Challenging student organizations to think about how engaging in long-term collaborative problem solving looks compared to one-time event planning.

1. Student Organization Module – Critical Agency

2.  When focusing exclusively on the curtains,
organizations prioritize the short-term win for the
organization (well-trimmed windows) over its long-
term needs (a durable house)
 Strengthening the house takes time; many projects
that improve the UMBC community will not fit
neatly within the academic year, and that’s okay
 Playing the “long game” requires significant
communication among members, but it expands
the scope of what is possible

3.  Buying curtains and hanging them is a self-reliant
exercise; not much help is needed
 Investing energy, time, and money in a house,
though, requires many partnerships and varying
kinds of expertise and experience (e.g., plumbers,
electricians, neighbors)
 By focusing your efforts on improving the entire
house, you not only benefit in the present from the
different sets of knowledge and resources you can
access, but you support future generations of your
organization, too

4.  Curtains aren’t visible to many people (other than those
closest to you), however when working on your house,
many different members of the community can
appreciate the output of your energy and effort
 Relying on event planning often leads to many of the
same people repeatedly associating with your
organization; however, finding different ways for your
organization to strengthen the UMBC community
allows you to constantly reach new people
 What’s going to be more energizing/accessible: your
curtains (one-time events) or more comprehensive work
on the entire house (sustained projects toward
strengthening the UMBC community)?