Each year, GLACUHO takes the opportunity to recognize accomplishments in our field at our annual conference. We celebrate excellence in service, programming, diversity initiatives, graduate work, and more. 

Through these awards, we recognize the work of our peers, colleagues, supervisors, graduate students, departments, and individuals who contribute excellence to our field. We are excited about this year’s group of award winners. They are representative of the excellent work being done across the region.

The Outstanding Graduate Practitioner Award is presented to an outstanding full-time graduate student who has greatly contributed to the institution at which they work. The nominee must be in the final academic year of graduate studies at the time of the GLACUHO conference. One award is given per state.

The Professional Development Award presented to a GLACUHO member who has exceptionally personally contributed to the area of professional development.   Carolyn Davis-Slaughter University of Illinois Chicago

The Willie J. Young, Sr. Outstanding Commitment to Inclusion and Equity Award is given to a GLACUHO institution or individual that has implemented an innovative approach to enhancing diversity awareness, understanding, and education on their campus since the previous annual conference.    Allysa Johnson  Michigan State University

The GLACUHO “Trends” Article of the Year Award is selected by the GLACUHO Communications and Marketing Committee.   Jackie Charette Michigan State University

The Innovation in Facilities Award is given by the Facilities and Operations Committee to one institution in the GLACUHO region that has implemented an innovative program related to residential facilities within the past year.   Anderson Reeves Xavier University

The Mary Smith Women’s Issue Award is awarded to GLACUHO professionals who exemplify women leaders or women’s issues.

Finally, we recognize our Outstanding Exhibitor. Our corporate partners are crucial to our work, providing products and services that support our students and help the association offer opportunities to lead, learn, and serve.

Again, join us in congratulating our award winners. We will announce the Dr. John E. Collins Distinguished Service Award and GLACUHO Service Award at the Annual Conference. 

Jeremy Alexander

GLACUHO Past President

Pronouns: He/Him/His

Senior Associate Director for Residence Life | Eastern Illinois University

(217) 518-7692 | pastpresident@glacuho.org

We are excited to share with the association the contemporary issue for 2025-2026. This is shared in advance of our next cycle of leadership team recruitment so that prospective candidates can make more informed decisions when considering to apply.

Data-Driven Decision Making: Using Assessment to Explore, Learn, and Tell the Story of Housing and Residence Life

Since 2010, the President-Elect has selected a contemporary issue topic for the Association to explore throughout the coming year. The Contemporary Issue allows us to focus on a topic currently generating discussions in our field, one for which we have passion. It gives the Contemporary Issues Committee direction in providing opportunities for members to learn and engage around the topic.

The 2025-2026 Contemporary Issue will be Data-Driven Decision Making: Using Assessment to Explore, Learn, and Tell the Story of Housing and Residence Life.

Housing and Residence Life Offices have stressed the importance of assessment in showcasing practitioners’ work. However, there is a continual fear of completing assessments and evaluations, as well as what will come of it. “Will the program that I designed be seen as successful?” “Will the campus tradition that we have done every year need to end?” “What will the data say needs to change?” “How will the department show that students are learning?”

I, for one, enjoy and am excited about the possibilities that data and assessment provide. We can learn a tremendous amount from setting up assessment opportunities for our departments, collecting data, and using this information to make changes and share the work that we do with and for students. 

However, this must also go beyond student learning and satisfaction. Reflecting on the last several years, including the pandemic, the great resignation, and moving toward the projected enrollment cliff, we need to continue to assess the work of housing and residence life professionals to ensure that it is sustainable, fulfilling, and attractive to current and future colleagues and professionals. We have learned so much about our profession and need to continue to plan for our future. We cannot go back to the pre-pandemic expectations of work.

This contemporary issue will highlight the growing importance of data and assessment in shaping the future of housing and residence life across higher education institutions in our region. As colleges and universities face increased pressure to demonstrate the impact of their services, data-driven decision-making is becoming essential to enhancing student experiences and guiding strategic improvements.

For the 2025-2026 year, my aim with the contemporary issue is to help institutions:
Explore trends and challenges within campus housing, such as occupancy rates, student satisfaction, and community development outcomes. Examples may include:

• How can we use data to forecast occupancy?
  
• What are the upcoming trends and how can we get ahead of them?
• How can we reimagine the work of housing and residence life to be smarter and take more proactive initiative?
  

Learn from collected data to implement evidence-based changes that improve  residence life and address students' evolving needs. Examples may include:

• How do we know that students have learned in our events and strategies?
• How can we meet students’ needs and wants with learning objectives?
• What can we do to ensure the best outcomes for our staff members at all levels  for them to gain needed professional development skills and competencies?
  

Tell the Story of housing and residence life by using meaningful data to highlight success stories, communicate value, and advocate for the resources needed to support student success. Examples may include:

• What are the important markers that institutions want to see out of their housing departments?
• What are the most effective ways to communicate the importance of the interactions that students and staff have?
• How can we communicate the excitement and possibility of a career in campus housing to current and future professionals?
  

As we commit to developing stronger, better, and more efficient organizations, we need to understand how to best collect, analyze, and present assessment and data to guide the decisions we make for the betterment of staff and students for the future. GLACUHO is uniquely situated to help provide resources for assessment, prepare professionals to gather and review information and research, and provide opportunities to teach and learn about data-driven decision-making for the 2025-2026 year.

Zac Birch Ed.D.,  GLACUHO President-Elect |  presidentelect@glacuho.org

Pronouns: He/Him/His

Director of Residence Life | University of Illinois Chicago

You can find the program proposal form, helpful presenter resources, and more information on the GLACUHO Programming webpage. Please contact Michele Renaud at programming@glacuho.org with questions.

MLI will focus on the following ACUHO-I Competencies:

• Equity and Inclusion
• Leadership
• Human Resources
• Fiscal Planning
• Evaluation and Planning

If you or someone you know is a veteran professional with knowledge in one or more of the areas, we would love to have you apply!

For more information on MLI and the Faculty position please visit our Website: Webpage

If you are interested in being an MLI Faculty Member you can apply here: MLI Faculty Application

If you know someone who would be an outstanding MLI Faculty Member you can nominate them here: MLI Faculty Nomination

You do not need to be nominated to apply!

Faculty applications open June 14th, 2024and close July 14th, 2024. Faculty Meetings will occur virtually the week of September 9th and 23rd as well as the weeks October 7th and 21^st.

• President-Elect: Zac Birch, University of Illinois at Chicago
• Committee Chair Delegate: Alison Sinadinos, Indiana University- Bloomington
• Treasurer: Lauren Teso, Northern Illinois University
• Indiana Delegate: Angel Thornsbury, Indiana University - Bloomington
• Ohio Delegate: Octavia Hubert, Miami University 

I would like to thank all our candidates who applied to serve. Your leadership and commitment to the association have not gone unnoticed, and I hope you consider other leadership opportunities within the association in the future.  The volunteers and members of this association keep GLACUHO moving forward every day. 

We are searching for candidates to serve as the Chair of Facility Operations Committee which would serve two years, starting at the November 2024 conference. We are also seeking candidates for the Exhibitor Liaison. The Exhibitor Liaison would observe the current Exhibitor Liaison starting at the conclusion of the November 2024 conference. This person would then spend one year observing and working alongside our current Exhibitor Liaison, to then take over the role at the conclusion of the 2025 conference.  

To learn more about each position, please visit the GLACUHO Leadership Recruitment page. Your interest packet should include the following:

• The Institutional Support from this form must be completed by your supervisor or another professional leader at your institution with the authority to confirm that you have the support of your institution. 
• Statement of Candidacy* addressing the following questions in 500 words or less. What is your past involvement within GLACUHO or other professional association(s), and how will you use this experience as a Leadership member? What unique strengths and attributes will you bring to the GLACUHO Leadership team? How will you live out the GLACUHO mission of providing the best opportunities for housing officers to learn, lead, and serve? Describe your vision on how GLACUHO can become a more inclusive space for all, and how will you strive to create that environment. 
• Current Resume* (PDF format is preferred.)

To apply please send your materials to pastpresident@glacuho.org, the deadline for the application is Monday, June 24, 4:00 PM CST will be considered.

We will stay at the Hilton, Fort Wayne, and the Grand Wayne Conference Center will hold our sessions and Exhibit Show.  You will have opportunities to check out exciting restaurants and local businesses in downtown Fort Wayne.

Registration is now live! Registration for this year's conference is $315, and hotel rates are from $134 a night at the Hilton, Fort Wayne. Access to registration and hotel reservations can be found at glacuho.org/page/2024Conference. Please mark your calendar for this wonderful opportunity for housing professionals and exhibitors to reunite for sharing, service, and fun. Regular registration ends on September 24, 2024.

As we gaze lovingly at the rearview mirror and reflect on our history, we smile curiously at the open road before us and the future it holds. Join us as we work together to create a sustainable future. We look forward to seeing you in November.

With GLACUHO Pride,

As you are creating your proposals, don't forget about this year's contemporary issue:  Adapting to the Evolving Needs/Wants of Our Professionals to Create a Sustainable Future.

We believe in the wonderful work you all are doing and hope you will share all of your skills and efforts to ensure the well being and retention of our professionals and future professionals. This is our opportunity to expand and explore together. We hope to empower all of you to help develop this profession and continue to collaborate with others on these wonderful ideas.

Feel free to review all of the incredible resources available to everyone to explore different program ideas and initiatives on our website. Materials are dated back to 2014 from professionals in our field on the GLACUHO website.

Thank you for your continuous efforts to help develop and grow this community through conversation, knowledge and engagement.

If you have any questions, please contact Michele Renaud at programming@glacuho.org.

• Creating a Powerful Presentation: Click here for more information about creating a powerful program presentation.
• Finding a Program Topic: Click here for ideas and strategies to decide on a program topic.
• Review the Rubric: Click here to see the rubric which all evaluators will be using to assess each program proposal

The 2024 - 2025 Contemporary Issue will be FORTIFYING OUR FUTURE in higher education and campus housing.

FORTIFYING OUR FUTURE

The future of higher education is …. You can complete this sentence with a variety of words. The future of higher education is bleak. The future of higher education is hopeful. The future of higher education is female. The future of higher education is First-Gen. I could go on, but you get my point. Everyone has opinions about the future of higher education. No matter what word you choose to fill in the blank, one thing is certain - the future of higher education is COMING, and we must be ready to succeed with what it brings.

The future of higher education is NOW. Paying attention to the present can help us anticipate the future. There are some key topics that we need to think about when fortifying ourselves for the future. We must understand what is behind the lack of presence and involvement of male-identified students on campus. We have to analyze how campus housing may be impacted by the astronomical cost of higher education. We must educate ourselves about the significant influence that legislators have on our campuses and housing programs. We must strategically FORTIFY OUR FUTURE by understanding current trends and paying attention to the evolving state, federal, and local landscapes.

The future of higher education is STRONG because we are strong. Our collective strength comes from knowing who we are, understanding our purpose, and believing, despite what others may say, in the outcomes we aim to achieve. Developing our strength and FORTIFYING OUR FUTURE cannot occur through inaction. We must develop coalitions and networks with a variety of new and old stakeholders. We must engage in critical and honest conversation about rituals and practices that have outlived their usefulness. We must be unafraid to try new things and chart new paths, without losing the essence of who we are and what we do.

The future of higher education is US. Campus housing is the best hope for the future of traditional higher education. The nature of high-impact practices, the curating of community development initiatives, and our genuine interest in providing a holistic experience for the students we serve, position us well to serve as the first line of offense against whatever foes may be heading our way. Yes. I said offense. Higher education, with all its flaws, is the champion. This is our game, and we can continue to win it if we work on FORTIFYING OUR FUTURE.

The future of higher education is UNFOLDING, and we will be ready.

GLACUHO is committed to preparing housing officers to meet the diverse and changing needs of those we serve. Exploring these questions will allow us to adapt our profession and organizations to our evolving environments.

Sincerely, 

Vicka Bell-Robinson

GLACUHO President-Elect

Pronouns: she/her/hers

Associate Vice Provost for Involvement & Belonging | Indiana University-Bloomington

president-elect@glacuho.org

New/Advancing Professional 

ACUHO-I will provide one (1) new/advancing professional "award reimbursement" to support  attendance at the ACUHO-I Conference and Expo. The objectives for this award reimbursement  are: to recognize new and advancing professionals in the campus housing field or professionals  who are new to the organization/conference; to help delegates connect with other professionals  through networking opportunities; to facilitate mentoring and provide access to new knowledge.  The award recipient shall be a new/advancing professional who aligns with the ACUHO-I  Executive Board priorities. For 2022–2025, such priorities include engaging professionals of  color or professionals from small colleges and universities (defined as having under 2,000  beds), including HBCU, Tribal, and other minority-serving institutions.  The amount of the award will be up to $1,000. The award is considered a "reimbursement" to the awardee(s) to offset a portion of conference expenses, such as registration, hotel accommodation, travel, etc 

Strategic Cohorts 

This award provides an opportunity for the region to send a professional who would benefit from  the experience and perhaps otherwise not be able to attend. This award aligns with providing  incentives to engage strategic member cohorts as identified by the ACUHO-I Executive Board.  The amount of the award will be up to $1,000. The award is considered a "reimbursement"  to the awardee(s) to offset a portion of conference expenses, such as registration,  hotel accommodations, travel, etc. This award is funded by the ACUHO-I Research and Education Foundation. The award recipient shall meet at least one of the following criteria: 

• Be a professional of color.
• Be a professional working full-time at a small college or university (under 2,000 beds) or an HBCU, Tribal or religious university. 
• Be a new or advancing professional. 
• Be a professional with an accepted presentation proposal to the current year AC&E. 

ACUHO-I may provide complimentary registration codes instead of reimbursement. Reimbursements, including detailed receipts must be submitted by 5:00pm ET (US) July 15, 2024. 

Candidates who are interested in either of these award opportunities and meet the eligibility criteria can apply at glacuho.org/page/ACUHO-ISponsoredAwards . The deadline to apply is April 26, 2024, at 11:59 PM CST.

Elected officers comprise the Board of Directors and are elected by the membership through an online voting process which will occur May 13-31. Elected officers serve 2–3-year terms, depending on the position. The following elected positions are accepting nominations and applications:

• President-Elect (3 year term)
• Treasurer (3 year term)
• Indiana Delegate (2 year term)
• Ohio Delegate (2 year term)
• Committee Chair Delegate (2 year term)

Ex-officio officers are appointed by the President with support of the Board of Directors in June; appointed positions include committee chairs, the technology coordinator, and the exhibitor liaison. Appointed positions typically serve 1-2 year terms and do not vote on the association's business. The following appointed positions are accepting nominations and applications:

• Conference Host Assistant Chair (2 year term; serves as assistant chair for 2024-2025, becomes chair for second year in 2025-2026.)
•  Contemporary Issues Chair (1 year term)
• Facilities & Operations Chair (2 year term)
• Inclusion and Equity Chair (2 year term)
• Professional Foundations Chair (2 year term)
• Student Learning Chair (2 year term)
• Technology Coordinator (2 year term)

All new incoming members of the Leadership Team go through an online onboarding and orientation process during summer and early fall, and will officially begin their terms at the close of the 2024 Annual Conference in Fort Wayne, IN.

Leadership recruitment will follow this timeline: 

• February 19: Nominations for GLACUHO leadership positions open
• April 8: Nominations close (members do not need to be nominated in order to apply)
• April 22: Applications for GLACUHO Leadership positions are due
• May 13-31: GLACUHO member institutions vote online for the elected positions
• June: Ex-Officio Officers are appointed at the June board meeting
• July-November: Incoming GLACUHO Leadership Team training and onboarding
• November: Incoming GLACUHO Leadership Team terms begin

I look forward to many nominations of professionals within the region and hope you take a few minutes to nominate someone today. (Please note, you do not need to be nominated to apply for any leadership position.) To learn more, visit our GLACUHO Leadership Recruitment page. 

If you have any questions about the leadership recruitment or nomination process, please contact me at josh.lawrie@glacuho.org

Best,

Josh Lawrie, Ph.D.

GLACUHO Past President

josh.lawrie@glacuho.org

• The Institutional Support form. This form must be completed by your supervisor or another professional leader at your institution with the authority to confirm that you have your institution's support. 
• Current Resume* (PDF format is preferred.)
• Professional Photo/Headshot
• Your statement of interest (500-word limit) should address the following questions:
• What is your past involvement within GLACUHO or other professional association(s), and how will you use this experience as a Leadership member?
• What unique strengths and attributes will you bring to the GLACUHO Leadership?
• How will you live out the GLACUHO mission of providing the best opportunities for housing officers to learn, lead, and serve?
• Describe your vision on how GLACUHO can become a more inclusive space for all and how you will strive to create that environment.  

• Past President: Josh Lawrie Ph.D., Bowling Green State University
• Indiana Delegate: Maegen Wallaker, Indiana University - Bloomington
• Campus Safety and Crisis Management Chair:  Caroline Murray, Michigan State University
  

Dr. Lawrie previously served as the GLACUHO President in 2015 and has agreed to serve from January 2024 to November 2024. Quiana Stone has graciously offered to continue from the Conference through January 2024 when Josh will take over. This will allow us to restore the progression of the Tri-President Track. 

Maegan Wallaker previously served as Indiana Delegate in 2021-2023 and agreed to complete the rest of the term until November 2024. 

Caroline Murray has served on the Campus Safety and Crisis Management committee for a year and will be starting the term as chair in November and will serve until November of 2025.

Since there have been several transitions since the leadership team announcement early this year, I wanted to re-share the entire 2023-24 Leadership Team Members.

• President-Elect: Vicka Bell-Robinson, Ph.D., Miami University
• President: Jeremy Alexander, Eastern Illinois University
• Past President: Quiana Stone, Governors State University (November 2023-January 2024)
• Past President: Josh Lawrie, Ph.D., Bowling Green State University (January 2024-November 2024)
• Committee Chair Delegate: Zac Birch, Northern Illinois University
• Secretary: Kristin Brewer, Baldwin Wallace University
• Treasurer: Shavonn Nowlin, Saint Xavier University
• Illinois Delegate: Dave Arnold, University of Illinois Urbana - Champaign
• Indiana Delegate: Maegen Wallaker, Indiana University - Bloomington
• Michigan Delegate: Alexis Straub, Michigan Technological University
• Ohio Delegate: Mellie Derry, Wittenberg University
• Exhibitor Liaison: Lauren Sewell, Purdue University Fort Wayne
• Technology Coordinator: Greta Dieter, Western Illinois University
• Conference Host Chair: Lovey Marshall, University of Illinois at Chicago
• Conference Host Assistant Chair: Rod Waters, DePaul University
• Professional Foundations Chair: Amy Fitzjarrald, University of Illinois Urbana - Champaign
• Health and Wellness Chair: Nick Schiller, University of Illinois at Chicago
• Campus Safety and Crisis Management Chair: Caroline Murray, Michigan State University
• Facilities and Operations Chair: Samantha Kaetzel, University of Cincinnati 
• Inclusion and Equity Chair: Robert King, Oakland University
• Communications and Marketing Chair: Brandon Perjak, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
• Student Learning Chair: Bradford Peace, Ball State University
• Contemporary Issues Chair: Alison Sinadinos, Indiana University - Bloomington 

With this announcement, I want to invite all members of the Association to apply to be Committee Members for the 2023-2024 year. Committee Member applications are live! The work performed by our committee members is the backbone of GLACUHO, truly providing 365-day learning to our association.  Visit our Committee Member Involvement page to learn about the committees and the traditions and programs associated with each committee.

Finally,  I want to announce the team that will tackle Phase 1, information gathering and data review of the strategic planning process, GLACUHO: Reimagined: glacuho.org/page/Strategic_Plan. 

• Coree Burton - Purdue University: Chair
• Laurie Berry, Ph.D. - University of Southern Indiana
• Jneanne Hacker - Ohio University
• Paul Hubinsky - Northwestern University 
• Herb Jones - University of Illinois
• Jake McLean - Knox College
• John Moore - Ohio University
• Will Nolan-Lamm - Northern Illinois University
• Lisa Ortiz - Ferris State University
• Travis D. Schilla - Northwestern University
• Jailyn Stevenson - Governors State University
• MaryAnne Wilk - Eastern Michigan University 

Thank you all for answering the call to Lead, Learn and Serve.

The deadline to apply is Friday, November 17, 2023 at 11:59pm CST.  We encourage you to connect with outgoing or incoming committee chairs and board members by email, phone, or in person at the conference to learn more about the opportunities. Visit ourCommittee Member Involvement page to learn about the committees and the traditions and programs associated with each committee.

In order to serve the association as a committee member, you must be able to fulfill the following expectations. Please complete the checklist below as you consider serving in this capacity:

• Gain immediate supervisor’s and institutional approval to serve prior to submitting this application
• Accept and complete any assignments to meet the goals of the committee and GLACUHO
• Attend the Winter Meeting on February 4-5, 2024 at Indiana State University**
• Attend the GLACUHO Annual Conference on November 3-5, 2024 in location TBA**
• Attend any additional meeting(s) such as monthly committee meetings (online)
• Correspond with your committee chair on a regular basis (at minimum twice per month)

**We are flexible with this expectation due to the possibility of pandemic institutional budget cuts/travel freezes.

You will be asked the following questions in your application:

• Committee Preference: You will be asked to rank the nine GLACUHO Committees in order from your top choice to your ninth choice
• Committee Interest: Why are you interested in serving on the committees you ranked as your top choices? Are these areas of strength or areas of growth for you? 
• Professional Development Plan: How does the opportunity to serve on a GLACUHO committee fit into your professional development plan for the year? 
• Previous Committee Experience: Please list the GLACUHO committees on which you have previously served and the years that you served on each. If you have not served on a committee before, leave this question blank.
• Other Regions' Committees: Please list any other housing region's committees on which you have previously served and the years that you served. If you have not served on another region's committees, leave this question blank.

To learn more and apply, please visit theCommittee Member Involvement page.

I hope you take time to reflect on the impact GLACUHO has had on your professional development and consider applying to learn, lead, and serve. Should you have questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at zac.birch@glacuho.org.

Zac Birch

GLACUHO Committee Chair Delegate

Pronouns: he/him/his

Assistant Director of Residence Life for Student Leadership | Northern Illinois University

Ccd@glacuho.org

We are currently accepting nominations for the following awards:

• Dr. John E. "Jack" Collins Distinguished Service Award
• GLACUHO Service Award
• Outstanding Entry Level Professional (one awarded per state)
• Outstanding Graduate Practitioner (one awarded per state)
• Outstanding Innovation in Facilities  Award
• Willie J. Young, Sr. Commitment to Inclusion and Equity Award
• Outstanding Project Award
• Outstanding Research and Writing Award
• Professional Development Award
• Mary Smith Women’s Issues Award
• Trends Article of the Year Award

Additionally, we are accepting submissions to recognize those who have retired or have passed away through the following:

• Retiree Recognition
• Memorial Recognition

For further information on the awards and the link to the application form, please visit our website at glacuho.org/awards. Award nominations require a nomination letter and demographic data. The awards page provides an outline for each award as well as a scoring rubric. Awards will be announced during the 2023 GLACUHO Annual Conference in Fort Wayne, Indiana. 

The deadline for award submissions is 11:59 PM EST on Friday, September 22, 2023. 
If you have any questions, please contact me at pastpresident@glacuho.org.  

With GLACUHO Pride,

Quiana Stone

GLACUHO Past-President

APPLY FOR PDI FACULTY POSITION HERE!

About PDI

Started in 2009, the Professional Development Institute (PDI) is an intentional professional development seminar, over the years, over 175 professionals have participated in the seminar and it has expanded from 2 days to 3 days.  Professionals with at least one year of full-time experience who typically supervise paraprofessional staff members and/or graduate staff members. PDI is recommended for professionals who are looking to develop the skills necessary to persist in student affairs, explore their potential niches, or who are looking to move up into a position of more responsibility within housing and/or student affairs.

Activities during the Institute are designed to allow time for informal interactions in addition to the scheduled sessions. To offer the appropriate mentoring environment, only 20 participants will be accepted. Participants will be placed into small groups and assigned a faculty member who will provide individual advice, support and suggestions for future professional growth, involvements and activities.

Applications are due on Friday, September 1st at 5:00pm EST!

Faculty Applicants should consider the following:

• PDI is scheduled to take place February 2-4, 2024, at Indiana State University in Terre Haute, IN just prior to the Winter Business Meeting.   
•  Faculty will give a 90-minute presentation to a group of around 20 Housing and Residence Life Professionals participating in the institute.   
• Faculty additionally serve as mentors to 4-5 PDI participants.    

Please consider applying or forwarding along to a colleague! Additional information can be found at PDI: Professional Development Institute - GLACUHO. Please reach out to Amy, Professional Foundations Chair (pdi@glacuho.org), with any questions.
APPLY FOR PDI FACULTY POSITION HERE!

As previously shared in my candidate statement, I want to focus a part of my tenure as GLACUHO President on developing our new 5-year Strategic Plan and recognizing that our world changes rapidly. We must create a highly responsive plan to meet the ever-evolving environment. 

Strategic planning involves asking and answering the questions “Where have we been?” and “Where are we going?”  In GLACUHO’s history with strategic planning, numerous efforts have been made to pull together a systematic planning process that encourages the review of the purposes and goals of the association while proceeding with plans.  The most recent strategic plan was created in 2015 and ended in 2020.  The 2015 plan focused on goals around fiscal stability, governance, professional development opportunities, and diversity and inclusion, most of which were fully implemented by the association. Information regarding the association’s most recent Strategic Plan can be found at glacuho.org/page/Strategic_Plan. 

As we commence the process of a multi-year strategic plan, we will revisit the lessons learned from developing and implementing the previous iterations of our strategic plans. We will explore and create a list of the strengths, weaknesses,  opportunities, and threats (SWOT) that we face.  Also, during this process will explore our value proposition to our institutions and individuals and dismantle barriers to provide equitable opportunities for participation while exploring and answering these questions:

• What is GLACUHO's value to individuals and institutions? 
• What barriers need to be dismantled for equitable opportunities? 
• What will be the specific focus of the strategic plan after our initial information/data review phase?
• How has the field of housing and residence life changed in the last several years, and how does GLACUHO adapt to these differences?

During the initial information/data review, we will gather information from all available sources and stakeholders to assess the health and stability of the organization. This will include collecting qualitative and quantitative data and feedback on all aspects of our operations.  Our organization's mission statement will guide us to provide the best opportunities for housing officers to learn, lead and serve. After the initial review, we will identify the main themes and then transition to another team responsible for creating and implementing solutions.

Coree Burton, the Assistant Director of Residential Life at Purdue University, has graciously agreed to chair this phase. I’m seeking interested individuals at all levels of engagement with GLACUHO to participate in the initial information-gathering and review phase.  Please email me at president@glacuho.org if you are interested by September 29. There will also be future opportunities to join as the plan progresses.  

With GLACUHO Pride,

JeremyAlexander

GLACUHO President