programs recognized are
     * Trading Places, a program in effect since 1989, in
       which resident assistants spend a day at an
       historically black college- attending classes and
       eating in dining halls-to experience what it is like
       being a racial minority. Recent programs have
       included programs at Delaware State University,
       University of Maryland-Eastern Shore and Morgan
       State University.
     * Martin Luther King Jr. Humanities Community, which
       offers students an opportunity to explore the
       philosophies of equality, justice and brotherhood of
       the late civil rights leader. The group also has
       participated in a diversity workshop entitled
       "University United" an annual King campus march, a
       bus trip to Harlem's Apollo Theatre and recruitment
       weekends for local high school students.
     * Impact: The Service Community, which enables
       students living in the special residence hall an
       opportunity to provide hours of service to a variety
       of organizations and to recruit other students to
       participate. Events and programs benefiting from the
       community's efforts are varied, including
       sponsorship of CPR certification, assistance at a
       battered women's shelter, working at a holiday
       canned food drive, participation in AIDS walks and
       working in a soup kitchen.
     * Three Is Company Marketing Plan, which targeted 300
       students affected by extended housing and placed
       three students into traditional two-student rooms
       during fall semester overcrowding. A newsletter
       provided up-to-date information on building
       vacancies, rebate credits, reassignments and mid-
       year room changes. The project was conducted in
       cooperation with Housing Assignment Services.
     * Ask the Adviser Night, held last fall in Smyth Hall,
       which featured a visit by academic advisers from
       five colleges to answer student questions about
       grade point requirements, declaring a major and
       other issues of interest.
     According to Cynthia Cummings, residence life, "These
programs represent the full range of educational
opportunities offered in UD's residence halls. From
encouraging academic achievement to providing community
service and learning to appreciate diversity, our programs
are directed at assisting students in becoming responsible
members of our society."
     UD received five of the 23 programs chosen to receive
the "Model Program" award, according to Mike Zeinstra, ACPA
sub-committee chairperson for model programs.
     According to Rob Longwell Grice, residence life, 1,281
campus programs were sponsored during 1995-96 by residence
life, ranging from faculty presentations, diversity
workshops, discussions, community development events,
intramurals, floor meetings and cultural trips.