New structure strains Housing and Res. Life

The Department of Housing and Residence Life is currently operating in a transitional period that frustrates many of the department's employees and affects the quality of services it provides to students. Shakeups in the department this summer and restructuring at the end of last year have strained the organization, many of whose members have been forced to handle new responsibilities with smaller staffs. Administrators explained that reports due next month from the consulting firm Biddison Hier and a 21st Century Project committee will precede further reorganization of the department. As they await the reports, members of the department are functioning in "an atmosphere of expected change," according to Acting Director of Residence Life Chris Dennis. "We need an organization that works for the long term," he added. The restructuring of the department has taken a "long and convoluted" path, according to a residence life employee who asked to remain anonymous. At the end of last year, the Residential Living and Residential Maintenance departments merged to form the Department of Housing and Residence Life. The restructuring moved many staff members to new positions, which several employees said may not have been in the best interests of the department. "The new structure made people into managers and administrators who are used to working with students," said a member of residential life who asked to remain anonymous. In addition, management problems under the new configuration have been exacerbated by the loss of key staff members. "It's not easy professionally, and it's not easy personally," Acting Director of Housing Services Lynn Horner said, referring to the new organization and the fewer available staff members. Gigi Simeone, who served as Residential Living director for almost 10 years, and Zoila Airall, associate director of staff and programming, both left the University last summer. And the Assignments Office is handling rooming assignments and the arena process for the first time without Residential Living Supervisor Doris Stone, who retired last year. "There's too much work, and not enough people," said a member of the assignments staff. Several employees have filled the holes in the department in the interim, including Dennis -- who also serves as Director of Academic Programs in Residence -- and Horner, who previously served as Residential Maintenance Director and now oversees all operational services. Associate Vice Provost for University Life Larry Moneta explained that administrators chose not to fill the vacated positions until the completion of the Biddison Hier review. The loss of Simeone created a noticeable power vacuum in the department, according to sources in the division, and Dennis explained that academic programs "have taken a hit," due to the staffing constraints. And maintenance employees have called the residence service and maintenance branch of the department a "chaotic bureaucracy." But VPUL Valarie Swain-Cade McCoullum stressed that administrators intend to "ensure the highest quality of services" for students. Since the fall, the department has expanded the ResNet program, continued to renovate high rise elevators and enabled students to make repair requests online. Biddison Hier -- which is also conducting an extensive study of all campus dormitory facilities -- is formally reviewing all residential operations to determine the next steps for the department. Administrators said they will not make any decisions concerning the immediate future of residential operations until after they have reviewed the Biddison Hier report and heard the recommendations of a committee on the social organization of the residential system and programs in residence. The committee will present its report to the Council of Undergraduate Deans April 15.