1. Being a Graduate Hall
Coordinator at a Small School
Occidental College – GHC Training

2. Initial Thoughts:
Every last one, route one,
rural hearts got a story to tell
Every grandma, in law, ex girlfriend
Maybe knows you just a little too well
Whether you're late for church
or you're stuck in jail
Hey words gonna get around
Everybody dies famous in a small town.
 Miranda Lambert, “Famous in a Small Town”

3. Reflection…
 When I think about living in a fishbowl…
 How does it feel being the new person on the
team?
 Where do I prefer to do my relaxing and
socializing?

4. Respecting the Age Difference
 Many of your RAs and MRAs will be close to
your age group, but they are not your peers.
 Be cognizant of the supervisory relationship –
we don’t want misunderstandings leading to
problems.
 Draw a line regarding how much of your
personal life you choose to share with your
staff.

5. Dollars and Sense
 A small school may usually mean smaller
budgets.
 Respect the area budgets and the funds you
have.
 Teach your staff how to program on a budget.

6. No More Drama
 Understand all policies and changes in
procedures that are shared with staff
 Listen and ask questions – but remember that
you are the administrator and no longer the
student
 Supervise fairly and avoid having “favorites” –
although this will not be easy
 Employ proper venting among yourselves
and your teams

7. An example of “the chain”
Captain Miller: I don't gripe to *you*, Reiben. I'm a captain. There's
a chain of command. Gripes go up, not down. Always up. You
gripe to me, I gripe to my superior officer, so on, so on, and so
on. I don't gripe to you. I don't gripe in front of you. You should
know that as a Ranger.
Private Reiben: I'm sorry, sir, but uh... let's say you weren't a
captain, or maybe I was a major. What would you say then?
Captain Miller: Well, in that case... I'd say, "This is an excellent
mission, sir, with an extremely valuable objective, sir, worthy of
my best efforts, sir. Moreover... I feel heartfelt sorrow for the
mother of Private James Ryan and am willing to lay down my
life and the lives of my men - especially you, Reiben - to ease
her suffering."
SAVING PRIVATE RYAN, 1998

8. More Thoughts…
No I cannot forget where it is that I come from
I cannot forget the people who love me
Yeah, I can be myself here in this small town
And people let me be just what I want to be
John Mellencamp, “Small Town”

9. The Good Stuff
 You have the opportunity to wear many hats.
 You are part of a Student Affairs Division, not
just a Residential Education team.
 Faculty are here to teach – many of them will
be willing and able to do programming in our
halls and be more involved with our students
outside the classroom.
 Networking on a small campus is much
easier for a new professional.

10. More of The Good Stuff
 Your thoughts?