Understanding there is a direct educational impact through the residential living experience, Colorado State University strives to build programs and offer experiences that go beyond just providing state-of-the-art facilities and amenities.

The staff in the residence halls and university apartments provides an extra level of support. Several levels of student staff and professional staff are available in the halls providing programs and resources to students, with student retention and success as the ultimate goal on a daily basis. The staff is extensively trained, and well-informed about many aspects of campus. Wearing many hats, they facilitate assessments and programs throughout the year to monitor how their residents are doing academically, socially, and emotionally.

University Housing reorganization

University Housing — the unit on campus that oversees the staff, student services and programs in the residence halls and on-campus apartments — is continually adapting its practices in order to stay current in the field and support students in the best ways possible. As the student population develops and changes, University Housing is evolving as well, providing resources and support that focus on student well-being, professional and career development, and a sense of belonging and purpose.

“Our field is in the midst of re-thinking our approach to residential life. This is true not just at CSU, but nationwide,” said Associate Executive Director of Housing & Dining Services Nick Sweeton. “Many of the models we use to conduct our work were cultivated in the 1970s and 1980s, and they have become outdated. We recognize the need to re-think our approach to better align with the current and rising generation of college students; to align with the expectations of the current generation of live-in staff members; and to continue to play a key role in achieving institutional goals.”

By reorganizing and making a few changes internally, University Housing is hoping to fine-tune the way they provide services to students.

• Hiring a new director. Filling a yearlong vacancy in the top position of University Housing, Josh Maxwell, Ed.D., was hired to bring a fresh approach to residential housing at CSU. He brings experience in both the philosophical and operational aspects of University Housing. Special attention was paid to hiring a director who could see things through an updated and modern lens, with a clear commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. This position works with many partners across the Division of Student Affairs to lead the vision to foster a vibrant and inclusive residential experience for its 8,700 residential students.
• Creating a separate area that oversees hall/apartment occupancy and operations. For many years, the people-side (residents and staff) of University Housing was clustered organizationally with operations – two rather distinct areas with specific priorities. Separating them into their own areas provides more focus for each and their needed priorities, while still maintaining strong collaboration to serve students.
• Developing staff teams across the halls that focus on areas of competency. Whereas the staff in each hall in the past were expected to cover everything from programming and involvement, to conduct and conflict resolution, to academic resources, mental health issues, etc., now they will specialize in their personal areas of strength and interest and work across multiple halls. This new model will lead to a stronger approach to both proactive and reactive mental health support for students and staff; a stronger sense of role clarity for residential staff; and deeper collaborations with key campus partners.

Studies repeatedly show that living on campus in the residence halls contributes to higher levels of overall student success, with opportunities for faculty-student interaction and peer support, better academic and social integration, greater satisfaction and commitment, and higher college retention.

“Ultimately, we hope to decrease equity gaps in outcomes related to GPA, retention, and graduation rates, as well as more clearly attach our work to social science,” added Sweeton. “We also intend to improve staff retention and job satisfaction, while realizing a deeper degree of role clarity in terms of our contributions to institutional goals. With these few changes, our approach to diversity, equity and inclusion work will be modernized, and our work will be more focused.”