Table of Contents	C-1: Programming Overview	C-2: Planning a Successful Program	C-3: Effective Publicity
C-4: Student Development as a Guide to Programming	C-5: Programming Ideas	C-6: Community Development	C-7: Faculty Connections
C-8: Diversity Programming	C-9: Resources	C-10: Spending Money	C-11: Resident Motivation
C-12: RSA and National Res Hall Honorary	C-13: Programming Awards	C-14: Tips for Hall Directors	C-15: Programming with the WWW

CHAPTER 1: PROGRAMMING OVERVIEW

Introduction
Six Hallmarks of a College Educated Person
Office of Residence Life Mission Statement
Organizational Values
Commitment to Ethics
2002-2003 Programming Model and Expectations
Guide to Programming Categories
Guide to Programming Types
Why Program?

Introduction

Programming is a job responsibility that many Resident Assistants dread. What topic should I select? Who can I get to do the program? How do I set it up? What if nobody comes? What if people come and everybody hates it? Why do we have to do this, anyway? These are questions that all RAs ask themselves at least once. But programming can be and should be fun. Learning new skills, learning about other people, discussing hot topics – that is what college is all about!

Through programming, RAs are in a unique position to provide an atmosphere and an opportunity for students to explore issues of interest and concern. The learning acquired through this type of exploration affects students lives even after they leave college.

This programming guide has been prepared to make your programming responsibilities easier and more fun. It contains the philosophy that is the foundation of our programming endeavors. It can guide you step-by-step as you plan your programs. It will help you market your programs effectively. Finally, it includes resources to assist you with your program planning.

We hope that you will find this manual to be a valuable resource. But keep in mind that programming possibilities go far beyond the information that is presented here. The real learning lies in discovering the creativity, the spontaneity and the resources that you possess.

So why do we plan programs and what are we hoping to accomplish? The Office of Residence Life believes that each student who graduates from the University of Delaware will have achieved success in six hallmark areas listed below. These areas represent what should ideally be learned by each college-educated person. Toward this end, the Office of Residence Life has created a mission statement, a statement of values, and a set of goals which all strive to guide our efforts as we help students achieve a level of success in the hallmark areas.

The 2002-2003 programming model and related expectations serve to reflect the mission, values, and goals and allow us as a department to contribute to student learning. Residence Life believes that as a department, we have an obligation to support the academic mission of the University. Thus, our programs are both fun and educational.

In order to be successful as a programmer this year, it is imperative that you understand what guides the actions of the Office of Residence Life.

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Hallmarks of a College Educated Person

We are striving to help students develop skills in these six hallmark areas:

Educational Attainment: Persistence to graduation and degree attainment.

Cognitive Complexity: Cognitive skills including reflective thought, critical thinking (e.g. ability to summarize information accurately and perceive logical coherence and discernible themes and patterns across different sources of information), quantitative reasoning, and intellectual flexibility (i.e. openness to new ideas and different points of view).

Knowledge Acquisition and Application: Understanding knowledge from a range of disciplines and physical, geographic, economic, political, religious, and cultural realities, and the ability to relate knowledge to daily life including using information presented in one class in other classes or areas of life.

Humanitarianism: An understanding and appreciation of human differences including an increased sensitivity to the need of others.

Interpersonal and Intrapersonal Competence: A coherent, integrated constellation of personal attributes (e.g., identity, self-esteem, confidence, integrity, appreciation for the aesthetic and spiritual qualities of life and the natural world, sense of civic responsibility) and skills (e.g., how to work with people different from oneself).

Practical Competence: Skills reflecting an enhanced capacity to mange one’s personal affairs (e.g., time management, decision making), to be economically self-sufficient, and to be vocationally competent.

From: Kuh, Douglas, Lund, & Ramin-Gyurnek, 1994. Student Learning Outside the Classroom: Transcending Artificial Boundaries. Pg. 24-25.

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Office of Residence Life Mission Statement

We are guided by our mission:

To create a living-learning environment characterized by a variety of programs and services that foster the integration of students’ personal and academic development.
To promote independence and maturity by offering students opportunities to develop individual responsibility; leadership skills; ethical behavior; and physical and emotional wellness.
To instill in students a sense of community and belonging by providing programs and activities that promote an appreciation of diversity and teach social responsibility.
To develop services and practices that are “student-friendly” so that successful learning can occur.

These experiences will enable our students to:

·        Succeed academically.

·        Develop positive interpersonal relationships.

·        Become socially responsible, civic-minded adults.

·        Become leaders in their communities and/or professions.

·        Make sound ethical decisions.

·        Interact effectively with people of different backgrounds and cultures.

·        Maintain physically and emotionally healthy lifestyles.

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Organizational Values

Knowledge of these values is helpful in understanding the department's management strategy, the reasons behind most decisions and the kinds of actions necessary to succeed in the organization. Many factors may affect departmental practices. However, the office strives to uphold these values at all times. As a department, we are committed to these values:

· Facilitation of Student Learning

· Commitment to Community Responsibility

· Acceptance of Individual Responsibility

· Respect for Individual Differences

· Acting with Integrity

For a complete description of these values, please visit the Office of Residence Life web site.

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Commitment to Ethics

The Resident Assistant Commitment to Ethics document is one that all Residence Life staff members are asked to commit to and abide by. Resident Assistant candidates receive this document with their application and it is used during fall training. The ethics statement serves as a guide to staff members as they make decisions regarding their responsibilities to students, to themselves, to the Office of Residence Life, to the University, and to society.

Included in the ethics statement is the need for staff to role model positive academic, interpersonal and social behaviors, to build a community that is healthy and accepting of all people, and to assist students in becoming productive, responsible community members. Staff members have a responsibility to their team to be supportive and respective of other staff members and to not undermine their authority. The RAs will place their job responsibilities in a positive light and work to their highest potential.

Overall, the Office of Residence Life wants staff members to be role models for open-mindedness, promote school spirit and assist students in becoming positive, active members of the community at large.

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2002-2003 Programming Model & Expectations:

Categories Types

Relationships Lecture

Intellectual/Academic Skills Discussion

Diversity Service/Volunteer Project

Values/Ethics Faculty

Physical/Emotional Health Passive

Life Planning/Career Development Informal

Community Development Weekend

Social Interactive/Experiential

Alcohol

A. Staff Requirements

Each staff will be responsible for ensuring that the following programs are planned for their building(s) during the academic year:

1 program at the beginning of the semester introducing the concept of programming to students (for buildings with freshmen only) or marketing the concept of programming to students (for upper-class areas).
1 alcohol program during NCAAW
1 program co-sponsored with Complex Community Council
1 community service project
6 programs per year (3 for single buildings), in addition to the ones listed above, in program category areas that specifically meet the needs of the building’s student population. One of these staff programs must be the beginning of the year alcohol program. The staff programs may be planned by the whole staff or by staff teams. Social programs may not fulfill this requirement. Fifty percent of these programs must be completed by the end of the Fall Semester.

On the program evaluation form for these programs, “Staff” should be listed as the primary organizer. No individual staff names should be included.

B. Resident Assistant Requirements

Each Resident Assistant will be responsible for planning the following programs during the academic year:

Four programs, each addressing one of the categories listed above except community development. Which category these programs represent is up to the Resident Assistant in consultation with his or her supervisor. At least 50% of each RA’s requirements must be completed by the end of the Fall Semester.
In addition to the requirements above, each RA will plan 1 Community Development program per month for their floor, typically in conjunction with their monthly floor meetings (total for the year: 8).

C. Hall Director Requirements

Supervise the completion of RA and staff requirements. Each Hall Director should create a mechanism in their office that will allow RAs to visually track how they are doing regarding these requirements. At least 50% of all programs, must be completed by the end of the fall semester.
Plan and in most cases present two programs per year. This is an opportunity for Hall Directors to role model good program planning and showcase their skills. Therefore, programs planned should address some of the more difficult categories such as diversity, values/ethics, intellectual/academic skills, and/or be a faculty program. The first of these two programs must be completed by November 1. The second should be completed by March 23.
Oversee the balance of programs being offered:
- Hall Directors are responsible for ensuring that at a minimum, 6 faculty connection activities (3 for a single building) are presented throughout the year. 50% of these should have occurred by the end of December.
- Hall Directors are responsible for ensuring that at a minimum, 6 weekend programs (3 for a single building) are offered throughout the year. 50% of these should have occurred by the end of December.
- Hall Directors are responsible for ensuring that the programs offered meet the specific needs of the student population in their building.

D. Complex Coordinator Expectations

It is expected that Complex Coordinators will serve as role models for their RAs and HDs. To meet this end, Complex Coordinators will be expected to plan 2 educational programs per year. The topics addressed should reflect community needs and interests.
Complex Coordinators will offer the opportunity for their staff to participate in roundtable discussions regarding programming. These roundtable discussions may be organized by complex or by area and should allow RAs to strategize and brainstorm ideas related to specific topical areas. These should be available to RAs several times each semester.
Complex Coordinators will strategize ways to assist RAs and HDs with faculty programming. It is suggested that Complex Coordinators consider creative ways to develop relationships with Faculty members. Some possibilities include adopt-a-faculty program; faculty fellows programs; and faculty appreciation luncheons.
CCs are expected to supervise the completion of their complex Staff, HD, and RA requirements. CCs must confirm the completion of 50% of their staffs’ programming requirements by December and take necessary action if expectations have not been met. In addition, CCs are expected to review each program form for accuracy and make necessary modifications.
CCs are expected to oversee the balance of programs being offered in their complex. The programming database has been made searchable for easy verification of faculty programs, weekend programs, and programs-by-category.
Each Complex will contribute programs to the Unity Project.

E. Meeting Expectations

Over time, Residence Life has experienced that the programming expectations are reasonable and can be completed. Supervisors will work with staff members who are struggling to complete their programming requirements and offer assistance and additional training as necessary. It is also the responsibility of each staff member to ask for assistance if they feel they are having difficulty planning and completing programs.

If a Resident Assistant or Hall Director fails to complete their programming expectations as outlined above, job action may be taken. This may include but is not limited to being placed on probation, termination of contract, non-renewal of contract, and/or a letter being placed in the staff member’s employment file.

F. Team Program Planning

RAs are encouraged to plan programs in teams. Each team or group should designate a team leader. In most cases, only the team leader will receive “credit” for the program. In unique circumstances and with prior approval, Complex Coordinators may allow more than one RA to receive credit for a program and be listed on the program evaluation form as a primary organizer. Regardless, only one program evaluation form should ever be completed for one program. The total number of programs offered to students in a building should not diminish due to team program planning. Additional programs must be planned in order to ensure that the same programming opportunities are available to all students.

G. Faculty Connection Activities

Complex Coordinators and Hall Directors should be highly involved in the faculty interactions initiated by their Resident Assistants. Credit will be given for the completion of a faculty activity only if a Professor, Associate Professor, Assistant Professor, Lecturer, Academic Dean Academic Department Chair or primary instructor for a current undergraduate course offering has participated.

H. Passive Programming

Passive programming is a beneficial way to educate our residential communities. Passive programs must be pre-approved by Complex Coordinators and if at all possible, should correspond with an active program or be interactive. Passive programs should be located in a central location, preferably in a showcase when one is available.

Complex Coordinators should be selective in what they approve as a passive program. They should also review programming patterns to make sure that important topics are not being addressed only through passive means.

RAs are limited to no more than two passive programs per semester.

I. Weekend Programs

Weekend programs are those programs planned to occur on Friday night or Saturday night and can be either social or educational in nature. They should extend late into the night. The goal of weekend programming is to provide residents with activities that are alcohol-free.

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Guide to Programming Categories

Each program planned by a Residence Life Staff member must fall into one of the following categories. These categories have been developed after reviewing current literature on student development theory. They represent the many areas of development typical college students face while in school.

Relationships

An important part of people's existence is their relationship with others. This program area focuses on interpersonal and group relationships.