1. Proposal | ‘Explorations’
Prepared for: Neil Andrito | Director of Residence Life, Salem State University
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Prepared by: Alessandra Brown | Resident Director, Bowditch Hall
Sarah Brown | Assistant Resident Director, Peabody Hall
Nicole Cartier | Assistant Resident Director, Bowditch Hall
Thomas Durkee | Assistant Resident Director, Bates Residence Complex
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October 7, 2014
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SALEM STATE UNIVERSITY | OFFICE OF RESIDENCE LIFE

2. PROPOSAL TO RELAUNCH ‘IN-SERVICE TRAININGS’ AS
‘EXPLORATIONS’
Summary
We the Student Staff Training Committee, in an effort to provide student staff members working for the Office of
Residence Life at Salem State University in the capacities of Resident Assistant and Academic Mentor with a
catered approach to personal, professional and job related development, submit for your review this proposal to
relaunch ‘in service’ trainings as ‘Explorations.’
Background
In examining feedback received from student staff members who had just completed fall residence life training, we
found that many of these students were at varying points in their development as people, students and staff
members. While the committee recognizes that our training was indeed comprehensive, well thought out and
carefully executed, with interesting and informative presentations from our Professional Staff members, many
student staff members are still in need of additional training. In order to more effectively address these additional
training needs, as well as to create the opportunity for further growth and development, we have decided to
propose a restructuring of the current ‘In-Service’ trainings as they stand. We feel that this new model, which we
are calling ‘Explorations,’ will better suit a wide variety of student staff members in offering them opportunities to
evaluate themselves and pursue additional training that they feel is relevant to their job performance.
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Explanation of ‘Explorations’
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‘Explorations’ is a new year round student staff development model that will allow the Office of Residence life to
provide new and exciting opportunities for training, staff development in numerous facets and personal growth to
its student staff members. At the start of the academic semester, professional staff members will create at least
one ‘Exploration’ that they feel there is a need for. This presentation, discussion, activity or trip will present an
opportunity over the course of the semester for the student staff to gain new experiences relating to any area of
training, development or personal growth that they believe would benefit them. Professional Staff members will
then submit their ‘Explorations’ to the Student Staff Training Committee who will create a selection form online,
known as the ‘Explorations’ Offerings. Following Student Staff Training, both Fall and Winter, the student staff will
receive their ‘Explorations’ Offerings via email and will be required to select a minimum of two ‘Explorations,’ over
the course of the entire semester, that they feel would enhance their job performance, academic preparedness or
personal growth and development. Once the student makes their selections, they will receive their ’Explorations’
Itinerary which tells them what they selected as well as the date, time and location (presenter name will be omitted
purposely to allow the material to stand alone.) A master spreadsheet will be created and all student staff
members and their selections will be preloaded into the database. At each ‘Exploration’ the Professional Staff
member will receive a list of those signed up to attend and will take attendance. They are then responsible for then
confirming via the spreadsheet that the student did indeed attend.
SALEM STATE UNIVERSITY | OFFICE OF RESIDENCE LIFE

3. Why?
In revisiting our current ‘In Service’ training model and discussing the benefits and improvements that could be
implemented, the committee found that opportunities for individualized training and development were missing. As
it stands, ‘In Service’ trainings are held monthly with a set topic (or topics) in which the Office of Residence Life
trains students on departmental initiatives, new policies and procedures and upcoming changes in the general
oversight of the residence halls which will involve them. Although the committee recognizes that this model is
beneficial to the Office of Residence Life in that it allows each student staff member the opportunity to gain new
insight into departmental initiatives, it offers little in terms of personalized training. As student staff members
acclimate to their roles as Resident Assistants or Academic Mentors over the course of their employment, their
need for professional development varies from their co-workers, at least those on their immediate staffs. As each
in hall staff is uniquely selected and crafted to best serve the residents of that area, we must recognize that each
student staff member differs and may require varying levels of job training, personal development and career
preparedness, amongst other things. This is where we can best serve our student staff members, but recognizing
their unique needs and crafting new training sessions that further learning and encourage job growth.
Positive Impact
The committee feels that by implementing the ‘Explorations’ year round training model, the result will include many
positive benefits that could work in favor of continuing the development of a strong, comprehensive Residence Life
program here at Salem State University. We believe that student staff members will positively react to their
employer recognizing their need for further training and professional development opportunities, while also
providing the autonomy to accommodate the individual selection of each. By allowing the student staff members
to select their own ‘Explorations,’ each one should be mixed with Resident Assistants and Academic Mentors from
across all five, soon to be six buildings, thus increasing communication, collaboration and interaction between
staffs. The committee feels that this increased interaction will positively impact the Residence Life program by
allowing more cooperation across our three campuses, especially as our evolving Residence Life program opens
Viking Hall and launches the Senior Resident Assistant position, creating new staff members and increasing the
overall numbers of student staff. With these increased staffing numbers, we feel that by providing ‘Explorations’ in
smaller groups, we can continue to offer comprehensive staff development opportunities though out the year that
target specific needs that we may be unable to address during our full staff trainings. A more personalized
approach to staff development could also lead to increased retention of student staff members who feel supported
and see opportunities for their own development. This becomes important if we look at the number of student staff
members that we have seen depart from their positions over the preceding years and then look at our current
group of upperclass student staff members that are returning for a third year. With the creation of the new Senior
Resident Assistant position, we feel a focus more on staff development will ensure that we are preparing a new
group of leaders, well versed in their positions and who can fill these six positions. The committee hopes that by
developing our staff and educating them in new facets of their job, we will see greater leadership, increased job
performance, satisfaction and morale as well as an overall shift in competency and retention of staff members.
SALEM STATE UNIVERSITY | OFFICE OF RESIDENCE LIFE

4. Senior Resident Assistant Incorporation
With the launching of the Senior Resident Assistant position, the Office of Residence Life will take on a new
initiative in each of its halls to support and develop a new kind of student staff member. This position will create a
Resident Assistant that functions with professional expectations in regard to their job performance. We feel that
one way to develop this professionalism in the Senior Resident Assistants is to have each of them offer one
‘Exploration,’ each semester, in an area they feel confident and knowledgeable in. With the addition of the Senior
Resident Assistants to the ‘Explorations’ Offerings, we will be able to increase options and topics for the larger
student staff to choose from while continuing to support the professional growth and development of this new
group of leaders.
Development of ‘Family Staff Meetings’
In order to supplement the change from larger ‘In Service’ Trainings to the personalized approach to
‘Explorations,’ the committee recommends that the Office of Residence Life should launch ‘Family Staff Meetings.’
With the change to a set staff meeting time each week during the 2014 -2015 academic year, all student staff
members are now available at the same time across campus. This would allow us to convene as a complete
Residence Life Staff once a month in place of the regular staff meeting where central office can speak to
departmental initiatives, policy changes and new staff opportunities, amongst others. This would also give the
Professional Staff and their committees an opportunity to share some of what they are working on. We
recommend that this initiative launches in the Fall of 2015 with the opening of Viking Hall. As our student staff
grows, we see the value in assembling for a cohesive staff meeting once a month and pairing this with our smaller,
individualized staff development opportunities.
Proposed Time Line of Rollout
October 2014 | Student Staff Training Committee members each develop one ‘Exploration’ for the months of
November and December. These four opportunities will be offered to the student staff who will have to select one
of their choice.
November 2014 | Student Staff Training Committee members will complete test ‘Explorations,’ and then discuss
areas for improvement and expansion based upon feedback from student staff members. The committee will then
open for ‘Exploration’ submissions from Professional Staff Members.
December 2014 | Student Staff Training Committee will create the ‘Explorations’ Offerings and confirm other
details with Professional Staff members to solidify our Spring 2015 offerings.
January 2015 - May 2015 | Student Staff members will select their ‘Explorations’ immediately following winter
student staff training. These ‘Explorations’ may begin the week following the conclusion of winter training and will
continue into the spring semester.
Summer/Fall 2015 | An evaluation will be conducted following the Spring 2015 ‘Explorations’ to understand
areas for improvement and opportunities for growth. The Senior Resident Assistants will also be factored into the
plan for Fall 2015 and offerings will be curated from these folks as well as from Professional staff for Fall 2015.