Residential & Greek Life associate director, 308.865.8519
New resident advisers, assistant hall directors and hall directors were recently announced for the 2006-2007 academic year at the University of Nebraska at Kearney.
“Resident advisers are carefully selected and trained,” said Anita Kucera, associate director of UNK Residential & Greek Life. “They serve as a resource of information, initiate activities and are an adviser and friend to the students in the halls.”
Applications for resident adviser positions are accepted in January and February. Applicants must have a minimum 2.5 GPA and be in good standing with the university to be eligible for selection. Candidates are interviewed individually and in group exercises to determine each candidate’s group skills. Once they are selected, newly hired resident advisers attend a five-week class, which teaches the recruits how to build communities, mediate conflicts and respond to emergency situations.
“At the beginning of August, resident advisers arrive on campus for a two-week, intensive training period, where they are trained in all aspects of emergency protocol, interpersonal communication and policy enforcement,” said Rick Larsen, Residential & Greek Life associate director.
“Resident advisers prepare the buildings for the arrival of students on opening day at UNK, when more than 90 percent of the on-campus population moves into their assigned rooms.”
New resident advisers, listed alphabetically by hometown along with the residence hall to which they have been assigned, include:
(NOTE: CTE = Centennial Towers East; CTW = Centennial Towers West; CH =
Conrad Hall; MEH = Men’s Hall; MTH = Mantor Hall; MNH = Martin Hall; RH =
Randall Hall; SH = Stout Hall; URN = University Residence North; URS =
University Residence South)
Allen – Aaron Smith, URN
Arcadia – Kelli VanSlyke, CTE
Belgrade – Kristi Scott, CTW
Bertrand – Christopher Myers, URS
Central City – Keisha Anderson, CTW
Chadron – Bridget Connealy, CTE
Deshler – Logan Maschmann, URS
Gothenburg – Melissa McMinn, MEH
Grand Island – Craig Beaman, RH; Mark Grupe, CTE; Erica Haberman, MTH;
Eric Holmes, MTH; Zach Ohlman, CTE; Emily Vencill, MTH
Hartington – Joel Hochstein, MTH
Hershey – Kyle (Gary) Stringham, CTW
Hoskins – Nathan Trautman, CTE
Kearney – Liz Gunderson, CTW; Mallory Mawby, RH; Caprice Miner, CH; Chase
Placzek, URN
Keystone – John Auwerda, CTW
Lexington – Keli Margritz, CH
Lincoln – Renee Murdock, URN; Jennifer Smith, URS
Norfolk – Karen Langer, CTE
North Platte – Ellie Jorgensen, CTE
Omaha – Megan Dobmeier, MEH; Kelsey Koch, CTE; Sarah Koenig, URS; Jodi
Phillips, SH; Joe Szczepaniak, MNH
Ord – Nancy Michalski, CTE
Palmer – Tim Schilling, URN
Sidney – Amber Davis, RH
St. Edward – Suzy Troyer, MTH
Wood River – Chelsea Larsen, MTH; Angela Reynolds, MNH
COLORADO
Aurora – Lindsay Tanis, URN
In addition to the new resident advisers, three new assistant hall directors were chosen for 2006-2007.
“Assistant hall directors are ‘senior’ staff members who share the responsibility for developing a residential community to facilitate learning and enhance the total college experience,” Kucera said.
“These undergraduate students have demonstrated a commitment to student growth and development,” Larsen said. “Candidates are interviewed and selected each February for assistant hall director positions. The selection is based on prior resident advisor experience, dedication to the provision of an educational environment and the ability to manage/advise student organizations and work-study employees,” he said.
Newly selected assistant hall directors attend a two-week training session in late July. The session covers facilities management, student group advising, student discipline and staff supervision.
Duties of assistant hall directors include training and day-to-day supervision of front desk operations, advising hall government and aiding the hall director. Assistant hall directors also take part in selecting and training resident advisers. Additionally, assistant hall directors live in the residence halls and are readily available to students.
“Assistant hall directors are an outstanding campus resource, and are well prepared to respond to any number of in-hall issues and concerns,” Larsen said.
“These staff members will strive to interact with students on a daily basis and can provide guidance in any number of areas.”
The following new assistant hall directors are listed below, alphabetically by hometown.
Auburn – Luke Saulsberry, MTH
Elm Creek – Sarah Marshall, CTE
Grand Island – Kellie Prather, CTW
Two graduate students were also named hall directors. They are Kia Cartwright of Pullman, Wash. , who will take over the role of hall director for Men’s Hall, and April Follmer of Grand Island, who will handle hall director responsibilities for University Residence Sout.
“Hall directors carry direct responsibility for ensuring a quality living environment,” Kucera said. “They directly supervise the delivery of staffing and programmatic efforts in their hall, and are the liaison and initial contact for all disciplinary issues for the office of Residential and Greek Life.”
Hall directors are master’s degree level students who are recruited to UNK each spring. According to Larsen, selected candidates have prior Student Life experience, dedication to build a positive learning environment and the ability to lead a staff of resident advisers. The new hall directors also attend the two-week training session in late July.
Hall directors are responsible for developing supportive, functioning communities within their respective residence halls, which range in size from 70 to 380 residents. According to Larsen, in addition to their supervisory roles, hall directors advise individual students and student groups, work to resolve behavioral problems of students and assist in the overall management of their residence halls.
“As staff members of Residential & Greek Life, hall directors work cooperatively with other Student Life programs at UNK to provide a quality on-campus experience for all UNK students,” said Larsen.
