This document discusses how to build community among resident students in a dormitory setting. It defines a community as a group of individuals who share a location, rules, and common experiences. It outlines six principles for building community: having purpose, being open, fairness, discipline, caring, and celebration. Tips are provided for how resident assistants can incorporate these principles, such as getting to know residents individually, having open door policies, addressing issues, and programming social activities to encourage interaction. The goal is for residents to have their needs met and to contribute to the larger community.

1. BUILDING A COMMUNITY
TO BRAG ABOUT
Office of Residence Life & Housing
Bridgewater State University
Developed by: Max Quinn & Tiffany Hoyt
Special Thanks: Michelle DeMille, Erin Courville, & Beth Moriarty

2. What will you learn from
this presentation?
— What a community is.
— Important parts of the community
you can use to your advantage.
— Easy and realistic ways to improve
your own community at any time.

3. A group of individuals who
reside in a specific location,
share common rules and
norms, and have a common
experience.
What is a Community?
How do you define it?
How do resident students define it?
Is there a difference?

4. Who are members of
your Communities?
Residents are key members of any community; until their
needs are fulfilled they cannot contribute to the larger group.

5. Recognizing Community
What are different types of communities?
How can you tell when you have Community?
Are we ever “done” building a community?

6. Boyer’s 6
Principles of 1. Purposeful
Community 2. Open
3. Just
4. Disciplined
5. Caring
6. Celebrative

7. Purposeful & Open
¥ Whatis an example of a program
you have been to, hosted, or heard
of that is “OPEN”?

8. Tips and
Tricks
Get to know a few people
at a time--those 2 or 3
people will introduce you
to more of their friends
and people they know
Get to know seemingly
unimportant things and
tell them about yourself
to get them to open up
-what types of homework
are they working on
-how many siblings do
they have
-what is their favorite
type of pizza

9. Just & Disciplined
¥ Share with us a program or event you have
attended that can be defined as “JUST”?
¥ How can your programming and presence in your
halls supplement the principle of DISCIPLINE?

10. Tips and
Tricks
Sit in the hall to do your
homework
Keep your door open
While walking around on
duty, ask if your residents
need anything or stop by
to see how their night is
going
Address smaller concerns
like offensive comments to
encourage everyone to feel
comfortable opening up

11. Caring & Celebrative
What is a example of a program that used the
“CARING” principle?
How do we define culture?
What is the culture of living in a residence
hall?

12. Tips and
Tricks
Shape your passive
programming so it gets
them to interact with each
other
Program with your residents
Say hi to your residents
when you see them
elsewhere on campus
Say hi to them in the
morning or when you see
them in the bathroom (even
if you look like you’re half
asleep)

13. How can you do these
things in your hall?
— Get into groups and brainstorm realistic
ways you can use these principles to build
community in your hall
— Think of:
— Times when you see your residents
— How your hall is set up
— Small changes you can make to your
routine

14. What impact do you want to make?
Tell us your thoughts!
Thank you for learning with us!