Talking Stick - September/October 2011 - 38

For the financial affairs office, the notice likely is a fairy tale come true. But for the residence life department – and specifically those tasked to oversee the occupancy management process – this is more like a horror story. It quickly becomes apparent that, to put it mildly, the next few months are going to be interesting. Where exactly are an additional 350 students going to be housed? Undoubtedly, managing the occupancy in lieu of this over-enrollment dilemma will require innovative problem-solving and critical thinking skills – a little luck wouldn’t hurt either. And that’s just one factor to consider. Residence life must also establish the housing placement protocol for students with special medical needs, as well as requests for priority placements from alumni development, student athletes, and important scholarship recipients, all while maintaining appropriate gender ratios within the residence halls.

Such is the professional life of an occupancy manager, who oversees these fundamental business functions in college and university student housing. If the job responsibilities could be summed up in a single sentence (besides the proverbial “Other duties as assigned”), it would read, “Keep the halls filled with students.” And if there is one primary reason to meet that responsibility, it is the fiscal obligation bestowed on residence life. Simply put, the money raised by housing fees is needed to support campus facilities, programs, staff, and, ultimately, the institutional mission. Within the framework of occupancy management are a number of internal and external factors that affect a campus’s ability to meet its goals. Among those are an available inventory of beds, admissions trends, financial goals, and institutional policies. Additionally, campus demographics (small or large, public or private) will impact the factors considered throughout the occupancy management process. Furthermore, collaborative relationships with internal and external institutional constituents play a part in navigating occupancy management strategies.

and demand. The available bed spaces serve as the supply, and the students’ desire to live in on-campus housing serves as the demand. Therefore, knowing how many spaces are available within the institution’s housing portfolio is vital. Though occupancy managers are often called upon to provide an accurate report of occupancy figures and available bed spaces, the numbers are always changing. Room inventories can be increased by converting lounge and study spaces into student rooms, adding an extra bed into a regular occupancy room, and renting rooms at local hotels and neighboring colleges and universities. Whatever the situation requires, occupancy managers are continually called upon to organize, assess, and even create residence hall bed spaces. Admission Trends. Occupancy management also requires an assessment of admission trends, which continually fluctuate since sizeable increases or decreases in national high school graduation rates directly affect enrollment and residence hall occupancy. Understanding these trends is particularly cogent for institutions with residency requirements and limited on-campus housing. Occupancy managers must also understand past enrollment trends and be able to project future occupancy so that the institution can accurately assess the demand for on-campus housing as well as the need for capital projects and renovations. Finances. It is easy to understand how occupancy management can impact financial resources. As one of the leading revenue-generating operations for many campuses, housing can help provide financial stability to an institution when occupancy goals are met. Meeting these fiscal goals by filling residence hall spaces can be accomplished by strategies such as over-booking, requiring residency, and allowing students to pay more for single room accommodations. Institutional Goals and Policies. Housing professionals must remember

FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION
Being an occupancy manager means often being asked by colleagues, parents, and students, “What is the total number of students your halls can hold when filled to capacity?” One might suspect that the question could be answered with a quick numerical reply, but as any seasoned occupancy manager can confirm, such an easy answer does not exist. The art of managing bed spaces requires understanding a multitude of strategies that can be used when housing occupancy fluctuates. Bed Inventory. At the fundamental level, campus housing operates much like a business model based on supply
38
TALKING STICK



Talking Stick - September/October 2011

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Talking Stick - September/October 2011

Talking Stick - September/October 2011
Contents
Online Now
Vision
Just In
Your ACUHO-I
Transitions
Res Life
Special Focus
Calendar
Making the Most of Assessment Results
Taming the Multi-Headed Beast
Conversations
First Takes
Reporting Out
Welcome
Snapshot
Talking Stick - September/October 2011 - Intro
Talking Stick - September/October 2011 - BB1
Talking Stick - September/October 2011 - BB2
Talking Stick - September/October 2011 - Talking Stick - September/October 2011
Talking Stick - September/October 2011 - Cover2
Talking Stick - September/October 2011 - 1
Talking Stick - September/October 2011 - 2
Talking Stick - September/October 2011 - Contents
Talking Stick - September/October 2011 - Online Now
Talking Stick - September/October 2011 - 5
Talking Stick - September/October 2011 - Vision
Talking Stick - September/October 2011 - 7
Talking Stick - September/October 2011 - Just In
Talking Stick - September/October 2011 - 9
Talking Stick - September/October 2011 - 10
Talking Stick - September/October 2011 - 11
Talking Stick - September/October 2011 - 12
Talking Stick - September/October 2011 - Your ACUHO-I
Talking Stick - September/October 2011 - 14
Talking Stick - September/October 2011 - 15
Talking Stick - September/October 2011 - Transitions
Talking Stick - September/October 2011 - 17
Talking Stick - September/October 2011 - 18
Talking Stick - September/October 2011 - 19
Talking Stick - September/October 2011 - Res Life
Talking Stick - September/October 2011 - 21
Talking Stick - September/October 2011 - 22
Talking Stick - September/October 2011 - 23
Talking Stick - September/October 2011 - Special Focus
Talking Stick - September/October 2011 - 25
Talking Stick - September/October 2011 - 26
Talking Stick - September/October 2011 - Calendar
Talking Stick - September/October 2011 - Making the Most of Assessment Results
Talking Stick - September/October 2011 - 29
Talking Stick - September/October 2011 - 30
Talking Stick - September/October 2011 - 31
Talking Stick - September/October 2011 - 32
Talking Stick - September/October 2011 - 33
Talking Stick - September/October 2011 - 34
Talking Stick - September/October 2011 - 35
Talking Stick - September/October 2011 - Taming the Multi-Headed Beast
Talking Stick - September/October 2011 - 37
Talking Stick - September/October 2011 - 38
Talking Stick - September/October 2011 - 39
Talking Stick - September/October 2011 - 40
Talking Stick - September/October 2011 - 41
Talking Stick - September/October 2011 - 42
Talking Stick - September/October 2011 - 43
Talking Stick - September/October 2011 - Conversations
Talking Stick - September/October 2011 - 45
Talking Stick - September/October 2011 - 46
Talking Stick - September/October 2011 - First Takes
Talking Stick - September/October 2011 - Reporting Out
Talking Stick - September/October 2011 - 49
Talking Stick - September/October 2011 - 50
Talking Stick - September/October 2011 - 51
Talking Stick - September/October 2011 - 52
Talking Stick - September/October 2011 - 53
Talking Stick - September/October 2011 - Welcome
Talking Stick - September/October 2011 - 55
Talking Stick - September/October 2011 - Snapshot
Talking Stick - September/October 2011 - Cover3
Talking Stick - September/October 2011 - Cover4
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